Rosewood Primary School

Rosewood Primary School

Dates of inspection: 17 th - 20 th May 2004

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Rosewood Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Rosewood Primary School 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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Rosewood 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. Rosewood Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 409

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rosewood Avenue Burnley Lancashire Postcode: BB11 2PE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01282 463790 Fax number: 01282 463792

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Alex Bird

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: Not applicable as it is a new school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Rosewood is a new school. It opened on a temporary site in August 2002. The school was formed from an amalgamation of one nursery, two infant and one junior school. They moved into their new building on 23 rd February 2004. The school is situated near the Burnley town centre. It is much larger than most primary schools found nationally. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is above the national average. Attainment on entry is below that expected of children entering nursery education. Five per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds, including a few who speak English as an additional language. There are 14 per cent of pupils identified as having special educational needs. This is in line with the national average. Eleven pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. At 3 per cent of the pupils in school, this is twice the national average. The percentage of pupils who start or leave the school other than at the normal dates is 15 per cent.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is above average. Rosewood Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21217 Mr S. G. Evans Lead inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education 11450 Mr L. Kuraishi Lay inspector 21020 Mrs T. Galvin Team inspector English as an additional language English Citizenship Religious education 28200 Mr P. Stevens Team inspector Science Design and technology History Music 19709 Mrs J. Fisher Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Geography

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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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). Rosewood Primary School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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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 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Rosewood is a highly satisfactory school that gives good value for money. Pupils attain standards that are in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school. All teaching and learning are satisfactory or better, and are good overall. The leadership and management of the school are good. The provision for pupils' personal development is good. This ensures that pupils leave school with good social skills.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • most pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school; • the headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and chair of governors, provides very good leadership of the school; • some lower attaining pupils underachieve; • provision in the Foundation Stage is very good; • pupils' personal development is good; • within the overall good quality of teaching, there are some important weaknesses in the teaching in Years 3 to 6, especially in relation to the use of pupil assessment; • provision for pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need is very good, but unsatisfactory for some non-statemented pupils identified as having special educational needs.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Rosewood is a new school that has not been inspected before. Following the amalgamation of four schools, the new school was housed in temporary accommodation. The very poor quality of some of this accommodation adversely affected the quality of education pupils received. They moved into their new building a few weeks before the inspection. Despite the many difficulties, the school has been amalgamated very successfully.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English N/a N/a B A Mathematics N/a N/a D C Science N/a N/a C B Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those that are grouped together by the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards achieved are good. As it is a new school, care needs to be taken about how well the school is doing based on one set of results. By the end of the Foundation Stage, achievement is good. Children attain standards that are in line with national expectations in all areas of learning. By the end of Year 2, pupils' achievement is good. They attain standards that are above average in mathematics and average in reading, writing and science. By the end of Year 6, pupils' achievement is satisfactory because of the uneven progress they make in different classes caused by the variation in the quality of teaching and teacher absences. Higher attaining pupils achieve well but some lower attaining pupils achieve unsatisfactorily because work is not matched accurately enough to their needs. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards that are average in English, mathematics and science. Throughout the school, pupils have sufficient literacy and numeracy skills to enable

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

them to make satisfactory progress in other subjects. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with national expectations, throughout the school. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need achieve very well because of the very good level of support they receive. Some pupils identified as having special educational needs achieve unsatisfactorily in relation to the targets in their individual education plans. This is because plans do not always reflect their specific individual needs and, when they do reflect their needs, all teachers do not use them to Rosewood Primary School plan work effectively that meet their needs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils' personal development is good. Provision for their moral development is very good, good for their social development, and satisfactory for their spiritual and cultural development. The attendance rate and punctuality are satisfactory, but a number of pupils come to school late regularly.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. They are satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6, with over half of the teaching good or better. Procedures for assessing pupils' work are satisfactory. Some teachers make good use of the assessment information to match work accurately to pupils' varying needs. This good practice is not widespread in the school, and on occasions is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Good use of support staff ensures that pupils who need help in lessons receive it and, therefore, make good use of the time available for learning. Most teachers expect pupils to work as hard as they can in most lessons, and pupils respond by producing a lot of work. However, again this is not widespread in the school. In some lessons in Years 3 to 6, expectations of what teachers want pupils to achieve are not high enough, and the match of work to pupils' varying needs is not accurate enough. This is the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

cause of the uneven progress between classes in Years 3 to 6.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provision is satisfactory overall with good features. Not enough time is given to the teaching of religious education in Years 3 to 6. The school enhances pupils' learning through a good range of extra-curricular activities. The atmosphere in school is such that it is a good place to come to and learn.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. He provides a strong sense of direction for the work of the school. The deputy headteacher provides very good support towards the leadership of the school. The leadership of the other senior staff and staff to whom leadership roles have been delegated is good. The management of the school is good. The school carries out its planning effectively and achievable priorities and targets are set. There is effective implementation of the plans. The school has very effective procedures for the evaluation of its work. The governance of the school is good. The chair of governors provides very good leadership of the governing body. She has made a major contribution to the very successful amalgamation.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have a good level of satisfaction with the work of the school. Their main concern is the high number of staff absences. The inspection team agrees that this has adversely affected the learning and progress of some pupils. However, the inspectors can also report that the school has and is still doing all it can to stabilise the staffing situation, and very much share the parents' concerns. Pupils think highly of the school. They say they like school and that most lessons are interesting and fun. They are secure in the knowledge that they can approach an adult in the school if they need help. They feel safe and secure in school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • to raise the standards achieved by the lower attaining pupils; • correct the uneven progress pupils make in Years 3 to 6; • enhance aspects of special educational needs provision; • use assessment consistently to match work to pupils' varying needs. Rosewood Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. Achievement is good in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2, and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. The standards pupils attain are above average in mathematics, and average in English and science by the end of Year 2. They are average in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Higher attaining pupils achieve well throughout the school. • Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need achieve very well. • Most pupils make good progress in lessons, but in some classes in Years 3 to 6 the progress is satisfactory. • Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well. • Not all pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. • Some lower attaining pupils underachieve. • Teacher absences have adversely affected the standards achieved by some pupils.

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Foundation Stage

1. Children’s attainment when they start in the nursery class is below that of others of their age. Very good provision for children of all capabilities and backgrounds supports good achievement in both the nursery and the reception classes. Most children are on course to meet the expected levels in all areas of learning by the end of reception year.

