Warstones Primary School

WARSTONES JUNIOR AND INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: January 19 th – 21 st 2004

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WARSTONES 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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WARSTONES 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. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 –11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 451

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Warstones Road Penn Wolverhampton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01902) 558 787 Fax number: (01902) 588 788

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr F Heath

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a large community primary and Nursery school which admits pupils between the ages of 3 and 11. The number of pupils on roll has been falling over the last few years and currently stands at 451 pupils. There are 16 single-age classes as well as a Nursery which children attend on a part- time basis for either a morning or afternoon session. Pupils come from a wide mix of home backgrounds and the numbers eligible for free school meals is broadly average. There are 41 pupils on the register of special educational needs. This is lower than average, with most of these pupils identified as having moderate learning difficulties. There are no pupils with statements of special educational need. This is much fewer than is normally found in schools of this size. When they start school in the Nursery, there is a wide variation in children’s attainment, which is slightly below average overall. There are 80 pupils with English as an additional language, with their main home

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

language being Punjabi; 19 of these are supported by a specialist teacher from the local authority.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The headteacher was appointed in September 2003 and three new teachers had started work shortly before the inspection. At the time of the inspection, a temporary teacher was teaching one of the Year 2 classes due to the long-term absence of the permanent teacher. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23239 Mike Capper Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology English as an additional language 9545 Kevin Greatorex Lay inspector 23609 Alison Cartlidge Team inspector Foundation Stage Music Physical education 30897 Jonathan Shields Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology PSHE/citizenship 23658 Stephen Parker Team inspector English History Geography Religious education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 15

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a satisfactory school that is improving rapidly. The school is very well led by the recently- appointed headteacher who has a great determination to improve the school and to raise pupils’ attainment. Pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching are satisfactory, but they are not consistent across the school. Pupils are keen to learn and generally behave well in lessons. Although the school provides satisfactory value for money, it is working with a deficit budget that has been agreed with the local authority. This is a barrier to improvement.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher has a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and has quickly established a very clear vision for school development. • Good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes helps children to achieve well. • Teaching is good in Year 6 with pupils making good progress in many lessons. • Teachers’ expectations in Y2 are too low and the pupils underachieve; standards in writing are particularly low. • The inconsistent use of assessment means that work is not always matched closely enough to pupils’ needs. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in mathematics throughout the school. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. • There is good enrichment of the curriculum through well-established community links. • Shortcomings in books and equipment hinder pupils’ learning.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved significantly since the appointment of the present headteacher, although progress since the last inspection is unsatisfactory because there continue to be important weaknesses in pupils’ achievement. Nevertheless, many of the issues from that time have been addressed. Teaching has improved, and there is now well-managed provision for children with special educational needs. Provision for children in the Nursery and Reception classes is now good.

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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 C C C A mathematics C C E C science C C C A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory , but there is a significant variation from year to year and subject to subject. Achievement is best in the Nursery, the Reception classes and Year 6, where the quality of teaching is generally good or better. Pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language progress at the same rate as other pupils across the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children in the Reception classes are on target to reach the expected levels for the end of the Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and creative development. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on children’s attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 5 Inspection findings, based on work seen, show that there is a significant dip in achievement in Year 2 in English, mathematics and science. In Year 2, pupils’ attainment is average in science, but below average in reading and mathematics and well below average in writing. In science, there is a lack of challenge for more able pupils meaning that they do not achieve as well as they should.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In Year 6, pupils’ attainment is broadly average in English and science but is well below average in mathematics. In English, reading is stronger than writing and the low attainment at the end of Year 2 has a significant impact on the quality of work seen in Years 3 and 4. In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in writing is still below average at present but improving well because of teachers’ high expectations.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

There is good provision for developing pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development . Behaviour is good and pupils have good attitudes towards learning. Rates of attendance have improved since the last inspection but are still below average. Punctuality is also unsatisfactory. Parents do not support the school well enough in this area, although new initiatives to raise attendance are beginning to have an impact.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory and the school is successful in providing a good ethos that encourages children to learn. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall , with good teaching in the Nursery, Reception and Year 6 classes. However, teaching in Year 2 is unsatisfactory, resulting in pupils not achieving as well as they should. Strengths in teaching across the school are the high expectations for behaviour and the way that teachers establish good relationships with the pupils. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory in Years 1 to 6 and teachers do not use information sufficiently well to plan work that meets the needs of all pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

There is a satisfactory curriculum that is successfully enriched by good links with the local community, well-planned visits and other activities. The school effectively promotes the pupils’ welfare in a secure and caring environment. Accommodation has improved recently, although there are still areas that require further attention, especially for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Good quality art displays make the building welcoming. Resources are unsatisfactory. This is an important factor in slowing pupils’ learning in subjects such as English and mathematics.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership and he is given good support by the deputy headteacher and other key staff. Teamwork is strong; many co-ordinators are recently appointed or newly empowered to carry out their roles and responsibilities. They are beginning to make an effective contribution to achieving the school’s goals. Management is satisfactory, with many new procedures not having been in place long enough to have a significant impact. Governance is satisfactory overall. However, the governing body does not ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are supportive and feel that the headteacher is doing a good job and helping the school to improve. Pupils are very happy at school. They like the teachers and feel that they are being given more opportunities to take an active part in school life.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve the quality of teaching in Year 2 by raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils should achieve. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 6 • Improve the overall consistency of teaching throughout Years 1 to 6 by ensuring that teachers make more effective use of assessment to help them ensure that work consistently meets the needs of all pupils. • Improve attainment in writing in Year 2 and in mathematics throughout the school. • Improve resources;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • Include national comparative test data in the school prospectus and annual governors’ report. • Carry out an annual health and safety risk assessment. • Improve annual reports to parents on their children’s progress so that these meet requirements. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

By the end of Year 6, standards of attainment are broadly average in English and science but are well below average in mathematics. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, but it is not consistent from year to year and subject to subject. Achievement is best in the Nursery, the Reception classes and Year 6, where the quality of teaching is generally good or better. There is a significant dip in achievement in Year 2. In mathematics, achievement is not high enough throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good in the Nursery and Reception classes. • Pupils’ achievement in Year 2 is not high enough, especially in writing, where pupils make better progress in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in mathematics throughout the school, with attainment too low by the end of Year 6. • A lack of challenge for more able pupils means that there is some underachievement in science in Year 2.

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Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception Year)

1. By the end of the Reception year, the good quality of teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes means that children are achieving well. Most children are on target to reach the expected levels for the end of the Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and creative development. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on children’s attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.8 (16.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.4 (14.5) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 15.9 (16.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 81 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

2. Pupils’ results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 vary significantly from year to year. In 2003 they show that attainment was:

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

• in reading, in line with the national average and that for similar schools; • in writing, well below both the national average and that for similar schools; and • in mathematics, below both the national average and that for similar schools.

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

3. Inspection findings, based on work seen, show that, in Year 2, pupils’ attainment is average in science, below average in reading and mathematics and well below average in writing. Attainment is lower than at the time of the last inspection in reading, writing and mathematics Warstones Junior and Infant School - 8 and in reading it is lower than indicated by national tests in 2003. In these subjects, pupils’ learning is unsatisfactory in relation to their prior attainment, with there being a significant dip in achievement in Year 2 due to the low expectations of teachers and, in reading, to the poor condition and quality of resources. As a result, pupils leave Year 2 with weak basic writing and numeracy skills. This has a significant impact on overall achievement in Years 3 to 6.

