St. Chad's Church of England Primary School

ST CHAD’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th – 29 th April 2004

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ST CHAD’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST CHAD’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND 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 Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 203

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gladstone Street Winsford Cheshire Postcode: CW7 4AT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01606 593345 Fax number: 01606 862843

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr A Buckley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Chad’s Church of England Primary is an average sized school situated on the outskirts of Winsford. There are 203 pupils on roll including 24 children in the reception class who all attend full time. Most pupils are of white UK heritage. A small number are from other ethnic groups. Only two pupils in the infants speak English as an additional language. There is an average number of pupils who have free school meals. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is average. Overall attainment on entry to the school is below average. Most pupils come from social backgrounds which are generally less favourable than usual. There have been considerable changes in staff over the last few years. The school is involved in the BEST (Behaviour and Education Support Team) project, which is a scheme for helping pupils with their behaviour. The school has Investors in People status. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

27899 Mrs G Beasley Lead inspector English, religious education, music, special educational needs, English as an additional language. 19361 Mr K Ross Lay inspector 12301 Mrs J Boden Team inspector Science, art and design, design technology, geography, history, personal, social and health education and citizenship. 27568 Mrs M Davidson Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, physical education, areas of learning in the Foundation Stage.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road CHELTENHAM Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

St Chad’s is an improving school, which is giving its pupils a satisfactory quality of education. Standards are generally average by the time pupils leave the school. Achievement is satisfactory, and there are signs of improvement. The quality of teaching and learning, and leadership and management of the school is satisfactory. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Achievement in English is good in the juniors. It is good in religious education throughout the school. • Standards and achievement in science are not high enough. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is good and, as a result, pupils have good attitudes and behaviour by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6. • The quality of teaching and learning is good in Years 3 to 6. • Assessment information is not used effectively to raise standards, except in English in the juniors. • Through his leadership, the headteacher considers the needs of everyone, and this has created a positive learning climate. • The school cares for pupils’ personal needs well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language is good.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Despite considerable disruption to learning because of constant staff changes, improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory . Standards and achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved very well. Standards in English in the infants are still below average. There is a very new designated area for reception children. Improvement in pupils’ scientific skills is unsatisfactory and standards remain well below average in the infants and below average in the juniors. The school improvement plan looks forward for at least three years. All statutory requirements are met.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is satisfactory overall. Children start school with attainment which is generally lower than usual. They achieve well in their early numeracy, reading and physical skills to achieve the goals they are expected to reach in these aspects of learning. They make satisfactory progress in personal, social and emotional development, and communication, language and literacy, although many still do not reach the goals expected by the end of the reception year. No judgement can be made about knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement in the infants is satisfactory. Standards have been rising over the last two years and are now average in mathematics at the end of Year 2. The average standards in reading reflect good achievement because of the emphasis on teaching pupils how to sound out new words. Standards remain below average in speaking and listening and in writing. They are well below average in science and achievement is unsatisfactory. Not enough focus is given to developing pupils’ scientific skills and understanding. While most pupils reach expected standards, few exceed these. Standards are above expectations in religious education and in line with expectations in ICT and achievement in these subjects is good. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 7

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

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Year 6 results

Achievement is good in the juniors and there are signs of further improvement. The national test results in recent years do not paint the whole picture on overall standards in subjects. Results in 2003 tests fell from previous above average levels mainly because more pupils in this group had special educational needs. Results were in line with the average in mathematics and below average in science. The table above indicates very good progress in these subjects. This is because pupils are good with numeracy and remember enough scientific facts to succeed in the tests. Standards seen during the inspection support these levels. Standards in science are below average because pupils’ scientific skills and understanding are not secure enough. In English, the school has focussed on improving pupils’ speaking, listening and writing skills with some success over the last two years and this is reflected in better standards this year. Overall standards have improved from the well

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Year 6 results

below average levels last year to average this year in reading and below average in writing. Achievement is good. Standards are above expectations in religious education and in line with expectations in ICT, and achievement is good in both subjects. Across the school, pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well because work is closely matched to their individual needs.

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Year 6 results

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils’ attitudes to school, their behaviour and relationships are good. Attendance is very good because the school has procedures which reward and encourage pupils’ attendance and parents make sure their children attend regularly.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. They are good in the juniors. Questions are used effectively to guide pupils’ thinking and make sure that pupils understand what is being taught. Lessons are enlivened by a wide range of resources, which are used well to capture pupils’ imaginations and hold their attention in lessons. Assessment information and teachers’ marking are not always used effectively to guide pupils’ achievement closely enough. Consequently, pupils are not always clear about how to improve their work. Teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language well, and this enables them to achieve well. There is currently no permanent teaching assistant in the reception class and this is unsatisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. Good opportunities are planned for visits and visitors and this makes learning interesting and contributes well to achievement in a range of subjects. The school makes sure that pupils are kept safe and cares for their needs well. Links with the community are good. Very good links with parents ensure that pupils are supported well in their learning at school and at home. Links with other schools are good and support pupils’ learning well. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 8

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory . The headteacher leads the school in a caring and considerate way. As a result, staff are motivated and committed to providing the best for pupils. The school makes sure all pupils are included in activities. The work of the governing body is satisfactory overall. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school and take a leading role in its developments. New staff are made to feel very welcome and quickly get to know the school’s ethos well. A number of recent improvements have been started but their impact on pupils’ achievement has not yet been evaluated. This is because many of the staff are new. The school is now set to build on its strengths and tackle the areas it needs to improve.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have high regard for the school and what it does for their children. They feel welcome in school and any concerns they have are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils think the school is very good. They like the way they are involved in decision-making through the school council.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Implement assessment procedures in all subjects, and make sure the information is used to help pupils improve their achievement. • Raise standards and achievement in science, particularly in pupils’ scientific investigation skills. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is satisfactory and standards are average overall by the time pupils leave the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the reception class achieve well in their early number, reading and physical skills. • Pupils achieve well in English in Years 3 to 6. • Achievement in science is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and standards by the end of Year 2 are well below average. • Standards in religious education are above expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement is good. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well towards their targets. • Achievement in ICT is good.

