Waterbeach Community Primary School

WATERBEACH COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 4 th March 2004

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WATERBEACH COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WATERBEACH COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Waterbeach Cambridge Cambridgeshire Postcode: CB5 9JU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev Nick Moir

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th March 2002

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Waterbeach Primary School is situated in the centre of a Cambridgeshire village and caters for 357 pupils aged 4 to 11. Most of the pupils are from a white British background and live in the villages of Waterbeach, Landbeach and Chittering: a few come from a wide mix of ethnic backgrounds. There are 50 children in the Reception. About one third of the children live on the army base, which is next door to the school. This results in a large number of pupils joining and leaving the school other than at the usual times. A small number of the pupils speak English as an additional language, some of them at an early stage of learning English. The most common foreign languages are Danish, Chinese, Russian and German. The number of pupils having special educational needs, including statements, is below the national average. These pupils have a range of learning, social, emotional and behavioural needs. The school received an achievement award in 2003. It is

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

involved in the Healthy Schools Project and a local drugs awareness scheme. It has close links with the army base and a number of schools which share their expertise with Waterbeach. There has been some instability in staffing in the past and five teachers joined the school in September. Whilst two full-time members of the staff were off sick at the time of the inspection, staffing is generally now secure. Pupils enter the school with a wide range of ability, but overall attainment on entry into the school matches that expected nationally for children of their age. Waterbeach Community Primary School ii

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

8990 David Tytler Lead inspector Personal, Social, and Health Education.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

9708 Sylvia Daintry Lay inspector 21510 Lyn Phillips Team inspector Special Educational Needs; English as an additional language; English; Art and Design; Geography; History; Music; Religious Education. 32239 David Lawrence Team inspector Foundation Stage; Science; Information and Communication Technology. 10668 David Walker Team inspector Mathematics; Design and Technology; Physical Education.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

VT Education Ltd Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Waterbeach Community Primary School iii

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 4

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 4

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 7

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Waterbeach School provides a good quality of education for its pupils, who in Year 6 attain standards above the national average in mathematics and science. Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6 as a result of the generally good teaching and the very good leadership and management of the headteacher and her recently appointed deputy. The school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The school’s very good leadership and management underpins the drive to raise standards for all pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEN) or speaking English as an additional language. • Assessment procedures are good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and the information is well used to plan for individual needs. • Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is very good and underpins their positive attitudes and generally good behaviour. • Too few opportunities are offered in some lessons for pupils to improve their speaking skills. • There are very good arrangements for welcoming pupils, who arrive at various points in the school year, and they quickly settle into school life. • Provision for pupils with SEN is very good and they make good progress. • Marking does not always identify the next steps for improvement. • Good examples set by adults underpin the very good care of pupils, whose views are taken

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

seriously and acted upon where appropriate. • Children are given a good start to their education in the Reception classes. • Very good links with parents and the community support pupils’ learning at home and school. • Whilst the governance of the school is very good, the governors’ annual report to parents does not contain all the required information.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school is significantly more effective than it was at the time of the last inspection. It has tackled successfully all the key issues in the last report. In English, mathematics and science, pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6, and satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2. Senior staff, co-ordinators and governors are now all involved in evaluating the school’s performance. The quality of teaching has also risen, with many more examples of good and better teaching.

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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 B B C C Mathematics D C B B Science D C A 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’ overall achievement is good. Most achieve well in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave Year 6. In the current Year 6, standards have been maintained in English and mathematics, but there has been a slight drop in science. Standards in the current Year 2 match the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, which represents a drop in mathematics since the national tests for seven year olds in 2003. However, standards vary from year to year as a result of the high number of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times, particularly in Years 1 and 2. This high level of mobility means that the comparison with similar Waterbeach Community Primary School 2 schools by the end of Year 2 should be treated with caution. The school’s analysis shows that pupils who have had an uninterrupted education at the school achieve very well. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to make judgements on

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

standards in music In all other subjects of the National Curriculum, standards throughout the school match the national expectations, except in art, where they are above. In religious education, standards meet the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The attainment of children on entry to the Reception classes varies from year to year, but is generally in line with what is expected nationally, although there are some weaknesses in language and communication. As a result of the generally good teaching in the Reception classes, most children will meet the learning goals expected of them by the time they enter Year 1.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are very good. Their social, moral and cultural development are very good and pupils are well prepared for life in a multi-cultural society. Their spiritual development is good. As a result, the school is a united, harmonious, caring community. Pupils have positive attitudes and behave well as a result of the very good care provided for them. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. The good teaching in the Reception classes, together with a broad curriculum, enables children to achieve satisfactorily in all areas of learning. Teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 are good overall, with some very good teaching seen throughout the school. One outstanding lesson was seen, and teaching is particularly strong in Years 2 and 6 enabling pupils to achieve well in their lessons. The good curriculum is enhanced by a wide range of visits and visitors, and a good range of after-school activities. The care, guidance and support for pupils are very good and the school goes to great pains to ensure that newcomers soon become valued members of the school. This, together with the very good links with parents and the community, makes an important contribution to pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school’s leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher’s very good leadership ensures effective management of the school. Her priorities to raise the school’s performance and ensure that pupils achieve well are very well supported by the deputy headteacher and senior leadership team. The management of the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is good and the role of all curriculum leaders is being developed. The governance of the school is very good. The governing body contains a range of expertise and is representative of the community; it plays an important role in planning for the school’s future. With the exception of their annual report to parents, governors meet statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents value all aspects of the school’s work and support their children’s learning well at home and at school. A few parents had concerns about the quality of information they receive and others felt they could be more involved in decisions affecting their children’s education. Inspectors found, however, that the information provided in reports is good and that the school is careful to seek the views of parents. A few parents also had concerns that their children were harassed at school, but inspectors found that there were very few incidents and any that did occur were handled swiftly and sensitively. Most pupils like the school and say that they learn new things in their lessons; that their teachers are fair; that they help them if they find the work difficult; and that they listen to their ideas. In the pre-inspection survey, a few older children said they were not sure who to go to if they had a concern, but inspectors found pupils knew they could rely on adults for

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

support. Waterbeach Community Primary School 3

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

• ensure that the quality of questioning encourages pupils to think about their answers and that they are given enough time to consider their replies; • ensure that marking of pupils’ work consistently identifies the next steps for improvement;

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and to meet statutory requirements:

• ensure that all legal requirements are met in the governors’ annual report to parents. Waterbeach Community Primary School 4

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in Year 6 are above average in mathematics and science, and average in English. Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 and those with an uninterrupted education in the Reception classes and Years 1 and 2 achieve well. Overall, children in Reception and Years 1 and 2 achieve satisfactorily. By the time they enter Year 1, most children will meet the nationally expected Early Learning Goals.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The good teaching in the Reception classes gives children a good start to their education. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well as a result of the generally good teaching. • Achievement over time, particularly in Reception and Years 1 and 2, is adversely affected by the large number of pupils who join and leave the school at various points during their education. • Standards in art throughout the school are above the national average. • Weaknesses in writing, particularly in Years 1 and 2, are being successfully tackled by the school.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 26.9 (27.8) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 28.0 (26.6) 26.8 (26.7) Science 30.7 (28.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 44 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

1. Standards in mathematics and science in the current Year 6 are above the national average and they are average in English. Whilst this represents a slight fall in science since the national tests for 11 year olds in 2003, comparisons year on year should be treated with care because of the regularly changing pupil population throughout the school. When compared with similar schools, based on pupils’ prior attainment in their Year 2 tests, pupils’ achievement was well above average in science, above average in mathematics and average in English. The school’s own analysis of test data and other performance indicators shows that pupils who have been in the school since Year 1 achieve very well.

