Swan Lane First School

EVESHAM, SWAN LANE FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8th – 10th December 2003

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EVESHAM, SWAN LANE FIRST SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 2 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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EVESHAM, SWAN LANE FIRST 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. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: First School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 10 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 315

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rynal Street Evesham Postcode: WR11 4QA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01386 446540 Fax number: 01386 761362

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr D B J Morris

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Swan Lane First is a large, urban primary school catering for boys and girls aged 4 to 10. Almost all of the pupils are white and of British heritage. In common with other first schools, mobility is high, in that a large number of pupils join the school other than at the start of their education and a high number leave before the end of Year 5, when pupils transfer to a middle school. There are no pupils at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. Pupils come from a diverse range of backgrounds but, overall, their socio-economic background is average, which is reflected in the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, which is also average. Children join the school with a very wide range of capabilities. The number of pupils with special educational needs is above average and an average number have statements of special educational need. Overall, children are of below average ability when they join the school. Swan Lane First has won two

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Government Achievement Awards for its improved Year 2 test results in 2000 and 2002. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9271 Selwyn Ward Lead inspector 32676 Nick Power Lay inspector 27292 Jeff Calvert Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education 22397 Stuart Fowler Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with English as an additional language 23288 Marianne Harris Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Science Information and communication technology

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

51 High Street Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 3XE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community Hearing-impaired units

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Swan Lane First is a very good school that caters very well for pupils with a wide range of abilities. It is very well run. The teaching is of a consistently high standard and this results in the pupils’ very good achievement. The school provides very good value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Teaching throughout the school is very good and pupils of all abilities achieve very well • Standards are above average in English, science, history and religious education and well above average in art and design • Although pupils do well in mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) and attain average standards, they do not do as well in these subjects as they do in others • Pupils benefit from a very good range of learning opportunities, with teachers making particularly effective use of ICT to make lessons interesting and exciting • The school is very well led and managed • The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development and, as a result, pupils behave very well, get on very well with one another and are very keen to learn • Parents are very supportive of the school and they ensure their children’s attendance is good • Marking and assessment do not always give pupils enough guidance on what they need to do to

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. The issues identified in the last report have been tackled very well so that former weaknesses are now among the many strengths of the school. Teaching is considerably better, with a much higher proportion of good and very good teaching. Standards have risen from year to year at a faster rate than seen nationally, and improved Year 2 test results have won the school two Government Achievement Awards.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 reading D D D D writing C B A A mathematics C A C C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with a similar number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Inspectors judge pupils’ achievement by looking at the progress they make over their time in school as well as how well they do in lessons. Pupils’ overall achievement is very good . Children join the school with a very wide range of capabilities, including several with special educational needs. Although there are many able pupils, taken overall pupils are of below average ability when they join the school. Children get off to a very good start in their reception year. They achieve very well in all of the early learning goals that children are expected to reach by the start of Year 1. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average in English and science and average in mathematics and ICT. Standards in reading have improved from recent years’ test results as a result of the school’s focus this year on short but effective guided reading sessions. Standards are above average in all of the other subjects inspected. Pupils transfer to middle schools at the end of Year 5 and so do not take

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

their Year 6 tests at Swan Lane. They leave the school, however, very well prepared. Overall, standards in Years 3 to 5 are above average. In art and design, standards are well above average. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 7

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

are very good . Pupils get on very well with one another and their behaviour is very good, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils enjoy school and they are very keen to learn. Attendance is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided is very good . Teaching and learning are very good , with a consistently high proportion of good and very good teaching throughout the school. Teachers have very good expertise in the subjects they are teaching, and they work together well to ensure lessons are interesting and exciting for their pupils. Particularly effective use is made by teachers of ICT, although pupils’ use of ICT as an aid to learning, though satisfactory, is less well developed. Pupils benefit from a very wide range of learning opportunities and the school has been innovative in combining activities and topics to make learning fun. A very good range of well-attended clubs also helps to enrich pupils’ education.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school benefits from very good accommodation and is very well supported by parents and the local community. The information provided to parents helps them to support their children’s education, although school reports, as well as teachers’ marking, do not provide enough guidance on what pupils need to do to improve their work. Teachers and other staff know, support and care for pupils well, and pupils are made to feel valued and involved in the running of the school. There are very effective links with other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The headteacher and leadership team have a shared commitment to improvement. Their energy and enthusiasm has helped to build a very inclusive school where all are involved, where teaching is of a consistently high standard and where children of all abilities achieve very well. They have been particularly effective at identifying areas for improvement and developing innovative ideas for driving forward change. These strategies have contributed to the improved standards seen in writing and, more recently, reading. Governors do a very good job. They are very supportive of the school and have a very clear appreciation of what the school does well and of where improvements could be made.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils have exceptionally positive views of the school, both socially and academically.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Provide further challenge to pupils in mathematics • Extend opportunities for pupils to develop and use their ICT skills • Ensure that marking gives pupils clear guidance on what they need to do to do better Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 8

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Standards achieved in subjects and areas of learning

Standards are above average overall. Given children’s starting point when they join the school, this represents very good achievement for pupils of all abilities, including the more able and those with special educational needs. Achievement in mathematics and ICT is good, which means that although pupils are doing well in these subjects, they are not doing quite as well as they do in other subjects. Pupils do particularly well in art and design, achieving standards that are well above average in Years 3 to 5.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children get off to a very good start in the reception year • Pupils of all abilities achieve very well throughout the school • Standards are above average in English, science, religious education and history. They are well above average in art and design • Although pupils have not, in the past, done as well in reading as in writing, the measures that the school has introduced to improve standards in reading have been successful • Pupils do well in mathematics and ICT and attain average standards but they do not do as well in these subjects as they do in all of the other subjects inspected

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Commentary

1. Inspectors judge pupils’ achievement looking at the progress they make over their time in school as well as how well they do in lessons. The achievement of pupils of all abilities is very good throughout the school. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection and test results in Year 2 have improved at a faster rate than has been seen nationally. Children join the school with a very wide range of capabilities. There are several very able children but also many who join the school with very low attainment. An above average proportion have special educational needs. There is some fluctuation from year to year but, overall, children are of below average ability when they join the school.

