St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd – 5 th December 2003

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 240

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Crescent Avenue Four Lane Ends Over Hulton Bolton Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01204 332606 Fax number: 01204 332607

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Reverend P Ellis

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Andrew’s is a voluntary aided Church of England primary school. It draws its pupils from a wide geographical area as well as from close to the school. Pupils come from a range of family backgrounds although more than usual are from homes of business or professional families. This is reflected in the proportion of pupils who receive free school meals which is well below the national average. The school is of average size, with 240 pupils on roll, aged between four and eleven years. Most classes are of single age groups but two in the infants have two year groups in them. At the time of the inspection, there were 33 children in the Foundation Stage (reception classes).

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The number of pupils who enter and leave the school throughout the year is about average. There are a small number of pupils from minority ethnic groups; only one is at early stages of learning English. Attainment on entry to the school is above average. At the time of the inspection, there were two pupils with statements of educational need. A further 19 pupils are on the list of pupils with special educational needs; this represents 11 per cent of the school population and is below that found in most schools. Pupils’ special educational needs are for a variety of reasons including learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties and autism. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

2615 Eileen Parry Lead inspector Science, music, physical education, Foundation Stage 13485 Paul Widdowson Lay inspector 33225 Elizabeth Greensides Team inspector English, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, English as an additional language. 33236 Kevin Dodd Team inspector Mathematics, history, geography, special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 6 St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory and it gives satisfactory value for money. Teaching in infants and juniors is good overall and for children in the Foundation Stage (reception classes) it is satisfactory. By the age of eleven, standards are above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Overall, pupils are making satisfactory gains in their learning. They behave well, have good attitudes to school and enjoy good relationships. The governance of the school is good; its leadership and management are satisfactory.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards are above average in mathematics, history, science and reading and pupils achieve well in these subjects. • Boys underachieve in writing. • The monitoring of teaching and learning relies too much on informal methods and so is not picking up inconsistencies soon enough. • Pupils are very well cared for and encouraged to become sensible and thoughtful individuals. • There is a good curriculum that is enriched by a good range of extra activities. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made satisfactory improvement overall since the last inspection in 1998. The classrooms for children in the Foundation Stage are better organised, and resources and planning have improved, but there are still some times when the children are given tasks which are not matched effectively enough to their needs. The school was asked to consider a secure outdoor play facility for reception children, and a new outdoor soft surface area has just been finished and will soon be in use. There are now good policies for assessing how well pupils are doing but these are not implemented consistently. Governors now meet statutory responsibilities which previously had gaps. Leadership and management have not been judged as high as in the previous inspection because some of the approaches to reviewing teaching and learning are too informal to pick up emerging weaknesses.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A B A D Mathematics A B A A Science C C B C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools: information based on prior attainment at Key Stage 1.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement overall is satisfactory. Results of national tests in Year 6 are well above the national average in English and mathematics and above average in science. Though remaining above average, results have fallen in the last three years in English. This is because, although pupils read very well, their writing is not at the same level; their achievement overall is below that of pupils from similar schools. The gap shows more with boys than with girls. Pupils achieve very well in mathematics compared to pupils in similar schools, and satisfactorily in science. Results in national tests for Year 2 pupils are well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. As a result of more computers and better teaching, pupils throughout the school are making rapid progress in information and communication technology (ICT) and standards are average by Years 2 and 6. Pupils reach above average standards in history through well-taught lessons and

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 8 many interesting visits and activities. The small amount of work seen in design and technology is also above the expected standards by Years 2 and 6. The majority of children start in the reception class with skills and knowledge that are at least average. They are likely to exceed the early learning goals which are the targets set nationally for them by the end of reception in communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development. This represents a satisfactory level of achievement. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported through sympathetic teaching and additional help when it is needed; their achievement measured against their special targets is good. The few pupils from minority ethnic groups are nearly all fluent with English and so achieve as well as other pupils.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, social, moral and cultural development,

are good. All of the staff work hard to create the very good relationships that help pupils to become more mature as they move through the school. Pupils willingly take on responsibilities and show care and concern for others. They behave well, are interested in their lessons and want to learn. Attendance is above average.

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The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Overall, teaching is good in

Years 1 to 6 and satisfactory in reception. Lessons are usually well planned and carefully prepared. The best teaching is lively, gets pupils’ interest and keeps them working effectively. Teaching is of a consistently high quality in Years 2, 4 and 6 and in science lessons throughout the school where the practical approach rouses pupils’ curiosity and makes them keen to explore and to learn. Throughout the infants and juniors, pupils’ work is usually well matched to what they need to learn. There are also some unsatisfactory elements to teaching however, where tasks are not at the right level so that pupils do not build on what they already know; this is particularly so in Year 5. Pupils’ work is marked very carefully with lots of praise and encouragement but not often enough with advice about how they can improve. There is a good curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6 that is enhanced by the good range of extra activities. For children in the Foundation Stage, the teaching

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The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Overall, teaching is good in

and curriculum are satisfactory. Sometimes lessons are challenging and sometimes work is not well matched to what the children need to learn and can be too formal at this early point of the year. Pupils throughout the school are very well cared for and there is a good partnership with the parents. Provision for pupils with special educational need is good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The governance of the school is good. The headteacher successfully sets the tone for a friendly and caring Christian school where everyone feels welcome and all pupils are valued and respected. Teaching and learning are monitored although the approach is mostly informal and this is not rigorous enough to pick up areas for development.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils enjoy coming to school and believe their opinions are heard. Parents think highly of the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• To improve standards and pupils’ achievements in writing; • To improve arrangements for monitoring so that the best practice is identified and fostered, and any weaknesses in teaching and learning are recognised and remedied. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Children start at the school with skills and knowledge that are above average, and achieve satisfactorily. Standards in reading, science and mathematics are above average throughout the school and pupils achieve well in these areas.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils throughout the school achieve well and reach above average standards in mathematics, history, science and reading. • Standards in writing are average at Year 6 but most pupils, particularly the boys, underachieve. • Pupils are reaching average standards in ICT overall which is especially good achievement since they have only recently had access to enough computers. • Children in the Foundation Stage exceed the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development; they make satisfactory progress.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Foundation Stage are likely to exceed the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development This represents satisfactory achievement because children start with skills and knowledge that are above average. The satisfactory teaching ensures that pupils continue to make steady progress but is not matched well enough to children’s needs to ensure better progress.

