Wigan St Andrew's CofE Junior and Infant School

ST ANDREW’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th - 19 th May 2004

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ST ANDREW’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST ANDREW’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 243 School address: Mort Street Springfield Wigan Postcode: WN6 7AU Telephone number: (01942) 244 354 Fax number: (01942) 244 354 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr N Stothers Date of previous inspection: 16 th March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Andrew’s is a medium sized Church of England primary school serving a community approximately two miles from the centre of Wigan. Most of its 243 pupils (116 boys and 127 girls aged four to 11) come from the area close to the school, which is a very mixed area in terms of social backgrounds. The proportion of pupils in receipt of free school meals is below the national average. However, fewer claim than are known to be eligible. In most years, children start school with levels of attainment typical of their age. However, a significant proportion of the children currently in their Reception Year demonstrate levels of attainment lower than this which reflects the changes in the school’s population as a whole. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (16 per cent) is around the national average. There are two mixed age classes (one for Reception and Year 1 children and the other for Years 1 and 2). Two pupils have English as an additional language and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

are at the early stages of learning English. Overall, there are few pupils from ethnic minority groups. The school is involved in the Primary Leadership Strategy, a national initiative and has formed a partnership with a further education college for initial teacher training. It takes pride in its Christian ethos and in the close links it has with the parish community. It is working towards the quality mark for the Foundation Stage of learning. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

16413 Mrs D Bell Lead inspector Special educational needs English Art and design Design and technology Music 9798 Mrs V Ashworth Lay inspector 21816 Mrs B Thomas Team inspector Foundation Stage Geography History Physical education 32021 Mr A McClean Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology (ICT)

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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). St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 13

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school. Good leadership and management result in effective teaching, good pupil achievement and standards that are above the national expectation in English, mathematics and science. Pupils behave very well and have very good attitudes to school because they are all very effectively included in all that the school has to offer. They and their parents are highly satisfied with the school, which provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• All groups of pupils achieve equally well in this very inclusive school and overall, standards are above the national expectation in English, mathematics and science. • The quality of teaching is good overall. Assessment procedures are very good in English, mathematics and science but they are not fully developed in other subjects. • Pupils behave very well and have very positive attitudes to school. The school provides very well for their spiritual, moral and social development. While cultural development is satisfactory, the school does not teach pupils enough about cultural diversity. • Pupils are well supported and guided throughout their school lives but the school does not regularly seek their views and opinions. • Leadership and management are good overall but the new deputy headteacher is under- utilised as a manager in the school. • There is good breadth and balance in the curriculum overall, but outdoor provision for children

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

in the Foundation Stage is underdeveloped and computers are not yet used as a natural tool for learning in the classroom.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has successfully addressed almost all of the issues identified at the previous inspection in 1998 and improvement overall has been good . Schemes of work, planning, assessment, the role of the co-ordinators and the role of the governing body are all greatly improved. However, outdoor provision for the Foundation Stage remains an issue that the school has not dealt with well enough.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good throughout the school. In the Reception class, attainment was below that expected for the children’s ages when they started school. However, most children are on course at least to meet the goals expected for the end of Reception in the five areas of learning inspected. No overall judgement can be made about physical development because no teaching was observed. In the national tests in 2003, Year 2 pupils reached above average standards in reading and average standards in writing when compared with all schools and similar schools. The mathematics results matched the national average but were below those of similar schools. Teacher assessments for science put the school in the top five per cent of all schools and above the results of similar schools. The similar schools’ comparisons have been adjusted in this age group to take account of the higher proportion of pupils in receipt of free school meals at the time of the national tests. The overall trend

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in the school’s results is above the national trend in this age group. The results for pupils in Year 6 in 2003 can be seen in the following table:

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar school Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English B C A A mathematics A C C C science A C C C 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. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 5 The trend in the school’s results for this age group is below the national trend. However, the value added by the school is very good when compared with all schools and with the pupils’ prior attainment when they were in Year 2. The school sets challenging targets and works hard to reach them, tracking pupils’ progress effectively, rigorously analysing test and assessment results. The effective action taken to tackle the weaknesses found led to the improved English results in 2003 and to the improvements in mathematics and science this year. No significant differences were noted between the attainment of boys and girls during the inspection and all groups of pupils were seen to

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

achieve equally well, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good. Pupils behave very well and relationships are very good throughout the school. Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall, although there are weaknesses in cultural development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education is good as is the overall quality of teaching and learning. English and mathematics are taught well. Teachers pay very good attention to developing literacy skills and good attention to developing mathematical skills in other subjects. They use many different approaches to teaching that help the pupils to learn effectively and probe pupils’ thinking and extend their learning very effectively through their very perceptive questioning. Planning is good and teachers very successfully ensure that all pupils are fully included in all learning activities whatever their background or level of capability. A broad and well balanced curriculum provides effectively for all pupils to make continuous progress and they are well prepared for life beyond school. Pupils receive good academic support, very good personal support and they are very well cared for. The school has a good partnership with parents, which contributes effectively to pupils’ learning. Overall, parents

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

receive good information. However, the pupils’ annual reports are inconsistent in how well they report pupils’ achievement and areas for improvement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . Clear, strategic thinking by the headteacher and governors ensures that the school has a strong sense of purpose. The very strong teamwork evident amongst the staff and the school management is a strength of the school and underpins its commitment to further improvement. However, the deputy headteacher is currently under-utilised as a manager in the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils are very positive about the school and what it does for them.

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

• Sharpen up and formalise assessment procedures in subjects other than English, mathematics and science by linking them to National Curriculum levels and report pupils’ progress better in their annual reports. • Improve outdoor provision for children in the Foundation Stage. • Use computers more effectively as natural tools for learning in the classroom. • Involve pupils more in the day-to-day life of the school and prepare them better for life in a culturally diverse British society. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

All groups of pupils achieve well . Standards are above the national expectation in English, mathematics and science in Year 2 and Year 6. By Year 6, they are above the national expectation in all subjects inspected except physical education, where they meet the national expectation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage are given a good start to their education except in physical development. • Speaking and listening are very well developed and overall, pupils use their literacy skills very effectively in other subjects. • Pupils do not yet use computers as natural tools for learning in class, although information and communication technology (ICT) makes a very good contribution to other subjects when it is taught in the suite. • The school has successfully raised standards in mathematics and science since the national tests in 2003.

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Commentary

1. In most years, children start school in the Reception class with the levels of attainment expected for their age. However, the children currently in Reception demonstrated much lower attainment than is usually found in the school. Analysis of the school’s assessments of children on entry show that attainment has declined over recent years. While there are some high achievers in each year group, the gap between them and the lower attainers has been quite stark in some. In meeting the children’s needs, the staff have rightly placed particular emphasis on personal, social and emotional development (PSED), communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Most children have already exceeded the goals expected for the end of Reception in PSED and the majority are on course to meet them in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. No judgement is made about physical

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Commentary

development because no teaching was observed in this area of learning. Although statutory requirements are met, children have very limited access to physical development. They have only one physical development session in the hall each week; they do not have spontaneous daily access to an outdoor area and there are no large toys or other equipment for them to use if they did. This is an issue that has not been adequately addressed since the last inspection despite the school having planned to do so.

