St Bartholomew's CofE (C) School

St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School

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

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St Bartholomew’s C of E 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 C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 – 9 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 39

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Buxton Road Longnor Buxton Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01298 83233 Fax number: 01298 83233

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Claire Millner

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

With 39 pupils (17 girls and 22 boys), the school is much smaller than other primary schools. Children start in the nursery when they are three years old and leave the school at the end of Year 4. The great majority of pupils live in the school’s catchment area. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds but the socio-economic characteristics of the school’s catchment area are below average. As a result, funding from a Sure Start initiative is enabling the school to build an extension to be shared with the community. Free school meals eligibility is slightly below the national average. There are no pupils of minority ethnic heritage. Four pupils have special educational needs. Attainment on entry to the nursery varies widely from year to year but is generally below average, particularly in language development. Pupils are taught in three classes in the morning and two classes in the afternoon. At lunchtime, nursery children go home and reception children join the Year

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

1/2 class. The headteacher teaches the Year 3/4 class for four days a week. In 2003 the school received awards for its Health Promoting Schools’ Initiative and improved attendance. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19410 Andrew Matthews Lead inspector Special educational needs, English, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, physical education, religious education 9545 Kevin Greatorex Lay inspector 21858 John Pryor Team inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, science, geography, history, music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a satisfactory school , which is very well regarded by parents and popular with pupils. Good leadership by the subject leaders underpins the improvements brought about since the last inspection. The quality of education is satisfactory overall and standards for the present Year 4 pupils are below average in English, average in mathematics and above average in information and communication technology (ICT) and science. Pupils achieve satisfactorily and those with special educational needs achieve well. The cost of running the school is high but it offers satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• There is a strong ethos reflected in the very good relationships between adults and pupils, who are enthusiastic and hard working. • The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and is well supported by all members of staff. • Last year’s National Curriculum test results for Year 2 pupils were much improved • Children in the Foundation Stage make a good start to their school life and achieve well because of the consistently good teaching they receive. • More of the able pupils should be working at the higher levels. • The school offers a good curriculum, enhanced by its very good links with local schools and effective use of specialist teachers. • Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning. • There are weaknesses in the marking of pupils’ work. • Whilst regular assessments are carried out in English and mathematics, the school’s present tracking systems are not rigorous enough.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Parents are extremely supportive of the school, which has close links with the community.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Since the school was inspected in 1998 the rate of improvement has been satisfactory. A measured response to the last report has led to improvements in the planning for numeracy and literacy and the development of teachers’ knowledge and expertise in these subjects. Resources have been improved for the teaching of English, mathematics and science. The governing body now meets all statutory requirements but the school’s target setting and tracking processes are still not rigorous enough. Good improvements have been made in ICT and science and in the standards of reading in Year 2. Standards at the end of the current Year 4 have risen in science, remained average in mathematics but fallen in English due, principally, to some pupils’ relatively weak language development on entry to the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

compared with : all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 2001 2002 2003 2003 Reading E E B A Writing D E B B Mathematics D A B B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Year groups are very small and attainment varies from year to year. Any interpretation of the above results should be treated with caution.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is satisfactory overall through the school but children in the Foundation Stage make good progress towards the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception. At the end of Year 2, pupils achieve well in reading, science and ICT and standards are above average. Standards in writing, mathematics and religious education are average. Although standards are below average in English and average in mathematics for the present Year 4 pupils, they are achieving satisfactorily in these subjects. These pupils achieve well in ICT and science, where standards are above average. In all other subjects inspected, standards in Year 4 are in line with St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 7 national expectations, except for swimming where standards are above. In all year groups, pupils with special educational needs achieve well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils have positive attitudes to school and their behaviour is good. There is a strong and supportive ethos in the school and relationships are very good. Attendance is well above average. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory overall, and good in the Foundation Stage. Whilst teaching in Years 1 to 4 has been satisfactory over time, teaching during the inspection was predominantly good and led to good achievement in the majority of the lessons observed. Teachers generally cope well with their mixed-age classes and work hard to meet the pupils’ individual needs. However, teachers’ planning does not consistently ensure that enough is expected of the higher achieving pupils. The experienced teaching assistants give pupils good support. The school makes good use of specialist teachers and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement in ICT, science and swimming. While teachers mark much of the work with the pupils, the marking does not consistently inform pupils how they can improve their work or move towards their targets. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good and meets all statutory requirements. The curriculum for design and technology has improved because of a wider range of resources for the pupils to work with. The curriculum benefits from a good range of extra-curricular clubs that are popular and well attended. Provision for pupils with SEN is good and helps these pupils achieve well. Whilst pupils have above average standards in ICT, teachers do not plan sufficiently for pupils to use these skills to support their learning in other subjects. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory. The partnership with parents and links with other schools are very effective. The school has very good links with the community and provides a good level of care for all its pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher has a very heavy teaching commitment and leads by example. She has a clear vision of what needs to be done and has successfully developed a hard working and committed team. Co-ordinators provide good leadership for their subjects. Governors are supportive and developing their knowledge of the school further by focused classroom visits. They have been particularly effective in ensuring the Sure Start initiative will improve provision for both the school and the community. Greater use could be made of their skills in helping the school evaluate its developments. Whilst pupils are well known to all staff, the target setting and tracking processes are not sufficiently well structured to ensure all pupils, and particularly the higher achieving, successfully reach their potential.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school. They feel their children are treated very well and make good progress. Pupils are generally positive about school, although there are some negative feelings among older pupils towards certain subjects.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Use the results of assessments to set challenging end of year targets for all pupils and rigorously track their progress towards these targets. • Increase the proportion of pupils working at the higher levels. • Ensure that marking consistently identifies what pupils should do to improve. • Make greater use of ICT to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall and standards in the present Years 2 and 4 are broadly average. Despite year-to-year fluctuations because of very small numbers, the school’s results at the end of Year 2 are improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the 2003 National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils showed a big improvement over recent years. • Pupils in the Foundation Stage make good progress because of careful planning and well- focused teaching. • Not enough able pupils are working at the higher levels. • Pupils in Year 2 are achieving well in reading, ICT and science . • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well. • In Year 4 standards in reading are below average and well below average in writing.