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Commentary

2. Children get off to a very good start in the reception classes. As a result of the consistently good and very good teaching and the very effective support that children receive, they make very good and steady progress and achieve very well in the single year they spend in the Foundation Stage . Most attain all of the early learning goals that children are expected to reach by the end of their reception year.

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Commentary

3. The tables below show the average points scores attained in the Year 2 tests in 2003. One point represents roughly one term’s progress, so the table shows, for example, that in writing, pupils in Year 2 last year were on average almost two terms ahead of pupils nationally.

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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 15.4 (15.5) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 9 4. In test results and from work seen, standards at the end of Year 2 are above average in writing and in speaking and listening. Recent initiatives to improve standards in reading have been successful so that standards now rising rapidly. Reading is currently in line with national expectations. Standards in English, overall, are above average in Year 2. In mathematics, test results and standards seen are average. Although this still represents good achievement, pupils are not doing quite as well in this subject as in others where achievement is very good. There is no national test in science in Year 2, but teachers’ assessments show standards as being above average. Work seen by inspectors confirms this.

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Commentary

5. Inspectors were unable in the time available to inspect in full all of the subjects of the curriculum, although all subjects were at least sampled. In history, art and design and religious education, standards in Year 2 are above average. In ICT, standards are average. Although teachers make extensive use of ICT as an aid to teaching and learning across all subjects, pupils currently have fewer opportunities to develop and use their ICT skills. This has been recognised by the school and the facilities for pupils’ use of ICT are in the process of being further improved.

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Commentary

6. Pupils transfer to middle schools at the end of Year 5 and so do not take their Year 6 tests at Swan Lane. They leave the school, however, very well prepared. Standards in English and mathematics are above average. Speaking and listening skills are particularly well developed and are well above average. Standards are above average in science, history and religious education. They are average in mathematics and ICT but well above average in art and design. Inspectors had insufficient opportunity to make overall judgements about standards in design and technology, geography, music or physical education, but good standards were seen in the work and lessons sampled.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in relation to the targets set for them. They are provided with very good support from their teachers and the teaching assistants. Pupils’ individual learning targets are regularly evaluated and reviewed, and new targets are set to aid progress, when required. These targets are specific, appropriate and measurable and help to ensure the very good progress that results.

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Commentary

8. Inspectors looked at the work and progress of a sample of pupils who joined the school partway through their education and found they generally do as well as other pupils. There are no pupils at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural elements is very good . Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, in lessons and about the school, are very good. The level of attendance in the school is above the national average. Punctuality to school and to lessons is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many very good opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very good • Although attendance is good, the school does not attempt to contact parents on the first day of unexplained absence and there is no systematic monitoring of attendance to identify patterns or trends of absence

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Commentary

9. Behaviour, both in lessons and around the school, is very good and pupils are keen to work hard and to learn. These are all factors that contribute to their very good achievement. In the questionnaire responses they made when surveyed before the inspection, they expressed very positive views about all aspects of school life. There is a wide range of initiatives designed to encourage pupils to take responsibility for aspects of school life and these play a significant part in promoting positive attitudes. As a result pupils enjoy school life and appreciate its value. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 10 10. The school’s periodical visits to places of religious and cultural significance are used very effectively to promote all pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Imaginative use of displays reinforces very effectively what pupils have learnt and experienced. Pupils appreciate the very good

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Commentary

and varied range of visitors to their school and these contribute significantly to their academic and personal development. The school seizes every opportunity that presents itself in school to develop the pupils morally and socially, with, for example, very effective use made of the school council to genuinely involve pupils in decisions about the running of the school. Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 5 as happy, caring and well-motivated individuals.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 303 1 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance

11. The school’s efforts to promote good attendance and punctuality through its newsletters mean that parents ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time, although, the school does not contact parents on the first day of any unexpected absence. Although attendance is good, the school does not have systems in place for systematically analysing any trends and patterns of absence that may occur.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data : 0.1 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

12. Pupils with special educational needs relate very well to their support assistants and work effectively both individually and in small groups. They try hard and are happy to be withdrawn from lessons when required to do so. On returning to the lesson, teachers provide them with opportunities to share their work with their classmates and this helps them to feel valued.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good . Teaching and learning are very good, as is the curriculum. There are good arrangements for the care and welfare of the pupils, and pupils Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 11 are made to feel valued. The school has been successful in developing an effective partnership with parents to support their children’s education. Marking and assessment are satisfactory. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good subject knowledge • Teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve and pupils respond very well to the challenges they are given in lessons • Very effective use is made by teachers of ICT as an aid to teaching and learning • Teachers work and plan very well together • Relationships are very good • Marking does not always give pupils enough guidance on what they need to do to improve their work

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Commentary

13. The quality of teaching is significantly better than that seen in the last inspection. Pupils benefit from a remarkably consistent standard of high quality teaching throughout the school. All the teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory or better. More than four out of five lessons were good or better, and half of these were very good or excellent. There were similar proportions of good and very good teaching in each of the key stages. This very positive profile matches the strongly favourable views of teaching expressed by both parents and pupils in the questionnaires they completed before the inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 49 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

14. Teachers have very good subject expertise. They plan very effectively together in each year group, which helps in sharing expertise and ensuring that pupils in different classes in the same year group benefit from similar opportunities and experiences. Often teachers swap classes so that the pupils benefit from their specific individual expertise, and in other instances teachers team up to teach a whole year group together.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice In an outstanding history lesson on Ancient Egypt in Year 3, pupils achieved very well because the teacher helped them experience for themselves the excitement of archaeological discovery Recounting the story of Howard Carter’s search for the lost tomb of Tutenkamen, the teacher paused in her animated reading just as she reached the most exciting point where steps were discovered amid rubble from the Valley of the Kings. Pupils were on the edge of their seats with excitement as the teacher selected a batch of pupils to role-play as diggers and others to play the parts of Carter, Lord Caernarvon and his daughter. Pupils were so keen to take part that several of the boys volunteered to play the part of Lady Evelyn. At the end of the “dig”, pupils discover a large cardboard box prepared by the teacher. Under her guidance, the girl playing Carter scratches through the brown paper wrapping to make a hole which she peers through with a torch to find golden

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Commentary

treasures within, as the inside is a diorama based on the outer chamber of Tutenkamen’s tomb. All get a chance to peer into the tomb – and to look at the Cairo Museum’s website on the internet – while pupils use their skills as “history detectives” to draw their own deductions about what Tutenkamen was like from illustrations of the artefacts found with him.

