Uplands Manor Primary School and Nursery

UPLANDS MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Lead inspector: Ms Bogusia Matusiak-Varley

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UPLANDS MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 25 th February 2004

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UPLANDS MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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UPLANDS MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 675

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Addenbrooke Road Smethwick West Midlands Postcode: B67 6HT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (0121) 558 1602 Fax number: (0121) 555 6082

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Dr D A Davies

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Uplands Manor Primary School is the largest primary school in Sandwell, with 600 pupils in mainstream (well above average) and a 78 place nursery. It serves a very disadvantaged area in Sandwell where 75 per cent of pupils come from some of the most deprived areas. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the nursery is poor and is well below that expected of five-year-olds nationally on entry to Year 1. Thirty-two per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals (above average), 40 per cent of pupils are from minority ethnic groups (above average) 26 per cent of pupils are on the special educational needs register (above average), 1.9 pupils have statements of special education need (below average) and the school offers enhanced learning provision for seven pupils with moderate learning difficulties. There are high levels of mobility (42 per cent) throughout the school, with pupils entering and leaving the school at other than normal times of admission. The school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

received an ActiveMark in 2001, a Quality Mark and School Achievement award in 2002, and has applied for the Silver Artsmark award. Uplands Manor Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19938 Bogusia Matusiak-Varley Lead inspector History 9884 Maureen Roscoe Lay inspector 2229 Doreen Hansen Team inspector Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Physical education Religious education 11641 Carol Parkinson Team inspector Provision for pupils with special educational needs Art and design 22790 Jane Pinney Team inspector English Design and technology Geography 22157 Mike Roussel Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music 23010 Loretta Watson Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Science

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal PPI Ground Floor Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Uplands Manor Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 17

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school where children are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential in spite of their many barriers to learning. Teaching is very good and pupils achieve very well. The excellent leadership of the headteacher has ensured that pupils are given every chance to learn in a very stimulating learning environment. From a very low baseline on entry, pupils attain average standards by the time they are 11 and they are confident, well-rounded individuals. The school is very efficiently managed by the headteacher and senior management team. Governance is good and the school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils reach average standards in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) by the end of Year 6. Overall, pupils’ achievements are very good especially in dance, singing, foundation subjects and religious education. • Standards in writing are not high enough. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language is very good. The leadership and management of the special educational needs co-ordinator are excellent. • Under the leadership of the foundation stage co-ordinator, provision for the foundation stage is improving. It is satisfactory overall, with several good features but needs further attention. • Teaching is very good in the infant and juniors with several examples of excellent teaching seen. • Good learning opportunities are enriched with very good extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors. • Assessments in all subjects are good; there is very good tracking of pupils’ progress.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The school has good links with parents and they are rightly proud of their children’s school. • The headteacher is an excellent leader; he is inspirational, visionary and brings out the best in his pupils and staff. He is very well supported by his senior management team. • The attendance levels are too low.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school was last inspected in 1998. Since then it has made good improvement. All of the key issues have been addressed effectively and the quality of teaching has improved, with more very good and excellent teaching seen. Good improvements have been made to the accommodation and very soon the school will have its own community sports centre. Standards are continuing to rise and the school is well placed to improve even further.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve very well throughout the school. The 2003 national test results show that by the end of Year 6, in comparison with all schools, standards were below the national average in English and in line with national averages in mathematics and science. Compared to similar schools, standards were well below average in English and were average in mathematics and science. By the end of Year 2, standards were below national averages in reading, well below average in writing and above average in mathematics; in science, standards were above average. In comparison with similar schools, standards in reading were average, but were below average in writing and well above average in mathematics. Inspection findings show that from a very low baseline on entry to the nursery, children make satisfactory gains in learning but do not attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning apart from physical development, where their achievements are good. By the

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain average standards overall in English, mathematics and science but in writing, standards are below national average. In mathematics, standards in numeracy are above average. Pupils achieve very well overall because of the very good quality of teaching and good use of assessment data. In history, art and design, music, physical education and religious education, standards are above average and pupils’ achievements are very good, especially Uplands Manor Primary School - 5 in singing and in dance. In geography in Year 2, pupils meet the expectations of seven-year-olds and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. No judgement can be made on standards of geography in the juniors or design and technology throughout the school because insufficient lessons were seen. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language achieve very well and are very well supported in their learning. Pupils have very good attitudes to

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

learning and personal development is very good, due to the very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Whilst most pupils are punctual, attendance levels are below national average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. The curriculum is lively, exciting and very well enriched by the extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors. Overall, the quality of teaching is very good especially in dance and music where it is inspirational and breathtakingly brilliant, resulting in very good learning. Partnership with parents is good. Pupils are appropriately looked after and there are very good links with secondary schools and good links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. His devotion to the school community is outstanding and he ensures that all staff and pupils work in an environment where they can achieve their full potential. Management of the school is very good and the senior management team, with their various strengths, support the headteacher very well. School self-evaluation systems are very good, strategic planning is excellent and the school is committed to improving on previous best performance. Governors have good knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils love their school and are very pleased with what the school offers but would like more supervision at dinner times. Pupils love coming to school.

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

• Raise standards in writing in the infants and juniors. • Improve attendance rates. • Improve provision for the foundation stage of learning. Uplands Manor Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievements are very good throughout the school. Standards in core subjects by the end of Year 6 are average overall but standards in writing are too low and below average . All groups of pupils achieve very well because of the very good assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievements in the infants and juniors are very good in English, mathematics, science, history, art and design, music, geography (Year 2), physical education and religious education. • Provision in the foundation stage is satisfactory and has been identified by the school as an area for development. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall. • Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress in their learning and are included in all aspects of school life. • Standards in dance and singing are above those expected of 11-year-olds and pupils are rightly proud of their very good achievements. • Standards in writing are not high enough by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Pupils have good skills of mathematical calculation and standards in number work are above those expected nationally in Year 2 and Year 6. • In ICT, pupils’ achievements are good.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.1 (13.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.3 (12.8) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.8 (16.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 78 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.8 (25.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.1 (26.3) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.8 (27.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 88 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. The 2003 national test results and teacher assessments show that, in comparison with all schools nationally, by the end of Year 2, pupils attained below average standards in reading, well below average standards in writing and above average standards in mathematics. In science, pupils attained standards that were above average. In comparison with similar schools by the end of Year 2, standards in reading were average; they were below average in writing and well above average in mathematics. The tests at the end of Year 6 showed Uplands Manor Primary School - 7 standards in English that were below the national average and were average in mathematics and science.

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Commentary

2. In relation to pupils’ prior attainment, standards for Year 6 pupils were well below national average in English and were in line in mathematics and science. The school narrowly missed its targets in English and mathematics. Pupils in the infants did better in mathematics over time than they did in reading and writing and girls did better than boys in mathematics. The trend in the school’s National Curriculum points for all core subjects in Year 2 was below the national trend. In the juniors, too few pupils attained the higher levels in writing; over time the performance of pupils fell below the national average for their age group in English and science but exceeded the national average in mathematics; girls perform better than boys in mathematics. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points for all core subjects in Year 6 was broadly in line with the national trend. The school immediately

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Commentary

recognised its weaknesses and the deputy headteacher set about using assessment data and pupil tracking to identify under-achievements in learning. This information was shared with subject co-ordinators and the whole staff and became the focal point for performance management. During the week of the inspection it was evident in lessons, that pupils’ achievements in writing was the focal point for teaching but, as yet, the effect of this is not fully reflected in the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards because it has not had time to fully embed. Pupils with English as an additional language, and those from ethnic minorities, achieve as well as their peers. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well in relation to their targets.

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Commentary

3. Attainment on entry is variable but is well below national averages. Pupils have many barriers to learning, they were:

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Commentary

• underdeveloped social skills and peer speech and language; • many have not experienced stimulating pre-school learning experiences and have limited vocabulary especially in relation to naming and describing objects; • many children have poor short-term memory and easily forget what they have previously learnt; and • many children find it difficult to concentrate, share their toys and are very demanding of their teachers’ time.

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Commentary

4. By the end of reception, children achieve well in personal, social and emotional development and physical development, in the latter of which they attain the expected standards. Standards are below those expected of children of this age in creative development and personal, social and emotional development and are well below in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Pupils’ achievements are good in personal, social and emotional development and are satisfactory in all other areas of learning. At present, provision for children in the foundation stage is satisfactory but it is not as good as the education provision made in the infants and juniors. A new knowledgeable and committed co-ordinator has been appointed and good plans are in place to improve provision. The school will benefit from being part of a national project (Sure

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Commentary

5. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, inspection findings show that in English, standards in speaking and listening and reading are in line with national averages. In writing, standards are below the national average. In mathematics, pupils attain average standards, although those in number are above the national average. In science and ICT, pupils attain average standards and in religious education pupils exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain the national expectations of seven-year-olds in science. No judgements can be made in geography (Year 6) and design and technology at the end of Year 6 because insufficient lessons were seen. In history, art and design, physical education and singing, pupils exceed national expectations of seven and 11-year-olds and they achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment. Uplands Manor Primary School - 8

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Commentary

6. Overall pupils’ achievements are very good. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are very well supported and achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment.

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Commentary

7. The school has made good progress in relation to previous inspection findings, as pupils’ progress is now very good as opposed to being satisfactory. Since the previous inspection, pupils’ achievements have improved and are now very good overall. Standards in ICT are now average and have improved since the previous inspection. Pupils with special educational needs make better progress because their individual education plans are more focused and their progress is tracked regularly.