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Commentary

1. Standards fluctuate from year to year because of the very small number in each year group and the wide variation in the proportion of more able or pupils with special educational needs in these year groups. Despite the small number of pupils in Year 2, national statistics indicate that the school’s trend has been greater than the national improvement trend. The results for Year 2 pupils in 2003 showed considerable improvement. Though one year’s results should be treated with caution, when compared to similar schools, pupils’ attainment was overall above average in reading, writing and mathematics. In the previous three years, standards have been significantly stronger in mathematics than in reading and writing. Because of the small cohorts it is not possible to make helpful comparisons between the attainment of boys and girls.

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Commentary

2. The provision in the Foundation Stage (FS) has improved since the last inspection, with pupils now achieving consistently well in all areas of learning. The teacher, who is a nursery nurse, rightly emphasises the importance of language and mathematical development where children’s attainment on entry is often lower than other aspects of their development. Children are enthusiastic learners because the activities planned for them build securely on their previous learning and enable increasing opportunities for both independent and collaborative work. Reception children benefit from their half-day teaching in a separate Foundation Stage class with the nursery children and then working with the Year 1/2 class for afternoon sessions. Their teacher works as a teaching assistant in the afternoon and this provides good continuity in all areas of learning. By the end of the present school year, the children will have

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Commentary

moved from below average attainment to the expected standards in all six areas of learning. 1

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Commentary

3. Standards in reading and science for the present Year 2 pupils are above average, with a much improved proportion of pupils working at the higher levels in reading. Pupils benefit from the specialist science teaching with its good concentration on pupils’ investigative skills and this is the principal reason for the above average standards at the end of Year 4. Similarly, good achievement and above average standards in ICT for Year 2 and Year 4 pupils are directly attributable to the specialist skills of the part-time teacher. Analysis of pupils’ work has identified weaknesses in boys’ writing. However, the lack of opportunities for pupils to write

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Commentary

1 These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 9 regularly and at length is restricting the improvement and leading to well below average standards at the end of Year 4 and comparative weaknesses in Year 2. This weakness has been identified by the school and is a priority in its present development plan.

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Commentary

4. Learning support assistants are experienced and well briefed. Their effective working partnership with teachers has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Pupils have the confidence to ask for help when needed and their positive attitudes to work and their desire to improve contribute much to their overall achievement.

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Commentary

5. The school has effective systems to analyse the performance of pupils with special educational needs. Well-focused communication between staff and parents ensures that these pupils receive good support to enable them to be fully integrated into the work of the class and achieve well. The teaching assistants are fully involved and individual education plans clearly lay out the targets to be achieved. The plans are regularly reviewed and future planning ensures pupils consistently build on previous learning. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well.

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Commentary

6. Pre-inspection analysis of the test data raised questions about the performance of higher- achieving pupils. Evidence from the inspection shows that they are not identified early enough to ensure that they are set appropriate and challenging long-term targets. As a result not enough pupils are working consistently at the higher levels. However, higher-achieving pupils in the Year 1/2 class were clearly challenged in lessons seen during the inspection and achieved well.

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Commentary

7. In all other subjects inspected, pupils achieved satisfactorily and are attaining standards that are in line with national expectations. The exception is in swimming, where pupils benefit from regular lessons taught in small groups. As a result, they are achieving well and attaining above average standards, as at the time of the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and behaviour are good . Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Attendance is excellent and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils throughout the school form very good relationships with each other and with adults. • Excellent attendance and good punctuality ensure that lessons start promptly. • Almost all pupils have positive attitudes to the school and their work.

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Commentary

8. Relationships have been maintained well since the last inspection and continue to be very good, exemplified by the warm and caring attitude of the headteacher and other staff. All pupils show mutual respect and trust. From the earliest time on entry, all pupils constantly demonstrate a willingness to help each other and share resources. They work well both co- operatively and collaboratively.

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Attendance in the last complete reporting year

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.6% School data 0.0% National data 5.4% National data 0.4%

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Attendance in the last complete reporting year

9. Attendance is within the top 10 per cent of schools in the country and is very high. Virtually all pupils are punctual and many arrive early enabling the school to make a prompt and efficient start to the school day. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 10 10. Pupils’ attitudes and values have been maintained since the last inspection and continue to be good. Most pupils are enthusiastic about the school and their work. They are fully prepared to work hard and participate fully in all the activities. The enthusiasm continues through the school and, as they grow older, most pupils become more articulate and confident. However, the attitudes of a small minority of older pupils are less positive.

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Attendance in the last complete reporting year

11. Behaviour throughout the school continues to be good. Pupils rise to the challenge of high expectations set by the school and, as a result, their behaviour in lessons is good. When they come to school, in assemblies, in the dining hall, on the playground and even in the closely confined cloakroom areas, pupils show that high levels of orderly behaviour are consistently achieved. The inconvenience caused by the building work is not being allowed to affect behaviour. There have been no incidents of exclusion from the school in the recent past.

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Attendance in the last complete reporting year

12. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard and successfully to improve the provision for the pupils’ cultural development. There are now many more opportunities to learn about their own and other cultures. The trips and visits to museums, churches and temples all further their cultural development. Pupils respect the views of others and understand the importance of the traditions and festivals of other religions. Pupils regularly support fund raising for charities throughout the year.

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Attendance in the last complete reporting year

13. The good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils perform many jobs within the classroom and around the school. The family style arrangement for lunch enables the older pupils to take the responsibility for serving their table and looking after the needs of the younger children.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory .

