Stoke Heath Primary School

STOKE HEATH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 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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STOKE HEATH 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. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 265

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Heath Crescent Coventry West Midlands

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 024 7645 4741 Fax number: 024 7645 4793

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Paul Green

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1-4 June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is bigger than other primary schools. Since the previous inspection, it has moved into new buildings erected on the same site. The number on roll has fallen considerably in the last few years. The area is subject to major re-housing work, with many families moved out of their accommodation while homes are demolished and rebuilt. Currently there are 235 full-time pupils in the Reception year to Year 6, organised into 10 classes, some of them mixed-age. The mixed-age classes are very small and contain pupils needing intensive support. A further 31 part-time pupils attend a Nursery class. Pupil mobility 1 is high, affecting one in five pupils during the last academic year. The immediate locality has significant social and economic disadvantage. Almost half of the pupils are eligible for a free school meal and this is well above the national average. About two-thirds are from white-British families and one third from a range of mixed ethnic and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

minority ethnic groups, mostly Indian, other Asian, black-Caribbean and black-African families. About a third of the pupils speak English as an additional language. Most have some fluency in English but about three per cent are in the early stages of learning English. The main other languages are Gujarati and Punjabi. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, nearly half, is very high and has doubled since the previous inspection. Four pupils have statements of special educational need. Most of those with special educational needs have general learning difficulties that affect all subjects, with a large proportion who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school is joining an Excellence Cluster when it changes from an Educational Action Zone in January 2005. The national Sure Start scheme operates at the school and will lead to a children’s centre being built on site by September 2005. The school has just finished the national

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Intensive Support Programme. The turnover of teachers over the past two years has been high.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

1 Mobility refers to pupils who join the school after the Reception year or leave before the end of Year 6. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 21552 Mr P B McAlpine Lead inspector English Information and communication technology Art and design Physical education Special educational needs English as an additional language 19320 Mr B Attaway Lay inspector 30745 Mrs P Thorpe Team inspector Science Design and technology History Geography 11419 Mrs J Underwood Team inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Religious education Music

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

PBM, Brookbridge and Bedford Ltd 13A Market Place Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8HY

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

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). Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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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 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school is effective and offers satisfactory value for money. All pupils make appropriate progress in relation to their very varied abilities because of competent teaching. Although standards attained by Year 6 are below the national average in English, mathematics and science, this still represents good achievement compared to the pupils’ mixed, and mostly very low, starting points. The pupils respond positively to the teaching, work hard and behave well. The teaching is effective because of purposeful leadership and management. The headteacher has successfully forged a well- motivated and skilful teaching team.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:  the achievement of nearly all pupils is consistent with their capacity for learning;  the pupils achieve particularly well in reading;  many pupils have limited language and communication skills, especially boys, and this is constraining their ability to learn and to reason verbally;  the methods for managing pupils’ behaviour are consistently implemented by all teachers and this is resulting in a good overall standard of behaviour;  the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good;  the provision for collective worship does not meet statutory requirements and not enough time is give to religious education.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory. Standards have improved steadily even though the proportion with special educational needs has increased since the last inspection from about a quarter to half the number of pupils on roll. Action to remedy the shortcomings identified at the time of the previous inspection has been constructive and successful. The quality of teaching has improved considerably.

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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 E* E* E D Mathematics E* E E C Science E* E* E E 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

Achievement is good. Individual learning needs are well met and all pupils are making suitable progress in relation to their ability. Pupils of average ability and those who are more able achieve well and attain or exceed the nationally expected levels for their age. A large proportion of pupils, sometimes half or more of each class or cohort, have learning difficulties of varying degrees. Support for these pupils is good. They all make progress, though the amount, because of the nature of their difficulties, is often measured only in small steps. Many of these pupils are two or more years behind the national expectations for their age. School records show that the attainment and achievement of some of the pupils in this group is made worse by their regularly changing schools and by poor attendance. The learning of a large proportion of boys, mainly from white British backgrounds, is constrained by their limited speaking and communication skills. Pupils from minority ethnic

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 7 backgrounds, including those learning English as an additional language, achieve well and the more able often make very quick progress. The proportions of pupils attaining or exceeding the nationally expected level for their age in English, mathematics and science are well below the national average in Year 2. These proportions increase over time but are still below the national average by Year 6. Test results, compared to the national average, have improved over the past three years from being in the lowest five per cent of all schools in 2001 to being in the lowest 25 per cent in 2003. These results are comparable to similar schools in mathematics but not as good in English and science. Pupils’ personal qualities, including their moral and social development are good. Cultural development is satisfactory. Spiritual development is constrained by limited provision. Attitudes to

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

learning and behaviour are good. Punctuality is satisfactory. A sizeable majority of pupils have good attendance. However, a significant minority of parents do not ensure that their children attend regularly and because of this, attendance overall is below average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. Teaching is good with some very good and excellent features. The teaching is challenging and stretches the more able effectively. Many lessons are motivational and inspire pupils to work hard. Behaviour management is very good. Different learning needs are diagnosed and well supported in the main, although extended verbal communication among boys is not sufficiently promoted in some lessons. The large numbers of pupils with learning difficulties, including emotional and behavioural difficulties, are helped by the consistently good, well directed provision. Pupils with English as an additional language receive appropriate support. The curriculum has suitable breadth and depth and statutory requirements are met in all subjects. The enrichment of the curriculum through visits, visitors, and extra-curricular provision is good. The accommodation and the resources are better than found in many other schools. Good priority is given to pupils’ care,

