Purbrook Junior School

PURBROOK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 to 20 November 2003

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PURBROOK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Purbrook Primary 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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PURBROOK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Purbrook Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 379

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Aldermoor Road East Purbrook Waterlooville Postcode: PO7 5NQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0239 2254577 Fax number: 0239 225 5552

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Ms Jacqueline Coonie

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a larger than average school with 379 pupils aged seven to eleven on roll. The separate infant school shares the same site. Purbrook Junior is an oversubscribed school. Pupils come not only from Purbrook, a residential area close to Portsmouth, but also from other neighbouring areas. Their backgrounds are varied and include professional homes and local-authority housing. A number of families experience financial hardship. Pupils are almost all of white British heritage. All pupils have English as their first language. The proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school at times other than those expected is well below average. Attainment on entry to the school is variable, but currently below average. An above average number of pupils, twenty-nine per cent, are on the school’s register of special educational needs. This figure fluctuates, but was particularly high in Year 6 in 2003. Two pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need. Pupils’ special

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

needs are diverse. Some are learning-related, whilst other pupils have physical, social, emotional and behavioural needs.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has appointed a new headteacher, deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator within the past fifteen months. Purbrook Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

18270 Mrs Jane Morris Lead inspector Science, Art and design, Music, Religious education. 9614 Ms Carolyn Webb Lay inspector 22778 Ms Anne Shannon Team inspector English, Design & technology, Physical education 21000 Mr Ken Sansom Team inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology, Geography, History.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Parkman Ltd in association with PkR 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Purbrook Primary 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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This school is effective and provides good value for money . Good teaching makes certain that all pupils achieve well in relation to their ability. Standards are satisfactory. The headteacher and senior management team together ensure that their strong leadership is steering the school towards improvement.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils’ work shows that standards are improving in English and science. • Standards in mathematics are currently below average. • The care offered to pupils is very good. • Art work is outstanding • A good curriculum is supplemented by a very wide variety of additional opportunities. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to read aloud or use mathematical language in discussion. • Governors contribute effectively to the work of the school. • The use of data gathered from tracking pupils’ progress is underdeveloped. • The school’s timetable has pockets of unproductive teaching time. • Links with parents are good. They have confidence in the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

All issues raised at the previous inspection have been addressed. Satisfactory progress has been made. The quality of teaching has improved, as has the provision for information and communication technology (ICT) and special educational needs. Links with parents are better. There has been a decline in standards since 2001, but good leadership is now securing a shared determination to reach above average standards once again. The tracking of pupils’ progress, although still underdeveloped, is taking more account of the needs of different groups who are coming into the school with below average standards. This is already having a significant and positive impact on the work of the school. Standards are now returning to previous levels.

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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 B B C C Mathematics A B C C Science B C D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All pupils achieve well . Test results in 2003 show that standards in English and mathematics were in line with both the national average and that of similar schools. Standards were below average in science. Results were lower than in the previous year and reflected a higher percentage of pupils with special educational needs within the group. Fewer pupils reached higher standards in all three core subjects. The school did not meet its targets. Results have been lower over the past two years. Pupils join the school with varying abilities, but overall their attainment on entry is below average. They make good progress in English and science and this ensures that standards are now average in Year 6. In mathematics they achieve satisfactorily, but do not do as well, and standards are currently below average. Standards are good in religious education (RE) and ICT. In art they are exceptionally high.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Purbrook Primary School - 7 Pupils’ personal qualities and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good, as are their attitudes to work. They behave well. Attendance is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching is good overall. It has some strong features. Lessons ensure that all pupils learn well. Teaching and learning in mathematics, although satisfactory, are not as productive as in other areas. Art teaching is of a very high standard. ICT and RE are taught well.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of the curriculum is good. Very good extra-curricular provision enriches and broadens pupils’ learning very effectively, as do the links teachers make between subjects. This makes a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. The care, guidance and support offered to pupils are very good. Partnerships with parents are good, as are links with other schools, colleges and the community. These have a valuable impact on pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . The headteacher, deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator have the skills, knowledge and determination to move the school forward. Governors, guided by their effective chair, are not only supportive, but their role as a challenging body is also well established.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents express very positive views. They are especially pleased about the teaching and leadership. They have every confidence in the headteacher and the staff. They are kept well informed.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are generally enthusiastic about school, although they would like some children to behave better. They are very keen to take part in their ‘themed work’ and told inspectors how much they enjoy the visits the school arranges to interesting places. They look forward to their turn to find out about topics and are keen to take part in the numerous sporting activities offered.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in mathematics. • Make certain that the tracking of pupils’ progress informs plans for whole-school improvement and is used to establish the most effective teaching arrangements. • Organise the school’s timetable to eradicate pockets of unproductive teaching time. • Increase opportunities for pupils to read aloud and to develop their mathematical language through discussion. Purbrook Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in subjects

Achievement is good throughout the school because pupils build on their below average attainment on entry in Year 3 and gain average standards by the end of Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve well because teaching is good. • Pupils’ standards in mathematics are below average. • Pupils’ work in English and science indicates that standards are improving following the beneficial monitoring of lessons. • The use made of information gained from tracking individual pupil progress is insufficiently developed. • Good standards are achieved in religious education (RE) and information and communication technology (ICT). • The school promotes very high standards in art and design.

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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 (27.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.7 (27.7) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.9 (29.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 98 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. In 2003 the number of pupils gaining the expected levels in the national tests was average in English and mathematics but below average in science. The test results in the core subjects showed a decline on the previous year’s results. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs in Year 6 was higher than those normally seen at the school. The lower results followed a previous ‘dip’ in standards in 2002. The trend of two years of lower but still average or better standards followed a particularly successful year in 2001. This apparent lowering of standards has been considered very thoroughly by the school. The lack of an on- going analysis of pupils’ past performance has meant a great deal of work for the new senior management team, and the use of available data is not yet sufficiently embedded in the work of the school.

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Commentary

2. Currently standards in Year 6 are in line with expectations in English and science but below them in mathematics. Indications are that standards at the end of Year 6 are on course to be better than those reported last year in English and science because pupils are learning well as a result of consistently good and improved teaching. In mathematics pupils are achieving satisfactorily and often well, but their standards are not as high as they should be. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and they too achieve well.