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Foundation Stage

2. The few children in the Foundation Stage who learn English as an additional language, including the children at the early stages of learning to speak English, achieve well in relation to their earlier attainment and capabilities. The few lower attaining children who speak English as an additional language in the reception class spontaneously answer questions and the higher attaining children speak, read and write English competently.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.4 (n/a) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.7 (n/a) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.0 (n/a) 16.3 (16.5) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

3. Pupils achieve well in relation to their capabilities by the end of Year 2. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are above average in mathematics, and average in English and science. Standards are similar to those attained in the 2003 national test in mathematics, but lower in English. In the current Year 2 there is a high proportion of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need, whereas last year there were none, and this has had an effect on English standards. Pupils achieve well in ICT, and standards are in line with national expectations. Religious education standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in religious education. Rosewood Primary School

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

Standards in: School results National results English 27.6 (n/a) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.8 (n/a) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.4 (n/a) 28.6 (28.3) There were 84 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

4. Inspection evidence indicates that, by the end of Year 6, standards are average in English, mathematics and science. By the end of Year 6, higher attaining pupils achieve well, whilst most other pupils achieve satisfactorily in relation to their capabilities. This is because teachers have high expectations for what they want these pupils to achieve, and match work accurately to their needs. Lower attaining pupils in some classes achieve unsatisfactorily because work is not matched accurately to their learning needs. Pupils' progress is uneven between classes. For example, there is a dip in achievement in mathematics in Year 3. The main factors for this are the high rate of staff absences and the variability in the quality of teaching. Throughout the school, there is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

5. Current standards in English are lower than the school’s national test results in 2003. In Year 6, pupils’ learning has been disrupted by long-term staff absences. Standards in mathematics have improved compared with the 2003 national test, and science standards are the same. In mathematics, due to unsatisfactory results last year, there has been greater priority given to improving standards achieved in the subject. This has compensated for the staff absences. The most important factor in the improvement is the good leadership and management of the subject, very well supported by the headteacher. There is rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning. As an outcome, expectations of what pupils can achieve are higher and teachers' planning is more effective. The headteacher has provided good support through effective intervention by numeracy consultants from the local education authority.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

6. Prior to moving into the new building, provision for ICT was poor. This was because of a lack of equipment and no Internet connection. There has been very good improvement since moving into the new building. Pupils attain standards that are in line with national expectations. Standards in control technology in Years 1 and 2 are good, but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. This is because until they moved into the new building, there was insufficient equipment for pupils to learn the necessary skills. Religious education standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, and pupils achieve satisfactorily.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

7. In Years 1 to 6, the few pupils who learn English as an additional language achieve well. Most of the pupils work in the higher attaining groups, and the school caters well for higher attaining pupils. There is good provision for the few pupils who learn English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs. The school quickly seeks specialist help for them from outside the school, and provides extra help for these pupils in the classrooms.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

8. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is not significantly different from that of their classmates. They make good progress in lessons because they are taught well and receive good, and often very good, support from teaching assistants. However, not all pupils with special educational needs have good quality individual education plans, and many make unsatisfactory progress in relation to their targets in their individual education plans. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need achieve very well because of the very good support they receive. Rosewood Primary School

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Children have very good attitudes to school. Behaviour is good. Their personal development is good. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Personal development is good, especially children’s moral awareness, which is reinforced through all aspects of school life. • Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults are very good. • Attitudes to school are very good. • Social activities foster pupils’ co-operation, competition and involvement well. • There are few first-hand opportunities for pupils to appreciate the diversity and richness of our culture. • Punctuality is unsatisfactory and, for some, pupils' frequent late arrival means that they miss the vital teaching points that shape the following lesson.

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Commentary

9. Pupils' good personal qualities underpin their learning and help them become responsible young people with a good level of maturity for their age. Pupils show a great deal of pride and affection for their school, and praise the opportunities they have to learn and to have fun. Pupils are eager to learn and respond well in lessons. They are often inspired to give of their very best, and try hard to succeed. They are fascinated by new discoveries and enjoy investigations in a range of subjects. For example, pupils in an excellent Year 6 lesson excitedly observed and discussed the structure and function of the Venus flytrap and, in another lesson, children in a reception class exclaimed at the vivid colours and symmetry of butterflies’ wings.

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Commentary

10. Behaviour is good in lessons and at playtimes, where pupils collaborate well. The great majority of pupils conduct themselves in a sensible, considerate fashion, showing respect for people and property. From the time they first start school, they respond well to the wide variety of strategies used by the very good role models of teachers and support staff to promote self- control. Pupils are proud of the rewards they achieve, and understand the need for sanctions when problems occur. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are very well supported, and are thus included well in lessons without disruption to learning. The school will not tolerate violent or aggressive behaviour and has used fixed-term exclusions on a few occasions for fully justified reasons. In the playground, ‘buddies’ and adult supervisors ensure that play is harmonious and happy. Boys and girls, and pupils from different ethnic groups, play and work together well.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ personal development is good, and their self-esteem and confidence develop well. Pupils are practical, sensible and polite. They demonstrate a mature and responsible approach to school life and those in the upper juniors and members of the school council carry out their various duties very reliably. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to work and learning. The school ensures that all pupils take pride in their achievements through celebration assemblies and rewards.

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Commentary

12. Moral development is very well promoted through the values inherent in the school rules and contributes very well to pupils’ personal growth. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop self-esteem through co-operation, competition and involvement in social activities. It pervades all of school life and is greatly enriched by the special opportunities presented on social occasions, clubs and visits. The school’s provision for the spiritual and cultural development of its children is satisfactory. Assemblies are planned well and make a satisfactory contribution through prayer and reflection to pupils’ spiritual development, during which pupils are generally interested and well behaved. Pupils develop satisfactory self- knowledge and spiritual awareness through varied opportunities in lessons for debating and considering different points of view on complex issues at their own level of understanding.

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Commentary

Religious education lessons include the study of world faiths and their traditions and beliefs, which to a certain extent prepares pupils for life in a multi-cultural society. They do not have Rosewood Primary School contact with other ethnic groups through visits, and there are no regular opportunities for pupils to meet with representatives of major world faiths.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 398 10 0 White - any other white background 2 0 0 Mixed - any other mixed background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi 1 0 0 Black or Black British - African 1 0 0 Parent preferred not to say 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

13. Attendance has improved since moving into the new school. Rigorous monitoring and introduction of a pupil incentive scheme have reduced unauthorised absences. Most pupils come to school on time, but there is a significant minority who arrive late. This takes up valuable staff time in attending to parents and chaperoning young children to classes. Attendance procedures are not yet computerised. Therefore, a senior member of the staff spends considerable time checking attendance registers. This is inefficient use of a teacher's time.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.4 School data 1.4 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 is satisfactory . The quality of teaching and learning is good and curriculum provision is satisfactory . Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory . The school provides a satisfactory level of care for its pupils. Links with parents, the community and other schools and colleges are satisfactory .