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Commentary

2. Standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above the national average in reading and writing. Pupils’ achievement is good in reading but satisfactory in writing, particularly for boys. The school has identified this comparative weakness through its analysis of assessment information and is giving consideration to ways of tackling this. Pupils learn to listen and discuss matters sensibly because of the emphasis that is given to the development of speaking and listening. They record their ideas capably in subjects such as history and geography. Pupils’ handwriting is neat and they present their work well but their writing is often too limited in length and complexity to reach the higher level. In mathematics, pupils are likely to reach above average levels and achieve well over time by the end of Years 2 and 6. However, achievement in lessons is sometimes restricted to a satisfactory level by tasks which are not demanding

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Commentary

enough. Pupils have sound skills in number and enjoy explaining answers. They use their mathematical skills well in other subjects, for example measuring in design and technology and drawing graphs in science.

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Commentary

3. Throughout the school pupils do well in science and standards are above average. Pupils acquire a good approach to investigation and develop good skills in observing what they see and offering explanations. Standards are average in ICT but pupils are making good progress since the school acquired a set of laptop computers. Pupils are beginning to use their ICT skills effectively in other subjects. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are above average in history and design and technology and pupils achieve well. This is because teaching is good.

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Commentary

4. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs and these pupils achieve well against the targets set for them in their individual learning plans. Most pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds do not need extra support since they are fluent in English and they achieve as well as other pupils. The few who do need help are supported sympathetically and quickly gain the confidence to take a full part in lessons.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 10 Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.7 (17.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.3 (15.9) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.9 (16.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 32 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.2 (29.1) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 29.4 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7 ) Science 30.1 (29.4) 28.6 (28.3 ) There were 35 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

5. These tables reflect results in the national tests for 2003 that are well above average at Year 2 in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. The school exceeded the targets that it had set for the percentage of pupils to reach the expected level or higher in Year 6 in mathematics and almost reached them for English. However, fewer pupils reached the higher level than had been forecast, especially in English. Results in Year 6 were well above the national average in English and mathematics and above average in science. However, when compared to pupils in similar schools based on the results at Year 2, Year 6 pupils made well above average progress in mathematics, satisfactory progress in science but below average progress in English. Closer analysis of information in English shows that writing is the part that causes the results to fall and is a particular weakness for boys. The school has identified this

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Commentary

and has a sound plan in place for improvement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good and their moral and social development is very good. Attendance at the school is very good and the majority of pupils arrive punctually.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attendance is well above average. • Pupils enjoy coming to school, they find lessons interesting and challenging and have good attitudes to learning. • Behaviour is good and relationships between pupils and all adults in the school are very good. • Pupils’ personal and social development is very good and they have very good opportunities to take on responsibility and show initiative. • There is a strong Christian ethos at the school which supports moral development.

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Commentary

6. The majority of pupils are punctual and lessons start promptly at the start of the school day. Pupils enjoy coming to school and find the lessons interesting and challenging. Teachers are encouraging and supporting and, as a result, pupils are keen to learn. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, have good attitudes to learning which impact well on the standards they achieve. Where teaching is St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 11 good, pupils are attentive, concentrate on the tasks they are given, participate fully in lessons and make good progress.

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Commentary

7. There have been no exclusions. Pupils have a clear understanding of the school’s expectations of good behaviour and understand the difference between right and wrong. The school’s ethos and codes of conduct are displayed in classrooms and around the school. In the majority of lessons, pupils settle quickly and listen to the instructions given by the teachers. Because of this, lessons start promptly and pupils understand what they are expected to do. Pupils work quietly and sensibly on their own and in small groups where they share resources and help each other.

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Commentary

8. In the playground, pupils are well behaved. Supervision is good and there is a good range of playground equipment, which is well used. All pupils play well together and there is no sign of rough or aggressive behaviour. At the end of playtime, pupils line up quickly and quietly and return to their classrooms in an orderly manner. Pupils are polite and friendly and welcome visitors into their school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils have a range of individual classroom responsibilities and in Year 6 all pupils have the opportunity to work as school monitors. These duties include setting up and clearing away after assembly, helping the teachers at break time, tidying up the cloakrooms and picking up litter. At the end of Year 5, pupils are linked with a partner in Year 2 so that when pupils start in the junior school they have a friendly face to whom they can turn to if they need help. There is a school council with elected representatives from all junior classes, which gives the pupils the opportunity to discuss issues that affect their daily school life. They have been responsible for choosing playground equipment and setting up a rota for its use. The school council provides a good opportunity for personal and social development. There is a residential visit in Year 6, which combines outdoor activities and ICT work and this helps develop independence, self-

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Commentary

10. There is good provision for personal, social and health education including sex education and drug awareness. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are taught about their own culture through history and during the inspection the Year 6 pupils presented an assembly on the Second World War. An assembly, taken by the local vicar, focused on Advent using an Advent Ring in his assembly. Pupils are taught about other faiths in religious education. Spiritual development is particularly evident during work in science and there is the opportunity for reflection during assembly.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.9 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Despite some inconsistencies, teaching and learning are good overall. There is a good curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6 that is enhanced by the good range of extra activities. For children in the Foundation Stage, the curriculum is satisfactory. Very good care and attention are given to all of the pupils. Parents and pupils think well of the school. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 12

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers use a wide variety of teaching and learning styles and resources successfully to interest pupils. • Pupils’ behaviour is managed well through very good relationships so that pupils have good attitudes to their work. • The good practice seen in marking pupils’ work with guidance on ways to improve is not consistent. • Science is taught well so that pupils learn effectively. • Weaker lessons are as a result of work that is not challenging enough.

