St Mary's CofE Primary School

ST MARY’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th - 26 th May 2004

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ST MARY’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 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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ST MARY’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 210

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cornhill Road Davyhulme Urmston Manchester Postcode: M41 5TJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0161 912 2728 Fax number: 0161 912 2907

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Ian H Artus

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Mary’s is an average size school of 210 pupils set in Davyhulme some six miles from the centre of Manchester. This is larger than at the time of the previous inspection. Almost all pupils are of white British background with just a few pupils from minority ethnic groups. No pupil has English as an additional language. The school serves an area of mainly owner occupied housing and the percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average at 4.4 per cent. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is just below average at 14.7 per cent. Most pupils on the register of special educational needs have moderate learning difficulties, one has specific learning difficulties and one has a visual impairment. One pupil has Statement of Special Educational Need. This is below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has received a number of awards: - Schools Achievement Award 2002; Investor in People 2003; the local education authorities Gold Award for Healthy Schools 2003; Basic Skills Quality Mark 2004; and the local education authorities Silver Award for Positive Mental Health in 2004. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22191 Stephen Lake Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design 19575 Alan Sanders Lay inspector 32226 Teresa Quick Team inspector Foundation Stage 1 English Geography Music 25577 Bill Jefferson Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology History Physical education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 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).

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 5

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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

This is a good school that provides an effective education. Standards of attainment are above average. Pupils learn well as a result of the good teaching and achievement is good. The school is led and managed well and provides good value for money

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics at age seven, above average in English and science and well above average in mathematics at age 11 years. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below average at age 11 years. • The very good overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development results in very good behaviour and attitudes of the pupils. • The school is led and managed well. The headteacher has a very clear educational vision and provides very good leadership. • The quality of teaching is good and promotes good learning by pupils enabling good achievement by all groups of pupils. • The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is unsatisfactory. • Relationships are very good. • The new procedures for assessment are very good. • The accommodation and resources for children in the Foundation Stage are unsatisfactory

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OVERALL EVALUATION

as not enough support assistant time is available, the room is crowded and resources for outdoor play are unsatisfactory. • Links with parents are good and support learning well.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the previous inspection is good . Standards have risen significantly. Attainment at age seven is higher in reading and writing. Attainment in English, mathematics and science is higher at age 11 years. Standards in ICT are lower at age 11 years. The overall quality of teaching is better than at the previous inspection. The key issues of the previous report have been addressed well. The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 has improved. Pupils’ investigation skills have improved and pupils have satisfactory independent learning skills. Standards in design and technology have clearly improved. The headteacher is building an effective team in which responsibility is delegated well. Taking all factors into consideration the school is well placed to improve further.

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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 A Mathematics A C A A Science A C A B Key: A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Overall standards this year are above average and pupils achieve well during their

time in the school. Pupils enter the school with broadly average attainment. They achieve St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 7 satisfactorily in the Foundation Stage and enter Year 1 with average standards of attainment. By the age of seven, standards of attainment are above average in reading, writing and mathematics and pupils achieve well. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment is well above average in mathematics and above average in English and science and pupils are achieving well in these subjects. Standards in ICT are average at age seven and below average at age 11 years. It was only possible to sample work in other subjects but some high quality work was observed in geography and history and all work sampled in other subjects was at least satisfactory across the school. Religious education was not inspected as this will be the subject of a separate inspection by the Diocese. Pupils with special educational needs and

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Overall standards this year are above average and pupils achieve well during their

pupils identified as gifted and talented are achieving well.

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Overall standards this year are above average and pupils achieve well during their

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good as a result of the very good overall provision that the school makes for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils. Pupils concentrate well in lessons, are polite, very well behaved and respect one another. Attendance is above average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good overall . The quality of teaching and learning is good. The curriculum is satisfactory throughout the school and the provision for enrichment of the curriculum is good. Staffing and resources are satisfactory overall but resources for ICT are unsatisfactory and the school does not have enough large wheeled toys to promote some aspects of physical development. The number of support assistants is below that normally seen especially in the Foundation Stage. The care and support for pupils is good. Links with parents are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of the leadership and management is good . The leadership of the headteacher is very good and a very good deputy headteacher supports her very well. The leadership of other key staff is good overall. The governance of the school is good and governors support the headteacher very well. Most statutory requirements are met but a minor statutory requirement in relation to equal opportunities has not been completed. The governors are aware of this and it is identified in the school improvement plan for action next term.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils think highly of the school. Ninety-five per cent of parents who responded to the questionnaire say that their child makes good progress. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school and that they feel secure in the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve standards in ICT at age 11 years. • Improve the use of ICT to support learning in all subjects. • Review the amount of teaching assistant support and accommodation for the Foundation Stage. • Provide more large wheeled equipment in the Foundation Stage.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 8 • Ensure that all required policies are completed. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards of attainment are above average overall at age seven and age 11 years. Achievement overall is good apart from the Foundation Stage where it is satisfactory overall and ICT where it is unsatisfactory at age 11 years. Pupils achieve very well in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics at age seven. • Standards are above average in English and science and well above average in mathematics at age 11 years. • Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those identified as gifted and talented achieve well. • Standards in ICT are unsatisfactory at age 11 years.

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Commentary

1. Attainment on entry to the school varies a little from year to year and this is reflected in the variation in standards from year to year at age seven and 11 years. Currently attainment on entry is broadly average. The present reception children are making good progress in many of the areas of learning and are in line to achieve, and in some cases exceed, the Early Learning Goals 2 by the time they enter Year 1. Most children will attain the Early Learning Goals in personal and social development, communication language and literacy (particularly in speaking), mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Attainment is satisfactory in creative development and in physical development. However, achievement in physical development is unsatisfactory. Children enter the school with good physical skills but do not develop them enough during their time in reception due to limitations on resources.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.1 (15.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.3 (15.3) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.7 (16.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. Standards at age seven are improving faster than the national trend. School records show that the present Year 2 pupils were broadly average when they entered Year 1. They achieve well as a result of the good teaching and by the age of seven, attainment is above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in science is broadly average by age seven. This is an improvement from the standards noted in the previous

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Commentary

2 Early Learning Goals are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 10 inspection. The standards in writing are a significant improvement from last year. This is a result of the very good teaching in Year 2 and the good management, which has identified writing as an area for improvement and has put in strategies to deal with this.

