St Bede Church of England Primary School

ST. BEDE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 26 th February 2004

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ST. BEDE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St. Bede C of E 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. BEDE 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. Bede C of E Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 324

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gordon Road Winchester Hampshire Postcode: SO23 7DD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01962 852463 Fax number: 01962 865271

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Dominic Hiscock

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St. Bede is a voluntary controlled Church of England school situated in the middle of Winchester. The present school has only been open since April 2003. The previous building was flooded in December 2000 and the school had to be re-housed in temporary accommodation. Pupils come from a range of homes and backgrounds and their attainment on entry is in line with expectations overall. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. About 8 per cent of pupils attending come from minority ethnic backgrounds, although only three of them are at an early stage of learning English. Fourteen per cent of pupils have been identified with special educational needs, and this is in line with most other schools nationally. Three have Statements of Special Educational Need, which is below average. St. Bede C of E Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21234 Douglas Hayward Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design Religious education English as an additional language 9052 Helen Barter Lay inspector 18505 David Matthews Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Geography Physical education Special educational needs 30028 Katherine Spencer Team inspector English Music Personal, social and health education and citizenship 24709 Jennie Cutler Team inspector Foundation Stage History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 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. Bede C of E Primary School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8 - 11

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8 - 11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11 - 15

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

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well and show great enthusiasm for their work. The leadership and management of the

school are very good and the school provides good value for money.

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well and show great enthusiasm for their work. The leadership and management of the

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Very good leadership and management by the headteacher and governors. • Teaching is good overall, and in a fifth of lessons it is very good. • Pupils have very good behaviour and attitudes to their work. • Very efficient ways of tracking how well pupils do to help them achieve very high standards in the basic skills. • There are good opportunities for ‘hands on’ experiences. • It does not always make the best use of time available during the day. • It provides a very caring environment in a lovely new building, where adults and pupils get on very well together.

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well and show great enthusiasm for their work. The leadership and management of the

Many improvements have taken place and the school is more effective now than it was in the previous inspection. The development of a spiritual ethos has been a high priority and it is now good. Standards for seven-year-olds remain high. Those for eleven-year-olds are much better and now match those of younger pupils. The school has successfully tackled all the key issues identified in the previous report.

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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 A B A B Mathematics B B A B Science D C A C 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 Pupils achieve very well overall. Children achieve standards in line with those expected overall by the end of their reception year. They make rapid progress in the infants and, by the time they are seven, they achieve standards above those expected at that age. In the past, results for eleven- year-olds have tailed off in some subjects. Recently introduced assessments have helped the school to track pupils’ progress to make sure that they are achieving as well as they can. In last year’s tests, results were well above average . Grouping pupils by ability in the juniors and infants

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Year 6 results

has a positive impact on how well they achieve. Work is challenging and helps them to make very good progress. Pupils who find learning difficult are well supported and they achieve standards similar to those of most pupils. Work for those pupils identified as capable of attaining higher standards is very demanding. Infant and junior pupils use their skills in literacy very well in other subjects, and there are lots of opportunities for them to do so, for example in science. Numeracy skills are also used well in subjects such as history. Links between different subjects are strengths of the school’s work. There are good examples of pupils using information and communication technology effectively in other subjects. St. Bede C of E Primary School The school makes good provision overall for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It has worked successfully to improve its spiritual ethos which is now good .

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Year 6 results

Moral and social development are very good . The school is particularly good at developing pupils’ confidence and self esteem. The development of pupils’ cultural awareness is satisfactory . There are limited opportunities to make them more aware of cultures other than their own.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good education overall. Teaching is good and in a fifth of lessons it was very good . It is satisfactory overall in the Foundation Stage. Throughout the school pupils are confident to try to answer questions, even if they are not sure of the right answer. They know that teachers will praise them for their efforts and this makes learning worthwhile. Teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to work with others and develop their independence to try to find out answers to problems themselves. Work is planned at just the right level to make it challenging for all abilities. Teachers are very good at making sure they know what pupils have learned and using that information to make sure that pupils make progress and achieve the best standards they can.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good . Well planned links between subjects show pupils that skills and knowledge learned in one subject can be used effectively in others. Visits to places of interest, visitors to school and a wide range of after school clubs broaden pupils’ interests. The organisation of the school day means that time is not always used productively to ensure a fair balance between subjects. The school is a very caring place where pupils feel safe and secure. It has done remarkably well to develop this very strong ethos in such a short time in a new building. Children in the nursery and reception settle quickly and confidently. Parental support for the school is good . They are very positive about the progress that their children make and recent improvements that have been introduced.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well supported by her leadership team. They provide clear direction and are committed to raising standards and to making sure that the school constantly works hard to improve. The governance of the school is very good . Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school and use the budget very well to provide a high standard of education. Efficient administrators ensure the school runs very smoothly.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think the school is good . A significant number indicated in their questionnaires that they felt they were not well enough informed about how their children were getting on. At the pre-inspection meeting none could suggest any improvements that the school could make. In the opinion of the inspection team, information about pupils’ progress is very good, with high quality twice-yearly reports and termly meetings with teachers. Parents also acknowledge that teachers are readily available at short notice to discuss any problems or concerns. Pupils like the school very much.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • review the balance of time allocated to different subjects; • review the opportunities to extend pupils’ awareness of other cultures. St. Bede C of E Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve very well overall. Achievement for infant pupils is good and they consistently reach standards that are above and well above those of many other pupils at the age of seven in reading, writing and mathematics. Junior pupils’ results are improving and, in the most recent tests, they achieved very well . Boys and girls throughout the school do equally well. Pupils from minority ethnic groups are fully included in all aspects of the school’s work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds achieve well, and often very well. • Pupils have very good literacy and numeracy skills, which are used well in a range of subjects. • Parents agree that their children make good progress at school and achieve high standards. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve results that are similar to those of other pupils in their year groups.

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Commentary

1. Children starting in the nursery come from a range of backgrounds and have a very wide range of ability. They make sound progress in the nursery and reception class. By the time they start in Year 1 they achieve standards overall that are in line with those identified in the Early Learning Goals 1 , although in a few areas such as social and emotional development and knowledge and understanding of the world many achieve standards higher than expected.

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Commentary

2. Infant pupils make good progress and achieve well. The school’s results in national tests and assessments for seven-year-olds show that they have traditionally achieved high standards. In the most recent tests in 2003, results in writing dipped sharply and, for the first time since 2000, they were not well above those expected. The school responded immediately (see paragraph 48) and during the inspection standards were judged to be well above average again. The table below gives an indication of pupils’ results in the most recent 2003 tests.

