St Mary's Bentworth Church of England 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’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 3

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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; 93

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Bentworth Alton Hampshire Postcode: GU34 5RE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01420 562117 Fax number: 01420563023

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Anthea Del Mar Date of previous inspection: 23 rd March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This small rural school is located in the village of Bentworth a short distance from the town of Alton in Hampshire. There are 93 pupils on roll, about the same as at the time of the previous inspection with about equal numbers of boys and girls. The school is arranged in four classes, one for the Foundation Stage, one for Key Stage 1 and two for Key Stage 2. There is a lower than average turnover of pupils leaving or joining the school. The school is currently involved in a large building project, which will greatly improve the accommodation. The pupils at the school come from the village of Bentworth and other villages nearby and this represents an area which is relatively advantaged in socio-economic terms.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is well below average. The majority of pupils are from white British backgrounds, which is typical of the area served by the school. The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language, is lower than average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is about average and these pupils mostly have moderate learning difficulties. An average number of pupils have Statements of Special Educational Needs. The school was successful in receiving achievement awards in 2001 and 2002. Attainment on entry is above average overall. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21116 Jeff Lemon Lead inspector Mathematics, science, information and communication technology (ICT), music, physical education, French. 9173 Sarah McDermott Lay inspector 21992 Jean Newing Team inspector Foundation Stage, English, history, geography, art and design, design and technology, personal, social and health education (PHSE).

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is good school. It provides a good quality of education, teaching is good which enables pupils to learn well and achieve high standards. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils attitudes are very positive and they behave very well in lessons and all other activities during the school day. • Teachers have good knowledge of subjects and they plan interesting and challenging work. • The school is well led and managed and whilst the School Development Plan provides a clear way forward some improvement is necessary. • The provision for Foundation Stage children is good. • Children throughout the school achieve well and standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. • Pupils achieve well in physical education, music and information and communication technology (ICT) by the time they leave the school. • The presentation of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory. • Parents support the school well and the school is very much at the heart of the village.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved satisfactorily since the last inspection. The high standards seen at that time have been maintained because leadership has been effective and teaching has been good. The issues for improvement have been addressed and with the completion of the new building the school is set for further improvement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good. It is good in the Foundation Stage, for Years 1 and 2 pupils and for the pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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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* C B C mathematics A D A A science A B A A Key: A* -very well above average 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 number of pupils in each year group at the school is small so any comparison of one year with another must be made with caution. However test results show that the school has performed well at both key stages in the national tests. A higher than average percentage of pupils at this school consistently reach higher levels 1 than is expected nationally. The inspection shows that children in the reception class achieve well and most exceed the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well and standards are

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

1 Level 3 for seven year olds and Level 5 for 11 year olds. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 7 above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science and pupils do better than expected in physical education and music. In Years 3 to 6 this good achievement continues and standards are above average in English, mathematics, and science with pupils doing better than expected in information and communication technology (ICT), physical education and music. The good achievement is due to good and sometimes very good teaching throughout the school which stimulates pupils to learn. Pupils have well developed writing and ICT skills but these are not used satisfactorily to present work, much of which is untidy or just completion of worksheets and does not reflect the pupils’ good achievement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Pupils take responsibility well, they have very positive attitudes and their behaviour in lessons, at playtimes and lunchtimes and in clubs is very good. Attendance is satisfactory but is adversely affected by the number of holidays which are taken in term time.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching is good which means that pupils increase what they know, understand and do. Assessment is satisfactory but there is no simple system for recording achievement in the non-core subjects. The curriculum is satisfactory overall and is well enriched by a good range of visits and visitors and out of school clubs. The school has good links with parents, other schools, and excellent links with the community, which help pupils’ learning. The school provides very good care and support for its pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . The leadership provided by the headteacher and subject co-ordinators is effective with an emphasis on high achievement alongside good pastoral care. However scrutiny of work does not focus sufficiently on its presentation and expectations for this are too low. The management of the school is good, finances are well managed and teachers are given good opportunities for further professional development. The governance of the school is good, governors are very supportive and provide a suitable level of challenge to ensure the school does not become complacent. The School Development Plan is due for review and the current success criteria are not written clearly enough to enable the school to determine how well it has done.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very supportive of the school. They feel their children are well taught and that they make good progress. Pupils like the school. They say the teachers are fair and that lessons are interesting and sometimes fun.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• improve the quality of the presentation of pupils’ work. • Develop a system for assessing and recording achievement in the non-core subjects. • Ensure that the success criteria in the School Development Plan are written more sharply to enable more effective evaluation. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 8 St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 9

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Achievement is good . In the Foundation stage it is good and almost all children exceed the Early Learning Goals 2 in all areas of learning. In Years 1 to 6 achievement is good and standards in core subjects are above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the reception class achieve well and almost all exceed the early learning goals in all areas of learning. • Attainment in the national tests for seven and 11 year olds is consistently well above average. • Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science in all year groups and pupils make good progress. • Achievement in physical education, music and ICT is good by the time pupils leave the school. • The presentation of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory and does not confirm the high achievement.

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Commentary

1. Foundation Stage – Children come into the school with skills that are above average in all areas of learning. These skills are developed very well because of the good curriculum which is provided, and also because of the very high quality of teaching which stimulates and challenges children. The management of the school also helps, as it has been able to arrange for the reception class to be a small class of Foundation Stage pupils, which allows the teacher to plan specifically for the key stage. Almost all children exceed the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning.

