Frogwell Primary School

FROGWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 – 11 September 2003

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FROGWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Frogwell 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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FROGWELL 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. Frogwell Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Foundation Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 419

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Derriads Lane Hungerdown Lane Chippenham Postcode: SN14 0DG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01249 652815 Fax number: 01249 460200

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Dr Brian Weaving

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Situated on the outskirts of Chippenham, Frogwell School caters for pupils in the local vicinity but also draws pupils from a wide area of Chippenham. The school is large with 419 pupils taught in 16 classes. Most of the pupils are taught in single year group classes. Pupils beginning school start in the reception class and their attainment on entry is below average. The school also incorporates a special learning centre that comprises a Key Stage 1 mixed age group class and a Key Stage 2 mixed age group class. These two classes cater for pupils with severe and complex special educational needs, many of whom travel significant distances from outside the immediate catchment area to attend the school each day. While all of these pupils work in the special learning centre during the mornings, most of them are integrated into mainstream classes during the afternoons.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils attending the school represent a wide social and ability range and although the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (7.3 per cent) is below the national average, a significant number (between 20 – 30 per cent) come from home backgrounds that are recognised as suffering some degree of social deprivation. A small number of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and four pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils in the school with special educational needs is similar to the national average. However, the number of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs is much higher than average, with most of the pupils concerned attending the school’s special learning centre. The school is currently involved in the Excel Networked Learning Community Project, working with a group of other schools under the guidance of the International Learning and Research Centre. The school has attained the Investors

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The number of pupils joining or leaving the school other than the usual times of admission or transfer is much the same as in most other schools nationally. However, the school has suffered a high degree of disruption through teachers taking maternity leave and leaving the school due to promotion or changes in the work situation of their partner. Six new teachers started at the school this term. Frogwell Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22330 Mr L Lewin Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology English as an additional language 19322 Mrs J Bedawi Lay inspector 12764 Mrs W Thomas Team inspector Foundation stage Humanities 19302 Mrs C Perrett Team inspector Mathematics 20007 Mr T Neat Team Inspector English Creative, aesthetic, practical and physical subjects Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Parkman- PkR 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North 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.oftsed.gov.uk). Frogwell Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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track of improvement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is

satisfactory. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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track of improvement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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track of improvement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is

• Standards are not high enough in English, mathematics and science. • Work set by teachers is not always sufficiently challenging for the higher attaining pupils. • The school is well led and managed by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. • Governors work well with the headteacher and staff. • Strong links have been established with the community and partner institutions. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall and very good in the special learning centre. • Parking outside the school presents a hazard to pupils’ safety. • Collective worship does not meet statutory requirements.

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track of improvement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is

After its last inspection, the school entered a period of staff turbulence that led to a drop in standards and key issues from that inspection were not immediately dealt with. This means that overall improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory. However, under the two-term acting headship of the current deputy headteacher and with the subsequent appointment of the current headteacher two years ago, effective strategies have been implemented to reverse a declining trend and deal with the outstanding key issues, and improvement during this time period has been good. All issues from the last inspection have now been dealt with, with the exception that provision for extending higher attaining pupils is still not good enough. Improving results in the Year 2 national tests and the current energy and the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff are evidence that the school’s strategies for improvement are beginning to take effect and the school has a strong

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track of improvement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is

capacity to improve in the future. The school has improved its classroom accommodation and general décor to a good standard over the last few years.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English D C E D Mathematics C D D C Science C E E 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

Pupils enter the school showing below average attainment and their achievement at school is satisfactory . The results for the 2003 Year 6 national tests indicate that standards were still not as good as they should be. However, the school’s results were depressed by between four to six per cent by the inclusion of the pupils from the special learning centre. The school’s analysis of test results for the last two years shows the majority of pupils make sound progress as they move through from Year 2 to Year 6. Inspection findings confirm that Year 6 pupils attain below average levels. However, given the effective strategies now in place and the strong commitment demonstrated by the teachers, the potential for most pupils to reach the expected levels by the end of the current academic year is strong. On entry to school children show below average attainment. Frogwell Primary School - 7 From the very limited evidence of their first few days in school, indications are that their achievement

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in lessons is satisfactory . In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory . Pupils’ attainment in Year 2 now meets the expected levels in English, mathematics and science. This is a marked improvement in standards resulting from the school’s effective strategies to improve teaching and learning. In information and communication technology (ICT) and religious education, pupils work at the expected levels for their ages throughout the school. It was only possible to make a very limited scrutiny of work in other subjects during this inspection and no judgements about standards are therefore made in these areas. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory . Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory overall, although too little emphasis is placed upon pupils’ gaining a full cultural awareness. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and attendance

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

satisfactory. Teachers work well together to plan lessons where the learning is interesting for pupils. The newly established Years 3 to 6 teaching team now provides good teaching in mathematics and science. Teachers and teaching assistants make good provision for teaching pupils with special educational needs overall and work very effectively in the special learning centre. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are fully encouraged to learn confidently and build up their self-esteem. The school is good at ensuring that these pupils are fully included in all curriculum activities. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour so that pupils generally concentrate on their learning. Throughout the school, tasks set do not always extend the higher attaining pupils. Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their writing, mathematical and ICT skills in other subjects. The

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

curriculum is satisfactory and well enhanced by activities in personal, health and social education lessons. Overall the care, guidance and support of pupils and links with the parents are good . The school has established very good links with the community and good links with partner institutions and these links provide strong enhancement for pupils’ learning and achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s educational direction and leads and manages the staff well. She is very effectively supported by the deputy headteacher and also well supported by the other members of the senior leadership team. The headteacher has led staff and governors well in creating a clear strategic plan for future development that incorporates some innovative initiatives, such as building strong links to other organisations, to help develop teaching and learning in particular. Governors are proactive and fully involved in the running of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Thirty per cent of the parents responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire, all Year 5 and Year 6 pupils completed a questionnaire (at the end of the last academic year) and 15 parents attended a meeting with the registered inspector prior to the inspection. This survey of views shows that parents and pupils are generally happy with and supportive of their school. A few parents at the meeting expressed concern about the turbulence in staffing and feel this has had a negative effect on their children’s progress. Eighteen per cent of parents responding to the questionnaire and a few of the pupils spoken to expressed concerns about unpleasantness between pupils. Inspection evidence shows that the school works hard to resolve any issues in this area. Frogwell Primary School - 8

