Twyford C of E School

TWYFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Twyford Church of England School - 2 - July 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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TWYFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND 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. Twyford Church of England School - 3 - July 2004

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Community school Age range of pupils: 4-9 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 56

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Twyford Buckingham Buckinghamshire Postcode: MK14 4EQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01296 730305 Fax number: 01296 730305

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Rev Elizabeth Mason

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Twyford Church of England First School is situated in the picturesque village of Twyford in the heart of Buckinghamshire. It draws its pupils from the immediate catchment area and three other villages. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. The school is much smaller than most other primary schools. There are 56 boys and girls. None of the children come from minority ethnic backgrounds and all but one speak English as their first language. The percentage of pupils thought to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. There are six pupils with special educational needs, which is below average overall. However, the small size of each year group results in there being a wide spread of ability amongst the pupils with a high proportion of pupils needing extra help and for whom additional money is provided. This includes problems with speech and language, basic

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

learning skills and social and emotional difficulties that lead to behaviour problems. Children's attainment on entry to the school in recent years has been below average but when children started school this year, their skills, knowledge and understanding were broadly average for their age. The percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the normal time is well above average due to its policy of transferring pupils at age 9. Many pupils leave at age 7 or earlier because they want longer in the junior school. The school is well used by the community for various activities such as 'Brownies' and 'Tadpoles'. It has been given the Investors in People Award. Twyford Church of England School - 4 - July 2004

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

18275 Mrs C Pittman Lead inspector English Art and design Geography History Religious education Foundation stage 13526 Mr R Barnard Lay inspector 12394 Mrs C May Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Design technology Music Physical education Special educational needs 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). Twyford Church of England School - 5 - July 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

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

Twyford Church of England School - 6 - July 2004

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school which continues to improve. All pupils achieve well; standards are above average overall. Pupils are keen to learn and relate well to each other, in what parents' describe as 'a very good family atmosphere'. Most of the teaching is good with a large proportion that is very good. Any minor weaknesses in the teaching are dealt with efficiently. The school addresses the needs of all its pupils effectively and is very inclusive. There is a good learning ethos and pupils' personal qualities are developed well. The headteacher's leadership is strong and she is quick to identify and tackle any weaknesses. Strong leadership and management have sustained the above average standards. The school cares well for its pupils, has a strong partnership with its parents and offers good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards have risen in reading, writing and information and communication technology (ICT) since the last inspection. • Teaching is good overall and very good for pupils under five. Pupils achieve well as a result. • The headteacher provides clear and purposeful direction for the school. • Pupils' attitudes to school and behaviour towards each other are good. • The opportunities pupils have to learn about other activities outside the school day are very good. • Parents have good links with the school and pupils are cared for well. • With the exception of English and mathematics, assessment is not used well enough to plan the curriculum. • Pupils' work is sometimes presented untidily in Years 1 to 4. • The accommodation and outside play area for pupils under 5 is too cramped. There are insufficient wheeled toys and climbing apparatus to improve pupils' physical skills and agility.

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How the school has improved

The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection in 1999 and its response to the key issues raised then has been positive. Leadership and management are more effective in that the governing body is more aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and there is better monitoring of the school's progress. Subject co-ordinators' knowledge and understanding and the way they evaluate and monitor how the curriculum is planned has improved. Standards in reading and writing have risen and are very high in reading and well above average in writing. There has also been good improvement in the school's accommodation; it is now adequate. The quality of teaching and provision for ICT have also improved. However, the school still has not focused enough on assessing and monitoring learning other than in English and mathematics.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 Twyford Church of England School - 7 - July 2004 reading A* B A* A writing A C A B mathematics A C C D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve well as a consequence of good teaching. The small size of every year group results in there being a wide spread of ability in each, with a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in some. Because of the small numbers involved taking the tests, standards can vary greatly from one year to the next. However, the average over the last three years shows that pupils are attaining standards above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. For the past few years the skills, knowledge and understanding of the children entering the reception class has been below average overall. This year children in the Foundation Stage have settled well into school and are on line to exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception year. Standards in Year 2, last year, were very high in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics. This year

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

standards are not as high and are average in most subjects because of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the group. Currently in Year 4, standards in most subjects are below average for the few pupils in the group. However in Year 3 they are well above average. Overall standards have risen in Year 2 in the national tests since the previous inspection. Girls achieve slightly better results than boys in reading and writing although boys do better in mathematics. Higher attaining boys and girls do equally well. The school exceeded its very challenging targets last year. This is largely the result of the successful targeting and monitoring of pupils. Pupils’ personal qualities are developed well. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Children of all abilities usually interact well together. There is a good caring and supportive ethos in the school. Attendance

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

levels have been above average for the previous three years although they have fallen this year and are now just satisfactory. This is because parents take their children away from school for holidays and other occasions which the school rightly tries to discourage.

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The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is predominantly good

throughout the school with many examples of very good teaching. Pupils learn effectively and make good progress because good relationships, interesting activities and attention to individual needs underpin their learning. There is very good teaching in science in Year 2 where a positive ethos for learning and good planning produces interesting lessons, although the best teaching is in the Reception Class where teachers are particularly effective in understanding the needs of very young children by making learning fun. However, because the curriculum provided for the older reception children in the afternoon is more formal; the teaching during these sessions is less effective in meeting their individual needs. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teaching is less effective in some lessons throughout the school where assessment is not used effectively to plan what is taught next.

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The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is predominantly good

The curriculum has a good range of learning opportunities, which meets the interests, aptitudes and special needs of all pupils. However, the lack of a large enough space with suitable climbing apparatus and wheeled toys inhibits the progress that children in the Foundation Stage make to develop their physical co-ordination. There is a very good range of activities outside the school day to enrich the curriculum. The school provides well for the health, safety, care and welfare of its pupils. Support, advice and guidance for pupils are Twyford Church of England School - 8 - July 2004 good. They feel valued and are well involved in their learning. The school works effectively with its parents and very well in partnership with the wider community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good. The headteacher's leadership is good. Her high aspirations for the school are very good. She knows what the school does well, where its weaknesses are and how to improve them. Staff are effectively focused on improving standards and supporting all pupils but co-ordinators are not as effective in monitoring assessment and learning in science and the non-core subjects. The governance of the school is good. Governors know the school's strengths and weaknesses, monitor the school's performance well and ensure that statutory requirements are met .

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very happy with the school and have no significant concerns. All the parents and pupils interviewed thought that the school deals with rare occurrences of bullying very well. Most of the pupils spoken to think that the school is good and they are very happy with it.

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

• Improve how teachers use assessment to plan what is taught next in science and the non- core subjects. • Improve how all pupils present their work in Years 1 to 4. • Improve the provision and resources regarding outdoor play for the Foundation Stage. Twyford Church of England School - 9 - July 2004

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Standards range from below to above average in different year groups, depending on the proportion of higher and lower attaining pupils in the group. Because of the small numbers taking the tests, standards can vary greatly from one year to the next, however, the average over the last three years shows that pupils are attaining standards broadly above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve well. • Standards have risen in national tests. • Standards obtained in the national tests in mathematics last year were lower than those in reading and writing.

