St Mary and All Saints CofE Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 10 th June 2004

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St. Mary and All Saints 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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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. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 160

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Maxwell Road Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire Postcode: HP9 1RG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01494 673762 Fax number: 01494 674757

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs M. Skinner

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th June 2002

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Mary’s C of E Primary School has 160 pupils on roll, aged four to eleven. It serves a residential area of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire. The home backgrounds of most pupils are average. The number who are in receipt of a free school meal is broadly in line with the national average. The school buildings are adjacent to a community centre and surrounded by a playground, attractive garden areas and a sports field. At the time of the inspection, there were five children under the age of five in the reception class. The attainment of children at the start of school in Year 1 is average overall. A total of 37 pupils have been identified as having special educational needs and this is average. Four of these pupils receive support from outside agencies and currently there are two pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very small.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education 9468 John Arscott Lay inspector 29988 Lynn Thorogood Team inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage English Art and design Music 32614 Marion Hunter Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Geography History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 73X

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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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 13

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 33

St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is now a very good school with many significant strengths. Staff provide very good levels of care and support to all pupils within a caring Christian community. Outstanding work has been done to promote and successfully secure very good levels of attendance. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and pupils’ achievement is good across the school as a result. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well and the oldest pupils are attaining high standards. The headteacher provides excellent leadership for this very effective school. Teamwork is a very strong feature and systematic delegation of responsibilities ensures that the school’s work is continually reviewed. The governing body provides excellent levels of support and challenge. Given the overall standards being achieved and the quality of learning opportunities available, the school provides very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils’ achievement is good across the school and standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average for eleven year olds. They are above average for these pupils in information and communication technology. • All pupils are achieving well in all other areas of learning because of the very good teaching throughout the school. • Provision for children in the reception class is good. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are both excellent, enabling very good learning to flourish. • Attendance is well above the national average. • The school is establishing very effective relationships with parents and the wider community. • Leadership and management of the school are very good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The level of improvement since the previous HMI inspection has been very good . Pupils’ standards overall are much higher and in particular they are now above average in information and communication technology. The provision for children in the reception class is good. Assessment information is now being used constructively to monitor the progress of all pupils. The school’s capacity for further improvement is good .

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The results in the 2003 national tests for eleven-year-olds are below average in English, mathematics and science. When these results are compared with schools of similar circumstances and, based on pupils’ earlier attainment, they are above average in English and mathematics and average in science. The results of pupils in Year 2 taking the 2003 national tests are above average St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with schools nationally. When compared with schools in similar circumstances using free school meals data, standards are above average in reading and writing and well above average in mathematics. These results reflect a rising trend in standards over the last four years. The most recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate in 2002 indicated that standards were improving steadily. The below average results attained by eleven year

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

olds in 2003 reflect the achievements of a year group with a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the impact of previous pupil mobility. Inspection findings now confirm that previous improvements lower in the school are now being reflected in the above average standards being attained by the pupils currently in Year 6.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The overall rate of pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science is good and standards are above average for seven year olds and well above average for eleven year olds in these subjects. Information and communication technology is used effectively to support learning in English, mathematics and science and, when combined with good teaching of specific skills, this leads to above average standards for eleven year olds in this subject. Standards are also well above average in music and pupils achieve well in most other subjects.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Most children enter the reception class with average attainment across all areas of learning. The good teaching helps them make steady progress towards expected levels of attainment when they start in Year 1. A significant number exceed expectations in personal, social and emotional development, in reading and writing and in creative development.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

QUALITY OF EDUCATION The quality of education is very good overall and a very positive ethos for learning has been established.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The overall standard of teaching is very good . Teaching for children in the reception class is consistently good with some very good teaching observed. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils in the classes for infant and junior pupils is very good overall with a significant proportion of excellent teaching seen. A key strength of teaching is the high quality planning of lessons and very effective assessment procedures that have been put in place to monitor the progress of pupils and plan for a range of abilities in each class. Teaching assistants provide very effective support for pupils of all abilities and needs. Provision for homework is a strength of the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and fully meets their needs. The school provides a good, broad and balanced curriculum, which meets statutory requirements. Very good links are made between subjects and a good range of opportunities to extend learning outside the classroom has been established. The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and all pupils are equally well supported and guided. The quality of accommodation and the resources for teaching and learning are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good . The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. Her inspirational leadership provides a very clear vision for the future, which is shared with all staff. A highly skilled deputy and staff team very effectively support the headteacher. School governance is excellent. Governors have a very thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This is because there is a strong system of self-evaluation and monitoring in place. Governors have frank and challenging discussions with the headteacher and staff. They are highly committed to supporting the school in raising standards and their work has a significant and positive impact on learning. Excellent financial St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School management, closely tied to the plan for school improvement, ensures that the school meets its targets and educational priorities.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors endorse the extremely positive views expressed by the majority of parents. On the other hand, the inspectors could find no evidence to support the negative perceptions held by a very small minority about the range of interesting activities and the way the school canvasses parents’ opinions.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

On the whole, pupils have very positive views about the school. They clearly enjoy being at school and genuinely think that learning is fun. Although about two thirds of pupils think that behaviour is good, about a third concede that this is only sometimes true. In contrast, the inspection team found that behaviour and attitudes were uniformly and consistently excellent at all levels throughout the school. There was a similar disagreement about the consistency of relationships, where again the inspectors found relationships between all groups to be very good. Many pupils are quite articulate and in discussions they were able to express how much they appreciated and valued all that this school offers.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no major key issues to address but the school should continue to strive towards excellence in teaching and learning by: • ensuring all pupils are fully aware of the intentions of a lesson; • continuing to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the foundation subjects. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is good across the school and standards in English, mathematics and science are now well above average for eleven year olds and above average for seven year olds. They are above average for these pupils in information and communication technology (ICT).

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is good. • All pupils are achieving well in all subjects because of the very good teaching throughout the school and strong emphasis placed on investigative work and problem solving. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their previous learning.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.4 (15.2) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.6 (13.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.3 (16.3) 16.3 (16.3) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.6 (24.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.6 (23.8) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.5 (26.7) 28.6 (28.5) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Most children enter the reception class with average attainment across all areas of learning. The good teaching helps children make steady progress and almost all are on target to reach the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. A significant number exceed expectations in personal, social and emotional development, in reading and writing and in creative development.