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Commentary

2. In the current Year 2 and Year 6, standards are above the national expectation in English, mathematics and science. They match the national expectation for physical education and by Year 6 they are above it in all other subjects inspected, including ICT. Overall, all groups of pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

3. In 2003, Year 2 pupils reached above average standards in the national tests for reading. Standards in writing and mathematics matched the national average. The reading results were above, the writing results matched and the mathematics results were below those of similar schools. The similar schools’ comparisons have been adjusted in this age group to take account of the higher proportion of pupils in receipt of free school meals at the time of the national tests. The average points scores for pupils in Year 2 in 2003 were as follows: St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 7 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results reading 16.5 (16.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.8 (15.3) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.2 (16.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 33 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. The teacher assessments for science showed standards were above those of all schools and in the top five per cent of similar schools. The overall trend in results in this age group is above the national trend, although there was a decline between 2002 and 2003 in all three areas. The school’s analysis shows that this was due to the aforementioned changes in the make-up of the year group.

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Commentary

5. Compared to all schools and in relation to their Year 2 results, the Year 6 English results were very good in 2003 and the mathematics and science results were average. The trend in the results for pupils in Year 6 is below the national trend but when the results are analysed in terms of how well the pupils did when they were in Year 2, the school is seen to have added very good value to their learning. The average points scores can be seen in the following table:

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 28.7 (27.0) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.0 (27.5) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.5 (28.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 35 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

6. No significant differences between boys and girls were noted during the inspection. Higher, average and lower attaining pupils and those from ethnic minority backgrounds achieve equally well because their work is well matched to their levels of capability and their progress is effectively monitored. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements, make very good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans and achieve well because of the good support they receive. The school also provides good support for pupils at the early stages of learning English. The headteacher, governors and staff are fully committed to the full inclusion of all pupils in all that the school has to offer and together they work hard and successfully achieve this.

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Commentary

7. The school sets challenging targets and works hard to reach them. In 2003, it exceeded its target for English but did not meet its target for mathematics. It thoroughly analyses all test and assessment outcomes and takes appropriate action to address weaknesses. As a result of its actions and the intensive support it received from the local educational authority, standards in English improved considerably in 2003. The improved standards seen in English and mathematics during the inspection are testimony to the actions it has taken this year to reverse the downward trend in those two subjects Pupils’ progress is effectively monitored and their progress is tracked well during the year and from year to year.

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Commentary

8. Pupils use and consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills effectively in other subjects. However, they do not yet use and consolidate the many ICT skills they learn during discrete lessons in the ICT suite, in the classroom. Computers are not yet used as a natural tool for learning. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 8

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development overall. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes to their work and to their school are very good. • Behaviour throughout the school is very good. • Punctuality is good and attendance is satisfactory. • Spiritual, social and moral development is very good and there are very good opportunities for pupils to develop their personal qualities. • The provision for cultural development remains satisfactory as at the last inspection but the school does not teach pupils well enough about cultural diversity.

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Commentary

9. Personal, social and emotional development is very good in the Foundation Stage. As a result, the children settle quickly into school routines, learn to listen to the staff and to each other and to take turns and share the range of resources made available to them. Pupils of all ages and abilities like their school very much and enjoy the sense of belonging that it gives them. They are very enthusiastic about their work, enjoy learning and like their teachers. Some younger pupils were quick to say that school is exciting and wonderful. This very positive attitude to work is encouraged from the moment the children enter school and is evident in the very good provision made for their personal, social and emotional development. It is promoted very well through a wide range of activities both during and outside the school day. The pupils behave very well in and around the school. Behaviour at lunchtimes and in the playground is good.

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Commentary

There was some parental concern about possible bullying, but those pupils spoken to during the inspection were confident that bullying is a minor issue and that any reported incidents are quickly and effectively dealt with. There have been no exclusions. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.3 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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Commentary

10. Pupils generally value their surroundings, although they do need regular reminders on the appropriate use of the toilet facilities. In lessons, they listen carefully to the staff and to each other. The teachers’ very good organisation ensures that they work very well independently, in pairs and in groups, supporting and encouraging each other. The school promotes very good social and moral development by encouraging the pupils to think of others, to understand the importance of inclusion and the value of sharing responsibilities.

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Commentary

11. Pupils are generally very willing to take on responsibility and perform many small tasks in the classroom and have responsibilities in assemblies and in the playground as play leaders. Some Year 6 pupils do not like to help with the cleaning and tidying process after the midday meal, while some of the younger pupils are looking forward to assisting the staff in this way and feel it is a privilege. The school expects to develop a school council to further the pupils’ understanding of their ownership of the school. It has no formal mechanisms for gathering, valuing or acting on the views of the pupils but has made a positive start with the introduction of ‘circle time’ where pupils sit in a circle to discuss issues that are important to them. Most pupils know very well the difference between right and wrong and they are given clear moral direction by the staff. Pupils raise money for causes they believe in and have a very strong

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Commentary

St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 9 understanding of caring for others. Their spiritual development is promoted and encouraged daily in assemblies by the use of very well developed themes and an appreciation of music. The very strong church links encourage compassion and understanding and contribute greatly to the pupils’ personal development. Cultural development is mainly confined to the curriculum, including residential visits and trips to museums and galleries. The understanding of different cultures and of the range and diversity of cultures outside of their immediate community is not given sufficient attention.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good as is the quality of teaching and learning. Pupils are very well cared for, guided and supported. The school has a good partnership with parents and very good links with the church. It has satisfactory links with the community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, and many examples of very good teaching were observed during the inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ questioning is particularly effective in probing and extending pupils’ thinking and learning. • Effective planning successfully promotes the good achievement of all groups of pupils though very occasionally higher attainers are not sufficiently stretched by their work. • The teachers’ very good classroom management and organisation promotes very good attitudes and behaviour in the pupils. • Teachers assess pupils’ work very well in lessons and are skilled at adapting their teaching to match the pupils’ immediate learning needs. • Except in English, mathematics and science, pupils’ attainment is not yet consistently measured against the levels set down in the National Curriculum programmes of study.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. A further six sessions were observed but teaching was not graded because the observations were short and some of the sessions were observations of support staff.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed in this inspection and a high proportion of teaching was very good. English and mathematics are taught well and teachers successfully encourage pupils to use and consolidate their literacy and mathematical skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

13. Teachers are particularly skilled at questioning pupils to help them think for themselves and make links between different subjects and areas of learning. The questioning is measured, varied, open-ended and gives the pupils every opportunity to think, organise their thoughts and learn from each other as well as from the teacher. This very effectively promotes their speaking and listening skills and is an integral part of the good and sometimes very good teaching seen in English, mathematics and science. Teachers value the pupils’ responses and build on them, extending the pupils’ knowledge base, their understanding and, in all subjects, their use of subject specific vocabulary. The varied nature of the questions, often directed at St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 10 individual pupils, ensures that all pupils are fully included in all whole class sessions and supports their learning very effectively when they are working in groups or independently.

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Commentary

14. The very good classroom management and the effective organisation of pupils’ learning develop in the pupils the positive attitudes to school and to learning and the very good behaviour observed during the inspection. The good pace of learning seen in most lessons also contributes to this and pupils respond very well to the high expectations the teachers’ have of their work rate and behaviour. Effective planning recognises the needs of individuals and different groups of pupils and usually, work is well matched to these needs. Very occasionally, however, higher attaining pupils are not given the additional challenges they need to extend their learning further. The school has drawn up a register of gifted and talented pupils and is considering ways of meeting their needs better through, for example, a different form of individual education plan. Teachers make good use of the classroom assistants to support

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Commentary

pupils with special educational needs. This contributes effectively to the overall very good inclusion of these pupils in all activities.

