St Thomas à Becket Church of England Aided Primary School

ST THOMAS A BECKET CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 21 st October 2003

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ST THOMAS A BECKET CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST THOMAS A BECKET CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4-11 years Gender of pupils: Boys and girls Number on roll: 43

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Tilshead Salisbury Wiltshire Postcode: SP3 4RZ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01980) 620435 Fax number: (01980) 620435

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr J MacDonald

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

At the time of the inspection, the school had 36 full-time pupils from Reception to Year 6, and 2 part- time Reception children. The proportion of girls is 65 per cent, although this varies greatly from year to year. The changes to the school’s roll during the school year are quite high. Last year over a third of the children either left or joined at other than the normal times. Children enter Reception part-time in the autumn term of the school year in which they are five, and usually become full-time by Christmas. Attainment data show that the attainment of children joining the school in Reception varies from year to year, but is often below average overall, especially in communication skills. All pupils are from a white ethnic background. There are no pupils who are at an early stage of acquiring English. Pupils’ backgrounds are about average. About five per cent of full-time pupils claim free

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

school meals, below the national average. Pupils come to the school from Tilshead and surrounding villages. Five pupils have been identified as having significant learning needs. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

6169 Dr M J Bradshaw Lead inspector Foundation stage, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, physical education 14756 Mr J Lovell Lay inspector 2756 Mr M Barron Team inspector Special educational needs, English as an additional language, English, geography, history, music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Road Bristol BS8 2BN

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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 Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a good quality education for its pupils and gives satisfactory value for money . Although varying from year to year, children enter the school with attainment levels generally below average, especially in the area of English skills. During their time in school, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Their standards are above average by the end of Year 6. Teaching is good overall, and the school is very well led and managed.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The excellent leadership of the headteacher, who has been appointed since the last inspection. • The progress that pupils make so that they achieve above average standards by Year 6. • The care, welfare and support given to pupils help to ensure very positive attitudes and behaviour. • The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. • Good links have been established with the community and other schools. • Teaching is good overall, although there are some inconsistencies. • The standard of pupils’ work in information and communication technology (ICT) is not yet high enough. • The quality of children’s writing, including spelling and handwriting, is not as good as other areas of English. • Although it has improved, assessment and its use are not extensive enough.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good progress since the previous inspection and very good progress since the appointment of the new headteacher. After a period in which pupils’ attainment was disappointing, it has increased by Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. There has been an improvement in the curriculum, so that legal requirements are now met and there is better progression in pupils’ learning. The mathematics curriculum includes opportunities for children to apply their knowledge, and scientific skills are developed satisfactorily. Recent good progress has resulted in satisfactory procedures for the assessment of pupils’ work, although more rigour is needed. The management roles of staff are developing well, and there is better monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work. The school improvement plan is clear and well constructed. Management of special educational needs 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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The results described in the table have to be treated with caution owing to the small number of pupils involved. The most recent results, and pupils’ work in Years 5 and 6 currently, show that achievement is good . Children in Reception make good progress, and will reach the goals expected by the time they start Year 1. Good achievement in mathematics and science continues in Years 1 and 2 so that standards are mainly average. Satisfactory achievement in English results in average standards in reading and speaking and listening. In writing, however, less progress is made St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 5 and pupils’ work is below average. Good progress continues in the juniors, so that achievement is good by Year 6. Standards in English, mathematics and science are now above average, although writing remains relatively weak. Attainment in information and communication technology (ICT) is

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

below the standard expected throughout the school. In music, attainment is good by Year 6; in all other subjects, pupils reach the standards expected.

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Children’s personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development, are very good . Children have a very good understanding of right and wrong. Their attitudes and behaviour are very good. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching is good and this results in good learning in most lessons. The teaching by the headteacher and that in music, are especially good. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, and when it is only satisfactory the pace of learning falls. There is not always sufficient challenge for the oldest pupils in the mixed- age classes, and this occasionally leads to restlessness and learning slows.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a sound curriculum, which is enriched by good use of visits and residential opportunities. The school provides well for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Children who have special educational needs are well supported in English and mathematics and make good progress. Good links have been established with the community and other schools in this sparsely populated area. Links with parents are good, and the school provides parents with good information.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good . The headteacher’s excellent leadership has established a vision and sense of purpose. Increasing involvement of all staff has helped to ensure that management is good. The governing body is well aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It provides good support and is beginning to appreciate the need to challenge what the school is doing.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school. In particular, they think children like school, behave well and make good progress. They also think teaching is good and that they are kept well informed. Pupils are positive in their views of school. Both parents and pupils comment on the good progress that the school has made recently; older pupils thought that they were challenged more now.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • improve the quality of children’s writing, including spelling and handwriting; • raise standards of pupils’ work in ICT and increase its use in other subjects; • improve the consistency in the quality of teaching to match the best in the school, in particular in planning to challenge all pupils and meet the needs of the eldest in each class; and • continue the present work to extend and improve assessment and its use. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement in Reception is good and in Years 1 and 2 it is satisfactory . In Year 3 to Year 6 achievement is good . When pupils leave the school standards in English, mathematics and science are above average . Standards are average in most other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good and by the end of Year 6 attainment is above average in English, mathematics and science. • Achievement is good in music in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Years 3 to 6. Standards of attainment are also good in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Whilst achievement is satisfactory in information and communication technology (ICT), standards of attainment in this subject are below those expected nationally throughout the school. • Standards attained by pupils in Years 1 and 2 in writing are presently below the national average.

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Commentary

1. In recent years, pupils’ attainment has tended to be about average in reading, writing and mathematics by Year 2. By Year 6, attainment in science has been about average, but well below average in English and mathematics. Owing to the small numbers of pupils in each year group, in both Years 2 and 6, results have fluctuated from year to year, for instance it is presently below average in writing by Year 2. Even so, there are clear indications that attainment by Year 6 is improving significantly in English, mathematics and science.

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Foundation Stage

2. Children usually enter Reception with attainment that is a little below average, especially in communication skills. Good provision ensures that the few Reception children in the mixed- age class make good progress, and are likely to achieve, or occasionally exceed, the goals they are expected to achieve by the time they start Year 1.