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Commentary

2. The results of pupils in Year 2 taking the 2003 national tests are above average in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with schools nationally. When compared with schools in similar circumstances using free school meals data, standards are above average in reading and writing and they are well above average in mathematics. The results in the 2003 national tests for eleven year olds are below average in English, mathematics and science. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School When these results are compared with schools in similar circumstances based on pupils’ performance in Year 2, they are above average in English and mathematics and average in science.

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Commentary

3. These results reflect a trend of rising standards over the last four years after the school was put into special measures. The most recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate in 2002 indicated that standards were improving steadily. The below average results attained by eleven year olds in 2003 reflect the achievements of a year group with a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the impact of previous pupil mobility. Inspection findings now confirm that previous improvements lower in the school are now being reflected in the high standards being attained by the pupils currently in Year 6.

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Commentary

4. Inspection findings confirm that, from an average starting point when they enter school, all pupils are making good progress in all areas of learning. A rich and stimulating English curriculum enthuses pupils and enables them to achieve well above average standards by Year 6. These oldest pupils achieve very good standards in their reading and writing skills because the quality of teaching is very good in this subject. The overall rate of pupils’ achievement in mathematics and science is also good and standards are well above average for eleven year olds in both subjects. Good teaching of specific skills in ICT leads to good achievement and above average standards for eleven year olds in this subject.

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Commentary

5. Based on the limited evidence available, standards are also above average in most other subjects and especially high in music for the oldest junior pupils. Pupils make good progress in music in both infant and junior classes to attain standards that are well above those expected. Pupils demonstrate confidence and maturity in their performing and composing skills. They sing well and have a good sense of rhythm, pulse and pitch.

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Commentary

6. The strategies for the education of pupils with special educational needs are clear and consistently applied across the school and all these pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Since assessment procedures are also comprehensive, any faltering in progress is acted upon quickly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Overall, the majority of pupils have very good attitudes towards school and the relationships they form are very good . The behaviour of pupils in and around the school is consistently excellent . Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are all very good . Attendance is well above average . The school meets the statutory requirements with respect to the daily act of collective worship.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s outstanding efforts to promote good attendance. • Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are consistently very good. • The excellent way pupils respond to the extremely high standards of behaviour expected by the school. • The provision of very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities and development. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.6 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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Commentary

7. The levels of both authorised and unauthorised absences are significantly better than the national average. Due to a computer error, the attendance figures were incorrectly reported in the official data. The correct figure for overall attendance is now 96.34 per cent. This significant improvement is the result of a combination of strategies. The school leaves parents in no doubt about what the school expects and constantly reminds them about their parental responsibilities. Parents know that the school has extremely effective monitoring systems in place and that the secretary will relentlessly pursue any absence. They have become accustomed to supporting and meeting the very high standards of attendance set by the school. High profile tasks are sometimes given to some pupils in order to secure their continuing attendance. These pupils recognise they are being monitored carefully and respond very positively. The school makes sure that all pupils are recognised and rewarded for good

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Commentary

attendance. The Educational Welfare Officer provides very good support for the school in its very successful efforts to secure very good levels of attendance. There were no exclusions in the last reported year.

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Commentary

8. Throughout the inspection, the behaviour of pupils was outstanding. This is further improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Pupils are very keen to learn, polite, courteous and responsible. Many are very confident and articulate. They display delightful relationships with each other and with adults. Their personal and social skills are very well developed as a result of the many opportunities that teachers provide in lessons for pupils to work with a partner or small group. Provision for moral development is very good and pupils are clearly able to tell right from wrong. They are tolerant and show respect for the feelings of others. This very strong feature of the school was very effectively demonstrated during the weekly achievement assembly during the inspection. As each teacher justified with affection their class nominations for the awards, pupils beamed with pride as the headteacher presented each pupil with their certificate. Such events confirm

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Commentary

that the school, and its partnership with the church, has a profound impact on pupils’ self- awareness and spiritual development.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 131 0 0 White – any other White background 13 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 6 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good overall and a very positive ethos for learning has been established. A strong emphasis is placed on providing a very wide range of stimulating learning experiences for all pupils both in and out of lessons. The level of care shown for all pupils is very good and strong links have been established with other schools and the local community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is very good overall with a significant proportion that is excellent in quality.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planning for lessons is very good overall but sometimes learning intentions are not always clearly thought through. • Pupils’ behaviour is managed very well. • Teachers use time and resources well to ensure that lessons move along at a brisk pace. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught very well. • Homework is used very well to support pupils’ learning. • The procedures for assessment and self-assessment are very good and, as a result, all pupils are fully involved in their own learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 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

9. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall. In nearly half of lessons observed during the inspection it was judged to be very good or excellent. In almost all lessons it is good or better. The teaching of children in the reception class was consistently good. These findings represent a significant improvement on the judgements of the previous inspection. They also reflect the very positive comments made by parents both before and during the inspection about the improvement that has been made to the quality of teaching within the school.

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Commentary

10. Teachers’ planning is detailed and thorough. Learning intentions are clearly identified and in the very best lessons they are effectively shared with pupils at the start. These are then effectively referred to at the end of lessons to provide good opportunities for pupils’ self-assessment. However, in some lessons the learning intentions are not always clearly thought through and therefore these opportunities are sometimes missed. This is a minor area for further improvement.

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Commentary

11. Subject knowledge is good and there is a breadth of expertise across all areas of learning. As a result, teachers are very confident about what they are teaching and have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Behaviour management is a very good feature in all lessons. All teachers place a strong emphasis on pupils working with a partner or in small groups. This St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School provides many good opportunities for pupils to develop their personal and social skills. All pupils respond very well to this with the result that a very positive ethos for learning is evident around the school.

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Commentary

12. Teachers and support staff make good use of resources to support the teaching of key concepts and make learning interesting for pupils. For instance, whiteboards are used effectively to collate pupils’ ideas and contributions to class discussions, computers are used to search websites and collate data, and equipment is used effectively to support practical investigations in science. Teachers use time well to ensure that lessons move along at pace, such as setting time limits within the lesson for pupils to complete their work.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. The role played by the learning support assistants in supporting the learning of these pupils is recognised and valued. Resources have been used to make sure that all staff have training to understand and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

14. Homework is used very well to support pupils’ learning in many subjects. Teachers make good reference in lessons to work completed at home by the pupils and work is marked effectively to provide them with good feedback.

