Wakefield St Johns Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School

ST JOHN’S CE VA JUNIOR AND INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd - 5 th February 2004

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ST JOHN’S CE VA JUNIOR AND INFANT 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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ST JOHN’S CE VA JUNIOR AND INFANT 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. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 188 School address: Belgravia Road Wakefield West Yorkshire Postcode: WF1 3JP Telephone number: (01924) 303 715 Fax number: (01924) 303 715 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Reverend P Dowling Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St John’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School is situated in a pleasant residential area to the north of the city centre of Wakefield. Most of the housing is owner-occupied. The school is a popular choice for parents in the parish and the wider community. There are 162 boys and girls aged 5 - 11, together with 30 children in the reception class, eight of whom are aged four and attend part-time. There is significant pupil mobility. For example, during the last school year, 16 pupils left the school and 11 arrived other than at the usual times of admission or transfer. Children enter at the age of four with a wide range of attainment that is average overall.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils who take free school meals is well below average but the number is growing. Most of the pupils are white; about 16 per cent come from a rich diversity of cultural backgrounds. Fourteen pupils are at an early stage of learning English. About six per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs (which is below average). This includes five pupils with specific learning difficulties, each requiring an individual education plan; four of them have a statement of special educational need. The school is involved in the training of teachers, both initial teacher training and the national initiative to train graduates for teaching. It has received several national awards during the last three years such as Investor In People, Artsmark Gold, Schools Achievement, Basic Skills Quality Mark and is part of the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Healthy Schools Initiative. The headteacher is a consultant leader within the Leadership Programme, funded by the Primary National Strategy, and developed in partnership with the National College for School Leadership. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant 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

1262 Mr R Heath Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology 31718 Ms D Shields Lay inspector 32604 Mrs S Manning Team inspector Science Design and technology Geography History Physical education Special educational needs English as an additional language 2041 Mrs D V Reid Team inspector The Foundation Stage English Art and design Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI 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 inspection 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). St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant 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 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school. Standards are high in English and mathematics; in science, pupils reach above average standards. Standards are high in the arts. The ethos of the school is one that embraces the needs of all pupils. Pupils get on well with each other, are keen to come to school and their behaviour is very good. The teaching is of very good quality and this leads to very effective learning. The school serves its parish and the wider community extremely well and provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. • Governors and staff work very effectively to improve pupils’ learning. • The school provides a very rich and challenging curriculum. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. Relationships in the school and pupils’ moral and cultural development are excellent. • Pupils’ regular assessments are analysed carefully to identify weaknesses in their learning and to improve the quality of teaching. • Pupils’ progress is tracked systematically and this ensures their very good progress. • Teaching assistants, parents and visitors to the school play a key role in pupils’ achievements. • Children in the reception class do not have access to the full range of outdoor activities.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has improved significantly overall since the last inspection in May 1998. The standards of reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 are much higher. Standards in Year 6 improved rapidly but dipped in 2003, especially in mathematics and science. Nevertheless the quality of the work seen during this inspection is, overall, above what is expected of seven- and 11-year-olds. Above all, the quality of teaching has improved; the weaknesses evident in the last inspection have been eradicated. The overall quality of provision has risen further. The arts are on a stronger footing. The weaknesses in assessing and using pupils’ achievements have been rectified.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A B C mathematics A B D E science A B D E Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Since the last inspection, pupils’ achievements in the national tests for 11-year-olds improved significantly until the dip in 2003. The reasons for this are explained fully in the main body of this report. Among other factors, pupils experienced difficulties with the increased emphasis on using and applying mathematics and, to a lesser extent, on scientific enquiry.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve well in lessons as a consequence of very good teaching. The standard of attainment of Year 2 pupils is, overall, above what is expected of them and in literacy and numeracy, it is well above average. By Year 6, pupils’ attainment is well above average in literacy and numeracy and in science, it is above average. In art and design, music and design and technology, pupils’ attainment is well above what is expected of 11-year-olds. In the remaining subjects, attainment is above what is expected in history and in line with expectations in information and communication St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 5 technology (ICT) and geography. No judgement could be made on physical education. Children get off to a very good start in the Foundation Stage (in this school, those in the reception class). They make very good progress and are well on target to reach, or exceed, the goals children are expected

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

to attain by the end of reception. They achieve particularly well in literacy, numeracy and in developing their social skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good. They respond very well to the excellent provision

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for their moral and cultural development and to the very good provision for their spiritual and

social development . Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive and their behaviour is very good. Attendance is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good education. Teaching is very good overall. Learning is very effective because the school provides a broad curriculum that is enriched by a wide range of activities both in and out of school. Equally, this rich provision is effective in pupils’ personal development and in their achievements in the arts. Basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT are taught thoroughly throughout the school. Other strong features of provision are the very good care, guidance and support for pupils, the very firm links with parents, and the excellent links with the church, the community and local secondary schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are each very good. The work of the governing body is very effective in shaping the strategic direction of the school and, together with the headteacher, it is thorough and critical in the regular evaluations of the school’s achievements. Systematic monitoring and evaluation of standards and teaching provide a clear understanding of the strengths and of how to improve any weaknesses of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils have high levels of satisfaction with the school. Of the 110 responses to the proforma collecting the views of parents and carers, 14 of the statements had a very small number of disagreements, but none that was significantly strong.

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

• High attaining pupils should be allowed to take more responsibility for their own learning and to be more creative in order to achieve even higher standards. • Improve the provision for children in the Foundation Stage so that they may have access to the nationally recommended outdoor learning opportunities. • Make the quality of reports to parents more consistently useful across classes. • The process of providing individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs lacks the element of discussion with parents. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2, and in Years 3 to 6, is good. Standards in the core subjects of English and mathematics are well above average and in science they are above average by Year 6. Pupils’ achievements in the arts are high. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve the goals expected of them in the main areas of learning very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Literacy and numeracy are very well taught and pupils attain high standards. • The excellent enrichment of the curriculum enables pupils to achieve high standards in the arts. • Teachers provide work that is generally very well matched to the different abilities of pupils and this enables them to achieve well. • The high quality of discussion and debate in lessons helps pupils to learn very effectively. • High attaining pupils could take more responsibility for their own learning and reach even higher standards.

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Commentary

1. The table below referring to pupils in Year 2 indicates that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above the national averages. Almost all pupils reached the basic standard of Level 2 in each of these assessments; in each of reading and mathematics, nearly half the pupils achieved the higher Level 3 (the standard normally expected of nine-year-olds). The proportion of pupils who achieved Level 3 in writing was very high compared with the national average. Since the last inspection, the trend has been upward overall, except for a dip in mathematics in 2002, when the nature of the test changed towards a greater emphasis upon using and applying mathematics. When the school’s results are compared with those of similar schools (with similar numbers of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) they are above average in reading and mathematics, and well above average in writing. Girls do a little

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Commentary

better than boys in both reading and writing, consistent with the national picture. In mathematics, however, boys do better than girls, where nationally there is little difference.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results reading 17.4 (16.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.6 (15.1) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.6 (15.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 25 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 Standards in: School results National results English 27.8 (28.7) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 26.0 (27.6) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.2 (29.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 7 2. The table above, referring to pupils in Year 6, indicates that standards dipped in the 2003 tests to below average in mathematics and science and remained above average in English. Since the last inspection, however, standards in all three subjects had risen to well above average.

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Commentary

The reasons for the drop in 2003 is an amalgam of factors: • with only 29 pupils in the year group, the effect of a few pupils missing Level 4 (the minimum standard expected of pupils in Year 6) causes a significant swing in attainment; • more than the usual number of pupils with special educational needs resulted in fewer pupils gaining Level 4; • seven pupils of this year group left to attend the nearby independent schools, thereby increasing the mobility of pupils during Years 3 to 6 and decreasing the number who were expected to achieve Level 5; • the national requirement for an increased emphasis on using and applying mathematics and, to a lesser extent, on scientific enquiry caused at least a slight dip in most schools and difficulties for many pupils in this school; and • girls performed significantly worse than boys in both mathematics and science where, nationally, and normally in this school, there is little difference.

