Winwick CofE Primary School

WINWICK C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th - 6 th May 2004

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WINWICK 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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WINWICK 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. Winwick 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: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 191

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Myddleton Lane Winwick Warrington Cheshire Postcode: WA2 8LQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01925) 630 995 Fax number: (01925) 628 599

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Canon R G Lewis

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Winwick Church of England School was established in the centre of this semi-rural village in 1872. It stands near to the parish church and has maintained a long tradition of Christian education in the area. Its Victorian buildings have been added to several times but the accommodation is cramped for the number of pupils which it now houses. The school is on a busy main road at the front but at the back, the playground is next to the large parish field with an attractive open aspect.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

In the early 1990s, the school suffered falling rolls and a loss of parental confidence. In April 1991, the school had only 72 pupils on roll. With the return of parental confidence, the roll has risen steadily to its present number. Of the current roll of 191 pupils, approximately one-third are drawn from Winwick itself and two-thirds from Warrington estates, including some less prosperous areas. Many of the pupils travel to school on public transport. Families come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most are in employment in a range of occupations.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

About fifteen percent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is about the national average. A very small number of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds, two of whom have English as an additional language. Two pupils in school are from fairground families. Nearly all pupils have pre- school or nursery experience. The intake contains pupils from almost the full range of ability. Attainments on entry show that most pupils’ attainment levels are around the average. Two pupils have statements of special educational need and a further twenty-six receive additional help, which is in line with the national average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

In the last two years, the school has received an Achievement award, in recognition of the standards reached by 11-year-olds in 2002, and an Investors in People award.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has clear aims which focus on high achievement in a context which fosters the Christian spirit and recognises individual needs and differences. Winwick C of E Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1272 I Hocking Lead inspector Mathematics Citizenship Design and technology Geography Music 9511 A Longfield Lay inspector 30362 J Henshaw Team inspector Foundation stage English English as an additional language History 6642 P Hill Team inspector Special educational needs Science Physical education Information and communication technology Art and design

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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). Winwick C of E 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

Winwick C of E is a good and caring school that benefits from good leadership, management and governance. It takes the pastoral and academic welfare of its pupils very seriously and promotes a Christian atmosphere where individuals are valued and respected. All pupils, regardless of capability and background, are expected to do their best and all achieve well because of the good quality of education provided. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well. • Educational standards for Year 6 pupils are above national expectations. • Leadership, management and governance are good and result in very good teamwork. • Pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour contribute significantly to their learning. • Very good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. • Good provision is made to ensure pupils’ care, welfare and safety. • The use and management of some key aspects of accommodation are unsatisfactory.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since it was previously inspected. All the key issues have been dealt with successfully. In addition, there has been significant improvement in teaching and improvement in leadership, management and curriculum provision.

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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 C A C C mathematics B A C C science C B 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. NB: The relatively low numbers of pupils involved require the above figures to be viewed with caution because the effect of one pupil’s score on the rest can be dramatic.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, pupils’ achievement is good , especially when taking into account the fact that their attainment at age seven was below average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The school’s results in national tests in 2003 are average when compared to all schools and to those of similar schools.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in the present Year 6 are above the national average in English, mathematics, science and geography. Standards in ICT are in line with those expected nationally.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards for the present Year 2 are in line with those expected nationally in reading, writing, mathematics and science. This represents good achievement, especially when taking into account that almost a quarter of the class experience difficulty in learning, and results from very good quality teaching in Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in the present Foundation Stage (namely Reception class) are above average. Almost all children reach the goals they are expected to meet by the end of Reception. This represents good achievement from their average starting point when they began in Reception in September 2003. Winwick C of E Primary School - 5 Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development , are developed very well. Attitudes and behaviour are good and often very good. Pupils show very good respect for others and have very good relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils’ attendance is above average and punctuality is good. All of these factors contribute significantly to pupils’ learning.

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The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are mainly

good or very good. Teachers, teaching assistants and the nursery nurse work as a very effective team that provides very good equality of opportunity for all pupils. The needs of all pupils, regardless of capability or background, are met well. Teaching is very good in the Year 2 class and results in very good learning. The skills of working co-operatively and of discussion are well established, enhancing learning across the school. Pupils work enthusiastically in almost all lessons and, in particular, Year 6 pupils show pride in their work. Productivity is high in Year 6 because pupils are clear about what they are aiming to achieve in English and mathematics.

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The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are mainly

Pupils benefit from an enriched curriculum that is enhanced by very good residential visits for those in Years 1, 2 and 6. Several areas of the school’s premises are not well managed or used sufficiently well to maximise learning. Reading books are barely adequate. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and high-attaining pupils are well challenged to ensure that they are extended as fully as possible. The school provides well for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Links with parents and the community are good and contribute to pupils’ learning. Strong connections with the Church promote pupils’ personal development.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides clear and effective leadership. He ensures that the school is very inclusive in its practice. He has introduced very effective measures for checking on the school’s performance and acts decisively to bring about necessary improvements. His leadership of assemblies provides an excellent example for the spiritual development of pupils. Governors are well informed and fully involved, enabling them to challenge and support senior managers and to make a significant contribution to shaping the direction of the school. Staff with key responsibilities, including the deputy headteacher, also provides good leadership and management. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents express satisfaction with the school’s work; in particular, the vast majority commend the quality of teaching and leadership of the school and the care that is offered to their children.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils’ views are positive, as reflected in their good attitudes and behaviour. They regard teachers as fair, friendly and helpful and confirm that they are expected to work hard. They value the opportunity to express their views through the school council.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important thing the school should do to improve is to enhance accommodation. This requires better use and management of the premises, including the ICT suite, the library and several classrooms, to improve the quality of learning opportunities for pupils. Plans are in place to make the necessary improvements to toilet facilities and for separate outdoor play provision for Reception pupils. Winwick C of E Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

All pupils, irrespective of gender, background, prior attainment or special educational needs, achieve well . Standards attained by Year 6 pupils are above the national average .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the present Year 6 in English, mathematics, science and geography are above the national average. • Achievement is good in all subjects where there was enough evidence to judge, because of good teaching. • Children get off to a flying start to their schooling in the Reception class.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.7 (28.9) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.0 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.6 (29.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. The relatively low numbers of pupils involved require the above figures to be viewed with caution because the effect of one pupil’s score on the rest can be dramatic.

