The Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 2 May 2004 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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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 3 May 2004

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 319

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gonerby Hill Foot Grantham Lincolnshire Postcode: NG31 8HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01476 565800 Fax number: 01476 565800

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr I Challis

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 May 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School is larger than most primary schools, with 319 pupils, of whom 145 are boys and 174 girls. Currently, no pupils are in receipt of free school meals, which is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is slightly below what is usually found. There are currently 47 pupils identified as having special educational needs, including three with statements of educational needs. All of the statements are for impaired hearing. The school has seven pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue, although none of them are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is slightly above average, with Bengali, Cantonese and Korean being the languages spoken. Mobility of pupils in and out of the school other than at the normal time of admission is above that found nationally, which is largely to do with the school’s expansion. The socio-economic circumstances of the school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

are about average. The attainment of most pupils on entry to the school is average. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 4 May 2004

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

5281 P Gadsby Lead inspector Science Music Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage 11437 A Anderson Lay inspector 27426 T Aldridge Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Art and design Physical education Special educational needs 24380 A Milner Team inspector English Geography History Religious education English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 5 May 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 6 May 2004

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school, with many very good features. Its standards are improving over time and good teaching ensures that pupils achieve well. Its provision for music and participation in sport are excellent. The attitudes and personal development of pupils are very good and the school cares for them very well. Relationships in the school are very good. The head-teacher and his deputy lead the school very well, supported by an effective governing body. The school has shown very significant improvement since it was last inspected, and it gives good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • All pupils are included in all aspects of school life, they are well cared for and they achieve well. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, attendance and personal development, are very good. • The head-teacher and deputy form a very effective leadership team. • Teaching is good throughout the school, with very good relationships evident. • Children are provided with a very good start to their education in the reception classes. • Pupils are provided with many extended curriculum opportunities. • Standards in information and communication technology are below average in Year 6. • Pupils are not clear enough about what they have to do to improve. • There is not enough emphasis on teaching investigation skills in science and mathematics. • There are very good links with parents, the local community and other schools.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the school was last inspected, in 1999, it has shown very good improvement. Teaching is much better, standards, particularly in the reception year and in Years 1 and 2, have risen steadily and leadership and management are now much more effective. The head-teacher and deputy provide the school with very good leadership, well supported by a good governing body. A sound process of self-review is now in place and outcomes are acted upon. Teachers and support staff work hard and are committed to further improvement. As a result, teaching is good and pupils achieve well. Standards in information and communication technology have risen, but older pupils have not yet caught up due to previous unsatisfactory provision in the subject, and their standards remain below average. The school assesses and records pupils’ progress well, but does not share the information sufficiently with pupils, setting them specific enough targets and helping them to

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OVERALL EVALUATION

understand what they must do to improve. There is not enough systematic emphasis on the teaching and learning of investigational skills and mathematical and scientific enquiry.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A A C Mathematics C A C E Science B A C E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, pupils’ achievement is good. Children enter the reception class with average levels of attainment and achieve very well. Most will attain the national targets for their age in all areas of learning. Some will exceed them. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well, an improvement reflected in rising national test results. Standards seen in reading and writing were good; in mathematics very good; in science satisfactory. The performance of Year 6 pupils in the most recent national tests was well above average in English and average in mathematics and science. However, when compared with similar schools, in terms of the performance in the tests these pupils took at the end The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 7 May 2004 of Year 2, results in English were average, and those for science and mathematics well below average. This is different from the pattern of previous years, which shows good improvement in test

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

results. Last year’s results were affected by a higher than normal proportion of pupils with learning difficulties in the year group, a high proportion of pupils entering and leaving and factors in the personal circumstances of some pupils. During the inspection, standards seen in English, by Year 6 were above average; in science and mathematics they were average. Standards in music are excellent; in religious education they are good. Pupils’ personal qualities and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good. They show a sense of responsibility and are very clear what is right and wrong. Behaviour and attendance are very good and pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning. The school has high expectations in these areas and promotes them very well.

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The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. Teaching is good throughout

the school, so that pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve well. Lessons are carefully planned, teachers expect their pupils to do well and very good relationships between pupils and staff result in a positive climate for learning. Pupils’ work is assessed regularly so that future teaching can meet their needs, although the outcomes are not shared with pupils sufficiently, so that they are aware of any targets for improvement and how to achieve them. Sometimes, pupils are not given enough time to complete tasks in lessons. The curriculum the school provides is strong, with very good opportunities for extension both within and beyond the school day. The school cares for and guides its pupils very well. There is not enough emphasis on investigative work, particularly in mathematics and science.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management of the school is good. The head-teacher, supported by a very able deputy, is committed to improvement and has achieved much already. He gives the school a very strong sense of direction and is very highly regarded by staff, parents, pupils and the local community. Sound systems for self-evaluation and review are now in place, the outcomes of which are acted upon in well-focused improvement plans. Governance of the school is good. The governing body meets all of its statutory responsibilities. Governors have close links with the school, support it very well and are clear about it strengths and weaknesses. Sound financial management is focused on raising pupils’ achievement. Performance management systems are robustly in place. Teachers with management responsibility now perform their functions well, and are beginning to have an impact on pupils’ achievement.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school. They believe that it is very well led and are confident that it is doing its best for their children. Pupils like their school, especially the opportunities for curriculum enrichment, and that their views are sought and acted upon.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in information and communication technology for older pupils. • Ensure that pupils are clear about their goals for improvement and how to reach them. • Improve pupils learning of investigative and enquiry skills in mathematics and science. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 8 May 2004

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement in the reception classes is very good and in Years 1 to 6 it is good . Children’s knowledge and skills when they enter the school are broadly average for their age and by the end of Year 2 they are above average in reading, writing and well above average in mathematics. At present, standards in Year 6, when pupils leave the school, are above average in English and average in mathematics and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well in the reception classes. • Standards are above average Years 1 and 2. • Standards in Years 3 to 6 have improved in English, mathematics and science, although they are still too low in the investigative and enquiry elements of mathematics and science. • Standards have improved in information and communication technology, although they remain below average for pupils in Year 6. • Standards in music, by Year 6, are excellent; in religious education they are good.

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Commentary

1. When children enter the school their attainment is broadly average. Within this overall pattern there is a wide range, with some whose knowledge and skills are above or well above the average expected for their age, and some whose attainment is very low, most markedly in their language and communication skills. By the end of the reception year most children will achieve the nationally agreed Early Learning Goals; some have already achieved them and a small number will exceed them.