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. The overall quality of assessment of the pupils’ work is unsatisfactory as it is not used consistently by teachers to set challenging targets for pupils or to track their progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage because the teaching is consistently good. • School makes good use of specialist teaching in science, music, design and technology, ICT and modern foreign languages. • Teachers’ marking does not clearly outline how pupils should improve. • Good use is made of teaching assistants who provide good support to groups and individuals. • Assessment information is not used sufficiently to ensure that more able pupils are consistently challenged. • A substantial proportion of lessons observed during the inspection was at least good. • Teachers should plan greater use of computers to support pupils’ learning. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 11

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 1 6 4 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

14. In the lessons observed in the Reception class, the teaching was consistently good. The teacher, who is a nursery nurse, has a good appreciation of how young children learn and the planned activities successfully develop children’s skills and knowledge in all six areas of learning. Particular emphasis is given to the development of children’s language and mathematical development and their knowledge and understanding of the world, as these areas of learning are comparatively weaker on entry to the school than others. Nursery children who spend every morning in the Foundation Stage class, quickly gain in confidence because of the well-focused learning opportunities and have settled well since the beginning of the year. The teacher’s skills are well used in the afternoon when her reception children move with her into the Year 1/2 class where she works alongside the teacher, supporting in the

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

15. Although the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, there have been some good improvements since the last inspection, noticeably in the proportion of good and better teaching. The school now makes good use of a range of specialist teachers who work with pupils in Years 1 to 4. This has led to improvements in pupils’ achievement in these subjects. However, teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to use their above average ICT skills to support their learning in other subjects. Although the range of methods for teaching writing has broadened, the teaching of writing in the school remains a comparative weakness, as teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to write at length.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

16. In the Foundation Stage, assessment is used well to ensure activities build successfully on children’s previous learning. The use of assessment in the rest of the school is unsatisfactory. Teachers do not clearly indicate in their marking how pupils should improve, and the results of formal assessments are not used sufficiently rigorously to track the progress of all pupils and ensure consistent challenge for the higher-achievers. Because no lessons were seen in geography and music, it was not possible to verify whether the good quality teaching identified at the time of the last inspection has been maintained.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

17. Throughout the school, the teamwork of the teachers produces a consistent approach to the management of pupils’ behaviour. Teachers share ideas willingly with each other and observations by English and mathematics co-ordinators ensure that good practice is shared. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is satisfactory overall but during the inspection the majority of these lessons were good, with pupils of all abilities being successfully challenged. Teachers set homework regularly and pupils have a clear understanding of how it consolidates their learning. The school has rightly identified that greater use needs to be made of time limits in lessons to ensure pupils regularly produce enough work to reinforce the skills they have been taught. Scrutiny of both English and mathematics work showed that work set was not always completed, and this meant that teachers were not able to thoroughly assess pupils’

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

18. The effective deployment of the experienced teaching assistants enhances the quality of education provided. These assistants work well with small groups and individuals. Good questioning and sensitive support enables these pupils to be fully included in the lessons’ activities. Assistants have close relationships with the pupils with special educational needs. They have a good understanding of these pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and the individual support they give enables these pupils to make good progress and achieve well. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 12

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good . It is enriched well both within and outside schools hours and gives good support to pupils’ learning. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good use of specialist staff and volunteers to provide a broader than average curriculum. • The school adopts innovative programmes to support the breadth of the curriculum. • The Foundation Stage curriculum is well structured and balanced. • Teachers do not plan enough use of ICT in other subjects.

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Commentary

19. The school’s curriculum is good. It is well structured and broad and covers all the requirements of the National Curriculum. In addition, it provides instruction in French and German and a good range of experiences for the pupils outside the school curriculum. All the weaknesses noted at the time of the last inspection have been addressed. The long term planning provides a clear framework of themes and topics which identify what will be covered in each year, in each class, in a two year rolling programme. The requirements for religious education according to the local agreed syllabus for religious education are met and the school provides the pupils with good opportunities for personal, social and health education. The school is successfully involved in the healthy schools initiative.

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Commentary

20. Teachers plan carefully for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects, such as science and religious education, but planning for pupils to develop their numeracy skills is not sufficiently established. The use of part time specialist teachers ensures a good coverage for science, music, design and technology and ICT. The school is also fortunate to have trained teacher volunteers to teach French and German, with the local vicar, who is also a teacher, teaching religious education to the older pupils. These volunteers give an extra breadth to the curriculum.

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Commentary

21. The school makes good use of the opportunities provided by the cluster of local schools to develop new initiatives in the curriculum. Good use is made of other in-service training opportunities to meet the perceived needs of the staff. The training needs are identified in the school improvement planning so that the developments are progressive and coherent.

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Commentary

22. The support provided for pupils with special educational needs is well managed, parents are appropriately involved and individual education plans for specific pupils are carefully devised and followed by the teachers. The co-ordinator and the headteacher work closely together to ensure that the requisite support is given. There is good co-operation between the teachers and teaching assistants which leads to effective and well focused support for these pupils.

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Commentary

23. The school makes good use of visits to museums and places of educational interest such as Eyam plague village. The pupils also visited a Hindu Temple, followed by a visit from an Indian dancer to give them some insight into this culture. These experiences enrich the pupils’ opportunities for spiritual and cultural development. The weekly after-school art club is well attended. There are occasional opportunities for football training provided by a local professional side. Swimming is successfully incorporated into the physical education programme, supported by a member of the non-teaching staff, who is a swimming coach. Musical activities are also a feature of the school’s extra-curricular provision, with some pupils learning the violin.

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Commentary

24. The school has adequate facilities for physical education and sport. Outside there is a good sized field and hard play areas; the school is seeking to resurface the latter. The classrooms are of a reasonable size, especially for the small classes currently in the school. Though the St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 13 nursery children do not have readily available access to outdoor play, good planning of sessions in the nursery/reception class ensures that they have a satisfactory amount of outdoor access. Generally, the resources for teaching are adequate to support the pupils’ learning. The resources for ICT are well used for instruction in the subject, but less well used to support other subjects.

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes good care of the children’s personal needs. It effectively promotes the pupils’ welfare in a secure and caring environment. The school provides overall satisfactory support and guidance for pupils. Pupils are involved well in the work of the school.

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Main strengths

• The school provides a safe and secure environment in which the pupils can learn. • School has good induction procedures. • The headteacher and other staff offer very good pastoral support. • The assessment of pupils’ academic standards is not used consistently to promote their learning.