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Foundation Stage

1. Children start school with levels of attainment, which are generally below average in all areas of learning. They achieve well in learning about numbers and letters sounds, and in developing their physical skills. They soon catch up in these aspects to attain the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception year. In communication, language and literacy, and in personal, social and emotional development achievement is satisfactory, although many still do not reach the goals expected by the end of the reception year. No judgement was made about knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development because not enough activities were seen in these areas of learning.

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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 14.9 (16.2) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.1 (13.4) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.4 (15.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 1

2. Standards fell to very low levels in reading and writing and well below average levels in mathematics just after the last inspection. This was mainly due to the considerable and continuous changes to teaching staff, which disrupted pupils’ learning. The school put a recovery plan into place and, as a result, standards in national tests have been rising faster than the national trend for the last two years. In the 2003 tests, results showed standards were average in mathematics. They were below average in reading and well below average in writing and science. Boys and girls do as well as each other.

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Key Stage 1

3. Overall achievement is satisfactory. Standards seen during the inspection in mathematics and reading are average and reflect the school’s targets this year in these subjects. Standards in speaking and listening and writing are below average. Standards remain well below average in St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 10 science because few pupils exceed national expectations. There is not enough focus on pupils developing their investigation skills in science. Standards have risen to the same levels as those at the time of the last inspection. Achievement in speaking and listening, writing and mathematics is satisfactory since pupils joined Year 1. It is unsatisfactory in science and good in reading. Standards in religious education are above expectations and are average in ICT. Achievement is good in both subjects.

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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 25.3 (27.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.0 (28.5) 26.8 (26.7)) Science 28.4 (29.2) 28.6 (28.3) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2

4. Results in the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6 fell to well below average standards in English and to average standards in mathematics and science from the above average levels in recent years. Despite the fall, pupils’ achievement in English was satisfactory in the juniors. It was very good in mathematics and science. This was because pupils’ results in these subjects were very low and well below average when they were in Year 2. Standards seen during the inspection reflect the school’s targets this year in English and mathematics. Standards are below average in writing and average in speaking and listening and reading and in mathematics. This reflects good achievement in English and satisfactory achievement in mathematics. Standards are below average in science, although pupils’ achievement since starting school is satisfactory. Boys and girls do as well as each other.

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Key Stage 2

5. Standards seen in ICT have improved considerably and are now average by the end of Year 6. The school has improved the range and quality of computers and other ICT equipment and pupils use these regularly to support their work in a range of subjects. Standards are above expectations in religious education. The school follows a detailed scheme of work, which ensures pupils develop high levels of self-knowledge and self-esteem. Achievement in both of these subjects is now good.

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Key Stage 2

6. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make good progress in their speaking and listening, reading and writing. They achieve well because targets in their individual education plans detail exactly what they are to learn. Lesson plans include these so that pupils get the support they need to succeed. When they work outside the classroom in small groups on specific work, pupils achieve very well. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, most pupils with special educational needs, and all those who speak English as an additional language reach the national expectations in reading as a result of this input.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. Their behaviour in and around school is good. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Recent school initiatives are having a positive effect on behaviour and attitudes. • Good pastoral care ensures positive relationships. • The School Council effectively includes pupils in making decisions. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 11 • Older pupils take responsibility for their own learning. • Spiritual development is supported well through religious education and art and design.

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Commentary

7. The school has successfully maintained pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour since the previous inspection through good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and strong relationships. Teachers and teaching assistants value pupils’ integrity and self-esteem and make sure they are all included in the life of the school. This increases their sense of self worth. All pupils understand how to behave in the classroom, corridors, hall and playground. They know the rewards and sanctions awarded in response to their behaviour, and, as a result, lessons and social times are usually happy and peaceful. Where challenges arise they are dealt with promptly and fairly. Teachers are beginning to use discussion times effectively, so that pupils have good opportunities to talk about and deal with personal issues. This reflects the caring ethos of the school well. Positive relationships are created between

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Commentary

friends and between teachers and pupils. Pupils are welcoming, tolerant and supportive of all members of their class. They enjoy being at school to be with their friends. They understand that they are in school to learn and give good and relevant reasons why they like particular subjects.

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Exclusions

There was one fixed term exclusion last year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 190 1 0 Any other ethnic group 4 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 6 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

8. As part of this inclusive approach, the democratically elected School Council is able to make effective decisions about school rules and the use of the playground. Teachers in Years 3 to 6 allow pupils to take increasing responsibility for judging how well they have learned in a lesson and what was difficult. Older pupils consequently appreciate that it is acceptable to make mistakes and be wrong. They realise that learning from these mistakes is more important. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to take on day-to-day responsibilities in the classroom and about the school. All of these activities are making a significant impact upon the good quality of pupils’ moral and social development.

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Exclusions

9. The school demonstrates a high level of care to its community and provides good opportunities for spiritual development. The atmosphere created in assemblies effectively reflects the Christian foundation of the school. This is endorsed and expanded by the contribution made by the religious education curriculum. Here, pupils learn to discuss and reflect sensitively upon their personal experiences, from celebrations to bereavement. Humour and relevance in the curriculum enhance this. Experiences of contacting other schools in the East-West project and the quality of enrichment in the curriculum, including that provided by art projects, support good knowledge and appreciation of pupils’ own cultures and those of others.

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Exclusions

10. Young children are learning well to fit into this caring school. However, limitations in their understanding and level of language development mean that their rate of progress in some St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 12 aspects of personal, social and emotional development is slower than might be expected. They are not always given enough opportunity to develop independence in some activities, such as choosing their own play activity, or planning their own learning.

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Exclusions

11. Attendance is well above average. The whole ethos of the school encourages very good attendance and incidents of unauthorised absence are rare. Parents have responded particularly well to reminders about the importance of attendance and punctuality. This, together with a marked reduction in the number of holidays in term time and very good monitoring and rewards to pupils for good attendance, has brought about a significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 1.9 School data: 0.1 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and they are good in the juniors. Assessment is satisfactory . The curriculum is satisfactory . It is enriched through a good range of extra-curricular clubs, visits and visitors. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory . The school cares for pupils well. Links with parents are very good .

