Wavertree Church of England School

WAVERTREE C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 th – 11 th February 2004

p.1

WAVERTREE C OF E 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.

p.1

WAVERTREE C OF E 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. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 1

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 199

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rose Villas Wavertree Liverpool Merseyside

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (0151) 7331 231 Fax number: (0151) 7337 895

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Rev Janet Eastwood

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This average-sized primary school caters for girls and boys between the ages of three and 11. All except the 40 nursery children attend full-time. There are fairly equal numbers of boys and girls. Almost all the pupils are of white British heritage, with small proportions of dual heritage. All pupils speak English as their first language. A high proportion of pupils (primarily juniors) joins and leaves the school other than at the usual admission and transfer times (termed ‘mobility’). The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (20 per cent) is above average. The range of needs includes specific and moderate learning difficulties; social, emotional and behavioural difficulties; and autism. Two pupils have a formal statement outlining the provision that must be made in relation to their special needs. Fifty-one per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is well above the

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

national average. The area in which the school is situated is socially and economically disadvantaged. As such, it is involved in government projects such as Excellence in Cities 1 (EiC). Children’s overall attainment when they begin school is very low compared to what is expected for their age, especially in the areas of communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. The school has gained the Investors in People award and received the Healthy Schools award.

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

1 Inclusion results in schools being targeted to receive additional funding to improve aspects of their work. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 2

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23158 Ms Margot D’Arcy Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology The Foundation Stage 9928 Mr Alan Dobson Lay inspector 23081 Mrs Carol Waine Team inspector English Information and communication technology Modern foreign languages Religious education 11528 Mr Michael Wainwright Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Music Physical education Special educational needs

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

p.4

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). Wavertree C of E Primary School - 3

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 13

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school. Although standards are well below average, good teaching and a good curriculum help pupils achieve well. The school is being led satisfactorily and managed well. Value for money is good.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Overall, pupils achieve well in relation to their starting points. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Standards in mental calculation are weak. • Although pupils attain average standards in information and communication technology (ICT), problems with equipment are preventing them from achieving as well as they could. • Teaching is good overall. • There is a good curriculum. • The acting headteacher and other key staff manage the school well. • Good provision is made for developing pupils’ personal qualities but more could be done to promote punctuality. • There are good links with parents.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good progress since its last inspection. All of the recommendations have been successfully tackled. There has been an improvement in standards, provision for ICT and for pupils with special educational needs. Teaching is better and more effective use is now made of assessments.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good . The above table shows that, whilst standards in relation to national averages are well below average, in relation to similar schools they are above average in English and science. Standards in mathematics are below average when compared to similar schools because pupils’ skills in mental calculation are weak. The school has recognised this and is implementing action to improve things. The results achieved by Year 2 pupils in the national tests for reading, writing and mathematics were also well below the national average but compared to similar schools they were average in reading and above in writing. As with the junior tests, mathematics results were below for the same reason. Throughout the school, standards in science and ICT are broadly average and pupils achieve at least satisfactorily in these subjects. However, the unreliability of ICT equipment is having an adverse effect on achievement in this subject. Standards and achievement

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in religious education (RE) are satisfactory. Singing skills are good. Nursery and Reception children get a good start to their education and achieve well.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ attitudes to school and their behaviour are satisfactory . Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Attendance levels are below average but the school has good Wavertree C of E Primary School - 5 arrangements to encourage regular attendance. Punctuality is unsatisfactory and more could be done to tackle this.

p.6

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides pupils with a good education . The overall quality of teaching is good . Whilst good teaching was seen in all areas of the school, it is more consistently good in the Foundation Stage 2 and the juniors. This is promoting good learning and underpinning improvements to standards. All pupils receive a good curriculum that is enriched by practical work, visits and visitors. Pupils are given a good level of guidance and support and their views are taken seriously. There are good links with parents.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall quality of leadership and management is satisfactory . The acting headteacher has managed the school well since his appointment nine months ago. There is a renewed vision for the future that has raising standards and pupils’ achievement at its heart. The established, good systems for checking on the school’s work continue to work well. The work of the newly-established governing body is satisfactory. Governors are making good strides in learning about the school. They are enthusiastic and committed to taking an active and central role in its development. During an unsettled period, the legal requirement to formally monitor the performance of teachers was interrupted, but is due to restart in the spring. With this exception, governors fulfil all of their statutory duties.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are happy with the education provided. Most have no significant concerns, but a minority are worried about bullying. Pupils also express very positive views about the school but some feel that behaviour is not always as good as it should be. Inspectors found that the school has good systems to identify and deal with any bullying or harassment that might occur. Pupils confirmed this. Inspectors found that in a number of year groups a minority of pupils do behave inappropriately, sometimes disrupting lessons to the extent that it slows the pace of learning. Overall, systems for dealing with inappropriate behaviour are satisfactory.

p.7

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

• improve pupils’ standards in mental calculation; • ensure better reliability of ICT resources; • improve punctuality;

p.7

and, to meet statutory requirements:

• ensure that procedures for the performance management of teachers are implemented.

p.7

and, to meet statutory requirements:

2 Nursery and Reception . Wavertree C of E Primary School - 6

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Although the attainment of Year 6 pupils is below to well below average in the core subjects 3 , overall, they achieved well in relation to their starting points. Nursery and Reception children make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as others and, overall, boys and girls do equally well. Standards have improved since the last inspection.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery and Reception children achieve well. • Whilst, overall, pupils in Years 1 to 6 make satisfactory progress in mathematics, standards in mental calculation are weak and they do not achieve as well as they could in this aspect. • Standards in singing are above average and pupils achieve well in this aspect of music. • Although standards in ICT are broadly average and pupils achieve satisfactorily, they could do better if resources were more reliable.

p.8

Commentary

1. On entry to the Reception classes, many children’s standards in communication, language and literacy and mathematics are very low in relation to what is generally seen at this age. In all other areas 4 , standards are broadly average. Effective teaching and interesting and varied learning experiences prepare children well for beginning the National Curriculum in Year 1. Overall, they achieve well in all aspects of their work. Their progress in understanding number is particularly good and most are on target to reach the expected goals by the end of the Reception year. Whilst children make good progress in learning to read, write and communicate verbally, standards for a significant number are still below expectations by the end of Reception. Most children will attain the expected goals in the areas of personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; and creative

p.8

Commentary

development. It was not possible to make a secure judgement about standards and achievement in physical development.