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . The assessment of pupils' work is satisfactory, but the use made of the results of pupil assessments is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. • Throughout the school, teachers encourage pupils to want to learn. In response, pupils are keen learners. Rosewood Primary School • In Years 3 to 6, work is not always matched accurately to the needs of the lower attaining pupils. • Teachers use a good range of teaching methods and this leads to a good level of interest from pupils. • Teachers do not always use pupils' individual education plans to help them prepare work at the right level of difficulty for pupils identified as having special educational needs. • Teachers have high expectations of how they want pupils to behave in lessons. • Classroom assistants provide good support to help pupils learn effectively, especially pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. • Some teachers in Years 3 to 6 do not mark all work to a consistently high standard.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

2 (3%) 13 (22%) 27 (47%) 16 (28%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

14. In Years 1 to 6, teachers' planning is satisfactory. They mainly use a range of good teaching methods. These include whole-class teaching, group and individual work, involving practical, investigative and problem solving activities. Time is managed well in most lessons. Little or no time is wasted because lessons are well organised, correctly resourced and pupils are clear about what is expected of them. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject they teach. Teachers make good use of skilled support staff to help pupils learn. Pupils say that learning is fun and the lessons are interesting. One of the main reasons for this is that teachers are enthusiastic about their teaching and constantly encourage pupils to do their best. This leads to good progress. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour effectively in most lessons. The strength of their behaviour management strategy is the very good relationships between staff and pupils.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

15. Teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is good. This has a positive effect on their learning. Staff manage children’s behaviour very well. Their excellent relationships with the children, clearly established classroom routines and good organisation of resources all underpin the staff's approach. Staff frequently praise children’s efforts and achievements and this fosters children's confidence and learning. Staff teach basic skills well with high expectations of what children can achieve. There are good assessment procedures for tracking children’s progress, which staff use successfully to plan the next steps in their learning. Support staff are deployed effectively in lessons and make a positive contribution. The teaching is good for the few children in the Foundation Stage who learn English as an additional language. There are very good assessment procedures in the Foundation Stage that teachers

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

use effectively to plan the next step in the learning of all children.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

16. In Years 1 to 6, there are examples of good marking by teachers. In the best marking, teachers emphasise what pupils need to do to improve their work. Teachers use information from their marking to help set targets for the next piece of work. These pupils make good progress and are well motivated to learn. In some marking in Years 3 to 6, pupils are given very little idea of how well they are doing or how they can improve their work. This slows the rate at which pupils progress. Teachers assess pupils' progress regularly. These systems are relatively new and the results of the assessments are not always used effectively to plan work at the right level. This is particularly evident in some classes in Years 3 to 6 for the work planned for lower attaining pupils. Also, in some lessons in Years 3 to 6, expectations of what teachers want pupils to achieve are not high enough

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

17. Pupils with special educational needs are taught satisfactorily. There is very good care taken in providing pupils with a Statement of Special Educational need with very good additional help Rosewood Primary School with their learning. However, teachers do not use some pupils' individual education plans effectively to plan work to meet pupils' specific learning needs. This slows the rate at which they progress.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 58 lessons

18. In Years 1 to 6, pupils who speak English as an additional language are taught well. Teachers often ask pupils to discuss their work with a partner or in a group. They teach the specific vocabulary for subjects effectively. These strategies promote the speaking and listening skills of all pupils effectively. In Years 3 to 6, the assessment procedures for all pupils are not as effective as they could be. However, the shortcomings in assessment have not adversely affected the progress of the pupils who learn English as an additional language. Most of these pupils competently and confidently speak, read and write English.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provides satisfactory opportunities to learn. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to enrich their learning. The accommodation and resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Curriculum planning is good. • There are good opportunities for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to learn. • There is not enough time given to religious education for pupils in Years 3 to 6. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to develop literacy and numeracy in subjects other than English and mathematics. • Provision for personal, social and health education is good. • Opportunities to learn outside lessons are good.

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Commentary

19. The headteacher and staff have taken strong action to ensure that the amalgamation of four schools includes the development of one unified curriculum. There is a well thought out overall curriculum plan, which provides the basis for teachers’ planning. All teachers have attended profitable in-service training to establish a common approach to literacy and numeracy. This has given the staff the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise, and provided the basis for sound teamwork. While there is still work to do, much of the planning results in agreed expectations of the pupils, so that they are all included in the school’s aim to raise standards. The headteacher and senior managers monitor the curriculum thoroughly, in order to provide feedback that influences teachers’ planning.

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Commentary

20. The school covers the statutory curriculum in all subjects and the county agreed syllabus for religious education. In mathematics and science, pupils have good opportunities to learn through a balance of experimentation and factual work. As part of its caring ethos, the school’s provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. It also prepares pupils well for citizenship. However, religious education lessons are too short and this hinders pupils’ learning. Pupils do not consolidate their learning in literacy, numeracy and ICT by using their skills sufficiently in other subjects.

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Commentary

21. The school provides a good range of activities to extend pupils’ learning and social development. All pupils have the opportunity to be included in them. As well as clubs for sport, there is a good number related to the arts. These include drama, art, and textile technology, playing the recorder, chess and debating. In addition, the school welcomes visitors to extend pupils’ experiences. These have included local Olympic gymnasts and representatives from other sports clubs, a member of the local clergy to take assemblies, teachers of orchestral instruments and a theatre company. The 'Book Week' was very successful in engendering an interest in books, partly through its ‘fun’ approach, such as dressing up as a book character, and partly through visitors such as a cartoonist and a storyteller. Pupils develop their understanding of history and geography well through making visits to local buildings and

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Commentary

museums. Rosewood Primary School 22. The new school buildings are attractive, comfortable and safe. They provide a good environment for learning. Although the classrooms for Year 5 and Year 6 are too small for the number of older pupils, there are well-designed bays for computers and large cupboards for storage. Teachers have made areas for all pupils to have access to well-displayed books and for discussions in the classrooms for younger pupils. There are a good number of rooms for group teaching and a well-equipped ICT suite. However, there is no provision for a separate library. The hall is large and provides good space for physical education and drama. The staff room is too small to provide space for the large number of staff to meet together. This is very important in a school that is working to establish teamwork in planning, and significantly inhibits collaboration between staff. The school grounds are in the process of completion. Resources

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Commentary

are good for the main subjects and history. They are satisfactory for the other subjects.

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Care, guidance and support

The procedures for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are satisfactory. Circle time and the school council enable pupils’ to get their views heard. The advice and guidance provided by the staff is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a caring environment where pupils feel safe and valued. • Pupils have good trusting relationships with adults in the school.

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Commentary

23. The school is a caring and harmonious community where pupils feel secure. Parents are satisfied with the pastoral care provided by the school. All staff are well trained to look after pupils' general welfare, and specifically those who come from vulnerable families. Child protection procedures are in place and meet local guidelines. The designated staff are trained and are aware of the action to take should the need arise. Staff take the necessary steps to ensure that the school is free from hazards. Health and safety decisions are based on informal observation for safety and security. The school is aware of the need to undertake a formal whole-school risk assessment.