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 18.7 (18.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.8 (16.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 18.8 (18.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 1

2. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2003 pupils attained standards in reading which were very well above average when compared to all schools and well above average standards when compared to similar schools. In writing standards reached were

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Key Stage 1

2 These are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 10 well above average when compared to all schools and similar schools. In mathematics pupils reached standards, which are very well above average when compared to all schools and well above average standards when compared to similar schools. A high percentage of pupils achieve the higher level (Level 3) at this school. The number of pupils in the cohort is small but results have been high over the past four years. The inspection evidence broadly confirms these results. The consistently good teaching leads

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Key Stage 1

to above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, physical education and music and pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 28.6 (28.2) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 29.7 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) science 31.4 (30.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 11 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2

3. In the national tests for 11 year olds in 2003 pupils reached standards in English which were well above average when compared to all school and which were in line with standards reached by similar schools. In mathematics and science standards were well above average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. A higher than average percentage of pupils reach the higher level (Level 5) at this school. Results over the last four years indicate the school has attained high standards consistently although there was a slight dip in mathematics in 2002 which was due to the higher than average number of pupils with special educational needs in this cohort. The cohort size is always small so any judgements comparing one year with another should be made cautiously. The evidence of the inspection indicates that standards are above average in English, mathematics and science and that pupils achieve well. Standards in ICT, music and physical education are above expectations

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Key Stage 2

and pupils achieve well in these subjects. This high achievement is due to the good and often very good teaching which pupils receive which challenges and stimulates learning. Another factor is the good management, which has ensured that specialist teaching skills in science and physical education are used well. As in Key Stage 1 although work shows high achievement the weaknesses in presentation mask this and do not celebrate the work which pupils are capable of.

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Key Stage 2

4. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. They are given good support by teaching assistants and teachers carefully group pupils so that they can be helped by more able pupils and thus complete the activities. There is no difference between the achievements of boys or girls. The school has identified a number of gifted and talented pupils in different subjects and carefully plans extension work or additional challenges so that these pupils also achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good . Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . The attendance of the pupils is satisfactory . Punctuality is good .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils have positive attitudes and enjoy learning. • Behaviour of pupils around the school is very good. • Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 11 • The attendance rate has gradually dropped as the number of holidays taken in term time increases. • Pupils arrive in good time for the start of the school day.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

5. Pupils have very positive views of the school. They enjoy coming to school and work hard on the challenging tasks set. They listen attentively and sustain concentration well which has a significant impact on the high standards achieved. They work very well collaboratively for example in music and physical education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

6. Behaviour in assemblies, the dining hall and in the playground is very good. Very good behaviour is maintained even when supervision is less obvious. The Leavers’ Service is regarded by governors and many parents as a good example of pupils’ personal development. There have been no exclusions in the year prior to the inspection

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

7. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. There are strong links with the church which is used regularly. Pupils take part in a mid-week community service. The rector takes assembly fortnightly. Pupils have a very good understanding of right and wrong. There are no overt behaviour incentives but pupils know what is expected of them and respond accordingly. The very good standards of social development can be seen in most lessons as pupils share and evaluate their work. Pupils respond well to the opportunities they are given to show initiative and take responsibility. The School Council is a recent innovation and pupils value this as a means of expressing their views. Provision for cultural development is good. Visits linked to the curriculum promote their own culture. The cultures of others are celebrated for example Chinese New Year and a Japanese Children’s Day. Religious education

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

and geography make a good contribution to this area.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.3 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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Attendance

8. The attendance for the last full recorded year was in line with most other primary schools. However this is a reduction from the very good attendance at the time of the last inspection. Moreover pupils’ attendance has fallen further this current year and is now low. The main factor is the increasing number of times parents take their children out of school in term time for family holidays. The headteacher expects official permission to be requested but is aware that some holidays are necessary and they do broaden the children’s experiences but also disrupt teaching.

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Attendance

9. The punctuality of pupils remains good. Parents make sure their children are brought to school on time so they can start lessons promptly. The school keeps a close eye on pupils who are late and sensitively reminds the parents of the few who are late of the importance of coming to school by 9.00am. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is good and the satisfactory curriculum is very well enriched, pupils are well cared for and links with parents are good. The school has excellent links with the community and good links with other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good and leads to good learning. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Year 5 and 6 is very good . Assessment is satisfactory .

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Teaching and learning

Main strengths and weaknesses • Teachers have good knowledge in all areas of learning and curriculum subjects. • Teachers plan interesting and stimulating work, which ensures pupils become engrossed in their studies, and work hard. • Teaching assistants are well used to help pupils achieve as well as they can. • Teachers know their pupils well but the assessment of achievement in the non-core subjects is unsatisfactory. • Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should know and what skills they need to develop but expectations of presentation are too low.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 32 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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

10. Teaching is consistently good which helps pupils to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding and as a result the standards achieved overall are good. Almost a third of lessons are very good and although all teachers show very good features in their teaching the most consistent very good or excellent teaching is seen in the Reception Class and the Years 5/6 class. The school has benefited from a very stable staff and this strong team has maintained the high quality of teaching seen at the last inspection and has improved in some areas, for example in ICT.

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Commentary

11. Teachers throughout the school have a good knowledge. This is evident in many subjects, for example the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage, English, mathematics, science, music and physical education. This leads to very good achievement, for example when Year 3 and 4 pupils produce high quality compositions in music or when Year 1 and 2 pupils show very good balancing sequences in physical education.

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Commentary

12. Teachers plan carefully and have a commitment to making lessons interesting and stimulating. This means that pupils become very well engaged with their work, co-operate with each other and achieve well. The challenge of activities for children in the Foundation Stage such as designing and making a raft to carry a gingerbread boy over a river creates great excitement and encourages good learning. Likewise when Year 5 and 6 pupils investigate how microbes grow in science or when they investigate the nets of 3D shapes in mathematics. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 13 13. The teaching assistants are well used. They are very hard working and have good knowledge of how to support and encourage pupils. Sometimes they are used to support groups who need extra help. Some of these pupils have special educational needs and are therefore able to achieve well. The assistants also give good support to pupils who are using the computers,

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Commentary

and successfully demonstrate how to give a talk to the whole class.