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

2. The school has made the improvement of assessment procedures a priority of recent years and the good arrangements in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are an important factor underpinning pupils’ attainment and achievement. Teachers in these subjects make good use of assessment information to ensure that pupils can build on what they already know and can do.

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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 (15.6) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.9 (14.3) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.3 (18.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 58 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Waterbeach Community Primary School 5 3. In the current Year 2, standards are average in English, mathematics and science. This represents a slight drop since the national tests for seven year olds in 2003, but, as for the older pupils, comparisons year on year should be treated with care because of the high levels of pupil mobility. Carefully kept school records show that pupils with an uninterrupted education in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. Achievement overall is satisfactory.

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

4. In comparison with similar schools, based on the number of pupils being eligible for free school meals, standards in the tests were judged to be well below average in reading and writing, and average in mathematics. These figures, however, do not give an accurate reflection of the school’s performance as very few children qualify for free school meals. A far greater impact on performance is the large number of pupils who enter the school at various points in the year, often having already had disruptions in their education. The school has very good arrangements for assessing the needs of these pupils and addressing them, so that in the main they achieve satisfactorily.

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

5. The school has identified standards in writing, particularly in Years 1 and 2, as a priority for development and has introduced a range of useful strategies, which are already having a positive impact on standards.

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

6. Timetabling arrangements meant that it was not possible to make an overall judgement on standards in music. In Years 2 and 6, standards in all other subjects of the National Curriculum, with the exception of art and design, match the national expectations. Standards in art are above, and there are many examples of high quality work using a variety of styles and materials displayed around the school. Good use is made of art in other subjects. Standards in religious education match the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus.

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

7. Attainment on entry into the Reception varies from year to year but is currently in line with that expected nationally for children of their age, although there are some weaknesses in language and communication. The good teaching in the Reception classes, together with the good curriculum, enables children to achieve satisfactorily overall. By the time they enter Year 1 they will meet the Early Learning Goals expected for children of their age.

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

8. A very good level of additional support is provided for pupils having SEN or speaking English as an additional language. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory, sometimes good, progress in line with their individual education plans (IEPs), achieving as well as their classmates. The school identifies gifted and talented pupils, although provision for them is at an early stage of development. Two talented mathematicians in Year 6 are set work by a specialist teacher from a nearby secondary school, who gives them additional tuition once a week. The small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language attain standards comparable to those of their peers. Their achievement is satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to their work, and are very well behaved in classes and around the school. Their personal development is very good. Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development are very good. Their spiritual development is good. Waterbeach Community Primary School 6

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• High quality relationships throughout the school underpin the very good climate for learning. • Pupils respond very well to the good behaviour management of their teachers, which ensures that the school is a purposeful and calm community. • Whilst pupils’ moral, cultural and spiritual development is well supported in some lessons, such as religious education and art, more could be done in other lessons to support spiritual development. • The well established school council ensures that pupils are able to express their views about the running of the school and know that their ideas will be taken seriously. • Assemblies tend to focus on moral and social issues, and more could be done to promote pupils’ spiritual development in assemblies and lessons. • Attendance is good and pupils arrive to school and to lessons on time.

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Commentary

9. The school is determined that all pupils, whatever their background, are able to flourish as valued members of a strong, all-embracing community. That it is successful is a direct result of its very positive ethos. This is sustained by the hard work put in by all adults, who have very good relationships with each other and with the pupils. All of this underpins the very good attitudes pupils have to their work. Most listen carefully to their teachers and try hard to do well.

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Commentary

10. Very good arrangements for welcoming new pupils into the school, at whatever point in the year they arrive, ensure that newcomers settle quickly into school life. The prevailing atmosphere of mutual trust and respect encourages pupils to grown in confidence. They know that they will be listened to and their ideas taken seriously. In practical terms, this can be seen in the work of the high profile school council, which seeks the views of pupils as to how the school might be improved.

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Commentary

11. Pupils assist in the day-to-day running of the school and are able to take responsibility for their learning in, for example, investigations in science and mathematics, and when assessing how well they have done at the end of each lesson .

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Commentary

12. Pupils respond well to the good examples set by adults in the school, who show them tolerance and understanding as they encourage them to respect the views of others. This makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ good moral and social development. Pupils also learn the importance of team work in physical education lessons and after-school sporting activities. Cultural development is very well supported in art, religious education, geography and assemblies. At the time of the inspection, there were a number of striking displays in the school of current events pinpointed on a world map or linked with news from the lives of the military families.

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Commentary

13. Pupils’ spiritual development is underpinned by the very strong ethos in the school and is well supported in religious education lessons, in which they are taught to consider the views of others. A recent innovation has been the ‘Think’ books kept by each child. These can be completed at any point but are generally a feature of personal, social, health and citizenship (PSHCE) lessons. Pupils are encouraged to write about their feelings as well as their thoughts, perhaps in relation to a particular situation that is causing concern. Examples seen during the inspection showed that pupils were taking the books seriously and responding to them well.

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Commentary

14. Opportunities for spiritual development, however, are missed in other lessons and some assemblies. Whilst assemblies tend to focus on social or moral issues, a very effective and moving moment of reflection for the whole school was provided in a class assembly on the Bhuddist faith. Waterbeach Community Primary School 7

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Exclusions

There were no exclusions in the last academic year.

