The Elton CofE Primary School of the Foundation of Frances and Jane Proby

FOUNDATION OF FRANCES AND JANE PROBY

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th September 2003

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FOUNDATION OF FRANCES AND JANE PROBY

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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FOUNDATION OF FRANCES AND JANE PROBY

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. The Elton C of E Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 5 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 103 School address: School Lane Elton Peterborough Postcode: PE8 6RS Telephone number: (01832) 280 314 Fax number: (01832) 280 314 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Dr John Gemmell Date of previous inspection: 29 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The Elton Church of England Primary School is a small rural school in the village of Elton, near Peterborough. It has 103 pupils on roll, with roughly equal numbers of boys and girls aged from four to 11. Most pupils are from relatively advantaged backgrounds. Nevertheless, the full range of social backgrounds is represented in the school. Almost all pupils are white and although five pupils have English as an additional language, none are at an early stage of acquiring English. The levels of knowledge and understanding of children when they arrive at school are usually high but vary from year to year – this year they are about average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs (SEN) is broadly average, although the numbers of pupils with a statement of SEN is above the national average. Pupil mobility is quite high at the end of Year 4 and on average, one-quarter of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils, mainly high attainers, leave the school before taking their National Curriculum Tests at the end of Year 6. Within the last two years, a new headteacher has been appointed and there has been a complete change of teaching staff. This has had a positive impact on moving the school forward - the school has achieved the Basic Skills Quality Mark in recognition of its work. The Elton C of E Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23886 Declan McCarthy Lead inspector Science Geography History Physical education 9511 Ann Longfield Lay inspector 23044 Valerie Singleton Team inspector Special educational needs English Art and design Citizenship Design and technology Music 10144 Mary Marriott Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology (ICT)

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI Ground Floor Barley House Oakfield Grove 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.oftsed.gov.uk). The Elton C of E Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The overall effectiveness of the school is very good and improving. Most aspects of the school’s work are very good. Standards are above the national average and pupils’ overall achievement is very good. Teaching and learning are now very good overall and the school is led and managed very well. It gives very good value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are : • The inspirational leadership, energy and vision of the headteacher have assured a strong drive and commitment to improvement, shared by teachers and governors. As a result, teaching and learning are very good, enabling pupils to reach high standards. • Pupils are achieving very well throughout the school and the gap between girls’ and boys’ achievements in English and mathematics is gradually reducing. However, standards in writing are a little lower than they should be. • Very good inclusion throughout the school ensures that all pupils are treated fairly and barriers to their learning are removed. However, the Race Equality Act is not yet fully implemented. • Very good community spirit amongst staff, governors and parents has ensured that pupils are happy at school and all visitors from the wider community are welcomed. • Very good arrangements for pupils’ personal development and very high quality care contribute

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OVERALL EVALUATION

to pupils’ excellent relationships, very positive attitudes and very good behaviour. • Very good management, especially the very effective use of monitoring of performance data and monitoring of quality of teaching and learning, has ensured that school priorities for improvement are exceptionally well chosen and successfully met.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected in June 1998.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Leadership and management are now strengths. It has made very good progress in response to the key issues from the last inspection. There has been a dramatic improvement in teaching, learning and the curriculum. Standards have improved and are now higher in English, mathematics, science and ICT, and pupils’ attainments in singing and dance exceed national expectations. Pupils’ achievements are very good because they learn very effectively as a result of very good teaching.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English D A E C mathematics D B E E science D A D C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. N.B. Caution is needed in interpreting this data as numbers are small. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievements are very good . The youngest children achieve very well and are on course to meet or exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have well above average standards in reading, mathematics and science, although standards in writing are average. This demonstrates very good achievement since they joined the school. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are achieving very well and their achievement over a longer period at school is very good. The unvalidated 2003 National Curriculum Year 6 test results show that standards are above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. These standards are The Elton C of E Primary School - 5 higher than in 2002, when they were average in English and science and well below similar schools in mathematics.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good ; they have excellent relationships with others and display an increasing sense of responsibility. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. They enjoy coming to school, work hard and are keen to please their teachers. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good . Overall, teaching is very good throughout the school. There has been a complete turnover of teachers during the last two years, which has had a positive impact throughout the school. This is now reflected in very good teaching throughout the school, particularly the use of assessment for recording pupils’ progress and to set individual targets. As a result, pupils’ learning is very good so they achieve very well and reach high standards.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good with very good inclusion for all pupils. The school provides very good care for its pupils and a very good range of lunch-time clubs and activities outside the normal school day. Collaboration and partnership with parents are very good and enhance pupils’ learning. There are strong links with local schools and, given the small size of the school, strong links with the community. As a result, worthwhile opportunities to promote achievement are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . Leadership is very good overall and the leadership of the headteacher is excellent. The headteacher inspires other staff and teamwork is strong. Monitoring and evaluation of provision is very good, particularly self-evaluation and the use of performance data for planning. Priority is being given to teacher training and induction. The work of the governing body is very good. They are very supportive and have a very clear view of the school’s work and a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very positive views of the school and support the school strongly. A few parents’ concerns over homework are not justified as it is consistently set and well explained. Pupils are proud of their school and have a great deal of respect for their teachers.

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

• Improve standards and achievement in writing by building on the improvements already identified and providing more opportunities to extend pupils’ writing in English lessons.

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And to meet statutory requirements:

• Monitor the implementation of the school’s Race Policy and report the findings to parents. The Elton C of E Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is very good and standards are above average throughout the school. Pupils are currently achieving very well, as a result of consistently very good teaching and the very good use of assessment to set targets. This is a very good improvement since the last inspection when achievement was satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers and make very good progress in lessons because learning support assistants work very effectively with teachers and work is carefully matched to their abilities. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils and are among the higher-attaining pupils. Although girls do better than boys in English and boys do better than girls in mathematics, the gap between their achievements is reducing because very effective strategies are now in place. In the past, a few higher-attaining pupils were not always achieving as well as they should. However, the school has

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

quickly rectified this by using successful strategies so that higher attainers are now achieving as well as other groups. This is supported by the 2003 National Curriculum tests, which show an increase in the proportions of pupils gaining the higher levels in Year 2 and in Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievements throughout the school are very good, due to very good teaching. • By the end of the Reception year in 2003, children greatly exceeded their baseline scores, showing very good achievement, due to very good planning, teaching and resourcing. • The 2003 national test results for Year 2 pupils show that the proportion of pupils gaining the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics has increased significantly over the 2002 results, demonstrating greatly improved achievement. However, standards in writing were lower than those for reading, with fewer pupils gaining the higher levels. • Year 6 test results in English, mathematics and science in 2003 showed a marked increase in the proportion of pupils gaining Level 5 in English, although standards reached in writing were lower than those in reading. • Pupils’ attainments in ICT, singing and dance throughout the school are above national

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Main strengths and weaknesses

expectations because they achieve very well.

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Commentary

1. At the time of the last inspection, standards were judged to be satisfactory overall. In 2002, the school’s Year 2 test results were above the national average in reading writing and mathematics. Results were also above those of similar schools in reading and writing and well above in mathematics. Results in teacher assessments in science placed the school in the top five per cent for the number of pupils reaching Level 2 but higher-attaining pupils did not reach Level 3. In 2003, national test results show a significant improvement at Level 2 and Level 3 in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Furthermore, the trend over the last five years in Year 2 national tests shows standards rising above the national trend.