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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 English, mathematics and science. • Provide work in all lessons that ensures higher attaining pupils are effectively challenged. • Pursue all possible courses of action to improve the parking outside the school to ensure pupils’ safety.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that all pupils are provided with an act of collective worship each day except in the cases where parents have specifically requested that their children be withdrawn from such sessions. Frogwell Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

On the basis of a very limited amount of information available in this first full week of the academic year, the indications are that the achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory . On entry to school the children show below average attainment but they make sound progress in lessons. Throughout the rest of the school pupils’ achievement is also satisfactory and they make sound progress. By Year 2, standards in the core subjects match national expectations . In Year 6, pupils reach the nationally expected level in ICT and religious education, but their attainment is below the expected levels in English, mathematics and science. Throughout the school pupils with special educational needs achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils with special educational needs in the mainstream classes and in the special learning centre classes, make good and sometimes very good progress. • Standards are improving but not yet high enough in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. • Strategies for improving standards are beginning to take effect. • Pupils do not develop their writing, mathematical and ICT skills sufficiently in other subjects. • Higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently extended in mathematics and science.

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Commentary

1. After the last inspection, a period of instability in the leadership and management and turbulence in the staffing had a negative impact upon standards attained by pupils and the school went into a phase of underachievement so that the overall trend of results in national assessment tests for Year 6 pupils fell below the national trend. Standards in English, mathematics and science, noted as being average during the last inspection have now fallen to below average in Year 6. During the two-term phase of the acting deputy headship and the subsequent appointment of the new headteacher two years ago, the school put the following strategies in place to reverse the declining trend:

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Commentary

• Increased training for staff. • Recruitment of new staff and careful deployment of key staff to support colleagues where necessary. • Mentoring of existing staff where needed. • Participation in the Excel Networked Learning Community Project. • Linkage to and guidance from the International Learning and Research Centre. • Systematic monitoring of the curriculum and teaching and learning. As a result of this work, national test results for Year 2 pupils have improved significantly in reading, writing and mathematics over the last two years and the great majority of pupils now reach the expected levels in these areas as well as in science and their achievement is satisfactory.

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Commentary

National assessment test results: Percentage of pupils reaching the nationally expected level (Level 2) *2003 2002 2001 Reading 80 75 58 Writing 81 85 58 Mathematics 90 80 72 Science (teachers’ assessment) 85 92 85

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Commentary

* No comparative national data yet available Frogwell Primary School - 10 2. The impact of the school’s strategies is taking longer to have an effect at Key Stage 2 where Year 6 results for 2002 – as can be seen in the table below – were well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. Although no national comparative data is yet available, the results for 2003 also indicate that standards are still not as good as they should be. However, the school’s results were depressed by between four to six per cent by the inclusion of the pupils from the special learning centre in the statistics.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.2 (26.9) 27 (27) Mathematics 25.8 (25.7) 26.7 (26.6) Science 27.1 (27.3) 28.3 (28.3) There were 64 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Using national test results, the school has carried out a detailed analysis of pupils’ progress from Year 2 to Year 6. This evidence shows that pupils make sound progress overall and show satisfactory levels of achievement. This analysis and the actual test results match up with inspection findings that judge pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science as being below average. However, given the effective strategies now in place and the strong commitment demonstrated by the teachers, the potential for most pupils to reach the expected levels by the end of the current academic year is strong.

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Commentary

4. Based on very limited evidence available, indications are that achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. On entry to school 1 , these children show below average attainment in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development, but they make satisfactory progress in lessons.

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Commentary

5. Pupils reach the expected levels in ICT and religious education by Year 2 and Year 6 and their achievement in these subjects is satisfactory. It was only possible to make a very limited scrutiny of work in other subjects during this inspection and no judgements about standards are therefore made in these areas.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language in mainstream classes achieve well due to:

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Commentary

• Careful matching of work to their needs by the teachers. • Good quality support from teaching assistants • Closely defined targets in their individual education plans • The efficient administration of the co-ordinator.

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Commentary

7. Pupils in the special learning centre make good and often very good progress due to:

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Commentary

• The specialist knowledge and skilful approach of their teachers. • The good work of the experienced teaching assistants. • The very good quality and use of assessment and record keeping to guide future work.

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Commentary

8. Pupils throughout the school do not use ICT sufficiently in other subjects. They therefore miss chances to extend their ICT skills and to support learning in other subjects through the use of ICT.

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Commentary

9. The school has placed a suitable emphasis on developing language skills in different subjects and the impact of this work is now showing good results in Years 1 and 2. However, the school

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Commentary

1 During the inspection these children had only been in school for two days part-time. Frogwell Primary School - 11 is aware of the need to develop pupils’ language and literacy skills further in other subjects in Years 3 to 6 in order to maintain the impetus in raising standards. Also, while there is some promotion of mathematics within other subjects such as ICT and science, generally pupils do not make enough use of their mathematical skills in other curriculum subjects.