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Commentary

3. Targets set at a whole-school level are challenging. They were not met in 2003. The school has recently initiated pupil tracking systems alongside more-stringent assessment procedures. Action has been taken so that teachers are more aware of pupils’ prior attainment. The use of the information gathered about the progress of individual and year groups of pupils is under- developed at present but on course to provide information to support realistic and appropriate targets in the near future. Purbrook Primary School - 9 4. The school is concentrating on developing teachers’ awareness of how pupils learn in different ways. This is having a significant impact on pupils’ achievements. The progress that has been made in this area is enabling them to build on their prior attainment more productively and to help them reach higher standards by the time they reach the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

5. Following the appointment of knowledgeable subject leaders, monitoring procedures to raise standards in English and science are becoming well established. They are having a noticeable impact on the provision for these subjects, and standards are showing improvement. Subject leaders for these areas have a thorough understanding of where the strengths and weaknesses of their subjects lie. In mathematics, staffing arrangements limit the amount of time the subject leader has to make a difference to the quality of teaching and learning, and monitoring procedures are less effective.

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Commentary

6. Standards are good in religious education (RE) and information and communication technology (ICT). Teachers have good subject knowledge, and in ICT they promote the use of skills across many areas of the curriculum. Standards in art are exceptionally high.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are good and their attendance is satisfactory. Behaviour throughout the school is good. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff have very high expectations and implement the behaviour policy consistently. • Very good relationships exist throughout the school. • Very good moral values are instilled by all at the school. • The school has very good procedures to promote and monitor attendance.

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Commentary

7. Pupils like school; the majority arrive on or before time in the mornings, but a few regularly arrive five or so minutes late. Attendance, well promoted and very well monitored by vigilant staff, is satisfactory, although too many holidays are taken during term time and this has an impact on some pupils’ learning. The education welfare officer visits weekly and is appropriately involved.

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Commentary

8. Well-known rules, high expectations and consistency in implementing the policy result in good behaviour, although many of the younger pupils are still immature. All know what is expected of them and what will follow if they transgress. Rewards in the form of stickers, merits and headteacher awards are eagerly sought. Sanctions, varying across year groups, are perceived as fair, and short fixed-term exclusions are effective. No one has been permanently excluded in the past year. Very good relationships amongst pupils and adults ensure that mutual respect and trust permeate the school. The school offers an all-inclusive setting where none are ‘left out’ and pupils, aware of some of their peers’ difficulties and problems, do their best to help them. Pupils’ personal development is good and Year 6 pupils are looking forward to their residential trip, especially as this a new venture for the school, initiated by the

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Commentary

9. Registration provides a calm and purposeful start to the day and pupils are interested in their lessons. They are keen to take on responsibilities, helping their teachers, collecting registers and acting as efficient operators of music for assemblies. Year 6 enthusiastically befriend Year 3 pupils on arrival. ‘Friend Finders’ work tirelessly during break times. Librarians and the monitors appointed for games, music and computers carry out their tasks well. Candidates for the school council are democratically elected after making a speech to their peers. Proud to take their place at meetings, they conscientiously, if somewhat self-consciously, report class Purbrook Primary School - 10 views and ideas. Pupils’ personal development is good; self-esteem and confidence grow in their time at school and help them to develop positive attitudes to their learning.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ moral development is very good. Social skills develop well and those who attend the social-skills group are generally appreciative of the nurture and support they receive. Spiritual awareness is enhanced and encouraged through assemblies, such as one observed on ‘talents’. Personal, social and health education and ‘Circle Time’ discussions; for example, one on personal safety, produce thoughtful ideas. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. They learn about their own and European culture through art, music and RE.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.7 School data 0.5 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

Authorised absence rates were lower than the national averages. However, the number of unauthorised absences was above the national average. The number of exclusions was high and came as a result of the school’s endeavours to support the needs of particular pupils so they could be included in the work of the school. This was in conjunction with specialist agencies.

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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 No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 376 13 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. There is a rich curriculum and good teaching and learning. A good ethos is promoted within a very caring environment. This is supported by a positive partnership with parents and effective links with the community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of both teaching and learning is good. They have some very strong features. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good throughout the school, with some lessons having very good features. • The teaching of art is of a very high quality. • Teachers plan to make sure that pupils with special needs do well. • Some lessons are too long for pupils to sustain interest and concentration. • On occasions teachers talk for too long. Purbrook Primary School - 11 • Monitoring of and attention to developing classroom practice have had a beneficial impact on the quality of teaching. • Teachers’ planning makes very constructive links between subjects.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3 %) 9 (26 %) 12 (34 %) 13 (37 %) 0 0 0

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

11. Teaching is good overall. It has some very strong features and in art these are often exceptional. Teaching has improved since the last inspection. A higher percentage of good or better lessons was observed. Teachers’ planning is secure and usually makes certain that there are opportunities to develop learning further, ensuring that all pupils achieve well. The successful deployment of effective teaching assistants guarantees that pupils with special needs are supported. They also achieve well. Teachers have very high expectations of behaviour, and pupils respond to these, so they are usually very focused on their learning.

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Commentary

12. Higher-quality lessons were seen when teachers had very good subject knowledge which helped them plan stimulating activities. For example, when Year 6 pupils researched the death of Tutankhamen they acted out their various roles as ‘medical examiners’, ‘archaeologists’ and ‘historians’. Their discussion became very animated and they showed a thirst for knowledge to prove their theory about whether the Egyptian king was murdered or died of natural causes. This highly planned and particularly well prepared activity developed their interpretation of historical evidence very successfully. It also took account of the different ways in which they learn. This is an aspect of the school’s work that has received significant input recently. It is proving beneficial.

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Commentary

13. In satisfactory but less productive lessons teachers talk for too long. Pupils, although always well behaved, are anxious to get going on their tasks and begin to show signs of frustration as time goes by, as in a geography lesson on longitude and latitude. In some lessons, particularly at the start of the day when session times are an hour and twenty minutes long, teachers plan additional activities to fill the overly long teaching time. Pupils find it difficult to sustain their interest and enthusiasm when a series of activities consolidate learning rather than enabling it to move forward productively.

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Commentary

14. English is taught well, with the development of literacy skills having a high priority. Mathematics is taught satisfactorily, with numeracy skills promoted effectively in the lessons with groups of more able pupils. However, pupils in lower-ability groups do not have sufficient opportunities to take part in stimulating and challenging discussions about how they can solve mathematical problems in different ways.

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Commentary

15. Science is taught well. The newly-appointed subject leader has concentrated on raising the profile of investigative work in science. This has had a noticeable impact. Teachers are very keen to develop ICT opportunities in all their lessons. It too is taught well. Teachers’ plans very successfully highlight specific opportunities to integrate its use into other areas of the curriculum. RE teaching is good. Art is taught very effectively because teachers have very good subject knowledge and motivate pupils very successfully. Indications are that teaching in other subjects is at least satisfactory and often good. Links between subjects are fostered very successfully and help pupils view their learning in a cohesive way.