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.2 (17.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 16.3 (15.0) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 18.3 (18.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 49 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

2. The results of the 2003 national assessments for pupils at the end of Year 2 were well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In mathematics, all pupils achieved the nationally expected level, which put them in the top five per-cent of all schools in England. When compared with similar schools, defined in terms of pupils’ eligibility for free school meals, standards were above average in reading and writing and well above average in mathematics. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 3 was above average in writing and well above average in reading and mathematics. Current standards represent very good improvement from those found in the previous inspection and the school’s improvement trend is better than the national average. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 9 May 2004

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

Standards in: School results National results English 28.7 (29.5) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.7 (28.8) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.7 (30.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 46 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

3. The results of the national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6 show that in English they were well above the national average and in line with it in science and mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, standards in English were average and for science and mathematics well below average. In 2003, the results of the Year 6 tests represented a level of progress from Year 2 that was average in English and well below average in science and mathematics. This is a very different picture from the previous year, when the school’s results were well above average for this measure. The inspection analysed the 2003 performance in great detail in terms of a number of factors, and agrees with the school’s evaluation that particular features of the year group affected the results. These included the proportion of pupils with special educational needs who, although they achieved well, did not reach nationally expected levels; these pupils were among the higher than average number of

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

pupils who entered the school in Years 5 and 6, and factors in the personal circumstances of some pupils. The school’s trend of improvement over the past five years is in line with that found nationally, and but for the lower 2003 results, would have been above it. In English and mathematics, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 5 was above average. In science it was average. The governing body has set challenging targets for future performance that if achieved will continue the trend of improvement.

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

4. A significant factor in the relatively better performance in English than in the other two subjects tested is that it has been a major focus for improvement for the school, supported by the Local Education Authority (LEA) and utilising national strategies for targeting improvement on particular groups of pupils. In mathematics and science, a weakness is the lack of a systematic enough emphasis on the important knowledge and skills of experiment, investigation and enquiry, which is depressing standards. The school’s self-review systems have revealed this, the school is aware of it and appropriate plans are in place to address it. Also, although assessment systems are good, with pupils’ progress being carefully tracked and recorded, the pupils themselves are not made sufficiently aware of their progress, do not know their targets for improvement nor are clear enough about how to achieve them.

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

5. The attainment of most pupils identified as having special educational needs is below expectations because of the nature of their learning difficulties. However, they are very well supported, make good progress and the standards they reach represent good achievement. Boys and girls, pupils for whom English is an additional language, those from minority ethnic groups and those capable of high attainment, achieve equally well.

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

6. Standards in music, by the time pupils are in Year 6, are excellent; they are good in religious education. In information and communications technology standards are about average in Years 1 and 2, which represents good improvement since the school’s previous inspection. Standards remain below average for older pupils, because the significant improvements made in teaching and learning in the subject have not been able to raise their achievement sufficiently given their low starting point from a previous position of unsatisfactory provision in the school. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 10 May 2004

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' attitudes and behaviour, and their personal development are very good, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development . Pupils' attendance and punctuality at the school are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils exhibit very good attitudes and behaviour in the classroom. • Pupils are very well behaved around the school and in the playground. • Pupils' personal development at the school is very good. • The provision of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The attendance and punctuality levels for pupils at the school are very good.

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Commentary

7. Most pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. Most children in the reception classes are on track to achieve the nationally agreed Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development by the end of the year. In an assembly taken by the head- teacher, pupils walked very quietly into the hall to the sound of Louis Armstrong's “What a Wonderful World” playing in the background. There was a warm feeling of spirituality in the hall, with a candle gently flickering on a table, which also held a cross and a scroll bearing a biblical message. The assembly itself was a celebration of God's world and it provided a very strong contribution to pupils' personal and spiritual development. In the playground, pupils were observed to play very well together and they demonstrated very good relationships with all teaching and supervisory staff. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils' attitudes

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Commentary

and behaviour and this is seen clearly in classrooms, where the majority of lessons were observed to be well paced, with pupils' concentration levels high. There have been no recent pupil exclusions from the school, and the school provides an environment that is free from bullying or any kind of harassment.

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Commentary

8. Most pupils identified as having special educational needs have a positive attitude to school and take a full part in all aspects of school life. These pupils behave very well in lessons, in particular where teaching assistants are available and used well.

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Commentary

9. The Year 6 council has been in operation for a few years, a forum which provides pupils with the opportunity to take responsibility for a number of projects, such as making improvements to the playground facilities for all pupils. However, this provision does not at present embrace the whole school, which it has recognised. Plans are in place to extend the school council to all pupils in Years 3 to 6 from September 2004. Many other opportunities are provided for pupils to take responsibility in carrying out various tasks around the school. In addition, older pupils sit with and help younger children during the lunch breaks.

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Commentary

10. The provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very strong. They are provided with opportunities to work together in the classroom and to explore the local environment by means of many curricular linked visits into the community. Many subjects of the curriculum such as art, music and history are used very well to promote pupils' spiritual and cultural development. Moral and social development are enhanced, for example, through the many opportunities provided for speaking and listening and in working and playing with other pupils. All pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. There are occasional visitors to the school who represent faiths other than Christianity and many classroom walls are used effectively to show examples of the richness and diversity of other cultures.

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Commentary

11. The overall attendance at the school is very good and is above the national average. The incidence of unauthorised absence is much lower than the national average. There is a small element of evidence linked to occasional pupil lateness but the vast majority of parents are The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 11 May 2004 very supportive of the school in terms of helping to ensure that their children attend school regularly and promptly.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.7 School data 0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching is good, with over a quarter of it very good or excellent. The unsatisfactory teaching found in the previous inspection has been eradicated. The curriculum is strong, particularly the opportunities for extension and enrichment provided. The school provides very good care, guidance and support for all pupils, and has very good partnerships with parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and teachers assess pupils’ work thoroughly. Assessment information is not always used sufficiently to set targets and indicate to pupils how they can improve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good overall; as a result pupils learn well and achievement is good. Teaching in the reception classes is very good. • Good subject knowledge and well-planned lessons mean that basic skills are taught well. • Support for pupils identified as having special educational needs is good. • Teachers are hard working and classrooms are well organised with attractive displays. • All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. • Assessments are thorough in English, mathematics, ICT and religious education. • The use of assessment information in setting targets for individuals and groups needs further development, especially in mathematics and science. • Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is variable and does not always let pupils know how they can improve their work. • In a few lessons, time is not used effectively enough.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection because of effective monitoring of teaching and learning, focused staff training and rigorous implementation of performance management targets. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed and over three quarters were deemed to be good or better. There are some common elements that ensure the good quality of pupils’ learning, progress and achievement. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan activities well, which ensure the vast majority of lessons are delivered effectively and provide a high level of interest for pupils. Praise and encouragement are used diligently to encourage pupils to try hard and do their best. Resources are used effectively to support pupils in their learning and teaching assistants are well briefed so that they give efficient support to pupils, especially those identified as having special educational needs. Teachers are very hard working, care for their

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Commentary

pupils and are always keen to improve their practice. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good and this leads to a happy working atmosphere where all are valued. Both The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 12 May 2004 parents and pupils strongly agree that the quality of teaching and learning in the school are good.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of English and mathematics is good overall and most pupils achieve well. A particular strength is the quality of planning and setting of pupils by ability in Years 3 to 6, which means activities are more closely matched to pupils’ needs. Also in a few lessons, the mental/oral and final sessions do not give pupils sufficient opportunities to explain their thinking and are over-directed by teachers. In both mathematics and science, pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to use their knowledge and understanding in practical and problem solving activities. The teaching of ICT is much improved through recent improvements in staff training, hardware and curriculum planning and standards in pupils’ computer skills are rapidly improving. ICT now makes a satisfactory contribution to teaching and learning across the school.