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Exclusions

15. The lack of exclusions reflects the school’s determination to ensure that all pupils feel supported by the school’s insistence on high moral and social standards. Pupils respond well and behave well in lessons, assemblies, around the school and at breaks and lunchtimes.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 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 (%)

16. Attendance is above the national average and pupils arrive at school on time. The school has good arrangements for ensuring regular attendance and punctuality.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good education for all its pupils. Overall, teaching and learning are good. Arrangements for gathering and using information on what pupils know and can do are good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, and the information is used well. The curriculum is good in the Reception classes and in Years 1 to 6. Pupils’ experiences are broadened by a good range of after-school activities. Pupils’ learning is also enhanced through the very good support, advice and guidance provided by the school and the very good links with parents and the community.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 60 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 1 (2) 11 (18) 28 (48) 19 (31) 1 (2) 0 (0) 0 (0) 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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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The good teaching in the Reception classes enables children to meet the expected Early Learning Goals. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well as a result of the good teaching. • Teachers manage their classes well and create a good learning partnership with their pupils. • Assessment information is used well to provide for pupils of all abilities in English, mathematics and science. • Skilled classroom assistants work very successfully with teachers to support pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

17. Teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 are good overall. Some very good examples were seen throughout the school, but particularly in Years 2 and 6, which enabled pupils to achieve well. Good teaching was seen in all year groups and in nearly all the subjects observed. Pupils’ achievement Waterbeach Community Primary School 8 over time is adversely affected by the high numbers of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times, particularly in Years 1 and 2. As a result of the good and often very good teaching in these year groups, pupils achieve satisfactorily overall by the end of Year 2, and well by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

18. In Years 3 to 6, one excellent and one unsatisfactory lesson were seen. The excellent mathematics lesson was impeccably planned to include an interesting range of activities to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities, building on their prior attainment. Pupils responded extremely well and achieved high standards. Pupils were swept up by the lesson and maintained their concentration throughout. In contrast, the unsatisfactory lesson, in English, failed to engage the pupils, who became restless and unable to concentrate. The pace of the lesson was slow and the work set did not build on what pupils already knew and could do. The work was too easy for three of the four groups.

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Commentary

19. Teachers manage their pupils very well. In the best lessons, the work challenges pupils of all abilities and engages and holds their interest. As a result, they make good progress and achieve well. In a very good Year 6 history lesson on the end of the Indus Valley civilisation, careful planning provided a range of interesting activities which held pupils’ concentration and made them think for themselves. Very occasionally, in a few lessons, pupils became restless as the teacher failed to hold their interest.

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Commentary

20. Whilst little use was seen of teachers using information and communication technology (ICT) to support pupils’ learning in other subjects, good lessons were characterised by strong cross- curricular links. In these, pupils were able to use their literacy, numeracy and art skills to support their learning in other subjects, such as science, history and religious education. In a good Year 6 science lesson on how to plan and carry out an investigation into light and shadow, pupils made good use of their literacy and numeracy skills to present their findings in written reports accompanied by graphs.

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Commentary

21. Children in the Reception classes are well taught in well planned sessions providing a good range of activities. As a result, most children will achieve the expected goals in all the areas of learning. The high number of pupils joining and leaving the school at various points during the year prevents overall achievement being more than satisfactory. Children who are in Reception for the complete year achieve well. The quality of teaching is good and planning is effective in providing a broad range of activities.

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Commentary

22. Appropriate support for pupils with SEN, or speaking English as an additional language, ensures that they are fully involved in lessons and make good progress, an improvement since the last inspection. On occasions, these pupils are withdrawn from their lessons to work in small groups with learning support assistants in order to improve their key skills.

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Commentary

23. The good arrangements for gathering information on what pupils know and can do in English, mathematics and science is a key factor in enabling pupils to achieve well. Good use is made of this information to ensure that suitable work is set for groups and that it provides sufficient challenge to pupils of all abilities. The school has committed a considerable amount of time to refining its assessment arrangements, and the work is continuing so that teachers can see at a glance how well pupils are achieving and whether or not they are doing as well as they can. Assessment arrangements in other subjects are being developed.

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Commentary

24. Assessment information is well used to ensure that pupils with SEN, or speaking English as an additional language, are consistently and appropriately challenged in lessons. Tracking systems are well developed and regularly monitored by the co-ordinator to ensure that pupils are making the expected progress. As a result, these pupils make good progress. Skilled learning support assistants work closely alongside teachers, using a mixture of humour and tact to ensure that pupils have understood instructions and maintain their concentration during the lesson. Pupils are told how well they are getting on and assessment information is accurately recorded on a daily basis. Waterbeach Community Primary School 9

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good in the Reception classes and in Years 1 to 6. Pupils’ experience is widened by a good range of visits, visitors and after-school activities. The school’s accommodation and resources support the curriculum well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Planning ensures that the needs of all pupils are catered for well. • Whilst strong cross-curricular links are planned into many lessons, not enough use is made of ICT to support learning. • The well planned curriculum in the Reception classes provides well for the needs of the children. • The curriculum is widened through a good range of visits and visitors, and a good range of high quality after-school activities. • The skilled support staff are a strength of the school.

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Commentary

25. The curriculum meets statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and religious education throughout the school. Careful planning involves pupils in their learning, including those with SEN or speaking English as an additional language. This ensures that work is appropriately challenging for pupils of all abilities.

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Commentary

26. The curriculum in the Reception classes covers all the areas of learning through a good range of activities. However, whilst there are good opportunities for children to play outside using a good variety of apparatus and wheeled toys, adults are not always used well to support children’s learning in play activities.

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Commentary

27. During the inspection, the otherwise good curriculum in Years 1 and 2 had a strong focus on reading, writing and mathematics, although the school reported that it covered a wider range of subjects at other times of the year. The good curriculum in Years 3 to 6 ensures that all subjects of the National Curriculum are covered and that it is relevant to the needs of all pupils, particularly through the programme for PSHCE.

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Commentary

28. As a result of a recent significant change in the pupil population, the school has had to introduce two mixed age classes in Years 4 and 5. The school has yet to refine the curriculum for the Year 4 pupils in these classes to ensure that work is neither repeated nor omitted as they move through the school.

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Commentary

29. Good cross-curricular links are planned into some lessons. In a good Year 6 art lesson pupils were asked to consider key features relating to emotions, such as anger or pleasure, as they added texture to their prints of African masks in order to add character. More, however, could be done in planning cross-curricular links into all lessons.

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Commentary

30. Teachers plan very well for pupils to use their reading and writing skills across the curriculum, for example in note taking and writing up the results of investigations in science. More opportunities, however, should be provided for pupils to improve their speaking skills in all subjects. The curriculum provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills but the use of ICT in other subjects is not yet fully developed.

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Commentary

31. There is a good range of visits and visitors into school and a wide range of well-attended after- school activities. The National Curriculum and religious education are well supported by good resources and pupils benefit from the spacious outdoor accommodation. Some classrooms, however, are cramped for practical activities. Waterbeach Community Primary School 10 32. Provision for pupils with SEN is very good overall. Individual education plans (IEPs) are carefully constructed and these pupils are well provided for. Provision for pupils with statements of special educational need is also very good, with parents, and occasionally the pupil, being involved in the review. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum for the few pupils speaking English as an additional language is satisfactory.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils are very good and enable them to take full advantage of all the learning opportunities provided for them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Children are very effectively supported at whatever age they join the school. • The individual needs of pupils are very well known, recorded and catered for. • The school council is playing a key role in improving the provision for play.