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

4. In science, teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2003 show that attainment was below average when compared with all schools and similar schools. Inspection findings show that whilst most pupils are on target to achieve the level expected for their age (Level 2), a lack of challenge in lessons means that few pupils are working at the higher Level 3. This restricts the achievement of potentially higher-attaining pupils.

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

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

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

Standards in: School results National results English 26.8 (26.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 25.1 (26.5) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.5 (28.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 70 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

5. Pupils’ results in the national tests have been falling in mathematics and science and the overall trend is lower than that found nationally. In 2003, test scores indicated that attainment was:

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

• in English and science, in line with the national average and well above that of similar schools; and • in mathematics, well below the national average and in line with that for similar schools.

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

6. Inspection findings confirm test results, with attainment in the current Year 6 being broadly average overall in both English and science, but well below average in mathematics. In English, reading is stronger than writing and the low attainment at the end of Year 2 has a significant impact on the quality of work seen in Years 3 and 4. In Year 6, attainment in writing is still below average at present but improving well because of teachers’ high expectations.

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

7. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, with the best progress made in Year 6, where the quality of teaching is generally better. However, overall achievement in mathematics is unsatisfactory because a lack of assessment information means that work does not adequately meet the needs of all pupils.

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Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

8. The school sets targets for the end of Year 6. In 2003, these were exceeded in English but were missed in mathematics.

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Whole school (Years 1 to 6)

9. Although national test results indicate that in the past there have been some differences between the attainment of boys and girls, with the exception of writing, this is not evident in lessons or current work. In writing, instances of weaker performance by boys were noted during the inspection. These concerned the inattentiveness of boys who finished easy work quickly or were not drawn into class discussions. Although some teachers successfully tackle such problems, this good practice is not yet consistent across the school.

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Whole school (Years 1 to 6)

10. In ICT, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, with attainment in line with national expectations in most aspects of the curriculum. By Year 6, pupils are confident about using the Internet to Warstones Junior and Infant School - 9 carry out research and they make good use of multi-media techniques to prepare various presentations. However, a lack of resources means that pupils have limited skills in the control and modelling aspect of the curriculum.

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Whole school (Years 1 to 6)

11. Pupils’ attainment is broadly average in religious education by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. By Year 6, pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of Christianity and often show insight into the spiritual significance of religious practices. Pupils in Year 6 show a very good factual knowledge in their current study of Sikhism.

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Whole school (Years 1 to 6)

12. Pupils achieve good standards in personal, social and health education, quickly acquiring good skills and knowledge and benefiting from good teaching and a good quality curriculum.

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Pupils with special educational needs

13. The achievement of pupils with special needs is satisfactory, and they make sound progress through the school. In the national tests in 2003, the number of pupils with low scores in English and mathematics was above average in Year 2 but below average in Year 6. No pupil at present has a formal statement of special educational needs and the number on the special needs register is below the national average. However, the school recognises that the number should be higher, in view of the large number of pupils with low attainment in literacy and numeracy in Year 2. The special educational needs co-ordinator is working effectively to identify pupils with special needs at an earlier stage, so that more pupils benefit from an individual education plan.

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Pupils with English as an additional language

14. Pupils with English as an additional language are identified and supported appropriately. Most are competent in spoken English, do not require extensive individual support and achieve as well as other pupils in lessons and over time. Support from a local authority teacher ensures that pupils requiring additional support have their needs met effectively, enabling them to make sound progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and behaviour are good. Pupils’ personal development and the provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are also good. Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Behaviour management by the headteacher and staff is good. • Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good although there is a small amount of unsettled behaviour in some classes. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. • Attendance is below the national average and parents are not sufficiently diligent in ensuring that their children arrive at school on time. • Pupils have positive attitudes to the school and their learning. • Relationships throughout the school are good.

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Commentary

15. Behaviour throughout the school has been maintained well since the last inspection and continues to be good. Exemplified by the highly visible presence of the headteacher, behaviour management is good. Pupils rise to the challenge of high expectations set by the school and, as a result, their behaviour in lessons is good. Only occasionally does the unsettled behaviour of a very few boys inhibit their own learning. When pupils arrive at school, in assemblies, in Warstones Junior and Infant School - 10 the dining hall, on the playground and even in the closely confined cloakroom areas, good behaviour is consistently achieved.

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Commentary

16. Spiritual, moral and social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Themes and messages in assemblies are used well to promote the pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness. Effective resources are available to celebrate the various festivals. Educational visits and visiting speakers help the pupils to understand more of their culture and history. Members of staff consistently promote social and moral development through their example and direction.

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Commentary

17. Pupils’ attitudes and values have been well maintained since the last inspection and continue to be good. As pupils enter the school in the Nursery, they are immediately involved in activities. They are easily introduced into the routines and quickly accept the high expectations of members of staff. From the earliest stages, children come happily to school and are eager and ready to learn. They are fully prepared to work hard and participate fully in all activities. They show good levels of independence and persevere well with their tasks. This early enthusiasm continues throughout the school as demonstrated by the whole of Year 4 during their study of the Tudors. They were completely immersed in the session led by outside visitors and their expressions conveyed their involvement and enthusiasm.

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Commentary

18. Relationships have continued to be good throughout the school. Exemplified by the considerate attitude of the headteacher and other staff, all pupils show mutual respect and trust. From the earliest time in the Nursery, all pupils constantly demonstrate a willingness to help each other and share resources. They work co-operatively and collaboratively together.

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Commentary

19. Parental concerns about bullying were investigated. The inspection team found that although there are occasional instances of bullying, these are rare. The school has good procedures for dealing with bullying and pupils are very aware of what to do if they have a concern. Pupils are very happy at school and feel that opportunities to take responsibility are increasing. They like the fact that the headteacher is available at lunchtimes and playtimes and knows them well.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.4 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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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

20. Although attendance has improved since the last inspection, it is still below the national average and is unsatisfactory. A significant number of pupils continue to be late for school and punctuality is still unsatisfactory. There is no unauthorised absence reported at the school. The school has recently initiated a number of strategies specifically designed to improve attendance. The attempts by the school to impress the need for prompt and regular attendance has not yet been fully accepted and supported by all parents.

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Exclusions

21. There have been no incidents of exclusion from the school in the recent past.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. There is a good ethos that encourages pupils to learn. Teaching is satisfactory overall although there are wide variations from Warstones Junior and Infant School - 11 class to class. The curriculum is satisfactory and is enriched by well-planned visits and other activities. There is a sound partnership with parents and good links with the local community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, with good teaching in the Nursery, Reception and Year 6 classes. Teaching is unsatisfactory in Year 2. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory in Years 1 to 6 and teachers do not use information sufficiently well to plan work that meets the needs of all pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Members of staff in the Nursery and Reception classes work well as a team, make good use of assessment information and provide an interesting range of stimulating activities. • Teachers do not have high enough expectations in Year 2. • Teaching in Year 6 is good overall and effective use is made of teachers’ specialisms. • Teachers have high expectations for behaviour and establish good relationships with the pupils. • Lessons are well prepared and teachers use a wide range of activities to engage pupils’ interest. • Setting in literacy and numeracy has not had a significant impact on raising standards; a lack of pace and challenge in some lessons means that children do not always learn quickly enough. • Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory and there is insufficient information to help teachers plan work that is closely matched to individual need.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