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Commentary

14. The school carries out thorough, regular and rigorous assessments in English, mathematics and science and has developed a clear system for assessing progress in ICT. The results of assessments are carefully recorded and tracked by teachers, the headteacher and subject co- ordinators and used to identify improvements needed for individuals or groups. Teachers know their pupils well and plan the next stage of their work carefully. Marking is completed regularly but the guidance given is not always detailed enough, nor is it clear whether pupils have had the opportunity to do corrections or to correct misunderstandings. There is little formal assessment in the non-core subjects so pupils are not aware of how well they have done and what they need to do next.

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Commentary

15. Teachers expect pupils to work hard and the level of work set is challenging. Discussion and reflection are well emphasised so that pupils have good knowledge in most subjects. However the presentation of work is unsatisfactory. The writing and ICT skills which pupils develop are not used well in their recording and too often teachers accept untidy work. Homework is regularly set in all classes and helps pupils consolidate and extend what they have learned in lessons.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is broad and balanced. • It is enriched well by visits, by clubs at lunchtime and after school, peripatetic music teachers and professional coaches of sport. • Effective links have not been established between subjects to achieve a coherent approach. • Presentation is unsatisfactory. • The outside areas are used very well for recreation and the curriculum.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum satisfactorily covers all subjects of the National Curriculum and Religious Education. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good. All areas of learning are well integrated and learning is enjoyable for the children.

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Commentary

17. All pupils have access to the full curriculum, including activities organised outside the school day. Boys and girls participate in the curriculum equally and pupils with special educational needs are well provided for. The school has a positive inclusive ethos and good procedures for monitoring access and providing support where it is needed.

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Commentary

18. Provision for personal, social and health development is integrated into the curriculum and meets the statutory requirements. The headteacher teaches sex and relationships to pupils in Years 5 and 6. The police have a significant input into drugs awareness. For the oldest pupils there is a community project on safety which helps pupils to act St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 14 appropriately if they are approached by adults they do not know. The School Council gives pupils good opportunities to take part in some decision making.

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Commentary

19. Nearly all history and geography units involve a visit to a museum or place of interest and this motivates the pupils well. Good enrichment by clubs, mainly sport and music orientated, enhances the curriculum and contributes to the standards achieved in these subjects. Pupils have opportunities to play their instruments and sing in the community and to join with other schools for festivals or to have sporting competitions, football matches and so on.

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Commentary

20. Effective links have not been made between subjects to create a coherent approach. Writing and ICT skills are not used sufficiently to enhance the presentation of work, which is not of the expected standard given the achievement made by pupils. Expectations in this area are too low. Standards are good in the Foundation Stage but in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 there is no consistent approach. The excessive use of worksheets does not help pupils to take a pride in their work or to use their own ideas for recording.

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Commentary

21. The school makes very good use of its extensive and attractive grounds for playtimes, sport and fundraising events. The nature area is safely cordoned off and is frequently used for pond dipping. Currently the internal accommodation is satisfactory for learning purposes, but with cramped offices and minimal storage space. However there are well- advanced plans for further building works to start at the end of the current academic year, which will provide improved disabled access, better storage areas, new Foundation Stage accommodation and a more spacious entrance and administration area. The whole site is neat, tidy and very well maintained.

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Commentary

22. Overall the quantity and quality of resources are satisfactory. The equipment for music, PE and Foundation Stage is good. Although the number of computers has increased since the last inspection, some are outmoded and not sufficiently well located to allow pupils easy access to information technology for research and use across the curriculum.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils are good. The school provides good support, advice and guidance. The views of the pupils are valued and pupils are well involved in helping around the school.

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Care, guidance and support

Main strengths and weaknesses • The pastoral support and guidance provided to pupils is very good. • Pupils have very good, trusting relationships with adults in the school. • Reception children are settled into school life very effectively. • The school council is very effective in giving older pupils a voice in the school. • Accidents are not recorded thoroughly enough.

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Care, guidance and support

23. The pastoral needs of each and every pupil continue to be very well looked after. Staff know the pupils very well and can often back this up with extensive local knowledge. The headteacher regularly teaches each class so builds up a very good relationship with each of his pupils. Teachers are quick to pick up if any pupil has any personal worry and to find St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 15 sensitive and effective support. The headteacher ensures that staff are well up to date on child protection training. The few pupils who are looked after by adults other than their parents are carefully monitored to ensure they are achieving as well as every other pupil. The promotion of personal development is effectively built into the fabric of the school, through assemblies, religious education and project work. The older pupils are well prepared for moving on from primary school with appropriate health, sex and drugs

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Care, guidance and support

education. The monitoring of pupils’ academic achievements has not developed as fast as many other primary schools, so is not as strong as at the time of the last inspection. Although good for English, mathematics, science and ICT, assessment is not thorough enough in other subjects.

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Care, guidance and support

24. Pupils are very confident and at ease with adults in the school because all the staff are open, welcoming and warm. The headteacher’s comment that the school has a “large family” atmosphere is well borne out from discussions with the pupils. Pupils all have at least one person in school to whom they can turn if they have concerns. School is a happy and comfortable place for them so they learn and achieve well.

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Care, guidance and support

25. Children new to the Reception class are introduced very effectively into full time education. The school has a very well thought out time table of gradual increase in school hours. Understandably some parents find this process too drawn out, particularly if their children have already attended nursery school full time. However the very good settling in procedures ensure that these children do not become over tired, always enjoy coming to school and are mature and sensible when they move up to Year 1.