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Commentary

24. Pupils’ social skills are developed well through the personal, social and health education programme, and in assemblies. Pupils are aware of the help and support available in case of need. Parents and pupils are happy that the staff listen to and act on matters of concerns. Pupils are allowed time out to visit the secondary school of their choice. Parents are generally satisfied with the arrangements for settling new children in the school. Induction procedures for pupils joining the school during the term time are satisfactory.

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Commentary

25. The school seeks pupils' views successfully and pupils know their views matter. They are consulted via the school council and through Circle time. Staff effectively encourage pupils to get involved in decision making about school issues. Staff respect and try to act positively on what pupils say. Teachers monitor pupils' academic and personal development satisfactorily. However, the information is not always used effectively to help pupils learn. Rosewood Primary School

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has satisfactory links with parents and the community. Links with other schools are also satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents confirm that they receive good quality information on their children’s learning. • The school has good informal arrangements for listening to and dealing with parents’ complaints. • The school uses the wider community effectively to enhance pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

26. The school has satisfactory links with parents. They are generally happy with the openness, professionalism and friendliness of the staff. Parents are happy that the teachers provide good role models. This enables their children to develop positive attitudes to learning and to life in general.

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Commentary

27. There are good opportunities for parents to meet teachers and pupils' annual progress reports are of good quality. They give good details of progress in all subjects and provide targets for improvement. Homework tasks involve parents and some parents co-operate by supporting their children well. Parents are invited to many activities. However, some parents find it hard to establish satisfactory working relationships with the school because of the disruption to the life of the school caused by the poor conditions of the temporary site.

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Commentary

28. Some parents organise a variety of events to raise money for school funds. Their efforts are valued greatly by the school. Teachers inform parents at an early stage if there are any concerns about a child's learning. Parents of children identified as having special educational needs are informed regularly about their child's progress, and are given copies of their individual education plans so they can help develop learning at home. This contributes positively to raising pupils' achievement.

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Commentary

29. The school consults with parents and listens carefully to their views. Any complaints are investigated thoroughly. A number of parents spoken to during the inspection expressed the view that the headteacher and staff are very approachable; that they listen carefully to parental concerns and take the necessary action to rectify problems.

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Commentary

30. The school uses the local community effectively to enhance pupils’ learning. Links with the local football and cricket clubs enable pupils to develop sporting skills. The school has successfully established links with local agencies such as the education welfare services. This has led to significant improvement in pupils' attendance rate.

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Commentary

31. Regular visits by a member of the local clergy enhance pupils' religious and spiritual awareness. This is much appreciated by pupils and the staff. The school also works satisfactorily in partnership with the family of schools in the area. This provides good in-service training and helps with staff development. The school has established working relationships with the town council, and liaison with a local college to enhance ICT skills of pupils and staff is underway. The school provides work placements for nursery nurse trainees from a local college. The school is committed to make its resources available for the community use but they have not been in the present building long enough to develop this area of school life. Rosewood Primary School

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

There is good leadership and management. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. The governance of the school is good .

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has very successfully led the school through the period of amalgamation and the building of the new school. • The senior management team and subject leaders provide the headteacher with good support. • The management of the lesson timetable is not as effective as it could be. • Governors are very well led and have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • The school’s finances are managed efficiently.

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Commentary

32. The headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and the chair of governors, has managed very effectively the amalgamation of the four schools. This included the move to temporary buildings and to the new site in the middle of the school year. These necessary changes were very carefully managed, in order to cause the least disruption to pupils’ learning. Throughout this period, the headteacher, senior management team and chair of governors, never lost sight of the school’s aim to ensure high standards and achievement in all of its work. Staff make it a priority to value all pupils, and this sets the tone for the very good relationships and mutual respect between all members of the school community.

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Commentary

33. There is a very strong commitment to improve standards. The headteacher, supported by subject leaders and the local education authority, carries out rigorous checks and reviews of teaching. The process identified weaker teaching in Years 3 to 6 and strong action was taken to remedy this. Thus, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of teaching in these year groups. Also, improvements in teaching have been helped by the school’s strong emphasis on training for all staff. The headteacher leads and manages well the provision for the few pupils who learn English as an additional language.

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Commentary

34. The management of the curriculum, including the current lesson timetable, has been less effective. Some lessons in religious education are not long enough and this adversely affects pupils’ learning. The leadership and management of some subjects have been affected by long- term staff absences. This means that the leadership role in these subjects is in the early stages of development, for example in religious education. The leadership and management of the special educational needs co-ordinator are satisfactory. She has successfully built up a very good team of support assistants for pupils with special educational needs. The management of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need is very good. However, there is no effective monitoring of provision for other pupils with special educational needs. This is an important weakness in special educational needs provision because not all individual

p.16

Commentary

education plans are of good quality or are used effectively by all teachers.

p.16

Commentary

35. The management of the school is good. The headteacher and governors manage the staffing of the school well, such as the long-term staff absences and the recruitment of new staff. School development planning is effective. The staff evaluate the work of the school and use the evaluation to create the school improvement plan. Evaluations of the previous year’s document show that the school made good improvement. The most recent document shows clearly that the school’s main priority is to improve on the previous year’s standards. However, it does not include specific targets against which the success of the initiatives can be accurately evaluated. Also, the document does not include a section on governors.

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Commentary

36. Governors have a good knowledge and understanding of their role, and they carry out their responsibilities well. There is a good partnership between governors and staff. Governors are very supportive of all that the school does, and some governors visit the school regularly. They Rosewood Primary School have a good knowledge and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The chair of governors has been pivotal in helping the school through the amalgamation and the move to the new building.

p.16

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,244,660 Balance from previous year 139,573 Total expenditure 1,195,223 Balance carried forward to the next 43,464 Expenditure per pupil 2,454

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

37. The management of the school’s finances is good. The school administrator effectively supports the smooth running of the school each day, and the management of its finances. The school has few pupils who learn English as an additional language so it receives no extra funding for them. The school seeks to ensure that the services it receives are provided at the best value. The balance carried forward last year, 3 per cent, was below average. The high carry forward figure in the previous year was due to extra funding for additional staff because of the split site, funding for the move to the new building and additional grants that were received later in the financial year than the school had anticipated. The expenditure per pupil is below average. The school provides good value for money. Rosewood Primary School

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. The Foundation Stage is a strength of the school. Children’s attainment is below that of others of their age when they start in the nursery class. Very good provision for children of all capabilities and backgrounds supports good achievement in both the nursery and the reception classes. They are supported well by the high ratio of adults to children and fully included in the very well planned and very wide range of stimulating activities offered. Teaching is good overall. Excellent teaching was seen in the nursery. Most children are on course to meet the expected levels in all areas of learning by the end of reception year. Leadership is very good and management good. Major strengths in the provision are the very supportive relationships, and the way in which the teachers and the support staff liase, plan and work together as a highly effective team after only nine weeks in the very well–appointed, new school. The school has

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

identified the need for further development of the outdoor organisation and related assessment procedures. Good resources give children rich, practical opportunities to engage fully in all the areas of learning, but there is a lack of large-sized outdoor equipment to aid children’s physical development.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery and reception children achieve well because they benefit from good teaching, appropriate daily routines, and the high expectations set by all staff. • A warm, secure atmosphere is generated in which the nursery and reception children feel valued, happy, and confident, and they enjoy coming to school. • Very good relationships between children and adults create an atmosphere of effective learning and foster the moral, social and emotional development of the children well. • Staff provide good opportunities to encourage children's responsibility and independence, but a few opportunities are missed at snack time for children to develop independence and social skills.