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Commentary

3. In all three subjects, about one third of pupils achieved the higher Level 5. When compared with similar schools, the results in English were average but in mathematics and science were well below average. In previous years, the school’s results compared favourably with those of similar schools. Teachers now place more emphasis in lessons on using and applying mathematics and on scientific enquiry.

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Commentary

4. When children start school, in the reception class, the skills, knowledge and understanding they bring with them are very wide ranging but, overall, are about what is expected of them at this point in the Foundation Stage. They make very good progress in their learning and achieve very well. They are firmly on course to attain well above the expected goals in the three main areas of learning: social, language and literacy, and mathematical development, by the time they leave the reception class.

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Commentary

5. As a result of very good provision in English, pupils attain well above average standards in speaking, reading and writing measured against what is expected by Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils try hard, make very good progress, tackle challenging work with enthusiasm and achieve very well. Teachers use discussion and debate as a way of learning very effectively; consequently pupils are articulate and confident in expressing their ideas. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 get off to a good start in learning to read. They learn well how to make use of a good range of clues such as pictures and the sounds within words. By Year 6, almost all pupils read fluently, with clear and appropriate expression and have a very good understanding of what they read. This enables them to effectively find information about their work in other subjects. They also read for pleasure and are well supported by their parents. Pupils learn to write in a variety of forms,

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Commentary

including lively and interesting poetry. Spelling and handwriting are generally very good but a few older pupils are sometimes allowed to get away with slovenly presentation of their work. In other subjects, discussion is used effectively as a way of learning and pupils’ reading and writing are enhanced.

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Commentary

6. The very good provision in mathematics enables most pupils to attain high standards and achieve well in Year 2 and, despite the dip in the most recent national tests, in Year 6. Throughout the school, pupils practise basic skills thoroughly; they improve their swift recall of number facts and their confidence in methods of mental calculation. As a result of effective application of the teaching methods in the National Primary Strategy, pupils gain many mathematical skills through practical work in both geometry and measurement. Equally, they learn well how to use and apply their mathematics in everyday contexts, employing their skills of calculation and their knowledge of metric measures. Too little attention, however, is given to problems that require pupils to identify patterns from which to make predictions, such as the patterns in sequences of numbers, or problems that require the systematic recording of all

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Commentary

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 8 possible solutions. Pupils confidently use their knowledge of mathematics in other subjects, for instance measurement and shape in design and technology and graphs in science.

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Commentary

7. In science, the proportion of pupils who attain the standards expected of seven-year-olds is average, and of 11-year-olds is above average, despite the dip in the 2003 national tests. Most pupils try hard, respond keenly to challenge and achieve well. They enjoy science lessons and tackle practical work with enthusiasm, using resources effectively to test their ideas and to find information. They learn how to devise a fair test and develop well their skills of observation, enquiry and prediction. They learn effectively to collect and explain evidence and record their findings in a variety of ways, including text, tables and graphs, in activities such as testing which materials are best for mopping up liquids, or which materials stretch the most.

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Commentary

8. In ICT, standards are close to what is expected of seven- and 11-year-olds and pupils’ achievement is good. The new resources are successfully used by pupils in a variety of ICT applications. In particular, they are used very well to enable pupils to understand how a computer may be used to control a sequence of events, an application often neglected in primary schools. Pupils gain increasing confidence in managing their work on a sophisticated network of computers, using software of commercial standards. Equally, they increasingly use computers to assist their learning in other subjects; for example, they confidently use the Internet to find information relevant to their studies in history, or use ICT to practise numeracy skills. Such uses, however, are not as yet frequent enough.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ high achievements in the arts are a strength of the school. A rich variety of experiences allow pupils to achieve a wide range of responses, and attain high standards, in art, music, dance and drama. The knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in these subjects spill over into design and technology where pupils’ attainment is well above what is expected of seven- and 11-year-olds and their achievement is high. Pupils’ attainment in history is above what is expected by Year 2 and Year 6 because they are taught well the skills of enquiry; they gain a good level of knowledge and achieve well. In contrast, pupils’ attainment in geography is close to what is expected by Year 2 and Year 6 and their achievement is satisfactory. Geography skills are not as thoroughly taught as those of history. Only two dance lessons were seen in physical education so that no judgements on standards and achievement in the whole range of

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Commentary

physical activities can be made. In most lessons, high attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are equally nourished and achieve as well as they can. Those having English as an additional language have their needs very well met, are well integrated into the life and work of the school and they also achieve as well as they can. The achievements of high attaining pupils, however, could generally be higher by allowing them to take more responsibility for their own learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance is good. Pupils come to school on time with very positive attitudes towards learning and behave very well overall. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. These features have improved significantly since the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The relationships between pupils themselves and with adults are excellent. • Pupils enthusiastically participate in lessons and have a strong desire to succeed. • The quality of interesting activities and teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour usually ensure lessons flow smoothly. • Both the minority of pupils from other cultural backgrounds, and those with special educational needs, are successfully included in the life and work of the school.

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Commentary

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 9 10. Children in the Foundation Stage are firmly on course to attain the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development by the end of the reception year. Pupils enjoy coming to school and develop both confidence and self-esteem in their learning; views shared by both parents and pupils themselves. They try hard and do their best. They are willing to both answer and ask questions thoughtfully, and older pupils, in particular, learn to debate issues. For example, pupils in Year 6 discussed and interpreted the thoughts, attitudes and feelings within poetry. By skilful teaching, such debate helped them to substantiate their own ideas and to respect the contributions of others. Parents confirm that the school effectively helps their children develop independence, to persevere with their work and to achieve high standards.

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Commentary

11. Behaviour is generally very good. A small minority of pupils, however, sometimes challenge their teacher’s authority or engage in minor disruptions to lessons. During assemblies and at break times, behaviour is equally very good. There are very few incidents of oppressive behaviour. All forms of harassment and bullying are very well managed by the consistent application of clear strategies for managing such incidents and the cultivation of an ethos of mutual respect and care for others. Pupils’ positive attitudes and sensitivity to the needs of others are evident in the recently formed ‘buddy bench’ arrangement whereby pupils (members of Years 5 and 6) provide others with help and support at times of need.

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Commentary

12. Pupils’ very good personal development is successfully enriched by the values and beliefs embedded in the school’s mission statement, carefully nurtured by all staff as they consistently expect and set good examples of desirable conduct and courtesy. In addition to lessons in religious education, pupils frequently experience spirituality through well-planned lessons in which successful learning feeds their growing sense of self-esteem. Equally, they occasionally experience the joy of discovery, as reflected in the excitement on a girl’s face in photographs of her using a lightmeter during a science lesson. Pupils are expected to take responsibility and to recognise the consequences of their own and others’ actions by, for example, deciding upon their own classroom rules. Such activities help them to successfully understand right from wrong and improve both their moral and social development. The excellent provision of a wide

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Commentary

range of visits to places of interest, including a residential visit to the Hornsea Centre, and of visitors from other cultures and nationalities strongly improve pupils’ social and cultural development.

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Attendance

13. Pupils come happily to school: they arrive punctually and their attendance is good. A few parents book holidays in term time despite the school’s best efforts to discourage them.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.3% School data 0.0% National data 5.4% National data 0.4% The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

15. The ethos of the school is one that values the contributions of each adult and pupil. The school sets high expectations that pupils will respond positively to a rich and varied curriculum. The wide variety in the social and cultural backgrounds of its visitors, such as the African artist, the purposeful links with neighbouring schools, both primary and secondary, and above all, the strong partnership with the church combine very effectively to promote pupils’ personal development and good achievement. These factors enable the school to maintain harmony St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 10 among the rich diversity of cultural backgrounds of the pupils and to sustain a climate that is usually free of harassment.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides an education of very good quality. The teaching and learning are very good overall and, consequently, pupils’ achievement is good; their competence in literacy and numeracy is well above average. The curriculum is very well planned to meet the needs of all pupils and its enrichment is excellent. The care and support for pupils’ well being and learning are very good. The school enjoys, and pupils benefit from, the very good partnership with parents and from the excellent links with other schools, the church and the community. Within these aspects of provision, a small number of relatively minor, but important, areas for improvement are detailed in the following sections.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall, a view shared by parents and pupils. The best teaching occurs most consistently in the reception class, Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils make good progress, overall, and by the time they leave the school their attainment is above that expected of 11- year-olds. A significant proportion of them achieve very well. The teaching nurtures pupils’ personal development very effectively.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ planning of a rich curriculum stimulates pupils’ interest, involvement and curiosity. • In lessons, the different needs of pupils are generally well met. Both high attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are appropriately challenged by the work required of them. • In a very small minority of lessons, pupils’ behaviour is not always very well managed, time is wasted and activities are not well matched to pupils’ needs. • High attaining pupils could take more responsibility for setting their own targets and be allowed to learn with greater independence. • Teaching assistants, parent helpers and other adults increase pupils’ learning very effectively.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons.