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Commentary

14. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good. Teachers and other adults have a very good understanding of the curriculum for the early years and plan well together to provide a wide range of activities, which enable children to achieve very well. They teach the basic skills of language and mathematics very well, focus strongly on children’s personal and social development and ensure that there is a good balance between teacher-directed and child- initiated independent activities.

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Commentary

15. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Support staff make a very effective contribution this. As a consequence, these pupils have access to the whole curriculum. Teachers regularly set and review clear and appropriate targets and fully involve pupils and parents in the process. Pupils make good progress towards the targets in their detailed and appropriate individual education plans and achieve well. Pupils for whom English is an additional language, those from minority ethnic groups and those capable of high attainment have their needs fully met.

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Commentary

16. Teachers across the school use a good range of teaching methods, including group work, partner work, effective demonstration and good questioning, which has a positive effect on learning and achievement. In a few lessons, there are missed opportunities to develop speaking and listening opportunities, especially in whole class sessions when pupils are not given enough time to articulate their thinking. Occasionally, teachers spend too much time explaining and over directing which leaves insufficient time for pupil activity. A few literacy, numeracy and ICT lessons are too long so that pupils begin to lose interest. Throughout the school, teachers consistently manage behaviour very well and apply the behaviour code so that pupils are clear about boundaries and this results in very good behaviour. Teachers ensure all pupils are fully included in all activities very well.

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Commentary

17. Assessment procedures to track and monitor pupils’ progress are good, and very good in the reception classes. As well as statutory and optional tests and assessments in English, mathematics and science, there is a further range of regular assessments undertaken in literacy and numeracy. Thorough analysis of test results in English and mathematics is developing across all year groups to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. Good whole school assessment procedures are well established in English, mathematics, religious education and ICT However, although this information is used to track and monitor pupils’ progress, it is not yet used sufficiently well to set group and individual targets for pupils, especially in mathematics and science. As a result, pupils are not fully aware of how well they are doing, or what they have to do to improve. In other subjects, whole school procedures are not fully developed, so that pupils’ progress can be tracked and

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Commentary

monitored. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 13 May 2004

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good range of curricular opportunities for all pupils. Enrichment of the curriculum, including extra-curricular activities, is very good. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum offers a broad range of opportunities for all pupils. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Equality of opportunity is very strongly promoted by the school. • There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities. • The promotion of music and participation in sport are excellent. • Very good use is made of the local environment and community to support the curriculum.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum is broad and provides very well for pupils' needs. It meets all statutory requirements and includes sex, drug and relationship education, through its programme of personal, social and health education. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage, in the reception classes, is very good. The curriculum is coordinated well by the school leadership team and offers excitement and originality for all pupils. Very good use is made of the local community to enrich the curriculum. A very good example of this was the theatre workshop visit to the school during the week of inspection. All pupils attended this excellent workshop and had the opportunity to take part in drama and music, which was linked to a recent theatrical production of “Tom's Midnight Garden” which they had previously seen. It was a very well presented session and provided an outstanding contribution to pupils' self- confidence and personal development. Residential trips, such as the one about to take place

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Commentary

to the Isle of Wight, are an important addition to the experiences of pupils.

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Commentary

19. The special educational needs co-ordinator works very closely with teaching and support staff to ensure that all pupils have full access to the curriculum, and a good example of this can be seen in the excellent support provided for the pupils with impaired hearing, who are all fully included in the life of the school. This is particularly evident in the special 'signing' club, where all pupils have an opportunity to learn how to use sign language. Individual education plans are also used very well to support pupils with special educational needs. As a result of this provision, pupils with special educational needs make good progress to achieve the detailed and relevant targets in their individual plans.

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Commentary

20. A very wide range of extra-curricular activities enriches the curriculum, and the additional provisions for music and sport are excellent. The school choir and orchestra are in much demand in the community and the school's football and netball teams are very active in their participation with teams from other local schools.

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Commentary

21. An enrichment programme linked to the development of thinking skills (TASC - Thinking Actively in a Social Context) is gradually making effective inroads into the curriculum. The The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 14 May 2004 school is very vigilant in ensuring that the occasional projects undertaken with the aid of external partners are very much linked to specific parts of the curriculum in order to ensure their overall relevance for all pupils in the school. For example, one such recent project brought together design and technology the form of bridge construction with the Literacy study of the children’s story “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”.

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Commentary

22. The school site and accommodation, with recent extensions, support curriculum provision well. In most areas the range and use of resources is also good. Provision for outdoor physical activities in the reception classes is limited due to recent building works, but plans are afoot to remedy this. The provision of ICT is much improved since the last inspection and the school now has a dedicated suite for this purpose. Good use is also made of the wide range of support staff and visiting parents to strengthen all children's access to the curriculum. Teaching staff are appropriately qualified and well deployed.

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Care, guidance and support

The procedures for child protection, welfare and health and safety are very good, and the school provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils’ personal development, based on monitoring. The procedures for seeking and acting on pupils' views are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Child protection procedures are in place and very effective. • Relevant staff are trained in child protection systems and procedures. • Teaching and support staff know their pupils very well. • Medical records are well maintained and fire drills are undertaken and recorded. • Good risk assessments take place in advance of school trips. • The school provides a very high level of support and guidance as pupils progress through the school. • Good systems are in place to seek and act on pupils' views of the school. • Assessment information is not yet translated into targets which enable pupils to take more ownership of their learning.

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Commentary

23. Child protection systems and procedures are very effective. All staff know their responsibilities and training has taken place. Teaching and other staff, occasionally supported by external agencies, provide, a very high degree of welfare and pastoral support to individual pupils. Pupils' academic performance and personal development is monitored both formally and informally by the school and steps are taken to identify any individual problems with a range of very effective strategies which may included the provision of individual education plans for some pupils. At present, although staff are aware of pupils’ performance, and what they need to do to improve, this information is not shared fully enough with pupils. As a consequence, they are largely unaware of any targets and how to achieve them.

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Commentary

24. The care, guidance and support of pupils having special educational needs are very good. All of them have clear individual plans and targets, which are specific, attainable and measurable. Success criteria are clearly identified. Pupils identified as having special educational needs are very well supported in class.

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Commentary

25. In the classroom, teachers and support staff know their pupils very well and they are quick to observe any personal difficulties exhibited by pupils and to take appropriate action. The school operates a very good first aid system for minor accidents and appropriate records are maintained. Medical files are kept on all children and relevant staff are made aware of any particular allergies. Medical administration systems are very well managed and recorded. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 15 May 2004 Regular fire drills are carried out. The school also carries out occasional health and safety audits of the site and is proactive when considering possible risks on external trips out of school.

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Commentary

26. Lessons such as PSHE are used well to provide pupils with the opportunity to talk about themselves and to develop their self-esteem and confidence. Pupils' personal development is further enhanced by classroom expectations, which are shared with, and indeed sometimes contributed to, by pupils. The school acknowledges pupils' achievement through the praise given to them in the classroom and, more formally, in regular sharing and presentation assemblies. The school takes account of pupils’ views through its school council, the base of which it intends to expand in the near future.

