William Cassidi Church of England Aided Primary School

WILLIAM CASSIDI C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th - 28 th April 2004

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WILLIAM CASSIDI C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WILLIAM CASSIDI C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 202 School address: Stillington Stockton-on-Tees Postcode: TS21 1JD Telephone number: (01740) 630 270 Fax number: (01740) 630 270 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Tingle Date of previous inspection: 1 st June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

William Cassidi C of E Aided Primary School is a smaller than average primary school, which is situated at the heart of the village community it serves. It also serves some of the surrounding villages and 70 pupils in school use the transport provided by the local authority to travel to the school. Pupils are from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. Almost all pupils are of white British background and few are from minority ethnic backgrounds, mostly from mixed heritage backgrounds. Pupils’ attainment when they start school is average. There are no pupils learning English as an additional language. Six per cent of the pupils are known to be entitled to free school meals, which is below the national average. The school has 26 pupils (13 per cent) with special educational needs, including four pupils who have statements of special educational needs. The range of special educational needs includes emotional and behavioural difficulties, moderate learning

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

difficulties and autism. The school received Schools Achievement Awards in 2000 and 2001 for improvements in the National Curriculum test results and has also achieved the Basic Skills Quality mark. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

6282 Parveen Raja Lead inspector Art and design Design and technology Foundation Stage Special educational needs 14756 John Lovell Lay inspector 20007 Trevor Neat Team inspector Mathematics Science Geography History 21073 Roger Fry Team inspector English Information and communication technology Physical education Music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

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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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school makes good provision for the education of its pupils. The school is well led by the headteacher, who is well supported by key staff, and it is well governed. The school ethos is very good with high emphasis on pupils’ personal development and on the promotion of good achievement. As a result, pupils achieve well in Year 6 in relation to their attainment on entry, in particular, because of good teaching in Years 2 to 6. Teaching is good overall and consequently most pupils achieve well. Individuals feel valued and pupils of different abilities achieve success. The school makes effective use of its resources and provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve well in Years 3-6 and attain standards above the level expected nationally in English, mathematics and science. By the end of Year 2, pupils achieve standards in science, reading and writing that are above those expected nationally. • Leadership and management are good. • Teaching and learning are good in Years 2 to 6 and satisfactory in Year 1 and the Foundation Stage. • In the Foundation Stage, most children do not achieve well enough in early writing development and higher attaining children do not achieve as well as they could in language and mathematical development. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behave very well because the provision for their personal development is very good. • Marking is inconsistent and does not always inform pupils how they can improve. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The curriculum is well enhanced by the good provision for extra-curricular activities and the

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good progress since the last inspection in 1998. The quality of teaching has improved. Assessment procedures have been put in place for all the subjects but there is still some improvement needed in checking how well pupils are doing. There has been very good improvement in the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development because teachers identify how this aspect will be promoted in lessons. Effective procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning are now consistently implemented well in all the classes.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A C B B mathematics A B B A science A C B B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall and standards are above those expected nationally in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. Test results for this age group in 2003 improved over the previous year, mainly because of the nature of the cohort, and these have been maintained. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of the good provision made for them. At Year 2, standards are generally at the level expected nationally, with most pupils achieving above the nationally expected level in reading and science. However, in Year 1, although achievement is William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 5 satisfactory overall, some of the pupils are capable of achieving more. This is because expectations for the higher attaining pupils are not high enough in English and mathematics, in particular. In the Foundation Stage, children achieve satisfactorily overall, except in writing development. The higher

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

attaining children are not sufficiently challenged in language and mathematical development. They achieve well in their personal, social and emotional development and in physical development and are well on course to exceed the expectations for this age in these areas. In other areas of learning, children are on course to achieve the nationally expected standards at the end of the school year. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with expectations. Year 6 pupils achieve well in the Spanish lessons taught by the specialist teacher from the local high school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good because the school makes very good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ relationships with others, attitudes to learning, behaviour and their attendance and punctuality are all very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is good overall. It is good in Years 2 to 6 and satisfactory in Year 1 and in the Foundation Stage. Examples of good teaching were seen in all the classes and very good teaching was seen in Year 6. In all the classes and the nursery, teachers work well with support staff, who contribute effectively to pupils’ learning. Staff set high standards of conduct and consequently, pupils behave very well. They treat pupils with respect, which fosters very good relationships. In Years 2 to 6, activities are challenging and stimulating, teachers’ expectations are high and pupils experience learning as fun. However, in the Foundation Stage and in Year 1, higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged and consequently, do not achieve as well as they could. Assessment practice is satisfactory and is improving but not all teachers make consistent use of assessment to inform pupils how they can improve their work. The curriculum is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

good overall, particularly in Years 3 to 6. It is well enhanced by a good range of extra-curricular activities and the very effective links with partner schools. The accommodation is good and resources to support children’s learning in the Foundation Stage are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher provides a clear educational direction for the school and effectively sets high expectations of pupils and staff. The headteacher, key staff and the governors have established a strong sense of teamwork and a determination to improve the quality of education, resulting in a well-ordered and stimulating environment for learning in which pupils generally achieve well. The governors organise their work well and make a good contribution to the school’s effectiveness. The school meets all the statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are satisfied with the school and have no significant concerns. Pupils in reception class and in Years 1 to 6, whose views were sought, feel that the school is good and they like coming to school.

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

• Improve the quality of teaching in Year 1 and in the Foundation Stage to ensure that teaching is consistently good throughout the school. • Improve the provision for early writing in the Foundation Stage and ensure that the higher attaining children are given enough challenge in mathematical and language development. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 6 • Ensure that teachers make consistent use of assessment to inform pupils how they can improve.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is good and standards overall are above the level expected nationally when pupils reach the end of Year 6. Pupils in Years 2 to 6 and those with special educational needs make good progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the level expected nationally in science and reading at Year 2 and in English, mathematics and science at Year 6. • Higher attaining pupils do not achieve as well as they could in Year 1 and in the Foundation Stage. • Pupils in Years 2 to 6 achieve well. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because their individual needs are well catered for.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the nursery with average levels of attainment. Children learn a great deal through finding out for themselves as they undertake a range of interesting activities. Children make good progress in personal, social and emotional development and in physical development. Most children are on course to exceed the learning goals in these areas. Progress is satisfactory in other areas of learning and most children are on course to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. However, the more capable children are not sufficiently challenged in the reception class in particular, and in the nursery the work for the three and four-year-olds is not varied enough to ensure that all children achieve as well as they should. Expectations for early writing development throughout the Foundation Stage are not high enough and as a result progress in this area is generally slow. Consequently,

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Commentary

most children do not achieve well enough in early writing development and higher attaining children are capable of achieving more.