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 22 (56%) 10 (26%) 5 (13%) 1 (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

16. Teachers tackle the school’s priorities very effectively. For example, the quality of pupils’ writing has improved considerably. Similarly, following a thorough analysis of pupils’ errors in the recent national tests in mathematics, teachers place more emphasis in lessons on using and applying mathematics. For instance, pupils in Year 5, during registration, attempted to find a pathway through an array of numbers that totalled 100. Pupils work productively on well- planned tasks and learn the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT very securely. Equally, pupils’ learning is enriched and enhanced by art, music and dance from other cultures, often taught by visitors to the school.

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Commentary

17. Staff are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils and that their learning needs are included in their lessons. Work is thoughtfully planned for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. The quality of pupils’ individual education plans has improved since the last inspection and they now clearly identify the targeted areas of learning for each pupil. These targets are realistic and build on pupils’ prior learning. Individual education plans also guide teaching assistants on how to support pupils’ learning in the classroom and parents St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 11 on the help they can give their children at home. For example, such pupils in a Year 1 numeracy lesson were skilfully supported by a teaching assistant through a range of practical activities that enabled them to grasp the meaning of ‘balance’ and ‘weighs more (or less) than’.

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Commentary

In contrast, during a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 2, excellent teaching enabled the high attaining pupils to select key words from pieces of text that suggested the setting. Using joined handwriting, they showed a clear understanding of three and four syllable words, could list accurately words that described a setting and carefully used basic punctuation. Throughout the school, a strong emphasis is placed on developing appropriate subject vocabulary and this helps all pupils towards an understanding of essential ideas and information. Pupils learning English as an additional language are well provided for, either by withdrawal to work with a specialist teacher, or by extra support alongside their classmates. For example, very skilful teaching of two pupils, withdrawn from Year 2, enabled them to significantly extend their vocabulary and read with increased confidence, fluency and expression. They were fully

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Commentary

engaged throughout the session, responded very well to each activity and their achievement was high.

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Commentary

18. Teachers generally have a very good command of the subjects they teach. This enables them to plan lessons in which a very good range of teaching and learning strategies is used. Discussion is generally used to very good effect in all subjects. Questions are challenging and provocative, and enable pupils to clarify and extend their ideas. On a few occasions, however, teachers’ questions are a little too prescriptive and almost provide the answer before the question is asked, thereby limiting pupils’ opportunities to think things out for themselves. Questions such as, “Why do you think that?” opened discussion in the good lessons, while “Is it this or that ?” closed the discussion and reflected shortcomings in the teachers’ expectation of what the pupils can do. Problem solving, enquiry and investigation are generally taught well over time, especially in science, mathematics and design and technology. For example, during a

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Commentary

science lesson for pupils in Year 6, following a thorough review of the previous lesson, skilful questioning led pupils to understand the need for repeated measurements to provide reliable data on which to base their design of a fair test. This enabled them to accurately investigate how the time to dissolve sweeteners in a liquid varies with its temperature.

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Commentary

19. Praise, encouragement and humour are used effectively to sustain pupils’ involvement in lessons. Occasionally, a small minority of pupils challenge their teachers’ authority and begin to disrupt the lesson. In the few less successful lessons, this was not dealt with sufficiently swiftly and effectively, time was wasted and progress impeded. In the unsatisfactory teaching, the disruption was compounded by work that did not match the needs of the pupils. The large majority of lessons, however, are conducted at a good pace, with variations to suit circumstances. Time is used very well. Resources, including ICT, and teaching assistants are used very effectively to help pupils work both independently and collaboratively.

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Commentary

20. Pupils’ work is assessed very thoroughly and their progress is tracked systematically. Marking has a little variation in its quality but much is done carefully. Targets are set for each pupil and they have a good understanding of how they can improve. Homework is set regularly. It is effective in drawing parents into pupils’ learning by encouraging them to help their children consolidate basic skills in literacy and numeracy, and, especially for older pupils, it encourages them to research topics and write at length. The weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been eradicated and the overall quality of teaching and learning has improved from being good to very good.

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The curriculum

The school provides its pupils with a very good range of learning opportunities well matched to their needs. Opportunities for enrichment are excellent. Accommodation and resources for learning are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 12 • Excellent use is made of visitors to school and visits to places of interest to enhance learning; such activities are very effective in promoting the arts. • The strong links with the local secondary schools enrich the school’s provision in areas such as sport, French and workshops for gifted and talented pupils. • Lack of suitable accommodation and facilities has a detrimental effect on aspects of learning, such as the outdoor provision for reception children and a sufficiently large space for ICT. • A strong emphasis is placed on pupils’ learning of basic skills. • The level of provision and expertise of teaching assistants is very effective in helping pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

21. Children in the Foundation Stage receive a very good education overall, despite the lack of facilities for outdoor provision. The school carefully and thoughtfully plans work within the national guidelines to ensure children achieve very well in the prescribed areas of learning, and especially in social development, language and communication and in mathematics.

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Commentary

22. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 receive a very good education because their teachers and teaching assistants plan carefully to meet their needs. The planning and provision of appropriate work for high attaining pupils, those with special educational needs and those who are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language is thorough and systematic. Consequently, pupils make good, and often very good, progress and achieve well. Such planning is particularly effective in ensuring that pupils learn the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Equally, teachers’ planning enthusiastically embraces a wide range of provision that enriches learning in both traditional subjects and the arts generally. For example, during the last 12 months, pupils have experienced dance from Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Africa and the Caribbean, and have enjoyed art and textiles of African and Caribbean origins. Additionally, pupils have the

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Commentary

opportunity to spend a week at an outdoor education centre in Hornsea, improving, for instance, their geographical skills as well as their social development.

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Commentary

23. Development planning embraces national initiatives very effectively. For example, the initiative to promote pupils’ participation in good quality physical education and sport is being tackled through the close association with the local secondary school. This school is spearheading the School Sport Co-ordinator Partnership with local primary schools to improve provision of such activities. The fruitful link with the secondary school also provides, for example, regular weekly teaching of French in Years 5 and 6, and workshops for gifted and talented pupils in subjects such as ICT and mathematics.

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Commentary

24. Thorough analysis of assessment data, especially in English and mathematics, has led to improvements in the teaching of these subjects. For example, such analyses identified weaknesses in writing and these have been tackled successfully. Similarly, arising from last year’s dip in the national tests for pupils in Year 6 in mathematics, analysis of the errors made by pupils revealed gaps in their knowledge of how to use and apply their mathematics to tackle problems. These gaps are being plugged. The school makes a very strong attempt to include the needs of each pupil in its programmes of learning. Curricular provision has improved further since the last inspection.

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Commentary

25. Accommodation is satisfactory overall; it is maintained to a very good standard of cleanliness. Despite the school having done all that it can, the provision for ICT is not good enough: two small spaces, at opposite ends of the school, contain computers but neither is large enough to hold half a class of pupils. No suitable spaces are available for peripatetic music instruction and the library area is too small to hold books and provide work space in which more than two pupils can work independently. The accommodation deficiencies of the Foundation Stage are referred to earlier in this report. Relatively extensive grounds have several areas of interest and good opportunities for learning. The good range of resources is used very well to support pupils’ learning. Levels of staffing are good and staff are deployed effectively. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 13

p.14

Care, guidance and support

The school’s arrangements for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. Pupils receive very good support, advice and guidance. There are good opportunities for pupils to be involved in and influence the work of the school.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent throughout the school. • The school’s systems and procedures ensure that boys and girls of all ages are safe and very well cared for. • All pupils think very highly of the school and their opinions are valued.

p.15

Commentary

26. The school provides an extremely caring and happy atmosphere in which pupils say they feel safe and secure. This enables them to enjoy school life and their lessons and has a positive influence on their achievement. Pupils confidently explain the school rules which they are expected to abide by and clearly know the consequences if they do not. One pupil said: “If you have been well behaved and helpful you get an award!” They say that everyone in the school is friendly and that name-calling or bullying is rare. Older pupils from other ethnic backgrounds equally state that there are no instances of name calling related to racism. As part of the school’s daily routines, all adults take time to talk and listen to pupils if they are seen to be unhappy. Everyone within the school community shows care and compassion. Staff regularly share information about pupils; this ensures a very good level of guidance is available on a day-

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Commentary

to-day basis. Pupils know there is an adult they could go to if they are worried at school. Teachers notice when pupils are having particular difficulties with their work and where they can take action to put matters right. One pupil stated: “ I like my teachers because they help me.” This very good support leads to identifying pupils with special educational needs, and the co- ordinator then ensures that pupils have the guidance they need to improve. This enables them to achieve as well as they can.