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Commentary

27. The very high level of child protection, welfare and pastoral support to pupils at the school, together with the very good procedures for promoting pupils’ personal development and well being, have a very positive impact on their learning and achievement and they are a significant strength of the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links and partnerships with parents are very good . The school’s links with the local community and with other schools are also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The overwhelming majority of parents and children like the school. • Parents feel that the school is well led and managed. • The teaching is felt to be good. • The majority of parents feel that the school is approachable with any problems. • The school reaches out very well to all parents. • The school utilises the community and other schools very well to support the curriculum.

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Commentary

28. The parents' meeting with the inspectors was reasonably well attended and the parental questionnaire was returned by a moderate number of parents. A significant majority of parents who returned the questionnaire are very supportive of the school and of its aims and objectives. Parents feel that their children like school and that they are making good progress. Parents also feel that teaching is good and that the school is well led and managed.

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Commentary

29. The information provided by the school through the prospectus, annual Governors’ report to parents and via regular and well-designed newsletters, is of a very high standard. Annual academic reports to parents are full and informative. There are two parents' evenings each year during which parents have the opportunity to discuss their child's progress and these evenings are usually very well attended. There is also a strong parents' association, which provides additional and much appreciated support to the school. The school's senior management works very hard to develop school/home relationships and the school is always approachable for help and advice to both children and parents. It deals with parents concerns well and tries to know and understand their views. The school makes very good induction arrangements for pupils new to the school, and has a strong system of induction for children entering the reception classes.

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Commentary

30. Links with the parents of pupils identified as having special educational needs are very good. Parents are regularly invited to special educational needs identification and review meetings and are fully involved in the setting of targets. There are very good links with a wide range of outside agencies who are involved with pupils identified as having special educational needs. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 16 May 2004 These include links with behaviour support services, educational psychologists and speech and language therapists. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 17 May 2004 31. A number of parents are frequent visitors to the school both in terms of providing very welcome classroom support and in assisting with external visits and extra-curricular activities. All parents have been invited to enter into a home/school agreement, which is designed to promote improved communication between the school, parents and children.

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Commentary

Parental attendance at school concerts, celebrations and sports days is very good.

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Commentary

32. The school has very good links with the community. Very good use is made of the links with several local churches and ministers often preside over school assemblies. Local schools play an important part in the day-to-day life of the school through the undertaking of joint projects linked to curriculum and managerial development. Year 6 pupils enjoy taster lessons in their prospective new schools and Year7 teaching staff visit Gonerby Hill to provide information about the new schools and to answer pupils' questions. There is also a very good link with Central Technology College which provide a significant level of ICT support, some of which was observed during the week of inspection. The school also has very good performing arts links with Walton Girls High School.

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Commentary

33. The school's very good links with parents, the community, and other schools and colleges provide a very strong contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development and it is a major strength of the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management of the school are good. Leadership is very good. Management is good. Governance of the school is good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The leadership of the head-teacher is very good, with a vision focused on raising standards. • The head-teacher receives very good support from the deputy; they form a very effective partnership. • Provision for and support of pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Governors know the school well, support it effectively and make a good contribution to its strategic direction. • There are good procedures for monitoring and evaluating pupils’ achievement, but they are not yet fully exploited in raising standards. • There are very good day-to-day management and administration systems.

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Commentary

34. The school is led very well. The head-teacher has established an excellent working partnership with the deputy head-teacher, who offers him very good support. His clear vision and commitment to involving everyone in the school’s priorities has led to the establishment of a united and supportive staff team which provides a good quality of education. Underpinning this is a clear focus on continuing to raise standards, which is shared by both staff and governors. There is a focused programme of professional development, and a very well implemented process of performance management. This is a very inclusive school and all pupils are valued, an attitude that comes very strongly from all leaders in the school. Pupils’ very positive response to this is clear from their behaviour, attitudes and enthusiasm for learning. Every care is taken to meet pupils’ individual needs. The ethos of the school, inspired by the head-teacher, ensures the spiritual, moral and cultural needs of all pupils are

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Commentary

met. The curriculum of the school is very good, and the school’s leadership is committed to making it broad and enriched, always open to innovation and willing to evaluate new ideas and approaches, such as thinking for learning, adopting them if it is thought they will contribute to better provision, pupils’ achievement and higher standards.

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Commentary

35. The school is governed effectively by a supportive governing body, which has a wide range of expertise. Governors are well informed about the work of the school and are part of the drive for continual improvement. Their financial management is sound, they seek to employ the principles of best value and make sure that expenditure is targeted where it will have most The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 18 May 2004 impact on pupils’ achievement. In this way they make a good contribution to the strategic vision for the school. The governing body is careful to ensure that it meets all of its statutory responsibilities. It has an effective race equality policy, which is implemented and monitored to ensure that all pupils from ethnic minority groups are fully included in all aspects of school life and achieve well. The governing body ensures that systems for performance management are fully in place and robustly effected. This has played an important part in the

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Commentary

improvement in teaching evident since the school’s previous inspection.

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Commentary

36. Sound systems for self-review and evaluation are in place. Performance data is carefully analysed and is used to inform development priorities. For example, the current focus on mathematics is a result of this. Teaching and learning are monitored through the analysis of planning; of the work pupils produce and by some direct observation in classrooms. The progress that pupils’ make is now carefully monitored and recorded. At present, although this is helping teachers to be fully aware of where their pupils are at in their learning, the pupils themselves are not made fully aware of this; targets for improvement aren’t known by them, and they are not given sufficient information or support to enable them to take more responsibility for their own learning.

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Commentary

37. The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The special needs co-ordinator ensures that individual education plans and statements are regularly reviewed and that pupils, teachers, support staff and parents are fully involved at all stages.

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Commentary

38. The school has coped well with the expansion of its numbers in recent years, although the inevitable disruption associated with building work has been something of a temporary barrier to its progress. An example of this is the need to dismantle the outdoor large apparatus, so that at the time of the inspection this aspect of the Foundation Stage curriculum, in the reception classes, was limited.

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Commentary

39. The school is also well managed in the way support staff, including administrators, mid-day supervisors and others, are enabled to make significant contributions to the smooth running of the school, enhancing its overall effectiveness. The school’s involvement in initial teacher training is good. The student in the foundation stage during the inspection was very well managed. Staff are deployed well and their workload effectively monitored.