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Commentary

11. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Classrooms are well organised to make good use of space. Lessons mostly contain a mixture of strengths and weaknesses that mean that they are satisfactory overall. They are planned with the early learning goals in mind but sometimes the work is not at the right level for the children, as in parts of a physical education lesson where games strategies were taught or when mathematical or literacy activities are too hard or too easy for the children. In other parts of lessons, such as developing movement skills in physical education or sharing stories in literacy lessons, teaching is good and children’s skills are well promoted through good questions and effective modelling of skills. Children take part in directly taught activities and are also given some choice, although this is often within a small range of activities provided and can be limited by time as groups are moved

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Commentary

on. All adults are fully involved in teaching, and work with patience to encourage children to take part, for example by questioning and by developing vocabulary; as a result the children are confident and keen to do things.

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Commentary

12. Teaching in lessons seen in Years 1 to 6 is good overall with a range from unsatisfactory to excellent. This is a slightly poorer judgement than that of the previous inspection. Teaching is of a consistently high quality in Years 2, 4 and 6. All teachers have high expectations about pupils’ behaviour. The very good relationships in the school ensure that pupils can work individually, in pairs and in small groups equally effectively. In lessons that are very good, teachers plan very carefully and prepare work that is of a good level of challenge to all pupils. Teaching assistants support individuals and groups well. Pupils know what they are expected to learn and there is often an element of fun. Most science lessons come into this bracket. They are often exciting and challenging and ensure that pupils throughout the school enjoy learning and achieve well. The pupils’ investigative skills are given plenty of opportunity to grow and develop through the

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Commentary

practical approach offered. Teaching assistants in Years 1 and 2 play an important part in science lessons, taking on a substantial responsibility by supervising a group and doing this well. In some other subjects, high quality teaching is seen that captures pupils’ interest and pushes their learning along at a brisk pace, as in a design and technology lesson in Year 4 where the teacher’s questions encouraged pupils to reason an answer, or in an ICT lesson in a mixed Year 1 and 2 class where learning was made enjoyable by the teacher’s approach.

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Commentary

13. Two unsatisfactory lessons were seen in Year 5. Weaknesses were as a result of inadequate preparation, for example in ensuring that the right resources are ready at the start of the lesson, or in keeping the pupils working for too long at tasks which did not have enough to occupy the pupils, resulting in noise that was not related to work and pupils who did not listen well enough.

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Commentary

14. Overall the assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory. All teachers mark work regularly and write positive comments but there are fewer times when pupils are given guidance about how to improve their work. The best practice in this was in Year 4 English books. Targets are set for St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 13 some pupils and in some classes, but not for all. For example, Year 6 pupils of average ability in mathematics are set targets that are used to record progress but not other groups of pupils.

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Commentary

15. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all of the lessons and make progress that is comparable to that of other pupils. Extra support enables them to achieve well against their special targets. Staff are thoughtful of the needs of their pupils. For example, they took great care with one pupil who finds it difficult to cope with new people to familiarise him with the members of the inspection team so that he was not unsettled by their presence.

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Commentary

This is an example of excellent practice in supporting a pupil with special educational needs

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Commentary

A pupil with special educational needs is easily upset by new faces and disturbances to his routine. The school is very aware of this and brings him to talk to each inspector, ask questions and have his photograph taken with each in turn. The pupil’s support assistant uses the photographs to remind the pupil of the visitors’ presence each day and to ensure that he is not unsettled. The strategy works and the pupil copes well when inspectors come into the classroom.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

Overall, the curriculum is good and is enriched by a good range of extra activities. Children in the Foundation Stage sometimes have work that is not well matched to their learning needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have equal access to the range of learning opportunities which includes a good range of extra activities. • There has been good improvement in the provision for ICT, effectively raising basic skills. • The curriculum for pupils in mixed age range classes is not consistently differentiated to meet their needs. • Special consideration is given to the needs of pupils with special needs so that they have access to individual, and group, support in class or withdrawal groups.

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Commentary

16. The school has worked to achieve a number of improvements in the curriculum. It remains good for pupils in Years 1 to 6, as it was at the last inspection. The provision of a laptop computer suite is enabling large groups of pupils to be taught ICT skills and is raising interest in the subject. Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress using a range of resources appropriate for their needs. The school uses co-ordinators’ expertise to support teachers in the classroom, and their role in monitoring and evaluating the curriculum is satisfactory.

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Commentary

17. The quality of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and has improved since the last inspection. All six areas of learning are planned for. Classrooms provide more opportunity for imaginative play than was previously the case; these include opportunities for St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 14 children to experiment with writing as they play. Although they have physical education lessons, provision for children’s physical development is limited on a daily basis. Children use the outdoor environment for learning and a new soft surface area has just been finished that should extend opportunities. Literacy and numeracy sessions are lightened with some practical work but the sessions can still be too long for the children when the task is too hard or too easy.

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Commentary

18. For pupils in Years 1 to 6, all National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and is now well balanced because all subjects are fully supported by schemes of work. Teaching time for pupils in Year 3 to 6 is less than the minimum recommended and in some pupils’ books there is evidence that they do not manage to complete all their work. Personal, social and health education is well planned with a balance of activities provided suited to the age range of pupils. Policies for sex education and relationships are good and have been reviewed recently with evidence of appropriate parental involvement. An appropriate alcohol and drugs misuse policy has been developed using guidance from the Bolton Drugs Advisory Service.

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Commentary

19. There are good curricular links with the local secondary school and the school makes good use of visitors, such as a recent visit by a poet and members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. These help pupils to extend their expertise. There are good opportunities for pupils to participate in music and sporting activities and clubs including ICT and chess, and French and art clubs for younger pupils. Pupils also have the opportunity to visit a residential outdoor activities centre.

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Commentary

20. The accommodation, staffing levels and resources are satisfactory. There are plans accepted to develop the building further and funding is in place to achieve this.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides a very caring and supportive environment for all pupils. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are valued and respected. Health and safety provision is very good. The personal guidance offered to pupils is good and pupils are given good opportunities to take on responsibility and show initiative.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for care, welfare, health and safety is very good. • The behaviour policy is effectively implemented and behaviour in the school is good. • Pupils have very good relationships with staff. • Attendance is well monitored and good attendance is promoted. • Induction arrangements are good. • Pupils receive very good support and guidance in terms of personal and social development.