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Commentary

2. The above table shows that the school’s results in national tests are at least as good as national figures. There is no significant difference between the performance of ethnic minority pupils and other pupils, nor is there any difference between the performance of boys and girls. However, a greater proportion of pupils attained the higher standard of Level 5 than was the case nationally, for English and mathematics. The 2003 results are not as high as for the previous year because there was a greater proportion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in Year 6 in 2003 than was the case in the previous year. Nevertheless, this represents satisfactory achievement for these pupils when taking into account their attainment at the age of seven. The school’s results in national tests have been at or above national averages since 2000. This was recognised by the school receiving an Achievement award for its 2002 test

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Commentary

results for Year 6 pupils. Despite the growing number of pupils who have SEN, standards are improving at a faster rate than is the national trend. Standards in the present Year 6 are above the national average in English, mathematics, science and geography. This is an improvement on the previous year and reflects good teaching and the development of very good systems for identifying those pupils whose progress is slipping behind, in order to provide additional support for them at an earlier stage.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 14.5 (14.4) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.8 (13.0) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.4 (14.9) 16.3 (16.5) Winwick C of E Primary School - 7 There were 27 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. 3. The above table shows that the school’s results in national tests in reading and writing are generally lower than the national figures, with reading well below. In writing, a greater proportion of higher attainers reach the higher standards of Level 3 than is the case nationally. Results in mathematics and the school’s assessments in science show standards to be in line with the national average. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls. Several reasons account for the relatively weak results in reading and writing, including the fact that until September 2003 pupils’ attainment on entry to the school was below

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Commentary

average. In addition, the leadership of the school has recently made some significant changes to teaching and increased the classroom support time in line with the increasing number of pupils who experience learning difficulties. Finally, class teachers have benefited from specialist advice in the teaching of reading and writing. The combination of these measures has been effective. Standards in the present Year 2 class are in line with those expected nationally for reading, writing, mathematics and science. This represents good achievement.

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Commentary

4. All pupils, irrespective of gender or ethnicity, now achieve well in all subjects, because of the rich curriculum they experience and the good teaching they receive. Pupils with special educational needs are given additional and very effective support to enable them to make good progress and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Similarly, those pupils who are particularly able are presented with additional challenges that ensure they are extended in their learning. Good emphasis is given to the development of numeracy skills, including both mental and written calculations. Reading and writing skills are developed well in English lessons and in other subjects. Teachers develop pupils’ investigative skills especially well in science. Pupils make good gains as they learn about ICT in the ICT suite, and successfully apply these skills in other subjects, such as English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

5. Attainment for those children now in Reception is above average. Almost all attain the levels expected in each of the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) for children of this age group, and a significant minority exceed them. This represents good achievement relative to their average attainment when they began school, and is a result of the good teaching they receive.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance is good . The school attendance record is above the figures for similar schools nationally. Pupils’ punctuality is also good . Pupils’ attitudes are good and their behaviour is good . This is the cumulative result of the attitudes and values they bring from their home background, allied to the very good provision the school makes for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good attendance and punctuality have a strong impact on standards attained and on pupils’ achievements. • Good attitudes to work and good behaviour show that pupils value their educational opportunities. • There are particular strengths in the way the school promotes very good relationships, self- confidence and self-esteem, an undercurrent of respect and knowledge of what is right and acceptable and what is wrong and unacceptable. • Pupils have a very mature attitude towards staff of the school, visitors and each other. • Within its very rich curriculum and in its provision for pupils’ personal development, the school is aware that the development of education in a culturally diverse society is an area for development.

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Commentary

6. The table below shows pupils’ attendance in the most recent published year. Attendance is well above the figure for similar schools nationally. It is a reflection of parents’ determination Winwick C of E Primary School - 8 that their children get the most out of their educational opportunities. Furthermore, it also reflects pupils’ eagerness and willingness to come to school. It is rare that pupils come to school late. Regular attendance and good punctuality are hallmarks of Winwick Primary School and significant factors in pupils’ achievements.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year - 95%

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.7 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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Attendance

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Attendance

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 159 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance

7. Pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to schoolwork also contribute a great deal to their achievements. Both behaviour and attitudes are strongly positive and judged to be good overall. Pupils’ good behaviour is reflected in the fact that it has not been necessary to exclude any pupil from school. This has been the case for many years. Because pupils relate well to each other, the skills of co-operative working and of discussion and debate are well established, enhancing achievement across the school. In their response to the pre-inspection questionnaire and in their comments about behaviour at their pre-inspection meeting, parents identified good behaviour and positive attitudes as strengths of their child’s learning. The inspection team agrees with them. Similarly, pupils believe that they learn effectively and are sensibly behaved. The strengths identified in this area during the inspection confirm parental

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Attendance

views about behaviour, attitudes and the development of pupils’ values. There are no signs of bullying, harassment or racist attitudes in the school.

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Attendance

8. Pupils’ spiritual educational is developed through the interesting assemblies, where the opportunity to reflect on relationships and the joy of living is used well. The Christian ethos of the school also promotes pupils’ spiritual awareness. Pupils are encouraged to be enterprising and to take responsibility. This is seen in the way Year 6 pupils apply in writing for jobs of responsibility and in the way the school council discussed the type of markings they want on the playground; for example, a grid to help with the eight times table. They also collect funds for charity and entertain senior citizens with concerts. Reception staff provide successfully for children’s personal, social and emotional development. Socially pupils are very well adjusted. There is no vandalism, litter or graffiti in school because pupils respect people, property and premises. They understand the meaning of community both in and out of

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Attendance

school and take responsibility well. Much moral education is acquired by the fairness pupils see around them. Pupils learn about their own culture from projects, visits and visitors. Although they learn about other cultures across the curriculum and from the support they give Winwick C of E Primary School - 9 to an Indian village schoolgirl, the school recognises the need to focus more on the needs of helping prepare pupils to live in a multi-cultural society.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Good teaching within an enriched curriculum leads to good learning. Good arrangements for pupil care, together with good links with parents and the community, also contribute to learning.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall and, in a few lessons, very good . Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and of their behaviour. All pupils are encouraged to work hard and, through good assessment arrangements, are given clear guidance about how they might improve their work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants results in very good equality of opportunity for pupils. • Teachers expect and encourage all pupils to work hard. • Teaching in the Reception class is good. • A small but significant amount of teaching is uninspiring. • Assessment procedures are very good for English and mathematics and for children in Reception class.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (6%) 5 (16%) 16 (52%) 8 (26%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

9. Teaching quality has shown good improvement since the previous inspection and reflects the successful measures taken by the leadership of the school. The vast majority of parents’ questionnaire returns support the view that teaching is good.