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Commentary

2. National test results in Year 6 fell from being well above the national average in 2001 to well below the national average compared with schools nationally. However, compared to similar schools 1 , results in 2002 were below average. English results in 2002 were well below average overall, well below average at Level 4 and in line with the national average at Level 5. Mathematics results were also well below average overall and in the bottom five per cent overall at Levels 4 and 5. Results in science in 2002 were in line with the national average at Level 4 and well below at Level 5. However, care should be taken when considering these results because the number of pupils taking the test was smaller than average, a significant

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Commentary

1 Similar schools are those whose pupils gained similar results to this school in their Year 2 tests four years previously. The Elton C of E Primary School - 7 proportion was identified with special educational needs and many higher-attaining pupils left the school at the end of Year 4 to enter a popular middle school in another authority.

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Commentary

3. Results in 2003 showed a dramatic rise in standards in English, mathematics and science. Of the 15 pupils who took the tests, three boys were identified with special educational needs. Yet 73 per cent of all pupils gained Level 4 and 47 per cent gained Level 5 in English. Of these 15 pupils, 60 per cent gained Level 4 and 27 per cent gained Level 5 in mathematics. The results in science were even better, with 87 per cent gaining Level 4 and 40 per cent gaining Level 5. However the proportion of pupils gaining Level 5 in writing (13 per cent) is lower than in reading (60 per cent). The school has rightly identified writing as a priority for further development and although it has implemented strategies for improving pupils’ attainment in writing, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to extend their writing in English lessons. This small number of pupils means that the performance of one boy or girl has a clear impact on results by gender.

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Commentary

4. There are fluctuations in Year 6 test results, from year to year, due to high levels of mobility and differences in the small cohorts of pupils. However, the overall trend over the last five years is broadly in line with the national trend. There has also been a significant improvement in 2003. This has been largely due to a new headteacher with a strong drive for raising standards by improving teaching and learning. A complete turnover of teachers in the last two years has had a positive impact on raising achievement. The school exceeded its English targets for 2002 and the more challenging English targets for 2003. It has also set even more challenging targets for 2004, which it expects to meet or exceed. Although the school just failed to meet its equally challenging mathematics targets for 2002 and 2003 by a few percentage points, it exceeded challenging science targets significantly in both years.

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Commentary

5. Children under five are likely to reach or exceed the Early Learning Goals in most areas of learning by the end of the Reception year. The work of pupils who have just moved up into Year 1 from the Reception year shows that all children reach and most exceed the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development with the same attainment level on entry. Evidence from the last two years shows that children achieve very well by the end of the Reception year. Standards for children who have just entered the Reception class are currently average in all areas of learning.

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Commentary

6. Evidence from pupils’ work and lesson observations in Years 1 to 6 show that standards have risen dramatically since the last inspection. Standards are above average in Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 to 6 in English, mathematics, science, ICT, singing and dance. The very effective introduction of booster groups to raise standards and the thorough tracking and analysis of individual pupils’ progress by the headteacher and staff to set realistic and challenging targets, has had a positive impact on raising standards and all pupils’ achievements, including those with special educational needs and higher attainers.

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Commentary

7. Pupils of all abilities in Years 1 and 2 also achieve very well. However, girls do better than boys in reading and writing, whereas boys do better than girls in mathematics. Evidence from pupils’ work and lesson observations shows that the gap between boys’ and girls’ achievements is narrowing because the school has introduced effective strategies for overcoming these differences, for example, training teachers in the use of particular resources and methods and providing books of special interest to boys to promote higher achievement in literacy.

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Commentary

8. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now achieving consistently well in English, mathematics and science because teaching is very good and assessment information is used thoroughly to identify and remedy gaps in learning. Pupils achieve well in other subjects, except in ICT, where their achievement is very good as a result of the good resources and very good teaching. Opportunities to extend and consolidate their learning through the use of ICT in a range of subjects support pupils’ achievement. The Elton C of E Primary School - 8 9. Almost all parents are pleased with the progress that their children are now making and they are fully aware of a distinct rise in standards since the appointment of new staff. As a result, the school now has a waiting list for admission next year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are very good . There is a very good spirit of co- operation and respect between the staff and pupils which helps create a purposeful and well-ordered school in which all are valued.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ relationships are excellent and pupils recognise that their peers are friendly. • Pupils’ very good attitudes help them to make very good progress because they are keen and eager to learn. • The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and pupils feel trusted to show initiative. • Behaviour is very good and parents acknowledge this. • Very good attendance contributes to pupils’ learning and achievements. • The provision for spiritual, social, moral and cultural education is very good.

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Commentary

10. The very good attitudes and very good teaching enhance and stimulate pupils’ learning and enables them to achieve well. Teachers use a variety of methods and have very good management skills, keeping pupils interested and engaged in their learning. Parents are very supportive of the school and the way in which staff help pupils to understand right from wrong.

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Commentary

11. Pupils are keen to come to school and clearly take an interest in their work. They show an interest in school life and the range of activities provided, exemplified by the quality of the many displays around the school. Pupils co-operate well in their learning, work independently and take responsibility for their own learning. They are confident and show developing self-esteem.

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Commentary

12. Pupils’ behaviour in class, at breaks and lunch-times is very good. They show very good levels of respect for the views of others and have a very good understanding of right and wrong. The school is free from bullying, racism and all forms of harassment.

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Commentary

13. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their personal qualities and responsibility through the school council, which holds a monthly meeting in which two representatives from each class discuss issues raised by pupils. A system of ‘reading buddies’ enables pupils to share books and develops pupils’ care and support for each other. The school provides many clubs, which develops pupils’ sense of community. Pupils feel trusted to do things on their own. Children in Reception are in line to achieve the early learning goals in personal and social development.

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Commentary

14. Relationships are excellent within the school, which functions as an orderly and caring community.

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Commentary

15. Although attendance figures for 2002 are good, since the beginning of the September 2003 there has been over 97 per cent attendance, which is very good and reflected in the very positive attitudes of pupils to the school. Pupils are punctual and eager to start their lessons and as a result, they are enthusiastic in their learning and achieve very well. The Elton C of E Primary School - 9

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.8 School data 0.7 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 102 0 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 2 0 0 Black or Black British - Caribbean 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

16. The strong Christian ethos of the school directly impacts on the very good attitudes, values and personal qualities of pupils. Assemblies and special visitors make a positive contribution to school life. Pupils take their responsibilities very seriously and with pride. The school council provides a very good opportunity for pupils to take an active and much appreciated part in how their school develops. Pupils are given daily opportunities for reflection and prayer; for example, a morning prayer before they begin their tasks. Carefully-prepared acts of collective worship allow pupils to reflect and pray. Music is used effectively to provide a spiritual uplift for the beginning and end of assemblies. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is also raised in a range of lessons.

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The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

17. The school provides many and varied opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own actions. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour and teach the differences between right and wrong very well. Social events and extra-curricular activities contribute much to the pupils’ own development and awareness of others’ needs. There are very good opportunities at lunch-time for the pupils to engage in conversation with other pupils and adults and absorb manners and social graces. The cultural development of pupils is very good. In assemblies, pupils have the opportunity to listen to music from different countries, for example an African mass by Missa Luba. Pupils use information and communication technology to research different cultures; for example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 researched the weather for Barnaby Bear before he went on a journey to Edinburgh. Pupils are given

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The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

opportunities to study different world artists such as Klee, and they visit different places of worship for other world faiths, such as a mosque. The school maintains links with an inner-city school whose pupils have visited and given a presentation about Eid during an assembly, so developing pupils’ cultural awareness. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils are given many opportunities to learn about the diverse world in which we live. The Elton C of E Primary School - 10