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Key Stages 1 and 2

3. The results for individual years have to be treated with extreme caution owing to the small numbers of pupils involved. The most recent results, and pupils’ work in Years 5 and 6, show that achievement is good. Good achievement in mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2 ensures that standards are about average by the end of Year 2. Steady progress in English ensures that standards in reading, and speaking and listening skills are average. However, in writing, pupils’ work is below average and progress is not as good as in other areas of English. Pupils make good progress in learning from Year 3 onwards and pupils’ achievement is good by the end of Year 6. Present standards in this age group in English, mathematics and science are above average, although writing remains relatively weaker. Attainment in ICT is below the standard expected throughout the school. Attainment in music is good by Year 6. In all other

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Key Stages 1 and 2

subjects pupils reach the expected standards, with the school’s assessments showing good standards in swimming.

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Key Stages 1 and 2

4. Standards attained by pupils vary widely from year to year for several reasons. The usually very small number of pupils in different year groups leads to each pupil sometimes representing a large proportion of the total. In 2002, for example, only three pupils completed St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 7 the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds in 2002, so each represented a third of the total number of pupils taking the test. Furthermore, a significant number of pupils enter and leave the school part way through the academic year and so their learning lacks continuity and may not be representative of the education they receive when they are at the school.

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Key Stages 1 and 2

5. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good and matches that of other pupils. This is due to the good care and support they receive both in and out of the classroom from teaching assistants and also because targets in individual education plans are both achievable and usually specific to pupils’ particular learning problems. The needs of all pupils are supported well in lessons by good planning and structured teaching. Skilled teaching assistants are used effectively to help pupils with learning difficulties to make progress, especially in Years 1 and 2. As a result, most pupils in the school achieve well in English, mathematics and science. However, although good progress has been made in establishing procedures for checking pupils’ work and progress in both these subjects, there is still a need to develop assessment procedures in most other subject areas. With so few pupils in each

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Key Stages 1 and 2

year group, no consistent pattern is evident in the attainment of boys and girls. Evidence available indicates that boys and girls achieve equally well.

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Key Stages 1 and 2

6. The standards of pupils’ work in Year 2 in two subject areas: English, particularly writing, and ICT, were below those seen in other schools. However, no significant weaknesses were found in the standards attained by pupils in Year 6, with the exception of ICT. There was insufficient evidence to report fully on provision or standards in physical education in Year 3 to Year 6 and history in Years 1 and 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very positive attitudes to being in school. Behaviour is very good . Attendance and punctuality are very good . Pupils’ personal development is very well supported.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very interested in school life and the range of opportunities provided. • Pupils enjoy working independently. • Pupils have very good relationships with others. • The school sets consistently high expectations for pupils’ conduct. • The school enables pupils to respect, value and understand others’ views very well.

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Commentary

7. Pupils in the school enjoy attending and are very positive about recent changes. They enjoy being involved in the planned activities. Older pupils comment that they think they are now expected to do more, and respond well to these demands. All pupils become actively involved in their lessons and older pupils in particular show high levels of concentration and commitment. The whole school goes swimming every week and pupils see this as one of the highlights of the week’s activities. Pupils who have special educational needs behave very well and show a willingness to learn. They have access to all aspects of school life and the range of activities the school provides.

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Commentary

8. The fact that the school has only two mixed-age classes, has a very positive impact. Owing to this, children are often grouped according to age or ability and have to work independently while the teacher or other adult is talking with other pupils. In these circumstances, even the youngest children, who have been in the school only for a short time, settle to their task and wait patiently. Relationships are very good in the school. The small school ethos develops a sense of camaraderie with old and young mixing, talking with and supporting each other. When given the opportunity, pupils take responsibility very well. This begins when a Reception child is made responsible for handing out various resources. In assembly, older pupils are responsible St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 8 for operating the CD player. Pupils respect one another’s views and feelings and develop a very clear sense of the responsibilities of living in a community. An assembly, held on Trafalgar

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Commentary

Day, made pupils think about the importance of communication using Admiral Nelson’s famous message. It ended by using the design of the flag that called sailors to prayer. There is a consistent focus on promoting good moral principles. Self-knowledge and spiritual awareness are developed very well. A good display of books raised issues associated with disabilities. Opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own and others’ cultural traditions are also very well developed. The weekly Japanese lesson, for instance, is introducing pupils in Years 3 to 6 to elements of a very different culture.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.3 School data 0.2 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 in the latest complete reporting year (%)

9. Attendance is very good. In recent years, there has been no unauthorised absence. A little occurred last year and was associated with a very small number of pupils who have since left the school. Pupils are very punctual with only a very few latecomers due to circumstances beyond the children’s control. Attendance is monitored effectively and pupils are encouraged to attend well by both the school and their parents.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No. of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 40 0 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

10. The school sets high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, both within lessons and when moving around the school or playground. Behaviour of pupils in Reception and Years 1 and 2 is good, although some restlessness develops when pupils are not sufficiently motivated. This can affect the pace of learning of other pupils. Older pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are consistently very good. In both classes, pupils respond well to opportunities to work independently. There have been no exclusions in recent years. The generally very good attitudes and behaviour have a positive impact on learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education based on a satisfactory curriculum, and good teaching and care for the pupils.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in the school. Assessment is satisfactory , and best for children in Reception, and in English and mathematics. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 9

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is generally good in English, mathematics, science and music. • Teaching assistants, and other classroom helpers, are used well. • Although teaching is good overall, there are inconsistencies. • Writing tasks do not always match children’s attainment levels closely enough. • Planning does not always take sufficient account of the range of age and attainment levels in a class.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 1 3 5 3 0 0 0

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

11. Teaching and learning are good, although there is some variation between subjects. There are very few Reception children and they are taught in a class with pupils from Years 1 and 2. Planning, based on the main class topics, is suitably modified to meet these children’s needs. Good attention is given to developing positive attitudes, confidence and good behaviour. Good adult support, often from the teacher, helps to ensure Reception children’s learning is good. High expectations and good relationships help children to become confident.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