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Commentary

33. The school supports and guides all its pupils very well to raise their achievements. It consults and involves them very successfully in developments designed to improve the school. Parents from the village and the army communities are very pleased with the way in which the school helps their children to settle in. Children who are due to start in the Reception class in September were, at the time of the inspection, being invited with their parents to regular ‘toddler story’ afternoons at the school. This enables them to start becoming accustomed to the new environment. Pupils who join the school when their families are posted to the area are very well supported: the school takes very good care to assess their needs on arrival and works in close liaison with army personnel. This involves a significant amount of management and administrative staff time in order to ensure that the pupils quickly become integrated into the school.

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Commentary

34. Pupils feel very secure and confident about their place in the school and are confident that any concerns they may have will be quickly dealt with by one of the adults around them. Very good records are maintained on their personal development and learning needs. These include innovative ways devised by the headteacher of recording and disseminating to all staff the worries that pupils or their parents may have, and an accurate overview of each child’s ability. The school uses its data very well to identify groups of pupils who are underachieving, and targets them successfully for extra support. Year 3 pupils who need additional help with literacy, for example, are guided effectively in small group sessions with a teaching assistant to improve their skills and concentration in spelling.

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Commentary

35. Pupils are fully consulted about proposed developments, such as changes in the school uniform, and are very effectively involved as partners in the drive for improvement. As a result, pupils of all ages feel that their ideas are listened to and they make very good progress in developing their maturity and independence. The school council has a high profile in the school, and members are justifiably proud of their role in raising funds for new play equipment and devising rules for its use.

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Commentary

36. The deputy headteacher is vigorously carrying out his new role as designated teacher for child protection, ensuring, for example, that all staff are fully aware of what to do if they have any concerns about a child and that policies and procedures are thoroughly in line with local requirements. First aid is well organised and the school nurse provides additional training for staff on particular medical needs. Health and safety checks are carried out regularly and records are well kept. Governors have a very good understanding of their responsibilities and of what needs to be done. Plans are in hand to improve the surface of the playground, which is currently limiting the opportunities for play and having a negative effect on outdoor physical education. Waterbeach Community Primary School 11

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents, the community and other schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The headteacher has successfully developed a strong partnership with parents and, as a result, parents are very supportive of the school. • The school serves both its main communities very well by being at the centre of village life and working very effectively with the nearby barracks. • Very productive links with other schools are used to smooth the transfer of pupils and support provision at the school.

p.16

Commentary

37. A large number of parents responded to the inspection questionnaire and attended the meeting with the lead inspector, with most keen to express their great satisfaction with what the school does for their children. Parents support the school very well by attending, for example, their children’s class assembly and a recent workshop for prospective parent helpers. They raise impressive amounts of money to support the school through events organised by the very active Parent, Teacher and Friends Association. Parents have been consulted about many aspects of the school’s development, such as the recently revised homework policy, and as a result they feel able to give good support to proposed improvements.

p.16

Commentary

38. Parents receive a very extensive and useful range of written information about the school, including fortnightly newsletters and termly information about what their children will be studying, and how they can help. A significant number of parents do not like the computer-generated comments in pupils’ annual reports. The inspection team found, however, that these are appropriately personalised and supplemented with very helpful additional information on pupils’ personal development, and contain targets for improvement in English, mathematics, science and ICT. A weakness in the information supplied for parents is that the governors’ annual report does not include the legally required detail about the school’s arrangements for pupils with disabilities.

p.16

Commentary

39. The school is the home for many village organisations, including the pre-school and after- school club, scouts and guides, the village library and adult recreation groups and classes. Pupils benefit from these close links with the village. They play a leading part in the annual village ‘Feast’ celebration which enhances their cultural development. Visitors frequently come to the school to talk about their work or help improve the school grounds. The school’s firm links with the three churches in the village enrich pupils’ religious education and spiritual development. The school also liaises very successfully with the regimental barracks, where many of its pupils’ families are based. Meetings focus on the welfare needs of individual pupils and on how the barracks and the school can support each other. The governing body’s expertise is significantly strengthened by its successful recruitment of members who come from the two main communities the school serves.

p.16

Commentary

40. The school’s very good links with the pre-school groups, which most children attend before joining the Reception class, make an important contribution to the ease with which the children settle in. A notable link is provided by a parent governor who manages the children’s centre at the barracks and liaises frequently with the Reception class teachers in the school. Parents are very pleased with the arrangements for transfer to the local secondary school which include the pupils experiencing a week there in the summer term of Year 6. The headteacher has made very good use of the high level of support and goodwill offered by local schools. A Beacon infant school has provided many opportunities for advice, training and visits to help improve the school’s provision for the younger pupils. The secondary school sends a teacher to the school once a week to stretch the achievements of a small number of pupils who are gifted in mathematics. Other schools have

p.16

Commentary

provided staff or learning resources. Waterbeach Community Primary School 12

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership. She is well supported by the recently appointed deputy headteacher. The governance of the school is very good. As a result, the school is well managed.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The very good leadership of the headteacher ensures that all in the school are focused on raising standards in an ethos which values every member of the school community. • The school has very good systems of self-evaluation and, as a result, priorities for improvement are clearly identified. • Regular monitoring of teaching and learning contributes to good quality teaching throughout the school. • Governors play an important role in planning for the school’s future.

p.17

Commentary

41. The very good leadership of the headteacher underpins the good management of the school. She has a clear vision for its future, as a place where children can attain high standards and achieve well in a school with a very strong ethos and sense of community. She is very well supported in her drive to achieve these aims by the deputy headteacher, the senior leadership team and other key staff, who share her aims and give willingly of their time.

p.17

Commentary

42. The head and deputy carry out a regular and rigorous programme of monitoring of teaching and learning, based on the priorities of the school improvement plan. Lessons are also monitored by local education authority advisers. Support and guidance is provided where necessary and is clearly linked with the schools’ arrangements for performance management.

p.17

Commentary

43. The school improvement plan is clearly focused on raising standards. This is through further improvements in teaching and learning, a wider spread of responsibilities in managing the school and a focus on the provision for PSHCE to underpin pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour. The plan identifies clear priorities with responsibilities, costings and success criteria, although some could be more tightly focused in order to make it easier for the governing body to monitor and evaluate the school’s performance. Strategies have been introduced to ensure improvement in writing throughout the school, particularly in Years 1 and 2, and these have already proved successful.

p.17

Commentary

44. The co-ordination of subjects is generally good, although many co-ordinators are new to their posts. They do not yet, however, have the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in their subjects. The headteacher plans to provide training in lesson observations before introducing a rolling programme of monitoring. Learning support assistants are given good induction and training.