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Commentary

2. The table below shows that in the national tests results, in Year 2, standards have been maintained consistently at above the level expected nationally in writing and mathematics and well above the expected level for this age in reading. The percentage of pupils achieving at a level higher than expected of most Year 2 pupils was well above average in reading, but well below in writing and average in mathematics. This is because, even though progress accelerates in Year 2, higher attaining pupils do not make up for the lack of rigorous pace in learning in reception and Year 1. The school’s trend in the national tests for this age is above that of schools nationally.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results reading 17.5 (16.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.3 (14.9) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.1 (17.0) 16.3 (16.5) There were 16 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year 2002. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 7 3. Inspection evidence shows that pupils now achieve well in writing because this has been a focus for the whole school development. This represents an improvement in the standards this year compared with the test results last year. Pupils experience a rich range of literature in the form of stories and factual texts. This results in most pupils making good progress in reading. Pupils have regular opportunities to experiment and investigate in science, which helps them to use their knowledge and understanding in science and practise skills, and as a consequence,

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Commentary

4. The table below shows that in the 2003 national tests, standards at Year 6 were above the national average in English, mathematics and science. The results were above average in English and science and well above average in mathematics compared with those achieved by other schools whose pupils had similar attainment at the end of Year 2. This was an improvement over the previous year. The percentage of pupils achieving at the level above that expected of most Year 6 pupils was above the national average in all three subjects and was particularly impressive in mathematics and science. The school exceeded its targets by four per cent in English and by seven per cent at the higher level in mathematics. It is well on course to achieve the challenging targets in both English and mathematics set for this year. The trend in the school’s results has been below the national trend. This is because standards

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Commentary

have been very high in some previous years and it is also because of variations in year groups of pupils rather than being a declining situation.

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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 27.7 (27.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 28.1 (27.7) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.7 (28.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 27 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year 2002.

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Commentary

5. Inspection findings show that in Years 3 to 6 pupils consistently achieve well. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching is good and is the main reason for this good achievement. They particularly achieve well in Year 6 and so are well placed to perform well in national tests in Year 6. Pupils’ achievement is good because the curriculum is broad and stimulating and pupils are involved in determining their own targets and assessing when they have reached them. Lower attaining pupils are given extra teaching support that is well matched to their needs and results in them achieving well. Standards are above the national average in English, mathematics and science and in line with the national expectations for this age in ICT.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well throughout the school because they are given work which matches the specific learning targets on their individual education plan. Their needs are identified early in their school life and their progress is monitored closely to ensure that it is sufficient.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and have very good attitudes to their work. • Very good behaviour promotes pupils’ progress. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and contributes well to their academic progress. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 8

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Commentary

7. There has been considerable improvement in the promotion of pupils’ personal development since the last inspection, resulting in higher standards because teachers now consistently identify opportunities in lessons, which promote this aspect of pupils’ development.

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Commentary

8. In lessons and at other times, pupils behave very well. The very good arrangements to promote social and moral development contribute very effectively to this. The pupils’ very good conduct in the classrooms ensures that everyone can concentrate on the work in hand. During a lunch hour spent indoors because of rain, pupils of all ages chatted and played quietly with the good range of toys and games provided by the school. In lessons and in discussions, pupils indicate that they regard learning as very important. The high levels of motivation evident in most lessons results in pupils working hard, and sometimes asking to be allowed to continue their work during playtime.

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Commentary

9. Pupils relate very well to others and work successfully with their classmates. This is due, in part, to the encouragement by teachers to discuss matters with their ‘talking partners’ and frequent opportunities to work together in a group. Pupils also learn to appreciate the responsibilities of citizens through the election of the school and class councils. However, teachers generally lead school council meetings and this responsibility is not as yet delegated to pupils. This limits the extent to which pupils can show initiative in these meetings. A further improvement since the last inspection is the provision of more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, such as assisting in assemblies and organising fund-raising to support charities.

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Commentary

10. The provision has improved since the last inspection and previous concerns about the limited opportunities for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through subjects have been addressed very well. Pupils’ spiritual and moral awareness are very well developed through thought-provoking assemblies, well-told moral and religious stories and through reflection, meditation and prayer. Pupils learn to care about those less fortunate than themselves through fund-raising for a range of national and local charities and through sponsoring a child in the Philippines. The school promotes cultural awareness and understanding of Britain’s diverse communities in assemblies, and through displays, religious education and personal, social and health education. The after-school activities, trips and residential visits help the pupils to develop self-esteem and confidence. The wide range of

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Commentary

experiences of local art, music and history help pupils to understand their own cultural heritage. Visitors from other cultures, including African and Asian dancers, support the school’s efforts to raise awareness of the multi-ethnic nature of modern British society and provide pupils with insights into different cultural traditions.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002-3(%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.5 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ attendance is well above the national median and unauthorised absence is below the national median. Most parents respond very well to the school’s very good procedures to promote regular attendance and punctuality. There have been no exclusions during the last year. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 9

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education overall, particularly in teaching in Years 2 to 6.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall, and pupils learn well in Years 3 to 6. Assessment of pupils’ learning is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and pupils’ learning is good in Years 2 to 6. • Most teachers provide interesting activities and pupils work with enjoyment. • The management of pupils’ behaviour is very good and consequently, pupils develop very good attitudes to learning. • Expectations for some Year 1 pupils and the more capable children in the Foundation Stage are not high enough. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and make good progress, as a result. • Marking does not consistently inform pupils of what they need to do to improve, although it celebrates good effort.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 4 (10%) 23 (62%) 9 (25%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection, with no unsatisfactory teaching seen. The percentage of good and very good teaching, at 75 per cent, has increased well. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is consistently good because teachers plan interesting lessons, which are well paced to maintain pupils’ interest and concentration. Good quality questioning characterises most lessons and is targeted to encourage pupils of different capabilities to give a response, ensuring that they effectively gain in knowledge and understanding. Teachers always explain what the objective of the lesson is and time is set aside to talk about what pupils have learnt at the end. Teachers have good rapport with their pupils and so pupils are not afraid to ask questions and to offer observations, which helps them to learn effectively. Where teaching is very good, the teachers’ enthusiasm is infectious,

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Commentary

such as in the science lessons in Years 4 and 6, where challenging questions made pupils think deeply about the irreversible changes in materials and the materials which are good conductors and insulators. Pupils in Year 6 are well supported to know their strengths and areas where they need to improve. They use this knowledge well to help each other. Teaching of Spanish by the specialist high school teacher is very good and contributes well to pupils’ language acquisition.

