Wenlock CofE Junior School

WENLOCK C OF E JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd - 24 th March 2004

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WENLOCK C OF E JUNIOR 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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WENLOCK C OF E JUNIOR 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. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Church of England, Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 359

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01582) 730 624 Fax number: (01582) 725 005

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr M Bowley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 nd June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

There are 359 pupils on roll, aged between seven and 11 years, and they are taught in 12 classes. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average, as is the percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs. Four pupils have statements of special educational need, and seven pupils who speak English as an additional language are at an early stage of English language acquisition. Pupils’ standards on entry to the school are mainly average. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2414 David Westall Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology 1333 Elizabeth Forster Lay inspector 3856 Sandy Wellsted Team inspector English History 2420 Brian McCutcheon Team inspector Mathematics Geography 1696 Rod Sharman Team inspector Information and communication technology Physical education Music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a sound school where pupils generally make steady progress as a result of satisfactory teaching. It benefits from the effective work of the headteacher who provides a clear sense of direction. The school provides well for pupils’ personal development, and their attitudes and behaviour are good. However, there needs to be more good teaching in the school, and standards are too low in a minority of subjects. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are listed below:

• The leadership and management skills of the headteacher are good. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good, and the school provides well for their personal development. • The teaching is good in all three Year 6 classes. • Pupils make insufficient progress in their learning in one Year 5 class. • Overall, there is not enough good teaching and pupils’ progress is sometimes constrained by teaching which is broadly satisfactory but has areas for improvement. • Pupils’ standards are below national expectations in Year 6 in art and design, design and technology and geography. In these subjects, pupils underachieve. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory in most subjects. • The co-ordinators for English, personal, social and health education (PSHE), information and communication technology (ICT) and for pupils with special educational needs are all effective. • Most subject co-ordinators do not have sufficiently systematic and rigorous procedures for

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are listed below:

monitoring and evaluating provision. • The school is a caring community where pupils’ welfare is a high priority.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are listed below:

Overall, the school has made adequate progress since the last inspection in 1998. The teaching is now satisfactory, in contrast with the situation in 1998 when it constituted a serious weakness in the school. Standards have risen in ICT and provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is no longer a weakness. However, assessment procedures are still underdeveloped and standards have fallen in art and design, design and technology and geography.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, pupils’ current standards are mainly in line with national expectations in Year 6 and represent satisfactory achievement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The table below shows that the school’s test results in English and mathematics, in 2003, were notably lower than those achieved in 2002. Consequently, the school did not achieve its statutory targets in either subject in 2003. The school attributes the decline to the significant number of pupils who joined the school last year as Year 6 pupils with underdeveloped literacy and numeracy skills.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English D B D E mathematics E C D E science D B B D 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

Inspection findings are more favourable than the school’s national test results in 2003 in English and mathematics. They show that current standards in Year 6 in these subjects are broadly in line with national expectations. In science, current standards in Year 6 are a little lower than those shown in the results last year and are also broadly in line with national expectations. In English, mathematics and science, standards in Year 6 represent satisfactory achievement, given pupils’ average starting points on entry to the school. However, Wenlock C of E Junior School - 5 pupils underachieve in one Year 5 class, particularly in English and science. In ICT, standards are in line with national expectations and represent pupils’ satisfactory achievement. Pupils do well in PSHE but underachieve in art and design, design and technology and geography, where standards are consequently below national expectations in Year 6. Insufficient evidence was available to judge standards in other subjects. Pupils with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

special educational needs and those with English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily in relation to their starting points. The achievement of the most capable pupils is broadly satisfactory, although they mark time in some lessons when their work is too easy.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided is satisfactory. Overall, the teaching is satisfactory and enables pupils to make mainly sound progress in their learning in the key subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT. Pupils in Year 6 benefit from consistently good teaching and this means they progress well. However, in one of the three Year 5 classes, the teaching is not enabling pupils to make adequate progress and, overall, there is not enough good teaching in the school. A significant number of lessons, though broadly satisfactory, have common areas for improvement. These include weaknesses in teachers’ questioning skills, in the pace of learning, in the level of challenge for the most capable pupils and in opportunities for pupils to develop decision- making skills. Assessment procedures are good for pupils with special educational needs and are sound in English and mathematics. However, they are not securely established in most subjects. The curriculum is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

broadly satisfactory and is enriched by a good range of additional learning opportunities. There is particular strength in the provision for pupils’ personal development but there are weaknesses in provision for art and design, design and technology and geography. Provision for the care and welfare of pupils is good, and the school’s partnership with parents is sound.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is good. The headteacher has good leadership skills and has provided the school with a clear sense of direction since her appointment in the summer term last year. The leadership contribution made by other key staff is satisfactory, overall, and the co-ordinators for special educational needs, English, ICT and PSHE are all effective. The management of the school is satisfactory. The headteacher has good management skills, checks the school’s performance rigorously and is given sound support by the senior management team. However, the monitoring and evaluation roles of most subject co-ordinators are underdeveloped and this means they are in weak positions to identify and target areas for improvement. School governance is satisfactory.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils’ views are positive and parents are generally satisfied with the school.

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The most important things the school needs to do are listed below:

• Ensure that pupils in one Year 5 class make better progress in their learning. • Rectify common weaknesses which sometimes occur in satisfactory lessons and increase the amount of good teaching in the school. • Raise pupils’ standards in art and design, design and technology and geography. • Improve the monitoring and evaluation roles of the co-ordinators for science, geography, history, art and design, design and technology and physical education. • Improve assessment procedures in most subjects. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 6

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Overall, standards are mainly in line with national expectations in Year 6 and represent satisfactory

achievement, given pupils’ average starting points on entry to Year 3.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils generally achieve well in Year 6, where the teaching is usually good. • Pupils’ standards are below national expectations in Year 6 in art and design, design and technology and geography. In these subjects, pupils underachieve. • There is evidence of widespread underachievement in one of the three Year 5 classes. • Pupils achieve well in their personal, social and health education as a result of good provision. • The most able pupils sometimes mark time because they need more challenging work.

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Commentary

Standards on entry to the school 1. In the main, standards are average when pupils enter Year 3, and this was the case when the current Year 6 pupils started at the school. Standards were also average, on entry, when the school was last inspected.

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Commentary

The school’s results in national tests 2. The table below shows that the results of the SATs in Year 6, in 2003, were below the national average in English and mathematics. These results were notably lower than those achieved in 2002 and were well below the average results of similar schools. As a consequence, the school did not achieve its statutory targets in either subject in relation to the percentages of Year 6 pupils reaching the nationally expected standard. The school attributes the fall in the results to the significant percentage of pupils who joined the school in the last educational year, as Year 6 pupils, with underdeveloped literacy and numeracy skills. In science, the test results in 2003 were more favourable, being above the national average although still below the average results of similar schools. Despite the dip in standards last year, the trend in the school’s overall results, over the last five years, is in line with the national trend.

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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 26.4 (27.7) 27.0 (26.8) mathematics 26.5 (27.3) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.4 (29.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 89 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

Standards at the time of the last inspection 3. When the school was last inspected in 1998, standards were in line with national expectations in all subjects except in information and communication technology (ICT), where standards were below average. Pupils’ achievement was satisfactory in all subjects except in ICT.

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

Inspection findings 4. Overall, pupils’ achievement is sound, as a result of satisfactory teaching. Inspection findings are more favourable than the school’s national test results in 2003 in English and mathematics, and show that current standards in Year 6 in these subjects are broadly in line with national expectations. In science, current standards in Year 6 are a little lower than those shown in the SAT results last year and are also broadly in line with national expectations. In English, mathematics and science, current Wenlock C of E Junior School - 7 standards in Year 6 represent satisfactory achievement, given pupils’ average starting points on entry to the school, and result from mainly satisfactory teaching in these subjects. However, pupils have underachieved in one Year 5 class, particularly in English and science, and Year 4 pupils could sometimes do better in writing.