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school, assessment is very good and very effectively used to check pupils’ progress and plan the next stage of learning. The curriculum is good with very good inclusion for all pupils and a very good range of lunch-time clubs and activities outside the normal school day. The school provides very good care for its pupils. Collaboration and partnership with parents are very good. There are strong links with local schools and, given the small size of the school, strong links with the community. As a result, worthwhile opportunities to promote achievement are very good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school and as a result, pupils’ learning is very good, enabling them to achieve very well and reach above average standards.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection is having a very good impact on pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils achieve very well and reach above average standards. • Teachers’ planning is very good and ensures a close match of work to the needs of pupils of all capabilities, enabling pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and higher-attaining pupils to achieve equally well as their peers. • All teachers maintain excellent relationships with pupils, using a wide range of strategies to motivate and sustain their interest. Pupils acknowledge that lessons are interesting and enjoyable. • Teachers have high expectations for learning and behaviour, and parents believe that teachers expect pupils to work hard and do their best. As a result, pupils respond very well in lessons, are well motivated, try hard and learn very effectively.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment systems are very good and used very effectively to check pupils’ progress and move them on to the next stage of learning. Pupils realise that teachers help them when they are stuck and show them how to improve their work.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

18. At the last inspection, teaching was judged to be mainly good, no unsatisfactory lessons were seen and there were no marked differences in the quality of teaching between key stages. However, there was insufficient assessment of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding, and assessment was not used sufficiently for planning. Since that time, teaching has improved significantly as a result of the vision and drive of the headteacher and the appointment within the last two years of a new teaching staff with greater subject expertise and successful teaching experience. The headteacher has ensured that the performance management cycle for teachers has linked the achievement of targets to the quality of teaching and learning. As a result, teaching is now mainly very good and rarely satisfactory. All teachers set high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour, using a variety of strategies to sustain interest

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Commentary

and concentration. Pupils say they learn new things in lessons, which is reflected in very good learning and very good achievement, enabling them to reach above average standards. This is confirmed by inspection findings and the much improved 2003 National Curriculum test results. The Elton C of E Primary School - 11 19. Teachers have excellent relationships with pupils, who acknowledge that lessons are interesting and fun. Teachers explain learning objectives carefully to pupils so they know what they are expected to achieve in lessons. Teachers ask challenging questions to engage pupils in learning and pupils realise that they are expected to work hard. Pupils’ behaviour is very well managed and pupils know, and always adhere to, classroom rules and routines. There is very good teamwork with teaching assistants, who are involved in planning and assessment and effectively contribute to teaching, pupils’ learning and achievement. Homework is consistently

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Commentary

set, consolidating pupils’ learning and almost all parents are pleased with this.

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Commentary

20. Teachers’ planning is very detailed, providing well for the mixed age classes. This leads to well-structured lessons where skills are systematically consolidated year on year. Teachers ensure that their lessons cater for the needs of pupils with different levels of attainment by effective grouping arrangements and ensuring that work is well-matched to individual learning needs.

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Commentary

21. Throughout the school, pupils are enthusiastic in their learning and quickly become involved in their activities. For example, in the Reception class, the teacher showed a very good understanding of the needs of young children and made very effective use of a Big Book of ‘The Ugly Duckling’. Children listened carefully and joined in enthusiastically in with the story when their teacher asked them to. As a result, their imagination was stimulated and their speaking and listening skills were developed well. Boys and girls focus equally well on written tasks, taking great care with presentation, which was seen in pupils’ written work during the inspection. As they move through the school pupils develop more confidence in learning. This was seen during ‘circle time’ when Year 3 and 4 pupils were celebrating the achievements of another pupil, who stood up in front of his peers and recited one of his favourite poems very

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Commentary

confidently with feeling and expression, making the other pupils giggle with enjoyment. Pupils are keen to do well and work effectively together. For example, in Years 5 and 6 when pupils learned how to sample sounds and record them onto a laptop computer.

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Commentary

22. Assessment is rigorous and very good in all year groups. Teachers complete detailed lesson evaluations for all subjects, which they use well to plan the next stage of learning. A thorough analysis of assessment information has identified improvements in teaching and learning where needed and shown that the targets set for pupils are being met and surpassed. For example, the analysis of national test results has identified the different achievements of girls and boys in English and mathematics, the need to develop creativity and questioning in teaching to extend learning, the need to focus on writing and the need to increase the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels in National Curriculum tests. This information has then been used to provide booster groups, to change teaching and learning styles to accommodate differences in boys’ and girls’ achievements and to develop creativity in questioning in teaching. As a result, the gap between girls’ and boys’ achievements has

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Commentary

narrowed and more pupils are gaining the higher levels in National Curriculum tests. Pupils are involved in their own target-setting so that they know how to improve and they have also acknowledged in their questionnaires that teachers help them when they are stuck and show them how to improve their work. Pupils’ work shows consistent marking but this does not always inform pupils of their achievements and what they must do to improve. The senior managers rightly continue to monitor this carefully.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good . The school provides a good, well-balanced and broad curriculum that meets the needs and interests of all its pupils and ensures that good, and often very good, progress is made. The Elton C of E Primary School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Through very good leadership and management by the headteacher, link governors and core subject co-ordinators, curriculum provision has been significantly improved since the last inspection, leading to higher standards being reached by all pupils. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Very clear targets are set for individual pupils and a range of appropriate strategies offers good support, resulting in very good progress being made over time. • The very inclusive ethos ensures the needs of all groups of pupils are met and they all achieve very well as a result. • The very good range of extra-curricular activities and learning opportunities outside school enriches pupils’ learning in a variety of subjects, including competitive sports and the arts. • The accommodation is used well and the environment is greatly enhanced by eye-catching displays that celebrate pupils’ work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The outdoor learning environment for Reception children is inadequate at present and places constraints on the organisation of the day, but this is being addressed in the buildings programme.

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Commentary

23. Teachers’ careful planning ensures that pupils progressively gain skills, knowledge and understanding in all the National Curriculum subjects. Good attention is paid to developing cross-curricular links. For example, teachers plan to include opportunities to develop the full range of pupils’ speaking and listening skills in all subjects. More account is taken of the needs of the higher-attaining pupils than at the time of the last inspection, and they are achieving very well as a result. Booster groups and intervention programmes successfully raise standards in English and mathematics. Literacy and numeracy are well promoted in subjects and the use of computers to support teaching and learning is equally well developed. The school has reviewed the arrangements for these pupils who are withdrawn for extra support, so they do not now miss work in other subjects. Work on citizenship has recently been incorporated into a

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Commentary

well-established programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE), which includes a Community Drugs Policy, pulling the community together to raise awareness of drug misuse. The PSHE programme includes sex and relationships education, with good attention to alcohol and drugs misuse. The school recently registered with the Eco-Schools’ Award programme in which the members of the community, staff and pupils will address environmentally friendly issues such as recycling, developing a vegetable patch and composting biodegradable rubbish.

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Commentary

24. Pupils are prepared well for their next stage of education, both academically and socially. Although pupils transfer to several different schools, good links are established with all. There are very good links with 12 neighbouring primary schools, with joint organisation of music festivals, sports days and a Year 6 quiz.

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Commentary

25. All staff work very effectively as a team. Teachers have regular access to training and professional development so they are well prepared to meet the demands of the curriculum. The support staff are all very well qualified and give positive and effective support to pupils, particularly those with special educational needs.

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Commentary

26. Classrooms have high-quality furnishings and fittings and the use of accommodation is maximised for teaching groups and individuals. For example, full use is made of the library on a daily basis, not only as a library for pupils, but also for booster group teaching, recorder club and music lessons and as a quiet meeting place for governors, staff or pupils. There are good levels of resources to support teaching and learning, particularly the use of computers. The Elton C of E Primary School - 13

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good . Staff provide very good support, advice and guidance based on monitoring and there is very good involvement of pupils in decision- making.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good arrangements for care contribute to pupils’ positive attitudes and good behaviour. Pupils say they are treated fairly and parents confirm this. • Although a Race Relations policy is in place, it is not yet fully implemented. • Health and Safety requirements are met very well through rigorous monitoring, using detailed risk assessments. • Pupils are actively involved in the decision-making process and their views are sought, valued and acted upon. Pupils say that staff listen to their ideas.