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Commentary

10. A significant barrier to the school raising standards at present is the lack of pupils attaining the upper levels. This is particularly true at Year 6, where test results show that too few pupils reach the upper level (Level 5). Observations of English lessons show that in most classes teachers are addressing this situation and higher attaining pupils are generally given work that matches their needs. However, in mathematics and science higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently extended by the tasks they are given.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

11. Pupil’s attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupil’s attitudes and behaviour are satisfactory, overall. Overall promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory with good development of moral awareness but insufficient emphasis on developing pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage have good attitudes and behaviour. • Pupils like their teachers. • The good inclusion and behaviour of pupils from the special learning centre.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.1 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

12. Pupils come to school on time. They want to learn and most work appropriately in lessons. They like their teachers and relate positively to them. Pupils from the special learning centre integrate well in lessons and at playtimes with the other pupils in the school. They behave well and enjoy the well organised opportunities for them to work in mainstream classes. Throughout the school most pupils get on well together. Most pupils spoken to said they enjoy lessons, but would like more ‘fun’ lessons and work that challenges them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

13. The majority of pupils behave and act appropriately at work and play. They are mainly polite and friendly. The pupils find circle time discussions useful in raising issues or problems and like the introduction of ‘worry boxes’ 2 in some classes. The teachers monitor these ‘worry boxes’ carefully. Known incidents including name-calling are recorded fully and the headteacher speaks to those involved, sometimes involving parents.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

14. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Acts of collective worship provide some opportunities for pupils to reflect on their experience and that of others but periods of reflection are brief. In some classes there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to ask questions and express their own ideas. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development. Teachers ensure that pupils know the difference between right and wrong. Provision for pupils’ social development is satisfactory. Appropriate arrangements exist for older classes to gain responsibility for helping younger pupils and pupils are proud to be members of the school council. Pupils learn about the responsibilities of living in a community through their

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Main strengths and weaknesses

2 A box into which pupils can place a note that lets the teacher know about any areas that are a concern for the pupil. Frogwell Primary School - 12 involvement in recycling projects and collections for charities. The school has identified pupils’ cultural awareness as an area for development and this is currently unsatisfactory. Whilst the art curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development, the school does not have goods resources to help pupils become aware of their own and others’ cultural traditions.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 399 1 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 10 1 0 Mixed - White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Chinese 2 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 satisfactory . Teachers’ provide pupils with a sound curriculum that is enhanced well . Collective worship does not always meet statutory requirements .

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Teaching and learning

Overall teaching and learning are satisfactory . Teaching and learning in mathematics and science are good for Years 3 to 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teamwork between the teachers. • Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good overall and very good in the special learning centre. • Teaching assistants work well and provide strong support for pupils with special educational needs. • Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. • Teachers are good at promoting the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs. • Teaching is very occasionally unsatisfactory. • Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ attainment is not always sufficiently accurate. • Tasks are not always set that extend the higher attaining pupils. • Teachers’ marking does not always help pupils improve. Frogwell Primary School - 13

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 61 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0) 7 (11) 23 (38) 27 (44) 4 (7) 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

15. The strategies employed by the leadership and management – providing increased staff training and taking part in regional projects and initiatives that target improvement in teaching and learning – are beginning to impact upon the school’s work. This means that previous underachievement by the pupils has now been changed to satisfactory achievement. There is good potential for this to improve further in the future, with the school’s newly recruited teachers settling in well and good teamwork, strong commitment and enthusiasm clearly apparent in all discussions between inspectors and teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers work closely together and there is an atmosphere of strong mutual support. One sign of improvement in teaching is the raised levels in national test results in Year 2. Another sign is the good teaching from the newly established Years 3 to 6 teaching team, noted in mathematics and science

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Commentary

lessons. These lessons run at a good pace and the teachers show confident subject knowledge, provide interesting tasks and ask pupils questions that make them think in depth about the work they are doing and the concepts involved. This approach ensures that the majority of pupils in these lessons make good progress with their learning.

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Commentary

16. Four unsatisfactory lessons were seen during the inspection. In these lessons, the pace of work was too slow, explanations were not clear enough, time was not used to the greatest benefit and consequently the pace of learning was not good enough. However, other lessons seen by the same teachers were satisfactory and occasionally good, and some of the difficulties they experienced in the unsatisfactory lessons were clearly linked to settling pupils in during the first full week of the academic year, with some of the teachers being in their first few days of working at the school.

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Commentary

17. Throughout the school, teachers plan lessons well to ensure that pupils with special educational needs have work that precisely matches their requirements. This helps these pupils to progress at a good rate with their learning. It also results in all of these pupils being fully included in all activities irrespective of their difficulties. The school adopts a very skilful and well-organised approach to ensuring that pupils from the special learning centre are given the chance to work in the mainstream classes. These opportunities are made successful by the teachers’ careful preparation of activities. These are enhanced by the good quality support and guidance from the teaching assistants who provide effective prompting for the pupils to help them follow discussions and monitor and guide their efforts well during different tasks. The quality of teaching in the special learning centre is nearly always very good. The teachers here provide

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Commentary

work that precisely matches the needs of individual pupils and set up activities in such a way that all pupils have the chance to build up their confidence and self-esteem. As a result, individuals progress well. The teachers also set up worthwhile opportunities for mainstream pupils to work alongside pupils in the special learning centre. In this way, pupils in the centre feel they are fully integrated into the work of the school and this is a mark of the very inclusive nature of the school. This approach is successfully adopted for all groups of pupils, including pupils from ethnic minorities and pupils with English as an additional language, to make sure they participate fully in all school activities. Frogwell Primary School - 14 18. Teachers generally ensure that there is equality of opportunity for all groups of pupils. In class discussions many teachers effectively challenge the thinking of higher attaining pupils through

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Commentary

careful questioning and, in a few good lessons seen, teachers provided tasks that also extended these pupils. However, too often, and particularly in mathematics and science lessons, activities provided do not sufficiently challenge the higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

19. The observation of lessons indicates that teachers assess pupils’ progress with their learning effectively. They adapt their plans as necessary if learning is not taking place as they envisaged. Careful checks are made at the end of lessons to judge the extent of pupils’ learning. However, teachers’ assessment of pupils’ attainment is not always accurate enough. This is indicated by significant differences noted between the teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment and actual outcomes of the tasks set for the national tests at Year 2 and 6. The assessment of the attainment and progress of pupils with special educational needs is good and contributes well to the progress that they make. In the special learning centre this is a very strong feature of the teachers’ work. The very detailed evaluation of each pupil’s achievements across the whole range of schoolwork and personal development greatly increases their learning.