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Commentary

39. Nursery children settle quickly into school, and good teaching promotes independence and co- operation. Adults nurture children’s personal and social skills effectively, and make them feel valued within a warm, secure atmosphere. As a result, all children show good self-esteem, a developing confidence, and settle quickly and happily into the very positive atmosphere in class. Children in the reception classes already know the classroom routines well, are securely established and are confident. All children are well motivated, and show appropriate levels of concentration for their age when they do their work. The adults’ caring provision leads to good achievement in emotional and social development, independence and behaviour. However, staff miss opportunities at snack time for children to develop independence and social skills.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery and reception staff take every opportunity in all activities to promote children’s communication, language and literacy skills. Rosewood Primary School • Very good planning and good use of the accommodation and resources contribute very effectively to children’s learning. • There are good opportunities in which children can become competent in key skills of speaking and listening and writing, but staff miss some opportunities during independent and role-play activities. • Effective teaching of reading results in good achievement for most children. • Organisation is good, but time is lost and lessons lose momentum when waiting for other children to return from activities sited outside the classroom.

p.18

Commentary

40. All children in the nursery and reception classes achieve well because of good teaching, very good planning and the high ratio of committed staff. Skilful questioning, sensitive listening and exposure to the very stimulating environment offer many varied opportunities for children to talk, listen, read and write. Staff encourage children to talk about their activities. This promotes good expression of their ideas and widens their vocabulary. Most children recognise a range of simple words that occur frequently in their reading, and use their knowledge of letter sounds to read each letter in selected three-letter words. Higher attaining children read simple texts accurately and fluently, and with some expression. In lessons, some children’s interest wanes because of the length of the activity, or when waiting for other children to return from the activities taking place outside the classroom. Independent, related activities, such as in the

p.19

Commentary

well-equipped Garden Centre and The Green Grocer’s Shop give children good opportunities to regularly experiment, develop and practise their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. During afternoons when there are fewer adults present, there is a lack of purposeful adult intervention to extend children's learning. The higher attaining children are on course to exceed the expected goals by the end of the reception year.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-chosen resources, a very wide range of activities and lively mental warm-up games support and motivate children, who achieve well. • In some lessons, the length of teaching time is too long and some children lose interest. • Organisation is good, but time and momentum are lost when waiting for other children to return from the activities sited outside the classroom. • At times, staff give lower ability children work that is too easy.

p.19

Commentary

41. Teaching and learning are good in the nursery and the reception classes and children achieve well. There is very good planning and very effective adult support. All staff plan a wide range of interesting activities, including number jingles, counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, recognising relationships and working with number, shape, space and measures. This successfully promotes children’s mathematical understanding and vocabulary. In the nursery, staff encourage children to count in a variety of different situations and solve problems, which provides enjoyment and helps build confidence and understanding. This effective teaching and support continues in the reception classes with good opportunities to count to 20 and beyond, order numbers to 10, and work out addition problems to 10, using counting aids and dice games. Some activities lack challenge, for example work on symmetry, particularly for the

p.19

Commentary

lower attaining children, and incorrect work is occasionally accepted. Sometimes, towards the end of the lesson children’s interest wanes. This is because of the length of the activity or when they wait for other children to return from activities taking place outside the classroom. The school is examining ways of improving this shortcoming. The higher attaining children are on course to exceed the expected goals by the end of the reception year. Rosewood Primary School

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff plan a very good range of interesting activities to stimulate children’s curiosity and broaden their experiences. • Staff make good use of the outdoor area and visits out of school to enrich children’s experiences. • Staff plan well the development of children's understanding of multicultural issues appropriate for their age. • Children enjoy using ICT resources and achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

42. Teaching and learning are good, with one very high quality lesson seen in the nursery. Children make good progress and achieve well because of their many opportunities to learn about the world around them through very well planned, investigative themes, such as Ourselves, Machines and Out and About. Nursery children, whilst exploring Growth, used two kinds of empty pots to construct a floor graph showing their preference of peas or beans, and compost or soil to be used when planting seeds. One child, observing the change when cooking popcorn exclaimed, eyes glistening with excitement, ‘ It cracked and flew up!’. Children in the reception classes extend their knowledge and record the growth of seeds and changes in the life cycle of frogs and chicks. Staff make good use of the school grounds to extend children’s learning beyond the classroom, such as when children recognise the usefulness of compost and water

p.20

Commentary

when planting seeds. Children acknowledge the existence of a Christian higher being through simple prayers in assemblies, and learn about festivals in the major world religions. Staff develop children’s ICT skills well through the regular use of tape recorders, a listening centre, computers and a digital camera.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children's ability to manipulate small tools and equipment develops well. • Nursery and reception children have regular access to a secure outdoor area so they develop good physical skills. • The lack of large-sized outdoor equipment restricts certain aspects of children’s physical development.

p.20

Commentary

43. Physical skills develop well as a result of good teaching and regular opportunities to use a wide range of appropriate resources. Children move confidently, with good control and co-ordination, and use the indoor and outdoor space well. Nursery children manipulate tools and small equipment well and older children handle pencils, scissors, brushes and other tools with increasing dexterity. The very well planned outdoor play area facilities, used by all classes, are good. However, the school is conscious that there is a lack of large outdoor apparatus to provide further physical challenge in order to develop children’s large-scale physical outdoor skills. Rosewood Primary School

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Creative development is very well linked to all other areas of the curriculum. • Very effective teaching of skills is combined with very good opportunities for children to learn through play. • Children have many opportunities to use their imagination and express ideas in art and design, music and stories, using a wide variety of materials, media and colours. • Role-play stimulates the imagination very well, but at times lacks purposeful adult intervention.

p.21

Commentary

44. Staff plan a wide range of stimulating activities. Good teaching and high levels of adult support help children to achieve well. Displays provide a bright, attractive backcloth to the classrooms, and show that children explore and experiment using colour, texture, shape, form and space in two- and three-dimensional artwork. Staff encourage children to choose their own art materials from a well-organised and accessible range. This enhances children's learning and raises standards achieved. Very detailed planning shows that there are very good opportunities for children to take part in informal and planned music sessions and to build up a repertoire of favourite songs and rhymes. The role-play areas are used well for imaginative play and are well linked to other areas of learning. Most children communicate confidently, but at times the lack of adult intervention inhibits the development of children's speaking and listening skills.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2. • There is a significant amount of good teaching, and the curriculum is good. • Lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs do not achieve as well as they could. • There is inconsistent use of assessment and marking in Years 3 to 6. • Progress in handwriting varies in Years 3 to 5. • The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership.