0 (0%) 5 (9%) 21 (40%) 24 (45%) 3 (6%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

22. The quality of teaching and learning has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection when teaching was unsatisfactory in 17 per cent of all lessons and in 25 per cent of lessons in the Nursery and Reception classes and in Years 1 and 2. Most parents are happy with teaching and have noted a recent improvement.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

23. All members of staff in the Nursery and Reception classes are new since the last inspection and teaching in these classes is now a strength of the school. Members of staff are very knowledgeable about the needs of small children and use encouragement very well to develop the children’s enthusiasm and confidence. Clear lesson planning ensures that there is a good balance between teacher-led and child-initiated activities which capture children’s interest very well across the recommended areas of learning. Very high expectations for good behaviour and very good role models enable children to develop social skills quickly and work well individually and with others. Thorough procedures for assessing what children have learned are used effectively when planning activities, enabling all children to learn quickly.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

24. Teaching is unsatisfactory overall in Year 2. During the inspection, a temporary teacher taught one of the two Year 2 classes. Teaching in these lessons was never less than satisfactory, with an example of very good teaching in an ICT lesson. However, a scrutiny of pupils’ previous work in Year 2 shows that weaknesses in teaching are the main cause of pupils’ Warstones Junior and Infant School - 12 underachievement, with permanent teachers not having high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve. In science, there is too little challenge for more able pupils and some lessons are not well organised. In an unsatisfactory literacy lesson in Year 2, work was not well matched to need, leading to a slow pace to learning. This weakness is also evident in pupils’ recorded work in mathematics, with pupils leaving Year 2 with very weak basic skills.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

25. Pupils make the best progress in Year 6, where teaching is good. In this year group, teachers have high expectations and make effective use of their specific subject knowledge in subjects such as science, religious education and information and communication technology to teach all pupils in the year group. This is effective in ensuring that needs are met well.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

26. A strength of teaching in most lessons throughout the school is the way that teachers manage behaviour and establish good relationships with the pupils. Pupils’ ideas are respected and appreciated and the effective use of praise develops pupils’ confidence well. Occasionally, some pupils are unsettled and do not listen carefully when the teacher is speaking. Pupils like their teachers and find them to be approachable.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

27. Teachers prepare well for lessons and work hard to provide a range of interesting activities that will engage the pupils’ interest. For example, visitors are used effectively to bring history topics to life.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

28. In English and mathematics, pupils are taught in groups organised according to their prior attainment. This arrangement has not been successful in raising attainment. Time is wasted at the start of lessons as pupils change classrooms and work is not always planned to meet pupils’ differing needs well enough within groups, with all pupils being expected to complete similar tasks irrespective of their prior attainment. Where teaching is less effective, the pace of learning is unsatisfactory. These were also weaknesses at the time of the last inspection and are a significant factor in the underachievement that is seen in mathematics.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

29. Assessment procedures are not applied consistently across the school and teachers do not always use their knowledge of the pupils’ prior attainment when providing tasks to meet differing needs. In addition, pupils are not given the opportunity to consider what they need to do to improve their work by responding to teachers’ marking or individual targets.

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Teaching of pupils with special educational needs

30. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all class activities. Teachers take account of the individual targets of these pupils in planning lessons, and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. However, the school still has few teaching assistants to help teachers in supporting individuals and small groups. At times, the lack of close supervision results in incomplete or incorrect work by some pupils. Pupils withdrawn for instruction in small groups make very good progress because instruction is intensive and challenging, involving them in interesting activities that give them a high degree of success.

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Teaching of pupils with English as an additional language

31. Pupils with English as an additional language are supported effectively in lessons and are given appropriate support as required. A support teacher from the local authority works in school once a week. On these occasions, support is good, with a clear focus on ensuring that language skills are emphasised and developed.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with good provision for children in their first two years in school. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 13

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE), but there are weaknesses in mathematics. • The curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures a good start to children’s schooling. • A well-planned range of visits and visitors makes the curriculum come alive. • Resources are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

32. Overall, the curriculum is satisfactory. It is broad and meets statutory requirements. There is a good curriculum for PHSE, which makes a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral education. PSHE is successfully taught through specific lessons and other subjects, as well as through discussion sessions. Pupils are encouraged to think about their lives and their environment and to consider the feelings of others. However, there are weaknesses in the mathematics curriculum, where provision is not planned to meet the needs of all pupils and there is a lack of balance because insufficient emphasis is given to the application of skills.

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Commentary

33. There is a good curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes (the Foundation Stage). There are effective long-term plans for each area of learning and clear expectations for children’s differing needs. The indoor curriculum is a particular strength, with areas within the Nursery and Reception units being designated and resourced to support the different areas of learning. However, insufficient use is made of the two outdoor areas to extend learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

34. The curriculum for children in their first two years in school prepares them well for the National Curriculum. However, the low expectations of teachers in Year 2 mean that the children are not fully prepared for the level of work expected in Years 3 to 6. As a result, a lot of time is spent trying to make up for this previous underachievement.

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Commentary

35. There is good enrichment of the curriculum, with a good level of pupil participation in such activities. Good use is made of visits and visitors to support learning in subjects such as history and art and design. Nearly all pupils have the opportunity to take part in a residential visit each year, making a good contribution to development of social skills as pupils learn to live together. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, although these mainly concentrate upon the older children.

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Commentary

36. The accommodation is satisfactory for the delivery of the curriculum but many areas of the school are shabby and require major investment. The new headteacher has improved the fabric of the building enormously, and pupils report that they like the way that the school has been redecorated. However, much still remains to be done, especially for pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

37. Resources are unsatisfactory. This has an important impact on pupils’ learning, especially in reading and mathematics. The library provision is inadequate and does not encourage the children to read for enjoyment or to find information. In mathematics, there are insufficient teaching resources, textbooks are out-of-date, and there is a lack of practical resources for lessons.

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Special educational needs provision

38. Special educational needs provision is satisfactory and there have been good improvements since the previous inspection, when it was a weakness. Pupils with special needs have suitable individual education plans that set out clear targets to guide teachers’ planning, mainly in English and mathematics. Their progress is monitored regularly and the targets in their individual education plans are adjusted as necessary. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 14 Warstones Junior and Infant School - 15

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes good care of the children’s individual needs. It effectively promotes the pupils’ welfare in a secure and caring environment. Support and guidance for pupils based on monitoring is unsatisfactory. Pupils are involved appropriately in the work of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils trust members of staff who provide sensitive support for pupils’ individual needs. • Lack of assessment procedures means that academic support is not sufficiently focused on individual need. • School has well-considered and effective induction procedures. • Whilst the school follows local health and safety policies and procedures, no formal risk assessment has been conducted.