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Commentary

16. Assessment strategies are satisfactory overall. They are currently a major feature of the school’s development, as teachers are urged to consider pupils’ prior attainment more closely and use this to develop their lessons appropriately, especially in mathematics. Marking is Purbrook Primary School - 12 conscientious but does not always focus on what pupils need to do to improve. Homework often supports pupils’ learning by initiating research into the theme being explored during lessons.

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Commentary

17. The school’s emphasis on monitoring the quality of teaching and its impact on learning through lesson observations and work scrutiny is paying dividends. The improvement plan is concentrating on developing teachers’ awareness of how pupils learn in different ways. The progress that has been made in this area is reflected in the higher proportion of good and very good lessons seen during this inspection, and the level of good achievement that is supporting the determination to raise standards.

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum provides good learning opportunities for all pupils. The curriculum is enriched by very good provision for clubs and visits.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan very effective links between subjects. • There are insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to read aloud or to discuss ways to solve mathematical problems. • On occasions English and mathematics lessons are too long and become less productive. • The wide variety of activities offered outside of the school day is very good. • Participation in sport is very good.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum opportunities offered to pupils throughout the school are good. The requirements are covered by the locally agreed syllabus for RE. There is a good programme for personal, social and health education that takes account of drugs awareness and sex education. Careful thought has gone into planning the curriculum so that links are made between subjects. These are particularly effective and enable pupils to see connections across subjects which they call ‘themes’. This has a significant and beneficial impact on their learning.

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Commentary

19. Teachers plan to use ICT to support work in all areas of the curriculum. The attention paid to planning for the use of literacy skills across the curriculum is also a notable strength. For example, when learning about Christopher Columbus’s discoveries, pupils used note-taking skills well.

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Commentary

20. Curriculum planning takes account of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, which are well established. Pupils are grouped according to ability for mathematics in all year groups and in Years 4, 5 and 6 for English work. In addition, they have class lessons in English that are linked well to other subjects. Planning to support these arrangements and adaptations to the curriculum reflects the school’s strong commitment to fulfilling the potential of all of its pupils. However, pupils in the lower sets in mathematics do not benefit from opportunities to discuss mathematical problem-solving at a higher level. This means they miss out on developing some more advanced thinking about how to approach questions. On occasions, session times for English and mathematics are too long and pupils’ learning is adversely affected. These two factors have a negative impact on standards.

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Commentary

21. The coordinator for special educational needs ensures that curriculum provision matches individual pupils’ education plans. This was an area for improvement identified in the previous inspection. The support is good and ensures that pupils progress well. It allows them to be fully involved. The coordinator works effectively with all members of staff and organises support so that no pupil is withdrawn from lessons. Individual targets are reviewed regularly. This area has also improved since the previous inspection. Purbrook Primary School - 13 22. Teachers work hard to provide a very good range of activities outside lessons. Pupils visit well-chosen places of interest and this supports their learning in subjects such as history, geography and science very effectively. The school makes very productive use of visitors and visits. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have recently been offered an additional opportunity to take

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Commentary

part in a residential visit. They are very excited about this as it is a new venture for the school initiated by the senior management team. Pupils in Year 4 have started to learn French. This adds breadth to the curriculum. It also offers good learning opportunities and fosters links with the local secondary school that has been awarded language-college status. These productive links and additional focused work with other secondary schools in the area; for example, with sport, make certain that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

23. The school makes good use of the local environment, which offers a wealth of learning experiences for the pupils. There is a good choice of out-of-school clubs. These include many sports activities and music clubs. They play a valuable role in developing pupils’ achievement. Pupils also have the opportunity to receive instrumental tuition. They play woodwind instruments and recorders with visiting experts and learn well.

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Commentary

24. There are sufficient teachers and support staff to teach and support the curriculum. They are sufficiently qualified and undertake their roles enthusiastically. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall, although the hall is too small to accommodate all pupils comfortably during whole-school assemblies. The school is well presented and kept very clean by the site supervisor and his team. There are a significant number of good features within the buildings that enhance learning. For example, display is of a high quality. The school has an art room and its own kiln, and pupils’ three-dimensional art work is greatly improved by these facilities. Resources for ICT have improved considerably since the previous inspection. There are two ICT suites, one for Years 5 and 6 and one for Years 3 and 4. They are constantly in use.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ health, safety and welfare is very good. The very good child-protection procedures are well known.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides very good pastoral care. • The use made of infant school tracking and monitoring records is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

25. Health, welfare and safety are high priorities for the school, and procedures for ensuring them are very good. Regular risk assessments are undertaken and a security review is on-going. Qualified personnel are always on the premises and the practice of first aid is good. The headteacher and an experienced female member of staff are both trained in child-protection matters, and all staff are alerted to these issues at the first staff meeting of term. Good guidelines are followed.

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Commentary

26. Pastoral care and relationships throughout the school are very good. All pupils know who they can turn to if they have a problem. The school is beginning to track pupils’ progress and achievements. They are pleased to share their targets with adults and know what they have to do to reach them. Useful comments from teaching staff encourage and support all pupils. Children with special educational needs are given good support. The school makes appropriate provision. Individual education plans contain appropriate targets. The school works closely with the local education authority’s support services. For example, the speech therapist and educational psychologist are in regular contact with the school. Purbrook Primary School - 14 27. Pupils are proud to be consulted through the school council, although it is a new initiative, and it has infrequent meetings. More responsibility has yet to be transferred by teachers to the

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Commentary

28. Links with the infant school on the adjacent site are well established and useful. The two schools share an ICT technician, to the benefit of both. Infant pupils have already attended junior school performances and some are already members of the joint choir for Years 2 and 3. Pastoral and special educational needs information is exchanged, but there are missed opportunities to build on tracking and monitoring records that have been started as children enter the Foundation Stage at the infant school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents and the local community are good. Links with other local schools and colleges are also good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good attendance at consultation meetings. • Staff are always ready to speak to parents if they have concerns. • Parents exhibit strong support for the school’s aims and ambitions for their children. • Induction procedures are good. • The school has good links with the local community.