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Care, guidance and support

26. The recently inaugurated school council is proving very effective in introducing the older pupils to citizenship and looking after their community. The councillors are taking their responsibilities very seriously and look at each idea sensibly. For instance they decided not to introduce a tuck shop because of the possible implications of unhealthy eating and litter. All pupils have access to a “suggestion box”, but as yet there is not a sufficiently guaranteed and regular opportunity for the councillors to discuss ideas with and give feedback to their classes.

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Care, guidance and support

27. All the pupils are safe and secure while at school. This aspect remains as good as at the time of the last inspection. Practical first aid is effective and parents are quickly informed if the staff have any concerns. The school keeps a methodical record of medicines administered and ensures pupils are logged out should they go home during the day. However the monitoring of accidents is not as thorough as it should be. Bumps to heads are carefully recorded, but as other knocks, cuts or grazes are not noted down it would be difficult to analyse and remedy trends or track a pupil’s accident history should the need arise.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with parents. Links with the community are excellent . The school liaises well with other schools.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Main strengths and weaknesses • The school benefits immensely from being very much at the heart of the village. • The support of parents both for their children’s learning and for the school is impressive. • The very effective links with the secondary school means pupils are looking forward confidently to their transfer. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 16 • The governors and headteacher do not formally consult parents enough to gauge their general views on how the school is run.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

28. The school has an outstanding association with the village of Bentworth and the local Hampshire area, which has improved even more since the last inspection. Strong links with the locality are considered vital for a strong and successful village school, so the headteacher and governors work particularly well with the villagers to ensure St Mary’s is a school to which they want to send their children. The school hall, which once used to be the village hall, the field and the playground are all available for villagers to use out of hours. In return, not only parents but other members of the local community help in school and with fundraising. A substantial donation from a member of the village launched the very successful appeal for the new buildings. The local area is used very well to promote the curriculum with outings and walks for geography, history and science. Strong links with adjacent St Mary’s Church contribute well to religious education and the personal

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

29. Parents are very good supporters of their children’s school, as they were at the last inspection. The thriving Parent Teacher Association raises considerable amounts of money for extra resources, special outings and currently the new building work. Many parents help in classes and the school can always rely on willing support for outings and trips. Parents are keen to see their children achieve well, so give very good support to homework, project research and understanding how their children are learning.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

30. The school has very well established links with Amery Hill School to help Year 6 pupils move on seamlessly into secondary education. Pupils have a good chance to meet their new teachers when they visit St Mary’s and during their induction day at Amery Hill, so they move on with confidence in September. There is also good liaison with the many pre-schools that feed into the Reception class, positively helped by the appointment of the Reception teacher as the co-ordinator for the pre-school cluster. The school liaises effectively with other local primary schools for sport and music, but there are not enough opportunities for teachers to visit other primaries to exchange good practice or investigate other teaching methods to bring new ideas to the curriculum.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

31. The school does not formally consult parents enough to find out where there are pockets of concern. The one to one contact with parents is very good, so personal worries linked to their child’s development are dealt with very effectively. However the pre-inspection questionnaire revealed a significant number of areas where parents were not as happy as the headteacher considered them to be. One of these was the request for more chances for parents to give their views. Currently the headteacher relies on the PTA as a “sounding board” but this is not as effective as a survey of the whole parent body when emerging concerns may be revealed and the school can explain clearly how it is to address them.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

32. Overall the information provided to parents is good, bolstered by the very good daily personal contact between teachers and parents. The annual governors’ report gives a real flavour of the school’s development and successes. Since the last inspection attendance figures have been correctly added to the prospectus. Newsletters are regular and keep parents well informed on events and practical matters. Currently annual reports give parents a perceptive summary of their child’s personal development, but do not St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 17 provide enough accurate information on how their child has improved academically over the year in each of the subjects of the curriculum. The school is aware of this and is trialling a new style of report which will give parents specific ideas of where improvement is needed.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. Leadership is good and the school is well managed. Governance is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has high expectations and pastoral care is a strength of his leadership. • There is a strong team of good teachers and experienced teaching assistants. • Financial management is good, the governors and headteacher work together well to ensure that all monies are spent wisely. • The school development plan, although improved since the last inspection, needs further refinement.

p.17

Commentary

33. The headteacher leads well by example and has ensured that the high standards in the core subjects have been maintained over time . He teaches one day a week in the class for the oldest pupils and provides a good role model. He also teaches in each class on a regular basis and this helps him to get to know the children, to monitor standards and to provide non-contact time for teachers. Pastoral care is his strength and as a result there is a good ethos, the pupils are well cared for and provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

p.17

Commentary

34. The school is well served by a team of very experienced teachers who have all been in post since before the last inspection. All teachers have a heavy workload as subject co- ordinators and they work hard and mostly manage their subjects effectively. Monitoring of teaching is secure and leads to good continuing professional development. However there has been too little emphasis on ensuring that pupils present their work tidily and with pride. Their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are not fully utilised in their work. The teaching assistants are well deployed, given appropriate training and work effectively with the teachers to help the school achieve well.

p.17

Commentary

35. The headteacher manages the finances very well and works closely with the governors, the LEA, and the diocese to ensure that the school makes best use of its funding. The school has been successful in obtaining a grant for building improvements from the diocese provided the school could raise a proportion, which it did. Work is due to commence by the end of the current school year and this will greatly improve the accommodation at the school.

p.17

Commentary

36. The management of special educational needs is good. Although there have been recent staffing changes this has not impacted adversely on the support given to pupils identified with special educational needs. All staff are committed to including all pupils in activities and give good support through praising achievement and careful grouping to allow more able pupils to support those who may experience some difficulties. Individual education plans are clear with realistic achievable targets. The statutory requirements relating to St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 18 pupils who have statements of special educational need are carefully and conscientiously met.