p.8

Commentary

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

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.8 (14.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.2 (12.5) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.1 (14.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

p.8

Commentary

2. Whilst Year 2 pupils’ results in national tests in 2003 were below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to similar schools they were much more favourable, being average in reading and above in writing; mathematics results were below average, but only fell marginally from the previous year when they were average. The proportion achieving the higher level in this subject was broadly average when compared with similar schools and in reading and writing the proportions were above average. Over time, Year 2 pupils’ test results have risen at about the same rate as those nationally. Teachers

p.8

Commentary

3 English, mathematics and science. 4 Personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; and physical development. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 7 assessed pupils’ standards in science and their skills in speaking and listening as well below average.

p.8

Commentary

3. Inspection evidence finds that, overall, pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 in relation to their starting points. They learn the basic skills of reading and writing so that most attain within the level expected by age seven. The same is true for mathematics and science. In the main, speaking skills are promoted effectively, but standards in this aspect are weaker and have an impact on a range of subjects, such as pupils’ ability to write descriptively and at length or explain things in detail. Over time, girls have generally performed better than boys in the reading tests but in a number of years the situation has been reversed. Inspection evidence did not find any significant differences between boys’ and girls’ achievement.

p.9

Commentary

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

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.2 (25.5) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 23.9 (24.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.0 (25.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 33 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

p.9

Commentary

4. In 2003, Year 6 pupils’ national test results were well below the national average in English, mathematics and science. Compared to similar schools, however, these results were much more favourable in English and science, being above average. In English, in particular, the proportion reaching the higher level was broadly in line with the national average. Mathematics results were below average when compared to similar schools, but the school’s analysis of the results shows that the weakness was linked to pupils’ mental calculation skills. This has now become a priority for improvement throughout the school. Inspection evidence supports the test results. Achievement in mathematics is satisfactory overall, but standards are brought down by the weaknesses in mental calculation skills. Although standards in writing and speaking remain below average, junior pupils achieve well in English.

p.9

Commentary

5. There is a high rate of pupil mobility in the juniors which makes it difficult for the school to set realistic targets to achieve in the national tests. This also poses challenges in terms of the school filling in gaps in pupils’ education or maintaining continuity with previous learning experiences. Overall, the level of mobility has had some negative effect on test results. Despite this, the school’s results in English and science have risen at a similar rate to those nationally; mathematics results, however, have not, for the reasons stated. Another factor that will affect this year’s (2004) test results is the very high proportion of Year 6 pupils with special educational needs. The standards being reached by pupils in Years 3 to 5 are more indicative of what is expected for their age. Over time, girls in Year 6 tend to outperform boys in the English tests, though there is significant variation in different years. Inspection evidence did not

p.9

Commentary

identify any marked difference between junior boys’ and girls’ achievement.

p.9

Commentary

6. In ICT, pupils reach average standards by the end of Years 2 and 6. Teachers plan interesting lessons and pupils are enthusiastic but achievement is only satisfactory because resources are so unreliable. In RE, pupils attain the expected standards and achieve satisfactorily. However, whilst their knowledge and understanding is frequently good, their inability to explain things and record work limits their achievement. Standards in singing are above average and in this aspect of music pupils achieve well. It was not possible to make secure judgements about standards and achievement in other subjects.

p.9

Commentary

7. There is no significant difference between how well different groups of pupils achieve. The generally good match of work to pupils’ needs means that in most lessons higher, average and lower attainers achieve as well as they can, making at least satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. This is because teachers are aware of their Wavertree C of E Primary School - 8 needs and provide them with work that both challenges them and allows them to succeed. The school has identified some gifted and talented pupils and encourages them to take part in workshops run by the local education authority. Other than this, no specific, additional provision is made for them at the school.

p.9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are satisfactory. Their understanding of moral, social and cultural issues is good; spiritual awareness is satisfactory. Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils are keen to learn and behave well. However, in several year groups, a small but significant minority finds it hard to control their behaviour and apply themselves to work. • Most pupils are confident but a few have low self-esteem and lack confidence. • Provision for pupils’ social development is very good and that for their spiritual, moral and cultural development is good. • There are effective systems for promoting good behaviour but, occasionally, they do not work as well as expected. • Whilst attendance is below the national average, there are good procedures to promote this. However, more could be done to monitor and promote punctuality.

p.10

Commentary

8. Overall, standards are similar to those found at the last inspection. Most pupils are interested in and enjoy lessons; show good concentration and work hard; and co-operate well with their classmates. In several year groups, however, there are some who find it difficult to behave appropriately in lessons or maintain concentration, particularly in tasks that they are asked to complete independently. These pupils do not produce enough work and occasionally slow the learning of others because teachers have to spend too much time managing their behaviour. When expressing their views about the school in a questionnaire, many junior pupils pointed out that behaviour is not always as good as it should be. Many pupils said that this was the thing they most wanted to see improved.

p.10

Commentary

9. Whilst most teachers apply the school’s moral code and rewards and sanctions policy effectively, others are not always insistent enough on high standards of behaviour. Some pupils have special educational needs that specifically relate to their behaviour. Occasionally, when there is a lack of additional adult support, a few of these pupils are disruptive in lessons. The system where pupils spend a designated amount of time in another class for inappropriate behaviour does not always work out. During the inspection, instances were noted where these pupils diverted the attention of both teachers and pupils in the classes they visited. Movement around the school is not always as orderly as it should be, but there are good levels of supervision and safety on the staircases. There have been no exclusions during the past year. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 9 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.10

Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No. of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 127 0 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 11 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.11

Commentary

10. Relationships between pupils are sound; they mainly play well together in mixed groups and no one is isolated. The school works hard and successfully to combat bullying and racism. Play in the playground is quite boisterous but pupils maintain that bullying is rare; if any unpleasant incidents do occur, they know what to do and are confident that the staff will deal effectively with the problem. Most pupils have good levels of self-esteem but, again, a significant minority lack confidence and are reluctant to take an active part in lessons or school activities.

p.11

Commentary

11. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good and that for their social development is very good. Staff work very hard to develop pupils’ social skills and self-esteem and the learning mentor is an effective figure in this work. Pupils have many opportunities to learn to live as members of a community. For example, there is a good range of out-of-school clubs, a school council, and residential visits for all pupils from Years 1 to 6. Spiritual development is promoted well in whole-school acts of worship and in lessons and special events. A good example was the visit from the ‘Bug Man’; pupils were amazed and astonished on seeing and handling the range of creatures he cares for. The good provision for promoting pupils’ moral development gives them a secure understanding of right from wrong. A particularly good feature of this is the way the school raises pupils’ awareness of their responsibilities for others and the world

p.11

Commentary

• are planning to collect used spectacles for an eyesight charity working in Africa; • send Christmas presents in shoeboxes to children in Eastern Europe; • discuss moral issues in the wider world, such as the fate of endangered animals; and • recycle products such as computer print cassettes.