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Commentary

29. As a direct result of the different style of leadership, the school’s links with parents have improved significantly. Parents appreciate the fact that, if worried, they can contact a member of staff quickly. Last summer’s consultation, via a questionnaire, resulted in changes to homework procedures and uniform requirements. Parents now feel they play a part in their children’s education. Some help in school, but the majority help with work at home, although communication through home/school reading records is not good enough. Parents’ attendance at consultation meetings is very good. This ensures they are fully involved with supporting their children’s learning. They also try hard to attend the ‘Merit Assemblies’ so they can celebrate success and develop positive attitudes to achievement in many areas.

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Commentary

30. Through the prospectus, the governors’ annual report, regular news and other letters, parents are well informed about future events and school news. The school also has an impressive and very informative web site that provides useful ‘updates’ on what is happening at school. Children’s annual reports state clearly what has been studied and what they can now do, as well detailing targets to help them improve. Should parents need assistance friendly and efficient office staff are always ready to help. The new parent-teacher association (Purbrook Junior Support Association) has started well and enthusiastic committee members have already organised and run successful fund-raising events, including the popular children’s discos. Money raised is making a valuable contribution to the resources available to help pupils learn.

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Commentary

31. Liaison with the local secondary schools is very good. For example, in the summer there were eight transition sessions for mathematics, an advanced skills teacher has taken dance lessons and students on work experience enjoy their time at the school. Good links within the local partnership of schools are developing well, joint training days have taken place and more are planned. Effective working partnerships are established with local colleges.

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Commentary

32. The school has fostered good links with the local community. Recently an exhibition of art from the three Purbrook schools was on display. High-quality art work from reception to GSCE level was on show and promoted effectively the understanding of how schools foster high standards in art. Sponsorship from parents and local businesses has provided the new Purbrook Primary School - 15 netball bibs and football kit. This supports the school’s attendance at local competitions and promotes their involvement in activities to enhance their sporting achievements. The local vicar is one amongst many visitors, and links with the local church are good helping to develop pupils’ moral awareness. Involvement with the area ‘School Sports Partnership’ has had a significant impact on standards in physical education (PE) and opportunities for a diverse selection of activities.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a very strong working partnership. Governors are committed to the school and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Key members of staff carry out their functions well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The senior management team works very well together. • The administration officer is very efficient. • The use made of information about pupils’ progress is underdeveloped. • The effectiveness of class and group teaching arrangements is not evaluated sufficiently. • The school provides very effective support for newly qualified teachers.

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Commentary

33. There have been significant changes to the leadership of the school since the last inspection, when it was reported as outstanding. All members of the leadership team are recently appointed. Their leadership and management skills are good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have formed a very good working relationship alongside other key members. Together they are beginning to forge and introduce their ideas for the next steps in the school’s improvement. This is focused upon maintaining the many, well-established good aspects of the school, such as the provision for pupils with special educational needs, whilst becoming much more rigorous in analysing pupils’ performance in order to raise standards. The senior management team are looking to improve all staff’s understanding of where pupils are in terms of their learning, so they can move them forward more successfully.

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Commentary

34. The appointment of the new headteacher has presented the staff and governors with a collegiate style of leadership that requires the improved use of information and data as a means of making decisions. Increasingly, the opinions of staff and governors are sought, as are the views of parents and pupils. This has pleased the parents. The views of pupils are taken into account through the school council, and parents’ ideas through questionnaires. The headteacher has a clear vision for the future development of the school. During recent months a useful school review process has been undertaken to identify accurately areas of strength and those needing development. Year group and subject leaders have played an important and productive role in this process by gathering information about standards through sampling a selection of pupils’ work. These are supporting improvement effectively and are also

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Commentary

promoting more awareness of individual pupils’ strengths and areas for development making certain that all are supported appropriately.

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Commentary

35. An area recognised by the school as requiring urgent overhaul is the use it makes of data about each pupil’s progress. This is so it can make sure the procedures it has introduced are effective. The self-evaluation process has resulted in a development plan. This is an extensive and detailed document that has much to commend it. It quite clearly identifies appropriate priorities agreed by both staff and governors and takes account of teachers’ own professional development, linked to effective performance-management procedures. There are, however, too many areas to focus on. There is also too much emphasis on the successful completion of tasks as an indication of how well the school is doing rather than looking to improvements in standards. The headteacher is determined to raise standards, as is seen in the action plan that has been written in response to the lower mathematics results in

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Commentary

Purbrook Primary School - 16 2003. This plan has rightly identified the need to concentrate on reviewing teaching arrangements.

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Commentary

36. The governing body provides an effective balance of support and challenge for the headteacher and other key staff. Individually and collectively they know their school well, and fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively. The chair of governors visits the school regularly, both formally and informally. She has a good understanding of its current needs. Governors have a variety of responsibilities, such as special educational needs, literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology, as well as being members of one of two committees. The chairs of both committees have a clear understanding of their roles. The curriculum committee discusses all aspects of the school’s performance and curriculum development and is involved profitably in evaluating the impact of the decisions that are made.

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Commentary

37. The finance committee is well briefed by a very efficient administration officer. It is kept fully informed of the current balance of income and expenditure. Good systems are in place to check all aspects of financial management. Governors have a firm understanding of the principles of best value. However, they are not yet fully applying them; for example, they are not able to evaluate the effectiveness of the current teaching arrangements because there is a lack of detailed analysis of pupil performance.

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Commentary

38. Subject leaders are effective overall and provide good support for colleagues, especially in English, science, RE, ICT and art. They monitor their subjects productively. All staff and pupils benefit from a culture that seeks to improve. Support for colleagues who are either new to the school or to the profession are very successful and this ensures pupils’ learning is not interrupted for any length of time whilst teachers settle into routines. The deputy headteacher oversees the support for newly qualified teachers very well and makes sure that their classes and groups are learning as well as expected.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 911,039 Balance from previous year 43,065 Total expenditure 892,433 Balance carried forward to the next 61,671 Expenditure per pupil 2,318 Purbrook Primary School - 17

p.16

Strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is always satisfactory and sometimes very good. • Achievement is good. • There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to read aloud or to monitor their progress. • Monitoring of the subject and taking effective action are good. • The use of literacy across the curriculum is very good.

p.17

Commentary

39. Pupils’ attainment in the national tests at the age of eleven is average. Their achievement is good because they enter the school in Year 3 with variable but generally below average standards. Their progress is now being supported more effectively by the setting of targets. This process helps pupils with special educational needs achieve well.

