St Mary and St John CofE VA Primary School

ST MARY AND ST JOHN C OF E VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 17 th March 2004

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ST MARY AND ST JOHN C OF E VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST MARY AND ST JOHN C OF E VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 -11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 146

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street North Luffenham Oakham Rutland Postcode: LE15 8JR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01780) 720 184 Fax number: (01780) 720 184

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr S Hooper

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This Church of England Voluntary Aided school is situated in the rural village of North Luffenham, which is about six miles from Rutland’s county town of Oakham. Only about a fifth of the pupils live in the village. Other pupils are transported by bus and car from four main communities scattered over a large area. The school is smaller than the average nationally, having 146 pupils on roll aged four to eleven years, of whom 22 are in the reception class. An independent nursery, with which the school has good links, uses the attached community centre; the majority of these children subsequently attend the school. The pupils are organised in six classes. The three classes catering for pupils aged seven to eleven years have mixed ages. Since the last inspection, building modifications have taken place, including the provision of one permanent classroom. Except for four pupils of mixed ethnic heritage, all the pupils are from white British backgrounds. Children’s attainment into the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

reception class varies considerably from year to year and covers a wide range but, overall, is broadly average. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average, whilst for those pupils with special educational needs it is slightly above the national average. Just over one per cent of the pupils have statements of special educational needs. The incidence of pupil mobility is of increasing significance, with about 13 per cent joining and ten per cent leaving the school at other than the usual times in the last school year. All the pupils have English as their first language. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20926 Mr G Bate Lead inspector Science Design and technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 14178 Mrs P Willman Lay inspector 32391 Ms L Gabriel Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Foundation Stage 21858 Rev J Pryor Team inspector English Information and communication technology Art and design Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school that provides good value for money. It is very clearly evident that each pupil is important in the caring, very inclusive family community that is the school. All adults in the school have a strong commitment to ensuring that every pupil realises their full potential in all aspects of knowledge, understanding and skills. The school is regarded well by the parents and the communities it serves and currently has more applications than places it can offer.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• all pupils achieve well as a result of the good quality of teaching; • the school is very well led and the governing body has a very clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development; • the pupils show positive attitudes and enjoy very good relationships with each other and everyone else in the school; they work hard; • the school provides curricular experiences that motivate pupils well; and • there are no significant weaknesses, but some areas for further development are indicated at the end of this summary.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been good overall improvement since the last inspection of October 1998. All the issues raised then have been dealt with very effectively. Of particular note is the improvement in the standards and teaching of information and communication technology (ICT). Standards have risen from low to above average as a result of the new competence and confident teaching of the subject. There is now consistently good marking of the pupils’ work, effective lunchtime supervision and good quality curricular information is made available to parents. The outdoor play facilities for the under- fives have been improved with further enhanced provision of a covered area imminent.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A A* A* mathematics B D A B science A C B C Key: A* - very high; 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

By the end of Year 6, pupils of all capabilities achieve well . Test results, year-on-year, should be treated with caution, as cohort sizes in the school are small. However, in English in 2003, the test result was very high in relation to the national average. In all subjects, where it is possible to make a firm judgement, the pupils attain standards that are at least in line with expectations at the ages of seven and eleven; in English, mathematics, science, ICT, history and geography, attainment is above expectations. As a result of the good progress they make, all children in the Foundation Stage are well on course to attain all the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception class, with many attaining them earlier.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The quality of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . The pupils’ behaviour is good and they show positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. Relationships with their peers and adults are very good . The pupils show very good levels of confidence and self- St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 5 esteem because the teachers have high expectations for nurturing independence. Great respect is shown for the feelings and values of others. Attendance is good and punctuality very good.

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The quality of education provided by the school is good. The overall quality of teaching is

good and, as a result, the pupils learn well. The teachers have high expectations, not only for behaviour, but generally for the presentation of work and the extension of the pupils’ vocabulary. The level of challenge for the oldest pupils is particularly good. Occasionally, the use of available time is not fully effective. The pupils’ good learning is assisted by a stimulating and varied curriculum. The raising of the pupils’ self-esteem is important to the teachers. Consequently, for example, pupils with special educational needs make good progress as a result of the effective provision.

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The quality of education provided by the school is good. The overall quality of teaching is

All pupils are very well known by all the adults in the school and, as a result, the level of care and support they receive is good. Each pupil has someone to turn to over any concern because of the very good relationships that exist. The school works hard and successfully to develop relationships with both parents and the community. The resulting relationship gives good support to the pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are good. The headteacher is a very good leader. As the governing body has a very good understanding of the needs of the school, they work very effectively with the headteacher in providing together a very strong and clear sense of purpose for the future. The headteacher and governing body are very well supported in their vision by all the staff. Further work remains to be done, however, in developing fully the role of co-ordinators in the management of the curriculum. The governing body ensures that the school complies fully with statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very positive and appreciative about most aspects of school life. The parents are particularly pleased that their children like school. Most are happy with the progress children make and speak with enthusiasm about the range of extra-curricular activities and the quality of the musical performances. Whilst, overwhelmingly, parents feel the school is very approachable and they are listened to, there is a degree of concern over the level of consultation with them. The pupils like their school and feel very secure and well cared for. They feel the amount of homework is about right and most know what to do to improve their performance.

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

• build on the strengths of the existing assessment procedures to ensure consistent practice throughout the school; • develop further the role of the subject co-ordinators to assist their understanding of practice and standards; and • examine the management of available school time, particularly in relation to the length of some lessons, the use of physical education facilities and procedures at the end of the school day. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The standard of children’s attainment on entry to the school is very broad, but, overall, is average. In recent years, there has been a decline in some of the children’s social skills and their speaking and listening skills. As a result of the good teaching throughout the school, pupils achieve well in relation to their individual capabilities, including those pupils with special educational needs. There is no subject where performance overall is below national expectations.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in all subjects. • Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. • The pupils attain above national expectations for their age in history, geography and information and communication technology (ICT).