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Commentary

15. The procedures for assessment and self-assessment very good and as a result pupils are fully involved in their own learning. This was demonstrated in an excellent science lesson for pupils in Year 6. In this lesson the teacher very effectively referred back to the original learning intentions and invited pupils to assess how well they had achieved them through simple hand gestures. These assessments were then noted by the teacher for future reference. Marking of high quality by all teachers very effectively supports these very good procedures.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good, broad and balanced curriculum, which meets statutory requirements. The provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is good and the provision for infants and junior pupils is very good . This represents very good improvement since the previous inspection.

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The curriculum

Main strengths and weaknesses • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Very good planning by teachers. • Accommodation and resources for teaching and learning are very good. • The range of extra-curricular activities, educational visits and visitors to the school is good. • There are very good arrangements for the linking of subjects.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good and there is a good balance between directed activity and learning through play. Staff plan activities which lead to the acquisition of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age. This provides them with a firm base for future learning.

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Commentary

17. There are clear, consistent and rigorous systems for identifying, supporting and teaching pupils with special educational needs. The self-confidence of these pupils is enhanced by the support and guidance of learning support assistants who make sure they are totally St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School involved in lessons. Outside agencies work closely with the school and contribute to the very good progress of these pupils.

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Commentary

18. Very good leadership and management ensure that procedures for planning the curriculum are consistently and effectively applied and are raising achievement. The very good planning, assessment and tracking of pupils’ learning means progress of all pupils is carefully monitored and any inconsistency quickly acted upon. All pupils are equally supported, involved in their own learning and enthused by the very good teaching.

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Commentary

19. The good range of clubs, which includes dance, football, ICT, athletics, rounders and other activities, appeals to the interests of pupils. There are opportunities for inter-school sports competitions. The school invites visitors to school to enrich the taught curriculum. Pupils have taken part in poetry workshops and worked with the ‘Yo Yo man’ who reinforced the importance of endeavour and perseverance. They have listened to talks from a variety of community figures such as the fire brigade, the school nurse and others. They also gain a wider understanding of the curriculum through educational visits and the residential trips undertaken by Years 3 and 4 and Year 6.

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Commentary

20. The school enriches the curriculum by planning the interconnection of subjects. Links are made in a variety of meaningful ways: for instance, as well as using writing skills, the use of mathematical data supports history, geography, art and design and technology. In many subjects older pupils use multi-media software to present their findings to the class.

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Commentary

21. There are good links with the secondary schools to which pupils transfer at the end of Year 6 and the school plans to further develop links with pre-school providers.

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Commentary

22. The quality of accommodation and range of resources available to support learning are good. For instance, the well-equipped computer suite provides good opportunities for all pupils to develop their ICT skills and the reception class now provides a very suitable learning environment for these young children.

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Commentary

23. The school provides well for personal, health and social education and has good policies on sex education and drug abuse.

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Care, guidance and support

The care and welfare provision and practice in the school are both very good . Pupils’ progress is monitored very well and the school is very good at listening to the concerns and aspirations expressed by its pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the needs of pupils is very good. • The overall procedures for health and safety are good. • The quality and monitoring of pupils’ personal records is very good. • Very good links have been established with other support agencies. • Relationships between pupils and staff are very good. • The school places very high value on pupils’ views. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Commentary

24. The school provides very high quality pastoral care for its pupils. It has cultivated very close links with parents and these provide a comprehensive source of information that enables teachers to make informed judgements about the support and guidance that each child needs. The very good procedures for child protection, safety and welfare are very firmly established and are known to all the staff. The school works very closely with several welfare agencies to support pupils and their families.

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Commentary

25. A comprehensive range of very good procedures is in place for collecting and monitoring assessment data. This data is being used very effectively to monitor pupil progress, set individual targets and provide further guidance to pupils. This represents good improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. The school and governors monitor these records extremely thoroughly in order to establish trends and identify where barriers to learning exist. This strategy, together with the very good support given to pupils with special educational needs, develops self-confidence and helps pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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Commentary

26. The daily practice of health and safety in the school is in the very capable hands of the caretaker. A rigorous risk assessment is undertaken at regular intervals and involves senior staff and governors. The school monitors and reviews safe working procedures termly and arrangements for dealing with accidents are clearly set out. The most telling example of this good practice is the way the governors inspect the health and safety provision where pupils spend their annual residential trip. Supervision in the playgrounds and at mealtimes is very good.

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Commentary

27. Pupils clearly enjoy being at this very friendly school. They trust and respect the staff and this in turn results in the most delightful relationships between pupils and staff. Friendship, tolerance and co-operation thrive in this welcoming climate.

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Commentary

28. The school encourages pupils to take an active part in the School Council. All the pupils know that the staff will listen to their views and this gives many pupils the confidence to voice their opinions in public. The principle of publicly celebrating achievement is well established and extends beyond the academic to all school activities, including attendance.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys very good links with parents and tries very hard to teach parents how they can make a significant contribution to the attainment and progress of their children. The school also has very good links with the community and good links and transfer arrangements with other schools in the area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures that parents are kept very well informed about standards and progress. • The school is very good at finding out what parents think about the school. • The school works very well with the community to enrich the curriculum for its pupils. • Productive links with other schools have been developed. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Commentary

29. Since the previous inspection, the school has worked extremely hard to improve relationships with parents. It has been so successful that a very good relationship now exists with them. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. For example, pupils' annual reports show that teachers have a very good knowledge of each child's learning and include detailed targets for pupils' improvement. The overall perception by parents that this is a very happy school is fully justified. Most of the parents are comfortable about what they understand is being taught at school. The school runs courses for parents in an attempt to help and guide them on the best ways to help their children at home. Parents are not permitted to take a passive role. For example, all parents are expected to attend parents’ evenings where the progress of their child is discussed with them. Parents are well aware that there is no escape from this

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Commentary

responsibility. The Parent Teacher Association is extremely active and provides considerable financial support. Parents also run the school library. The school responds very well to parents’ suggestions and concerns.