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Commentary

27. Staff follow the agreed policies and clear practices relating to health, safety and child protection very well. The procedures permeate all aspects of school life and are very clearly understood by all who work or help in school. The very sensitive arrangements for supporting children joining the reception class help them to quickly feel at home and adjust to the routines of school life. There are equally very good arrangements that support pupils who start school part way through the year. One such pupil stated: “I was nervous at first but now I have lots of friends.”

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Commentary

28. Pupils in Years 2 to 6 are enthusiastic about the school council. Pupils know who the council representatives are and how they can raise points for discussion at the meetings, for instance, via the suggestion boxes. Pupils feel their views are listened to and, where possible, acted upon. They talk about how their suggestions have brought about improvement, for instance in the introduction of ‘friendship buddies’. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and Year 1, however, are not as involved in the school council as they could be. Nevertheless, all pupils consider their views are respected when they offer opinions during circle time, in lessons or when they talk to any adult in the school. One pupil commented: "I like the way I can say my opinion.” Pupils know they have targets to achieve in literacy, numeracy, science and reading. Not all teachers, however, discuss or review these targets with them. Because of this, some pupils do not

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Commentary

clearly understand what they need to do to improve their work. In contrast, other pupils are involved in setting and reviewing with their teacher their own personal goals for improvement. When this happens it has a positive impact on raising pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 14 The school has a very good partnership with parents. Links and liaison with the community and other schools are excellent.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very successfully involved in the life of the school and in their children’s education. • Links with schools and the community significantly improve the quality of pupils’ education. • Close links with the church clearly and positively permeate many aspects of school life. • Although annual written reports have improved since the last inspection, their quality is variable.

p.16

Commentary

29. The contribution that parents make, both to the school and their children’s education, is very much valued. Parents are encouraged to come in to school at any time if there are issues to discuss. The headteacher’s regular forum meetings and the many informal opportunities for parents to talk to teachers, both before and after school, results in any concerns being quickly tackled and parents appreciate this. Very good quality information about day-to-day school life and about what pupils will learn is both practical and helpful. This means that parents are able to fully support homework activities. This has a positive impact on the achievement of their children. Reports to parents do not consistently provide sufficient information about what pupils do well, how they can improve and the progress they make in each subject.

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Commentary

30. Discussions with parents, both before and during the inspection, indicate they hold the school in very high regard. They find the school welcoming and are content that their children flourish in a happy atmosphere. One parent commented: “The school is doing a great job!” Parents play a significant part in supporting the school, not only through the very active parents and teachers association but also by providing an extra pair of hands in the classroom and other organised events such as school visits. Their views are regularly sought, both formally and informally, and these are taken into account when the governors are planning school improvement.

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Commentary

31. The school is very much at the heart of the local community. The church plays a key role in school life, for instance through assemblies, religious education lessons and its use as a resource for learning. Members of the church and the community frequently attend school events and help and support activities in the school. The wider community provides a very rich source of visits and visitors. Pupils also take part in local events, for instance music, dance and art festivals and exhibitions. These opportunities make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal, cultural and spiritual experiences, and improve standards of achievement. They also help to develop pupils into mature and responsible young people by the time they leave school at the end of Year 6.

p.16

Commentary

32. There are very close links with St John’s pre-school playgroup. The very effective liaison means that when children start school in the reception class they settle quickly to their new school life. Extremely close links exist with other local primary schools and the nearby secondary schools. An extensive range of events and initiatives has resulted in a positive influence on staff development and pupils’ achievement. The close relationship with the secondary school also enables pupils to complete the transfer to their next stage of education very smoothly. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 15

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership, management and governance of the school are each very good. The school deserves the high regard in which it is held by the community and beyond. The high quality of leadership, management and governance has been maintained since the last inspection and has been instrumental in improving standards since then.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a very clear vision and a set of values that is dedicated to ensuring the highest possible standards for each pupil. • A thorough analysis of trends and weaknesses in standards leads to very effective action and improvement. Self-evaluation is thorough and reflective. • The governing body is both supportive and challenging, contributing fully to regular evaluation of the school and to planning for improvement.

p.17

Commentary

33. The leadership of the headteacher effectively provides the vision, drive and direction for the school. As a result, with very good support from the deputy headteacher and the governors, the ethos of the school is one of shared purpose, built on teamwork and the Christian foundation. The outcomes of this are many and include: • a highly motivated staff; • pupils with positive attitudes to learning who achieve well and attain above average standards; • the determination to retain a rich and broad curriculum whilst responding successfully to national initiatives; • the arts as a strength of the school; • the inclusion of all pupils in the commitment to high standards, shown in the achievement of pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language.

p.17

Commentary

34. Development planning reflects a strong commitment to improvement for pupils of all abilities. Priorities are clear, shared by staff and manageable. The strive to maintain high standards is evident in the provision of very good opportunities for all staff to engage in continued professional development that improves teaching and builds leadership skills. Subjects and whole-school aspects are generally well led and carefully managed.

p.17

Commentary

35. All aspects of management and organisation are strong. The headteacher is exceptionally thorough, well informed and ambitious for the school. All available resources and advice are used productively to ensure the highest quality of education. Self-evaluation is thorough, honest and professional. Strengths and weaknesses are carefully analysed and effective action is taken to improve teaching, learning and standards. For example, strategies to raise standards in writing were well conceived and successful; standards are now well above average. Equally, pupils’ answers in the national tests in 2003 were thoroughly analysed for patterns in their errors and steps taken to ensure pupils achieve well in the coming year. Pupils with specific needs, including those who are gifted and talented, achieve very well because provision is encouraging, challenging and well managed. Performance management procedures contribute well to

p.17

Commentary

improving standards because they are linked to school priorities. Administrative staff contribute very well to the daily management of the school and also provide a friendly, informed welcome to pupils, parents and visitors.

p.17

Commentary

36. The governing body makes a major contribution to the successes of the school. Governors feel valued. They take their work seriously, have a clear voice and use it productively on behalf of the school. Statutory requirements are all in place and monitored carefully. They feel very well informed by, and very confident in, the headteacher. Each subject and major aspects, such as special educational needs, are linked to an interested governor. As a result, governors are St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 16 known to staff and pupils; they are clear about strengths and weaknesses and take appropriate action.

p.17

Financial information

37. Financial management is excellent. It is thorough and income is used very efficiently and effectively for the benefit of pupils. Governors and key staff are very well informed on matters of income and expenditure aligned to priorities for improvement. In the table below, the relatively large balance carried forward from the previous year represents governors’ prudent saving for building work. Governors understand the elements of best value and put them into practice. They compare standards and costs of services, and consult with pupils and parents. They challenge themselves to improve on standards. For the current financial year, the new national funding system, known as the Formula Spending Shares, was used to calculate the income for the school. It is estimated that this income is some £12,000 below what would have been expected under the previous formula. Its effect on the current financial year is cushioned by the

p.18

Financial information

carry over from last year. Plans are in hand to manage this shortfall effectively. The school serves its pupils, parish and the wider community very effectively and provides very good value for money.