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.0 (18.3) 15.9 (15.7) writing 14.1 (16.1) 14.8 (14.3) mathematics 17.6 (17.7) 16.2 (16.2) There were 45 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 1

3. The school places great importance on teaching the basics well. It capitalises on the literacy skills of those pupils who have a firm grounding in literacy when they start school. It also does a good job in helping those who have more limited experience of literature or who do not find it easy to learn to read or write. Infant pupils’ results in science have been less impressive

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Key Stage 1

1 Early Learning Goals – these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; and 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 begin to write simple sentences. St. Bede C of E Primary School than in reading, writing and mathematics. There has not been a consistently clear focus on developing pupils’ scientific enquiry skills and, while standards are average overall, fewer achieve the higher levels in science than in reading and writing (see paragraph 60) .

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Key Stage 1

4. Junior pupils’ results in national tests have, in the past, been much more erratic. A recent, and much needed, focus on accurately assessing how well pupils are achieving has been instrumental in adding consistency and in raising standards for eleven-year-olds. Using lots of data, the school can tell how much progress pupils are making within each year and from year to year and whether they are achieving as well as they can. The benefits of accurate tracking and more focused teaching are plain to see in the most recent test results, which are the highest and most consistent ever achieved.

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 29.3 (28.0) 27.0 (27.7) mathematics 29.3 (28.3) 27.0 (27.6) science 30.2 (28.6) 28.8 (29.1) There were 41 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

5. During the inspection, the benefits of grouping infant and junior pupils according to ability in sets were clear. Ability sets reduce the range of ability in any particular set, thus enabling work to be more closely targeted to individual needs. What is apparent is that even within the same group, work is broken down into several levels to cater for small differences in progress and ability. Teachers’ continuous assessments of how well pupils are doing (see paragraph 17) enable minor adjustments to be made to work on an almost daily basis to get the level of challenge just right and to make sure that pupils are doing the best they can.

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Key Stage 2

6. Pupils use their literacy and numeracy skills very well in a range of subjects that have a significant impact on the quality of their work. For example, convincing arguments put forward in geography by older pupils about future building development in Winchester are informative and persuasive. Well-written and attractive books that pupils write comprehensively show the depth of knowledge they acquire in many subjects, as well as a very wide range of applications of their literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils’ standards in those foundation subjects where judgements were made were in line with expectations.

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Key Stage 2

7. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support throughout the school and make the same rate of progress as their peers. Considering that children enter school with such a wide range of ability and pre-school experience, with some at a low level, the fact that most of them regularly achieve the levels expected of seven and eleven-year-olds 2 indicates how effective the school’s support for them is. Work in small groups provides lots of good opportunities to develop basic skills. Only one or two pupils are at an early stage of learning English and, while they make progress similar to that of their peers, the school does not have its own written strategy for developing their language skills. Pupils from minority ethnic groups are well-integrated into school and achieve similar standards as those of their peers. They are represented in groups at all levels of ability and join in fully in all activities.

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Key Stage 2

2 Levels – By the end of Year 2, when pupils are seven, they are expected to reach Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. If a pupil attains Level 3 then he or she is reaching standards above those expected for a child of his or her age. By the end of Year 6, when pupils are eleven, they are expected to reach Level 4 in English, mathematics and science. If a pupil is attaining Level 5 then he or she is reaching standards above those for a child of his or her age. St. Bede C of E Primary School

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to school. Their behaviour is very good. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall . Pupils’ attendance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very positive about all aspects of school life. • Pupils behave very well and have very good relationships with each other and with adults. • The promotion of pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • The provision for their multi-cultural education is under-developed. • Pupils’ attendance is good, but a few pupils are late for school each day.

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Commentary

8. Pupils like their school very much. They are proud of their new building and the facilities it provides. They enjoy their lessons and get on with their work purposefully and with great interest. They work well together in pairs and groups and are confident to work independently. Pupils talk enthusiastically about taking part in activities such as after-school clubs and residential visits. They are certain that they are being well taught and well cared for. Pupils say they are very happy because St Bede’s is a good school. Their attitudes, behaviour and personal development have all improved since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

9. Pupils behave very well. They are friendly and well-mannered and make the school a pleasant place to be in. Staff are consistent in their expectations that pupils will behave well and they respond very well to this. They understand the school rules and the need to be kind and caring towards others. Pupils report that there is not a bullying issue in school. The few pupils from minority ethnic groups said that they had not experienced any incidents of racism. Pupils play very well together and are good at sharing playground equipment and taking turns. Individual pupils who have behaviour difficulties are well managed and supported so that they are fully included in all school activities. Pupils have very good relationships with one another. They are encouraged to think about and care for others and adults set them very good examples.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ moral and social development is very good. They know the difference between right and wrong and value the opportunity to decide their own class rules. Pupils know that their views are considered and valued through the class and school councils. They talk positively about opportunities to take responsibility, such as manning the school office at lunchtime and helping others in the playground stop, and carry out their roles conscientiously. Pupils’ spiritual development is good and is reflected in their ability to think positively about themselves and others. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn about their own culture through visits outside school. However, there are limited opportunities for them to learn about cultures other than their own. The school has identified this itself through a recent audit of provision for pupils’ personal development. The school’s provision overall for pupils’

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Commentary

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is much better than in the last inspection when it was unsatisfactory.

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Attendance

11. Pupils’ attendance is good, as it was previously, and has a positive impact on their achievement. Absences are monitored carefully and parents are reminded regularly about the importance of attendance at school for their children. Most pupils are punctual but each morning some pupils drift into school after the official start time of nine-o-clock. Recent reminders from the school are yet to have an impact. St. Bede C of E Primary School Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.5 School data: 0.3 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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Exclusions

12. The school uses fixed term exclusions appropriately to give clear messages about its expectations for good behaviour. The four fixed-term exclusions last year related to one pupil. There has been one fixed-term exclusion during this current academic year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 280 4 White – any other White background 10 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 Mixed – White and Asian 1 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 Chinese 3 Any other ethnic group 2 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education, which helps pupils to make good progress and to achieve very well . The curriculum is varied and well planned and all pupils are included in every aspect of the school’s work. Assessment is very good and has improved considerably since the previous inspection. This is a major reason for the school becoming much better at planning work at exactly the right level to make it interesting and challenging for pupils of all abilities.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good overall. It is good in the nursery and satisfactory in the reception class. It is good in the infants and juniors.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall and in a fifth of lessons it is very good. • Teachers plan work at just the right level to make it interesting and challenging. • Teachers have very good relationships with pupils. They want them to do well and do all they can to encourage and motivate them. St. Bede C of E Primary School • The quality of assessment is good in the Foundation Stage and very good in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

13. Teaching is better than in the previous inspection. Then, good teaching was observed in 50 per cent of lessons and in 14 per cent it was very good. In the current inspection, teaching was good in 60 per cent of lessons and very good in 22 per cent. It was unsatisfactory in only one lesson when the content was too difficult for pupils to understand. There has been a definite focus on raising the quality of teaching and making it consistent throughout the school. The headteacher and leadership team have regularly monitored lessons and provided constructive feedback about strengths and areas for development (see paragraph 32). Good teaching was seen in the Foundation Stage and in infant and junior classes.