12. Teaching is never less than satisfactory, and is good overall. There are, however, variations, both between subjects and within the school. In ICT, for instance, the quality of teaching is satisfactory but, on occasions, limited by staff confidence and the lack of available resources. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is satisfactory in English and physical education, and good in mathematics, science and music. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is good in English, mathematics, science and history, and very good in music. In the Japanese lesson observed, teaching was excellent. In the best lessons, teachers plan to meet the range of pupils in the class and encourage pupils to work independently. This was evident in a science lesson exploring electrical circuits. Learning was fun because of the range of relevant tasks and good relationships with the teacher. At other times, lessons do not always meet the needs of the

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

oldest or most able pupils in a class. This lack of challenge results in some inattention and a slower pace of learning. Teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs are good. Pupils are provided with good support from class teachers and teaching assistants and are well supported through the use of individual education plans. As a result, their achievement is good. Planning of lessons is mostly good, but on occasions planning does not indicate how more able pupils are to be challenged and tasks are too similar for pupils in the class. This was especially evident in, for instance, an English lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Teachers use questions to good effect, and there is good encouragement for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills when answering.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 12 lessons

13. Throughout the school marking is consistent. Work is marked regularly and often includes comments to help pupils appreciate how they could improve. Assessment of children’s progress in Reception is good, with careful note being made of progress in each of the areas of learning. This assessment builds well on the procedures used jointly with the Nursery. Assessment is mostly good in English and mathematics, and good use is made of the information to aid planning, although not always to ensure challenge for all pupils. In most other subjects, assessment is not so well developed and the school acknowledges the need for further improvement. The lack of systematic assessment means that work is not always sufficiently challenging and pupils are not sure of the standards expected. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 10

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is satisfactory with a broad range of worthwhile activities, which meet the needs of pupils effectively. In many subjects, a good range of activities is provided for pupils in Years 3 to 6. The organisation of the curriculum ensures suitable progression within the mixed-age classes. All statutory requirements are in place.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. This is an inclusive school. • All pupils have the opportunity to swim each year and pupils in Years 3 to 6 are introduced to Japanese. • Visits and the residential trip for pupils make a very positive contribution to the curriculum. • The range of resources in the school limits the range of activities for ICT. • Planning does not always give enough attention to meeting the full range of ages and attainment in the classes.

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Commentary

14. The curriculum is well planned with a range of suitable experiences planned, including extra- curricular visits, such as to Wilton House. Planning is based on a range of national and local guidance, which ensures suitable progression in children’s learning in the mixed-age classes. On occasions, greater attention needs to be given to adapting the curriculum to better meet the needs of the range of pupils, particularly in ensuring challenge for the oldest and more able pupils in each class. Planning for Reception children follows national guidance and meets their requirements well within the mixed-age class. A good focus is given to personal, social and emotional development, and physical development is extended by the opportunities provided for swimming. The range of curricular opportunities is good in English and music in Years 3 to 6. A significant improvement has been the curriculum for physical education. This now meets

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Commentary

requirements and includes swimming for all pupils. The curriculum for ICT is unsatisfactory, although National Curriculum requirements are met through a range of external activities. The curriculum overall stimulates and inspires good work in many subjects.

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Commentary

15. The school is an inclusive school with good provision for pupils with special educational needs, who are all currently in Years 3 to 6. The school has not identified any pupils in Reception or Years 1 and 2 as having special educational needs. Effective systems are in place for the early identification and assessment of pupils with possible learning or behavioural difficulties. Individual education plans feature specific and attainable targets for pupils. However, many presently lack success criteria. There is good support from teaching assistants, and both teaching and non-teaching staff work together to provide positive encouragement to pupils with special educational needs. There is appropriate recognition of gifted and talented pupils.

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Commentary

16. The school’s visits and residential trip widen pupils’ experiences considerably, making a positive contribution to the full range of subjects, as well as to pupils’ personal development. Extra-curricular provision, such as the gardening and craft clubs, extend opportunities for children. Provision for ICT benefits from the residential trip and the contact with schools in the local area. However, the lack of adequate resources within the school restricts the range of uses for ICT available on a day-to-day basis.

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Commentary

17. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall. Recent developments, such as the mezzanine floor, have extended opportunities for group work. The school environment is attractive.

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Commentary

18. An outside area has been developed which is suitable for Reception children. This is shared with children from the Nursery and this helps to ensure Reception children receive an St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 11 appropriate Foundation Stage curriculum. The school has largely overcome the accommodation limitations, which affected physical education adversely, noted in the previous report, by use of a range of off site facilities.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ advice, guidance and support is very good . Mostly informal procedures are used satisfactorily to seek and act on pupils’ views. Procedures for pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very good access to appropriate support advice and guidance. • Pupils feel very well supported through a trusting relationship with one or more adults in the school. • The school operates very good induction arrangements in Reception; induction is very good overall.

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Commentary

19. In this small school, teachers and other adults, who are involved with children for a number of years, know the children very well. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress still vary; they are particularly good for Reception children and have developed well in English and mathematics. The personal knowledge of children, including aspects of their personal development, means that teachers give each child very good support and advice when necessary. Procedures for monitoring and supporting the academic progress and personal development of pupils with special educational needs are good. Information about individual pupils is usually used effectively to produce individual education plans and each pupil’s progress is monitored on a regular basis. The school works well with outside agencies and uses them effectively when they are required to do so. Procedures for gathering information about pupils’ views are informal, but generally effective in this small school. The headteacher is

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Commentary

considering establishing more formal systems, such as through a school council. The relationships, which have been established between teachers and children, are very good and, as a result, pupils feel they would be confident to approach staff if the need arose.

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Commentary

20. Pupils are supported by good procedures for child protection and health and safety. Provision for first aid and the recording of accidents are very good. Any incidents are followed up and, when necessary, parents informed. Good procedures in the classrooms enable children to work safely. The school receives relevant support from outside agencies when required.

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Commentary

21. The school operates very good induction procedures for Reception children. The school provides good information and visits to the school are arranged to help the transition from home to school. The use of home visits is not a regular feature, but the school is now considering this as a way of improving procedures further. The presence of a Nursery in the school’s grounds is an especially important feature in induction. Nursery and Reception children share the same outdoor area and regularly use this area together. Children therefore, see the progression from Nursery to Reception as a logical step and transfer is smooth. At the beginning of the autumn term the teacher completes detailed assessments of each child and the information is used to identify the level of work and support required.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with parents, the community and with other schools and colleges. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good information for parents about how the school is organised, but written reports lack sufficient detail. • Good links have been established with local primary schools, which contribute well to pupils’ learning. • Procedures for the transfer of pupils are good.