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

welfare, and health and safety. Links with parents and the community are satisfactory. Links with other schools and colleges are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is leading the development of the school effectively. She is well supported by her deputy. Subject leaders and others with management responsibility provide good support. Team work is well developed. School self-evaluation is good. Senior management is aware of the main strengths and weaknesses of the school and taking effective action to bring about improvement. In most respects, governance of the school is good and nearly all relevant statutory requirements are met, including those for racial equality. However, collective worship is not a daily occurrence and places insufficient emphasis on Christianity.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents who responded to the questionnaire, attended the meeting, or spoke to inspectors during the inspection were positive about the school and appreciate its efforts. The majority of pupils like school. Neither parents nor pupils raised any significant concern.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:  continue to raise achievement and standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science by implementing the school development plan;  improve the speaking and communication skills of pupils, particularly boys;  allocate more time to the teaching of religious education; Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 8 and, to meet statutory requirements:  provide daily opportunities for collective worship, consistent with statutory requirements. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is good. Attainment on entry is very low. Progress is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Nevertheless, standards in each of the nationally agreed areas of learning in the Foundation Stage and in reading, writing, mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2 remain well below average in these year groups. Good progress continues in Years 3 to 6 and many pupils catch up with national expectations. Even so, standards remain below the national average in Year 6. In information and communication technology, standards are average in Year 6 but below average in Year 2. Standards throughout the school are average in religious education and in art and design. Standards in history and geography are well below average in Year 2, rising to below average by Year 6. Standards are below average in design and technology. Standards in the other subjects were not evaluated because of limited evidence.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Almost all pupils are working close to their potential and as well as can be expected.  The performance of the school in the national tests in Year 2 and Year 6 in English, mathematics and science has been well below the average for other schools because of the very large numbers of pupils with learning difficulties.

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Commentary

1. The achievement of almost all pupils is consistent with their capacity for learning. The average and more able pupils are academically stretched by the teaching and generally attain as highly as pupils of similar abilities in other schools. About half the pupils have some form of learning difficulty. For many, these difficulties are significant, at times profound. They are well supported and make good progress in relation to the difficulties they face but their progress is not always as much as made by pupils of average ability. For many with difficulties, progress is measurable only in small steps but is nevertheless a considerable achievement. The substantial majority of pupils enter the Reception year with limited early skills in speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy. About a third of them speak English as an additional language and although some are fluently bilingual, most experience varying degrees of difficulty

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Commentary

understanding the curriculum. Many pupils, whatever their ability or background, catch up with national expectations as they get older, reflecting the good teaching they receive. At the start of Year 1, barely 10 per cent of pupils attain the nationally expected levels in literacy and numeracy and almost none exceed them. By Year 6, between 60 and 70 per cent are doing so, depending on the subject, including between 10 and 30 per cent exceeding expectations. This signifies good achievement compared to attainment on entry.

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Commentary

2. Achievement and attainment are affected by pupil mobility 2 . A core of pupils, usually amounting to half, sometimes two-thirds, of each year group remain at the school from Reception to Year 6. Nearly all of these pupils make the nationally expected amount of progress over the years and a substantial majority attain or exceed the typical level for their age. The remainder in each cohort comprise a transient group of pupils, many with low attainment and very limited learning skills. These pupils settle quickly into the school, reflecting the good

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Commentary

2 Mobility refers to pupils who join the school after the Reception year or leave before the end of Year 6. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 10 efforts of teachers, and achieve as well as can be expected given the difficulties they face. Some of these pupils have attended several schools and their learning, and attitudes to learning, have been appreciably disturbed. Around 30 per cent of pupils have poor attendance, including some whose attendance is very poor. School records show that this group mostly has very low attainment and that their progress is slower than other pupils because of their regular non- attendance. The school works with these pupils well to change their lifestyle and improve their learning, with modest signs of improvement.

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Commentary

3. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds do as well, overall, as pupils from white British families. A few, mainly from Indian families, attain highly. About half the pupils with English as an additional language speak Punjabi. They have mostly progressed past the early stages of learning English but still need support and their attainment in most subjects lags behind other pupils in Years 1 to 4 and then begins to catch up in Years 5 and 6. Several of these pupils make rapid progress so that by Year 6 they attain as well as, and sometimes better than, the majority of other pupils in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Those needing support because they are at the earliest stages mostly speak Urdu, Turkish, Albanian and Portuguese and have not been in school long. About a quarter of those with English as an additional language also have special educational needs and their progress in most subjects is slow. These

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Commentary

are mainly older pupils who have had time to acquire reasonable fluency in English so that it is possible to separate their difficulties in acquiring English from other, more general, learning difficulties.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 10.2 (13.7) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 10.4 (11.3) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 11.9 (13.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 41 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Because of the very wide range and mixed nature of the pupils’ abilities, test results over the past four years have been well below national averages in Year 2 and Year 6. The 2003 results in Year 2 were in the lowest five per cent of schools in all subjects tested. Only 39 per cent of the pupils attained or exceeded the nationally expected level in reading and writing, fewer than half the average proportion nationally; these results are extremely low. Only seven per cent exceeded national expectations in reading and writing. In mathematics, only 49 per cent of the pupils in Year 2 attained or exceeded the expected level, including 15 per cent exceeding expectations. The typical pupil in Year 2 is almost two years behind the nationally expected level in reading and writing and about one year behind in mathematics. The better performance in mathematics compared to reading and writing is because the

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Commentary

pupils with English as an additional language are less constrained in numeracy by language difficulties.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 24.0 (22.3) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 24.9 (23.7) 26.8 (26.7) science 25.7 (24.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 40 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. The 2003 results in Year 6 were well below average and in the lowest 25 per cent of schools nationally in all subjects tested. This was an improvement on the previous year. In total, 58 per cent of the pupils Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 11 attained or exceeded the nationally expected level in English and mathematics and 70 per cent did so in science. This shows a satisfactory increase on the proportions attaining expected levels compared to Year 2. The results in mathematics were the same as similar schools but the results in English were not as good, although they have risen from the bottom five per cent into the bottom 40 per cent. Between 15 and 28 per cent of pupils exceeded national expectations, depending on the subject, showing a good improvement on the proportions exceeding expectations in Year 2. By Year 6, the typical pupil is less than a year behind. The trend in results in Year 6 over the past three years has been one of

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Commentary

improvement at a rate that is faster than the national trend. The early indications for 2004 are that the trend of improvement will continue.