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Commentary

15. Teachers are also skilled at assessing pupils’ learning during lessons and, where necessary, adjusting teaching styles and sometimes breaking down learning objectives further, to meet particular needs as they arise. In some lessons, teachers were seen to extend a discussion to ensure that pupils were secure about what was expected of them; or to pursue a relevant point made by a pupil that showed more or less understanding of what was being taught. Teachers constantly check the quality of learning when pupils are working in groups. They use the whole class sessions at the ends of lessons effectively to consolidate and assess how well the pupils have done. Good marking in English helps pupils improve their work. In Year 6, it is especially well focused on what pupils need to do next and provides a good role model for the rest of the school. While work is marked regularly in other subjects, there are few comments

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Commentary

to help pupils improve, although their progress is discussed with them and they are clear about what they need to do next. Teachers keep good records of progress and learning in English, mathematics and science and there are appropriate systems for recording progress in ICT. However, in other subjects, while they assess pupils’ learning at the end of a unit of work, teachers have not extended this to assessing pupils’ attainment against the levels set down in the National Curriculum. A suitable range and amount of homework effectively consolidates pupils’ learning in class.

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is good overall as are staffing and the resources for learning. The accommodation is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very successful in providing equality of access and opportunity for all its pupils. • Curricular planning has improved considerably since the previous inspection. Statutory requirements are met and enrichment through extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors is a good feature of school life. • Provision for personal, social and health education is very good and there is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Design and technology activities are too interwoven into the art and design curriculum to measure accurately pupils’ progress and overall achievement in the subject. • Although overall, the accommodation is adequate, the outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage remains underdeveloped as an outdoor classroom and limits the provision for physical development.

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Commentary

16. The school works hard to ensure the full inclusion of all pupils in all activities. The good provision for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 11 language ensures that they too are included in all that the school has to offer. All of these pupils have relevant individual education plans with clear, measurable targets. Combined with good quality assistance from teachers and support staff, the plans contribute in great measure to the pupils’ good progress and achievement. The school has also identified a number of pupils who are gifted or talented in different ways and on the whole, provides adequately for them through additionally challenging activities in relevant areas of the curriculum. It is currently working on possible individual plans for each of these pupils to ensure that they are always provided with work that meets their individual levels of capability.

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Commentary

17. Provision is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum for this age group is appropriately planned. It is interesting and stimulating and helps the children to make links between the various areas of learning. They quickly develop the social skills necessary to learn successfully. As a result, they achieve well and enjoy learning. The school now has an outdoor area designated for outdoor provision for this age group. However, it is not used properly to promote physical skills. The school does not have the learning resources to promote this area and its potential as an outdoor classroom remains significantly underdeveloped. For pupils in Years 1 to 6, all subjects are now planned well following national guidance, ensuring continuity in teaching and progression in learning. However, while the units of work planned for design and technology ensure statutory requirements are met, they are not sufficiently distinct from

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Commentary

the curriculum for art and design to enable pupils’ achievement and attainment to be measured accurately over time. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are used effectively as the basis for planning in English and mathematics and have contributed to the improvement in standards in these subjects. The provision, standards and the quality of learning in ICT have improved considerably since the last inspection. There are two reasons for this: first, the school now has an ICT suite with up-to-date hardware and a good range of software; and second, the employment of a very competent and experienced link co-ordinator has contributed in great measure to pupils’ learning and achievement during discrete lessons in the ICT suite.

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Commentary

18. Throughout the school, curricular provision is considerably enriched and enhanced by a good range of visits and visitors that stimulates learning and promotes effective personal development. Health education weeks, outdoor pursuits residential visits, artists in residence, music and performing arts activities and visiting theatre groups all add to the quality of the curriculum. A large number of them attend the after school clubs that successfully promote a wide range of sporting activities. Pupils compete, often with great success, in inter-schools tournaments and championships. Health education, including sex education and guidance about the dangers of misusing drugs is planned and taught very well as part of the science curriculum and as part of the very good personal, social, health and citizenship programme.

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Commentary

19. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those at the early stages of learning English is good. All of these pupils have individual education plans that are relevant to their needs, reviewed termly and, in the case of pupils with special educational needs, fully meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. The targets in the plans are clear, measurable and contribute in great measure to the pupils’ good progress throughout the school.

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Commentary

20. Staffing is satisfactory overall. There is a good number of well-qualified teaching staff to meet the demands of the curriculum and the learning needs of all pupils. However, the school has few support assistants, particularly for the Foundation Stage. The governing body has committed some of its surplus funding to addressing this issue in the near future. Kitchen, cleaning staff and secretarial staff all make a significant contribution to the family ethos of the school. They are well known to pupils, respect them and receive mutual respect in return. The accommodation is satisfactory and overall it is used effectively to promote learning. Classrooms are bright and attractive and attractive displays enhance the quality of the learning environment. Overall, the school is well resourced and resources are used effectively to promote learning. The ICT suite makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ ICT

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Commentary

skills and the library contains a good range of fiction and non-fiction books that support pupils’ learning and enjoyment of reading. The exception to all of this is the outdoor provision for the St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 12 Foundation Stage. Although a suitable area has been designated for this purpose, the plans and intentions drawn up as part of the action plan following the last inspection have not been realised. The school does not have the relevant learning resources to develop this area as an effective outdoor classroom that also promotes safe but adventurous physical activities.

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Care, guidance and support

Overall, care, guidance and support are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school manages the personal care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils very well. • The support, advice and guidance given to the pupils are good. • The school has started to seek the views of pupils but it does not do this in any formal way that shows the pupils that their views are valued and acted upon.

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Commentary

21. Overall, there has been good improvement in this area since the last inspection. This is a very caring school. Child protection procedures are fully in place and members of staff are well briefed on their responsibilities. Routines for dealing with safety in the building, first aid and accidents are very well established. Safety checks are carried out regularly and fire drills are recorded and carried out with rigour. Risk assessments are now fully in place. The junior toilet block is in need of further refurbishment. Although some work has already been carried out, there is still some way to go to bring them up to standard.

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Commentary

22. Teachers know the pupils well and they effectively promote the pupils’ personal development. Their monitoring of this area is good. The pupils have no hesitation in saying they feel very well cared for and know who to go to if they have any concerns. The school also carefully checks pupils’ progress and overall, provides them with good levels of academic support, advice and guidance. The good guidance that pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language receive helps them to achieve to the best of their ability and often means that their needs are met and they are no longer in need of special help.

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Commentary

23. Induction arrangements are good on entry to the school. Most children settle quickly into new routines and the teachers get to know them well. Good care is also taken of those who enter school whatever their age or stage of learning. The school sets great store by the full inclusion of all pupils in everything it has to offer. It listens to the pupils, particularly in circle time, which the pupils value and on other occasions when issues are specifically raised, for example the junior toilet facilities. However not all years yet have regular circle time sessions and the opportunities for further formal discussion are limited. There are therefore no mechanisms whereby pupils are formally involved in the work of the school to increase their sense of ownership of it. This is an area of development on which the new deputy headteacher is working.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents are good overall. Links with other schools and the community are satisfactory. This is similar to the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have a high regard for the school and the information they receive from it is generally of good quality. • The school has very good links with the church. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 13 • The annual pupil reports to parents are of variable quality and information about the curriculum is inconsistent. • The parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs are involved well in the reviews of their children’s targets. However, the school has not extended this involvement to the parents of other pupils with special educational needs. • Links with the community are not fully developed.