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 517,275 Balance from previous year 27,430 Total expenditure 500,788 Balance carried forward to the next 16,988 Expenditure per pupil 2,542 St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 17

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Most children have had pre-school experience in a variety of settings. Before starting school they make visits, and are visited at home. They move from half-time to full-time attendance as they start the term they become five years old.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. Children enter with a very wide range of attainment, which is average overall. They make very good progress. All children are given equal opportunities to do as well as they can, including those learning English as an additional language. They are interested, confident, enjoy school very much and are very well motivated to learn more. They have a very good start to school.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. Teaching is very good overall, with a very clear understanding of the curriculum for this stage of learning. High expectations ensure that learning is very good, and children achieve very well in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development. Leadership is very good and promotes excellent teamwork with the teaching assistants. The curriculum, based on national guidance, is well planned within the constraints of outdoor space and facilities. The range of structured activities that is always available for children to select from is good indoors. The lack of suitable outdoor provision impedes children’s development. Assessment is thorough and used well. It is linked to the six areas of learning and the steps children take towards achieving the early learning goals.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very clear routines are understood and enjoyed by the children who feel safe, secure and confident. • Relationships are excellent, and staff provide very good role models. • Teaching places a very good emphasis on developing social skills in all the areas of learning.

p.19

Commentary

41. Children of all abilities achieve very well, including those learning English as an additional language. Their attainment is high; most have already reached the level expected by the end of the reception year. They have a positive sense of themselves as members of a school family. They keenly explore the experiences on offer in a safe, secure environment where very clear routines and boundaries of right and wrong are understood. Children are confident, curious and eager to try new things, share ideas and feelings and speak well in a large group. They behave very well in a range of situations, for example in assemblies, whole class, small groups, pairs and on their own. In ‘circle time’, children learn different ways of meeting people and start by shaking hands with the next child. They take turns in discussion, follow instructions for activities and share equipment sensibly. They show independence in selecting activities and often

p.19

Commentary

sustain concentration for long periods. There are many opportunities for them to become aware of, and value, other cultures and faiths. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 18

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching shows a very good knowledge of the learning needs of four-year-olds; much learning is through talk and practical first-hand experiences. • Good opportunities are given to practise speaking, listening, reading and writing for different purposes.

p.20

Commentary

42. Children achieve very well in this area of learning. All of them will reach the goals expected by the end of the Reception Year and around three-quarters are already there. Their attainment is high. Within an environment rich in print, children begin to understand the differences between letters, words, sentences, questions and the sounds letters make. Whole-class literacy sessions are appropriate for the age (helped by Freddie the parrot) with follow-up activities throughout the day to consolidate learning. Children listen carefully; they offer their ideas confidently and eagerly initiate conversation, knowing how to take turns. They are beginning to recognise familiar words. They retell stories in sequence, knowing the main elements and the different characters. They control a pencil very well to form recognisable letters to write their own name; some write simple sentences. Very precise teaching of each individual ensures that

p.20

Commentary

all abilities are fully stretched and those at early stages of learning English as an additional language do so rapidly.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching shows a very good knowledge of the learning needs of the four-year-old, much learning is through talk and practical first-hand experiences.

p.20

Commentary

43. All children will attain the goals expected by the end of the reception year and around three- quarters already have. Their achievement is very good because they learn in practical ways. Most children count and order numbers to 20 reliably. They make good attempts to write numbers to ten but most write some of them in reverse. Coins are accurately labelled and children list prices on the café menu. They correctly order ingredients for baking and begin to use the language of addition, counting cubes to help them. They are beginning to grasp ‘more and less than’ very well. Children confidently place containers in order from smallest to largest, and describe objects according to size, for example longest and shortest. They have a very good understanding of the relationships between two- and three-dimensional shape and name sphere, cylinder, cube and cuboid with relative ease. They describe some of their properties

p.20

Commentary

well, such as counting the square faces on a cube.

p.20

OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING

44. In knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development there is insufficient evidence to make firm overall judgements on standards, teaching, learning or achievement. Teachers’ planning and work seen in knowledge and understanding of the world give children a very good start for the later subjects of science, history, geography and St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 19 ICT by learning how to enquire, investigate and explore their world and materials. For example, they find out about places and people in their environment, visit the local church and describe how it felt, smelt, looked and what they heard. Children confidently interview people who work in the school, for instance the crossing patrol warden. They use a map of the school to locate familiar places. Differences between ‘then and now’ are explored by looking at Victorian school life. They explore sounds and the growth of spring bulbs and note changes in ingredients when

p.20

OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING

they bake. Children confidently use the mouse when using a computer to play mathematical games and the keyboard to write their names. They design and make models from waste materials, for example cages for animals with bars, netting and hinged doors.

p.21

OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING

45. In physical development , children show good control of tools such as pencils and scissors and use them safely. They use dough to make solid shapes and know how to pinch, roll and cut. In physical education lessons in the hall, they move expressively to music. This area of learning is enhanced by the use of wheeled, push, pull and climbing apparatus in organised outside sessions. Children lack the opportunity to select from a range of activities outside because of current restrictions of the site. In creative development , children learn about line and make a large picture with paint showing thick, thin, wavy, straight and curved lines. They explore a good range of different media. In music, they are investigating loud and soft sounds. There are good opportunities for imaginative play, such as role-play, dressing up and drama using a puppet theatre.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in reading, writing and speaking. • Very good teaching and leadership ensure that pupils of all abilities achieve very well. Those learning English as an additional language are very well supported and learn quickly. • High attaining pupils do not have enough opportunities to use their considerable skills, knowledge and understanding to write creatively and at length. • Handwriting is improving, particularly in the younger classes. Some older pupils, however, still need more practice to overcome their difficulties.

p.21

Commentary

46. Standards in speaking are well above average across the school. Pupils make very good progress in acquiring vocabulary and in their powers of self-expression and, by Year 2 and Year 6, they achieve very well. They are confident, articulate and express their ideas well, in lessons and at other times such as in the school council. Those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language always have a relevant response. Standards in listening are less well developed, but are still above those expected nationally for each age group. In whole-class lessons, and particularly when working with their ‘talking partners’, pupils understand how to hold a conversation and listen carefully to explanations. In assemblies, most pupils listen attentively to music and talk and are eager to join in and contribute their ideas.

p.21

Commentary

47. Pupils make very good progress in reading and attain well above average standards. They respond well to challenge and their achievement is high. Reading records now give sufficient detail. In Year 2, pupils successfully use a good range of clues. They pick out key words in texts that describe the setting of a story. As a result of inspirational teaching, they became excited during a lesson at the prospect of finding words with four syllables. By Year 6, most pupils are St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 20 fluent and read expressively, with a very good understanding of what they read. They read different texts purposefully, sometimes for information and at other times to check for aspects that make it interesting to the reader, such as the use of similes, metaphors, adverbs and adjectives. One pupil in Year 6, interpreting poetry, said: ”I think the poet is saying that you should always have dreams but know they may not happen.” Pupils use the small, but well-

p.21

Commentary

organised, library confidently to find information.

p.22

Commentary

48. Standards in writing are well above average by Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils learn to become writers in a variety of forms, including poetry. In Year 2, most pupils express their ideas clearly in well-structured sentences. Their achievement is high. They have a firm grasp of simple grammar and know how to structure and organise their work. The use of punctuation is very good throughout the school. By Year 6, pupils respond well to very challenging work and produce lively and interesting writing, including poetry. They achieve very well. For example, working on using metaphor and personification, one child started:

p.22

Commentary

“The wind is an angry werewolf, Grey and shaggy Rampaging across the land Swinging it’s shaggy paws”

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Commentary

“And when there is calm He lays down for a rest.”

p.22

Commentary

49. By Year 6, spelling is generally very good but some pupils show a slapdash approach on occasions. Handwriting develops very well from an early age. In Year 2, most pupils join their writing. Some older pupils are fluent writers and have developed their own style. Not enough older pupils, however, are consistently at a good level. The recent attention given to improving writing has been successful and there is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls. Well-planned work effectively uses assessment to plan the next stage of learning, with appropriate demands made of pupils of all abilities to improve their work. Although high attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a very firm grasp of the basic skills of English, they lack sufficient time to use their knowledge and skills to be more creative in their writing.