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Commentary

14. Very good relationships between teachers and pupils have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Classrooms are industrious places where pupils are expected to do their best. Teachers trust pupils to work hard and behave well. They give them responsibility to work in groups and individually, without direct adult supervision, and this provides opportunities for pupils to discuss, share ideas and learn from others. This starts in the infant classes where pupils learn to develop independence and good working habits without constantly checking with their teachers. Infant teachers plan afternoon sessions very effectively. A range of stimulating activities provides good opportunities for pupils to link their work to literacy and numeracy.

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Commentary

15. Pupils like and respect their teachers. They want to do well and earn their teachers’ approval. In fact, teachers are very good at raising pupils’ confidence and self esteem and this, in turn, gets the most out of them. There is a definite climate of acceptance of all pupils’ answers. Teachers are keen for pupils to have a go at answering questions. This results in pupils concentrating really well during lesson introductions so they understand teachers’ questions and because they want to answer. Teachers use pupils’ answers and ideas very well as points for discussion. For example, if a pupil gives a ‘wrong’ answer, the teacher will often ask a supplementary question to get another pupil to help explain the correct answer. In the juniors, teachers capitalise on their strong relationships with pupils by developing very good on-going dialogue with them that gives them the confidence to put their ideas into words. In

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Commentary

other words, it helps to get answers and ideas from pupils who thought they did not know the ‘correct’ answer.

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Commentary

16. Learning is often really exciting. Teachers are very good at making links between subjects so that pupils can apply and use the knowledge they acquire in more than one subject. This makes learning more meaningful and interesting. Teachers have good subject knowledge and pass this on. Lessons have a good pace so pupils are interested and maintain this interest throughout. The interest level is often raised by teachers’ good use of resources, usually for pupils to use practically themselves, to develop independence and their investigative skills.

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Commentary

17. There is a well thought out and thorough assessment policy, which successfully focuses on raising standards. It addresses all aspects of how, why and when teachers need to check St. Bede C of E Primary School what pupils are doing, whether they have understood what they have learnt and whether they are ready to move on to the next stage. Pupils’ progress is successfully monitored by a variety of approaches to tracking. These include observations, tests, teachers’ professional assessments, homework checks and evaluations of what is being taught. Teachers also involve pupils, who have their own targets for improvement. For pupils with special educational needs these include their individual education plans. Most important of all is that teachers use the information they get from their assessments to make sure pupils achieve the best they can. By focusing on standards and predicting the levels which pupils will attain,

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Commentary

they are able to make sure that no one slips through the net. This assessment focus includes the very few pupils whose mother tongue is not English and those from minority ethnic groups.

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Commentary

18. Teachers’ marking of work is consistent. They are very good at making sure that pupils know how to improve their work to make progress and achieve the best standards they can. A number of parents indicated that they were not satisfied with the school’s homework arrangements, although this centred around the use of pupils’ homework diaries and some parents wishing to see them used more as a means of dialogue between home and school. Generally, however, homework supports the work that pupils do in school and pupils thought that the volume of homework was ‘about right’.

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The curriculum

There are good opportunities for pupils to learn and take part in a range of stimulating activities. The school makes good use of visitors and visits to places of interest to provide pupils with rich and challenging opportunities. Good use is made of the splendid new accommodation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes very good links between subjects. • There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. • The arrangements for pupils’ personal, social and health development are now greatly improved and the school involves all its pupils in its work. • The school does not always make the best use of available time during the day.

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Commentary

19. There have been many areas of improvement in the curriculum since the previous inspection. Statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and areas of learning in the Foundation Stage are fully met. The development of pupils’ personal, social and health education is firmly established throughout the school. The school strives towards planning a wide range of exciting and stimulating challenges for pupils and the links made between different subjects are relevant and make learning more meaningful. Good use is made of information and communication technology in some subjects, for example English, although its use is limited in others such as in science. Literacy and numeracy skills are used well to support other subjects.

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Commentary

20. The large number of extra-curricular activities is popular and well attended. Visits to places of interest and visitors to the school provide children with direct experiences, which make their learning very exciting. The school is also very good at including all pupils in its work and they are treated fairly and equally. The school organises its curriculum very well for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers provide good support outside normal lessons; for example, the exercise class before the school day begins. This initiative is already impacting well on pupils’ co-ordination skills. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in the way the school organises groups of pupils according to ability in literacy and numeracy. Their individual education plans are useful in giving a picture of how their changing needs will be met. While some clearly specify the main area of need, such as short term memory,

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Commentary

St. Bede C of E Primary School others are less specific and this sometimes gives an incomplete picture to the adults who might use them to track pupils’ progress.

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Commentary

21. The attractive new building provides a stimulating learning environment and pupils have been involved in the consultation process of redesigning the school playground. Current timetabling arrangements means that the amount of time spent on each subject is not balanced. Literacy and numeracy lessons are taught every morning. They often last longer than necessary, whilst activities such as quiet reading for ten minutes are frequently used to fill time between, or at the end of, lessons. The school has organised the timetables like this as part of its drive to achieve high standards in the core subjects and has been successful. However, this form of organisation poses significant constraints on other subjects and resources where there are high demands for the hall, music room and information and communication technology suite during the afternoon. The organisation of the science curriculum for infant pupils has

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Commentary

been merged into other subjects and this has had an adverse impact. The school is currently looking at more creative and imaginative ways of making better use of time.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. Pupils are provided with very good support, advice and guidance. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school cares very well for all its pupils. • Pupils have very good and trusting relationships with adults and know that they will help and support them. • There are very good induction procedures for children who are new to the school. • All pupils receive very good support and guidance to enable them to achieve well. • Pupils have good opportunities to talk about and improve school life through their school council.

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Commentary

22. The school looks after its pupils very well. It has very good procedures for their health, safety and welfare and is committed to supporting and including every pupil. Staff have very good and caring relationships with pupils and, as a result, pupils say that there is always someone to go to if they have a worry, whether it be with their learning or for personal matters. Parents are very happy that their children are well looked after and are treated fairly. Support and guidance are better than in the previous inspection.

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Commentary

23. Children who are new to the school and those in the nursery and reception unit are well supported so that they settle quickly into school life and routines. Arrangements for the induction of nursery and reception children are very good, with a well-planned programme of home visits by staff and pre-school visits for children. Parents are given very good information about what their children will be learning and how they can help them to make a trouble-free start to school.