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Commentary

1. Pupils start school with average levels of attainment. When they leave aged 9, their attainment, overall, is above the national average. Standards in mathematics are generally lower than in English although the school exceeded its very challenging targets last year in both areas due to the successful targeting and monitoring of pupils. The 2003 test results were very high in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics when compared to all other primary schools. When results are compared to those of similar schools they are well above average in reading, above average in writing and below average in mathematics. This year standards are not as high because of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the group.

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Commentary

2. At the time of the inspection there were 20 children on roll. Standards on entry are generally in line with those expected for children of this age, particularly in communication, language and literacy. Children achieve well during their time in the reception class because of the good teaching and the interesting, relevant curriculum which meets their particular needs. Most attain the Early Learning Goals and many go further by the time they leave the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

3. The table below shows that in 2003, standards in the Year 2 national tests were very high in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools results were above average overall. What the table does not show is the notable difference in the results achieved by the higher attaining pupils in reading and writing with many more pupils reaching the higher level in reading than writing. Girls are doing better in reading and writing and boys are doing better in mathematics.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Twyford Church of England School - 10 - July 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 18.5 (17.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.3 (14.5) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.7 (16.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Standards seen in lessons

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Commentary

4. Pupils achieve well in most year groups. Currently standards in English are average in Year 2 and Year 4 and above average in Year 3. Standards in mathematics and science are above average overall at Year 2 and Year 3 and average at Year 4 because of the high percentage of pupils with special educational needs in this small group. Standards in mathematics have improved throughout the school. Pupils' attainment at the higher Level 3 is above average overall in all the core subjects. Standards are also above average in information and communication technology (ICT) and art. From the evidence seen they are broadly average in other subjects.

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Commentary

5. Teachers give good emphasis to the teaching of vocabulary needed in other subjects and many opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. The emphasis the school places on reading is reflected in the pupils’ enthusiasm for books. Pupils have appropriate opportunities to record events and information in history and geography. The standard of written work in these subjects is good. The use of pupils’ mathematics skills in other subjects is good. Incidental use occurs frequently, for instance, the use of measuring skills in design and technology or understanding of graphs in a science experiment. The use of ICT across the curriculum is very good. Pupils make good gains in the development of their ICT skills in most subjects.

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Commentary

6. Historically girls achieve slightly better results than boys in English although boys, particularly as they get older, do better in mathematics. However, the school has made an effort to redress the balance this year with concentrated monitoring and targeting and has had considerable success. Higher attaining boys and girls do equally well. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good and parallels the achievement of all pupils. They are supported effectively in their learning by both teachers and teaching assistants. The school’s strong, shared commitment to inclusion is realised in the good provision for pupils with SEN. As a result, they achieve well in relation to their prior attainment and their individual education plans.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes and behaviour are good overall. Personal development is good due to the good provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

• Pupils like school and work hard most of the time. • Pupils have good relationships with each other and behave very well in the playground. • The strong social provision impacts favourably on pupils’ personal development. • Most pupils attend promptly and regularly although a few take holidays in term time. Twyford Church of England School - 11 - July 2004

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Commentary

7. The pupils and their parents say how much they like school. Pupils are happy and very keen on after school activities; particularly the drama and computer club. They enjoy the range of activities planned for them and are eager to learn. In lessons they show good interest in their work. This was particularly evident in the very good attitudes displayed by the youngest pupils in the reception class. Most pupils, throughout the school, concentrate well and respond enthusiastically to their teachers. They work hard sustain their attention well when carrying out practical tasks individually or in groups and show considerable pride in being part of the school community. Pupils with special educational needs demonstrate positive attitudes to learning when working in small groups or on a one to one basis with teaching assistants, however, in whole school events such as the daily act of worship the behaviour of a few is sometimes disruptive.

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Commentary

8. Behaviour around the school and at playtimes is good. This is helped by the good supervision and range of playground activities provided. Pupils and parents say that any anti-social behaviour is dealt with well. This is confirmed by the absence of temporary and permanent exclusions over the last two years. Pupils know right from wrong and what to do if minor squabbles or accidents happen. The school enhances the pupils’ positive attitudes through the good provision made for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The social aspect is particularly strong. Achievement, success and effort are celebrated in rewards, displays around the school and the regular achievement assemblies. Pupils play an important part in village life especially in relation to church events and caring for the local elderly, such as making cakes and apple pies for them at Harvest time. They respond well to opportunities provided for them to reflect on the

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Commentary

wonders of life. Photographs of pupils in Year 1 display magical faces showing wonder and appreciation of leaves falling from trees in Autumn. Pupils from Years 2, 3 and 4 display a mature sense of colour and serenity in photographs they have taken in the local churchyard. Cultural awareness is promoted well through activities such as world arts week. Pupils are gaining a good understanding of religions and cultures, for example in comparing Indian dancing with Morris dancing. Relationships between pupils are good; they work and play together well. Older pupils are particularly good with younger ones, creating a lovely family feel in the playground. A Year 2 pupil says, ”We all know each other” and then is able to name every child in the playground. Most pupils are chatty and confident with visitors. Standards are similar to those described in the previous inspection report.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.0 School data 0.0 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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Commentary

9. Attendance levels have been above average for the previous three years but have fallen this year and are now in line with the national average. Punctuality is good. The school places good emphasis on promoting attendance and has thorough systems in place to record and monitor it. This has led to the accurate identification of the reasons for the fall in attendance this year and the lack of unauthorised absences. The level has fallen due Twyford Church of England School - 12 - July 2004 to a higher than normal level of sickness, 2 pupils who moved and stayed on roll till their new school was established and an increasing number of pupils taking holidays in term time and missing important chunks of learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good. Pupils achieve well because they are taught well. The curriculum is good; opportunities to enrich the curriculum outside of the classroom are very good. Pupils are well cared for and the school's links with parents are good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall and pupils make good progress. Assessment is used well in English and mathematics.

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Teaching and learning

• Teaching in the reception class is of a consistently high quality, characterised by high expectations and a thorough understanding of how young children learn. • All teachers plan well and positively reinforce good learning. • Teachers usually use time and resources well to develop pupils' learning. • Pupils with SEN are well taught; teaching assistants support them effectively. • There is insufficient use of assessment to guide teaching and learning in most subjects. • Teachers accept poorly presented work too readily.

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Commentary

10. Teaching and learning are good overall with many examples of very good teaching. Pupils make good progress because good relationships and interesting activities help them to learn more effectively. Assessment is used well to respond to pupils' individual needs in English and mathematics. However, it is insufficiently developed in other subjects because whole school procedures have not yet been fully established in every subject and teachers do not sufficiently plan their future lessons on what has already been learnt.