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Commentary

30. The school considers that the community should play a significant part in the overall educational experience the school offers its pupils. The school has developed a very effective and successful network that can identify, locate and acquire expertise and resources that exist within the community, for the benefit of the school. For example, the extensive range of musical instrument tuition is a direct result of this process. This is a two-way process where the school also offers to share its facilities with the community. For example, the school hosted a ‘One World Week’ where many different ethnic groups living in the community displayed and celebrated their cultures. Pupils' personal development and sense of citizenship is improved as a result of these very strong links with the community.

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Commentary

31. On the whole, the school has good links with other schools. The school has particularly good induction arrangements for pupils entering the school. Local secondary schools provide a specific contact teacher and pupils also visit these schools to experience a ‘taster’ day. One of the most productive links is with a nearby private school. In this arrangement the school shares its very large playing field with its neighbour in exchange for very good ground maintenance as well as the opportunity to share the neighbouring private swimming pool. This is of huge benefit to the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good overall. Leadership and governance are excellent ; management is very good .

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Main strengths and weaknesses • The headteacher provides excellent leadership and very good management. • Leadership of other key staff is very good. • The governance of the school is excellent. • Governors have an excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school because strong systems of monitoring and self-evaluation are in place. • Very good systems for induction and professional development of staff impact positively on teaching and learning. • Excellent financial management closely linked to the school improvement plan ensures the school meets its targets and educational priorities. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Commentary

32. The headteacher provides very high quality leadership. Much of her work has been aimed at building a team capable of taking the school forward. She leads by example, inspiring and motivating staff and managing change to improve the school. She has been very successful and with a very effective deputy and staff team has raised standards of teaching, learning and achievement. Clear aims and expectations are established and there is a strong sense of shared purpose to the school.

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Commentary

33. The quality of working relationships is very good at all levels. All staff have some responsibility for leading and managing subjects and undertake regular monitoring of planning, pupils’ work and teaching. Support staff are valued for the important and effective contribution they make. They have regular meetings with the special educational needs co-ordinator and are encouraged to contribute to the school’s development through this forum. The management of special educational needs is very good and contributes significantly to the progress these pupils make in their learning.

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Commentary

34. The headteacher and deputy head both monitor teaching and performance. The special educational needs co-ordinator monitors the work of learning support assistants. Procedures for monitoring are well developed, highly structured and include feedback and target setting. Induction procedures for new staff include the observation of high quality teaching by senior staff. A programme of staff development enables all staff to attend training to enhance their professional skills.

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Commentary

35. Many members of the governing body are fairly new to the role, but some are very experienced. This has produced a very enthusiastic and dynamic group of people, who bring considerable expertise and who are intent on doing their best for the school. This has resulted in excellent governance. Governors analyse and evaluate their own needs and those of the school. For example, they realised that they needed more expertise in financial management and a new governor was recruited with the relevant skills. Governors are taking advantage of the very good training opportunities offered by the local education authority and are making an excellent contribution to the school’s development. They are fulfilling all their statutory duties very thoroughly through an effective structure of committees, all with appropriate terms of reference. They have links with teachers for subjects and aspects and the headteacher regularly provides them with up-

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Commentary

to-date information. This, together with regular monitoring and evaluation, ensures that governors have a high level of understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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Commentary

36. Planning for whole-school improvement is very good. Governors are fully involved in the process and are closely involved in drawing up plans for the school’s further improvement and development. These are well structured and provide a clear vision for the long term development of the school.

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Commentary

37. No student teachers have undertaken training at the school recently because of the school’s former status, but plans are in place for trainee teachers from a local university to undertake placements at the school in the coming academic year.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 437,133 Balance from previous year 98,289 St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School Total expenditure 452,449 Balance carried forward to the next 82,973 Expenditure/pupil 2,263

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Commentary

38. The chairman of the finance committee is highly effective and knowledgeable. His background in financial management is a significant asset to the school. He leads a committee that meets regularly. A good deal of consideration is given to all educational priorities, which are then supported through careful financial planning. Spending decisions clearly relate to improvement and benefits for pupils. The finance committee is always mindful of the principles of best value. They make rigorous comparisons with local schools and schools nationally in terms of both impact on attainment and cost. Spending is reduced where possible by taking opportunities to share facilities with other schools and organisations. The committee has a programme of self-evaluation where they analyse and justify all their spending decisions in relation to the school improvement plan. Financial administration is carried out very efficiently on a day-to-day basis. The

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Commentary

administrative staff provide very good support to the headteacher and finance committee. Despite frequent fluctuations in pupil numbers, a balanced budget is in place. Financial management of the school is excellent.

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Commentary

39. A large proportion of the carry forward identified above has been effectively used to increase the number of learning support assistants as part of the school’s continued drive to improve the quality of learning for all pupils. The current balance is now under 5 per cent of the total budget. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

There is good provision for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in the Foundation Stage ensures that children make good progress. • Good planning ensures that children work at levels that are well matched to their ability and that challenge them. • Children are given many opportunities to make choices, which encourage independence. • Standards achieved in personal, social and emotional; creative; and communication, language and literacy development are good. • New outdoor provision is well designed and equipped and offers good facilities for outdoor play and physical development. • Lesson objectives are sometimes too broad and insufficiently focused.

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Commentary

40. The arrangements for children in the Foundation Stage are good. Teaching is consistently good or better and a broad and well-balanced curriculum is in place. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection. The school admits children to the reception class in the September before their fifth birthday. They come from a range of pre-school provision in the local area. The reception class teacher makes visits to children’s homes when they start school, which provides an effective introduction. The recently revised curriculum in the Foundation Stage promotes the Early Learning Goals successfully since children make sound or good progress across the areas of learning. A further improvement since the last report is the good provision for outdoor play and physical development.

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Commentary

41. Most children enter the reception class with average attainment across all areas of learning. The good teaching helps children make steady progress and almost all are on target to reach the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. A significant number exceed expectations in personal, social and emotional development, in reading and writing and in creative development. Planning for learning across all areas is detailed and thorough and takes account of children’s individual needs and abilities. More able children are effectively challenged by well planned additional activities and the teacher’s high expectations of what these children can do. Very good support by a learning support assistant and modified or specially devised activities enable those with special educational needs to achieve well in relation to their ability. In the best lessons children know and understand exactly what they are trying to achieve. A minority of lesson plans

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Commentary

include too many objectives and so the teaching and learning focus is less sharp.

