Barnes Primary School

BARNES PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Barnes Primary School - Page 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.

p.1

BARNES 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. Barnes Primary School - Page 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 376

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cross Street Barnes London Postcode: SW13 0QQ

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 876 7358 Fax number: 0208 878 4517

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Liz Calwell

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves an area which includes well-established private and rented housing. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Since its last inspection the school has started to expand from one-form to two-form entry; it is now of above average size, with 328 full-time pupils organised into 11 classes. A further 48 pupils attend a Nursery class part-time. About 60 per cent of pupils are from white British families. A further 21 per cent are from other white backgrounds and the remaining pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds including those from the Asian sub-continent and the Caribbean. Attainment on entry varies from year to year in terms of the proportions of higher attaining children and those with special educational needs; overall it is average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is above the

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

national average; the proportion with a statement of special educational need is also above average. As well as a range of learning difficulties, the special educational needs in the school include social, emotional and behavioural; speech and communication; hearing; and visual impairment needs.

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school gained a School Achievement Award in 2003 in addition to the Activemark Gold and Basic Skills Quality Mark; it was awarded Investor in People status in 2001. It has recently gained the Gold Artsmark. As a consequence of the school’s growth in recent years, the size of the teaching staff has also been increasing. Barnes Primary School - Page 4

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19623 Michael Cahill Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Physical education 14066 Gill Hoggard Lay inspector 23056 Terry Manzi Team inspector Foundation Stage Special educational needs English as an additional language Religious education Art and design Music 26232 Chris Grove Team inspector English Design and technology Geography History

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

PBM, Brookbridge and Bedford Ltd 13a Market Place Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8HY

p.4

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). Barnes Primary School - Page 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school that provides very good value for money . Leadership and management are excellent overall and sharply focused on raising the achievement of all pupils by continually improving the quality of education that the school provides.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Inspirational leadership by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher empowers and motivates all members of staff to pursue continual improvement. • High quality teaching promotes very good attitudes to learning among the pupils who increasingly recognise themselves as confident and successful young learners. • Overall national test results in Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are consistently above the national average. • Standards are well above average in art and design throughout the school and in information and communication technology in Years 3 to 6. • The very high standard of care, support and guidance results in an exceptionally inclusive school in which all are welcomed and valued.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been a very good level of improvement since the last inspection; what were then weaknesses, for example provision and standards in information and communication technology, are now strengths. There are no longer any significant weaknesses, only areas for further improvement that the school has identified in its very good development planning.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English B E B B mathematics B B B B science A A B C 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.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

From 1999 to 2002, national test results for pupils in Year 2 were well above average in reading. In writing, they improved to well above average while in mathematics they improved to above average. The overall trend since the last inspection had been upwards at a rate that was better than the national trend. Year 2 in 2002/2003 was the first year group to take national tests after the school’s admission number was doubled to 60; the year group contained a higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and results reflect this, being average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. Standards in the present Year 2 are well above average in reading and average in writing, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and design and technology. Standards in art and design are well above average throughout the school.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The results of the tests taken in Year 6 have improved at an overall rate that is broadly in line with the national trend, and is better than it in mathematics. Overall standards have been above the national average and above the average of schools whose pupils performed similarly in their tests in Year 2. Inspection evidence indicates that this overall upward trend is continuing with standards well above the national average in mathematics and science and above average in English. In 2003, the school surpassed the targets agreed with the local education Barnes Primary School - Page 7 authority for the proportion of Year 6 pupils achieving Level 4 and Level 5 in English and mathematics. In science, 92 per cent of pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 4 and 44 per cent exceeded it by achieving Level 5. In the other subjects inspected at Year 6, standards are well above average in art and design and information and communication

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

technology and average in design and technology. Standards in religious education throughout the school match the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ overall achievement is good. Children make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes, achieving well across the areas of learning so that they are well prepared to enter Year 1.This good achievement is maintained, overall, as pupils move up the school, developing a very good range of learning skills so that they are well set on the road to life-long learning.