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Commentary

13. Teaching is good in Year 2 and some examples of good teaching were seen in the nursery. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in the nursery, Year1 and the reception class. Teachers generally provide interesting activities that provide opportunities to learn through first-hand experiences. Consequently, most pupils concentrate well and work with motivation. In Year 1 and the reception class, teachers ensure that learning is fun and pupils enjoy what they do. However, they do not do enough to ensure that all the pupils are William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 10 sufficiently challenged. For example, in a literacy lesson in the reception class, the higher attaining children were instructed to write one sentence about ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ as part of their group task. The result is that there are occasions when higher attaining pupils do not work at a level that they are capable of. Expectations of pupils are not always high enough

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Commentary

and this slows the pace in learning, resulting in some underachievement. Learning accelerates in Year 2 because expectations are high and teaching is good.

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Commentary

14. Throughout the school, teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ conduct and use very effective management strategies, which result in pupils concentrating well on learning. Teachers have a very caring attitude towards pupils and always treat them with respect, which fosters very good relationships. Good support from the learning support assistants helps pupils of all abilities to gain in knowledge and understanding and this raises their confidence. This contributes particularly well in raising achievement of the lower attaining pupils. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers are careful to ensure that these pupils experience success. Teachers provide pupils with challenging but appropriate tasks that are well matched to the targets in their individual plans. The impact of the range of support by the special educational needs co-ordinator and support staff is good. Teachers also make sure

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Commentary

that the few pupils from mixed heritage backgrounds are integrated well in classes.

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Commentary

15. Teachers and senior staff undertake a range of assessment activities to monitor pupils’ achievement. They also use assessment materials linked to national guidance for teaching subjects at regular intervals to check pupils’ learning. However, on occasions, assessments are not used rigorously enough for younger pupils and children in the Foundation Stage to ensure more capable pupils are sufficiently challenged. This is particularly the case in writing in the reception class. As a result, the higher attaining pupils do not achieve well enough in language and mathematical development and progress in early writing development is slow. Generally, staff give good verbal feedback to pupils on their work. In Years 5 and 6, marking informs pupils well on how they can improve. However, in other classes, marking is not used consistently to give pupils a clear understanding of whether they have learnt what was intended

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Commentary

or how they can improve their work. The school has recognised this and is considering how best to tackle this issue.

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The curriculum

A good , broad and well-balanced curriculum meets pupils’ needs well in Years 3 to 6. The activities provided for pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The school curriculum is enriched by a good range of clubs, visits, visitors, and sporting and musical activities. Resources for learning are satisfactory and the accommodation is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is good, particularly in Years 3 to 6, and meets the needs of pupils well. • A good range of extra-curricular activities is provided, which greatly enhances the quality of learning and personal development. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and all pupils are included in all that the school offers. • The curriculum time after the morning break in Years 1 and 2, in the reception year and at snack time in the nursery is not used well enough. • The accommodation is good and has been improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

16. There has been good improvement in the quality and range of activities provided for pupils in Years 3 to 6. The curriculum content has been effectively adapted and modified to meet pupils’ specific needs; for example, good levels of challenge are provided in Years 3 to 6 to promote the development of thinking skills. The school has established formal procedures for identifying William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 11 gifted and talented pupils and their needs are well catered for in the range of learning opportunities provided. For example, in Year 6, a ‘helping hands’ system works successfully in which pupils who are competent in a subject are identified and help others who find this subject difficult during lunchtime, whilst the most talented are effectively supported by the teachers. The curriculum is reviewed regularly and updated to take account of new developments, participate in new initiatives and to improve its relevance to the pupils.

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Commentary

17. Parents rightly regard the curriculum as giving pupils a rich and challenging range of educational experiences, although there is on occasions a lack of challenge for the higher attaining pupils in Year 1 and in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum provided for language and mathematical development is sometimes not well matched to the needs of more capable children and the four-year-old children in the nursery. A regular programme of visits and visitors to the school enriches and supports the curriculum well. As a result, pupils of all ages gain valuable historical, geographical, musical and cultural stimuli and experiences. The curriculum is further enhanced by providing good opportunity for Year 6 pupils to experience learning Spanish as a modern foreign language. The programme for personal, social and health education offered to pupils is good. It is promoted well through residential visits for Year

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Commentary

6 pupils and science topics. Both of these are effective in raising awareness and understanding of issues such as fitness, diet, drugs and alcohol abuse and the dangers of smoking. There is a very good range of clubs for all age groups and attendance is good.

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Commentary

18. The school has implemented the requirements for pupils with special educational needs well. These pupils are well supported and consequently have access to all aspects of the curriculum. As part of the school’s drive to develop healthy eating habits from an early age, younger children in the Foundation Stage and pupils in Years 1 and 2 are encouraged to think about their choice of foods for lunch. However, the time taken after the morning break in the reception class and Year 1 for fruit and discussion about the lunch menu is too long. Similarly, in the nursery, too much time is allocated for this activity in each session. Too often the pace is leisurely and this reduces the curriculum time for numeracy and literacy sessions.

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Commentary

19. The school’s accommodation has improved considerably since the last inspection. A small room for group work has been created and a new classroom built for Year 6. The outdoor play facilities for the nursery have been improved to provide a covered area with a safe surface and an enclosed yard. However, these facilities are not as accessible to the reception children, who need similar play and physical development opportunities to those provided in the outside area. The school presents a well cared for environment, which meets the needs of the pupils well. The improvements to accommodation greatly enhance the learning opportunities for the pupils.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils is good , as is the support, advice and guidance given to pupils. The involvement of pupils, through seeking, valuing and acting on their views, is also good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is a happy and welcoming community in which pupils are well cared for and this helps them to concentrate on their work. • Pupils have very good and trusting relationships with adults and feel valued because they are listened to. • The induction procedures are good.

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Commentary

20. There are good procedures in place for ensuring the welfare, health and safety of pupils. Regular health and safety checks of the building and grounds and risk assessments are William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 12 carried out. Child protection procedures are properly in place and the medical needs of the pupils are met well. First aid and recording procedures for accidents are good. As a result of this good provision, pupils and parents are confident that the school provides a safe environment. Parents particularly like the way all pupils are treated as individuals and the school caters well for the differing interests and abilities of their children.

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Commentary

21. The school has good induction procedures for settling children into school and there is also very good provision for preparing pupils for the transfer to high school. Pupils are confident that if they have any problems or concerns about anything they can always confide in their teacher. Pupils know that their views matter. The school has a regular, formal system for taking pupils’ views into account through the school council, where issues raised by the pupils such as about the tuck shop facility and water fountain are discussed.