p.17

Commentary

37. Governors are knowledgeable and very supportive. They know the school well and provide a suitable level of challenge to ensure the school does not become complacent. Strategic planning has improved since the last inspection which has enabled the school to maintain its good performance. The school development plan sets out suitable priorities, is costed and has clear deadlines but the success criteria are not sufficiently sharp and therefore do not enable the school to evaluate how well it has done and then set further targets for improvement. The plan is reaching the end of its present cycle and an outline of future priorities is being considered by the governors in order to produce a plan for the next four years.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 317,957 Balance from previous year 20,509 Total expenditure 292,349 Balance carried forward to the next 25,608 Expenditure per pupil 3,110 St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good curriculum and good assessment procedures. • Consistently good, sometimes very good and excellent teaching. • Good achievement in all areas of learning. • Very good information given to parents.

p.19

Commentary

38. Children enter the small Reception Class with skills that are above average in all areas of learning. As a result of the good provision children make good progress and achieve well in all areas of learning and exceed the Early Learning Goals. They are provided with a rich stimulating curriculum, which motivates these young children. The assessment procedures are used effectively to track children’s progress. Teaching is consistently good, sometimes very good and occasionally excellent. The teacher is enthusiastic and caring and has very high expectations. Parents are given an attractive booklet when their child starts school and there are good induction arrangements in line with the LEA Admissions Policy. The teacher is very approachable and often sees parents at the end of the day if they have a concern. There are good links with parents, some come in to hear children read and all listen to their own children regularly.

p.19

Commentary

39. Personal, social and emotional development is given a priority when children start school. Many children have strong views but little experience of taking account of the views of others. After nearly a year in school children listen to each other well and work very well collaboratively.

p.19

Commentary

40. Children’s communication, language and literacy skills are well above average. They can all express their thoughts and ideas well, read with expression, know the high frequency words for their year and know a range of letters and their sounds which they use in their writing. They can write three sentences about a recent experience – letters are correctly formed, well spaced and uniform in size.

p.19

Commentary

41. Children’s mathematical development is good. They count to 20 confidently, forwards and backwards in ones and twos. Some are beginning to count in fives. Children recognise the value of coins and can use this knowledge to buy two articles from the baker’s shop. They understand addition and subtraction and the concepts of more than/less than.

p.19

Commentary

42. Children bring a good understanding of the knowledge of the world because of their rich pre-school and out of school experiences. This area is developed well as children use the computer and a programmable toy to support their learning in language and mathematical development. They know how to make a circuit that lights the bulb of their model lighthouse. They experiment with a range of materials to find out which sink and which float. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 20 43. Creative development is a very rich area of the curriculum and children regularly draw, paint and make collages. They sing a repertoire of songs and engage in purposeful role- play. During a design and technology lesson the children worked in four teams, each team to build a raft to get the gingerbread boy across the river. After a great deal of negotiation the four rafts were finished and tried out in the water tray. What excitement!

p.19

Commentary

Three were successful, but one capsized and someone in the group quickly realised why this had happened. He made an adjustment and then this raft was successful. Pupils gave good reasons for the materials they had used and those they had rejected. This lesson made a very good contribution to children’s personal development.

p.20

Commentary

44. Although there is no designated safe secure outdoor play area, good use is made of the playground and the village hall to provide for the children’s physical development . They play on wheeled toys, run, jump, balance and climb and use bats and balls. In the classroom they successfully use construction sets, bricks and puzzles to develop their manipulative skills.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are well above average in Year 2 and Year 6. • Teaching is good overall. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. • Literacy skills are not sufficiently used across the curriculum. • Presentation of work is unsatisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

45. In the 2003 national tests pupils in Year 2 attained standards in reading and writing, which were well above average when compared to all schools, and to similar schools. Work seen during the inspection confirms that at the end of Year 2 pupils reach standards that are above average with a high percentage of pupils reaching Level 3. The difference is due to the fact that cohorts are small so that making comparisons of one year with another must be done cautiously.

p.20

Commentary

46. In the national tests for 2003 pupils in Year 6 achieved standards that were well above average when compared to all schools and average when compared to similar schools. Standards of work seen during the inspection were above average and pupils achieve well. A higher than average number are working at the higher levels of the National Curriculum. As in Years 1 and 2 the variations from year to year due to the small size of the cohort are the reason for differences in test results and the current work of pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are given appropriate support. These pupils mostly have moderate learning difficulties and they achieve well because they are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 21 47. Teaching and learning are good and frequently very good in the class for the oldest pupils. Teachers have good subject knowledge of teaching the basic skills; have high

p.20

Commentary

expectations and plan interesting challenging lessons, which meet the needs of all pupils. Teaching assistants work very well with the teachers to support pupils with special educational needs. Many lessons are very well structured and this helps pupils to learn effectively and reach high standards. As a result of the consistently good and very good teaching pupils are keen to learn and achieve. They listen attentively, settle to work quickly and quietly, and sustain concentration. They confidently share their efforts and are beginning to evaluate their own work and sometimes the work of peers.

p.21

Commentary

48. Presentation is unsatisfactory as the expectations are too low. In some lessons pupils are not given sufficient time to present their work neatly. There are no consistent guidelines for presentation and often inappropriate recording is accepted. This often results in pupils’ work not being valued and pupils not having a clear idea of what they need to do to improve. 49. The subject is well led and managed. The national literacy strategy has been well adapted and pupils work on blocked units. A good variety of reading opportunities are available – group reading, individual reading to teachers, teaching assistants and volunteer parents. The results of national tests are well analysed to identify any weaknesses and as a result of this analysis comprehension has been a focus this year. Work is scrutinised but weaknesses in presentation have not been identified by the leadership of the school and consequently action to address these weaknesses has not

p.21

Commentary

been taken. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory as the school has maintained the high standards and good teaching seen at that time.