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Commentary

11. The table below indicates the quality of teaching seen across the school. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good overall. There is no significant difference in the quality of teaching and learning between Years 1 and 2, 3 and 4 and the overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school. Both parents and pupils feel that teachers help the children to learn effectively.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. Twyford Church of England School - 13 - July 2004 12. The good teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection. The best teaching is in the reception class where teachers are particularly effective in meeting the needs of all pupils, regardless of what is being taught. Teaching is also very good in science in Year 2, although there is good teaching and a positive ethos for learning in most lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

Characteristics of teaching and learning

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

13. There are certain features that are common to many of the very good lessons and they underpin the good quality of learning. These include high expectations of pupils' behaviour, which ensures that pupils concentrate on the task. There are good relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils trust the adults in the school and consequently tackle work with confidence and good self-esteem. The start of the most successful lessons is particularly significant. The beginning of the lesson is usually brisk, lively and challenging; it immediately makes pupils think. In the Foundation Stage, where many of these lessons are found, the teachers' interest and good subject knowledge are used to set the scene and engage pupils in thinking about the objectives of the lesson. Teaching is less effective, although still satisfactory, in a few lessons in Years 1 and 2 where the work is sometimes not well matched to the pupils’ ability or where outcomes

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

are not assessed rigorously enough to plan what pupils should learn next.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

14. Teachers' high expectations and good questioning enable pupils to think carefully and develop their understanding. In a very good science lesson in Year 2, the pupils who had special educational needs were obviously confident when challenged to think by the high quality questioning of the teacher. A sense of fun was inspired by the teacher and the lesson encapsulated a love of learning among the pupils. All achieved the objective. 15. Once teachers have gained pupils' attention, they keep up the momentum, often with a series of short, focused tasks, so that there is no opportunity for concentration to flag. This was demonstrated in a good science/ICT lesson in Years 3/4 where the teacher encouraged pupils to take their learning one step further by challenging them to investigate different ways of defining mini-beasts on a database. The pupils' contributions were valued and good opportunities provided for all pupils to take responsibility for their work. Usually there is little

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

need for obvious management of pupils; behaviour is good and there are good relationships based on mutual respect between pupils and teachers. When necessary, however, teachers are quick to deal with any straying of attention or lack of effort. Parents are pleased with the progress their children make and say that the teachers do well to help them become mature and responsible.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

16. Lessons usually provide a good atmosphere for learning. Pupils have the confidence to try things out, attempt an ambitious answer or put forward an opinion, secure in the knowledge that the reactions of both the teacher and fellow pupils will be supportive. Most teachers use resources well in their lessons. In a good Year 3/4 art lesson, pupils made 'dream prints' from their favourite photographs. The teacher encouraged the pupils to use their imagination inventively to make their learning more meaningful. Some creative and original work was subsequently produced. However, this is not always the case. For example, in an English poetry lesson in Year 2 the more able pupils were not sufficiently challenged and soon lost interest in the task. Throughout the school teachers too readily accept work that is poorly presented.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

17. Classrooms are usually well organised and include colourful displays of work. Teachers often teach from their strengths for example by swapping classes to teach art and ICT. Twyford Church of England School - 14 - July 2004 18. There is a fully inclusive approach to teaching. All pupils including those with special educational needs, and higher and lower attaining pupils are usually given the support they need. Pupils with SEN receive good support in class and are well supported by teaching assistants to enable them to understand and make good progress. Teachers set tasks to match their needs in literacy and numeracy lessons and individual targets on individual action plans are precise, but lesson planning does not always show what particular targets pupils with special educational needs are working towards in the lesson. Pupils’ individual education plans are of good quality and provide effective

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

guidance on dealing with pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Teachers throughout the school know these pupils well and use this knowledge to provide effectively for their needs. There is also effective support within the class from well-briefed teaching assistants. The teaching in the set groups is well planned, sensitively delivered and effective. For example, the individual education plans of pupils with special educational needs are used effectively so that their learning in the targeted groups is very well focused and sensitively delivered to ensure they achieve their full potential. The progress of all these pupils is closely monitored and support deployed appropriately.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

19. Assessment is good in English, mathematics, the Foundation Stage and for pupils with special educational needs, but is still underdeveloped in other areas. Teachers in Years 1 to 4 keep good records of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and track pupils' attainment against targets. In most lessons, staff give pupils good verbal feedback on their work and they are told how they can improve. The marking of work by most teachers is good and teaching assistants make useful notes on what pupils can do. However, some teachers’ marking of work is not always useful in helping pupils to know what they need to do next, for example, in science. The statutory test results are very thoroughly analysed and targets set so staff have a clear picture of different groups of pupils' attainment in English and mathematics. However, although there is a clear understanding of the purpose and use of assessment and teachers’ plans show that they

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons

will assess learning in the light of the objectives they have set, this data is not used rigorously enough to plan subsequent work in other subjects. The progress of children in the reception class and of pupils with SEN is assessed well and the key staff are clear about what these children have to do to reach the next step in learning.

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The curriculum

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum with learning opportunities that meet the interests, aptitudes and special needs of all pupils. Opportunities for further learning in activities outside lessons are very good. Staffing is good, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum provides well for pupils’ needs and interests because good links are made between different subjects. • ICT is used well across the curriculum and this benefits teaching and learning especially for the older pupils. • The school has a strong commitment to providing well for pupils with special educational needs. Twyford Church of England School - 15 - July 2004 • The school promotes personal, social and health education well. • Limited space and a lack of resources restrict the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage. • The curriculum is enriched very well with extra activities that make it more interesting and significantly extend learning and many pupils benefit from the good range of extra- curricular activities.

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Commentary

20. The school provides a broad curriculum that caters well for pupils’ needs and interests and encourages them to want to learn. The curriculum is greatly enriched by the many visitors invited into school, and the pupils benefit from visits to places of interest. There is a good range of clubs and activities are provided. The school’s accommodation and resources are broadly satisfactory, although there are some deficiencies in the provision for the nursery and reception age children.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum meets statutory requirements. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning because most lessons are interesting and stimulating. Good links are made between different subjects of the curriculum and this makes lessons more relevant to the pupils. For example, when studying the ancient Greeks in history lessons, Greek myths were studied in literacy lessons and illustrated with moving pictures made in design technology lessons. Appropriate opportunities are found to practise mathematical skills through, for example, map-work in geography and measurement in science and design and technology. Since the time of the last inspection, significant improvements have been made to the curriculum for ICT and work is planned across other subjects to promote the pupils’ ICT skills well.