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Commentary

22. Parents are provided with a very good range of information concerning the school. They receive information about planned activities and useful, regular informative newsletters. Annual reports on pupils’ progress are satisfactory. They give mostly good information about the key subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT, but there is less detail in other areas, reflecting to some extent the less detailed assessment procedures. In addition, the reports are not helpful enough in guiding parents in understanding how their child can move on to the next stage. The reports show the good understanding teachers have of each child’s personal development.

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Commentary

23. The school is very open and parents often talk to teachers at the end of the school day and can raise any issues or concerns. Formal teacher parent consultation evenings are well established and seen as very valuable. However, the school does not have any formal procedures for gathering the views of parents or acting upon them. Parents are involved very well in supporting pupils’ learning at home and at school. There is a steady supply of regular parent helpers in the school and many turn out for school events and consultations. The local community is also fully involved in the events and as a result significant sums of money are raised for such a small school. The close ties with the church are especially beneficial. The quality of information produced by the school to inform parents about the nature of special educational needs and about the identification, assessment and progress of pupils who have

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Commentary

special educational needs, is good. Parents are involved in both drawing up individual education plans and also in the review of these plans. The Parent Teacher Association is very committed and involved. The school is approachable, it listens to parents’ complaints and concerns and parents feel they are dealt with very well. Parents are very satisfied with the school. In particular, they think children like school, behave well and make good progress. They also think teaching is good and that they are kept well informed. However, there are some concerns about whether there is always enough challenge for pupils in the mixed-age classes and inspectors agree that there are occasions when this could be improved. Pupils are positive in their views of school. Both parents and pupils comment on the good progress that the school has made recently; older pupils thought that they were challenged more now.

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Commentary

24. Good links have been established with the community and other schools in this sparsely populated area. The school has a broad range of links with the community. The school is well supported by members of the community, such as helping with the redecoration of the school. Members of the local community visit the school, providing support, help and guidance, which aid children’s learning. Similarly, pupils become involved in village activities and recently assisted the police as part of an anti-speeding campaign.

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Commentary

25. Links with other schools and colleges are good. The school forms part of an active network of schools in the area. This benefits pupils by helping to provide opportunities to share resources, such as having access to ICT equipment currently lacking in the school, and planning joint residential trips. They also help each other in developing policies and curricular initiatives and in organising joint staff training events. Very good links exist with the Nursery and this, together with the information supplied to parents, ensures easy transfer from Nursery to Reception. The school has good transfer arrangements for pupils. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 13

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the school is very good . The headteacher’s excellent leadership has established a vision and sense of purpose whilst the increasing involvement of all staff has helped to ensure that management is good . The school is organised very efficiently and the curriculum is managed well. The governance of the school is good . The governing body plays a prominent role in school life and has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It provides good support and is beginning to appreciate the need to challenge what the school is doing.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s excellent leadership has played a key role in developing all aspects of school life and the school is committed to improving standards further. • The management roles of staff are developing well, and monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work is improving. • The school has been very successful in ensuring there is very good inclusive practice in all aspects of its work. • Governors now play a more active role in the affairs of the school and have a realistic idea of what the school does well and what needs to improve.

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Commentary

26. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection and very good progress since the appointment of the new headteacher, who is inspiring, motivating and an excellent role model for other staff and pupils. With the backing of staff and governors, she has built an effective team of teachers and support staff in the relatively short time since her appointment. Curricular responsibilities are delegated appropriately but, because there are so very few teachers, each one is accountable for standards and provision in a very wide range of subjects. This creates a large workload for all teachers, especially the headteacher, who has a high teaching commitment and is responsible for jointly teaching the Years 3 to 6 class. It is to her great credit that she carries out her duties so very effectively.

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Commentary

27. Owing to the relatively small number of pupils in the school and the resultant ‘family’ atmosphere, relationships throughout the school are warm and friendly and this enhances the supportive learning environment and aids achievement. The governing body has ensured the school has fulfilled all its statutory duties and supports the school well. It is now playing a more active part in school life and, as a result, governors now have a good understanding of what the school does well and of areas, such as writing and ICT, in need of improvement. Furthermore, open relationships exist between the governing body and the school and individual governors now liaise regularly with staff regarding individual subject areas.

p.15

Commentary

28. Provision and standards in all subjects are reviewed in writing on an annual basis and the information gathered is used to inform school improvement planning. As a result, the present school improvement plan is clear and well constructed and focuses on achievable but challenging targets that are linked well with the continuing professional development of staff.

p.15

Commentary

29. The special educational needs co-ordinator fulfils her role well and leadership and management of special educational needs are good. She has ensured that statutory assessments are completed in accordance with the school’s policy and that systems have been set up to identify, assess, monitor and cater for the needs of pupils with special educational needs. As a result the school has ensured that efficient arrangements are in place to deliver a relevant curriculum to pupils needing extra support. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 14

p.15

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 149,420 Balance from previous year 9,662 Total expenditure 148,144 Balance carried forward to the next 10,938

p.16

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

30. Financial management and administration are good. The priorities in the school development plan are used to help guide the setting of the budget, which is carefully monitored throughout the year. As a result, the curriculum is as well resourced as possible although the school has recently had to cope with both the staggered withdrawal of the small schools’ salaries protection allowance and a drop in income due to a falling roll. The governors and headteacher realise that hard decisions will have to be made in the foreseeable future and understand fully the possible implication on standards. However, taking into account the good quality of education provided by the school, the good teaching and the progress pupils make to achieve above average standards by Year 6, the school presently provides satisfactory value for money. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 15

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The school provides a good education for children in the Foundation Stage.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The number of Reception children is low and they are taught in a mixed Reception and Years 1 and 2 class. At the time of the inspection, there was one full-time and two part-time Reception children. Lessons observed focused on the areas of personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development. Recent evidence shows that, on entry to Reception, children’s attainment is a little below average, especially in the area of language development. Children’s achievements are good because of the good support given to Reception children by the class teacher. The lessons are based on the activities of the remainder of the class, but modified to match the national guidance for Reception children. Good teaching therefore ensures good learning. Overall provision and children’s achievement are similar to that previously reported. Induction procedures for children are very good because of the very close links