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Commentary

10. Very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants is a major factor in ensuring that the diverse needs of all pupils are well met and that all pupils, regardless of capability or background, achieve well. Throughout the school, teachers provide many relevant opportunities for pupils to use their skills of literacy and numeracy. Satisfactory provision is made for pupils to use ICT to support learning in other subjects but such opportunities could be extended, especially to support learning in English lessons. Teaching in Year 2 is predominantly very good, mainly because the teachers’ enthusiasm washes over the pupils and inspires them to want to learn. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach and successfully engage pupils’ interest in almost all lessons. Teachers’ explanations and questions are pitched at the right level to meet individual needs. Teachers ensure that

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Commentary

those who find learning difficult are suitably supported by the very effective work of teaching assistants. Equally, higher attainers are given additional challenge, as often seen in literacy and numeracy lessons, such as in an excellent Year 6 numeracy lesson where the teacher’s logical explanation and demanding questions resulted in very good development of pupils’ mental manipulation of decimals. An excellent lesson was also seen in Year 3, where drama was used very successfully to help pupils’ understanding of the book they were reading. Winwick C of E Primary School - 10 11. Teachers consistently require pupils to show good standards of behaviour. As a result, good use is made of lesson time because interruptions are minimal. In turn, this enables pupils to work uninterrupted for sustained periods of time and promotes perseverance and productivity in their learning. Year 6 pupils show pride in the careful presentation of their written work.

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Commentary

Pupils receive much encouragement from staff and have very good relationships with them. These are notable features that underpin the good and very good learning that takes place and account for the good achievement of pupils across the school.

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Commentary

12. Teaching in the Reception class is good, particularly in the areas of language, mathematics and personal development. Staff work hard to reinforce good behaviour and create a good atmosphere for learning. The new classroom represents a great improvement since the previous inspection. It has been suitably arranged to offer a good range of language development opportunities. Teaching of language skills is challenging and enables all children to successfully develop their communication abilities. Mathematical development is also taught well, often through other areas of learning. Mathematical vocabulary is given due emphasis and is particularly well taught by support staff. The arrangements for checking the attainment and progress of children in the Reception class are very good and underpin the close match of teaching to individual needs.

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Commentary

13. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. However, teaching that was no better than satisfactory was seen in about a quarter of lessons. The features common to most of these lessons were that teaching was less stimulating and/or the pace of the lesson was too slow to hold pupils’ interest. Therefore, teaching did not inspire the pupils to the same extent as was seen in the majority of other lessons in these same classes and elsewhere in the school. Despite this relative weakness, the other reported strengths in teaching were still present.

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Commentary

14. The procedures for checking and recording individual pupils’ attainment and the progress that they make have been considerably improved since the previous inspection and are now very good for English and mathematics and good in most other subjects. There is now an effective whole-school system of checking and recording of pupils’ levels of attainment from which teachers set targets for improvement in English and mathematics. It also enables them to plan work that is well matched to the diverse range of pupils’ capabilities. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and positively, often including written comments that inform pupils how to improve their work. Older pupils, in particular, testify that they know how well they are doing both from teachers’ comments and by checking their progress against the targets they are set in English and mathematics.

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The curriculum

Overall, the curriculum is good . The school provides a broad, balanced and interesting curriculum for all pupils, which is enriched by a wide variety of extra-curricular and residential opportunities. In spite of improvements, unsatisfactory accommodation restricts some opportunities and detracts from the learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In spite of several good improvements to the accommodation, it remains unsatisfactory overall and restricts some learning opportunities. • The school provides residential experiences for three age groups: Years1, 2 and 6. • There is very good opportunity and access for all pupils. • All pupils learn to play a musical instrument. • There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

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Commentary

Winwick C of E Primary School - 11 15. The school thinks hard about what it offers to the pupils and ensures that all receive a broad range of opportunities. All subjects are fully covered and the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies, including extra learning programmes, are used well. Pupils in Reception also benefit from a good well-planned curriculum. All pupils are given very good support for their learning through the very good use of teaching assistants, good assessment of learning and appropriate challenge. All pupils feel included and pupils with special educational needs, those from minority groups, and those who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Pupils develop their personal, social and health education well, through planned programmes and suitable opportunities to discuss their feelings in ‘circle time’, when pupils talk together in class. The pupils sensibly evaluate their own feelings and record ideas,

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Commentary

opinions and thoughts. Pupils transfer smoothly from one class to the next because of close liaison between staff and through good arrangements for recording pupil progress.

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Commentary

16. Lessons are planned well and teachers provide for different styles of learning; for example, every child learns to play the ocarina - a small egg-shaped musical wind instrument. The school partly funds this initiative. Through learning the instrument, the pupils learn the discipline of practice and the achievement and satisfaction of learning something through their own effort, careful listening and determination. These skills are transferred to other learning and this effort was observed in lessons. The headteacher has also begun to pilot a creative and innovative approach to the planning of one subject - geography - in an effort to provide for the many ways pupils learn and to make the curriculum even more exciting.

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Commentary

17. The wider opportunities of residential and extra-curricular activities, including sport, counter some of the effects of the accommodation by making out-of-school experiences available to several age groups. Pupils are also given many good opportunities to visit other places to enhance their learning, for example, Jodrell Bank for science and Ordsall Hall for history. Pupils also visit the theatre and welcome visitors such as a string music group, and neighbours to talk about their war experiences. Good use is made of the local village environment, particularly for history and geography.

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Commentary

18. The school recognises the very real need for improvement to the accommodation and has detailed plans for significant development. The décor and general appearance of the older parts of the school are unsatisfactory because the school hoped for funding for this major development. This has not been available. It is important that the school now improves the appearance of the accommodation as much as possible while it awaits any possible major funding.

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Commentary

19. Management has worked hard to tackle the above problems. It has, to date, extended the hall, built two new classrooms, releasing a room for an ICT suite, and resurfaced the playground. This has resulted in some pleasant areas for learning and has demonstrated commitment to pupils’ right to work in a better environment. However, there are further considerable improvements required. The toilets have been designated as the next priority because they are inadequate and the Reception class has no fenced outdoor play area. Space is particularly limited in the older parts of the building but the school does not always make the best use of this space. Although the library has recently been moved, the stage, in its present state, is an unsuitable area for the library. Several classrooms are too small for modern teaching, especially practical activities, but the school does not always use this space well.

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Commentary

20. Generally, resources are satisfactory but those for English are barely adequate and require improvement. Storage space is limited but better organisation of space would also release areas for this. The reading areas in several classrooms do little to promote reading as an enjoyable activity.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for ensuring pupils’ care, guidance and support is good . Processes for seeking and acting upon pupils’ views are very effective . Winwick C of E Primary School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are very well prepared for introduction to school in the Reception class and there are good arrangements for transfer of pupils from one year to another within the school. • Teachers know their pupils very well, assessing their progress through programmes of study and listening to them, thus they are in a strong position to guide and support them through their school life. • Good interaction between adults and pupils foster very good and trusting relationships. • There are good procedures for child protection, racial awareness and for promoting the pupils’ well-being, health and safety.

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Commentary

21. The school has suitable policies for child protection and race equality and all the staff are aware of their responsibilities. There are good health and safety procedures in place. Fire drills are carried out regularly. Teachers and other members of staff are conscientious in their care of the pupils. There are good arrangements for administering first aid and for dealing with accidents or sickness. There is an ethos of Christian care, order and structure which is emphasised in the school’s expectations and the response in the daily assemblies. It is the caring, friendly and family nature of the school that is cited by parents as the main reason for their choice of this school.