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Commentary

40. Teachers with subject responsibilities are thorough in their approach to supporting others and developing their role further. Action plans for the subjects and portfolios of work are being developed and contribute well to the overall quality of provision. Performance data is analysed in all year groups for subjects where it is available. Co-ordinators ensure good resources are available for the use of colleagues. Co-ordinators also keep the governing body well informed of developments in their subjects. Overall, particularly in English, mathematics, ICT, music and religious education, the work of co-ordinators is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement, which is an improvement from the time of the school’s previous inspection.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 668,409 Balance from previous year 55,540 Total expenditure 694,566 Balance carried forward to the next 29,383 Expenditure per pupil 2,205 The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 19 May 2004

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

When children enter the reception classes, from a wide range of pre-school settings, their skills and knowledge are about the average for their age. Within this overall pattern there is a fairly wide range of attainment. A minority have relatively poorly developed skills, perhaps especially in language and communication. Some are above average. The current reception classes are characterised by having about two-thirds of the children at the younger end of the year group, with summer term birthdays. During the time that the pupils spend in the class, their achievement is very good, and the majority will reach the goals for their age in all of the areas for learning. Some have already met or exceeded some of the goals. Children with special educational needs make good progress, although they may not attain the goals. The progress made by children is carefully monitored and assessed. Those for whom English is an additional language, and those from ethnic minority groups, make

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

good progress. Overall, the provision made for learning in the reception classes is very good. This represents a significant improvement on the position when the school was previously inspected, in 1999, when the provision was merely sound. Teaching is very good, and the adults work together very effectively as a team, to the benefit of the children. Planning is shared and very good links are made between the areas through the use of different themes, such as “change”. There is a very good balance struck between those activities directed by adults, and those initiated by the children. In the latter, however, staff are very clear what outcomes are possible in terms of what the children will learn. This is because they are carefully structured to meet the learning goals. The development of children’s independence is excellent. The Foundation Stage is extremely well led and managed by the co-ordinator. She gives careful thought to how the team as a whole can provide the best possible

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

education for the children. Good relationships are formed with parents, who are welcomed into the classroom. Induction processes are good and parents are helped and encouraged to support their children’s learning.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between children and adults are very good. • Children share and work together well in groups, showing good co-operation. • Adults are constantly trying to promote learning in this area. • Children’s independence is developed very well.

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Commentary

41. All of the adults in the class provide good role models in this area, and it is taught very well. They set clear expectations for the children and developing them socially is central to their agenda. Children show excellent independence, for example in the confident way in which they enter the classroom at the start of the day and organise themselves in the various activities available. Very good activities are planned within which children can work and play together co-operatively. This was demonstrated very clearly in the outside area, set up as builder’s yard, where children worked together to build structures, mix materials and set up water flows. Staff have a clear focus on ensuring that all activities are open to boys and girls. Hence the girls were busily drilling, sawing and hammering whilst the boys brewed the tea. Praise and encouragement are used well, raising the confidence and self-esteem of the

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Commentary

children. Children achieve very well, and the majority are on track to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 20 May 2004

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Early reading and writing skills are taught very well. • Provision in other areas is carefully structured to promote children’s language development. • A language rich learning environment is created.

p.20

Commentary

42. Children’s achievement in speaking and listening, reading and writing is very good. This is because teaching is very good. Higher attaining children can read simple texts accurately, confidently and fluently, using a range of strategies to recognise new words. Teachers and support staff have good knowledge of the early acquisition of language and provide a good balance of direct teaching to children as individuals, in groups and as a whole class, and structured opportunities for them to use their language. For example, reading and writing are taught in a very structured way, and then children have opportunities to practise and develop their skills in the book and writing areas. They enjoy going to books, and do so naturally. In the writing area, carefully arranged structures lead them to, for example, write letters and lists. This is reinforced in role-play areas such as estate agents, where the children also

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Commentary

communicate well, speaking to each other confidently, and showing good listening skills. Children listen attentively to stories, in assemblies and whole class sessions, and are confident to make contributions. Children make very good progress in this area and most will achieve the Early Learning Goals. A significant minority will exceed them.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very well focused across all areas of mathematical knowledge and understanding. • There is a very good balance between carefully structured direct teaching and opportunities for children to explore mathematics independently in a range of situations.

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Commentary

43. Children are taught all areas of mathematics very well, so they achieve very well. The majority count confidently to at least 100, can count in tens, recognise numerals and a set of objects represented, order numbers and recognise and name coins of all denominations. Higher attaining children can add two sets of numbers accurately and double numbers. Most recognise and name simple plane shapes, construct and explain different patterns and use the language of comparison accurately. Children make very good progress and most will achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area by the end of the reception year. Some will exceed them.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision in this area is systematically and imaginatively planned for and taught very well. • Activities are practically based and help children to be independent. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 21 May 2004 • Provision is woven in to all areas of learning. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 22 May 2004

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Commentary

44. A very wide range of interesting activities is planned to provide for this area of learning. As a result, children achieve very well. Children explore magnets and electrical circuits; they explore and handle a wide range of materials and tools as they make models, create collages, work with sand, water, clay and construction materials of all kinds. In their current theme of change, pupils are fascinated as they grow plants and observe tadpoles and record weather patterns. Their experiences of a range of role-play areas contribute very well to their knowledge, for example of space travel in the space station. Most can operate simple computer programs, often linked to their learning in mathematics and language. In one excellent activity, supervised by a student on initial training, children used a digital camera to photograph areas of the school, which had changed since its refurbishment, comparing them

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Commentary

with old photographs. As a result of this rich tapestry of provision, nearly all children will achieve the Early Learning Goals. Religious education is taught systematically in line with the Lincolnshire local agreed syllabus.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in whole class lessons so that children achieve well. • The outdoor area lacks sufficient large equipment, which limits progress.

p.22

Commentary

45. In whole class lessons, children achieve well. The majority are on course to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Good teaching enables them to understand the importance of exercise for health, to develop good awareness of space and to move with good control and balance. They use equipment such as skipping ropes and balls well to increase their co-ordination. The lack of permanent climbing, crawling and balancing equipment in the outdoor area means that what is learned in lessons cannot be fully reinforced in ongoing activities. Children use a range of tools, kits, art and construction materials to develop their dexterity and manipulative skills.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of children’s work in art is good. • Good links are made between creative development and other areas through the themed approach.

p.22

Commentary

46. Children produce good work in art, in a range of media and with a range of materials. They explore texture, shape, form and space with paint, collage materials, printing and model making. There are many examples of activities where children develop their imaginations in the role-play areas and as they use small toys, such as space and spaceship models. Children sing, and play simple musical instruments, on a regular basis, but there was insufficient opportunity to make a valid evaluation of how well children achieve in this area, or of the quality of teaching. Overall, the majority of children are on track to achieve the Early Learning Goals. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 23 May 2004

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ENGLISH

• The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are good. • The use of drama, including visits to the theatre and theatre workshops in school, to develop understanding and use of language, is very good. • The standards achieved by pupils with special educational needs are good and they are well supported in literacy.

p.23

Commentary

47. Standards in English are continuing to rise because of the school’s focus on improvement in this subject. This is evident in national test results over the last few years. In the 2003 tests for Year 2 pupils, reading and writing were well above average. In the most recent national tests for Year 6 pupils, standards in English were well above the national average. This represents good and sometimes very good achievement, given the fact that the year group had some very specific issues with the proportion of pupils with special needs, those who had entered the school later and some who experienced significant personal problems just before the tests.

p.23

Commentary

48. The inspection found that pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, those for whom English is an additional language, pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils, achieve well throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs are particularly well supported and every effort is made by staff to raise their attainment by carefully planned work, intensive support programmes and good support and encouragement. In all year groups there is a wide span of ability. Setting arrangements and nationally planned support programmes for literacy are used very effectively to boost learning for all pupils, whatever their attainment levels.

p.23

Commentary

49. Overall standards in speaking and listening are above average in all year groups. Most pupils speak confidently, make themselves understood and contribute well to class and group discussions. The school actively promotes pupils’ speaking and listening skills throughout the curriculum. This is particularly noticeable when the focus is personal, social and health education. Sometimes, opportunities to promote speaking and listening are not fully exploited in whole class sessions at the beginning and end of lessons, when pupils are not always given enough time to organise and articulate their thinking in response to questions.