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. It is good in the juniors and this is helping to raise achievement. Assessment is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers ask focussed questions to probe pupils’ thinking and guide learning in lessons. • Good emphasis is given to developing children’s learning about letter sounds in the reception class and in Years 1 and 2, and numbers in reception. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language learn well. • Resources are used effectively to engage pupils’ interest in lessons. • Teaching assistants support pupils well. • Pupils respond well to positive behaviour strategies and younger pupils glow with pride when they are rewarded for good behaviour. • Assessment information is used well in the juniors to provide targets to improve pupils’ skills in English. • Assessment information is not used well enough to improve pupils’ work in the infants and in subjects other than English in the juniors. • The teaching of science is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching and learning has improved satisfactorily since the previous inspection. More lessons were judged to be good or better. Only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen. The St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 13 excellent and very good teaching were seen in the juniors. The more consistent quality of teaching is leading to recent improvement in pupils’ achievement, especially in English.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 27 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

13. Throughout the school, teachers ask questions well in whole class sessions to assess what pupils already know and to make sure they all understand what they should be doing in lessons. This means pupils are clear about what they are being asked to do and older pupils are able to get on and work independently. Teachers’ planning outlines clearly what it is that pupils are to do and this is shared with pupils at the beginning of lessons and revisited at the end to give pupils good opportunity to decide for themselves how well they have done. This informal assessment is used effectively in many classes to evaluate learning and plan the next lesson, especially in English and some parts of mathematics lessons. However, in the infants, whilst learning is good in whole class sessions and when teachers and teaching assistants work alongside pupils as they work in groups, the tasks pupils are given when working on their

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Commentary

own are not always challenging enough. Consequently, some pupils waste time because they know they can already do what is being asked of them and have time to chat.

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Commentary

14. In the reception class, structured teaching of letter sounds has given pupils a good start to their learning in reading. This is built on effectively in Years 1 and 2. The ability to sound out words means pupils are confident to have a go when they meet new words in their reading books, and helps them to try to spell some simple words for themselves when writing. As a result, pupils achieve well in their reading by the time they start in Year 3. In mathematics lessons, pupils talk confidently about how they reach a particular answer because the good provision in the reception class gave them a secure base when working with numbers.

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Commentary

15. Teachers use a range of strategies to involve pupils in their learning. In all classes, lessons are brought to life with relevant and interesting resources, which help keep pupils interested. Pictures and models help to focus pupils’ attention, help them to think of ideas, and to visualise situations. For example, in a music lesson, pictures helped pupils think about the sounds they would hear at the seaside, while models of the sun, Earth and moon helped older pupils work out how the Earth moves around the sun, and the moon moves around the Earth in science. Pupils are often encouraged to talk about their ideas with a partner before sharing them with the rest of the class and this helps them to clarify their thinking in their own minds before putting pencil to paper. These methods are not used so effectively in science in Years 1 and 2, and pupils are not given enough opportunity to try things out for themselves and to carry out

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Commentary

practical tests to observe and find out what happens.

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Commentary

16. Teaching assistants support pupils well because they know what is expected in lessons. They are particularly effective when working with pupils who speak English as an additional language and with those who have special educational needs because they build on the skills pupils need to develop as outlined in individual learning plans. A lot of work has been done to make sure all adults follow consistent methods of managing pupils’ behaviour. The reward system is working well and this, coupled with teachers constantly looking for ways to make learning interesting, is leading to good attitudes to learning and thus good achievement in some lessons.

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Commentary

17. Assessment procedures in English and mathematics are securely in place. In the juniors, the information is used effectively in English to plan what pupils should do next and to set individual and class targets which regularly change in response to pupils’ achievement. Teachers follow these procedures when marking work, especially pupils’ writing, so pupils are given good St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 14 information about how to improve their work. Procedures are not used often enough in the infants so these pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve their work. In mathematics, the information is used well in most classes to plan relevant work in whole class sessions, but is not always used well enough to plan work in group activities that supports the lesson’s learning objective and matches pupils’ different learning levels. While teachers are generally good at asking probing questions during science lessons to assess

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Commentary

pupils’ levels of understanding, the information is not always used effectively to plan learning which meets the needs of all pupils, especially in the infants, and to develop specific scientific skills. Science is always taught to the whole class regardless of pupils’ abilities and this is unsatisfactory. Teachers always evaluate how well their lessons went and what pupils have learnt so there is usually enough information to record pupils’ achievements in most subjects.

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The curriculum

The range and quality of the curriculum are satisfactory. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The enrichment of the curriculum is good . Accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The development of the ICT curriculum has been very successful. • Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to carry out investigations in science. • Initiatives in personal, social and health education and citizenship are effective. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well because of the good support they receive. • Links between subjects and the good use of visits and visitors contribute significantly to the quality of the curriculum. • There is a large number of well-supported clubs.

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Commentary

18. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in the development of the ICT curriculum. A supportive scheme of work and improved resources have contributed towards the current good teaching and an improvement in standards achieved by pupils throughout the school. Although identified in the last inspection, the development of investigative skills in science has not yet been fully addressed and this is a weakness in the science curriculum.

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Commentary

19. The school has successfully maintained many developmental areas in a range of subjects. Initiatives have been more successful when they have been effectively prioritised. For example, a focus on speaking and listening and writing has ensured an improvement in standards in Years 3 to 6. Good quality and well-planned activities in personal, social and health education and citizenship take place regularly. Results of these are apparent throughout the school in the quality of relationships and good behaviour and attitudes. Pupils' attitudes reflect the caring ethos of the school, which works well to ensure that all pupils are included and respected.