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Commentary

22. There is a good balance of expertise amongst the staff, and they are well qualified to deliver the curriculum effectively. The school has a strong commitment to providing well for all pupils, whatever their specific requirements and these pupils are often supported in lessons by able teaching assistants.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is good and promotes in pupils a good understanding of healthy eating and keeping fit. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities such as setting up the hall for the daily act of worship and helping at lunch time. Pupils also learn about life of children in other countries and have been inspired to raise money to help charities such as UNICEF and National Children’s Homes. These activities contribute well to the maturity and confidence seen in pupils by the end of their time in the school. The school tries hard to bring to the forefront an awareness of other cultures and beliefs through music, dance and art activities and through celebrating events such as Chinese New Year, Divali and Hanukah. In both academic and social terms the school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is based appropriately on national requirements, but the school’s curriculum statement is out of date and does not reflect this. Also, limitations of numbers of staff, space and resources inhibit the provision for nursery and reception. Despite these difficulties, the members of staff in the nursery and reception classes do a good job in difficult circumstances. The school has plans afoot to bring the provision up to the level expected nationally during the forthcoming academic Twyford Church of England School - 16 - July 2004 year. These include an additional classroom, improved outdoor facilities and improved staffing levels. Accommodation and resources elsewhere in the school are satisfactory.

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Commentary

25. A wide variety of events, visits and visitors are arranged that enhance the curriculum very well. For example, the regular visit from a member of Aylesbury football club enhances the curriculum for sport well. The school has arts and history weeks that involve visits out of school as well as visitors who come in to share their knowledge, skills and expertise. Pupils have a good range of extra-curricular activities during lunchtime and at the end of the day, which are popular and well attended. Clubs available pupils include recorders, computing, dance and drama.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides good quality care, guidance and support for its pupils and takes good account of their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good caring atmosphere in the school. • There are good health and safety and child protection procedures. • The personal needs of pupils are catered for very well. • The process for inducting new pupils into the school is very good. • Pupils are involved well in the life of school. • The academic support given to pupils is good but some gaps.

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Commentary

26. The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on the monitoring of pupils’ achievement is good. The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is good.

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Commentary

27. The good care and concern for pupils’ needs is appreciated by both the pupils and their parents. The sensitive approach to child protection procedures, good assessment of any health and safety risks, good security arrangements, fire precaution arrangements and first aid procedures enables pupils to feel safe and work in confidence. The cleanliness and tidiness of the school, especially the very pleasant and attractive toilets, and the provision of fresh water are indicative of the importance the school pays to the personal needs of the pupils. Pupils are very confident that they a have a friendly ear to speak to if they have worries or concerns. Thorough steps are taken to ensure pupils are collected by a responsible person at the end of the school day. Very good induction arrangements and continuing care and support ensure that the youngest pupils quickly settle into school. This enables members of staff to get to know their pupils and their

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Commentary

wide range of backgrounds well. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

28. Pupils who move to the school from other schools say that they are made very welcome and quickly and happily settle into school life. Academic support and advice for pupils is generally good. This is especially evident in the arrangements made to give support to pupils who leave for the next stage of education in Year 4. However, there are weaknesses in the way science and the non-core subjects are assessed and insufficient individual target setting. Pupils feel that members of staff value their views and this Twyford Church of England School - 17 - July 2004 gives them confidence to discuss issues and raise questions. They are consulted with very well; for instance governors are involved with presentations to pupils about their travel arrangements.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents. Links with the local community support pupils’ learning very well. Educational links with local schools are good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very strong parental support for the school. • Good information is provided to parents by the school. • Very good community links enrich the curriculum. • Some parents take pupils on holiday in term time against the advice of the school.

p.17

Commentary

29. Parents are very supportive of the school and their children’s education. Almost all attend assemblies and consultation sessions. They provide help in the classroom and readily attend sessions arranged to inform them about curriculum areas such as mathematics and literacy. The parents, teachers and friends association (PTFA) provides a very good range of fundraising and social activities that very effectively encourage parents and pupils to be part of the school. Parent governors are very pro-active about parental views and a recent survey conducted by the school led to the introduction of a minibus service to transport pupils to and from school. Parents receive good information to help their children's learning. This is particularly good in the reception class. Reports give good information on pupils’ progress, achievements and targets for improvement, although these are often too general. The school is always open to parents; teachers are

p.17

Commentary

available at the end of the day and, according to many parents, issues are dealt with promptly and efficiently.

p.17

Commentary

30. There are an increasing number of parents who take their children out of school for holidays in term time consequently children miss important parts of their learning. The school is working hard to discourage this practice.

p.17

Commentary

31. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved from the outset and are contacted by the school as soon as a problem or difficulty is identified. They are effectively involved in drawing up individual education plans and are included at annual reviews. Help and advice from other professionals is appropriately sought where necessary, however, sometimes this guidance is not sufficiently well incorporated into pupils’ individual education plans.

p.17

Commentary

32. The school uses the local community very well for visits, and local visitors help in school. The strong links with the local church contribute well to the 'community feel' of the school. The very good use of and involvement with the local community ensures pupils’ experiences are enriched, for example by contributing to local festivals. The good partnership with the local schools ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Twyford Church of England School - 18 - July 2004

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. Governors understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. The headteacher's leadership is good. Senior managers are appropriately focused on improving standards. The school is managed effectively.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors know the school's strengths and weaknesses; they challenge and support senior managers appropriately. • The headteacher's clarity of vision, sense of purpose and high aspirations for the school are very good. Senior managers have established a good learning ethos for both staff and pupils. Inclusion is good. • The school’s evaluation of its performance is good. Data is used well to monitor the school's performance. However assessment is insufficiently used in subjects other than English and mathematics to change what is taught next. • The school manages its finances well.

p.18

Commentary

33. The governors are knowledgeable, experienced and committed to the needs of the school and its pupils. With the help of regular reports from the headteacher they monitor the school's strengths and weaknesses well. This gives them a clear insight into the work being done and the progress that the pupils are making. Governors appropriately challenge the senior management team to account for weaknesses and plan for success. The governors ensure that the school complies with statutory requirements. The headteacher provides good leadership. The feature that stands out in the leadership of the school is the absence of complacency. Parents say that the headteacher is not easily satisfied and is always seeking to improve the school. She knows what the school does well, where its weaknesses are and how to improve them and has established a good ethos of striving to improve. This is one of the main reasons

p.18

Commentary

for the school's increasingly good reputation in the community.

p.18

Commentary

34. The staff work well together. They believe that they are appropriately supported by the headteacher in their efforts to raise standards. Monitoring reports show that the school is self-critical and evaluative of its practices. There are many examples of this approach in action. Each year co-ordinators are held accountable for examination results in their subjects. In areas where there have been relatively less successful results, such as standards in mathematics for older, more able boys, the school is quick to take action. Curriculum co-ordinators effectively evaluate their subjects and areas for development are included in the school’s improvement and management plan, so that priorities can be established over the long and short term. This has given clear educational direction to the work of the school. Effective monitoring is clearly defined by the headteacher. It is aimed at helping the school to be clear about how well the teachers teach and how well

p.18

Commentary

35. The leadership and management of special educational needs are sound overall. There is an up to date policy that takes into account the most recent requirements and a named Twyford Church of England School - 19 - July 2004 governor who oversees this aspect of school life. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and has ensured that all classroom assistants have been trained. All teaching staff have been trained in the use of the current code of practice and keep careful track of the progress of pupils with special educational needs. Records are regularly updated and are readily accessible and used by support staff.