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Commentary

22. Pupils’ personal development is monitored informally through the staff’s knowledge of them and their families. Very good relationships exist between pupils and adults in the school. As a result, pupils are very confident to approach any adult in school for help. They are given specific lessons in sex education, drugs education and keeping safe generally. The school has recently introduced a self-appraisal booklet for pupils to record their progress in personal, health and social education lessons. The induction of new pupils is sensitively handled and parents justifiably hold this to be a strength of the school. Careful arrangements are made as pupils move from one year to the next and when they transfer to other schools.

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Commentary

23. The school actively raises self-esteem, encourages self-expression through the curriculum and empowers pupils to express their thoughts and opinions through the school council.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established good links with parents and the wider community. There are satisfactory links with other schools in the area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school actively involves the parents in its life. • The school is at the heart of the community, having very close links with the Church. • There are satisfactory links with other schools in the area.

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Commentary

24. The school management works hard to ensure parents can approach the school staff easily. This is appreciated and acknowledged by the overwhelming majority of parents. They are kept fully informed and any queries are sorted out promptly. Pupils’ reports are detailed and informative. Parents are given formal and informal access to their child’s class teacher in order to discuss progress and any other issues. The school involves parents continuously in their children’s learning and takes time to explain materials and approaches. Surprisingly, and unjustifiably in the view of the inspection team, a very small minority of parents feel that their views are not sought. In fact, the school invites parental views before constructing the school Winwick C of E Primary School - 13 improvement plan. Parents constantly encourage their children to do their best and give very good support to learning. The impact is strong on both academic progress and on the

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Commentary

development of social and personal skills. Pupils come to school ready to learn and the school capitalises well on this. The Parent Teacher Friends Association provides excellent support for the school through their social and fund raising events.

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Commentary

25. The school works closely with the local community. It has very close and productive links with the church. Parents and pupils attend the termly Eucharist services and the services at Christmas and Harvest. Pupils visit the church Friendship Club for carol singing and the distribution of Harvest gifts. Such bonds contribute much to the ethos of the school and to pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

26. There are satisfactory links with the local schools. There are a number of secondary schools for parents to choose from when their child reaches the end of Year 6 and the school has regular links with them all. The school’s close liaison with the pre-school Nursery is effective in helping the children feel comfortable when starting in Reception.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff are good and have resulted in the good improvement that the school has made since the previous inspection. Governance is good , with governors playing an effective and active role in the leadership and management of the school.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is well led by the headteacher, who has high aspirations for all pupils and staff. • Governors play a full part in helping to shape the direction of the school. • All staff and governors work well together as a team and are committed to enabling each pupil to achieve as well as possible. • The procedures for checking the performance of the school are very strong. • Leadership has ensured that this is a very inclusive and caring school. • The school’s finances are very well managed.

p.15

Commentary

27. The headteacher provides good leadership and direction. His commitment to maintaining an inclusive and caring school is high and is a significant feature in his overall good leadership and management of it. He presents an excellent role-model for others in his leadership of assemblies, which make an outstanding contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral awareness. Under his direction, and with very able support of the senior leadership team, the school has responded well to the issues highlighted in the last report. New accommodation has greatly improved the learning environment for the youngest pupils; assessment, and the use of assessment to plan lessons more effectively, is developing into a strength, and the management of behaviour is very effective. In addition to these aspects, the school accommodation, whilst still a problem in some areas, continues to improve as a result of the headteacher and governors’ determination to provide the best possible environment for their

p.15

Commentary

pupils. The school has very good systems for checking on its performance, for example through very good analysis of test results, enabling the leadership team to have a clear view of where there are strengths and where there are areas for improvement. Strategic planning is very good and looks to the future needs of the school and the community it serves. The school, led by the headteacher, has taken effective action to raise standards across all ages, but especially for seven-year-olds, where there has been some concern in the past.

p.15

Commentary

28. Governance is good. Governors are actively involved in the life of the school and in the school improvement process. They are well informed and have an effective role in strategic planning. Winwick C of E Primary School - 14 Consequently, they have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are able to carry out their statutory duties well. A healthy balance is struck between support and challenge. The school improvement plan, with the full involvement of governors, is thorough and enables the school to measure accurately the progress made towards its targets. Governors play a full and active part in checking on the work of the school. They visit classrooms to observe teaching in the curriculum area to which they are attached and discuss progress with the subject coordinator.

p.15

Commentary

29. The headteacher has delegated managerial responsibilities wisely so that effective teams have been developed. The senior leadership team is very effective and influential, not only in the day- to-day running of the school but also in the development of strategies and the raising of standards.

p.16

Commentary

30. Performance management is used well to determine training needs in line with school improvement planning. There are many opportunities for teachers to take part in training linked to school and personal priorities, helping to build up their own professional development. The headteacher regularly scrutinises pupils’ work and the work of teachers. This is taken into consideration alongside teacher and school needs, to provide direction and training to continue to raise standards. The new direction provided by Workforce Remodelling has also formed an integral part of future planning. Through these strategies, the headteacher aims to develop a collegiate school which is keen to develop the leadership skills of all individuals. The school has established very effective links with teacher-training institutions, welcoming and supporting trainee teachers to the mutual benefit of school and trainees.

p.16

Commentary

31. The school budget is very well managed, with very efficient systems in place to ensure that the finances are carefully controlled and expenditure regularly reviewed. There is a good understanding of the principles of best value, which are applied well when comparing costs for purchases and their effect on standards attained by pupils. Consultation is high on the agenda, with an open forum for parents held every term. The school council meets at least every half- term. Through these and other strategies, the school consults the views of the key stakeholders and uses the findings to improve performance.

p.16

Commentary

32. The high value that the school places on the wellbeing of its pupils is reflected in the determined way that management has brought about significant improvements to the accommodation, with further large-scale developments planned. Day-to-day administration by the school administration officer is very good, as are the systems of financial control. The school provides good value for money.

p.16

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 425,974 Balance from previous year 12,369 Total expenditure 406,314 Balance carried forward to the next 19,660 Expenditure per pupil 2,127 Winwick C of E Primary School - 15

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children start school in the Reception class from a variety of pre-school settings. Many know each other and therefore most settle well. There are very good systems for checking children’s progress in all the areas of learning, and staff work well together. The new classroom is a pleasant and light environment in which to learn and represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Overall, good improvement has been made in the provision for the children in Foundation Stage, especially in teaching and learning.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures are very good. • The quality of teaching and learning is generally good. • Standards are above expectation. • Achievement is good. • Children need to be given more opportunities to develop responsibilities.