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Commentary

15. Teachers set high standards in their expectations both of pupils’ behaviour and of what they should be achieving in lessons. In turn, pupils respond well to the challenges they are set and this Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 13 contributes to the very good progress that they make. They settle to work quickly and without fuss and very often they get a lot done in lessons. Although classes include pupils with a wide range of abilities, teachers are successful in ensuring that all are set appropriate work.

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Commentary

16. Pupils respond very well to teachers’ innovative approach in making lessons interesting and fun. Very effective use is made of ICT – particularly the interactive whiteboards in several of the classrooms – to add interest and excitement to lessons. Teachers get on very well with their pupils and, as a result, pupils work hard because they are keen to please.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils learn very effectively at their own pace because of the high quality individual learning programmes that are provided and the support that they receive from teachers and teaching assistants within lessons. The teaching assistants are very effective because they liaise closely with the special educational needs co-ordinator and individual teachers and feel part of a professional team. They give good support to both individuals in their care and to groups of pupils within lessons. Even where they are in class to support specific pupils with learning difficulties, others in the class also benefit from the presence of further adults. Teaching assistants work very effectively alongside class teachers as part of the teaching team. This is particularly evident in the initiative this term of focusing time in each class for guided reading. These twenty-minute sessions have been successful in raising standards

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Commentary

18. Marking and assessment are satisfactory. Although work is always marked, much of the marking offers encouragement but little practical feedback to pupils on what they need to do to make their work better. Satisfactory use is made of homework.

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The curriculum

Curriculum provision is very good . It is enhanced through a very good range of well-supported clubs. Accommodation and resources are very good and displays provide pupils with a stimulating learning environment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has been innovative in developing a curriculum that is very well matched to pupils’ needs • There is a very good range of clubs • Pupils benefit from being in an attractive and stimulating learning environment • Resources and the accommodation are very good • Pupils in wheelchairs do not have access to the ICT suite

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Commentary

19. National Curriculum requirements and those of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education are fully met as are requirements for provision for children in the reception year. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection, which identified several shortcomings, particularly in the provision for religious education. The school has been innovative in making the curriculum interesting, relevant and fun for pupils, and, as a result, it is very well matched to their needs and contributes to the very good achievement throughout the school.

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Commentary

20. Teachers make very effective use of ICT to help engage and interest pupils. Parents commented particularly favourably on how the school’s imaginative linking of topics and its development of themed days really stimulated their children’s interest and meant they learned a lot. A recent Year 2 ‘wedding’, for example, successfully linked work in religious education, art and design, design and technology, citizenship and literacy. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 14 21. There is a very wide range of clubs and these are well supported by pupils. So many volunteer to join the choir that pupils have to audition to earn a place. Trips, including local field trips in geography, also help to enrich pupils’ experience. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 15 22. The school is very well resourced and benefits from good accommodation, although there is no wheelchair access to the upper floor on which the Year 5 classrooms and ICT suite are located.

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Commentary

The school has agreed a disability access plan with the local education authority and other schools in the area, with another school identified as providing appropriate access for pupils in wheelchairs and in the past it has been necessary for permanently wheelchair-bound pupils to move school in order to access the curriculum.

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Commentary

23. Displays are used very well around the school both to celebrate pupils’ work and to provide a stimulating learning environment. Displays are particularly strong in art and design, with the school showcasing both pupils’ art and design and that of professional illustrators.

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Commentary

24. Overall, the school is effective in ensuring that all pupils are given equal access to the curriculum and all other activities provided. Although pupils with special educational needs are sometimes withdrawn from lessons for additional support, teachers do their best to ensure that they are given opportunities to catch up with anything that they have missed. Clear procedures are in place, which closely follow the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils’ individual education plans are of good quality and are reviewed each term. Care is taken to ensure that work is closely matched to their needs. Pupils with statements are very well supported, in line with the requirements indicated and their statements are reviewed annually. All pupils with special educational needs are involved in the full range of school activities.

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Care, guidance and support

The school ensures good care, welfare, health and safety for its pupils. The advice, support and guidance that the school gives its pupils are good. The school is very effective in involving pupils in its work and in plans for development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school seeks and genuinely values the views of its pupils • Induction procedures are very good • Risk assessment procedures are very thorough and work well • Although accidents are logged, there is no regular or systematic analysis of them

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Commentary

25. The school council is a very good feature of the school’s work. All pupils are aware of how it functions and staff and pupils appreciate what it does. The school values the council’s input into improving school life and the pupils know that their views are acted upon. The school council also contributes to pupils’ appreciation of the rights and responsibilities that go with citizenship in a democratic society.

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Commentary

26. The induction procedures for pupils joining the school are well planned and comprehensive. The school has taken account of the views of parents in developing these procedures. This means that parents and children are able to get involved in school life and learning and children new to the school settle in quickly.

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Commentary

27. Risk assessment procedures identify potential hazards in the school’s environment, in lessons and when pupils are in the care of teachers out of school. The measures that are in place to minimise risk are effective. All accidents are recorded in the school’s accident book along with the action that has been taken. However, the school does not perform a regular analysis of these to identify areas that may need investigating further to try to reduce the level of accidents. Child protection procedures are good. The last inspection report indicated that whilst staff were aware of child protection issues and were vigilant, no specific guidance or training had been given. The school has addressed this concern and all staff are now thoroughly briefed. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 16 28. Clear records are kept, and effective monitoring by the co-ordinator and class teachers contributes to the good progress of all groups of children. Pupils with special educational needs are

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Commentary

regularly assessed and a wide variety of information is recorded to help identify and keep track of how well pupils are doing. The information gained is used most effectively to provide suitable new work for individual pupils.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents and the community are good . Links with other schools and colleges are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school seeks, values and acts on parents’ views very well • Arrangements for transition to other schools are very good • Progress reports to parents do not always show what their children need to do to do better

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Commentary

29. The school communicates with parents very well on a regular basis through its newsletters and the school’s attractive and well-designed website. Parents benefit from a helpful and informative prospectus and a comprehensive induction into the school’s procedures. This means that the parents are well informed about the school’s expectations of their children. The school also regularly seeks all parents’ views through a questionnaire. Parents consider the school to be approachable with any concerns or suggestions they have. However, whilst annual progress reports do give information on what pupils can do, they do not always indicate what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