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Commentary

8. The school has a high number of pupils with English as an additional language and special educational needs in Year 2 and Year 6 and, in Year 6 especially, the number of pupils entering and leaving the school at times other than normal admission is high. Pupils with special educational needs , those whose families speak a language other than English at home, including refugees and asylum seekers, are integrated well and are generally achieving as well as their peers by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

9. At the last inspection, pupils’ were reported as having sufficient fluency in English to access the curriculum by the end of Year 6 and there was no significant difference of attainment by ethnic groups. These good standards have been maintained, and in some cases improved upon.

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Commentary

10. In addition to the lead teacher with responsibility for minority ethnic achievement, all teachers and support staff play their part in lessons to ensure these pupils are included fully in all learning activities. In an English lesson in Year 3, for example, a pupil learning English as a second language made very good progress as she listened to the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and then sequenced the words into sentences to re-tell the story. The school is very successful in raising the achievement of this group of children because it is mindful of their individual needs and tailors the programme of work to suit their individual level of attainment alongside their peers.

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Commentary

11. Pupils who are in the early stages of acquiring English are given individual education plans, and there is now an inclusion file available to all class teachers for pupils with English as an additional language. The progress of all these pupils is closely monitored and support deployed appropriately.

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Commentary

12. The teacher funded by the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant takes care to meet the needs of parents who do not speak English. A range of school documents is distributed in other languages. Translation services are secured from the local authority.

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Commentary

13. The use of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum is good, in ICT it is satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good . Behaviour is good . Very good provision for pupils’ personal development ensures they mature into confident and thoughtful individuals. Attendance and punctuality levels are unsatisfactory . Exclusion levels are high for a school this size.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships are very good. Pupils and staff enjoy each other’s company. • Pupils are highly motivated by very good teaching and classroom activities which create a buzz of excitement in lessons. • Behaviour is good but the number of fixed period exclusions has been high. • Pupils are maturing into well-rounded, sensible individuals with a very good sense of right and wrong. Uplands Manor Primary School - 9 • Attendance is below the national average because levels of absence are too high.

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Commentary

14. Pupils get on well with each other and with teaching and non-teaching staff. Pupils enjoy school very much, parents say, ‘because they feel part of a friendly community’ where adults give them a strong sense of their own worth. During their stay in the foundation stage, children do not attain the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development but they achieve well and develop positive attitudes to learning because of the well-established routines. They behave well and settle quickly into classroom routines.

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Commentary

15. Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. Pupils have the confidence to rise to the high expectations of staff and take on the challenges presented to them to do their best. They are very keen, for instance, to share their ideas with teachers or express them sensitively to their peers when completing written appraisals of eerie music in lessons. Pupils think for themselves, and often act independently, collecting and organising resources they need for learning.

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Commentary

16. They work diligently, eagerly solving problems during their investigations into, for example, Celtic patterns during a Year 3 art and design lesson. This culture of high quality application, promoted by teaching staff improves the quality of learning in each class and speeds progress.

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Commentary

17. Pupils behave well in and around the school because adults expect and encourage self- discipline. This works well for the majority and parents agree most pupils try to achieve this standard.

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Commentary

18. However some pupils, because of their age, need more supervision and help on stairways and corridors to control their behaviour than is presently available. In lessons, pupils co-operate easily with tolerant adults, who enjoy and respect the pupils in their care. These social skills are practised by pupils as they respond to others in the playground. Most pupils and their parents are pleased with the prompt action taken when unacceptable behaviour occurs. There have been 16 exclusions (mostly of white British pupils) but these have been dealt with very sensitively and pupils have been reintegrated successfully into all aspects of school life. The school is a harmonious multicultural community where all religious and cultural differences are valued and enhance the learning opportunities offered to all pupils.

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Commentary

19. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect on values and to see a deeper meaning in assembly themes. Pupils respond well to being surrounded with stunning art work and very good quality displays. They also enjoy the responsibility given to them and enthusiastically describe their roles as classroom mentors, house captains or school councillors. Pupils are helped to resolve conflicts skilfully and with humour; a boy was reminded, for example, that today ‘he was on a mission to please’.

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Commentary

20. Opportunities are missed, however, to involve pupils in the process of rule making because discipline codes are drawn-up without their input. Playtime activity with Huff and Puff (the ‘toy hiring’ club), encourages negotiating skills and good social and moral development into the bargain.

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Commentary

21. Pupils gain some knowledge of their own and others’ culture and religion through their studies, which include clubs and other activities led by professional artists and musicians. The school is acutely aware of the need to overcome the economic barriers which presently limit the range of outside visits undertaken.

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Commentary

22. Attendance levels have declined and are unsatisfactory. The school’s priority now is to involve pupils and their parents in some new initiatives to promote attendance and punctuality. Rewards for attendance and first day phone calls were introduced last term for example. Uplands Manor Primary School - 10 Reminders and clear information have always gone to parents, with little positive effect. Holidays taken in term time continue to affect authorised absence figures adversely.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.6 School data 0.1 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

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No. of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 375 13 0 White – Irish 3 0 0 White – any other White background 6 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 41 1 0 Mixed – White and Black African 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 10 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 11 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 109 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 44 1 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 39 0 0 Black or Black British – African 3 1 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 2 0 0 Chinese 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 5 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 19 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

23. Serious breaches of the school’s discipline code result in short periods of temporary exclusion for some pupils. There have been 16 instances of these this academic year. These pupils have very serious behaviour problems and experience many difficulties in accepting clearly defined boundaries and the school has dealt with these issues with the utmost care and consideration.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good . Teaching and learning are very good and pupils are provided with a good curriculum which meets statutory requirements and fulfils the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils are looked after very well and are valued by all staff. Partnership with parents is good. Uplands Manor Primary School - 11

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is generally very good throughout the school with the exception of the foundation stage where it is satisfactory and could be better.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good in English and mathematics and as a result, pupils learning very quickly. • The teaching of dance and singing is truly inspirational and pupils are becoming very competent performers. • Teachers manage behaviour well and are consistent in their approach; as a result, pupils behave well in lessons. • Support staff make a very valid contribution and intervene very well in pupils’ learning. • In several excellent lessons seen, the teachers put their heart and soul into giving pupils a very high quality learning experience. Pupils responded by becoming very involved in learning. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language is very good and pupils are very well supported in lessons. • Whilst the quality of marking is good, with very good features especially in Year 6, pupils would benefit from having individual short-term targets set for them, especially in science and

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Main strengths and weaknesses

foundation subjects. • Assessment is very good in English, mathematics and science and is well used to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 89 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

7 (8%) 33 (37%) 32 (36%) 14 (16%) 3 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

24. The quality of teaching is better in the infants and juniors than in the foundation stage of learning because, at present, a new co-ordinator for the foundation stage has been appointed and as yet her good strategies for raising standards have not been fully implemented. Several examples of unsatisfactory teaching were seen during the week in the foundation stage. In these lessons, children were not sufficiently challenged, too little time was provided for them to finish their work, learning activities were not sufficiently matched to their needs, time was not used effectively, and children did not make sufficient progress. In the better lessons, in mathematical development and creative play, in the reception class, and communication, language and literacy, clear learning objectives were set, pupils received good encouragement to explain their thinking, good quality interventions were used to upgrade pupils’ language when

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Commentary

playing with the small world toys and appropriate emphasis was placed on helping children form their letters correctly.

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Commentary

25. Teaching in the infants and juniors is very good overall. Only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen, in physical education, but the class teacher was very aware of the reasons why pupils’ learning was not as effective as it could be and knew exactly how she would put it right. In this lesson, the teacher was not fully aware of pupils’ prior learning due to being absent on a course and had not gauged the lesson at the right level for her pupils.

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Commentary

26. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is very good. Teachers have very good subject knowledge; they use good quality resources, especially in the teaching of guided reading. The teaching of guided reading is good with very good features. Teachers have very secure subject knowledge Uplands Manor Primary School - 12 and their lessons meet the needs of all pupils very well, clearly identifying in their short-term plans the various groups that need to have that extra input to move to a deeper level of understanding.

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Commentary

27. Teachers use good quality texts to help model sentence construction; this has a very positive effect on learning. In an excellent lesson in Year 6 for pupils who were below average attainers, the deputy headteacher dressed up as a witch to help her pupils develop their skills of visualisation, she energetically explained how important it was to write about what you see. Her excellent questioning kept pupils highly focused and her insistence on encouraging them to use a range of descriptive words when describing a fire bolt enthused even the most reluctant of learners. “See it, hear it, say it, write it” she insisted, as pupils got stuck into identifying examples of alliteration. Sitting on her glittered broomstick, she called out for interesting words and upgraded the pupils’ contributions until she got “soared swiftly, travelling magnificently”. The teacher had a very good knowledge of the subject and transmitted her own enthusiasm for

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Commentary

the subject to the pupils as they generated words and phrases to describe Harry Potter's broomstick. Dressed as a witch, she inspired the pupils to use creative language very effectively. She demonstrated very high expectations and such was her dynamism that pupils had no choice but to learn!

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Commentary

28. Teachers use a range of different methods very well to keep pupils on task - partnered work, individual learning, group learning and silent study are just a few ways in which pupils have very good opportunities to learn. The respect between teachers and pupils is very good and relationships are excellent. Pupils hang on their teachers every word. In a very good science lesson, the class teacher asked pupils to help him solve a problem for the deputy headteacher who would not drink her “green tea” because the sugar would not dissolve quickly enough. Pupils racked their brains at finding a solution to the problem and eagerly tested different kinds of sugar to solve the crisis! Pupils feel very secure with their teachers because they know that they will receive all the help and attention that they need. In another excellent lesson, given by the special educational needs co-ordinator in literacy, pupils made excellent gains in learning

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Commentary

due to the outstanding subtlety of intervention used.