p.18

Commentary

36. The headteacher and governors staff the school well. The school's strategy for performance management is very good. Financial planning is good and the budget is used well. The strategic use of resources is good. The targeting of funds to areas where there is the most need of improvement has been very effective. 37. Spending is carefully matched to the school’s priorities, for instance sums are set aside to train and retain staff. The governing body’s consideration of best value is good. The school had a good audit and has responded promptly to the few recommendations. Office staff are well organised. They check all information from the local authority against their own records thoroughly and provide the headteacher and governors with the most up-to-date information available so that they can make informed decisions. The majority of the under-spend consists of monies for capital projects such as a new classroom

p.19

Commentary

needed for the increase in pupil numbers this year and a play area for the under-fives.

p.19

Commentary

38. The impact of the leadership and management is such that in this school, the highest standards are sought for all pupils according to their capability. As a result, most pupils achieve well and make good progress. The leadership and management have been successful in establishing a productive climate for learning and promoting inclusion throughout the school. This is an effective school and provides good value for money.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 207,444 Balance from previous year 36,582 Total expenditure 170,862 Balance carried forward to the next 74,493 Expenditure per pupil 3,417 Twyford Church of England School - 20 - July 2004

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good, as it was at the time of the last inspection. There are 20 children on roll this year (2004) and the roll is rising still further next year. Most children come to the school with some pre-school, playgroup experience. Standards on entry are generally in line with those expected for children of this age, particularly in communication, language and literacy. Children achieve well during their time in the reception class because of the good teaching and the interesting, relevant curriculum which meets their particular needs. However, the accommodation is rather cramped both inside and out, and there is a limited range of large outdoor toys and climbing equipment to support children’s physical development. The school is presently enhancing the accommodation with a new classroom and larger outside play area and play equipment to accommodate a rising roll

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

for this coming academic year. The recently appointed teacher is managing early years’ provision very well. She and her specialist teaching assistant work well together as a cohesive team. The teaching in the reception class is generally very good. Teachers are particularly effective in understanding the needs of very young children by making learning fun. However, because the curriculum provided for the older reception children in the afternoon is more formal the teaching in the class for the older reception children is less effective in meeting their individual needs. Children’s progress is frequently assessed and this is well used to plan the next step in their learning. Those with special educational needs are quickly identified and are provided with specific support.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because of the very good teaching they receive and the positive relationships established make them feel confident enough to learn. • Every opportunity is taken to enhance children’s personal development. Most children reach the expected goals by the end of the year and many exceed these.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

39. The development of children’s personal and social development is given high priority and underpins all the work in the reception class. As a result, most children will have achieved the expected levels by the end of the reception year and a few will have exceeded them. When children first come to the school their personal, social and emotional development is below what is expected of children of this age, even though most of the children have some pre-school playgroup experience. However, children quickly settle into the caring and safe environment where basic routines and high expectations are fostered. The very good working relationships between members of staff and volunteer helpers are effective in showing children how to relate to each other. The warm welcome extended to them at the start of each school day helps to make children feel secure and confident. Parents are given every opportunity to discuss any

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

urgent matters with a member of staff. Tasks are well prepared so that children’s interest is quickly engaged. Care is taken to assess children’s different experiences Twyford Church of England School - 21 - July 2004 before they come to school and adults work hard to instil a sense of belonging, based on personal care and making children feel comfortable and liked. Good teaching, which emphasises kindness to each other, and planned activities that require co-operation, result in good social development. Members of staff place strong emphasis on the development of children’s self-esteem, confidence and independence. As a result, most children respond well to new challenges, such as changing independently for physical education lessons and tidying away after activities. All opportunities are grasped to extend children’s social development. Eating healthy snacks together, for example, are seen by staff as opportunities to teach about etiquette and hygiene. Girls and boys are

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

encouraged to play and work together, and take part in rich learning opportunities so that they develop a good range of skills across all areas of learning. The well structured induction arrangements, which include home visits, do much to ensure that children’s first experiences of school are happy ones.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Amongst staff and volunteer helpers there is a good common understanding of the need to take every opportunity to engage children in meaningful discussion and conversation. • Teaching is sometimes inspirational, learning is good and often very good.

p.21

Commentary

40. Individually, children make good progress towards the attainment of the early learning goals in this area of learning. In response to the very good teaching they receive, most children reach the goals by the end of the reception year, and some children exceed them. Rich opportunities are provided for children to improve their speaking and listening skills through role-play, stories, poems and rhymes. Effective questioning encourages them to give considered answers and builds on prior learning. Staff insist that children listen to each other. The good relationships established between adults and children mean that children grow in confidence because adults are interested in what they have to say. There is good provision for reading development. Children enjoy books and most listen attentively when stories are read to them. They share big books, reading together in groups and engaging in individual reading at home and in school.

p.21

Commentary

Children enjoy being told stories such as those about 'Big Ted'. Teachers enact and elaborate on the plot to foster the children’s enjoyment in reading as well as their social development. They have a growing number of words that they recognise in text, and parents are advised on how they can help their children recognise ‘Key Words’ at home. Opportunities are frequently taken to emphasise sounds that different letters make and to extend vocabulary. In a good lesson where the teacher had introduced the new sound 'oi' children were attaining standards beyond those expected at the end of the Foundation Stage. Several started to recognise a pattern as they attempted to write words like 'boil' and 'soil' on the board. In another very good lesson seen, children received individual letters from Big Ted with the sound they had to identify inside. They were captivated with their own letters brought by the 'real' postman and very few got their

p.21

Commentary

initial sounds and subsequent words wrong. Work on display shows that, by the end of the year, higher attaining children are able to write phrases or sentences unaided, while many others can do so with help. Twyford Church of England School - 22 - July 2004 MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

p.21

Commentary

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching is very good because members of staff have good understanding of how young children learn about number. • Members of staff introduce mathematical language effectively. Every opportunity is used to promote mathematical development.

p.22

Commentary

41. Children enter the reception class with average standards in mathematics. Most children reach the early learning goals for mathematics because of the very good teaching they receive. Many exceed these goals by the time they reach the end of the Foundation Stage. Staff use an interesting range of teaching methods and resources, including ICT, so that children develop a practical understanding of all aspects of mathematics. Good links with other areas of learning such as literacy and art, make the tasks meaningful to the children. Adults introduce mathematical language effectively and consequently children name shapes such as squares, triangles and circles and use terminology such as longer, shorter and equal to when comparing size. In a good lesson observed on number recognition, effective questioning resulted in the youngest children confidently counting forwards and backwards to ten and using the correct terminology such as

p.22

Commentary

smallest and heaviest by the end of the lesson. Although most children were able to do this, some younger lower attaining children found it difficult to see the difference between lighter and lightest . Higher attaining children can count forwards and backwards to 20.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