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

5. In ICT, pupils’ standards have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with national expectations. Current standards in the subject in Year 6 represent satisfactory achievement. Pupils do well in their work in personal, social and health education, as a result of the good provision which is made for this important aspect of their development. However, in art and design, design and technology and geography, pupils underachieve, and standards are below national expectations. In these subjects, teachers do not ensure that pupils develop key knowledge and skills systematically as they move through the school, and have low expectations of pupils’ potential achievement. Insufficient evidence was available to judge standards in other subjects.

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

The achievement of different groups 6. Achievement is sound for pupils with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language, reflecting the satisfactory teaching they generally receive. The achievement of the most capable pupils is broadly satisfactory, although they mark time in some lessons when their work is too easy. No significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls were evident during the inspection, and pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds are doing as well as their peers.

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pupils’ moral and social development, whilst provision for their spiritual and cultural development is

sound. The attendance rate is satisfactory but the rate of unauthorised absence is too high.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships are positive. • Behaviour is good. • Pupils are willing learners and have good attitudes to all aspects of school life. • Personal, social and health education (PSHE) makes a strong contribution to pupils’ social and moral development. • More could be done to increase pupils’ awareness of other cultures and to embed provision for pupils’ spiritual development more firmly within the curriculum. • Pupils are not given enough opportunities to use their initiative in lessons and take responsibility for their own learning. • The rate of unauthorised absence was above the national median in the last academic year.

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Commentary

Attitudes and behaviour 7. Pupils of all ages say they enjoy school and everything about it. They like their teachers, enjoy most lessons, rate school dinners very highly and love being among their friends. They appreciate, in particular, the many opportunities they are given to develop their personal interests and talents, for example in sports and in music, through clubs and other enrichment activities. They speak warmly of all the adults who work with them. Pupils report that teachers are always willing to help them. In their turn, pupils feel valued and show respect for their teachers. Irrespective of capability, all pupils do their best to meet their teachers’ expectations of them as learners.

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Commentary

8. The school sets high expectations of behaviour. From the beginning of each academic year, pupils are involved in establishing agreed sets of rules to govern their own conduct in classrooms and in the playground. With rare exceptions, pupils consider the rules to be fair and abide by them. Building on the thoughtful and sensible behaviour most pupils bring with them from home, adults in the school encourage pupils to behave courteously. Friendly, considerate and thoughtful, pupils hold open doors without being prompted, are alert to the needs of others, and readily make strangers in their midst feel ‘at home’. In almost all lessons, pupils concentrate on their work and behave well. They share resources amicably and collaborate constructively with others when asked to do so, for example in group work and in the ICT suite. Almost all pupils enjoy being helpful and willingly offer their services for routine jobs in

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Commentary

classes and around the school. Those with more formal responsibilities take pride in their work and are Wenlock C of E Junior School - 8 reliable. These include pupils who act as “buddies” to help others during lunch and breaktimes and those who are members of the school council. In assemblies, pupils show reverence and respect, clearly responding to the spiritual nature of worship. In the playground, boys and girls from different classes and from different cultures play together harmoniously and often take particular care to include those who, however momentarily, might seem ‘left out’ or despondent.

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Commentary

9. The few pupils whose special needs are associated with emotional and behavioural difficulties make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. There have been no recent exclusions. Pupils say there is no bullying or other forms of harassment, and no evidence of such activities was found during the inspection.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No. of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 214 0 0 White – Irish 4 0 0 White – any other White background 7 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 20 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 3 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 13 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 22 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 28 0 0 Black or Black British – African 16 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 4 0 0 Any other ethnic group 4 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.1 School data 0.7 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Attendance 10. The attendance rate is satisfactory and reflects the situation in the last academic year, when it was in line with the national median. Most pupils arrive in good time so that lessons begin punctually. In the last academic year, the rate of unauthorised absence was above the national median and the headteacher has taken effective action to rectify this situation. The school now makes clear its expectation that Wenlock C of E Junior School - 9 parents should not take their children on holiday during term-time and systematically follows up all absences. As a result, the rate of unauthorised absence is falling.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 11. Good provision is made for pupils’ moral and social development, and sound provision is made for their spiritual and cultural development.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. The Christian ethos that underpins the school’s work unites staff and pupils in shared endeavours and sets the tone for the good relationships that exist at all levels. The good role models presented by adults in the school, simple rules that promote fairness and respect, and a clear system of sanctions and rewards all serve to give pupils a thorough understanding of what constitutes good behaviour. Through moral and social themes promoted in assemblies and through the discussion of moral and social issues in personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons, pupils are taught to distinguish clearly between right and wrong. The school council is well established. It successfully involves pupils in a democratic process which takes good account of the needs of individuals and of the school community as a whole. Through it, and also through the “buddy” system, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for routine duties and for special tasks around the school, to aspire to leadership roles and

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

to work for others. School council members are taught the responsibility that comes with raising funds, making decisions and managing budgets. Through their contact with the work of the school council, all pupils are made aware of their moral and social responsibility to help those less fortunate than themselves, for example by raising funds for various national and local charities. Through work in English, geography and science, they are also introduced to issues related to mankind’s moral imperative to care for the environment.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

13. The good provision made for pupils to use their initiative in the development of their moral and social responsibilities is not yet matched by a corresponding expectation that they should use their initiative and take responsibility for their own learning. Too often, pupils have little opportunity to develop decision- making skills in lessons. This is an important area of pupils’ personal development which needs improvement.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

14. At the time of the last inspection, provision for pupils’ spiritual development was judged to be unsatisfactory. Since that time, much has been achieved and provision is now satisfactory. PSHE not only makes a strong contribution to pupils’ moral and social development, but also helps pupils towards a spiritual awareness of themselves as individuals. Pupils are taught to know themselves, to understand their strengths and weaknesses and to recognise their own potential as people who can ‘make a difference’ in the lives of others. Assemblies promote spiritual as well as moral themes and are conducted in a manner which sets a strong spiritual tone, for example through opportunities for reflection and prayer. Pupils’ singing in assemblies powerfully conveys the strong sense of unity within the school community. Effective links have been established with the local church whose pastor is a regular visitor

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

and who leads school assemblies and church services for pupils at key points in the Christian calendar. The promotion of spirituality through other subjects is largely unplanned and is less well developed.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

15. Provision for pupils’ cultural development was also judged to be unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection. A wide range of clubs, visits and other enrichment activities have been introduced since then, and provision is now satisfactory. Through religious education and music, in particular, pupils are taught about, and learn to respect, other cultures and other religions. They learn about different faiths, shared values and different customs, not least from some of their peers, but also through visits to various places of worship. In music, they are taught to appreciate the characteristics of instruments and of music from Western cultures, from Africa and from other regions of the world. Many pupils are taught to play musical instruments, and there is a thriving choir. However, art and design makes only a very limited contribution to pupils’ cultural development and to their awareness of other cultures. Literature used in

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

English lessons, though of good quality, represents mainly the work of established British authors and should be extended to include more work from other cultures.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

16. The quality of education provided is satisfactory. Overall, the teaching is satisfactory and enables pupils to make mainly sound progress in their learning in the key subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT. Pupils in Year 6 benefit from consistently good teaching and this means they progress well. However, in one of the three Year 5 classes, the teaching is not enabling pupils to make adequate progress and, overall, there is not enough good teaching in the school. A significant number of lessons, Wenlock C of E Junior School - 10 though broadly satisfactory, have common areas for improvement. These include weaknesses in teachers’ questioning skills, in the pace of learning, in the level of challenge for the most capable pupils and in opportunities for pupils to develop decision-making skills. Assessment procedures are good for pupils with special educational needs and are sound in English and mathematics. However, they are not

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

securely established in most subjects. The curriculum is broadly satisfactory and is enriched by a good range of additional learning opportunities. There is particular strength in the provision for pupils’ personal development but there are weaknesses in provision for art and design, design and technology and geography.