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Commentary

29. In mathematics, pupils learn very well because teachers give very good explanations and continuously check pupils’ understanding; should there appear to be any hesitation in their understanding teachers quickly present the problem in a different way and continue to use this strategy until they are convinced that the “penny has dropped”. Time and resources are used well. When pupils change classes to work in groups, no time is lost and lessons start promptly. Support staff make a very valid contribution to pupils’ learning, they are fully involved in the very good quality of teachers’ planning and help pupils access learning, ensuring that they work hard and work out answers to problems independently.

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Commentary

30. In an excellent dance lesson in Year 6, based on Olympic sports, pupils were asked to form a sequence of dance movements in response to music and to evaluate and improve performance. The music and commentary were well chosen to inspire the dance sections. The sequences built up throughout the lesson to a crescendo. Through listening carefully and responding in movement, the pupils started to make connections of how music and commentary sound track can be used to illustrate events. There was total absorption in the lesson because of the excellent subject knowledge of the teacher and, by the end of the lesson, they all succeeded in devising and improving a sequence illustrative of the chosen Olympic events. The teacher helped them to respond to the music, showing what they felt about the power of the music and the occasion being represented. Their high level of concentration and the effort put into their learning was remarkable. The very experienced

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Commentary

teacher planned this lesson meticulously. Being aware of his pupils’ interests, and taking them into account, resulted in learning being excellent because the teacher shared his passion for dance with the pupils. His calm, precise explanations and modelling, together with his effective use of praise, led the pupils to respond to the music effectively. He had ignited in them the will to respond creatively, continuously mindful that every movement could be even more refined once it had been purposefully evaluated. Uplands Manor Primary School - 13 31. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs and those in the early stages of learning English throughout the school is very good. These pupils are supported well by the specialist teacher and teaching assistants and they achieve well. The teaching of the co- ordinator for special educational needs is inspirational. She is line manager to learning support

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Commentary

assistants for pupils with special educational needs and has set them a very good example through her teaching. Resources are used very well especially the ICT suite which has tailor made programmes for these pupils.

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Commentary

32. The teaching of ICT is good. Teachers use ICT well to support learning and plan its use in other subjects very well.

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Commentary

33. Homework supports learning well and makes a valid contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

34. Pupils learn well and acquire knowledge and skills at a very fast rate, because the quality of assessment is very good in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ progress is tracked regularly by the deputy headteacher and pupils are set group targets in order to improve. At present, the process of individual target-setting is inconsistent and, if tightened up, would benefit pupils even more in raising levels of attainment. The quality of marking is good and teachers give good guidance to pupils about how they can improve on their previous best performance.

p.15

Commentary

35. There has been good improvement in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection, due to the very good monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher and senior management team, excellent systems of school self-evaluation and very good implementation of performance management.

p.15

The curriculum

Provision for children in the foundation stage is satisfactory . The curriculum in Years 1 to 6 is good and has improved since the last inspection. The school’s provision for opportunities that enrich the curriculum is very good . Accommodation for children in the foundation stage is satisfactory. Accommodation for pupils in Years 1 to 6 is good and used well. The quality of resources is good overall.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Quality of planning within the National Curriculum subjects enables pupils to learn effectively and achieve well. • Provision for physical education and the creative arts is very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and English with an additional language is very good. • The school makes available a very good range of extra-curricular activities which enrich pupils’ learning opportunities. • All pupils have full access to the learning opportunities provided. • Resources for ICT are very good. • The curriculum for children in the foundation stage is not yet developed as well as it could be but this has been identified as an area for development by the newly appointed co-ordinator. • Accommodation for children in the nursery and reception classes restricts the delivery of the curriculum.

p.15

Commentary

36. The good, rich curriculum interests and motivates pupils to achieve well. Good schemes of work exist for all subjects. These enable teachers in year groups to plan closely as teams and ensure good curriculum coverage. There is a good range of visitors to the school and very good provision is made for arts and sport. These enhance pupils’ learning very well. Very good Uplands Manor Primary School - 14 examples of pupils’ work with visiting artists are effectively displayed throughout the school, providing a stimulating and attractive environment.

p.15

Commentary

37. The expertise of staff is well deployed, enabling pupils to benefit from their skills both during and after the school day in areas such as music, drama, ICT and sport. The school works very hard to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met and that they have access to the full curriculum, the school is successful in its undertakings and the recently employed sports officer is working very hard at providing a high profile for sports across the school.

p.16

Commentary

38. The curriculum for children in the foundation stage has improved since the last inspection and children attending in the afternoons now receive their full entitlement. All statutory requirements are met.

p.16

Commentary

39. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The accommodation, a suite of rooms plus a computer suite, is of very high quality and provides a very pleasant, well equipped area where pupils and teachers can work together happily and effectively. Resources are very good, carefully chosen and of high quality and increase pupils’ self-esteem and ability to learn independently. Individual education plans are very thorough, with good assessments and clear success criteria, and are useful working documents. The school is working towards setting targets for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils with statements of special educational need have access to very high quality provision. Staff are very knowledgeable and pupils receive the well-organised consistent support they need throughout the school.

p.16

Commentary

40. The accommodation and resources are good overall and very good for ICT. There is also very good provision for the support of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The school has a good match of teachers and teaching assistants to meet curriculum requirements. Since the last inspection, the school has worked very hard to improve the learning environment successfully. The three computer suites, whole school library, resource centre for small groups and performing arts room provide stimulating areas in which pupils are motivated and keen to learn. The high quality of display extends this stimulus throughout the school. Teaching areas for children in the foundation stage are equally stimulating. However, room sizes and the outdoor area restrict learning opportunities and the location of the nursery prevents the foundation stage classes from being a fully cohesive unit.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

Procedures to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are satisfactory. Pupils receive good support, guidance and advice. Pupils’ views are sought from time to time, taken into account and often acted upon.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s commitment to equal opportunities is excellent, and every opportunity is taken to include pupils in all aspects of school life. • Staff are dedicated to pupils’ welfare and promoting good behaviour. They are prepared to give up valuable personal time to supervise pupils during the staggered recreation sessions; however, the management of behaviour at these times is not always as effective as it can be. • Statutory requirements relating to pupils’ health and safety are met but the expected standard of risk assessment is not well understood. • Teachers know their pupils well and pupils work in a safe and secure learning environment. • Pupils are encouraged to make their own decisions. The school council takes its duties very seriously and is starting to represent pupils’ views well.

p.16

Commentary

Uplands Manor Primary School - 15 41. This is a caring and supportive school. Pupils feel safe and praise the very good relationships they enjoy with adults and the people they like. Pupils say they are valued for who they are and this, parents say, builds confidence and helps them to achieve well.

p.17

Commentary

42. Previously the school’s child protection procedures were judged as effective. Recent policy changes and training have ensured that procedures are in line with Area Trialled Protection Committee Recommendations. A teacher from the senior management team is responsible for this area of the school’s work. She has received the appropriate training, staff are fully briefed and parents are aware of the school’s role in these matters.

p.17

Commentary

43. Recently, fire procedures, the policy for visits off-site and risk assessments have been reviewed. The school meets statutory requirements and most staff are aware of the role they play in ensuring the health and safety policy is implemented.

p.17

Commentary

44. The school works hard to promote good behaviour in and around the school. Pupils are guided to be co-operative when loaning Huff and Puff play equipment. This initiative and the dedicated playtimes for different age groups are working well in most respects except for first aid treatments. Staff are vigilant and trained to be very responsive to pupils’ difficulties. The school offers good support and advice to all of its pupils, induction procedures into the nursery are good as are transfer arrangements for pupils moving on to secondary school.

p.17

Commentary

45. Adult supervision is stretched due to the decisions to reduce congestion on the playgrounds. However, this means that sometimes pupils themselves bear too much responsibility for seeking out an adult when they are ill or injured, rather than presenting themselves at a designated point for attention or help. Parents are right to be concerned about this but the school has identified this as an area for development in its development plan.

p.17

Commentary

46. Pupils’ achievements are acknowledged by every teacher and carefully planned systems ensure each pupil is fully included in all that the school offers. This is a fully inclusive school where equal opportunities are excellent. Classroom assistants guide pupils well, building self- esteem and supporting learning. The identification and assessment process for pupils with special education needs and English as an additional language are very effective and these pupils make very good progress. All pupils are encouraged to know their group targets for improvement and to work towards them. This is working well but progress could be even better with further refinement made to individual target-setting.

p.17

Commentary

47. The input of other agencies working with pupils with special educational needs is very well managed, valued and used to improve pupil progress. For example, the co-ordinator for special educational needs ensures the language programmes set up by the speech therapist are used consistently in school so that school staff learn new teaching techniques and pupils’ communication improves.

p.17

Commentary

48. Pupils’ views are sought on some important aspects of school life, such as the outdoor seating and play equipment. Less attention is paid to seeking their satisfaction levels with matters which affect them directly everyday. The school council is well established and meets regularly. Counsellors discussed and requested a new reward scheme for attendance for example. Bullying is an area the council have not yet commented on as this agenda item has, according to minutes seen, been postponed. There is no bullying throughout the school and pupils say that should it occur there are very strict procedures to follow.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents and with the community. Links with other schools are very good . These are improvements since the last inspection.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

Uplands Manor Primary School - 16 • There are a variety of initiatives designed to increase parents’ participation in educational support. Some parents are ill at ease with bullying incidences and are not made fully aware of the school’s approach to exclusions. • Many parents are satisfied with the school’s information channels. A minority find that insufficient detail is provided in areas such as the curriculum, bullying and quality of care at midday. • Parents have very high satisfaction levels for many important aspects of the school. • Good links with the community positively contribute to pupils’ personal development. • The school is benefiting from its links with other local schools and pre-school providers.