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Commentary

21. The school has very effective policies and procedures in place for first aid, child protection, anti- bullying and Internet protection. This represents good improvements from the previous inspection.

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Commentary

22. Relationships between pupils and staff are very good. Because of this, pupils feel confident to approach teachers with any problems or concerns they may have. There is a strong sense of mutual respect and trust between pupils and staff.

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Commentary

23. The school has an effective behaviour policy. The school has a code of conduct based on its Christian ethos and class rules are discussed with the pupils. Because of this, pupils understand the rules. This ensures that the school is an orderly society where pupils can learn well. The school has an effective policy in place to eliminate oppressive behaviour and there are St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 15 effective procedures in place to deal with any reported incidents of bullying. Whilst a small minority of parents are concerned about bullying, there was no evidence to support this view during the inspection and pupils and teachers do not perceive bullying as a problem. Pupils feel that the playground is a safe place where all pupils play well together in a friendly atmosphere. The school council gives them a good avenue to express their views and pupils believe that these are listened to and acted upon.

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Commentary

24. Personal development is effectively monitored and is specifically commented on in pupils’ annual reports. There is an effective personal, social, health and care programme, which is planned within the curriculum. Sex education and drug awareness are provided at an appropriate level for each year group and circle time is used effectively to develop self- confidence and discuss a range of personal, social and moral issues.

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Commentary

25. The school provides effective support and guidance for all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The policy of including every child in what the school has to offer is very effective and ensures there is no discrimination.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established an effective partnership with parents. The school has good relationships with parents and they are very supportive of the school and the work it does.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has good relationships with parents. • The quality of information to parents is good. • Parents support their children’s education both in school and at home. • There is a strong parent teacher association with funds used to enhance educational provision. • There are strong links with the local church.

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Commentary

26. Judgements are similar to those of the previous inspection. The school provides very good information to parents through the school brochure, the governors’ annual report to parents and regular newsletters. There is an induction meeting for new parents. The school has consulted parents on their views about the school and staff are always available to talk to parents if they have any problems or concerns.

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Commentary

27. The school keeps parents informed of how well their children are getting on. Parent teacher meetings are held twice a year and parents have ample opportunity to discuss their children’s attainment, progress and personal and social development with teachers. These meetings are well attended. Parents are offered the opportunity to discuss pupils’ annual reports but very few take up the offer. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in reviews and target setting.

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Commentary

28. A small number of parents and friends of the school regularly help in the classroom with reading, bakery, story writing and literacy. Many parents support their children at home, which has a significant impact on attainment and progress. Parents are very supportive of school activities, including social and sporting events.

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Commentary

29. The school involves parents in learning more about the curriculum and has held workshops for mathematics in both key stages. These were well attended. Reading evenings are also held in the autumn term for new parents. The school plans to organise open mornings where parents can come into school to learn more about the work their children are doing in the classroom. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 16 30. The school has good links with the local church. Pupils visit the church to celebrate Christian festivals and the vicar regularly comes into school to take assembly. The school has a good range of visits and visitors to enhance the curriculum, particularly in art, science, history and geography.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and staff successfully create a warm and friendly school where all pupils are valued equally. The governance of the school is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The ethos of the school is very well promoted by the headteacher, and all staff have a very caring approach to the welfare of children. • The governors are committed and active, and fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities. • In response to the previous key issues, good policies have been recently produced but these have not yet been consistently implemented, and the monitoring to sustain and improve quality of education is not rigorous enough. • The headteacher has begun to analyse and use data to improve standards throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The headteacher is effective in promoting an ethos which ensures a caring approach to the welfare and development of all pupils and staff. Inclusion procedures are well thought out and are prominent in all school policies and procedures. Performance management procedures are efficient and effective; a two-part process each year ensures that staff and school development fits in with the overall school cycle. Staff development is good, and the leadership of the school ensures that training is targeted to both the needs of the school and the staff. Although job descriptions are not always completed annually, the impact of the annual performance management process is satisfactory.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

32. The governors are highly committed and active, and have a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are confident either to challenge or to support and have a high profile around school. Governing body meetings are focused on relevant issues, and committee meetings have clear terms of reference; membership of committees is very often due to particular expertise – for example an accountant on the finance committee.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

33. The headteacher, in conjunction with the governors, has good awareness and practice regarding best value principles for budget and the monitoring of the budget. This is linked well to the school improvement plan, which is an improvement since the last inspection. This plan has strategic, individual, plans for school improvement for he coming year. The longer term vision for the future is hazy and is not yet sufficiently focused and written down. There have been a number of successful funding bids which have considerably improved the school building as a resource and plans are in place to continue to develop, improve and redecorate the building.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

34. The impact of leadership and management is satisfactory overall. The headteacher has begun to collect and collate data in order to analyse and track standards throughout school. Currently this is in its infancy, and is beginning to raise issues for the school to develop, such as that of writing. Good policies have been devised since the last inspection, such as those for marking and for teaching and learning. However, there is not sufficient monitoring of the way these procedures are implemented by all staff to give cohesion throughout school. Examples of good leadership and effective management can be seen in science and ICT where decisions have secured improvements in pupils’ standards. Provision for special educational needs is also well managed so that pupils make good progress. Subject leaders are given adequate time which they usually use to support colleagues by teaching with them, but there is not enough emphasis

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

on reviewing practice to identify weaknesses as well as strengths. There is a strongly positive approach to improvement from all of the staff which means that the school is in a good position to move forward. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 17

p.16

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 496772 Balance from previous year 81802 Total expenditure 496772 Balance carried forward to the next 81802 Expenditure per pupil 2462 St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision across the areas for learning is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Classrooms are soundly organised to provide a range of learning experiences. • Learning is planned with both the early learning goals and the National Curriculum in mind and this sometimes leads to an emphasis on learning that is not appropriate for the children. • Adults work well as a team to provide a warm and friendly ethos that helps children to settle in and encourages them to take part in all activities.