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Commentary

Personal, social and emotional development

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Commentary

42. As a result of good teaching and effective support from learning support staff, children settle quickly and happily into the routines of the reception class and of the school. By the time they reach Year 1 they meet, and many exceed, the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Children listen carefully in lessons and put their hands up readily to St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School answer questions. They listen and respond to adults and other children and willingly engage in conversations with visitors to the class. When working in pairs or groups all children relate well to each other. They share equipment and resources even when not directly supervised. They are given frequent opportunities to make choices from within a structured range of activities and this promotes good levels of independence. They take responsibility for equipping themselves suitably for messy activities, reminding each other

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Commentary

to put on overalls and helping friends with fasteners. When working on self-chosen or assigned activities many children show sustained concentration and perseverance. They behave well when moving round the school and play a full part in assemblies, where they join in enthusiastically with singing.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

43. Progress in this area of learning is good and children meet the expectations of the Early Learning Goals by the time they reach Year 1, with more able children established on the early levels of the National Curriculum. Teaching is very good and contributes to the good progress made. A minority of children start school with poorly developed speaking skills, but by the end of the reception year almost all speak clearly and in structured sentences. They answer questions confidently and staff model and reinforce Standard English structures. For instance one child said, ‘Him caterpillar’. ‘Yes’, said the teacher, ‘It’s a caterpillar. Tell me again’. The teaching of the key skills of reading is very effective. Children know their letter sounds and identify rhymes for some of the words in the ‘Hungry Caterpillar’ book, applying their developing phonic skills well. Because the teaching of letter sounds and other early reading skills is very good, most children are established on

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

the school’s reading scheme by the end of reception. The teaching of writing is good. Children are encouraged towards independence in spelling by finding words displayed on the wall. By the end of the reception year children all write their names and many write sentences unaided, which are mainly accurately spelled, with capital letters and full stops.

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Mathematical development

44. Because teaching of the basic skills of numeracy is good, children enter Year 1 meeting the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Children read, write and order numbers to 10, with the more able doing so beyond 20. The less able correctly place missing numbers on a number line to 10. Children show a good understanding of money, counting coins and the most able make up 10p by combining 5p, 2p and 1p coins. They copy and continue patterns and sequences and know the names of common two-dimensional shapes such as squares and triangles. Work with construction kits and building bricks reinforces understanding of the properties of three-dimensional shapes. They correctly identify ‘the longest’ and ‘the shortest’ caterpillar, using appropriate mathematical vocabulary. One of the more able then points to ‘a symmetrical butterfly’ in the illustration.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision is good . St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School 45. Children are given a wide range of activities to support their learning about the environment they live in. They plant seeds and observe the growth of their plants. They draw and correctly label the parts of a plant, identifying the root, stem and leaf. They learn about the life-cycle of a butterfly and enjoy a walk to the conservation area in the school grounds to look for caterpillars and discover what they eat. Children are confident about using the mouse and keyboard on the computer and produce pictures of a caterpillar using a drawing and colouring program. Through the story of Noah’s Ark children are introduced to Old Testament Bible stories and develop a good awareness of animals that live in different countries. Because of this good provision, children are on target to meet the expectations of the Early Learning Goals by the time they leave reception.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Physical development

46. Teaching is good and as a result children meet the expectations of the Early Learning Goals by the time they reach Year 1. They show good skills in cutting, using pencils and crayons and using their hands when making items with small construction apparatus. In outdoor play they show confidence in arranging then climbing on large sponge climbing blocks. They ride bicycles and tricycles around obstacle courses and stop at the ‘traffic lights’. In the hall in a dance lesson they showed good awareness of space for their age. They showed good imagination in planning their own sequences to interpret the ‘Hungry Caterpillar’ story and showed good movements and facial expressions as they ‘burst out of the egg’.

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Creative development

47. Children make good progress in this area of learning because teaching is good and by the end of reception they meet, and some exceed, the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Children enjoy role-play and respond well to each other when playing out the story of Noah’s Ark in masks and costumes. They enjoy painting and show very good skills of colour mixing, for instance in combining red and yellow to make orange. The more able show very good drawing skills, producing very good and detailed pictures of people and impressive scenes such as the beach as if looking inland from a boat. Children enjoy singing and music making and during the inspection made good progress in learning the words and actions for ‘The Caterpillar Song’. They showed good awareness of rhythm and pitch and successfully copied a repeated pattern of clapping, echoing loud and quiet sounds correctly.

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ENGLISH

Provision for English is very good in infant and junior classes.

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ENGLISH

Main strengths and weaknesses • Very good planning underpins the very good teaching. • Very good marking and feedback to pupils helps them to improve their achievement. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of good support to help them reach their identified learning targets. • Specific writing structures and techniques help pupils to extend their writing skills. • More able pupils are offered a good level of challenge in both reading and writing. • Presentation techniques and the skills of handwriting are well taught. • Opportunities are taken in other curriculum areas to extend writing skills. • Drama is not used consistently across all classes to enhance speaking and listening skills. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School Commentary 48. Pupils’ standards are above average in the infant classes and well above average in the juniors. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection. In national tests

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ENGLISH

last year comparisons with similar schools indicated that pupils at the end of Year 2 reached higher standards in both reading and writing as well as in comparison with all schools nationally. At the end of the juniors, although standards were higher than those seen in similar schools, attainment was below the national average. Inspection findings reflect the results of national tests for seven year olds last year, but show significant improvement on last year’s test results at the end of Year 6. Skills in English show a steady improvement as pupils progress through the school, in line with the very good ‘value added’ shown by the results of the national tests in relation to pupils’ prior attainment.

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ENGLISH

49. Pupils’ reading ability shows that the majority are working above the level expected for their age. This results from thorough teaching of the basic skills of reading and a consistent level of challenge. Careful tracking of pupils’ progress in both reading and writing and analysis of their attainment has been further developed across the school this year. This enables teachers to set individual targets for further improvement and to provide material to extend pupils’ skills. This ensures that pupils of all abilities achieve well in their reading. By the end of Year 6 attainment is well above the level expected for eleven year olds and pupils read a wide range of texts, which they discuss demonstrating good levels of analysis. Pupils say they enjoy reading and the more able older juniors discuss recreational reading of adult material, including fashion or sports magazines and daily newspapers, showing application of high-level reading skills.