p.18

Commentary

49. The inspectors’ consultation with parents before the inspection revealed that the majority of parents are very positive about what the school does for their children’s personal development and the progress they make. A major contributory factor is, parents say, the high expectations teachers have which in turn “enlivens the school and motivates the children”.

p.18

Commentary

50. Most parents are happy with lines of communication and find staff very approachable and accommodating. They see their children liking school and being well supported as they grow and develop. On a less positive note, some feel that bullying is not dealt with well. One factor in this lack of confidence is that parents are not given enough information about lunchtime incidents, the school’s consistent approach used to stamp out any bullying, should it occur, or the anti-bullying procedures strongly enforced at these times.

p.18

Commentary

51. Further investigation of these concerns revealed that recording systems for incidents and accidents at lunchtime are under-developed and are not supporting home school communications effectively.

p.18

Commentary

52. Parents receive necessary information about the school through published documents, these reflect the school’s lively approach to partnership with its parents and the community it serves. Parents are kept well informed on the progress their children make. They also appreciate the ample opportunities they have for meeting teachers face-to-face on both formal and informal occasions. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept properly informed and annual reviews are managed effectively.

p.18

Commentary

53. This upbeat approach is paying dividends not least in parental confidence, pleasingly seen in their support for homework and in their increased demands through the questionnaire returns, for more frequent curriculum information.

p.18

Commentary

54. Parents have been consulted in the recent past about their views on a number of exciting developments including the breakfast club and the children’s centre. Parents’ views have not been sought on the anti-bullying or behaviour policies and inspectors note that not enough is done to appraise parents of excluded pupils of their right to appeal the decision to the governors.

p.18

Commentary

55. Links with the community are given a high priority. Parents have recognised this by their description of the headteacher as a ‘shining light’ of the community and by their support and that of others for the Space for Sports and Art project. The headteacher is highly respected by parents. He always makes time for any parental concerns that are brought to him. Work on the new facilities is well underway. The local area is used to raise standards in geography, history and religious education. Good links are established with the local church, post office and fire service. Regular visiting artists and musicians contribute well to pupils’ learning and extend their cultural development for the community sports centre very well. Uplands Manor Primary School - 17 Highly productive links exist with other schools and providers. They impact well on pupils’ achievements and teachers’ professional development. Sporting tournaments with other schools

p.18

Commentary

encourage healthy competition and raise standards in physical education. Visits have been made to other schools to share and develop good practice in teaching, which in turn benefits the pupils.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are excellent . Governance is good . The headteacher is very ably supported by the deputy and senior management team.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s leadership is excellent. • Governance is good. • The curriculum is very well led. • The school is highly committed to making sure all its pupils have a good education and have the same opportunities to be included in all aspects of its work. • The school’s action to bring about improvement as a result of evaluating its results is excellent. • The leadership and management of the special educational needs co-ordinator is excellent, resulting in pupils with special educational needs making very good gains in learning. • The leadership and management of English as an additional language is very good and these pupils are included in all aspects of school life.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,671,655 Balance from previous year 85,186 Total expenditure 1,667,742 Balance carried forward to the next 88,999 Expenditure per pupil 2,598

p.19

Commentary

56. The headteacher’s vision and expectations for the school are of the highest quality and he puts these ideas into effect through excellent strategic planning based on accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and using data from tests and observations of pupils’ work. The headteacher and senior staff work together very closely and effectively to make sure that the curriculum is lively and well planned, helping to underpin the very good quality of teaching and that resources are equally varied, plentiful and suitably accessible. The headteacher uses performance management very well to bring about improvement in teachers’ practice and to use observations and discussion as a basis for teacher’s continuing professional development. The headteacher and governors work together well to make sure that financial management is very good and closely linked to the school’s priorities and

p.19

Commentary

achievements. The governors hold the headteacher to account well. They are committed to improvement, take a very active interest in all aspects of school life and help the headteacher to manage finances very well. The school is very large, with significant new arrangements, such as the Sure Start initiative, being based at the school. Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses very well and are totally supportive of the school’s inclusive practices. The senior management team support the headteacher very well and are very good role models. The deputy headteacher’s stamina is infectious and she has been instrumental in developing very good quality assessments and ensuring that the curriculum is monitored for continuity and progression. Governors use the principles of best value well and monitor their spending decisions effectively.

p.19

Commentary

57. The school makes a very good contribution to teacher training and induction ensuring that new practitioners are closely involved in school life and are very well supported. The headteacher Uplands Manor Primary School - 18 manages the recruitment and retention of staff particularly well and works hard to find members of staff who will meet the school’s needs and to ensure that their professional development opportunities encourage them to remain at the school. Despite the size of the school, the headteacher has created an atmosphere where effective teams flourish and work very hard to produce a high standard of education.

p.19

Commentary

58. The school is strongly committed to meeting the needs of all its pupils. Management of special educational needs is excellent, and the co-ordinator has worked with the headteacher to create outstandingly good accommodation for learning, and systems to inform and collect data on pupil progress, so that teaching can meet the demands of pupils with special educational needs better. The leadership and management of pupils with English as an additional language is very good and that of the foundation stage is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has only been in post for a short time but has a clear sense of how to improve provision.

p.20

Commentary

59. The excellent leadership of the school is pivotal in raising pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching and learning. The very effective leadership and management of the headteacher have been maintained since the previous inspection. Uplands Manor Primary School - 19

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision is satisfactory in the foundation stage. Children enter the nursery in the term after their third birthday. Attainment on entry to Year 1 is well below that expected nationally.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The school provides a welcoming environment in which children achieve well in their personal development due to the high emphasis placed on this area of learning. Achievement in other areas of learning is satisfactory with the exception of physical development where it is good. Attainment on entry to the nursery is poor and well below that reported at the last inspection. By the end of the reception year, children achieve the early learning goals in physical development. They do not achieve the learning goals in other areas of development.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The committed team of adults recognise the needs of children entering the nursery and have recently modified their approach to the curriculum to address these. This involves a greater emphasis on developing their personal, social and language skills to enable the children to become more confident and independent in all their learning. Given the limited experience of most children entering the nursery, a significant amount of work is yet to be done before children achieve or exceed the early learning goals by the end of reception. Relationships are good and, as a result, children have a positive attitude towards learning. There is now more effective co-ordination of the foundation stage and a consistent approach to assessment and planning which, over time, should have a positive impact on children’s learning and hence raise standards. Staff work hard to create a stimulating environment but the size and location of classrooms restrict some learning opportunities,

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

such as whole-class numeracy. Outdoor activities are also limited by the currently available space. The quality of resources is good and enables staff to offer a wide range of exciting experiences, such as exploring the “sensory area” and role-playing in the “garden centre”, “travel agent” and “home” corner, all of which broaden children’s knowledge of the world.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good relationships have been established so children feel more confident and are keen to learn. • Staff have high expectations. • Children are encouraged to be responsible.

p.21

Commentary

60. This area of learning receives a high profile and children achieve well due to the good quality of teaching. Many children entering the nursery lack confidence and have poor social skills. Although they make good progress in the nursery and reception classes, few have achieved the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1 and standards are below those expected nationally. Teaching and learning in this area are good. Children are encouraged to be independent and are regularly given opportunities to select their own activities. They learn quickly to share resources, listen to each other and take turns. Most children listen well and ask sensible questions during circle time in which individual children show toys they have brought from home and explain why they are important to them. They develop good manners and know to say “please” and “thank you” when milk and biscuits are distributed at break time.

p.21

Commentary

Teachers emphasise the importance of respect for resources and the classroom environment. Children demonstrate good use of their initiative when they are tidying away a large number of materials at the end of a numeracy lesson. This mature behaviour is reinforced by selective Uplands Manor Primary School - 20 distribution of sticker awards. The good example set by adults and their consistent approach to this area of learning promotes children’s moral and social development.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff take every opportunity to develop childrens’ speaking and listening skills. • Childrens’ learning is restricted by choice of text. • Fewer, more focused tasks within lessons would enable children to develop their reading and writing skills more effectively.

p.22

Commentary

61. Few children reach expected levels by the end of reception. Standards are well below those expected nationally by the time children enter Year 1. Most children enter the nursery with poor literacy skills and make satisfactory progress overall in the nursery and reception classes.

p.22

Commentary

62. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, with some good examples seen in reception where children are encouraged to learn using their senses and form their letters correctly, but insufficient links are made between text level work and writing.

p.22

Commentary

63. Children are treated with respect and make good progress developing their speaking and listening skills. They listen well to stories and try hard to follow texts which are sometimes too difficult. They gain confidence in expressing their own ideas and enjoy discussing activities such as sequencing pictures illustrating stages in growing plants. Above average attaining children are able to read the “sentences” they write under each picture. Most children form letters correctly. Some higher attaining children make good attempts to spell simple words and write simple sentences. They are beginning to recognise initial and final sounds but insufficient time is planned in each session to enable children to practise the reading and writing skills they are acquiring to make good progress. Insufficient emphasis is placed upon using well-suited text as a focal point for writing.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good quality of resources supports learning. • A wide range of activities are planned, but these are not always sufficiently focused hence restricting learning opportunities.