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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 29.1 (27.9) 26.8 (27) mathematics 29.4 (27.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 30.4 (27.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. By the age of 11, standards of attainment overall are above average and pupils are achieving well as a result of the consistently good teaching. This is an improvement on the standards noted in the previous inspection. Standards of attainment in mathematics are well above average by the age of 11 and pupils achieve very well in this subject. Standards of attainment are above average in English and science and pupils are achieving well. A particular factor holding up attainment in science is the high emphasis that teachers give to investigation skills. As a result this aspect of science is making a strong contribution to overall standards in science. Standards at age 11 are improving at a similar rate to the national trend although they are consistently higher than the national average. No significant difference was noted in the attainment of boys and girls.

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Commentary

4. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are used well to support learning in other subjects. Subjects, such as science make a good contribution to the development of literacy skills through good attention to report writing. Surveys in geography and recording of results in science support the development of pupils’ numeracy skills. Pupils’ ICT skills are not used enough to support learning and too little use is made of opportunities in other subjects to develop these skills.

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Commentary

5. Standards of attainment in ICT are average at age seven and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. By the age of 11, although pupils have covered all aspects of the National Curriculum programmes of study, they do not have enough access to computers to consolidate their learning. As a result, standards are below average and achievement is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

6. Standards in religious education were not inspected for this report and will be reported upon in a separate report form the Diocese of Salford.

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Commentary

7. At the time of the previous inspection, standards in design and technology were deemed below average at age seven. Although no lessons were seen with pupils of this age during the inspection, examination of pupils’ previous work showed that they are working at the expected level for their age. This was supported by observations in other year groups.

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Commentary

8. It was only possible to sample aspects of other subjects during the inspection. Examples of above average work were seen in history and geography and no work was observed that was below average in any subject. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 11 9. Parents expressed concern about standards in physical education due to the limited playground space available. It was only possible to observe a small sample of work in this subject and no secure overall judgement can be made. However, in all lessons and extra-curricular activities seen, standards were satisfactory. Discussions with pupils and examination of teachers’ planning show that all aspects of the National Curriculum programmes of study are planned for appropriately.

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Commentary

10. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. This is because tasks set by their teachers are well matched to regularly updated, individual educational plans. Pupils identified as gifted and talented are achieving well as a result of the good provision made for their identified needs.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal qualities are very good . They behave very well have very good attitudes to work and attendance is well above average . Overall provision for the personal development of pupils, including their spiritual, moral social and cultural development, is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school. • The provision for social and moral development of pupils is very good. • Relationships are very good. • Pupils are eager to learn and very confident.

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Commentary

11. Pupils enjoy coming to school and absence other than illness is rare apart from just a few pupils whose parents take them on holiday during term time. Attendance was well above the national average last year. Staff monitor attendance carefully and receive support from the education welfare service, who visit families when requested. Children whose attendance gives cause for concern are identified quickly and the school works hard to ensure that they attend school regularly. Pupils’ punctuality is closely monitored and lateness is followed up quickly. Prompt and efficient registration at the start of the school day and after the lunch period results in lessons commencing promptly.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

12. The very good provision for the social and moral development of pupils ensures very good behaviour. Clear rules reflect the school’s strong Church foundation. Pupils are expected to take responsibility for their behaviour and to encourage others to do likewise. Golden rules set the tone for behaviour around the school and encourage social interaction. For example, the ‘Friendship Bench’ and the ‘Golden Table’ are both effective in encouraging pupils to mix and develop a social awareness. There were no exclusions in the last full school year. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 12 13. Good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual development. For example, many good quality opportunities are provided to enable pupils to understand human feelings and emotions. This was seen in a good music lesson where the theme of the old and new friends was developed well. Art makes a good contribution in this area as when the

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Commentary

pupils painted pictures showing their version of Lowry’s painting about relationships between people. The impact of this can be seen in the very good relationships apparent in the school. Teachers provide very good role models by the way in which they treat pupils with respect.

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Commentary

14. Pupils’ cultural development is catered for well. Through religious education, pupils consider the beliefs and traditions of other cultures and compare them with their own. Art from different cultures is examined and pupils are given a clear sense of the importance of combating racism. Visitors to the school and visits to art galleries and museums make a further contribution to this area.

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Commentary

15. Pupils are eager learners and this makes a good contribution to the standards attained. In lessons they listen carefully and make sensible contributions. They value the contributions of others and take a pride in their work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good overall. The good teaching promotes good learning. The curriculum is satisfactory . The care guidance and support of pupils are good and the school has good links with parents

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good apart from ICT where it is satisfactory and in Year 2 where it is very good. • Pupils learn well in most subjects. • Teaching assistants make a good contribution to teaching especially for pupils with special educational needs. • Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. • Behaviour is managed very well. • Assessment procedures are very good.

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Commentary

16. The quality of teaching is consistently good in almost all subjects. Teachers have a good understanding of how pupils learn and use this well to provide stimulating and motivating lessons. This is a major factor in the standards achieved by pupils. The senior staff provide good support for teachers through regular monitoring and there is a clear commitment to improve the quality of teaching. The effect of this support can be seen in the fact that no unsatisfactory lessons were observed. However, the quality of teaching and learning in ICT is not as secure as in other subjects. Although teachers’ subject knowledge is secure they are not confident is using ICT to support learning across the curriculum and often miss good opportunities to make use of this technology. This is St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 13 partly, but not entirely, as a result of the limited access to computers. As a result, pupils in

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Commentary

Years 3 to 6 are not learning effectively enough in ICT.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

17. The teaching assistants work very well in partnership with teachers. They are well briefed and as a result make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs. The very good support given to pupils with special educational needs ensures that these pupils are fully included in lessons and achieve as well as other pupils.