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Commentary

25. Health and safety continue to be well handled. Site inspections are conducted regularly to identify potential hazards and prepare appropriate action plans for correction. All staff are safety conscious and watch for the security of the children. Child protection issues are handled effectively; all staff are aware of their responsibilities and they understand the need for vigilance and the steps to take if suspicions are aroused.

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Commentary

26. Good quality induction procedures enable the children to feel comfortable from the moment that they first enter the school. There are good links with the local playgroup, which holds regular afternoon sessions in the school hall. The information provided by the school enables parents to be reassured and in turn to reassure their children.

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Commentary

27. The school continues to provide very good quality support and guidance and effectively supports pupils’ pastoral needs. Staff know the children extremely well and are well equipped to offer support when it is needed. All staff counsel pupils sensitively, offering high quality support to those most in need. Stemming from the very good relationships and led by the headteacher, all staff set good examples of how to have trusting relationships enabling the pupils to develop very good self esteem. Pupils confirm that they know whom to approach if they have a problem.

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Commentary

28. Academic support is unsatisfactory . The present assessments that the school carries out are not used effectively to set targets or plan the teaching and learning of pupils’ particular academic needs to ensure they reach their full potential. However, the school has an established range of procedures for assessing and supporting children with special educational needs. Individual education plans are of good quality and developed effectively in consultation with class teachers, parents and children. Class teachers review the plans regularly and new targets are set as appropriate. Parents are also given the opportunity to be involved in setting targets which their children can work towards at home to help support the work in school. There is some good individual support for pupils, sometimes as part of a group, but also working one-to-one with a teaching assistant.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents. The links with the community are very good and links with other schools are good . St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 14

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Main strengths

• Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and their children’s education. • Parents contribute considerably to pupils’ learning at school and at home.

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Commentary

29. The partnership with parents has been well maintained since the last inspection and continues to have a positive impact on the children’s learning and personal development. Parents responding to the questionnaire and those attending the meeting were extremely supportive of the school and its work. They believe that it has many strengths.

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Commentary

30. Parents are encouraged to become involved in the life of the school and, although they are few in number, a good proportion respond extremely positively. They are a considerable help around the school as well as on school trips and visits. The school values highly the support and contributions made by all parents and members of the community that enhance the children’s learning and development.

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Commentary

31. The information for parents about their children’s progress is good overall. The annual reports to parents on the pupils’ progress now give much clearer information about what they know, understand and can do. In addition, they contain targets for improvement that are linked progressively to the half-yearly reviews. Although most of them are specific and measurable some are less precise. Reports also give the pupils an opportunity to add their own observations, and parents the opportunity to respond in detail.

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Commentary

32. The school enjoys very positive partnerships with a wide range of groups in the community. The link with the church is strong and a number of local organisations use the premises for their meetings. The link with local cluster schools is of very good quality. They work together effectively to develop the curriculum and extend the staff’s in-service training.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff is satisfactory overall but is hampered by the lack of time available to the small and overstretched staff. Subject co-ordinators lead their subjects well . The governance of the school is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and staff have a clear and shared vision for the school. • The headteacher has an extremely heavy teaching commitment and very limited non-contact time for her leadership and management role. • The staff, both full and part-time, work well as a team. • The governing body is supportive, forward looking and keen to help to develop the school. • There is a lack of rigour in the way that pupils’ progress is tracked through each academic year.

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Commentary

33. The headteacher has a coherent long-term vision for the school that is shared by all the staff and the governing body. Commitment to this has enabled the staff to become an effective team where the tasks of management of subjects and oversight of pupils are generously shared. The small size of the school and the consequent financial constraints results in a minimal amount of time for the headteacher’s administrative and managerial duties. Nevertheless, she uses this time very efficiently and the duties are carried out effectively. Creative use of time has also enabled subject co-ordinators to monitor their areas more effectively since the last inspection. The decision to use specialist part-time staff for major St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 15 subjects such as science and ICT has led to improvements in standards and also to the way that these subjects are co-ordinated.

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Commentary

34. The procedures for monitoring the teaching and learning in the school are now more formalised and effective, with strengths and areas for improvements recorded. However, there is still a lack of rigour in the way it sets long-term targets for pupils and tracks their progress towards these targets. The school makes good use of self evaluation forms to develop a clearly expressed and manageable school improvement plan complete with realistic costings and success criteria.

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Commentary

35. All the issues raised in the previous report have been addressed and improvements have followed. The professional development of the staff is managed well and new initiatives are effectively prepared for. The headteacher is the cluster co-ordinator for the local group of schools. The school makes good use of the opportunities for training provided by this cluster.

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Commentary

36. Governors are supportive of the school and are rightly becoming less dependent on the headteacher for information about the school’s performance. For example, when writing was a focus in a recent development plan, governors monitored pupils’ work to help the school judge the impact of this initiative. Whilst this was helpful for the school, even greater use could be made of their expertise in helping the school to evaluate its effectiveness and its developments, such as through formal discussions with pupils. The recent joint observations of literacy and numeracy lessons by co-ordinators and associated governors is a good initiative and will strengthen the governors’ first hand knowledge of the school’s provision. Governors have a good understanding of how pupils perform in the national assessments for Year 2 pupils, but are less well informed on the achievements of other years. They fulfil all

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Commentary

their statutory duties well and have an increased input into the improved school improvement planning process. They have worked particularly hard to ensure the new Sure Start building, at present under construction, will meet both the needs of the school and the wider community.