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Commentary

40. On entry to the school many pupils do not speak clearly and confidently, nor do they listen carefully. Teaching is good and therefore ensures that all pupils progress well and learn to listen well. However, some pupils do not make such good progress in speaking. The inability of some lower-attaining pupils to express themselves clearly has an adverse affect on their learning. This is especially noticeable in mathematics when they are engaged in problem- solving. During the whole-class reading or writing activity at the start of the lesson most pupils listen carefully to their teachers. Teachers do plan activities such as play reading to develop speaking skills but pupils do not have enough practice to build confidence, especially in reading aloud.

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Commentary

41. Attainment in reading and writing is average by the time pupils leave the school at the age of eleven. Although the majority of pupils are able to read fiction to a satisfactory standard, they show a lack of familiarity with non-fiction texts because they choose to read stories. Although pupils in Year 5 were seen selecting, identifying and recording the genre of the book they had chosen, there is not a consistent approach to the way in which teachers monitor what and how frequently pupils read different types of books. Above-average pupils are able to read with appropriate expression and fluency. They choose their own books and have preferences. Younger pupils are limited mostly to popular authors and books; for example, Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton. Older pupils choose from a wider, more-challenging range of authors. Lower- attaining pupils have not developed sufficient skills for decoding unfamiliar words and will

p.17

Commentary

sometimes read without stopping to correct themselves if their interpretation of the text is muddled. This is because opportunities to read aloud are insufficient.

p.17

Commentary

42. Each classroom has a fiction library and there is a well-stocked central library which is used regularly by whole classes. The part-time teacher, who has responsibility for the library, is very committed and has given a great deal of her own time to completely overhaul it. Parents have a valuable role in supporting pupils’ use of the library. Books are displayed in an eye- catching way to encourage pupils to read and supports their identification of texts to support their ‘themed’ work

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Commentary

43. The subject leader has monitored reading throughout the school and found inconsistency in approaches to hearing pupils read aloud, record-keeping systems and assessment of pupils’ progress. This unsatisfactory situation is the focus for improvement in the coming term. Purbrook Primary School - 18 44. Results indicate that there has been a slight fall in standards in writing. The school has identified this as an area for improvement. The subject manager has monitored the writing that last year’s pupils produced in the standardised tests and has identified the specific areas of weakness. She has a plan, scheduled to be implemented in January, which involves the development of a portfolio of work that aims to illustrate what different levels of work look like. This is to enable teachers to focus their attention on standards. It is set to help them become more familiar with the steps that need to be covered to ensure the best results and to assist

p.17

Commentary

those who are not yet sufficiently confident in levelling work. Teachers make sure that they cover different styles of writing with their pupils. The ‘theme’ work plays an important part in this.

p.18

Commentary

45. The school provides good support for the pupils with special educational needs. Class teachers work closely with teaching assistants and the coordinator to provide the necessary support in lessons. Work is usually well matched to pupils’ needs and so they make good progress. This is carefully monitored. Through setting in Years 4, 5 and 6 work is matched to the needs of all pupils. There is challenge for the more able pupils and support for the least able. In the most successful lessons the teacher shares the learning objective with the pupils so that they know what they will be doing and they are quickly focused and learning is good. In less productive lessons teachers talk for too long before pupils can get started and, on occasions, sessions are too long and their productiveness wanes.

p.18

Commentary

46. The subject leader has been in post a little over a year. She has good knowledge and has made a good start on identifying areas of most concern and drawing up strategies to address them. Her monitoring programme has been very thorough and has included lesson observations to identify any areas of teaching that require support. This has already had a beneficial impact on teaching, as has the training to improve teachers’ awareness of how pupils learn in different ways.

p.18

Language and literacy across the curriculum

47. The use of literacy across the curriculum is very good. Opportunities to write for a variety of purposes are promoted well in other subjects. The pupils’ use of their literacy skills is especially productive when used in conjunction with ICT, history and geography.

p.18

MATHEMATICS

Provision for mathematics is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected level fell in 2003. • The school has taken prompt action to try to halt the drop in standards in 2003. • There are examples of good and very good teaching. • There is insufficient use of data to judge the impact of actions taken to raise standards. • The pupils in less able groups are not always given opportunities to progress far enough or to take part in discussions to develop their mathematical understanding. • ICT is used well to support mathematics lessons.

p.18

Commentary

48. Test results in mathematics in 2003 were in line with the national average and that of similar schools, and almost a third of pupils reached higher levels. However, there was a significant drop in the proportion of pupils who reached the expected levels. There was a higher percentage of pupils with special educational needs in the year group, but the school has quite rightly identified this drop in standards as an area of concern. Analysis shows that there is little difference between the performance of boys and girls, and pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Purbrook Primary School - 19 49. At the time of the last inspection standards were well above the national average. The standards observed during the inspection are below those expected. Pupils enter the school at seven with a wide range of mathematical ability, but in general this is below average. The 2003 results in the national tests were a disappointment to the school and were well below

p.18

Commentary

those predicted. As a result, it has written an action plan designed to help rectify some of the shortcomings and has called upon the local education authority to provide specific support to help address the issues.

p.19

Commentary

50. Inspection findings indicate that the arrangements to group pupils according to their ability ensure that most who are of average ability or above achieve as well as might be expected. However, those of lower ability often have a restricted mathematical programme that impedes their progress. The school operates a system of setting that gives four ability groups in each year. The upper group is working at a level above many of their peers, for example, in the Year 6 work on equivalent fractions. The second group is working securely within the level expected for their age. However, the work covered by pupils in the third and fourth groups will be insufficient on its own to cover what is necessary for them to achieve at a level appropriate to their age group.

p.19

Commentary

51. Pupils in all ability groups cover a wide range of mathematical concepts, with work in number, fractions, shape, measure and data handling. Teachers make good use of ICT to enhance pupils’ learning, as seen in a Year 6 lesson on lines of symmetry. Pupils’ recall of basic number facts is sometimes slow and stilted. Some occasionally have difficulty reflecting on previous learning and bringing it to bear on their current work. Despite the good teaching in Year 6 some of the gaps in knowledge are large. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory overall. At the time of the last inspection it was good. Much of this apparent decline in the quality of teaching is due to the uncertainty on the part of some teachers about how to address the implications of very long mathematics lessons within the weekly timetables that see one day without any mathematics coverage.

p.19

Commentary

• Some very good use of problem solving to engage pupils’ interest. • The effective use of ICT. • Any potentially challenging behaviour is dealt with appropriately. • In the best lessons good use is made of assessment.

p.19

Commentary

53. When pupils do not fully understand they are discreetly supported. A good example of this was seen in a Year 3 lesson on halving and doubling where the teacher quickly assessed which pupils were capable of carrying out an activity independently and those who needed more direct teaching. A particularly good example of additional challenge was seen in a Year 6 lesson on angles where the teacher offered a hypothesis and challenged pupils, through careful questioning, to prove or disprove it. Teachers do not always use the same format and not all make specific reference to the intended learning in the lesson.