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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 16.5 (16.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.7 (14.8) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 18.2 (16.3) 16.3 (16.5) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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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 30.9 (29.7) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 28.6 (26.5) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.6 (28.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 23 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. Comparisons with the national figures should be treated with great care, owing to the small numbers in each year group. Performance by Year 6 pupils, over the last five years, has almost invariably been above the national figure but the overall trend, during the same period, has been very slightly below the national trend. In the 2003 Year 6 tests, performance was very high in English, well above in mathematics and above in science against all schools. In comparison with similar schools, performance in English is very high, in mathematics above and in science broadly in line with the national average. Results in the Year 2 tests in 2003 indicate performance that is well above the national average against all schools in mathematics and above average in reading and writing. The comparison with similar schools’ performance in mathematics is well above the national average and broadly in line in reading

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Commentary

2. Of significance, in both the tests at seven and eleven years, in all areas of learning and subjects, is that the school’s results for the higher Level 3 (Year 2) and Level 5 (Year 6) are above the national figure. This is an indicator that higher attaining pupils are being extended. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 7 Pupils with special educational needs are identified early, given realistic, yet challenging, targets in their individual education plans and make good progress towards them.

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Commentary

3. Inspection evidence indicates that all children in the Foundation Stage are well on course to attain all the national early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Particularly good progress is made in the children’s communication skills, as a result of the emphasis that is given to this important aspect in the autumn term. Evidence from the inspection confirms that there are good standards in English, mathematics, science, ICT, history and geography. Standards in design and technology are in line with national expectations. There is insufficient evidence to make firm judgements about provision in art and design, music and physical education.

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Commentary

4. Very significant progress has been made in the standards attained in ICT. It is now above national expectations at both seven and eleven years of age. This represents very good improvement on the last inspection. As a result of the school’s focus on these areas, improvements also have been made in the range and quality of pupils’ writing and their ability to compute mentally. The constant effort to drive up the standards of speaking and listening has been very successful and has a positive impact on raising attainment in all subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils respond well to the very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural values promoted by the school and, as a result, their attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good . Punctuality is very good and attendance is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ good attitudes and very good relationships help to create a positive ethos for learning. • Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong and are consistently encouraged and praised for making the right choices. • Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ good attitudes to school are reflected in the above average attendance rate which has been maintained since the last inspection. They are rarely late to school and this enables the school day to start on time. There are good formal and informal systems to monitor and improve attendance and parents understand the importance of regular attendance.

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Commentary

6. The very good provision for spiritual development has a significant impact on pupils’ enthusiasm and interest in their learning. Pupils are urged to reflect on moral and spiritual issues in assembly and to respect the feelings and beliefs of others. They sometimes become excited in their lessons, for example, when surprised at the outcome of their science experiments. Pupils feel valued because teachers always listen to their responses and ideas in lessons and this encourages them to participate. Pupils enjoy the after-school clubs and are proud of their sporting success. As pupils with special educational needs receive a good level of support in lessons, they are able to take a part in discussions and are fully involved in the activities. Consequently, pupils have good attitudes to their learning and are well motivated to work hard in order to achieve better standards.

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Commentary

7. Moral and social development are promoted very well and this ensures that pupils clearly understand the boundaries of acceptable behaviour within the school community. Most comply with the expectations of their teachers and become sensible and useful members of the community. All staff consistently praise pupils’ good work and behaviour and this motivates them to try to live up to their teachers’ high expectations. In personal, social and health St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 8 education lessons, pupils have opportunities to discuss issues important to them and to share their ideas and solutions. As a result of the very good relationships between most pupils, there are few concerns about bullying and pupils trust the staff to deal with any unkind behaviour fairly and effectively. Pupils are encouraged to respect and value each other’s beliefs and ideas by listening quietly in class. The residential visit undertaken by Year 6 pupils at the beginning of

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Commentary

the year provides them with the chance to build relationships and to learn the benefits of teamwork. A local clothing company provides pupils with the opportunity to learn how to set up their own business and this encourages pupils’ enterprise. Currently, however, there is no formal structure through which pupils can express their views and ideas for improvement to school life and this inhibits their ability to make a difference. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

8. The provision for cultural development is very good and this makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. They learn about the cultural and religious traditions of others through many of their lessons and gain invaluable first hand knowledge of the lives of their friends in Russia by way of regular visits. A good range of music, art and literature is studied and the interesting displays around the school celebrate pupils’ work in these areas. Visitors come to school to talk to the pupils about their lives and experiences and visits are undertaken to places of interest. For example, a group of pupils recently visited Stamford Museum to extend their knowledge of World War II.

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Commentary

9. The children in the Foundation Stage make good progress towards achieving the levels expected for their age in personal, social and emotional development. They are encouraged to work and play constructively and happily together and learn to make sensible choices. They listen carefully to instructions and try hard to please their teachers and other adults who work with them. They behave well.

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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 0.2 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. The pupils learn and achieve well as a result of the overall good quality of teaching. The school is very good at ensuring all pupils are included in all aspects of the school’s activities, including those with special educational needs. The pupils’ learning is supported effectively by a varied and interesting curriculum. The good quality of relationships with the parents and the communities it serves also helps to ensure pupils learn well.

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Teaching and learning

Three-quarters of the teaching in the school is at least good and none is unsatisfactory. Consequently, the pupils make good progress through the school. Overall, the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. Regular assessments of the pupils’ achievements are made but the framework for assessment lacks consistency. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 9

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers insist on high standards of behaviour, so pupils concentrate well on their work. • The quality of relationships in the classrooms is very good and, as a result, pupils collaborate and co-operate effectively. • The teachers have a good command of the subjects they teach and how pupils learn. • The teachers and teaching assistants co-operate effectively in the support of pupils’ learning and raising their self-esteem. • There is an inconsistency in the assessment practices through the school. • Available curriculum time is not always used effectively.

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Commentary

10. Despite an extended and uncertain period of staffing changes since the last inspection, the school has done well to attain the small, but nevertheless important, improvement in the overall quality of teaching. Teaching is one of the strengths of the school, as shown in the table below.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 32 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 7 (22%) 16 (50%) 9 (28%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

11. The teachers have good knowledge of their subjects and do, therefore, offer realistic challenges to the pupils. The challenges offered to the pupils in Years 5 and 6 are very good. The good understanding the teachers have of how pupils learn, including the children in the reception class, is reflected in the quality of their planning, which is good. Clear learning outcomes are identified and, in the majority of lessons, evaluations are made of how well these objectives have been achieved and what further reinforcement, if any, is required. In all classes, the pupils respond well to the demands made of them and, as a result, the level of achievement throughout the school is good. A further significant contributor to the pupils’ good learning are the relationships between the teachers and pupils and amongst the pupils. Without exception, all the teachers are concerned about the needs of individual pupils. They

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Commentary

are all supported well and, consequently, the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem is very good. This helps all pupils, for example, to be involved in class discussions and evaluations of the lessons. This was seen to good effect in a lesson on gravity; it was demanding and quite complex but every pupil was anxious to make a contribution.