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Commentary

20. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Teachers make sure that lessons take into account the needs of individual pupils. This is well demonstrated in many lessons. For example, in physical education the lesson plan clearly identified precisely where and how pupils’ co-ordination could be developed. Good opportunities are planned for pupils to work on specific targets in small groups with a specialist teacher. Careful thought has been given to when these sessions will take place so pupils do not miss valuable learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

21. Teachers use the local environment well, particularly to support learning in geography and history. The school has used expert visitors well to support initiatives throughout the school and classes respond well to “new” faces. Pupils have produced impressive batik prints as a St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 15 result of work done with a visiting multi-cultural arts group. The religious education curriculum contributes significantly to pupils’ spiritual awareness and to their knowledge and understanding of major world faiths. ICT is used well in other subjects and enlivens the curriculum. Enjoyment of school is apparent in the good attendance at after-school activities. These range from a homework club to chess and from cookery to dance and include seasonal sports. These clubs enrich the curriculum well and make a good contribution to reinforcing pupils’ good attitudes to school and their social development.

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Commentary

22. Accommodation is satisfactory and is maintained to a good standard. The majority of classrooms are of an adequate size and place few limitations on teaching. A suitable secure outdoor area for reception-aged children has been added since the previous inspection. Overall, learning resources are sufficient to teach the planned curriculum. Resources in mathematics and ICT are good.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare, health and safety of pupils have improved since the last inspection and are now good overall. The provision of support, advice and guidance is satisfactory . The school involves pupils effectively in its decisions about improvements.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Health and safety procedures including risk assessments are very good and are implemented very effectively. • The work of the School Council is very good and influences school decisions. • Induction arrangements for children starting school in the reception class are good and are appreciated by parents. • The school is very successful in ensuring that pupils develop trusting relationships with adults in school. • The school actively promotes a healthy lifestyle and safe living for its pupils.

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Commentary

23. There are very good procedures to identify and control health and safety risks to ensure that the premises, equipment and working practices are safe. Of particular merit is the weekly site safety check, carried out by the caretaker, of both the outside and inside areas of the school. This procedure ensures that any concerns are identified early and properly recorded, and that appropriate action is taken.

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Commentary

24. Pupil questionnaires and the decisions made at School Council meetings are used very effectively to involve pupils in decision-making and in seeking their views on many aspects of school life that affect them directly. Pupils talk about how they have influenced changes. For example, increased equipment for playtime, a football pitch using a soft ball and the introduction of a school newspaper are amongst their achievements. Good induction procedures support pupils as they start school and enable them to settle quickly into the routines of the life of the school. Discussions with pupils during inspection week clearly indicate that all pupils have trusting and supportive relationships with adults who they can confide in if they are worried or hurt. This ensures that any problems are sorted out quickly.

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Commentary

25. The school's commitment to encouraging its pupils to develop a healthy way of living has been rewarded by the Healthy Schools standard. There are good links with other responsible agencies that offer advice about how the school can support pupils' welfare. The care, support and guidance provided for pupils with special educational needs are good. Pupils are fully involved in reviewing their individual targets. Those who speak English as an additional language are given good opportunities to revisit what they have learned and this raises their confidence and self-esteem tremendously. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 16 26. There are good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress in English and satisfactory procedures in mathematics and science. There are no formal procedures for assessment in other subjects, although a start has been made in ICT and religious education. Informal assessment ensures that there is sufficient information about pupils’ progress in all subjects to

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Commentary

help teachers support pupils’ learning satisfactorily.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There are very good links with parents who think very highly of the school. Links with the community and other schools are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very happy with the school and hold positive views about the quality of education provided and the values promoted. • The school is effective at seeking, valuing and acting on parents’ views. • The Home School Association (HSA) supports the work of the school very well. • There are good mutually beneficial links with the local church and the surrounding community. • Good links with other schools and colleges benefit pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

27. The school has an open door policy and provides a friendly and welcoming environment. Every year, the school consults parents through a questionnaire seeking parents’ views on current strengths and weaknesses. The vast majority of parents are very pleased with the school, and are especially pleased that their children are happy. They agree the school regularly seeks and considers their views, and appreciate the open door policy. Nearly all parents say that they feel comfortable about approaching the school. The school has analysed the results of questionnaires and has started to deal with the concerns of a small number of parents. A dedicated and very active Home School Association (HSA) organises a range of social and fund raising events, which are well supported by parents. This makes a highly valued contribution to school resources, which are of benefit to all pupils. Additionally, the HSA is used

p.16

Commentary

as an effective forum for gauging parental feeling and concerns.

p.16

Commentary

28. Good links with the local church and community make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. This has improved since the previous inspection. Visits into the local area support pupils’ learning in geography and history and help them to consider how they can help to contribute personally by keeping their local area safe and tidy. Pupils see the local minister regularly in school and during visits to the church. This forges strong links with the church and makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

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Commentary

29. The school is developing good links with other schools. Links with local high schools bring considerable benefits, such as enabling pupils to take part in activity and sports days, the school sharing ICT technical support and parents having the opportunity to train as teaching assistants. As a result, six parents have nearly completed their course and this is ensuring the quality of support they give when they help in school is good. The local playgroup is on site and this ensures the school gets to know the children well, and the children are familiar with the school before they join the reception class. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 17

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are satisfactory . The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. The leadership of other key staff and the overall management of the school are satisfactory . The governance of the school is satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has managed frequent staff changes well. • There is a good team spirit and a clear commitment by the staff to raise standards. • The outcomes of new initiatives are not monitored rigorously enough. • The school’s good emphasis on inclusion and equal opportunities is reflected in all aspects of school life. • Teachers new to the school settle in quickly because they are supported very well. • Provision for special educational needs and English as an additional language is managed very well.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

30. The leadership and management of the headteacher are satisfactory. The school has been through an unsettled period recently, with frequent changes of staff. The headteacher has managed these changes well and, through his caring approach, has made sure all staff are positive about the challenges ahead. Although the changes have affected the rate of improvement that the school has been able to make, he has kept a clear focus on the main priority of raising standards in English and mathematics. This has been successful because the staff work well together and there is a shared vision for the work of the school. The school has very good procedures for helping new teachers to become part of the established team.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The leadership and management of key staff are satisfactory. Most subject leaders are relatively new to their posts. They have a good overview of their areas and clear plans for further improvement, including the monitoring of teaching and learning. This is an improvement since the last inspection. However, there has not been enough time to check whether the things that have been agreed are being put into place in all classes. The monitoring of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers are given sensitive feedback, including areas for development. The focus of lesson observations has been on teaching rather than how well pupils are learning and, therefore, is not making the impact on achievement it might. The school development plan outlines relevant school priorities and these have helped teachers focus on improving achievement in English and mathematics recently. However, although it identifies