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Commentary

6. Boys under perform in literacy in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6 compared to girls, with the differences in attainment narrowing as pupils get older. This is shown in the tests, in their work and in the lessons seen. On entry, boys in particular have limited skills in speaking and in early literacy. Throughout the school, a large number of boys are reluctant to talk about their work and have difficulty expressing their thoughts, explaining their reasoning, and providing detailed verbal comments pertinent to their studies. This limitation is also reflected in their writing and the difficulty some of them have in sustaining their writing at length. The teachers are tackling this problem. A three year project in conjunction with the speech and language service has just ended and has helped the school improve its methods. Good use is made of talk partners. However, given the severity of the problem, further

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Commentary

development is needed. For example, not enough priority is given in some lessons to promoting extended answers from boys and, more generally, too little use is made of role-play to stimulate dialogue and discussion.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes and behaviour are good . Good opportunities exist for the personal development of pupils. Attendance is unsatisfactory. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons and around the school are good.  Relationships at all levels are good.  The teachers plan too few opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual awareness.  The school encourages pupils in Year 6 to take on responsibilities around the school.  Low attendance levels reduce learning for some pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

7. Almost all pupils behave well because teachers and other staff insist on good behaviour and because they have a clear understanding of what is socially and morally acceptable. Reward and sanction procedures are clear and members of staff take time to explain why a particular action is not allowed. As a result, nearly all pupils understand the consequences of their behaviour. A tiny minority of pupils seem unaware of the impact of their actions on others and there is evidence of occasional bullying taking place. This is dealt with promptly by the teaching staff. The number of exclusions for poor behaviour has more than halved since the previous inspection because of the high priority given to meeting behavioural needs. Two pupils were excluded during the reporting period, one permanently. Correct procedures were followed and one pupil was successfully reintegrated.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

8. The personal development of pupils is strengthened by their good relationships with their teachers and other adults. Pupils are generally sensible and respectful and Year 6 pupils carry out duties around the school willingly. Members of staff treat the pupils in a kindly manner, Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 12 sharing humour and encouraging them to follow their very good example. Teachers and support staff make careful provision for pupils with special educational needs which ensures they are fully included in the life of the school. As a result, pupils with special educational needs show the same positive attitudes to school as their fellow pupils. Pupils have a good interest in school life. They develop confidence and self esteem and most enjoy coming to school where they are well cared for.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

9. Attendance in the current school year is higher than at the last inspection, reflecting the extensive efforts made by the school to improve this aspect. About 70 per cent of the pupils have good attendance records. The remaining 30 per cent, however, have poor attendance and this is why attendance for the school overall is below the national average. The parents of these pupils are not doing enough to ensure that their children attend regularly. School records and the education welfare service report that some parents’ have a negative view of education and do not see good attendance as important. Attendance and unauthorised absence are adversely affected by extended holidays and by the transient nature of the school population. For example, refugees and pupils with social service involvement who leave have to remain on the register until they are admitted to another school and this can be for several weeks. Apart from

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Main strengths and weaknesses

a small minority, most pupils arrive on time and punctuality is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.4 School data 0.5 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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Main strengths and weaknesses

10. Provision for spiritual development is just satisfactory but the school places insufficient emphasis on collective worship, for which statutory requirements are not met. Pupils are taught to persevere when things become difficult and the school recognises effort and achievement in many ways. The good provision for moral development is closely linked with the school’s care and support systems. Pupils understand right from wrong and try to show consideration for others. Provision for social development is good. During lessons pupils learn to work successfully in pairs and groups. They are expected to cooperate and to support each other. After school clubs, residential visits, visitors and other events provide a more relaxing social climate where friendships are formed and grow. Provision for cultural development is just satisfactory. Pupils have knowledge of their own local culture and study art and music in

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Main strengths and weaknesses

lessons. However, teachers plan too few opportunities for pupils to study traditions and values from other cultural backgrounds.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 146 2 1 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 8 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 7 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0 Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 13 Asian or Asian British – Indian 24 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 5 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 5 0 0 Black or Black British – African 6 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is satisfactory. Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are good. Links with parents are satisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

Good teaching ensures that pupils learn and achieve well throughout the school. Assessment is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The quality of teaching has significantly improved since the last inspection.  Teaching is good overall and some lessons in Years 3 to 6 are very good, being both stimulating and exciting.  The school has good information about pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science and uses it effectively to set individual targets.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 7 (23%) 16 (52%) 6 (19%) 1 (3%) 0 0

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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

11. There are many good features to the teaching. The majority of lessons effectively engage and motivate pupils so that they learn and achieve well. The teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection and is better than found in the majority of other schools, particularly the amount of good, very good and excellent teaching.

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Commentary

12. Over three-quarters of lessons are good or better, with only a very small amount being unsatisfactory. A main strength is the teachers’ good understanding of the needs of pupils and of the curriculum. This is particularly so in English and mathematics where the skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught. Because nearly all the teachers know the pupils’ learning needs very well, they make good provision for those who find learning difficult. In a small number of lessons, particularly where unsatisfactory, there is room for tasks to be more closely matched to Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 14 the pupils’ needs. Generally, teachers plan well, use strategies that appeal to pupils and which gain their interest. Lessons are taught with confidence and at a brisk pace. This helps to ensure good behaviour so that learning can take place in a calm working atmosphere.

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are good. Very good teacher knowledge leads to children experiencing a wide and appropriate range of activities in all areas of learning. The majority of teaching in the Foundation Stage is to small groups and so work is very closely matched to children’s needs. Progress and achievement are good. Great emphasis is placed on developing the children’s language skills, with every opportunity being used to extend vocabulary and their confidence to respond to adults.

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Commentary

14. A significant strength of teaching in Years 1 to 6 is the way teachers encourage and involve pupils in the learning. Most lessons and tasks are motivating and often very practical in nature, providing a good stimulus and helping pupils to succeed and achieve well. Evidence of this was observed in a number of science lessons where practical investigations aroused the pupils’ interest. This helps behaviour and allows pupils to concentrate on the quality of their work. Another consistent characteristic of good teaching is the sharing and discussion of the learning objectives for the lessons. At the end of the lessons, teachers use these objectives to check on and clarify what has been learned and understood. Relationships between adults and pupils are good, giving the pupils the confidence to explain their answers. Teachers give plenty of praise and share and comment on good practice, which encourages pupils to apply themselves to the

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Commentary

15. Throughout the school the good behaviour of the pupils is an important factor in the quality of learning. All teachers have high expectations of good behaviour and the vast majority of pupils live up to these expectations. For the few who find this difficult, nearly all teachers have effective strategies in place that ensure the smooth running of lessons. In the only unsatisfactory lesson, strategies for managing behaviour were not used effectively and pupils’ learning suffered.