p.11

Commentary

12. Provision for cultural development is good and has improved since the previous inspection. As well as studying their own and other European cultures, pupils now have greater opportunities to study non-European cultures in various subjects, such as RE, art and design and literacy. For example, following a study of an African poet, pupils wrote their own poems about Africa.

p.11

Attendance

13. The school gives good attendance a high priority. This is promoted well using awards and certificates to motivate pupils. Routines are communicated clearly to parents and pupils’ reports contain unambiguous comments about their attendance. However, the overall level remains stubbornly below the national average. Punctuality is unsatisfactory. Too many parents do not get their children to school on time, resulting in pupils drifting into lessons during the first 15 minutes of the day. In response, the school has rearranged timetables so that pupils who are regularly late do not always miss the same lesson. However, regular monitoring of lateness applies only to those pupils who are more than 15 minutes late and thus does not encourage pupils to be on time. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 10 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.11

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.3 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.

p.12

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good, with strengths in teaching and the curriculum.

p.12

Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching is good and has improved since the last inspection. Almost all of the teaching for nursery and Reception children is good. In Years 1 and 2, 40 per cent is good or better and in Years 3 to 6 over 60 per cent is good or better. Assessment is good and has also improved since the last inspection.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in nursery and Reception classes gives children a good start to their education. • Throughout the school, teachers use a good range of methods to help pupils learn. • Effective use is made of ICT in lessons. • Teachers have good relationships with pupils. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. • Assessment procedures are good. The information gained is used well to promote pupils’ progress. • Marking does not always point out how work might be improved.

p.12

Commentary

14. Effective teaching of nursery and Reception children gives them a good start to their education. The teacher and nursery nurse work effectively as a team. Basic literacy and numeracy skills and those of personal and social development are constantly promoted in interesting and relevant contexts. Teachers have secure knowledge of how young children learn and expect a lot of them. They plan interesting activities that motivate children and regularly assess their progress. The information from assessments and lesson evaluations is used well to help plan future work for the class, groups and individuals. A good example was seen in Reception where a planned mathematics lesson was modified in response to the children’s performance on the previous day.

p.12

Commentary

15. Throughout the school, there are strengths in many aspects of teaching, including teachers’ subject knowledge; their relationships with pupils; and the resources and methods that they use, such as questioning, to capture and maintain pupils’ interest. There has been particularly good improvement to the range of methods used. The last inspection judged these to be too narrow thereby inhibiting opportunities for pupils to engage in investigative and collaborative work and independent research. There are now good opportunities for such work, especially in the juniors. Teachers’ good relationships with pupils help them to feel confident. Consequently, many have good attitudes to work and enjoy school. Teachers’ planning has also improved. Clear learning objectives are set for each lesson and are usually shared with pupils so that they know what is required of them and can evaluate how well they have learned. Whilst there

p.12

Commentary

are problems with ICT resources in the suite, teachers plan for and ensure good use of classroom computers to promote ICT skills and to support learning across the curriculum. A particularly good example was seen in Year 5 where pupils researched information about the Wavertree C of E Primary School - 11 moon in a science lesson. Teachers’ good incorporation of ICT into planning across the curriculum has been a significant factor in promoting the rise in standards in this subject.

p.12

Commentary

16. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers are aware of pupils’ individual targets and plan work that helps them achieve these. This, again, represents an improvement since the last inspection when work for these pupils was often too difficult. When classroom assistants are present, they provide strong support to teachers and pupils. They are especially effective in helping pupils to take a full part in lessons and in supporting them in group and individual work. Pupils have their own copies of the individual education plans (IEP’s) that are constructed for them. This keeps them informed about their targets and the progress that they are making toward them.

p.13

Commentary

17. There is a good range of assessment procedures, particularly in English and mathematics. The school makes good use of the information from assessments to identify areas for improvement. Teachers use assessment information effectively to match work to pupils’ needs and to set targets for group work; this is helping to promote good learning for all. In English, pupils are given individual targets for improvement so they know what they are aiming for and how well they are progressing. Targets are also set in mathematics and science, but these are not quite as sharp, being levelled at groups rather than individuals. Whilst teachers give good verbal feedback to pupils about how well they are doing, the quality of marking is variable. It congratulates success very well but rarely tells pupils how they could improve.

p.13

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

p.13

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.13

Commentary

0 (0%) 3 (9%) 17 (50%) 14 (41%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.13

Commentary

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

p.13

The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum with a range of enrichment opportunities. The overall quality of the accommodation and resources is satisfactory. Whilst there are strengths in resources for some subjects, resources for ICT are unreliable.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The unreliability of ICT resources reduces the quality of learning experiences in this subject. • The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of additional learning opportunities. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Provision for personal, social and health education is good.

p.13

Commentary

18. All pupils benefit from a broad curriculum that is enriched by a good range of additional activities. For instance, there is a selection of sports clubs, which are well supported. Other opportunities include clubs for art, computers, chess and study. A wide range of visits supports learning well in various subjects. For example, pupils visit Eden Camp when studying World War Two; they also visit art galleries, the Beatles museum, the theatre and ballet. Three different modern foreign languages are taught and visitors such as the ‘Bug Man' provide interest and excitement in learning. Residential visits for pupils in Years 1 to 6 add to their personal as well as academic development. For instance, they search for mini-beasts and enjoy outdoor adventurous activities. This contributes well to the good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE). Wavertree C of E Primary School - 12

p.13

Commentary

19. All classes are allocated times in the computer suite but during the inspection this was under- used. Part of the problem is the unreliability of the hardware, which frustrates both teachers and pupils when planned lessons have to be abandoned. Some good use was seen, however, not only in developing pupils’ ICT skills but also in promoting their knowledge and skills in other subjects, such as data handling.

p.14

Commentary

20. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. All are fully included in the whole curriculum. Their individual learning plans are detailed and provide good support for teachers and other staff in planning work for them. On occasions, some pupils receive additional tasks and support, which boosts their learning and confidence.

p.14

Commentary

21. There are some notably good features of the accommodation, which has been attractively refurbished. Some areas are restrictive, however, such as the size of the Year 6 classroom and the size and shape of the hall. Overall, there has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.14

Care, guidance and support

Pupils are well cared for at school. Procedures for child protection and health and safety are satisfactory. Support for pupils’ academic and personal development is good. The school makes good provision for taking pupils’ views into account.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are well looked after in a safe and secure environment. • Anti-bullying procedures are effective. • Pupils are given good support and advice about their academic and personal progress. • New pupils and their parents have a good introduction to the school. • The school listens to pupils and takes their views seriously.