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Commentary

22. The teachers effectively monitor the personal development of the pupils and provide good support through the personal, social and health programme. Visits out of school enhance personal development well. Pupils have a very good range of varied, interesting and exciting opportunities to interact with adults and pupils from other schools, which significantly enhance their personal development.

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Commentary

23. There are clear procedures for systematically tracking pupils’ progress so that pupils’ special educational needs are identified early and pupils are supported effectively from an early age. The parents of pupils who have special educational needs value the commitment of the staff to care for their children. Parents attend the annual reviews of their child’s progress but are not invited to the termly reviews, nor are pupils involved in these reviews, which means that parents and pupils do not have the opportunities to evaluate progress and contribute their ideas about next steps in learning. The school has effective links with specialist support agencies.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents and the links with the community are good . The school’s links with other schools and colleges are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents hold the school in high regard and the school works well with them to support their children’s learning at home as well as at school. • The quality and quantity of the general information parents receive is good. • The links with the community and other schools enhance pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

24. Parents are very supportive of the school. Parents and the school staff have a relationship of trust and openness. Parents consider that their children like school and that the school helps them to work hard and achieve their best. Regular information letters are sent out to tell parents about general matters. Parents are kept well informed every half term about the topics their children will be studying. The reading homework diaries provide an effective line of communication between home and school. The school offers termly meetings with parents and curricular targets set for their children are reviewed and shared with them. This helps parents to support their children’s learning effectively. The annual written reports to parents on their children’s progress are good. They tell parents what their child knows, understands and can do and set targets for improvement. However, the quality and range of these targets in the

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Commentary

25. The school is at the heart of the village community. The ‘Friends of the School’ organises a range of events, such as an Easter ‘Bunny Drive’ and family games evening to raise funds. These funds are used well to improve the resources for learning. Parents are encouraged to help in the school and up to five do so every week. The school has very strong links with the William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 13 local church and the clergy comes in regularly to take assemblies. Effective links are maintained with local business and community organisations, such as the Community Forest and Castle Eden Walkway, which contribute well to pupils’ awareness of environmental issues and science. The school choir gives performances at local nursing and retirement homes, which helps them to become aware of the needs of others. A wide range of visits to places of interest in the local community enhances pupils’ educational experiences well. Many visitors

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Commentary

come into the school to talk to the pupils, such as the community pharmacist talks about ‘Medicine Matters’. Grandparents and other community members share their experiences with the pupils and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

26. The school has forged very productive links with other schools and particularly with local specialist high schools, which have generated collaborative learning between schools. For example, a specialist teacher in ceramics has worked with all children on a ceramic picture of the Creation Story. Specialist teaching support from high schools enhances the quality of teaching and learning well in physical education, Spanish and the teaching of recorders in Years 3 to 6. Transfer procedures are very effective in helping pupils to maintain good attitudes to their work.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good , including leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff. Governance is also good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and staff have developed a successful school through close teamwork and high aspirations. • The school includes all pupils in everything it does. • Governors’ contribution to the leadership of the school is effective in many areas. • School development planning is based on good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses, although it sees some of the aspects better than they are. • Assessment procedures are now in place but these procedures are not applied as rigorously in the Foundation Stage and Year 1. • Subjects are well co-ordinated by the subject leaders.

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Commentary

27. The school has improved in effectiveness since the last inspection. Pupils overall achieve better than at the time of the last inspection. Overall, the quality of the school’s work in evaluating its effectiveness has improved. Some of the reasons for the improvement are that performance management has had a positive impact on teachers’ attention to raising standards and meeting whole-school targets. New teachers and support staff have been very well inducted into the school’s ways of working. Initiatives started have been carried through with determination.

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Commentary

28. The headteacher provides good and effective leadership and has managed the school with a clear vision, for example, in maintaining open channels of communication with pupils, staff and parents. She and the staff work very well together as an effective team. The headteacher motivates her staff quietly and sensitively. She is constantly looking for ways to improve the provision whilst maintaining equal opportunities for all. The school is successful in ensuring that all the pupils are included in its work, which was confirmed by several parents. Previous weaknesses, such as in writing standards, are being addressed well, particularly in Years 3 to 6, although there is a weakness in the early writing development in the Foundation Stage. The school’s evaluations of its successes and weaknesses are generally correct but it does not always evaluate its effectiveness critically and objectively enough. For example, the inspection

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Commentary

team did not find that the school’s assessment procedures were as successful as the school William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 14 considers them to be. The school places great emphasis on the very constructive atmosphere that is present.

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Commentary

29. The school’s effective monitoring procedures have contributed well to improvement in the quality of teaching and learning in Years 2 to 6. The headteacher and staff have evaluated lessons effectively, for example, in English and mathematics. They are aware that this practice needs to be extended more systematically to check the quality of teaching and learning in Year 1 and the Foundation Stage; and to ensure that teacher assessments are used more rigorously to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils. The information gained has helped teachers to determine what the school should do now to improve the provision. There is a shared understanding of what needs to be done, which reflects the good leadership of the headteacher. Subjects are well managed. There are good plans for improvements that reflect the checks made on subjects. The group of senior staff (the senior management team) is

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Commentary

effective. They discuss strategies and ways forward, which forms a good basis for school improvement planning.

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Commentary

30. There is a good school development plan in place that highlights many of the main areas the school has identified that need improvement. It is well focused and reflects the intention to provide high quality experiences for pupils in all aspects of the school's life. The layout of the plan is easy to read and priorities are clear. Action plans set out clear course of actions. For example, teachers record and check individual pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and make adjustments to the curriculum or to pupils’ targets when required. This process has raised standards.

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Commentary

31. Governors have effectively helped to shape the direction for the school since the last inspection. Governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. Through well- organised committee structure, governors make good use of the considerable individual governor expertise. Governors know what pupils’ standards are and what the contributory factors are. The school has been successful in seeking best value for its purchases and maintenance contracts. At the end of last financial year, the school had a significant surplus. Most of this money will be spent on upgrading, replacing and increasing the range and quality of ICT resources, such as to increase the number of interactive whiteboards in classrooms. Governors responsible for finance are well informed, active and effective.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 495,403 Balance from previous year 101,489 Total expenditure 495,402 Balance carried forward to the next 59,109 Expenditure per pupil 2,241

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Commentary

32. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed well. The governor with responsibility for overseeing the provision for pupils with special educational needs is knowledgeable and plays a strategic role in the school’s provision. She ensures that pupils receive their entitlement. Support assistants are well trained, enabling them to approach their work confidently. The headteacher ensures that staff’s individual skills and expertise are used effectively. Good use is made of visiting professionals, who support pupils in classrooms and also provide effective input to staff training. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 15

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children have a satisfactory start to school. Provision for the Foundation Stage has improved in personal, social and emotional development and physical development and has been maintained in other areas. Most children start with attainment at the level expected for their age in the nursery. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Learning activities are well prepared and organised and children therefore enjoy all areas of learning. Assessment arrangements build a clear picture of each child’s development, enabling staff to adequately match activities to most children’s individual needs, except that the needs of the more capable children are not met as effectively as they should be in language and mathematical development. The leadership and management are satisfactory. However, some curriculum time is not used well enough when children have fruit after break in the reception class and in the nursery during snack time.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Caring and warm relationships help children settle quickly and become familiar with daily routines. • Children are well supported to become independent and rapidly learn to work individually and in a group with concentration and enjoyment.