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ENGLISH

50. Progress in writing is very good. As pupils progress through the school they write for an increasingly wide range of purposes and audiences and use an increasing range of vocabulary and more complex sentences. Good achievement is promoted by very thorough marking of work, with feedback indicating where pupils have done well and what they need to continue to work on. Specific individual targets are set and both teachers and pupils monitor progress towards them. In an excellent Year 6 writing lesson lower ability pupils were given the choice of working with the teacher or working towards targets independently. Several chose to work on their own, thus promoting their self-assessment of needs and achievement and helping them to understand their own learning. Pupils with special educational needs work towards their targets with the very good support of learning support assistants and make very good progress as a result. The provision of

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ENGLISH

guidelines and writing frames ensures that pupils of all abilities understand what is required and how to achieve it. Wall displays support the development of current writing themes effectively by showing examples and prompts. The more able writers are given additional challenges, for instance in a Year 6 lesson to produce rhyming couplets in the poems they were writing. They responded by offering examples such as ‘white muzzler, food guzzler; nosey sniffer, cat biffer’. The good teaching of handwriting and the emphasis on careful and correct layout and presentation enhance the quality of pupils’ completed work.

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ENGLISH

51. Speaking and listening skills develop steadily throughout the school because teachers regularly plan opportunities for discussion in pairs and groups. Pupils are confident when speaking in front of the whole class, for instance when evaluating a piece of work. In the infant classes oral development is in line with expectations for that age and stage. By the end of the juniors it is above average. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills develop best in those classes where there are regular opportunities for drama and role-play. At the moment this provision is not consistent St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School across the school. Pupils in the older classes have the opportunity to attend a drama club and this makes a positive contribution to their speaking skills and to their confidence.

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ENGLISH

52. The teaching of English is very good. A significant strength is the planning which meets the learning needs of all pupils. Objectives are very specific and are carefully explained to the pupils. Teachers use ICT very effectively to support their teaching of literacy. Leadership and management of English are very good and the knowledgeable co- ordinator is keen to spread her expertise across the school. She monitors teaching throughout the school and has a very good awareness of where development is needed. She has prepared portfolios of work at a range of different levels to help teachers accurately assess pupils’ attainment and help them set targets. The subject is well resourced and resources and materials are in good condition.

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ENGLISH

Language and literacy across the curriculum 53. The development of language and literacy is supported across most subjects of the curriculum. Oral skills are promoted because of opportunities for discussion and evaluation in subjects such as art and design and technology. Reading skills are used to follow instructions in mathematics and science lessons and to research topics in geography and history. There are good links between English and ICT as pupils use word-processing packages confidently to edit and revise their writing. Research using the Internet promotes reading and information retrieval skills. Pupils apply their writing skills effectively in other subjects such as science and geography. This application of what has been learned in English lessons contributes to the very good standards seen at the end of Year 6.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve well to attain standards that are well above average in Year 6. • Overall, mathematics is taught very well throughout the school. • Lessons are carefully planned. • The planning, assessment and tracking of all pupils’ progress is very good. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

Commentary 54. Inspection findings confirm that standards are now well above average overall by the time pupils are eleven and above average for seven year olds. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection and a considerable improvement on the 2003 national tests, when standards for eleven year olds were below average when compared with schools nationally. When compared with those schools with pupils of similar prior attainment aged seven, they are above average. Standards in the 2003 national tests for seven year olds were above the national average and clearly represent a profile of continued improvement over the last four years.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

55. The rate of pupils’ achievement is now consistently good across the school because of very good teaching and effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. This means that pupils’ learning is built on year by year. At the end of Year 2 pupils work with two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and accurately read and order numbers St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School to at least 100. All pupils use their knowledge of mathematics to solve problems. By Year 6 they work confidently with large numbers, understand fractions, ratio and data handling. They plot co-ordinates in all four quadrants and rotate and translate them on the computer.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

56. The teaching of mathematics is carefully planned for all abilities in order that every pupil works at an appropriate level and is challenged. This is helped by the very good assessment procedures and tracking of pupils’ progress. The marking of work is very good because it is informative to both pupils and teachers with the result that it is possible to target future teaching very carefully. Pupils are expected to assess their own work and progress. This encourages responsibility for their own learning and contributes towards their very good attitude to the subject and excellent behaviour. High standards of presentation are expected and pupils take pride in their work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

57. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics. Each lesson starts with a short mental maths session, which quickly helps pupils think mathematically. Teachers ensure that they use a variety of teaching strategies, investigative work and problem solving; this keeps pupils interested and develops personal and social skills. Pupils record answers on individual white boards, which they show to the teacher, they discuss answers with their ‘talk partner’ and use resources such as digit cards so that they work practically before putting pen to paper. Teachers question pupils in order that they can assess progress and ask them ‘How did you do that? Why did you do that’. This also helps pupils think through their responses and reflect on their thinking. Sometimes teachers do not sufficiently emphasise the purpose of the lesson and this means that pupils are unsure of why they are doing an activity and thus do not make the best possible

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

58. The coordinator provides very effective leadership and management for the development of mathematics. Monitoring of teaching and learning makes a very positive contribution to the raising of standards. This is supported by a comprehensive portfolio of pupils’ work matched to the national curriculum levels of attainment.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

59. During the inspection there was evidence that very good links are made across the curriculum areas. The skills of mathematics are used to support geography, history, design and technology and art. Work with information and communication technology (ICT) provides many opportunities for links with mathematics and other subjects, using data as well as shape, area and measure. As a result learning is consolidated in several subjects.

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SCIENCE

Main strengths and weaknesses • High standards at eleven and good achievement across the school. • All pupils have developed very positive attitudes to learning and cooperative skills are developed to a high level. • Very good teaching, with a strong emphasis placed on investigational activity, contributes significantly to pupils’ achievement. • Very good links are made with literacy and numeracy skills. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School • The coordinator is providing very good leadership and management.