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Commentary

39. Relationships have been fostered well since the last inspection and continue to be strong. Members of staff have a clear picture of the pastoral strengths and weaknesses of the pupils. In turn, pupils show high levels of trust in members of staff who provide sensitive support for pupils’ individual needs. Pupils confirm that they know whom to approach if they have a problem. However, although academic advice and support are well intentioned, they are not sufficiently well informed. Because assessment procedures are unsatisfactory, pupils receive inadequate individual guidance regarding their academic needs.

p.17

Commentary

40. Pupils with special educational needs are well cared for. Members of staff develop good relationships with these pupils, encouraging them to take a full part in school life. Those who need it are given additional help by visiting specialists, and programmes of support for formal sessions are carefully planned in consultation with school staff.

p.17

Commentary

41. The good quality induction procedures enable the children to feel comfortable from the moment that they first start school in the Nursery. The information provided by the school enables parents to be reassured and in turn to reassure their children. A number of children started in the Nursery during the inspection and were welcomed by the staff and fellow pupils. A wide assortment of inviting activities was immediately available and all the new entrants joined enthusiastically.

p.17

Commentary

42. Health and safety practice follows the local authority guidelines. All members of staff are aware of their obligation to ensure a healthy and safe environment for the pupils. However, no risk assessments have been carried out to assess the potential consequences of eventualities occurring in the school.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has satisfactory links with parents. There are good links with the community and satisfactory links with other schools and colleges.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Outside visitors are used very well to help pupils’ learning. • Information to parents is unsatisfactory. • Parents are pleased with the way that the headteacher handles concerns and is open to suggestions. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 16

p.17

Commentary

43. The community provides a wide range of resources to support the school. Visitors are regular and effectively enhance learning, as shown by the National Trust staff who worked with pupils in Year 4 during the inspection, very successfully demonstrating what life was like in Tudor times. The pupils were totally engrossed in the presentation and the costumes dramatically supported the setting, giving it an air of authenticity. In another lesson, a local police officer was used effectively to advise on drug awareness. Educational and residential visits are both used regularly and effectively to further extend the range of community support.

p.18

Commentary

44. A few parents expressed concerns about the frequency and quality of information provided by the school. In response to the frequency issue, the school has arranged for consultation meetings for the parents to meet the teachers on a termly basis. The school accepts that the information in the annual report to parents is inadequate and needs great improvements.

p.18

Commentary

45. Parents are pleased that the headteacher is receptive to ideas and handles their concerns. They feel that they are welcome in the school and when they have problems they will be listened to. Many parents are actively involved in the life of the school. As well as helping in the classroom and around the school, they also help out on trips and visits. In addition the Friends of Warstones Association is active in fund-raising and social activities. Its fund-raising makes an important contribution to the school.

p.18

Commentary

46. The school values highly the efforts of parents, visitors and other members of the community for the valuable contributions that they make to the quality of education and the children’s learning.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The school is very well led by the headteacher who is given good support by the deputy headteacher and other key staff. Management is satisfactory, with many new procedures not having been in place long enough to have a significant impact. Governance is satisfactory overall.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has established a very clear vision for the school that is fully shared by staff. There is a great determination to improve the school and a strong sense of direction. • Teamwork is strong; many co-ordinators are recently appointed or newly empowered to carry out their roles and responsibilities. They are beginning to make an effective contribution to achieving the school’s goals. • There is good management of special educational needs provision by the deputy headteacher. • The governing body does not ensure that all statutory requirements are met. • The school has a deficit budget. The reduction of this deficit has been carefully planned and is being effectively managed but it is a significant barrier to school improvement.

p.18

Commentary

47. The headteacher has provided very good leadership for the work of the school since his appointment in September 2003. The effectiveness of leadership has improved since the last inspection when it was found to be satisfactory. Parents are very happy with the quality of leadership of the current headteacher and feel that the school has improved significantly in the last six months. Inspection findings support that view, with the very good recent progress of the school largely attributable to the drive, determination and enthusiasm of the headteacher. There is a strong, shared sense of purpose, with pupils’ achievement being at the centre of the school’s work. Member of staff work well together and, as a result, the school is in a strong position to improve further. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 17 48. There is a very clear, shared vision for the future of the school that is based on a very secure

p.18

Commentary

understanding of how the school could improve. The headteacher has spent his first term in post reviewing the effectiveness of different parts of the school’s work and has begun to introduce clear strategies for school improvement. Recent important developments include:

p.19

Commentary

• The rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning, as well as individual staff interviews. As a result, the headteacher has a very good awareness of where teaching needs improving. Performance management is now in place and teachers have been set appropriate targets to help them improve their teaching. • The décor of the school has been updated, leading to a better environment for learning. • The roles and responsibilities of staff have been reviewed, with co-ordinators appointed for all subjects. • There are more effective systems of communication. This has improved staff morale. • The headteacher has begun to pull together all available test data into an accessible and manageable format. This test data is now being analysed to identify how well different groups of pupils are achieving, as well as variations between subjects or year groups.

p.19

Commentary

49. The role of subject co-ordinators has improved since the last inspection. There is a strong commitment to providing an all-inclusive school which meets the needs of all pupils whatever their background or need. Co-ordinators have been fully encouraged by the headteacher to take responsibility for managing their subjects. As a result, they now provide a clear lead in their subjects, and although many of them have only recently been appointed they already have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve achievement in their subjects. At the moment, because they are new to their post, their role in monitoring teaching and learning is limited and this makes overall management of the school satisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

50. Special educational needs provision is well led and managed by the deputy headteacher. A rigorous and well-informed audit of provision has led to a good improvement since the previous inspection. Recommended procedures are carefully followed and record keeping is systematic. Funding for pupils with special educational needs is spent appropriately for their benefit.

p.19

Commentary

51. Day-to-day management is efficient, meaning that the school runs smoothly. The headteacher is well supported by a hard-working and efficient administration team who are friendly and welcoming to visitors.

p.19

Commentary

52. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body is very supportive of the school’s work and it is beginning to become more involved in decision-making because it is being provided with a greater range of information by the new headteacher. Over the last six months, the governors have worked hard to improve their understanding of their responsibilities. There are several committees that meet regularly and perform useful roles, with the curriculum committee making good use of test data to identify strengths and weaknesses. Other monitoring of the school’s work is less well developed.

p.19

Commentary

53. The governing body does not fulfil all of its statutory responsibilities. The areas of omission are: • The school prospects and annual governors’ report do not include national comparative test data. • The has been no recent health and safety risk assessment. • Annual reports to parents on their children’s progress do not meet requirements. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 18 Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,030,114 Balance from previous year 49,145 Total expenditure 1,052,864 Balance carried forward to the next 26,395 Expenditure per pupil 2,043

p.20

Commentary

54. Budgetary limitations are a significant barrier to school improvement. The school is very clear about where accommodation and resources need improving, but the speed at which weaknesses can be addressed will be limited by the lack of available funds. The day-to-day management of finances by the headteacher, finance committee and school secretary is satisfactory. When the headteacher took up post, he needed to negotiate an agreed deficit budget for the current financial year in order to address a shortfall in available funds. Financial planning is now thorough. However, spending decisions prior to the appointment of the current headteacher, such as the very high allocation of funds (nearly 10% of the overall budget in 2002/2003) to pay for temporary teachers to cover for staff absences, were ill-considered and were a significant contributory factor in the school's current deficit budget. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 19

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. Most children attend the Nursery part-time before joining the Reception class in the autumn or spring term before their fifth birthday. Attainment on entry to the Nursery and Reception classes is slightly below average overall and some children have weak social and communication skills. At the time of the inspection, there were new children in the Nursery and Reception classes.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Children achieve well throughout their time in the Nursery and Reception classes and most are on target to reach the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception year. Children with special educational needs, and those for whom English is an additional language receive sensitive, relevant support, enabling them to achieve well. Children develop good attitudes towards learning and behave well at all times. They benefit from good learning opportunities for spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. For example, children in the Nursery made attractive clay divas as part of a celebration of Diwali and children in the Reception class learned about the marriage ceremony by taking part in a mock wedding. The children’s achievement, attitude and behaviour are better than those found at the time of the last inspection.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. Members of staff work together very well as a team and have very good relationships with the children. There has been a complete change in staff since the time of the last inspection, when teaching was found to be unsatisfactory. Teaching by teachers, the Nursery nurse and the teaching assistants is now consistently good. Particular strengths in teaching include the imaginative range of activities planned that engage the children’s interest, the effective use of questioning to extend their knowledge and understanding and the very high expectations for good behaviour. All members of staff have a very good understanding of the needs of small children and the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are given the opportunity to take an active part in all activities. Occasionally, best use is not made of all members of