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

the overall intention to raise standards in teaching and learning, the targets for some individual subjects are not precise enough to enable their success to be measured. In science, for example, although weaknesses in scientific investigations were identified in the last report, this is not mentioned in either the improvement plan or the subject leader’s action plan. Careful attention is paid to making sure that pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language receive the support they need in lessons and during those times when they work in small groups outside the classroom.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

32. Performance management is fully established. It meets requirements and has been effective in bringing about improvements. Staff development is driven by the school’s main priorities. Because of this, staff training in developing pupils’ science investigation skills has started only very recently. As a result, this weakness in pupils’ learning still exists.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

33. Governors give satisfactory support to the work of the school. They have a clear idea of the school’s strengths and help to celebrate these with pupils and staff. This supports the positive ethos of the school well. All statutory information is included in information to parents and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Governors play a full role in determining what will be included in the school improvement plan and make sure that the resources are made available to support these. This structured approach to their work is beginning to raise standards. Governors are very knowledgeable about the school’s budget situation and steps St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 18 taken recently are making sure that the small carry forward figure is being checked frequently to make sure the school doesn’t spend more than it has.

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 440,950 Balance from previous year 57,139 Total expenditure 485,142 Balance carried forward to the next 12,947 Expenditure per pupil 2,355 St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for the Foundation Stage is satisfactory .

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. Children settle into school well because of the good links established with the pre-school group which most of them attend. This is situated on the school playground so children are able to visit frequently and get to know the reception class teacher well. A thoughtfully planned programme of meetings ensures a successful transfer at the beginning of the year. Most children arrive at school with standards, particularly in language, which are below those expected for their age. They achieve well in mathematical and physical development, and in these areas most will reach the expected goals by the end of the reception year. In other areas achievement is satisfactory. Fewer children than might be expected reach the goals in their personal, social and emotional development, and communication, language and literacy. No judgement was made about achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world and

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teaching assistants contribute significantly to the quality of children’s learning when they work with small groups. The class teacher plans well for this and takes care to ensure that all those who help her are well prepared. They ask well thought-out and focussed questions and this ensures that the children think things through for themselves, especially during numeracy sessions. At present the class has several assistants because of staffing changes. This is unsatisfactory because they do not always know immediately what the children’s specific needs are in lessons. This makes additional work for the teacher and takes her away from other children. The school is planning to find a replacement at the earliest opportunity. Good opportunities are planned for the children to develop their physical and numeracy skills. These lessons are often structured well and

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

focussed on specific activities so children achieve well. Due to the structure of the day, the children do not always have enough opportunities to choose for themselves their own play activities and this does not encourage them to take responsibility and develop independence. Assessment procedures are satisfactory but the information is not always used effectively to ensure that children of different abilities have work to do which is matched to their needs. The curriculum is planned satisfactorily. The outside area is new and is used satisfactorily to support learning in all of the areas of learning. Small groups use this space successfully during mathematics lessons and for role-play during literacy. Leadership and management are satisfactory and have brought about satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection.

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn how to care for themselves well. • Children are not always able to reflect upon their own actions.

p.19

Commentary

36. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Most children start school with lower skills than might be expected in this area of learning. This is especially so in those aspects where children need to use language to express feelings or explain actions. Consequently, the children find it hard to find the words to think about their own behaviour and plan their own learning. Progress in learning to care for their personal needs is good as shown when children take responsibility for dressing and undressing for physical education. Through regular lessons in the hall and the St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 20 use of the computer suite, the children learn effectively that they are part of the “big” school. This is reinforced during playtimes and lunchtimes when they play with older pupils if they want to. They are beginning to learn how to take turns and to answer questions sensibly because of

p.19

Commentary

the range of games organised for them to take part in. Most children will not reach the expected goals in all aspects of personal, social and emotional development by the end of the reception year. Achievement is satisfactory.

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn the sounds of letters well and this helps with their early reading skills. • There are fewer opportunities for children to write during structured play.

p.20

Commentary

37. Children come into the class with language skills that are below what is expected for their age. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Children develop their speaking skills satisfactorily by talking with adults in the classroom about what they are doing and when they play together in small groups. Children enjoy listening to stories and use the ideas in their play afterwards. For example, after listening to “Mr Gumpy” describing his adventure, they played happily in the “boat” outside. Most children enjoy sharing books with each other and are beginning to care for these appropriately. Children make good progress with learning letter sounds. As a result, they are able to identify the sounds to work out new words and this helps them to achieve well with their reading. There are not enough planned opportunities for children to engage in creative play to develop their imaginative language and practise the full range of skills. Most writing skills

p.20

Commentary

are taught in formal lessons and whilst this ensures children learn satisfactorily, there are not enough planned opportunities for children to choose to use these skills in a range of structured play activities. Achievement is satisfactory. Children start with skills below those expected, so many will not attain the goals they are expected to reach when they join Year 1 except in their early reading skills.

p.20

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities are relevant and interesting. • Children have good opportunities to learn about capacity.