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Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory, and pupils make mainly sound progress in their

learning as a result. Assessment procedures are mainly unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in Year 6. • Overall, there is not enough good teaching, across the school, and pupils’ progress is sometimes constrained by teaching which is broadly satisfactory but has areas for improvement. • Pupils make insufficient progress in their learning in one Year 5 class. • Teachers’ expectations are too low in art and design, design and technology and geography, and this contributes to pupils’ underachievement in these subjects. • ICT skills are taught well in the computer suite but insufficient use is made of ICT in classrooms to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. • Assessment procedures are good for pupils with special educational needs but are not securely established in subjects other than English and mathematics. • Teachers’ marking often fails to provide pupils with sufficient guidance about how to improve their work.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 1 (2%) 20 (47%) 21 (49%) 1 (2%) 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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

17. The table above shows the teaching observed was mainly satisfactory. When the school was last inspected, the teaching was unsatisfactory in one out of every five lessons and constituted a serious weakness in the school. This key deficiency has been rectified and only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen during the current inspection. However, in one of the three Year 5 classes, where the teacher was absent during the inspection, evidence from pupils’ completed work shows the teaching is not enabling them to do as well as they should. The headteacher is fully aware of the need to improve provision for this class and is taking all necessary steps to rectify the situation. The most effective teaching is in Year 6, where it is consistently good and means pupils make good progress in their final year at the school. Taken as a whole, the teaching enables pupils to make mainly satisfactory progress in their learning

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

across the school. However, there is not enough good teaching and a significant number of lessons, though broadly satisfactory, have common areas for improvement which are identified below. These factors restrict pupils from making good overall progress in their learning, including in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

18. In English, the teaching is satisfactory, overall, and is good in all Year 6 classes. In the best lessons, teachers make effective links between reading and writing, ensure that pupils are taught to match their writing to its intended audience and help them to organise their ideas coherently on paper. Areas for improvement in English lessons include the need for teachers to provide more specific guidance to help pupils to improve their speaking and writing skills and to show them how to evaluate the quality of their own and others’ work. These weaknesses are particularly evident in Year 4. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 11 19. In mathematics and science, the teaching is also satisfactory, overall, and enables pupils to make mainly sound progress in their learning. In both subjects, the teaching is good in Year 6, and there is also good science teaching in Year 3. In ICT, the teaching of key skills is mainly good when pupils work

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

in the ICT suite. However, teachers do not ensure that pupils make sufficient use of ICT in classrooms to develop their skills further and to support work in other subjects. In addition, the most capable pupils sometimes mark time in lessons in the computer suite because they require more challenging tasks. As a consequence, the teaching is enabling pupils to make sound, rather than better, progress in the subject. However, this still represents a significant improvement since the last inspection, when pupils were underachieving in ICT because the teaching was unsatisfactory.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

20. Insufficient lessons were observed to make secure judgements about the quality of teaching in other subjects. However, a careful analysis of pupils’ completed work shows the teaching does not enable pupils to do as well as they should in art and design, design and technology and geography. In these subjects, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ potential achievement are too low and evidence suggests they would benefit from in-service training to increase their knowledge. In PSHE, however, all available evidence suggests the teaching enables pupils to make good progress.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

21. Good teaching is commonplace in Year 6 and is evident in a significant minority of lessons elsewhere in the school. In these lessons, teachers show a very secure knowledge of the subjects they teach and capture and maintain pupils’ interest through lively introductions and clear explanations. Good use is made of time in these lessons, and teachers know just when to intervene with well-judged comments or questions to ensure that pupils are both supported and challenged. In the very best lessons, the teaching ensures that all pupils are working at the edge of their current capabilities. Teachers’ planning has improved since the last inspection, and is now satisfactory, overall. Lessons are planned carefully and teachers know exactly what they expect pupils to learn. Across the school, the teaching is characterised by positive relationships between teachers and pupils and by good behaviour management.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

Pupils respond well to the teaching and show good attitudes to learning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

22. Although very little unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection, areas for improvement were evident in some lessons which were satisfactory, overall. Teachers’ questions often need to be more focused to probe pupils’ understanding and to develop their thinking, and the most capable pupils sometimes mark time on work which is too easy. The pace of learning is rather slow in some lessons, and pupils persevere with tasks rather than working with any sense of urgency. In these lessons, there is sometimes too much teacher talk and too little pupil activity, and opportunities for pupils to use their initiative are rare.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

23. Varied and flexible arrangements ensure that pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support overall. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) ensures that pupils’ needs are assessed well, and works in collaboration with class teachers and teaching assistants to draw up precise targets in pupils’ individual education plans. Where teaching is good, these pupils, in common with their peers, are supported well in class; where it is satisfactory, as in the majority of lessons, the quality of teachers’ planning and interaction with pupils means that provision is satisfactory rather than good. Pupils with special educational needs are occasionally withdrawn from class for short periods of time to focus on work related to their targets with the help of teaching assistants. Pupils make mainly sound, and sometimes good, progress in these sessions. The teaching of pupils for whom English is an

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

additional language is satisfactory. Overall, the teaching of the most capable pupils is mainly satisfactory. However, there is clear scope for improvement since these pupils occasionally mark time when their work is too easy, including in lessons in English, mathematics, science and ICT.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

Assessing pupils’ progress 24. Overall, the arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from the most effective assessment procedures. The achievements and learning requirements of these pupils are carefully noted by teachers and teaching assistants, and the SENCO makes good use of this information to ensure that their targets are updated regularly. Sound procedures are in place to assess and record pupils’ standards and progress in English and mathematics. In these key subjects, teachers assess how well pupils are getting on in lessons and make sound use of this information to inform their planning for the next lessons. However, no systematic and reliable arrangements are established in the other subjects, and this is unsatisfactory. Insufficient progress has been made in improving assessment since the last inspection, when it was also

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

unsatisfactory. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 12 25. The vast majority of pupils’ work is marked conscientiously. However, there has been limited marking in one Year 5 class by the teacher who was absent during the inspection, and this is unsatisfactory. Marking is generally used effectively to praise and encourage pupils but opportunities are often missed to provide pupils with clear guidance about how to improve their work. The exception is in Year 6, where pupils often benefit from valuable advice about the strengths and weaknesses in their achievement.

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Curriculum provision is satisfactory and is enriched by a good range of additional learning

opportunities. Accommodation is good and key learning resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of visits and visitors to enliven the curriculum; and there is a good range of extra- curricular clubs and activities. • Good provision is made for pupils' personal development. • The accommodation is spacious. • Insufficient time is allocated to science in one class; and the quality of pupils' curriculum experiences in art and design, design and technology, geography are unsatisfactory. • Better use needs to be made of ICT to support and enhance pupils’ learning in subjects across the curriculum. • Pupils have few opportunities to develop their initiative and decision-making skills in lessons. • There are weaknesses in planning in history.