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Commentary

24. All pupils receive very good support and guidance as they move through the school. Pupils say it is easy to discuss their work with teachers. They are very positive about their targets in English and mathematics which, they say, help them to understand what will make their work better. They say that teachers’ marking helps them to understand how their work can be improved. Pupils are very positive about additional support, such as extension groups and booster classes, which help them to achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teachers and learning support assistants so that they achieve as well as others. The school organises its curriculum to enable pupils with special educational needs to achieve very well in relation to their capabilities. St. Bede C of E Primary School 25. Through the class and school councils, pupils have good opportunities to make suggestions

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Commentary

about school life and to discuss their views together. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously and know that ‘everyone gets to have their say’. Older pupils are careful to ensure that younger ones, including those in the Foundation Stage, have an opportunity to express their opinions. They feel that their views are valued because their suggestions, such as having a friendship club in the playground, are listened to carefully and acted upon positively by staff.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents is good . There are good links with the community and with other schools and colleges.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have a high opinion of the school and support it well. • Parents are provided with very good information about their children’s progress. • Some parents feel that they could be better informed about changes to school organisation. • Links with the community are used well to make pupils’ learning interesting. • There are very good links with the local secondary schools and colleges.

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Commentary

26. Parents are happy with the school and the progress that their children are making, as they were previously. They are very pleased with the new building and feel that the headteacher has improved communication with them. Parents offer good support to the school and to their children’s learning. They help their children at home, give valuable voluntary support in classrooms and raise significant amounts to improve school resources through the Home School Association.

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Commentary

27. At the meeting with parents, they were positive about the twice yearly reports on their children’s progress, although the questionnaires revealed that a significant number are not happy with this area of the school’s work. The inspection team finds, however, that reports are very good quality because they give clear targets for improvement in the spring term and a clear, detailed review of the progress against these in the final summer report. Parents also have very good opportunities to discuss their concerns with teachers at termly consultation meetings.

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Commentary

28. The school provides parents with good quality information in regular weekly newsletters, termly curriculum information and daily informal links with teachers. A few parents, however, feel that they were not sufficiently involved with changes to class organisation at the end of the last academic year. During the inspection there was no evidence that organisational changes had adversely affected the school’s very high level of care and support for pupils (see paragraph 22) . Nevertheless, the school has acknowledged parents’ concerns as part of its efforts to further improve the good communication between home and school.

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Commentary

29. The school has successfully re-established its place in the local community, who have been very supportive throughout a difficult period. It makes good use of its community links to broaden pupils’ experiences outside the classroom. Visits to Winchester Cathedral and Fishbourne Roman Palace, participation in the Winchester Tag Rugby Festival and singing in the carol walk around the local area at Christmas are just a few examples. Links with the church are very strong and support pupils’ spiritual development well. There are good and effective partnerships with primary schools. Links with the main secondary school are very good with established transition programmes, very good induction days for pupils in Year 6 and developing opportunities to extend pupils’ learning in science. Through its links with local colleges, the school makes very good provision for student training placements. St. Bede C of E Primary School

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership, management and governance of the school are very good . This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher gives very strong, purposeful leadership. Governors have a very positive impact on the school’s development. The school is very well managed.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership and management. • Governors have a very positive influence on the school’s development because they are very well informed and they are central to decision-making. • The school is very well managed and good organisation ensures that it runs smoothly. • Most subject managers have a significant impact on pupils’ achievements, although this is not the case in all subjects.

p.16

Commentary

30. The headteacher is ably supported by her leadership team and gives a clear lead that ensures school improvement. She has a very strong sense of purpose, matched by a determination to carry out necessary changes. For example, changes to the arrangements for pupils with special educational needs enable the co-ordinator to have a more direct impact on the school’s good provision for these pupils. The assistant headteacher has had a very positive impact throughout the school by leading all staff in a well-organised focus on behaviour. Her leadership of the staff in this important area has contributed very effectively to the pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes. The deputy headteacher leads a very effective focus on how pupils learn. As a result, the school’s curriculum is developing well, with a good emphasis on lively learning through first-hand experiences and through meaningful links between subjects. The actions of the headteacher and the senior managers have a very

p.16

Commentary

positive effect on the school’s climate for learning and on pupils’ achievements and personal development. There is a significant improvement in the quality of leadership since the previous inspection.

p.16

Commentary

31. Governors contribute very well to the school’s improvements. Their very clear ideas of how they want the school to move forward are reflected accurately in their decisions and actions. The school used its recovery from the flood as an effective new beginning, when all governors and staff worked very closely together to set a clear fresh direction for the school. Governors are able to contribute very well to the decisions that the school makes because they are extremely well informed about what is working well and what needs to improve. Governors know about the effectiveness of the school by comparing the achievements of pupils at St Bede with those of similar schools. The bursar is responsible for good financial management linked carefully to educational priorities.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 971,143 Balance from previous year 35,854 Total expenditure 962,262 Balance carried forward to the next 44,735 Expenditure per pupil 2,898

p.16

Financial information

32. The school’s very good management is characterised by a number of very effective features. These include the close monitoring of pupils’ achievements, improving teaching and the school’s contribution to the initial training of teachers. Although teachers have a good view of St. Bede C of E Primary School how individual pupils are doing, the school’s tracking of different groups, such as pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and those for whom English is an additional language, are satisfactory rather than rigorous. The headteacher places keen demands on teachers to improve their teaching while at the same time supporting them very well. This approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement. The school has a good emphasis on training and supporting its learning assistants so that they have a significant contribution to make. There are very effective arrangements for the initial training of teachers so that students

p.16

Financial information

quickly feel valued and supported and they soon learn how to develop their contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.17

Financial information

33. Subject managers have a good impact on learning in their subjects and the school has moved a considerable way since the last inspection when the role of subject co-ordinators needed development. However, not all subject managers have had the benefit of observing teaching to help them to form the plan of action for their subject. While the leadership of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, it is not as effective as in the rest of the school and this is reflected in satisfactory rather than good teaching, notably in the reception class.

p.17

Financial information

34. The school provides a good standard of education and pupils achieve very well. The quality of teaching and learning is good and in a fifth of lessons it is very good, which is in line with the national average. The school provides a good curriculum and forms good links with parents. The headteacher and governors provide very good leadership and it is in a very good position to improve. It provides good value for money. St. Bede C of E Primary School

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

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

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is better than it was at the time of the last inspection. There are good links with parents and very effective induction procedures. This helps to create a smooth and happy move from the nursery to the reception unit for those children who remain at the school to continue their education.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. The quality of education is satisfactory overall. The breadth of curricular opportunities is good and adults ensure that all the areas of learning are covered. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, with some good teaching in the nursery. Staff make good assessments of the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. They have successfully worked out an efficient system of checking on how well children are doing and the progress they are making. This information helps them successfully plan the curriculum and to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding further.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Most children are on target to reach the goals expected by the time they are ready to join Year 1 and a few will achieve more than the expected level. Forty-five reception-age children share their classroom with two teachers and the accommodation affects the decisions that staff have to make when deciding how to plan the working day. Sometimes the organisation of teaching time in the reception unit has an adverse effect on the quality of teaching and learning. This is particularly so when one part of the unit comes into or moves around the room when the other group is sitting quietly with the teacher. Although there are many good opportunities for children to choose what they want to do, there is not always enough direct teaching for groups of children who are now ready to make even better progress and to attain higher standards. Children with special educational needs are well integrated into activities