p.17

Commentary

33. The children settle into school well because they are given several opportunities to visit the school and to have their dinner together. School staff visit children’s pre-school settings and get to know them there. There are flexible procedures if children do not settle and arrangements are made for a more gradual introduction.

p.17

Commentary

34. Children started school this year with average standards of attainment. As a result of good teaching, by the time they enter Year 1, the majority of the class are expected to achieve the early learning goals and a significant minority to exceed this. This reflects good achievement. Almost all the children demonstrate abilities to select their own resources, to use them sensibly and to discuss ideas. They are at ease with all adults and ask questions to develop their learning. Children showed maturity and demonstrated that they use their learning from home to develop further understanding in school. Most children can dress themselves and take care of their own routines.

p.17

Commentary

35. Children are taught to listen carefully to instructions and to carry them out precisely. They are expected to tidy up after their activities and come to the carpet to listen quietly. Most answer the register sensibly and rewards are given for listening well. Staff work hard to reinforce good behaviour and ensure that there is a good atmosphere for learning. Sometimes, staff need to ensure that all children are aware of the consequences of their actions. Relationships are generally good and staff are positive. In one lesson, children learnt about expressing their feelings through a dice game. Children used facial expressions and recorded the sounds.

p.17

Commentary

36. Some children need further opportunities to develop greater responsibilities, for example to prepare snacks for others or to choose from wider ranges of media when doing any artwork. They are ready for this and need to be trusted. Winwick C of E Primary School - 16

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good assessment ensures that children are usually challenged well. • Teaching and learning are good. • Standards are above expectations. • Achievement is good. • Sometimes children are not given the time to think out their answers and to plan what they want to say.

p.18

Commentary

37. Children have achieved well because there is careful checking of their progress in all aspects of communication, language and literacy. For example, children who have completed the early learning goals are assessed against the National Curriculum and opportunities are provided for them to make further progress. Children learn to read and write in a variety of ways. The new classroom offers a range of language opportunities such as a writing area, a whiteboard for drawing and writing and the use of a computer.

p.18

Commentary

38. Teaching and learning are good because children are given challenging but achievable targets to improve. For example, a child who is already writing sentences is aiming to improve this to two or three sentences and include punctuation. There are focused lessons on sounds and making words, opportunities to write in the ‘garden centre’ or to read quietly. In a maths activity, children wrote their names on charts, writing small and neatly to fit them in. Children read regularly and are making good progress. As a result of the good teaching and assessment, children’s standards of attainment are above expectation and they enter Year 1 well prepared for the National Curriculum. The majority reach the early learning goals and a significant minority exceeds this.

p.18

Commentary

39. Speaking and listening skills are generally developed well. This is particularly true when children work in small groups with adults. Vocabulary is reinforced and staff ask open questions that build confidence and promote thinking. However, there are times when staff do too much for the children and tell them too much. This limits their opportunity to think about answers and plan how to say them.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • This area of learning is particularly well taught by support staff. • Clear assessment ensures that children are generally challenged well. • Standards are above expectations. • Achievement is good.

p.18

Commentary

40. Children begin school at average standards of attainment but reach the end of Foundation Stage near or at the expected early learning goal. A significant minority exceeds this. This is because mathematical development is taught well and children’s progress is assessed well. Winwick C of E Primary School - 17 41. Mathematical development is often taught through other areas of learning, such as knowledge and understanding of the world. This makes learning more meaningful. For example, work was planned around the theme of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Children measured their growing beanstalks and jumped ‘giant steps’ to measure and compare them.

p.18

Commentary

42. Children also follow a mathematics scheme which reinforces their learning of number and introduces conventional recording. However, they are also given opportunities to record in other ways. Mathematical vocabulary is taught well and children learn about ‘longest’, ‘shortest’ or ‘higher’. This area of learning is particularly well taught by the nursery nurse, who developed children’s understanding very well through careful questioning and ensured accuracy by allowing time for children to think. Children develop their understanding of shape and position through other activities such as bricks, train sets and modelling. A focused practical lesson taught children to estimate and to understand capacity. Consequently, children achieve well.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectations and achievement is good. • The quality of teaching and learning are good. • Children are offered a range of opportunities to use their senses. • Children’s own experiences are used to develop understanding. • There is no designated outside area in which Reception children can extend their learning.

p.19

Commentary

43. From an average start, most children reach the early learning goals and a significant minority exceed this. This is because teaching is good and provides a range of opportunities for children to understand the world around them. Staff use children’s own experiences and, as a result, lessons become meaningful. For example, a large world map was used to show children where they were going on holiday, such as New Zealand or Florida and countries where visitors had come from, such as Egypt. Children were given the opportunity to dress up in Egyptian costumes and related their understanding of distance and journeys to the story of Jesus’s journey to the temple. ICT was used to help children sort out modes of transport and they cut out pictures to classify them.

p.19

Commentary

44. Staff have high expectations of the children, as seen when children carried out experiments to decide what conditions seeds needed to grow. Children showed good observational skills and described their findings. One child looked very carefully at the growing bean and skilfully drew what he could see. The standard was clearly above expectation.

p.19

Commentary

45. Throughout the year, children are taken outside to the parish playing fields to look at trees and weather at different seasons. Children use thermometers to measure temperatures, fly kites in windy weather and look at the wildlife in the school pond. Children record what they see through pictures and labelling. For example, they printed with circles to illustrate frogspawn, incorporating mathematical and creative development. However, the class has no safe area to allow for extending the curriculum outside. This is recognised and work is planned. Winwick C of E Primary School - 18

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given interesting opportunities to develop gross motor skills in their PE lessons and fine motor skills within the classroom. • There is no designated outside play area for Reception children. • There are insufficient resources in the outside environment for gross motor development.

p.20

Commentary

46. Standards of attainment are about average and the children achieve satisfactorily. This is because PE lessons are planned well and activities are interesting and appropriate. There is a range of abilities in the class and some children use their bodies and available space very well. Teaching, overall, is satisfactory and children generally make good progress. However, there are insufficient opportunities to encourage children to focus on improvement. For example, particularly good performances are not used as examples and children are not given a specific focus when they are asked to watch others.

p.20

Commentary

47. Fine motor skills are developed in the classroom through model-making, using scissors and tape, planting seeds and writing. Children’s writing is good and indicates the importance placed on this skill. They have achieved well. Children play in the newly-surfaced school playground and, in good weather, they are taken outside during lessons. However, they have very little equipment to develop riding, balance and climbing skills. Children use hoops, beanbags and balls and the playground marking to develop skills and games. There is no designated safe area for the children and consequently they are unable to extend their learning outside or practise skills on a regular basis. This need has been recognised by the school and plans are in place.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Creative development is linked well to other areas of learning. • There is insufficient continuous provision for children to respond creatively.