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Commentary

38. Children achieve well because of good teaching. By the end of the reception year most will have attained the expected goals in mathematical development. Children enjoy their lessons. Activities are well planned to capture their attention and extend their understanding. Resources are particularly well prepared. For example, in one lesson seen, children were given a large variety of sand and beads with which to fill a range of containers of different sizes. As a result, they developed a good understanding of full, empty and half full by the end of the lesson. Good opportunities are planned for the children to learn about numbers in structured play, such as learning to count when reciting action songs, and for real reasons when counting how many children are in school that day. Consequently, most have good counting skills by the end of the reception year. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 21

p.20

Knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development

39. Only one session of ICT was observed in knowledge and understanding of the world and no direct teaching was seen in creative development so no overall judgement was made on the overall quality of provision in these areas of learning. In the one lesson seen, children enjoyed using the computers in the suite. As a result of good lesson organisation, the children learned quickly how to open a program. They used the mouse to enable them to create coloured pictures for which they wrote a caption or their name using the keyboard. Groups enjoyed using the floor turtle and successfully gave it instructions to visit their chosen character from ‘ Mr Gumpy’s Outing’ . Work on display indicates that children have good opportunities to paint and make pictures with a wide range of materials. They produce good quality pictures, which indicate careful observation, good use of thick paint to create textures and extensive use of

p.21

Knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development

varnish and brightly coloured paper to generate effective collage.

p.21

Physical development

Provision in physical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn new skills through well-planned physical education lessons.

p.21

Commentary

40. Children enjoy their physical education lessons in the hall. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Most will attain the expected goals by the end of the reception year. Children have good opportunities to run and jump, landing correctly, and extend these skills on to apparatus, which they are learning effectively how to set out. They are beginning to use the space in the hall well and are aware of their own and others’ safety. The children’s cutting and drawing skills are as expected and many fasten clothing independently when changing for physical education.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 because good use is made of targets to improve their skills. • Literacy skills are used well to support learning in other subjects. • Older pupils develop their research skills well to find out about a range of topics related to their learning in other subjects. • Assessment information and teachers’ marking does not help pupils learn how to improve their work in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well.

p.21

Commentary

41. Standards in reading and writing in national tests at the end of Year 2 have been well below average for several years. They are now beginning to rise and results and standards seen during the inspection are at the same levels as they were at the time of the previous inspection. Standards are average in reading and below average in speaking and listening, and St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 22 in writing. Achievement is satisfactory. Recent initiatives to develop speaking in lessons are beginning to pay off. Pupils are confident to talk about their ideas with friends and this is helping them to extend their ideas in a range of subjects. Standards are higher in reading because the school has focussed on teaching letter sounds to help pupils to work out the new words they come across in their reading. This is helping them to become more confident readers. Their ability to sound out words is helping them spell simple words correctly and this is improving

p.21

Commentary

standards in spelling as a result. Pupils, however, tend to use letter sounds rather than names when helping each other out with spelling unfamiliar words and this can lead to confusion when the letter sound does not match the sound being made, for example ‘ch’ or sh’.

p.22

Commentary

42. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is good. Although results in 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6 fell to well below average levels, this represents very good progress since this group of pupils were in Year 2 because standards were so low at that time. Standards seen during the inspection confirm the school’s targets, and are average in speaking and listening and reading. Although still below average, standards in writing have improved this year. This is because the school has recently introduced target booklets which tell pupils exactly what they need to do to reach the next level in writing. These targets are used as a very good basis for teachers’ marking and for planning the next lesson, so learning is relevant and matched to pupils’ particular learning needs very well. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to improve their work and, as a result, are achieving much higher standards than last year, particularly in

p.22

Commentary

43. Learning for pupils with special educational needs is well planned. Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils well so work is well matched to their particular needs. Pupils work in small groups regularly on specific skills and this is helping them to gain more confidence in their own ability and to have a go when they are unsure about something. Pupils who speak English as an additional language learn very well when they work in small groups outside the classroom. Most work focuses on learning skills in English, however, and there are fewer opportunities for them to learn vocabulary and to develop their ability to talk about their work in other subjects.

p.22

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching of reading is well structured and focused precisely on the skills different groups of pupils need to develop. As a result, pupils approach new words with confidence. The teaching of writing is satisfactory, although not enough is always expected of pupils. Tasks in English lessons do not always provide enough opportunity for pupils to write at length so they do not produce the standard of work of which they are capable. The standard is higher when pupils write in other subjects, and when they use computers to word process their work, because they are interested in what they are doing. A new approach to teaching handwriting is not yet resulting in a joined style. The teaching of reading and writing in Years 3 to 6 is good. Whenever pupils write, constant reminders about their targets ensure they always achieve well. Lessons are well organised

p.22

Commentary

and focus on pupils’ specific skills. Many opportunities to look up facts about a current topic are helping pupils to develop good research skills. Pupils know how to find information in books and on websites on the Internet.

p.22

Commentary

45. English makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through pupils discussing the work of a range of famous authors and poets from around the world, which often covers challenging subjects. One very good lesson in Year 6 presented pupils with very challenging poems by Benjamin Zephaniah. The subsequent work on things pupils hate most from their personal experience revealed a deep insight into the feelings of others. In one poem about bullying pupils wrote: ‘ Don’t feel threatened, never fear. Bullies are just cowards. There’s always someone here.’ Teachers ask astute q uestions which encourage pupils to think about what is written and how certain things have been expressed. As a result, pupils express their feelings and thoughts openly and are beginning to understand what authors infer from their writing and how words have been used to create an impact on the

p.22

Commentary

reader. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 23 46. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator has introduced a good number of new things to help teachers plan suitable lessons and raise standards for all pupils. This includes training on how to improve marking and introducing targets for writing so pupils know how to improve their own work. This is having success in the juniors. It is less successful in the infants because not all teachers follow the agreed procedures. The co-ordinator uses assessment information very effectively to identify what needs to be improved and steps have been taken to deal with previous weaknesses. This has been fairly recent so there has been too little time to check how effective these steps have been. Improvements are not yet reflected in higher standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory despite the considerable changes in staffing over recent years.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

47. Teachers take steps to make learning as interesting as they can so pupils use their language and literacy skills well across the curriculum. Writing is used particularly well to record learning in other subjects. ‘Talking partners’ and role-play are beginning to raise standards because pupils have good opportunities to share their learning and clarify their ideas before putting pen to paper.

p.23

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons start with good sessions to develop pupils’ mental skills. • Assessment information is not always used well enough to make sure the work pupils do in groups supports learning in the main part of the lesson. • Marking does not give pupils enough information about how to improve their work. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. • Pupils like mathematics.