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Commentary

27. Staff have a genuine concern for pupils’ welfare and maintain excellent relationships with them. There is a strong sense of community and belonging throughout the school which promotes pupils’ care and concern for others. The arrangements for child protection are very good. There are effective anti-bullying measures in place. Bullying is thoroughly monitored and effectively dealt with through special assemblies and ‘circle time’, should an incident occur and there is very good communication with parents when this happens. All governors and staff have been trained in child protection and are fully aware of the procedures. Pupils say there is an adult that they would go to, if they were worried at school. There is a very popular after- school-care club and the school is joining the Health-Promoting Schools initiative. Strong links with the church also promote pupils’ spiritual and moral development and contribute to high

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Commentary

standards of behaviour and excellent relationships.

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Commentary

28. Pupils are involved in decision-making, particularly through the school council. Their views are valued and suggestions taken seriously. For example, pupils had a say in the design of the playground which was acted upon and Year 6 pupils made some very good suggestions about how to make different areas of the school environment more eco-friendly within their science topic. Their suggestions have already been taken into account and will soon lead to further improvements within the school environment.

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Commentary

29. The arrangements for monitoring attendance are very good and there is close liaison with the education welfare officer. Pupils’ work is regularly scrutinised and very good assessment systems are used to check that pupils are achieving as well as they should. There is regular communication on pupils’ progress through, for example, well-written reports and parents’ meetings. Arrangements for settling in new pupils are very good, with considerable care and attention given to individual needs and family circumstances.

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Commentary

30. Procedures for ensuring health and safety are very good, with rigorous risk assessments every half-term. All members of staff are qualified first-aiders and there are very good procedures for administering medication.

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Commentary

31. The Race Relations policy has not yet been monitored and any findings from analysis of incidents and their impact have not been reported to parents.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents and other schools is very good . Its links with the community are excellent. The Elton C of E Primary School - 14

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Partnership with the community is excellent and parents praised this as a particularly strong feature. • Parents have very positive views about the school and believe that communication has greatly improved and staff are more accessible. Parent governors report on the positive views of parents. • There are very good links with local schools.

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Commentary

32. Parents hold very positive views of the school. They believe: pupils achieve high standards; pupils are happy at school; information that parents receive supports pupils’ learning; behaviour is very good; the school is a safe and caring environment; and staff are always willing to talk to parents. Parents also agree that pupils’ happiness with school is promoted by very good relationships between staff and pupils, the very caring ethos and the consistent setting of homework as a strong feature of teaching. Parents acknowledge that communication has greatly improved; there are regular newsletters, a very informative prospectus and they receive good quality feedback at parents’ meetings and informative, word-processed annual reports.

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Commentary

33. All Home-School agreements are signed, school consultations are attended by a very high proportion of parents and parents receive detailed annual reports which are very informative of pupils’ attainments and achievements.

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Commentary

34. Given the small size of the school, links with the community are excellent. The Parent-Teacher Association organises events such as the Golden Jubilee event, which are well attended by villagers; visitors participate in assemblies; and the cycling proficiency test is held in the school. Parents and the community join in working parties and parents are complimentary about their opportunities for participation in training workshops. There is a high turn-out of parents and the community at school events. Transition of pupils to other schools is smooth.

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Commentary

35. There is a strong network with other schools, not only for shared events but also for staff development. For example the school has very good links with a local ‘Beacon’ secondary school from which it receives resources and staff training on extending the learning of more able pupils.

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Commentary

36. Partnership with the local community is excellent, particularly with the parish church and local homes for the elderly. In drawing up the school’s new mission statement, staff, governors, parents and the local community worked together to develop and agree upon it.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The headteacher, senior managers and other staff with key co-ordination roles provide very good leadership. The school is very well managed and runs very efficiently. The governing body provides very good support to the school.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership of the headteacher, who inspires staff with her drive for improving teaching and learning and raising standards, is excellent. The senior teacher and subject leaders share the same vision and purpose as the headteacher. • There has been very good improvement in the leadership and management of the school since the last inspection. As a result, all key issues identified at that time have now been very well addressed and the school has gained national awards in recognition of its work. The Elton C of E Primary School - 15 • Governors provide very high quality support for the school; they have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and are very effective in pursuing well-chosen initiatives as a result of their own monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Total income 346,554 Balance from previous year 42,854 Total expenditure 306,141 Balance carried forward to the next 40,413.18 Expenditure per pupil 2,861

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Commentary

37. The headteacher is an inspirational leader who has shown the energy, commitment and determination to bring about rapid change in the school for the better, with a sharp focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, raising standards and pupils’ achievements. In the two years since her appointment, she has turned the school around by addressing all key issues from the last inspection report very effectively. The headteachers’ drive for improvement is underpinned by her excellent management in recruiting a strong team of completely new teachers who share her vision and commitment for improvement. Furthermore, the headteacher has successfully embedded performance management in the setting of school development priorities and staff development. Clear targets for staff are set, focusing on raising pupils’ achievement and improving teaching and learning. These are based on the outcomes of thorough analysis of assessment information and systematic monitoring of

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Commentary

teaching and learning. Under the direction of the headteacher, the senior teacher and subject leaders support this process very effectively, resulting in very strong teamwork and rapid improvements in the school’s performance. For example, in the short space of time that the new staff have been appointed to the school, teaching and learning have improved significantly along with pupils’ achievement, which have led to much higher standards throughout the school. All staff have a detailed knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in the school’s work as a result of very effective monitoring and analysis, and this has also led to the establishment of booster groups to raise achievement for pupils of all levels of attainment, including those with special educational needs, together with effective strategies for reducing the differences between boys’ and girls’ achievements.

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Commentary

38. There has been very good improvement in the leadership and management of the school since the last inspection. The significant weaknesses in leadership and management identified at the last inspection have been addressed very effectively by the headteacher. These included: challenges faced with staff turnover; unsatisfactory development of the curriculum; a lack of shared vision among staff for improvement; ineffective co-ordination by subject leaders; and a lack of rigour in the monitoring of teaching and learning, which was not focused enough on raising standards. Since the headteacher has been appointed, very good management has ensured that rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning has led to: improved training of all staff; more effective teaching strategies to accommodate the needs of different groups of pupils; significant improvements in the setting and marking of homework; greater use of

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Commentary

assessment; and better provision for higher attainers. All of these improvements have led to greater achievement and higher standards. Furthermore, the weaknesses identified in subject leadership have been well addressed, with good co-ordination of science and ICT. Subject leaders also ensure that through improved assessment and effective training, teachers have a much better understanding of the standards pupils are expected to reach within their subjects. Subject leaders closely monitor the curriculum, and have developed subject action plans linked to the very well-chosen priorities in the school improvement plan, which has proved to be a very effective working document in the management of change. The school has worked very hard to achieve the Basic Skills quality mark, in recognition of improved provision for raising standards in literacy and numeracy. The headteacher, staff and governors are rightly proud of

p.17

Commentary

The Elton C of E Primary School - 16 this achievement, which has also been recognised within the LEA. The headteacher is now a member of the Basic Skills Assessor team and the school is actively committed to achieving more awards for its work. These include the Eco-Schools, Health Promoting Schools and Well-Being Programme.