p.19

Commentary

54. The current timetabling arrangements mean that many mathematics lessons last up to an hour and twenty minutes. This leads to some time slippage as teachers allow the pace of lessons to fall towards the end. They spend too long talking rather than allowing pupils to investigate, and giving them many activities that achieve the same aim. Sometimes pupils are unable to understand any more in a longer lesson than they would have done in a much shorter time span. On some occasions good links with other subjects are hindered because the teacher does not teach mathematics to the whole class. This means that teachers are unsure of pupils’ prior knowledge and cannot develop mathematical skills as effectively as they might.

p.19

Commentary

55. Leadership was very effective at the time of the last inspection. Now it is satisfactory. The subject leader, a part-time member of staff, has a role in the systems that have been introduced for monitoring the quality of teaching and the work produced by pupils. However, the time available to her is restricted. Monitoring has had a much higher profile since the test Purbrook Primary School - 20 results in 2003. The data on pupil performance has not been used as effectively as it could have been in the past. Neither has it been used to establish whether the present method of grouping pupils by ability is raising all pupils’ standards.

p.19

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Mathematics supports teaching in other subjects. For example, in geography pupils use their knowledge of measuring and angles to promote the development of map-work skills. Within science pupils collect data on their dietary intake and use stop-watches to record the time taken for ‘spinners’ to fall. Many valuable opportunities are planned within the cross-curricular ‘themes’.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons and work in pupils’ books both indicate improvements in standards, especially in relation to investigations. • Teaching is good. • Test results were below average in 2003. • Good teaching was seen in the lessons which fully involved pupils in conducting their own tests. • Pupils’ attitudes are very positive. They collaborate very well. • Leadership of the subject is good and has had a positive impact on teaching. • Sometimes pupils’ work in different year groups does not show sufficient progression.

p.20

Commentary

57. Currently Year 6 pupils are working at the national expectations and above the levels recorded in the test results for summer 2003. The below average standards of 2003 reflected a higher percentage of pupils with special educational needs. Currently standards are satisfactory and achievement is good. Pupils with special educational needs do well. Standards in science have shown a decline over the last two years. However, the school, through the endeavours of the recently appointed subject leader, has taken steps to address this downward trend. Inspection evidence suggests that this has been successful and standards are showing signs of marked improvement, especially in relation to pupils’ knowledge and use of enquiry skills.

p.20

Commentary

58. Teaching is good overall, with some lessons being very good. In the best lessons teachers rightly place an emphasis on investigations and pupils’ evaluations of their findings in order to raise standards. This was particularly evident in Year 6 lessons when pupils were seen experimenting with ‘spinners’ to explore the effects of air resistance on the force of gravity. Pupils were able to use ‘arrows’ to illustrate their explanations of how gravity works on objects. They could predict and explain clearly what was happening in their tests. They knew how they had to make them fair by controlling variables. They also showed appropriate numeracy skills when they recorded the time it took the spinners to fall. Using stop-watches they took three measurements and found the mean time to two decimal points. In these lessons all pupils achieved well and were highly motivated. They worked collaboratively and displayed initiative.

p.20

Commentary

59. Literacy skills are promoted well in science. Pupils are encouraged to record for themselves. Those who find it difficult to write information down are assisted. Additional adult help and simplified versions of recording sheets are available to help them complete their tasks. This makes certain that they are fully included. For example, during a lesson on magnetism Year 4 pupils were very well supported in this way. Investigation reports give pupils opportunities to further their literacy skills in a variety of ways. The school is very focused on this aspect of its work. Labelling, list making and research all contribute well to developing these skills further. Purbrook Primary School - 21 60. Lessons in Year 5 encourage pupils to discover more about healthy living. They are given opportunities to use lap-top computers. They research web sites and look at specific programs related to foods and their values in terms of vitamins, fat and carbohydrate content.

p.20

Commentary

Their good use of computer skills is evident. The use of sensors to collect data about investigations is, however, under-developed.

p.21

Commentary

61. The leadership of the subject is good. The subject leader is enthusiastic, committed and knowledgeable. She leads by example. During her first year at the school she has reviewed the scheme of work and produced appropriate action plans to improve standards. Her analysis of test results and lesson observations has correctly acknowledged areas of strength and weakness. These take account of the need to ensure continuity and progression in specific areas of science and to track pupils’ progress more closely because books do not always show sufficient development science knowledge between year groups. The subject is in safe hands. Inspection findings suggest that standards in science are showing improvement on last year’s results but are not as high as those reported in the previous inspection.

p.21

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of Year 6 standards are good. Pupils achieve very well. • The leadership of ICT is very good. • The teaching of ICT is consistently good. • A technician provides good support on both the technical and teaching aspects of the subject. • Very good links are made across subjects. • The upper-school computer suite is rather cramped when a full class of older pupils is working.

p.21

Commentary

62. Standards in ICT have remained above the national expectation, as they were at the last inspection. The subject is well taught not only as a discreet subject but also as part of work in many areas. As a result, pupils of all abilities are very confident in using computers to enhance their learning in many subjects.

p.21

Commentary

63. In Year 6 the teacher effectively taught pupils the refinements of ‘Publisher’ so that they were able to design a poster for the information they were to gather from the Internet as part of the history work. Whilst very good opportunities are exploited to use ICT across the curriculum the development of skills is not always as precise as it could be. On occasions this results in teachers covering many features of an application rather than focusing upon new knowledge in one specific area. Teachers constantly explore new ways of using ICT within their teaching. They are confident. Lessons are taught at a brisk pace with many opportunities for pupil participation.

p.21

Commentary

64. The subject leader knows the subject very well. She fully understands the next phases required for its development and how these will be dependent upon improvements in computer hardware. She is aware of the impact this will have on pupils’ learning. She also clearly understands that, whilst some elements of ICT are very well developed, the provision for other areas does not ensure that skills are developed throughout the school. The technician, who also works at the adjoining infant school, provides good technical support to make certain that, wherever possible, computers are working efficiently. This has a direct impact on provision and effectively supports learning. His expertise in using software is particularly helpful when teachers are not totally secure in their own knowledge. Purbrook Primary School - 22 65. The school has sufficient computers in two computer suites at either end of the school. All

p.21

Commentary

computers are linked via a network system. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when not all computers could be linked. The establishment of the two suites enables pupils to have easy access. Both were fully used throughout the inspection. The seating arrangements, however, make it very cramped for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 on occasions. The school is planning to rectify this situation. It has already allocated funds to order a number of lap-top computers.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. Teachers make very good use of ICT to support a range of subjects. Examples of pupils’ work are on display throughout the school. Word processing is used regularly. Pupils use spreadsheets to produce graphs from the data collected for a science lesson. In mathematics teachers create worksheets for pupils to investigate lines of symmetry. Pupils in Year 3 create a ‘PowerPoint’ presentation on Purbrook, using information they have collected, along with digital photographs of the area. ICT makes a considerable contribution to almost every subject through a carefully planned programme.