p.22

Commentary

64. Teaching and learning of mathematical concepts and skills are satisfactory. Many children have poor numeracy skills on entry to the nursery. They make satisfactory progress, with a few above average attaining children achieving the early learning goals by the end of reception. Standards are lower than at the time of the last inspection. Most children can count up to and down from 20 and recognise numbers to ten. Higher attainers understand terms such as “before” and “after”, “higher than” and “lower than”. Children are able to form patterns, using shapes and seeds, and most children confidently explain how they sort objects using criteria such as colour, shape and size. In well planned lessons, stimulating resources are used to focus children on their tasks. In these lessons, children concentrate well and take great pride in Uplands Manor Primary School - 21 their achievements such as correctly counting seeds into bags to match their given numbers

p.22

Commentary

or rolling dice and threading the appropriate number of beads in order to beat their partner. Where teaching is less effective, children initially play with the resources but quickly lose interest due to lack of focus within their tasks. On these occasions, learning is limited.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A range of interesting activities is well planned to promote learning in this area. • Stimulating themed areas within classrooms encourage children to explore and experiment. • Too great a choice of activities within a session restricts the amount of support adults can give to children pursuing particular interests.

p.23

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Many children enter the nursery with limited knowledge and understanding of the world. They make satisfactory progress but few achieve the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1. Overall attainment on entry is well below that expected of similar aged children nationally. When taught in small groups, for example when learning how to plant seeds and discussing how to look after them, or when tasting pancakes and exploring their texture and flavour, children make good progress, developing their language skills, sharing resources and gaining knowledge and understanding. However, less well planned activities, such as a whole-class observation of pancake making, where childrens’ view was restricted, and an opportunity to make “passports” in which children were given insufficient time, limit childrens’ understanding and learning. Staff have worked hard to provide

p.23

Commentary

a stimulating environment and generally plan appropriate activities which promote children’s learning. However a reduction in choice of activities during these sessions would enable children to be more focused and adults to give them more effective support. Children learn about different cultures and faiths. They celebrate the Chinese New Year and participate in the Harvest Festival. They are taught the Nativity Story and the meaning of Easter. The children are given the opportunity to present a whole-school assembly on Diwali. Good opportunities are planned for children to develop their ICT skills. Children enjoy programs such as Colour Magic and make good attempts to draw flowers. They demonstrate satisfactory mouse skills when sorting fruits into different boxes.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good support for children with special educational needs. • Strong emphasis on safety. • In some lessons, insufficient explanation and demonstration restrict childrens’ progress.

p.23

Commentary

66. Nearly all of the children achieve the early learning goals by the end of reception. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are good and children of all capabilities achieve equally well. In well planned lessons, children demonstrate good understanding of safety and move on and off apparatus with care and skill. Where teaching is effective, clear instructions are given and teachers participate in activities, enabling children to follow their good examples and learn quickly. Children have sufficient time to improve their skills, such as moving round the hall in different ways, at different speeds and with good awareness of space and direction. Children make limited progress, for example when Uplands Manor Primary School - 22 developing their throwing and catching skills, when they are given insufficient guidance and are not challenged to improve their efforts.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Childrens’ attitudes to learning are very good. • Good quality resources are used well to promote learning.

p.24

Commentary

67. Children enter the nursery with poor creative skills. Achievement is satisfactory but few reach the early learning goals by the end of reception. Attainment on entry to the reception classes is well below that expected of pupils of similar age. Teaching and learning are sound and children begin to develop their knowledge of colour and shape. They have a good understanding of pattern and demonstrate this well when decorating party hats and fans. They make good use of their imagination when creating model “gardens”, using toy trees, plants, animals and ponds. Their cutting skills are good, but their colouring skills and sense of proportion are under developed as demonstrated in their pictures of flowers and self portraits. Children would benefit from greater guidance during these activities. Most children enjoy singing and dancing to familiar rhymes. They sing tunefully and demonstrate a good sense of rhythm. Provision for

p.24

Commentary

development of speech and language through creative play is good due to good quality resources. Timetable restrictions prevented any lessons being seen in this area of learning.

p.24

ENGLISH

Provision in English is very good . Standards are broadly similar to the national average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and have been maintained since the previous inspection.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is very good. • There is good, systematic development of basic skills as pupils go through the school. • Pupils have very good attitudes and behave very well. • Marking is used very well to move pupils forward in their learning. • Lessons are consistently well planned to meet the individual needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and with those English as an additional language. • The guided reading sessions make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. • Pupils are not set individual targets for improvement.

p.24

Commentary

68. National comparative data in 2003 showed that in Year 2, standards in reading were below the national average and average when compared with similar schools. Standards in writing were well below the national average and below average in comparison with similar schools. In Year 6, tests in 2003 showed standards to be below average in comparison to all schools but well below average in comparison to similar schools. Inspection evidence confirmed that current standards are higher. Too few pupils attained the higher levels in writing in Year 2 and Year 6. There were no significant differences in attainment by gender. At ages seven and 11, standards in speaking and listening and reading are broadly average, although writing remains Uplands Manor Primary School - 23 below average. Standards are beginning to rise because recent initiatives to improve attainment are proving successful.

p.24

Commentary

69. The high number of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language, together with high pupil mobility within the school, presents a significant barrier to learning in English. However, language has a high profile in the school. The quality of teaching is very good and pupils' understanding of basic skills is developed well. As a result, pupils achieve very well against their attainment on entry to the school.

p.25

Commentary

70. Standards and speaking and listening meet expectations at ages six and 11. Many pupils have poor oral skills when they enter the nursery but, by the time they reach Year 6, they achieve very well because the teachers place a strong emphasis on these skills. They work hard to ensure that good opportunities are provided to practice listening skills and for discussion. For example, pupils with special educational needs are frequently reminded of the need for, 'good listening, good looking', and throughout the school pupils are encouraged to work with a partner, taking turns to talk and respond to a given issue. As a result, they listen attentively to each other and to their teachers and most pupils express themselves clearly, responding with relevant comments and ideas and using a broad vocabulary. Pupils from ethnic minorities and with special educational needs are well included in class and group discussions. Teachers are

p.25

Commentary

good role models in their own use of language to the pupils. In lessons, self-expression is well extended because teachers ask good, open-ended questions that challenge thinking and motivate pupils to respond. They are frequently asked to extend their answers or rephrase them more appropriately and their oral contributions are valued. Pupils' vocabulary is enhanced well by the introduction and consistent reinforcement of key words in other subjects, as was the case in a Year 5 Geography lesson when a pupil confidently referred to 'toxic waste' as a possible source of water pollution.

p.25

Commentary

71. Pupils make very good progress in their reading and standards are average. Not all pupils receive positive stimulus at home and therefore it is of great credit to the school that these standards are attained. The school regards creating a reading culture among the pupils as a priority. As a result, pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because of the effectiveness of strategies the school has put in place as part of the drive to raise standards. These include:

p.25

Commentary

• improved book resources; • the introduction of a phonic scheme for children in the early years; • the introduction of planning sheets for consistency in guided reading sessions; • good quality training for staff in the principles of guided reading; and • very good use of assessment and very good analysis of test results identifying underachievement.

p.25

Commentary

72. The school systematically teaches pupils how to read and records their progress in detail. Guided reading sessions are used very well to assist pupils in developing their skills because activities are very well suited to their individual needs and teachers give very good guidance in reading techniques. By Year 2, pupils are beginning to use a range of strategies to decipher unfamiliar words and read aloud with fluency and expression. By Year 6, some pupils are constrained in their understanding of texts by their lack of general vocabulary, but most are beginning to scan a text in order to identify the key facts. More able pupils are confident to identify inferences and make deductions from their reading.

p.25

Commentary

73. The school library has been improved since the previous inspection and has been made a focus of the school. It is very attractive and well stocked and all pupils visit it regularly. However, there are no tables and chairs to encourage pupils to linger and enjoy reading their chosen books or to provide for older pupils to sit while engaging in independent research.

p.25

Commentary

74. In writing, standards are below average. Nevertheless, pupils achieve very well against their attainment on entry to the school because the teaching of knowledge and skills to enable them Uplands Manor Primary School - 24 to become effective writers is very good. Pupils' spelling and handwriting are developed systematically as they go through the school and standards in these elements are broadly satisfactory. Pupils write for a good range of purposes, including poetry. More capable pupils use powerful words to good effect and choose words that are appropriate to the form of writing. For example, when writing a letter to parents a pupil in Year 6 used formal language well to write, 'If you have any problems please contact one of the Year 6 teachers'. Less capable pupils are constrained by their lack of vocabulary and there are limited examples of their use of descriptive words to show character or create impact. The school is well aware

p.25

Commentary

that writing is the weakest area of literacy. An action plan for writing usefully identifies specific weaknesses in each year group and strategies for improvement. Consequently, inspection evidence confirms that standards are beginning to improve, although the recent initiatives have had insufficient time to impact on National test results.

p.26

Commentary

75. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers work very hard and enthusiastically on behalf of their pupils. In return, pupils are expected to work hard and they do. The response by most pupils is a high level of interest and involvement in lessons. Praise and encouragement are used well to maintain pupils’ involvement in their learning; they develop confidence in, and enjoyment of, language through their very positive attitudes. ICT is used well to support learning, pupils draft, redraft, edit, research and add clip-art to make their writing more interesting.

p.26

Commentary

76. Throughout the school, marking is used very well to move pupils forward in their learning, particularly in Year 6 where teachers’ comments give pupils a very good idea of the standards they have reached and how they can improve their work. Teachers in parallel classes plan together to ensure equality of opportunity for all pupils and learning objectives for lessons are shared with the pupils and are very well focused towards their individual needs. ICT, in the form of interactive whiteboards, is used very effectively to enhance learning.

p.26

Commentary

77. Leadership and management has improved since the previous inspection, with the introduction of policy and planning documentation that provides a basis for the consistent development of skills. The co-operative approach to the very good management of the subject by the literacy co-ordinator for the infants, the co-ordinator for the juniors and the deputy headteacher, who are equally energetic in their commitment, is proving very successful in raising standards. National test results are rigorously analysed for strengths and weaknesses and used well to identify whole-school priorities for improvement. Assessment procedures are very good and make a good contribution to pupils' learning through the use of 'ticket targets' although they are not yet used to establish individual targets for improvement. Resources are very good and used very well to enhance learning and motivate the pupils.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

78. Since the last inspection, the National Literacy Strategy has been well implemented and appropriately adapted to support learning. Literacy skills are developed well across the curriculum as pupils are given planned opportunities to develop their speaking and listening, reading and writing skills in other subjects. For example, in religious education, Year 2 pupils use their speaking and listening skills effectively in a class discussion on spring festivals. In History, Year 6 pupils write movingly as refugees, demonstrating their understanding of the letter format and expressing their feelings well. Uplands Manor Primary School - 25

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MATHEMATICS

The provision of mathematics is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is very good. • Pupils’ enthusiasm and enjoyment in their learning. • The work of the learning support staff is good. • The planning for setting is very good and is impacting on standards. • Pupils make very good progress and achieve very well. • There is inconsistent practice across the school for the development of mathematical investigation. • There is inconsistent use of classroom computers for numeracy work.

