Tutshill Church of England Primary School

TUTSHILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Tutshill CE 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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TUTSHILL CE 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. Tutshill CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 209

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Coleford Road Tutshill Chepstow Gwent

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01291 622593 Fax number: 01291 622593

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Janice Hamilton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Tutshill Primary School is situated on the edge of the Forest of Dean close to Chepstow and enjoys attractive views over the River Severn. The school was awarded Investors in People status in 2003. It is about average size with 209 pupils and there are similar numbers of boys and girls. All pupils come from a white cultural background and there are no pupils learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is above average and the proportion of pupils with statements of special educational need is below average. Although pupil mobility is generally below average, there was a high proportion of pupil mobility in the year group that took the national tests in Year 6 in 2003 with a quarter joining during Years 3-6 and almost one fifth joining the school in Years 5 and 6. The attainment of children when they start at the school is generally above

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

national expectations. There have been significant changes to the teaching staff with almost all teachers joining the school since the last inspection. The headteacher has been at the school for a little over two years and the deputy headteacher joined the school in September 2001. There was some instability in leadership following the last inspection with four headteachers in two years. Tutshill CE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22453 Mr Brian Gosling Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology 9837 Mr Roy Walsh Lay inspector 26519 Mrs Margaret Hatfield Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education Foundation Stage 21159 Mr Roger Derwas Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Parkman Ltd in association with 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.ofsted.gov.uk). Tutshill CE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Tutshill Primary is a very effective school. High standards are being maintained in English and mathematics throughout the school. Achievement is good overall and, although pupils’ achievement in Years 3 to 6 has not been as high due to problems in teaching and learning, the commitment to improvement shown by the teachers new to the school is effectively improving achievement. Teaching is good overall, with much that is very good or excellent. The very good leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher is securing these improvements and establishing mutually supportive teamwork at the school. The school continues to provide good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils achieve high standards in both academic attainment and personal development. • Standards in science are not high enough. • The school is led and managed very well and this is securing rapid improvement. • The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. • Curricular opportunities and the support provided for pupils are very good. • The library and the facilities for the children under five, especially the outdoor play area, are limited. • Parents provide strong support for their children’s learning and the school has developed good links with parents.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has secured very good improvement since the last inspection. In particular, the weaknesses identified in the last inspection report in relation to the teaching and learning of pupils in Years 3 to 6 have been addressed successfully. There have been improvements to the curriculum and support for pupils with learning difficulties. The outside play areas have been developed and staff benefit from the new staffroom. These improvements enhance the learning opportunities available for the pupils and have a direct impact on raising pupils’ achievement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good . They achieve very well in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 2 where standards are high. In Years 3 to 6, standards are not so high but pupils’ achievement is good and improving.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In the reception class, most children exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception. In Years 1 to 2, pupils achieve high standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Standards are similarly high in Years 3 to 6 for English but they are not so high in mathematics and, particularly, science. Consequently, pupils’ achievement in Years 3 to 6 is good.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English A* B A C Mathematics A B B E Science B D D E 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

Although standards in English and mathematics have been generally good or better in recent years, they have compared less well to schools with similar attainment at the end of Year 2. (A* means that the results were in the top five per cent of schools.) This is because weaknesses in teaching and learning resulted in pupils failing to maintain the high standards that they had achieved in Years 1 to 2. However, the results in 2003 were adversely affected by a high rate of pupil mobility and Tutshill CE Primary School - 7 improvements to teaching in the school mean that pupils are now making better progress in Years 3 to 6, particularly the more able pupils. Nevertheless, standards in science are too low.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good . Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good, generally. There are a few pupils with behavioural difficulties but these are managed very well by the school and do not significantly detract from the very good education received by the other pupils. Attendance and punctuality are very good and contribute to the high standards that pupils achieve.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching is good overall and it is very good or excellent in almost half of the lessons. Teaching is very good in reception and Years 1 to 2. It is more variable in Years 3 to 6 where it is good overall. However, this is predominantly because there are greater challenges to teaching in Years 3 to 6 because previous weaknesses in teaching have resulted in aspects of pupils’ learning that are weak. Teachers need to identify these weaknesses and address them as well as ensuring pupils continue to make good progress. This is being developed and, significantly, the excellent teaching seen was in Year 6 where these problems are most evident.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provided is very good and the care, guidance and support that pupils receive are good. The links with parents have been developed since the last inspection and are now good, as are the links with the community and other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good . The leadership of the headteacher has effectively established good teamwork and is very effectively securing a wide range of improvements in the school. Subject leadership is very good and the management of the school ensures that the school operates very well. The organisation of the governing body is sound and improving through the implementation of a clear action plan for improving governance.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The great majority of parents are very happy with all aspects of the school’s work and they are very supportive of the school. However, a small group of parents have concerns over some aspects, such as the way the school is led and managed, homework and the account the school takes of parents’ views. The inspection team looked closely into these matters and concludes that they are, currently, not areas of concern although they may have been in the past. Pupils are happy and feel secure at school and they enjoy lessons, finding them interesting and fun.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to continue to improve are: • Raise standards in science by implementing the action plan fully and effectively. • Improve the school library. • Extend the facilities for children in the Foundation Stage. Tutshill CE Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is very good in Years 1 to 2, and for pupils in Years 3 to 6 it is good. Boys tend to do better than girls in Years 3 to 6. Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average in Year 2. In Year 6, standards are well above average in English and above average in mathematics but broadly average in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in reception and Years 1 to 2 and they continue to attain high standards. • Standards in the core subjects are rising in Years 3 to 6. • Standards are not high enough in science. • The trend in the school’s results is rising.

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Commentary

1. The school’s detailed assessments of children when they start at the school show that there is a range of ability but most children exceed the standards expected of children of this age, although children’s attainment on entry to the school is not as high as it has been. They achieve very well and most children exceed the Early Learning Goals 1 they are expected to attain in each of the areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1 as a result of the very effective teaching of these children. Indeed, almost all children exceed the goals they are expected to attain in the important areas of personal and social development, literacy and numeracy. The school’s results 2 in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2003 were well above the averages of all schools and similar schools in reading and mathematics, whilst standards in writing were very high. (Very high means that the results were in the top five per cent of schools.) Teacher

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Commentary

assessments show that the proportion of pupils who attained the nationally expected Level 2 3 in science was very high. These impressive results are rising above the national trend.