p.21

Commentary

50. Literacy is used satisfactorily across the curriculum. There is sometimes an undue reliance on worksheets, especially in history and geography which limits the opportunities for pupils to use their good literacy skills in these subjects. The written work in history and geography folders shows some work of good quality but there is an insufficient amount and presentation is unsatisfactory.

p.21

FRENCH

51. The teaching of French has been introduced since the last inspection. Pupils in the two Key Stage 2 classes have one lesson each week. Both lessons were seen but it is not possible to make an overall judgement about provision. There is a clear scheme of work and the weekly lessons are well planned with a clear focus on developing the speaking and listening skills of pupils. In both lessons pupils showed that standards are in line with expectations and that achievement is satisfactory. Pupils count confidently and many are able to construct simple sentences to say what their name is or what the weather is like. Teaching in the lessons seen was good; the teacher has good knowledge and uses French confidently and with a good accent. The initial part of each lesson is delivered energetically and the lively approach helps pupils to try out their French with no fear of failure as the teacher uses praise well alongside

p.21

FRENCH

good prompting to ensure correct pronunciation. The length of the lessons means that some time is given to written activities and whilst these are satisfactory in reinforcing learning there is a reduction in the amount of time for practising speaking and with just one lesson per week some pupils will not make the progress of which they are capable.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in all classes and pupils achieve well. • Mathematics is well planned and activities are challenging and interesting. • The mathematics co-ordinator sets a very good example, has very good knowledge and gives good support to other staff. • Pupils are not sufficiently involved in understanding how well they have done and what they need to do next. • Too much work is not well presented with unnecessary recording on worksheets.

p.22

Commentary

52. In the 2003 national tests for seven olds, pupils attained standards which were very well above average when compared to all schools and well above average when compared to similar schools. Work seen during the inspection indicates that by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils reach standards that are above average with a high percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels. Pupils have good number skills they add and subtract confidently and many have good understanding of place value with numbers up to 1000. Cohort sizes are small which makes comparison of results from year to year less secure but a reason for the inspection evidence indicating slighter lower standards is due to some poorly presented work, for example using unsuitable mathematics books, which does not celebrate what pupils are capable of.

p.22

Commentary

53. In the national tests for 11 year olds in 2003 attainment was well above average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. The evidence from the inspection shows that pupils achieve well and reach standards, which are above average overall with a high proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels. Pupils are quick and accurate with their tables. They successfully carry out investigations and explain their thinking: for example how the perimeter of a shape increases in relation to its area. The difference between standards reached in national tests and the work seen is, as at Key Stage 1 explained by an overemphasis on using worksheets for recording and a considerable amount of untidy and careless presentation of work. In all classes those pupils with special educational needs are given good support, which enables them to achieve well.

p.22

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good in all classes and in the Year 5 and 6 class the teaching is consistently very good. Teachers have a good knowledge and plan their lessons very well taking good account of the national numeracy strategy. Lessons seen and the scrutiny of work shows that lessons are interesting and stimulating. For example pupils were challenged to discover the pattern in the two, three, four and five times tables, or to predict which arrangements of two dimensional shapes can be folded into three dimensional shapes. As a result of the challenge and stimulus pupils work hard and become engrossed in their work. Teachers mark work systematically but do not always give sufficient guidance to correct mistakes and misunderstandings. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils in terms of the speed at which they should work and of their mathematical understanding but their expectations for presentation are too low and as

p.22

Commentary

result much work is untidily presented with a range of different pens, pencils, felt tips used and a heavy use of worksheets.

p.22

Commentary

55. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator has very good knowledge and is a very good role model for the teaching of mathematics. She has a good understanding of the need to identify any areas for development by analysing the results St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 23 of the wide range of assessments, which are carried out. This resulted in a focus on data handling and has helped to ensure that the school’s good standards are maintained. The teaching and learning of the subject is effectively monitored through classroom observations and some scrutiny of work but this has not focussed on improving standards of presentation. The school has improved satisfactorily since the last inspection as high standards have been maintained. Resources have been improved taking due account of the recommendations made in the national numeracy strategy so there is good use of number squares and individual white boards to enable all pupils to respond to questions

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Teachers are well aware of the need to use pupils’ good mathematical skills in other lessons and this is done satisfactorily in planning. There is evidence of the use of careful measuring when making models and the use of pupils’ knowledge of rotation to help them in gymnastics. Graphs and charts are used in science, geography and history but they do not always draw on the pupils’ good skills and the work produced is not of a good enough standard to be part of well-presented work in these subjects, which would raise standards even further.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and pupils in all classes achieve well. • Lessons are interesting and imaginative with a good focus on experimental and investigative science. • Pupils’ good literacy and numeracy skills are well used to record work in science but its presentation is unsatisfactory. • The co-ordinator provides enthusiastic and generally effective leadership of the subject.

p.23

Commentary

57. In the national tests for seven year olds in 2003 teachers’ assessments showed that when compared to all schools and to similar schools pupils attained standards which were very well above average as all reached at least the expected level for this age. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels was also above average. Taking into account that the school has a very small cohort these results are broadly reflected in the evidence gained from the inspection and pupils achieve well. Work is planned to link with other subjects and pupils show good knowledge of the parts of plants, the parts of the body and the importance of a healthy diet. Pupils are given good opportunities for practical work for example when making a simple electrical circuit and identifying reasons why the light sometimes won’t light. This practical approach encourages pupils to work together well and develops very positive attitudes to their work.