p.14

Commentary

22. The school is a caring community where pupils are well looked after and treated with respect. Staff know pupils well. Supervision is good at all times. There are good procedures for coping with potential hazards, such as crossing the road to the playground and climbing stairs within the building. Great care is taken to make sure that infants leave school with an appropriate person. Parents are right to feel confident that while at school their children are in a safe and secure environment.

p.14

Commentary

23. The school has good procedures for combating bullying. The subject is regularly discussed in lessons and assemblies. Very good, twice-yearly questionnaires to pupils ensure that staff are fully aware of any general issues or an individual’s concerns. Incidents are rigorously followed up and good records kept. Pupils express confidence in the staff’s ability to sort out any problems and do not consider bullying to be an issue. A few parents expressed concerns over the subject. The inspectors found that the school’s anti-bullying procedures work well.

p.14

Commentary

24. The school makes good use of effective systems for tracking pupils’ progress to ensure that all pupils know what they have to do to improve in English and mathematics. Personal development is monitored more informally, but equally effectively. If necessary, pupils are given clear targets on how to improve, for instance, their behaviour; these are included in their annual reports. The learning mentor (funded by the EiC initiative) is effective in giving additional support when needed to individual pupils, particularly in the area of boosting their self-esteem.

p.14

Commentary

25. Many pupils transfer to the school from other schools. There are good systems for ensuring that these pupils and their parents are fully informed about the school’s procedures and are made to feel welcome. Parents commented favourably on the effectiveness of these procedures and particularly the usefulness of the school’s informative Welcome Pack . Wavertree C of E Primary School - 13 26. The school listens to pupils’ views. The school council, whose members are elected annually from Year 3 onwards, is well established and meets fortnightly. Good notes are kept of these meetings and older members report regularly on their deliberations to the whole school and to governors. Some good links have been established with a local school where pupils who are fragile, for whatever reason, attend for about a month and receive a programme that boosts their self-esteem.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have a high opinion of the school. • Parents are well informed about their children’s progress. • Parents are not told enough about their children’s future work.

p.15

Commentary

27. Parents are very satisfied with the school. Their responses at the pre-inspection meeting with inspectors, in the questionnaire that was circulated prior to the inspection and in conversations during the inspection indicated a high level of support and approval for the school’s work. Parents particularly like the approachability of the staff, the quality of the teaching and the way new pupils are made welcome; all points confirmed by the inspection.

p.15

Commentary

28. The school has good procedures for keeping parents informed about their children’s progress. There is a formal opportunity each term for parents to talk to their child’s teacher. Parents are also encouraged to contact teachers informally whenever they have a concern. Parents of children in the nursery and Reception classes reported that they appreciate the frequent opportunities that they have to speak with staff as they bring and collect their children each day. Pupils’ reports are easy to read and of very good quality. Progress for the particular year is clearly stated and, in English, mathematics and science, very detailed information is given about standards aimed for and what was actually achieved. Targets for the following year are also included. This very effectively allows parents to closely check progress themselves. Reports also include numerous suggestions on what the child should do to improve.

p.15

Commentary

Attendance records attached to the report are detailed and commented on, leaving parents in no doubt of the importance the school gives to good attendance.

p.15

Commentary

29. Parents receive little information on what their children are being taught. This is a missed opportunity to involve them in their children’s learning.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall quality of leadership and management is satisfactory. Leadership is satisfactory and management is good. Governance is satisfactory.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The acting headteacher has established a vision for the future and renewed teamwork. • A very caring ethos and high aspirations for pupils’ achievement underpin the school’s work. • The governing body is committed and enthusiastic. • Finances are managed well.

p.15

Commentary

Wavertree C of E Primary School - 14 30. The acting headteacher has a good insight into the school’s strengths and weaknesses and manages the school well. Since his appointment nine months ago, he has been successful in establishing with staff a shared vision for the school’s future that has raising standards and the success of pupils at its heart. The recently formed governing body also share this vision. Thus, after an unsettled period there is now a sense of purpose and renewed teamwork. Priorities for improvement are clearly set out in the school’s development plan, which is a good document to support the management of change and define the action needed to improve. Despite these good features, however, leadership is not securely established. The acting headteacher has made his mark but as governors are in the process of appointing a new headteacher there is an obvious element of uncertainty about who will lead the school into the future.

p.16

Commentary

Understandably, therefore, no major changes have been made to systems and procedures. This said, much of what had already been put in place continues to work well. For instance, good procedures are established to allow co-ordinators to take an active role in checking on the quality of provision, learning and standards. This has helped in the identification of areas of weakness, such as currently exists in mathematics, and in the subsequent planning and evaluation of action to raise standards. In response, pupils are achieving well and standards are improving.

p.16

Commentary

31. Overall, the quality of monitoring the school’s work is good. Many co-ordinators are experienced in formally observing colleagues’ teaching and offering advice. Whilst the acting headteacher has not had this type of experience, he is pursuing a leadership course that encompasses the skills needed for this key leadership role. Pupils’ work is regularly looked at and their progress in tests and assessments is monitored to evaluate how well they are doing and to determine any causes of underachievement.

p.16

Commentary

32. The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The co- ordinator maintains good records and ensures that pupils’ individual education plans are clear and used constructively. The acting headteacher has, for some time, held responsibility for leading and managing the Foundation Stage. Currently, whilst taking on the additional responsibilities of leading and managing the school, he is maintaining a satisfactory overview of the work of this key stage.

p.16

Commentary

33. The school is managed well and runs smoothly. Overall, staff are deployed effectively, but the high proportion of Year 6 pupils with special educational needs, including severe learning difficulties, often make excessive demands on the class teacher, who is a committed and effective practitioner. Whilst the class is small and additional adult support is provided at times, particularly for English and mathematics lessons, there are occasions when the level of support is inadequate. As a result, the pace of learning for these pupils and others sometimes slows in spite of good teaching.

p.16

Commentary

34. The governing body is only recently established and many governors are inexperienced in this role. However, their level of commitment and enthusiasm is impressive. They are establishing good strategies to find out about the school’s work and are determined to play a key role in monitoring and evaluating its performance and shaping its direction. The cycle of performance management of teachers was curtailed a year ago but is due to restart in the spring term. With this exception, governors fulfil all of their statutory duties.

p.16

Commentary

35. Financial management is good. Competent administrative staff provide good support for the management of this aspect. The school tries hard to ensure that they get the best value from spending and other decisions that are made. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 15

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 575,203 Balance from previous year 21,972 Total expenditure 577,444 Balance carried forward to the next 7,634 Expenditure per pupil 2,499 Wavertree C of E Primary School - 16