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Commentary

45. Inspection findings indicate that standards are average in English by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This judgment is lower than the school’s national test results for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils in 2003. There are a few reasons for this. In the current Year 2 there is a high proportion of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need whereas last year there were none. In Year 6, pupils’ learning has been disrupted by long-term staff absences last year and again this year. Also, during the amalgamation process Year 6 pupils had to move to a temporary site, and all pupils moved to the new school building in the middle of the school year. However, the staff, under the very good leadership of the headteacher, managed very carefully the changes from one building to another in order to cause the least disruption to pupils’ learning.

p.21

Commentary

46. Standards in speaking and listening are average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Most pupils achieve well. This is because most teachers provide a varied speaking and listening curriculum in English, and in other subjects, that builds pupils’ self-confidence year on year. They teach the use of correct technical vocabulary effectively in all subjects. As a result, higher attaining pupils Rosewood Primary School have a good vocabulary for explaining their ideas clearly, and average attaining pupils competently describe their experiences.

p.21

Commentary

47. Standards are average in reading by the end of Year 2, but below average in writing. Most pupils achieve well because of good teaching. There is good assessment of pupils’ progress in reading. Good marking of pupils’ work ensures pupils have a sound understanding of what is needed to improve their writing, which helps higher and average attaining pupils reach standards in line with their capabilities. However, higher attaining pupils do not join their writing. The co-ordinator ensures pupils’ writing is assessed regularly, and this helps most pupils to make good progress because teachers match work accurately to their varying needs.

p.22

Commentary

48. There is good extra support in lessons for pupils who have special educational needs, and some teachers set these pupils specific targets and work that meets their individual needs. This ensures these pupils achieve well. However, this good practice is not consistent across the school, so the achievement of most pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory rather than good. During the inspection no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls was identified. The few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well. They are mainly in the higher ability groups and in classes in which the quality of teaching is good. Pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Need make good and often very good progress in relation to their prior attainment because the work is planned carefully to meet their individual needs.

p.22

Commentary

49. Standards are average in reading and writing by the end of Year 6. Boys and girls enjoy reading. This is because most staff teach basic skills well, such as initial letter sounds in reading and punctuation in writing. Also, the school has improved the reading resources in the last two years. The standard of handwriting and presentation is good in Year 6. However, progress in handwriting is uneven in Years 3 to 5 because teachers do not always expect pupils to join their writing. This is because in some lessons in Years 3 to 6, expectations of what teachers want pupils to achieve are not high enough. Higher attaining and average attaining pupils have competent research skills. Pupils are currently unable to use the library because it is being reorganised.

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Commentary

50. In Years 3 to 6, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in reading and writing, particularly the lower attaining pupils. There are a few reasons for this. The quality of teaching varies between good and satisfactory. Thus, features of teaching also vary, such as marking, the assessment of pupils’ reading in lessons, and the setting of regular targets for pupils to achieve in their work. The marking usually identifies what pupils need to do in order to move up to the next level in their work, but it does not always meet individual needs, for example of lower attaining pupils and pupils who have special educational needs. This was evident when a pupil who could not punctuate sentences correctly was given speech marks as a point for improvement. Also, there is no system for teachers to assess pupils’ writing regularly in order to check their progress between the tests that the school sets each year. As a result, pupils’

p.22

Commentary

progress varies because work is not matched accurately to their varying needs.

p.22

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. There was good and occasionally very good teaching in Years 3 to 6 during the inspection but the work in pupils’ books shows that teaching is mainly satisfactory over time. All teachers use support staff effectively to help pupils develop their literacy skills. In most lessons, there is very good, firm, yet friendly management of pupils' behaviour that results in good behaviour and no interruption in the pupils' learning. Throughout the school, features of the better quality teaching are in lessons that are carefully planned and organised to ensure that pupils of different abilities are all given challenging work to extend their learning. Therefore, pupils were motivated, keen to learn and worked hard and completed a lot of work. Computers are not used enough to support pupils’ learning in literacy.

p.22

Commentary

52. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator successfully leads and manages the subject in Years 1 to 2. She has considerable expertise in these year groups, sets a good example through her teaching for staff and pupils to follow, and ensures consistent Rosewood Primary School assessment systems are in place. There is effective monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons. The monitoring of pupils’ work is not yet fully effective in Years 3 to 6, and results in some inconsistencies in approach.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. Teachers promote pupils’ literacy skills satisfactorily in other subjects. Most teachers give pupils many opportunities to extend the reading skills, for example through researching information. Although writing skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects, this could be extended further, for example in religious education.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Lower attainers and some pupils identified as having special educational needs underachieve in some lessons in Years 3 to 6. • The subject is well led and managed.

p.23

Commentary

54. By the end of Year 2, inspection findings indicate that standards are above the national average. Pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Standards are not as high as last year's well above average national test results because there are significantly more pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, inspection evidence indicates that standards are average. This is an improvement on the below average standards attained in the 2003 national test. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in relation to their capabilities by the end of Year 6. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well. The most important factor in the improvement is the good leadership and management of the subject, very well supported by the headteacher. There is rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning. As an outcome, expectations of what pupils can

p.23

Commentary

achieve are higher and teachers' planning is more effective. The headteacher has provided good support through effective intervention by numeracy consultants from the local education authority. Despite the improvement, pupils' progress is still uneven between classes. For example, there is a dip in achievement in Year 3. The main factors for this are the high rate of staff absences and the variability in the quality of teaching.

p.23

Commentary

55. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need achieve very well. This is because their provision is very well organised and they receive very good support. Some pupils who have special educational needs make unsatisfactory progress. This is because their individual education plans are not planned to ensure they receive work that is matched accurately to their specific needs. Also, lower attaining pupils in some classes do not have work that is matched accurately to their needs. This adversely affects the progress they make. This was reflected in the 2003 national test when the percentage of pupils who attained the expected level for Year 6 pupils was well below average. Higher attaining pupils make good progress because the work is matched more accurately to meet their needs.

p.23

Commentary

56. Teachers use a range of good teaching methods. These include whole-class teaching, group and individual work, involving practical, investigative and problem-solving activities. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, and so most pupils who are capable of attaining highly are given hard enough work. However, in some lessons in Years 3 to 6, expectations of what teachers want pupils to achieve are not high enough and this adversely affects the progress pupils make in these lesson. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour effectively because they have very good relationships with the pupils, and good use of agreed school procedures for dealing with pupils who show signs of misbehaviour. Rosewood Primary School 57. The way teachers assess pupils is good. Most teachers use the results of pupil assessment satisfactorily, but in some classes it is unsatisfactory for lower attaining pupils. The same applies to the marking of work. Although the marking of pupils' work is satisfactory overall, there

p.23

Commentary

is some unsatisfactory practice. This means that pupils are unclear about how to improve their work and the work given to them is not always at the right level of difficulty.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. Most pupils have adequate mathematical skills to enable them to make satisfactory progress in other subjects. Teachers provide a satisfactory range of opportunities for pupils to practise and develop these skills in other subjects. Teachers make satisfactory use of ICT to help pupils learn in mathematics.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good. • The quality of the curriculum is good. • The school makes good use of assessment to make improvements.