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Commentary

16. The school has effective strategies for monitoring progress by assessing work and gathering data from national and other tests. The data is used to give an overview of how well pupils are doing and also highlights areas of strength and weakness in understanding, so that teachers can amend teaching to more closely match learning needs. This information is then translated into individual targets, specifically in English, mathematics and science. These targets are shared so that pupils know what they are aiming for. Because teachers have this in-depth knowledge of individuals, tasks are generally appropriate, especially those for pupils with special educational needs. The support given to pupils with special educational needs, or those for whom English is an additional language, ensures that they continue to make good progress. Marking is effective in the main and provides pupils with helpful comments so that they know how to improve their

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is satisfactory for the pupils in Years 1 to Year 6 and good in the Foundation Stage. Opportunities for enrichment are good . Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Many visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 15  Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and very good support gives them effective access to the curriculum.  Accommodation is good, particularly the outdoor environment for the Foundation Stage.  The school fails to provide pupils with a daily act of collective worship.

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Commentary

17. The curriculum meets requirements for all subjects, including those of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. However, the time allocation to religious education is less than recommended. The school is aware of the need to rectify this. All curriculum issues from the previous inspection have been appropriately addressed. The school is not providing its pupils with a daily act of collective worship and during the inspection only two were observed. This statutory requirement should be addressed promptly. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy a good curriculum, which provides them with a wide range of activities in all areas of learning. The Sure Start scheme, which affects the Nursery, is in the initial stages of establishment; the early signs are of positive impact. National literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented. Teachers provide a broad programme for personal social and health education,

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Commentary

including sex and drugs education. The school is inclusive in its approach to offering all pupils access to activities and equal opportunities.

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Commentary

18. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is given high priority and is effective. The systems for identification of pupils with learning difficulties and special educational needs are thorough, prompt and appropriate. Assessment is rigorously used to diagnose needs and monitor progress. The teachers and assistants who work with these pupils are well trained and skilful. The organisation of pupils into small teaching groups to maximise resources and use them efficiently is particularly effective. The well designed accommodation enables groups to be taught separately without being totally withdrawn from their year group. These contributory factors are major reasons why achievement for these pupils is good. In particular, emotional and behavioural needs are well met and this leads to a generally trouble free and calm working environment throughout the school.

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Commentary

19. Good procedures are in place to support pupils who are gifted and talented. Their work takes account of their extra abilities and is challenging. The school is prompt to seek external help for these pupils when needed, and, for example, is doing so for a talented cricketer. Auditions for a forthcoming local authority vocal project are the first step towards identifying pupils with musical talents.

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Commentary

20. All subjects have a scheme of work devised from national guidelines. The lack of schemes was an issue highlighted in many curriculum areas by the previous inspection and this has now been remedied. The curriculum takes proper account of the needs of pupils in mixed-age 3 classes. Plans are regularly evaluated and amended to meet the needs of the pupils. Meaningful links are made with other areas of the curriculum, for example, good use is made of information and communication technology to extend pupils’ mathematical experiences and to produce data for science.

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Commentary

21. Teachers provide a rich and varied programme of learning opportunities for all pupils, including a wide range of extra-curricular sporting activities. Enrichment opportunities include a range of visits to places of interest, such as the cathedral and wild life park, a residential experience, visiting theatre companies and a dance workshop. Along with exploring the local

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Commentary

3 Mixed-age classes contain pupils from two year groups. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 16 environment, these opportunities help to enhance the pupils’ curriculum and increase their knowledge of the world around them.

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Commentary

22. A dedicated and enthusiastic team of teachers and support staff work well together. All of these adults are well deployed to meet the demands of the curriculum and to support pupils’ learning needs. Work is attractively displayed, including interactive displays which effectively stimulate the pupils’ interest. Accommodation and resources across the school are good. The outdoor learning environment for Foundation Stage children is very good. It not only provides an area for physical development but also an extension of the classroom with a range of activities planned in other areas of learning.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for care, welfare, health and safety is good . The care of pupils is particularly good. There is good support and guidance. The involvement of pupils in the school’s development is satisfactory .

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Strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils receive a very good quality of care.  Pastoral support is good; health issues are addressed effectively in personal, social and health education lessons.  The school has no clearly defined pathways to ensure that pupils’ views are heard. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 17

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Commentary

23. Pupil care is a very important aspect of the school’s work. Members of staff are good role models and this has forged trusting relationships with pupils. Child protection is good and refresher training for members of staff is provided in this aspect at the start of each school year; this is good practice. Teachers ensure that health and safety issues are effectively addressed in lessons. First aid arrangements are good. Medicines are stored safely and detailed records of administration are maintained. The school has received a Healthy Schools Bronze Award.

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Commentary

24. Monitoring of behaviour is efficient and good records are maintained. Monitoring of rewards ensures that all pupils have a special moment in assembly when their successes are publicly celebrated; this raises the self-esteem of all pupils. The school is regularly trying new strategies to raise attendance levels. Monitoring is tight and personal contact is made with the families concerned. Lateness is monitored and action taken. Good links have been established with the educational welfare service. Assessment is used well to support pupils’ academic progress. Monitoring of pupils’ personal, social and health education development is informal but effective.

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Commentary

25. Induction 4 procedures in all year groups are good. The home visits made to the homes of pre- school children raise the confidence of parents and helps their children to settle in comfortably. Good links with Sure Start and the local playgroup make further good contributions. Year 6 pupils are familiar with their secondary school and this builds their confidence prior to transfer.

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Commentary

26. The involvement of pupils through seeking their views and acting on them is satisfactory but with aspects for improvement. In many informal ways, pupils’ views are made known but systematic arrangements have lapsed. Since the cessation of the school council last year there are no formal procedures for listening to pupils’ views on the school’s development. Informally they are invited to discuss, for example, the purchase of playground games and equipment, but this does not enable all pupils to have shared ownership in how the school moves forward.

p.17

Links with parents and the community

Links with parents and the community are satisfactory . Links with other schools and colleges are good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils’ annual reports are very good.  School records show that about 30 per cent of parents make an unsatisfactory contribution to their children’s learning.

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Commentary

27. The school tries hard to establish good quality relationships with all parents and to communicate with them through regular newsletters, notice boards and curriculum summaries. Parents speak highly of the ready access they have to teachers before and after school and the personal support they receive on helping their children at home. Parents know exactly how well their children have done through the very good annual reports. Areas for improvement are

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Commentary

4 Induction refers to the arrangements for receiving pupils new to the school, helping them to settle and make friends. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 18 clearly identified. Homework is set weekly and parents see the marked results; this is good practice. The quality and appropriateness of homework is monitored.