30. Parents are very supportive of the school and the Friends’ Association has raised substantial funds to help to improve the education of pupils. The school makes effective use of its links with the community to provide a good range of educational experience for its pupils. The school’s arrangements for transition to other schools are very good. There are transition units of work in English and mathematics whereby pupils undertake a piece of work that is carried on at their next school. Staff and pupils visit the pupils’ intended middle school and pupils from the middle schools visit Swan Lane to host a question and answer session for pupils in Year 5. These strategies help to smooth the transition between schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The headteacher and leadership team have been very effective in driving forward school improvement. Subject managers lead their subjects very well and this has resulted in standards rising across the school. The governing body fulfil their statutory duties very well and are very supportive of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school • Key staff provide good role models for other staff • Governors understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school very well • Finances are very well managed and money is used wisely

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Commentary

31. Leadership and management are both significantly better than reported in the last inspection. The headteacher has been successful in building a very effective team within the school. Through careful planning, and appointing and retaining staff with relevant expertise, he has created a strong team that is focussed on raising standards and achievement in the school. The headteacher Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 17 provides very strong leadership in all aspects of the work of the school and he has very high expectations of his staff. This has resulted in staff confidently leading their subjects and playing a key role in raising standards. The senior management team work very well together and the variety of experiences they bring ensures that all pupils are included in all aspects of school life.

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Commentary

32. One of the real strengths of the leadership of the school is the role that all subject co- ordinators play in raising standards. All key staff with subject responsibility lead their subjects well. They provide very good role models for other staff and support their colleagues effectively. Test results and other data for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are carefully analysed to identify where weaknesses may lie. Effective strategies are then put in place to tackle these weaknesses, and this has led to raised standards and achievement for all pupils. For example, in science the identified weakness in investigations was addressed through careful planning to make sure that pupils experienced all aspects of the science curriculum. Measures taken to improve reading standards have been similarly effective.

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Commentary

33. Governors do a very good job. They are very supportive of the school and the staff. Many help in classes and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. They know the school well and understand what needs to be improved, while appreciating the strengths of the school. They ask difficult questions when necessary and thoroughly assess any new initiatives before money is allocated for projects.

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Commentary

34. The school is very well managed. There are clear induction procedures for new staff so that they quickly get to know how the school works. The performance of all staff is carefully monitored to ensure that the pupils have the best possible opportunities. The school works closely with local colleges and students regularly work in classes to enrich the learning opportunities for pupils. Finances are very well managed and there are clear and appropriate plans for allocating the money that has been brought forward from last year.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 706 497 Balance from previous year 53 143 Total expenditure 654 829 Balance carried forward to the next 43 174 Expenditure per pupil 2 015 Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 18

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. Provision for children in the reception classes is very good. When they come into school the children have a very wide range of skills and abilities. Some are more able but a significant minority have speech and language difficulties and little general knowledge. This means that, overall, attainment on entry is below average. During their year in the reception classes, children make very good progress and achieve very well, so that, by the time they join Year 1, most achieve the expected goals for learning, and, although a few children will not reach these goals, some will exceed them. Teaching and learning are very good in all areas of learning. Planning is very good and assessments are used very well to plan tasks and activities that are relevant to the children and matched effectively to their abilities. This results in children with special educational needs, and those who are more able, making very good progress and achieving very well. The accommodation

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

and resources for children in the reception classes are very good and excellent use is made of the shared atrium area so that children can experience a very wide range of activities that could not be provided regularly in the classrooms. The leadership and management of the foundation stage is very good and there has been very good improvement since the last inspection.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Settling in procedures are very good and children are happy to come to school • Teachers have high expectations of good behaviour • Children have many opportunities to choose activities and tasks for themselves

p.18

Commentary

36. Children make very good progress in their personal and social development. When they first join the school they have a comprehensive settling-in process that involves visits and short sessions. This ensures that children are happy when they come to school and know the staff well. As a result, they play together very well and confidently learn to follow the routines of school life. The children behave very well and enjoy the activities they experience. Children with special educational needs are very well catered for, and support staff are very knowledgeable and help all children to settle confidently. There are many opportunities for the children to choose their own activities and very good use is made of the shared space so that children from both classes can work together at various times during the day. Independent activities are balanced well with tasks that the children work on with adults, so that they learn the necessary skills and knowledge to make very good

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children speak clearly and listen attentively • Many children begin to write independently • Children enjoy making up their own stories Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 19

p.18

Commentary

37. Children make very good progress in communication, language and literacy because work is very well planned and is carefully matched to the ability of each child. Children listen attentively in class, both to the adults and to each other. Small group sessions are planned so that children do not have to sit for too long and this helps maintain their concentration. Children feel confident to speak in large groups and are very confident when speaking to adults and explaining what they are doing. Many of the children are beginning to write on their own, starting with their names and moving on to simple three-letter words. They learn about rhyming words and use this knowledge when talking about letters and the sound these make. Letters are usually formed correctly and staff make sure that the children learn how to write properly, sitting correctly and using good pencil control. Much emphasis is put on children making up their own stories. and this is very good for developing

p.19

Commentary

vocabulary and for enabling children to act out their own experiences. Children enjoy these activities and work in the shared area contentedly, choosing their own story setting and working with the children from the other reception class. The children begin to read confidently and enjoy books and stories read by an adult.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn to count confidently and begin to use mathematical language • Work is well planned so that children of all abilities are fully included in lessons • In the work seen, there are too many worksheets used and this limits the opportunities the children have to record for themselves

p.19

Commentary

38. Lesson for promoting mathematical development are very well planned so that there is very good challenge for children of all abilities. All learn to count confidently and some record numbers, forming numerals correctly. However, there are too many worksheets used and, in work seen, this limited the opportunities that the children had for recording in their own way and developing their own styles for writing down their calculations. There are many planned opportunities for the children to explore mathematical ideas and they understand the difference between heavy and light, and can weigh objects to test out their theories about which parcel is heavy and which is light. Sand and water are used very well to encourage the children to investigate ideas of full and empty, as well as to encourage small muscle development when pouring and sieving, for example. Children are interested in their tasks and enjoy learning in mathematics.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for this area of learning is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many opportunities for the children to learn about their growing world • Children become confident when using the computers • Children understand about religious traditions and different cultures

p.19

Commentary

39. Teachers plan many opportunities for children to widen their understanding of their growing world. Many displays show the work that the children have carried out and they take great pride in their achievements. Recently, the children had been on a walk in the local area and looked at the Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 20 colours of autumn. They are beginning to understand about the different seasons and can describe their characteristics. The children have planted a variety of bulbs and seeds and have watched them grow, learning what plants need to thrive and caring for them. The computers in the class are used very well so that children become confident when using the mouse and the keyboard when exploring relevant programs.