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Commentary

18. Overall teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. Teachers plan lessons well to challenge pupils and extend their learning. Attention is given to challenging all groups of pupils and so those with special educational needs and those identified as gifted and talented are set work that is well matched to their abilities. This motivates pupils well and ensures good learning. Teachers have very clear expectations of how pupils should behave. Pupils are made aware of teachers expectations and the agreed behaviour policies are followed well to ensure high standards of behaviour. As a result very little time is wasted in lessons dealing with behaviour problems. This keeps the pace of the lesson and hence the pace of learning brisk.

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Commentary

19. Teachers provide clear, achievable targets for pupils in relation to their varying needs. Pupils’ progress in lessons is well supported by effective classroom assistants. They play an integral part in pupils’ overall education and provide good quality individual or group support, particularly during English and numeracy lessons. For example, in an excellent Year 2 science lesson, special educational needs pupils are as quick as their peers to ridicule their class teacher, when she deliberately presents insecure rules to ensure a ‘fair test’. When a group is taught outside of class, great care is taken to ensure that important aspects of a lesson are not missed.

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Commentary

20. The assessment procedures in the school have been revised since the current headteacher took up her post. The senior management of the school are focussed on ensuring that attainment is assessed and the information gained used to set targets for pupils. This is monitored carefully and as a result all pupils have clear targets for learning in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ learning is enhanced because they know exactly what it is they are expected to learn. Marking is thorough and contains many constructive comments to enable pupils to understand how well they are doing and guide them to the next stage in their learning.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory for children in the Foundation Stage and for pupils in Years 1 to 6. Pupils are offered a good range of extra-curricular activities. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory . St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for curriculum enrichment is good. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. • The preparation for secondary education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

21. The school provides a satisfactorily broad and balanced curriculum for all boys and girls, regardless of their background or educational ability. It meets statutory National Curriculum requirements relating to all core and foundation subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

22. Every pupil is valued equally and included in all aspects of the curriculum. When pupils with special educational needs are withdrawn from class for additional support, great care is taken to ensure that they do not miss out on important teaching and learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

23. Curriculum provision has recently been re-visited. Nationally approved schemes of work for all foundation subjects have been adopted. They provide good support for teachers’ planning to ensure satisfactory coverage of National Curriculum requirements. For example, the school had identified gaps in pupils’ skills development in music. This is now resolved as a consequence of curriculum update and revision. Schemes also provide clear guidance in making links between subjects and this aspect is included in the school improvement plan.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

24. The use of ICT to support pupils’ learning and achievement is unsatisfactory. All curriculum areas provide clear opportunities for the development of pupils’ computer skills. Evidence of such activity is very limited.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. A good range of extra-curricular opportunities is available to all pupils. Year 6 pupils spend a four-day residential period in the Lake District. All pupils have the opportunity to be included in this most valuable social, cultural and sporting experience. Year 5 pupils visit Delamere Forest to practise their artistic skills and to take part in orienteering activities as part of the physical education programme. The curriculum is very much enriched by a variety of educational visits that strongly support pupils’ learning in a wide range of subject areas. Visits include Chester’s Grosvenor Museum, Manchester Cathedral, Bramhall Hall, Dunham Massey, Styal’s Quarry Bank Mill, Knowsley Safari Park and Blackpool’s Sea Life Zoo. A range of safety aspects related to water, fire, electrical and drugs misuse are included in a most valuable ‘Crucial Crew’ experience at a local rugby club. Pupils entertain old people at a local Day Centre and also sing at

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Main strengths and weaknesses

church services and in Manchester Arena. Visits from theatre groups support pupils’ cultural development appropriately.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. Good provision is made to ease pupils’ transfer to secondary education. All pupils can move on to this next level of education, confident in their overall personal and academic achievement. They experience a programme of transition meetings designed primarily to allay any concerns about ‘moving on’. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 15

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Care, guidance and support

Procedures to ensure pupils work in a healthy and safe environment are good . The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good . The support, advice and guidance available to pupils is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school pays good attention to the health and safety of pupils. • Pupils have very good relationships in the school with adults and each other. • The school works well in partnership with external agencies to ensure that pupils are well cared for and supported when necessary.

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Commentary

27. Procedures for ensuring the care and welfare of pupils are good. Pupils feel well cared for and this sense of belonging has a positive effect on their attitudes to school. Despite the lack of storage space the school is well maintained, clean and tidy and a safe welcoming place to be. The school’s procedures for ensuring health and safety are good. An appropriate number of staff have first aid training.

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Commentary

28. Procedures for the monitoring of any incidents of inappropriate behaviour are good. Lapses in pupils’ behaviour are carefully monitored and recorded. Lunchtime runs smoothly, pupils are well supervised and mix well and support each other. Pupils value the opportunity of sitting at the “Golden Table” in the dining room at lunchtime. This is a reward for pupils who have been selected for particularly good behaviour. Healthy eating options are available on the menu.

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Commentary

29. Relationships between all pupils and adults are very good. This is a major factor in the good provision for the support and guidance of pupils. Pupils are very confident that they know who to go to at school if they are worried or upset, and that any problems will be sorted out. Good use is made of class discussion sessions to which all can contribute to allow pupils to discuss concerns and anxieties. The school council provides a very good voice for pupils to raise concerns and other points, and their opinions are taken seriously by staff.

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Commentary

30. The school identifies pupils with special educational needs very well and uses the expertise of the local education authority to assess their difficulties effectively. Liaison with outside agencies is well established and effective in providing support for pupils who have a specific difficulty. The school continues to maintain a register of pupils with special educational needs and regularly reviews their progress.