p.18

Commentary

35. Children in the Foundation Stage are taught in two different classes. One is wholly a reception class; the other is a mixed class with Year 1 pupils as well as those in reception. Teachers plan together to make sure that the work is comparable. Although the planning has clear reference to the early learning goals, sometimes the activities do not deliver the learning in the best way for young children, for example, when physical education lessons work on games strategies which are not appropriate for young children, or literacy and numeracy lessons have parts that are too hard or too easy in the mixed age class. At other times, activities are challenging and lead to children making good gains in learning, for example, when children are encouraged to make their own maps following the Bear Hunt story. The school has responded well to the curriculum issue from the last inspection about providing a safe space for outdoor play and a

p.18

Commentary

safe surface area was nearing completion at the time of the inspection. Co-ordination overall is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has led staff development well; this has included visits to other schools and from advisory staff to decide on how to develop the provision. As a result, the classrooms are well organised and include a better provision for imaginative play than at the previous inspection; they are well resourced. The standards and achievements of the children are at a similar level to the last inspection. Teachers’ planning is monitored regularly to see that it includes good reference to the early learning goals. The co-ordinator works with teachers in their classrooms but does not step back to review what is happening so that she can see how effective activities are in helping children to learn.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory and children achieve the targets set for them in this area of learning by the end of reception. Children start in the reception classes with good levels of confidence, for example in talking to new people. The warm and friendly relationships with adults and the positive encouragement that children get keep their confidence high. They are keen and enthusiastic learners but sometimes their enthusiasm results in noisy responses; for example they sometimes call out loudly. However, they are very responsive to adults and mirror actions and words so that when the adults use quiet voices so do the children. Children behave well when working with others and are quite sensible in observing simple rules such as lining up safely to go into the hall. The children have good personal independence; for example, they change for physical education and put their clothing into bags by

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

themselves, only needing help for difficult buttons or shoe fastenings. There are times when children can choose their activities from those that are made available to them as well as times when they are taught directly but the curriculum is quite strongly structured and allows relatively little time for children to choose what they would like to do. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 19

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory. Children start with above average literacy skills and these are sustained so that children are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the end of reception. Children are encouraged to talk and to listen in parts of the lessons where all are together or in activities where the conversation is more informal. The classrooms are bright and lively places which stimulate children’s play and discussion. Imaginative play areas allow children to model language that is used in particular situations and the children show confidence when they talk to each other or to adults. Children enjoy listening to stories and practising reading; for example, they joined in the chorus for the Bear Hunt in one class and the Gingerbread Man in the other with obvious pleasure. They tell their own stories from the pictures and there are also children who are reading simple sentences. Most children can form letter shapes that

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

are recognisable and read them when they start in reception; some can attempt writing their own words, often using the first letter to indicate the meaning as in m k i b ( my cat is black). With help, the older reception children in the mixed reception/Year 1class were able to find food beginning with a given letter, such as ‘a’ for apple; they then drew the food and wrote the word. However, their success was heavily dependent upon adult help because the teaching was focused on the end product, an alphabet book rather than on the learning needs of the children. Other activities such as sequencing pictures were more successful and led children to tell themselves the story and to write their own captions.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory. Teaching overall is satisfactory. Children start with above average knowledge and therefore are likely to exceed the early learning goals. In both classes with reception age children, teachers follow the numeracy strategy, with the full session given to mathematics and a division of time between whole-class elements and practical work. At this early point of the year this is too long for some of the younger or less able children. In both classes, the first parts of the lessons are the best with teachers talking to the classes and developing children’s number knowledge well through activities such as songs and rhymes and through questions about number. The older reception children in the reception/Year 1 class joined in with counting in 10s to 100, and backwards. Some clearly joined in with understanding but the less able children struggled, which showed when they found it difficult to answer individual questions.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

This was also evident in the group activities with money. Children recognise and name all of the individual coins up to £1. However, they are all still at the stage of counting coins, not appreciating values, so that they are unable to make given amount such as 5p. This was spotted and the children were moved on to play with sand which was more appropriate. Children in the reception class showed a secure understanding of length as they compared the length of mice’s tails. The follow-up activities kept most but not all of them busy, for example making mice with long and short tails, ordering a set of snakes by length or rolling play dough into long and short lengths. These activities developed other skills such as children’s ability to cut and stick but did not extend their learning about length further since they were already confident in describing longer and shorter at the start of the lesson.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Too little was seen in this area to make overall judgements on provision. Geographical skills were well developed in a literacy lesson where children made simple maps that showed a journey in the story. There are role-play areas that develop children’s understanding of different services such as a veterinary clinic. Children regularly bake and during the inspection they made cheese straws. At this time of the year, there is strong emphasis on preparing for Christmas that can be seen in the cards that children are making which have polar bears with noses that move. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 20

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory. Children are likely to achieve the expected standard by the end of reception. Children now have a special area outside, although this was not seen used during the inspection because it was just reaching completion, and also have more formal lessons in the hall. Teaching overall is satisfactory in these formal lessons; it is good in the parts when the content is of the right type for young children, for example in developing their skills in moving around the hall in different ways; it is unsatisfactory in other parts such as when children are put into teams for games. This concept is too difficult for young children to understand. Children demonstrate average skills in moving around and balancing on different parts of the body and good skills in throwing and catching. Classrooms are large and allow good opportunity for children to move around safely in lessons. Children show very good control when using scissors and pencils and in

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

manipulating materials such as play dough.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Not enough was seen to make overall judgements about provision and teaching for creative development but work in the classrooms and on display suggests that children are given a broad range of creative work and that they reach the early learning goals in this area. There are role-play areas which stimulate conversation and co-operative play. For example four girls in the ‘veterinary clinic’ played well together healing animals that were ‘sick’. Within mathematics lessons children sang number songs, remembering the words well and keeping in tune.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading and speaking and listening are a strength in English and contribute well to other subjects. • Pupils, particularly the boys, should be doing better in writing. • Monitoring of English for consistency of approach has not been rigorous enough to ensure improvement. • Teaching and assessment are satisfactory overall with some good and very good examples observed.