p.19

Commentary

40. A particularly strong aspect of provision in this area of learning is the children’s understanding of other religions and cultures. Many displays show that the children learn about Asian patterns associated with religious festivals, and they understand the stories behind many celebrations. For example the children know the story behind the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, and learn about the birth of Christ. The shared area is used extremely well so that children from both classes can experience many small toys and they can make up stories using cars, railway tracks and dolls’ houses. This has a significant impact on their language development as it develops vocabulary and encourages story making.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make very good progress because they are given a sense of achievement • They develop their skills very well

p.20

Commentary

41. Planning for physical development is very good and children make very good progress in this area of learning. Good pencil control skills and accuracy using scissors are very well taught. Children are very well supported so that they use tools safely and with increasing control. When cutting out shapes for Christmas cards, the children use the scissors and staff hold the paper, expecting the child to manipulate the scissors so that they are successful and feel that they have achieved a lot. When using large wheeled equipment the children grow in confidence and demonstrate that they are able to move around safely and with good co-ordination. When carrying out the many creative activities, the children use paintbrushes and a variety of pens and glue sticks, carefully and correctly.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many planned opportunities for children to express themselves • Children sing enthusiastically and enjoy learning

p.20

Commentary

42. Children’s creative talents are developed very well. The shared area is used very effectively to encourage the children from both classes to make up their own stories, and resources are very good. Each day, there are planned opportunities for children to paint and create their own pictures using a wide variety of materials and the children enjoy making their own designs. Children explore sounds and sing enthusiastically as they prepare for the Nativity play. They talk enthusiastically about their work and enjoy the tasks and activities. Other planned experiences include cooking and support children’s learning in mathematics as well as developing their physical skills of stirring and adding ingredients to the mixing bowl. The many, varied, role-play areas further encourage the children to act out their own experiences and help them work together productively. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils achieve well • Standards in reading are improving • Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills • Pupils use their language and literacy skills very well in other subjects • Marking rarely indicates what pupils should do in order to improve their work

p.22

Commentary

43. Standards in all aspects of English have risen since the time of the previous inspection because of the school’s focus on improvement in this subject. A particularly high percentage of pupils in Years 1 and 2, for example, achieved well above average grades in writing in the national tests for 2003. For the current group of Year 2 pupils, however, standards of attainment in writing are not quite as high, although evidence from their work and from lesson observations suggest that writing standards will remain above the levels expected for their age. Standards in speaking and listening are above average and standards are average in reading. The attainment of pupils in Year 5 is above average in writing, well above average in speaking and listening and average in reading. This represents very good achievement overall. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

44. At the time of the previous inspection, a significant percentage of pupils in Years 3 to 5 had well below average standards in reading. This is no longer the case as the school have implemented successful strategies to improve reading standards throughout the school. All classes from Year 1 to Year 5 now have two well-supported 20-minute periods of guided reading each week. In these sessions, small groups of pupils talk to adults about the content of their reading books and are encouraged to read in a fluent and expressive manner. All teaching assistants have received appropriate training and are able to challenge pupils through careful questioning and thoughtful discussion. Reading resources are of good quality and are carefully selected to meet the needs of the different ability groups within each class. Pupils clearly enjoy these group-reading sessions and, consequently, achievement is very good. Although fairly recently introduced, the focus on reading

p.22

Commentary

has already ensured that standards have improved and are now at least in line with those expected nationally.

p.22

Commentary

45. Standards in speaking and listening are good in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Years 3 to 5. All adults, including teachers, teaching assistants and non-teaching staff make a positive contribution to the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Pupils are encouraged to talk to and listen to adults and their peers in virtually every lesson. For example, in a lesson in Year 5, pupils worked in pairs to develop newspaper articles based on a range of fairy tales. This led to a very lively and interesting discussion based on the various interpretations of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Although pupils expressed their own ideas with confidence, they had sufficient maturity to be able to listen to each other and to arrive at a sensible compromise. Teachers are very effective at engaging pupils with probing questioning that encourages them to think carefully before responding. Virtually every lesson concludes with an opportunity for pupils to share their work with the rest of the

p.22

Commentary

class and such regular and good opportunities enable pupils to develop their language skills and their range of vocabulary. By the time that they reach Year 5, pupils have very good speaking and listening skills and this gives them the confidence to write effectively. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 23 46. The quality of teaching throughout the school is very good. It is evident both from lessons and from pupils’ work that teaching is of a consistently high quality with emphasis on helping pupils to develop their literacy skills through purposeful and enjoyable activities that enable them to achieve well. For example, in a lesson in Year 4, the class teacher engaged in role-play with pupils to act out a scene from their class book and this helped them to write very effective character sketches. A strong feature of teaching is that teachers accurately plan work for pupils of different abilities either

p.22

Commentary

within their class or in the ability sets that are seen in Years 1 and 2. Learning objectives are made clear at the beginning of each lesson and are usually revisited at the end of the lesson to enable pupils to identify the progress that they have made. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because of the very good support that they receive from teaching assistants. A significant strength of teaching is teachers’ good overall interpretation and use of the National Strategy, which contributes effectively to the very good progress that pupils make. Teachers also make very effective use of ICT to ensure that their lessons are interesting and stimulating, such as when a video of a drama lesson in Year 5 was used as a resource for a writing lesson in Year 4. However, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use computers within lessons to support their learning.

p.23

Commentary

47. Although teaching is very good throughout the school, the standard of marking is inconsistent. Teachers do mark work conscientiously and often add encouraging comments or stickers at the end of pupils’ work. However, marking rarely gives pupils guidance on what they need to do to improve their writing.