p.7

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

development, are promoted very well. The very good provision for promoting their personal development leads to pupils developing very good attitudes to learning and towards other people; behaviour is good. Pupils are confident, out-going and capable. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good quality of education for all of its pupils . The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good, although some children have too few opportunities to use the very good outdoor resources. There is much good and very good teaching throughout the school, based on very good assessment and planning and on very effective teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants that makes sure that all pupils are fully included in lessons. Pupils know what is expected of them and are consistently encouraged to improve; as a result they develop very good work habits and demonstrate increasing confidence in their ability to learn independently and successfully.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very well planned, with very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and a very good range and quality of activities that enrich the curriculum. The school uses its very good information and communication technology resources very well to enhance learning across the curriculum and this contributes greatly to making sure that the learning needs of all pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with particular gifts and talents, are met as fully as possible. The school recognises the need to give geography, history and religious education a higher priority than in recent years. All pupils benefit from the high level of support, care and guidance that the school provides and provision for their personal, social and health education is very good. The school maintains very close links with parents and these contribute very well to supporting children’s learning. The very

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

good links with the local community and good links with other schools and colleges enhance pupils’ learning.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are excellent. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have inspired and empowered colleagues to translate their shared vision into improving the quality of learning and levels of achievement of all pupils. The very well led governing body provides excellent support and challenge and ensures that all statutory requirements are met.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very positive about the work of the school and support school events very well. They appreciate in particular that the school is led and managed well, teaching is good and Barnes Primary School - Page 8 that the headteacher and staff are so approachable. Pupils are very happy at school, valuing the fact that they have many friends and that they get on well with their teachers. They appreciate the fact that their views are listened to and acted on.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise the quality of the provision for geography, history and religious education to the same high standard as in the other subjects. • Ensure that all children in the Foundation Stage have regular access to outdoor play facilities. Barnes Primary School - Page 9

p.8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement in the Foundation Stage is good. Most of the children in the Reception classes are on track to attain the national goals for early learning by the time that they enter Year 1, some will exceed them. The achievement of pupils in Year 6 has been good and current standards in Year 6 are well above average. National test results over the last four years have been above the average of all schools and similar schools nationally.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good gains in their skills, knowledge, and understanding because teaching is often very good and they experience a rich curriculum. • In the 2003 national tests, results at Year 6 were above average overall. • Standards in art and design throughout the school are well above average. • Pupils in Year 6 demonstrate attainment in information and communication technology that is well above expectations for their age.

p.9

Commentary

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

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.7 (17.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.8 (15.8) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 15.9 (17.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 55 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

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

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.7 (28.2) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 28.2 (27.7) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.2 (29.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 25 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

1. Over the period 1999 to 2002 the results of the national tests in Year 2 were well above average in reading. In mathematics they improved to above average in 2001 and maintained this level in 2002. In writing, they improved to well above average in 2002. The overall trend since the last inspection had been upwards at a rate that was better than the national trend. The school’s planned admission number was increased from 30 to 60 in 1999 and the year group included a higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties. When these pupils were tested in Year 2 in 2003, results fell to average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics, as the above table shows. The trend since the last inspection of results of tests taken in Year 6 has been broadly in line with the national trend, and better than it in mathematics. Overall standards have been Barnes Primary School - Page 10 above the national average and above the average of schools whose pupils performed

p.9

Commentary

similarly in their tests in Year 2. There are variations from year to year in the relative performance of boys and girls but, on average, there are no significant differences in the performance of any group of pupils, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

p.10

Commentary

2. The school met the targets agreed with the local education authority for the proportions of pupils achieving Level 4, and exceeded them at Level 5 in both English and mathematics. Targets for this year are higher in terms of the proportion of pupils expected to attain Level 5. The pupils are on track for well above average results in mathematics and science and above average in English in 2004 and their overall achievement has been good.

p.10

Commentary

3. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is broadly average but with considerable variations in terms of social and learning skills. Children benefit from the very good provision in the Foundation Stage and by the time that they enter Year 1 most of them will have met the early learning goals and some will have exceeded them, particularly in speaking and listening and in personal and social development; overall, achievement is good.

p.10

Commentary

4. The attainment of pupils currently in Year 2 is well above average in reading and average in writing, mathematics and science. In information and communication technology and design and technology, the Year 2 pupils’ attainment is average, while in art and design it is well above average. In religious education pupils meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Overall achievement throughout Years 1 and 2 has been satisfactory although pupils with special educational needs have often achieved very well as a result of well-targeted skilled support.