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Commentary

20. Pupils say that they receive useful verbal feedback from their teachers. Teachers generally mark pupils’ work regularly . However when comments are written in pupils’ books, these are often too vague and do not provide guidance as to how the individuals can improve their work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good enrichment of the curriculum. • Meaningful adjustments are made to the curriculum as a result of thorough analysis of test results. • Some good cross-curricular links are developed, but ICT, English and mathematics are not sufficiently developed within other subjects. • Collective worship does not meet statutory requirements. • There is insufficient outdoor play equipment for the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum is broad, relevant and well planned to deliver all of the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage and all of the required subjects throughout the rest of the school. Religious education is appropriately planned to meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Some of the collective worship observed during class assemblies did not meet statutory requirements. In these sessions, a focus was placed upon pupils’ personal and social development, but did not include a prayer or time for silence and reflection.

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Commentary

22. The breadth of the curriculum is enhanced by the good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. A wide range of topics is covered during personal and social education sessions, including sex education and raising pupils’ awareness of the dangers of drug misuse, as well as preparing pupils well for life in the outside world. The opportunities in Years 3 and 6 to attend residential camps provide further good development of their personal education. Also, some innovative initiatives have been put in place within the last two years to enhance learning opportunities for the pupils, including a regional writing project, a science week, an arts week, and mathematics days. These occasions widen pupils’ knowledge and understanding, and provide them with memorable experiences.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum is continually examined and improved with the aim of raising standards. For example, the mathematics curriculum has been altered in the light of a detailed analysis of test results, which indicated that pupils were not being given enough time to handle and interpret data. Also this analytical approach has led to teachers placing a stronger emphasis on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills, although there is still not a consistent or whole- Frogwell Primary School - 15 school approach towards developing pupils’ skills in this way. Also opportunities to extend writing, mathematical and ICT skills within other subjects are not given a strong enough emphasis.

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Commentary

24. Overall, the curriculum is well organised to cater for pupils with special educational needs and especially well organised to match with the needs of the pupils in the special learning centre.

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Commentary

25. The school’s accommodation is good. Classroom facilities and the décor of the building have been significantly upgraded to a good standard in recent times and the school has spacious and well used grounds. The school identifies rightly that there are insufficient spaces around the building for working with small groups of pupils withdrawn from classrooms. Also, the school has recognised rightly the need to provide more outdoor equipment for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Care, guidance and support

The attention paid to pupils’ care, welfare and safety is good . Pupils receive good individual guidance and support. Arrangements for child protection are satisfactory. The school’s promotion of health and safety is good overall, although some safety aspects to do with parking outside the school present a hazard. Induction procedures for children starting or newly arrived in school are good. The extent to which pupil views are sought is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has good induction processes for children and pupils starting at the school. • The way cars are parked outside the school entrance presents a hazard to pupils’ safety.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. The school has good, well-established induction procedures for children starting school and pupils arriving at other times. The Foundation Stage staff visit every family at home, before children start school. This enables the parents and children to get to know the teachers, in familiar surroundings. Good relationships are built up through the provision of a pre-school activities pack provided for children, information provided to parents about the reception class and an opportunity to ask any questions. This preparation helps children to settle well when starting school. There are careful induction procedures for each special learning centre pupil. Throughout the school, staff know pupils well and cater sensitively for their needs and make sure that those joining the school at times other than normal admission are well supported and provided with a ‘buddy’ to help them get used to school routines. Staff pay appropriate attention

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Main strengths and weaknesses

to individual pupils who come to them for support, if they are upset, or do not understand work in lessons. 27. Arrangements for child protection are satisfactory. Appropriate procedures are in place. The school keeps informal records of any concerns and formal records as and when required. Support from agencies such as social services are used to good effect where needed.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. In newsletters, the school regularly warns parents about the dangers of parking in unsafe areas outside the school entrance. The lack of yellow lines, zig-zags, or any traffic calming measures means that some cars are driven too quickly past the school and are parked in hazardous positions that restrict visibility along the roadside.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. The guidance and personal support for pupils with special educational needs, those from ethnic minorities or for whom English is an additional language are good. The specific and well defined nature of this support enables these pupils to make good and sometimes very good progress as they move through the school. The teaching assistants are very effective in building positive and constructive relationships with the pupils with whom they work. Outside agencies are used well and provide effective support for these pupils where needed. Staff in the special learning centre provide very effective welfare, support and guidance for pupils. Frogwell Primary School - 16 30. Through circle time sessions, personal and health education lessons and through the discussions of the school council, the school takes much care to listen to pupils’ views, ideas and concerns and responds suitably as required. There is a good awareness amongst staff to

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents are good . Parental involvement is good . Links with other schools and colleges are good . Links with the local and wider community are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality information is provided to parents about their children’s progress. • The school has very good involvement with the local and wider community. • The school is proactive in seeking the views of the parents. • Procedures for pupils transferring to the next phase of education are good.

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Commentary

31. Parents are well informed about the school’s work through newsletters and documents such as the school prospectus and annual governors’ report. Pupils’ reports are of good quality, setting targets for improvement and providing relevant individual detail about pupils’ progress. Special learning centre reports are particularly clear, providing information not only on pupils’ progress, but on targets for working in mainstream classes.