p.20

Commentary

48. Standards of attainment are in line with expectations and children have achieved satisfactorily. This is because teaching and learning are satisfactory and creative opportunities are linked to other areas of learning. For example, children had mixed paints to create tonal paintings of observed flowers for their ‘garden centre’. They had painted a giant for their story and used the keyboard to create sounds which illustrated their feelings.

p.20

Commentary

49. The class has welcomed a visiting flautist to develop their understanding of the story, ‘Mr. Magnolia’, which resulted in children making their own flutes from recycled materials. Children dress up and play imaginatively in their garden centre.

p.20

Commentary

50. Creative development is covered through focused learning sessions but there is less opportunity for children to express themselves creatively at other times. For example, media and resources were selected for children to make their own beanstalk but there is generally no permanent table for creative activities or selection of resources to use whenever they wish. Winwick C of E Primary School - 19 Similarly, there is no permanent display of instruments from which children might select to express themselves musically. Although the classroom is new, there is still a limited amount of space. Staff need to consider the best use of the space to allow more creative activities.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectations by age eleven. • Achievement is good. • Teaching and learning are good overall and there is some excellent teaching of drama. • Subject leadership and systems of assessment are very good. • Opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills are limited. • Resources are unsatisfactory.

p.21

Commentary

51. Standards in the 2003 National tests for eleven-year-olds were in line with national expectations and those of similar schools. These pupils achieved satisfactorily against their previous attainment at seven years of age.

p.21

Commentary

52. The current Year 6 pupils have reached standards above national expectation. These pupils have shown significant achievement across Key Stage 2 and improvement against previous years. For example, in a well-taught lesson, pupils demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the features of different text types and used these confidently in their own writing.

p.21

Commentary

53. In the 2003 National tests for pupils of seven years of age, standards in reading were well below those expected nationally and those of similar schools. They were below national expectations in writing and well below those of similar schools. This group of pupils included a high percentage that had special educational needs. However, there was also a greater proportion of pupils who attained the higher level in writing than that expected nationally, indicating that more able pupils were suitably challenged. Decisive action by the school, and particularly by the subject co-ordinator, has ensured that this year, the pupils in Year 2 are generally achieving standards in line with national expectations in both reading and writing.

p.21

Commentary

54. The very good subject co-ordinator has worked hard to raise attainment and as a result, any trends or difficulties have been identified through very precise assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress. She has held workshops for parents aimed at helping pupils at home, has increased teaching support and taken advice from a literacy consultant. Pupils have been identified and targeted for support through the Early, Additional and Further Literacy Strategy programmes. These have increased pupil confidence and raised standards. However, pupils needing help are not always identified early enough to ensure that they fully benefit from support. Pupils are beginning to understand their own targets for improvement and older pupils share in target setting.

p.21

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are good overall and never less than satisfactory. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils and usually mark work well. In a good lesson in Year 5, questioning was used well to check pupils’ understanding and to reinforce previous work. In Year 6, the teacher’s good subject knowledge and high expectation of precise contributions from pupils resulted in some very well managed discussion of texts. Pupils used a range of text features and appropriate language structures. Winwick C of E Primary School - 20 56. In an excellent and very exciting lesson in Year 3, drama was used skilfully to help pupils understand the characters in the book they were reading. Teamwork between the teacher and teaching assistant, excellent subject knowledge and preparation resulted in very confident performances from all groups. This illustrated an excellent example of the development of speaking and listening. However, the school does not take sufficient opportunities to develop

p.21

Commentary

this skill. Vocabulary is taught and discussion takes place but speaking and listening are not a high enough priority. Opportunities are sometimes missed to build pupils’ confidence and to help them express their ideas, thoughts and feelings or to evaluate their work.

p.22

Commentary

57. Pupils’ attitudes are good and pupils generally behave well and listen in class. Handwriting and spelling are taught well and pupils’ work is generally neat and presented well. Pupils enjoy both reading and writing and talk informatively about the books they have read. However, in spite of a recent increase in the number of books available, many classrooms lack an inviting area or range of books to stimulate ideas or a desire to read. Many new books are not easily accessible to pupils and the library is also difficult to use freely. Overall, the school does not promote books well and some classes do not make the best use of displays to support reading. Further resources have been purchased to support teaching, but the pupils would benefit from a wider range of texts for all age groups. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good and standards of attainment have risen. Pupils are given the

p.22

Commentary

opportunities to use ICT to word-process their work, although this could be extended further within lessons.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

58. Generally, language and literacy are promoted well in other subjects. In history, for example, pupils write letters, accounts, and summaries related to their topic work. In a Year 2 geography lesson, very good use was made of first-hand experiences on a residential visit to develop precise vocabulary. Similarly in a Year 6 geography lesson, pupils discussed the impact of a town on the local environment and related this very well to their English work on discussion texts. These are the better examples of the development of speaking skills, which should be used as models throughout school. Vocabulary is taught in mathematics and science but not always reinforced continuously.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectation by age eleven. • Pupils of all capabilities and background achieve well. • Teaching is good, and results in good learning in most lessons. • Pupils enjoy mathematics and work hard in lessons. • Leadership of the subject is very good. • Numeracy skills are applied well in other subjects.

p.22

Commentary

59. The school’s 2003 National test results for eleven-year-olds were average, compared with all schools and those of similar schools. These pupils achieved satisfactorily against their previous attainment at seven years of age. Standards of work seen in Year 6 are above average and therefore higher than last year’s results. Over recent years, the school’s results have improved at a faster rate than that seen nationally. The most significant reason for this is the high quality of teaching in Year 6. The 2003 National test results for Year 2 pupils matched those nationally and those of similar schools. Standards seen in the present Year 2 paint a similar picture. Winwick C of E Primary School - 21 60. All pupils, irrespective of background, including those who find learning difficult and those who are particularly able in mathematics, now achieve well. Most pupils throughout the school show average competence in mental calculations and in written computations. Many Year 6

p.22

Commentary

pupils have levels of competence in computation that are above those expected nationally; however, there remains a small but significant number of pupils in most classes, who find difficulty in mental manipulation of number. Nonetheless, pupils’ mental skills have improved since the previous inspection.

p.23

Commentary

61. Teaching is good, though it varies in quality from satisfactory to excellent. Strengths common to all lessons include good quality lesson-planning, the very good contribution made by teaching assistants, and the clear explanations given to pupils. Staff’s good knowledge of individual needs is shown in the well-pitched demands made of pupils. Pupils are encouraged to work hard, listen attentively, behave well and to show respect for others, for example on the many occasions when pupils explain their thinking to the class. In the best lessons, for example in Year 2 and Year 6, the teachers’ enthusiasm inspires pupils to want to learn. In an excellent Year 6 lesson, the teacher’s good subject knowledge and high expectations of what pupils can achieve led to an outstanding quality of explanation to, and challenging questioning of, pupils. In lessons that are less good but nonetheless satisfactory, often the pace of

p.23

Commentary

teaching tends to be slower and the activities less stimulating. Some good use is made of ICT, for example to support pupils’ learning of mental manipulation of decimals and their use of spreadsheets when investigating the relationship between area and perimeter of rectangles.