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Commentary

24. Those parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting and those who completed the questionnaire expressed a high regard for the school and had no major concerns, although they had some small criticisms and areas for improvement, for example the junior toilets and clearing after lunch. Parents agree that the staff and particularly the headteacher, who knows the families well, are all very approachable, helpful and supportive and listen to their views.

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Commentary

25. The school provides good quality information on a regular basis, including early years newsletters in addition to whole school news. However, it does not issue written details of the curriculum on a regular basis, although there are class target sheets each term. Nevertheless, the teaching staff are clearly visible at the start and end of the school day should contact be necessary. The prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents both give helpful, detailed information on the school’s activities. The pupils’ annual reports are still variable in terms of reporting progress and areas for improvement. While overall they are satisfactory, the use of computer generated statements has led to some errors in them. Parents welcome the formal and informal opportunities the school offers to them to discuss their children’s progress, including the three parents’ evenings each year. The parents of pupils with statements of

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Commentary

special educational needs are appropriately involved in all meetings and reviews of their children’s progress. However, the parents of other pupils on the register are not well enough involved in reviewing or setting targets for their children and therefore their usefulness in helping the school to help their children is limited.

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Commentary

26. Parents support their children’s work at home, although homework diaries are not always completed and signed regularly. However, many volunteer to assist with activities in school and do so on a rota system. Some parents are encouraged to train as classroom assistants, which is of great benefit to the school and their own personal development. The parent teacher association provides an important family link and also raises substantial amounts of money for the benefit of the school. There are satisfactory arrangements with the local nurseries and high schools on transition and there are good sports links with other primary schools.

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Commentary

27. The school values and continues to seek to improve, the three-way partnership between it, the parents and the church. The links with the church are particularly strong and the school takes advantage of the opportunities provided by the curriculum to invite visitors into school and to take pupils on outside visits. However, there are few links with other areas of the community.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are good . Governance is good and effective management systems ensure that the school meets the needs of the pupils.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The active involvement of a knowledgeable, supportive and increasingly challenging governing body is promoting effective self-evaluation. • The good leadership of the headteacher and governors ensures a clear strategic view for the school, especially as the admission number falls. • Management systems are good overall but the new deputy is under-utilised as a manager in the school. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 14

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Commentary

28. Initiatives since the last inspection have resulted in significant progress in leadership and management. The headteacher, the deputy and the co-ordinators for English and mathematics monitor lessons, analyse performance data and take action to improve teaching and learning. Other co-ordinators are clear about their management roles. Although they carry out a more limited monitoring of lessons, they do check teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. Good systems are in place to bring staff up to the levels of skill needed for effective monitoring. These have included joint observations of English and mathematics with the school’s link adviser and joint observations by the headteacher and a co-ordinator. There are clear plans to extend these observations to other subjects.

p.16

Commentary

29. The leadership and management of special educational needs are good. All statutory requirements are met and the co-ordinator provides effective support and guidance for teachers in the writing of individual education plans for the relevant pupils. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory overall but not enough has been done to address the weaknesses in outdoor provision, identified at the last inspection. The school makes a good contribution to initial teacher training through its close links with a local teacher training college.

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Commentary

30. A clear vision of the school’s future direction is communicated well in a good school development plan, which is effectively monitored and evaluated by the headteacher, governors and staff. Performance management procedures contribute well to realising the school’s main priorities as does the continued professional development of all staff. The new deputy headteacher, appointed last September, has been instrumental in setting up the current timetable for monitoring and has clear plans to improve further the school’s inclusive practices. She has worked closely with the Year 6 teacher to help raise standards in mathematics and science in Year 6, following an in-depth analysis of all assessment information. While this has worked and attainment and achievement in Year 6 are now good, the deputy headteacher is as yet under-utilised in terms of raising achievement across the school. Her current deployment,

p.16

Commentary

as a floating teacher mainly supporting art and design or providing release time for staff, limits her effectiveness as a senior manager.

p.16

Commentary

31. The governing body is knowledgeable and supports the school well. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and a clear vision of how to improve the quality of education. Governors meet regularly and they ensure statutory requirements are met. They are clear about their roles and present good levels of challenge and support to the headteacher and staff. Individual governors have responsibility for specific aspects and subjects. A regular and familiar presence in the school, they carry out their monitoring roles effectively and report back to the whole governing body thus ensuring governors have good information on which to base their decisions. Through rigorous self-evaluation and a desire to remove any complacency, the headteacher, governors and staff all work as a team to ensure that all pupils receive a good quality education. Governors set challenging targets for the

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Commentary

school and check that it works hard to achieve them.

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Commentary

32. Financial management is good and well-established routines help the school to run smoothly. Budgets are systematically analysed; spending is very well planned and evaluated and the principles of best value are rigidly employed. Governors check the impact of expenditure on standards and the overall quality of education that pupils receive. All funding is appropriately allocated for the purpose for which it is made available, including that for special educational needs. Outstanding surpluses are carefully allocated for future developments. Currently they are designated to: maintain staffing levels for as long as possible as the admission number reduces; to improve teaching and learning; and to make further improvements to the fabric of the school building. Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 15 Total income 480,782 Balance from previous year 24,000

p.16

Commentary

Total expenditure 434,424 Balance carried forward to the next year 70,358 Expenditure per pupil 1,833 St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 16

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is at least good in five of the six areas of learning and the children are on course to meet the goals expected for the end of the Reception Year in all five. No judgement is made about provision in the sixth area, physical development, because no lessons were observed. However, there has been insufficient improvement in this area of learning since the last inspection. The children enter Reception in the September before they are five. At the time of the inspection there were 35 children on roll, 11 of whom were being taught alongside Year 1 pupils. Four children in Reception have special educational needs and one child is at the early stages of learning English. Overall, the children’s attainment on entry is below that expected for their age. The curriculum takes account of national guidance and overall, is well matched to the children’s needs except in

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

physical development. Interesting topics link the different areas of learning and children are prepared well for the transition to Year 1. The quality of teaching is good and as a result children achieve well. Staff regularly assess how well the children are doing and use the information effectively in their planning to provide the right amount of challenge for each child.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. Admission arrangements are effective and children settle easily into school routines. Parents’ views are valued and useful information is provided for them before the child starts school. Accommodation, while satisfactory, has some weaknesses. The classrooms are bright, stimulating and welcoming. They and the additional space provided between them are used effectively to support and celebrate learning. However, outdoor provision is unsatisfactory. The children do not have continuous access to a secure outside area and even if they did, the school has no small, large or fixed outdoor toys or equipment for them to use. Consequently, children miss out on important daily opportunities to use the outdoor environment as a further area for learning. Although plans were drawn up to rectify this weakness after the previous inspection nothing worthwhile has yet been achieved to address the issue.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is very good because of the very good teaching and high expectations of the staff. • Every opportunity is taken to promote children's confidence and independence. • Children form very good relationships with adults and with each other. • Behaviour is very good at all times.

p.18

Commentary

35. Teaching is very good and as a result children achieve very well in this area of learning. All children are on course at least to reach the goals expected for the end of Reception. This reflects the emphasis the school places on developing the whole child. Secure, well established routines result in children feeling safe, secure and confident. They have many opportunities to work alone and in small groups and they do so very well. The children respond very positively to the staff’s very high expectations of their behaviour. They recognise the clear boundaries set for them and follow the consistently good role models set for them by the adults. The adults are genuinely interested in what the children have to say and form very good relationships with them. Assessment and record keeping for this area of learning are very good and the information is used very effectively in planning. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 17