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Commentary

12. In most lessons, the pace of learning is good. This is mainly due to the teachers’ insistence on high standards of behaviour and the pupils’ positive response to these demands. As a result, no time is lost to the maintenance of discipline with pupils applying themselves well to the task in hand. However, occasionally, the pace of learning drops when, for example, the length of introductions to lessons are too long and also at the end of the day under the school’s current dismissal procedures. Learning opportunities are also sometimes lost, especially in physical education, through inefficient timetabling arrangements. In a very small number of lessons, the effectiveness of the learning was undermined a little by some teachers’ use of a restricted range of classroom management strategies. The opportunities for all teachers to observe effective practice of this aspect of their work are insufficient.

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Commentary

13. The pupils’ very good ability to co-operate and collaborate is evident in most lessons, but particularly when carrying out practical tasks. They discuss and work sensibly in either pairs or groups when required. The teachers and classroom assistants provide good role models in this respect as they work well together; particularly effective practice, much to the benefit of the children’s learning, occurs in the reception class. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 10 14. Learning support staff are used well to enable pupils with special educational needs to learn well. This is a significant aspect of the school’s good practice in promoting equality of opportunity.

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Commentary

15. The teachers have responded well to a range of initiatives. For example, the thrust to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills, their range of technical vocabulary, writing and mental arithmetic and ICT skills, has been successful. The overall quality of the teachers’ marking has improved since the last inspection and is now more consistent through the school. Although the teachers carry out a range of assessments of pupils’ attainment, practice through the school lacks consistency. This inhibits the ability to pass information on the pupils’ achievement in, for example, key skills in subjects as pupils progress through the school. The good practice that exists in some areas has not yet been built on sufficiently.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant to pupils’ needs. There is very good provision for extra-curricular activities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum enables all groups of pupils to achieve well. It is made interesting and varied. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and enables them to make good progress. • The good use of ICT in many areas of the curriculum.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum is firmly rooted in the National Curriculum. All statutory requirements are met. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are used consistently, following appropriate adaptations, and are contributing to the above average standards throughout the school. Provision for personal, social and health education, including sex education and drugs awareness, is satisfactory.

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Commentary

17. All pupils have very good and equal access to the curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs, who are fully included in all aspects relating to curriculum provision. The more able pupils are suitably challenged with differentiated work planned for them, and a more able mathematics group session provided weekly for more able Year 6 pupils. The use of ICT is integral in many areas of the curriculum, and both supports and extends pupils’ learning. Teachers make good use of cross-curricular links in all areas of the curriculum, with opportunities for investigative and problem-solving activities regularly planned for, such as when Year 6 pupils, using the Business Link and a local company’s mail order, draw up a business plan to cost out what they will make and sell to purchase something for the school. The curriculum is, overall, stimulating and interesting.

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Commentary

18. The school provides a wide range of after-school activities that are well attended by both boys and girls. These include opportunities to take part in sport, including league-based games and some festivals, music and art. Educational visits are planned carefully to support learning and these include a residential visit for Year 6 pupils. The school continues its association with schools in Noginsk, near Moscow, in Russia, where they entertain visitors each year in school. The curriculum is considerably enriched through these creative and physical activities, which contribute strongly to pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

19. The co-ordination and the management of support for pupils identified as having special educational needs are good. Individual education plans for particular pupils are developed effectively with full consultation between staff and parents. Advice is readily available from the special needs teacher and other agencies. The learning support assistants are well briefed and make a good contribution to these pupils’ achievements. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 11 20. The school has good accommodation, with good facilities for the recently developed ICT area, and a bright, centrally positioned library. There is a secure, fenced off outside area for reception children. There is a good match of teachers to the needs of the curriculum. The school is well staffed by teaching assistants who are well trained and offer good support to many pupils, including those with special educational needs. Resources are satisfactory

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes good provision for the care, welfare and health and safety of all pupils. The very strong relationships in school ensure that pupils receive good quality support and guidance. The overall good quality of this provision has been maintained well since the last inspection. There are no formal systems for pupils’ views to impact on the day-to-day life of the school community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The kindness and commitment of all staff ensure that parents and pupils feel confident that any problems will be handled fairly and effectively. • The personal support and guidance for each individual are very good. • The provision for those pupils with physical disabilities is very good. • Pupils trust their teachers and know that teachers will help them if they are unhappy. • Pupils are not involved in the decision-making process in school.

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Commentary

21. There is an appropriate awareness of health and safety issues. Fire drills are carried out regularly and there is good provision for first aid. Regular checks of the premises are carried out which ensure that the school provides a safe environment, but there is insufficient rigour in the risk assessment process to ensure a proactive approach to the management of health and safety. The headteacher is responsible for child protection issues and has undergone appropriate training. All staff are aware of their duty of care in this aspect of pupils’ welfare. Pupils learn about the benefits of a healthy diet through their science lessons and older pupils are given appropriate information about sex and drugs. Through their personal, social and health education lessons, pupils learn strategies to keep themselves safe, and teachers emphasise the safe use of resources in lessons.

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Commentary

22. As a result of the very good relationships between most pupils and the adults who work with them, pupils are confident that someone will help them if they are unhappy or worried about anything. Personal, social and health education lessons provide good opportunities for teachers to informally monitor and support pupils’ personal development and to identify any specific issues that may be troubling them. Educational support and guidance for the children in the Foundation Stage are good and this contributes well to the good start they make. However, because the use of assessment is not closely co-ordinated, the educational support and guidance for pupils in Years 1 to 6, whilst satisfactory overall, is not as effective as it should be in providing an effective whole-school overview of pupils’ progress. The good induction arrangements for new arrivals ensure that parents are confident that their children

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Commentary

will be cared for. The current absence of a forum for formal discussion with pupils does not afford the opportunities for them to be involved in relevant decisions about school life.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents, the community and with other schools. The good quality of these relationships has been maintained well since the last inspection. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views about the work of the school. • The recently published booklet for parents of Years 1 and 2 pupils is excellent. • Parents feel welcome in the school and are confident that any concerns will be dealt with effectively. • There is insufficient formal consultation with parents about school developments.