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Commentary

37. The school has been imaginative in tackling staffing in a small school, so that the pupils receive a wider breadth of contact with committed teachers than would otherwise be the case. There is still a major difficulty in enabling the teachers to have time to carry out particular subject co-ordinating and other responsibilities. However, the co-operative methods used and the sharing of responsibilities between the staff have enabled this important aspect of the management of the school to be carried out effectively. The current staffing is stable and a new appointment has been successfully incorporated into the school.

p.15

Commentary

38. For financial management, the school makes good use of the support offered through the local authority. The budgets are well thought out and kept in balance well. There is an effective committee of governors providing oversight and some challenge. The school applies the best value principles well in all its financial planning and management decisions. .

p.15

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.15

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 132,520 Balance from previous year 985 Total expenditure 129,022 Balance carried forward to the next 3,498 Expenditure per pupil 3,956 St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 16

p.15

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. The provision for the Foundation Stage 2 is good and has improved since the last inspection. It includes a class in the mornings for both nursery and reception children. At midday, nursery children finish and in the afternoons the reception children join pupils in Years 1 and 2. Some of the nursery children stay on to join in a separate play group that meets in the school hall. Children enter the nursery when they are three years and four months old and generally transfer to reception at the beginning of the school year in which they become five. This pattern of provision is successful in encouraging good progress towards the achievement of the expected early learning goals for Foundation Stage children. It makes good use of the differing talents of the recently appointed part-time nursery nurse who teaches the class in the mornings and the co-ordinator who teaches the class in the afternoons, supported by the

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

nursery nurse. This provides good continuity for the children, who also benefit socially by learning alongside older pupils. The effective link with the playgroup prepares the children well for entry to the Foundation Stage class and provides a good preparation for full-time schooling for those joining the playgroup’s afternoon sessions.

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. The planning and implementation of the curriculum in the morning class is clearly and imaginatively based on the nationally prescribed programme for the Foundation Stage. There is also a clear line of development, identifying work in language and mathematics that prepares the children for later work based on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. This is a significant improvement on the previous inspection findings. The sessions are well organised with a balanced range of interesting and varied activities that engage the children’s interest and develop their skills and understanding well. Careful individual assessment of their work is used effectively to promote good achievement. Consequently, the children learn well and make good progress. The work for the Foundation Stage children in the afternoon lessons is more closely related to the National Curriculum, but as the children have been well

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. The children join the Nursery with a range of levels of attainment, but their language development, mathematical understanding and knowledge and understanding of the world are lower than the levels of other areas of development, which are what would be expected nationally. However, they make good progress and achieve well. By the end of the reception year, most of the children achieve the national goals set for them in the six areas of learning of the Foundation Stage. This is the result of the overall good teaching they receive.

p.16

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the children’s personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children are successfully encouraged to work co-operatively. • Good opportunities are provided for the exercise of independent choice of activity. • The adults provide good models for the children to follow.

p.16

Commentary

42. In the Foundation Stage class the teaching is lively and engaging. There is close co-operation between the nursery nurse and teaching assistant so that the children are very clear as to

p.16

Commentary

The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on the six areas of learning.. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 17 what they are to do and how they are to relate to one another. The range of activities is clearly described for the children and they are subtly led to choose the most relevant activities for their immediate need. They are encouraged to make sensible choices, to share resources and to work consistently at an activity so that they can master new skills.

p.16

Commentary

43. Dressing up games and role-play encourage the children to explore ways of behaving and to develop appropriate patterns of behaviour towards each other. The staff have a simple and effective strategy for noting what the children have done so that in future lessons they can be led to activities which will build successfully on their prior learning. In the more structured work in the class with Years 1 and 2, the reception children develop their personal and social skills further. As a result of the good quality teaching, the children make good progress and achieve well personally, socially and emotionally. .

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

The provision for the development of the children’s communication, language and literacy skills is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers and other adults provide good models of speaking and listening and consistently encourage the children to join in • There is a good progression towards the National Literacy Strategy by the time the children leave reception

p.17

Commentary

44. When teaching the younger children, the adults consistently maintain an engaging flow of conversation. This develops the children’s language skills well by providing good models for speaking as well as a basis for their writing development. The formal introduction to reading skills and the use of letter sounds are planned well, leading to the children making good progress. This focus on good language development continues throughout the day in the wide variety of activities in which the children engage. This quality of this area of learning is maintained also by the supportive ethos of the school where even the youngest children can feel that they will be listened to.

p.17

Commentary

45. In the nursery/reception class, day-to-day assessment is carried out effectively and recorded clearly. This provides a good basis for subsequent lesson planning. It is beginning to be used to identify and then meet the needs of particular children. This will provide an informed base for the identification and support of potentially high achievers. The children are successfully introduced to books and develop their pre-reading skills as well as a liking for books. The consistently good teaching the children receive enables them to make good progress, achieve well and reach the expected standards in communication, language and literacy by the end of the reception year.

p.17

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the children’s mathematical development is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Individual children are regularly challenged by the teacher’s enthusiasm and knowledge of their abilities to think more deeply. • Mathematical understanding is consistently developed through conversation, rhymes and songs. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 18

p.17

Commentary

46. The children make good progress in mathematical knowledge and understanding and achieve well. Almost all attain the expected levels of skills, knowledge and understanding by the end of the reception year. The nursery nurse’s good knowledge of the children’s levels of attainment and of their potential is used effectively to challenge them to work harder. This is a good basis for later mathematical development in Years 1 and 2. The incidental teaching of mathematics, through conversations when the children are engaged in other activities, number songs and rhymes and various everyday experiences, is a feature of the good teaching. The teachers and classroom assistants work well together so that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

The provision for the development of the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The younger children are encouraged to be inquisitive and explorative. • There is a good balance between instruction and discovery in the teaching. • Careful planning of time enables minor inadequacies of accommodation to be overcome.

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Commentary

49. The children in both classes are encouraged to be curious about their surroundings and the world in which they live. The local environment is used well, not only to look at what the village is like now, but also to talk about how it was in the past. Good use is also made of construction toys. By careful use of time, the younger children enjoy some time in supervised play using outdoor wheeled apparatus in the playground. This makes up for the lack of a specific fenced area for outdoor activities readily accessible from the classroom.

p.18

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the children’s physical development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the hall and resources for physical development.