p.20

Commentary

36. Standards in English are above average overall. Standards in reading are high, and pupils achieve well in national tests at Years 2 and 6. Girls do not attain as well at the higher levels of achievement in writing. At both key stages, boys’ achievement in writing remains behind that of the girls, and boys perform significantly more poorly in writing than they do in reading and with a greater margin than that expected nationally. Pupils with English as an additional language are confident with English and are achieving at the same rate as other pupils. Pupils’ achievements overall are satisfactory because of the disparity between what they can do in reading and in writing. This is a slightly poorer picture than the good achievement that was described in the previous inspection report.

p.20

Commentary

37. Teaching in English is satisfactory overall. Some good or very good lessons were observed during the inspection, but there is inconsistency in the quality of teaching, both across year groups and across the strands of English. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to talk and discuss matters during lessons and as a result pupils are confident when speaking and work together well. Pupils progress well in reading because of the varied opportunities in St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 21 English lessons and across the curriculum. They are taught about different types of books and how different texts are constructed. Pupils at the end of Year 2 know how to find information in text books using an index and can explain different sections of books. By the end of Year 6 pupils are introduced to classic books and plays during group reading sessions – for example A Christmas Carol and Macbeth . There are sometimes good links made between reading and

p.20

Commentary

writing, as when older pupils studying Macbeth were encouraged to develop their understanding by rewriting parts in local dialect; pupils in Year 3 were given very good strategies to write using bullet points after studying non-fiction books on festivals. Despite some good teaching, pupils are not consistently challenged when reading for themselves. There is overuse of reading scheme books at both key stages and little evidence of sustained silent reading.

p.21

Commentary

38. Standards in writing are average in Year 6 overall. More able pupils write with good accuracy of spelling and punctuation but with little of length or showing the more complex use of grammar or imaginative use of vocabulary that would take them into the higher levels. The quality of teaching of writing is inconsistent, and there is insufficient attention to planning for the needs of all pupils. For example, when pupils work from the same worksheet or planning, higher attaining pupils are not challenged or extended to produce a higher level of work and so achievement is restricted by the task set. Marking in these cases is unhelpful since the higher attaining pupils get everything correct and receive positive comments such as ‘fabulous effort’ and lower attaining pupils make errors and receive negative comments. Good examples of marking are to be found which tell pupils precisely what they need to do next but often marking praises effort

p.21

Commentary

rather than telling the pupil how to improve. Targets for improvement are evident in the front of books, but are not always shared with pupils. This lack of a rigorous pursuit of progress and quality written work is what underlies the recent decline in standards in writing. Lessons at present are sometimes focused more on what pupils will do than what they are expected to learn. An example of this is the plan to produce an alphabet book in Year 1 rather than deciding what sounds and letters pupils need to work on.

p.21

Commentary

39. Leadership and management of English are satisfactory. The co-ordinator for English has recently been appointed to the post. Senior staff have begun to analyse reasons for the dip in standards in writing, and have devised a reasonable action plan arising from supporting data. This has built-in procedures for review of progress and monitoring of actions and impact against success criteria, but identified actions that should be taken lack focus, detail and timescale. The examples of good practice in literacy that exist within the school are not yet shared or modelled throughout to provide foundations for other teachers.

p.21

Literacy across the curriculum

Pupils’ reading skills are a good asset in other subjects and their writing is adequate. They are given good opportunities to write for different purposes in history, geography and science.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Some very good lessons were observed where learning objectives were made clear to pupils and the tasks set were well suited to the abilities of all pupils. • Pupils enjoy the subject because they are challenged effectively. • Classroom assistants support less able pupils so that they achieve well. • More able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in mixed age range classes in Key Stage 1. • Marking, although positive, gives insufficient information to enable pupils to improve. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 22

p.21

Commentary

40. Standards are above average in Years 2 and 6. Since the last inspection, the rate of improvement has been good overall. Pupils make good progress overall, but more able pupils in Year 2 do not always do as well as they are able to in mixed age classes when tasks are not well matched to ability. By Year 6, pupils have a secure and comprehensive understanding of place value and are able to apply this to increasingly complex problems. By Year 2, pupils use a simple number line to add multiples of ten to two-digit numbers; pupils accurately estimate and measure length using a ruler.

p.22

Commentary

41. The quality of teaching is good overall throughout the school, with notable strengths in Years 2, 4 and 6 classes. Good teacher knowledge and clear explanations ensure mathematical learning objectives are understood and that pupils know what is expected of them. Careful planning based on accurate understanding of current levels of achievement ensures that pupils of all levels of ability are provided with appropriately challenging work. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve with very good classroom management of time and resources; for example, in Year 4 the teacher made very good use of pre-prepared resources to enable pupils to develop an understanding of picture graphs and deployed the classroom assistant well to enable less able pupils to construct their own graph. Lessons incorporate a good variety of stimulating activities, which pupils enjoy, for example a mental challenge

p.22

Commentary

involving calculation of totals for a ‘Ferry Trip’ in Year 6.

p.22

Commentary

42. Leadership and management in the subject are satisfactory. The school’s development of mathematics has improved with the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and involvement with the Basic Skills Award, enabling most teachers to plan simulating, challenging and relevant work for their pupils. The co-ordinator has used these initiatives to audit the subject and identified a need to support colleagues by developing a bank of activities linked to using and applying mathematics together with a tracking system to record pupils’ progress. The co-ordinator is aware of the very good teaching in school but strengths in teaching have not yet been disseminated throughout the school.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

All pupils have some good opportunities for mathematical development across the curriculum. Mathematics is used in subjects such as science in Year 2 where pupils use graphs and tables to sort food and materials, and in Year 4 to record temperatures throughout the day. Mathematics has been linked to ICT as pupils create a spreadsheet but opportunities have been limited by lack of computers until recently.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach above average standards because the strong focus on practical work helps them to learn effectively. • Teaching is very good.