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall quality of provision for children in nursery and Reception classes is good. A high proportion of teaching is good or better. Teachers and support staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. Speaking skills are promoted well, as are basic literacy and numeracy skills. There is a good balance between teacher-initiated learning and learning stemming from activities children choose for themselves. The nursery nurse is a crucial part of the teaching team in nursery and makes an extremely valuable contribution. Other support staff are also well involved in supporting teaching and learning. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships between adults and children. • Children are secure and confident to try new activities. • Children work with good interest and concentration. • Children behave well.

p.18

Commentary

36. Children achieve well. Indications are that by the end of the Reception year most will reach the expected learning goals. All adults work hard at promoting very good relationships with children. Consequently, the children like their teachers and know that they trust and care for them. This boosts their confidence to try new things and enhances learning experiences across the whole curriculum. A good example was when the ‘Bug Man’ visited the nursery. A minority of children were slightly apprehensive of the bugs being shown, but the reassurance of teachers helped them deal with the situation very well and all enjoyed the visit. In both nursery and Reception, children are very interested in the good range of activities provided. They make choices about some of the work they will do and concentrate well in these activities, which include painting, working in sand and water and with large and small

p.18

Commentary

construction equipment. Nursery children occasionally fall out with each other about sharing resources, but overall they co-operate well for their age. By the time children are in Reception, they work and play well together and there are rarely any disputes. Teaching is good. Adults provide very good role models by always treating the children and each other with courtesy and respect, and demonstrating good manners.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well. • Teaching is good. • Speaking and literacy skills are promoted well in specific literacy sessions and other situations. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 17

p.18

Commentary

37. Although standards by the end of the Reception year are generally below those expected, all children make good progress. Speaking and listening skills are promoted well in both nursery and Reception, with all staff prompting children to talk about what they are doing and giving all good opportunities to answer questions. Equipment such as listening centres are enjoyed by children and used often. In addition to specific teaching of reading and writing skills, play areas have reading resources and writing equipment so that children can use these spontaneously. In the nursery, for instance, children ‘read’ from the menu in their Chinese restaurant and write down orders for food. Children’s writing is valued by teachers and displayed prominently around classrooms.

p.19

Commentary

38. Reception children know a good range of letter sounds. In word games that excite them, they identify initial and final sounds and quickly spot words that rhyme. More able children use their knowledge of letter sounds to write simple words and phrases. Whilst other children are not so adept at writing, work since September clearly shows that they all have made good progress. Children are given lots of opportunities to write for different purposes, including labels and rhyming captions for their Humpty Dumpty paintings. Good teaching and the provision of interesting activities means that children have positive attitudes to reading and writing.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well. Their understanding of number is particularly good. • There is good teaching and a good curriculum.

p.19

Commentary

39. Children make good progress. Indications are that by the end of the Reception year most will achieve the expected learning goals. Teaching is good. Staff plan a very comprehensive range of activities, games and play experiences that promote and consolidate children’s understanding of number, shape, pattern and measure. In Reception, there are high expectations of what children can achieve. Brisk mental and oral sessions excite and challenge the children. They are keen to count and answer questions, either verbally or by showing the teacher their answers on number fans. Children’s knowledge of number is good. Many work out sums using numbers to nine and correctly identify two-digit numbers up to 50. Good questioning stretches all children; for example, a particularly able child was challenged to add 2 to 67, 55 and 98. Effective teaching to the whole class continues during small group work. For example, after sorting and counting two groups of objects, children are helped to

p.19

Commentary

record this as a number sentence, such as 4 + 4 = 8. During this period, those children who are not working directly with an adult chose from the range of activities around the classroom, which may or may not be linked to mathematical work. Whilst they engage well with these, most are at a stage where tasks could be more directly structured to have a mathematical bias.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good teaching and a good curriculum that is based on practical experiences. • Children are acquiring good skills and ideas in scientific thinking. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 18 • Children are developing a good understanding of past and present and places around them. • Children are developing good skills in using computers.

p.19

Commentary

40. Good teaching and learning opportunities quickly develop children’s natural curiosity so that they achieve well. Most are on target to reach the expected goals by the end of Reception. Adults support children well in investigating their surroundings and encourage them to find things out for themselves. In the nursery, for instance, good questioning from the nursery nurse helped children make guesses about whether items placed in water would float or sink; they were then encouraged to describe what they saw happening. Similarly, in Reception, children were encouraged to use all their senses to describe different types of soap and what happened to them in water.

p.20

Commentary

41. A display of photographs of Reception children as babies helps them to understand how they change over time. Activities, such as the ‘Bear Hunt’ around school and work on various shops and houses in the environment, has helped children develop early skills and understanding in geography. Skills in ICT are also developing well. Nursery children used the mouse and side bar competently to load and play a favourite computer program. Reception children have used computers to write words and phrases, draw pictures and construct simple graphs, for example, about the growth of seeds.

p.20

Commentary

42. Not enough work in this area was seen to make secure judgements about provision. During the inspection, Reception children were seen for part of a PE lesson. In this, most showed broadly average competence in co-ordination when performing movements such as hopping, jumping and running. In class, both nursery and Reception children are taught to hold pencils, crayons, brushes and scissors correctly. This helps them to work in a controlled way and develop dexterity and co-ordination. Observation of an outdoor play session for nursery children was disappointing in that limited equipment was put out for them to use and the level of adult interaction with children was mainly supervisory. This contrasted significantly to what was seen in the classroom where there was a high level of interaction between adults and children.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well. • Children have good opportunities to work creatively with a variety of materials and in play situations. • Children enjoy musical activities, but there are few opportunities for Reception children to spontaneously make their own music.

p.20

Commentary

43. Children achieve well and are on target to reach the expected goals by the end of the Reception year. A range of creative art activities is ongoing each day, giving nursery and Reception children good scope to develop skills in, for example, painting, collage and moulding clay or dough. Pretend play areas inspire children to use their imaginations. The Chinese restaurant in the nursery, with its good range of pretend Chinese food, menus, crockery, Wavertree C of E Primary School - 19 chopsticks and decorative lanterns, also raises children’s cultural awareness. By the time children are in Reception, they know a good range of traditional songs and rhymes and join in enthusiastically with singing. During the lesson seen, Reception children managed to sing in tune and keep in time with each other very well. However, even though there is a good range of instruments, only a few chime bars were used and not all children were able to have a turn.