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Commentary

49. Teaching is good in this area and the well focused work planned for the children enables them to achieve well and also makes good use of the outside play area and the hall. The playgroup uses the hall on two afternoons a week, and many of the nursery children stay on for those sessions. This close co-operation between the playgroup and the school works for the benefit of the children. The wide range of carefully planned activities that involve the children in using tools, such as pens and brushes, moulding tools with play-dough, scissors as well as tools for imaginative play, improve the children’s dexterity. The instruction they receive on the computers enables them to handle the mouse and the keyboard well. Activities such as running, jumping and the use of wheeled apparatus result in the children attaining the expected physical development goals by the time they leave the reception class.

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Commentary

St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 19

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the pupil’s creative development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching stimulates imaginative drawing and painting, play-dough activities and role play. • Singing is used effectively to support other activities.

p.19

Commentary

50. There is a good range of activities provided for the nursery/reception class children to choose from, including drawing, painting, and modelling using mouldable materials. Children are enthusiastic about these activities. The teacher and assistant give good support to the children and extend their skills well. A good selection of dressing up clothes is provided and the children are encouraged to re-enact stories they have heard or made up. Number songs are used when children are clearing up the room and the children join in enthusiastically. The staff give good encouragement to the children to explore their ideas through play.

p.19

ENGLISH AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Pupils in Years 1 and 2 benefit from weekly half-hour lessons in French or German whilst older pupils are taught both languages., The lessons are taken by parents who are qualified teachers. No lessons were observed during the inspection but discussions with pupils indicate that these subjects are very popular. Many of the pupils know their numbers to 20 and the days of the week in both languages, as well as other simple phrases.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in last year’s national tests for Year 2 pupils were much improved and above average. • Standards in reading are above average for the present Year 2 pupils. • Standards in reading are below average at the end of the current Year 4 and well below average in writing. • Pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects. • Worksheets restrict pupils’ writing development and pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length. • Teachers’ marking does not consistently inform pupils how to improve their work.

p.19

Commentary

51. Test results in English have varied considerably since the last inspection because of the very small number of pupils in each group. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily through the school; reading standards in the present Year 2 are above average and they are average for writing. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well but the more able pupils are not clearly identified nor consistently challenged in their work and, as a result, too few achieve to their full potential. Pupils enjoy reading and have good levels of comprehension. The quality of handwriting has improved since the last inspection and pupils use a joined script from Year 2 onwards. Spelling is taught regularly and satisfactorily reinforced with homework, with St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 20 standards in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 but below average in Year 4. Results in the National Curriculum tests for 2003 were the best for some years, being above

p.19

Commentary

average in reading and writing at the end of Year 2, when compared to all schools nationally. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ attainment was well above average in reading and above average in writing. However, the proportion of pupils achieving Level 3 was well below the national average. Current Year 4 pupils’ attainment in reading is below average but has improved since they were in Year 2 when their standards were well below average. However, their attainment has remained well below average for writing.

p.20

Commentary

52. The few pupils with special educational needs are supported well in both group and individual activities. The teaching assistants take good regard of the agreed targets and work is carefully planned. Pupils know what they need to do to improve their work and, as a result, they make good progress and have full access to the work of their peers. More able pupils are achieving well in reading in Year 2 because expectations are high. However, teachers do not always plan sufficiently challenging work for high achievers who, as a result, do not always reach their potential. This is particularly the case in writing in Year 4, where work sheets restrict the ability of pupils to write and expectations of the amount of work pupils should produce are not high enough. The school has rightly identified the further development of pupils’ writing in its present improvement plan.

p.20

Commentary

53. The quality of teaching over time is satisfactory. However, during the inspection some good teaching was observed where expectations were high and particularly good use was made of the teaching assistant to work with a group of lower achieving pupils. Teachers use questioning well to extend pupils’ learning and deepen their understanding. For example, Years 3 and 4 pupils appreciated that letters can begin and end in different ways, depending on the status of the recipient. Teachers develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills well and the good relationships in the class give pupils confidence to respond enthusiastically. Lower- achieving pupils are fully involved in discussions because teachers give them more time to formulate their answers. Whilst teachers plan carefully for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects, they do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to write at length and this is the

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Commentary

principal reason for pupils’ weaker achievement in this area of the subject. Teachers mark work with the pupils, but written comments do not clearly identify how pupils should improve their work or move towards their personal target for writing. The school makes good use of reading record books that accompany pupils’ reading books. Comments are freely made by both teachers and parents but there are missed opportunities for teachers to share small targets with parents to give them a focus when hearing their child read.

p.20

Commentary

54. The co-ordinator leads the subject well and has successfully introduced the National Literacy Strategy and improved the quality of reading books through the school. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic readers. The school’s target setting process does not take sufficient account of assessments that the school carries out, nor does it clearly identify the more able pupils. While much informal discussion takes place about pupils’ attainment, the school’s system for tracking pupils’ progress through a year is not sufficiently structured to ensure all pupils achieve to their full potential. Pupils use computers to redraft their stories, but teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to use their above average ICT skills to support their learning in the subject.

p.20

Commentary

55. The literacy governor’s monitoring role has become effective since the last inspection. The recent joint observation of a lesson by the co-ordinator and the literacy governor was a good initiative and provided valuable information about pupils’ achievement that will be shared with the full governing body at its next meeting.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. Pupils use their literacy skills well to support their work in other subjects. Their skills in speaking and listening are effectively used across the curriculum in support of class discussions. Pupils make good use of their writing skills to support their learning in subjects such as mathematics, science, religious education and history. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 21

p.20

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is satisfactory.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planning of mathematics is soundly based on national strategies and suggestions. • While the standards achieved by most pupils are matched to their potential, the higher attaining pupils are not stretched enough. • The results of assessment are not used effectively in the planning of subsequent work and in setting targets for individual pupils.