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Commentary

32. The school regularly seeks and responds to parental views about areas of concern or improvement. For example, where parents showed concern about not being able to help in their child’s class, this was quickly remedied so that parents (and grandparents) can now do so. Canvassing parents’ views in this way is an example of the good involvement of the parents encouraged by the school.

p.16

Commentary

33. Local and wider community links are particularly strong. These impact positively upon the school by either boosting the income or directly helping to make improvements to the quality of education provided. For example, many community groups and clubs make very good use of the school facilities during weekday evenings, and at weekends, generating a very healthy income from school lettings. In addition, the ‘Friends of Frogwell School’ organise many fundraising events attended by the local community. There is good involvement of pupils in fundraising for local and national charities. Wider links such as the ‘Network Learning Community’ are actively pursued. There is a strong link with the International Learning and Research Centre that helps the school place a useful emphasis on developing leadership, teaching and learning, teamwork and language. Staff have also taken up two research scholarships. The headteacher has links with a school in Malta, and is investigating other school

p.16

Commentary

links in Europe that have clear potential to maximise opportunities for teachers to share, compare and extend their skills. School staff in the reception classes and in Year 5 have paired up with its two ‘link schools’ to share and benefit from good practice. The school is involved with other schools in the area, including two secondary schools through regular ‘cluster group’ meetings and this also enables teachers to look at ways of improving their skills and improving opportunities for pupils.

p.16

Commentary

34. The school builds a good partnership with parents of pupils with special educational needs. They are involved very closely in the provision made for their children. The special learning centre has a good information board providing advice for parents. The relationships between teachers and parents are good. Frogwell Primary School - 17

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s educational direction and leads and manages the staff well. • The headteacher is very effectively supported by the deputy headteacher and also well supported by the other members of the senior leadership team. • Governors are proactive and fully involved in the running of the school. • Special educational needs provision is well managed.

p.17

Commentary

35. During her two years in post the headteacher has ensured that the school has become fully focused upon the essential points for development that will enable staff to raise standards and improve the quality of education for pupils. She has created a team spirit amongst staff so that all are enthusiastic and committed to enabling school improvements to take place. She has led staff and governors well in creating a clear strategic plan for future developments that incorporates some innovative initiatives 3 to help develop teaching and learning in particular. There are clear signs that these initiatives are beginning to have a positive impact upon improving the school’s performance. The deputy headteacher provides very effective support for the headteacher. She has been a key figure in laying the foundations for the school’s change and improvement during her two-term acting headship, prior to the current headteacher being

p.17

Commentary

appointed and also provides good leadership through the example of her own good teaching.

p.17

Commentary

36. Members of the senior leadership team work closely with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They carry out their responsibilities energetically and efficiently and through good communication and liaison with other staff they help develop and promote the good team spirit instigated by the headteacher.

p.17

Commentary

37. The headteacher has established robust systems for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum and teaching and learning. She also undertakes careful analysis of the school’s performance data and uses this information alongside monitoring information to inform future staff training and deployment of staff, performance management and recruitment.

p.17

Commentary

38. The headteacher leads and manages the overall provision for special educational needs well. The inclusive approach she fosters supports all staff and pupils effectively, especially those in the special learning centre.

p.17

Commentary

39. The leadership and management of the special educational needs co-ordinator are of very good quality. She has brought about many improvements in upgrading approaches to teaching and record keeping that help staff ensure that special educational needs pupils receive good support and guidance.

p.17

Commentary

40. Governors are fully informed about and involved in the running of the school. They regularly liaise with subject co-ordinators, visit the school, watch lessons and provide effective support and ‘critical friendship’ for the headteacher. In this way they have a clear overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Also by working closely with the headteacher and staff they have a shared vision of how the school should develop and improve in the future.

p.17

Commentary

3 See initiatives listed on page 8 Frogwell Primary School - 18 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,147,113 Balance from previous year 92,452 Total expenditure 1,147,113 Balance carried forward to the next 92,452 *Expenditure per pupil 2,738

p.18

Commentary

41. Finances are well managed by the school. Full use is made of all available resources and the governors have a clear understanding of the principles of best value and are careful to examine the cost effectiveness of all of their spending decisions. Frogwell Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

As the inspection fell in the first full week of term at the beginning of the academic year, with seven children in each reception class attending for mornings only, only very limited evidence was available to make judgements about pupils’ attainment in the different areas of learning.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Arrangements for settling children into school are good. • Outdoor play equipment is unsatisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

42. The school’s arrangements for introducing children to school are good. A well organised approach to induction involves the teachers and teaching assistants visiting children in their homes, and children are invited to make four visits with their parents in the term before they start school.

p.19

Commentary

43. Teaching in the Reception classes is satisfactory overall, though a proportion of good teaching was observed. The curriculum is planned to address all the areas of learning and the two classrooms are attractively set up to provide a range of experiences. During the inspection week the teachers focused effectively on settling the children into school and were also beginning initial assessments of children in order to provide appropriate activities for them. The Reception classes have their own secure and spacious outdoor learning area, which is currently being developed. Outdoor equipment, such as wheeled toys, is insufficient to provide activities that help children’s physical development.

p.19

Commentary

44. Children’s communication, language and literacy skills are below average when they start school. A small number of children lack confidence in speaking to visitors though this may well be because they are new to school. Children show an interest in books and enjoy learning rhymes and listening to stories. They enjoy retelling the stories they have heard, using the pictures in the book to help them. When they arrive in the morning, children collect their name cards and ‘post’ them in a box to show that they have arrived. Some children recognise their names without help. A few write their names independently and most write some of the letters in their name. A small number have not yet begun to write recognisable letters.

p.19

Commentary

45. Children’s mathematical development is below average when they start school. This is the case for most of those children who have just started school. Most of the children recognise written numbers up to five and some can order these correctly. A small number of children recognise numbers to ten and can say which number is missing when the teacher has removed one from the sequence without them seeing. The children’s mathematical vocabulary is limited and some are not yet sure about words like ‘taller’, ‘shorter’, or the language to describe position.

p.19

Commentary

46. When writing, drawing or painting, some children have difficulty controlling pencils, crayons and paint brushes. They are learning to use scissors with confidence. One or two children have good control of pencils and can write confidently with good control. Frogwell Primary School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The achievement of pupils is satisfactory. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Standards are not yet high enough. • Strategies for improvement are beginning to take effect. • The teaching during the inspection was satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