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Commentary

26. Overall, the curriculum provides a satisfactory basis for pupils' learning. It is sufficiently broad and it meets statutory requirements. Since the last inspection, the length of the school week has been increased and is now in line with the recommended minimum. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy across the school and the national strategies are sensibly used as the basis for planning in English and mathematics. The promotion of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum is satisfactory. The provision for ICT has improved from its unsatisfactory level when the school was last inspected, and is now satisfactory, overall. However, more use should be made of ICT to support pupils' learning across the curriculum. The time allocated for science has increased since the last inspection, except in one Year 5 class where the subject receives insufficient attention. The links

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Commentary

between medium and short-term planning have been strengthened since the last inspection and are now mainly satisfactory. However, there are weaknesses in planning for history which are likely to inhibit the progressive development of pupils’ key skills in the subject. In addition, deficiencies in the school's provision for art and design, design and technology and geography result in pupils' achieving standards which are below national expectations. In most lessons, pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop their decision-making skills and to use their initiative.

p.14

Commentary

27. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. At the time of the last inspection, the removal of pupils from mainstream lessons was a key issue for the school to address because the practice meant that pupils with special educational needs regularly missed certain subjects. This situation has now been resolved, and there is minimal disruption to pupils’ curriculum entitlement. Pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language have access to the same curriculum as their peers and benefit from short periods of specialist support from a qualified teaching assistant.

p.14

Commentary

28. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education, including sex and relationships education and attention to alcohol and drug misuse. The promotion of knowledge of other cultures and the diversity of society is sound. Satisfactory arrangements are in place to prepare pupils for the next stage of learning through discussions and visits by both staff and pupils, and through the transfer of information and pupils’ work.

p.14

Commentary

29. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of additional learning opportunities. For example, there are many extra-curricular activities and clubs. These include football for girls and boys, netball, hockey, Wenlock C of E Junior School - 13 gymnastics, choir, recorder, samba 3band, science, computer 'Whiz Kids', and board games. There is also a good range of visitors and visits which make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.14

Commentary

30. The school has sufficient teaching and support staff and, collectively, they have the expertise and experience to cover the age and ability range of the pupils. Teachers’ subject knowledge is sound in English, mathematics, science and ICT. However, evidence suggests they need to raise their expectations and to increase their knowledge in art and design, design and technology, and geography. Teachers are well supported by teaching assistants who are an integral part of the teaching team and make an important contribution to pupils' learning. The school appropriately recognises that most subject co-ordinators require further training to help them to develop their monitoring and evaluation roles.

p.15

Commentary

31. The school's spacious accommodation is a strength. Classrooms vary in size but most provide ample space, as does the school hall. In addition, there is a well-designed administration area, useful space for reprographics and resource storage, a special needs room, a medical room and an attractive library. Overall, sound use is made of the accommodation. Outside, the large field and a hard surface area effectively support the physical education curriculum and there is also an environmental area. The school has appropriate plans to increase the amount of playground space. The school is on two floors, with no disabled access on the upper floor, which includes the computer suite and the library. This is a weakness in the accommodation.

p.15

Commentary

32. Resources have been improved since the last inspection. They are now satisfactory in all subjects and are well organised. However, in ICT, the lack of appropriate software means that pupils are currently unable to send e-mails.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Pupils benefit from good pastoral care and support. Health and safety issues are well monitored. Pupils have good opportunities to put forward ideas for improving the school through the school council.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides good pastoral care, founded on positive relationships between adults and pupils. • Induction arrangements are good. • Health and safety procedures are good. • Refresher training in child protection awareness for all adults should be arranged. • Pupils’ views are listened to and valued.

p.15

Commentary

33. Wenlock is justifiably proud of its tradition of providing a caring and supportive community where all are valued and respected. Adults get to know the pupils individually and provide good role models in their relationships with them. As a result, pupils quickly develop sensitivity and caring attitudes to their peers. This creates a harmonious and trusting community where pupils feel secure and confident that any worries will be listened to and that adults have their best interests at heart. Informative records on pupils’ personal development are maintained and shared with successive teachers as pupils’ progress up the school and this ensures that staff are well briefed about pupils’ particular needs.

p.15

Commentary

34. Induction arrangements are well planned and ensure that pupils feel known and secure. Although the majority of pupils come from the adjacent infant school, teachers visit all the schools where the new pupils attend and discuss their needs with their form teachers. Pupils who join the school other than at the start of the year are individually welcomed by the headteacher and have the opportunity to meet their new teacher before starting. They are also assigned “buddies” to help them settle in and make new friends. This attention to the needs of all pupils ensures that they all feel valued and cared for, and that they are ready to learn in their new environment.

p.15

Commentary

35. Health and safety issues are closely and effectively monitored by governors and staff. A comprehensive range of risk assessments are in place and site security improvements have significantly reduced the incidents of petty vandalism out of hours. Pupils have well-established routines to use the stairs in an Wenlock C of E Junior School - 14 orderly and safe fashion and are regularly reminded of the importance of safe practice in lessons such as physical education and science. During the inspection, older pupils also benefited from attending a workshop organised by the local education authority to raise awareness of aspects of personal safety. Appropriate records are maintained of accidents and minor incidents and the administration of medicines is well documented. The school and grounds are well maintained and provide a safe and secure environment for pupils.

p.15

Commentary

36. Appropriate education plans are in place for all pupils in public care and a designated teacher maintains sensitive ongoing contact with other agencies and pupils’ carers to ensure that their needs are being met. Arrangements for child protection are sound but there is scope to update and refresh the training for all adults in the school on awareness and reporting procedures. Any parents or helpers, such as those accompanying pupils on residential visits, are appropriately vetted.

p.16

Commentary

37. Each year the school council seeks pupils’ views on an aspect of school life they would like to see improved and decide on which project to undertake. Pupils then take the initiative to organise activities to raise funds for the particular project, for example additional playground games or extra seating. This helps foster a sense of ownership of the school and encourages pupils to express their views, knowing that their ideas will be valued and their efforts will achieve a successful outcome.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are provided with good information about the curriculum. • Arrangements for transfer to secondary schools are good. • Annual reports lack detail on attainment. • The school has close links with the local churches.

p.16

Commentary

38. Generally, parents are satisfied with the way the school is developing and with the education provided. They find the staff easy to talk to and believe that their children are expected to work hard. They value the emphasis on care and feel part of the school’s community. However, a minority feel that the variability in teaching quality has a negative impact on their children’s progress, and this is borne out by inspection findings in relation to pupils’ progress in one Year 5 class. Some parents are also concerned about bullying or harassment in the school but there is no evidence from the range of pupils interviewed or from school records to substantiate their concerns. Despite these misgivings, parents support the school, and the Parents’ Association runs popular and successful events that raise substantial funds to improve the school resources and environment.

p.16

Commentary

39. The school provides a good range of information about the school, its activities and what is to be taught. Useful details are given about what is to be covered in the curriculum in each year group, including guidance on how parents can support children in their learning at home. Parents value the opportunities to come into school to see class assemblies and the curriculum workshops organised from time to time are reasonably well attended. However, a minority of parents do not always make time to attend parent consultations, hear their children read or help them with their homework. Similarly, some parents are taking their children on holiday or for extended visits in term time. These factors have a negative impact on their children’s learning and progress.

p.16

Commentary

40. The school accepts that the new format adopted for pupils’ annual reports last year was less informative than previously and has already planned to give clearer indications to parents of their children’s attainment and progress in the reports at the end of this year.

p.16

Commentary

41. The school has sound links with secondary schools and effective mechanisms are in place to ensure a secure transition for pupils. Information about attainment and personal development is shared and pupils have the chance to see their new school and meet their new teachers before they start. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully informed when their child’s needs are first identified and at each stage of the Code of Practice. The special educational needs co-ordinator has prepared a useful Wenlock C of E Junior School - 15 information leaflet for parents explaining the school’s approach to special needs provision. In their turn, with rare exceptions, parents value and support the school’s endeavours on their children’s behalf. All parents attend review meetings arranged to discuss their children’s progress, and they are involved appropriately in the setting of new targets. Good arrangements with the feeder infant school and with the

p.16

Commentary

main secondary school, to which pupils transfer, ensure that pupils are well prepared to move on at the end of each phase in their education and that there is continuity and progression in their learning at these key points in time.