p.22

HUMANITIES

67. In humanities work was sampled in history and geography. RE is reported fully. Two lessons were seen in geography and one in history. It is therefore not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. However, inspection evidence gathered from the limited time spent in lessons and the scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates that standards are above expectations and similar to those seen at the time of the last inspection. The approach to history and geography is to teach them through a well-organised programme of ‘themes’ that draw on a specific subject bias whilst developing pupils’ knowledge of other subjects effectively.

p.22

HUMANITIES

68. Within geography pupils make good use of their own locality, as demonstrated by Year 3 pupils working on “Where I live”. In the early stages of this work they were taught the elements of the ICT application, ‘PowerPoint’, to enable them to prepare their own presentation about what they had learnt. Within a Year 6 lesson on “Who killed Tutankhamen?” pupils effectively used their skills of argument to debate with others in their group.

p.22

HUMANITIES

69. Teachers were observed making other productive links between pupils’ work on Ancient Egypt and their geography work. These links enabled pupils to draw comparisons between the lives of children in modern Cairo with those in ancient times. Good links with literacy are maintained in pupils’ written work. There are good examples of work that recount a visit to Dorchester; and in geography pupils used a template provided by the teacher to make notes on a video they watched.

p.22

HUMANITIES

70. Pupils use a wide variety of sources of evidence to support their learning: photographs, video, books, the Internet and artefacts. On some occasions the development of numeracy skills in geography is hindered when the teacher is not fully aware of the mathematics covered by the class in their different groups.

p.22

HUMANITIES

71. Both history and geography are well led. The subject leaders know their subjects and monitor effectively. Both subjects play an important role in developing pupils’ awareness of their own and other cultures. Visits away from school and visitors to the school are encouraged and contribute very productively to pupils’ achievement. For example, pupils met an actor dressed as a Roman who came to school to describe life in Britain in during the invasion period.

p.22

Religious Education

Provision for religious education is good . Purbrook Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because teaching is good. • The curriculum is well planned, complements the locally agreed syllabus and is linked to other curriculum areas. • Pupils’ personal development and awareness of other beliefs are well supported by RE lessons. • Teachers have high-quality resources to support their lessons.

p.23

Commentary

72. By the end of Year 6 standards are above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of faiths other than Christianity are well promoted through careful curriculum planning. This supports their understanding of other cultures. Year 4 pupils’ lessons successfully link the development of an understanding of the Jewish faith and the importance of ‘The Tree of Knowledge’ with other work connected to their ‘habitats’ theme. In a Year 6 lesson pupils gained a good understanding of how Muslims pray. Assemblies also play their part in supporting pupils’ knowledge of other faiths and religions. For example, the headteacher used a Buddhist story when asking pupils to reflect on friendships.

p.23

Commentary

73. The quality of teaching is good, with high expectation and challenge. Teachers are well prepared and display good subject knowledge. This ensures that pupils’ understanding is fostered well during stimulating lessons. In Year 5 they were fully involved in their small groups as they undertook research into the differences between the stories of the nativity in the Gospels. One pupil remarked, “It is really fascinating to discover that there are different versions and we know a bit about each. Then they all join together to make one story.” Pupils were very interested and very well behaved as they consulted their Bibles. They knew some differences between the Old and New Testaments. They co-operated well and achievement was good.

p.23

Commentary

74. The subject leader provides good support for colleagues by keeping himself informed, attending training and consulting with subject leaders from other nearby schools. He has made sure that there is more structure to the curriculum and purchased additional resources. Under his direction the school has access to samples of work that describe the various levels that pupils are working at. These help teachers to discuss pupils’ progress and ensure that there is an understanding of levels of attainment which supports the school’s determination to raise standards. Governors are kept well informed through the reports of monitoring that the subject leader has undertaken.

p.23

Commentary

75. Progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory and standards have improved. There has been an improvement in the quality and quantity of artefacts. The good use of literacy skills is evident in pupils’ books. They make notes and retell stories in a cartoon format or journalistic style, and their list of the ingredients needed for making a version of the nativity story were not only interesting but also entertaining.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Work in design and technology, music and physical education was sampled. One lesson was seen in design and technology and one in music. No lessons were seen in PE. It is therefore not possible to make a firm judgement about provision in these subjects. A scrutiny of planning and discussions with subject leaders and pupils suggest that standards are at least satisfactory and similar to those of the previous inspection in music and design and technology. In PE, indications are that standards are above expectations, as previously reported. In art and design, which was inspected in full, standards have improved significantly.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. In music, a lesson with Year 4 was observed. This was taken by a newly appointed, part-time member of staff who has subject expertise. She not only teaches all year groups on a rota Purbrook Primary School - 24 system but also provides valuable in-service training for her colleagues. In the lesson seen, teaching was good because it was well planned. It enabled all pupils to take part in activities to develop their understanding of ‘pitch’ and ‘duration’. The class-teacher sat in on the lesson, worked alongside pupils and was able to gain additional knowledge from her colleague.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. Productive links are made with the infant school when a teacher visits the junior school to play the hymn for assembly. Each week she stays longer to develop pupils’ singing skills. This is effective as it develops all pupils’ singing skills and offers additional opportunities for liaison. Assemblies offer good opportunities for pupils to appraise different styles of music. On entering and leaving the hall, pupils listen to a variety of music chosen to fit a selected theme. During one of the assemblies observed they responded well to the reflective mood that was emanating from the title track to ‘The Lion King’.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Pupils were seen taking part in an after-school choir session with a friend of the school. He regularly gives his expertise to the school and leads pupils through their repertoire. His enthusiasm for singing is visible. By encouraging and refining pupils’ skills as they practised their Christmas carols ready for a performance, he helped them achieve a high standard.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. The school’s attention to ‘themed work’ encourages additional and very productive learning opportunities through links with the community, and visitors come to the school. A Tudor workshop involves pupils in playing and performing with a company of players on tour to schools. The Victorian theme is complemented by work with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. Planning shows that there is a satisfactory coverage of design and technology. It is taught in ‘blocked units’. The work on display around the school is of at least a satisfactory standard. A small display of musical instruments, designed and made by Year 4 pupils last term, shows good attention to detail. As the subject is being managed on a temporary basis, the school has a reduced, but appropriate, development plan in place.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. No lessons in physical education were seen during the inspection, but planning shows full coverage of all aspects of the curriculum, including swimming. Provision for extra-curricular sport is very good. There is a girls’ football team as well as a boys’ team. The deputy headteacher has sporting talent, especially in cricket, and he shares this with pupils, so they have access to highly skilled teaching. The school has strong partnerships with local secondary schools, and an advanced-skills teacher comes to take dance lessons with the pupils. She gives them the benefit of her obvious enthusiasm and high-quality teaching. They learn well. A sports coordinator from another secondary college comes to support the pupils and gives them extended opportunities with golf, basket-ball, badminton and ‘tag rugby’.