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

staff when children are being taught as one group. Parents are pleased with the new members of staff in the Nursery and Reception classes and appreciate the good start their children are given at school.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The curriculum is broad and balanced and prepares children well for the National Curriculum. There are effective long-term plans for each area of learning and clear expectations for children’s differing needs. The indoor curriculum is a particular strength, with areas within the Nursery and Reception units being designated and resourced to support the different areas of learning. However, insufficient use is made of the two outdoor areas to extend learning across the curriculum. Assessment information is thorough and information collected is used to provide appropriate support for children and to help plan future activities. Members of staff know the children well and write careful observations as they work. Children are given good opportunities to reflect on the quality of their own work and their comments are carefully recorded. Assessment was not used to match work to children’s needs at the time of the last

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

inspection and work was not structured to enable children to achieve well.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. One of the Reception teachers provides good leadership and management for all areas of learning. Provision has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection, when it was unsatisfactory and there are clear and appropriate plans for future development. There is a strong commitment amongst members of staff to provide the highest quality of education for the children. Opportunities for monitoring teaching and learning are informal, though more formal monitoring is planned. Accommodation is satisfactory overall, though the outdoor areas are not well maintained and provide limited space. The school is aware of weaknesses in outdoor provision, and development of the outdoor curriculum forms part of the whole school Warstones Junior and Infant School - 20 action plan. Educational resources are unsatisfactory and teachers purchase and make many of their own resources to meet the needs of the curriculum.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. There are effective links with parents, who are given the opportunity to support children in their reading at home. There are good procedures for helping children settle into school, with flexible arrangements made for visits. Bilingual assistants provide support when necessary to communicate with children and parents who have limited spoken English.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Supportive adults help children to become confident and independent when trying new activities. • Members of staff are very good role models and enable children to form good relationships with adults and with each other and to behave well. • Interesting activities help children to develop positive attitudes towards learning. • Children have limited opportunity to plan their independent work.

p.22

Commentary

61. Children achieve well and most are on target to meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception year. Members of staff listen carefully to children’s ideas and as a result, children are confident about asking questions and making suggestions. At the start of each session in the Nursery, members of staff provide sensitive support at the same time as allowing the children the freedom to explore the many exciting activities provided. In the Reception classes, children show good concentration as they work at unsupported tasks and when listening to adults. As at the time of the last inspection, children develop good levels of independence.

p.22

Commentary

62. Teaching and learning are good and have improved since the last inspection when they were unsatisfactory. Members of staff in the Nursery and Reception classes have very high expectations for good behaviour and demonstrate their own polite and friendly attitudes at all times. Children soon learn important rules and manners such as the importance of washing hands before handling food and the need to follow class routines. Children are tolerant of one another and learn to take turns and respect the views of others. Teachers provide good opportunities for children to consider how others might feel. For example, children in the Reception class were encouraged to make posters to help a mother dragon find her lost baby and discussed how the teddy in a story would feel when left in the park on his own. During the inspection, no children were seen being unkind to each other and members of staff explained

p.22

Commentary

carefully to individuals why certain actions might be unsafe or inappropriate. Children showed their ability to co-operate with each other when working together to toss the teddy onto a red stripe during a parachute game. Children’s behaviour has improved since the time of the last inspection, when it was unsatisfactory at times.

p.22

Commentary

63. A broad and balanced curriculum ensures that children’s differing needs are met well and children’s interest is maintained. In the Nursery, children enjoy looking at the new activities before settling to a preferred task and Reception children respond well to the good balance between adult-led and child-initiated tasks. Whilst children have good opportunities to pursue their own interests and to explain what they are doing as they work, older children in the Reception class and Nursery have too few opportunities to plan their ideas before taking part in free-choice activities. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 21

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Members of staff develop children’s listening skills successfully. • A well-structured approach to reading makes children confident. • Teachers understand individual needs well. • Resources are unsatisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

64. All children, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well and most are on target to meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception Year. In the Nursery and Reception classes, members of staff read stories with good expression, making them exciting and interesting. Children have better developed speaking and listening skills than at the time of the last inspection, when expectations were too low. Adults speak clearly to the children and ask questions to help develop their speaking and listening skills. Members of staff in the Nursery are particularly skilled at extending the children’s play as they work in the role-play garage or with construction sets.

p.23

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are consistently good and individual books are made to support Reception children in their independent reading. Various methods to help children read unfamiliar words are taught during shared reading sessions, resulting in children of all abilities reading simple texts with enjoyment and confidence. Higher-attaining children recognise rhyming words and are beginning to use their knowledge of letter sounds to help with new vocabulary. All children are keen to discuss what they have read. In the Nursery, children demonstrate a love for books by asking adults to share favourite stories with them during free- choice time. They enjoy learning about the initial sounds of letters by playing games such as ‘Chuck it in the Bucket’ where objects with the wrong initial sound are rejected. Letters to parents outline how they can support children at home with their reading.

p.23

Commentary

66. Members of staff understand children’s individual needs well and, when encouraging them to write independently, know who is ready to look for words on the ‘Word Wall’, or should be encouraged to write more. Members of staff add good quality comments to the children’s written work, identifying clearly the support given and providing encouragement, such as ‘I like the spaces between the words’. Good use of praise supports children well, enabling lower- attaining children to make marks that represent words.

p.23

Commentary

67. There is a broad and balanced curriculum with a good mix between different activities. However, there are too few big books for whole-class work or smaller books for children to read or borrow. Many books in the classrooms belong to members of staff.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Interesting practical activities help to make learning fun. • Effective use is made of children’s numeracy skills. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 22

p.23

Commentary

68. Children achieve well and most are on target to meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception year. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are supported effectively, enabling them to progress well. Children make better progress than at the time of the last inspection.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning in the Nursery and Reception classes are consistently good. Teachers plan a variety of interesting practical tasks. For example, children in the Nursery enjoyed filling old socks with sand and discussing why some with holes did not fill up properly and helped measure out ingredients when making play dough. In the Reception, toy snowmen were used to help children learn to subtract, and dice and small toys made a counting activity fun. Teaching has improved since the last inspection when tasks lacked structure and members of staff did not work enough with small groups of children. There are limited opportunities for higher-attaining children to record their work.

p.24

Commentary

70. There is a broad and balanced curriculum and effective use is made of number rhymes to consolidate learning in a fun and meaningful way. Children are encouraged to use their numeracy skills throughout the day. For example, each day different children count out the fruit for their group during snack time. Members of staff constantly ask questions to help children learn to count and add small numbers together.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

71. This was not an area of focus during the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form an overall judgement on provision.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