p.17

Commentary

42. The school benefits from strong links with the local churches, both from representation on the governing body and by regular visits from the clergy who contribute to assemblies. Whole-school assemblies at the church to celebrate major festivals are valued by pupils and parents alike, and contribute to the community spirit which is evident throughout the school.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is good. The headteacher has good leadership skills and is providing the school with a clear sense of direction. The leadership contribution made by other key staff is satisfactory, overall. The management of the school is satisfactory. The headteacher checks the school’s performance rigorously and is given sound support by the senior management team. However, the monitoring and evaluation roles of most co-ordinators are not sufficiently established. School governance is satisfactory, overall.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has good leadership and management skills, and is providing the school with a clear sense of direction. • The co-ordinators for special educational needs, English, ICT and PSHE are all fulfilling their roles well. • The monitoring and evaluation roles of most subject co-ordinators are insufficiently rigorous. • Whilst the governors are very supportive of the school, they sometimes need to ask more challenging questions to hold it to account. • The school improvement plan does not identify key priorities beyond 2004, which is a weakness.

p.17

Commentary

Leadership 43. Overall, the leadership of the school is good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, when it was satisfactory. The headteacher has good leadership skills and is a strength in the school. When she took up her post, in June 2003, the school had previously been without a permanent headteacher for over a year. There was much to do, including the need to establish a clear sense of direction for the school and to raise standards in English and mathematics. Through effective monitoring procedures, she quickly identified the school’s main strengths and weaknesses, and led key debates with staff and governors about its performance. Increased professional dialogue, informed by the headteacher’s astute analysis, has resulted in staff and governors sharing common ambitions and goals for the school. The headteacher has good interpersonal skills and these have been used well to promote

p.17

Commentary

a positive atmosphere in which teamwork is strongly encouraged.

p.17

Commentary

44. The headteacher has worked effectively with governors and staff to create a school improvement plan which accurately reflects what needs to be done in the current educational year. She has ensured that all staff are fully aware of the priorities in the plan and know how they can contribute towards the intended improvement. The plan is well organised and individual initiatives are planned in considerable detail. However, there is no recorded planning beyond the current educational year, and this is a weakness.

p.17

Commentary

45. The leadership contribution made by other key staff is satisfactory, overall. The deputy headteacher and other members of the senior management team provide sound support in relation to whole-school strategic planning and provide good role models for their colleagues through their strong commitment to the school. The co-ordinators’ for special educational needs, English, ICT and PSHE are fulfilling their leadership roles well. However, weaknesses in the rigour of co-ordinators monitoring and evaluation procedures are inhibiting the quality leadership in a range of subjects because the most important priorities for improvement are not always accurately identified.

p.17

Commentary

Management Wenlock C of E Junior School - 16 46. Overall, the management of the school is satisfactory. Although the headteacher has good management skills, there are weaknesses in the monitoring and evaluation roles of most subject co- ordinators. The headteacher analyses the results of statutory and non-statutory testing carefully, studies examples of pupils’ completed work and ensures that staff are aware of good achievement as well as areas for improvement. She checks teachers’ planning and provides pertinent feedback which has resulted in improvements in recent terms. Soon after taking up her appointment, the headteacher started to observe lessons in order to inform her evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in the school. She maintains a programme of regular observations and provides staff with well-focused evaluations of their work which have a beneficial effect on their professional development. She is determined to

p.17

Commentary

eradicate unsatisfactory teaching and has addressed areas of weakness in a resolute and professional manner. She is appropriately aware that her next priority is to raise the overall quality of teaching from satisfactory to good, and is providing teachers with valuable advice about how to improve further.

p.18

Commentary

47. The headteacher has ensured that the deputy headteacher and the other two members of the senior management team have been trained to make relevant and secure judgements through lesson observations. As a result, these key staff have provided teachers with useful feedback after observing lessons. There are effective monitoring and evaluation procedures in relation to provision for pupils with special educational needs and in English, ICT and PSHE. Overall, however, the monitoring roles of most subject co-ordinators are underdeveloped and this is evident in science, geography, history, art and design, design and technology and physical education. The headteacher recognises the need to improve this key element of their work and the school improvement plan includes sensible strategies which will be introduced from the summer term of 2004.

p.18

Commentary

48. The school’s policy for performance management is being soundly implemented and plans are well advanced to involve non-teaching staff in the process. In contrast to the situation when the school was last inspected, all staff are deployed appropriately. Good procedures are established for the induction of new staff.

p.18

Commentary

49. Overall, financial planning is satisfactory. The school improvement plan takes expenditure into account, the annual budget is debated carefully at governors’ meetings and the principles of best value are soundly applied. Prudent financial planning means the school is likely to be able to supplement its budget for the next financial year with carried forward sums of well over £30,000. However, discussions about the use of the enhanced funding for 2004/2005 are inhibited because the school improvement plan does not identify key priorities beyond September 2004. Overall, however, the school makes sound use of its resources and provides satisfactory value for money.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 719,873 Balance from previous year 37,707 Total expenditure 713,908 Balance carried forward to the next 43,672 Expenditure per pupil 2,063

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Aids and barriers to raising achievement 50. The most significant aids to raising achievement include pupils’ positive attitudes to learning, the effective leadership and management skills of the headteacher, and staff who provide positive role models for their colleagues through their good teaching. Progress is being inhibited by too much teaching which is satisfactory, rather than better, and by weaknesses in the monitoring and evaluation of some subjects which mean that areas for improvement are not identified with sufficient clarity.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Governance 51. Overall, governance is satisfactory. The governors are strongly committed to the school, their attendance at meetings is good and they ensure that statutory requirements are fully met. A range of appropriate committees is established and all provide satisfactory support for the leadership and management of the school. The chair of governors visits frequently and has a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses as a result of his regular discussions with the headteacher. Some governors have helped to shape the school’s mission statement through attending meetings with staff; and the progress made towards the targets in the improvement plan is regularly discussed at governors’ Wenlock C of E Junior School - 17 meetings. The headteacher has taken care to brief governors about the results of testing and, consequently, they have a satisfactory awareness of the school’s performance in the national tests in

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. However, governors appropriately recognise their understanding of the school’s work would be increased by more visits to observe it in operation. At present, whilst the governors are very supportive of the school, they need to take a more active role in monitoring its performance and to ask more challenging questions to hold it to account. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 18

p.19

ENGLISH

The quality of provision in English is satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is consistently good in Year 6 and enables pupils to make good progress in English in their final year at the school. • The co-ordinator’s leadership and management of the subject are good. • Pupils in Year 4 and in one Year 5 class sometimes underachieve, particularly in writing. • Pupils are not given enough opportunities to talk about their learning and to use their initiative. • The quality of teachers’ marking is too variable, and important weaknesses in pupils’ writing are sometimes overlooked. • Insufficient use is made of ICT to support pupils’ learning in English.

p.20

Commentary

52. Standards in English in Year 6 are broadly in line with national expectations, as they were when the school was last inspected. These standards represent satisfactory achievement, and reflect the sound overall progress made by all pupils, including those with special educational needs, those from minority ethnic backgrounds and the few who are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The achievement of the most capable pupils is broadly satisfactory, overall, but they sometimes underachieve in writing, especially in Year 4 and in one Year 5 class. Inspection findings are more favourable than the results of the national tests in English in Year 6, in 2003, which were below the national average and were well below the average results of similar schools.

p.20

Commentary

53. Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are all broadly average in Year 6. However, as is the trend nationally, pupils tend to do a little better in reading than in writing. By the age of 11, almost all pupils can read books and other texts appropriate for their age accurately and fluently, with levels of understanding that reflect their capabilities. Long-standing weaknesses in the writing of some Year 6 pupils are being addressed rigorously, and all pupils are making good progress in all aspects of English in their final year at the school, as a result of good teaching. Pupils in Year 3 build consistently on their prior attainment in speaking and listening, reading and writing. In Year 4 and in one Year 5 class, the quality of pupils’ written work is too often spoiled by careless mistakes and by weaknesses that are too readily overlooked by teachers in their marking and in their ongoing feedback to pupils during lessons.