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Commentary

39. There is a strong team spirit between governors and staff, and governors now provide very high quality support for the school as a result of improved training, They visit the school regularly, focusing on the evaluation of aspects of development planning. They share the headteacher’s vision for the school, for example, in setting up a working party with staff, parents, and the village community to produce a clear mission statement to reflect this vision. Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are very effective in pursuing well-chosen initiatives as a result of their own monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work. Management of the school’s finances is very good. Both governors and the headteacher achieve best value in their spending and ensure the financial controls are in place to manage the budget efficiently. Spending is precisely linked to school

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Commentary

improvement priorities and the budget is scrutinised regularly and thoroughly by governors. The underspend is being used to improve the accommodation for children in the Reception class, which is due for completion this year. The school makes very good use of resources, staffing and accommodation. Governors assume responsibility for subject areas and meet regularly with their link subject leader to review the subject. This includes paired lesson observation between the link governor and subject leader, which are systematically planned for within a rolling programme over a two year cycle, enabling two subjects to be extensively monitored every term. Furthermore, governors scrutinise performance data and test results in detail and are highly effective in following up concerns. For example, they identified boys’ reading as an area for improvement. Governors issued a questionnaire to parents, interviewed

p.18

Commentary

boys about their reading and followed this up by targeting resources to foster a greater enthusiasm for reading among boys. The Elton C of E Primary School - 17

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children achieve very well because the very good teaching ensures that they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions at a very early stage. • The children reach standards expected for their age by the end of the year, and some will exceed them, even though standards were average when they started. • The outdoor area is very small and insufficiently resourced.

p.19

Commentary

40. Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is good . The attainment of children entering Reception is broadly average. Teachers concentrate on the development of personal and social skills and the development of speaking and listening skills, and children make a very positive start to the Reception class, and make good progress. They achieve very well because the teaching is very good and the good curriculum provides a wide range of challenging, stimulating activities that are well matched to their needs.

p.19

Commentary

41. The provision is very well managed and the children’s progress is carefully monitored. All adults manage children very well and this ensures that their needs are well met. Children enter the Reception class in the September of the year in which they are five years old. They come into school part-time for the first two weeks of the term and the teacher assesses each child’s development to enable her to provide an appropriate curriculum. Parents and their child are invited into school in the summer term before their child begins school. The headteacher explains the school rules and routines and the curriculum which their child will be following. The school nurse also attends these meeting and gives advice on health matters.

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Commentary

42. Provision for personal and social education is very good . There is very good teaching and learning in this area of learning. There are high expectations of politeness and good behaviour that are consistently reinforced by adults. Children’s independence moves on very well, as does their ability to work and play alongside others. The classroom has a warm welcoming atmosphere in which children feel safe and secure and quickly learn to abide by the rules and follow routines. Children’s confidence develops very well so that by the time they start in Year 1, most are likely to achieve the early learning goals for their age and some will achieve beyond this. Children respond quickly when called to gather together on the carpet. When they set off to their tasks, they show interest and share resources. Children play happily in the house or with the farm. They learn to tidy away resources and do this efficiently with a

p.19

Commentary

minimum of reminding. In the Reception class each morning begins with a ‘morning prayer’ and this gives children a quiet time to think about the day ahead of them.

p.19

Commentary

43. Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good because teaching and learning are very good . Most children will achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave the Reception class, and a few will exceed them. Children make very good progress and their achievement is very good. The very good teaching is characterised by a very good understanding of the needs of young children and the very well organised and exciting activities that motivate them. Children listen attentively to the story of ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and excitedly join in with the story when their teacher asks them to. The use of a ‘big book’ stimulates their imagination and this develops their speaking and listening skills well. Adults devote time to encourage children’s speaking skills and develop and extend their vocabulary. Children practise forming letters correctly and begin to recognise letter sounds and names.

p.19

Commentary

The Elton C of E Primary School - 18 44. Children make good progress in their mathematical development because of the very good teaching. Most will achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave the Reception class and some will exceed them. They learn to say and use number names to five and enthusiastically enter into a missing number game with the teacher. Children draw numbers of apples to match a given number and learn to count verbally from zero to ten. The teacher introduces the number to be learned, for example, four children practise the formation and work on simple tasks to reinforce their learning. Group activities relate to number work as well as to a range of activities which children choose from an activity board. Mathematical language is emphasised and is woven into everyday activities as adults support children in various activities.

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Commentary

45. Children begin to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world well , as they learn the different parts of their body. The very good use of singing ’heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ reinforced their learning. Children are given opportunities to use the play mat as they explore the different animals that live on a farm. Skills in information and communication technology are reinforced as children use prepared programs on the class computer.

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Commentary

46. Children develop their creative skills as they use finger paint well . The very clear teaching ensured that the children had a good understanding of the task. Children were very keen to know what the paint felt like. In their music, children sing a range of number rhymes and songs. They learn to recognise long and short sounds and use pictures of animals to help them.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children use their physical skills as they cut, stick, colour and paint . Appropriate opportunities are planned for children to play in the sandpit or create imaginary scenes outside. The outside area is unsatisfactory and the children do not have opportunities to play on wheeled toys. However, the school has plans for a new area and this is included in the new building which will begin shortly.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking and listening are good. • Standards in Year 2 national tests in reading are very high; in the top five per cent nationally, and pupils in Year 1 and 2 achieve very well. • Standards in Year 6 national tests in English are above average, and pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve very well in reading and well in writing. • The consistently good teaching ensures pupils make good progress in all aspects of the subject. • The co-ordinator ensures that all agreed priorities are fully implemented in order to raise standards of teaching and learning. • The school has raised standards since the previous inspection, particularly in Years 5 and 6, and in writing across the school. However, standards in writing by Year 6 could be better.

p.20

Commentary

48. In the 2002 national tests, all Year 2 pupils reached the required Level 2 in reading and writing, of whom 33 per cent reached the higher Level 3 in reading and 11 per cent in writing. These results are above the national average and that of schools with similar pupils. In the English tests for Year 6 pupils, 57 per cent attained the required Level 4, of whom 29 per cent reached The Elton C of E Primary School - 19 the higher Level 5, which was very low compared to the national average. However, these results indicate that pupils achieve satisfactorily against their prior attainment. The cohorts are small, which affects the reliability of the data. Also, the school lost several of its higher attaining pupils when they transferred to a middle school in Year 4. Results for 2003 indicate significant improvements have been made in the test results for Year 6 pupils. Unpublished data indicates that 73 per cent of pupils attained Level 4 of whom 47 per cent reached Level 5. Compared

p.20

Commentary

with the 2002 results nationally, these results are above the national average.

p.21

Commentary

49. The school identified the need to raise standards in speaking and listening and all teachers now ensures that their planning includes opportunities for pupils to develop all the required skills in this area, within four subjects each term. Although there is insufficient evidence to judge standards of speaking by Year 2, the judgement is that this strategy has successfully raised standards by Year 6. Pupils express their ideas and thoughts confidently and articulately in, for example, a PSHE lesson. They listen carefully to instructions and follow them accurately.

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Commentary

50. Pupils achieve very well in reading throughout the school. The school has successfully addressed the weakness identified in boys’ reading. A questionnaire was sent to boys and their parents in order to identify what reading material would appeal to them. After purchasing resources accordingly, the link governor interviewed some boys and established that the outcomes were successful. Recent test results confirm that boys’ reading has improved. Throughout the school, pupils are given much support by their parents at home, as well as having weekly group reading with their teacher. Teachers use this time very effectively to develop the necessary skills. The weekly ‘reading buddy’ system, when younger pupils are partnered with older pupils and spend time reading together, adds significantly to both pupils’ attitudes towards, and achievements in, reading. Library skills are promoted regularly, but older

p.21

Commentary

pupils have few opportunities to learn and refine the skills of research, though they are set research tasks to complete as homework.