p.17

Commentary

45. The governing body is representative of the community and includes a number of parents, some of them from the army. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and provide an appropriate level of challenge to the school’s senior leadership team. Governors contribute directly to the school improvement plan and regularly review the progress being made towards meeting its priorities. Many work hard to improve the school’s standing in the wider community. With the exception of some omissions in their annual report to parents, governors ensure that statutory requirements are met.

p.17

Commentary

46. The leadership and management of SEN are very good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and committed to improving the quality of provision through innovative practice and making good use of available resources. Difficulties arise from sudden surges in pupil numbers due to incoming transfers and exits from the army base at unexpected times. These put a strain on the Waterbeach Community Primary School 13 SEN provision. The co-ordinator efficiently manages resources to minimise disruption. She has developed very good induction packs for each year group and is therefore able to assess the level of need very quickly. She has established a good communications network with all staff, parents, pupils and outside agencies.

p.17

Commentary

47. The co-ordinator for special needs (SENCO) also manages the provision for pupils speaking English as an additional language and is careful not to confuse the two. Pupils’ progress in learning English is assessed and concerns are addressed.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 844,037.00 Balance from previous year 19,770.00 Total expenditure 791,947.00 Balance carried forward to the next 36,5.47.00 Expenditure per pupil 1,721.00

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

48. The governors and the headteacher work together to ensure that all available resources are used to meet clearly identified educational priorities. The school applies the principles of best value well in all aspects of its work. The trickle posting of soldiers into and out of the nearby barracks with very little notice has a significant impact on the school budget. Children often enter the school before funding is immediately available, although most of the money due does finally arrive. Some costs, such as ensuring the good induction of pupils into the school whenever they arrive, are absorbed by the school budget and never recovered. The very good financial management of the school ensures, however, that the adverse effect is kept to a minimum. Waterbeach Community Primary School 14

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is good.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Since the last inspection, provision for the Foundation Stage has improved and practice is now distinct from other stages in the school. Children enter the Reception classes with standards that are in line with national expectations, although there are weaknesses in language and communication. At the time of the last inspection, standards on entry were judged to be above national expectations. Almost all children, in all the areas of learning, are likely to reach the Early Learning Goals set nationally for children at the end of the Reception Year. The high number of pupils joining and leaving the school at other than the usual times prevents standards overall from being higher at the end of the year. Children who are in school for the complete year in Reception achieve well. The quality of teaching is good and planning provides a broad range of activities. However, teachers and support staff are not always organised appropriately to support children’s

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

learning in play activities. Leadership and management are good. Very good links have been formed with local playgroups to ensure children have a good start to school. Children joining the school at various times through the year are well supported. Foundation Stage profiles are used well to assess and plan the next steps for learning. Teachers and learning assistants work effectively as a team.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Well established routines and good relationships enable children to feel secure in school. • Children show a good level of independence. • Children behave well.

p.19

Commentary

49. Children are taught in a bright and secure environment, where teaching is good. Routines, such as self-registration, develop children’s self-confidence and independence. Nearly all children are able to dress and undress themselves for physical education. They are able to work on their own when, for example, making collage pictures or in groups when in role play such as preparing for a holiday. They are sensitive to the needs of others and are beginning to learn about their own culture and the beliefs of others through practical experiences such as, for example, attending a Diwali party.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Reading skills are well taught. • Children enjoy books. • Whilst children are confident to write, the opportunities to do so as part of play activities are limited. Waterbeach Community Primary School 15

p.19

Commentary

50. The school’s assessment of the children on entry shows that reading and writing skills are below those of their other areas of learning. The good quality teaching of these skills has resulted in children achieving well and standards seen during the inspection were in line with national expectations.

p.20

Commentary

51. Children are given opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. In one session, a group of children working with a learning support assistant were able to give good descriptions of a cave to create a story setting. On other occasions, children are given opportunities to speak and listen to each other, for instance, describing their story plans to a partner.

p.20

Commentary

52. The children enjoy looking at books and a good selection is available in the school. One child sat on the bench in the outside play area engrossed in a book for a considerable period of time. There is a structured approach to the teaching of reading skills. Children recognise letter sounds, are taught to apply them at the beginnings and endings of words and are learning to recognise familiar words. Regular small group reading sessions enable pupils to read and discuss books together.

p.20

Commentary

53. The children enjoy writing. A high proportion of children are beginning to form letters: most can write their own name and some write simple sentences. A range of writing materials is provided in the role play area, but there are too few opportunities for children to use them and be supported to develop their writing further as part of their play activity.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Children’s number skills are well developed and they make good use of mathematical vocabulary. • There are too few opportunities for children to extend their knowledge and understanding through play.

p.20

Commentary

54. Good use is made of songs and games to reinforce and develop children’s counting skills. In one session, the teacher sang number songs with the children, who were required to count forwards and backwards. The children are encouraged to use numbers each morning when talking about the date and the days of the week. Some children are able to do simple addition and subtraction. Teachers’ planning ensures that children learn skills and use the correct vocabulary in a practical way. During the inspection, the children were observed weighing items and the teacher ensured that they used the correct vocabulary of ‘lighter’ or ‘heavier’ when comparing objects. Children’s mathematical skills are developed in other areas of the early years curriculum. When cooking with a group of children, for example, a classroom assistant emphasised counting and measuring skills. Whilst teaching is good, opportunities to reinforce and extend children’s mathematical skills in play

p.20

Commentary

activities are missed when all adults are involved in table based tasks. Waterbeach Community Primary School 16

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Children develop early scientific skills. • There are good opportunities for children to use computers.

p.21

Commentary

55. The good quality teaching in this area provides children with the opportunity to test out their ideas, make observations, increase their scientific knowledge and use the correct vocabulary. During the inspection, children were seen testing a variety of materials to find out which was waterproof. They poured the same amount of water on each piece of material, checked whether any had come through and were able to identify the waterproof material. The children learn about the weather and its changes. In one session, they looked at photographs of themselves in different types of weather and then packed suitcases for different types of holidays. Opportunities to extend the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are provided through visitors such as a local farmer, postman and policeman. In the outdoor area, children show curiosity in using magnifying glasses. They enjoy building with large blocks and other materials. The children are

p.21

Commentary

confident in using computers to enhance their learning. During the inspection, children were observed using the computers to reinforce number and reading skills.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• There are good opportunities for children to play outdoors and use apparatus and wheeled toys. • Children use small tools and pencils accurately.

p.21

Commentary

56. Children display a great deal of confidence and skill when using wheeled toys in the outdoor area. They move quickly, are aware of others around them and are able to avoid collisions. When working in the hall, they are able to move skilfully and show a good awareness of themselves and the space they are in. During the inspection, the children were observed travelling between cones and maintaining balance on a ball. The children’s fine motor skills are developed through a variety of activities, such as using scissors, brushes and pencils and threading beads. The good quality teaching in this area, together with the frequent opportunities to develop their skills, enables the children to achieve well. Waterbeach Community Primary School 17