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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 28.7 (28.2) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.6 (27.7) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.0 (28.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1 On Early Learning Goals: QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has produced a set of Early Learning Goals for children in the Foundation Stage of education. These outcomes are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the time they start the National Curriculum in Year 1 in six areas of learning: communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development; and personal social and emotional development. The Foundation Stage continues until pupils enter Year 1, when they begin Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

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Commentary

2 On the school’s results: An average points score provides schools with a single statistic with which to compare the overall grades attained by their pupils with the grades attained by pupils in other schools. At Key Stage 1, the National Curriculum levels of attainment are given a score. For example, in mathematics Level 1=9 points and Level 2=15 points, and so on. The average test score achieved by a school is calculated by adding up all the scores achieved by the pupils and then dividing by the number of pupils who took the test.

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Commentary

3 On Levels: The National Curriculum has been written on the basis that, by the end of Year 2, pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve Level 3 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. It is a national expectation that all pupils should reach Level 4 by the end of Year 6. Pupils who reach Level 5 are therefore attaining above the nationally expected level for their age. Tutshill CE Primary School - 9 2. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were well above average in English, above average in mathematics and below average in science. The standards attained in the previous year were maintained in mathematics and science and improved in English. This was because the school began to address the issue of pupils’ lower achievement in Years 3 to 6, following the arrival of the new headteacher, with an initial focus on English, with

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Commentary

mathematics being addressed the following year and science the focus for improvement in the current year. This systematic approach is proving successful in raising standards in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

3. The school noted the high level of pupil mobility in last year’s Year 6 and analysed the results of the national tests to evaluate the impact of this on the school’s results. This showed that when the pupils who arrived after Year 3 were removed from the analysis, results improved significantly. This was particularly so in mathematics where the revised figures for the proportion of pupils who attained Level 4 was well above the national average and the proportion who attained Level 5 was above average. In science, these proportions were broadly average. This careful and detailed analysis of the school’s performance is helping to identify areas for development clearly and securely.

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Commentary

4. Boys tend to do better than girls in mathematics and science. The school is successful in sustaining high attainment for boys because of the attention given to the learning needs of individual pupils. The trend in the school’s results is rising broadly in line with the national trend.

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Commentary

5. It is clear that pupils achieve better in Years 1 to 2 than they do in Years 3 to 6 because standards are comparatively higher in Year 2 than in Year 6. The school is addressing this inconsistency by improving the quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 and this is proving effective. Inspection findings are that standards are high in Years 1 to 2 in reading, writing, mathematics and science. In Years 3 to 6, standards are well above average in English, above average in mathematics and broadly average in science. Pupils’ achievement is very good in Years 1 to 2 where they are maintaining high standards. In Years 3 to 6, achievement is generally good and improving as the impact of the school’s developments take effect. Standards in religious education have improved since the last inspection and now meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils with special

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Commentary

educational needs achieve very well because their needs are identified at an early stage and they receive very good support with clear reference to their individual education plans.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour is very good and they have very positive attitudes to school, partly because the school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is well above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very positive attitudes to school result in pupils behaving very well. • Challenging behaviour is managed very well. • Pupils’ very good personal development results in the care and understanding they show to others. • There are good opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own and other’s thoughts and feelings. • Attendance is very good.

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Commentary

6. The school expects and receives considerable effort from its pupils to promote very good relationships and positive attitudes to leaning. As a result, most pupils are very well behaved. Class rules are displayed in classrooms that reinforce the positive school ethos. Some pupils with special educational needs have a high level of adult support and this contributes to the high attainment in the school. There are, however, some younger pupils with challenging behaviour Tutshill CE Primary School - 10 and the school manages this very well. Effective strategies are in place to ensure that the education and learning of other children in the class are not affected adversely when disruptive behaviour is evident. If any pupil’s behaviour threatens to disrupt others, that pupil is withdrawn from class. In rare circumstances, and when all else fails, the headteacher will exclude disruptive pupils for short periods.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 191 3 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 16 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

7. Pupils’ confidence and eagerness to learn make a significant contribution to the school’s success in raising standards across the school. Parents are very supportive and report that their children have much enthusiasm for school. Parents show commitment to the education provided by the school by ensuring that their children attend school regularly. Pupils arrive punctually, which gives lessons a good start. They like the new things they learn in lessons and appreciate the support given to them by teachers. Although they acknowledge that some pupils do not always behave well, they do think that other pupils are friendly.

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Commentary

8. The school creates an atmosphere of politeness and respect that enables pupils to feel valued and give of their best. School assemblies reinforce a strong sense of community with pupils genuinely appreciating the efforts of others to be caring and kind. The school creates many opportunities for reflection. Music is chosen carefully to create moods and prayers written by pupils are read at the end of morning and afternoon sessions. Pupils in Year 6 understand the responsibilities of being on the school council and they fulfil them very well. Involvement in such activities makes a major contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

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Commentary

9. Attendance is well above the national average and, along with the efficiency with which teachers bring pupils in from the playground to ensure that time is used well and lessons start punctually, makes a significant contribution to the high standards that pupils attain.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.3 School data: 0.1 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good, overall. Teaching is good overall and very good in reception and Years 1 to 2. The curriculum is very good and the care, guidance and support that pupils receive are good. The school’s links with parents and the community are good. Tutshill CE Primary School - 11

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good, overall, with a very substantial proportion of very good and excellent teaching. Teaching is very good in reception and Years 1 to 2. The assessment of pupils’ learning is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching has improved since the last inspection. • Time and resources are used very well by all teachers. • The learning needs of pupils of all abilities are met well. • Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and ensure that pupils are fully engaged in lessons. • The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is variable.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 40 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 3 (7.5%) 14 (35%) 17 (42.5%) 6 (15%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

10. Teaching has improved substantially since the last inspection. The good quality of teaching in reception and Years 1 to 2 at the time of the last inspection is now very good, and the satisfactory teaching in Years 3 to 6 is now good. The unsatisfactory teaching identified in the last inspection report has been addressed and there is now no unsatisfactory teaching. This has been achieved by a rigorous policy of monitoring and evaluating teaching; weaknesses have been identified and addressed, and there have been some recent changes in the teaching staff in Years 3 to 6. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are leading this improvement in teaching very effectively and both were seen teaching to a very high quality during the inspection.

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Commentary

11. The quality of teaching in the reception class is very good, particularly in the important areas of personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Very good relationships between children and adults, high expectations of staff, very good support for all the children and very good planning result in the children’s high achievement. Members of staff work very well as a team, carefully assessing the children's progress and building on what they already know and can do.