p.20

Commentary

These weaknesses are usually related to sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, grammar and style. In all classes, most pupils are capable of producing well-formed handwriting and of presenting their work neatly. In Years 3 and 6, and in two Year 5 classes, most pupils do so consistently, irrespective of the purposes for writing, in English and in other subjects. In the Year 4 classes and in one Year 5 class where the teacher was absent during the inspection, this is not the case: work is too often badly presented and carelessly written. When they write, many pupils in these classes do not routinely apply the necessary skills they have been taught, or the knowledge they have acquired except when specifically required to do so in order to meet the stated aims of a particular lesson.

p.20

Commentary

54. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Common strengths of the teaching include positive relationships with pupils, effective management of behaviour, and efficient management and organisation of resources, including the deployment and use of teaching assistants to support pupils with special educational needs. Reading is promoted satisfactorily in all year groups. No unsatisfactory English teaching was observed during the inspection and good teaching was evident in Year 6 and in some lessons in Years 3 and 5. In Year 4, teachers’ planning does not always reflect a sufficiently detailed knowledge and understanding of the programmes of study, and teaching is sometimes tentative rather than confident and incisive. In the best lessons seen, teachers in Year 6 make particularly effective links between reading and writing: they show pupils how to write for different purposes by analysing different

p.20

Commentary

kinds of text and identifying their characteristic features; teachers’ focused questions and clear guidance help pupils to organise their ideas, to plan their writing successfully and, where relevant, to include at least some elements of formal language. There are, however, some common weaknesses in the Wenlock C of E Junior School - 19 teaching, which are found particularly, though not exclusively, in Year 4. These weaknesses, which are listed below, have a direct bearing on pupils’ use of spoken and written English and on their development as independent learners.

p.20

Commentary

• Overall, teachers comment too little on the weaknesses in pupils’ spoken and written responses to tasks: too little is done to help individual pupils appreciate the differences between spoken and written language, to master Standard English and to improve the style, structure, grammar and coherence of their own pieces of writing. • Pupils are too rarely challenged to initiate discussions about texts they have read, or to evaluate, against known criteria and with sufficient rigour, the strengths and weaknesses in their own and others’ writing. As a consequence, they remain too dependent on their teachers’ questions and on structured worksheets rather than developing and using their own analytical skills.

p.21

Commentary

55. There are, in addition, inconsistencies in teachers’ marking that need to be resolved. The best marking seen, in Year 6 and in two Year 5 classes, recognises pupils’ achievements against the stated aims of each task, but also gives individual pupils clear indications as to how to improve other aspects of their work. The weakest marking, in one Year 5 class and in Year 4, often overlooks persistent weaknesses that need to be addressed.

p.21

Commentary

56. The literacy co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well. Enthusiastic and energetic, she works hard to identify and address weaknesses in provision and in pupils’ performance wherever and whenever they occur. Although marking is inconsistent, other assessment procedures, weak at the time of the last inspection, are now satisfactory. Pupils’ progress is monitored rigorously, whilst the analysis of test results and of other assessments help to inform the teaching and to identify staff development needs. Where necessary, the co-ordinator works directly with individual colleagues in order to effect improvement. A recent audit of pupils’ writing has accurately identified strengths and weaknesses in teaching and in pupils’ performance. As a consequence, a well-focused action plan has been formulated to secure improvements where these are required. Resources for English are much better than at the

p.21

Commentary

time of the last inspection and are good overall. However, more effective use should be made of ICT to help pupils draft, edit and publish their written work. The library space has been extended and library resources are used appropriately to support pupils’ reading development.

p.21

Commentary

Language across the curriculum 57. Overall, the promotion of pupils’ language and literacy skills in work across the curriculum is broadly satisfactory. All teachers ensure that pupils learn the specialist and technical terms needed to understand topics and processes taught in different subjects, and pupils’ writing skills are generally fostered satisfactorily. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 20

p.21

MATHEMATICS

The quality of provision is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Mathematics teaching is good in Year 6. • Although the teaching is satisfactory, overall, there are common areas for improvement in some lessons. • There is insufficient use of ICT to support and enhance pupils' learning. • Teachers’ marking does not usually provide pupils with enough guidance about how to improve.

p.22

Commentary

58. Standards in mathematics are broadly in line with national expectations in Year 6, as they were when the school was last inspected. These standards represent satisfactory achievement. Inspection findings are more favourable than the results of the national tests in mathematics in Year 6, in 2003, which were below the national average and were well below the average results of similar schools.

p.22

Commentary

59. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, progress well in Year 6. Overall, they make satisfactory progress across the school although, in a minority of lessons, higher-attaining pupils could do better. The school’s own monitoring shows that a significant minority of the current Year 6 pupils made insufficient progress whilst in Year 5 because of weaknesses in some of the teaching. However, good teaching in Year 6 is now enabling these pupils to make up for lost time. Although boys did notably better than girls in the national tests in 2003, the inspection found no significant differences between the current achievement of boys and girls.

p.22

Commentary

60. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when a quarter of the lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory. Pupils are taught in sets based on their prior attainment and these help to ensure that the teaching is carefully targeted to meet the needs of all pupils. Lessons are well planned with clearly defined learning objectives that are shared with pupils. Teaching assistants are well deployed and provide valuable support, especially for pupils with special educational needs. However, in most lessons, pupils have too few opportunities to demonstrate initiative and need to take a more active role in their learning. The teaching of problem-solving skills is not yet consistent across the school and insufficient use is made of ICT to support and enhance pupils’ learning in mathematics.

p.22

Commentary

61. Teaching is consistently good in Year 6. In a Year 6 lesson, for example, the teacher used on-going assessment effectively to challenge pupils in the upper set and to raise their expectations. New learning was introduced through a range of well-selected and stimulating individual and whole-class activities. Time was used very productively and pupils were given the opportunity to assess their own understanding. As a result, pupils developed their confidence in reading and writing standard metric and imperial units and could solve problems involving the conversion of metric units. One unsatisfactory lesson was observed in Year 4 where, overall, the teaching is less effective than in other years. In this lesson, the highest-attaining pupils were insufficiently challenged and the lesson moved at a very slow pace.

p.22

Commentary

62. Whilst most teaching is satisfactory, a significant minority of lessons include areas for improvement. In some lessons: the introductory session is too long and slows the pace of pupils’ learning; teachers’ questions need to be more focused and probing; the most able pupils need more challenging work; and pupils need more opportunities to use their initiative to solve mathematical problems. 63. Assessment arrangements are satisfactory and all teachers set and review targets for mathematics on a half-termly basis. Pupils' work is regularly marked and provides pupils with particularly useful guidance in Year 6. However, most teachers do not provide enough feedback about what pupils need to do to improve their work.

p.22

Commentary

64. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge, is enthusiastic and has formulated a sound action plan to raise standards. Some improvements have already been introduced and are proving beneficial. For example, more emphasis is now being placed on improving pupils' knowledge of multiplication tables and the use the correct Wenlock C of E Junior School - 21 mathematical vocabulary. Following a careful scrutiny of pupils' work, the co-ordinator has provided staff with useful written feedback but has had few opportunities to observe and evaluate mathematics teaching.

p.22

Commentary

Mathematics across the curriculum 65. Satisfactory use is made of numeracy across the curriculum. In science, for example, pupils use tables and graphs appropriately to collect and analyse the data they have collected.