72. During the inspection children were making some good discoveries about the world. For example, in the Nursery, children were separating a range of pasta shapes, beans and pulses using sieves of varying sizes, and learning about trapped air by jumping on bubble wrap. In the Reception classes, a teaching assistant provided effective support as children explored the properties of magnets by finding ‘treasure’ buried in the sand. Children are able to watch the development of plants by regularly observing and commenting on how the hyacinth plants are growing. Children use the computers to play various number games and to make pictures. They demonstrate appropriate skills in manipulating a ‘mouse’ to move icons on the screen.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

73. This was not an area of focus during the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form an overall judgement on provision.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

74. Unlike at the time of the last inspection, members of staff work with the children when they are outside, initiating interesting activities such as ring and parachute games. However, there is a long walk to reach a large outdoor play area that will accommodate a whole class and limited use is made of the small outdoor area next to the Reception class because the surface is uneven and there are few resources for physical activities.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have opportunities to work with a wide range of media. • Children’s work is valued and attractively displayed. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 23

p.24

Commentary

75. Children achieve well and most are on target to meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Reception Year. Children have plenty of opportunity to express their ideas by working with a wide range of materials and the curriculum is broad and balanced. For example, children in the Nursery made delightful owls from clay, sticks and beads after sharing a story and looking at a range of pictures in a book. They are provided with a wealth of interesting resources to stimulate their imaginations, such as the sparkly black play dough with stars like the sky at night. Children enjoy listening to different types of music whilst eating snacks and members of staff set a good example for singing, enabling children to sing in tune.

p.25

Commentary

76. Teaching and learning have improved since the last inspection, and are now good. There is a much clearer structure to role-play than at that time. For example, a pretend garage in the Nursery interests girls and boys as they repair vehicles and fill up with petrol. Literacy links are encouraged with the provision of a garage office to complete the necessary paperwork. When children are painting, members of staff encourage them to look closely so that they can add detail and make their own choices about colour and the appropriate size brush to use.

p.25

Commentary

77. Children’s completed work is carefully displayed. In the Nursery, children are encouraged to select some of their own pieces of work for display and the two units are vibrant and welcoming, with models and works of art showing the wide range of experiences offered.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in writing are not high enough by Year 2. • Pupils make good progress in Years 3 to 6. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. • Topics are well chosen to catch pupils’ interest.

p.25

Commentary

78. Standards were average by Year 2 and Year 6 at the previous inspection. In the present Year 6, standards continue to be average overall, reflecting the results of the national tests for the last three years. Writing is below average at present but improving well because of teachers’ high expectations. The Year 6 test results in 2003 showed a similar pattern of improvement, with pupils in that year making very good progress to reach average standards, following low scores in their Year 2 tests.

p.25

Commentary

79. By contrast, standards have fallen in Year 2 since the previous inspection, particularly in writing, which is presently well below average and a cause for concern. Results in the Year 2 national tests in writing fell to well below the national average in 2003, although they were average the year before. Standards in reading have also fallen, and are now below average although they were average in the national tests in 2003. Standards in listening and speaking continue to be average in Year 2 and Year 6.

p.25

Commentary

80. In writing, pupils make sound progress through Year 1, but there is significant underachievement in Year 2 because expectations are too low. Many Year 2 pupils write simple sentences with correct punctuation and spelling of some common words. However, their writing is mostly brief; they do not write often enough or at enough length in English or other subjects to develop the expected skills. The lack of challenge for pupils with the potential Warstones Junior and Infant School - 24 for higher attainment is particularly noticeable. Most pupils have weak handwriting, with poorly formed letters and spacing. As a result, they write too slowly and this weakness persists through the school. It is a significant barrier to learning for one-third of pupils in Year 3, whose poor handwriting hides spelling and punctuation errors, which remain uncorrected. There are many good examples of poetry written in Years 3 to 6, because the short form allows pupils

p.25

Commentary

time to polish the language. Other writing is mostly brief. Standards of punctuation are sound by Year 6, and pupils have a good understanding of effects to influence the reader, such as dramatic speech and detailed description. Too little use is made of a thesaurus, dictionaries and word lists throughout the school. Pupils need more consistent training in proofreading their own work and more opportunity to improve it after marking.

p.26

Commentary

81. Many reading books for younger pupils are old-fashioned and in poor condition. Books are graded so as to develop skills in small steps, but the books read by a small sample of Year 2 pupils did not match their ability closely enough. Two boys found their books too difficult, and they are not interested in reading. By Year 2, pupils recognise many common words and have satisfactory skills in sounding out unfamiliar words, but few are reading at the higher level for their age. The choice of books for pupils in Years 3 to 6 has been improved recently, increasing pupils’ interest. By Year 6, all pupils read silently with good concentration. They read aloud with expression and explain the meaning clearly. However, their private reading needs closer monitoring to ensure that they do not avoid more challenging books.

p.26

Commentary

82. Pupils through the school listen attentively and are confident in discussions. By Year 6, most speak clearly before the class, expanding their ideas with little prompting. Some teachers use techniques to promote speaking skills, for instance role-playing characters in a story in Year 2. There is no scheme of work or assessment procedure to guide progress through the school.

p.26

Commentary

83. Provision for pupils with special needs has improved significantly since the previous inspection, when it was a weakness. Pupils with language needs form the largest group on the school’s special needs register. Their individual education plans set out clear literacy targets to guide teachers in planning suitable work. These pupils make sound progress overall as a result, though the school has few teaching assistants to help teachers in supporting individuals and small groups. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are also given individual help as needed and make satisfactory progress.

p.26

Commentary

84. There is little difference in the performance of boys and girls in the national tests, though instances of weaker performance by boys were noted during the inspection. These concerned the inattentiveness of boys who finished easy work quickly or were not drawn into class discussions. Some teachers successfully tackle such problems through techniques such as ‘talk with a partner’ or note-making before whole-class discussions, by setting clear targets for work-rate and an agenda of tasks. However, such approaches are not consistent and best practice needs to be identified and shared across the school.

p.26

Commentary

85. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, although there are significant weaknesses in Year 2 where teaching is unsatisfactory. In Year 1, teachers successfully build on the good start pupils receive in the Nursery and Reception classes. However, in Year 2, a scrutiny of pupils’ work and observations of an unsatisfactory lesson show that teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve. The lack of direct instruction in language features was a key weakness of the unsatisfactory lesson, and the work set was not well matched to pupils’ needs.

p.26

Commentary

86. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is satisfactory overall. Members of staff have good relationships with their classes and pupils want to do well as a result. Topics are stimulating and often very imaginative, so that they hold pupils’ attention well. Instruction is generally focused clearly on language features, drawn from well-written texts. In the most effective lessons, instruction is energetic and brisk, with effective use of the board to note key points. Teachers adjust their questions so that pupils of all abilities can join in, even though the material is challenging. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 25 87. Monitoring is under-developed. Lack of consistent assessment procedures means that teachers do not have enough reliable and regular information on individual needs to plan appropriate work and remedial action. The recent whole-school award for high quality writing is a good initiative, and displays are used well through the school to celebrate good

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

88. Reading and writing opportunities in other subjects are developed well in many classes, but this is not consistent. There are good examples of word-processing in the junior classes. By Year 6, factual accounts are well structured, using paragraphs. Pupils respond well to stimulating ideas, for instance in history where they write newspaper accounts of Boudicca’s revolt. It is a weakness in some classes that all pupils are given the same simple worksheet when some are capable of more demanding research and extended writing. The library is inadequate, with little stock and much that is out-of-date, limiting pupils’ opportunity to find information for themselves.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is unsatisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment are too low throughout the school. • There are unsatisfactory assessment procedures meaning that in too many lessons, work is not matched closely enough to need. • Good teaching in Years 5 and 6 has a good impact on learning. • The recently appointed co-ordinator has quickly established where improvement is needed and has high aspirations for the development of teaching and learning. • Resources are unsatisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