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Commentary

31. Induction procedures are good. They include visits to the school by parents and prospective pupils to assist pupils to gain confidence and knowledge of the school. Pupils are prepared adequately for the move to the next stage of education.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There is a good and effective partnership with parents. Teachers use the community well to extend classroom learning. Good interaction with other schools and playgroups ensures children settle happily into the reception class and there are good arrangements for the transfer of pupils to secondary education. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 16 Main strengths and weaknesses • Involving parents through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is strength of the school. • The information provided to parents is good. • Parental support for the school and Parent Teachers Association is very positive. • Procedures to deal with any parental concerns are good.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

32. Since the previous inspection, the school has continued to ensure that there is a close and meaningful partnership with parents. Parents feel confident about the school for the following reasons. Their views have been actively sought about school policy and their children’s education, by the headteacher. For example, there has been a recent survey to parents on the policy of “Positive Mental Health”. Parents value this opportunity to be able to contribute to school life. Inspectors judge that the school’s written communications to parents are good.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

33. Regular newsletters to parents give good information about the curriculum being taught in the school. Open evenings each term are well attended and provide good opportunities for parents to see their children’s work and to talk with teachers. Most parents feel adequately informed about their children’s progress. Annual progress reports are informative and contain evaluations of what pupils know and can do. Pupils’ targets are expressed so that parents understand what their children must do to improve, for example, ‘to develop confidence to improve their written work’. Attitudes to learning and personal development are reported well.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

34. The Parent Teacher Association is successful and raises considerable sums of money each year. The money is spent wisely to purchase new equipment and assist expenses for school trips. Parents are very supportive towards the school by helping with trips, visits and with classroom support. The parental support received is greatly appreciated by the school. Parents are very confident to approach the school well knowing that any concerns they may have will be dealt with efficiently.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

35. The school uses the community well to extend classroom learning, for example, through a wide range of visits to local places. There are varied visitors to the school, both to enrich learning and extend opportunities for personal development. Pupils take an active interest in the wider community, such as when they discuss and decide which charities to support and the local environment. For example, pupils raised money for the recent “Blue Peter Bring and Buy Sale”. The liaison with the local grammar school both in ICT and mathematics has made a good impact on pupils’ learning. This has given pupils better learning opportunities, greater self-esteem and a chance to achieve further.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

36. Good planning arrangements for young children starting in the reception class ensure that pupils settle well. Pupils from this school go a number of secondary schools. Links with the secondary schools are good and assist pupils well when they are transferring to their next stage of education. These good links also ensure the smooth transfer of pupils’ records. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 17

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good . Leadership of the headteacher is very good . The governance of the school is good . The leadership of other key staff is good . The effectiveness of management is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership. • Many subjects are managed well and the ‘co-ordinators toolkit’ supports this well. • The management of special educational needs is very good. • The governing body is well organised. • Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • Performance is regularly reviewed and evaluated.

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Commentary

37. The headteacher has a very strong commitment to teamwork that is effective in ensuring that all members of the school take a responsibility for school improvement. She provides very good leadership and is very well supported by a very effective deputy headteacher. The very clear vision of the headteacher is clearly focused upon continual improvement and the achievement of high standards. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored and evaluated well.

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Commentary

38. The school improvement plan is a well organised document that identifies the key areas for improvement and sets realistic targets. Performance management targets are closely linked to the priorities of the school improvement plan to ensure that this is a living document that is effective in bringing about improvement.

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Commentary

39. Management overall is good. Subject managers in most subjects manage their areas well and some manage very well. At present, the absence of a teacher on maternity leave and the presence of a newly qualified teacher mean that the headteacher and deputy headteacher have to take responsibility for more areas than usual. This workload is managed well. The effectiveness of the subject managers is closely linked to the very good guidance provided for them by the headteacher in a ‘co-ordinators toolkit’ that sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of subject managers. The management of ICT although satisfactory, is not as effective as the management of other subjects. All are aware of this and the development of this area is a key element of the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

40. The leadership of special educational needs is very good. The recently appointed co- ordinator has achieved a great deal in a short period of time. She has established a strong and effective working relationship with her assistant and her link governor who is a professional in the field of care. When specialist help is requested from the local education authority, it knows that the need is real. The co-ordinator has introduced electronic support for record keeping and target setting that reduces teachers’ workload significantly. A register of pupils with special gifts or talents is now established and appropriate individual work is planned and undertaken.

p.17

Commentary

41. Governors visit the school regularly and have good systems to keep themselves informed of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They use information gained to challenge and support the senior managers. All statutory requirements are met apart from the St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 18 production of an equal opportunities policy. Governors are aware of this and it is highlighted in the school improvement plan for completion in the autumn term.

p.17

Commentary

42. Budget planning is based firmly upon the needs identified in the school improvement plan. Governors analyse the effects of their spending decisions to determine best value but this procedure is in an early stage of development. Although governors are aware of the procedures for determining best value and apply these to most items of expenditure, they are only just starting to apply this to major expenditure such as the provision of equipment for ICT.

p.18

Commentary

43. The governors have managed the budget carefully over the last few years and have accumulated a surplus that is earmarked for further building maintenance and to support changes to the staffing, teaching and non-teaching, during the coming academic year in line with the priorities of the school improvement plan.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 411,115 Balance from previous year 112,055 Total expenditure 453,443* Balance carried forward to the next 69,727** Expenditure per pupil 2,211.92

p.18

Commentary

*This is an estimated figure based upon the best information available at this point. The final budget figures for 2003-2004 will not be available from the local education authority until June 2004.

p.18

Commentary

**The school figures show that an additional sum of around £12,000 has been spent from reserves to carry out essential building maintenance, purchase text books and install an interactive white board in the computer suite, but this is not reflected in the figures supplied by the local education authority. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Provision for children in the reception class is satisfactory . It provides children with a satisfactory basis for their education. Attainment on entry to school is broadly in line with that expected overall. Most of the children have attended pre-school playgroups and nurseries. Two teachers usually share the responsibility of the reception class, but during the inspection, the class was taught for most of the time by a long-term supply teacher. Reception teachers plan well together to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs, have full access to a broad curriculum, which effectively covers all six areas of learning for their age. No children within the group have English as an additional language.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good and ensure clear schemes of work and satisfactory levels of consistency in teaching practise between the teachers. There are planned areas to support the achievement of the Early Learning Goals in the classroom and in the outdoor space. Assessment is satisfactory and refinement procedures are being developed. The accommodation and resources for children in the Foundation Stage are unsatisfactory. Support assistant time is insufficient. The room is crowded and resources for outdoor play are unsatisfactory. Standards and the outdoor facilities have improved since the previous inspection. The policy for the under fives is being developed.