p.23

SCIENCE

The quality of provision in science is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Science teaching is mainly good in Years 3 and 6. • Pupils underachieve in one of the three Year 5 classes. • Although the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, there are common areas for improvement in some lessons. • Teachers’ assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. • Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision are insufficiently rigorous. • Little use is made of ICT to support pupils’ scientific learning.

p.23

Commentary

66. Standards in science are broadly in line with national expectations in Year 6, as they were when the school was last inspected. Standards are not as high as last year, when the results of the national tests in Year 6 were above the national average. However, given the average starting points of the current Year 6 pupils when they entered Year 3, they represent satisfactory achievement. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make sound overall progress; and the inspection found no significant differences between the achievement of boys and girls in science. The most capable pupils make mainly sound progress but could do better in some lessons in Years 4 and 5 if their work was more challenging.

p.23

Commentary

67. Pupils do best in science in Years 3 and 6. Their achievement across Years 4 and 5 is slower but is mainly satisfactory. In Year 3, pupils make good progress when planning investigations to discover the permeability of different soils and achieve well when implementing their plans systematically. In Year 4, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of electrical circuits and know that adding more bulbs to a simple circuit dims the light that each bulb provides. However, all pupils make limited progress when copying identical texts as records of their predictions, results and conclusions from experiments about liquids and solids. The most able pupils, in particular, mark time during such activities and need more opportunities to use their initiative and develop their decision-making skills. In one of the Year 5 classes, too little science work has been recorded by the pupils and the subject is given insufficient attention. In

p.23

Commentary

this class, pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory. In the other two Year 5 classes, however, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. For example, they make sound progress when learning about the relationship between liquids and gases, and understand why condensation and evaporation occur. In Year 6, pupils make good progress and achieve satisfactory standards when learning to use conventional symbols in circuit diagrams. Most are able to use the correct scientific vocabulary when discussing their work, have a sound understanding of the principles of fair-testing and present their results clearly, including in tables and graphs.

p.23

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to good and is satisfactory, overall. In Years 3 to 6, where the teaching is good, teachers capture and maintain pupils’ interest well. They know just when to intervene with well-judged comments or questions to ensure that pupils are challenged and supported throughout the lessons. In these good lessons, teachers take particular care to introduce and reinforce scientific vocabulary and make sure that efficient use is made of the time available. In Years 4 and 5, the teaching observed during the inspection was satisfactory, overall, and a scrutiny of pupils’ completed work confirms it enables most pupils to make mainly sound progress. However, in one Year 5 class, where the teacher was absent during the inspection, the teaching has clearly not enabled pupils to make adequate progress. No science work had been marked in this class in the current academic year,

p.23

Commentary

which represents very poor practice. Overall, teachers’ marking is broadly satisfactory in other classes but includes good practice in Year 6 where pupils often benefit from well-focused feedback. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 22 69. In lessons which are satisfactory, overall, there are common areas for improvement. Sometimes there is too much teacher talk and too little pupil activity and teachers’ questioning skills need improvement, not only to probe pupils’ understanding but also to ensure that the most able pupils are sufficiently challenged. In addition, evidence from pupils’ completed work suggests that they often need more opportunities to use their initiative and to make decisions in science, particularly in Years 4 and 5. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are soundly promoted in science lessons. However, the use of ICT to support pupils’ learning is underdeveloped.

p.23

Commentary

70. The science co-ordinator has recently taken on her role and is keen to secure improvements in the subject. She has good scientific knowledge and is an effective science teacher. The co-ordinator willingly provides advice for her colleagues, has organised resources efficiently and runs a popular after- school science club which helps to raise the profile of the subject. She has studied the school’s current assessment procedures in science and has sensibly decided that they make a very limited contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. However, new and improved procedures have yet to be agreed. The co-ordinator has the ability and enthusiasm to lead and manage the subject very well. However, she has yet to establish sufficiently rigorous and systematic procedures for monitoring the quality of provision. The school improvement plan includes sound plans which should enable the co-ordinator to

p.24

Commentary

develop her role effectively during the next educational year.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision for information and communication technology is satisfactory. Pupils are taught well in lessons in the ICT suite. However, opportunities are often missed in classrooms to consolidate and extend pupils’ ICT skills to support their learning in other subjects.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching in the ICT suite is good. • Insufficient use is made of ICT to support work in other subjects. • The arrangements to assess and record pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. • Sometimes the most capable pupils need more challenging tasks. • The leadership and management of the subject are good.

p.24

Commentary

71. Overall, standards are in line with national expectations in year 6 and represent satisfactory achievement. Standards have improved since the last inspection, when they were below average in Year 6. Most pupils in Year 6 demonstrate sound skills and use computers confidently. They use ICT well to control the sequence of traffic lights and to operate a system designed to provide security lighting in an unoccupied building. Pupils make sound use of spreadsheets, for example to calculate the cost of taking a school meal for a term, and use software effectively to try out different ways of organising the furniture in a room. Good and safe use is made of the Internet to find information. Pupils do not send and receive e-mails, as the necessary software is not in place. However, plans are in hand to deal with this and many older pupils report that they often use e-mails at home.

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Commentary

72. The quality of teaching is good in the ICT suite and leads to pupils making good progress in these lessons. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection, when the teaching was unsatisfactory. Teachers now have a secure knowledge of the subject, are enthusiastic and make good use of the recently established ICT suite. Lessons move briskly with pupils’ following well-established routines, for example ‘logging on’ as soon as they arrive in the suite. Teachers make good use of the specialist equipment to show pupils how to operate the computer using the software needed to meet the requirements of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy their lessons and report that the equipment helps them to learn new skills quickly.

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Commentary

73. Many teachers make effective arrangements for pupils to work with a partner. Often a more competent pupil works alongside a pupil who is less confident and the pair collaborate well. Thus, together with the extra attention from teachers, pupils’ with special educational needs have good support and make good Wenlock C of E Junior School - 23 progress in lessons. Overall, the most able pupils make sound progress in ICT but sometimes need more challenging tasks.

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Commentary

74. The arrangements to assess and record pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. The use of the informal procedures currently in place is inconsistent. The information available for teachers to plan work which is matched to pupils’ needs is very limited, and partly explains why the more able pupils are sometimes given work which is too easy. Improved procedures for assessment have been formulated but have yet to be implemented.

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Commentary

75. The leadership and management of the subject are good and have contributed considerably to the good progress made since the last inspection. Progress has been particularly rapid in the past two years. New equipment has been purchased and well-trained teachers make good use of it.

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Commentary

Information and community technology across the curriculum 76. The use made of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. Computers are often underused in classrooms and opportunities are often missed to consolidate and extend pupils’ ICT skills to support learning across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics. The subject co-ordinator has recognised the need for improvement and has recently introduced a software package especially designed to promote the use of ICT across the curriculum.

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GEOGRAPHY

The quality of provision in geography is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards are below average and represent underachievement. • The subject receives insufficient attention, and pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are not developed systematically. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. • The leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

77. A thorough analysis of pupils' work shows that standards are below national expectations in Year 6 and represent underachievement. Pupils make insufficient progress in the subject, throughout the school, largely because it receives too little attention in the curriculum. Standards have fallen since the last inspection when they were average. Some pupils have participated in visits to sites of geographical interest, for example the River Lea, or have used information packs to study contrasting localities such as St. Lucia. However, the resulting work lacks depth and quality. Current provision does not enable pupils to develop their geographical knowledge, skills and understanding in a systematic manner as they move through the school.

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Commentary

78. Insufficient lessons were seen to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching in the subject. However, pupils’ completed work shows it does not enable pupils to achieve as well as they should in geography. Assessment procedures are insufficiently rigorous, teachers do not have a secure knowledge of the standards expected and the work is characterised by low expectations. Overall, there is little evidence of work in geography and, where it is recorded, it is often of poor quality.