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Commentary

28. Attendance at parents’ evenings varies considerably but school records show that about 20 per cent of parents are never seen and this disadvantages those pupils. Some parents provide help in the Nursery, offer to accompany school trips and give good support to their children’s special assemblies. Opportunities to listen to parents’ views are good through regular questionnaires and by talking to parent governors. The staff organise fund raising events with the support of parents. Pupils benefit from the money that is raised.

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Commentary

29. Teacher training links with Warwick University are good and the school explores the new ideas the students bring, which helps with school and professional development. A successful sports day for pupils in Years 1 and 2 was the culmination of a beneficial three-way physical education partnership with other educational organisations and the local authority’s physical education co-ordinators. Apart from the transition project for Year 6 pupils, there are no curriculum links with any Coventry secondary schools in English, mathematics or science and this is a missed opportunity. Early contacts have begun with local businesses prior to the school becoming part of an Education Action Zone in January 2005.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The leadership of the headteacher is effective. The leadership of the deputy headteacher and others with management responsibility is good. Governance of the school is satisfactory. Governance has many good features but has not ensured that statutory requirements relating to collective worship are met.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The senior management team forms a strong and successful partnership.  School self-evaluation is effectively driving the development of the school.  The strategies for recruitment, retention, and training of teachers are operating well.

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Commentary

30. The good leadership of the headteacher and the constructive support of the deputy headteacher have led to the significant improvements in teaching and the increased achievement of the pupils. The educational direction of the school is clear and all energies are focused on meeting the varied learning needs of pupils. A competent team of teachers has been forged by senior management. Good leadership is shown by those with subject and other management responsibilities and this strengthens the management team. The capacity of the whole management team is good and this gives potential for further rises in achievement and standards.

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Commentary

31. The school understands its strengths and weaknesses well. In part, this reflects the impact of the Intensive Support Project, which has helped the school to evaluate how well it is doing and provide training for teachers and other members of staff. The deputy headteacher has the main responsibility for the analysis of data and uses this very effectively to evaluate and diagnose school performance at many levels. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a rigorous programme for observing teaching and supporting the implementation of change. Subject managers monitor pupils’ work and lead by the example of their own teaching. The English coordinator is a leading literacy Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 19 teacher within the local authority. Good action is taken to remedy weaknesses and the issues for improvement noted by the inspection team have already been identified by the school.

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Commentary

32. Recruitment and retention of teachers is effective. Although the turnover of teachers over the past two years has been high, the current workforce is settled. Teachers are selected with care so that they have the right expertise for the school. The professional relationships established by the headteacher are leading to high morale. The implementation of school policy, together with continued professional development of teachers and other staff, results in a high degree of consistency in the teaching and behaviour management methods used.

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Commentary

33. On balance, the governance of the school is satisfactory. There are many good features to the work of the governing body, and in most respects, the governors fulfil their responsibilities conscientiously and effectively. However, the school is not meeting the requirement to provide a daily act of collective worship and this is unsatisfactory. Whole school assemblies are held occasionally but do not give sufficient emphasis to Christianity. Nor do they raise sufficient awareness of the other faith groups within the school. Class assemblies are timetabled daily, reflecting the governors’ efforts to meet requirements, but too few members of staff implement this particular policy consistently. Those class assemblies that take place are broadly Christian in character. The inconsistencies and limited priority given to collective worship is having a negative impact on pupils’ spiritual development.

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Commentary

34. Financial management is good and the school is living within its budget. Expenditure is carefully planned and best value principles applied. Income and expenditure are higher than the national average. Around £400 per pupil is received for special educational needs, which is much more than most other schools. This money is appropriately spent on extra teaching and support staff. Overall, the expenditure is carefully targeted at the needs of the school and all of it is directed towards raising the achievement and standards of the pupils. The surplus is large, standing at more than eight per cent of the total budget. Some is earmarked for expenditure on computers but the rest is held in reserve until the implications of developing the Sure Start scheme and falling rolls due to re-housing become clearer.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 945,871 Balance from previous year 78,231 Total expenditure 941,921 Balance carried forward to the next 82,181 Expenditure per pupil (258 pupils) 3,650 Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 20

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. The provision in the Foundation Stage is effective and gives the children a good start to their education. Admission to the Nursery and the Reception year is in September, and is part-time in the Nursery. About half the children have had some pre-school experience. Attainment on entry is very low. Communication, language, number and personal skills are often considerably underdeveloped. A small number of children have English as an additional language. Because of the low overall level of attainment on entry, few pupils in the Foundation Stage are on course to attain the national goals for early learning by the end of the Reception year. Nevertheless, all children, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make good progress and achieve well given their low attainment on entry.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. The quality of teaching is good with some examples of very good teaching. Teachers’ well developed knowledge and understanding of the needs of the age group lead to them providing a wide and appropriate range of worthwhile activities in all areas of learning. Provision is closely linked to the nationally agreed Foundation Stage curriculum for early learning. Topics are planned jointly between the Nursery and Reception classes. Tasks are closely related to the relevant learning needs of each age group. There is a very strong emphasis on language development. Questioning is used very effectively to encourage children to explore language and extend their vocabulary. Very good relationships give children confidence to respond to adults and to share their thoughts. The small teaching groups enable tasks to be very carefully matched to the needs of each child. This is having a positive effect on their learning, giving

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

them access to the tasks and helping them to concentrate. There is a good balance between directed and self-chosen activities. Assessment is used effectively to ensure children are appropriately challenged.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

 A wide range of opportunities help children to develop appropriate skills and to achieve well.  The teachers’ high expectations of behaviour have a beneficial effect on learning.

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Commentary

37. Achievement is good but few children are on course to attain the national goals for early learning by the end of the Reception year because their personal skills were very underdeveloped on entry to school and they need more time. A majority of the children conform to the teachers’ high expectations of good behaviour. They know the routines well and settle quickly to tasks. The majority are well focused and interested, and remain on task when working independently. A calm working atmosphere pervades the area. Children are happy and confident and most are willing to respond to adults’ questions. They know that they must take turns and listen to each other, although occasionally, they get over excited and call out. The very good team work of all adults provides the children with good role models of co-operation. For a sizeable minority of children, however, social skills are not well developed and they find

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Commentary

playing together difficult. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 21 Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 22

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Every opportunity is used to develop communication skills.  The quality of teaching is very good and gives high priority to developing reading and writing skills.