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Commentary

33. Children are well on course to exceed national expectations by the end of the reception year. Teaching and learning are good and children receive patient, caring and effective support. Progress is good in the nursery and the reception class because much of the teaching in personal, social and emotional development underpins the work in the other areas of learning. This ensures that the high expectations of the children are reinforced through the range of different activities on offer and that development in this area is set within meaningful contexts. For example, in both the nursery and the reception class, children clear up and tidy resources as part of daily routines. They respond strongly to high expectations of conduct, effort and achievement, as staff consistently support and encourage them with praise. Their capacity to keep concentrating by themselves, for example, when playing number games, is often above

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Commentary

that expected for their age. They make simple but thoughtful choices of activities, follow instructions responsibly and work and play together happily.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are provided with a good range of interesting activities, which promote speaking and listening and early reading skills well. • Expectations for writing development are not high enough. • Higher attaining children in the reception class are not sufficiently challenged and work is not varied enough for the three and four-year-olds in the nursery. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 16

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Commentary

34. Children are well on course to meet the expectations by the end of the reception year in speaking, listening and reading, although standards in writing development are lower than they should be at this age. Teaching is satisfactory overall but needs improvement in writing. In the nursery and the reception class, children develop confidence in speaking and listening because staff take every opportunity to converse with them. They chat, question and encourage the children to extend their vocabulary and their confidence in the spoken word. The children learn to initiate conversations with each other and with adults, for example, in the ‘café’. Teachers find many ways of using stories to stimulate speaking and listening and early reading and writing. For example, children dramatise the story of the ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’, use picture clues to order the sequence of events and read key phrases from the story. Nearly

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Commentary

all children benefit from support for reading at home.

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Commentary

35. Children develop an enjoyment of books and some make good attempts to tell stories using the pictures as prompts. Many children already recognise letters of the alphabet and use these in recognisable form in their early writing. Progress in writing development in the nursery is generally satisfactory, although some of the more capable four-year-olds can achieve more. In the reception class, although an appropriate range of opportunities is provided to write, expectations are not high enough, particularly of the higher attaining children. And the result is that overall progress in writing is slow. Children write for different purposes and in different forms, for example, a list of ingredients for sandwiches, how plants grow and stories using the story board technique. However, children have fewer opportunities to progressively build on what they learn and write expressively and independently. Some children towards the end of

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Commentary

the reception year over-write adult writing and do not form lower and upper case letters accurately, which is unsatisfactory.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children learn effectively through daily experience of mathematical skills. • Expectations for the higher attaining children are not high enough.

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Commentary

36. Teaching is satisfactory. Achievement in mathematical development is also satisfactory and most children are on course to achieve the standards expected by the end of the reception year. However, the higher attaining children are capable of achieving more but do not because opportunities to extend their learning are sometimes missed. In the nursery and the reception class, a good range of attractive resources stimulates and focuses learning nicely. In the nursery, every opportunity is used well to reinforce counting skills. For example, when lining up, during registration and at snack time pupils count the number of children present. Good relationships encourage children to learn enthusiastically through number songs and games. Group activities to promote mathematical development are occasionally conducted at a slow pace to challenge children and sharpen their attention to mathematical ideas. Teaching makes

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Commentary

good links with mathematical development through other areas of practical learning. For example, experimental play with sand and water teaches the children about capacity, volume and weight from first-hand experience and observation. Colourful printing patterns strengthens knowledge of common two-dimensional shapes. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 17

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

37. There was not enough evidence to make a judgement about all aspects of this area of learning. Plans and assessment records show that children take part in a satisfactory range of activities and are likely to reach the expected standard by the end of the reception year. Through listening to Bible stories, such as the story about ‘The Creation’, children learn about the religious beliefs of Christians. They demonstrate their understanding of how plants grow through discussions about planting apple seeds in the garden. Designing and making skills and children’s senses of time and places are as expected for their ages.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s skills develop quickly through many activities available each day in the classrooms. • The quality of teaching and learning in physical development is good. • The outdoor play area provides good opportunities for the nursery children, but opportunities for the children in the reception class to work and play outdoors are too limited.

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Commentary

38. The children are well on course to exceed the expected standard by the end of the reception year. Achievement is good overall because the provision for children’s physical skills is varied, stimulating and well organised. Children make good progress in using tools, such as brushes, crayons, pencils, scissors and spatulas, with growing precision. For example, children used pastry cutters and rolling pins with growing control and confidence when using play dough. Effective management in the nursery and reception class has developed good poise and co- ordination in children’s movements in the classroom and around the school.

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Commentary

39. Teachers manage physical education lessons well and encourage children to experiment in movement. They demonstrate clearly, join in and sensitively involve all the children. The children with special educational needs are given good encouragement by support staff to participate in all the activities. These lessons stimulate imaginative movement and allow the children to see the effects of exercise on their bodies. The outdoor play facilities for the nursery children are used well for free energetic play, both in the covered area and in the enclosed yard. The reception children do not have the same access to these facilities, which gives limited opportunities for outdoor play and development of physical skills with wheeled vehicles, balancing and climbing equipment.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

40. It was not possible to make an overall judgement on provision or standards. Plans, assessment records and work on display show that children are provided with a satisfactory range of activities. Children are taught how to mix colours from an early age and simple art techniques such as hand printing. The staff ensure that there is a suitable selection of pens, brushes, crayons and materials to make pictures. Art is well linked to other areas of learning. For example, reception children make observational drawings of plants when learning about how plants grow. In the nursery, children’s artwork on display shows that they use a variety of techniques to create pictures, such as collage and making models with household junk. Imaginative play develops satisfactorily in a range of supported activities, such as role-play in the home corner and constructions with bricks and other small equipment. Conversations with

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

adults in these activities help in expanding children’s ideas, inventiveness and vocabulary. Children join in enthusiastically in singing rhymes and songs. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 18

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English are above the level expected nationally in Year 6, and overall, pupils achieve well. • Teaching and learning are good. • English provision is co-ordinated well by the subject leader. • Teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs well. • Higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficiently challenging questions to answer and, as a result, there is some underachievement. • Teachers have made a concerted and successful effort to improve pupils’ standards of writing.