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

with the on-site Nursery. Reception and Nursery children share the same outdoor area and this prepares children well for starting in Reception. Strong links are developed with parents, although the school is considering whether home visits will improve these further. Assessment procedures are thorough and effective in helping to ensure good progress by children.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children settle quickly into school. • Children’s attitudes and behaviour are good. • Children are on target to exceed the expected goals by the end of the Reception year.

p.17

Commentary

31. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The management of children’s behaviour is very good. The teacher creates a welcoming learning environment in which children feel comfortable and confident with the older pupils. The links with the Nursery have aided this settling in process. Children are given responsibility for their own actions and for learning unsupported for short periods of time, such as when they were exploring and handling toy soldiers. The quality of support is good, both by adults on a one-to-one basis and during lessons where they are fully included in activities. The one full-time child is often given specific responsibilities, such as handing out magnifying glasses to his older colleagues. The teacher uses questions well and values children’s contributions. Children maintain their concentration well because interesting tasks are organised effectively, and because of good adult support.

p.17

Commentary

Good teaching encourages children to appreciate the importance of taking turns. Children should exceed the goals expected when they reach the end of Reception. Their achievements are good.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 16 • Good opportunities are provided for children to speak and listen. • Early reading skills develop well. • Communication, language and literacy are used well throughout the day. • Children are on target to meet the expected goals by the end of the Reception year.

p.18

Commentary

32. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are encouraged to listen closely when questions are being asked. The teacher uses, for instance, dolls to encourage listening and clear answers during a mathematics session. Her high expectations of children listening to her and to others result in them quickly acquiring this skill. All children are encouraged to speak in individual, group and class activities. Adults interact well with children on an individual basis, extending their vocabulary and encouraging responses. Children are encouraged to contribute their ideas, such as about the colour of the missing doll or about plants growing in the garden. Role-play is used well to develop speaking and listening skills. The teaching assistant joins in with the play, encouraging all children to participate and to speak as characters in a story. Usually this process is aided by the presence of Nursery children and staff. Lessons have a

p.18

Commentary

strong literacy bias. Children’s vocabulary and their use of sounds are extended during a variety of tasks; such as sounding out ‘flip flop’. By the end of Reception, children form their letters accurately and write their own names. Books are shared and children understand how the pages of books are turned and that print has meaning. There are examples of confident reading of a simple story. Good links are established with parents as children take books home to read. Good teaching in music linked the activity well with a story read in class.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s achievements are good, and they are on line to reach the expected goals by the end of the Reception year. • Teaching is good, and resources are used effectively.

p.18

Commentary

33. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Mathematical development is extended across the curriculum, such as when a child was asked to count how many cones he was dribbling around during a physical education lesson. Children show their security with numbers up to five or ten, counting using various objects or, in the case of a high attaining child, in their head. Good support is given to pupils during whole-class lessons, with the careful use of questions matched to their levels of attainment. Very good use of resources, and the effective use of questions, helped children apply their developing mathematical skills. The activity, using bears with different coloured coats, hats and scarves, promoted knowledge of colours and deductions about ‘Which bear is missing?’ In addition, this work promoted an understanding of numbers to five. Children understand mathematical terms such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’,

p.18

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The provision for knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development is satisfactory . St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 17

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children show a good interest in plants and their roots. • Children’s musical skills are developing well. • Children are on target to meet the expected goals by the end of the Reception year.

p.19

Commentary

34. Most activities in these areas of learning took place in the afternoon when only one Reception child was in attendance. The quality of teaching and learning is at least satisfactory, and good in music. Children are provided with good opportunities to use their senses and equipment, such as magnifying glasses, to explore the features of different kinds of roots. Working with older pupils, children show interest and learn new vocabulary. Previous work shows that children recognise push and pull forces and sort animals into different groups. Progress is aided by good support from the teacher and the careful use of questions. In geography, children know some terms used to describe different kinds of houses. They are introduced to the features of rivers, the local village, and how life has changed by handling old and new objects or looking at different forms of transport. When children draw around shapes, they

p.19

Commentary

have difficulty in using the crayon or pencil. Similarly when using a glue stick or paste, the grip used is rather crude. When handling wooden soldiers, children showed satisfactory control when placing them on pegs. During physical education, sound control was evident as a ball was dribbled between a set of cones. In music, good teaching helped children progress well so that, by the end, they could keep a pulse and beat. The well resourced outside area enables both physical and creative development to be promoted effectively.

p.19

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good and has a positive impact on standards throughout the school.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement in English is good. • Pupils’ attitudes towards the subject are good. • Older pupils develop very effective speaking and listening skills and express themselves well during conversations. • The standard of work of pupils in Year 6 is above average. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress in learning. • The quality of pupils’ writing, including spelling and handwriting, is not as good as other areas of English. • The standard of written work of Year 2 pupils is lower than that seen in other schools.

p.19

Commentary

35. The number of pupils in each year group is very small and this means that data have to be analysed with caution. In recent years, attainment by Year 2 in the National Curriculum tests in reading and writing has been average. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in English has been below average overall. Currently, Year 2 pupils attain standards in reading and speaking and listening that are about average, but below average in writing. English results are above the national average in Year 6. This represents good achievement, as pupils enter the school with below average standards of attainment and make good progress in nearly all year groups as a result of the school’s successful application of the National Literacy Strategy. However, the standard of pupils’ written work lags behind that of reading and the development of pupils’ St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 18 speaking and listening skills. As a result, the attainment of pupils in Year 2 is below the national

p.19

Commentary

average, even though their achievement is satisfactory. The standard of written work continues to be below that seen in other areas of English throughout the school. The exception to this is Year 6, where the standard of written work is good overall. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well through the good use of teaching assistants and well-targeted individual educational plans.

p.20

Commentary

36. Standards in reading are consistent with the national average in the current Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Year 2 pupils enjoy reading and explain how the school library works. Most read simple texts accurately and lower ability pupils self-correct simple words when reading. Nearly all Year 6 pupils read confidently and independently and more able pupils express themselves very well when retelling a story. Most discuss stories and the characters within them. The more able read with expression and feeling and use inference and deduction when discussing and comparing favourite authors and books.