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Commentary

12. Lessons are planned and organised very well throughout the school. Little time is lost in moving pupils from one activity to another and all sessions begin promptly. A brisk pace is maintained in most lessons and explanations and instructions are delivered economically and clearly. This maintains pupils’ interest and allows sufficient time for them to engage fully in the tasks provided. The learning intention of the lesson is shared clearly with the pupils and this enables them to be fully aware of what is expected of them in the lesson. One teacher, who has recently arrived at the school, employs a simple but very effective strategy to ensure that pupils fully understand the purpose of the lesson. The learning intention is written on the board and, following the introduction, pupils are asked if they understand the learning intention and if they can express it better. In one lesson, pupils considered a rather lengthy sentence and identified

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Commentary

‘frequency table’ (which they already knew about) and ‘bar graphs’ (which they did not) and wrote a new phrase highlighting these two terms. This is an effective and simple method of ensuring that pupils are aware of the purpose of their tasks and so helps them to learn more effectively. Resources assist pupils well in completing their tasks and are prepared in advance of lessons. This helps the lesson to maintain a brisk pace with no unnecessary interruptions. Tutshill CE Primary School - 12 13. Teachers use assessments of pupils’ previous learning well to ensure that the tasks set contain a suitable level of challenge. In many lessons, tasks have different levels of difficulty whilst in more practical, investigative work, higher attaining pupils are expected to complete the task with little or no assistance. Pupils with special educational needs are generally taught very well and as a result, make very good progress. This is because teachers use very good support

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Commentary

strategies including appropriate questioning, praise and encouragement to motivate pupils. There is an expectation that all pupils will work hard. Learning support workers help pupils very well individually and in groups. They work well with the teachers and are clear about the purpose of the lesson. Consequently, pupils work well in lessons.

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Commentary

14. There are very good relationships in the school and this supports the high standards that teachers have of pupils’ behaviour. Some lessons can become a little noisy due to the pupils’ enthusiasm when working collaboratively. All teachers have very good strategies to calm lessons when they judge that learning is adversely affected. Pupils respond quickly and with maturity and this allows all pupils to benefit from the lesson. In one class, there are a few pupils with behavioural difficulties. This is managed very well and additional support is provided for this class. The school is committed to ensuring the effective learning of all pupils and when this is threatened, individual pupils are taken aside so that the learning of the rest of the class is not adversely affected. Pupils know what is expected of them and this, combined with the stimulating tasks provided, enables them to be fully engaged in the lesson.

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Commentary

15. There is some difference in the overall quality of learning between Years 1 to 2 and Years 3 to 6. With the older pupils, the quality of teaching varies between satisfactory and excellent. This is due to a number of factors. Some teachers in Years 3 to 6 are relatively new to the school and are adapting to the school’s procedures but, predominantly, these pupils had been sustaining a lesser rate of progress than pupils had in Years 1 to 2. Less effective learning has meant that there are weaknesses in some areas of their knowledge, skills and understanding. The school has carefully analysed the results of tests and assessments to identify these weaknesses, which are most prevalent in Years 5 to 6. The effective use of these assessments when planning lessons means that these weaknesses are being eliminated but, on occasions, it does result in pupils not learning as well as is expected. However, teachers are quick to respond by amending

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Commentary

planned lessons when problems arise and the quality of teaching is improving as teachers work well as a team and are very receptive to sharing the best practice. This is improving the quality of learning for all pupils.

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Commentary

16. Some parents expressed concern about the amount of homework that is provided. At the parents’ meeting, however, there was no consensus about whether there was too much or too little. Inspectors find that the amount of homework set, which is clearly set out in the homework policy, is suitable and makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The amount of homework increases as the pupils get older and parents make a good contribution to their children’s learning at home.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good and has improved since the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The breadth of curricular opportunities is very good. • Opportunities for enrichment are very good. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The library is underdeveloped. • Outside and internal accommodation for Foundation Stage children is limited. Tutshill CE Primary School - 13

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Commentary

17. The imaginative and stimulating curriculum provides a wealth of opportunities to support, develop and extend pupils’ learning and personal development and this promotes high achievement. The curriculum is broad and balanced; it meets statutory requirements and includes opportunities to learn French. Curriculum planning has improved and is regularly reviewed to take account of new developments. Concerns in the last inspection about provision for personal, social and health education, religious education and curriculum planning have been well addressed. The needs of pupils with special educational needs are met very well because the support they are given is consistently very good.

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Commentary

18. The Foundation Stage curriculum is very good and is based on the six areas of learning and the recommended Early Learning Goals. It is very well planned to provide an imaginative range of interesting and relevant activities that are very well matched to the children's needs. Areas of learning are often inter-linked, providing meaningful experiences for children. The classroom and outdoor play area, although limited in terms of space, are imaginatively organised to provide stimulating and interesting experiences that lead to children’s high achievement.

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Commentary

19. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good and has improved since the last inspection. Well-planned programmes and very good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility contribute very well to this aspect of their development. Strong programmes of extra-curricular opportunities enrich pupils' learning outside classrooms. These include a wide variety of popular after school clubs, inter-school sporting and musical events and numerous visitors and visits. Effective links with local pre-school providers ensure a smooth entry to school, and pupils are well prepared for each new stage in their education. Very good relationships, special educational needs liaison, curricular links, reciprocal staff in-service training and visits to the local secondary school contribute effectively to preparing pupils for transfer.

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Commentary

20. All members of staff work together as a good team. Staff induction and mentoring arrangements are good and staff development procedures are effective and linked to the school’s developmental planning. For example, recent professional development in science has been very effective in improving the teaching of the subject.

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Commentary

21. The accommodation and resources for learning are satisfactory, overall. Classrooms are light and spacious and teachers work hard to create a stimulating learning environment with displays of a high quality. Improvements since the last inspection include a new staffroom, and outside play areas have been developed. The school hall has a low ceiling and this limits opportunities for physical education. However, the school has made suitable alternative arrangements to ensure the full delivery of the physical education curriculum, which is an improvement since the last inspection. These include the use of a local gymnastics club. The school field and the adventure playgrounds provide suitable space for games. A number of committed parents have worked with pupils to create a wildlife garden and this offers good opportunities for pupils' personal and spiritual development. However, the library is under-developed and this limits

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Commentary

effective opportunities for pupils to develop independent research skills.

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Commentary

22. A safe and secure outdoor area has been provided for children in reception, as was required in the last inspection report, but this area is small and limits opportunities to develop children’s physical skills and independence. The Foundation Stage classroom is also restricted in terms of space, although the very effective organisation of the reception class teacher maintains a very good provision despite the limited internal and outside accommodation.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, guidance and support is good . Pupils are involved in the work of the school. Tutshill CE Primary School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides good pastoral care for its pupils. • Induction arrangements are good. • The school council allows pupils to be involved with the work of the school.