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Commentary

23. The parents who took part in the consultation before and during the inspection express very positive views about the work of the school. They comment that they feel welcome in the school and are confident that the school listens to them. They are provided with good information through the prospectus, the annual governors’ report and the regular newsletters. The annual reports on the progress of children are satisfactory. These indicate how well each child is achieving, but provide insufficient detail about individual strengths and weaknesses and there are inconsistencies in the quality of targets identified. Consultation evenings are well attended and give parents a clear picture of their children’s progress. The school provides a good overview of what pupils will be learning in each class during the year, which represents a good improvement from the last inspection. The excellent new booklet produced for the

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Commentary

parents of pupils in Years 1 and 2 gives many practical and interesting activities that parents can do with their children to support their learning. A small number of parents come into school to talk to the pupils about their own experiences and lives and this has a good impact on pupils’ interest in their learning. Parents encourage their children to complete their homework and are keen to support the personal and educational opportunities provided. Many parents help with visits and large numbers attend the performances and celebrations held in school. The parents’ and friends’ organisation raises significant funds through a range of activities and events that are very well supported by both parents and the village community. Parent governors have a good impact on the work of the school. Although the school regularly requests feedback from parents about newly introduced initiatives, there is no regular or formal

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Commentary

consultation process to involve parents in future developments.

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Commentary

24. The school has good links with the local community and, in particular, with the church. Pupils visit the church at important times in the Christian calendar and the local clergy are regular visitors to the school. The village environment is used well to add an extra dimension to learning. A major clothing company makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development by giving them the skills and encouragement to set up their own business enterprises in school. The school provides facilities for the Community Centre and there are good links with the playgroup which operates there. There are good systems to ensure effective transfer to secondary education and pupils are prepared well for the next stage of education. Links with other schools are well developed and effective.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher provides very good leadership and is committed to ensuring that pupils achieve as highly as possible and have a broad educational experience. The leadership of other key staff is, overall, satisfactory . The school’s systems and procedures are well managed . The energetic governing body has a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and provides good levels of support and challenge.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a very clear vision of what he wants school to be and do; this vision is shared by the staff and the governing body. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 13 • Planning for school improvements is thoroughly based on discussions and consultation with staff and governors; changes are made only when benefits are clear. • The school is successfully managing problems resulting from staff changes and long-term sickness. • The new governing body structures are enabling it to meet its responsibilities and develop governance well. • The role of the subject co-ordinators is underdeveloped. • The management of available time requires examination.

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Commentary

25. The governing body and staff share and support the headteacher’s view of what the school should be doing for its pupils. The headteacher’s engaging and consultative style of leadership uses the skills of colleagues very effectively. This ensures that any changes are well thought through before being adopted. For example, a scheme of work to link English more closely with the other subjects has been extensively discussed informally among the staff. It is to be the focus of an aspirational meeting of the governors as a prelude to further investigation of the scheme’s merits. The aim of the changes is to preserve the best elements in the literacy work in the school, and at the same time to add even more breadth, imagination and excitement to the curriculum.

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Commentary

26. The governors’ revised committee structures and methods of working enable them to have a good grasp of the school’s standards, strengths and needs. Statutory requirements are met and the individual governors with subject responsibilities are becoming knowledgeable about their area of the curriculum.

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Commentary

27. The leadership of subjects in the curriculum is satisfactory overall, but some of the post- holders are new to the work and are still coming to terms with balancing the differing demands in their particular responsibilities. As a result, they are not yet in a good position to evaluate their subject’s strengths and areas for development. Otherwise, the management of the curriculum is good.

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Commentary

28. The co-operative ethos of the school leads to the creation of effective teaching teams. This is particularly so in information and communication technology where the complementary strengths of the co-ordinating teacher and the technician/learning support assistant are used to very good effect to improve standards in that subject.

p.15

Commentary

29. The finances of the school are well managed and the governors, in conjunction with the headteacher and staff, practise the principles of best value well. The day-to-day management of school finances is efficiently carried out so that funds are used to best effect. This was clearly the case in the purchase and distribution of the computers to support the improvements in information and communication technology; as it was also in the distribution of staff to support that subject. Significant funds are also raised by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association and are used on ventures or resources agreed with the school.

p.15

Commentary

30. The staffing of the school is managed effectively, problems attendant on staff changes are managed well, and those associated with occasions of long-term illness are treated with skill and sensitivity. The national initiative, with regard to work load, has been managed well within the inevitable staffing constraints of a small school. Good practices, and methods of ways of behaving and speaking, are modelled by the most skilled subject leaders as occasions arise in staff training sessions. The management of available curriculum time requires examination, particularly in relation to procedures at the end of the day and the effective use of the hall for physical education. It results, for example, in loss of time available for learning.

p.15

Commentary

31. The school reviews its progress, analyses test results and develops strategies for dealing with areas of weakness well. The monitoring of teaching and learning in individual subjects is subject to variation due to the experience and availability of different subject leaders, but overall St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 14 is satisfactory. Where needs are exposed, the school provides appropriate training and support to enhance teaching and learning and to promote higher standards. This was particularly noticeable in the ways in which information and communication technology skills among the staff have been enhanced. Staff are seeking a common approach to monitoring pupils’ progress and providing individual targets, but it has not yet been accomplished for all subjects. Their role requires further development.

p.15

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 390,802 Balance from previous year 12,254 Total expenditure 353,806 Balance carried forward to the next 36,996 Expenditure per pupil 2,239 St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 15

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

32. Children make a very good start to their schooling in the Foundation Stage. Attainment on entry covers a wide range, but is broadly in line with the national average. The children enter reception in the September before they are five, the majority having attended local nurseries, playgroups or the pre-school on site. Some have speaking and listening problems. Good routines and work habits are established straight away, with a strong emphasis on the development of speaking and listening skills in the Autumn Term. Consequently, all children soon become familiar with classroom routines, make good progress and are in line to reach the nationally agreed early learning goals in all areas of learning by the end of reception, with some exceeding these.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33. The quality of teaching is consistently good and sometimes very good. The classroom is welcoming with attractive displays which celebrate the children’s work and show them how much their work is valued. Equipment is particularly well organised so children can choose from a good range of resources to support their learning. The teacher, nursery nurse and teaching assistant work together very well, intervening at opportune moments by posing questions and probing understanding. This allows children to develop skills at their own levels of need. The sessions are well organised and provide children with a good range of suitable indoor and outdoor activities which are securely based on structured play. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. Assessment procedures, which are particularly good, are carried out daily. The teacher’s very good planning clearly identifies exactly what the