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Commentary

50. Pupils achieve well in reading, with the development of their knowledge and enjoyment of books going hand in hand with the structured development of their reading skills. Standard are above average in all year groups. There are good opportunities during the school day for pupils to engage in reading activities. They are all encouraged to read with parents and carers at home and this helps them to move forward well. The school has two community volunteer schemes in place. Volunteers come into school regularly to read with pupils at the start of the school day and as reading partners as part of a project to use the skills of mature adults - from the University of the Third Age. They make a significant contribution to raising reading standards. Pupils are very clear about the strategies that they need to use to work out how to read words and sentences and most tackled new reading material confidently.

p.23

Commentary

They can talk about storylines, author preferences, their personal reading preferences such as poetry, story, or non-fiction and give clear reasons for their choice.

p.23

Commentary

51. Staff have worked hard and successfully to drive up standards in writing. These are now above average in all year groups. Pupils achieve well because of good teaching. Factors that have been instrumental in raising standards are: interesting writing tasks set; visits and The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 24 May 2004 visitors to inspire writing; sets for literacy to allow pupils of a similar ability and rate of progress to work together; timetabled class writing times for extended writing, including opportunities for drafting and redrafting; opportunities for pupils to write for a wide range of purposes and their writing being celebrated in displays and class books.

p.23

Commentary

52. Handwriting is good across all year groups. The school has introduced an agreed joined script and uses a published ICT computer package to support the development of handwriting skills well. At present, pupils’ ICT skills in Year 6 limit the extent to which the subject can be fully utilised to support their learning in English.

p.24

Commentary

53. It is evident from both lessons and work throughout the year that teaching is good, with an emphasis on helping pupils to develop their literacy skills through purposeful and enjoyable activities and this enables pupils to achieve well. In Year 2 for example, pupils worked well on a non-fiction text beginning with group reading then using the glossary in the book and dictionaries to define words. Pupils were able to say how they could set about finding words in the dictionary. In Year 6, pupils successfully wrote persuasive letters to the theatre manager to try to change the decision that the theatre would close in the near future. They used questions well and good descriptive language about their recent visit to the same theatre. Teacher assessment of reading ability is good. It enables teachers to improve all pupils’ reading. In English, pupils are beginning to be shown how they can take greater

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Commentary

responsibility for their own learning, through the setting of clearly defined targets and giving feedback which makes it clear what they have to do to get better.

p.24

Commentary

54. The English curriculum co-ordinator works hard to high profile her subject throughout the school. She has worked productively with the LEA adviser. She looks at planning and the work of pupils. She has reported progress in her subject to the governing body and works with the literacy governor. Her study of the pupil attainment data has led to appropriate targets being set for pupils. She is given good release time to work on the co-ordination of her subject and access to the English budget and overall, her work has made a significant contribution to the raised standards.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. Pupils use their language and literacy skills well in other subjects. Examples include note- taking in geography; speaking and listening as pupils debated issues in their study of Tudors; in PSHE lessons and in religious education. Writing in a variety of forms and for a variety of purposes is planned into science lessons and in the humanities.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good overall and helps pupils achieve well in lessons. • Pupils show good levels of enthusiasm in their lessons and this is shown in their good work output. • Standards have improved significantly at the end of Year 2 since the last inspection. • Assessment procedures are good and provide the school with a wide range of information but this is not used sufficiently well to set specific mathematical targets for group and individuals. • There is insufficient emphasis on problem solving. • Pupils are not clear about what they have to do to improve through teachers’ marking. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 25 May 2004

p.24

Commentary

56. From looking at pupils’ work, talking to them, looking at planning and through lesson observations, standards in mathematics in Year 2 are well above average and in Year 6 are broadly average. Although the school is implementing actions to raise standards, these have not yet had time to impact sufficiently on this group of older pupils.

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Commentary

57. In the 2003 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 2, pupils achieved well above average, with all pupils achieving the expected standard, which put them in the top five per-cent of schools in the country, and almost half the pupils reaching the higher level 3. At the end of Year 6, standards were average overall, although not as good as the previous year and the school has clearly identified why. Three quarters achieved the expected standard and a third the higher level. This showed good achievement because this group of pupils were below average when they entered Year 3. Also, several pupils had entered school other than at the normal time of entry, and there were a significant number identified as having special educational needs.

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Commentary

58. Overall, the school does well for its pupils, with all groups making good progress and achieving well. Pupils identified as having special educational needs are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants and achieve as well as their classmates. Although test results indicate boys perform better than girls, this was not evident during the inspection. Pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those for whom English is an additional language, also do well. Setting by ability in Years 3 to 6 provides for different abilities and increased challenge for more able pupils. All pupils are fully included in all activities.

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Commentary

59. Over the last four years, the school has worked hard to raise standards in mathematics although the main emphasis has been on raising standards in English. Since the last inspection, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels has steadily risen as the quality of teaching has improved. Most pupils enter the school with average mathematical understanding, but by Year 2 are working above, and many, well above the expected range for their age, developing a good knowledge and understanding of place value and recalling addition and number facts to at least 20 and many beyond. They are taught to recognise number patterns and use different strategies to solve number problems. Work in older pupils’ books shows a heavy emphasis on number and calculation and there are few examples of the understanding and practice of other mathematical concepts, or its use to solve practical everyday problems.

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Commentary

60. The quality of teaching is good overall, a significant improvement since the last inspection when a quarter of all lessons were deemed unsatisfactory. Teachers have good subject knowledge and lessons are carefully planned using national guidance with clear learning objectives. Teachers share these explicitly with pupils, so that they know what they will be learning and doing. Relationships and behaviour are very good and most pupils try hard in lessons and in their homework activities. Good emphasis is placed on the correct use of mathematical vocabulary and words are displayed well in classrooms to act as reinforcement. Most lessons proceed at a good pace, although sometimes the initial mental/oral activity does not challenge pupils sufficiently. Limited opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss questions with a partner to develop speaking and listening skills and develop a deeper understanding of mathematics. Occasionally, teachers talk for too long

p.25

Commentary

during the lesson introduction, which means there is less time for pupil activity. Insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to use and enjoy their mathematical knowledge in challenging and relevant problem solving activities and this is an area for development. The final session, when pupils have the opportunity to discuss what they have been doing, is occasionally rushed, so that teachers only tell pupils what they have been learning and doing, rather than letting them explain. The quality of marking is variable and often does not indicate to pupils how they can improve. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 26 May 2004 61. Although the subject leader manages mathematics well, there is no involvement in regular monitoring of teaching, learning and standards to identify strengths and weaknesses across the school. A good range of annual assessments is undertaken and evaluated and the

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Commentary

information is used well to monitor and track pupil’ progress. However, it is not yet used effectively to provide individual and group mathematics short-term targets to raise standards. Resources are of good quality and quantity and have significantly improved since the last inspection. The school has identified mathematics as a key area for development in the school’s development plan.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. Pupils often use mathematics as part of their work in other subjects and consequently develop an appreciation of the practical uses of these skills. For example, they use graphs and tables to record data in science, develop timelines in history and measure materials in design and technology. However, opportunities tend to occur coincidentally rather than as part of systematic planning and development of mathematics skills.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinator is aware of what needs to be done to improve the subject further. • The teaching of investigative work and scientific enquiry is not systematic enough through the school. • Pupils are not made clear enough about targets for improvement, or how to achieve them.