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

and receive good support. They also make satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Due to very recent staff changes the Foundation Stage manager is new to the role. She is very aware of the restrictions that the accommodation has on the quality of teaching and learning in the reception unit. Up to this point, action has not been taken quickly enough to make sure that the arrangements in the reception unit do not affect the achievement of any children, especially the more able, in this age group.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All adults know the importance of developing this area of learning for children to prepare them well for the next stage of their education. • Clear routines encourage children to be independent. • All adults have good relationships with the children. • Not enough is done to further develop some children’s level of maturity through more challenging work.

p.18

Commentary

39. Some children are already achieving in line with expectations and many are achieving more than expected in this area of their development. Teaching is good because all adults St. Bede C of E Primary School understand that developing children’s confidence, independence and ability to build up relationships with one another is an important part of their work. Children feel safe and secure, and trust the adults they meet. They settle into school very well because of these strong relationships. This makes them confident and able to work in groups or alone when needed because they know the daily routines very well. Children make friends easily and are mostly kind to one another. They share their fruit and equipment, take turns and enjoy being with friends. Children are willing learners because their teachers always bring out the best in them. They have fun and often share a joke!

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory with strengths in the provision for developing their speaking and listening skills.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well in their speaking and listening skills. • There is not enough direct teaching for those children who are ready to tackle more challenging reading and writing activities. • There is a good range of activities which makes learning purposeful.

p.19

Commentary

40. Children quickly improve their speaking and listening skills because teachers organise a good range of opportunities for them to take part in discussions and talk about what they are doing. Many children are confident speakers. They chat easily to visitors about their work and are learning to listen carefully to one another’s contributions. Teachers talk to children in a relaxed way and because of the warm relationships which exist children are confident about joining in and learn not to interrupt. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. Role- play situations are developed in an exciting way by teachers to exploit opportunities for children to act out being Jack or the Giant or an explorer seeking out Elmer the Elephant in the jungle. This develops their speaking and listening skills and interest in reading even further.

p.19

Commentary

41. Children develop a positive attitude towards reading and writing and are given many opportunities to successfully improve their skills in the nursery. In the reception unit, staff encourage children to write for a range of purposes; for example, writing postcards. However, many children want to write more and show that they are ready for more structured sessions where there is more directed teaching of skills. Overall, children make satisfactory progress and attain the expectations for this age group. The current organisation of the reception classroom and the time allocated to direct teaching of reading and writing skills prevents some children from making even better progress.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are not enough direct teaching sessions for those children who are ready to tackle more difficult work in mathematics. • The outside area is used well for mathematics teaching. • The accommodation can sometimes have an adverse effect on teaching and learning.

p.19

Commentary

42. Children make satisfactory progress and are on target to attain the expected goals in this area by the time they join Year 1. Their achievement is satisfactory, but some children in the St. Bede C of E Primary School reception unit are ready to tackle more structured teaching sessions in preparation for the next stage. The current time allocated to direct teaching is not enough for some children, who show that they are willing and able to tackle more stretching work and they enjoy the challenge when asked to do more.

p.19

Commentary

43. The good teaching and good teamwork in the nursery help children to count to 10. Children are interested and staff focus their attention on what they need to learn. Children are active and achieve well because of the practical nature of the tasks they are given when they are counting and ordering the leaves of the beanstalk during an outdoor session. Teaching in the reception unit is satisfactory. The accommodation and classroom arrangements sometimes have an impact on what teachers are trying to teach. Children can lose concentration and be distracted when others move to their next activity before their own quiet teaching session is finished.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s good speaking and listening skills help them learn about the world around them. • Many children achieve standards higher than expected. • Teachers make good links between all the areas of learning. • Few opportunities for children to use literacy and numeracy skills in other areas.

p.20

Commentary

44. Children achieve well and many are on line to achieve more than expected in this area of learning by the time they join Year 1. Their good speaking and listening skills help them because they are able to listen carefully and to ask questions. Children are confident enough to contribute to discussions because they are interested and inquisitive. They want to talk to adults and make good progress because teachers make sure there are many opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.20

Commentary

45. Nursery children plant beans as part of their project on Jack and the Beanstalk and this helps their understanding of plant growth. Those in the reception unit learn a good deal about human growth when one teacher arranges for a baby to be brought to the class. Teachers are good at linking areas of learning and making learning meaningful in this way, However, there are not enough opportunities for children to make even better progress by using their reading and writing and number work skills to support the projects that they do in this area of learning. Direct teaching is effective in class situations and in group work, and the quality of speaking and listening is high.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a wide range of activities which make learning purposeful and which develop all aspects of children’s development. • The outside play area is used well and the new hall is bright and spacious. • Dance tapes inhibit teaching and learning.

p.20

Commentary

46. Teachers are good at linking areas of learning and take the opportunity to develop children’s physical skills in many ways. Children achieve satisfactorily and most are on target to reach St. Bede C of E Primary School the Early Learning Goals expected for this age group. Learning is purposeful in the nursery class and teaching is good because adults effectively help children to develop their cutting, sticking and pouring skills. Nursery children achieve well because they are interested and can see the meaning of making Jack and the Beanstalk puppets. Reception children make models and teachers link this well to their project on the story of Elmer the Elephant. All children have lots of good opportunities to develop their physical abilities in the outside play area, for example their running, climbing and riding skills. They also develop their personal and social skills well at times like this. Overall, most children in this stage are in line to attain

p.20

Commentary

the expectations in this area of learning. However, children in the reception unit do not achieve well when teachers rely solely on commercial tape recordings to teach dance. Teaching and learning are not as good when teachers do not call upon their expertise to develop these lessons. Consequently, lessons are mundane and children learn very little about movement and dance.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff provide lots of opportunities for children to get involved in creative work. • Children are independent and like to paint and make models. • Role play is not always developed sufficiently well.

p.21

Commentary

47. Teachers’ organisation of the classrooms is good and children achieve satisfactorily. They have many opportunities to make their own choices and to explore and experiment. Overall, teaching is satisfactory and it is sometimes good when staff work closely with the children and help them improve their work and develop their skills. When teachers in the reception unit do not take part in helping children act out the roles, some lose concentration, waste time and do not make as much progress as they could. However, in the nursery, staff are very active in taking on roles from the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and work alongside the children in a way that develops their skills. St. Bede C of E Primary School St. Bede C of E Primary School