p.20

Commentary

37. Standards in writing are above average in Year 6. However, in all other year groups the standard of written work, including spelling and handwriting, remains an area for development and standards are below the national average. The school is well aware of this. Whilst Year 2 pupils write with meaning and in a narrative way, they use simple, limited vocabulary ; for instance ‘I liked the monkeys’, and ‘I liked the snakes,’ and their writing contains only limited evidence of opportunities to plan and draft work. Furthermore, written tasks are sometimes not matched to pupils’ individual abilities and previous learning. From a scrutiny of work it was evident that all pupils, regardless of age or ability, are sometimes given similar tasks to complete and this affects their individual achievement.

p.20

Commentary

38. Even so, by Year 6, pupils use, for example, correct punctuation within sentences and most have developed a full understanding of the use of commas, apostrophes and inverted commas. They are capable of exploring feelings and ideas in their writing and understand fully the differences between direct and reported speech. Work is usually carefully presented and neatly written. However, spelling is not always accurate.

p.20

Commentary

39. Standards in speaking and listening are satisfactory in Year 2 and good in Year 6. Teachers make good role models and try to involve pupils well in discussions. As a result pupils are given regular opportunities to explain, describe, discuss and ask questions in all year groups. Pupils in Year 6 listen attentively and with respect to others and most are capable of expressing their own views well. Year 6 pupils talked with confidence and assurance about how best to use text to write a story. They used a good range of vocabulary and responded to questions with reasoned arguments.

p.20

Commentary

40. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils’ attitudes to English are good throughout the school and most enjoy learning. Furthermore, the school uses the National Literacy Strategy well to enhance pupils’ achievement. This was evident in a well-taught lesson to Years 3 to 6 in which all pupils, including those with special educational needs, made good progress in learning because the teacher structured the lesson very well in order to cater for the needs of all pupils. Even though expectations were a little too high for younger pupils, the work set for all others was challenging but achievable. The pace of the lesson was brisk and pupils were attentive and interested in what they were doing.

p.20

Commentary

41. The subject is well led and managed by the co-ordinator, who has a good idea of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and of the need to develop further writing skills. She displays a clear vision and sense of purpose. As a result, the attainment of pupils in Year 2 has been maintained whilst standards have been raised in Year 6. This represents good improvement since the last inspection and reflects the importance the school continues to attach to raising standards in this subject. Pupils’ work is assessed against national standards on a regular basis and the co-ordinator monitors both planning and teaching. Pupils are involved in setting targets and goals for themselves and lower ability pupils are supported in their learning by St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 19 teaching assistants and by extra literacy programmes. Resources for teaching English are satisfactory.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

The use of language and literacy across the curriculum is satisfactory overall. Reading and writing skills are developed in other subjects, history for example, and pupils are usually encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills further during discussion periods within lessons.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is good. Standards are improving and pupils are doing well during their time in the school.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement by Year 6 is good and attainment is above average. • Teaching is good. • Pupils usually have very good attitudes to the subject. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. • Assessment procedures are good, but the portfolio of children’s work is not helpful enough. • Little use is made of ICT to support learning.

p.21

Commentary

42. The number of pupils in each year group is very small and this means that data have to be analysed with caution. In recent years, attainment by Year 2 in the National Curriculum tests has been above average. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment has been well below average. Current attainment has improved and is above average by Year 6, and about average by Year 2. Pupils’ progress throughout the school is good because lessons are well organised. Achievement is therefore good. Pupils’ work last year showed a good range of high-level work across all areas, including applying mathematical knowledge, which was a weakness previously.

p.21

Commentary

43. Teaching and learning are good. Learning is aided by well-planned teaching which is designed to support the different age groups in each class. The success of these plans is aided by the effective support by teaching assistants and the teacher’s use of time to support groups. Tasks match pupils’ age and attainment levels well; this helps their learning and their independence. Pupils’ positive attitudes and interest also aid learning. Good use was made of practical resources in Years 1 and 2 as pupils learnt and applied their knowledge of addition and subtraction. In Years 3 to 6, good teaching allowed older pupils to explore different multiplication methods, and the assessment of younger pupils’ understanding of doubling and halves. On occasions, some of the work could be extended for the older and higher-attaining pupils in each class. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by either the

p.21

Commentary

class teacher or teaching assistant; their progress is therefore good. The school is beginning to analyse test results effectively to identify areas that need improvement. This has been supported by useful in-service support. Day-to-day marking is good overall, but it is not used sufficiently to extend the thinking of more able pupils. A portfolio of pupils’ work is being developed, but the lack of detailed annotation, including the level achieved, limits its value.

p.21

Commentary

44. The curriculum is based on the National Numeracy Strategy, adapted to meet the needs of the mixed-age classes. It includes good opportunities to encourage pupils to use their skills to solve real life or imaginative problems. This represents good progress since the previous inspection when this was identified as a weakness. Only recently has a member of staff taken over the role of co-ordination for the subject. Management is satisfactory and improving, data are analysed well but there has been limited monitoring of teaching in the school. Little use is made of ICT to support learning. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 20

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

The use of mathematics in other subjects is not extensive enough. The sound policy lacks detailed guidance on the use of numeracy skills in other areas. There is some collection and use of data in science, together with the production of graphs. Work in design and technology does not include sufficient accurate measurement and there is little comparison of data in geography.

p.22

SCIENCE

Provision in science is good . Standards are about average by the end of Year 2 and attainment is above average by Year 6. This represents good achievement by the time pupils leave the school.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement by Year 6 is good and attainment is above average. • Teaching is good. • Pupils have very good attitudes to the subject. • Assessment procedures are satisfactory, but the portfolio of children’s work is not helpful enough. • Older pupils do not have enough opportunities to plan their own investigations. • Insufficient use is made of pupils’ mathematical and ICT skills.

p.22

Commentary

45. The number of pupils in each year group is very small and this means that data have to be analysed with caution. In recent years, by the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in science has been average overall. Teacher assessments indicate broadly average attainment by Year 2. Pupils achieve well in science because of well-organised lessons, an emphasis on practical activities, and good teaching. As a result, standards achieved by Year 6 are now above average. Pupils have a good understanding, for instance, about electrical circuits and use their knowledge to incorporate eyes that light up in models. In Year 2, attainment is about average, but with little high attainment. They know about push and pull forces, and use magnifying glasses correctly to observe roots.