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Commentary

51. The school also identified that standards in writing, though good, were not as high as in reading. As a result, teachers now provide opportunities for pupils to write more often across a range of subjects. They employ good strategies for enthusing pupils and introduce structures for writing to raise confidence. Pupils complete many written assignments in English lessons for different audiences and purposes. As a result, standards have risen. However, older pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to write at length and to fully develop a plot and characterisation. Pupils have occasionally edited their work, or that of a partner, in order to improve it, but this does not yet happen often enough for them to know what to do in order to produce work of a higher standard. In many classes, the standards of handwriting and presentation are good, which is a good improvement since the previous report.

p.21

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have very secure subject knowledge and as a result, the quality of teaching and learning observed was consistently good. Lessons are well planned and provide pupils with opportunities to improve their literacy skills in all areas. Interesting and challenging texts are chosen, activities are matched to pupils’ different capabilities and teachers set high expectations of pupils’ response. As a result, all groups work hard and make good progress at their own level. Through careful and regular assessment, teachers’ planning addresses any weaknesses in pupils’ learning and every group is given specific targets to help them improve. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported by the learning support assistants and care is taken to address the targets on their IEPs. These pupils achieve very well over time as a result. Good marking procedures have been agreed recently,

p.21

Commentary

where teachers refer to the learning objective of the lesson and identify how pupils could improve their work. These are not yet fully embedded across the school, however.

p.21

Commentary

53. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. She monitors the implementation of the agreed action plan and keeps the governing body fully informed of progress being made. Together with the headteacher, she carefully monitors the progress of individual pupils as well as that of specific groups of pupils. The school knows that pupils who The Elton C of E Primary School - 20 have English as an additional language are making very good progress, for example. The co- ordinator has also ensured that greater use is made of ICT to support teaching and learning.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Many appropriate opportunities are given in all subjects for pupils to enhance and develop their literacy skills.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is very effective . Standards are above the national average in Years 2 and 6.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching and learning and as a result, standards are above average. • Pupils enjoy the quick-fire questions in arithmetic and are enabled to work at the level they are capable of. • Assessment is very helpful to pupils. They understand what they have to do to improve and their performance is carefully tracked. • Very good leadership and management of the subject. • Information and communication technology is not fully developed in the subject.

p.22

Commentary

55. Standards seen in the inspection are above the national average at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils make very good progress and their achievement is very good. However standards look set to improve in Key Stage 1.

p.22

Commentary

56. Since the last inspection, standards have generally improved. Standards in 2002 were well above the national average and those for similar schools, showing very good achievement. The unpublished results of 2003 show an improvement in standards compared to 2002 results. The low results in Year 6 in 2002 should be considered within the context of the small cohort, the numbers of pupils with special educational needs and the numbers of higher- attaining pupils who left the school in Year 4 to transfer to the Middle school. The unpublished results for 2003 show a significant rise in standards at Level 4 and 5, resulting from strong curriculum leadership. The co-ordinator has succeeded in developing a shared vision for the improvement of teaching and has been tracking standards with care. Monitoring of teaching is now carried out both by her and the headteacher. Pupils who are dropping behind and those

p.22

Commentary

with special educational needs are identified and offered extra support. Improvement since the last inspection has been maintained in Key Stage 1 and is good in Key Stage 2. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and pupils achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Pupils who are gifted and talented are identified and provision is very good. Some boys achieve better than girls do but others also achieve less than girls. The achievement of girls appears to be in the average band, with boys’ achievement high and low.

p.22

Commentary

57. In Years 1 and 2 pupils are following the guidance of the National Strategy. A particular strength is the way in which lessons are started with a variety of mental arithmetic exercises. The teacher asked pupils to write numbers to 20 and extends this to numbers to at least 100 in figures and words, using their white boards. The lesson moved at a rapid pace as the teacher introduced pupils to a range of coins. The very good discussion and interactive solving of shopping problems gave all pupils a very good understanding of their learning and ensured that they achieved well. In Years 3 and 4 pupils were extending their mathematical vocabulary as they held and described the properties of different shapes, for example sphere, cuboid, pyramid. The well-planned tasks reinforced this learning and pupils’ achievement was very good. In Years 5 and 6 pupils developed their recognition of equivalent fractions as fractions, to

p.22

Commentary

find the equivalence of more complex fractions. Higher-attaining pupils were well planned for The Elton C of E Primary School - 21 and their learning extended as they reduced fractions to their lowest term. Very good progress was made in this very good lesson.

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Commentary

58. Teachers are following the National Numeracy Strategy well. A particular strength is the way in which all teachers begin the lessons with a rapid pace, using a variety of mental strategies as the lesson progresses. Teachers constantly reinforce pupils’ learning and this gives pupils confidence in the understanding of their tasks and what they need to do to improve. Assessment is very good. Teachers consistently assess pupils’ learning and plan carefully to ensure that all pupils learn at the correct level of understanding.

p.23

Commentary

59. All of the teaching seen during the inspection was of a very high standard. Teachers have very good understanding of the subject, produce high-quality planning and use very careful assessment well. They have set very high standards of behaviour and of pupil achievement. They encourage pupils to do their best and challenge their learning so that this is achieved. Homework is used very well and supports classroom learning.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Although the National Numeracy Strategy is well embedded in terms of mathematics, few other subjects have planned the development of numeracy in their subjects systematically. There is good use of information and communication technology as this is identified on mathematics planning. The school has identified this area for development.

p.23

SCIENCE

Provision in science is very good , leading to very good learning, very good achievement and above average standards throughout the school.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved significantly and are now above the national average in Year 6. • Pupils achievements are very good and there are no significant differences between the achievements of boys and girls or particular groups. • Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school. • Assessment is very good and used well to raise pupils’ achievements. • The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the curriculum.

p.23

Commentary

61. Standards reached by pupils in Year 6 have improved significantly, as seen in the most recent National Curriculum test results. At the time of the last inspection, standards were below the national average. In 2002, Year 6 results were below the national average and also in comparison with similar schools. Nearly all pupils reached Level 4, including some with special educational needs, but no pupils reached the higher Level 5. Unvalidated results from the 2003 tests show that standards were above the national average for 2002 having risen substantially at Levels 4 and 5. Inspection findings show that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now working above the national average and achieving very well. Work seen in Years 3 to 6 shows a very thorough coverage of the whole science curriculum, with opportunities for pupils to develop scientific thinking by carrying out regular investigations. Analysis of recent tests shows that the current

p.23

Commentary

Year 6 pupils are set to reach standards above those nationally Pupils with special educational needs and higher-attaining pupils are achieving equally well and there are no significant differences between the achievement of girls and boys. Pupils also exceeded the challenging targets they were expected to achieve in 2003. There has been steady rise in standards in science since the last inspection, which is particularly marked by the good results in 2003, because pupils’ learning is very good as a result of very good teaching. The Elton C of E Primary School - 22 62. All groups of pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs in Years 1 and 2, are achieving very well in science. The 2002 teacher assessments for Year 2 pupils revealed that all pupils achieved Level 2, putting the school’s performance in the top five per cent of schools nationally. However, no pupils reached the higher Level 3. In the

p.23

Commentary

unvalidated 2003 teacher assessments, all pupils achieved Level 2 and some pupils achieved Level 3. These standards are reflected in the work seen in pupils’ books. In Years 1 and 2, there is good coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum for this age group and good evidence of opportunities to extend pupils’ learning through practical investigations.