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Commentary

23. The pastoral care provided by the school is good with members of staff knowing the pupils and their families very well and understanding their learning requirements. Learning support workers provide very good support for pupils with special educational needs, helping them to become more involved with their lessons and learning. Procedures for health and safety are good with governors playing an active part in ensuring the safety of the site. This allows pupils to feel safe and secure in an environment that encourages learning. Members of staff are well aware of their responsibilities for the protection of pupils and further training is planned. Accidents and injuries are treated promptly, records are kept and parents informed if necessary. Pupils report that they have good relationships with their class teachers and with the mid-day supervisors, and most find it easy to discuss any difficulties they are experiencing with their learning. Pupils’

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Commentary

work is marked helpfully and pupils are aware of their strengths and targets for improvements. Teachers provide good advice and guidance to pupils on how to improve their work.

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Commentary

24. Procedures for helping pupils to settle into the reception class are effective with staff taking individual children’s needs into account. Very good relationships exist between the local play group and the school, with joint planning of activities, the sharing of large outdoor resources and visits for children about to join the reception class. A number of pupils join the school at other times. These are welcomed as part of the school family and a ‘buddy’ helps them settle quickly and effectively into school routines.

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Commentary

25. From their early years, pupils are keen to get involved in the life of the school, its routines and activities. They gladly offer their services and willingly carry out tasks for the benefit of the school community. Older pupils are given responsibilities for answering telephone calls and looking after younger pupils at lunchtime. These responsibilities and activities help to develop pupils’ independence and initiative. A school council has also been set up to represent the views of the pupils and suggestions from each class informs school decisions. The school council has been effective in representing pupils’ views and the school recently upgraded its quiet area in the playground after discussions with the council.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents, other schools and the local community are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents offer strong support to the school and to pupils’ learning both in school and at home. • Links with other schools and the community contribute well to pupils’ achievements.

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Commentary

26. The school is successful in promoting strong links with its parents and this helps to ensure that pupils achieve well. Parents support the school extremely well and appreciate the dedication of the teaching staff and the way all teachers encourage their children to make progress and work hard. A large number of parents regularly help with activities in school, such as organising the library, providing extra classroom support, supervising extra-curricular clubs and enriching the curriculum by talking to pupils about their careers. Parents also support their children’s learning at home and the school’s initiative to develop a home-school reading programme has also strengthened the links between parents and the school. The Parent Teacher Association is Tutshill CE Primary School - 15 particularly effective at organising both fundraising and social events. Over the past year it has raised considerable funds for educational resources, which is much appreciated by the school.

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Commentary

27. In the pre-inspection questionnaire and at the parents’ meeting, a small number of parents expressed dissatisfaction with the school’s communications and their involvement in the school decision making process. At present the school issues questionnaires and governors hold coffee mornings for parents in order to gather parental views and hear any concerns. These are generally good arrangements. Nevertheless, the governing body is keen to improve its communication with parents so that they are clear about developments in the school. A number of parents were worried about behaviour in the infant classes and the leadership and management of the school. Inspectors looked closely at these areas and inspection evidence does not support these assertions. Although challenging behaviour does exist amongst the younger pupils, this is managed very well and is not allowed to affect the learning of the other

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Commentary

pupils adversely. The leadership and management of the school have improved considerably since the last inspection and all concerns raised by parents are dealt with professionally and quickly.

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Commentary

28. The information provided for parents is good. Regular newsletters that invites parents’ comments, the home-school agreement, information about what their children will be learning each half term and the school prospectus provide parents with a wide range of useful information about the school and its activities. The governor’s annual report to parents is well laid out, easy to read and contains all the required statutory information. Pupils’ annual progress reports are well written and contain future targets and advice to parents, but information of pupils’ levels of attainment are not given clearly in all year groups. These reports are supplemented by two formal parents’ evenings during the academic year when their children’s progress and learning targets are discussed in depth with the class teacher.

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Commentary

29. Pupils’ learning and their personal and physical development benefit significantly from the links the school has established with other local primary schools. These include competing in sporting and academic activities and sharing staff training and expertise. Admission arrangements are smooth and very effective. The school encourages parents to be closely involved as partners in the education of their children and a high priority is given to fostering the very positive relationships between staff and parents of children in the reception class. The 'reception Parents Information Pack' about starting school is very helpful, showing how parents and carers can support their children. This is adapted to suit the needs of parents each year after consulting them. The school maintains good links with the local secondary school through using common curriculum projects, sharing teachers and support staff, and making visits to

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Commentary

drama performances at the other school. This year, Year 7 pupils will return to the school to relate their own experiences on moving up to the secondary school. These well-planned activities help to ensure the smooth transfer of pupils into secondary education.

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Commentary

30. The school is a valued member of a flourishing local community. Pupils use the local church to celebrate religious festivals and school facilities are used by a number of local organisations. In particular, the ‘Cool Club’ is held in the hall after school each day and has developed very good relationships with the school. Local businesses also support school activities by sponsoring sporting kits. These community links make a significant contribution to pupils’ education at the school.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the headteacher and subject leaders is very good, whilst the management of the school is also very good. Governance is satisfactory and improving.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher is ensuring very good improvement through effective teamwork. Tutshill CE Primary School - 16 • The school monitors and evaluates its performance very well. • Systematic development by subject leaders is raising standards in Years 3 to 6. • Very good management ensures that challenges are met effectively. • The governing body has adopted a good action plan to develop its strategic role.

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Commentary

31. The experienced and very well qualified headteacher provides very good leadership. She has a very clear vision for the school’s development and this is shared by the teaching staff who work very well as a mutually supportive team that is committed to school improvement. The headteacher is supported very well by the deputy headteacher and she enjoys a good, professional relationship with the chair of governors. Together they are leading school improvement very well. Effective developments have been achieved in the planning of the curriculum including suitable provision for physical education, outdoor play areas, the role of subject leaders, pupils’ behaviour and teaching and learning in the school.

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Commentary

32. The school is monitoring its performance very well. There is a range of assessments each year and the school analyses these very well, including the results of the national tests that have been analysed to clarify the effects of a high level of pupil mobility. Teaching is monitored very well with every teacher being observed each term by the headteacher. There is an agreed focus to these observations and evaluations are shared with the teacher both verbally and in writing. Subject leaders are developing their classroom monitoring skills and teaching has been observed in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. This is effectively helping to improve teaching. For example, observations in science showed the importance of using the correct scientific vocabulary and this has been developed throughout the school.