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Commentary

41. The school’s good provision for English has been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils’ standards of work this year are at the level expected nationally in Year 2 and above the expected level in Year 6. This represents good improvement over the last year at Year 6. The school has set challenging targets for the 2004 national tests in Year 6, which pupils are on course to attain.

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Commentary

42. Pupils’ achievement is good overall. This reflects the good teaching that they receive and is also contributed to by their very good attitudes to school. Pupils typically enter Year 1 with attainment at a level expected nationally in English and leave the school with above average attainment in Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well, because they are well supported by teaching assistants and they work hard to achieve the targets set for them. There is no significant difference between the achievement of girls and boys. The few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils.

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Commentary

43. Pupils’ standards in speaking and listening are in line with expectations at Year 2 and above the level expected nationally at Year 6. In most lessons throughout the school, pupils are active listeners and confidently ask and answer questions. They have a good understanding of what is expected of them. In Year 6, pupils give detailed answers to questions in good sentences. The teacher strongly encourages good quality answers. Standards in reading are above the levels expected nationally at the end of Years 2 and 6. There is a well-organised reading programme for younger pupils, who work through a published scheme. Pupils read regularly with parents at home and this attention also helps them to make good progress. Older pupils who are more competent readers choose their own books from the library with interest. Pupils in Year 6 develop preferences for particular authors. The recently refurbished

p.20

Commentary

and attractive library is used well to foster the habit of reading for pleasure amongst pupils in Years 1 to 6.

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Commentary

44. The school has made writing a priority for improvement. Writing standards are in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 and above the level expected nationally at the end of Year 6. Pupils enter Year 1 with below average skills in writing and achieve satisfactorily through the year but the higher attaining pupils do not achieve as well as they could because expectations are not high enough for them. Provision is good and progress accelerates in Year 2 with most pupils achieving standards at the level expected nationally. Whilst progress is good in Year 2, the higher attaining pupils do not catch up with the lost time in Year 1. National test results for Year 2 pupils show that more pupils achieve Level 2C and 2B in writing compared to the William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 19 number of pupils achieving at level 2A and the higher than expected Level 3 in reading and mathematics. Pupils in Year 2 are taught to write for different purposes well. Teachers

p.20

Commentary

generally meet the differing needs of year groups effectively. Pupils in Year 6 use their skills effectively to produce good sustained imaginative pieces of writing in other subjects. Pupils break down the way English is written and analyse the components effectively. They have a good understanding of grammar and punctuation in Years 5 and 6.

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Commentary

45. The teaching is good overall. In Years 2-6, teaching immerses all pupils in learning so that all pupils wish to do better. Teachers’ very direct appeal to individuals to take part in everything motivates boys as well as girls. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds also achieve well because teachers respond to individuals’ and small groups’ needs effectively. Teaching varies from satisfactory to very good. Relationships in lessons are good, and pupils settle well to their work with interest. Teachers’ lesson targets are specific and therefore the group tasks for pupils to complete are well focused and allow pupils to make good progress in lessons and over time. The pace of lessons in Year 1 is occasionally a little slow and the teaching does not move pupils fast enough through the tasks in lessons. Higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficiently challenging questions to answer, such as questions that require pupils to infer

p.21

Commentary

reasons why things happen in a story. This occasional omission slows their progress.

p.21

Commentary

46. The extra provision for lower attaining pupils in Year 6 involves these pupils learning more about how English is constructed, which accelerates their progress overall and they achieve near average standards at the end of Year 6. For example, in one of the lessons seen, the mood in this small group lesson was very constructive and all pupils gained in knowledge because they had much individual attention. The support members of staff were well prepared and followed the lesson plan carefully and skilfully.

p.21

Commentary

47. Subject leadership and management are good. The subject leader and headteacher analyse pupils’ work and make checks on teaching in classrooms. As a result, the subject leader has produced a well-focused action plan to improve the provision further. In Year 1, valuable time allocated to English is lost every week because after each morning break pupils have a ‘healthy eating’ break. However, whilst staff use this time for discussion about healthy eating habit, much of the talk is of a general nature and is not sufficiently focused on key aspects of English, which generally affects adversely on the rate of progress in English.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. The school promotes the use of language and literacy across the curriculum and has extended this further. Good use is made of pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects. Pupils in Year 2, for example, consolidated their understanding of syllables effectively in one lesson, using a computer program. Pupils’ reading and comprehension skills are promoted well in other subjects. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. They answer questions effectively in history and geography lessons, for instance, and write answers to investigative questions clearly in subjects such as science. In mathematics, teachers emphasise the correct use of vocabulary effectively.

p.21

Modern foreign languages

49. The school makes very good provision for Spanish in Year 6. A teacher from the local secondary school teaches the lessons, one hour each week. Pupils can introduce themselves in Spanish, know their numbers to 20 and know a wide range of answers to questions, such as ‘how many?’ and ‘how much?’ Pupils enjoy lessons and gain greatly from this early exposure to a foreign language. Lessons are fun and all pupils have many opportunities to ask and answer questions in Spanish. In one lesson, for example, pupils learned to give opinions, such as likes and dislikes. They spoke clearly and with a good accent.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 20 The provision for mathematics is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall, pupils achieve well and attain standards above the level expected nationally in Year 6. • Teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6. • The subject is led and managed well. • Year 1 higher attaining pupils have fewer opportunities to record their work and as a result do not consolidate their learning well enough.

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Commentary

50. The results of the 2002 and 2003 national tests show that standards at the end of Year 2 are above the national average. Inspection evidence shows that the current Year 2 pupils’ standards are at the level expected nationally.

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Commentary

51. In 2003, pupils in Year 6 attained results above the national average and standards now in Year 6 are also above the level expected nationally.

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Commentary

52. Typically, children start the school with average mathematical abilities and attain standards above the national average by the end of Year 6. The improvement in the results from age seven to 11 for those pupils taking the tests last year was well above the expected level nationally. Inspection evidence shows that higher attaining pupils are capable of achieving more. The scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates that on occasions, they are given the same tasks as those of average ability and this does not challenge them consistently. Pupils of lower ability and those with special educational needs achieve well and many achieve very well.