p.10

Commentary

5. Pupils now in Year 6 display attainment that is well above average in mathematics and science and above average in English. Most Year 6 pupils are very confident and competent information and communication technology users and standards in this subject are well above average. Standards in the other subjects where judgements were made in Year 6 are well above average in art and design, and average in design and technology. Standards in religious education match the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. No overall judgements are made about music and physical education although there was evidence of attainment in some aspects that was of well above average quality. It is clear that pupils, including those with particular gifts and talents, make good gains in their skills, knowledge and understanding over time.

p.10

Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well as a result of the very good and well targeted support provided by the school. The school’s assessment data indicates that the achievement of pupils who are learning English as an additional language is at least as good as that of their peers.

p.10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good; behaviour is good overall. Pupils’ moral, social, cultural and spiritual development is very good throughout the school. Attendance is satisfactory; punctuality is good.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils develop very good attitudes to school and to their learning. Barnes Primary School - Page 11 • Pupils are very willing to take responsibility. • Personal development is very strong; visits and visitors are used well to enhance learning.

p.10

Commentary

7. Pupils display very good attitudes to lessons and the variety of activities on offer. Pupil questionnaires confirm that they enjoy school because they have many friends and teachers are very welcoming and supportive. Pupils single out the annual Arts Week as particularly enjoyable, as well as the huge variety of school trips. Behaviour in lessons is often very good; for example Year 4 pupils in an art and design lesson co-operated well in making printing blocks and generated some interesting ideas about how to represent journeys. In the playground pupils largely play well together and behave sensibly when moving around. Year 6 pupils on a whole day trip to an insurance company in the City behaved extremely well and asked some sensible and penetrating questions. Occasionally, however, behaviour is less good; pupils do not always work together effectively or listen to each other. Correct procedures were followed in respect of the

p.11

Commentary

exclusions made in the last school year, including a permanent exclusion for unacceptably violent behaviour.

p.11

Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.11

Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 209 3 1

p.11

Exclusions

8. Personal development is a high priority for the school and very well organised. Many children in the Foundation Stage exceed the early learning goals in this area of the curriculum before entering Year 1. Assemblies are used well to generate spiritual awareness and ask important questions; plentiful opportunities are offered for prayer and reflection. The teachers’ enthusiasm is infectious: there are frequent ‘wow’ moments as pupils find out things they did not know or see things in a new way. Pupils are often asked to think about their own learning and consider what they have achieved and what remains to be understood.

p.11

Exclusions

9. Social and moral development is also tremendously well managed. The school functions well as a caring community, partly due to the large number of adults involved with the children whether in the office, as teachers or classroom assistants. High expectations of behaviour are consistent across the whole staff and they themselves are excellent role models, treating everyone with respect and courtesy. The large number of sports played, together with after-school clubs, ensures children have plenty of exposure to team working, friendly competition and getting along with other people. Pupils with special educational needs or physical disabilities are fully integrated into the life of the school. As a result of the strong emphasis on personal development, pupils are confident, outgoing and capable: they are very willing to take on responsibilities such as charity fund-raising or working on the pupil council. Council members decided independently to give

p.11

Exclusions

inspectors a PowerPoint presentation about their work. Barnes Primary School - Page 12 10. The cultural dimension is also very strong. The school gives the arts a very high profile, helped by active parents and governors who contribute, among other things, to the annual Arts Week. This has brought African drummers, aboriginal artists and product designers into school; there is also an arts club, trips to local theatres and street dance sessions run by a professional choreographer. Minority cultures are not forgotten; pupils make visits to places of worship such as a Hindu temple and synagogue, work with Indian textiles and learn about a variety of composers in music. Parents in the family literacy class, who speak English as an additional language, have also contributed to learning through talking about their lives.

p.11

Exclusions

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.12

Exclusions

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.4 School data 0.5

p.12

Exclusions

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.12

Exclusions

11. Attendance is satisfactory and in line with national figures. Punctuality is good as pupils are usually keen to get to school.

p.12

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality education for all its pupils.