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

57. Time-tabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was possible to spend only a short time observing creative activities. Children are provided with opportunities to develop their creative skills and provision is at least satisfactory. There are a number of opportunities for pupils to develop their creativity through painting or collage work. The standards achieved in painting are good. Opportunities are provided for the children to use percussion instruments. They enjoy performing, but are over directed with too little opportunity for them to make choices and develop music themselves.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

NB: The last inspection did not report on all subjects of the curriculum so it is not possible in all cases to make a judgement on improvement since then. Waterbeach Community Primary School 18

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Good assessment and tracking systems provide a clear record of pupils’ progress, and the information is well used to set targets and move pupils on to the next level of attainment. • Whilst teaching overall is good, teachers do not consistently allow pupils sufficient time to think before answering questions. • The school takes considerable care to develop literacy skills across the curriculum. • The subject is well led and managed and there are good arrangements for monitoring teaching and learning. • Handwriting skills are underdeveloped.

p.23

Commentary

58. Standards in the current Year 6 match national expectations in reading and writing. In Year 2, standards match the national average in reading but are below in writing. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2, and well in Years 3 to 6, with no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls. Pupils who have SEN, or speak English as an additional language, are very well supported and achieve as well as other pupils. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are grouped by ability, which enables teachers to plan carefully to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities.

p.23

Commentary

59. Throughout the school, the good use of assessment information and the regular monitoring of teaching and learning quickly and accurately identify individuals or groups causing any concerns; these are then addressed very well. Marking, however, is less well developed. Whilst some good examples were seen, marking is not always used to identify the next steps pupils need to take to improve their learning.

p.23

Commentary

60. The school is aware of some weaknesses in writing and has developed a very good range of strategies which are already having a substantial impact. Work is carefully set according to prior attainment to ensure that all pupils achieve the learning objective. There is a good level of challenge in the work set for higher attaining pupils, who respond well. Overall standards in writing are rising because of the strong focus on improvement led by the two experienced co-ordinators. The school does not, however, ensure that pupils use a consistent joined-up style of handwriting or develop handwriting suitable for different purposes, such as labelling diagrams in geography and science.

p.23

Commentary

61. Reading has a high profile throughout the school, which has successfully created a culture where reading is valued, not only as a tool for learning but as a pleasurable activity in its own right. Year 6 pupils can explain why they have chosen particular books and have well-developed skills when using non-fiction books to research topics. Younger pupils use a wide range of strategies to help them read, such as individual or guided group reading sessions, and greatly enjoy discussing characters and events.

p.23

Commentary

62. In Years 1 and 2, teachers explain unfamiliar words well and provide many good opportunities for pupils to practise their speaking skills, but this good practice is not yet shared across the school. Many teachers do not allow enough time for pupils to consider or explain their answers and some questions are not probing enough to enable this to happen. The two co-ordinators, who lead the subject very well, have already identified this and have introduced a number of strategies designed to improve pupils’ speaking skills. Waterbeach Community Primary School 19 63. Teaching and learning are good overall, with some very good teaching seen during the inspection. Pupils’ literacy skills develop well as they move from class to class. Lesson objectives are explained to pupils, remain displayed for them to refer to throughout the lesson and are discussed at the end of lessons. Pupils know, therefore, what they have to do and are encouraged

p.23

Commentary

to assess how well they have done at the end of the lesson. Teachers regularly use a wide range of methods and review and demonstrate activities well. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations of behaviour and of what they can do. Learning support assistants are wisely used and are a crucial element in the drive to extend pupils’ learning.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

64. Opportunities to extend reading and writing skills are very well planned for by all teachers. Note taking skills learnt in literacy lessons were carefully developed in a religious education lesson in Year 6, and in Year 4/5 very good links were made with the history curriculum through the study of myths and legends. Teachers pay good attention to technical vocabulary in, for example, science and geography which increases pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Speaking and listening skills are less well planned for. The two co-ordinators are aware of this and have begun to develop plans for the forthcoming year.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Standards are above average throughout the school and have improved since the last inspection. • Teaching and learning are good and the positive learning atmosphere enables pupils to achieve well. • Teachers carefully assess and record pupils’ progress and use this information to plan lessons that build on what they have already learned. • The subject is very well led and managed. • Pupils’ learning is not always reinforced sufficiently at the end of lessons.

p.24

Commentary

65. Standards in mathematics in Years 2 and 6 are above average. There has been a decline in Year 2, but standards have risen in Year 6 since the last inspection. However, care should be exercised in directly comparing results from year to year because of the much larger movement of pupils in and out of the school than is usual. All pupils achieve well. Two pupils, who are especially able, have additional tuition on a weekly basis with a subject specialist from a nearby secondary school. Those with SEN are also given work that is at the right level for them and they are well supported by teaching assistants, so that they, too, make good progress. There is no significant difference between the progress made by boys and girls, nor between pupils from minority ethnic groups and other pupils. Pupils are grouped by ability, an arrangement which extends the higher attaining pupils but does not dishearten those who find the subject more difficult.

p.24

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning in mathematics are good, and sometimes very good. In one lesson, the teaching was outstanding. Lesson planning ensures that all teachers have a secure understanding of the work and the resources available to support teaching. The objectives for the lesson are shared with the pupils before they begin, which engages their attention and prepares them for the main part of the lesson. The teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and any difficulties that particular pupils may have, so that extra attention can be given when it is required. Pupils find the work stimulating and interesting. This motivates them and they respond by working hard and showing high levels of enjoyment. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well and manage their behaviour well. Waterbeach Community Primary School 20 67. Relationships are good and play a positive role in maintaining the quality of learning in

p.24

Commentary

mathematics. All adults take every opportunity to praise and encourage success. Pupils respond positively and are very keen to participate and show what they know, understand and can do. However, the plenary, or third part of the lesson is not yet securely in place in all lessons. Homework exercises are set regularly and chosen carefully to help the pupils consolidate their understanding and promote independent learning. Assessment of progress and target setting for achievement are very good overall and give pupils and teachers a clear indication of progress. Consequently, future lessons can be planned with the confidence that pupils will be building on what they already know. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used as a teaching resource to engage and motivate the pupils, but insufficient use is made of it to support pupils in their independent learning.

p.25

Commentary

68. The recently appointed subject co-ordinator is building well on earlier work to sustain the good improvement that has been made since the last inspection. The curriculum is good and the National Numeracy Strategy is securely in place. An audit of mathematics has been completed and a subject improvement plan is being implemented. There are very detailed analyses of results in the national tests and the non-statutory tests. There is effective monitoring and pupil tracking in place, which enables targets to be set for individuals and for national tests. The subject is very well led and positively focused on raising standards further. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.25