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children behave well. • Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to develop personally, socially and emotionally but the classroom space available limits children’s development. • Relationships are very good.

p.19

Commentary

46. Teaching in this aspect of the curriculum is good and almost all children have attained the Early Learning Goals in this area. All staff working in the Foundation Stage share a common set of high expectations of behaviour from the children in their care. Rules are clear and fair, and consistently enforced. As a result, children quickly learn to know exactly what is expected of them and how they should behave. Their achievement is good. Pupils develop good levels of confidence and self esteem and are likely to attain the goals expected by the time they move into Year 1. Children enter school happily, put their possessions in the correct places and the register is taken efficiently. Monitors have the responsibility of taking the registers to the school office. The rapid move to assembly limits opportunities to develop personal and social skills as children do not really gather together. Behaviour in assembly is exemplary.

p.19

Commentary

St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 20 47. Teachers plan well to allow children good opportunities to make choices and consider what others think. In a lesson using computers, children were taking turns when contributing answers and could follow instructions well. As a result, boys and girls make good progress. They learn that their views are important but so are the views of others.

p.20

Commentary

48. The children cope well with their own personal needs and when changing for physical activities, do so with minimum fuss. The quality of learning, which is good, reflects good teaching. The quality of the provision for and the development of the children’s personal, social and emotional skills are limited by the small space available within the classroom for the pupils to gather together. Having no teaching assistant for part of each day means lack of support for small groups to develop their personal skills both in the classroom and in the outdoor area. The children’s relationships with one another and with the adults are very good.

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children listen well to a range of read stories and rhymes. • Speaking skills are good because children are encouraged to talk. • Adults support the development of the children’s early reading and writing skills well.

p.20

Commentary

49. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Adults tell stories in a way that have the children engrossed and develop their listening skills well. Children enjoy the traditional stories. Well-planned activities which include acting out these stories with children dressed in the appropriate costume help them retell the main points of the story and use their imagination. In a very good session the teacher joined in the activity, the children dressed in costume, and were encouraged to recall dialogue and action from the stories. This helps them when joining in the more formal lessons, when children and adults look at the written stories together. Most children make good progress in their early reading skills. Many attempt reading the words. The children enjoy “reading” a book from school at home with their family. All children recognise some words whereas others are developing good early reading skills and a love of books. In this, they benefit from regular

p.20

Commentary

parental support in school. In their activities, children are encouraged to talk about what they are doing and what they have found out through their play. This makes sure they are developing good speaking skills. The range of relevant activities for the children to “write” ensures they are making good progress in their early writing skills. Many children use recognisable letters and are able to write a simple sentence to retell their stories. By the end of the reception year, most children will reach the goals expected, and a significant number will exceed these. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 21

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children count to ten and beyond. • The children are developing good levels of mathematical vocabulary.

p.21

Commentary

50. Learning is well planned to encourage the children to count, add and subtract in real situations. Indoor and outdoor activities support the learning. As a result, the children are becoming competent at counting to ten and beyond, and are developing a real understanding of number. Teaching is good and children achieve well. The teaching assistant gives good planned support. Adults’ planning makes sure that the full range of mathematical ideas is covered through suitable play activities. Because there is a clear focus to these, all adults ask questions which prompt the children to use correct vocabulary. When the children were motivated by the use of computers to support their mathematical learning, most children were able to separate a number below ten into two numbers that added up to the original number confidently. The majority of children will attain the expected goals by the end of the reception year and a number will exceed

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children use computers confidently. • The outdoor area is used effectively. • Teachers link work to developing the children’s vocabulary. • Children are becoming independent learners.

p.21

Commentary

51. This area of learning is well planned to provide a wide range of differing activities and a variety of skills to master. The teachers provide children with a suitable range of different experiences to learn about the world in which they live. Teaching and learning is good overall and achievement is good. The majority of children will attain the expected goals by the time they transfer into Year 1 and some pupils will exceed these.

p.21

Commentary

52. Children are given good opportunities to learn and think carefully about making things that will perform different functions. The topic of transport captured the children’s interest and they constructed a large vehicle from crates and tyres. Children engaged in rigorous discussion on how their vehicle could be improved. The vehicle became more complex with each group. Children learn about other cultures and how they live and the methods of transportation they use. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 22 53. Each week, the children get the opportunity to use the computers in the computer suite as well as the classroom computer. The classroom computer is usually one of the choice activities and children becoming confident in its use.

p.21

Commentary

54. The children are interested in the plants they have grown. They talk about how much the plants have grown, the number and size of the leaves and whether their plant would have flowers. The well-planned outdoor facilities support this area of learning.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is unsatisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Learning in situations outside the main classroom is unsatisfactory. • Resources are limited to support the children’s physical development.

p.22

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning in formal lessons in this area of the curriculum is satisfactory and teachers ensure that children have regular opportunities to practise their developing physical skills in the classroom, the hall and on the playground. The lack of resources limits the children’s development of their physical abilities. The teaching assistant’s time is insufficient for the supervision and development of outdoor play throughout the day. As at the time of the previous inspection, the school has no riding tricycles or other wheeled toys to further develop the children’s physical skills. There is no daily opportunity for children to climb and swing their arms, as the school does not have suitable apparatus. Therefore, there is little opportunity for children to develop upper body strength and extend lung capacity

p.22

Commentary

56. In class, teachers provide many opportunities for the children to manipulate small objects, to develop eye and hand co-ordination. They colour, draw, use simple tools and play with construction toys. All of these activities benefit them and they make steady progress towards attaining the expected goals for their age by the time they transfer to Year 1.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good range of opportunities in which the children can develop their creative skills.