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching of reading and writing helps pupils to develop positive attitudes towards their work. • Very good links with other subjects means that pupils have a wide range of opportunities to become successful writers. • Very good tracking and monitoring of pupils’ progress enable teachers to plan work that is challenging and purposeful. • The subject leadership team has been very effective in raising standards in English.

p.23

Commentary

48. Standards in writing in Year 2 are better than they were in last year’s National Curriculum tests for 7-year-olds because of the strong focus the school has placed on developing pupils’ abilities as writers. Standards are even better now than they were during the last inspection and English continues to be a strength of the school. Infant and junior pupils achieve equally well and work builds steadily on what pupils already know. One of the strengths is the logical way in which pupils develop their reading and writing throughout the school and the consistency of approach in every class. There is no difference between the attainment of girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs and the very few pupils with English as an additional language achieve very well because of the good support they receive.

p.23

Commentary

49. One of the reasons why standards are so high across the school is because of consistently good teaching. Teachers plan work that is interesting and challenging and this motivates pupils to work hard and to achieve very well. A particularly effective part of literacy lessons throughout the school is the way in which teachers regularly check that pupils understand their work half way through the lesson. This keeps pupils focused and gives them useful feedback about their work. The different parts of the lesson are equally well planned and effective, for example lesson introductions and plenary sessions where examples of particularly effective learning are highlighted.

p.23

Commentary

50. The standard of reading is very high throughout the school. Strong emphasis is placed on teaching younger pupils the basic skills required to become successful readers. Younger pupils talk about books and favourite authors enthusiastically, whilst older pupils learn to critically assess a range of books and confidently compare the different styles of authors such as Dickens and Shakespeare. A very strong feature of reading throughout the school is the number of books that have been written by the pupils themselves. Pupils often write for specific audiences and they enjoy reading each other’s material. The new school library provides a very good resource for developing pupils’ love of literature. It is well organised and is well used by pupils.

p.23

Commentary

51. Pupils develop very good writing habits early on, which help them to become successful writers. Good teaching means that pupils are challenged to think about different styles of writing and different audiences. They experience a wide range of situations for writing, including narratives, poetry, diary entries, non-fiction writing and reports. Younger children learn to spell with increasing accuracy following focused teaching of the basic skills. They build well on these skills as they get older and become good independent writers. Older pupils are able to form very persuasive arguments from challenging texts that they then use to present a balanced written account relating to a controversial subject. They often use their writing skills extremely sensitively; for example, in their personification poems when writing about a lake as, ‘Deep beneath the icy depths, his heart is gently beating’. St. Bede C of E Primary School

p.23

Commentary

52. The way in which the leadership team has focused on literacy throughout the school has had a very positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Good and often very good teaching captures pupils’ imagination and sets high expectations. Pupils’ work is regularly assessed and targets are set that help them understand exactly what they need to do to improve the quality of their writing. The setting arrangements for the teaching of literacy have also enabled pupils to make good progress in lessons because work is closely matched to the abilities of individual pupils which helps them to achieve well.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. The use of language and literacy skills across the curriculum is a very strong feature of the work of the school. Pupils use their skills as writers very well in subjects such as science, history, geography and religious education to write detailed accounts. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 write sensitively and thoughtfully about how it would have felt being a child during World War II, whilst younger pupils write a detailed set of instructions on how to make sandwiches. Pupils also use their literacy skills well when publishing their work, using information and communication technology to good effect.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well because the teaching of mathematics is very good. • Pupils have very good attitudes to mathematics because of the very good teaching. • Good links between mathematics and other subjects enrich pupils’ learning.

p.24

Commentary

54. Pupils achieve very well and by the end of Years 2 and 6 standards are well above average in all aspects of the subject. Standards are better than those at the last inspection. Teaching invariably challenges the more able pupils very well so that many of them reach higher than average levels of attainment by the end of the infants and the juniors. Teachers and learning assistants support pupils with special educational needs effectively, so that they too achieve very well in relation to their capabilities. The school’s arrangements for grouping infant and junior pupils according to their abilities have a positive impact on their achievements because teachers take the opportunity to match their teaching accurately to pupils’ different levels of ability.

p.24

Commentary

55. Teaching is very good because teachers expect pupils to do well and they provide the support that pupils of differing abilities need. Teachers usually challenge brighter pupils very well, increasing the demands that they place on them, as when expecting brighter Year 5 and 6 pupils to quicken their responses to questions such as, ‘What is two sixths of forty-two?’ On rare occasions there is room for teachers to challenge brighter pupils even further, as in a lesson with Years 3 and 4, when two pupils explained that they could already add 82p and 28p mentally, so that they did not need to use the method that they knew as partitioning 3 . Lower attaining pupils are supported well, as in a Years 1 and 2 lesson, when the support assistant echoed the teacher’s advice to, ‘Make 9 o’clock first, then move the big hand a quarter turn’. Pupils of all capabilities live up to teachers’ high expectations. Teachers,

p.24

Commentary

support assistants and students are good at raising pupils’ self esteem, by valuing what they say and showing that they have confidence in them. As a result, all pupils are included well. Teachers are good at checking the extent of pupils’ understanding and using this information to plan the next lesson. For example, a teacher in the infants used the final minutes of a lesson well to question the pupils to test their understanding of telling the time.

p.24

Commentary

3 Partitioning is a way of using parts of numbers to break down a calculation into smaller steps. St. Bede C of E Primary School 56. Pupils have very good attitudes to the subject. Most teaching moves along at a very brisk pace with a sense of urgency so that pupils maintain very good levels of interest because they are fully involved in their learning. They are well motivated because they know what they need to do to improve. For example, they have written targets in their books and teachers refer to these targets to keep pupils’ awareness sharp. Pupils are so keen to do well that they even question teachers about the level they have reached in a test!