p.20

Commentary

Moreover, despite a good range of ongoing activities in all areas of learning, there are very limited opportunities for children to spontaneously play instruments.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are below average at the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well, particularly in reading. • Teaching is good. • Leadership and management of the subject are good and have underpinned the good improvement to provision. • Support staffing and resources are good and are used well to promote progress.

p.21

Commentary

44. Standards of work are average in Year 2 in reading and writing but below average in speaking and listening. Most pupils express themselves competently in English lessons but rely heavily on local dialect and language patterns. This means that they find it hard to explain themselves in Standard English and by using subject-specific vocabulary in other subjects, such as mathematics. Teachers place a good emphasis on the technical vocabulary needed in each subject and many display the specific words to be used in the week’s lessons prominently. However, not all pupils listen as carefully as they should and, although most make good progress in developing their range of vocabulary, a minority does not, which affects the overall standards attained.

p.21

Commentary

45. In Year 6, high levels of mobility and special educational needs have had a significant impact on results. Several pupils are reluctant speakers; they lack confidence and find it hard to describe their work or events in sufficient detail. Higher attainers mainly speak clearly, using correct grammatical structure and a good range of vocabulary, but even here some lack confidence and often need coaxing to express themselves. Standards in reading are close to the average in Year 6 and most pupils enjoy reading. They discuss books confidently and talk about favourite authors. Most have a clear understanding of the characters and plot but only a few higher attainers understand hidden meanings implied in texts. Most are competent in reading to find out information and apply this in research tasks using books and computers. Standards in writing are adversely affected by pupils’ weak speaking skills, consequently, they

p.21

Commentary

find spelling and punctuation difficult. Only the few higher attainers have a sufficiently wide vocabulary to make their writing come alive by using descriptive words to build characters, atmosphere and suspense. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to write in different styles in a range of subjects, such as history and RE. However, the below average standards in writing affects the quality of recorded work. Evidence from Years 3 to 5, where there is a more typical balance of attainment than in Year 6, shows that standards are improving in response to the effective action that is being taken by the school. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 20 46. Teaching is good and teachers plan a range of interesting lessons to engage pupils’ attention. Work builds on pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding and good use is made of assessment to match work to pupils’ needs. Teachers set pupils individual learning targets so

p.21

Commentary

that they know what they have to do to improve. However, marking does not often provide guidance on how work could have been even better. Teachers make good use of computers in lessons, both to develop pupils’ reading skills in research and their writing skills on word processors.

p.22

Commentary

47. The subject is led and managed well and this has resulted in good improvement in provision and standards since the last inspection. Resources are now good and used well to promote interest and good progress. A thorough analysis of annual test results for each year group highlights areas for development and pupils who need extra support and challenge. In response, effective action is taken to improve things.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. Teachers recognise that pupils’ range of vocabulary is below average and place a good emphasis on promoting specific vocabulary in each subject, ensuring that pupils understand the terminology. Pupils draw on this appropriately when answering questions, but many find it difficult to explain their thinking in detail.

p.22

German and Spanish

49. Only two lessons were observed in modern foreign languages so no overall judgements about provision and standards are made. In the two lessons seen, one in Year 6 in German and one in Year 1 in Spanish, teaching focused well on oral work and pupils enjoyed opportunities to answer simple questions and count in the target language. No teaching of French was observed. The study of these languages enriches the curriculum and supports pupils’ cultural development well.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good curriculum. • Teaching, overall, is good. • Pupils' mental calculation skills are weak. • Problem solving tasks are provided but not developed sufficiently. • Good analysis of assessments identifies areas to improve and informs the setting of group targets. For some pupils, however, targets are not sufficiently specific or individualised. • Presentation of work in some junior classes is very untidy.

p.22

Commentary

50. Although standards in Year 6 are well below the national average, given pupils’ starting points, the high level of special educational needs and mobility, they make satisfactory progress. Standards in the current Year 5 are higher and more typical of pupils’ age. Overall, standards have improved since the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

51. The school provides a well-rounded curriculum, enabling pupils to experience all the required elements of mathematics. Mental calculation has been identified as a common weakness and there is an emphasis on developing this aspect, with regular mental tests in all classes. All lessons begin with oral and mental work. In the best lessons, it is brisk and challenges all at different levels, but in a few classes there is a lack of sharpness. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 21 52. Despite the strong focus on number work, plenty of time is still allocated to working with shapes, measures and data handling. For example, pupils use and reinforce number skills when applying them to problems of money and area. All classes are set problems to solve. These may involve reading and understanding the problem in order to calculate. However, pupils are rarely asked to write explanations of their investigations to clarify what they are trying

p.22

Commentary

to find out and what their findings are. However, a good example of investigative work was seen in Year 6 where pupils responded well to the high expectations of the teacher, who was well supported by her assistant. The pupils worked hard at their investigation about symmetry, although many were reluctant to describe their shapes to partners. Teachers place strong emphasis on the pupils acquiring and understanding the key vocabulary; for example, Year 3 listened to the teacher, read and repeated the word 'millilitre' several times to reinforce knowledge of capacity.

p.23

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning are good. An effective feature noted in all lessons was the way teachers matched work to the varying needs of different groups of pupils. Teachers prepare well and use interesting methods that capture pupils' attention. For instance, Year 1 pupils were keen to see their numbers 'eaten by the frog' so tried hard to give correct answers. Most teachers manage pupils well, usually with a brisk approach, so that oral sessions are very successful. Occasionally, however, this good management does not spill over when pupils work at independent tasks and the noise level becomes unacceptably and unnecessarily high. Overall, pupils share and collaborate well. For instance, Year 5 shared computers and worked enthusiastically, which resulted in a very good pace of learning. When their work was reviewed, they spontaneously applauded the success of others. This reflected the very good

p.23

Commentary

teaching, which was characterised by high expectations and well-matched tasks. The teacher's very good rapport with pupils was another significant factor that added to the success of the lesson.

p.23

Commentary

54. Pupils' books show good coverage of the curriculum and teachers expect plenty of work to be done. The quality of presentation is variable, however, and not all teachers in Years 3 to 6 are insisting on high standards in this aspect. In some classes, the use of a ruler appears to be optional which detracts not only from the appearance but also from accuracy. In some cases, pupils construct graphs very carelessly and axes are not labelled. Whilst teachers' marking is conscientious and provides encouragement, it does not always tell pupils how to improve.