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Commentary

33. The role of subject leaders has been developed effectively. As well as the analysis of assessments and national tests, subject leaders regularly monitor pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. This gives subject leaders a clear idea of strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and forms an effective basis for development planning in the subjects which is raising standards, particularly in Years 3 to 6. It is significant that the important areas of English and mathematics are currently led by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. There are very good procedures for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs. The committed special educational needs co-ordinator works well with all members of staff to ensure the correct identification of pupils’ learning needs and very good provision is made. Individual education plans are monitored through assessment procedures as well as discussions with staff and

p.16

Commentary

34. The school has identified particular challenges that include the teaching of physical education, due to the limitations presented by the hall, behavioural difficulties in one class and lower achievement in Years 3 to 6. The very good management of the school in general and these challenges in particular are ensuring that strengths are maintained and weaknesses are addressed effectively. A high priority is placed on the appointment and deployment of staff with an emphasis on developing their skills. This has resulted in improvements to teaching and learning and very good teamwork. There is a commitment to improvement that is shared by the school staff and the governing body. The three-year school improvement plan is updated each year and is an effective tool for school development. It identifies priorities for development along with key personnel and dates for completion. It is also sufficiently flexible to allow other

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Commentary

developments should they arise, as was the case with the need to improve standards in science following the results of the national tests.

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Commentary

35. The governing body has a number of governors who are new to the role, including the chair of governors. Their good organisation ensures that governance remains satisfactory during this transition period. There are a suitable number of sub-committees. Members of the curriculum committee are linked to subjects and meet with subject leaders, whilst other governors are linked with specific classes. All governors are asked to visit the school during the day at least Tutshill CE Primary School - 17 once each year for which there is an agreed focus and written records are kept. However, there is no formal arrangement for these visits to ensure that all governors have an equally good understanding of what is happening in the school. There is a clear commitment to improvement amongst the governors and they are involved in the planning process for the school improvement plan but this is not at an early enough stage for them to be fully involved in

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Commentary

strategic planning. Financial panning is satisfactory and the school provides good value for money. There are a number of new members of the finance committee, who meet regularly to monitor the budget. The committee has a number of good methods to ensure best value. However, as the figures below show, the carry forward figure has been substantially above the recommended five per cent. This money has now been spent suitably on the addition of a new staff room and staff toilets.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 433,250 Balance from previous year 47,158 Total expenditure 413,299 Balance carried forward to the next 67,109 Expenditure per pupil 1,968 Tutshill CE Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good , and has improved since the last inspection.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. Children in the reception class receive a good start to their education. They enter school in the September before they are five. The children achieve very well because teaching is very good and the curriculum is very well planned to provide an imaginative range of interesting and relevant activities that are very well matched to their needs. All members of staff work very well as a team, carefully assessing the children's progress and building systematically on what they know and can do. The class teacher works very hard, making the best of the rather cramped classroom accommodation through very good organisation and colourful displays. A key issue in the last inspection was to provide a secure outdoor play area for the under-fives. A play area has been provided but it is small and limits opportunities for aspects of children's physical development and independence.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. When they start school, children's attainment exceeds expectations for their age in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. In aspects of personal, social and emotional development many children’s attainment is below expectations. In knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development, attainment meets expectations. Children achieve very well and, by the end of the Foundation Stage, almost all children are on course to exceed the Early Learning Goals in the key areas of personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. This is due to very good teaching, provision and leadership. In knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development, most achieve well due to the good teaching.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good. • There are very effective strategies for developing children’s independence and responsibility. • The limited space restricts opportunities for independent play.

p.18

Commentary

38. Children enter school with varying levels of attainment and many have immature skills in this area of learning. They achieve highly, reflecting the skilful teaching. By the time they leave the reception class, the children are on course to exceed the Early Learning Goals in this area, because members of staff value children's ideas and encourage them to feel confident about what they can achieve. Snack times are organised very well to develop children’s social and personal skills as well as their speaking and listening skills. The teacher encourages independence through planning activities that are balanced between those initiated by children and those taught directly by adults. Children are willing and eager to take responsibility; they help to put out physical education apparatus and choose work to go on display in specific areas. An excellent strategy in the form of a 'planning board' encourages children to organise

p.18

Commentary

themselves independently. However, the classroom and outside play area are limited in terms of space and restrict independent free play. Tutshill CE Primary School - 19

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good. • Management is very good and learning support workers support learning very well. • Very effective use of imaginative resources. • Strategies for teaching reading and writing are very effective.

p.19

Commentary

39. Teaching is very good and, as a result, all children, including those with special educational needs, achieve very well. By the end of the Foundation Stage, almost all are likely to exceed the Early Learning Goals. Members of staff work together as a very good team, providing very good support for children of all abilities. All adults use talk to very good effect and listen to and value children's contributions. Members of staff have high expectations of children and give high priority to speaking and listening and make good use of opportunities such as snack times. Very good support for children's language development permeates the life and work of the reception class.

p.19

Commentary

40. The teacher uses very good strategies to teach reading and writing skills. Children respond with enthusiasm to her imaginative use of resources when matching sounds with letters and finding rhyming words. She successfully engages the children's interest through the use of a toy tiger to teach final sounds of words and the use of a 'feelie bag' to find words that rhyme with 'star'. Consequently, children recognise familiar letters, sounds and words, and they 'sound out' words with growing confidence. They enjoy books and stories, understand their structure and know that print carries meaning. More able children read familiar texts independently. The provision of a class 'Writing Box' stimulates the children to write stories, lists and news. Most children form letters correctly and are beginning to use their knowledge of sounds to write simple regular words with many children making plausible attempts to spell more complex words.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good. • Very good assessments guide the planning of the next steps in learning.

p.19

Commentary

41. Teaching is very good and children achieve very well, including those with special educational needs. Almost all are set to exceed expectations by the end of reception. Children develop very good mathematical skills due to the teacher's high expectations and the regular use of assessment to plan new learning that builds on what children already know and can do. A very good balance of adult-directed and child-initiated activities encourages children to practise, reinforce and extend mathematical skills co-operatively and independently. Children are very keen to join in games involving a puppet that develop counting, matching, number recognition and more than/less than, and this enhances their learning. By the end of the reception year, most count reliably well beyond ten and understand addition and subtraction. Effective practical activities help children to understand shape, space and measures.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • Learning opportunities are imaginative. • Purposeful play activities are well organised.

p.20

Commentary

42. Almost all children are set to achieve and many to exceed the Early Learning Goals by the end of reception. They achieve well as a consequence of good teaching. Good organisation of purposeful play activities enable children to learn at a brisk pace. Many develop a good awareness of time and recognise how day and night are different through imaginative opportunities to find out about and compare a variety of nocturnal creatures with some daytime creatures. Visits in the locality and to places such as Weston-Super-Mare foster a sense of place and this adds to the children's understanding of the world. Members of staff encourage children to use computers and many can control the mouse independently. Children learn about other cultures through playing with multi-cultural toys and listening to stories such as 'Handa's Surprise'.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • The small secure outdoor play area is limited. • There is good provision to develop children's fine physical skills.