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good because children are taught well. The teachers take every opportunity to develop children's language skills. • Children enjoy handling books and listening to the good variety of tapes in the listening area.

p.19

Commentary

36. The great majority of children are on course to meet the goals expected for the end of Reception, but only a few are likely to exceed them. Good teaching and learning are clearly focused on developing children’s skills through well planned, interesting and challenging language and literacy activities that cross all six areas of learning. Children are given many good opportunities to talk and listen. They successfully extend their vocabulary and their ability to express themselves clearly in complete sentences. This is because in all activities, all staff probe their thinking, question them, insist that they give full and considered responses and that all children are fully included in discussions. Children have to think of and choose the appropriate words to describe, for example, the differences between the rates of growth in the trays of grass they had planted from seed. Children enjoy books and use them readily during

p.19

Commentary

their ‘free time’. They listen attentively to stories, hanging onto the teacher’s every word. They eagerly answer questions about the text, trying very hard, for example, to pick out rhyming words an activity that proved difficult for some. They handle books with care, appreciating that text is read from left to right. All children ‘read’ the picture story books successfully but only the higher attaining children read accurately from the early stages of the guided reading books. The good emphasis on teaching children to recognise the sounds of letters, and the initial letters of a word contributes well to their achievement in reading and writing. All write their first name accurately and have made good progress over the year, moving from mark making to copy writing to writing on their own. In addition, higher attaining children are beginning to sequence ideas in their writing and to link letters and sounds as they make good attempts at

p.19

Commentary

spelling. They form letters correctly and retell well-known fairy stories accurately.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Every opportunity is taken to promote children's mathematical development. • Achievement is good because teaching and learning are focused on developing children’s skills through well planned practical activities.

p.19

Commentary

37. This area of learning is well planned to include all areas of mathematical development. The great majority of children are well on course to meet the expectations for the end of their Reception Year, having achieved well since starting school last September. However, a significant minority are unlikely to do so because they find difficulty using numbers to solve mathematical ‘story’ problems, for example, as they purchase items from the ‘garden centre’. Staff take every opportunity to reinforce and extend children's mathematical language and skills. For example, children have opportunities each day to count to 50 and in 5s and 10s to 100. In the well-taught lessons relating to understanding, recognising and using common coins, children achieved well. Over half of the children recognise different coins and place them correctly from the smallest to the greatest value. Higher attainers are beginning to match

p.19

Commentary

St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 18 written numbers to coin value but few children are secure about giving change out of ten pence. Children confidently use a programmable toy thereby reinforcing number and ICT skills. Their recognition and understanding of number is further consolidated through a wide range of number songs and rhymes.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because they are taught very well. • A good range of practical, imaginative activities stimulates the children’s curiosity and fosters in them a desire to learn more. • All children have many good opportunities to use computers to enhance their learning.

p.20

Commentary

38. When the children enter Reception, they have limited experiences on which to draw. The good variety of interesting practical activities planned for them stimulates their curiosity and enhances their understanding. Children are developing a good understanding of the life cycle of a plant and, by observing the weekly changes taking place in a deciduous azalea, they showed good recognition of seeds, roots, shoots, bud, leaf and stem. Digital photography is used very effectively to record the changes and help the children to build on their previous learning. As a result, their observational skills were considerably enhanced and they had many good opportunities to ask good quality questions and gain knowledge of plants using their developing good range of vocabulary. This learning was further extended as they visited the ‘Garden Centre’ and ‘Café’ to observe and purchase various garden items, including plants and flowers

p.20

Commentary

brought in by the teacher. Children are successfully introduced to famous people and events in the past and are developing an understanding of place through recording different places they have visited in the British Isles and in different parts of the world. Computer skills are well taught on a daily basis. As a result, children use the mouse competently to open programs, know their way around the keyboard and understand the functions of, for example, the shift key and space bar. They show good ability to draw, colour and erase a picture and develop a good understanding of distance and direction as they program a floor robot. They also very competently use tapes and tape recorders in the listening area. The children are well on course to meet the goals expected for the end of Reception in this area of learning.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

39. No overall judgements can be made about teaching and learning, standards or achievement in this area of learning because no lessons were observed. Children develop good manipulative skills by handling a variety of tools and equipment safely within the classroom environment, for example, pencils and scissors. Teachers plan well for the very limited amount of time (one session per week) they have in the hall for structured physical development lessons. Their records show that children make satisfactory progress throughout their Reception Year. However, children do not have continuous access to outdoor play and even if they did, resources for it are inadequate. A designated outdoor area was identified after the last inspection, when this was a key issue. Plans were drawn up for its development but have still not been realised. There has been insufficient improvement in this aspect of the school’s work

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

since the last inspection. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 19

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because they are taught well and experience a wide range of creative activities. • The imaginative play area is used well to encourage children’s creative response.

p.21

Commentary

40. Children have access to creative activities on a daily basis. They explore and use a good range of materials, with many opportunities to paint, draw and make models. Teaching is good. Almost all are well on course to reach the goals expected for the end of the Reception Year. Children had great fun creating a very colourful collage of ‘Mary, Mary,’ using a variety of materials, pastels, paints and crayons to produce a wide range of colourful flowers and foliage for the garden and garden centre displays. The dragonflies the children made to complete the display of the story, ‘Water Princess’, show that the children have made good progress in their understanding of colour and colour mixing, cutting and making shapes since starting school. Children know a good range of nursery rhymes and singing games. They join in these enthusiastically, responding with relevant actions.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. • Teaching is good overall and a considerable proportion of it is very good. Teachers’ questioning is particularly effective in developing pupils’ thinking skills. • The English curriculum is broad and well balanced and includes good opportunities for speaking and listening. • Language and literacy skills are promoted very well in and through other subjects although ICT is not yet used as a natural tool for learning in the classroom. • English makes a very good contribution to pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Leadership and management are very good and the monitoring of the subject is perceptive and well developed.

p.21

Commentary

41. Achievement is good and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6 because the school places strong emphasis on developing effective communication, language and literacy skills from the time the pupils start school. There has been very good improvement in English since the last inspection, brought about by improved planning, monitoring and evaluation and the intensive support the school has received from the local education authority. This has involved joint observations to monitor teaching and learning and to analyse pupils’ work, which the school acknowledges has been instrumental in bringing about the improvements. Teachers plan well to meet the needs of different groups of pupils, including higher attainers, pupils with special educational needs and the small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language. The last two groups make good progress because they are assisted by well-deployed, effective support staff. The teachers’ overall very good

p.21

Commentary

St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 20 management and organisation of lessons and their very well-planned use of whole class, group and individual teaching contributes to the very good relationships seen throughout the school and to the pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes. As a result, the levels of pace and productivity are high in most lessons and the pupils achieve well.

p.22

Commentary

42. The teachers’ measured questioning, the variety of questions they pose and the open-ended nature of them really push pupils’ thinking and help them to make links between different aspects of English and between different subjects. As a result, speaking and listening skills are very well developed. Teachers rarely accept single word answers. They have high expectations of the pupils in terms of their capability to explain what they mean and to express themselves clearly. As a result, pupils are very used to offering ideas and opinions and they do so clearly, with respect and understanding for the opinions and ideas of others. Debates and discussions are used effectively to promote speaking and listening and pupils are strongly urged to look at both sides of an argument before coming to a decision. This was exemplified very well in a Year 6 English lesson where they looked at the pros and cons of having a mobile

p.22

Commentary

phone from the viewpoints of parents and children.