p.24

Art and design

Provision for art and design is excellent .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils attain very high standards. • Teaching is of a very high quality. • The leadership of the subject is very effective and monitors standards closely. • Many extra opportunities are offered to pupils through visits away from school and artists who visit the school. • Pupils have access to a very wide range of media and high-quality recourses, and learn a vast number of techniques. • Teachers make valuable links with other areas of the curriculum. Purbrook Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

83. As visitors enter Purbrook Junior School they are met by an outstanding exhibition of art work. It reflects the very high standards seen in displays throughout the school. Portfolios of work also show very clearly how pupils develop skills and techniques in every aspect of this subject. All pupils achieve very well and the vast majority reach well beyond the expected levels. This is because teachers have very good subject knowledge and concentrate on developing pupils’ skills systematically. This makes certain that they master techniques very effectively.

p.25

Commentary

84. Lessons observed during the inspection were of a very high quality. This is because pupils are exceptionally well motivated by the thoroughly planned activities that teachers introduce into their lessons. The school also offers many opportunities for pupils to extend their experiences beyond the classroom. For example, they make very good use of the environment and study tree bark and its line, tone and texture before they add detail to their oil pastels of trees. They use very-highly-developed skills to produce impressive results.

p.25

Commentary

85. In a lesson with the oldest pupils the teacher made sure that they developed skills learnt in Year 5. When working with clay they remembered using the ‘luting’ process before and used it successfully as they joined coils of clay together when making pots. They explained that this meant they had to use ‘slip’ to help combine the layers of clay, smooth the surface and make their pots water-proof. They used the technical vocabulary correctly and went on to explain about firing their pots in the school’s kiln. This work was linked with other learning about African nations, and the playing of music performed by Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the background was especially evocative and effective.

p.25

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice In art and design all pupils achieve very well and reach very high standards. This is because the school offers excellent provision guided by a very effective subject leader. On entering Purbrook Junior School visitors are met by an outstanding exhibition celebrating very high standards in art and design. Great attention is paid to teaching skills and techniques systematically. This is guided by the inspired subject leader who uses the school’s own exemplary scheme of work. His knowledge and expertise enthuse not only pupils but also teachers. Displays throughout the school demonstrate pupils’ exceptional capabilities. They practise colour-mixing techniques with a wide variety of media and use different grades of pencils when drawing. An excellent lesson involved pupils working with clay. They entered the ‘art room’ to the accompaniment of Caribbean music. They referred to the very-high-quality drawings of

p.25

Commentary

pineapples they had produced previously. They moulded slabs of clay into two halves of a pineapple and proceeded to fit them together using highly-developed ‘luting’ procedures. Next they joined well-crafted leaves on to their models using a ‘slip’ mixture. The outcomes were superb. The subject leader monitors provision very effectively. This makes certain that lessons motivate all pupils to reach the highest possible standards. Art and design promotes, very successfully, pupils’ awareness of non-western art and British culture.

p.25

Commentary

86. The school has an art room. Although some mathematics lessons also take place in this room, pupils do benefit from having the best of facilities within a permanent base. This has a very significant impact on their achievements. Another major factor in ensuring very high standards is the way in which the school makes the best use of the talents of the subject leader. He takes classes in turn and provides professional development for the teachers who work alongside him. This means that they continue to develop high-quality work in their own lessons in their own classrooms. The range of equipment and resources available to them is of a very high quality.

p.25

Commentary

87. Art and design contributes significantly to raising pupils’ awareness of their own and other cultures. The display in the art room is spectacular. It currently celebrates the work of different African tribes. Using his own collection of artefacts and paintings, the subject leader ensures that pupils have access to and are intrigued by genuine bark cloth from Uganda, wood carvings from the west coast of Africa, tribal masks from the Ivory Coast and a collection of Zulu pots. The work of Kenyan artist, Zembi Okeno, is on display for pupils to appraise. They have learnt to appreciate the different styles of other artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Renoir, Purbrook Primary School - 26 Cézanne and Holbein. ICT is a strong feature of the work as pupils access the Internet to research the work of artists and explore the use of colour using ‘drawing packages’.

p.25

Commentary

88. Visits to galleries and the support of a visiting artist to work with pupils on miniature portraits and silhouettes during their Victorian themed work all contribute very effectively to meet the school’s determination to achieve the highest possible standards. Pupils work on large-scale pieces of work when they produce the canvas backdrops for school productions. The school’s Millennium Banner is a masterpiece of art work. It depicts the passage of time and significant features of history since the birth of Christ. The attention to detail, the use of different materials and fabrics, and the assortment of art and design techniques employed are very impressive.

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Commentary

89. The leadership of the subject is particularly effective. The attention to the monitoring of planning, standards, teaching in lessons, the use of assessment and the continuous striving for improvement is very clear. This has helped to ensure good improvement since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

90. Work in this area was sampled. The school’s documentation and visits to lessons indicate that the school is serving its pupils well. Information gathered from talking to the assigned subject leader shows that management is good. The school gives effective attention to pupils’ personal development. It is supported by weekly timetabled sessions. Knowledge is also promoted successfully within RE lessons and throughout many other aspects of the curriculum, as was seen in science lessons when pupils researched healthy diets. Assemblies contribute to this aspect of pupils’ development well, especially ‘Merit Assemblies’ that celebrate their involvement and successes in out of school activities, as well as those that happen in school. The school council gives pupils opportunities to justify their application to take part in a useful part of the school’s work that fosters their awareness of citizenship.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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

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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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