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Commentary

59. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is average in comparison with national standards. This represents good achievement. They know the basic needs of plants and animals and what contributes to a healthy diet. Pupils identify differences between materials and the useful properties of glass. They are least secure about physical processes such as making an electric circuit and forces. The higher attaining pupils understand evaporation and condensation, as well as how some changes made to materials, such as by burning, cannot be reversed. Pupils know how to conduct a fair test, such as when comparing the distances achieved by rolling vehicles down slopes with different surfaces. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is also average, which represents satisfactory achievement. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well throughout the school. Pupils know many organs of the human body, but are less sure about their function. Pupils are unsure about

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Commentary

classifying animals, but explain adaptation. Their knowledge is most advanced in the area of materials and their uses. This includes understanding the processes of sieving, filtration and evaporating a solution to regain the salt. They systematically conduct experiments, which include careful measuring, such as when investigating the effects of different masses on the length of a rubber band. They are still not secure about physical processes such as friction, up- thrust on a boat, and changing the pitch of a stringed instrument.

p.24

Commentary

60. Teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent. It is good overall. Teachers combine good subject knowledge to effective teaching methods. For example, in a Year 3 lesson about shadow formation, the teacher prepared pupils to make effective shadow puppets by asking them to experiment with a variety of translucent and opaque materials. Pupils enjoyed learning which materials were most suitable by disproving their assumption that the darkest material would cast the best shadow. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ thinking. For example, in a Year 6 lesson about recycling, the teacher challenged pupils to explain how some materials are biodegradable and some are not. They willingly rose to the challenge. However, expectations of writing detailed and neat accounts are too low, so that pupils do not learn to use literacy to consolidate their learning. Nevertheless, teachers do expect pupils to use their

p.24

Commentary

numeracy skills to make accurate measurements and then to construct graphs, which they subsequently interpret. Lesson planning varies in quality. Some lessons meet the needs of Rosewood Primary School pupils of different abilities but, over time, the majority do not. This is because pupils generally carry out the same work. This does not promote good achievement for higher or lower attaining pupils, although learning assistants give good support to pupils with special educational needs to enable them to keep up.

p.24

Commentary

61. The co-ordinator has a clear action plan which focuses very well on pupils’ needs. She provides very good leadership through her exemplary practice and her strong influence. She thoroughly monitors teaching, organises careful assessment of pupils’ attainment and evaluates what the school contributes to pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator demonstrates her very good management by collaborating with staff to use these systems to create a curriculum that meets pupils’ needs. Consequently, pupils enjoy learning through lessons that successfully balance factual learning and experimentation. Plans are in place to remedy the lack of opportunity to use their literacy and computer skills. At present, pupils have little opportunity to use writing to clarify thinking or ICT as an alternative means of communication. Both the accommodation and the resources give good support to pupils’ learning.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers use the facilities in the new school very effectively to raise standards achieved. • Pupils make good progress in ICT lessons. • The quality of teaching is good. • The subject is well resourced. • The subject is well led. • In Years 3 to 6, pupils' control technology skills are weak.

p.25

Commentary

62. Prior to moving into the new building, provision for ICT was poor. This was because of a lack of equipment and no Internet connection. There has been very good improvement since moving into the new building. Pupils attain standards overall that are in line with national expectations. Standards in control technology in Years 1 and 2 are good, but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. This is because until they moved into the new building there was insufficient equipment for pupils to learn the necessary skills. One of the keys to the very good recent improvement is the well-resourced computer suite, and having at least two computers in each classroom. Planning in line with national guidelines ensures that pupils cover the full programme of study at the right level. Another of the main reasons for the very good improvement is the good leadership and management provided by the subject co-ordinator. She has clear plans for the development of

p.25

Commentary

the subject, with ability and expertise to implement them.

p.25

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers build on pupils' previous learning effectively. Secure subject knowledge underpins the teaching. This means that the teachers give clear instructions and the pupils know exactly what they have to do to improve their work. Teachers use correct terms for the subject. They circulate around the class to support and monitor pupils' work. They are then in a position to identify errors quickly or to offer help when pupils are hesitant. There is good, firm, yet friendly management of pupils' behaviour that results in very good behaviour and no interruption in their learning. Pupils are very interested, concentrate very well and follow instructions promptly because of the good teaching. They are motivated very well by the work they are given. This extends pupils' computing skills and builds their confidence in the subject. Effective use of skilled support staff enhances pupils' learning.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. Use of ICT in other subjects is satisfactory. ICT is used well to help pupils learn in a few other subjects, but this is not widespread. There is room for improvement. Examples of good use were: • in Year 4 geography and mathematics; • in Year 1 numeracy when the pupils constructed pictograms; • in art and design work in Year 2, when pupils produced computer-generated pictures in the style of Jackson Pollock.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good in Years 1 to 2.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is some good teaching. • The school does not allocate enough time for lessons in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils reflect upon their work and how it affects their lives. • There is good promotion of pupils’ moral, social, and cultural development. • The system for assessing pupils’ progress is new and not fully effective.

p.26

Commentary

65. No judgement can be made about provision in the subject overall. This is because most of the religious education lessons in Years 3 to 6 were timetabled for the end of the week so few lessons were seen during the inspection. Further evidence comes from work in pupils’ books and discussion with pupils and teachers. The evidence indicates that the curriculum is mainly satisfactory in Years 3 to 6.

p.26

Commentary

66. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils reach standards that are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 2. They learn about the traditions and beliefs of Christianity and the main world faiths, such as Islam and Judaism. Year 2 pupils know about the different types of prayer, including the Lord's Prayer. They have a good understanding of their previous work, such as the eight-fold path of Buddhism. Also, they apply the work to their own lives, for example how Muslims care for the environment. Year 6 pupils say that they enjoy the stories and hymns they sing when a local clergyman takes collective worship. They have an adequate knowledge of the main world religions, such as Christianity and Hinduism. Ethnic minority pupils and pupils who learn English as an additional language achieve at the same rate as their classmates. Staff give pupils with special educational needs effective

p.26

Commentary

support in lessons and this helps them to succeed in the same work as their classmates.