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Commentary

63. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in science. In the most recent national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, the school’s results were average, although when compared with schools in similar circumstances, they were well below average. This is in contrast with the previous year, when they were well above average, and over time, comparative performance has fluctuated considerably. Generally, this is because the number of pupils achieving the higher level 5 is relatively low. This is not a dissimilar pattern to that found when the school was last inspected. During the inspection, in lessons, in the pupils’ work and in discussions with them, standards seen were average.

p.26

Commentary

64. Teaching is at least satisfactory, and good and very good teaching of science was seen. This is an improvement from the findings of the previous inspection, when there was unsatisfactory teaching and the curriculum was found to be unsatisfactory. Lessons are well planned, behaviour is managed well, support staff ensure that all pupils, including those with special needs, and those for whom English is an additional language, have full access to learning and there is a clear focus on correct scientific vocabulary. The curriculum is comprehensively covered, with the exception that there is not enough systematic emphasis on investigative work and in developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of scientific enquiry. For example, in a Year 6 lesson where pupils were carrying out experiments to establish the conditions necessary for healthy plant growth, the main emphasis was on the knowledge of these conditions. Not enough emphasis was laid on pupils’ understanding of

p.26

Commentary

variables, fair testing and the reasons for the accuracy or otherwise of their predictions. From the sample of pupils’ work seen, it is clear that this balance of emphasis is common. In addition, particularly in Years 1 and 2, there is an over-use of photocopied work sheets, which does not enable the pupils, particularly the higher attaining ones, to fully develop, systematically record and analyse their scientific thinking. Also, although teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, there is little feedback given on how pupils might improve it. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 27 May 2004 65. The school has recently put into place a system for recording and assessing pupils’ progress and attainment in science. Teachers are now more aware of where pupils are up to and can plan for further progress. As yet, the information teachers now have is not fully translated into targets for improvement that pupils can understand. Nor are any such targets shared with the

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Commentary

pupils. The limitations in pupils’ ICT skills in Year 6 mean that the subject is not fully utilised to support their learning in science.

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Commentary

66. The subject co-ordinator is relatively recently in post and as yet science has not been a major focus for development in the school. He is aware of what needs to be done to improve and keen to effect the necessary action.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection and is now good, especially in developing specific ICT skills. • Recent improvements in resources and staff expertise have been good and are leading to rapidly rising standards and pupil achievement across the school. • There is a comprehensive three-year development plan aimed at raising standards and achievement. • Whole school assessment procedures are now firmly in place and used well to assess pupils’ progress. • The curriculum is well planned and delivered, based on national guidance and a commercial scheme to ensure progression of skills and knowledge. • Standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 are below average.

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Commentary

67. Standards are similar to national expectations at the end of Year 2, but below them at Year 6.This is because pupils have experienced unsatisfactory provision in the subject in the past. The school’s actions to raise standards have not had sufficient time to take effect with this group of pupils. However, standards lower down the school are improving rapidly because of good teaching. All groups of pupils, including those identified as having special needs and those for whom English is an additional language are making good progress and achievement is good. Pupils throughout the school are using a range of applications well, to gain knowledge and skills of the subject and to use them to support learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

68. Improvement since the last inspection, when ICT was identified as unsatisfactory and not meeting statutory requirements, has been very good. Government funding has been used efficiently to improve the number of computers and raise teachers’ knowledge and understanding through effective staff training. This has meant that teachers are more confident and knowledgeable and has raised the quality of teaching. The school has received good support from the local technology college, which has included staff training, equipment loans and use of an experienced computer technician to assist with any problems and keep machines working. A thorough subject evaluation identified areas for development and a three-year action plan aims to further improve the teaching and learning.

p.27

Commentary

69. In lessons seen and from looking at samples of pupils’ work, the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers plan lessons carefully to ensure ICT skills are covered well. Good use is made of the digital projector in the computer room to provide effective demonstrations. Teachers show good subject knowledge and motivate pupils well, resulting in them having a good attitude to learning. Time and activities are managed well and most pupils are keen to learn because of this. Conversations with pupils and examples of their work show they are The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 28 May 2004 enthusiastic about the use of ICT, clearly enjoy their lessons and work effectively with partners or groups to achieve well.

p.27

Commentary

70. The current subject leader is temporary but is keen and enthusiastic and provides good support to colleagues. Planning based on national guidance using a commercial scheme is clear and thorough and adapted to the needs of the school. It provides a clear structure for teaching skills and raising standards. Whole school assessment procedures are firmly established and used well to track pupils’ progress. The school is now well placed to raise standards further.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. The use of ICT in other subjects has been identified by the school as an area for development and is a feature of the current school development plan. Now that computers in classrooms have internet access, teachers are identifying the use of ICT in their lesson planning. Good use of the inter-net for research was seen, during the inspection. In religious education where Year 5 pupils studied Sikhism, and in art and design, as pupils created pictures in styles of different artists. Cross- curricular use of ICT is beginning to have a positive impact upon standards and pupils are developing research skills well.

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HUMANITIES

72. Work was sampled in history and geography , with only two lessons seen in each subject. It is therefore not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. There is every indication, from teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and discussion with pupils, that the full range of the subjects is covered, and that standards are broadly average.

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HUMANITIES

73. In a Year 5/6 geography lesson, the teacher showed good subject knowledge, as pupils investigated the reasons for the location of Lincoln, as part of their comparative study of settlements, comparing and contrasting Lincoln with Grantham. They could interpret maps and describe patterns in physical features. Links with literacy were made explicit as pupils worked together to make notes of their findings. In a well-planned Year 1 lesson, pupils recognised and made observations about the immediate locality of the school, based on photographs they had taken on a recent walk. In a history lesson in Year 3/4, pupils used portraits of Tudor nobles as an historical source, making generalisations about wealth, power and character from their observations.

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HUMANITIES

74. The subject co-ordinators are keen to take their subjects forward, particularly by adding new units to the scheme of work when the school begins working over six terms in September 2004. Resources are satisfactory and managed well. At present there are only limited opportunities for them to carry out monitoring and evaluation activities across the whole school.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good; well-planned lessons enable pupils to achieve well. • Pupils have good knowledge of major faiths. • Cross-curricular links in religious education are good, particularly with literacy. • The co-ordinator makes a positive impact on provision in religious education. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 29 May 2004

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Commentary

75. Standards of attainment exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education by the time pupils are in Year 6. In lessons seen teaching and learning were good and sometimes very good. An analysis of pupils’ work of available work and talking to them about it pupils indicate that their achievement is good throughout the school.