p.20

Commentary

43. Teaching is good and pupils achieve well. In a physical education lesson in the hall, children showed appropriate awareness of space and of others, moving safely, with growing control and co-ordination. Members of staff encourage the understanding of positional language, such as 'across’, ‘near’ and ‘towards', and this develops children’s mathematical skills. Most children are set to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year and many will exceed them. The lack of a secure outdoor play area for reception children was a key issue in the last inspection. Although such an area has been provided, it is too small for children to use large apparatus and wheeled toys freely, limiting the development of large body skills and independence. Children are taken to the playground to use wheeled toys but this does not provide the free access to these activities that the youngest children benefit from. Teachers

p.20

Commentary

plan good opportunities for developing children's fine physical skills and children handle a range of toys and tools to help them develop control of their finer movements.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • Stimulating activities are planned to develop children's creative skills. • The classroom offers limited space for practical activities. Tutshill CE Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

44. As a result of good teaching, children achieve well and are set to achieve or exceed the Early Learning Goals by the end of reception. Stimulating activities, such as creating collage pictures, paintings and models, enable children to explore colour, texture and shape using a wide range of materials. Members of staff encourage children to experiment with various techniques, such as dropping wet paint on wet paper and creating shades of colour and patterns. Attractive, colourful displays enhance the classroom and link areas of learning. For example, a large class collage of the world, showing the Equator, the Arctic and Antarctic regions using 'hot' and 'cold' colours, enhances a developing sense of place and also creativity. Space is limited for practical group activities but the teacher makes the best of the restricted room, through very good organisation.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are sustaining high standards. • Teaching is very good. • The leadership of the subject is very good. • All pupils are encouraged to listen with concentration and speak confidently. • Reading areas in classrooms are not sufficiently stimulating and the library is inadequate.

p.21

Commentary

45. Standards are well above average in Year 2 and Year 6. High standards have been maintained in Years 1 to 2 and these pupils achieve very well. Standards in Year 6 have improved since the last inspection because of effective developments since the arrival two years ago of the new headteacher who is the subject leader. Improvements in teaching mean that pupils are now making better progress in Years 3 to 6. As a result of very good teaching, pupils in Year 6 are confident and achieve very well. The committed and caring staff encourages all pupils, though pupils make better progress where there is additional effective classroom support. This is most evident in Years 1 to 2.

p.21

Commentary

46. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well throughout the school because their needs are clearly identified and receive very good support from an early stage. Consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour help to create a very good learning atmosphere. This enables pupils to concentrate on their tasks. There is little difference between the performance of girls and boys.

p.21

Commentary

47. Teachers expect pupils to listen carefully. Vocabulary is reinforced by key words prominently displayed in classrooms as well as by teachers encouraging pupils to think of alternative words and phrases. The use of group and paired discussion challenges pupils to think of interesting words to share with the rest of the class. In Year 3, pupils are invited to discuss and redefine the learning objective of the lesson. As a result of this and planned opportunities for role-plays, pupils’ understanding and ability to communicate are developed well and this enables them to become confident speakers. With the very good relationships established by teachers and other adults, pupils know that their contributions will be respected and for that reason they are interested and eager to contribute.

p.21

Commentary

48. Pupils achieve very well in reading. Teachers provide pupils with good opportunities during the school day to read in groups, pairs and individually. There is good use of structured reading programmes and pupils are encouraged to read regularly at home. This helps them very well in Tutshill CE Primary School - 22 developing a knowledge and enjoyment of books as well as acquiring the reading skills necessary for independent learning. Year 3 pupils readily distinguished between fiction and non-fiction books and were able to give reasons for their preferences. Pupils in Year 4 emphasise words like ‘hissed’ and ‘squeaked’ to put feeling in their reading. In Year 5, pupils receive good support in developing their reading skills through well-organised use of the computer. Very good displays of pupils’ work in Year 6 encourage reflection on authors ranging from Shakespeare to J K Rowling. Books that support a variety of topics are also very well

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Commentary

displayed in classrooms but reading areas are not as stimulating as they might be. The County Library Service provides additional reading books for the school. The library partly operates through valuable parental help, however, the facility is inadequate because it is not large enough for more than a small group of pupils and there are insufficient non-fiction books to support pupils’ independent learning effectively.

p.22

Commentary

49. Writing is a current target for improvement and measures undertaken in spelling are improving standards. The quality of written work, including presentation, is often very good in literacy lessons. In Year 6, pupils are reminded of the importance of good posture when writing. Through regular ‘book look’ sessions, teachers review pupils’ written work from across the school, considering inconsistencies of approach. Pupils’ work is celebrated in displays and scrapbooks, and in Year 6, a range of pupils’ writing is attractively displayed and this includes newspaper articles, information leaflets and evaluations of design projects. Pupils are keenly aware of their literacy targets and encouraged by teachers’ positive marking of their written work. Well-written individual education plans very effectively help pupils with special educational needs and they are supported by additional adult help.

p.22

Commentary

50. Overall in the lessons seen, teaching was very good which is an improvement since the last inspection. Teaching is purposeful and pupils are appropriately challenged with a variety of learning opportunities. This and the manner in which pupils settle to their tasks quickly and sustain very good levels of concentration enable them to achieve very well.

p.22

Commentary

51. The headteacher leads and manages the work of English very effectively particularly through the way in which she monitors planning and how teaching affects learning. Test results are analysed and are used to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning. The sharing and celebration of good teaching are also encouraged and consequently the school is focused on moving forward.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. There is a good range of opportunities for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects especially when listening, expressing opinions and reading information. Approaches to writing are under-developed in subjects like history, geography and religious education although there are very good examples of writing in Year 6 that include information leaflets following a recent visit to a water treatment works. The school has identified this as an area for improvement.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve high standards in Year 2 and standards are improving in Year 6. • Teaching is very good throughout the school. • The leadership of the subject is very good.

p.22

Commentary

53. Pupils’ attainment is well above average in Year 2. There have been weaknesses in pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 but the school is addressing this very well. Inspection evidence shows that standards remain high in Years 3 and 4, but previous weaknesses in pupils’ learning are still Tutshill CE Primary School - 23 evident in Years 5 and 6 although standards in these years are above average. Nevertheless, good progress is being made in eliminating these weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Pupils’ achievement is very good in Years 1 to 4 and good in Years 5 to 6.