89. The school has not made enough progress since the last inspection in improving pupils’ attainment, which remains too low. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should, with standards of attainment below average by the end of Year 2 and well below average by the end of Year 6. This is confirmed by national test data in 2003. There has been a significant recent fall in standards; test results at the end of Year 6 have been falling since 2000 and are now lower than were at the time of the last inspection. Results at the end of Year 2 have been falling for the last two years and pupils are starting Year 3 with very weak basic skills due to the low expectations of teachers.

p.27

Commentary

90. Pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language achieve well when supported by a teaching assistant, but the level of this support is limited and in many lessons, they achieve at the same low rate as other pupils.

p.27

Commentary

91. By the end of Year 6, about two-thirds of pupils are working at a level which is about one year behind where they should be for their age. They have insecure number skills and they make many errors when carrying out simple calculations. Their ability to apply their skills to practical applications is very weak.

p.27

Commentary

92. There have been some recent improvements in the quality of teaching, meaning that it was satisfactory overall during the inspection. The best teaching is seen in Years 5 and 6, where teachers motivate pupils well and make good use of a range of resources to make learning fun. In these year groups, planning takes greater account of differing needs, resulting in progress being more secure. In other year groups, there is a wide variation in the quality of Warstones Junior and Infant School - 26 teaching. Teaching was unsatisfactory in a lesson in Year 4 because work was too difficult for most of the pupils.

p.27

Commentary

93. A scrutiny of pupils’ previous work shows that weaknesses in teaching are the main cause of pupils’ underachievement. This fall in achievement starts in Year 2, where teaching is unsatisfactory overall and expectations are too low, and although pupils make better progress in Years 5 and 6, this is not sufficient to make up for previous gaps in learning. Key features of teaching are:

p.28

Commentary

• There are many occasions, especially in Year 2, when pupils’ needs are not met because they all complete the same piece of work whatever their ability. • A lack of suitable teaching resources meaning that too much work is completed on worksheets. • Local authority support has helped to improve the start of lessons, with mental mathematics sessions now being generally interesting and relevant, helping to motivate and engage pupils well. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory, meaning that teachers do not have a good enough awareness of what pupils already know. • Marking and target-setting are not sufficiently developed; as a result, pupils have a limited understanding of how they could improve.

p.28

Commentary

94. The curriculum is unsatisfactory. It is not planned to meet the needs of all pupils and it lacks balance because insufficient emphasis is given to the application of skills. Pupils are grouped according to ability for lessons, but this long-standing arrangement has little impact on standards, because within groups, teachers do not vary the work that they give to pupils according to ability. In addition, the layout of the school means that a significant amount of time is wasted in each day, moving from group to group.

p.28

Commentary

95. There has been no subject co-ordinator for over two years. This has been an important factor in the drop in standards as the lack of consistency across the school had not been identified or addressed. At the time of the inspection, a new subject co-ordinator had been in post for three weeks. She has quickly identified that provision in the subject needs significant improvement and has a very clear understanding of what is required. This vision is shared with the headteacher and means that the school is in a good position to improve.

p.28

Commentary

96. Resources are unsatisfactory. Many of the textbooks are out-of-date. There are few resources to support learning thorough practical activities.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

97. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their skills across the curriculum. Although pupils sometimes use their mathematical skills in subjects such as science and ICT, this is not sufficient to help pupils consolidate or extend skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good achievement in Years 3 to 6, especially in developing investigative skills, although there is sometimes a lack of challenge for more able pupils. • Pupils are keen to learn and behave well in lessons. • Overall, teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6, but there is unsatisfactory teaching in Year 2, leading to some underachievement. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 27 • Marking and assessment are not used well enough to show pupils how and where they need to improve their work.

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Commentary

98. The school has made sound progress since the last inspection, with pupils’ attainment having remained broadly similar. Pupils’ attainment is broadly average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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Commentary

99. All pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6, and attainment is improving rapidly, with most pupils in Year 6 on target to achieve the expected levels for their age. This improvement is due to good quality teaching and the positive attitudes of pupils, which means that a backlog of underachievement is being successfully addressed. Older pupils predict accurately what might happen next and fully understand the principles of a fair test. They use their mathematical knowledge to confidently collate and record the results of their investigations in graphs and tables. However, in Year 2, not all pupils achieve as well as they should. Although most pupils in Year 2 are on target to reach the level expected for their age (Level 2), few are working at higher levels. This is because there is a lack of challenge in lessons, especially for more able pupils.

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Commentary

100. There is no significant difference between the attainment and achievement of pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language.

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Commentary

101. Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning and thoroughly enjoy their work in science. In most lessons, pupils are engrossed in their work and cannot wait to ‘have a go’ at the work that they have been given. As a result, there is good learning in many lessons, although this is restricted when teaching is unsatisfactory, as it is in Year 2. In this year group, some lessons are not well organised, there is not enough challenge and differing needs are not met well. Nevertheless, the quality of teaching is good overall. Very good teaching was seen in Year 5 and there was good teaching in Years 1 and 6. Teachers give a good emphasis to developing pupils’ investigative skills, showing good subject knowledge in this aspect of the curriculum. For example, in Year 6, there are some outstanding examples of learning about forces, with the pupils formulating a hypothesis and then conducting fair tests. In the very good lesson in

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Commentary

Year 5, pupils made three-dimensional models of a flower’s anatomy to consolidate the work they were doing on pollination. The teacher’s effective planning and very good organisation and management of this lesson ensured that all pupils were challenged and progressed well, and they showed high levels of motivation.

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Commentary

102. An important weakness in teaching is that there is an over-reliance on worksheets. This means that there is sometimes a lack of challenge for more able pupils, even in Years 3 to 6 where achievement is good overall. In addition, the use of worksheets limits pupils’ opportunities to use their literacy skills and record their own ideas when writing about their work.

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Commentary

103. Assessment procedures are now in place but information gained from these assessments is not yet consistently used to track pupils’ progress and enable teachers to plan work that is at the right level for them, resulting in missed opportunities to extend the learning of more able pupils in particular. It is not used to set targets for individual pupils to show them where they need to improve their work. Similarly, marking is often a tick or work that has just been initialled by the teacher. This is not effective in alerting pupils as to where and how they need to improve their work.

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Commentary

104. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Whilst the co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and skilled, there is a lack of effective monitoring of standards and achievement. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 28

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of the ICT suite and plan interesting activities that engage pupils well. • There are insufficient resources for teaching fully the control and modelling aspect of the curriculum. • The recently appointed co-ordinator has a good understanding of where improvement is needed. • There are missed opportunities to use ICT in lessons outside the ICT suite.

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Commentary

105. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, with teachers being more confident about teaching the subject and resources significantly improved. There is now a well-resourced ICT suite, although the layout of the school building means that time is lost moving to the suite, leading to some lessons being shorter than planned. This has a negative impact on learning.

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Commentary

106. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations in most aspects of the curriculum. In Year 2, pupils show good skills when using a ‘draw program’ as they begin to make wrapping paper using ‘tiling’. Pupils in Year 6 make good use of multi-media techniques to make presentations about themselves. However, a lack of resources means that pupils have limited skills in the control and modelling aspect of the curriculum.