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Commentary

53. Good quality teaching enables most pupils to achieve well in Years 2 to 6, achievement is satisfactory in Year 1. Teaching has improved since the last inspection and no unsatisfactory lessons were seen during this inspection. Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning make a significant contribution to their progress in mathematics. Teachers place strong emphasis on pupils explaining their calculations and on the different ways of tackling questions, which boosts pupils’ performance well. As a result, by Year 2, pupils use a variety of approaches to solve problems. They work above the expected level when they compute, using standard units of measurement for mass, length and time. Most answer simple division questions, but not those with remainders. Pupils in Year 6 show good skills in checking their answers, using both inverse operations and estimates. Most know the sum of angles that intersect to form a

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Commentary

straight line. Pupils have good numeracy skills, using tests of divisibility and recognising prime numbers. In Year 1, pupils are provided with well thought out, interesting activities that make learning mathematics fun and provide ample opportunities to learn through first hand experiences. However, higher attaining pupils do not have enough opportunities to demonstrate what they know and develop skill in recording their work systematically and, as a result, they do not always build firmly on what they have learnt, which leads to pupils not being sufficiently challenged.

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Commentary

54. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ conduct. They use effective strategies for behaviour management, which results in very good behaviour and everyone concentrates well. Teachers provide interesting and challenging activities and, as a result, pupils work hard with motivation. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, the teacher pretended to choose the wrong answer cards on occasions in order to test pupils’ understanding and make learning fun. Parents at the meeting with inspectors prior to the inspection commented on their children’s love of mathematics. Generally, lessons move at a brisk pace, helping pupils to enjoy mathematics and work at a good rate. Standards of presentation are good and most pupils take great care in setting out their work neatly. However, marking does not consistently help pupils to know how they can improve their work. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 21 55. The subject is well led and managed. The enthusiasm and expertise of the co-ordinator has a

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Commentary

positive influence on the subject. Effective monitoring of the quality of planning, teaching and learning contributes well to improving the quality of provision in mathematics. The range of pupils’ learning opportunities is good, preparing them well for the next stage of their education.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Work in other subjects contributes well overall to work in mathematics. The development of pupils’ mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding of the practical uses of these skills is planned in each subject. For example, in Years 4 and 5, pupils’ work in geography includes tallying, percentages and graphs to show the population growth in Llandudno.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards are above average and they achieve well. • Teaching and learning are good. • The subject is well led and managed. • The range of learning opportunities is good and further improvements can be made to provision by using homework more systematically to consolidate and extend learning.

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Commentary

57. The teacher assessments at Year 2 and national tests at Year 6 in 2003 show that at the end of Years 2 and 6 pupils attain standards above the national average and achieve well. Standards at the end of Year 6 are higher than at the time of the last inspection. The proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining the level above that expected of pupils at Year 6 in the 2003 tests was well above average.

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Commentary

58. Pupils’ good standards are due largely to the good quality of teaching, which results in effective learning. Teachers have high expectations of the standards pupils are capable of attaining. Consequently, pupils in Year 2 know much about life processes, and use their understanding to distinguish between plants and animals. They successfully classify foods into groups such as proteins and carbohydrates. Year 6 pupils work above the expected level, confidently distinguishing between reversible and irreversible changes to materials. Most understand how living things adapt to their surroundings and depend on each other, but do not use keys to classify creatures into groups.

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Commentary

59. Teaching has improved since the last inspection. The weaknesses identified at that time have been rectified. Teachers manage their classes very well, resulting in pupils behaving very sensibly and working hard. Pupils are eager to learn. In the best teaching, imaginative approaches lead to very high levels of interest. For example, in an excellent Year 6 lesson about the physical changes in water, the inclusion of ‘Derek and Dora Waterdroplet’ and the use of role-play considerably enhanced learning. Teachers’ clear explanations and good questioning help pupils to gain skills, knowledge and understanding well. However, on occasions, teachers pay insufficient attention to spelling and punctuation mistakes in marking and opportunities to improve pupils’ literacy skills are missed.

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Commentary

60. The good quality of the science curriculum, with its strong emphasis on investigation, results in pupils doing well in this aspect of the subject. Those in Year 2 work above the expected level in explaining why their experiments, such as one about growing seeds, are fair. Pupils in Year 6 show good attainment in making predictions and drawing conclusions, using scientific William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 22 knowledge and terminology. For example, they recognised from their results, the relationship between the distance of objects from the light source and the size of shadows produced. However, they sometimes do not explain their methods fully enough or suggest how they might improve their experiments.

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Commentary

61. The leadership and management of the subject are good and have improved since the last inspection. The science co-ordinator makes a significant contribution to raising standards. She has successfully raised the subject profile through initiatives such as organising a ‘science week’, and effectively supporting colleagues in enhanced curriculum delivery. She has made good provision in the use of ICT in learning of science and, as a result, practising ICT skills. The co-ordinator’s monitoring of standards, planning and the quality of teaching and learning also impact well on standards. The school acknowledges the need to supplement the very good support given to teachers by including guidance about investigative science in its policy. There is no systematic provision for homework, as yet, which identifies the tasks that each year group will carry out to support and enhance the work done in lessons, resulting in missed

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Commentary

opportunities to raise standards further.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision in ICT is satisfactory and improving .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinator organises the subject well. • Pupils confidently use a range of programs throughout the school. • The computer suite is modern, well designed and spacious. • Teaching of ICT skills is improving as teachers and staff confidence increases.

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Commentary

62. In Years 2 and 6, pupils’ ICT skills meet national expectations and standards are in line with levels expected nationally. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The teaching enables pupils to make steady progress and achieve satisfactorily. In Year 6, pupils are confident in virtually all aspects of the subject.

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Commentary

63. Since the last inspection, the resources for the subject have improved considerably. The suite has 16 modern computers and is used for teaching full classes. Teachers’ confidence and expertise have also developed well through the training provided by the New Opportunities Fund and through the school’s own response to teachers’ needs. The school ensures that the whole curriculum is taught by involving other organisations to teach specific aspects of the subject, such as computer control work, when necessary. However, these improvements have not been in place for long enough to impact on standards achieved by the pupils, as yet.

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Commentary

64. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers and support staff teach pupils well. Pupils are justifiably very proud of their work and show great interest in ICT. The co-ordinator teaches several classes and uses his expertise effectively. Achievement in lessons is good and standards are beginning to rise. In Year 5, pupils learned not to trust information just because it was on screen. They learned also that much information is kept about everyone and that it needs to be correct. Teachers use national guidance as the basis for lesson planning. Pupils’ work shows they are learning to use ICT for word processing, to draw pictures, find information from the Internet, handle data, log information electronically and make simple multi-media presentations that combine pictures and sound. In Year 2, the teacher made a lesson extra interesting by putting out four planets on a black backcloth and asking pupils to use the floor

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Commentary

robot to travel accurately between them. Pupils soon learned to manoeuvre the robot successfully on the floor. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 23 65. The subject is led and managed satisfactorily. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and specialist teaching in most classes has contributed effectively to raising teacher confidence and maintaining consistency in the quality of teaching and learning. His plans for the future are well founded, though there are too many targets in the action plan.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. The school is working hard to ensure that ICT is used consistently in other subjects to support learning and to provide opportunities for pupils to practise skills. Pupils use computers effectively to consolidate numeracy skills in mathematics and for writing and grammar tasks in English. In science, pupils saw how quickly two temperature probes cooled when placed in two different gloves. The on-screen graph lines showed the temperatures very clearly indeed. The headteacher used the digital projector very effectively to display pages of a story and the words to illustrate the key message in the hymn during an assembly, demonstrating the versatile use of ICT to support effective communication and to modify a range of information to suit the purpose.