p.22

Commentary

54. The large proportion of pupils who joined in Year 5 adversely affected the results of the national tests in 2003. The subject leader identified this through skilful analysis of the results. This also showed that almost all pupils attained the nationally expected Level 4 and one third attained the higher Level 5 (or four fifths if the mobile pupils are discounted). Nevertheless, the subject leader has decided that more pupils could attain Level 5 and this would raise standards. Consequently, the more able pupils in Years 5 and 6 receive additional, focused support from the class teachers that provides a high level of challenge. The provision in the subject is monitored very well. Lessons have been observed in all classes and the subject leader evaluates pupils’ learning twice each year with teachers’ planning monitored each half term. From this, the subject leader has identified improved learning of number, particularly when using

p.23

Commentary

money, and the need to focus on the particular learning needs of groups of pupils in lessons. This emphasis has had a positive impact on raising standards and improving teaching and learning.

p.23

Commentary

55. A good proportion of pupils is exceeding national expectations in all year groups. In Year 6, for example, many pupils multiply and divide numbers with decimals, confidently find the lowest common denominator for fractions and use a formula for finding the area of rectangles. Pupils in Year 2 have a quick mental recall of number facts. A significant number of the older pupils, however, do not have a sufficiently quick recall of multiplication facts and this hampers the speed at which they solve number problems. This is being addressed and all classes use time at the beginning of lessons to practise this and weaknesses in Years 5 and 6 are improving.

p.23

Commentary

56. The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils and, consequently, their work is always neat and well presented. Lessons are planned very well with some teachers making very detailed notes about the learning needs of all pupils. This helps learning support workers greatly; they work well with teachers and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, especially the lower attainers who receive very good support. The learning intention of the lesson is made clear to pupils, and one teacher encourages the class to rewrite the learning intention in their own words before beginning the task. This is insightful and ensures that the pupils understand what they are doing and why very effectively. Tasks are well organised and planned with different levels of difficulty to meet the learning needs of all pupils in the class. Pupils enjoy lessons and they respond with a good deal

p.23

Commentary

of enthusiasm and high levels of concentration. Homework is used well and regularly to support pupils’ work and to improve their understanding of the number system.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

57. Suitable opportunities are taken to develop pupils’ numeracy skills in other subjects, such as science and design and technology. However, these opportunities have not been identified in curriculum planning.

p.23

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory , and improving.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 2 are well above average. • Very good leadership is effectively securing improvements in Years 3 to 6. • Teaching is good in Years 1 to 2 and is improving in Years 3 to 6. • There is insufficient challenge for the more able pupils in Years 3 to 6. • Assessment is not used well enough. Tutshill CE Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

58. Pupils in Years 1 to 2 achieve well and by the end of Year 2 standards are well above average, reflecting the results of teachers' assessments in 2003 and good teaching that incorporates a strong emphasis on developing enquiry skills. Standards in Year 6 are average and pupils in Years 3 to 6, including those with special educational needs, achieve satisfactorily. Almost all Year 6 pupils are set to reach the expected level for eleven-year-olds. Although an increased number are on course to reach the higher Level 5, standards are not high enough as too few pupils attain this higher level, mainly due to insufficient challenge for these pupils.

p.24

Commentary

59. When the results of teachers' assessments at the end of Year 2 are taken into account, it is evident that pupils in Years 3 to 6 have not been making satisfactory progress. The school has appropriately focused on improving literacy and numeracy over the last two years and has prioritised improvement in science in the current year. Through detailed analysis of the test results, the subject leader identified areas needing improvement and has drawn up a comprehensive, detailed action plan, with clear strategies to address the identified weaknesses. These measures include: • allocating more teaching time to the subject. • giving a high priority to developing practical investigations and pupils' skills of enquiry. • ensuring higher levels of challenge for more able pupils. • providing additional support and focused revision programmes for Year 6 pupils. • developing teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence in assessing attainment levels.

p.24

Commentary

60. Examination of pupils’ work and discussions with them showed that, by Year 6, pupils’ investigative skills are satisfactory. Pupils carry out a significant amount of practical work, but there is too much teacher direction of many investigations with too few opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge, understanding and skills to planning experiments.

p.24

Commentary

61. Teaching is satisfactory, overall. Teaching in Years 1 to 2 is good and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. Teachers have a good command of the subject and of approaches to learning that will lead to higher standards. A scrutiny of pupils' work indicates that teachers plan investigative work with a strong emphasis on developing the enquiry skills of pupils of all abilities. This contributes considerably to their very good knowledge and understanding of other areas of science. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory, overall, although there is some excellent teaching. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The lack of planning to challenge the full range of ability in classes means many other good aspects of teaching do not have the maximum effect. There are gaps in the knowledge and understanding of pupils in Years 5 to 6, due to weaknesses in

p.24

Commentary

past teaching and this presents a challenge for teachers when planning lessons. Although pupils are regularly assessed, information gained from assessments is not used consistently to guide the planning of new work to sufficiently extend the skills, knowledge and understanding of the more able pupils. This has begun to develop, and in a Year 6 lesson of high quality, a very good example of assessment being used to guide planning was seen. Having assessed the previous lesson, the teacher adapted her planning to improve pupils' understanding. The reviewed learning objectives clearly targeted pupils' differing needs, enabling all to be challenged very well. However, this good practice is not sufficiently employed throughout the school. To address these issues, teachers worked alongside science specialist teachers to develop their subject command and confidence. As a consequence of this training and

p.24

Commentary

additional time and support provided for Year 6 pupils, teaching and learning are improving.

p.24

Commentary

62. Subject leadership is very good and is instrumental in improving standards. With new measures in place to monitor and improve provision in the subject, the school has a good capacity to improve further. Through the monitoring and evaluation of teachers’ planning, teaching and learning in lessons, the rigorous analysis of pupils' work and assessments, a very effective overview of strengths and areas for development has been developed. This has led to the writing and implementation of a good action plan for improvement. Additionally, the school Tutshill CE Primary School - 25 grounds and wildlife area are used effectively as resources for science investigations and good use is made of events such as a science day to enrich the curriculum.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources for the subject are improved and include a computer suite. • Teachers’ confidence in using and teaching ICT has been improved. • The subject leader is ensuring improvements in the subject. • Improved practices have not been in place long enough to raise standards fully.

p.25

Commentary

63. Pupils’ attainment meets national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is similar to standards at the time of the last inspection. However, there have been significant improvements in provision that include a greater number of computers, improved software and the creation of a computer suite.

p.25

Commentary

64. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 to 2 and Years 3 to 6. Although no direct teaching of ICT was seen in the last inspection, the regular use of the computer suite ensures that ICT skills are now taught systematically throughout the school. Teachers’ expertise has been increased by professional development for all staff; much of it conducted within the school by the subject leader who is an ICT trainer. Good teaching was seen on the inspection. Teachers plan lessons well with a clear idea of what they want the pupils to learn. Lessons are well organised with sufficient resources for all pupils to be actively engaged using ICT and this helps them to learn effectively. Pupils enjoy using computers and they work enthusiastically at the purposeful tasks that they are given to develop their skills.