p.22

Commentary

50. High standards are attained because a large and successful part of the teaching is through discussion and debate, particularly at the start of each lesson. Teaching is consistently very good and so effectively promotes very good learning. Teachers are enthusiastic and have very high expectations. The use of questioning is very effective. No opportunity is lost in well-planned lessons to ensure all pupils are included in the learning and achieve their best. Most pupils show high levels of interest and involvement in lessons. Praise, encouragement and humour are used well to maintain interest. All staff provide very good role models in their own use of language. High levels of subject knowledge mean that the quality of marking is very good in telling pupils what they have done well and where they can improve. Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language receive very well focused support that

p.22

Commentary

encourages involvement and perseverance. As a result, pupils feel totally included in the learning, and they develop confidence, enthusiasm for, and a love of, language.

p.22

Commentary

51. English is very well managed with the thoroughness that shows a very clear understanding of the national strategy. Procedures for assessing and monitoring pupils’ achievement are very good. Leadership ensures that language has a very high profile in the school, enhanced by involvement in a wide range of events such as book weeks, visiting poets and entering competitions. The school has made good progress from the previous inspection when it was judged to be good. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 21

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. In other subjects, discussion and debate are also used successfully as methods of learning, particularly at the start of each lesson. A wide range of drama experiences is provided to enrich language and give purpose and audience. All subjects effectively extend pupils’ reading and writing skills and their vocabulary, for example in history, when comparing Victorian and modern kettles, and in mathematics, when discussing shapes in two and three dimensions. Pupils are developing their skills rapidly in ICT, but do not yet use them sufficiently to extend their learning in English.

p.23

FRENCH

No lessons were seen during the inspection but pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit from one lesson a week led by a teacher from the local high school. In addition, others attend a French club after school led by a member of staff. Year 2 pupils confidently use French to respond to the register, count how many are present and what kind of meal they are having at lunchtime.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very thorough analysis of errors made by pupils in national tests enables teachers to target pupils’ needs. • Much teaching of high quality, especially in Years 1, 2, 5 and 6, ensures pupils attain high standards and achieve well. • Work that requires pupils to use and apply their mathematics is not yet sufficiently broad, especially for high attainers. • The subject is very thoroughly led and managed.

p.23

Commentary

53. Test results and current standards of work in Year 2 are well above average. Pupils respond eagerly to challenge, try hard and achieve well for their age. They get off to a good start in Year 1, learning to handle numbers and the basic ideas of measurement with confidence. For example, during a mental starter activity of a lesson, these pupils demonstrated a good grasp of counting in tens and of addition and subtraction of numbers to 20. They know the range of mathematical language associated with these operations such as minus and total. At this early stage, they are taught well to explain how they completed a calculation and to discuss quicker ways of doing it. During the main part of the lesson, groups of different abilities tackled tasks well matched to their needs to achieve a firm understanding of the ideas involved in weighing objects. The high attainers used ICT to read intermediate points on a dial of a weighing scale,

p.23

Commentary

54. As a result of very effective teaching, pupils make good progress throughout Years 1 and 2. They attain at least the basic standard expected of seven-year-olds and about half of them attain significantly above it. Pupils gain a good understanding of numbers to 100 and beyond. They base much of their understanding on a clear mental picture of the 100 square, using this, for instance, to add two numbers by moving appropriately down and along the square grid. They use and apply their mathematics well in problems set in everyday contexts, such as buying articles at a given price. Pupils rise to the challenge of finding different ways of using coins to make a given total but lack the opportunities to develop systematic ways of recording their answers so as to ensure they have obtained all possible ways of doing this. Such problems help pupils to think mathematically but the most capable pupils do not do this kind of work

p.23

Commentary

sufficiently often. Nevertheless, pupils in Year 2 achieve well across the required range of mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 22 language are supported very well by their teachers and teaching assistants and achieve their best.

p.23

Commentary

55. Despite the dip in the national tests in 2003, pupils in Year 6 make good progress in their current work and attain well above the expected standards. Effective application of the teaching methods recommended by the National Primary Strategy enables pupils to acquire confidence and accuracy in relevant arithmetical processes, geometry and data handling, and their achievement is good. For example, during a lesson for pupils in Year 6, thorough and systematic teaching frequently required pupils to explain their contributions. This enabled them to understand the process of long division. By the end of the lesson, pupils could describe everyday situations where such calculations were needed. Although a strong emphasis is placed upon using and applying mathematics in everyday contexts, too little attention is given to problems requiring other forms of mathematical thinking, such as identifying the patterns in

p.24

Commentary

sequences of numbers and predicting those numbers that could precede or succeed the given sequence, or those problems that require systematic recording of all possible solutions.

p.24

Commentary

56. Teaching is very good overall and generally includes clear planning for the needs of all pupils. A good range of teaching methods is used to help and generally challenge all pupils. Introductory activities successfully include those designed to improve pupils’ confident recall of basic number facts and to increase their strategies for mental calculation. These enable pupils to gain a solid platform of skills on which to build their knowledge and understanding of mathematics and attain high standards. Discussion, and the frequent requirement for pupils to explain their ways of doing things, together with the appropriate use of resources in practical activities, equally meet pupils’ needs and develop their understanding. Skills and routines are practised thoroughly; ICT is used appropriately to both consolidate and extend pupils’ understanding.

p.24

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored and evaluated with sufficient regularity. Pupils’ attainments are thoroughly assessed and their progress is tracked systematically as they move through the school. Pupils’ difficulties are identified, such as those in using and applying mathematics, and this leads to re-appraisal and modification of teaching methods. Since the last inspection, standards have improved significantly because teaching has improved and work is better matched to the needs of pupils.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. Pupils use their mathematics well in other subjects, especially in science and design and technology where measurements and the representation of data in tables and graphs are frequently needed.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have many opportunities to plan investigations and test out their ideas. This contributes to above average standards. • Overall there is very good teaching which challenges and supports pupil’s learning well. • There are very good systems for assessing what pupils can and can not do. As a result, most teachers plan tasks that are well matched to pupils’ needs, enabling them to make good progress in lessons.

p.24

Commentary

59. During recent years, standards attained in national tests have been above average in Year 2 and Year 6. The reasons for the dip in standards at the end of Year 6 in the 2003 tests have been St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 23 fully explored by the school and appropriate action taken. Teachers’ planning and methods of teaching have been adjusted in line with the outcomes of the school’s findings. Evidence from current work suggests that standards of work produced by most pupils in Years 3 to 6 remain above average. In Years 1 and 2, most pupils are working at the level expected for their age, with the high ability pupils in Year 2 working at above average levels. This is similar to the findings at the last inspection.

p.24

Commentary

60. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall. In the best lessons, teachers are confident in what they teach and a wide range of strategies is used to help pupils learn very well. They set tasks that provide appropriate challenge for each individual, with the result that most pupils try hard, enjoy their work and achieve well by Year 2 and Year 6. Teachers are very committed to the inclusion of all pupils in the learning opportunities provided. They use teaching assistants and other adult helpers very effectively to support the lower ability pupils and those with English as an additional language. Pupils make good progress. By the end of Year 6, the majority of pupils who have received additional English language support attain standards in line or better than the nationally expected level for their age. Many pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs attain the nationally expected level for their age.

p.25

Commentary

61. Overall, teachers plan lessons thoroughly and explain carefully to pupils about what they will be doing. Learning through first-hand experiences is a key feature of the teaching. This contributes to the good standards. Teachers generally plan practical tasks that capture pupils’ interest and make them enthusiastic about what they are doing so that they learn well. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils found how a liquid can change to a solid when it is frozen. The good teaching gradually took the pupils through the process of formulating a scientific question, planning an investigation, predicting results and coming to a conclusion. During the lively discussion that followed in the group work, pupils came to the conclusion that the liquid would take on the shape of the container when it froze. One group of high ability pupils decided that the change in state could be reversed by heating the frozen solid so that it became liquid again.

p.25

Commentary

Pupils make careful observations and measurements using appropriate equipment. They record their findings using charts, graphs and tables. Not enough use, however, is made of ICT for both learning science and recording findings.

p.25

Commentary

62. Very good opportunities exist through practical work for pupils to collaborate and plan work together. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils discussed and organised their own investigation into the rate at which an artificial sweetener dissolved in different temperatures of water, carefully sharing out the tasks so that everyone took part in the experiment. They conducted repeated tests, made careful measurements and collected information on a chart. Skilled questioning by the teacher ensured that the test was fair. With the help of the teacher, they planned to present their findings using computer-generated line graphs.

p.25

Commentary

63. Leadership of the subject is good and management is very good. Very effective assessment procedures have been developed. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject and has a clear idea of what needs to be done to improve this area of learning and raise standards.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff training, the acquisition of good resources and very enthusiastic and effective leadership and management have put the subject on a strong platform for further improvement. • The level of subject knowledge being acquired by both teachers and teaching assistants enables pupils to learn effectively. • The use of ICT to enhance learning in other subjects is developing well but at this stage is less than is normally seen with pupils of this age range. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 24 • The restrictive nature of the accommodation does not allow a whole class to be taught the skills of the subject together. Teachers, however, devise effective, but not efficient, ways around this difficulty.