Numeracy across the curriculum

69. The school provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills in other subjects. For example, pupils consolidate and extend their numeracy skills in science by using graphical skills and their ability to read scales, and in design and technology they are required to measure accurately.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Pupils achieve well in Year 6 and standards are above average. • There are many good opportunities for pupils to carry out investigations. • Pupils make good use of scientific vocabulary. • Good use is made of assessment information to plan for the needs of groups and individuals. • Teachers’ marking does not always identify how pupils can improve their work. • There are too few opportunities for the oldest pupils to make choices about how they record their work.

p.25

Commentary

70. Standards in Year 2 are in line with national expectations, which represents satisfactory achievement. In Year 6, pupils make good progress and standards are above national expectations. This represents a good improvement from the previous inspection when standards were below them. In the national tests in 2003, standards were well above the national average. Care should be taken, however, when comparing results year on year because of the high number of pupils who join or leave the school at various points in their education.

p.25

Commentary

71. The quality of teaching is good overall. Resources are used well to enable pupils to carry out effective investigations. Younger pupils make careful observations and record accurately. Older pupils make predictions, test them out and draw appropriate conclusions. They are aware of the Waterbeach Community Primary School 21 need for a test to be fair. In a mixed Year 4 and 5 class, pupils planned an investigation showing how the pitch of vibrating objects can be changed. Use was made of ICT when, for example, pupils presented the results of an investigation into the rate at which ice melts. There are, however, too few opportunities for the oldest children to decide how to record and present their findings. The newly established assessment system enables teachers to identify what pupils have learnt and what they need to do next. This is particularly effective in developing pupils’ investigative skills. Pupils’

p.25

Commentary

work is marked regularly, but this has little impact as teachers’ comments do not always show how work can be improved further.

p.26

Commentary

72. Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and most are enthusiastic about their work. They work well on group tasks. Teaching assistants are used effectively to support pupils with SEN, helping them to achieve well. Teachers’ planning identifies the scientific vocabulary to be used in lessons. They insist that pupils use the correct terms in their explanations, deepening and extending understanding as a result. In a Year 2 lesson, where pupils were identifying the properties of materials, the teacher had displayed the appropriate vocabulary and used this as part of the teaching. At the end of the lesson the pupils reported their findings using the newly acquired vocabulary correctly.

p.26

Commentary

73. The leadership and management of the subject are good. There is a well-structured scheme of work with well organised resources to support it. The co-ordinator has a clear view of how the subject is to develop further.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Pupils make good progress by the end of Year 6. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards the subject. • Insufficient use is made of ICT in classrooms when studying other subjects. • Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ knowledge and skills are underdeveloped.

p.26

Commentary

74. Standards in ICT are in line with national expectations in Year 2 and Year 6, which represents satisfactory achievement. At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum was judged to have improved substantially as a result of improved resources, and progress was judged to have been good. Resources now need to be improved further in order to keep pace with new developments in the use of ICT. The current resources restrict the pupils from achieving more. The school recognises this and has made arrangements for a new computer network to be installed in the near future, which will provide consistent access to the Internet.

p.26

Commentary

75. All aspects of ICT are covered adequately, including data handling and control. Year 6 pupils’ skills in ICT are well supported in a residential course. However, there is no system for the assessment and recording of pupils’ skills and knowledge although plans are in hand to address this. During the inspection there was very little evidence of pupils using computers in classrooms.

p.26

Commentary

76. The quality of teaching is good overall and in Year 6 it is very good. Pupils with SEN are well supported. Where teaching is very good, pupils make rapid progress, such as in a Year 6 lesson when copying formulae to create tables of results. In a Year 3 lesson, pupils learnt how to add information to a database. During the inspection, there was very little evidence of pupils using computers in classrooms. Teachers often plan opportunities for pupils to use computers in lessons but do not always use them. As a result, pupils are not able to apply what they have learnt in the computer suite. Good use is made of the newly acquired data projectors to demonstrate skills to pupils. Pupils work with enthusiasm and are motivated well by the tasks presented to them. Waterbeach Community Primary School 22 77. The school is well placed to improve standards further. The leadership and management of

p.26

Commentary

the subject are good. Responsibility is shared between the deputy head and another member of staff. In the short time since their appointment they have produced a detailed development plan. Arrangements have been made to replace equipment in the ICT suite to extend the curriculum opportunities offered to pupils. Plans have been devised to enhance learning in every curriculum subject through ICT.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

78. Whilst teachers make good use of ICT in delivering their lessons, the use of ICT across the curriculum is not yet fully developed. Links are made to other subjects when pupils work in the ICT suite, such as producing graphs of survey results in geography. However, in many classrooms computers are not switched on and pupils do not use them enough in a range of subjects.

p.27

Commentary

79. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was only possible to observe one lesson in geography and as a result is not possible to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work and displays indicates that pupils achieve standards that match the national average in Years 2 and 6.

p.27

Commentary

80. Pupils explore their local environment and develop satisfactory mapping skills, with a growing awareness of differences between different localities. Younger pupils can identify significant features of their school and plot their route using digital images. They indicate their likes and dislikes about their environment and use simple keys. They are able to identify successfully the dangers of exposure to the sun and consider what type of clothes they might take on holiday to a given location. Older pupils are able to identify the distinguishing features of their own locality and build on this knowledge in subsequent years when surveying a city centre. They undertake a traffic survey thoughtfully in Cambridge. Strong cross-curricular links with English and mathematics can be seen in the survey, such as the compilation of interview questions and the subsequent graphs analysing traffic information.

p.27

Commentary

81. All classes have world maps celebrating the breadth of travel of pupils and staff. Pupils are keen to talk about their experiences abroad and the friendships they have made. During lessons, they study the human and physical feature of other countries, using a range of secondary sources, for example, resource materials on Chembokolli. By Year 6 they are able to use their developing literacy skills to construct arguments for and against tourism in mountainous areas. Work sampled indicates that pupils undertake unit assessments, with Year 6 pupils constructing thoughtful self- analyses of their topics. The subject is well resourced, for example, with a range of Ordnance Survey maps. Waterbeach Community Primary School 23

p.27

History

82. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was only possible to observe teaching in three lessons. Evidence from these lessons, teachers’ planning and an analysis of pupils’ work in books and on display indicates that standards are in line with national expectations in Years 2 and 6 and that pupils achieve satisfactorily. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils discussed thoughtfully their hypotheses concerning the fall of the Indus Valley civilisation. Pupils responded well to questions, extending and explaining their ideas clearly. They showed good understanding of the difference between primary and secondary sources of evidence. Other areas studied include the ancient Egyptian civilization, children in Victorian times, World War II and a comparison between life in the 1950s and the present. Generally, pupils’ work is sound, but examples of unsatisfactorily labelled diagrams and weak presentation were seen.