p.22

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning in the creative area of learning is good and children achieve well. Children are provided with a good range of suitable opportunities to use their imaginations and make things. They are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the time they transfer into Year 1. The children enjoy acting out the story of the ‘Three Little Pigs’ while others delighted in using the costumes for the story of little ‘Red Riding Hood’. There is a good balance of teacher-initiated play and child-initiated activities. Children created the role of the car owner and a garage mechanic and were completely St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 23 absorbed for some time “repairing “ the car at the garage in the outdoor play area. Teachers make the activities interesting and are skilled at extending the children’s play. Children have the opportunity to paint, use chalks, colour, use play dough and print.

p.22

Commentary

Children showed excitement after enjoying the story of the Rainbow Fish to be able to marble a fish shape. The children explore and enjoy colour. Due to the constraints of the classroom, the area for painting, play dough and larger creative works is limited. Teachers make good use of the outdoor area.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment are above average and pupils achieve well. • The whole school focus on writing is making a good contribution to the rise in standards of writing. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Assessments procedures are very good. • The use of literacy across the curriculum is good.

p.23

Commentary

58. In the 2003 national assessments for pupils age seven and 11, attainment was average at age seven and well above average at age 11 years. Pupils at age 11 achieved very well in relation to their prior attainment.

p.23

Commentary

59. The inspection finds that this year standards at age seven are above average in all areas of the subject and all pupils achieve well. Attainment at age seven is higher in reading and writing than at the time of the previous inspection. Attainment at age 11 is above average. Pupils entered the school with average attainment and are achieving well. School records show that standards at age 11, are slightly lower than in 2003 due to cohort differences. The school focus on writing has made a significant improvement to standards at age seven.

p.23

Commentary

60. Good strategies planned to develop pupils’ speaking and listening start from the time pupils enter the Foundation Stage. Pupils develop a confidence to speak and listen well, which supports their learning throughout the school. By Year 6, most pupils use language correctly and are capable of logical discussion.

p.23

Commentary

61. Reading is good with pupils reading with expression. Teachers encourage pupils to develop a love of reading, which promotes the good learning. From the Foundation Stage pupils “read” books in school and take books home to read. The very well organised system for home-school reading links makes a good contribution to learning. Pupils are encouraged to develop independence in their learning. For example, when they have reached a level where they have books from the school library, they can choose fiction or non-fiction books. This encourages them to read a broad range of material. Pupils respond well to this and talk well about the books that they have read. The school libraries are being developed to further support the development of reading skills. The St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 24 library for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is organised, has new books, comfortable seating and computers for research. Planning for the library for pupils in Years 1 and 2 is in place.

p.23

Commentary

62. Pupils’ writing has improved significantly over the last year. Attainment is good throughout the school and pupils are achieving well. The improvement in writing is a focus of the school improvement plan. Teachers pay close attention to the focus on improving writing when teaching and marking and this is a key factor in the improvement noted. By Year 6 pupils write well for differing purposes in a wide variety of styles. At present teachers are concentrating on the content of writing. A consistent approach to handwriting is not in evidence although some very well-presented and well-written work is seen. Good foundations are laid for the teaching of spelling in the reception year, from then it is consistently developed.

p.24

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and supports good learning. Teaching ranged from satisfactory to very good. In the very good lessons, there is vigour and excitement. Teachers have very high expectations, all pupils learn very well, there is very good pupil participation and the pace of the lessons is very good, with very good motivation of the pupils. Concentration is sustained. Behaviour is managed very well. The learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning. The analysis of work supports the evidence of the overall good and some very good teaching seen.

p.24

Commentary

64. Assessment procedures are very good. Marking is constructive and positive and often linked to the class targets. A consistent approach to the production of pupils’ individual targets is being developed. Regular assessment and monitoring take place to establish progress and inform teaching. This in-depth assessment helps to identify pupils, who may require intervention or support strategies, and informs grouping and planning, which has a positive impact on the teaching and learning. Pupils respond well to suggestions on how to improve their work. They are enthusiastic learners in English. Most pupils do their best and make good contributions to the lessons.

p.24

Commentary

65. The management of English is good and leadership is satisfactory. The subject leader is developing the leadership role. He has a clear vision of what needs to be improved in English and is working towards achieving it. Planning is regularly monitored to ensure it is of good quality. With writing across the curriculum already a school focus, the subject manager is planning strategies to develop the use of ICT in literacy. At present, there is little evidence of the use of ICT to support the learning in literacy.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

66. The school plans well for pupils’ use of language and literacy across the curriculum. Teachers are working towards good cross-curricular links with literacy in particular with quality writing. Pupils develop their writing skills, writing instructions in science, and good report and empathetic writing in history. However, teachers only mark for the subject content when marking the writing in subjects other than English and this does not always support the development of literacy skills enough. The literacy targets are not transferred. Speaking and listening skills are developed through all subjects but are used very well through drama, for example, and this was observed during role-play in geography enabling pupils to gain an understanding of environmental issues. The development of reading and research skills is encouraged across the curriculum. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 25

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Main strengths and weaknesses • Attainment at age 11 is well above average and pupils achieve well. • The quality of teaching and the use of assessment are good. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good. • Subject leadership is very good.

p.25

Commentary

67. The results of the 2003 national assessments were well above average for pupils age seven and for pupils age 11 years. Pupils achieved very well at age 11 years. Currently attainment is above average at age seven. This is lower than last year because the cohort contains more pupils with special educational needs. Attainment at age 11 is well above average. Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs and those identified as gifted and talented achieve well.

p.25

Commentary

68. Pupils’ number skills are developed well through the school and great attention is paid to the presentation of work. This ensures that pupils can see clearly where they make mistakes and are able to correct them as a result of the good marking. Pupils build systematically upon their prior learning and make links between aspects of mathematics, for example, using their knowledge of the six times table to solve problems involving multiples of six. Problem solving skills are developed well throughout the school and pupils attain very well in this aspect of mathematics. They respond very well to challenges such as ‘Magic Squares’.