• A good range of interesting activities is planned to promote learning in this area. • Children have many opportunities to use computers during the school day.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

42. Teaching and learning are very good and children achieve well. Children enter the reception class with average standards in Knowledge and understanding of the world. However most children reach the early learning goals for this area because of the very good teaching they receive. Children are provided with a very good range of experiences which help extend their understanding of the world about them. They are strongly encouraged to play educationally, and to experience resources which promote good achievement. Well-planned activities, such as walks within the local environment, give children a good knowledge of the area in which they live and an understanding of seasonal changes. In ICT, they are taught well to use the mouse to control the screen Twyford Church of England School - 23 - July 2004 cursor when moving images across the screen. In the lessons seen, they efficiently used computers to access various software. Very good questioning during snack times, helps

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

children think about health and safety issues, such as the need for clean hands and a healthy diet. They are taught about times that are important to their community, such as Christmas and Harvest Festival, Mother’s and Father's Day and how to share important events in their lives.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

• Pupils are very well managed so that they work and play safely together. • There is an inadequate range of large, wheeled toys to support physical development. • There is insufficient focus on physical development in the outdoor sessions.

p.23

Commentary

43. Children receive weekly opportunities for physical activities such as running, jumping, climbing and balancing, during timetabled lessons in the school hall. One such lesson was observed during the inspection in which the quality of the teaching and learning was very good. This, together with observations made of children in the outdoor play area, indicates that most children are on line to meet the expected goals by the end of the year and some will exceed them. Children have regular access to an outdoor, secure area and they enjoy the times they run about and play together. However, there is often a lack of focus on physical development during these sessions. This, together with an inadequate range of large wheeled vehicles and climbing apparatus, limits the progress children make in this area of their learning.

p.23

Commentary

44. Children are given frequent opportunities during the school day to use small tools and instruments, including paint brushes, pencils, scissors and crayons to develop their fine motor skills. Management of children is very good, which ensures their safety when using apparatus and tools. Both boys and girls develop their manipulative skills well when playing with small and large construction equipment with interest and dexterity.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

• The quality of teaching and learning is good and children achieve well.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

45. Children are provided with an environment in which creativity and expressiveness are valued. Teaching is good in this area of the curriculum. Members of staff are effective in getting responses from children in relation to what they see, hear, feel and imagine and most children reach, and several exceed, the standard expected for their age by the end of their time in the Foundation Stage. Their creative development is successfully fostered through a wide range of experiences such as mixing paints, choosing particular Twyford Church of England School - 24 - July 2004 colours for a purpose, and making constructions, collages and paintings. During the week of the inspection, they were exploring colour, texture and shape building a post van in three dimensions. Some were printing with potato templates to make colourful wrapping paper. In their work they glue, stick and join materials together and enjoy the

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

activities very much. Such experiences enrich children’s learning and enhance their spiritual, social and cultural development. In whole class music lessons, and in small groups, children explore how sounds can be made and sing simple songs. Teachers give time to role play to allow children to play co-operatively and develop their imagination. This allows them to extend their language skills successfully by re-enacting familiar situations from stories that have been read to them or by making up their own. Twyford Church of England School - 25 - July 2004

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils achieve well. • Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are above average overall. • Teaching and learning are good. • The school does not place enough emphasis on good handwriting and presentation. • The very good relationships between pupils and teachers support learning well. • Learning objectives are shared with pupils well. • Approaches to marking are inconsistent across the school.

p.25

Commentary

46. The variation in standards from year to year is attributable to the small numbers of pupils taking the tests. In order to get a clearer picture of the trend in standards and because of the high proportion of pupils with SEN in some year groups, pupils' results in reading and writing have been aggregated over the last three years, and are above average overall. This shows that the high standards found at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. In the national tests in 2003 standards were very high in reading and well above average in writing. There was also a notable difference in the results achieved by the higher attaining pupils in reading and writing with many more pupils reaching the higher level in reading than writing. During the current year, pupils in Year 2 are attaining average standards because there were very few pupils in the year group and there was a high proportion of pupils with SEN in this small group.

p.25

Commentary

47. Most pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are well developed. Pupils in Year 1 are confident speakers who listen attentively to adults and other children. A few older pupils in Year 4 speak less well and sometimes find it difficult to put forward their own point of view. In a good Year 3 lesson, pupils were confident to read a poem aloud together and individually describe sounds they heard after school, which they subsequently incorporated into 'an afternoon poem'.

p.25

Commentary

48. Pupils’ achievement in reading is good, with standards above average by the age of seven. Older pupils in Year 4 read less well and their standards are below average overall. Teachers use carefully structured methods, ensuring pupils develop a wide range of reading skills. This, together with a good range of fiction and non-fiction books, develops an enjoyment of reading. Pupils in Year 3 usually read fluently with good expression, bringing the story to life. They can discuss preferences for authors and talk with enthusiasm about books they have previously read. The school has recently improved the range of fiction and non-fiction texts available to support pupil achievement.

p.25

Commentary

49. Pupils’ skills in writing are beginning to develop well throughout the school and satisfactory standards are evident in all classes. Both boys and girls achieve equally well in their writing. However pupils’ written work is often not well presented and there has been an inconsistent approach to handwriting across the school. This has impacted Twyford Church of England School - 26 - July 2004 negatively on achievement. The school is now focusing on improving writing across the curriculum and this is beginning to have a positive impact. There is evidence in pupils’ work of effective links with religious education and history. Pupils also have opportunities to use ICT, particularly computers, to word process their writing or use the Internet to research particular topics in English.

p.25

Commentary

50. The quality of both teaching and learning is good. This, together with pupils’ positive attitudes during lessons, results in good achievement for all, including pupils with special educational needs. The best teaching is characterised by teachers’ good subject knowledge, good pace, work well matched to individual pupil needs, excellent relationships within the classroom and a variety of tasks for pupils to undertake. In these lessons teachers share the learning objective with the pupils, in child-friendly language. This results in pupils understanding, and being able to explain, what they are learning from the lesson, as well as what they are doing. In some English lessons, pupils spend long periods of time sitting passively listening to lesson introductions and not enough time doing independent work.

p.26

Commentary

51. Whilst there are some examples of very good marking of pupils’ work, this is inconsistent across the school. All work is marked, and there is a plethora of encouraging comments, but not all teacher comments identify exactly what is good about a piece of work or what the pupil needs to do next in order to improve. Pupils have targets in English but once these have been set, there are infrequent references back to targets in teachers’ marking comments. The school has good systems for analysing pupil performance.

p.26

Commentary

52. Teachers are aware of higher attaining pupils and they are challenged effectively. Good use is made of teaching assistants, who make a significant contribution to the teaching and learning of pupils of lower ability and those with special educational needs. As a result, these pupils make good progress.