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Commentary

64. Pupils’ progress, since the arrival of the new resources, is good and their attainment in Year 2 and Year 6 is in line with the standards expected of them. They respond enthusiastically to the challenges presented to them by a broad range of ICT applications and uses, and achieve well. For example, pupils in Year 6 used a simulation package to design the essential circuitry to control the operation of a lighthouse during various conditions of light and weather. They were well challenged in building the flowchart of the sequence of operations, with decision boxes, and learned to include, for instance, ‘delay’ elements in order to control a prolonged flash of light. Pupils benefited from having a parent helper who, with the consent of his employers, regularly shared his professional expertise with them. The additional support from a teaching assistant, a governor and the class teacher enabled pupils with English as an additional language and those

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Commentary

with special educational needs to complete essential parts of the task. High attaining pupils were very well challenged by the scope of the work. Equally, a group of pupils in Year 2, during a numeracy lesson, learned to construct sequences of simple instructions to control the movement of a programmable toy. Having persuaded the toy to draw a square, they drew its lines of symmetry by hand. This activity successfully improved pupils’ skills in both ICT and mathematics.

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Commentary

65. From an early age, pupils learn to handle a commercial-standard computer operating system and careful demonstrations by teachers, using a ‘smartboard’, enable pupils to learn the basic skills of handling standard software packages. Pupils confidently use a mouse to open applications software such as PowerPoint and use this to combine pictures and graphics to present information clearly to an audience, for instance in organising the sequence of events for a class assembly led by pupils in Year 5. Pupils have a good grasp of the technical skills to help them retrieve information from both CD-ROMs and the Internet. Their level of skill in using the keyboard, however, is limited by their unfamiliarity with the location of specific keys and their insistence on using only one finger. As a result, their word-processing is painfully slow.

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Commentary

66. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Some is very good. The clear strengths in the teaching are: teachers’ respect for, and use of, the undoubted level of skills among many pupils; encouragement and challenge; high expectations of how pupils will behave in the complex supervision of groups working inside and outside of their classroom; the effective teamwork between teachers, teaching assistants and other adults; and the effective use of resources. Consequently, pupils acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding expected of them.

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Commentary

67. The ICT co-ordinator is building a file of examples of pupils’ work, assessed against National Curriculum levels and this provides good guidance to staff on standards that pupils are expected to attain. Teachers assess pupils’ acquisition of skills effectively. The expectations of pupils’ achievements and the quality of provision are now higher nationally then they were at the time of the last inspection; the school has improved in line with these higher expectations.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. Teachers are beginning to use ICT to enhance pupils’ learning in other subjects. For example, as part of their study of life in India, pupils in Year 4 learned well how to create a file of information on a particular village. They used a commercial word-processing package to which they added their own text, and dragged appropriate pictures from a collection in another commercial package, re-sizing as necessary. Pupils demonstrated a good grasp of skills, such as choice of font and size to match the style of their presentation. Evidence from lessons seen during the inspection and from samples of pupils’ work indicate some effective uses of ICT in other subjects, such as retrieval of information from the Internet to support learning in history, St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 25 graphs analysing data on pulse rate in science, and e-mails to and from children in a Spanish school by pupils in Year 3. The improved access to computers could now enable ICT to be a

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

more regular and consistent feature of learning in other subjects, especially in redrafting and improving writing.

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HUMANITIES

69. No lessons were observed in history or geography, therefore it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in them. Inspectors looked at the work pupils had already done in these subjects and talked to some of them about it. These subjects were also discussed with teachers.

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HUMANITIES

70. Standards in geography are typical of those usually achieved by Year 2 and Year 6. For example, pupils in Year 2 develop a good understanding of places through their studies of the local area and of Scarborough, a seaside location. This work is developed further in Year 5 when pupils stay at the Hornsea Centre for a residential visit to study such features as coastal formation. In their study of India in Year 4, pupils use computers to create a file of information about life in an Indian village. They compare life in their own town with that of a poor person in Bangalore. This makes a positive contribution to their personal development and understanding of life in other cultures.

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HUMANITIES

71. Pupils develop simple mapping skills in Year 2 and recognise the differences between man- made and natural features. Pupils in Year 6 demonstrate sound understanding of ordnance survey maps, using the keys and symbols. Pupils in Year 5 demonstrate awareness of people’s effect on the environment through their fieldwork studies of land use in Wakefield. They use diagrams and maps to illustrate their work. A local study of St John’s Conservation Area leads to sound understanding of why the environment should be protected for the future. Pupils record information using appropriate geographical vocabulary, but do not have enough opportunity to use books or the Internet for their own research or to use information and communication technology to collect and record data.

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HUMANITIES

72. Standards in history are above those usually achieved by pupils of this age. A rich variety of pupils’ history work is displayed in the school. Good links are made with other subjects, for example pupils in Year 5 have designed, made and evaluated Tudor hats during design and technology lessons, and pupils in Year 4 used clay to make Viking helmets and Victorian candlesticks in art and design lessons.

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HUMANITIES

73. Pupils develop good enquiry skills in history. They gain good subject knowledge about the aspects they study and draw well on this when answering questions. They note differences and similarities between things in the past and the present day, for example Victorian kitchen appliances in Year 2 and scenes of Tudor streets in Year 5. Pupils in Year 1 make carefully labelled diagrams to show the differences between modern and Victorian dolls. Such activities encourage pupils to be curious and ask questions about why things happened. They consider well the effect of decisions made by people in the past. For example, pupils in Year 6 explained clearly the consequences of Henry VIII's decision to divorce Catherine of Aragon on English society at the time. They show good understanding of the sources of historical information and are encouraged to use books, pictures and the Internet to find things out for themselves and to

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HUMANITIES

use their findings to investigate change. They are developing a good sense of the passage of time and throughout the school there are examples of the use of timelines to place key events and people in date order. Visits to places such as Clarke Hall, the local Tudor House, help to bring history alive for the pupils. Here, pupils dressed up in clothes of the period and undertook tasks that Tudor servants would have done.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 26 74. The arts are a strength of the school and make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development. By giving sufficient time to the National Curriculum subjects and additional out-of- school enrichment opportunities, pupils receive a rounded curriculum that allows them to achieve well. Many attain high standards and those with talent are recognised and well provided for. The national award of the Artsmark (gold) is well deserved.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. During the inspection, only two lessons in physical education were seen, both of them in dance, and one lesson in design and technology, so no judgement can be made about overall provision in these subjects. Inspectors looked at the work pupils had already done in design and technology, photographic evidence of activities in physical education and talked to pupils about it. These subjects were also discussed with teachers.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. The school ensures that all aspects of the physical education curriculum are taught. The local secondary school has specialist status in sport and, as a result, links with physical education are particularly productive. These links have developed staff expertise in teaching the subject and have provided access to equipment and resources for the benefit of the pupils. The co- ordinator has received training in the leadership of the subject and provides a good role model for the rest of the staff. There are very good systems in place for assessing what pupils can and can not do and, as a result, teachers plan appropriate work that develops pupils’ physical skills.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. Good opportunities exist for all pupils in Years 3 to 6 to participate in a range of sports clubs, including football, netball and swimming. In the school gymnastics club, pupils have the opportunity to work towards national awards. Pupils participate in inter-school competitions and develop team work which contribute well to their social development. Pupils are taught the importance of exercise for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the need to warm up and cool down to avoid straining muscles. The school has achieved the national Healthy Schools Award.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. Two lessons in dance were observed during the inspection. During a lesson for pupils in Year 2, the teacher led by example, expecting high quality work from the pupils. She effectively demonstrated and gave clear instructions encouraging pupils to think about their response to the music. She carefully linked the theme of the dance to work the pupils were undertaking in personal, social and health education (PSHE) about fox hunting. As a result, pupils explored their feelings and emotions about the subject through dance. They used the space well and could link sequences of movements together and work in pairs to create their own dance. A very good range of visitors enhances pupils’ understanding of dance in other cultures.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Standards in design and technology are well above those expected of pupils by Year 2 and Year 6. Work of high quality often supports or arises in the very good links made with other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 6 designed and made wheeled vehicles driven by simple motors that they then used to investigate the effects of friction in a science lesson. Similarly, pupils in Year 5 used a range of fabrics and methods of joining them to design and make Tudor hats as part of their history topic. In Year 2, pupils designed glove, finger and stick puppets, based on the fairy tale characters they had been studying in their literacy lessons. They then used these to perform their own puppet shows for each other.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Pupils carefully record their designs using labelled diagrams and plans. Attention is paid to developing pupils’ skills in evaluating their own work and that of others. In the very good lesson seen, the teacher very effectively questioned and prompted pupils, enabling them to give their opinions about each other’s designs and compare them with the finished product.