p.21

Commentary

56. Because the numbers involved in any one year are very small, the statistical results of national tests at the end of Year 2 are liable to vary considerably. Over time, the results are generally satisfactory and the overall trend in the school’s results is better than the national one. However, there is also a significant lack of pupils attaining the higher level 3 standards at the end of Year 2. This pattern is continued into Years 3 and 4. This is due to a lack of close monitoring of pupils’ results in tests and other assessments through the year and an analysis of these to provide step by step targets for them to achieve to their full potential. Without such targets pupils do not become involved enough in their own learning and work set does not consistently challenge the full range of ability in each class. The early identification of potentially good performers in mathematics and their continued encouragement by being

p.21

Commentary

challenged to achieve their potential is a priority for the school to address in its bid to raise standards further. The sort of discussion that concluded a good Year 3/4 lesson when pupils talked of what they had learned was a good example of what could be practised more regularly to raise the pupils’ awareness of their own standards and how they can improve.

p.21

Commentary

57. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory over time and equates closely to pupils’ satisfactory achievement. The pupils are most confident with number work because the teaching is stronger in this area. For example, pupils in the Year 3/4 class wrestled enthusiastically with the problem of envisaging how many blocks would be needed to turn an irregular shape into a regular cuboid. However, pupils’ ability to turn mathematical problems into number operations is less well developed. When lessons are imaginatively planned and are conducted at good pace, the pupils are enthused, challenged to improve previous results and achieve well. However, when the teaching is not well paced, the pupils respond less enthusiastically and pupils do not achieve to their potential. The marking of work generally lacks information to enable the pupils to achieve better next time or to provide a secure base for the setting of targets based on National Curriculum levels for individual pupils. Pupils’ work

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Commentary

is often untidy because they are not encouraged sufficiently to take a pride in its presentation.

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Commentary

58. The full range of the mathematics curriculum is covered, and the National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully introduced since the last inspection. The support provided for pupils with special needs is good and they achieve well. The management of the subject is sound and the staff keep up to date with developments in the subject and share insights and information with each other. Members of the governing body are beginning to play a part in the monitoring of the subject and keep themselves well informed about the standards in the subject. The recent joint observation of a mathematics lesson by the co-ordinator and numeracy governor was a good initiative providing valuable information on standards and provision that will be shared at the next governing body meeting. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 22

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is becoming more integrated in pupils’ work in other subjects. There is some evidence of its use in science, but elsewhere, significantly in information and communication technology, it does not figure enough. Pupils do use their mathematical skills in practical activities such as when helping with coffee mornings and other real life situations.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Current standards at the end of Year 2 and year 4 are good. • The part-time specialist teacher is used effectively. • The enthusiasm of the pupils in lessons matches that of the teacher. • Fewer than expected pupils achieve the higher level 3 at the end of Year 2.

p.22

Commentary

60. The good results in science in the most recent national teacher assessment indicate that every pupil achieved the expected level in Year 2, but none achieved the higher grade. Though the number being assessed was small, it is part of a trend in the school that the pupils with the highest potential do not always achieve it. The scrutiny of the pupils’ science books revealed a lack of clear, measurable step-by-step targets to help the pupils achieve higher standards. The use of a part-time specialist teacher for the subject throughout the school has clear advantages for the quality of the provision in science.

p.22

Commentary

61. In the one lesson observed with pupils in Years 3 and 4, the teaching was very good. The planning was exemplary. The pupils were deeply engaged in the study of different types of stone to be found around the village. The answers and observations many pupils made to the teacher’s carefully graded questions demonstrated their good ability to think scientifically. They demonstrated a good knowledge of rock types and of the uses that rocks can be put to on the basis of their differing characteristics. Good use was made of computers to identify rocks using a ‘rock identification key’. The emphasis on the precise use of correct scientific terms was a strong feature of the lesson and supported observations from the scrutiny of the pupils’ books. Pupils with special educational needs were ably supported and achieved well.

p.22

Commentary

62. The programme of study for science ensures that all the areas of the subject required by the National Curriculum are covered so that the pupils have a good range of knowledge and understanding of science and a good range of scientific skills. This was evident in the analysis of Year 2 pupils’ books, which indicated that they have a clear understanding of the basis of scientific experimentation. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. There were clear elements of wonder in the approach of many of the pupils to their work. The management of the subject by a part-time teacher is good. It is made more effective by the close teamwork of the staff and the ease of communication with the class teachers.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

All pupils from Year 1 onwards are taught information and communication technology (ICT) by a specialist part-time teacher who was not in school during the inspection. As no teaching was observed in the subject, no judgement can be made on the school’s overall provision. Discussions with pupils and analysis of their ICT books shows that pupils throughout the school are achieving well and attaining standards above national expectations. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 23 Throughout the school pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in all areas. By the end of Year 2, pupils are confident in their word-processing and use it effectively to display their work, such as a poem entitled ‘Roger the Rat’. They use Clip Art knowledgeably to enhance the presentation of their work and use CD-ROMs to research mini projects, such as pirates.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

They are enthusiastic about the subject because they understand how it can link with other subjects and because of their relationship with the teacher. Years 3 and 4 pupils build well on their previous learning and have good strengths across the subject apart from control, which has not been covered this year. Pupils have made good use of their ICT skills at certain times. For example, they have composed small pieces of music, used an art program to create pictures in the style of Mondrian and made effective use of the Internet to support their work on different topics, such as the Tudors and Hindu gods. However, they do not have regular opportunities to consolidate and extend these skills in other subjects. Much of the reason for this is the school’s present lack of enough suitable programs to go alongside pupils’ learning and, to a lesser extent, the unreliability of some computers. The co-

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

ordinator brings good subject knowledge to the curriculum but has not had opportunities to work alongside her colleagues to monitor and support their work. As such, the staff are not making the best use of her skills at present.

p.23

HUMANITIES

One lesson was seen in history but no lessons were observed in geography. Inspectors scrutinised samples of pupils’ work and talked to pupils about their recent learning.

p.23

HUMANITIES

In the history lesson observed, the pupils from Years 3 and 4 successfully developed their knowledge and understanding of ancient Egypt using a good range of book resources and web sites on the Internet. The pupils demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of how to use books and electronic resources for gathering information. However, some of those using computers, while able to access the information, were not able to read the adult level of text to extract the facts they were seeking. In the second half of the lesson the pupils successfully developed their skills of information gathering by looking at a range of artefacts. In the question and answer introduction to the lesson some of the higher attaining pupils from both Years 3 and 4 demonstrated a good level of knowledge and understanding of the topic. This confirmed some of the evidence gained from the scrutiny of their books.