p.22

Commentary

43. An analysis of results of national tests in 2002 led the staff to increase the emphasis on practical work which they identified as a weakness. As a result of the stronger emphasis on learning through doing and of very good teaching, pupils are becoming skilled at predicting, observing and making conclusions about their experiments and standards are rising; they are above average throughout the school. This is better than at the previous inspection. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 23 44. Year 6 pupils show good skills and knowledge. Much of their work involves trying things out and investigating. In their current work which involves learning and understanding that micro organisms feed and grow, they demonstrated good understanding of the importance of a fair test and were quick to point out an area that might be unfair since the size of jugs they were using, to watch yeast grow, was different. The teaching was very skilful in developing the pupils’

p.22

Commentary

knowledge of scientific concepts through a mixture of explanation and questioning. Wrong answers and misconceptions were sensitively handled through good discussions that helped pupils to understand. Their previous work also taught them that experiments do not always go as planned. They were hoping to find mould on bread and had to change the nature of the experiment because all they were getting was dry bread. Similar skilful teaching was seen in a Year 5 lesson where pupils were dissecting flower heads to discover how flowers work to attract insects for pollination and then what means flowers use for dispersal. Pupils in all junior classes are happy to talk about their work and it is evident that the practical approach interests and absorbs them. Their ability to hypothesise and draw conclusions is good. They are able to identify the elements of a ‘fair test’. They record what they do in ways that are suitable for the

p.23

Commentary

45. There is a very good arrangement for pupils in the infants, who are normally in mixed age classes, to work in single age groups for science. These classes are large but the number of adults makes it viable to undertake the very practical approach seen in the juniors. Teaching assistants give very good support, enabling pupils to be in smaller groups and helping those with special needs to play a full part. There is quite a buzz as pupils work. Year 2 learned about changes in materials that are reversible such as pulling and stretching play dough, and those that are not such as when bread is toasted. They experimented happily with chocolate, finding how it reacts in a microwave, against a radiator, in a bowl of hot water and in the hand. Judging by the chocolate smudges and smiles on several faces, quite a bit of it found its way into stomachs as well! Year 1 pupils had a different type of exciting experience as they examined

p.23

Commentary

reflective and non-reflective surfaces in darkened rooms and in a makeshift tent, and by making mobiles.

p.23

Commentary

46. Teaching in science is very good. All lessons are well planned and prepared so that all pupils have the benefit of practical activity. Teachers show a good knowledge of the subject and good teaching skills in making learning suitable for all of the pupils in the class. Leadership and management is good; a new science co-ordinator is keen to carry on the good work that has been put in place so far. Science makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and social development as pupils work together and share the excitement of finding things out.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are average overall because there is some unevenness between the different strands of the ICT curriculum. • The new laptop ICT suite is a good and developing resource for all children. • The quality of teaching in ICT is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

47. Standards in ICT are average and improving. Pupils’ achievement is good because they have had limited experience previously due to shortage of computers. Younger children still sometimes have difficulty using the integral mouse, but persevere with good results. Year 6 pupils can devise and use spreadsheets and have good understanding of data handling with ICT. Pupils throughout the juniors can access the Internet, and are aware of rules for its safe use. They file, store and open their own work on the school intranet.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. Teaching is good. Teachers’ planning and delivery of lessons ensure that pupils progress well in their acquisition and development of skills. There is a good balance between specific St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 24 teaching of individual programs and skills, and application to other curriculum subjects. All teachers are now making full use of the laptops and enthusiasm amongst both staff and pupils is high. The quality of teaching in ICT is underpinned by sound teacher knowledge. Staff have all had training in ICT skills and development, and this is a strength of this subject.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

49. Leadership and management of ICT are good. Provision is better than at the last inspection. The co-ordinator is new to this responsibility, but has a good vision for the development of the subject. Resources have been vastly improved with the introduction of the laptop suite. Although there have been teething problems with access to both the Internet and intranet, the co-ordinator has identified ways of tackling these.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

Planning for ICT to support work in other subjects is good, and enables the development of skills through cross-curricular applications. For example, Year 1 and 2 pupils learning about the work of Mondrian in art were able to create pictures ‘in the style of Mondrian’ using the computers, whilst also learning new skills through an art program. Pupils in Year 3 were using the Internet to find out about life in another area which again combined the teaching of skills with learning in another subject. Year 6 pupils are using ICT for their work with the school weather station. Older pupils make good use of spreadsheets, graphs and tables to support their work in science and geography, and to aid presentation. However, there is not yet sufficient opportunity to use control and monitoring in ICT throughout school.

p.24

Example of outstanding practice

This is an example of an excellent lesson in ICT with pupils in a mixed age Year 1 and 2 class. The class teacher explains exactly what they are going to learn on the computer to create pictures in the style of Mondrian. A ‘fun’ task is built in as the teacher pretends to have forgotten how to open the laptops and start work, and the great majority of children are able to join in to help. This involves logging in with a password, finding their own folder, identifying the program and opening it on the correct level. The enthusiasm of the pupils is immediately apparent as they are able to recall full details of a previous lesson and to describe and explain the program and tools using appropriate ICT vocabulary. They are shown examples of another artist and begin to make excellent observations – “It’s got lines going this way and that way, but not that way” (vertical and horizontal but not diagonal) and one child “It’s got all primary colours!”

p.24

Example of outstanding practice

After a very good interactive demonstration from the class teacher, pupils are able to begin mixing a variety of skills, techniques, observations and knowledge. For example, they must retain a good awareness of what they are wanting as a finished art product, must be able to use at least two new tools on the program, must be able to remember a sequence of about six actions in the right order if they are to make the program work, and must be able to draw horizontal and vertical lines using an integral mouse.