p.25

Commentary

69. From inspection of lessons and analysis of pupils’ recorded work, the overall quality of teaching is good and is a major factor ensuring the good learning that leads to good achievement. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and very high expectations of pupils’ concentration and involvement in lessons. This means that pupils understand the mathematics being taught and complete tasks in a purposeful, working environment. Teaching assistants make effective, supportive contributions to pupils’ learning and their very good behaviour. Most lessons are developed with good pace to sustain interest and work rate. Lessons are invariably well planned to ensure that pupils can learn independently and also through discussion with their peers. Results of a range of tests provide the school with a good awareness of what pupils have learned and what areas of learning need to be revisited. This information enables the school to set targets and then

p.25

Commentary

to track individual pupil’s progress. Marking is undertaken systematically, in a manner that promotes neat presentation and also gives pupils direction as to how they might improve.

p.25

Commentary

70. In most lessons, pupils have very good attitudes to mathematics and many say they enjoy it. They co-operate very well and nearly all of them show a clear eagerness to succeed that makes a positive contribution to attainment. Relationships are very good and many are confident to demonstrate their mathematical understanding, when invited to write on the board or to explain a strategy they understand. Younger pupils work well together and happily share materials in support of their learning. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 26 71. Subject leadership is very good and is a significant factor in promoting high standards. The co-ordinator is clearly excited by leading and developing mathematics. She has a very good grasp of assessment and use of collected data. She monitors other teachers by regularly examining their planning, by observing lessons and also by looking at pupils’ workbooks. Resources are satisfactory.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

72. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good. The school has recently adopted nationally approved schemes of work for most curriculum areas. They identify a good range of planned opportunities for teachers to develop pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding. They also enable them to appreciate the importance of the subject in many aspects of life. For example, Year 5 pupils practise fine measuring skills, when making ‘Moving Animals’ during design and technology lessons. However, the use of ICT to support mathematics is unsatisfactory. Opportunities are regularly missed when pupils group data using pencil and ruler, instead of generating a variety of graphs on computer.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment are above average at age 11 years. • Pupils’ investigation skills are good. • The quality of teaching is good. • ICT is not used enough to support learning in science.

p.26

Commentary

73. In the 2003 national assessments standards of attainment at age 11 were well above average and pupils achieved well. The inspection finds that standards of attainment are satisfactory overall at the age of seven although pupils’ investigative skills are good. Pupils are achieving satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2. By the age of 11, standards are above average overall as a result of the good investigative skills. These standards are slightly lower than in 2003 due to cohort difference. Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well as a result of the good support given to them. This is an improvement on the standards noted at the previous inspection especially in investigation skills.

p.26

Commentary

74. By the age of seven, pupils have a good understanding of the purposes of science. They know that good science is about asking questions and with guidance from the teacher ask questions well and then find interesting ways to answer these questions. By the age of 11, pupils’ questioning skills are well developed. They undertake ambitious and stimulating investigations such as discovering which part of a field dandelions grow in best and then attempting to find out why.

p.26

Commentary

75. The quality of teaching is good with some very good teaching seen. In particular, teachers have a good understanding of how to teach investigations. The good teaching ensures that pupils learn well and is a major factor in the good standards achieved. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and this encourages pupils to try hard to meet these expectations. Pupils clearly enjoy science and take a pride in their work. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 27 By the age of 11, the presentation of work in pupils’ books is often very good. This enables them to record an investigation in a way that enables the reader to follow the processes easily and makes the process clear to pupils. Marking of this work contains helpful comments that are designed to improve pupils’ understanding of science and produce better quality work. The consistent emphasis on report writing makes a good contribution to pupils’ literacy skills.

p.26

Commentary

76. The use of ICT to support learning in science is unsatisfactory. For example, too few opportunities are taken to use word processing to set out investigations. Although the development of pupils’ numeracy skills is supported by the use of these skills to analyse and present information in graphical form, too little use is made of spreadsheets to present the findings of investigations. The main factor affecting the use of ICT in science is the limited access that pupils have to computers. Pupils in Year 6 have too few opportunities to use computers to re-enforce knowledge or revise for national assessments. This is a key factor limiting further improvement in standards.

p.27

Commentary

77. Science is managed by the headteacher on a temporary basis at present. She has a good understanding of the problems associated with the limited availability of computers to use in science and this is a focus of the school improvement plan.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Main strengths and weaknesses • Standards at age 11 are below average. • The school does not have enough resources to allow sufficient time for pupils to use computers regularly enough. • The use of ICT to support learning across other subjects of the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

78. It was not possible to observe any lessons in information and communication technology in Years 1 and 2. Discussions with pupils and teachers indicate that standards are average at age seven and pupils are achieving satisfactorily. In Years 3 to 6, the limitations imposed by the computer suite where pupils have to work three to a computer limit achievement. Although pupils have some experience of all elements of the National Curriculum programmes of study, they do not have enough time with computers to consolidate and improve these skills beyond the initial experience. As a result, standards at age 11 are below average. This is lower than at the time of the previous inspection but recognition must also be given to the fact that the requirements were much lower at that time. Nevertheless attainment has fallen behind that of other schools and pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not achieving well enough. Pupils with special educational needs achieve

p.27

Commentary

satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2 but do not achieve well enough In Years 3 to 6.

p.27

Commentary

79. ICT is a key feature of the school improvement plan. The subject managers together with the headteacher and responsible governor have identified the urgent need to improve resources and a satisfactory start has been made upon this. The current computer suite is too small and does not contain enough computers. It is situated on a mezzanine floor at the end of the hall but is open to the hall and difficult to use effectively when the hall is in St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 28 use. A start has been made on improving this situation by developing ‘mini suites’. The first of these containing four computers is in Years 3 to 6 and a similar arrangement is planned for Years 1 and 2 in the autumn term. Few classrooms have computers in them and this limits opportunities for teachers to use computers in other lessons. The ratio of computers to pupils is just below average. The effect of this is to restrict progress by

p.27

Commentary

limiting the amount of time pupils can use a computer. The governors have set funds aside to improve the ratio of computers by replacing those in the suite with new ones to release the current computers for use in classrooms.