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Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good . St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 27

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high value placed on the subject leads to sufficient time for pupils to develop their skills and benefit from very good enhanced and enriched opportunities for learning. • Teaching is confident, thorough and enthusiastic; as a consequence, learning and standards are of high quality.

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Commentary

81. Pupils in Year 2 achieve very well and attain standards well above those expected for their age. They have a very good grounding in the skills and techniques of two and three dimensions in, for instance, colour mixing, curling and folding paper and printing. They confidently use a good range of media such as paint, pastel, print and clay. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6 study the work of different artists, for example, Henry Moore, Andy Goldsworthy, Dali, Cezanne and Andy Warhol. This helps them firmly build their knowledge of styles, techniques and different art forms from an early age. Visits to view sculpture and working with artists stimulate learning; for instance, an in-depth study of Barbara Hepworth helped pupils produce work of high quality. Art and visiting artists from other cultures, including Asian and African, delight and engage pupils.

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Commentary

82. Standards in Year 6 are well above average and pupils of all abilities achieve very well. Throughout the school, pupils use sketchbooks very well to try out a variety of techniques, using a very good range of media. Pupils show they understand design and plan their work carefully, understanding how to develop ideas to a set brief. For example, in Year 5, they designed images of high quality to illustrate part of an Aboriginal story ‘The Rainbow Snake’, using multi-layered, tactile illustrations. During a lesson in Year 6, pupils used their skills in three-dimensional work very well to build containers using clay. They confidently used a range of coiling, slab and decoration techniques and produced individual pieces that showed flair and creativity. Engrossed, they continued through playtime. Later, pupils’ descriptions and evaluations were well considered and reflected their understanding of the work of craft people.

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Commentary

83. Teaching is very good and promotes high quality learning. Staff are enthusiastic and confident and this is passed on to pupils. Very detailed planning reflects high expectations of pupils of all abilities and makes links to other subjects appropriately. Assessments measure well pupils’ growing understanding and skills. Lessons are demanding, no time is wasted. Visiting artists, partnership with the local art gallery and an after-school club very successfully enrich the teaching and learning. As a result, pupils love art. They are eager to make art, learn more and improve. Pupils in Year 6 commented: “Without the arts you would be a dull person…it broadens your horizons…it enlivens the school…it’s good to be able to put your ideas down in a creative way”.

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Commentary

84. Leadership of the subject is very good and management is good. They provide a very comprehensive and rigorous curriculum with excellent enrichment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high value placed on the subject ensures sufficient time is given for pupils to learn effectively from the very good, enhanced and enriched provision. • The combination of teacher expertise, opportunities for pupils to join the orchestra and choirs, class music making and instrumental teaching motivates pupils to both practise and perform and so reach high standards.

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Commentary

St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 28 85. Pupils of all abilities, in each year group, make very good progress. They achieve very well and most attain high standards. Some pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve very high standards. They have a growing knowledge and appreciation of different types, styles and moods of music, from both their own and other world heritages, by listening to and performing works from, for example, Europe, the Caribbean, the British Isles, Asia and Australia.

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Commentary

86. By Year 2, standards are above expectations. Pupils know the names of percussion instruments and play them with good control. They respond very well to changes in pitch, rhythm and volume, developing very good voice control and performance skills. They have begun to compose their own music and note it down using symbols, and respond by using their arms to show ‘louder and softer’.

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Commentary

87. Pupils from Years 3 to 6, and one talented pupil from Year 1, show considerable knowledge and skill in the orchestra. They read music and phrasing confidently and perform well together, playing piano, percussion, cello, violin, saxophone, recorder, trumpet and trombone. They improve their performance and show great pride in their achievement.

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Commentary

88. In Year 6, pupils discuss the social and cultural functions of songs. They debate the whys and hows of, for instance, spirituals, Bob Dylan’s protest lyrics, the emotions involved in community singing, and they comment on how the music supports the lyric showing an understanding of dynamics - loud, soft, and duration - long and short notes, rhythm, and beat. Pupils show a very good sense of pitch and sing tunefully, with a good sense of shape and melody, and work very well in pairs to compose different lyrics. Some older pupils are beginning to use ICT to support their learning.

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Commentary

89. The teaching of music is very good. It demands the best from all abilities and pupils respond accordingly. Thorough planning based on assessment ensures that all pupils take part in a regular programme of practical music led by the co-ordinator, class teachers and visiting specialists. Because teachers constantly reinforce it, pupils have a good musical vocabulary, such as the names of instruments, chorus, verse accompaniment and percussion. Pupils’ attitudes to music lessons are very positive. They enjoy making music, behave very well, maintain good concentration and are actively involved in lessons. One pupil in Year 6 said: “Music is one of the main parts of my life”. Unsurprisingly, there is considerable take-up of the many additional opportunities on offer during, and outside, the school day.

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Commentary

90. Leadership and management of the subject are very good; the co-ordinator is knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. Resources are well organised, of high quality and readily accessible for teaching and learning, which is monitored carefully.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

91. Only two short lessons in personal, social and health education (PSHE) were seen during the inspection and so no judgement can be made about overall provision. Nevertheless, from observations of other lessons, assemblies, other activities, documentary evidence and the rich and varied curriculum the school provides, pupils develop very good personal and social skills. Equally, the emphasis placed upon sport and physical education, and the inclusive ethos of the school, are effective in building positive attitudes to a healthy life style and a strong sense of citizenship.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

92. In addition to normal lessons, those in PSHE, ‘circle time’ and especially assemblies that celebrate pupils’ achievements or are led by a class of pupils are particularly effective in building pupils’ self-esteem and confidence in themselves and a strong empathy with the lives of other people. For example, in a PSHE lesson in Year 4, following a good discussion of the difference between life in a city from that in a village, pupils worked sensibly in pairs on an activity that required them to make choices that would help ‘street children’ in Bangalore to achieve a better life for themselves. Pupils showed much empathy for the difficulties of living in poverty and St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 29 responded well to the options available at critical stages in the story. In contrast, pupils in Year 2 used their PSHE lesson to develop confidence in expressing their feelings and views about a

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

given subject. Very skilful teaching, linked to an earlier dance lesson based on the theme ‘The Foxhunt’, enabled pupils to express feelings and views of the hunter and the hunted. The quality of the arguments of some pupils encouraged others to change their views. Consequently, pupils’ self-confidence and trust in others visibly grew.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

93. Pupils are expected to take responsibility, for instance by responding to the needs of others who ask for help by sitting on the recently established ‘buddy bench’ or by routine tasks of keeping areas tidy. They are also encouraged to take responsible attitudes to drugs. Pupils learn to play an active role as citizens by supporting a range of charities. During last year, they raised £1,854 for eight charities, including local, national and international charities such as Wakefield Hospice, The Poppy Appeal and Christian African Relief. The totality of what the school provides is very effective in developing pupils’ very positive attitudes and personalities. St John’s CE VA Junior and Infant School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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