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SCIENCE

Commentary 60. There were only limited opportunities to observe the teaching of science during the inspection. Evidence from two lessons, the analysis of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils indicate that standards are now well above average overall by the time pupils are eleven and an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. This is a considerable improvement on the 2003 national tests, when standards were average when compared with schools nationally and those with pupils of similar prior attainment aged seven. Standards in the 2003 teacher assessments for seven year olds were below the national average with very few of these pupils assessed at the higher Level 3. This issue of underachievement for seven year olds has been effectively targeted by the school during this academic year with significantly higher results now being attained by this age group. The reasons for this success have been the thorough review of curriculum planning

p.27

SCIENCE

by the coordinator and more effective use of assessment to monitor pupils’ achievements. Overall, there are no significant differences in achievement between groups of pupils but generally boys in the juniors do better than girls.

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SCIENCE

61. Inspection findings confirm that standards are now well above average for eleven year olds and that achievement is good in all areas of learning in science across the school. High standards of work are being achieved by the oldest pupils, where much of their work is consistently at the higher Level 5 in all aspects. This was fully exemplified in the inspection during an excellent lesson to develop the pupils’ investigational skills in readiness for their transfer to secondary school. All of these pupils are able to effectively plan and investigate the absorption rates of different materials using a range of resources and equipment. Their skills of prediction and hypothesis are very well developed. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are able to draw valid conclusions from their findings and repeat their experiment to test their results. A strong emphasis is placed on investigative activity and cooperative skills are

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SCIENCE

62. Teaching is very good. The scrutiny of pupils’ books and observation of two high quality lessons for pupils in Year 4 and Year 6 confirm that all teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve in science. Teachers display very good subject knowledge. Questions are used very well to check pupils’ understanding. Tasks are effectively matched to the needs of all pupils and good levels of support are provided by teaching assistants for pupils with special educational needs. The quality of learning is good as a result and all pupils have developed very positive attitudes to learning. They find learning in science fun and rewarding and older pupils take every opportunity to capture this with a digital camera. Procedures for the assessment of pupils’ achievement are very good and the information gathered is used effectively to monitor pupils’ standards and look for trends in achievement. The quality of marking is good overall and

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SCIENCE

for the older junior pupils it is of very high quality.

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SCIENCE

63. The subject is led and managed well. The subject coordinator has undertaken some effective monitoring and evaluation of standards and teaching. She has a clear vision of how to develop the subject and provides an effective role model for other staff to follow. The subject provides good development of literacy and numeracy skills. For instance, pupils write about their investigations and use a range of data handling skills to record their investigations and display their results.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Main strengths and weaknesses St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School • Levels of pupils’ achievement are consistently good across the school. • Consistently good teaching is ensuring that skills are well developed. • Teachers plan a wide range of learning activities for pupils and strong links are made with other subjects. • Very good subject coordination is promoting the subject further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Commentary 64. Pupils’ standards are average at the age of seven and above average at the age of eleven. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving well as they move up through the school. These standards are an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Most pupils in Year 6 produce very creative presentations about a project they have studied or an investigation in science. These have been shown to fellow pupils and parents in assemblies where sound, text and pictures have all been effectively combined to demonstrate the high levels of skill being attained. Many parents at the meeting commented very favourably about the overall level of pupils’ achievement and the quality of learning opportunities available. Most pupils in Year 2 use a simple graphics program to carefully draw a variety of two- dimensional shapes. They use the toolbar to select the correct technique to fill these shapes

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

with colour. Good teaching is ensuring that basic word processing and keyboard skills are being progressively developed amongst these pupils with the result that most pupils can modify the font of some simple text.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall with some lessons being very good or excellent. Teachers have continued to develop their skills and much has been achieved since the previous inspection in using computers to support learning in many subjects. The very well equipped computer suite is used effectively to teach a wide range of skills to the pupils. For example, in a very good lesson for pupils in Year 3, the class teacher used the computer network and class computers to provide all the pupils with the opportunity to read and reply to an email. In an excellent Year 6 lesson pupils accurately entered their own results from a previous science investigation into a spreadsheet as part of a multimedia presentation. All of these very well-planned experiences make learning exciting and very relevant to the pupils. As a result, pupils have developed very positive attitudes to the subject and achieve well. These

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

achievements are assessed effectively and the network is used very effectively to maintain a portfolio of each pupil’s work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

66. The subject is very well led and managed. The new coordinator has continued to build on the good work undertaken since the previous inspection. She has a very clear vision for further developments to the subject and pupils’ standards have been effectively monitored.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Many junior pupils use word processing skills effectively to combine pictures and text in well- written reports and stories in several subjects. Spreadsheets are used confidently to collate results of surveys or investigations. Project work is fully enhanced through individual research on the web and digital cameras are used effectively to record pupils’ own work.

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HUMANITIES

68. It was only possible to observe one history lesson during the inspection. Portfolios of pupils’ work were examined and discussions held with the subject co-ordinators. However, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on provision in this subject. Religious education was inspected separately by the local diocese.

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Geography

St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School Provision for geography is good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good across the school. • Teachers’ well developed subject knowledge is the basis of their good teaching. • Some learning intentions for lessons are not always made clear to pupils. • Very good links have been established with other subjects. • Pupils take a pride in their work. • Leadership and management of geography are good.

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Commentary

69. The rate of achievement is good and standards for eleven year olds are above average. In infant classes pupils examine different localities and learn to look for similarities and differences. They begin to understand and use geographical vocabulary. By the end of the juniors, map skills are further developed and the effects of human and physical processes are explored. Pupils understand the difference between primary and secondary sources of evidence and use research skills to develop their knowledge.

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Commentary

70. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is well developed. Teachers remind pupils of past learning and this helps them make links with new topics. There are a variety of different activities in each lesson so that pupils do not lose focus but concentrate and enjoy their learning. When pupils understand the purpose of the lesson they make good progress but sometimes the learning intentions are not explicit enough. Teachers expect good presentation of work and as a result pupils take a pride in what they do and have an excellent attitude in class. Good links have been established between other subjects and the resources for geography are of very good quality.

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History

71. Scrutiny of work confirms that a good range of learning is covered and continuity of learning is good. Work is always well presented. There is a rolling programme of separate topics in Years 3 and 4 and in Years 5 and 6 which provides teachers with good opportunities to plan and develop the curriculum together in small teams. This also ensures that skills are developed steadily across the school.