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Geography and History

67. Provision was sampled through one lesson observation in each subject, scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils and teachers. There was very little work available in geography at Year 2 and in history at Year 6 so no judgements are made on standards in geography at Year 2 and in history at Year 6.

p.25

Geography and History

68. In geography , standards at the end of Year 6 are in line with the nationally expected level, as they were at the last inspection. Year 6 pupils have good map reading skills. They identify the main British cities, rivers and seas, and work successfully with maps of different scales. Most show above average knowledge and understanding of river features, identifying ‘v-shaped valleys’, ‘deposition channels’ and ‘interlocking spurs’. The teacher’s high expectations and the close attention paid to key vocabulary contribute well to this aspect of their work. However, frequent use of worksheets sometimes reduces opportunities for pupils to make decisions about how to present ideas. It also detracts from efforts to develop pupils’ literacy skills. In the lesson seen in Year 2, teaching and learning were satisfactory and pupils showed good awareness of the key features of the seaside. Pupils successfully compared the human and

p.25

Geography and History

physical features with developing understanding of the effect of one on the other.

p.25

Geography and History

69. The subject co-ordinator has recently taken over the responsibility and has already upgraded learning resources and started a club focusing on environmental issues. Residential trips provide good opportunities to carry out fieldwork. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now satisfactory.

p.25

Geography and History

70. In history , at Year 2, standards are in line with the nationally expected level, as at the last inspection. Analysis of work shows that teachers help pupils to develop a good understanding of chronology. They record dates by creating a ‘time line’ for events in the life of Florence Nightingale and in answering questions about the Fire of London state that “It was 337 years ago in 1666.” They recall many facts about the lives of important people, but do not make enough comparisons with life today. No work done by Year 6 to date in this academic year was available for analysis, showing that there is too long a gap between history work in Years 5 and 6. In the lesson seen in Year 3, teaching and learning were good. Pupils had good opportunity to use secondary sources for gathering information about the uses of the River Nile in Ancient Egypt.

p.25

Geography and History

71. Since the last inspection, good progress has been made in improving provision. The scheme of work has been updated, learning resources are better and effective assessment procedures are now in place. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 24 72. The subject co-ordinator has only been in post since January. Good provision for the use of computers enhances learning. The use of the Internet, compact disks and the interactive whiteboard contribute well to raising standards. Visitors such as professional groups and local residents bring work about the Vikings, Tudors and World War II to life.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. One lesson was seen in each of the subjects, except in art and design, where no lessons were seen. It is therefore not possible to make firm judgements about provision, teaching or standards. In addition to observing lessons, inspectors spoke to subject leaders and pupils about their work and analysed a very small sample of work in some subjects.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. In art and design , sketchbooks have been introduced but they are not used consistently. Pupils have gained valuable experience of art from other cultures as part of the school’s ‘multicultural week’ focus. Art is used well to illustrate work in religious education. The school’s emphasis on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is reflected well in links with Bible stories through art. For example, the specialist teacher in ceramics from the local high school has worked with all the pupils on a ceramic picture of the Creation Story. Work on display in classes and around the school is of a satisfactory standard.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. In design and technology , the work in books and in the teachers’ planning documents illustrates that there are ample opportunities for all pupils to be able to create their own designs and transfer these ideas to the stage of making products. The co-ordinator has recently taken up responsibility for the subject and has already identified strengths and areas for further development. The action plan is based on appropriate priorities for the future development in the subject and is of sound quality. In the Year 2 satisfactory lesson, the teacher created an imaginative context for designing a model vehicle and provided effective resources, which generated a lot of interest and pupils worked with motivation. Pupils demonstrated clear understanding of the design and make process and also showed growing awareness of the ‘fitness for purpose’ element in their choice of materials and making techniques.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. In music , Year 5 pupils know a range of technical musical terms. They know that ‘tempo’ means speed and that the ‘pitch’ of a sound can be high or low. In the lesson, pupils played percussion instruments, recorders and clapped in time to the music very effectively and made very good progress with a ‘rap’ song. Pupils were very well behaved. They have learned already to recognise the notes G, D and E. The teaching was very good, fun and lively. The teacher’s enthusiasm overcame any inhibitions that pupils had.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. Pupils sang tunefully and enthusiastically in assemblies. Many younger pupils go to lunchtime choir practice. They learn to sing songs with hand actions and enjoy the sessions greatly.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In physical education , pupils in Year 6 showed that they could successfully improve their hand-eye co-ordination skills in a team game situation. Initially, pupils had some difficulty with some of the skills. However, pupils’ excellent attitudes to work meant that they soon overcame the problems and made good progress. Most pupils can walk with a ball balanced on the strings of a racquet without dropping it and one handed pass a hoop over their heads. Pupils played entirely fairly. The limitations of the hall presented no problems. The teacher organised the teams in such a way as to make the best use of the available space. Her enthusiasm and good subject knowledge were infectious and all pupils joined in enthusiastically and obviously enjoyed the lesson.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Pupils develop their swimming skills well. A good range of extra-curricular activities develops pupils’ games skills further. The newly qualified co-ordinator has joined with co-ordinators from a family of schools nearby. This helpful initiative has allowed the subject to be reviewed very thoroughly. The co-ordinator’s action plan reflects the new ideas she has gained for the school. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 25

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. There was not enough evidence to make judgements about the quality of provision. Discussions with the co-ordinator and pupils were held. The school sees pupils’ personal development as a very important part of its work. Personal, social and health education lessons are provided regularly in all classes. There is an appropriate programme of activities, including work on diet, health, sex education, drugs and alcohol abuse, personal safety and awareness of diversity of cultural traditions and religious beliefs of people around the world. Teachers and older pupils help younger children to make healthy choices of food at lunch times with good discussion about why some foods are better than others to keep fit and healthy. A very good range of opportunities is provided, which promote pupils’ personal development very well. William Cassidi C of E Primary School - 26

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 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 2 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 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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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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