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children have achieved and what they will need to learn next. Good strategies are used to provide good early support for children with special educational and personal needs. The well- designed accommodation is used effectively, as well as the outside area, which provides good opportunities to play and jump and balance. Part of the playground is soon to be covered over, which will enable the area to be used in all weathers.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because of the high expectations set by staff and continuous reinforcement of rules. • Every opportunity is taken to enhance children’s development, and children are in line to reach the expected goals by the end of the year, with some exceeding these. • Supportive relationships are established so children feel confident and happy.

p.17

Commentary

34. Children learn how to behave well in school by following regular routines and the very good examples set by adults. They are encouraged to feel included in an atmosphere of mutual respect. They all show interest in what they are doing, concentrate well and are eager to learn. The children are continually encouraged to feel confident about what they achieve, they are friendly and take pride in their work. They are encouraged to share, take turns amicably, and put up their hands to answer questions. The quality of teaching is good with strengths in the range of well-planned opportunities that are provided and suited to their individual needs. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 16

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and support staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s language skills in each area of learning. • All adults successfully encourage children to extend their vocabulary and thinking.

p.18

Commentary

35. Teaching is good and encourages all children to achieve well at their different levels of need. All adults use every opportunity available to talk to children and extend their communication skills. Adults value children’s contributions and this gives them confidence and self-esteem. In one lesson observed when the children were travelling on the ‘Letterland Bus’ with ‘Bob the bus driver’, children were encouraged to give ideas about where they were going and what they would see. Children enjoy books and listen attentively when a story is read to them. Year 5 and 6 pupils also share books on a weekly basis with them and they work very well together. All children are encouraged to hold their pencils correctly and by the end of the reception year they write independently using their knowledge of sounds to build up new words. The early learning goals will be reached by the end of the year, and some children will exceed them.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All adults use every opportunity to encourage children to count. • A good balance of activities ensures that children have a range of mathematical experiences.

p.18

Commentary

36. Well-planned activities involving counting, singing and using numbers give children many opportunities to develop their numeracy skills. They can all use number names to ten, saying them in order, and quickly correcting the teacher when she purposely ‘messed up’ the counting with teddy. The more able children are able to use numbers to 20 on the REM Numeracy game. Good use is made of correct mathematical vocabulary, for example, when using skittles, pupils were encouraged to describe the positioning of them. Children are given opportunities to create simple patterns and correctly name mathematical shapes. The quality of teaching is good. They are provided with a wide range of well-planned activities. The early learning goals will be achieved by the end of the year, with some children exceeding them.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities are based on first-hand experiences that encourage observation and finding out. • Children’s computer skills are good. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 17

p.18

Commentary

37. Standards are above expectations and children achieve well. Teaching and learning are good with interesting activities planned and the children are very motivated to complete tasks. The children created story maps of ‘We’re all going on a Bear Hunt’ using natural materials such as grass, mud and twigs to sequence the journey. In links with ICT, children have opportunities to use computers regularly and know that these function by using sound, text and pictures. They can confidently use the mouse control to access clip art to use in their work on ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ and they enjoy operating tape recorders in small groups to listen to a range of traditional stories. The children learn about their own and other cultures and beliefs when finding out about different types of bread and the countries they come from, and the recent Punjabi Day held, where they created poems, dressed in traditional costume and made

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

38. Limited evidence of work in this area meant it was not possible to make an overall assessment of provision. In the one lesson observed, the teaching and learning was good, and indications are that children will attain the expected early learning goals by the end of the year.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan a stimulating environment in which creativity and expressiveness are valued.

p.19

Commentary

39. Children make good progress in their creative development and will meet the expected early learning goals by the end of reception year. Teaching is good with careful planning of activities to extend what interests the children and what they already know. Children develop a good knowledge of colour, such as with Elmer Elephants, where they mix colours to produce a third colour. They regularly sing songs such as, ‘Five Current Buns in the Baker’s Shop’, using very good resources and appropriate actions. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 18

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The overall quality of teaching is good. As a result of imaginative teaching, pupils’ writing is good by age seven, and by eleven is very good, • Speaking and listening skills are good throughout the school as a result of consistent teaching and good modelling by all adults. • Reading is good throughout the school as a result of the consistent use of periods of guided reading in literacy lessons. • The subject is led by an enthusiast developing the school’s attractive vision of how it can be used to enhance the pupils’ whole educational experience. • Marking and consequent target setting for pupils, though overall good, is variable in quality.

p.20

Commentary

40. The pupils attain standards higher than those expected nationally in all areas of the subject by the time they are seven; this is especially true of their speaking and listening skills. By age eleven, their writing is much better than expected, speaking and listening remain strong and they are very competent readers. As a result of the generally good teaching they receive, the pupils in the school achieve well, and their skills in English considerably enhance work in other subjects. In the last national tests for eleven-year-olds, performance was very high.

p.20

Commentary

41. The writing produced by pupils by the time they are in Year 4 is often of a very good quality. It is imaginative with a good use of language suiting the purpose of the writing. Some of the poems, such as those describing the pupils’ feelings on ‘going home’, are sensitive and moving. This good standard continues into Years 5 and 6.The pupils write well on a variety of topics drawn from different areas of the curriculum, such as well-researched and effectively written accounts of being a Second World War evacuee.

p.20

Commentary

42. The school places considerable emphasis on clear and grammatical speaking. This leads to clear and effective writing of a high quality. The staff consistently and consciously speak clearly and expect clear and well formulated speech from the pupils in return. The strong emphasis placed on reading encourages the pupils to become independent readers by the time they are nine; then they can choose to read about the things that interest them. This also supports a high quality of writing that results from well-stocked minds. Most of the pupils enjoy playing with words, inventing new expressions and finding exotic adjectives; as a result, they find the subject is enjoyable.

p.20

Commentary

43. The energetic, enthusiastic and effective leadership of the subject supports the generally good teaching. Some of the teaching is very good. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is also of a good quality. Very occasionally, some aspects of teaching, such as marking, which helps the pupils to understand what they need to do, needs to be developed further. Among the older pupils there are also opportunities for them to be more thoroughly engaged in setting their own targets for improvement which are not always fully seized.