p.22

Commentary

43. By Year 6 pupils are confident, fluent readers who handle a wide range of texts with understanding and ease. Because they are effectively taught from an early age to work out how to read, how to work out how to read new words and how to look behind the written word to find deeper meaning, they show good levels of understanding of different texts. They competently use sounds, spelling patterns, pictures and other parts of a text to help them read new words and have a good understanding of how to use dictionaries, contents and index pages to find information. Pupils of all levels of capability throughout the school develop a good understanding of grammar, punctuation and sentence construction and use these effectively in their writing. This is because teachers plan effectively, building on pupils’ prior learning and making sure that work is well matched to the pupils’ individual levels of capability. Pupils are

p.22

Commentary

encouraged, through perceptive marking and assessment, to apply their learning in different situations. Spelling is given due attention and by Year 6, it is mostly accurate. Lower attaining pupils still sometimes make common mistakes but they are encouraged to try very hard to spell accurately. Pupils develop a neat, legible style of writing by Year 2, which they take with them through the school. Higher attaining pupils set out their work consistently well. Their writing is well structured, descriptive, imaginative and engaging to read. It is chatty, formal and informal as the occasion demands. Lower attaining pupils make good attempts at using descriptive language but their writing is often repetitive, for example, using the same verbs and adjectives time and again, despite encouragement from their teachers. Pupils of all levels of ability have a good understanding of how to draft and edit their work. However, opportunities

p.22

Commentary

are missed to use ICT for drafting and editing in the classroom. Currently, classroom use of ICT is confined to completing exercises to support reading and spelling.

p.22

Commentary

44. The subject is very well led and managed. Governors, the headteacher and the co-ordinator keep a close check on teaching and learning. The co-ordinator has a clear perception of her role, gained from the effective support of the local education authority. Areas for further development are clearly stated and assessment information is used very effectively to adapt planning to meet pupils’ needs and to set challenging targets.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

45. Pupils use and consolidate their language and literacy skills very effectively in other subjects. They are given very strong encouragement to do so because teachers plan opportunities into other work and also use content from other subjects in literacy lessons. They make reading and writing relevant for the pupils by, for example, encouraging them to research and write biographies of famous people in history; to compose inference questions about science investigations; to use their work on the conditions required for growth to look at different layouts for text and to compile a glossary for this so that technical language is explained for the reader. In discrete ICT lessons, the pupils’ research skills and their use of language and skills of presentation are considerably extended through, for example, reports and multimedia St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 21 presentations. Language and literacy lessons very effectively promote personal, social and

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

health education and citizenship through the use of text, debate and discussion. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, this involved the very effective teaching of how to infer meaning from the text being studied to look at how it felt to be teased and called and how to deal with the situation. In a Year 6 lesson, it involved a discussion on the pros and cons of mobile phones and then of fox hunting, arising from the study of persuasive writing and thus contributed to their understanding of citizenship. Overall, English makes a very effective contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, though there are few examples of the pupils studying texts about other cultures across the world.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good. However, teachers’ marking is inconsistent in that it does not always identify how pupils might improve their learning. • Although mathematical skills are used appropriately when pupils are being taught ICT in the computer suite, ICT is not yet a natural tool for learning in this subject. • Pupils have only limited opportunities to engage in practical investigative activities and to collate, interpret and handle data although the school is working on improving these areas.

p.23

Commentary

46. Improvement is back on track after a period of decline in the national test results due in part to the lack of co-ordination caused by staff illness. Standards are now above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is good. This represents satisfactory improvement since the last inspection when standards were as expected for pupils’ ages. The improvement has occurred because of the greater and more effective use of assessment information to target the most able pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6 and to provide additional support for ‘borderline’ pupils and pupils with special educational needs. As a result, all groups of pupils achieve equally well.

p.23

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching is good. Throughout the school, teachers use their good subject knowledge and their knowledge of the pupils’ levels of capability to plan work that meets the pupils’ learning needs. In the best lessons, all pupils are fully engaged in stimulating mental activities at the start. Perceptive, direct and open ended questioning successfully probes pupils’ thinking and ensures that pupils of all capabilities are fully included in all sessions. Most teachers are skilled at encouraging pupils to think for themselves and to explain their reasoning. A particularly good example of this was observed in a very good Year 6 lesson where pupils explained the different sorts of angles they were drawing. Higher attaining pupils are identified in planning and are usually given suitable extension activities in lessons. However, as yet, specific tasks to challenge these pupils fully are not yet in place. Pupils with

p.23

Commentary

special education needs do not have specific mathematical targets in their individual education plans. Nevertheless, they are identified and the good general support they receive from dedicated teaching assistants ensures that they gain maximum benefit from the work they are given to do.

p.23

Commentary

48. Efficient time management in lessons means that pupils remain on task and concentrate well on what they have to do. Overall they behave very well. They enjoy their work and are eager to do their best, largely as a result of the engaging activities planned for them. In a very good Year 2 lesson on shapes, pupils were given every opportunity and encouragement to visualise and describe their shapes to their teacher. The teachers’ insistence on the pupils’ use of the correct mathematical vocabulary is a strong feature in almost all lessons. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 22 49. Pupils are given many opportunities to explore the different aspects of mathematical learning, with the greatest concentration upon number. However, opportunities to collect, collate and handle data or to use and apply mathematical skills in real life problem solving investigations, are limited. The school is working on these areas, having identified them as inhibiting progress

p.23

Commentary

in the past. While ICT is used effectively in some lessons, on the whole, pupils do not yet have enough opportunities to use computers to support their mathematical learning in class. Teachers make effective use of the information gained from their regular and accurate assessments of learning and progress, as they discuss progress with pupils and parents and set short-term targets for improvement. However, there are few comments on the pupils’ work to show them how they might improve.

p.24

Commentary

50. The subject is led and managed well. The co-ordinator is well versed in all mathematical initiatives and successfully ensures that all staff are on board with every aspect of the subject. He has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and how to tackle them, though that clarity is not as evident in the mathematics development plan that is part of the school development plan. Time is allocated to monitor and support teaching and learning. These activities are carried out effectively and are helping to maintain the improvement in mathematics seen in the past year.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

51. Pupils use and consolidate their mathematical skills effectively in other subjects. Good practice in this area was observed in science, ICT lessons in the ICT suite, art and design, physical education and music.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in science and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good. It stimulates pupils’ interest, developing in them very good attitudes to learning. • Pupils use their literacy and mathematical skills well in science but ICT is not yet used as a natural tool to extend scientific knowledge and understanding or to record investigations. • The subject is well led and managed. This is reversing the decline in standards seen in the previous two years.

p.24

Commentary

52. All groups of pupils achieve equally well and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. This is mostly down to the effective leadership and management of the new co-ordinator, appointed in January 2003, supported by the new deputy headteacher. Both have worked to reverse the decline in the national test results in the previous two years. As a result of their work, overall improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory, with evidence of good improvement in the past year. Whilst ICT is used effectively in some lessons, its use is not yet incorporated into all teachers’ planning. Therefore opportunities are missed to use the full potential of ICT to support investigative work and pupils’ independent learning in the classroom.