p.26

Commentary

53. The leadership and management of English are good, with the subject featuring strongly in the school development plan. Areas for future improvement are clearly indicated, particularly in writing.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Teachers regularly draw pupils’ attention to spelling, handwriting, grammar and punctuation when they are writing for other subjects, particularly science, history, geography and religious education. However although the content of written work in these subjects is often good, the presentation of the work is often poor. Older pupils writing in pencil with spelling errors uncorrected or scratched out does not improve pupils' self esteem or support very good achievement.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Years 2 and 3. Twyford Church of England School - 27 - July 2004 • Teaching is good and pupils achieve well because work is well matched to the needs of different groups. • The subject is managed well. • Assessment procedures are good. • ICT is used well to support learning.

p.26

Commentary

55. Small numbers in each year group mean that standards vary from year to year. Currently, standards are above average in Years 2 and 3 and average by the end of Year 4. The current years’ unconfirmed results in the national tests, at age seven, show good improvement from the year before (2003), when standards were average. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

p.27

Commentary

56. Pupils achieve well throughout the school regardless of their ability because work is generally well matched to their needs. The good support arranged for pupils with special educational needs enables them to achieve at a similar rate to others in their age group. 57. By the end of Year 2, most pupils have a good understanding of hundreds, tens and units and are developing a good understanding of the relationships between addition and subtraction and can use this to check their work. Past work in books shows that pupils have covered a wide range of activities, which include simple multiplication, and mathematical problems and puzzles. Pupils have a sound understanding of shape and measurement, and can display information in graphs at a suitable level for their age. Achievement is very good, overall, in Year 3. These pupils' progress has accelerated from below to above average in one year. This is because they respond very well to their

p.27

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching is good throughout Years 1 to 4. Teachers place a strong emphasis on pupils explaining their answers to develop their understanding. This was seen in a lesson in Year 1, where pupils estimated the size of various objects and then checked the accuracy of their estimates using standard measurements. The teacher explained the tasks very clearly so that the pupils knew exactly what was expected of them. In a lesson containing pupils from Years 2 to 4 about half the class were able to explain the difference between digital and analogue clocks, but many pupils found writing the time in digital formation difficult. The teacher’s good use of assessment and skilled teaching soon addressed this and all pupils quickly began to understand. The different ages and abilities of pupils are managed well and less able pupils and those with special educational needs are supported effectively by classroom assistants.

p.27

Commentary

59. The subject is led and managed well and has made very good improvement since the last inspection. The co-ordinator provides good support for her colleagues by giving them advice when needed and by demonstrating how to use new resources such as the newly installed interactive whiteboard and the programmes installed on it. She analyses the results of tests, identifies areas of weakness and ensures strategies are put in place to address these. The resources for mathematics are very good and the use of ICT within the subject is particularly effective.

p.27

Commentary

60. There are good assessment procedures throughout the school to check pupils’ progress, to set future targets and to plan work to suit pupils’ needs. However, pupils are not sufficiently involved in setting their own targets or in discussing with the teacher Twyford Church of England School - 28 - July 2004 how they will achieve them. They do however, use computer programmes to check their work, see where they have gone wrong and to find out what they should have done.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. The use of mathematics in other subjects is good. For example, pupils use a range of graphs in science and, in geography, younger pupils completed a pictograph showing their favourite building in the village. Older pupils make weather graphs and use their arithmetic skills well in geography when interpreting scales on a map. In design technology the importance of accurate measurements is stressed in cookery and when designing the new school garden.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average and there is an increase in the number of pupils attaining higher levels. • A strong emphasis on investigations has helped to raise standards to above average. • Pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 4 as a result of good teaching. • Teachers track pupils’ progress well but target setting and marking does not help individual pupils understand how to improve their work. • The subject is led and managed well.

p.28

Commentary

62. The above average standards attained by pupils in the Year 2 teacher assessments are the outcome of consistent improvement in recent years and are higher than those reported in the last inspection. Eighty per cent of pupils in Year 2 are achieving at a higher level than the national average. This is much higher than in 2003 when only seventeen per cent attained the higher level. All pupils are attaining well and pupils in Year 3 have made rapid progress since their teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 and are now attaining standards above average. Pupils in Year 4 are attaining average standards for their age.

p.28

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching is good overall. In the class containing pupils from Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 a very good lesson was seen about animals and their habitats. The lesson was very well planned with the role of the classroom assistant clearly stated and assessment opportunities identified. The school’s increased emphasis on practical investigations was evident. All adults, including a volunteer, were very well deployed supporting pupils in their hunt for mini beasts. The class had been well briefed about the care of these creatures before the lesson started and pupils rose well to the teacher’s high expectations. They were very interested and well behaved both in class when setting up an experiment to see which kind of habitat woodlice prefer, and outside when hunting for their creatures to bring back to study. Once back in the classroom pupils made good use of appropriate resources to study their creatures, including an electronic

p.28

Commentary

microscope in conjunction with the interactive white board. The work met the needs and interests of all pupils well whilst encouraging responsible behaviour and care of the environment. Twyford Church of England School - 29 - July 2004 64. A good practical lesson was also seen with Year 1 pupils. A significant feature of this good teaching is the way pupils are questioned in order to get them to think for themselves. The lesson was very well planned and prepared, and appropriate resources were provided. A good level of pupil involvement ensured that they understood the lesson.

p.28

Commentary

65. Work in pupils’ books shows that all aspects of the national curriculum for science are covered in depth and all pupils, regardless of age and ability, achieve well. The use of ICT supports teaching and learning well.

p.29

Commentary

66. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She regularly attends courses and meetings to keep up to date with developments in the subject. She analyses the results of the teacher assessments and identifies weaknesses in teaching and learning. She also tracks the progress of pupils and sets targets for each year group. No specific targets are set for individuals, some general ones appear on school reports but these are not subject specific and therefore are not sharp enough. The subject is well resourced and a new environmental area is to be a major focus for the school in the forthcoming academic year.

p.29

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress in the development of basic skills because of systematic teaching. • ICT is integrated well into the teaching and learning of other subjects. • Good leadership and management by the subject co-ordinator have made sure that the subject is well resourced and teachers have the necessary skills and support.

p.29

Commentary

67. Standards are above national averages both in Year 2 and by the time pupils leave the school in Year 4. This represents good improvement on the standards seen at the last inspection. All pupils achieve well and make good progress in their acquisition of basic ICT skills.

p.29

Commentary

68. Although it was possible to observe only two lessons, analysis of pupils’ work, the use of ICT in other lessons and discussion with the co-ordinator indicate that teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and they plan lessons well to ensure that the skills needed are taught systematically. Pupils are taught to use ICT and sources of information to solve problems and they use a variety of software packages to support learning in a number of contexts. Teachers keep careful records of pupils’ progress and use this information well to help move pupils’ learning forward. Classroom assistants are used well to support teaching and learning especially for the youngest or the less able pupils. Twyford Church of England School - 30 - July 2004 69. One of the strengths of the subject is the way that the school has been successful in the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning within other subjects. The interactive

p.29

Commentary

whiteboard in Class 2 has had a particularly beneficial effect on the use of ICT across the curriculum and it is often used either to introduce or to help sum up lessons.