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Commentary

38. Despite high quality teaching and good achievement, very few children are on course to attain the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. This is because a large majority of children have significantly weak communication skills on entry and need more time. A strong emphasis is placed on providing plenty of opportunities for children to develop their communication skills and this is effectively improving skills. Tasks are provided for small groups and these are well matched to children’s needs. Questioning is used very effectively to stimulate verbal responses from the children. Many of them reply with single words, and a few in sentences. All adults are very patient in their approach, building up confidence in the children and a willingness to participate. They enjoy listening to stories and sharing books but only the higher attaining in the Reception year read accurately and answer questions about

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Commentary

books correctly. Others talk about the stories but often misunderstand a question and the answer they give is inappropriate. Children are encouraged to explore writing and all make very good progress in developing these skills but only the higher attaining are beginning to write recognisable words using well formed letters. Many are still struggling to form letters correctly.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Developing understanding of numbers is given high priority.  Good teaching is leading to enthusiasm and considerable progress.

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Commentary

39. Effective teaching is leading to good achievement. Nevertheless, very few children are likely to attain the national goals for early learning by the end of the Reception year because of very low attainment on entry. In the Nursery, counting is taught through number rhymes and action songs as well as practical activities. Because the children enjoy these, they are learning to count and to recognise numbers. In the Reception class the higher attaining group are now at the stage when they can make up their own simple addition sums and solve them correctly. The lower attaining children are still struggling to recognise numbers above 5.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

40. Very little direct teaching was seen. From planning and records, it is clear that a wide range of activities is provided for the children, broadening and enriching their knowledge of the world around them. It was not possible to make a judgement about attainment in this area. During the Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 23 inspection children were looking at small creatures. They were fascinated by the life cycle of the caterpillar, especially as some had pupated in a jar in their classroom. They couldn’t wait for the butterflies to emerge. They studied their habitats and drew pictures of what they found. These responses are consistent with the expectations for the age group. Computers are regularly in use, particularly in the Reception classroom. Children’s control of the mouse and cursor are varied but satisfactory overall.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

41. Due to inclement weather, timetabled sessions for outdoor activities were unable to take place and so little evidence was gathered. The children potentially have access to a good range of outdoor activities, not just for physical development but in other areas of learning, because the area is properly resourced as an extension of the classroom. Planning shows that all children in the Foundation Stage have opportunities to use this attractive and well equipped outdoor environment. Opportunities are provided for children to use scissors to improve their cutting skills, to practise colouring within lines, or letter formation. It was not possible to judge standards in this area because of insufficient evidence.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

42. The small amount of teaching seen was good and many of the children are on course to attaining the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. Children enjoy creative sessions and are enthusiastic about the tasks set. Work displayed showed the range of media children had used, from paints, crayons, bubble pictures, marbling to printing with different objects. They also use clay and different types of materials for collage and model making. Children in the Nursery enjoy singing rhymes and stories and excelled when the Nursery nurse led a session of number rhymes. Their singing is good.

p.23

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good. Achievement is good. Teaching is effective. Leadership is good. The provision has improved since the previous inspection.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The progress of almost all pupils is consistent with their ability; they do particularly well in reading.  The learning needs of gifted pupils, the more able, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, with English as an additional language, and those with learning difficulties are all effectively met.

p.23

Commentary

43. Almost all pupils are doing as well as can reasonably be expected in reading and writing. The progress they make over time is generally consistent with their potential for learning and with national expectations. The more able pupils and those with typical ability are fully challenged by the teaching and attain as highly as pupils of similar abilities in other schools, particularly in reading. The large numbers of pupils with lower ability, many with significant learning difficulties, are well supported and make good progress in relation to the difficulties they face. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 24 Many pupils catch up with national expectations as they get older. At the start of Year 1, barely one pupil in ten attains the expected level for their age and almost none exceed it. By Year 6, about two-thirds are doing so in reading, including more than a quarter exceeding expectations. Proportions are smaller in writing, with just over half attaining or exceeding expectations

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Commentary

including about one in seven exceeding them, but still represent good achievement compared to the start of Year 1.

p.24

Commentary

44. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils and a few, mainly from Indian families, attain highly. Those learning English as an additional language have mostly gone beyond the early stages but still need support, especially in Years 1 to 4 where their attainment in literacy often lags behind other pupils. They then begin to noticeably catch up in Years 5 and 6 and several make rapid progress. By Year 6, about three-quarters of the bilingual pupils achieve the nationally expected levels in reading and writing.

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Commentary

45. The achievement of a large number of boys is constrained by limited skills in speaking and communication. Most of these boys are of white British heritage but a few are from minority ethnic and mixed ethnic backgrounds. They make short statements and provide factual answers to questions but find it difficult to explain their reasoning when expressing views and opinions and when describing solutions to problems. This limitation is preventing them from making effective links between knowledge, making inferences and deductions, and learning efficiently from others. Over the past two years the teaching has started to provide good opportunities for pupils to discuss solutions and share opinions through talk partners and this good practice is leading to improvements but is not enough on its own. In shared and guided work, teachers are not yet giving consistent priority to promoting reasoned communication by asking follow-on

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Commentary

questions or by using methods such as role-play.

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Commentary

46. Achievement in reading is particularly good. The majority of pupils in Year 6 are independent readers, with the most able reading text of adult difficulty. These pupils have specific tastes in types of book and preferred authors and will read for pleasure as well as for study purposes. Most of these pupils have attended the school since the Reception year and have overcome the difficulties of very low attainment on entry. A significant minority in Year 6 have difficulties with reading; in particular, with the basic skills of blending letters and syllables to approximate the pronunciation of unfamiliar words, and with predicting possible meanings of such words from clues in the text. Some of these pupils have attended the school since the Reception year but most have joined at later stages, some very recently. They all have considerable learning difficulties. Many rarely read outside school or read for pleasure. Some have attended several

p.24

Commentary

schools, while others have poor records of attendance, which is adding to their difficulties. In Year 2, about three-quarters of the pupils are well launched into reading and beginning to develop skills to work out simple unfamiliar words. The more able pupils in Year 2 have good comprehension skills and are beginning to read independently for study purposes. The large minority of less able pupils still need considerable adult support when reading. Some of these pupils say that they do not practise their reading at home.