p.20

Commentary

44. The school has adopted and developed the National Literacy Strategy well and standards have continued to improve. With the thoughtful caution that is the hallmark of the leadership in the school, the staff are beginning to investigate ways of integrating English with other subject areas for the benefit of both. This is a logical development of the ways in which writing has been improved as a result of adding a wider range of subject matter to consistently developed literacy skills. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 19 45. The subject contributes very well to the pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. It enables them to explore their personal values within the context of their own, and other cultures, through reading. They write using a wide vocabulary to express their feelings and ideas.

p.20

Commentary

46. The subject benefits from considerable financial support from the Parents and Friends of the School for the purchase of books to improve the library. They also run a book club which also provides funds for books for the school, thereby improving the pupils’ learning.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

47. English is used consistently well in all aspects of the curriculum where accurate reading and clear writing of records are required, for example in science when writing up accurate observations. The pupils’ literacy skills are used well when word-processing some of their initial drafts in writing.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good use of problem-solving activities and application of mathematics in ‘real life’ situations. • Work is matched well to pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs. • The use of ICT is integrated well within lessons. • There is a strong focus on mental/oral starters. • The subject leader has not had sufficient opportunity to monitor work in classrooms.

p.21

Commentary

48. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils achieve well and attain standards that are above expected levels. The targets set for pupils at the end of Year 6 confirm these judgements. This reflects similar findings to the previous report. Performance in the 2003 national tests was well above average. Pupils are taught in split year groups but of similar attainment, and this provides well for most of them. The good support provided by teachers and learning assistants enables all, including the more able and those with special educational needs, to make good progress and achieve well. Assessment data, particularly in Year 6, is used well to identify need. The creation of a separate teaching group for a more able Year 6 pupils’ session, and targeted catch-up programmes, including booster and springboard programmes, contribute to this process well.

p.21

Commentary

49. Pupils’ recorded work shows a strong emphasis on developing numeracy skills. It is also evident in the speed with which they complete mental calculations in response to teachers’ questions, and there has been an effective thrust on this throughout the school. A good example of this was the way all pupils in Year 1 were able to do mental calculations, including two-stage operations, for numbers up to 20, and then check answers, using number fans. Teachers are consistent in asking children to explain how they come to their answers. Teachers are also careful to use the correct mathematical vocabulary and encourage pupils in its use. They also use a range of problem-solving activities in many lessons and application of mathematics in ‘real life’ situations, such as in Year 6 when pupils worked out how many days they have each been alive. Good use of mathematical resources supports learning well.

p.21

Commentary

50. Pupils develop an understanding of shape, space and measures alongside their numeracy work. Again, this is linked well to problem-solving situations, such as in Year 6 when they were asked to identify and record the four different types of angle on an upper case typewriter keyboard. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 20 51. The quality of teaching and learning ranged from satisfactory to very good in the lessons seen. It is good overall and is particularly strong for the oldest and younger pupils in the school. Teachers generally manage behaviour very effectively, their strategies successfully promoting the mutual respect and very good working relationships seen in the classes. Their clear explanations ensure that pupils always know what is expected of them and help them to understand how their work builds both on their earlier learning and where it is leading. The use of ICT to support learning in mathematics is a consistent and planned feature in all classes.

p.21

Commentary

52. The co-ordinator has a satisfactory overview of the subject and has carried out some sampling of pupils’ work and checking of teachers’ planning. However, her role is insufficiently extended to include regular observation of lessons and detailed analyses of annual test results in each year group in order to identify and address areas for development.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to use mathematics as part of their work in other subjects. For example, in science, Year 2 pupils investigated and measured ‘how far a car would travel’ and, in Year 6, when working with newtonmeters and measurement of forces, pupils were able to interpret the graphs and some were able to predict the next result based on the emerging pattern of results. Teachers throughout the school take advantage of all opportunities as these arise, as well as identifying links in their planning in all areas of the curriculum.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The achievement of the pupils is good. • Standards are above average. • The overall quality of teaching is good and the teachers have, at least, a good command of the subject. • The pupils display very positive attitudes and collaborate and co-operate very well in their investigative work. • Assessment procedures lack consistency through the school.

p.22

Commentary

54. The scrutiny of the pupils’ work done so far this year, and lesson observations, indicate that standards, at both seven and eleven years, are above average. A significant proportion of Year 6 pupils are attaining standards well above average. Performance in the national tests over the last five years has been consistently above the national average. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. They are assisted well and consequently make good progress.

p.22

Commentary

55. When carrying out work in small groups, or contributing to investigations with the teacher, the pupils co-operate and collaborate extremely well. For example, in a very good Year 5 and Year 6 lesson, the groups worked efficiently with each other, sharing sensibly the taking of readings of the newtonmeter and agreeing, with commendable maturity, the accuracy of the results. Consequently, the pupils’ learning was very good. The effective teaching of the subject helps to ensure that the pupils build appropriately on their previous knowledge and understanding. This was clearly evident in a good Year 2 lesson on the effect of heat on a range of materials. The pupils assisted the teacher well in carrying out the simple tasks, contributing effectively to the discussion and listening to the suggestions of others. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 21 56. The teachers plan their lessons well. The planning is systematic, reflecting well on the

p.22

Commentary

teachers’ good, and sometimes very good, understanding of the subject, and with clearly identified learning objectives. Scrutiny of previous work shows that the teachers plan for an appropriate amount of practical and investigative work; an aspect much enjoyed by the pupils. The planning and teaching give prominence to the extension of the pupils’ technical vocabulary, for example, such terms as calibration and gravitational fields, when discussing mass. This aspect is in line with the school’s focus of extending speaking and listening skills, which also effectively extends their scientific learning and understanding. The high expectations the teachers have for standards of behaviour ensure that, even during investigative sessions, no time is lost to the maintenance of discipline. Consequently, a good pace to learning is generally maintained. Occasionally, learning is compromised a little by slightly overlong introductions to

p.23

Commentary

the topic. Teachers’ high expectations are reflected well in the good standard of presentation in most years. Some Year 5/6 pupils produced some very neat and accurate recordings, in graphical form, using their mathematical skills well. Evidence from previous work also indicates good use of computer skills in science, for example, in Year 2 histograms in the pupils’ work on growth. The younger pupils, in the seven to eleven years age range, however, do not always maintain the generally good standards and presentation is less well developed.