p.30

Commentary

70. Leadership and management are good and all points raised at the previous inspection have been addressed. The school uses a nationally recommended scheme of work. The subject is well resourced and staff training has given teachers the necessary skills to teach effectively. Good policies are in place and all legal requirements are met regarding heath and safety and the use of the Internet. The school has plans to develop the subject further in the School Development Plan.

p.30

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. ICT is used well across the curriculum. The use of the interactive whiteboard is very good as a powerful teaching tool in other subjects. For example, ICT is well used in literacy lessons to edit texts and develop pupils’ use of colourful language. Pupils use word-processing skills to present writing in different formats and for different purposes. They create databases and graphs in their mathematics and science lessons. In science pupils use digital microscopes, and they use the Internet to research work in geography and history. The digital camera has been used most creatively in art lessons. There is also an after school computer club that enables pupils to further develop and enhance their computer skills.

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HUMANITIES

72. Only two lessons were observed in geography and history so there is insufficient evidence to make overall judgements on provision. Analysis of the work sampled in pupils' folders indicates that they receive an appropriate curriculum and attain the expected standard. Achievement is satisfactory. This is similar to judgements made during the previous inspection. Planning for both subjects is effectively linked to the national guidance documents that cover all the required skills.

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HUMANITIES

73. In the lessons observed, teaching and learning were good overall. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are positive. They listen attentively and apply themselves well, showing a high level of interest. However their written work is often not well presented. Good use is made of teaching assistants, and pupils with special educational needs achieve well as a result of their good teaching.

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HUMANITIES

74. Pupils’ work in geography shows that in Year 1 they are able to create a pictogram to show people's favourite places in Twyford. They understand what the land in different parts of the town is used for. The review of pupils’ work indicates that pupils in all year groups learn effectively about maps and mapping. Their knowledge of maps develops from simple routes to school in Year 1 and 2 through to a project in Year 3, on how to make their village a better place to live.

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HUMANITIES

75. In history , pupils in Year 2 develop a sound concept of time, through a project on invaders and settlers and by looking at old photographs of artefacts and houses 'then' and 'now'. In Year 3, pupils have been to the children's open-air museum and looked at how Celtic tribes survived. The content of the written work is of a good standard. Twyford Church of England School - 31 - July 2004 76. The leadership of history and geography is currently under the stewardship of the headteacher who is managing the subjects appropriately until new subject leaders are appointed.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Religious education

• Pupils have very good attitudes to learning in religious education. • There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to explore the religious concepts and practices of other major faiths in line with the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus.

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Commentary

77. Pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education at the end of Year 2 and Year 4. In discussion, pupils are happy to talk about their learning and can remember things they have learned about Christianity and Judaism. Pupils’ achievement is sound throughout the school. The school looks at most major world faiths in 'Multicultural Week', however, the curriculum is heavily weighted towards Christianity and Judaism and there is not enough emphasis placed on learning about other world religions.

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Commentary

78. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall when the pupils’ work done over time is taken into account. Clear planning enables teachers to teach well and for pupils to achieve satisfactory standards. In the one lesson seen on the story of Moses in Year 1, pupils acted out the story of the 'Exodus' and raised some perceptive religious questions about why God protected the Israelites and the meaning of ' a promise'. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes in the lesson were very good. They listened attentively and were confident to offer their own ideas and opinions in a thoughtful and sensitive manner. The subject supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Commentary

79. The subject is effectively led and managed and there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection although the school still does not have an assessment policy in place. The subject leader monitors teachers’ planning but does not undertake lesson observations in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching, learning and the curriculum.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Only two lessons in total were seen in the following subjects: art and design, design and technology, music and physical education. It is therefore not possible to make firm judgements about provision. In addition, inspectors spoke to teachers and pupils about what had been learned and looked at pupils’ work from this last year.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. It is evident from a review of teachers’ planning, discussions with the subject co- ordinator, and the displays around the school that work planned in art and design is varied and interesting. Above average standards have been maintained since the last inspection. All pupils achieve well because of the high expectations and good subject expertise of teachers. Twyford Church of England School - 32 - July 2004 82. From the time pupils start school, they are encouraged to experiment with paint and colour, to explore pattern, to work from observation and imagination and to respond to examples of art in the world around them. Colourful displays of pupils' work are hung throughout the school. This lively approach to art was evident in the work in the reception class on African masks and 'Gilbert' the owl through to the detailed 'dream catchers' by pupils in Year 3/4. There was good development of practical skills in Class 2 who printed

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

'dream prints' with photographs. The subject co-ordinator plans the art curriculum well. However, there is no whole-school overview to monitor pupils' progress, and assessment is informal and not used effectively to inform teachers what to teach next.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. No lessons were observed in design and technology and only limited evidence of current work was available to make judgements on standards. Curriculum plans show that all aspects of the subject are addressed. There is good use of ICT in the subject. Design technology is also used well to support and enhance other subjects of the curriculum such as history.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. Samples of work indicate that standards are broadly average by Year 2 and in Years 3 and 4, with strengths in the making of products and the joining of materials but with design and product review not always emphasised well enough. Models are finished carefully to a suitable standard demonstrating the pupils’ pride in their work. Work in pupils’ books is more variable with some neatly presented and thoughtfully done and other pieces scrappy and untidy. Work includes a study of healthy diets and evidence of designing and making trifles. Pupils explained the method used and if they liked the taste but did not mention what they would do in future to improve the taste. Food technology has a high profile. Surveys have been done about the preference for different kinds of tarts with home made ones scoring more highly than expensive bought ones.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. Insufficient evidence in music was available to make a clear overall judgement on provision for the full range of musical skills. No lessons were timetabled for the period of the inspection. Singing heard during the daily act of worship indicates that pupils achieve average standards in this aspect of music and discussions with the headteacher indicate that the curriculum is fully addressed using nationally recommended guidance. Resources for teaching music are satisfactory. The pupils in the oldest class have the opportunity to learn to play the recorder and, from time to time, visiting musicians are invited to the school. These have included a group of South African musicians.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. No overall judgement is made about physical education because only one lesson was observed during the inspection and this was a games lesson led by a member of Aylesbury Football Club. In this lesson the standards seen were average. The lesson provided both fun and the development of football skills, pupils of both sexes were equally involved and all achieved well. The school also teaches dance and gymnastics, and occasionally pupils have the opportunity to engage in orienteering at the local environmental centre. There are also opportunities for pupils to join in the extra-curricular dance activities provided.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

87. No lessons were seen in this area of the school's work and so no judgements are made about overall provision. The school sees pupils' personal development as an important Twyford Church of England School - 33 - July 2004 part of its work. There is a good programme of activities including work on diet, health, drugs and personal safety. Twyford Church of England School - 34 - July 2004

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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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