p.23

HUMANITIES

The school makes good use of the local environment for both geography and history. There is also a consistent use of focused topics so that, for example, the visit to the plague village of Eyam provided follow-up work in history, geography and English. During a science lesson on varieties of rock and their uses, pupils in Years 3 and 4 were also provided with insights into the local rock formations and types, and into the work of quarries and brickworks in the neighbourhood. This provided positive support for their work in local studies.

p.23

HUMANITIES

The presentation of work in the humanities lacks care, and the marking of work does not provide a counter to this tendency. The note making in the history lesson observed was not prepared for carefully and so the results were untidy and difficult to read. The scrutiny of the pupils’ work, and of planning, shows that a satisfactory range of topics is covered, but there is considerable variation in its preparation, quality and presentation. In many cases, pupils of all abilities are set the same task, and, as result, some of the work of lower attaining pupils is unfinished. Afternoon lessons are often too long for these pupils and lead to a general slowing down of pupils’ learning.

p.23

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of visits away from the school supports work in the subject. • Standards in the present Year 4 are not as high as at the time of the last inspection. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

63. Standards in religious education are in line with national expectations in Years 1 to 4 but are not as good as at the time of the last inspection when pupils leave the school. Much of this is due to the nature of the cohort. Work is planned carefully from the locally agreed syllabus. In a satisfactory lesson observed in Years 1 and 2, the teacher made good use of drama to reinforce the story of Joseph and his brothers. Careful questioning by the teacher encouraged pupils to describe Joseph’s feelings at different moments in the story. Follow-up activities were appropriate for the younger pupils but did not fully extend the more able pupils. The vicar of the local church, who is a governor of the school and also a trained teacher, teaches pupils in Years 3 and 4. There are good links with pupils’ personal, social and health education in the term’s topic of Rules and Choices. However, some pupils are confused between rules for the

p.24

Commentary

present day and those of the Ten Commandments.

p.24

Commentary

64. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. A recent whole school visit to Derby to visit the ‘Faith Centre’ and a Hindu Temple created much interest amongst the pupils. Their understanding of different cultures was further enhanced by the work they did with an Indian dancer who worked with all classes and by a parent who helped with Indian cooking. There are some good examples when pupils have made good use of their literacy skills in stories they have written. Older pupils showed good imagination in their ‘Parable of the Lost Sheep’s Story‘ whilst younger pupils’ writing clearly described the change of character in their stories of Zaccheus. Older pupils’ attitudes to the subject are just satisfactory and not as enthusiastic as those of the younger pupils. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 greatly enjoyed creating their own plays about the story of Joseph. However, when pupils in Years 3

p.24

Commentary

and 4 act out plays, they tend to have been written for them by their teacher. The subject is satisfactorily led by the co-ordinator and the range of resources has improved since the last inspection.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Only one lesson was observed in art and design, but none in design and technology, music and physical education. It is, therefore, not possible to make a judgement on the provision in these subjects. Inspectors looked at work that was available and any other evidence of provision.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In art and design, pupils use a satisfactory range of resources and their work is carefully displayed around the school. In the one lesson observed, the quality of teaching was good. The teacher gave clear demonstrations to ensure pupils understood the techniques they would be using. Good support from the teacher and teaching assistant helped the pupils to achieve well in their tasks. Pupils were rightly proud of their good quality pots and tiles that they produced. Pupils also benefit from visiting teachers who share their expertise with the different classes. For example, the school entrance hall is adorned with life-sized models of characters from different countries that were made by the pupils under the direction of a visiting artist. The subject has remained popular with the pupils since the last inspection and their enthusiasm is shown in the high take up of places in the weekly after-school art

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

club taken by a parent, who is a qualified teacher.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In design and technology pupils are benefiting from an improved range of materials to work with and the specialist skills of a part-time teacher who works with pupils from Years 1 to 4. By the end of Year 4, pupils have positive attitudes to the subject and enjoy its collaborative nature. They understand the importance of design and make good use of their scientific knowledge to enhance their finished product. For example, pupils’ ‘moving monsters’ benefited from their knowledge of pneumatics and electric circuits. Pupils’ evaluation skills need further development.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The school employs a peripatetic specialist teacher from the county music service for music throughout the school. Provision is also made for violin lessons, with pupils paying for the hire of their instruments. Pupils are introduced to a range of music on entering and leaving the hall for assemblies, where the singing is tuneful and enthusiastic. The school makes good use of St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 25 opportunities to encourage the pupils’ musical skills. One such occasion was when a boy played, on his new cornet, a hymn tune he had just learned. Among the younger children, singing is used extensively as a support for other work, such as number songs or sung rhymes. Music plays a significant part in the well-rounded education that the pupils receive.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In physical education, pupils in Years 1 to 4 benefit from weekly swimming sessions in the autumn and spring terms. These lessons necessitate a bus journey but the pool the pupils use is ideal for learners and improvers. Pupils benefit from small groups taken by a qualified instructor, a teacher from the school and the school caretaker, who is a swimming coach. Pupils’ progress is assessed very carefully and recorded in their ‘awards’ progress books. As a result of this good provision, the standards of swimming through the school are above average, with pupils being enthusiastic about the activity and proud of their good achievement. Pupils also benefit from working with physical education students of a local college in gymnastics and games. In the summer term, outdoor games and athletics are the main emphases of the subject. The school’s resources for the subject are adequate and pupils benefit from a reasonable size hard area and their own playing field. Occasional

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

competitive matches are played against other local schools.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

No lessons were seen in personal, social and health education (PSHE) and, therefore, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the provision. However, the school integrates the subject well into many aspects of its work. This leads to an ordered community where pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and helps them to collaborate well both in their work and play. St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School - 26

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 1 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 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 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.26

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 3 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

In spectors 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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