p.23

Commentary

48. Standards seen in mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6 are average and are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. This supports the results in the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Lessons start well with a short brisk session when pupils are expected to work out sums quickly in their heads. This helps them to practise addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills and remember important number facts quickly. During whole class teaching, a range of teaching methods is used effectively to engage pupils’ interest and make learning fun. Questions are used well to target individuals at their own level and make sure everyone in the class answers at least one question. The use of white boards ensures all pupils can write down their answers. This helps teachers see whether individual pupils have got the right answer and who needs extra help, and ensures that everyone is involved. Speedy games, especially where pupils challenge the teacher, consolidate knowledge well and help pupils remember number facts faster each time. Resources are well prepared so lessons are not delayed, and are used effectively to capture

p.23

Commentary

the pupils’ attention. The use of the overhead projector to demonstrate how answers are reached enables pupils to see the working out and encourages them to consider whether their ways of working out are the best. ICT is used effectively, especially in Years 3 to 6, to support learning both in class and during lessons in the computer suite, adding to the quality of pupils’ experiences and increasing their competence. Pupils enjoy these sessions. They appreciate the activity, the good use of resources and the purposeful atmosphere created. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 24 50. Although the procedures for assessment are satisfactory, the information is not always used effectively by teachers when planning tasks for when pupils work in groups. Occasionally, work set is either too difficult or too easy. Pupils are not always clear about what they have to do next to improve their work, as they do not have individual targets. The quality of marking is

p.23

Commentary

inconsistent and doesn’t always explain to pupils where they went wrong. Where teachers’ planning ensures that each group is challenged well then lessons are more successful. This is particularly so in Year 6. Teaching assistants are used well to support pupils with special educational needs. These pupils often have specially designed activities to follow during the first part of the lesson. Their needs are met well. They are supported sensitively and feel included in the class. Effective records are kept of their success and these pupils achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

51. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has successfully used assessment information to improve aspects of the subject which require particular attention, and looks at results closely to make sure they are high enough. However, procedures for checking the quality of teaching and learning across the school are not organised efficiently so the co-ordinator does not have a clear enough picture of current achievement, especially in Year 3 to 6. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

52. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. In science, pupils record results in graphs and tables and this helps them to find answers to their questions much more quickly. There are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in measuring.

p.24

SCIENCE

Provision in science is unsatisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and, therefore, achievement is unsatisfactory. • Higher attaining pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not achieve standards of which they are capable. • Throughout the school, the work is too directed by adults, and pupils are not challenged to think for themselves and devise their own investigations. • Teachers prepare their lessons well and use resources well to engage pupils’ interest. • Teaching and learning are not monitored closely enough so weaknesses identified in the last inspection have not been dealt with sufficiently well.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

53. Pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory in the infants, and by the end of Year 2 standards are well below average. Standards have fallen since the last inspection because not enough pupils reach the higher levels of attainment of which they are capable. Teaching is unsatisfactory overall because work is not challenging enough and does not give pupils enough opportunity to test things out and investigate things for themselves. When teachers plan interesting work, pupils are excited at the prospect of finding things out. In the lesson seen in Year 2, for example, the teacher used a good range of resources and asked questions that really engaged the pupils’ interest. However, the level of questioning did not challenge the pupils to think beyond making simple observations or predictions. Lessons are taught as whole-class activities and all the pupils complete the same recording sheet regardless of their abilities.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

Discussion with pupils reveals that they do not remember much of the work they have done. Pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support in lessons and, as a result, they keep up with the rest of the class.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

54. Achievement is satisfactory overall in the juniors, but standards seen are still below average by the end of Year 6. This is because of weaknesses in pupils’ investigation skills. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 25 55. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers pay good attention to developing pupils’ scientific vocabulary and to promoting their factual knowledge. While teachers demonstrate experiments to find answers to scientific questions, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to plan and carry out their own investigations. As a result, although pupils acquire enough factual information to get through a test, they do not have the necessary depth of understanding to transfer their knowledge to different situations. Lessons are usually taught to the whole class so there is insufficient attention paid to the needs of different ability groups. This means that higher attaining pupils in particular do not always achieve as well as

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

they might because they are not given work to challenge them. Pupils enjoy lessons because different strategies are used to capture their attention. They are keen to learn, behave well and work hard in lessons.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

56. Leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory. The subject has not been a priority in the school and, as a result, there has been no opportunity for the subject leader to improve provision. There is no programme in place for checking on the quality of teaching and learning. Although the development of pupils’ investigative skills was identified as one of the main weaknesses in the last inspection, this has not been tackled until very recently. As a result, teachers are still insecure in this aspect of their subject knowledge and the same weaknesses exist in pupils’ learning. In order to bring pupils in Year 6 up to the expected level for their age, the school provides booster classes. The emphasis is on completing past test questions to establish where the gaps are in pupils’ knowledge. Whilst this practice enables the pupils to score well in the tests, it is not a substitute for pupils’ learning through first-hand

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

investigations. Improvement since the previous inspection is unsatisfactory.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and achievement have improved significantly since the last inspection in all year groups. • Lessons are relevant and interesting. • Currently there is no system in place to record pupils’ progress. • The quality and range of equipment are good and used effectively to provide pupils with a wide range of ICT experiences. • The curriculum is enriched well through the use of ICT in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

57. Improvement since the last inspection is very good. Standards attained by pupils are now in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. There is a well-equipped computer suite and enough classroom computers are linked to this so work started in the suite can be continued back in the classroom. In addition, the use of programmable toys and digital cameras ensures that all pupils have good quality experiences in the subject. Achievement is now good for all pupils.