47. Data held by the school shows that most pupils achieve at a satisfactory level and some achieve well. Inspection evidence reflects the results of the national tests, which indicate that in relation to the national averages for all schools and schools operating in similar circumstances, results last year in Year 2 and Year 6 were unsatisfactory because too few pupils attained the upper levels. The great majority of those leaving school last year made satisfactory gains in relation to their prior attainment and a significant proportion made good progress. The scrutiny of the work that pupils in Year 2 carried out last year shows that their attainment was broadly in line with what is expected for their age. The limited evidence available so early in the academic year suggests that those currently in Year 2 also work broadly in line with the expected level. Sampling of their work indicates that many pupils in Year 6 last year did not work at levels

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

appropriate for their age. Those presently in Year 6 also work below the expected level, but improvements to teaching suggest that they are on course to reach satisfactory levels by the time they leave the school.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. The standards have fallen since the time of the last inspection due to many changes in the teaching staff, which led to a disruption of learning, especially in Years 3 to 6.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

49. The standards seen during the inspection:

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

Aspect of English Year 2 Year 6 Speaking and listening Pupils work in line with expected level Pupils work below the expected level Reading Pupils work in line with expected level Pupils work in line with the expected level Writing Pupils work in line with expected level Pupils work below the expected level

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. Year 2 pupils are beginning to speak confidently. Their responses to the teacher’s questions show that they listen carefully. Those in Year 6 do not always listen well enough in lessons and many are not confident speakers in group or class settings. This is partly because there is not yet a sufficiently systematic approach to developing speaking and listening skills in lessons.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. Reading standards are broadly satisfactory throughout the school. Average pupils in Year 2 read books accurately, but sometimes lack expression. Those just starting in Year 6 read fluently, but not always expressively. Pupils show varying attitudes to reading, and not all get enough support outside school. Although they know how to find information from books, discussion with older pupils indicates that they do not get enough opportunity to do library-based research in subjects such as history. Frogwell Primary School - 21 52. The spelling of simple words by pupils in Year 2 is accurate. There is considerable variation in their handwriting standards, with the best being well above average. Most write at the level expected. Their ideas are set out clearly, usually punctuated by capital letters and full stops. Those in Year 4 enjoy writing in a wide variety of styles, including composing headlines for

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

newspapers. The spelling of pupils in Year 6 is below average. Not all pupils join their letters. In stories they have written, examples are found of words being used creatively; for example, ”Her dad’s eyes glowed with fire”, but overall vocabulary is limited. Not enough use is made of ICT to improve writing skills.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

53. The good provision made for pupils with special educational needs, including the support offered by teachers and their assistants, results in these children making good gains in relation to their prior attainment.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

54. The quality of teaching seen in lessons was predominantly satisfactory, with some good and very good lessons. Analysis of work done last year shows that hitherto some teaching was unsatisfactory, resulting in pupils making insufficient progress. Teachers plan together in year groups to ensure that the pupils of the same age have equal opportunities to succeed. The good teamwork of teachers and their assistants helps them to meet the needs of different pupils. Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour. Most pupils respond by concentrating effectively and working productively. However, some older pupils in the junior classes do not always apply themselves well enough to the tasks they are set. This slows the progress they make.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

55. The management of English has changed recently and it is too early to judge the impact of work of the new co-ordinator. However, the strategies put in place by the out-going post holders and the headteacher are beginning to raise standards. These include involvement in a story writing project, making English more interesting for boys and use of monthly assessments of pupils’ writing. These initiatives are focusing rightly on expanding the opportunities for pupils to write at length, in more detail and for different audiences. There is much potential for the school to improve the quality of pupils’ work and their attitudes to writing by continuing to pursue these strategies.

p.21

The development of language and literacy skills in other subjects

56. There is clear evidence to show that the headteacher’s efforts to promote the development of language skills in different subjects are bearing fruit, especially in the infant classes. Further work remains to be done to ensure that a systematic approach is adopted by all teachers to help pupils improve their speaking and listening skills, by emphasising opportunities in other subjects as well as in English lessons.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led. • Good use is made of assessment to inform future work. • Teachers set high expectations for behaviour. • Good attention is given to helping pupils articulate their mathematical ideas. • Standards are not high enough for pupils by Year 6. • Pupils do not recall basic number facts quickly enough. Frogwell Primary School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses (continued)

• Marking does not always give clear guidance to help pupils improve their work. • ICT is not used enough in mathematics lessons. • Teachers’ assessment of the levels reached by pupils is not always accurate enough. • Higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged by the work provided.

p.22

Commentary

57. Standards by the end of Year 2 dropped after the last inspection, but there has been a steady rise in subsequent years, and current standards of attainment seen at Year 2 are broadly in line with those expected nationally. However, standards in Year 6 have declined since the last report, and are still below those expected for this age. Inspection evidence shows that there has been considerable underachievement in Years 4 – 6 in the past, but present pupils in these year groups, along with other pupils show satisfactory achievement and are now making satisfactory progress in relation to their previous attainment. There are indications that the underachievement was due partly to a large turnover of staff that interrupted the flow of learning for the pupils, a lack of challenge for the most able pupils, and inaccurate teacher assessments that have overestimated the level of work that pupils achieved. There are many pupils who do

p.22

Commentary

not have quick recall of basic number facts, such as tables, which hinders their ability to do complex calculations accurately. The school has also identified the lack of oracy skills as a stumbling block, as many pupils find it difficult to explain their ideas. Good additional support is provided for pupils with special educational needs throughout the school, enabling them to make good progress.

p.22

Commentary

58. Although standards have deteriorated since the time of the last report, there have been improvements in the subject in the recent past. The quality of teaching is now good overall, and teachers set pupils clear targets to aid their improvement. For example, the current emphasis on encouraging pupils to talk about their ideas and understanding is having a positive impact on developing pupils’ mathematical understanding as well as their literacy skills. Teachers pay much greater attention to the correct use of mathematical vocabulary than before. Key language is highlighted in teachers’ planning. Appropriate terms for pupils to use during the lessons are noted on the board and classroom displays contain other relevant vocabulary for pupils’ reference. Teachers set high expectations of behaviour, which has a positive impact on their attitudes to learning.