p.23

Commentary

48. The co-ordinator for English gives very good leadership to this curricular area. She has a clear view of standards within her subject and works closely with other members of the staff to ensure continued improvement. She has very good subject knowledge and has done much to secure improvements since the last inspection. At the time of the last inspection, data was not sufficiently analysed but this is no longer the case, as there is now an assessment policy for English that includes data analysis and effective systems for tracking the progress of individual pupils. She liaises effectively with the co-ordinator for special educational needs to ensure that pupils with learning difficulties make very good progress in English because they are provided with extremely good levels of support from their teachers and teaching assistants.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Pupils are given very good opportunities to develop their language and literacy skills across other areas of the curriculum and this contributes significantly to the very good achievement that they make. The school has an attractive and accessible central library and so independent research work is well developed. For example, in history, pupils in Year 3 had researched their topic on Ancient Egypt, whilst pupils in Year 5 had used the library to find out about the wives of Henry VIII. These planned opportunities usually result in pupils writing about their research and this helps to promote the good writing standards that are seen throughout the school.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good overall • Very good use is made of resources across the school and teaching assistants make a significant contribution to the learning and achievement of less able pupils • Marking does not consistently give sufficient guidance to pupils about what they can do to improve their work • Effective planning incorporates different work prepared for different ability groups but not all pupils are always challenged sufficiently Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 24

p.23

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well to attain in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2. At the end of Year 5, standards are average and this provides a platform from which pupils are able to make further progress by the end of Year 6. In lessons seen where teaching is very good, resources are used to very good effect to enable most pupils to make very good progress based on their previous knowledge and understanding.

p.24

Commentary

51. Activities are well planned and organised to incorporate the needs of different abilities and it is in these lessons where very good achievement takes place. Very precise and clear explanations are brought about by the teacher’s very good subject knowledge. There is evidence of effective shared planning between the teachers in each of the year groups. A positive feature of some lessons is the way in which teachers identify individuals and groups who will benefit from additional support within the classroom. Teaching assistants relate particularly well to lower ability pupils and those with special educational needs, who are included through appropriately planned work. This increases their confidence and contributes to them achieving well. Within the small Year 2 higher ability group, pupils are challenged to improve their learning and respond very well. They understand ideas taught, practise and consolidate, and then move quickly onto the next stage of their learning. The teaching of

p.24

Commentary

mathematics is arranged in class groups where the number of pupils is greater and represents a wide range of ability. Teachers therefore cannot always provide sufficient time and guidance to further challenge all pupils. When interviewed, a small group of pupils from Years 3, 4 and 5 said they believed their mathematics work to be easy. Learning targets are not always relayed clearly or shared openly with pupils in lessons therefore pupils do not always accept a responsibility for or an understanding of their own learning. All parents are informed of their child’s key learning objectives, and more recently the subject leader has introduced a system which enables pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 to display these in the front of their mathematics books.

p.24

Commentary

52. Marking does not relate to or reinforce learning objectives and is inconsistent across the school. Although there is some evidence that teachers celebrate pupils’ work and acknowledge effort, questions to extend mathematical thinking are few and marking does not provide pupils with developmental points.

p.24

Commentary

53. In most lessons teachers make effective use of the interactive whiteboard and the use of ICT is impacting positively on teaching and learning in mathematics. Pupils across the school take pride in their work and organise and present it well. At the time of the inspection, display was not seen to be used consistently well enough to celebrate and promote pupils’ work in mathematics. The limited display does not stimulate pupils’ interest in the subject or raise the profile of mathematics across the school.

p.24

Commentary

54. The subject leader has a very clear picture of standards and pupils’ different rates of progress, because of the recently developed system which tracks pupils’ attainment throughout the school. The subject is continually under review and targets for improvement identified in the School Improvement Plan, but it has not hitherto been seen as a school priority for focus. The subject leader’s enthusiasm, commitment, knowledge of the subject and awareness of issues relating to further development are good. With the continued support of the headteacher and colleagues, he has the capacity to bring about further improvement. The subject is being well developed.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

55. Mathematical skills are used and promoted well in other subjects. For example, in science, Year 3 pupils record numerical findings in a simple chart. They also produce a graph to represent types of sandwich fillings in design and technology. Similarly, bar graphs are used to demonstrate responses to questions across the school when pupils give opinions on different aspects of school life. In geography, in Year 5, pupils undertake independent research to measure and compare the quantity of water used in the bath, shower and toilet. In Year 1, pupils are encouraged to use registration time to reinforce mental strategies to count the number of pupils present. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Scientific investigations are taught very well and pupils’ achievements are very good • Weaknesses in provision have been accurately identified and strategies put in place to tackle these effectively • Teachers have very high expectations and mark work carefully, although some of the marking does not tell pupils how to improve their work

p.25

Commentary

56. Science is very well led and this has resulted in standards rising over recent years. The weaknesses that have been identified have been very effectively tackled so that pupils are very confident when carrying out investigations and experiments. By the end of Year 2, standards in work and in national tests are above average and this represents very good achievement for all pupils. During their time in school, pupils make very good progress, so that, by the end of Year 5, standards remain above average and skills are systematically taught so that all pupils achieve very well. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good.

p.25

Commentary

57. Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school. A particularly strong feature of teaching is the promotion of investigative skills so that pupils think and work in a scientific way, using relevant vocabulary and applying their knowledge to predict what they think will happen in an experiment. Pupils then carry out a wide variety of investigations, such as how to stop a bicycle travelling fast, and record their findings accurately. They then draw logical conclusions from their findings. Teachers have very high expectations and support all pupils well, so that those who have special educational needs are fully included in lessons and those who are more able have work that is challenging and interesting. Teaching assistants are used very well, not only to support pupils with special educational needs, but also to encourage all pupils to achieve well. Parents play a significant role in helping the pupils learn in school. Several help during science lessons so that interesting

p.25

Commentary

investigations can be carried out under supervision.