p.23

Commentary

62. Pupils’ good attitudes to mathematics reflect the positive climate that exists in classrooms and contribute greatly to their learning. Pupils’ good behaviour results from very good relationships between adults and pupils. Pupils work enthusiastically, co-operating fully with staff and take pride in their work, as is particularly evident in the work of Year 6 pupils. Teachers take care to give pupils clear guidance as to how to improve their work. As a result, older pupils are very clear about their learning targets.

p.23

Commentary

63. Subject leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator’s enthusiastic and very skilful teaching provides an excellent role-model for colleagues. He has an informed view of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses because the school has very good systems for checking on and analysing pupils’ performance. Good improvement has been made since the previous inspection, for example in the use of assessment information to influence lesson planning.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

64. Good use is made of mathematics in other subjects. Pupils’ measuring skills are applied well in science, for example, in graphing the time taken for salt to dissolve. Similarly, the precision of pupils’ model sand-yachts and fairground rides, produced in design and technology lessons, reflects accurate measuring. In geography, Year 6 pupils use up to six-figure grid references when locating places on Ordnance Survey maps.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectation by age eleven. • Good quality teaching and learning enable all pupils to achieve well. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. • There has been a good level of improvement since the last inspection. • Teaching challenges all pupils. There are high expectations for higher attaining pupils, especially in Year 6. Winwick C of E Primary School - 22

p.23

Commentary

65. The school’s 2003 National test results for eleven-year-olds were average when compared with all schools and results of similar schools. This represents satisfactory achievement against their performance when they were seven years of age. The school’s assessment of Year 2 pupils in 2003 shows their attainment to be in line with national expectations, reflecting good achievement from their below average starting point in Reception.

p.24

Commentary

66. Standards seen in Year 6 are above national expectation, largely as a result of good teaching. This represents good achievement compared to their previous attainment at seven years of age. Pupils now in Year 2 reach national expectations; this also represents good achievement compared to their below-average levels on entry to Reception, and reflects good teaching. Throughout the school, pupils achieve well and make good progress. There is a wide range of levels of attainment in most classes, with some groups having a significant number of pupils with individual and special needs as well as those who are higher attainers. This means that, together with the impact of smaller than average numbers of pupils at the end of each key stage, comparison with national averages fluctuates.

p.24

Commentary

67. Teaching is good overall, with a significant amount of very good teaching. Lessons are well planned and teachers use a good range of strategies to ensure lessons run smoothly and that pupils understand the lesson content. Investigation is a very important aspect of science teaching and is very well planned. Teamwork between all staff is very good and is a significant factor in the very good learning that occurs in lessons. All staff share in the very good classroom and pupil management that makes these lessons so successful, ensuring that all pupils, whatever their individual needs, are fully involved in the lesson. The very good relationships, high expectations and respect that teachers have for pupils, and that pupils have for all adults in the school, are typical of the best teaching. As a result, most pupils want to learn, listen carefully and contribute sensibly and very well to discussion. All these aspects

p.24

Commentary

came together in a very good Year 6 science lesson exploring the relationships and differences between parallel and series circuits. This lesson set very high standards and pupils were expected to observe very carefully and present clear hypotheses.

p.24

Commentary

68. The use of ICT in science is good in most classes, and very good in Year 6. Teachers use computers, projectors and interactive whiteboards to present material and pupils use spreadsheets and draw graphs to analyse and communicate their findings. This is especially evident in Year 6 where the use of ICT is integral to science, not only in presenting and interpreting findings but in investigative work, for example data-logging.

p.24

Commentary

69. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. As well as having good levels of concentration, they are very considerate to others; they listen well and respect others’ points of view. This ability to share and to get on with others enables them to work very successfully in groups and whole-class activities as well as individually.

p.24

Commentary

70. Leadership and management are good. There are two co-ordinators, one who has only recently taken over the role and one who has been science co-ordinator in the past. They work very well together, ensuring that there is continuity and that new developments build on the work and planning of the past. Between them, they have a clear understanding of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses and what needs to be done to maintain and improve the standard of pupils’ work. Assessment has featured as an area for development and the co-ordinators have supported staff by putting helpful strategies in place. Winwick C of E Primary School - 23

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and results in good learning for all pupils. • Improvement has been good since the last inspection. • The management of accommodation and resources for ICT needs improvement. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. • Subject leadership is good, with a clear view of future needs and development.

p.25

Commentary

71. Since the previous inspection, the school has considerably improved its facilities for ICT. The provision of an ICT suite has been central to this and has resulted in pupils having lots of opportunity to learn new skills and to apply them in their work in ICT and in other subjects. Standards attained by the current Year 6 pupils are in line with national expectations overall, with some pupils attaining well above expected standards in some aspects, for example in the use of ICT in some lessons in science and mathematics. A very good example of this was seen in Year 6 where pupils were using a spreadsheet and graphs to explore the relationship between area and length of sides in a rectangle. In this pleasurable lesson, pupils very quickly learned new functions of the software and used them to explore the relationship. Similarly, standards are in line with national expectations in Year 2, with a significant number of pupils

p.25

Commentary

attaining levels which are above expectations. For example, in a very good Year 2 lesson, pupils quickly understood the principles of a branching database. The good improvements in resources and staff expertise implemented since the previous inspection are quickly improving standards in pupils’ attainment and ensure that achievement is good throughout the school.

p.25

Commentary

72. Teaching is good throughout the school. The very good relationship between adults and pupils is a very important factor in the good level of learning which results directly from good teaching. Teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants is very good, ensuring that all pupils are very well provided for and supported. Very good teamwork and planning ensure that the needs of all pupils are well met. The projector and whiteboard in the ICT suite were used well as an integral part of all of lessons but, on occasions, the management of the room and the resources was unsatisfactory. For example, some unnecessary crowding, difficulty in pupils seeing the display and shadows cast onto the whiteboard impacted negatively on the quality of pupils’ learning. Similarly, in some classrooms where space is limited, the computers, projectors and whiteboards are placed in positions which limit their use.

p.25

Commentary

73. Pupils are very well behaved. Co-operation between pupils when sharing computers in the ICT suite is often very good, despite having computers on only two sides of the room, resulting in limited space for access to each computer.

p.25

Commentary

74. Subject leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator, who is the deputy head, has a high level of personal skill and is very aware of the future developments needed to continue to improve the subject and raise standards throughout the school. The improvements in resourcing have been carefully planned and implemented and, although the number of pupils to each computer is still greater than the national average, are having a marked effect on raising standards. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to review classroom management, including in the ICT suite, to ensure that the use of resources is maximised.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