p.24

Commentary

63. Teaching and learning are very good in all year groups. Teachers now provide a much clearer focus on investigation work and the development of understanding of scientific vocabulary. Key words for science topics are clearly displayed on the board and referred to constantly during the lesson, promoting pupils’ literacy skills very well. Learning objectives are clearly explained to pupils before they start the work so that they have a very good understanding of what they will achieve. Pupils develop a good understanding of fair testing as they move through the school. In Years 1 and 2, they formulate hypotheses and think of ways to test these out. They write down how they will do this and then proceed with their investigation. This was seen in a lesson about growth where pupils predicted that the oldest pupils will not necessarily be the tallest and then discussed how they would find out if this were true or not. They decided

p.24

Commentary

to measure the height of other pupils standing in a line and the teacher helped them to do this. By the end of the investigation pupils realised their prediction was accurate. This very good teaching focused on the development of numeracy skills, through measuring height and set high expectations for learning in challenging pupils to think and use scientific vocabulary throughout. Numeracy and literacy skills were equally very well promoted in a Year 5 and 6 lesson which focused on recording pulse rate before and after exercise. Pupils learned that it is more efficient to measure pulse in 15 second intervals and then multiply this by 4 and realised that this the method used by doctors and nurses. This link made by the teacher to accidents and emergencies enhanced pupils’ personal development very well. Teachers make very good use of assessment and have set even more challenging targets for Year 6 in 2004.

p.24

Commentary

There is end-of-unit assessment and pupils’ progress is systematically recorded to inform target-setting.

p.24

Commentary

64. The curriculum has improved significantly since the last inspection, with a greater focus on practical investigations, very good promotion of literacy and numeracy skills and good use of ICT, which was seen both in pupils‘ work and in lessons.

p.24

Commentary

65. The recently-appointed subject leader has made a good start in co-ordinating the subject and already identified further areas for improvement, with an even greater focus on the development of the understanding and use of scientific vocabulary and on scientific investigations as the means for teaching all aspects of science.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good and pupils achieve well .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a very good ratio of laptop computers to numbers of children. • Teaching and learning are very good, enabling pupils’ very good achievement. • The school needs to develop the use of information and communication technology further and to incorporate it into other subjects. The Elton C of E Primary School - 23

p.24

Commentary

66. Standards are average at the end of Year 2 and are above average by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6.The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and they make very good progress. Gifted and talented pupils have very good opportunities to share their skills with their classmates and they make very good progress. All aspects of the subject are covered and very good progress has been made since the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

67. Word processing is used confidently and competently. Pupils use the computers’ tools to create, amend and improve their work. A good example of this was seen in a Year 3 and 4 class where pupils were learning how to delete and insert text, to give description and depth to an article about Sooty the cat: ‘Sooty the cat had a lucky escape yesterday when firemen rescued her from the top of a chimney’, this was changed to ‘Sooty the cat had a lucky escape yesterday when firemen rescued her from the top of a fat smoking chimney’. Pupils in this lesson developed their skills, knowledge and understanding well. The lesson prepared them very well for a planned task of writing an article for a newspaper. In Years 5 and 6, pupils learn how to sample sounds and record them onto a laptop computer. The very good teaching demonstrated to pupils how to use a tambourine well to make a sound, how to record this

p.25

Commentary

sound and save it to disk. As the lesson developed, pupils sang ’Happy Birthday’ and this too was recorded and saved. In Years 1 and 2, pupils are learning about text, and that it can be altered and corrected. They are learning how to change the size, font and colour of the text. Pupils confidently use the laptop computers.

p.25

Commentary

68. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject and teach it very well. They confidently and competently use the projector and this gives all pupils access to the curriculum and ensures inclusion. The use of the projector enhances the very good teaching of basic skills. Pupils are keen and enthusiastic learners and use the computers sensibly and with developing skill. The more able pupils help their less confident classmates and this develops their sense of responsibility.

p.25

Commentary

69. The subject co-ordinator has a clear understanding of how to improve standards further. There is a suitable scheme of work which supports planning, teaching and learning and a suitable policy for internet use. The monitoring of how well the subject is taught and how pupils learn is at an early stage of development as the co-ordinator only recently took up her post.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. The co-ordinator has identified the use of ICT in other subjects as a development for the school. Pupils use their computers in mathematics lessons well to reinforce and extend their learning. They use the computer for research purposes in lessons; for example, in a literacy lesson in Years 1 and 2, pupils were inserting appropriate verbs of their own choice into text. This class has also used the internet to find out what the weather is like in Edinburgh, before Barnaby Bear visits. Most can save their work and shut down the computer. Pupils’ work demonstrates that good use is made of computers in science and very good use of computers was seen in geography lessons. For example, Year 1 and 2 pupils used the internet to find out about the weather in Edinburgh and make comparisons with Elton. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 used the computer to produce a report and summary based upon the analysis of the school

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

The Elton C of E Primary School - 24 • Pupils’ achievements are good. • Teaching is good and sometimes very good enabling pupils to learn well. • Good use is made of the school environment to enhance learning. • Planning is good.

p.26

Commentary

71. Two lessons were seen and inspectors looked at a display of pupils’ work, and held discussions with pupils and the subject leader.

p.26

Commentary

72. Pupils are achieving well and reaching the expectations for their age throughout the school. Teaching is good overall and promotes the development of literacy, numeracy and ICT within the subject. This was very evident in the two lessons seen where teaching was very good. Year 1 and 2 pupils were locating the countries and capital cities within the British Isles. The teacher told the story of Barnaby Bear’s visit to Edinburgh in Scotland and they listened very attentively, looking at Barnaby’s red tartan scarf. The teacher then showed pupils postcards of Scotland, eventually encouraging them to write their own, which they did. But before this, the teacher used the internet with pupils who looked at the weather forecast in Edinburgh and compared it to Elton’s weather. They saw the meteorological symbols for rain, cloud and sunshine and saw temperature measured in degrees Celsius. The teacher took them to the

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Commentary

playground where they gathered around the big map of the British Isles. She then asked them to locate Scotland and then Edinburgh, after discussing the various countries and capitals within the British Isles. The teacher used ‘North’ and ‘South’, extending pupils’ learning. This very good use of resources and methods promoted pupils’ literacy, numeracy and ICT skills very well in the lesson so they achieved very well. Evidence from pupils’ written work shows that their attainments are in line with those expected.

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Commentary

73. Similarly in a Year 5 and 6 lesson where teaching was very good, pupils were completing an environmental quality analysis as part of the environmental initiative ‘Eco-Schools’. The teacher focused on the development of report writing skills as pupils selected an area of the school that needed improving. They wrote down summaries of the main points – what needs improving in the environment and what action needs to be taken, and then used computers to word process their draft report using bullet points and a variety of fonts. Higher-attainers’ thinking was probed by challenging questions and the learning support assistant worked very effectively with a lower attainer to ensure full inclusion. She also contributed very well to the whole organisation and management of the lessons, for example, setting up the laptops and helping pupils to log on. As a result learning was very good and pupils’ achievements were very good in the lesson.

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Commentary

74. Pupils’ work shows good teaching with high expectations set for learning and presentation of written work. The curriculum is planned well to accommodate all areas of geography and the mixed ages in classes. It also identifies very clearly opportunities for the development of basic skills in the subject. The subject is well led, with a clear action plan for further development. The subject makes a good contribution to personal development as pupils think of ways to improve and protect the environment.

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History

Although no lessons were seen, there was sufficient evidence to make some secure judgements. Discussions took place with the subject leader and pupils, and inspectors looked at display and samples of pupils’ work. The Elton C of E Primary School - 25

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievements are good. • Teaching promotes basic skills well and sets high standards for presentation of work.

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Commentary

75. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are learning about the passage of time in their work on Victorians and Queen Boudicca. They talk confidently about their own timeline and are able to sequence events. The teacher promotes literacy and numeracy skills well, as seen in the use of timelines and in pupils’ written work. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 achieve well through the good opportunities for purposeful writing and the use of computers. For example, in the topic on Ancient Greece, pupils drew comparison tables of life in Athens and Sparta using bullet points and snappy phrases. The good use of ICT was seen in a display of London in 1877, when comparing rich and poor Victorian families living in a town.

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Art and design

No lessons were seen in art and design. A small sample of the work was seen and discussions on the subject were held with the co-ordinator.