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Commentary

79. The leadership and management of geography are unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator, who has recently returned after a long-term absence through illness, has good subject knowledge and has provided Wenlock C of E Junior School - 24 satisfactory guidance to inform teachers’ planning. However, this has not been fully implemented and a lack of rigorous monitoring has failed to identify and remedy the weaknesses in provision.

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HISTORY

80. Insufficient evidence was available to make an overall judgement about the quality of provision in history. Very little evidence of pupils’ completed work was seen and no history lessons were observed. However, a careful analysis of teachers’ planning and discussions with the subject co- ordinator mean that some judgements can be made. It is clear, for example, that current weaknesses in curriculum planning, curriculum coverage and assessment militate against the progressive development of key skills by pupils. The leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory, and procedures to monitor and evaluate provision are not established. As a consequence, the co-ordinator does not have a clear overview of the quality of provision in the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

The quality of provision in art and design is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below national expectations in Year 6 and represent underachievement. • Overall, teachers’ expectations are too low. • There are no coherent assessment procedures in the subject. • Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision are not established. • Pupils do well in one Year 5 class where the teacher has good subject knowledge.

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Commentary

81. Standards are below national expectations in art and design in Year 6 and have declined since the last inspection, when they were average. Pupils’ achievement in the subject is broadly satisfactory in Year 3 but is mainly unsatisfactory for older pupils.

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Commentary

82. In Year 3, pupils achieve satisfactory standards when converting their simple sketches of machine parts into polystyrene prints, and make adequate progress when drawing the faces of their classmates. In Year 4, pupils’ sketchbooks show that their drawing skills are underdeveloped and few are able to interpret the things they observe with sufficient precision. These pupils have looked at examples of surrealist art but their own crayoned interpretations of this work lack vitality and interest. In Year 5, pupils’ papier-mâché masks, mostly formed over balloons, are mainly very simplistic and might easily have been created by considerably younger pupils. However, in one of the three Year 5 classes the work is of a higher quality, demonstrating a more creative approach by the pupils and reflecting the good subject knowledge of the teacher. In Year 6, pupils’ collage interpretations of imaginary scenes, made

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Commentary

from paper and fabrics, represent underachievement, and their sketchbooks show their drawing skills are mainly unsatisfactory for their ages. The large collage pictures, made by groups of Year 6 pupils, show low standards for pupils of their ages.

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Commentary

83. No art and design lessons were observed during the inspection, so it is not possible to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching in the subject. However, evidence from pupils’ completed work shows the teaching does not enable most pupils to make adequate progress, and that teachers’ expectations for pupils’ potential achievement are usually too low. Evidence strongly suggests that teachers would benefit from in-service training to increase their knowledge in art and design.

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Commentary

84. The co-ordinator has taken on her role very recently but has already audited resources and organised them efficiently. She appropriately recognises that she needs to increase her knowledge in the subject Wenlock C of E Junior School - 25 in order to provide clear guidance for her colleagues. The previous co-ordinators have not established sufficiently systematic and rigorous procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision, and the current co-ordinator has yet to start this key element of her role. Assessment procedures are not established and pupils’ key skills in the subject are not developed systematically as they move through the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The quality of provision in design and technology is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below national expectations in Year 6 and represent underachievement. • Teachers’ expectations are too low. • Assessment procedures are not established. • The leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

85. Across the school, pupils underachieve in design and technology and their standards are below those expected for pupils of similar ages. Standards have fallen since the last inspection, when they were average in Year 6.

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Commentary

86. In Year 3, pupils’ designs for picture frames are all very similar. They have made virtually identical frames using the same sized lolly sticks and card which has already been cut for them by their teachers. Pupils have been expected to use little creativity when creating their designs. In addition, their making skills have not been adequately developed since the main task simply involved sticking the provided components together. In Year 4, pupils’ designs for moving pictures lack adequate detail and their finished products might easily have been achieved by younger pupils. In Year 5, some pupils have achieved satisfactory standards when making percussion instruments. However, most instruments are very simply constructed and have presented pupils with limited challenge. For example, a significant number are simply plastic containers which have been filled with gravel, covered with papier-mâché and

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Commentary

painted. In Year 6, pupils’ designs for model shelters provides insufficient detail about how materials will be joined, and their finished products show their making skills are below average for their ages. Year 6 pupils know how to incorporate a simple electrical circuit into a model vehicle but their partially completed vehicles demonstrate a lack of precision in their construction.

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Commentary

87. No design and technology lessons were observed during the inspection, so it is not possible to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching. However, a careful examination of the pupils’ work clearly shows the teaching is not enabling pupils to make adequate progress in the subject. Teachers’ expectations are too low and pupils’ key skills are not developed systematically. Evidence suggests that teachers would benefit from in-service training to increase their knowledge in the subject.

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Commentary

88. Overall, the leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the subject are not established and teachers do not have coherent strategies for assessing pupils’ needs and achievements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

89. Insufficient evidence was available to make an overall judgement about the quality of provision in physical education. However, it is clear that teachers’ planning for the subject is sound and pupils benefit from good opportunities for sport, including through extra-curricular activities. Procedures for assessing pupils’ standards and achievements are not established in the subject. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 26

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MUSIC

90. Insufficient evidence was available to make an overall judgement about the quality of provision in music. However, teachers’ planning is sound, and pupils say they enjoy music lessons. In assemblies, pupils’ singing was good and this contrasts with the disappointing singing reported in the last inspection.

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Personal, social and health education (PSHE)

The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject has a high profile in the school, and pupils achieve well. • Pupils have regular opportunities to develop their ideas and values through discussion. • The subject is effectively led and managed.

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Commentary

91. The school sees pupils’ personal development as an important part of its work. Although only two lessons were observed, pupils’ written work, their views about PSHE, teachers’ planning and discussions with the co-ordinator all provide convincing evidence of well managed and wide-ranging provision.

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Commentary

92. An extensive programme of activities and visits includes work on healthy eating, sex education, drugs awareness and personal safety. Discussions in PSHE lessons give pupils regular opportunities to develop values of their own and to appreciate other viewpoints. A successful school council provides pupils with opportunities to witness democracy at first hand, to consider ways of helping those less fortunate than themselves and to contribute, through ideas and through deeds, to the development of the life and work of the school. For example, the school council has recently achieved one of its objectives by raising funds and organising the labour needed to place paving stones under all the benches in the playground, and has now turned its attention to other intended improvements.

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Commentary

93. All available evidence shows that the teaching of PSHE is good, whether through timetabled PSHE lessons and class discussions or through less formal means. For example, the thoughtful behaviour of pupils, the respect they show towards others, and their ability to see situations from others’ points of view, all reflect not only the values promoted through PSHE lessons, but also the good quality of teachers’ daily interactions with the pupils in their care. The many other projects and events organised to promote pupils’ personal, social and health education enrich the curriculum. Evidence of work seen testifies to the impact made on pupils through the ‘Healthy Schools’ project. For example, pupils’ letters express heartfelt thanks to ‘Harold’, a visitor who brought the ‘Life Bus’ to school and who helped them understand the dangers of drugs. A current project strongly promotes the need for safety in physical

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Commentary

education, whilst plans are already in hand to introduce a ‘Walking Bus’ designed to give pupils daily exercise by walking to school.

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Commentary

94. The PSHE co-ordinator is effective in her role: leadership and management of provision are good. Through her continuing involvement in the local education authority’s working-party, the co-ordinator keeps abreast of new initiatives. She provides her colleagues with valuable guidance and carefully monitors the implementation of the good scheme of work for PSHE. Wenlock C of E Junior School - 27

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The overall effectiveness of the school 4

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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The quality of education provided by the school 4

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

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The leadership and management of the school 4

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

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The leadership and management of the school 4

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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