p.25

Commentary

58. This very good teaching and support results in very good learning. Pupils are interested in their tasks and activities and are keen to complete their work. Throughout the school, pupils work well together and concentrate hard in lessons. Their work is usually neat and well presented and pupils use their mathematical skills to record their findings using bar charts and graphs. Teachers generally mark work carefully and sometimes give pupils an indication of how their work could be improved. However, there are times when work is not marked well and pupils are not told what they could do to improve their work.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good resources result in pupils’ achieving well • The subject is well led and this has resulted in the school keeping up with the ever-changing demands of the curriculum • Staff use ICT very effectively to make lessons interesting, but pupils have yet to experience the wide range of technology on offer • ICT is used well in other subjects to enrich learning Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 26

p.25

Commentary

59. ICT is well led and has resulted in the school being very well equipped to meet the demands of the curriculum. This has changed dramatically over the last few years and, although standards are in line with those expected nationally - just as at the time of the last inspection - the improvement since that time has been good. Pupils achieve well. They are confident when using the ICT suite and when using relevant programs on the computers. Pupils in Year 2 edit text accurately and can change the colour and font. By the end of Year 5, pupils use spreadsheets to calculate how much a party will cost and can record a variety of information on these sheets.

p.26

Commentary

60. Teaching overall is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and have high expectations of all pupils achieving well. Training has been provided so that all staff are confident when using the equipment and they can support all pupils effectively. ICT is used very well in other subjects to make lessons interesting for the pupils. The teachers use the new interactive whiteboards, designed so that pupils can access information and display this on a large board, very well so that good quality pictures and well-presented information can be shared with the whole class. This immediately grabs the attention of the pupils and makes learning interesting for them. However, pupils have too few opportunities to use ICT themselves. The school has already identified this and have made plans to tackle the issue with the updating of the computer suite. These plans also include access to all the programs available in the ICT suite that are currently unavailable to anyone with mobility problems as

p.26

Commentary

the suite is situated on the first floor and is inaccessible to any child in a wheelchair.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

61. ICT is used well in other subjects to enrich learning. Pupils learn to use spreadsheets in mathematics, using formulae to calculate the cost of a party. In science, they use spreadsheets again to record the properties of gases. In other subjects, ICT is used very well to interest the pupils in lessons.

p.26

HUMANITIES

62. In geography , work was sampled and only one lesson was observed. It was not therefore possible to form an overall judgement about provision in this subject. The quality of work in pupils’ exercise books indicates that standards are broadly average at the end of Year 2 and Year 5 and that achievement is good. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use the local environment to identify different types of houses and develop simple mapping skills. This work is developed in Years 3 to 5, when pupils develop their skills of geographical enquiry through studying ordnance survey maps to learn about the signs and symbols that are used. Local visits enrich the curriculum, such as when pupils in Year 1 have the opportunity to post their letters at the local post-box and pupils in Year 5 visit the Hayden Technology Centre to learn about the water cycle. Displays of work are attractively presented and the school makes good use of the digital camera to provide interesting photographic evidence.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and standards are improving • A planned programme of visits and visitors enriches the curriculum • The subject links well with other curriculum areas and literacy skills are promoted effectively • Assessment systems are not fully established and marking is inconsistent Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 27

p.26

Commentary

63. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 5 are above average and pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. This represents good improvement since the last inspection, when standards of achievement were satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teaching assistants and this enables them to make similar progress to their classmates.

p.27

Commentary

64. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers use resources effectively to make lessons interesting. In lessons, pupils collaborate well and share ideas. They respond well to teachers’ questions and absorb information readily. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, almost all pupils could respond positively to questions about Remembrance Sunday and some more able pupils knew about the Queen placing a wreath at the Cenotaph in London. Pupils develop a growing awareness of chronology and change over time through their studies in history. Marking is the weakest element of teaching because it rarely points out to pupils what they need to do to improve their work.

p.27

Commentary

65. The curriculum is well balanced and provides a suitable range of topics, carefully planned to cater for the needs of all pupils within the school. The curriculum is enriched by a planned programme of visits and visitors and has effective links with other curricular areas, such as art and design and design and technology. A Year 2 class, for example, had produced a very attractive Poppy display as a result of their visit to the local war memorial, thoughtfully linking their history work with art and design. Pupils in Year 4 had taken part in bread making and shelter-building activities during their visit to an Anglo-Saxon centre at Bishops Wood.

p.27

Commentary

66. Literacy and ICT skills are also promoted effectively through the history curriculum. Pupils write very effectively in history and this contributes positively to the good standards of writing seen throughout the school. In a Year 5 class, for example, a visit from “Professor McGinty” had stimulated pupils to write creatively about travelling back to Tudor times, whilst pupils in Year 4 had imagined that they had discovered the Sutton Hoo treasures and had written letters describing their feelings and emotions. Teachers provide pupils with regular opportunities to carry out independent research using both the school library and the Internet.

p.27

Commentary

67. Leadership and management of the subject are sound. The co-ordinator has only been in post since September and has had insufficient time to make a significant impact upon teaching and learning within the subject. The development of procedures for assessment and monitoring is helping to ensure that achievement remains good.

p.27

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving • Teaching and learning is good and pupils achieve well • Effective use is made of visits and artefacts to bring the subject to life • The leadership of the subject is good

p.27

Commentary

68. Standards are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 5 and pupils’ achieve well throughout the school. This represents very good improvement since the time of the previous inspection when standards were below average. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teaching assistants and this enables them to make similar progress to their classmates. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 28 69. The quality of teaching and learning is good because teachers provide pupils with interesting activities and often use good resources to enliven lessons. This was exemplified in a Year 3 class when the teacher consolidated the learning by providing pupils with a range of artefacts from the Hindu religion to illustrate the story of Rama and Sita. The pupils in the class were interested and applied themselves well. They raised suitable questions, which were answered by the teacher, so clarifying their understanding. A similar approach was used successfully in

p.27

Commentary

Year 2, when the teacher used artefacts and an interesting layout of the furniture to enable pupils to act out the story of “David and Goliath”. At the time of the last inspection, teachers were insecure in their subject knowledge. This weakness has been eradicated and teachers are now confident to discuss issues with pupils and to set them challenging tasks matched more closely to their ability levels. In a lesson in Year 4, for example, the teacher led an interesting discussion on the feelings and emotions of the principal characters surrounding the Christmas story and pupils could see comparisons within their own life experiences.