p.22

Commentary

46. Pupils are very keen to learn about science and to get involved with practical activities. As a result, they behave very well and make good strides in their learning. Teaching is good, although on occasions there is a lack of depth and not enough challenge for some of the oldest pupils in the Years 1 and 2 class. In the best teaching, pupils were engaged quickly and questions were used to encourage learning. The teacher provided very well planned opportunities for pupils to investigate aspects of electrical circuits. The teacher set the older pupils a good challenge to build their own switches from a range of materials supplied. This they did enthusiastically without extensive support. This enabled the teacher to assess other pupils’ understanding of the effects of varying the number of bulbs in a series circuit. Good use was made of ICT as pupils devised circuits and explored whether they worked. In general,

p.22

Commentary

however, insufficient use is made of ICT to support and extend learning. A weakness in some work is that the scientific vocabulary used is not extensive enough. Assessment is improving, and pupils’ progress is followed satisfactorily; marking however does not always help pupils understand how they can improve. There is limited analysis of assessment data. A useful portfolio of pupils’ work is being prepared, but its value is currently limited, as the work is not annotated sufficiently.

p.22

Commentary

47. Satisfactory use is made of pupils’ writing skills to produce reports. Insufficient use is made of pupils’ mathematical skills to measure, collect and organise data, and to produce or interpret graphs. Although pupils develop a good range of skills, not enough opportunities are available St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 21 for the older pupils in particular to plan their own scientific investigations to try to answer questions they have raised. Good progress has been made since the last inspection, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Standards have risen and teaching is better. Only recently has a member of staff taken over the role of co-ordination for the subject.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory . Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are below those expected.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Satisfactory progress since the previous inspection has ensured that National Curriculum requirements are met. • Good links have been established with other schools and sources of ICT support. • Standards of attainment are below the level expected. • Lack of resources within the school limit opportunities to use ICT across the curriculum. • Assessment of pupils’ ICT skills is not well established.

p.23

Commentary

48. Standards in ICT are below those expected. Although a number of pupils have learnt the basics of ICT work, including through support from home, the range of skills is unsatisfactory. Pupils throughout the school are uncertain when using the keyboard, often taking time to find the correct letter. Many have uncertain control of the computer mouse. There are examples of appropriate work, such as aspects of word-processing and desktop publishing, with the occasional incorporation of a picture in the text. However, there are also examples of word- processed work, which contain uncorrected spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 correctly program a ‘Pixie’ (a programmable toy) to complete a series of movements, but their ICT vocabulary is limited and they are very insecure when using a geography map program. Pupils’ achievement is generally satisfactory, but this is not good

p.23

Commentary

enough to raise attainment sufficiently. No formal ICT lessons were seen, although it was used in the context of other subjects. Teachers’ subject knowledge has improved through in-service support, but there remains a lack of confidence.

p.23

Commentary

49. Only recently has a member of staff taken over the role of co-ordinator for the subject. Improvements have, to date, relied on the collective desire of the staff to provide pupils with better opportunities. Contacts with other schools, the use of part of the residential trip and support from the local authority have helped to ensure the minimum requirements are met. The lack of resources has meant that mainly only basic ICT work can be completed in school. A range of assessment procedures is being introduced, such as end of unit assessment of National Curriculum levels, but it is not systematic enough. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last Inspection, which has ensured all pupils cover the required topics, but the lack of resources limits pupils’ opportunities to use many of their new skills in school.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

A range of opportunities is developed to use ICT in other subjects. The range of resources and weaknesses in pupils’ skills limit the impact of these initiatives. Suitable use is made of ICT to word process work in English and history, although errors go uncorrected. In mathematics, there are examples of data handling and graph production, but these are not extensive enough. In geography, ICT is used satisfactorily to develop map work skills and good use in science resulted in better understanding of electrical circuits. Insufficient use is made of ICT in art and design and design and technology. Relevant use is made of the Internet. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 22

p.23

History and geography

Provision in history and geography is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes towards the subjects are good. • The quality of teaching in history in Years 3 to 6 is good. • The curriculum is enriched through the provision of visits to places of historical interest. • Assessment of pupils’ progress is not used sufficiently when planning further work.

p.24

Commentary

50. In history, pupils in Year 6 reach standards of attainment expected nationally and make sound progress in learning. This represents satisfactory achievement. No judgement could be made about standards attained by Year 2 pupils because of insufficient evidence. Good use is made of the local environment and visits to places of interest to make the subject more relevant to pupils’ experiences. In the geography lesson in Years 1 and 2, pupils had a satisfactory knowledge of maps and used relevant vocabulary associated with houses, such as semi- detached and terraced, correctly. Geography work was also sampled through an examination of the work of pupils in Year 3 to Year 6. This confirmed that these pupils attained standards comparable to those expected nationally and that achievement was satisfactory. In both subjects, although the marking of pupils’ work is satisfactory, more rigour is needed in the use

p.24

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching and learning in the only history lesson observed during the inspection was good. The teacher’s interest and good subject knowledge made pupils eager to learn about life in ancient Greece and her good use of artefacts and resources brought the lesson to life. Work was well matched to pupils’ abilities and, as a result, the achievement of all pupils was good. Whilst younger pupils learned about life in Greek schools, older pupils were given opportunities to interpret events and discussed their work – why ancient Greeks left babies to die if they were disabled - with knowledge and enthusiasm and used subject specific vocabulary meaningfully. In addition, small groups of pupils took turns to use ICT programs, linked to the Internet, to enhance their learning. Overall the lesson was effective and standards of attainment well matched to those expected. All pupils behaved well and their attitudes to

p.24

Commentary

learning were good. One lesson was observed in geography that developed map work and knowledge of different types of housing satisfactorily. A scrutiny of teachers’ planning also confirmed that the requirements of the National Curriculum in history and geography were taught in sufficient depth.