p.23

Commentary

55. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator observes colleagues’ teaching and thorough analyses are made of regular assessments of pupils' attainment. In response, weaknesses are identified and group targets set. Pupils' progress is tracked through the school and forecasts are made as to their future performance. The school has noted that some pupils do not reach the anticipated levels but has not yet begun to set targets that are more specific and individual.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Good use was seen of data handling to produce tallies and bar charts in Year 2 science work. Pupils also count squares to find the area of their hands. Measuring is used in design and technology, for example, when Year 6 made slippers. Year 4 pupils calculate the difference between the numbers absent and present at registration time. Whilst some good opportunities are provided for pupils to develop numeracy skills in subjects other than mathematics, some opportunities are missed for frequent, short ad hoc tests of mental agility.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

Wavertree C of E Primary School - 22 • There is good coverage of the curriculum with an appropriate emphasis on practical work and scientific investigation. • There are some good features to teaching but, whilst most pupils show interest in the subject, the pace of learning is sometimes slowed by inappropriate behaviour.

p.24

Commentary

57. Whilst standards at the end of Year 6 are below average, overall pupils make at least satisfactory progress. This is because they receive a broad and well-balanced curriculum that covers all the required aspects of science. This includes a strong focus to developing key skills of enquiry and investigation through practical work, which has been central to the good rise in Year 6 test results over the past two years. Standards have improved since the last inspection.

p.24

Commentary

58. Most Year 2 pupils reach standards that are in line with what is expected for their age. For example, pupils have a good knowledge of forces and living things. During the inspection, they made good progress in learning to classify living things according to a range of criteria. In groups, they discussed the different ways they might do this before recording their work as data on charts. The methods the teacher used to promote pupils’ knowledge and skills were also effective in promoting personal skills of co-operation and those of speaking and numeracy. Teaching was good overall, with strengths in the balance of methods used to keep pupils interested, and sharp questioning that made them think; for example, of the categories they could use for sorting the pictures of living things. Pupils behaved well when sitting on the carpet, with most listening attentively to the teacher and showing keenness to answer

p.24

Commentary

questions. However, when they began to work independently, the noise level became far too high, with many shouting comments to each other. A few became silly and, as the lesson went on, more pupils lost concentration and the pace of learning slowed. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour in this type of situation were not high enough.

p.24

Commentary

59. In Year 6, the teacher had planned a lesson on micro-organisms very well, with a good range of resources to support the practical work. The teacher’s good subject knowledge came through in explanations and questions that ensured all pupils understood and were included. Pupils were clearly interested in the work and keen to begin the practical task. However, the behaviour of a minority disrupted the lesson. The demands of these pupils took up far too much of the teacher’s time and slowed their own learning and that of others. Standards in Year 5 are more typical of pupils’ age. These pupils showed fairly secure understanding of how to ensure tests are fair and how to measure and record results.

p.24

Commentary

60. Pupils’ recorded work shows good links with literacy, numeracy and ICT. Diagrams are clearly labelled, with charts and graphs produced by hand and on computers. Whilst investigations are set out in a scientific way, weak writing skills reduce the comprehensiveness of pupils’ explanations.

p.24

Commentary

61. The co-ordinator is currently on secondment so leadership and management of the subject is being overseen satisfactorily by the acting headteacher.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan well to incorporate ICT into many subjects but some lack confidence in using the ICT suite because computers are unreliable. • Pupils enjoy the subject and are competent in using their skills to support learning in a range of subjects. • ICT has a high profile in displays throughout the school. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 23

p.24

Commentary

62. Pupils achieve satisfactorily and attain broadly average standards by the end of Years 2 and 6. However, given teachers’ good planning for the direct teaching of skills and the use of computers across the curriculum, and pupils’ enthusiasm, achievement could be better than it is. The suite has a good quantity of equipment but, ever since it was installed, there have been technical problems that have limited its usefulness. The school has recently bought in technical support but, as this is only fortnightly, computers can be out of action for several days, which is unsatisfactory. It causes frustration for staff and pupils, and results in a loss of confidence in using the suite, which stands empty for more time than it should. It also slows pupils’ learning because they have to work in larger groups than should be necessary, given the quantity of resources.

p.25

Commentary

63. Pupils are confident in using computers and have good skills in using the mouse and keyboard to enter text and data. They make good progress in using word processors, graphics and data handling programs, and younger pupils enjoy controlling the movements of a programmable toy. Older pupils’ use of computers to monitor and control events is more limited and standards in these aspects are below average. This is because the school has previously had insufficient resources in these areas, although they are now in place. Pupils make good use of the Internet for research and learn how to send attachments with their e-mails. Their attitudes to learning are good overall, although a few of the oldest pupils have difficulty maintaining concentration without considerable support from their teacher. Most are motivated very well and collaborate effectively when sharing equipment. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson on

p.25

Commentary

entering and amending costs of food for a party into a spreadsheet. Pupils took turns in using the computer and discussed how to amend their quantities to keep within a budget of £20.

p.25

Commentary

64. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers plan well for the use of computers across the curriculum, both in research and recording. Many use computers as a teaching tool to support their explanations and demonstrations. They give the subject a high profile in displays and most use computers to support administrative work, such as lesson planning. Training for teachers and support staff has been effective in raising confidence in using modern technology, but unreliable resources are counteracting this.

p.25

Commentary

65. Development of the subject is led well. Whilst there has been good improvement in provision and to the quantity of resources since the last inspection, reliability is an important issue that must be resolved. The co-ordinator manages the subject satisfactorily, observing lessons and examining pupils’ work frequently. Learning is enriched by the provision of a computer club and by the use of computers in the homework clubs.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. Teachers make good use of computers in many lessons. For example, in geography, Year 2 pupils made posters about a charity collection connected to their study of Africa. Teachers often link the teaching of computer skills in the suite to other subjects, such as when Year 6 learned how to display writing in columns to support their study of producing a newspaper and writing in journalist style. Very good use is made of digital cameras to record work and events, and there are many displays of these to celebrate pupils’ achievements.

p.25

Geography

67. Insufficient evidence was obtained to make a judgement about provision. However, lessons seen in Years 1 and 2 indicate standards that are broadly in line with expectations. The recorded work of pupils in Years 3 to 6 is not necessarily a true reflection of the quality of provision, due to the poor writing skills of many pupils. A well-taught lesson for Year 2 pupils made a very good link between physical and human geography. It not only extended their Wavertree C of E Primary School - 24 knowledge of Africa but also their understanding of humanitarian problems and how they can help.