p.22

Commentary

59. The school engages in a thorough analysis of test results to highlight strengths and weaknesses, and these findings are used well to inform the curriculum, and to help teachers focus their planning on areas of need. The school realises that there is a greater need for time to be spent on the manipulation and interpretation of data so now more time is planned for this. Teachers, particularly in Years 5 and 6, are now very aware of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding, and are working hard to improve standards. However, there is still a lack of planned challenge for higher attaining pupils and time in lessons is often wasted while these pupils have to wait for the slower individuals to catch up. The scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates that, although there is great emphasis on doing calculations, there is insufficient use of problem solving. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, but do not always provide enough guidance with

p.22

Commentary

their marking as to how pupils could improve. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to work with a variety of mathematical computer programs, but, overall, there is not enough use of ICT in lessons.

p.22

Commentary

60. The subject is led and managed well. Through the production of a termly action plan and the monitoring of teaching and pupils’ work, the enthusiastic coordinator is gaining a clearer understanding of strengths and weaknesses in the school’s provision for this subject. Appropriate support and training have been provided for staff, and more training on levelling of pupils’ work is planned for later in the year. Staff use assessments to set targets for groups and individuals, which is improving pupils’ knowledge of their learning. Frogwell Primary School - 23

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. Some evidence was noted of mathematics being promoted in other subject areas. For example, pupils in some year groups work with data handling in ICT and some use of mathematics is included within science projects. However, the picture varies across the school and, overall, there is not enough promotion of mathematics across the curriculum.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • Teaching is good in lessons for the seven to eleven-year-olds. • Teachers provide interesting practical activities. • Pupils with special educational needs – including those from the special learning centre – are fully involved in lessons. • Pupils’ attainment is below average in Year 6. • More able pupils are not sufficiently extended by the work provided. • Not all teachers provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to talk about their scientific understanding.

p.23

Commentary

62. The co-ordinators for science provide effective training for staff, check samples of pupils’ work, work alongside colleagues and liaise closely with the governor who is linked to this subject. These activities help them to maintain a clear overview of science development across the school and have resulted in teachers adopting a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ learning, through involving them in as much practical activity as possible. Pupils enjoy the activities and are generally enthusiastic about science. The science investigations involve much collaboration between pupils and this also effectively promotes pupils’ personal and social skills.

p.23

Commentary

63. Science teaching in lessons seen for pupils in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. The teachers prepare the lessons well and give clear explanations, but the pace of work is sometimes too slow and a few pupils are not always sufficiently well engaged and concentrating on tasks. However, samples of work seen from last term show that pupils were well taught and acquired an in-depth understanding in, for example, learning how some of the organs in their bodies work. Teaching for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is good overall and occasionally very good. Teachers show confident subject knowledge and ask questions that promote pupils’ understanding well and make them think carefully about the work they do. They adopt a rigorous approach ensuring all individuals maintain their concentration. They also have a suitably persistent approach towards ensuring pupils acquire a correct understanding of how to go about

p.23

Commentary

their work and record the results. Across the school, teachers lay suitable emphasis upon discussing work and in the best lessons they encourage pupils to expand their answers to questions and develop confidence in using the correct scientific vocabulary. However, in a few lessons seen, the emphasis was too much upon the teacher talking.

p.23

Commentary

64. Through careful planning, staff are good at ensuring that all pupils with special educational needs have full opportunities to become involved in tasks. Provision for pupils from the special learning centre to join in sessions is very effective and the particularly effective guidance from teachers and teaching assistants helps these individuals to make good and sometimes very good progress. Frogwell Primary School - 24 65. Achievement of the pupils throughout the school is satisfactory and most pupils in Year 2 reach the expected standard. By Year 6, however, pupils mainly show below average attainment. More rapid progress in raising standards in science has been prevented by the turbulence in staffing that has had a particularly negative impact upon pupils in Years 4 – 6. However, the current good teaching for pupils in Years 3 – 6 and the strong and enthusiastic commitment by staff means there is clear potential for the school to raise attainment at Year 6 to the expected

p.23

Commentary

66. As well as providing interesting practical work in lessons, the school has also established an annual science week that successfully enhances and broadens pupils’ understanding. Written accounts in books show that pupils were inspired and motivated by the many interesting activities set up by their teachers and visitors to the school during the science week. A project on ‘Dinosaurs’ that involved work on electricity conducted in Year 2 last year is another example of teachers making work interesting for pupils and, in this case, providing good cross-curricular links with a range of different subjects.

p.24

Commentary

67. The main area that is now holding back further improvement in standards is the lack of planned opportunities provided in lessons to extend the higher attaining pupils. Although teachers generally expect more accuracy and detail from these pupils, they do not provide tasks that move them onto working at a higher level. Also, pupils’ below average writing skills often slow down the pace of work and their progress in completing tasks.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership and management. • Significant improvement in resources since the last inspection. • Good systems for assessing pupils and involving them in checking how well they are doing. • Not enough usage of ICT to support learning in other subjects.

p.24

Commentary

68. In her very short period of time in post, the ICT co-ordinator has worked well to ensure that good progress in developing ICT is maintained. She has a clear overview of the work carried out across the school and has created a portfolio of pupils’ work that gives a very useful indication of the kind of work carried out in each year group and helps teachers to track the quality of work and the skills development of pupils as they move through the school. A good quality ICT development plan is in place and there is a clear vision as to how the school intends to improve ICT learning and resources in the future. The creation of an ICT suite, the training programmes for the teachers and teaching assistants and the acquisition of new software and peripheral hardware are all successful strategic moves that place the school in a strong position to move forward rapidly in the future.