p.23

Commentary

58. In the national tests for 11 year olds in 2003 pupils reached standards, which were well above average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels was also well above average. As with Key Stage 1 it is necessary to recognise that with a small cohort year on year comparisons need to be treated with caution. However these high standards were mostly seen in the pupils’ work during the inspection especially in the areas of investigative and experimental science. Pupils plan and carry out St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 24 experiments and achieve well as they recognise that the changing of the temperature of the water when investigating the growth of yeast produces different results. The well planned and imaginative activities, for example exploring plant and animal habitats including a pond area, help pupils to become good at close observation and recording their findings based on good

p.23

Commentary

evidence. In all year groups those pupils with special educational needs are given well- focussed support, which enables them to achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers across the school show clear knowledge and plan well, they use questioning skilfully to ensure that pupils increase their knowledge and understanding. The careful emphasis on interesting practical, investigative and experimental work ensures that the skills of pupils are well developed. Teachers enable pupils to use their very good speaking and listening skills, for example when explaining the evidence they might see of wildlife, or the conditions necessary for yeast to grow. Pupils have a good understanding of how to use diagrams, writing, graphs and charts to record their work but teachers too often rely on worksheets or accept poor quality presentation. As a result work in books or folders does not truly represent and celebrate pupils’ good learning in science.

p.24

Commentary

60. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and supports other staff well. Good arrangements are in place for the co-ordinator to teach science to both key stage classes which enables her to monitor work across the key stage and also to use her good teaching skills to maintain high standards. However the work of pupils is not effectively monitored in order to ensure that these high standards are reflected in accurate and clear presentation. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory because the high standards have been maintained as a result of good teaching and learning which has continued to be imaginative and challenging. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 25

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the time they leave the school pupils achieve well in ICT and standards are above expectation. • Pupils enjoy working with ICT equipment and are well supported by parents. • The ICT skills pupils develop are not used effectively to present work in other subjects. • Teaching assistants are well used to help pupils make the best use of the resources available.

p.25

Commentary

61. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 reach standards, which are in line with expectations, and their achievement is satisfactory. Pupils have regular opportunities to develop their skills and they make satisfactory use of data handling programs for example when exploring the most common eye colours. They input text and make some amendments. In Years 3 to 6 pupils develop their skills well. The standards reached by the time they leave the school are above expectation and they have achieved well. They use “Powerpoint” very effectively to make interesting and lively presentations, for example of a residential visit. They access the Internet effectively using their well developed keyboard skills and copy and paste the information they require. They successfully edit the text or adapt the picture to the needs of their work. Pupils with special educational needs are catered for satisfactorily as they get equal access to the ICT curriculum and achieve in line with their

p.25

Commentary

62. Very little direct teaching of ICT was observed although the work of a teaching assistant to support a small group of pupils was effective in helping pupils to find out information about Henry VIII. A scrutiny of teachers’ planning, work produced by pupils and discussions with staff and pupils indicates that teaching and learning is at least satisfactory overall. Teachers have secure knowledge and plan ICT activities satisfactorily. Pupils are enthusiastic about ICT and are keen to take the initiative and explore different programs; teachers build on this enthusiasm by setting up interesting challenges, for example using a spreadsheet to produce an imaginary company’s account sheet. Almost all pupils say they have access to a computer at home and have used it to develop work started at school, indicating good support from parents.

p.25

Commentary

63. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator works closely with other staff and has good ideas for the development of ICT when the extensive remodelling of the school buildings will improve the quality of resources. Assessment is satisfactory, teachers have good understanding of the levels pupils have reached because of the useful tracking sheets which are completed as new skills are learned. Pupils are not well involved however in understanding how well they have done and what they would need to do next to improve even more. The resources at present are satisfactory with a small ICT area containing the most up to date and efficient equipment. The planning of the timetable for this area is good. Pupils have a regular time there and teaching of skills is effectively led by a teaching assistant. Improvements since the last inspection have been good as the resources available to pupils have improved and

p.25

Commentary

teachers have undertaken training to improve their own ICT skills and their confidence to teach them. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 26

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. Information and communication technology skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects. The school is careful to plan ICT tasks into other subjects. This is done well sometimes for example when using a microscope linked to the computer to look carefully at creatures found when “pond dipping” in science or to use good word processing skills to produce a newspaper to present facts about life in Roman times. Pupils demonstrate good skills in such work but these good skills are not satisfactorily used to promote good quality presentation of work.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Provision for geography is satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Map work skills are well taught. • Pupils’ poorly presented work does not reflect the knowledge and skills they have acquired.

p.26

Commentary

65. In both key stages standards are in line with expectations. The two lessons seen in Year 1 and 2 show that the pupils understand how to use co-ordinates. The pirate maps they drew to consolidate their understanding did not effectively show what they could achieve as there was careless colouring, untidy handwriting and inaccurate spelling.

p.26

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 and 4. In the best lessons the teacher’s subject knowledge is good, lessons move at a brisk pace and pupils use maps competently to answer the teacher’s questions and to describe a particular area using correct geographical vocabulary. Pupils are not always given time to produce written work of an acceptable standard to consolidate their learning. In discussion, they demonstrate a higher level of understanding than is evident from the work in folders.

p.26

Commentary

67. The leadership and management of geography are satisfactory. The present co-ordinator has only recently taken over the post and the subject is not a current priority. Assessment is not yet effective so there is no clear idea among teachers or pupils of the standards being achieved at the end of each unit of work. There has not been rigorous scrutiny of pupils’ work to identify the over-use of worksheets and the issue of poor presentation. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• An investigative and practical approach is used effectively to help learning. • Pupils achieve well in lessons. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 27 • Pupils’ work is not sufficiently valued.