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Commentary

79. In the national test results and teacher assessments of 2003, standards in mathematics were above the national average in Year 2 and were in line in Year 6 in comparison with all schools. In comparison with similar schools, by the end of Year 2, standards were well above average; in Year 6 they were in line. In Year 2, too few pupils attained the higher levels; in Year 6 a higher than average proportion of pupils attained the higher levels. Pupils with English as an additional language and those from ethnic minorities achieved standards similar to their peers. Pupils with special educational needs achieved very well in relation to their prior attainment.

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Commentary

80. National test results of 2003 indicate that improvement since the last inspection is good. This is because of the efficient adoption of the National Numeracy Strategy and support materials, quality of teaching, effective support given by the learning support assistant and the very good attitude of the pupils to their learning of mathematics. Inspection findings show pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected nationally by the ages of seven and 11 and pupils’ achievements are very good.

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Commentary

81. In numeracy lessons, pupils are set into groups on prior attainment and also, within the set, further attainment grouping takes place to ensure that all pupils are challenged to achieve the best they can. It is this consistent drive to challenge that impacts upon the very good achievement in numeracy across the school.

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Commentary

82. All lessons follow a three-part structure beginning with a mental starter, main activity and plenary session where the class discuss what they have learned and what they will be moving on to in their next lesson. Pupils enjoy their numeracy lessons, especially in the mental starters where mental skills are practised with great success and enjoyment. For example, in one Year 2 class, pupils were practising the halves and doubles of numbers 0 – 30. They were sitting in a circle and the class teacher would throw a beanbag to a child and then ask a question, such as “what is half of eight?” This stimulated the class to be very involved in answering the questions so that when the teacher moved on to the main activity of recognising odd and even numbers the pupils were ‘fired up’ and enthusiastic. Another example was seen in a Year 5 class, where the teacher made effective use of the interactive whiteboard to challenge class

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Commentary

groups to compete in a timed game to add and multiply a series of numbers in the shortest time. The calculations involved numbers to 20 and the group who completed the task in the least time were the winners. This was a very popular mental starter that stimulated and enthused the class leading them into their main activity where they were learning to use a protractor to measure obtuse and acute angles.

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Commentary

83. By the age of seven, pupils sequence numbers to ten, count in 10s, add coins to 10p and give change, recognise two- and three-dimensional shapes and begin to understand place value. By the age of 11, pupils carry out calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and Uplands Manor Primary School - 26 division to 1000 and understand the relationship between multiplication and division as inverse. Most pupils have a good knowledge of the equivalence of fractions, decimals and percentages. In a very good lesson, a higher attaining group in Year 6, were learning to read and write co- ordinates in four quadrants. The teacher challenged the pupils to consider what would happen if the co-ordinates were reversed. Pupils promptly rose to the challenge, causing the teacher to invite pupils to share their ideas to the problem on the interactive whiteboards, thus demonstrating their confidence in using the board as a learning tool.

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Commentary

84. Very good planning aims to cover the whole mathematics curriculum to provide a breadth and balance. The school has recognised the need to focus on the development of mathematical investigations and, although there has been a good effort to do so, there are still elements of inconsistency in some areas of the school in this development. The school has also recognised the need to look at the link between mental and written strategies and the local education authority mathematics consultant has been involved in supporting this development in the school.

p.28

Commentary

85. The quality of teaching is very good. This ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, are making very good progress during their time at the school. Where the teaching is of very high quality, lessons are taught at a brisk pace, teachers’ questions are focused and challenging and delivered in an interesting and stimulating way, often with good humour. However, where teaching is not so effective it is often because the introductions are too long causing pupils to become restless, or pupils are not clear about what they are learning. The work of the learning support assistants is very good and they work well with the teacher as a co-ordinated team. However, learning could be even better if the school enabled pupils to have personal targets as well as the good quality group targets for improvement.

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Commentary

86. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. The subject manager has extended experience as a mathematics leader and, since being in post, has monitored the planning and has observed the teaching and learning in the classrooms, in conjunction with the headteacher and deputy. Very good strategies have been put in place for assessment and review and two days are set aside for this, where each teacher monitors the work of targeted children. In addition, all assessments of pupils are recorded on to spreadsheets and their progress is tracked over the school year. The subject manager is in the process of introducing parent workshops and in addition runs a mathematics club for Year 2 pupils. Resources overall are good and all classrooms are well equipped with practical equipment. However, although the interactive whiteboards are used well in classrooms the computers were not as consistently

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Commentary

used to practise the mathematical skills learned in the ICT.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

87. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good. Whilst the National Numeracy Strategy principles are largely adopted and teachers encourage the use of mathematics in history and geography, still more opportunities could be provided in subjects such as science for pupils to record their work and develop their skills of mathematics investigation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievements are very good. • Statutory test results are analysed very well to highlight pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and this knowledge is used effectively to amend planning. • There is very good emphasis on the use of specific technical language. • Teaching and learning are good overall and all groups of pupils make good progress. Uplands Manor Primary School - 27 • Pupils have insufficient opportunities to review and evaluate their investigations. • A limited range of methods of recording outcomes are used. • More opportunities could be provided for pupils to use ICT to support their learning.

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Commentary

88. National test results and teacher assessments in 2003 show that, by the end of Year 2, pupils attained standards that are above average but that too few pupils in Year 2 attain the higher levels. By the end of Year 6, standards are in line with national averages both in comparison with all and with similar schools. Inspection findings show that, based upon this year’s group of pupils, standards are average and pupils are achieving very well. As in 2003, pupils in Year 6 are in line to achieve the expected standards by the end of the year. Average standards have been maintained since the last inspection. There have been no significant differences in attainment by gender. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, those with English as an additional language, and pupils with special educational needs achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment.

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Commentary

89. Pupils are improving their investigative skills and have good understanding of scientific terms. They have very good attitudes to learning. Younger pupils enjoy exploring plant parts, expressing amazement when studying pieces of bark and counting tree rings using magnifying glasses. They learn quickly how everyday life has been changed by the use of electricity. They participate enthusiastically in discussions to determine whether appliances require mains or batteries and which items produce light, heat, sound or movement. They demonstrate good understanding when grouping them accordingly. Older pupils have an understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. They learn about the properties of solids liquids and gases. They discover how liquids change their shape when put into different containers, and how particle size affects the rate at which solids dissolve. Pupils make sensible predictions and record their

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Commentary

experiments carefully. They listen and watch very attentively and respect each other’s views and share resources maturely. However, their learning would be even better if they had personal targets for improvement; this is an area on which the school is presently working. Pupils attain average standards in experimental and investigative science and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. In Year 6, they understand fair testing and know how to hypothesise and predict findings.

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Commentary

90. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, offer very good explanations and provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to offer their own suggestions. Lessons are well planned and stimulating and very good use is made of a wide range of resources. As a result, pupils have very good attitudes to learning and make good progress. Pupils are encouraged to use the correct terminology from an early age. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are very well supported, enabling them to participate fully in all activities. However, higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged, for example by being given opportunities to plan their own learning and devise their own methods of recording their work. Teachers’ planning would be even more effective if pupils were given time to complete and evaluate their investigations and consider

p.29

Commentary

ways in which they could be improved. Older pupils are encouraged to use their ICT skills to support their learning, such as researching animal life styles when studying food chains and using interactive boards to consolidate their understanding of electric circuits. However, such opportunities are not consistently incorporated into teachers’ planning throughout the school to enable pupils to develop their skills fully and hence extend their learning. For example, pupils know how to input data onto a spreadsheet but have yet to learn how to produce a wide range of graphs to illustrate their data; the use of line graphs is limited.

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Commentary

91. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and knows what needs to be done to move the subject forward.

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Commentary

92. Analysis of test results is used well to enable teachers to focus more clearly on weaker areas of the curriculum and hence begin to raise standards. Assessment is very good. Teachers Uplands Manor Primary School - 28 assess their pupils carefully but have yet to introduce a system of individual target-setting to inform pupils of ways in which they could improve their own learning. Improvement since the last inspection has been good, especially in developing pupils’ skills of experimental and investigative science. The school’s commitment to improving teaching and learning has been maintained.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• ICT resources and accommodation are very good. • The computer suites are well used across the school. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and achieve well. • The very good work of the subject co-ordinator supports the effective development in the subject. • Cross-curricular use of ICT is beginning to impact on foundation subjects. • Greater application of ICT in the core subjects is required, especially word-processing in mathematics and science. • The development of control in ICT is limited.