p.28

Commentary

70. The curriculum provision is well balanced and covers a range of Christian and non-Christian faiths. Pupils learn about other religious beliefs and also how to apply these principles to their own lives. In the Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils discussed the issue of bullying when considering the story of David and Goliath. The curriculum is enriched by a programme of visits, such as those to a Hindu Temple in Wolverhampton, that afford opportunities for pupils to meet and converse with people from non-Christian religions in order to deepen their understanding of other faiths and cultures. Pupils in Year 2 had obviously deepened their understanding of the Christian faith as a result of their visit to the local church to participate in their own “wedding” ceremony. The standard of display work around the school is good and teachers make very effective use of artefacts within their displays. For example, an attractive display in Year 5 featured Islamic artefacts including the Holy

p.28

Commentary

Qur-an, prayer mats and articles of clothing. Religious education is often linked to other curricular areas, particularly in its contribution to standards of writing within the school.

p.28

Commentary

71. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and experienced in the role and has done much to raise the profile of religious education within the school. She has re-written the policy and scheme of work based on the locally-agreed syllabus, organised special curriculum days, improved resources and monitored teachers’ planning and some lessons in order to evaluate the standard and quality of teaching and learning.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. Two lessons in physical education and one in each of design and technology and music were seen during the inspection. These subjects were not a focus of the inspection. There is not enough evidence to make a clear judgement about the standards achieved by pupils. The subject leaders provide good, enthusiastic leadership and management of their respective subjects. Their roles have developed well. Although there is a school policy that no formal assessment arrangements be implemented or individual records kept in these subjects, teachers know their pupils well and provide for their needs whilst meeting National Curriculum requirements. Each curriculum is broad and balanced. For example, pupils enjoy a good range of opportunities in music and physical education.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. In physical education , there is a good range and variety of sports clubs, including outdoor adventure activities for Year 5 pupils at the Malvern Residential Centre. Years 3, 4 and 5 each have termly swimming sessions at the local pool which provide the opportunity for all pupils to become confident swimmers by the time they leave the school. The school benefits from a proportionately large number of specialist physical education teachers. Accommodation for the subject is very good because there is a large well-equipped indoor hall and a spacious outdoor site which includes hard surface and an extensive field. In the lessons seen, teaching and learning was good and pupils were asked probing questions which encouraged them to consider and share their own ideas and suggestions in order to improve their skills and technique further. Challenging activities enable pupils to demonstrate to others so that constructive comments improve their own performance as well as

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

that of others. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 29 74. Samples of design and technology planning outline the good use of the design, making and evaluation processes. There are planned opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas using the teacher’s key questions, so that they can share their thoughts with the whole class. Photographic evidence indicates good progress is made year on year and there is appropriate coverage and range across the school. Year 5 pupils, for example, design and make their own musical instruments using their sketchbooks to design and selecting the materials they need. Year 3 pupils link design and technology with science as they design and make fridge magnets. They also create their design to make a sandwich container.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. Amongst a wide range of experiences in music available to pupils, the school has a well- established choir. This popular activity provides 60 pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 with opportunities to perform not only in school but also to community groups. They take pride in their singing and are very keen. All pupils have the opportunity to choose to play the violin, flute or cornet, in addition to weekly music lessons, when visiting specialist teachers share their knowledge and expertise.

p.29

Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good range and quality of display work • Standards have improved since the last inspection and the improvement in the quality of provision is good • The subject is very well led and managed • There are very good links with other curriculum areas

p.29

Commentary

76. Judgements are based on scrutiny of work, teachers’ planning, discussions with staff and the small number of lessons observed. From the lessons seen, teaching and learning is very good because teachers provide extensive opportunities for pupils to respond to questions that challenge their thinking. Pupils use their knowledge of the work of famous artists such as Klee and Cezanne to create imaginative and vibrant pictures. They are encouraged to develop further understanding of the skills needed to improve their work by discussing and sharing their ideas. Teachers make effective use of ICT as a focus of teaching and learning. Pupils are engrossed in their work and make very good progress because they benefit from the teachers’ expertise and enthusiasm. Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and are well above those expected nationally by the end of Year 5.

p.29

Commentary

77. All pupils have many opportunities to work in a variety of media, consistently producing work of a very high standard, which is thoughtfully and carefully displayed by staff. The extensive range of pupils’ work across the school represents very good achievement in both lessons and art clubs. It also reflects the very good attitudes of pupils to the subject.

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Commentary

78. The subject leader is committed to raising standards, providing all pupils with as wide a range as possible of art and design experiences throughout their school life. He promotes the subject both within the school and beyond into the wider community. Resources are maintained at a very high level and are used very effectively to enable pupils to develop skills and enhance the quality of work produced. Different materials and colours are chosen very carefully and are used very well to maximise effect. Portfolios of very good artwork from each year group are available to all staff to help them check on standards and progress.

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Commentary

79. Art and design is used very well to support teaching and learning in other subjects, such as religious education, history, geography, ICT, science and mathematics. Previous pupils carefully used oil paints in history to highlighted their designs of ‘Victorian-style’ garden pictures. Current Year Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 30 5 pupils produce attractive and colourful Islamic patterns and Rangoli patterns to link with their religious education study of the Muslim faith.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. The school does not specifically timetable personal, social and health education lessons across the school. Personal, social and health education and citizenship are covered within other curriculum subjects. Just one full personal, social and health education lesson was seen during the inspection, so no overall judgement can be made on teaching and learning or on provision. In the lesson seen, the teacher nurtured a discussion to enable pupils to appreciate how children from other parts of the world speak in different languages and have different cultures. Pupils considered how it would still be possible to make friends.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

81. The two respective subject leaders are enthusiastic and committed to developing their subject. They work well together and recognise how important it is for pupils to develop personal skills to help them learn. As yet, the school has not chosen how it will consistently provide planned opportunities for all pupils.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

82. Pupils demonstrate their awareness of how they should treat others with consideration and respect. They show in other subject lessons that they are able to share views and ideas and co- operate to support each other’s learning. Pupils across the school are seen to care about the feelings of others. They reason with each other and constructively criticise with a view to further improvement. They generally listen well and think carefully about their opinions. Older pupils, in particular, learn what it means to be a good citizen and understand about living in a community. The school council works hard to bring about and influence change. Views are heard and respected. Pupils across the school are very well represented by elected members who are enthusiastic about developing their role and accepting the added responsibility membership of the council brings. Evesham, Swan Lane First School - 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 3 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 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 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 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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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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