p.24

Commentary

69. The improvement in the facilities and staff confidence through training means that pupils gain an appropriate range of skills in all areas of ICT. Samples of work seen, three lesson observations made and discussions with Year 6 pupils show their achievement is satisfactory. As they move through the school, they build up skills, for example, of working with word processing, using graphics programs and spreadsheets and researching for information on the Internet. Year 2 pupils edit text on a computer and know how to program instructions into a floor robot. By Year 6, pupils write extended letters using word processing, research for information on the Internet in different subjects and higher attaining pupils prepare PowerPoint displays of work they have carried out in history. These examples, plus other work seen, show that by Year 2 and Year 6 pupils meet the expected levels. Frogwell Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

70. Very few ICT lessons were seen during the inspection, but in these lessons teachers generally showed a confident approach, with particularly good use made of the computer projector in a Year 6 lesson to enhance pupils’ understanding of the work planned for them. ICT is used well to promote the learning of pupils with special educational needs and careful one-to-one guidance by the teaching assistant helped individuals in the special learning centre develop confidence in using the facilities.

p.25

Commentary

71. The co-ordinator has overseen the establishment of target setting books for pupils across the school. These help to give a clear read out as to each pupil’s current ICT attainment and usefully involve pupils in assessing their own performance. The booklets also enable the teachers to quickly refer back quickly work covered previously.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. Discussions with pupils and the co-ordinator indicate that opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their learning in other subjects through using computers. However, such opportunities are not extensive enough. For example, only a very limited amount of evidence was seen of pupils’ word processing information.

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.25

Main Strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection. • Religious education is taught regularly in all classes. • Resources are now good. • Some teachers now focus well on teaching pupils the significance of a personal faith to believing communities. • Religious education makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ speaking and listening skills. • In some classes the work consists of low level work sheets which do little to develop pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. • A small number of teachers lack confidence and subject knowledge.

p.25

Commentary

73. Standards in religious education have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with those expected by the agreed syllabus for pupils in Years 2 and 6. Pupils show sound knowledge of Christianity and other world faiths.

p.25

Commentary

74. Teaching in religious education is now satisfactory though some good teaching was observed. Teaching is good in Year 2. Samples of pupils’ work record an exchange of letters with Muslim pupils in Birmingham telling the class about their lives and faith. Most teachers have secure knowledge of the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and teach it effectively. Teachers’ planning shows that they make good use of drama, role-play and discussion to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding in religious education. Frogwell Primary School - 26

p.25

In history and geography, not enough evidence was gathered during the inspection to

enable overall judgements about provision to be made. The school has identified geography as an area for development, but too little evidence of work was seen during the inspection to make judgement.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The history curriculum is effectively supported by visits made and visitors to the school. • Marking does not tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work.

p.26

Commentary

75. No lessons in geography were observed and only two in history. It is not possible, therefore to make an overall judgement on teaching in these subjects. The subject leader for geography is new to the role and is usefully working with colleagues to establish cross-curricular links. Resources in geography are in need of development. This currently limits learning opportunities for pupils. In a short observation made of work going on in a Year 2 history lesson, good use was made of drama and role play to involve pupils in understanding how the story of the Great Fire of London unfolded. In a satisfactory lesson for Year 6, the teacher provided useful opportunities to learn about historical facts by looking at different sources of evidence. Visits such as a Year 1 visit to a toy museum and visitors such as drama teacher coming to work with Year 3 on an historical theme help to boost pupils’ interest and involvement in learning. Whilst

p.26

Commentary

work samples seen show evidence of regular marking, the comments made do not always give pupils a clear understanding about how to improve their work.

p.26

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

evidence was gathered to make overall judgements of the provision the school makes. No lessons were observed in art and design, design and technology and music. Only one physical education lesson was seen.

p.26

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

76. Discussions with the subject co-ordinators show that art and design and design and technology are led and managed well. The co-ordinators have developed the quality of teaching by working alongside their colleagues in lessons and helping them to plan pupils’ activities. Year 6 pupils talked enthusiastically about work in these subjects. They recalled interesting experiences such as designing and making models that move, such as a mask with a winking eye, and the day a team of animators taught them how to produce a short film using clay figures the pupils had made.

p.26

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

77. Since the inspection was so early in the school year, little of pupils’ art work was on display. However, last year’s Year 2, working on the theme of ‘The Wild Wood’ used experience ‘in the field’ to create texture pictures which were of a good standard. They explored the subject further by working with a computer art program. The portfolio of work collected last year by the co- ordinator contains many examples of good quality drawings, paintings and collages. Particularly effective were collages by Year 4 pupils of woodland scenes, with a good colour balance and rich texture.

p.26

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

78. A few artefacts and design drawings had been retained from last year’s work in design and technology. Lively, imaginative teaching had resulted in Year 2 pupils creating ‘fossil bags’ for use in their archaeological ‘hunt’. The standard of both their designing and making is at least at the level expected for their age. In Year 5, last year’s pupils researched the design and manufacture of chairs. The best products showed very good attention to comfort and Frogwell Primary School - 27 decoration. Year 6 pupils had studied hats before making good design drawings and imaginative versions of headgear.

p.26

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

79. In the Year 2 physical education lesson observed the pupils showed enthusiasm. The good pace generated by the teacher ensured that pupils maintained their interest throughout. Her clear instructions helped them to attain satisfactory skills in throwing and catching. School records show that nearly all pupils learn to swim before they leave the school. The co-ordinator has only recently taken up her post again after maternity leave, but already has good quality action plans in place. She is aware that planning to promote and procedures to assess pupils’ dance skills are areas for development.

p.27

In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, not enough

80. The only opportunity for observing provision in music was in assemblies. The teaching was good, with proper emphasis being placed on preparing the body for singing by adopting a good posture and breathing correctly. The singing was tuneful and pupils kept in time well. They enunciated the words of the hymns clearly even when the tempo increased, but many did not project their voices effectively when asked to produce more volume. Frogwell Primary School - 28

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.28

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

p.28

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).

p.28