p.24

Commentary

47. Achievement in writing is good but standards are not as high as in reading. About half the pupils in Year 6 can organise their writing to reflect its purpose, whether story, account, or letter, and are generally accurate in their grammar, spelling and punctuation. A small number of pupils write very clearly, using complex sentences and advanced punctuation. Nearly half the pupils, however, have difficulty writing at length and being accurate with spelling and punctuation. In Year 2, about half the pupils can write short stories and accounts and show reasonable awareness of full-stops and capital letters. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 25 48. The effective teaching is responsible for the pupils’ good achievement. Much of the teaching is very well organised and prepared. The content of lessons is presented in a motivating and lucid way. Direct questions purposefully engage pupils intellectually and help them link ideas and

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Commentary

extend their knowledge quickly. Resources are used to good effect. The wide range of learning needs is well met. Academically gifted pupils are challenged and those with learning difficulties properly supported. The National Literacy Strategy is implemented effectively. The curriculum is well planned. Leadership of the subject is good.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. The teachers are finding regular opportunities for pupils to write in subjects such as science, history, geography and religious education. In Years 3 to 6, the frequency of opportunities for pupils to sustain their writing at length is satisfactory. However, these opportunities are not always focused sufficiently on specific purposes linked to literacy, like learning to write biographically in history, or like a travel guide in geography. In Years 1 and 2, the opportunities to write are influenced too much by worksheets and exercises and do not always give enough priority to independent writing and to composition.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good . The achievement of the pupils is good and so the very low standards on entry rise over the years although they remain below the national average by Year 6.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The quality of teaching is good overall, with some very good teaching particularly in Year 3-6, and this is helping to raise standards.  Assessment data is used effectively to track individual pupil’s progress and highlight weaknesses in learning.  The co-ordinator is effective in raising standards, especially in Year 6.

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Commentary

50. Standards in mathematics are well below average in Year 2 and just below average in Year 6. In the 2003 national tests in Year 2 only 49 per cent attained the expected level, including only 15 per cent who exceeded expectations. These results were well below the national average, placing the school in the lowest five per cent nationally. Current standards in Year 2 are slightly higher with more pupils attaining the expected levels. The low percentage of pupils attaining or exceeding the expected levels is because of the very large proportion of pupils with special educational needs, almost half the year group, and nearly three times more than in the typical school. The results of the 2003 tests in Year 6 were well below the national average but broadly the same as similar schools. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level was close to the national average and represents good achievement. Over the last three years, test results have

p.25

Commentary

51. The high mobility and very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs is affecting the standards reached. Given the very low attainment on entry to the school, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, are achieving well. All pupils make good progress and those attaining the higher levels make very good progress and achieve very well. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 26 52. Throughout the school there is a good emphasis on learning and handling numbers because this is a particular weakness of many pupils, especially those who have joined the school at later stages. By Year 6, a majority of pupils are confident in using multiplication tables and other ways of handling numbers. Typically, the work of the lower attaining pupils is of good quality showing the impact of very good support and well matched tasks. The setting of appropriate

p.25

Commentary

tasks for both higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs provides a good level of challenge at different abilities. Pupils enjoy mathematics particularly the quick fire mental activities at the beginning of each session. They are also well motivated by the practical approaches to the learning of the subject.

p.26

Commentary

53. The quality of teaching is good overall, with very good lessons in Years 3 to 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Introductions to lessons are brisk. Pupils are motivated to succeed and are well focused on the tasks set, particularly if they are practical. Questioning is used very effectively to extend the pupils’ knowledge and understanding, challenging them to explain how they arrived at their answers. Very good relationships give pupils the confidence to respond to questions. One of the strong features of planning is the way appropriate tasks are set to match the needs of all pupils. The very good support provided by teaching assistants benefits all pupils with special educational needs and helps them to have equality of access to the curriculum. All teachers share lesson objectives with pupils and then check if the pupils feel they have achieved success.

p.26

Commentary

This helps pupils to know what they are supposed to be learning and teachers to receive instant assessment of which pupils need more help. Assessment data is used effectively to highlight weaker areas in the pupils’ understanding so that appropriate support can be given. Booster classes for Year 6 pupils to help raise standards.

p.26

Commentary

54. The subject leader has a well defined monitoring role and has undertaken lesson observations, checking of teachers’ plans and looking at pupils’ work. This, together with the other aspects of her work, is having a positive impact on standards.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

55. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is not extensive but is broadly satisfactory. It is used in design technology and science, particularly in the use of measures such as length and weight. Data handling is used to record information in science.

p.26

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory. Achievement is good. Even so, standards are below average in Year 6 and well below average in Year 2.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Teaching is good, with a number of strengths, particularly in Years 3 to 6, and only a few aspects for improvement, mainly in Years 1 and 2.  Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good gains in their knowledge but have limited opportunities to discover things for themselves.

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Commentary

56. Standards in science have improved steadily over the last three years because good teaching is leading to good achievement over time. Teaching and learning have improved since the last Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 27 inspection and the quality of teaching has played a major part in the good progress pupils make. This improvement reflects thorough analysis by the members of staff of what has worked well and what needs improvement. This is leading to the sharing of good practice and the eradication of shortcomings.

p.26

Commentary

57. Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 although the teachers in these year groups concentrate on teaching facts more than investigative skills. Pupils are given the opportunity to participate in guided investigations but there are insufficient opportunities for them to use their initiative or make decisions. Consequently by Year 2 pupils generally have better factual knowledge than enquiry skills.

p.27

Commentary

58. Teaching is very good in Years 3 to 6. Teachers have made a concentrated effort to make sure that lessons involve practical experiences and that pupils are able use the knowledge they have gained by making hypotheses during experiments and discovering whether they are true. Lessons are balanced between thinking about an idea, experimenting first hand and then drawing conclusions. This provides a challenge for the pupils and encourages them to think for themselves. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the work that they have done and are beginning to know some basic scientific language. Their books are kept neatly and teachers encourage a structured approach to recording work.