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Art and design

It is not possible to make any judgements about standards reached by pupils but discussion with the co-ordinator shows that achievement is good. Year 2 pupils explore colour-mixing and tone. Year 6 learn how to create perspective effectively by using the vanishing point.

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Art and design

A detailed scheme of work indicates that all strands of the subject are comprehensively covered and there are procedures in place to assess pupils’ standards and progress. The co-ordinator has run an art club which also involved a local craftsperson to extend pupils’ experiences.

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Design and technology

No lessons were seen in design and technology. The subject was discussed with some pupils and with the co-ordinator.

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Design and technology

Year 6 pupils recounted the work they covered last year on making a toy out of wood, using a camshaft. They demonstrated a good understanding of the planning and designing stage, having investigated similar toys and learnt the skills of making a camshaft before starting to design their own. They described how their plans included side and bird’s-eye views of their design. During the making stage, they used tools such as drills, saws and glue guns. The final product was evaluated through discussion. They recalled other experiences such as designing and making biscuits, cards with pop-up features and masks with eyes that lit up. The evidence is that pupils receive a regular and appropriate design and technology curriculum.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in singing are good. The Elton C of E Primary School - 26

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Commentary

76. No lessons were in music were seen, but discussions were held with some pupils about the work they had done, and the subject was discussed with the co-ordinator. Inspectors heard pupils singing in assemblies and looked at evidence of various musical performances.

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Commentary

77. Year 6 pupils talk confidently and with enjoyment about their experiences in music lessons. They describe what they have done in the singing, composing and appraising elements of the subject. They name a range of instruments and identify those which are used in different styles of music, and know some famous composers. They have conducted individual research on music from other cultures.

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Commentary

78. All pupils have a weekly singing practice when they learn a wide range of hymns and songs. They sing well with good tone and pitch, responding sensitively to the words. Many pupils join the school choir and they frequently perform in the local community and have also made their own CD of their favourite hymns. They join 12 local schools for an annual music festival. All pupils have the opportunity to develop their performing skills in class assemblies, whole school concerts and special productions. A few pupils attend recorder club and several benefit from brass and violin tuition.

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Commentary

79. The subject co-ordinator has only recently been appointed. She has a good understanding of the role, however, and has specialist knowledge. She teaches music to all classes and her planning is detailed and comprehensive. The subject is due for review and monitoring this year. The evidence indicates that pupils have access to a regular and enriching music curriculum.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievements in dance are very good and they exceed expectations because teaching is very good. • Although most pupils reach the expectations for their age by the end of Year 6, some exceed them. • Teaching is very good and enables pupils to learn very well. • There is a very good range of out-of-school activities, including professional coaching. • Pupils’ personal development is promoted very well. • New playground facilities and equipment enhance pupils’ skills.

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Commentary

80. Pupils throughout the school are achieving well, and sometimes very well, in particular aspects of physical education (PE). Their achievements are good in team games and competitive sports, and some individual pupils achieve very well in these areas. For example, higher attainers display very good football skills, travelling, attacking and defending the goal during matches in cricket, they use the bat accurately to defend the wicket and strike the ball with precision and they bowl and field with good hand-eye co-ordination. Pupils’ achievements are sometimes very good in swimming where they gain certificates for swimming 100 metres. Their achievements are consistently very good in dance where they exceed the expectations for their ages, acquiring very good balance and control, making full use of the available space when travelling, keeping accurate time to the music and interpreting movements to music with

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Commentary

81. Pupils learn very well because teaching is very good, greatly enhanced by very good subject knowledge. The headteacher, who is a dance specialist, teaches dance and organises the The Elton C of E Primary School - 27 very popular after-school club. Teachers have good training in teaching the subject and pupils benefit from professional swimming, football and cricket coaching. In a Years 5 and 6 lesson, pupils were improving their skills in passing and handling a rugby ball, making very good use of the sports field. The lesson was very lively and the teacher ensured that all pupils were included in the activity. As a result, girls performed as well as boys and pupils with special educational needs remained focused and engaged in their activities. As the lesson proceeded, pupils increased and greatly improved their handling of a rugby ball as it was passed from player to player. In a Years 1 and 2 dance lesson pupils were given opportunities to develop

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Commentary

clear patterns of movement in space, copying the teacher’s hand and body movements accurately until they were able to develop their own. They revised shape sequences and patterns of shells as they performed their own dance routines as shells floating on a beach, then being swept out to sea, dragged along the bottom of the sea bed before being hurled back to shore on the crest of a wave. Pupils were encouraged by the teacher to make spiky shell patterns, to dance like slow crawling shells and to roll over, twist and spin in sequences of movement to reflect the ocean sounds of the music. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the lesson, worked very hard, remained totally focused and all achieved very well in their imaginative performance.

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Commentary

82. There is a very good range of activities outside lesson times which greatly enhance pupils’ physical development. These include professional swimming, cricket and football coaching and a dance club. All these activities are very popular, with girls joining in with boys. However, despite the headteachers’ best efforts, the dance club is exclusively attended by girls. In one dance club session seen, 22 girls of different attainment levels, including those with special educational needs performed a variety of dance styles, including modern and Cuban. They interpreted movements to music accurately and worked hard to continually improve their performance throughout.

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Commentary

83. Pupils’ personal development is very well promoted through PE activities. They work very well in pairs or groups, abide carefully by the rules of games and dance routines, and they are very aware of how to keep their bodies healthy and perform safely. Dance, in particular, enhances pupils’ spiritual development as they experience a sense of wonder in creating their own imaginative routines.

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Commentary

84. The recently-installed adventurous play equipment is already proving very popular with pupils at breaktimes and lunch-times. They use this to develop their skills of balance and control as they explore all possibilities of making the most of the equipment. There is also a designated area of the playground for team games such as football, which pupils take full advantage of to improve tackling, defending and dribbling skills as team players. Other pupils chose hoops, handballs or skipping ropes at playtimes, which are used to full advantage by all. However, the outside play area for Reception children limits the amount of play equipment they can use. Plans are already in place to relocate and extend this area to another part of the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal social and health education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Circle time makes a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development and citizenship. • The work of the School Council promotes pupils’ responsibility and their maturity and develops them as citizens.

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Commentary

85. The personal, social and health education and citizenship curriculum follows LEA guidelines and has been successfully implemented. It is taught to all year groups and, in lessons seen, teaching and learning were very good. In a Years 5 and 6 lesson, pupils explored mistakes that The Elton C of E Primary School - 28 are often made in lessons and how these can be rectified. When pupils found it difficult to offer solutions to problems, the teacher prompted them and moved them forward with their learning. As a result, they identified various emotions felt when a mistake is made, including worry, embarrassment and guilt.

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Commentary

86. In a Years 3 and 4 lesson, where very good teaching and learning was also seen, circle time was used to celebrate a ‘Special Day Person’, introducing pupils to the theme of emotions. The teacher encouraged pupils to say why they liked this particular ‘Special Day’ pupil and in turn, pupils gave thoughtful reasons. The ‘Special Day’ pupil was encouraged to read his favourite poem to the class, which he did with feeling. Other pupils were captivated and responded to the humour with spontaneous giggles. In this way, not only did the teacher promote the celebration of success of this pupil, but also speaking and listening very well.

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Commentary

87. Responsibility for others is promoted very well through assemblies, the very caring ethos of the school and the school council, where pupils make decisions about issues affecting their school. For example, during the school council meeting, pupils discussed the choice of play facilities, the development of a full-sized football pitch, after-school clubs, class rules, celebration assemblies and playground buddies. They also discussed the development of a vegetable patch and opportunities for research work in a mature and responsible manner. In this way, pupils are developing their citizenship, their feeling of pride for, and ownership of, the school. The Elton C of E Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 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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