p.25

Commentary

58. Teaching throughout the school is good. Teachers have completed training and so have good knowledge and skills. This ensures lessons are relevant and always linked well to learning in other subjects. Lessons identify clearly what pupils will learn and the skills they will develop. As a result, pupils learn readily and are confident to try things out for themselves. They find the tools they need to present their work and confidently talk about how they created particular pieces of work. Pupils regularly use the Internet to find out about particular topics they are studying. For example, while investigating food chains in science, older pupils successfully St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 26 used a search engine to find several relevant web pages on their chosen topic. Younger pupils confidently added pictures from a CD-Rom or from the Internet to their written information in history. The use of sensors in science in Years 3 to 6 is an area which has yet to be developed

p.25

Commentary

59. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Considerable attention has been paid to establishing a good curriculum. The comprehensively planned scheme of work supports teachers’ lesson planning well and makes sure that that pupils have the opportunity to practise their skills in a range of subjects. Well-judged investment has led to an improved range of resources and equipment. At present there are no formal methods of recording individual pupils’ attainment and skills in ICT, although this has been identified as an area for development in the subject’s action plan. The school is fortunate to have the support of two technicians who ensure the smooth running of the system and create links to the local high school. Their contribution to supporting learning in lessons is yet to be developed.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. Good use is made of ICT across the curriculum. Most subjects are enriched well by the use of computers and other equipment. The Internet is used extensively for research in English, history, geography and science. Information in mathematics and science is displayed quickly as graphs. The digital camera has been used extensively to take photographs to support learning in a number of subjects, most recently geography. Extensive use is made of word- processing during literacy and links well with the initiative to improve standards in writing.

p.26

HUMANITIES

61. History and geography were not inspected in depth. No judgement was made about overall provision. One lesson was seen in history and one in geography. Discussions with pupils and an examination of the work in books indicate that pupils achieve at a satisfactory rate and that overall standards in both subjects are in line with those expected of pupils the same age. Teachers use these subjects well to develop pupils’ literacy and ICT skills. Throughout the school, pupils have good opportunities to develop their own thoughts in their writing. Older pupils also research information on CD-Rom and use the digital camera to take pictures of the local area. Visitors and visits make learning interesting.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good, enabling pupils of all ages and abilities to achieve well. • Pupils have a very good understanding of their own feelings and care deeply about those of others. • The scheme of work is full of interesting ideas to help teachers plan relevant learning. • The subject supports the school’s caring ethos very well. • There are no formal procedures for assessment and this is unsatisfactory. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 27

p.26

Commentary

62. Improvement since the previous inspection is good. Care has been taken to choose a scheme of work, which is relevant and matches the school’s caring ethos and commitment to personal development. As a result, the scheme focuses very well on pupils learning about their own feelings and developing a deep respect for those of others. Consequently, older pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of different faiths. Younger pupils have a particularly good understanding of Christianity because the school makes sure that all festivals are celebrated. Regular services in church ensure there are very good links with St Chad’s Church. Standards are above those expected at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is good across the school.

p.27

Commentary

63. Teaching and learning are good overall. Because of the way lessons are taught, pupils feel good about themselves and subsequently give good consideration to the feelings of others. Resources are used to capture pupils’ interest and to make learning meaningful. Pupils are usually given good opportunities to show their learning in different ways, for example in role- play and drama. Occasionally, pupils spend too much time writing down what they have learnt in the lessons rather than extending their ideas. Work in books and discussions with pupils indicate that pupils have good opportunities to talk about their own experiences and how things in life affect them. For example, one pupil wrote about her pet dying ‘ We were like sisters. There are flowers marking the exact spot where I buried her.’ This showed a great insight into her own feelings and reflected the security she felt being able to express her feelings so

p.27

Commentary

64. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Religious education is seen as an important way to support and develop pupils’ personal development and, therefore, has received the attention it deserves. Visits and visitors enrich learning in the subject well. There are no formal assessment procedures to make sure pupils are learning enough, although these are currently being developed. However, teachers look at pupils’ work regularly to make sure that they are receiving a broad curriculum and that they are gaining relevant knowledge and understanding.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. Art and design, design technology, music and physical education were not inspected in full so no judgement can be made about overall provision in these subjects. Inspectors talked to pupils and looked at their work. In art and design, pupils’ work on display matches expectations. Teachers place suitable emphasis on developing pupils’ basic skills and there is a good balance between two- and three-dimensional work. The school draws effectively on the expertise of visitors to the school to enrich pupils’ experiences and to develop specific techniques, such as woodcarving and batik. Good links are made with other subjects, such as English, history and religious education. The evidence suggests that the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Work on display and discussion with pupils indicate that regular lessons in design technology take place. Pupils learn a range of skills when planning, making and evaluating the things that they have made.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. Most lessons in music follow commercially taped programmes in most classes. Teachers adapt their use to ensure that the curriculum is relevant and allows pupils to develop a suitable range of skills. The one lesson seen was satisfactory. Singing in assembly is tuneful and pupils obviously know a wide range of songs. Opportunities to perform to various audiences, and visitors into school, enrich the curriculum and bring learning to life. Pupils learn about music from a range of countries and cultures and this makes a good contribution to their personal development. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 28 68. One lesson was observed in physical education. This was good because it was well planned and focused well on pupils developing their skills. Good opportunities are provided for pupils in Year 3, 4 and 5 to go swimming. These lessons are successful and by the end of Year 4 two- thirds of the pupils can swim at least 25 metres. Older pupils also participate in outdoor and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

adventurous pursuits during their residential visits and have opportunities to experience activities like canoeing, abseiling and archery. This makes a good contribution to their personal development.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

69. No judgement can be made about overall provision in the subject because no lessons were observed. However, discussion with pupils and looking at their work indicate that they achieve well. Pupils are expected to get along together and to discuss things openly if they have problems. The school’s ethos is one of togetherness and this is reflected in positive relationships throughout the school. Regular opportunities are built into the day for pupils to talk about their behaviour and how their actions impact on the feelings of others, in formal lessons and at other times if the need arises. This is helping pupils to gain good self-control and to think about their actions before taking them. As a result, behaviour is improving and pupils get along well together. An approach to learning which focuses on raising pupils’ self esteem and self- knowledge is being developed in English and is beginning to permeate other subjects. This is

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

effective in Years 3 to 6 where the biggest developments have been so far. As a result, pupils are beginning to identify for themselves the best way in which they learn and are using this information to bring ideas to lessons. The school’s commitment to creating a healthy school is reflected in the involvement of parents in a cookery club. Parents and their children cook healthy meals alongside each other, thus reinforcing the importance of leading a healthy life. There is a positive approach to learning about personal relationships, sex education and drugs awareness. Visitors make a strong contribution to learning in these aspects. St Chad’s Church of England Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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