p.24

HUMANITIES

Insufficient evidence was collected during the inspection to make a judgement on the provision for geography.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Older pupils develop very good knowledge of the periods they are studying, reflecting their teachers’ strong subject knowledge. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 25 • Pupils’ are able to select and link information from a wide range of sources well, when researching topics. • Very good links with other subjects and areas of development are made including English, ICT and music and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, that deepen pupils’ understanding. • Some projects for pupils in the infants are not well matched to their abilities

p.24

Commentary

50. Pupils respond enthusiastically to the exciting activities they undertake in history lessons. They listen attentively, engaging themselves in whole-class discussions that are managed very well by the teacher, for instance when Year 4 pupils discuss with relish the foods eaten by Romans. Questioning very effectively reinforces the understanding of new information. Many pupils engage in research at home, sharing their knowledge with their classmates. In Year 6 pupils have effectively researched historical information about Britain since 1930 and used this to deliver an impressive assembly on the Second World War that has increased their enjoyment in this subject and enabled them to share their knowledge and understanding with other pupils.

p.25

Commentary

51. The teaching seen in the one lesson in juniors was very good. Pupils’ work suggests that teachers have good subject knowledge. A scrutiny of work in Year 2 indicates there is a strong emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge but with insufficient regard to pupils’ abilities. There are fewer opportunities for the development of a sense of chronology by sequencing events and using information sources to answer questions about the past. Teachers encourage pupils to use a wide variety of sources to research topics and they select, link and present information well. Very good links with other subjects and areas of learning make learning more meaningful to pupils and enhance pupils’ appreciation of, and ability to practise basic skills in a variety of settings.

p.25

Commentary

52. There has been a good improvement since the previous inspection. Assessment is good and is now used well to monitor pupils’ progress, standards remain high by the age of eleven and teaching remains strong.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

No lessons were seen in music so no judgements can be made in that subject. However, pupils sing tunefully in assembly and several pupils learn to play instruments in extra activities. No lessons were seen in art and design but there is plenty of work on displays. In design and technology, one lesson was observed and other evidence was considered.

p.25

ART AND DESIGN

The teachers display pupils work well so that classrooms and shared areas look bright and colourful. Quite a lot of the work, owing to the inspection being in December, is linked to the school’s preparation for Christmas with scenes in the hall from the nativity using collage techniques, and Christmas cards and decorations being made in classrooms. Whilst these do not necessarily show off pupils’ artistic skills to best advantage, they are part of the celebration of Christmas and add well to the pupils’ spiritual development. Some examples of work that show high standards could be seen in the bright and colourful display of work based on aboriginal art in Year 4. These show careful application of colour and are good reflections of the original style. Pupils in the mixed Year 1 and 2 class showed an understanding of primary colours and learned about the style of the artist Mondrian in an ICT lesson. Delightful little clay hedgehogs in the infant area show that the pupils work in range

p.25

ART AND DESIGN

of media. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils work effectively across all of the strands of the design and technology curriculum.

p.26

Commentary

53. In the Year 1/2 class pupils have a good grasp of the design process, having made a list of resources required to make ‘winter pictures’. They have given some consideration to the construction of the pictures through drafting instructions. The pictures incorporate due care and attention to joining the various parts in appropriate ways and are well finished. Pupils have also given some thought to how they can improve them. Links with geography provide pupils with opportunities to demonstrate good skills in constructing paper houses.

p.26

Commentary

54. In the juniors there is a good coverage of suitable activities to extend pupils’ understanding and skills. Year 4 pupils have been designing money containers using felt. The designs give due regard to their function, incorporating a variety of designs with a religious theme of either Eid, or Christmas in an effort to appeal as a present to Muslims or Christians. Care has been taken in their construction and pupils have successfully experimented with joining techniques and incorporated them in the finished designs. They evaluate ways in which they can improve them further, for instance when children were challenged to think of appropriate ways they could join materials in advance of their investigations. The teacher probes their understanding, using questions encouragingly as when one child asks “How can I put a hole in my purse?” “Think!” replies the teacher. After a few seconds the pupil replies, “With a punch?” The teacher’s good

p.26

Commentary

exposition, use of resources and encouraging manner enable pupils to progress well and develop very good attitudes to the subject.

p.26

Commentary

55. In Year 5 pupils have made character puppets for a model Elizabethan theatre as part of their history work. The models are well constructed with thought given to the finish. In Year 6, pupils have been experimenting with Batik to create interesting and colourful designs. In history they have designed and made ‘Anderson shelters’ as a homework exercise. The models are detailed and well constructed and presented.

p.26

Commentary

56. Since the previous inspection progress has been good. The curriculum has been reviewed, and a scheme of work developed which provides greater opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in using tools, and assessments now enable pupils’ progress to be monitored. Pupils are now given opportunities to experiment, evaluate and learn from mistakes in lessons. Links with ICT are still underdeveloped but the school is currently addressing this situation with the recent acquisition of a laptop computer suite.

p.26

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

In the one lesson seen in Year 1, teaching was good. The teacher led a lively class well so that together they created and performed a dance on the theme of soldiers. Pupils’ skills in this lesson were in line with expectations. Most marched in time with good arm and leg co-ordination; some found this much harder to achieve. The teaching assistant supported pupils well, encouraging the more reluctant to take part. There is a range of extra activities, such as judo, that add richness to the physical education curriculum.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good . The pupils are well supported and gain confidence through the very good quality of relationships in the school. Pupils are St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 27 encouraged to take on responsibilities for tasks and for each other; for example, Year 6 ‘Happy Helpers’ help pupils in Year 3 to settle in to the juniors. This helps to create a caring community that is a good preparation for the future. Often teachers plan lessons that involve the pupils in working together and they becoming increasingly able to do this in a sensible and mature way. Pupils in juniors have the opportunity to represent their classes in the school council and bring issues that are of importance to them to the staff’s attention. They feel that they have made an impact, for example by suggesting ways to improve playtimes with playtime equipment. Circle times allow younger pupils

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

the opportunity to collect and share their concerns on important issues which are then fed into the school council. St Andrew’s (Over Hulton) CE Primary School - 28

p.27

The overall effectiveness of the school 4

How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.28

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.28

The quality of education provided by the school 4

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

p.28

The leadership and management of the school 4

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.28

The leadership and management of the school 4

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

p.28