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Commentary

93. Provision in ICT is good because of the high profile that has been given to the development of the subject since the last inspection, when it was judged to be below the national expectation. In addition, the coverage of the ICT curriculum was judged to be unsatisfactory, as were the resources to meet the requirements of learning in the subject. However, much has been done to redress the balance of the curriculum, and its planning, and to ensure there are sufficient resources to teach the subject effectively. This has resulted in three very well resourced computer suites, the Global suite, Enterprise suite and Planet suite, whose names reflect the very imaginative and stimulating thematic environments of spaceship and space venture that is very motivating and exciting to the pupils who use them. Furthermore, all classes have a classroom computer and a significant number of classes have interactive whiteboards that

p.30

Commentary

enhance the teaching and are very effective learning tools. This constitutes very good improvement since the last inspection. It was planned to upgrade all three suites and classrooms from three separate networks to one network and a professional ICT company was engaged to upgrade the system in the autumn term in 2003. Unfortunately, due to problems in the new network it was not possible to use the ICT resources successfully from November until February, two weeks before the inspection took place. This has not enabled the school to maintain the ongoing teaching and learning of the planned curriculum and consequently limited evidence was available for scrutiny during the inspection. Therefore, judgement on standards has had to be made from the observation of lessons, scrutiny of the portfolio of pupils’ work and displays of work across the school and interviews with pupils.

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Commentary

94. Standards in ICT are in line with those expected nationally by the ages of seven and 11 and pupils achievements are good. Due to timetable restrictions it was only possible to see four lessons in Years 1, 3, 5 and 6. In the Year one lesson, pupils were word-processing sentences about things they like to do and adding a picture. In Year 3, pupils were also combining text and graphics to produce a Healthy Eating poster. This lesson was linked to the science unit Teeth and Eating and, although the science topic was the spring term topic, the ICT planning was from the autumn term, due to problems with the network installation. Both the Year 5 and 6 classes were producing spreadsheets. The 5 class was in the introduction stage of developing a spreadsheet and the Year 6 class were creating a ‘Tuck Shop’ spreadsheet and some were beginning to add a formula. It was not possible, due to the inspection timetable to observe the

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Commentary

Year 2 lesson on control, through programming a series of instructions to move a floor turtle to Uplands Manor Primary School - 29 a set route, a good link with mathematics for measures. Examples of work seen in the portfolio included the younger pupils’ description of a visit to Shugborough Hall and in using the Internet to find out about plants. In the juniors, pupils had written letters using a range of different fonts, written creative stories using Publisher, undertaken investigations of the Solar System, and as a link with geography, written about river systems. Another good example of the use of ICT in geography was seen in a lesson where the class used the interactive whiteboard to access the Internet to find out information about the seaside and holiday resorts.

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Commentary

95. Teaching is good with very good features. Although only a small sample of teaching was seen, further evidence was gained from the planning, ICT curriculum plans and in talking to the subject co-ordinator. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are very good and they were keen to say how exciting it was to work in the computer suites because it was “just like being in space”.

p.31

Commentary

96. The leadership and management of the subject is very good because the subject manager had a vision for what she would like to do to support the teachers in their teaching of ICT and to inspire and challenge pupils in their learning. The management of the school has been very proactive and has ensured that the subject manager’s vision for ICT teaching and learning could be achieved. Assessment is good and is used well to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. However, it is unfortunate that problems with the new network have restricted the ongoing progress in ICT, but the school is now poised to use the system to the full. However, to ensure the maximum use of ICT equipment there is a need for classroom computers to be in constant use to enable pupils to reinforce and enhance skills they have learned in the computer suites, especially in the learning of numeracy and literacy.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

97. There is satisfactory use of ICT in other subjects overall and the focus on cross-curricular use of ICT is beginning to impact upon standards.

p.31

HUMANITIES

98. Too few lessons were sampled to make an overall judgement on provision in geography . The subject, based on the very few lessons seen is very well taught and pupils achieve very well against their prior attainment. By the end of Year 2, standards meet national expectations. Pupils are acquiring a geographical vocabulary and demonstrate a good understanding of the difference between human and physical features as they identify and compare their own locality with that of the seaside. In discussion, the more capable pupils confidently explain the purpose of human features, including the harbour and the pier. At the last inspection, standards at the end of Year 6 were judged to be below expectations. It is not possible to make a judgement on whether they have improved because there was limited written evidence and geography was not the focus of the term in Year 6. However, in discussion with pupils there is

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HUMANITIES

every indication that they have satisfactory geographical knowledge and understanding. There is insufficient evidence to judge the quality of teaching and learning in the upper school, but for pupils aged five to seven, teaching is very good. The teachers plan collaboratively to ensure consistency of provision for parallel classes. Resources, including storybooks, are used very well to motivate the pupils and they have very good attitudes to the subject. This was the case when Year 1 pupils listened enthralled to the story of Rosie's walk and excitedly followed her route around the farmyard. Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and activities are very well matched to individual needs, so all pupils, including those with English as an additional language and with special educational needs, make very good gains in their learning. Pupils' learning is well enhanced through the provision of regular opportunities to visit places of

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HUMANITIES

geographical interest. It is not possible to make a judgement on leadership and management of the subject, due to the long term absence of the co-ordinator. However, planning has improved since the last inspection, with the introduction of a policy and scheme of work, which provides suitable guidance for the systematic development of knowledge and skills.

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History

Uplands Manor Primary School - 30 Provision in history is good .

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectations for seven and 11-year-olds and pupils’ achievements are very good. • Very good links are made with literacy and good opportunities are provided for writing. • History makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. • A very good range of visits enhances learning. • Teachers teach historical skills well and pupils are very keen to learn. • Occasionally work which is clearly not the pupils’ best receives praise which is not realistic.

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Commentary

99. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils exceed the expectations of seven and 11-year-olds and make very good gains in learning. In Year 2, pupils know about the conditions in Victorian England that forced very young children to work. They can describe the main differences in the life of a chimney sweep and a rich child living in Victorian times. Above average attainers write about the gunpowder plot in great depth and know how the great fire of London started. They know how Florence Nightingale endlessly helped sick people and how Mary Seacole devoted her life to finding ways in which to improve hospitals of that time.

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Commentary

100. By the end of Year 6, pupils know about life in Egypt, rituals associated with burials, Egyptian creation myths, reasons why Vikings invaded different countries, how explorers in Tudor times travelled, life in Tudor times and the hardships suffered by people who lived in 1940 and survived World War II. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and eagerly talk about the topics they have covered. They love the very good range of visits and visitors, trips to museums, the use of drama to explore historical meaning of events, use of actors and dancers when exploring the Vikings’ journey to Valhalla and the very good opportunities provided to write about their understanding of life long ago. In Year 5 a pupil with English as an additional language made very good progress in understanding the concept of characterisation when he wrote: “Henry VIII is the most handsome prince I have ever set eyes on, taller than

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Commentary

usual with fine legs. His skin is light and glowing and his chubby face is so beautiful that it would suit a pretty woman”.

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Commentary

101. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers ensure that lessons are lively and interesting. In a very good lesson in Year 6 the teacher used drama as a means of entering into the experience of what it was like to live in Britain in World War II. Very good use of questioning helped pupils understand how the American GIs gained popularity among the ladies. The phrase “got any gum chum” made pupils laugh heartily but the music of Benny Goodman in the background, together with the class teacher’s excellent explanations of how the British must have undergone a range of emotions ranging from fear, love and gratitude during this difficult time, made this lesson spiritual in that pupils understood that at any time lives could be taken.

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Commentary

102. Throughout the school, history contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the plight of women in Victorian and ancient Greece times has been explored, the differences between rich and poor, boys and girls and the right to be educated all contribute to the very good opportunities for pupils’ personal development. The use of ICT to support learning is satisfactory.

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Commentary

103. The leadership and management of the subject is good. Assessments are good; they are thorough and are well used to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. Good improvement has been made since the previous inspection due to the introduction of a detailed scheme of work underpinned by good assessment resulting in above average standards. Uplands Manor Primary School - 31

p.32

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching encourages pupils to empathise with children and adults of different faiths. • The curriculum ensures a logical progression of knowledge and skills from class to class. • Assessment is good and is undertaken regularly, helping teachers in their planning.

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Commentary

104. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and achieve very well. Two lessons were observed and the teaching and learning were good. By the end of both Year 2 and Year 6, pupils know about different faiths and their symbols, why people pray and the power prayer can have. Some very good examples of pupils’ writing their prayers were seen in Year 4. In addition, pupils’ previous work was scrutinised together with displays in support of work undertaken. This evidence indicates that standards throughout the school exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils have a good knowledge of different faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism and Hinduism. They discuss with understanding those areas which interest them in particular. For example, Year 1 pupils learning about festivals which occur in springtime are able to relate the celebrations for Holi

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Commentary

with the traditions of Christian festivals when music, as for Easter songs and hymns, plays a special part. Throughout the school, pupils are interested in all faiths and traditions and have a mature and well-balanced way of discussing similarities and differences free of prejudice. Evidence from the inspection shows that the overall satisfactory standards found at the time of the previous inspection have been improved upon, largely due to the good quality of written work in both the infants and juniors. The school uses the many different faiths of its pupils well to support learning and to promote racial harmony.