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Commentary

59. Pupils are encouraged to develop social skills by working with groups or partners. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and there is a good emphasis on developing subject terminology. Older pupils talk confidently about ‘predictions’ and ‘fair testing’. Teachers relate well to their pupils and encourage moral development by their expectations of good behaviour.

p.27

Commentary

60. The coordinator’s role has expanded since the last inspection and she provides good leadership in the way that the subject is promoted. She has clear plans to continue to improve teaching and learning. The recent emphasis on developing pupils’ investigative skills is having the desired effect particularly for pupils in Years 3 to 6, as they are gaining in confidence in planning and conducting scientific experiments. Visits and visitors contribute positively to pupils’ learning and the school takes part in science week.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory. Standards are below average in Year 2 and average in Year 6. Teaching is satisfactory. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Achievement is good and pupils make good progress.

p.27

Commentary

61. Nearly all pupils enjoy the subject and try hard. The substantial majority of those in Year 6, an average proportion compared to other schools, are proficient users of word processing and presentational programs. Keyboard and text entry skills are good. In one lesson in Year 6, all pupils were learning to use a presentational program and could use all of the features of the program to a highly sophisticated level by the end of the lesson, including modifying and amending text, graphics, animation and sound. They have a broad knowledge of spreadsheet Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 28 and data programs and understand the procedures for gaining Internet access and framing Internet search questions.

p.27

Commentary

62. Achievement is good in Year 2 but standards are below average, mainly because few pupils exceed the nationally expected level for their age. They have appropriate knowledge of programs and of using computers for their age and are beginning to understand how to control the movement of equipment by entering specific instructions. While their basic understanding of keying instructions is satisfactory, their application is hindered by weaknesses in number skills.

p.28

Commentary

63. The teaching is satisfactory, with some good features. Training over the course of the past two years has helped improve the subject knowledge and expertise of teachers and they are making good use of the equipment. The curriculum is well planned and leading to regular access for pupils. Resources are satisfactory. There are sufficient computers for the number of pupils although there is not enough equipment for teachers to provide large scale demonstrations and this factor is limiting teaching to smaller groups, which is inefficient. Leadership is good and is fully aware of strengths and weaknesses in provision. Appropriate action is being taken to share good practice and remedy shortcomings.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. Satisfactory, but not extensive, use is made of information and communication technology across the curriculum as a whole, though links with mathematics are good. Sets of computers are located close to each of the classrooms and these are used to assist learning in English, mathematics, science and other subjects. Much of this use is spontaneous rather than rigorously planned but is nevertheless effective when it occurs.

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HUMANITIES

65. Geography and history were not a focus of the inspection. Only one lesson in geography and two in history were seen. Examinations of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work show that the school is teaching a broad and balanced curriculum in these subjects. The work indicates that all pupils make good progress and that the majority of them attain the nationally expected levels, although the size of this majority is well below average in Year 2, and below average in Year 6. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 plan lessons that feature things familiar to pupils such as observing and recording the weather. Effective links are made with personal, social and health education. Good levels of challenge are shown in the work of the Year 6 pupils. Many pupils are gaining satisfactory knowledge about different eras of history . Teachers encourage them to improve their historical skills through independent study and through historical enquiry. The

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HUMANITIES

school makes good use of visits to museums and visitors to support pupils’ learning.

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Religious education

66. There was limited opportunity to observe religious education because of the school’s timetable. Evidence was collected from work samples and talking with pupils. The allocation of time for this subject is less than recommended. The school is aware of the need to rectify this situation. The volume of recorded work is limited. Some of it is copied and does not show the extent of the pupils’ understanding. Talking with the pupils shows that they have satisfactory knowledge of different religions and other people’s faiths. They are aware that others attending the school are from different faiths and that they are happy to share their beliefs with them. The general level of attainment in Year 6 is in line with the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 29 67. In one lesson in Year 3, the pupils effectively extended their understanding of different aspects

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Religious education

of religion and showed respect as they explored Sikh and Islamic artefacts. They recalled much detail of the new Coventry Cathedral and made good links between Christian artefacts and those from the Sikh and Islamic faiths, which helped them understand the importance to each faith community. In another lesson, the pupils had the opportunity to explore Christian symbolism and by their responses showed that many had good knowledge of this aspect.

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Religious education

68. The small amount of teaching seen was satisfactory. The pupils responded positively to challenging questions, concentrated reflectively on the tasks and offered very thoughtful answers. Leadership of the subject is good. The coordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Resources have been audited, planning checked and pupils’ books reviewed. She is aware that there is insufficient time allocated for the subject. The local vicar is a frequent visitor, leading assemblies and talking to pupils in their classes. Pupils have visited other places of worship such as the Cathedral, a mosque and synagogue.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. Art and design is an important part of the curriculum and achievement is good. Most pupils have knowledge of an appropriate range of media and have skills in two-dimensional and three- dimensional work. Representational skills when drawing are consistent with those found in the majority of schools and levels of imagination and creativity are often good. Good use is made of the accommodation and resources to provide artistic opportunities for all pupils. Team teaching arrangements make efficient use of teacher and adult expertise as well as providing room for choice and aptitude. The curriculum meets requirements. Subject leadership is effective. Resources are good.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. Although no lessons were seen in design and technology , work around the school and discussions with pupils show that they make good progress. The majority of them attain the nationally expected levels but standards overall are below average. The limited amount of evidence indicates that the curriculum for design and technology has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory. Pupils are provided with a good range of interesting activities through which they develop a range of skills and techniques. In Year 6, the majority of pupils have a satisfactory understanding of all the stages in the design and making process and are beginning to evaluate their work. Their enthusiasm and pride in achievements is pronounced and the subject does much to raise their self esteem.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. There was no opportunity to observe music or physical education being taught and it is not possible to make any judgements about standards or the quality of teaching. A little singing was heard in an assembly in Years 3 and 4 which was pleasant and tuneful. Presently there are two choirs and pupils have opportunity to perform for their parents in school concerts.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

72. Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship has improved since the last inspection and is now good. There is a very caring ethos and a committed approach to pupils’ personal development by all members of staff. The extensive revision of the policy by the deputy headteacher has played an important role in improving the provision and in establishing the good relationships, attitudes and behaviour throughout the school. Time for personal development is set aside each week. During these occasions, pupils have the opportunity the share experiences and gain increasing understanding of social and moral issues. Health Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 30 education, including sex education, and awareness of misuse of drugs, is well thought out and supported by outside agencies; this extends the pupils’ learning effectively. Stoke Heath Primary School - Page 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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