p.24

Commentary

53. The strong emphasis placed on practical investigative work stimulates pupils’ interest very effectively and they become totally absorbed in their investigations. Encouraged by the staff, they make mature and informed comments using a good range of relevant scientific vocabulary. They use their literacy and numeracy skills effectively in science, through discussions, written observations and carrying out fair tests using accurate measurements. All St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 23 teachers begin science lessons with as much practical investigation as possible. Pupils observe and carry out experiments, discuss their findings and hypothesise what may happen as a result of predetermined actions. Pupils in Year 6 accurately describe and list the factors that cause illness and have a detrimental effect on the human body and they have a good understanding of how hygiene, diet, drug taking and smoking affect it. They work together very

p.24

Commentary

well in these activities, thereby also enhancing their personal development and have a good understanding of how to conduct a fair test. In the Year 6 lesson observed, pupils with special educational needs were particularly well supported by their classmates in reading and researching information, which the teacher used effectively to further all pupils’ understanding. In the Year 2 lesson, half of the pupils demonstrated good knowledge and understanding about what plants need to survive and complete their life cycle, while all pupils had a good understanding of what plants required for effective growth.

p.25

Commentary

54. The quality of teaching is good and contributes effectively to pupils’ overall achievement. Detailed planning and the effective use of resources are supported by very good questioning and the very good management and organisation of pupils and their learning. These factors ensure that all pupils are fully included in all activities and that from a young age, they enjoy science, are excited by it and work with good productivity and pace, eager to find things out and draw conclusions for themselves. For example, in a very good Year 2 lesson on plant growth, pupils drew mature conclusions about why plants with different growth conditions showed varied development. They then recorded their findings in the form of detailed tables that provided good information on which to continue the investigations at a later date. Here, and in a good Year 6 lesson, direct teaching was balanced effectively with pupils’ own research

p.25

Commentary

and investigations and the teachers added additional challenges that further extended the pupils’ thinking skills and knowledge base.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is good. • Good quality teaching that includes the effective use of the link co-ordinator contributes in great measure to the pupils’ good achievement throughout the school. • Good links are made to other subjects as pupils work in the ICT suite but the skills are not always transferred to classroom work. • The subject is well led and managed but assessment procedures and their use in planning is not yet consistent throughout the school.

p.25

Commentary

55. Good improvements since the last inspection have included the new computer suite, an increase in hardware and software, staff training and the perceptive appointment of a very good link co-ordinator. All of these factors have contributed in great measure to the pupils’ good achievement and have resulted in standards that are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. The link co-ordinator is particularly effective in supporting teaching and learning throughout the school.

p.25

Commentary

56. All staff have made good use of recent in-service training to improve the quality of teaching, which, during the inspection, was never less than good. In ICT lessons, the use of resources is particularly effective. All pupils are confident to use and explore the potential of new programs and devices. Staff model and demonstrate skills well. The very effective use of support staff ensures that less able pupils make the same good progress and reach the same good standards as their class mates. For example, in a very effective Year 6 lesson, pupils of all levels of capability demonstrated the same good ability to present their work in multimedia presentations using dialogue, animation and text. While this was a challenging task for all St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 24 pupils, they rose to it very well and, working at levels well above those expected for their age, they created a series of activities in a variety of presentation modes. Control technology is

p.25

Commentary

taught well from an early age as, for example, Year 2 pupils learn to move and direct programmable floor robots and by Year 5, confidently build a simple model and give it direct instructions to enable it to drive along a roadway. Pupils have a good understanding of the process of sending and retrieving emails. Because activities are well planned and stimulating, pupils thoroughly enjoy their time in the ICT suite. Relationships throughout the school are very good and result in pupils behaving very well, co-operating very effectively with each other and engaging in lots of animated discussion about how to complete their tasks. Their thinking is effectively challenged by the often timely and perceptive intervention of the class teacher or link co-ordinator. Pupils with special educational needs receive particularly good support and reach standards commensurate with those of their class mates.

p.26

Commentary

57. The subject is well led and managed by the recently appointed enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator, ably supported by the link co-ordinator. Both are very clear about the areas in which further improvement is needed. For example, although formal assessments are carried out satisfactorily against specific units of learning, there is as yet no consistent whole school approach to assessment in this subject. Overall, resources are good but they are not used as effectively as they could be in all subjects to support learning. The good range of software available is not yet integrated into all teachers’ planning as a tool to support learning.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

58. This is a satisfactory and developing feature of all learning. There are pockets of good practice, for example, in some literacy and numeracy lessons where pairs and small groups of pupils take turns to use a designated program to consolidate their learning. Pupils’ work also shows that ICT is used appropriately in art and design and in design and technology. Digital cameras are used effectively to record local visits and events and teachers regularly use overhead projectors and tape recorders to enhance pupils’ learning in lessons. Increasing use is being made of the interactive whiteboards to demonstrate work to pupils and to enable pupils to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. This provides the teacher with on-the-spot opportunities to assess learning and correct errors and they do these things well. However, while other subjects are covered effectively when pupils work in the ICT suite, there are too few

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

opportunities in class for them to use ICT as a natural tool for learning in other subjects, or to consolidate the skills they have learned in their discrete lessons.

p.26

HUMANITIES

59. No overall judgements are made about provision in history or geography. Work was sampled in both subjects but no geography lessons were seen and only one full history session was observed. From these and from discussions with pupils, it is clear that standards match the national expectation in Year 2 in both subjects and in Year 6 in history. There was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement about standards in geography in Year 6. A well planned curriculum in both subjects ensures that statutory requirements are met and provides for good continuity in teaching and good progression in learning. However, the absence of formal assessment and recording procedures makes it difficult to trace pupils’ progress throughout the school in either subject.

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HUMANITIES

60. A good range of visits and visitors enhances pupils’ learning in geography and history. In history, enquiry skills are effectively built into all units of work and pupils are successfully encouraged to investigate and interpret evidence and to sort out fact from opinion. In the lesson observed, the teacher was particularly skilled at helping pupils to make links between history and other subjects, for example, art and design and to use their literacy and mathematical skills effectively to sequence events and reach their own conclusions. The co-ordinator for geography and history was on maternity leave during the inspection, therefore no overall judgement is made on leadership and management in either subject. However, continuity of St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 25 learning has been maintained in the co-ordinator’s absence and standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Two art and design lessons were observed, along with one design and technology lesson, four music lessons and two physical education lessons. Further evidence was obtained from talking to teachers and pupils and by analysing teachers’ planning and, where relevant, pupils’ work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good and standards are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good in Years 3 to 6 although pupils are not always encouraged to evaluate and improve their work for themselves. No lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2. • Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ work at the end of each unit but teachers do not yet have a clear understanding of the levels in the National Curriculum. • The subject has been well led and managed in the past and the new co-ordinator is working hard to maintain the good provision established by her predecessor. • Art and design makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development but its role in promoting knowledge and understanding of different cultures is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

61. Pupils’ observational skills and their ability to use a wide range of techniques are developed effectively from an early age. Pupils use their sketchbooks well to practise their skills. Drawings are detailed and often imaginative as pupils put their own interpretation on what they observe. When the ideas are translated into larger pieces of work, the very good emphasis placed on the direct teaching of skills and techniques results in imaginative drawings, paintings, print and collage work in which techniques such as colour mixing and matching are executed well. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of a limited range of artists, none of which include artists from different cultures. However, Year 6 pupils interpret the work of other artists well. They worked with flair and imagination on an ongoing rainforest project which was based on the work of Rousseau and had included detailed research using ICT to find out about and

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Commentary

record in their sketchbooks, the vegetation in a real rainforest. Their good choice of materials and techniques provided further evidence of the effective teaching they had received earlier in their school lives as they discussed texture, colour, shade and tone and how best to achieve their intentions.