p.25

Commentary

65. Leadership of the subject is good. The experienced and knowledgeable subject leader has led professional development both in the school and on other schools. She has developed the resources for ICT and curriculum planning has been improved to help teachers plan lessons more effectively. She has supported colleagues by working alongside them and completed monitoring reports. This has given her a clear idea about how standards can be improved. Most recently, the subject leader has begun formal assessments of pupils’ learning under a pilot project for the local education authority.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. There are three interactive whiteboards in classrooms and the teachers use these very well in many subjects. Each classroom also contains two or three computers and these are used suitably to use or to develop pupils’ ICT skills in other subjects.

p.25

HUMANITIES

67. Work was sampled in history and geography, with only one lesson seen in each subject. It is therefore not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. From the work seen, as well as talking to pupils, the indication is that standards broadly meet national expectations. In both subjects, learning is made more interesting and relevant through a range of visits in each year group. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 have the opportunity to go on residential visits and these involve cross-curricular links, while Year 2 pupils created a collage of their visit to Chepstow Castle. These opportunities enhance the curriculum and support pupils’ learning well. Tutshill CE Primary School - 26 68. The co-ordinator has ensured that there is appropriate coverage of the subjects with a suitable progression of skills. However, there are insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to develop

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision in the subject has improved since the last inspection. • Pupils are encouraged to apply religious values to their everyday lives. • A good range of resources, educational visits and visitors enhances learning. • Assessment is underdeveloped.

p.26

Commentary

69. Standards of attainment meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the attainment of pupils in Year 6 was unsatisfactory. Three lessons were observed, but since much of the work covered in lessons centres around discussions, there was limited written work to examine. However, analysis of the pupils’ work available and talking to pupils indicate that pupils’ achievement is at least satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

70. Teaching is at least satisfactory and some teaching of a high quality was seen during the inspection. Pupils are gaining a good understanding of Christianity so that, by Year 6, they are able to link religious teaching with rules for life as illustrated by the Ten Commandments. Pupils in Year 4 know that in planning an act of worship in the local church they would have to take account of symbols to reflect the church calendar. Pupils in Year 2 were thoroughly absorbed in acting a ceremony of welcome into the Sikh faith. Having created a realistic atmosphere, pupils were skilfully given the opportunity to reflect on tolerance for other peoples’ customs and appearance. Good use is made of visits to the local church, a synagogue and Gloucester Cathedral. Visitors, such as the Bishop’s representative, are valued by the school and enhance pupils’ learning.

p.26

Commentary

71. The subject is led well and this has contributed to improved standards. The curriculum has recently been updated and new resources have been added that have resulted in increased teacher confidence and greater pupil interest. The subject leader is developing a clear picture of standards across the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. One lesson was seen in each of design and technology, music and physical education. None were observed in art and design. It is not therefore possible to make a firm judgement about provision. Resources for the subjects are appropriate and teachers' plans show that National Curriculum requirements are met fully. 73. In art and design, and design and technology, inspectors looked at pupils' work in folders, workbooks and on display. Sketchbooks are used effectively to practise and reinforce the art elements, such as shade, line and texture. This is an improvement since the last inspection. High quality displays of pupils’ work enhance school and classroom environments very effectively. These include art displays in Years 1 to 2 of attractive pattern work linked with shape in mathematics and very good design and technology work on anemometers in Years 3 to 6 that is linked to their work in science, indicating that many pupils produce work to a high

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

standard. Pupils work with a wide range of media, materials and tools, which develops their skills suitably. Tutshill CE Primary School - 27 74. In music, the high quality of pupils' singing during assemblies has been maintained since the previous inspection. Pupils sing tunefully, with good diction and use of dynamics. Pupils in Years 1 to 2 expressively sang the hymn 'A mother's love is very wonderful' and this represents improved opportunities for unaccompanied singing since the last inspection. Opportunities are available for pupils to learn woodwind, brass and stringed instruments with expert tuition from peripatetic music teachers and they benefit from the attendance of a county music specialist teacher. Very good extra-curricular activities, including recorder lessons, the school orchestra and choir effectively support provision. Performances, concerts and visiting music groups also make a good contribution to pupils’ musical experience.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. The hall has limitations for physical education, particularly for older pupils, due to the low ceiling but school has made alternative arrangements to ensure the requirements of the National Curriculum are met fully. These include the use of the facilities of a local gymnastics club, which is an improvement since the last inspection. In the good lesson observed for Year 3 pupils, the hall presented no problems in the activities planned by the teacher. The school field provides suitable space for games and pupils enjoy swimming sessions at a local swimming pool. By the time they leave school, almost all pupils can swim the nationally expected 25 metres. Extra- curricular provision is very good and supports the curriculum well with a very wide variety of very well attended sports clubs and competitions with local schools, organised by teachers, support staff and parents.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

Provision in personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Planned curriculum provision is good. • Very good procedures address pupils' personal and social development.

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Commentary

76. The school regards PSHE as an important part of its work. PSHE is becoming securely embedded in its practice and has improved since the last inspection. It is taught as a separate subject and is also very well reinforced throughout the curriculum, linking effectively with work in religious education and science. The provision for PSHE, a priority in the school development plan, has recently been reviewed. Planning is good and has improved since the previous inspection. Planned programmes include work on diet, health, sex and relationships, drugs misuse, personal safety and citizenship and help pupils to develop a safe and healthy life style. The visit of 'The Life Education Centre', a mobile classroom, further enhances pupils' health education. PSHE lessons and 'circle' times encourage pupils to gain confidence and interact with others. This was exemplified in a very good Year 6 lesson on stress, when pupils debated

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Commentary

the issue of bullying, with great assurance, also very effectively enhancing the development of speaking and listening skills. 77. PSHE is well supported by visits from the Church and the police. Very good behaviour management strategies, the reinforcement and displays of the 'Golden Rules' and reward assemblies make a considerable contribution to pupils' self-esteem and their personal and social awareness. The school council provides very good opportunities for pupils to develop responsibility and to become involved in decision-making procedures. 'Pupil interviews' take place regularly and give pupils scope to air their views and concerns, effectively adding to their confidence and personal development. Involvement in the very good provision for extra- curricular activities, charity events, numerous visits, for example to a synagogue, a residential visit to the Isle of Wight, and visitors such as the Ministry Team, provide very well for pupils to

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Commentary

develop personal and social skills and their understanding of citizenship. Tutshill CE Primary School - 28

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 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 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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