75. ICT is used as an integral ingredient in the teaching and learning of a number of subjects, and the use of the Internet, interactive whiteboards and projectors is frequent throughout the Winwick C of E Primary School - 24 school. During the inspection, very good use of many of these aspects was seen, especially in science and mathematics lessons. Planning in these lessons is very good and links the use of ICT securely with the subject it is supporting. Use in classrooms is more infrequent, partly as a result of limited space in some classes. Classroom management is an issue in these situations and needs to plan more effectively for the use of ICT as a key component of teaching and learning in the pupils’ own base as well as the ICT suite.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Geography was inspected in full and is reported below. Religious education is to be inspected in full at a later date. No lessons were seen in history , therefore it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in this subject. However, the work seen in Year 6 was of a high standard and that of Year 2 was in line with expectations. Good links are made with other subjects, particularly geography, literacy and art.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Year 6 pupils reach above nationally expected standards. • Good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well. • Pupils are interested and behave well. • The subject is well led and managed.

p.26

Commentary

76. Standards attained by Year 6 pupils are above those expected nationally and reflect very good achievement compared to their below-average attainment on entry to Reception. Most Year 6 pupils have a good level of awareness of the impact of tourism on an environment and are able to identify both positive and negative features. Standards in Year 2 are in line with national expectation and, similarly, this represents good achievement for these pupils when taking into account their below-average starting point two years ago.

p.26

Commentary

77. Good teaching leads to good learning for pupils of all capabilities. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons thoroughly. Opportunities are seized to capitalise on pupils’ previous experiences, for example in a Year 2 lesson when the pupils were reminded of their visit to a farm during a residential experience. Learning was brought alive for the pupils who recalled their sensory experiences, enabling them to make connections with the characters in the text they had shared with their teacher. Another strength of teaching was the quality of the teacher’s questioning, for example, “Why might the Post Office be situated near the jetty?” really challenged the pupils’ thinking. This very good lesson resulted in very good learning for pupils because of the teacher’s skilful deployment of a trainee teacher, a further education student and a parent helper. Similarly, in a good quality Year 6 lesson, the very effective use of

p.26

Commentary

a teaching assistant encouraged lower attaining pupils to participate fully in fruitful discussions about tourism. In this lesson, pupils successfully called upon the knowledge they had previously acquired from their Internet research of their chosen localities.

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Commentary

78. Pupils’ positive attitudes and good behaviour contributes to their learning. In particular, the high quality of presentation noted in Year 6 pupils’ exercise books reflects the pride they show in their work. The curriculum, including residential and other visits, makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development, for example when they are required to consider the environmental impacts of human activity. Winwick C of E Primary School - 25 79. Geography is well led and managed. Though new to this subject responsibility, the subject co- ordinator has prepared a comprehensive set of guidelines for colleagues that are designed to introduce innovative practice into the curriculum. His personal example of pupil care and management, together with his enthusiasm for the subject, represents a very good role-model for colleagues. As a result of good leadership, there has been good improvement in the

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Commentary

subject since the previous inspection; for example assessment of pupils’ work and the standards attained by Year 6 pupils have both shown significant improvement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Physical education was inspected in detail and is reported below. No art and design or design and technology lessons were observed. Therefore, it is not possible to make judgements about overall provision in these subjects. However, it is clear from pupils’ work on display that pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 have produced some good quality models, namely land yachts and fairground rides respectively. Although only one music lesson was observed, music is integral to the timetable and to assemblies. A variety of recordings are played throughout the day, in the main corridor to the yard, thus constantly developing pupils’ cultural awareness and enjoyment. The school has introduced the policy of all pupils having an ocarina. In the Year 2 lesson, where ocarinas were being played, good teaching resulted in pupils showing a good level of competence in keeping a beat, reading the notation and performing with confidence.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well. • Pupils have positive attitudes. • Pupils are given a wide variety of experiences which make a good contribution to both their physical education and personal development.

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Commentary

80. Standards in Year 6 match those expected nationally. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are particularly able, achieve well. By the end of Year 6, almost all the pupils meet the minimum national requirements for swimming, with a significant number of them exceeding the expected 25 metres by a significant margin. Year 6 pupils show the nationally expected levels of ability in games, for example in bowling, catching and hitting a ball. Most of these pupils have a good awareness of health-related benefits of physical activity but, surprisingly, few identify the heart as a main muscle of the body.

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Commentary

81. The quality of teaching is good, enabling all pupils to achieve well. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching was judged to be satisfactory. Teaching is effective because lessons are carefully planned and linked to the school’s programme of work. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ ability to behave sensibly and they plan interesting tasks that both motivate and challenge individual pupils to perform to the limits of their physical ability. Teachers give clear instructions and intervene at opportune movements to demonstrate skills, resulting in pupils fulfilling the demands made on them. For example, in a Year 4 games lesson, the pupils noticeably improved their catching and throwing skills as a result of the teacher’s coaching points. The absence of line markings on the hall floor results in some organisational difficulties when pupils are practising games skills.

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Commentary

82. Pupils have positive attitudes to physical education. They co-operate fully with their teachers because they respect them and are eager to learn. Pupils behave in a sensible and mature way, for example when making safe use of games equipment within the relatively confined Winwick C of E Primary School - 26 indoor space. They are keen to develop new skills and are willing to practise and refine them in order to improve.

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Commentary

83. The school provides good opportunities in physical education for pupils’ social and moral development, for example in observance of rules and by co-operating and competing with others. The school is justly proud of the enriched curriculum it offers to pupils. Pupils are able to take part in football, rugby, netball, rounders, cross-country and dance, along with very beneficial residential visits for pupils in Years 1, 2 and 6. Pupils also benefit from visits to professional football clubs and coaching from professional rugby players. All of these features greatly enhance the pupils’ personal and physical development.

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Commentary

84. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is an enthusiastic role- model for others. Because she is new to the role, there has been insufficient time for her leadership to impact on standards across the school. However, there are clear plans for her to exercise her role more fully next school year.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

85. No specific lessons were observed for the above area. However, pupils’ learning is strongly promoted through work in curriculum subjects, such as science, history and geography, and through many school and community events. For example, pupils are encouraged to re-cycle materials such as Yellow Pages and to consider the impact of tourism on the environment, thus encouraging pupils’ awareness of environmental aspects of citizenship. Other significant examples of preparation for citizenship include the pupils successfully petitioning the local Borough Council to reinstate the school crossing patrol. Pupils are actively involved in several community-based events such as harvest festival, when they help in the distribution of gifts to the elderly citizens. Winwick C of E Primary School - 27

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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 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 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 5 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 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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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