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

57. Teachers make good use of pupils’ mathematics skills in other subjects to enhance their learning and most pupils do so confidently. There are strong links with science and history. Links between mathematics and history, for example, support pupils’ understanding of the way the Ancient Egyptians measured and multiplied. Good links with information and communication technology help pupils in Years 3 and 4 to speed up their recall of addition and subtraction bonds to 10 when they play a Maths invaders game. Notably, lower attaining Year 6 pupils use their computer skills well to help them to see the relevance of line graphs to show the height patterns of growing children.

p.25

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory for infants and very good for juniors.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Year 6 achieve very high standards because of very good teaching. • Not enough use is made of information and communication technology. • Pupils work very well together and this helps to develop their investigative skills. • Infant pupils do not have enough time to learn as much about science as they could.

p.25

Commentary

58. Standards for juniors are well above average and for infants they are as expected. In the previous inspection they were the same for infants and above average for juniors. The most significant improvement since the previous inspection has been for juniors and this is because the school has focused extremely effectively on raising standards by carefully organising how it teaches science to older pupils. The school decided to teach pupils in Year 6 separately from their Year 5 classmates so teachers could concentrate on developing their understanding of specific concepts and make revision for national tests much simpler. Adult readers, to help lower attaining pupils, were used for the first time in tests. These proved to be the right decisions, as results in 2003 were well above average.

p.25

Commentary

59. The single age organisation has been maintained this year and is proving to be equally effective. The introduction of an extension group for more able Year 6 pupils has helped them to achieve consistently very high standards and has helped to reduce the size of the other Year 6 group, allowing more individual help to be provided.

p.25

Commentary

60. The organisation of science in the infant classes is less effective. Science is linked within a topic to other subjects. For example, the current topic forges links between the story of The Lighthouse Keeper to many other areas, including science. Pupils have made circuits to light bulbs in their lighthouses. However, there are not enough frequent, planned opportunities to extend pupils’ scientific ideas or to allow them to develop their experimental and investigative skills. For example, more able pupils could discuss accurately how to make a circuit. They were not able to hypothesise about what would happen if two bulbs were put into the same circuit, because time had not been planned for them to carry out experiments to develop their work. St. Bede C of E Primary School 61. No lessons were observed in infant classes, but science teaching for juniors is never less than good and in a quarter of lessons it was very good. It is characterised by very secure

p.25

Commentary

subject knowledge, so that teachers confidently teach difficult ideas like floating and sinking with complete assurance that they understand what they are teaching and are using the correct terminology. There is a very definite and successful whole school approach to learning by investigation. Pupils put forward reasonable hypotheses and others are very willing to discuss it rationally. In the same way that teachers willingly accept all ideas, (see paragraph 15) this is evident amongst pupils themselves and produces the same effect of pupils willing to ‘have a go’.

p.26

Commentary

62. Not enough use is made of information and communication technology. There were few examples of data handling and sensors are not used to record work sufficiently accurately, for example to measure the effect of different insulators on temperature. The problem is one mainly of time allocation. Science is not usually taught in the morning because of literacy and numeracy (see paragraph 21) . This means that computers cannot be used to support science as effectively as possible because access to the suite is limited to afternoons, when it is in demand from all the other classes.

p.26

Commentary

63. The subject is managed well by a team comprising the subject co-ordinator and teachers from each of the key stages. Assessments are carried out regularly to track pupils’ progress. The co-ordinator is monitoring the impact of topic based science on the development of specific skills and is monitoring samples of work from across all age ranges.

p.26

Information and communication technology

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory overall, with good features.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The recently opened computer suite has had a positive impact on raising pupils’ standards and teachers’ confidence. • Computer programs are already supporting work well in some other subjects. • Information and communication technology is not used well enough in science. • The computer suite, which cost a great deal of money, is not used enough during morning sessions.

p.26

Commentary

64. New reliable hardware in a central computer suite has made a big difference to the development of pupils’ skills. Standards are in line with those expected for infants and juniors overall, although in some aspects of their work, such as word processing, they are above expectations. Previously, standards were in line with expectations.

p.26

Commentary

65. As the suite has been developed, older computers linked to the internet have been placed in classes, although during the inspection computers were not regularly used in classroom lessons. The suite is infrequently used during morning sessions because current timetabling arrangements do not allow it. Pupils using computerised mathematical games enjoyably and effectively did so during their group mathematics lessons, which are planned during the morning. Opportunities to use computers to develop specific skills or to support other subjects have to be taken during the afternoon. This is not an efficient use of such a costly, and effective, resource.

p.26

Commentary

66. Pupils are very enthusiastic users, although they are more enthusiastic when they are in control of the mouse or keyboard than when they are sharing a computer. The level of co- operation between pupils in Year 6 was excellent when they were drawing Egyptian tombs as part of their history topic. So far, though, the school has not monitored the relative merits of St. Bede C of E Primary School one pupil using a computer at a time rather than sharing between two. This, again, is more difficult to manage during afternoons when additional learning support staff are not available to work with small groups in classrooms while others are using the suite.

p.26

Commentary

67. Teaching is never less than good and occasionally very good. Access to modern hardware and effective professional development has boosted teachers’ confidence and skills significantly. Their knowledge of the programs they use is thorough and they are confident enough to be able to help pupils very quickly if they get stuck. The subject is well managed by a knowledgeable co-ordinator. New and effective assessment systems have just been introduced and further monitoring of the curriculum is planned to ensure that pupils’ skills are developed methodically.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. Teachers often plan the use of computers in the suite well to support work in other subjects. For example, pupils used a painting program very effectively to paint in the style of Picasso. In their design and technology work, pupils in Year 2 used a drawing program very effectively to illustrate what the sandwiches they had designed might look like. Mathematical practice programs, requiring quick recall of addition bonds, were used very effectively with lower attaining groups. In science, information and communication technology is not used effectively (see paragraph 62) and, although the school complies with all requirements, the use of control programs has been identified as an area for development.

p.27

Humanities

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Shared planning ensures that there is equal access to the same information. • Strong links between the church and school help to develop pupils’ awareness of faith. • When there is unsatisfactory teaching of concepts that are difficult for pupils to understand.

p.27

Commentary

69. Standards are in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus, as they were in the previous inspection. The school makes very good use of the church to develop pupils’ understanding of religious festivals, such as Christmas and Easter. There are strong links between the school and the cathedral, both of which are situated near the heart of Winchester. The flooding of the school and the subsequent rebuilding brought the school and church closer and the re-opening was suitably celebrated, with significant involvement by members of the cathedral.

p.27

Commentary

70. Pupils recall the main features of a church and are secure about the difference between the Old and New Testaments. One of the strengths of teaching in two very good lessons was the way in which sensitive issues were tackled with a specifically religious slant. For example, the meaning of Lent and its emphasis on sacrifice was taught very well in Year 6. The teacher really challenged pupils to explore their own emotions very carefully. Pupils responded very well by making up their own ‘symbolic pancakes’ which clearly indicated that they had understood the discussion. The high level of challenge in two very good lessons was also apparent in an unsatisfactory lesson. The difference was that it was taught in such a way that it was extremely difficult for many pupils to understand and therefore became too challenging. The subject is currently managed by a very recently appointed co-ordinator. There has been little monitoring of learning and standards in the past.

p.27

Geography

71. Only one geography lesson was seen during the inspection. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on teaching and provision. In the previous inspection standards for infants and juniors were above those expected. Pupils’ completed work and discussions with older juniors, however, highlight effective features that contribute well to pupils’ geographical skills, knowledge and understanding.