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Commentary

67. Pupils’ progress slows down in Years 3 to 6 and their achievement is mainly satisfactory. However, in most classes in these year groups the amount of written work in lessons and over time is less than expected for pupils of their age. The main factor in the slower progress is that most lessons are not long enough. When the pupils moved to the new building the timetable that the school planned to cover all subjects each week did not give sufficient time to most lessons in religious education in Years 3 to 6. The time may be appropriate for a discussion, but it is too short to be as effective as it could be. This was very evident in one lesson seen and, as a result, teaching and learning were satisfactory rather than good. Also, the learning of all pupils has been disrupted by having to move to a new building during the middle of the school year. The school is evaluating the success or otherwise of the lesson timetable in the

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Commentary

new building. They have identified the need to increase the time available for teaching religious education.

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Commentary

68. Teaching is good in Years 1 to 2. The few lessons seen and pupils’ work in books indicate that there is also some good teaching in Years 3 to 6. All teachers have high expectations of pupils’ Rosewood Primary School behaviour. In the most effective lessons, teachers plan and organise the work carefully so that it is interesting. They give pupils many opportunities to work in small groups. There is good use of resources to promote learning. For example, music in a Year 2 lesson on meditation linked to the work on Buddhism. Therefore, pupils respond very well and have very good attitudes to the work. Their behaviour is very good and they work together as friends. However, not all teachers use computers enough to support pupils’ learning. In Years 3 to 6 the quality of marking varies from unsatisfactory to good, but is satisfactory overall.

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Commentary

69. No judgement can be made on the effectiveness of leadership and management because the co-ordinator has been responsible for the subject for only a very short time. However, in that time she has sampled pupils’ work across the school and introduced a system for teachers to check and review pupils’ progress. The system has not been established long enough to judge its impact on pupils’ learning.

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Geography and history

70. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement of overall provision in history . No lessons were observed. The scrutiny of pupils’ work in Year 6 suggests that attainment is in line with national expectations, which represents good achievement. They write factually, but rarely explain reasons for events or changes over time. Teachers sometimes make good use of literacy, for example by asking pupils to write as if they were a Victorian housemaid. This enables them to empathise with people living in the past.

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Geography and history

71. It is not possible to make an overall judgement about the school’s provision for geography . This is because the school does not teach geography every term, and no geography teaching was observed during the inspection. Work in the subject was sampled through an examination of pupils' work and discussion with pupils and teachers.

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Geography and history

72. The required curriculum is in place and geographical concepts, knowledge, skills and understanding are built upon systematically. Pupils acquire, use and extend their skills in geographical enquiry by interesting visits to places within their locality. They show satisfactory progression in knowledge and skills as they get older, from the study of the world they see about them, to a wider, global perspective. They have a satisfactory understanding of geographical vocabulary, such as urban and rural, and related mathematical concepts, such as pie charts and bar graphs. They have an understanding and make use of different scales and features on maps. They use globes, atlases and the Internet to locate countries, continents and rivers. There are some effective links with literacy. For example, pupils in Year 4 reflect and write thoughtfully on concerns involving local traffic issues around the school. Pupils

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Geography and history

demonstrate good attitudes towards the subject and recall that the curriculum is complemented through a range of interesting and relevant visits. Effective links are made with art when pupils create attractive rainforest collages in the style of Henri Rousseau’s Storm in the Forest. Assessment procedures are to be further developed in line with the new scheme of work. Resources are to be supplemented to support the units in the new scheme of work.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement of overall provision in design and technology, music, art and design and physical education . In design and technology , one lesson was observed, and a small amount of work was examined in Year 2. Evidence from the Year 3 lesson indicated that pupils work at a level above expectations. They worked carefully and accurately using a variety of tools to produce a high quality product. This involved creating a pneumatic system, which raised the lid of a model of an ancient Egyptian coffin. Of a similar standard were the puppets made and designed by pupils in Year 2, which were highly individual and well made. Rosewood Primary School 74. In music , no lessons were seen and no written or recorded work was available. Singing in assembly suggested that the standard of singing is in line with national expectations. In physical education, no lessons were observed. Teachers' planning indicates that pupils cover

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

all the required areas of work in physical education. Pupils enjoy the subject and benefit from a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. The school teaches art and design in half-termly 'blocks'. Only two lessons in Year 5 and Year 6 were observed during the inspection. Work in the subject was sampled through an examination of pupils' work, discussion with pupils and teachers. The required curriculum is in place, and knowledge and skills are built upon systematically through an effective scheme of work, which gives detailed guidance on planning. As a result, teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use appropriate techniques, explore and investigate their feelings and work creatively through the use of different media. Pupils’ work develops well with increasing control over tools, media and form. Sketchbooks of good quality are used productively throughout the school to plan and evaluate observational drawings, such as re-creations of Van Gogh’s painting of his and Gaugin's chair. Sketches of buildings and train tracks, using two

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

vanishing points, show developing use of perspective . Pupils of all abilities enjoy their work. They appreciate the opportunities to work in a range of malleable materials, and express pride in the papier-mâché policeman’s hats they made. Many say that art and design is one of their favourite subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Teaching was very good in one lesson observed on the retelling of Greek mythology through the use of textiles. Collages of The Trojan Horse, Hercules and Andromeda reflected the teacher's in-depth knowledge of the subject and the enthusiasm of the pupils. Pupils' creativity flourished through the use of rich provision of resources in a calm and orderly atmosphere conducive to learning.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. Teachers celebrate pupils’ success in attractive displays. They reflect a wide and interesting curriculum and promote pupils' self-esteem. Effective links are made with literacy when pupils recount their walk around the school grounds to collect natural materials such as twigs and leaves to sculpt a forest scene and a tree house. Assessment procedures are to be further developed in line with the new scheme of work. Resources are to be supplemented to support the units in the new scheme of work.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, health and social education and education in citizenship is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good. • Teaching is good. • Provision for this aspect of the school's work is an integral part of its life.

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Commentary

78. There is a comprehensive scheme of work, which includes sex and drugs education. As well as taking good opportunities, which arise in everyday school life, teachers arrange lessons where pupils learn and share ideas about feelings, relationships, responsibilities and health. Pupils have regular times to discuss aspects not only of living together in a school community, but also for considering what it means to be a citizen in modern society. This is reinforced by their contributions to classroom rules and taking on duties such as being ‘buddies’ to younger pupils. The school council is a very good vehicle for pupils to express their views, which the headteacher and staff welcome as part of their contribution to school development. Rosewood Primary School

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 8 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 5 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 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7); not applicable (8) Rosewood Primary School

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