p.24

Commentary

52. Even though the subjects are soundly led and managed by the co-ordinator, standards of attainment and achievement of Year 6 pupils have declined since the last inspection and are now satisfactory overall. However, resources are good and are used well to enhance learning. In addition, history and geography work are linked together well, and there are examples of the use of the Internet and map programs to aid learning. Pupils, however, found difficulty in using the map program effectively. Both subjects contribute well to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, such as about how people, such as the Ancient Greeks, lived in the past or caring for the environment. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 23

p.24

Art and design and design and technology

No lessons were observed, but scrutiny of work, displays around the school and discussions with staff and pupils indicate that provision in art and design and design and technology is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• National Curriculum requirements are now met for design and technology. • Not enough use is made of ICT. • There is limited formal assessment so that pupils know how they can improve.

p.25

Commentary

53. In both subjects, standards are satisfactory. Suitable planning ensures that all aspects of art and design and design and technology are developed during children’s time in school. In art and design, for example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 produced portraits of appropriate quality using crayon and collage using paper. Older pupils produced a range of satisfactory three- dimensional clay artefacts, such as Greek pots. In design and technology, pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a range of materials and joining techniques to produce model houses, and older pupils demonstrate a satisfactory range of joining skills, such as using split pins.

p.25

Commentary

54. Good links are established with other subjects, especially history and science. In art and design, history work on the Ancient Greeks and a visit to Wilton House stimulated care with the clay work. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 also applied their knowledge of electrical circuits to producing models. In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ study of portraits by Picasso, Modigliani, Blake and John promoted cultural awareness and the development of careful observation of works of art. For both subjects, a member of staff has taken over the role of co-ordinator recently. The use of ICT to aid the design process or to create pictures in a range of styles is not developed sufficiently. There is little recorded, systematic assessment of pupils’ skills. Progress in art and design has been maintained since the last inspection, and in design and technology progress has been good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes towards the subject are good in Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6. • Standards are good in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2, and very well in Years 3 to 6. • Teaching is good overall and leads to high expectations of pupils’ performances.

p.25

Commentary

55. Pupils in all year groups enjoy music and have developed good attitudes to the subject. They learn a good range of skills and attain standards comparable to those expected nationally in Year 2 and above expected standards in Year 6. The quality of singing in unison is good throughout the school. Older pupils perform very well when using a range of musical instruments. They display good musical appreciation and are provided with effective opportunities to compose and create music. As a result, the achievement of Year 2 pupils is good whilst the achievement of pupils in Year 6 is very good. St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 24 56. Pupils’ attitudes to music are good in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Years 3 to 6. A part-time teacher visits the school each week to teach all age groups of pupils. She has an excellent knowledge of the subject and has the ability to make lessons exciting and entertaining. She

p.25

Commentary

packs a lot into a little time and sets high standards for pupils to attain. As a result, the overall quality of her teaching is good. In one very well taught lesson to pupils in the Years 3 to 6 class, all activities were demanding and motivating and pupils acquired new skills and understanding as the lesson progressed. Even the warm-up singing activities, which were tuneful and melodic, made pupils keen and eager to learn and the level of challenge was very good for pupils of all musical abilities, who were each given structured opportunities to play a selection of tuned and percussive instruments whilst they played and sang the song ‘Bigfoot Country’. The level of performance was very high from all pupils and the cultural influence of Native American Indians could be distinguished well. At the end of the song both adults and pupils clapped in appreciation spontaneously. Later on in the lesson all pupils performed the song

p.26

Commentary

‘Griffin’ using kazoos and a ‘Swannee whistle’. Once again the standard of overall performance was very good and reflected the quality of teaching.

p.26

Commentary

57. The subject is well led and managed by the co-ordinator who has ensured that the music curriculum is broad and effective and meets requirements. As a result standards of attainment and achievement of older pupils have remained above average, even though the standards achieved by pupils in Year 2 have declined since the last inspection. Resources are satisfactory and are used well to enhance learning and the subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Links between music and other subjects, such as ICT, are satisfactory.

p.26

Physical education

One lesson was observed in physical education. The evidence available, including planning, shows that provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The full range of the physical education curriculum is covered, with swimming for all children. • Good improvement has ensured the full National Curriculum requirements are met. • There is not always sufficient guidance to help pupils improve, and too many activities are attempted in one lesson. • Assessment in swimming is good, but there is limited recorded assessment in other aspects of physical education.

p.26

Commentary

58. Pupils have access to a good physical education curriculum, which covers all the required elements. Swimming is available for all children in the school two terms each year. Satisfactory teaching helped pupils develop their catching and throwing skills to a satisfactory standard by Year 2, but there is little high attainment. During the lesson, there was appropriate attention given to assessing which pupils needed additional support, but not enough use was made of demonstration and evaluation by the teacher or pupils to help them improve. Too many activities were attempted and, as a result, there was a lack of focus for developing specific skills. There is little recorded, systematic assessment of pupils’ skills in physical education, except for swimming. These assessments are good and show that pupils’ attainment in swimming exceeds the expected standard by Year 6, and most children in Years 4 and 5 meet these standards. There has been good improvement since the previous

p.26

Commentary

inspection. Despite continuing difficulties with accommodation, careful planning ensures that all children swim and experience a gymnastics programme during each year by using facilities off site. Similarly the school residential trip includes adventurous and outdoor pursuits. Country dancing is included during the summer term. It is hoped to extend opportunities further by the St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 25 use of the village hall. Only recently has a member of staff taken over the role of co-ordination for the subject.

p.26

Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social and health education is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assemblies make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development. • Sex education and education about the misuse of drugs are included in the science curriculum.

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Commentary

59. Pupils’ personal, social and health education is promoted through many aspects of the curriculum. The importance of behaving well, respecting and supporting each other is often evident in teachers’ expectations in lessons. Members of the community, such as from the police and church, contribute well to aspects of pupils’ personal, social and health education. In a joint exercise with the police, pupils were involved in questioning motorists caught speeding through the village. Issues such as sex education and drugs misuse are taught in science. The importance of caring for animals, such as pet rabbits, is also discussed in science. Assemblies make a positive contribution to personal development, such as the importance of communication or saying prayers that bring the needs of others to everyone’s attention. The small school ethos helps the development of social skills and confidence from an early age.

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Commentary

St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 26

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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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 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 2

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 4 St Thomas A Becket CE VA Primary School - 27 The effectiveness of management 3

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The leadership and management of the school 2

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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