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History

72. There are very good links in humanities with other areas to support teaching, for instance the Internet is used for research and then PowerPoint presentations delivered to the class. Data collection is used and the development of writing in historical reporting is very evident. The days devoted to life in Greek, Roman and Tudor times help pupils understand what life was like in the past. The school plans to develop these further.

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History

73. The leadership and management of history are good and the school is well placed to develop the subject further.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Work in design and technology and physical education was sampled during the inspection. Only one lesson in design and technology and two lessons in physical education were observed. Judgements are based on these lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils’ work and analysis of the subject portfolios. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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Art and design

75. It was only possible to observe one lesson in art and design, but the school maintains very comprehensive portfolios of examples and photographs of pupils’ art-work and creative projects. These, together with analysis of work on walls and in sketchbooks and discussions with pupils, provide the basis for judgements made.

p.30

Art and design

Main strengths and weaknesses • Standards of work produced by both infant and junior pupils are above expectations for their age. • A good range of resources is available for pupils to use for a wide variety of work in both two and three dimensions. • The quality of teaching and the subject knowledge of teachers are good. • The quality of display is good across the school. • Art contributes positively to learning in other subjects.

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Art and design

Commentary 76. Pupils attain standards that are above the national average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The school provides a well-structured curriculum based on national guidelines. This offers a wide range of opportunities for pupils to work in both two and three dimensions and to generate computer-produced pictures and patterns. Good examples of pupils’ work from different classes are effectively displayed and enhance the environment of the school. These include examples of work in paper sculpture, salt dough modelling, collage, printing and painting. The well-balanced curriculum covers all elements of the national curriculum for art, including study of the work of established artists. Images from other cultures, such as aboriginal art, contribute to the cultural development of pupils.

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Art and design

77. Good teaching in the lesson observed included very good questioning by the teacher which challenged pupils’ observational skills and resulted in effective learning about the features of patterns. This led to pupils producing good quality examples that they took pride in. By the end of the lesson pupils used new vocabulary such as ‘motif’ and ‘rotational’ independently and correctly when evaluating their own and others’ designs. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, say they enjoy art and find it interesting. Teachers make links with other subjects such as history and science in their planning. This allows pupils to develop their skills in art, particularly drawing, as they show by illustration what they have learned in these subjects. This has a positive impact on the quality of their artwork.

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Art and design

78. Art and design is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has monitored teaching in other classes and monitors planning and progress in art regularly. She has compiled portfolios of work to assist teachers in assessing pupils’ pieces. The subject is well resourced with materials and equipment for practical work and the co-ordinator plans to increase the number of books and images available. Workshops provided by a visiting artist further enhance the provision for art and design. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

p.30

Design and technology

79. Standards are above average overall and pupils’ achievement is good. The subject is planned as a series of units that are closely linked with other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 4 have designed simple but effective electrical alarms as part of their work in science and Year 2 pupils are currently designing and making a multicoloured coat for Joseph as part of their work in religious education. Good emphasis is placed on covering the components of planning, designing and making. The pupils’ evaluations provide good insight into the attention paid to quality. Finally, the subject is led and managed effectively by the coordinator and a good portfolio of pupils’ work effectively supports inspection judgements and quality of the overall provision.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement in music at the end of the infant stage is good and at the end of the juniors it is very good. • The high level of expertise of specialist teachers is very well deployed. • Pupils have opportunities to learn to play a wide range of musical instruments. • Performances in public enhance the range of musical opportunities for pupils and promote high standards.

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Commentary

80. Pupils make good progress in their learning in both infant and junior classes. By the end of Year 6 they attain standards that are well above those expected. Pupils demonstrate confidence and maturity in their performing and composing skills. By the age of seven, pupils achieve good standards. They sing well and have a good sense of rhythm, pulse and pitch. The well-structured scheme of work covers all elements of the National Curriculum and provides good support and guidance for non-specialist teachers.

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Commentary

81. Throughout the school, pupils respond well to music, listen carefully and are good at taking turns. They evaluate their own and others’ performances thoughtfully. Pupils respond well to the challenges offered to them in their lessons. Pupils in an older junior class produced complex percussion pieces when challenged to ‘layer’ their compositions and then to combine them with those of other pupils. This achieved a very good musical effect. The school offers a wide range of instrumental teaching, which is taken up by almost half the pupils in the junior classes. They have opportunities to learn to play the violin, flute, guitar, accordion and clarinet as well the recorder. Additionally, a choir meets regularly after school. These opportunities further enhance the music provision available.

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Commentary

82. Teaching is very good. There are two specialist teachers, one of whom co-ordinates the subject. Both have very good subject knowledge and are very effective in moving pupils on in their learning, whatever they have achieved. Pupils are encouraged to build on their skills of performing and polish them to a high level. Musical performances take place regularly in the school and in public venues such as the local theatre. The pupils relish the challenges they are given and have very positive attitudes to music. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School 83. The subject is well led and managed. Resources for music are good, but the range of instruments and recorded music from other cultures is limited. The co-ordinator plans to address this need in spending her delegated budget next year.

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Commentary

84. No overall judgement can be made on provision but standards overall are average. The observations of an indoor lesson for pupils in Year 2 indicate that achievement in gymnastics for this age group is good. Assessment information confirms that standards in swimming are also good and all pupils are able to swim 25 metres by the age of eleven. A good range of extra- activities is provided for pupils outside lessons with some opportunities for competitive sport against other schools. The subject coordinator provides good leadership and effective management. The portfolio of photographs effectively exemplifies the standards being achieved by pupils across the school and good levels of support are provided for staff. The school has established good links with a local boys’ school to provide staff in-service training and the effective sharing of facilities.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

85. Only one lesson was seen in this subject so it is not possible to report on standards. There are displays in all classrooms and around the school, which reflect the high profile of this aspect of learning. In the one very good lesson observed for pupils in Year 5, the teacher provided all pupils with a clearer understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle. This lesson effectively supported the school’s good drugs awareness policy through a wide range of relevant activities for these pupils. All pupils have developed a strong sense of responsibility towards each other. The school has recently adopted a scheme of work used from Year 1 to Year 6 supported by the teaching of personal, social and health education evident in other subjects. Leadership and management are good and the school is well placed to develop this aspect of pupils’ learning further. St. Mary and All Saints C of E Primary School

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 1 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 1 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 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).

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