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Commentary

105. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. The curriculum follows the local authority’s agreed syllabus and includes opportunities for teachers to add school-based units. The scheme of work sets out a logical progression throughout the school. There is a whole-school system of assessing pupils’ progress but this is at an early stage of development and over-reliant on worksheet completion. Assessment is satisfactory overall. The curriculum is well enriched with visits and visitors. Pupils visit local places of worship and this aids their development as responsibly-minded junior citizens within their local community. The use of ICT is satisfactory.

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Commentary

106. The co-ordinator is hard working, conscientious and has compiled a useful file of resources to support colleagues, but has had little opportunity to monitor teaching and learning or influence standards in the subject. However, planning is monitored and the leadership and management of the subject is good.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

107. No lessons were seen in design and technology and there was limited other evidence available so no judgement has been made about the quality of provision. Discussion with pupils showed they are gaining experience of a range of materials and techniques. They are developing the expected subject skills through designing and making a variety of artefacts. For example, Year 6 pupils talked about how they have used tools to measure and cut wood to make wheeled toys and designed and made gift boxes. They demonstrated enjoyment of the experiences, explaining that each project is evaluated upon completion and improvements are suggested. Teachers' planning indicates that the key elements of the subject: investigation of ideas, learning a range of skills and designing and making using a variety of materials, are covered appropriately as pupils go through the school. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Planning has been improved since the previous inspection and the

p.33

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Uplands Manor Primary School - 32 scheme of work gives clear guidelines for the progression of skills. The co-ordinator has monitored the teachers' plans and organises the good resources efficiently. She has not had the opportunity to monitor teaching because design and technology is not currently a priority for school improvement.

p.34

Art and design

The provision for art and design is very good .

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Teaching is very good. • The curriculum is very good. • Leadership and management is very good. • Pupils’ work is valued and very well presented.

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Commentary

108. Pupils are given a high quality of education in art and design, standards are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is good. The curriculum is exciting, creative and very well planned so that teachers have a clear idea of what to teach, what resources are needed and what the next steps should be to extend pupils’ experience. The policy shows a clear understanding of the need to develop subject-specific skills and knowledge through a wide variety of activities. The curriculum is regularly reviewed and there are staff meetings to develop different aspects of the subject, such as the use of sketchbooks, or building up portfolios of pupils’ work. This shows very good leadership and management which results in a high quality of teaching and learning even when teachers are not specialists in the subject. The school employs a visiting art and design specialist regularly and class teachers have this

p.34

Commentary

valuable opportunity for practical in-service training and to observe very good teaching and learning.

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Commentary

109. Pupils are very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and confident about their work, whether they are producing repeat pictures from photographs in the style of Andy Warhol in Year 6, or in Year 1, painting tablets, having drawn their own designs from arabesque patterns derived from Muslim art. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 have very good observational skills, shade well, use paint and pastels effectively and their collage work is of high quality. They have good knowledge of a range of artists and the techniques they used. Throughout the school, pupils build up their artistic capabilities at a good pace as a result of the very good provision. Accommodation and resources are good and all pupils have space and opportunity to work well. Pupils’ work is very well presented and contributes very well to the high quality of displays. The outstandingly good portraits in the library and stained glass windows in the hall, amongst other examples,

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Commentary

contribute considerably to the school’s atmosphere and show the standards expected of all who work there. Good improvement has been made since the previous inspection in relation to developing curriculum planning and assessment procedures. This is having a positive effect on standards. Uplands Manor Primary School - 33

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in singing are high by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and are a strength of the school. • The subject is very well led and managed by an outstanding musical specialist. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good and they thoroughly enjoy their music.

p.35

Commentary

110. Only a small sample of music lessons was observed but the school provided CDs of pupils’ work. One lesson was observed in Year 5 that was taught by the subject co-ordinator and standards in this class were judged to be above those of pupils of a similar age. This is an improvement on the last inspection, when standards were in line by the age of seven and below average by the age of 11.

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Commentary

111. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards exceed the expectations of seven and 11-year-olds and pupils make very good progress. The quality of teaching is very good, with excellent teaching seen when pupils are taught by the co-ordinator. In the lessons observed, a Year 2 class were exploring and identifying a range of sounds of untuned musical instruments. The teacher made a very good use of a song to help pupils distinguish instruments, that were played from behind a screen, that were made of wood, skin or metal. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils were listening to two contrasting pieces of music and learning that music can create images, moods and feelings and to make a choice about which of the two pieces of music they preferred. The music was well chosen and in three groups, pupils had to consider: where the music carried their thoughts, writing in words the mood the music creates for them and drawing a picture to show the way the music makes them feel. A Year 5 lesson observed was

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Commentary

taught by the music co-ordinator and this was the final lesson in a group of lessons where pupils were composing a ‘Spacescape’ sound picture and writing their own graphic notation to record their composition. Pupils were very successful in their developing their composition skills and each group performed their piece to the rest of the class. The planning and teaching of this lesson was outstanding, pupils thoroughly enjoyed it and were notably proud of their achievement in composition and performance. In this lesson, the teacher had excellent subject knowledge, gave very good explanations, used time very effectively and pupils made very good gains in learning because all of their emotions were engaged and their creative responses were stimulated. All groups will have their performances recorded on to a sound tape as a record of their achievement.

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Commentary

112. Singing is a strength of the school. When it comes to judging standards in singing across the school, they cannot be other than excellent. This is because the singing is taught by the music co-ordinator, who trains and conducts adult, primary and youth choirs and is a vocal coach for the education department and a member of their choir. This experience and expertise is brought to the singing rehearsals where all pupils sing joyfully and with good diction. The sound is of ‘true children’s voices’ that is tuneful, well pitched and a joy to listen to. In a rehearsal of the school choir, that totals 50 children, the teacher demonstrated a quality of teaching that generates the high standards. This included ensuring that all rehearsals commenced with a vocal warm-up, attention paid to poise, breathing and complete group discipline that enabled the rehearsals to proceed at such a brisk pace. Within the choir rehearsal and the school

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Commentary

singing rehearsal the teacher introduced new songs that included two, three and four-part singing. By the end of each session the songs were almost at performance level, demonstrating how well the children had been trained and the consistency of practice that the children know well. Uplands Manor Primary School - 34 113. The quality of teaching in the lessons observed ranged from good to excellent. Overall teaching is very good. It is notable that the music co-ordinator has outstanding musical skills that ought to be further shared with all staff with the aim of raising the confidence and skills in teachers who are less confident in teaching music. However, in the autumn term the music co-ordinator introduced a new published music scheme that is written for the non-specialist. Staff were introduced to the new scheme and received training and further training is planned in other aspects of teaching music.

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Commentary

114. The choir has visited and sung Christmas carols to the elderly, performed with 6000 other children in the National Exhibition Centre and recorded a professional CD. Pupils can also be heard singing on the school’s new promotional video. There is an annual music and dance festival held in the school which the choir takes part in. The school is also engaged in a two- year community project: ‘Singing Games and Playground Culture’ and also hosting ‘Vocalised’ workshops as part of the project. The use of ICT is satisfactory.

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Commentary

115. The leadership and management of the subject are very good and resources are sufficient to teach the subject. In addition, a new performing arts room has been recently opened and that is having a beneficial effect on the teaching of music, with space to use tuned and untuned percussion and for visiting teachers of brass instruments and Bhangra. Extra support is given to the younger pupils by the local educational authority music services. Improvement since the last inspection is good. Resources and accommodation have improved.

p.36

Physical education

Provision in physical education is very good .

p.36

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good provision for all aspects of physical education. • Pupils achieve very well in lessons because of the good quality of the teaching. • Extra-curricular sport supports the subject very well. • The subject co-ordinator and sports development officer make a very positive impact on learning. • There are limited opportunities for residential outdoor adventurous activities.

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Commentary

116. Standards are above national expectations by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, representing good improvement since the last inspection, when they were described as being broadly in line.

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Commentary

117. The curriculum covers all the areas of dance, gymnastics, games, and swimming. It is organised to ensure appropriate coverage is given to these areas in each year group, with swimming being a particular focus for Years 3 to 6. Most pupils achieve the required standard in swimming by Year 6. Many pupils participate in the many lunchtime and after-school sporting clubs and coaching sessions to broaden their experience of physical education, and there are opportunities for participation in friendly and competitive competition in inter-school activities in dance, football, cricket, rounders and basketball.

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Commentary

118. Pupils make good progress in lessons, and achieve very well, as the result of the good quality of teaching. Most teachers are confident in their own knowledge of the subject, have well- planned and organised lessons, and enjoy good relationships with pupils. Good use is made of demonstrations and teaching points and this ensures that improvement takes place in the development of appropriate skills. Pupils enjoy the activities and make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are encouraged to play a full part in all aspects of physical education. Uplands Manor Primary School - 35 119. The very good subject leadership, and teacher commitment to the subject, have ensured physical education has a much higher profile in the school than at the time of the last inspection. The well-balanced curriculum enables pupils to achieve well in all areas. A new sports facility is almost completed and, when open, this will further enhance the already good

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Personal, social and health education

120. In both the infants and juniors very few lessons of personal, social and health education were seen so judgements on provision can be made. Personal, social and health education underpins all aspects of school life as pupils are given very good opportunities to develop their confidence and responsibility through undertaking duties such as monitors throughout the school. In lessons, very good opportunities are provided for pupils to express their feelings and concerns, and pupils are made aware that they are part of a community and are keen to help look after the environment. Circle time is used well to promote learning. Pupils recognise and name their feelings accurately and know what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They respect differences between people and know how and why rules are imposed and that the responsibilities required in school and home are different and might even sometimes conflict.

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Personal, social and health education

Throughout the school, pupils are given opportunities to resolve differences by examining alternatives and know that they have personal choice. Personal, social and health education contributes very well to pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and personal development. Uplands Manor Primary School - 36

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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