p.23

Commentary

57. In class discussions, the teachers are careful to involve all pupils, including the diffident and less confident. This assists in making effective day-to-day assessments of pupils’ progress. The standard of marking is also generally good, is more consistent than at the time of the last inspection and helps the evaluation of the pupils’ progress and their understanding of how they can improve. Although regular formal assessments of the pupils’ attainment are made, there is no whole-school approach and, therefore, there is a lack of consistency. This makes it more difficult to evaluate pupils’ achievement through the school. However, a useful initiative has been started by the subject co-ordinator in establishing, in Year 2, a framework for the assessment of the basic investigative and practical skills in the subject. This is to be extended to other years.

p.23

Commentary

58. The fairly recently appointed subject co-ordinator has had no formal opportunities to monitor teaching. This is a weakness and does not place the co-ordinator in a strong position to evaluate the subject’s strengths and areas for development. She has, however, monitored pupils’ performance through the scrutiny of their books. Planning is centred on a well- structured scheme of work. This is scheduled in the school development plan in the academic year 2004/05.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good . This represents a very marked improvement from the previous report when it was deemed unsatisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards throughout the school have been improved greatly and, at ages seven and eleven, are above average. • Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. • The teachers are confident and competent in the subject. • The subject is led by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher with a clear vision of how the subject can continue to be developed. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 22

p.23

Commentary

59. From being a weakness in the curriculum, the subject is now a strength. It is becoming accepted as a readily available tool for the pupils to use in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils are achieving well and standards have improved in all aspects of the subjects. This is particularly the case with mathematics, where a powerfully self-motivating program is encouraging the older pupils to compete with themselves. They achieve higher standards in mathematics, as well as in ICT skills, as a result. In a similar way, pupils in Year 2 load their own word-processing programs and use the correct function keys to edit their writing, while pupils in Year 3 made rapid progress in learning to send and receive e-mail with each other and the staff. Information gathering and recording of data using ICT figures in science, as well as in the humanities. The pupils access information from a wide range of electronic sources.

p.24

Commentary

60. The placing of some of the new computers in the classrooms provides opportunities for the regular rehearsal of skills, as well as the use of ICT to support a wide range of subject activities. Creating a small teaching suite has provided a good learning base for ICT skills. Most of the successful teaching of skills is undertaken by the technician/learning support assistant using materials devised jointly with the co-ordinator and the class teachers. This close co-operation is a very significant factor in the successful development of the subject since the previous inspection.

p.24

Commentary

61. There has been a good investment by the school in training for all staff. This has been further developed within the school, especially the informal support provided by the co-ordinator and the technician/learning support assistant. As a result of this, the staff have gained in confidence and competence with computers and a variety of suitable programs. It is a mark of the success of this venture, coupled with the provision of laptop computers for staff, that many now use the technology for administration, planning and recording assessments.

p.24

Commentary

62. The school is developing closer links with the secondary school to which most of the pupils will go. This is so that there is a good match between what the pupils can do when they leave this school and what the secondary school expects of them.

p.24

Commentary

63. The school runs a computer club. In this way, equality of opportunity within the subject is more assured. Success is less dependent on the pupils having access to a computer at home.

p.24

Commentary

64. Planned developments in the subject include extending ICT as a tool to support more effectively a wider range of subjects and topics. The co-ordinator is a talented teacher and an enthusiastic and good team builder. A particular strength in the provision of ICT is the co- operation between staff and the technician/learning support assistant. The subject co- ordinator, together with the technician/learning support assistant, makes a formidable team which has worked well to improve the subject.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

65. ICT is used very effectively to support mathematics, especially among the older pupils; it is used widely to support English with word-processing in all years. Among the younger children, it is effectively used to support reading skills. Information gathering and recording of data using ICT figures in science, as well as in the humanities, where the pupils access information from a wide range of electronic sources St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 23

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those expected nationally. • Good teaching leads to the successful development of knowledge and understanding of places. • Good links made to different subjects of the curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

66. Standards throughout the school are better than those found in most schools and pupils of all abilities achieve well throughout the school. There was good and very good teaching in the three geography sessions observed. In a good Year 1 lesson, the learning was firmly rooted on their own experience of walking around their local environment and park, and it was linked well to work covered in literacy. In lessons, work was differentiated to challenge pupils of varying abilities. The teachers have good subject knowledge and the effective use of questioning displayed an appropriate vocabulary used by both teachers and pupils.

p.25

Commentary

67. Teachers plan a wide range of activities to ensure that pupils develop an awareness of their position in the world around them and how, for example, the lives of people in different countries are affected by climate. This was clearly illustrated in a very good lesson on ‘Extreme Weather’, where the children were contrasting the locations of Lerwick in the United Kingdom and the Appalacian Mountains in the United States of America. The pupils were able to identify and provide explanations for the impact of wind on people and landscapes.

p.25

Commentary

68. At the moment, work is ‘blocked’ in some classes, term-by-term, where pupils in these classes either work on a history or geography topic. In other classes, this operates on a half- termly basis. In conversation with the pupils and the scrutiny of work, this system does not lead to the slower development of pupils’ skills and understanding. Teachers make sound assessments of how pupils achieve in lessons in order to plan subsequent work, but the school is aware that it needs to develop systems to ensure full coverage of the curriculum has taken place and to track pupils’ progress more effectively.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those expected nationally. • Teachers use resources very effectively. • Links effectively made to different curriculum areas.

p.25

Commentary

69. Standards are above expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into lessons, and for pupils of all abilities, achievement is good.

p.25

Commentary

70. In the two lessons observed, very good use was made of resources to keep the pupils interested and curious to learn. Following a recent class VE day, pupils were asked to weigh St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 24 out ‘rations’. They were surprised to see exactly what the weekly ration was that was allowed per person during the Second World War. In another very good lesson, the subject was ‘brought to life’ by the pupils setting up their own hospital as it was during the Crimean War before the arrival of Florence Nightingale. This very visually developed well the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the past.

p.25

Commentary

71. Different cross-curricular links are made, particularly in mathematics and ICT. Pie charts had been studied to show the reasons why soldiers were dying in the Crimean War, Imperial measures were used to weigh out weekly rations and ICT was used very effectively when accessing the Internet for relevant information to enhance the lesson content.

p.26

Commentary

72. As with geography, work is ‘blocked’ either half-termly or termly. Although teachers have identified in their planning appropriate assessment opportunities, the present system lacks a whole-school approach and does not always ensure appropriate curriculum coverage.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

There were limited opportunities to observe lessons in this curriculum area. Conversations were held with staff and pupils and, where available, previous work was examined. In only one subject, design and technology, was there sufficient evidence to make a judgement about provision. No firm judgement can be made about art and design, music and physical education.