p.28

Commentary

80. Teachers have received appropriate training in the use of information and communication technology and many of them use the new interactive whiteboard confidently. This makes a good contribution to the quality of teaching in this subject. Overall the quality of teaching is satisfactory but not enough teaching takes place to ensure that standards improve.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

81. The use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. Some use is made of ICT to support learning in other subjects but not enough. For example, in personal, social and health education, pupils use simulations designed to improve their problem solving and decision making skills. In science and mathematics, computers are used to create graphs. In geography, the use of the Internet to find information on other countries makes a good contribution to learning in this subject. However, too little use is made of ICT in most subjects. Teachers are not including opportunities to use computers in their lesson planning, as the access to computers is too limited.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. Where use of computers is planned, this is only done in the weekly visit to the computer suite in most cases. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use computers as a tool for learning and this has a negative impact upon their computer skills.

p.28

HUMANITIES

83. From two lesson observations, examination of wall displays and analysis of pupils’ work, it is likely that standards in geography are above expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. In the lesson seen in geography, pupils compiled a very good list of imagined likes and dislikes if they were living on a small Hebridean island. In Year 1, pupils learned about the local environment. Teachers plan co-operatively to ensure equality of access to all pupils. The co-ordinator leads the subject well. Assessment procedures are being developed with end-of-unit assessments to enable a more accurate check to be kept on pupils’ progress. Around the school is evidence of a good breadth of curriculum in geography. Good cross-curricular links are in place between geography, history and art and design with literacy adding some interesting writing. Year 6 pupils used role-play to understand environmental issues with regard to developments in an area of outstanding

p.28

HUMANITIES

beauty. No links with ICT were observed. Geographical learning is enhanced in Years 3 to 6 through a range of opportunities, which include a day visit to Delamere Forest and a residential visit for Year 6 to the Lake District. Year 6 is working enthusiastically towards their residential visit to Grasmere where geographical skills are planned to be developed.

p.28

HUMANITIES

84. Only one history lesson was inspected because the humanities were not a focus of the inspection. No secure judgement can be made related to standards, achievement or the St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 29 quality of teaching and learning. However, from looking at school documentation in relation to pupils’ workbooks and classroom displays, the following judgements can be made.

p.28

HUMANITIES

85. The amount of teaching time is good. As a consequence, literacy skills are well supported. For example, Year 3 pupils write well and extensively about their recent visit to Chester. This experience has clearly motivated them well because in the very good lesson seen, they eagerly research the Internet and peruse appropriate topic books for additional information about the Romans. Year 6 pupils write extensively about a variety of aspects of World War II as well as good quality biographies, related to the life and times of John Lennon and the Beatles.

p.29

HUMANITIES

86. Throughout the school, good opportunities are missed to word process work in a variety of styles. Consequently, otherwise good quality topic displays, that evidence appropriate coverage of National Curriculum requirements, miss that extra positive dimension.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. Two lessons were observed in art and design , and only certain aspects of the subject could be seen. As a result it is not possible to make a secure judgement on standards of attainment. Examination of photographs and displays, plus discussion with teachers and pupils shows that suitable attention is given to this subject and skills are developed in as systematic manner. Good use is made of art to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, when studying the local artist, Lowry, pupils are encouraged to think of the relationships portrayed by the pictures and apply this to their own lives. The study of art from other cultures enhances pupils’ understanding of these cultures as when they study Mehendi patterns or Paisley patterns.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. At the time of the previous inspection, standards in design and technology were below national expectations in Year 2. In recent times, the school has adopted a nationally approved scheme of work that provides good support for teachers planning and ensures appropriate coverage of National Curriculum requirements. Although the subject was not a focus of the inspection, from looking at pupils work on display it is possible to judge that standards at seven and 11 are at least satisfactory. Improvement since the previous inspection is good. Design and technology is now planned in all classes. In the lessons that could be observed, standards were good. Pupils enjoy this subject and work hard to achieve their best.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily to support learning in this subject. In Year 2 pupils used the Internet to research the puppets that they were making and in Year 6, pupils use kits to make model vehicles that can be programmed from the computer.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. One lesson was observed in music and pupils were observed singing in assemblies. It is not possible to comment securely on standards or teaching in this subject. The school follows the QCA guidance in this subject and the provision that was seen is satisfactory.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. Good links are made between music and pupils’ spiritual and social development through listening to music and discussing how it makes them feel and through songs linked to friendship. A volunteer provides good support by visiting the school regularly to play the piano in assemblies and for some music lessons. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 30 92. Physical education was not a focus of the inspection. It was only possible to observe certain aspects of the subject and secure judgement related to standards, and the quality of teaching and learning is not possible.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. Parents were concerned that standards may be held down by the lack of space. Inspection evidence agrees with parents’ views that access to grassed play areas is limited. The school is very much restricted by health and safety considerations related to staffing ratios when pupils leave school premises. However, in the lessons observed this did not hold down standards of attainment. Hard-surface provision is of good quality and sufficient in area for teaching games skills and small-sided team games. Teachers make good use of the resources available and ensure that pupils have access to the full range of the National Curriculum programmes of study.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Year 3 pupils have the opportunity to swim throughout that year. This good provision enables consolidation of water confidence and also swimming expertise at a young age. Year 5 pupils visit Delamere in Cheshire and Year 6 pupils experience a three-night residential trip to Grasmere in Cumbria. Such visits provide very good opportunities for orienteering and other outdoor pursuits.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

95. Personal social and health education is an integral part of the curriculum. Health education forms an important part of this. The school has a Healthy School Co-ordinator who also co-ordinates personal social and heath education. The school council is very involved in the development of this subject and their views are sought over various matters in a way that develops their understanding of citizenship.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

96. The school is involved in a number of initiatives in this area, such as the project to improve mental health and has recently won an award for this area. The close links with pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development enable much of the work in this area to be incorporated with the main curriculum. For example, in an ICT session pupils are encouraged to develop their decision making and problem solving skills. St Mary’s C of E Primary Davyhulme - 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 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).

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