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Commentary

107. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. All pupils, including those with special educational needs or English as an additional language, make sound progress as they move through the school, with achievement best in the lessons where there are good levels of challenge for pupils of differing prior attainment. In other lessons, there are missed opportunities to extend the learning of more able pupils, limiting their achievement over time.

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Commentary

108. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers are well organised when they work in the ICT suite and they plan interesting and purposeful activities that are linked well to other areas of the curriculum. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, there were good links with pupils’ work in history as they used the Internet to find out about Greece. This helped to make learning purposeful, with pupils responding well and showing positive attitudes towards the work that they had been given.

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Commentary

109. In a very good lesson in Year 2, pupils made very good progress and achieved very well because the teacher had planned work that met the differing levels of capability within the class. As a result, pupils quickly acquired new skills and achievement was very good.

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Commentary

110. The co-ordinator has only recently been appointed. She is a good role model for teachers and pupils, and good use is made of her subject expertise to take all of the ICT lessons in Year 6. This has a good impact on learning in this year group. The co-ordinator has high aspirations for the subject. Although there have been only limited opportunities for formal monitoring of teaching and learning, she has a good understanding of where there are weaknesses, including the need to acquire more resources to support the control and modelling aspect of the curriculum.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

111. Good links are made between different subjects when pupils are working in the ICT suite. However, although every classroom has a computer, these were used only rarely during the Warstones Junior and Infant School - 29 inspection. As a result, there are missed opportunities to practise and consolidate ICT skills by using them across the curriculum.

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HUMANITIES

This aspect of the curriculum was not an area of focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form judgements on overall provision on all subjects.

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Geography and history

112. Not enough evidence was gathered to allow a secure judgement on standards in geography or history in Year 2 or Year 6. One lesson was seen in each subject and teaching was satisfactory in both. This evidence, together with some examples of pupils’ work, classroom displays and photographic evidence indicates that coverage meets national requirements and pupils make satisfactory progress. The school offers an extensive and high quality programme of visits and visitors to stimulate pupils’ interest. Specialist teams who visited the school during the inspection offered pupils in Years 4 and 5 highly stimulating experiences of life in Viking and Tudor times, including taking part in role-play.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Effective use is made of the experience of pupils and the local community. • The scheme of work is in need of revision.

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Commentary

113. Three lessons were seen and pupils’ work was sampled. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 meet the expectations of the locally-agreed syllabus, as they did at the previous inspection. By Year 6, pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the main features of other world faiths. They identify significant similarities and differences between the customs and beliefs of these faiths. Their factual records are accurate and often show insight into the spiritual significance of religious practices. Pupils in Year 6 show very good factual knowledge in their current study of Sikhism. Good use is made of talks and workshops given by visitors, including parents, who are members of the different faiths represented in the community. Pupils also visit some places of worship, and have well-founded understanding as a result.

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Commentary

114. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and one very good lesson was seen. Planning sets clear objectives, and questioning at a brisk pace is used well to probe earlier learning at the outset. Teachers give a clear lead in instruction and discussion. Pupils show positive attitudes, respect and sound understanding. In Year 6, the same teacher takes all lessons; the teacher’s very good subject knowledge was a key factor leading to good achievement in the Year 6 lesson. Pupils with personal experience of Sikhism were sensitively encouraged to help explain to the class. As a result, the topic was explored in depth and detail. In the satisfactory lessons, pupils were less directly involved in exploring ideas and building on what they already knew. In one case, all pupils were given the same worksheet, leaving higher-attaining pupils little time to tackle the more challenging task set as an extension.

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Commentary

115. The scheme of work is to be revised when the new locally-agreed syllabus is available. At present, coverage is sound but inconsistent. For example, one Year 5 class has completed little work this year and the distinction is not clear enough between religious education and Warstones Junior and Infant School - 30 topics in the personal and social education programme. Pupils’ progress is not regularly monitored and recorded.

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Commentary

116. School assemblies make a good contribution to pupils’ understanding, mainly of Christian worship but with reference to the beliefs of other faiths. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

This aspect of the curriculum was not an area of focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form judgements on overall provision in these subjects.

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Art and design

117. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on pupils’ attainment or the quality of teaching as only three art and design lessons were seen during the inspection. Teaching was good in one lesson and satisfactory in the other two. Nevertheless, pupils’ work in these lessons, together with art displays, shows that art is a strong feature of the school. Pupils’ work is well presented throughout the school, making the corridors and classrooms welcoming and vibrant. The pupils use a wide selection of different media in their art. They visit art galleries and more recently had an African artist in residence. This culminates in work on artists such as Mondrian, Alma-Todema and Kandinsky. Pupils talked enthusiastically about their work and said that they liked art because the teachers made the lessons interesting and relevant.

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Design and technology

118. No teaching of design and technology was observed during the inspection. However, a scrutiny of work on walls and in corridors confirms that weaknesses from the last inspection have been addressed. Although there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on pupils’ attainment, the small sample of work seen indicates that pupils are working at an appropriate level for their age, using a suitable range of techniques as they move through the school.

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Music

119. Two lessons were seen during the inspection, with teaching good in a lesson in Year 6 and satisfactory in a lesson in Year 5. In the good lesson, pupils enjoyed listening to and learning street cries, after discussing Victorian pictures of street sellers. The teacher set a good example with her own singing, and helped pupils develop their sound production by showing them how to improve their posture. Whilst pupils identified tunes from rhythm patterns, they were weak at pitching tunes correctly. In the lesson in Year 5, the meaning of a Zulu song was explained by one of the pupils, making an effective contribution towards the pupils’ cultural development. Most pupils sang enthusiastically, though some pupils were inattentive when the teacher was speaking.

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Physical education

120. Three lessons were observed, one each in games, dance and gymnastics. Teaching in all three lessons was satisfactory. The teachers demonstrated a good knowledge of the subject and made effective use of pupils to demonstrate good skills. Whilst relationships between teachers and pupils were good overall, some pupils were inattentive at times limiting the pace of learning. In all three lessons, pupils developed skills at a satisfactory rate and were working at an appropriate level for their age. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 31

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education (PHSE) is good . No citizenship lessons were timetabled during the inspection. This means it is not possible to judge provision in this aspect of the curriculum.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of community visitors to make learning interesting and relevant.

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Commentary

121. Standards of attainment in PSHE are good, with pupils quickly acquiring good skills and knowledge at an appropriate rate. Pupils cover a good range of topics that enable them to develop a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They develop a clear understanding of the dangers of drug abuse and the need to lead a healthy lifestyle. In discussions, pupils show a willingness to listen to each other’s opinions and begin to appreciate how their actions can affect others.

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Commentary

122. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on teaching, as only three lessons were seen during the inspection. In these lessons teaching was good, with an example of very good teaching in Year 6, where a subject specialist takes all lessons.

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Commentary

123. There is a good curriculum, which makes a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral education. PSHE is successfully taught through specific lessons and other subjects as well as through discussion sessions. Pupils are encouraged to think about their lives and their environment and consider the feelings of others. Good use is made of visitors. For example, as part of their work on drug awareness, in the very good lesson in Year 6, a police liaison officer worked with pupils, discussing the legality of drugs and the importance of keeping safe. Warstones Junior and Infant School - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 5 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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