p.26

Commentary

73. During the inspection, one art and design lesson was seen. From a scrutiny of artwork on display and in the pupils’ sketchbooks, the standards they attain are broadly what is expected of primary school pupils. There is evidence of the pride they take in their work in the careful way in which it is displayed. This was confirmed when the pupils talked about what they had done. Achievement is at least satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

74. Art and design is imaginatively linked with other subjects. One example was the display based on Shakespeare’s plays in which Year 5 and Year 6 pupils drew and painted characters and scenes. Another was when pupils produced models inspired by H G Wells’s ‘The War of the Worlds’. There is a reasonable variety of paints, pastels and charcoal used in picture making. However, there is limited three-dimensional work provided for the pupils in Years 3 to 6.

p.26

Commentary

75. There is a broad range of artists with whose work the pupils become familiar. It extends from Australian aboriginal art used in decorating the boomerangs they made, to pictures in the style of Gustav Dore, using charcoal and pastels. The pupils are taken on visits to museums and stately homes where they are introduced to good examples of art, especially in the European tradition.

p.26

Commentary

76. The pupils have sketchbooks which they use readily for drawing rough sketches of designs. There is little encouragement for the quality of sketches to be improved. This serves to lower the quality of the design and hence of the picture or product being created, Pupils make good use of drawing and art programs in information and communication technology.

p.26

Commentary

77. The subject is made enjoyable and pupils thrive on this. Many use the skills developed in art to enhance their work in other areas of the curriculum. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 25

p.26

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils achieve well. • Good links to subjects, such as science and English. • The pupils show positive attitudes towards the subject. • The subject is well led. • The assessment of key skills is not consistent.

p.27

Commentary

78. In the two lessons it was possible to observe, the good level of achievement was a direct result of the positive attitudes of the pupils and their ability to concentrate on the task in hand. Evidence from these two lessons, and previous work, indicates that the pupils are developing an appropriate awareness of the design process. Standards, at both seven and eleven years, are in line with national expectations, except in the evaluation of the design process, where they are above.

p.27

Commentary

79. In a good Year 5/6 lesson, pupils were well motivated by the large range of resource materials made available by the teacher when designing and making a model linked to their work on ‘The War of the Worlds’. This led to good inspirational design work and very effective cutting and joining skills. As a result of the pupils’ self-esteem, well encouraged by effective teaching and the positive, supportive atmosphere within the school, they discuss purposefully about how they can improve at the design stage. This ability to consider their designs and talk about them is helped considerably by the school’s strong emphasis on developing the pupils’ speaking and listening skills. These developing skills were evident in a short ten-minute session in Year 1 when the pupils were ‘evaluating’ and trying out, in the playground, the models they had made which were powered by the wind, for example, streamers, windmills and trolleys. This is a

p.27

Commentary

further example of where the school is supporting the pupils’ learning very well by effectively linking their understanding in a number of subjects.

p.27

Commentary

80. A group of Year 5 pupils showed that they were able to follow a recipe accurately when making biscuits to give as a present on Mothering Sunday. They developed their design skills when given a good opportunity to make and decorate a container for the biscuits. An interesting dimension, which added significantly to the pupils’ learning, was the discussion of cost of the product. This element of design work also forms part of an annual business enterprise conducted by the oldest pupils, the profits of which are used to buy materials to design and make attractive commemorative wall hangings for the school hall. It adds considerably to the pupils’ skills.

p.27

Commentary

81. The subject is led well by a knowledgeable co-ordinator, who, to date, has had few opportunities to monitor teaching. Assessment of the key skills in the subject has no whole- school approach. This undermines the ability to evaluate the pupils’ progress in the subject through the school. A useful aid to support the teaching and learning in the subject has recently been started. The photographic portfolio of work is a very positive initiative.

p.27

MUSIC

82. Discussions with pupils and the headteacher reveal that the school provides a wide range of musical opportunities. This not only enhances the pupils’ skills and understanding but adds significantly to their cultural development. Pupils spoke knowledgeably about a wide range of classical and contemporary composers. For example, they were in awe of the ability of St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 26 Beethoven to compose music despite his deafness and were amused by the variety of unusual instruments used by Rolf Harris. The pupils were very enthusiastic about the variety of musical activities they are able to undertake, especially the concerts, plays and church services. The pupils, with whom discussions were held, display knowledge that is above expectations for their age.

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MUSIC

83. The school facilitates the teaching of a range of orchestral instruments, including strings, brass and woodwind. These pupils are brought together regularly to play in the school orchestra. The instrumental players show very positive attitudes to their learning. The headteacher is a very knowledgeable musician and he uses his skills well to enhance the pupils’ musical experiences, for example, by playing a wide range of pieces on the piano as the pupils leave assembly. The parents and governors spoke in glowing terms about the quality of music in the public performances they had witnessed and see music as a major strength of the school. Currently, there is no consistent approach to the recording of pupils’ progress in the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

84. It is clear that the school, for its size, makes available a very good range of sporting activities. These include cross-country, netball, rugby, soccer, cricket, hockey, athletics and rounders. Participation in these sports include soccer on a Saturday morning and involvement in a number of inter-school leagues and festivals. In addition, a number of sporting activities take place regularly after school, frequently involving the skills of a member of the governing body, which adds significantly to the pupils’ social and cultural development. Swimming is provided for pupils from Year 3 onwards, contributing to the regular 100 per cent of pupils who can swim by the end of Year 6. Further effective encouragement is given to the development of swimming through the school’s annual gala and participation in inter-school county events.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

85. In the one full and one part lesson it was possible to observe, the Year 5 and Year 6 pupils showed positive attitudes to their activity. They listened carefully to how they might improve their skills, trying hard in the subsequent activity, as well as responding immediately to the class teacher’s instructions. This resulted in good learning. Year 1 pupils, whilst generally enthusiastic, are at the early stages of realising the importance of safe practice in responding to instructions. Nevertheless, the pupils show satisfactory throwing, catching and running skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

86. Whilst the games element of the physical education programme is very good, the school is aware of the need to develop further work in gymnastics, and particularly dance. As part of its review of physical education provision, the school was to be involved in the School Sport Co- ordinator Programme initiative. This initiative has had to be put on hold during the unfortunate extended absence of the physical education co-ordinator. The current timetabling pattern for the use of the hall for physical education is ineffective and requires review. St Mary and St John C of E VA Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 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 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 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 2 The leadership of other key staff 4 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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