p.28

Religious Education

The provision in Religious Education is good.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The school builds successfully on the experiences of pupils. • Assessment is well developed.

p.28

Commentary

83. In Years 2 and 6 standards match the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Teaching in the lessons seen was satisfactory overall, with one example of very good teaching. An analysis of available work and displays and discussions with the co-ordinator indicate good provision. All pupils have good opportunities to explore the customs and beliefs of a wide variety of faiths.

p.28

Commentary

84. Teachers’ confidence and knowledge of the subject are good, activities are interesting and behaviour is well managed. Lessons are carefully constructed, which has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. They are encouraged to reflect on their own lives and those of other people by drawing comparisons. Visits to places of worship significantly enhance the locally Agreed Syllabus.

p.28

Commentary

85. Pupil’s work is attractively displayed around the school and this ensures that the subject has a high status. Resources are well deployed throughout the school. The headteacher is temporarily overseeing the subject and has a clear view of what has been achieved over the last two years. She has ensured that small, but successful assessment units are built into the programmes which enable pupils’ learning to be monitored.

p.28

Commentary

86. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was only possible to observe one lesson, so it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching and learning in art and design. Additional evidence gathered from sketchbooks and the scrutiny of displays indicates that standards are above national expectations throughout the school. Waterbeach Community Primary School 24 87. Sketchbooks show that pupils are carefully taught how to mix colours and develop shading techniques from an early age. This good approach to teaching provides a firm foundation for painting and drawing activities as they progress through the school. By Year 2, pupils can use a variety of different media to reproduce successfully an image of a vase of flowers. Their mastery of line drawing techniques and use of watercolours and collage are above national expectations.

p.28

Commentary

88. By the time they leave Year 6, pupils can use line and shading to great effect, for example, when drawing and labelling a musical instrument. This is further developed through using a mannequin to observe proportion and movement. The culmination of varying techniques was observed through a reproduction in several sketchbooks of Munch’s The Scream . The vivid use of violent colours and the capture of movement and proportion were very well created by a significant number of pupils.

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Commentary

89. Pupils throughout both the infants and juniors explore a wide range of media and use a good variety of resources. Work is carefully linked to other subjects where possible. Haiku poems by Year 4 pupils on winter weather, for example, are supported imaginatively by wax and water resistant pictures. Multi-cultural work is supported through the use of mask making. Year 6 pupils were observed deriving great enjoyment in the one lesson seen, using a good range of materials to make African masks.

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Commentary

90. Very good displays around the school reflect the work of the two art clubs and show an imaginative use of paper, fabrics and paint. The headteacher is temporarily overseeing the subject and shows a good understanding of its strengths and areas for development. The school has invested in good quality equipment and resources are well managed, with pupils taught to use them carefully.

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Design and technology and music

Timetabling arrangements meant that it was only possible to observe two lessons each in design and technology and music. As a result it is not possible to make an overall judgment on provision in these two subjects.

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Commentary

91. In design and technology , an analysis of pupils’ completed work indicated that standards are in line with national expectations and that pupils achieve satisfactorily. The record of a whole school technology day shows that pupils build on their skills as they move through the school. Teaching and learning in the lessons seen were satisfactory. Good attention is given to all aspects of the subject. Pupils in a Year 4/5 class considered how musical sounds might be made by examining several different instruments. They were able to talk about how the sound was made and how the instrument was constructed. This provided an introduction to subsequent lessons in which they would design and make an instrument of their own. In Year 3, pupils investigated how levers might be used and in Year 5 there were examples of the use of cams in constructing moving models. There were also displays of night-lights, in which pupils used their knowledge from science to give

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Commentary

the light, and of puppets and slippers using textiles.

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Commentary

92. In music , no overall judgements can be made about standards or teaching. The new co- ordinator has recently sent out a questionnaire which will enable her to analyse the depth and quality of resources and the expertise of staff. She has recently purchased a music scheme which will ensure coverage of the music curriculum. Peripatetic teachers offer tuition in the recorder, piano and guitar and these opportunities are available to all pupils. Violin lessons are also offered to pupils in Years 3 to 6. Two after school recorder groups and a choir are run by teachers. Waterbeach Community Primary School 25

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Teaching is good and pupils of all levels of attainment work hard to improve their performance. • The curriculum is broad and balanced, and enhanced by a good range of after-school activities. • Pupils’ progress is not yet adequately recorded and assessed.

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Commentary

93. Standards in physical education in Years 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations. Pupils generally achieve well. Health and safety considerations are planned into all lessons. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers are confident in their approach to the subject. In all lessons, the planning is good and linked to clear learning outcomes, which are shared with the pupils. Good behaviour management and lesson organisation, coupled with motivating activities, keep the pupils engaged so that little time is wasted. Teachers use explanation, instruction and demonstration appropriately to support pupils’ learning and assist them in improving their skills, but opportunities are missed to engage pupils in the evaluation of what they are seeing. All lessons begin with warm- up exercises and by Year 6 pupils are encouraged to lead these in a structured form.

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Commentary

94. Pupils obviously enjoy their lessons. They listen to instructions and show good levels of independence. They are enthusiastic and well behaved. Relationships are good between pupils, resulting in high levels of co-operation. Pupils are taught to observe the rules and to be good sports. In these ways, physical education makes a significant contribution to their social and moral development. Good use is made of photographs, certificates and other visual records to help pupils celebrate their sporting successes.

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Commentary

95. The recently appointed co-ordinator has already made her mark. A thorough audit of the subject has been undertaken and a subject improvement plan has been drawn up. Timetabled time has been increased so that the recommended time for physical education lessons is now met. Staff development, targeting dance and gymnastics, has been undertaken and has increased confidence in these aspects. Extra-curricular clubs have been reviewed and renewed and some resources are in the process of being replaced. Overall, the leadership and management of physical education are very good.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The good provision for pupils’ personal education is underpinned by the very strong ethos of the school. • Good use is made of outside agencies to provide sex education and education for drugs awareness and personal safety. Waterbeach Community Primary School 26

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Commentary

96. The development of PSHCE is a priority of the school improvement plan. The subject is co- ordinated by the headteacher, who ensures that it has a high profile within the school. She has recently introduced ‘Think’ books, which allow pupils to reflect on any concerns they may have and how they can best deal with them. Weekly PSHCE lessons are planned in every class. Drugs awareness and sex education are generally taught in science lessons and are supported by outside agencies, such as the police and fire service.

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Commentary

97. Time-tabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was only possible to see three lessons, two in Year 4/5 classes in which pupils considered the pitfalls of stereotyping, and one in Year 3. In the good Year 3 lesson, pupils were enabled to discuss the need to care for their local community. In this lesson, they were given time to consider and amend their responses and, as a result, the understanding of the whole class was improved. Waterbeach Community Primary School 27

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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