p.26

Commentary

68. Overall standards are satisfactory. Standards for pupils in Year 2 are in line with national expectations and remain the same as at the last inspection. Standards for pupils in Year 6 are also in line but this represents a decline since the last inspection. Overall improvement in this subject is therefore unsatisfactory. Pupils’ written work is unsatisfactory because of the high number of worksheets used and the lack of use of literacy and ICT skills. Discussions with pupils revealed that they have acquired a reasonable body of knowledge about each unit studied.

p.27

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers’ subject knowledge is very secure, lessons move at a good pace which sustains pupils’ interest. The teachers’ interaction with pupils during the lessons is very good. The investigative approach is used very effectively. Pupils look at photographs and other documents to find information. They also use the Internet to research historical information and to compare different accounts of events. Drama was used well to help pupils understand the implications of the railway coming to Bentworth. They clearly understood that while it was advantageous for some, it was a disaster for others.

p.27

Commentary

70. Leadership and management are satisfactory, although the lack of assessment and recording procedures is a weakness. Although pupils talk about their work well the quality of presentation in their topic folders does not give the impression that pupils’ work is valued or that they are encouraged to take a pride in their work.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. Only two lessons were seen in music and art and no design and technology lessons were seen. Brief observations were possible of two recorder clubs and also of a peripatetic specialist music teacher. Teachers’ planning and work on display was scrutinised and some recorded music was listened to. It is not possible to make a judgement about the overall provision for these subjects.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. In art and design , work on display reflects standards in line with expectations but pupils achieved higher than expected standards in the two lessons seen in Key Stage 2. Teaching was good and very good in the lessons seen. Very good subject knowledge and high expectations are strengths in the teaching. Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning have a significant impact on the standards achieved.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. In the two music lessons seen pupils demonstrated standards which are above expectations. The high number of pupils, over one third of the school, who play a tuned instrument would also indicate that standards are above expectations. In a Year 1 and 2 lesson the teacher planned well and showed good knowledge and as a result pupils sang well. In a lesson with Year 3 and 4 the teaching was very good. The teacher was very enthusiastic and showed very good knowledge which led to high standards of composing by pupils. The group performance was very well managed and pupils showed they could maintain their part of the performance. The teacher knew the pupils well and used this knowledge when grouping pupils so that those who were less able were well supported by more able musicians. Several pupils have been identified as gifted and talented and the good range of opportunities provided enables their talents to be developed. The

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 28 school makes good use of specialist music teachers in order to increase the opportunities to learn how to play an instrument. The school regularly takes part in concerts with other schools and has performed at the village fete, which indicates the central part the school plays in the community.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. In design and technology planning shows that this subject is satisfactorily planned into the curriculum. Analysis from the limited work available indicates that standards are in line with those expected. The design, make and evaluate process was well embedded in the work seen.

p.28

Physical Education

Provision in physical education is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectation in all year groups and pupils achieve well. • Teachers are enthusiastic about physical education and have very good subject knowledge. • The co-ordinator is very committed to developing a wide range of activities to help all pupils to take part in physical education.

p.28

Commentary

75. Pupils in all classes reach standards, which are above expectation and they achieve well. Almost all pupils reach the required standard in swimming and any that do not are given extra lessons when they move into Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1 standards are above expectations in gymnastics and pupils achieve well showing poise and confidence in building good sequences of balances joined by movements which vary speed, height and direction. In Key Stage 2 standards in dance and games are above expectation and pupils achieve well. Pupils co-ordinate their control when moving to music in traditional dances and they learn to combine a series of movements closely following instructions and working as a team. In games pupils show good skills in throwing and catching accurately and are developing a keen awareness of the need to use tactics, for example when determining the best placing of fielders for a left handed batsmen. Pupils with

p.28

Commentary

special educational needs as a result of some measure of physical disability are fully included in all activities. Good support is given as appropriate by the teacher, teaching assistant or other pupils who encourage and guide. As a result these pupils achieve as well as their peers. The school has also recognised that a number of pupils have high ability in physical education and has encouraged these pupils to attend local clubs for more expert coaching whilst at the same time providing a good level of challenge within the school curriculum.

p.28

Commentary

76. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils achieve well because teachers throughout the school show very good knowledge and are able to demonstrate good technique themselves or make good use of pupils to demonstrate. Teachers are good at setting a challenge and this helps pupils to improve their skills and to learn more. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. She works closely with other schools and is sensibly beginning to focus on improving assessment and recording in physical education. She is supportive of other staff and has monitored teaching and learning across the school, which has improved the skills of all staff. The co-ordinator teaches all pupils in Key Stage 2 for some physical education lessons whilst her class are taught St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 29 science by the science co-ordinator. This is an effective arrangement, which makes good use of particular teaching strengths and has a positive impact on achievement. The

p.28

Commentary

arrangement to use the headteacher to work alongside the class teacher for games lessons is also effective as more focussed coaching of key skills is possible using his good knowledge alongside the teacher’s and enabling a smaller pupil teacher ratio. Resources are good and are used well. Some parents expressed a view that the school should provide more sporting activities. However the inspection judges that a good range of after school activities is provided and that by taking part in matches against other schools there is good opportunity for pupils to develop a healthy approach to competition, to recognise the need for teamwork and to cope with winning and losing. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory, as the high standards seen at that time have been maintained.

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

77. Provision for personal, social and health development is integrated in to the curriculum although the statutory elements, drugs awareness and sex and relationships are taught discretely. No teaching of these areas was observed during the inspection but discussions with the headteacher, analysis of planning and discussion with pupils shows that the programme is generally effective in providing for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship needs. St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 30

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). St Mary’s Bentworth Church of England Primary School – 31

p.30