p.25

History

68. The subject was not a focus of the inspection so there is insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about provision, standards or achievement. Pupils' books show that writing skills restrict the amount of work recorded, but teachers provide good opportunities for them to write in different ways, such as interviews with Sir Francis Drake on his return from sailing around the world. Year 5 pupils interpret photographs and seek evidence from artefacts, such as diaries and Victorian mill owners' contracts of employment. Good use is made of visits and visitors, such as that from grandparents, who provided infant pupils with oral evidence of life in the recent past.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good knowledge of Christianity and other world faiths, but their weak oral and written communication skills limit their progress. • Teachers plan well to provide opportunities for pupils to apply and develop literacy and ICT skills in recording and research. • Pupils are interested in learning about different faiths, and most show tolerance and respect for the beliefs and values of others. • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

p.26

Commentary

69. At the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ knowledge about world religions is good in relation to what is expected for their ages. In line with what is required by the syllabus followed, infant and junior pupils know something about the artefacts, places, stories and leaders who are special to different religions and recognise some of the similarities and differences between these. However, even by Year 6, pupils are not confident in discussing what faith means to them, although they know that a person’s faith does give them guidelines on how to live their lives. Pupils’ speaking skills and range of vocabulary limits the progress that they make in developing understanding of the underlying principles of faith through discussion. Despite teachers providing ample opportunities for them to write in different styles, such as reports or poetry, recorded work by the end of Years 2 and 6 is below average because of the quality of pupils’

p.26

Commentary

writing skills. Whilst the standard of written work is similar to that at the time of the last inspection, there are now more opportunities for pupils to record independently.

p.26

Commentary

70. It was only possible to see one lesson, which was taught satisfactorily. Here, and in discussions, it was clear that most pupils are interested in the subject and show respect for the beliefs and values of others. However, in the lesson seen in Year 6, some found it hard to maintain concentration in discussions. The teacher worked very hard to maintain their interest and reduce the disruptive impact on other pupils, but this minority took up too much of the teacher’s attention, slowed the learning of others and produced only a limited amount of work themselves.

p.26

Commentary

71. Work in pupils’ books, and discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6, indicates that teaching is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Teachers respect the different faiths represented in their classes and draw on the expertise of pupils in sharing their experiences and beliefs. Computers are used appropriately to record some work, such as the poetic psalms written by Year 5. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 25 72. The subject is managed well, with a good assessment system, observation of lessons and regular checks of pupils’ work. Whole-school acts of worship contribute appropriately to learning. Links with the local church and the Anglican cathedral also have a good impact on pupils’ understanding. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

p.26

Art and design and Design and technology

73. Work in the above two subjects was sampled. No lessons were seen in art and design and only one lesson was seen in design and technology. Consequently, no judgements are made about provision, standards or achievement in these subjects.

p.27

Art and design and Design and technology

74. Work on display and some photographic evidence suggests that pupils cover an adequate range of art experiences, producing work in two and three dimensions. Year 2 pupils’ sketchbooks show their good attention to detail when drawing fruit and leaves from observation. This work shows their awareness of the idea of line and tone and developing skills in blending colours for effect. Year 1 pupils have learned weaving skills using paper and strips of material on a variety of differently constructed looms. Junior pupils have produced plaster sculptures and papier-mâché masks. All pupils learn about the work of known artists and endeavour to model some of their techniques in their own works.

p.27

Art and design and Design and technology

75. Pupils’ design and technology books and work on display show adequate coverage of the various stages in the design and make process. For example, infant pupils have produced labelled diagrams of designs for a buggy and tiles; they made lists of the materials needed to make these items and explained how they would be decorated. After making the items, pupils wrote simple evaluations. During the process, they learned various joining techniques and reinforced numeracy skills as they measured and matched patterns.

p.27

Art and design and Design and technology

76. Skills are built upon in the juniors. Good teaching of Year 6 pupils, who were making slippers, helped them to understand technical vocabulary, such as prototype. Previous lessons had given pupils a good insight into the need to measure accurately and of how to deal with problems such as folding material that is cut along a curve. The teacher’s secure subject knowledge was very evident and pupils were managed very effectively. They showed good interest, worked hard and behaved well.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in singing are above average. • Some of the resources are unsatisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

77. Only one class lesson was seen but pupils were heard singing in collective worship and also in hymn practices. On all occasions, the pupils sang well. They enjoy singing and all participate. Pupils pay good attention to the words displayed and sing with enthusiasm and very tunefully. They listen to the accompaniment and enter on the correct beat.

p.27

Commentary

78. Teaching in hymn practices is good. Pupils’ singing reflects their good response to reminders about posture and the need to think about the words. For instance, there was a marked difference in style when junior pupils sang 'Peace, perfect peace' and when they sang Wavertree C of E Primary School - 26 'Together'. Hymn practices also provide enhancement for pupils' spirituality as they are urged to reflect upon the meaning of the words.

p.27

Commentary

79. In the one lesson seen, Year 1 pupils listened well and were able to identify and match the sounds of hidden instruments. Some attention was given to methods of playing them but not to the quality of playing. Pupils enjoyed making music, but it was unfortunate that a small number were not given instruments to play.

p.28

Commentary

80. There are sufficient resources, but some percussion instruments are worn and in need of repair or replacement. There are no extra-curricular opportunities for pupils to make music, but some pay to learn the guitar or keyboard.

p.28

Physical education

81. The subject was not a focus of the inspection so judgements about provision, standards and achievement are not made. Only one gymnastics lesson was seen in Year 4. Standards in this lesson were similar to those expected for pupils’ age. Most looked smart in their shorts and tops and they applied themselves enthusiastically. They showed satisfactory co-ordination, control and the ability to work in pairs. However, although they were given opportunities to observe others, few could make suitable and helpful comments because of the difficulties they experience with speaking skills.

p.28

Physical education

82. A good range of extra-curricular opportunities is offered, including football, netball, gymnastics, cricket, rounders and athletics. Residential visits provide further opportunities for outdoor adventurous activities and orienteering. Standards in swimming are around average, with almost all the current Year 6 now swimming at least 25 metres.

p.28

Physical education

83. Resources are good, as is the outside accommodation, with both hard standing and grassed areas. The hall is not ideal; because it is long and narrow in shape, it restricts class organisation. The recent link established with a local sports college looks set to enhance future provision.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils benefit from regular circle time.

p.28

Commentary

84. Not enough lessons were seen to make secure judgements about teaching and learning. However, all pupils participate in weekly lessons where discussions raise their awareness of issues such as behaviour or the needs of others. Pupils also discuss matters such as bullying, harmful drugs and sex education. Teachers are supported by the involvement of the community, such as the police, fire service and the church. Moral issues are reinforced further in other lessons. For example, whilst learning something of the geography of Africa, Year 2 pupils were also made aware of how they can help people in need; in this case, by sending unwanted pairs of spectacles to some African countries where there is great need. Wavertree C of E Primary School - 27

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 4 Attendance 5 Attitudes 4 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

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). Wavertree C of E Primary School - 28

p.29