p.28

Geography

72. Teachers use the local area well to develop pupils’ geographical learning throughout the school. For example, infants draw detailed houses following their walk around the neighbourhood and they make good use of their maths skills to draw graphs of local traffic surveys. An effective focus on proposed changes to parts of Winchester, such as a park and ride facility, bring real meaning and vibrancy to older pupils’ understanding of conservation issues, especially when visitors such as a councillor contribute to their understanding. Year 6 pupils say they value the debate on environmental issues that teachers encourage.

p.28

Geography

73. Throughout the school, teachers realise the importance of first-hand learning to develop pupils’ understanding. For instance, the infants received a visit from a coastguard who inspired them to respond in different ways. Teachers in the juniors encourage pupils to draw maps freehand rather than giving them pre-printed maps. They promote pupils’ independent learning well. For example, they give them good opportunities to use the school library independently to research their chosen country. This fosters their independence and contributes well to their learning and their positive attitudes.

p.28

History

74. No lessons were seen; therefore no secure judgements on the standards pupils attain or on the quality of teaching and learning can be made. Previously, standards for juniors were judged to be above those expected.

p.28

History

75. The well-organised subject manager’s file, plans, pupils’ work, photographs and displays indicate that a broad curriculum has been organised. One of the most noticeable features is that teachers are good at making links with other subjects. The most recent displays of the Egyptians show how the topic includes elements of geography and mathematics. Pupils also use their literacy skills very well in history. They have made a variety of books and projects on historical subjects such as, ‘What is it like to be an evacuee in the Second World War?’. History is brought alive when staff and pupils dress up and take part in a Tudor Day, a Celtic Day or a Victorian Day. These activities enhance the teaching of history and do a great deal to encourage pupils’ love of the subject.

p.28

Art and design

76. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection, so no judgement has been made on provision in art and design. In the previous inspection standards were judged to be in line with expectations.

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Art and design

77. A scrutiny of displays of pupils’ work around the school and discussion with the subject co- ordinator indicate a sound curriculum. Art is often planned as part of a topic or as an art week where specific skills are developed, often with the support of visiting specialists such as artists in residence. This means that the range of art-work is often more apparent in school at certain times than at others. Displays in one or two classrooms were of a high quality; for example, the moving pastel pictures of symbolic journeys to the afterlife. High quality work such as this promotes real awe and wonder from observers. However, this aspect of art and design around the school, in two and three-dimensions, is not sufficiently well developed to St. Bede C of E Primary School complement the school’s ethos, even though the building lends itself to beautiful and moving display extremely well.

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Art and design

78. The recently appointed co-ordinator is enthusiastic, values the contribution that art can make and has a clear idea about how best to develop pupils’ art skills. She and a colleague run a well attended after-school art club and work on display from this indicates how well pupils can achieve.

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Design and technology

79. Two lessons were seen during the inspection. There was insufficient evidence of the achievements of the oldest pupils to judge their overall quality and therefore the overall provision in the subject. In the previous inspection standards were in line with expectations. The following effective features in the current inspection, however, are clear from what the infants have made and from talking to the older juniors: • effective links with other subjects enable pupils to produce examples of good quality work; • pupils have very good attitudes to their work in the subject.

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Commentary

80. Teachers plan good links between subjects that develop pupils’ learning well. Not least of these is that between design and technology and science. The effectiveness of combining pupils’ design and technology skills with science is seen in work of a high standard in the infant classes. Here the lighthouses that pupils have made feature a working light and they have skilfully incorporated an electric circuit into each model.

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Commentary

81. Pupils find their work fascinating. Infants enjoy making the sandwiches that they have designed, working carefully to make their designs a reality. One pupil even imaginatively designed and made a ‘lighthouse’ sandwich with different layers to represent the building’s construction. Older juniors talk enthusiastically about how much they like the subject because the activities that teachers give them to do motivate them very well. They appreciate, for example, the occasions when they are given plenty of time to become involved in their work and to complete a particular task or challenge. Teachers use whole mornings, whole days and sometimes complete weeks to engage pupils in in-depth activities, for example when making fairground rides, and pupils value these experiences.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good improvements in the planning and co-ordination of music have been put in place since the last inspection. • There are good opportunities for pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities.

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Commentary

82. The implementation of a scheme of work has had a positive impact on teachers’ skills and confidence to teach music across the school. Standards are in line with those expected, as they were in the previous inspection. Younger pupils learn to keep a steady beat when listening to a piece of music and begin to use a range of percussion instruments with increasing control. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the compositions they have created, but would like to have more opportunities to play a wider range of percussion instruments on a more regular basis. St. Bede C of E Primary School 83. Teaching is sound overall and well planned lessons mean that that pupils develop their musical skills as they progress through the school. There are very good opportunities for pupils to learn to play a musical instrument taught well by visiting peripatetic teachers. The school orchestra plays confidently and sometimes performs in school assemblies. The

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Commentary

quality of pupils’ singing and the good standard achieved by the orchestra are evidence of how music supports the ethos of the school. Music is also used effectively in lessons on occasions to help create a calm atmosphere for learning.

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Commentary

84. The curriculum is enriched through a number of visiting musicians who provide good opportunities for pupils to hear a wide range of instruments performed, for example an orchestra from the Royal Academy of Music and a drumming workshop for older pupils using instruments from around the world. The subject is ably led and the subject manager has carried out staff training to develop teachers’ skills. The newly built music room is very well resourced and impacts positively on the provision for music throughout the school.

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Physical education

85. Three dance lessons were seen during the inspection. Judgements are not possible, therefore, on the overall quality of provision and standards across the full range of aspects of the subject. Standards were those expected in the previous inspection. Nevertheless, the following strengths and weaknesses are clear regarding dance: • pupils do not achieve as well as they could in dance by Year 6. There are few examples of pupils performing well and a significant number do not accurately match their movements to the music played. While the teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory overall, teachers did not always know how best to develop pupils’ dance skills to the full; • the subject manager has done well to write a generally accurate appraisal of the school’s provision for the subject. This evaluation accurately identifies dance as an area needing improvement. However, the subject manager has not yet had time to observe and

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Physical education

support teachers or arrange training to improve their confidence and competence.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is successful in helping pupils become mature, responsible and independent. • The school council is effective in its role in providing a forum for reflecting pupils’ views.

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Commentary

88. The good scheme of work helps teachers to plan lessons that are interesting and relevant to pupils’ lives. Pupils are encouraged to discuss a wide range of topics, for example through circle time, and learn to appreciate and respect the views and opinions of others. The arrangements for sex and drugs education are firmly established.

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Commentary

89. Pupils have good opportunities to discuss ways in which the school can be improved through their school council. They are particularly proud of the recent introduction of the friendship stop in the playground, where older pupils take responsibility for younger ones at playtimes ensuring they have someone to play with. The very good relationships that exist between adults and children in the school mean that pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and what it means to be a good citizen. St. Bede C of E Primary School

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 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 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 2

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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). St. Bede C of E Primary School

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