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Commentary

76. Pupils are given the opportunity to study religions other than Christianity. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are clear about the importance of symbolism in Sikhism. They discussed this aspect and were able to make generalisations about the importance of symbolism, relating it to their own lives. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge, guided by the syllabus; they use interesting approaches and have high expectations of pupils. Good subject knowledge was demonstrated by the teachers. Effective teaching methods were used. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 used drama very effectively to promote discussion and understanding of the relevance of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in the Christian story. When pupils went on to illustrate the scene, links to literacy were made as they used “speech bubbles” to retell the main points.

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Commentary

77. The co-ordinator tracks the progress of all pupils. She has recently reviewed the school’s policy, to bring it into line with the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus. She has a clear action plan in place, and has given a personal presentation to the governing body about progress in her subject. She has developed resource boxes for every faith, with everything well ordered and listed. There are good resources for religious education for all year groups. She arranged for herself and five other colleagues to spend a training day on multi-cultural issues in religious education, and the importance of places to many faiths. She keeps a good portfolio showing completed work in all year groups, including photographs. The portfolio covers visits out of school and the new school Peace Tree.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 receive outstanding teaching. • Standards are very high by the time pupils leave the school. • Resources are very good and support the achievement of pupils. • The subject is enhanced through a wide range of curriculum opportunities, which are taken advantage of by many pupils.

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Commentary

78. Teaching for pupils in Years 1and 2 is good, guided by a published scheme of work supported by audio material. This ensures that provision is good, pupils make steady improvement and achieve well by Year 2. By the time they enter Year 3 they have a sound basis of skills, knowledge and understanding of the subject. They sing well in lessons and assemblies, with good shape and melody, and improve in response to teaching.

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Commentary

79. The teaching for pupils in Years 3 to 6, provided by a specialist music teacher and the deputy head (the music co-ordinator), is outstanding. As a result, by Year 6, pupils achieve very high standards in singing and instrumental playing. Most impressive, however, is they way classes work together confidently to produce performances of high quality, reviewing and improving as they perform work, including part work, from memory and notation. Each pupil is well aware of his or her individual contribution to the whole. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 30 May 2004 Example of outstanding practice The children were alert, “on the edge of their seats”. Concentration was intense; perhaps there was even a little tension. The guitarists were poised, those playing tuned and untuned percussion instruments were at the ready, the vocalists and recorder players moistened their lips. And then the keyboard began the

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Commentary

introduction and with perfect timing the Year 5/6 class erupted into a magnificent performance of “Joseph’s Coat”, the excellent quality of which was the result of expert teaching, motivated children and a real sense of joy in the music. Each and every person involved was clear about his or her role in the collective responsibility for the whole piece, and they gave it all they’d got.

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Commentary

80. Provision in music is enhanced by the excellent opportunities pupils have to participate in enrichment activities. Well over 100 pupils take advantage of recorder clubs, choir and orchestra, string, brass and woodwind tuition. Music makes an outstanding contribution to the social, spiritual and cultural development of pupils, and to the ethos of the whole school. Much credit for this goes to the deputy head, a committed, enthusiastic, hard working and knowledgeable leader of the subject.

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Commentary

81. Insufficient lessons were seen in each of the following subjects: art and design, design and technology, and physical education to make a firm judgement on standards or teaching and learning. It is not therefore possible to make a firm judgement about provision. In addition to observing lessons, inspectors spoke to co-ordinators about their work, spoke to pupils about what they had learnt in design and technology and looked at pupils’ work from last year. The subjects clearly promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Commentary

82. Pupils are keen and interested in their work in art and design . A lively approach was clearly evident in the Year 6 lesson observed, where pupils were developing a sequence of movements using models. Good use was made of the digital camera. Good subject knowledge, management of the lesson and giving pupils opportunity to review and refine their work are strengths of teaching. Very good subject knowledge was clearly evident and the lesson was well managed. Standards of work seen were above average. Computer technology is used effectively to develop pupils’ art skills, as seen in pictures created by Year 1 and Year 2 pupils in the style of Pieter Mondrian and Jackson Pollock. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have sketch books but their use and effectiveness is variable and an area for development identified by the school.

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Commentary

83. In design and technology, discussion with pupils showed that they are gaining experience of a range of materials and techniques and developing the expected subject skills through designing and making a variety of products. Year 1 and 2 pupils excitedly explained how they had designed and created moving toys, for example. Older pupils had looked at and evaluated different types of biscuits before making their own. Work samples from across the school clearly show that pupils carefully plan, design, make and evaluate their own work and that of their classmates. Good use is made of small focused practical tasks to develop skills needed to make quality final products. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The use of ICT to support learning either through planning, modelling or control is developing well with support from the technology college. In the Year 2 lesson observed the quality of

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Commentary

teaching was good, as pupils carefully investigated and made a simple hinge as part of their work in designing and making a model house.

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Commentary

84. In physical education, from viewing planning and discussions with teachers and pupils it is evident that all strands of the subject are regularly taught. This includes a wide range of outdoor and adventurous activities for Years 5 and 6 when on annual residential visits. All pupils in Years 3 to 6 swim during the year in a local pool and records show that the vast majority of pupils swim 25 metres by the end of Year 6 and many much further.

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Commentary

85. The school achieved the Active Gold Mark for Sport in 2002, a highly prized national award. The subject is extremely well supported by a wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs and activities run by dedicated teachers and parents. Opportunities for pupils to participate in sport are excellent. There are regular sporting fixtures with other schools in the area on a The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 31 May 2004 league basis and annual inter-school tournaments. Excellent use is made of outside providers to give specialist training, for example in basketball, football, racquet-ball skills and gymnastics. The subject has developed very well since the last inspection through the enthusiasm and commitment of the subject leader, staff and parents.

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Commentary

86. In the Year 1 games lessons seen, pupils were managed well and good opportunities were provided for them to review their performance and that of others. Pupils were used well to demonstrate good practice. Relationships were good and clear instructions were give to which pupils responded well. There was good co-operation between pupils in paired activities, which developed speaking and listening opportunities and promoted personal and social development well.

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Commentary

87. In all the creative subjects the role of the subject leader is well developed and they provide good leadership and management of their subjects and support for colleagues. All subject leaders are enthusiastic about their area of responsibility and are very knowledgeable. At present they have limited opportunities to monitor and evaluate their subjects across the school, which is a limitation on their ability to fully impact on standards. Neither are there whole school systems in place, which make use of National Curriculum level descriptors to monitor pupils’ standards and progress.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

Provision in personal, social and health education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• It is systematically planned into the curriculum and is well taught. • It permeates all subjects and makes a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral development.

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Commentary

88. There are good arrangements for personal, social and health education (PSHE) including sex and relationships education and drug awareness, where all statutory requirements are met. As well as having dedicated lessons where pupils consider topics such as “living in a diverse world” and why do we need rules”, issues concerned with PSHE are covered elsewhere, for example in religious education lessons. A strong feature of lessons is the opportunity pupils are given to discuss with partners and in groups. This makes a good contribution to their social development, as they confidently share ideas and collaborate well together. Older pupils also show a growing understanding of moral issues, for example pupils in a Year 4/5 class wrestled with the idea of why being different was not the same as being wrong. The school’s healthy eating policy successfully educates pupils into issues to do with diet and

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Commentary

healthy living. The Grantham Gonerby Hill Foot CE Primary School Page 32 May 2004

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 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 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 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 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 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 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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