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Commentary

62. The quality of teaching was good in the two lessons observed. Probing questioning by the teachers makes pupils think carefully about what they are doing. However, sometimes teaching is too directed and leaves little leeway for pupils to learn from their mistakes or to evaluate and improve their work by themselves. The detailed curricular planning shows clearly the good coverage of all aspects of art and design and also what is to be assessed and how, in each unit of work. However, such interim assessments are limited as to their usefulness in planning for continuous progression throughout the school. This is because teachers are not yet secure in what is required for the pupils to have reached the levels set down in the National Curriculum programme of study. Pupils use an appropriate range of art and design software to draw and paint on the computer. However, they do not yet make effective use of ICT to

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Commentary

research and extend their knowledge and understanding of art and design from different cultures. This is a weak area in the otherwise very good contribution art and design makes to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The curriculum is effectively enhanced and enriched by visits and visitors, including the opportunity to work with artists-in-residence. St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 26 63. The co-ordinator, who is also the deputy headteacher, is working hard to maintain the good provision established by her predecessor. In her non-class based role, she satisfactorily monitors standards and achievement across the school. The action plan for the subject rightly identifies the need to broaden the range of artists studied. The deputy has some justified concerns regarding her role as a ‘floating teacher’ for art. For example, when working alongside another competent teacher, she becomes an expensive teaching assistant fulfilling

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Design and technology

64. Only one design and technology lesson was seen. There was insufficient evidence on which to base judgements on overall provision or on standards, achievement, teaching or learning. However, Year 6 pupils did have good recall of some work they had done previously. They described clearly how they had to use tools and materials carefully and how they planned and evaluated their work. The curriculum is satisfactorily planned using national guidance but the units of work are subsumed into the curricular planning for art and design. This is unhelpful when trying to assess pupils’ achievement in design and technology. The limited recording of how well they have done at the end of a unit of work does not provide sufficient information on which teachers can make secure judgement about standards in relation to National Curriculum levels.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good. Standards are as expected nationally for pupils in Year 2 and above the national expectation in Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good but there are no formal procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress through the school. • Music makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development but its role in promoting understanding of different cultures is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

65. Pupils achieve well in music because they are taught from an early age how to make sounds and how to play instruments in different ways to create intended effects. Good attention is paid to teaching the musical elements of duration, timbre, dynamics and tempo in Years 1 and 2. Some pupils find the distinctions between loud and quiet (dynamics) and fast and slow (tempo) difficult to grasp. However, overall, the majority of pupils develop a satisfactory understanding of how composers use these elements to create mood and atmosphere and try very hard in their performances to play instruments in ways that demonstrate this. Building on their developing knowledge of musical notation, pupils move from reading and creating graphic scores in Years 1 and 2, to reading and following conventional musical notation as they learn new songs in Year 6. Singing is good throughout the school. Pupils in Year 6 sing well in two

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Commentary

parts and breathing techniques are taught in a very motivating way that improves their ability to sustain sounds for a considerable time while maintaining an accurate pitch. Diction is not always as clear as it could be however, although the teacher demonstrates it well as he uses his own voice very effectively as a model for pupils’ singing. A good number of pupils play recorder and percussion instruments confidently in assembly, accompanying the singing of hymns very well. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different styles of music is suitably enhanced by the daily selection of music for assembly, to which their attention is drawn in assembly and in lessons. 66. In all lessons observed, good quality teaching included the effective ongoing assessment of pupils’ progress and the skilful adapting of activities to address any difficulties that became St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 27 evident as the lesson progressed. As a result, pupils remained on task at all times,

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Commentary

concentrating well and eagerly participating in all activities. However, there are no procedures for assessing pupils’ overall learning against the levels set down in the National Curriculum. Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, helping them to read the words of songs and in the Year 6 lesson, to follow the rise and fall in pitch seen in the score. Thus all pupils are fully included in all musical activities and make equally good progress.

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Commentary

67. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator, new to the school last year, quickly reviewed the music curriculum and introduced a new scheme of work. Statutory requirements are met through the scheme which also includes opportunities for assessment and provision for pupils to use ICT and to learn about music of other cultures. Pupils’ knowledge of music from other cultures is somewhat limited but there are many opportunities for them to learn about western music. Music makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. This was particularly noted in the Year 6 lesson where the teacher’s very probing questions challenged pupils’ thinking and extended their understanding about how some song writers link music and lyrics to get their message across to the listener.

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Physical education

Provision for physical education is good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good and standards are at the national expectation for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. • An extensive programme of sporting clubs and events outside of the normal school day enrich the physical education curriculum. • Leadership and management are good and the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal, social and health development.

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Commentary

68. An overall judgement on the quality of teaching has not been given because only two lessons were observed, one in Year 2 and one in Year 6. However, it was clear from these lessons that standards match the national expectation and pupils achieve well. In the Year 6 gymnastics lesson, pupils showed good ability to remember and perform a sequence of movements. They evaluated each other’s performance sensitively, making sensible suggestions for further improvement. In both lessons, pupils handled the apparatus well with good awareness of health and safety issues. Pupils benefit from their regular visits to Wigan swimming baths and almost all are able to swim the expected 25 metres unaided well before they get to Year 6. All strands of the subject, including outdoor and adventurous activities, are covered well. A strong programme of well-attended additional events and clubs enriches the curriculum for all pupils

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Commentary

who wish to participate. Good links with outside agencies for cross-country, dance, netball, football and rugby further enhance pupils’ learning in this subject as does the visit to an outdoor pursuits centre where pupils take part in the many activities on offer.

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Commentary

69. Effective leadership and management in recent years have established good opportunities for competitive sport with local schools. Girls and boys regularly have opportunities to compete, collaborate and take part in team events. They learn to follow rules and regulations and how to accept success and defeat in the local schools’ tournaments and in Wigan schools’ championships. As a result the subject makes a good contribution to developing the pupils’ personal, moral, social, cultural and health education.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

St Andrew’s CE Primary School - 28 70. Although no direct teaching was observed, this aspect of the school’s work was sampled through the many ways in which it permeates the life of the school. Personal and social development is very well led and managed. It is promoted very effectively in most lessons and results in the very good attitudes, behaviour and overall relationships seen throughout the school. Health education is promoted well through science and through the recently introduced programme for PSHCE. Pupils gain a good understanding of citizenship through raising money for causes they believe in and they have a very good understanding of caring for others. This is very effectively promoted through assemblies where, for example, the issue of inclusion was tackled head-on during the inspection, improving the pupils’ understanding of the importance of including all of them in all that the school has to offer.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

71. The recent introduction of ‘circle time’, where pupils sit in a circle and discuss with their teacher issues of importance to them, is part of the ongoing development of this aspect of the school’s work for which the deputy headteacher has taken responsibility. There are sound plans to extend the circle time work to setting up a school council as part of the deputy’s drive to manage inclusion even better by giving all pupils a voice in the development of the school. There are no formal mechanisms for this at the present time. Nevertheless, issues are tackled sensitively, for example: • Factors such as hygiene, diet, drug taking and smoking, are discussed as part of the science curriculum. • How the linking of music and lyrics in a song creates emotions in the listener. • How to deal with teasing and name-calling is explored as part of the pupils’ literacy work. • How to make informed decisions by weighing up the pros and cons of a situation.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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