p.12

Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good. Assessment procedures are very good overall. The teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection and is now better than in the majority of schools.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lesson planning is very good, including very clear learning objectives and a very good degree of challenge for all. • The skills of information and communication technology are taught very well and the resources used very well to promote learning across the curriculum. • There is very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants and this helps to ensure that all pupils are fully included in lessons and achieve well. • Teachers keep very good track of pupils’ progress, responding well to group and individual learning needs.

p.12

Commentary

12. During the inspection the quality of teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes was never less than good; in a third of lessons it was very good, sometimes excellent. In Years 1 and 2 teaching was at least good in three quarters of lessons; in Years 3 to 6, teaching was again almost always at least good with half that was very good, including examples of excellent practice. There was no teaching that was less than satisfactory. The quality of Barnes Primary School - Page 13 teaching of English, including the skills of literacy, was very good. In mathematics, including numeracy, teaching was good. Pupils’ work in books and on display supports the judgement that the overall quality of teaching is very good. There are many good examples of the planned development and use of the skills of literacy and information and communication technology in other subjects but far fewer examples in respect of the skills

p.12

Commentary

of numeracy. The teaching of other subjects is almost always at least good and is often very good. As a result of this consistently high quality of teaching, pupils achieve well and develop very good attitudes to learning.

p.13

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 46 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.13

Commentary

3(7%) 14 (30 %) 22 (48 %) 7 (15 %) 0 0 0

p.13

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.

p.13

Commentary

13. This is a highly inclusive school where teachers make great efforts to do their best for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who display particular gifts and talents. Pupils’ needs are assessed carefully and work is set which matches these. The school’s very good ethos and the consistent thrust towards accepting and encouraging all, helps pupils to try to do their best and to succeed. Teachers are given good support from specialists in the education of pupils with English as an additional language. Teaching assistants are very skilled and make an essential contribution to making sure that all pupils are provided with the support that they need to benefit from what the school offers. The school has responded well to the changes in the balance of ability in the larger year groups now working through the school. The formation of smaller groups, working with very experienced teachers or teaching assistants, has a very

p.13

Commentary

beneficial impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and on their achievement.

p.13

Commentary

14. A lot of effort is put into planning lessons that are stimulating and where the tasks set are matched well to the learning needs and capabilities of different groups of pupils. Teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn, sharing their expectations with them and often including a high level of challenge. For example, groups of pupils in a Year 4 science lesson were expected to devise investigations into the behaviour of earthworms, snails and woodlice; they responded very well to the teacher’s enthusiasm and encouragement and the quality of their learning was very good. Because pupils know what they have to do, and there is a very good level of support from teachers and other adults, pupils are fully involved in lessons and are able to judge their own learning and progress. Assessment is particularly strong in English and mathematics where the results are used to form groups and set targets. Overall, assessment procedures,

p.13

Commentary

including those for the other subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, are very good and make an important contribution to pupils’ good achievement.

p.13

Commentary

15. Teachers and other adults have established a very pleasant and purposeful working atmosphere, based on very good relationships and high expectations of the quality of work and behaviour. Pupils acquire basic skills very well. They develop very good attitudes to their school work and very positive views of themselves as successful young learners . From the Nursery onwards they are encouraged to work independently, when that is appropriate, and this develops very well as they move through the school. Pupils also develop very good skills of working with others, whether in pairs or in larger groups. Because the skills of information and communication technology are taught so well and Barnes Primary School - Page 14 pupils are encouraged to use them in a variety of contexts, this has become a strong feature of their learning. Pupils in Years 5 and 6, for example, very confidently presented their research findings about floods in the form of pages in a PowerPoint presentation.

p.13

The curriculum

The school provides a very good range of curricular opportunities in an excellent, inclusive ethos. Curricular enrichment, staff deployment and the quality of accommodation and resources are similarly very good.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The inclusive ethos of the school is outstanding. • The breadth and balance of the curriculum are very good. • There is good curriculum development and very good innovative practice in preparing pupils for future learning. • The curriculum is very well enriched by visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities. • The flexible deployment of staff is very good.

p.14

Commentary

16. The curriculum is very good in that it is broad and balanced, meeting all statutory requirements and conforming to recommendations about the length of the teaching week. Very good use is made of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school provides for effective daily acts of collective worship in assemblies which offer experiences of high quality for pupils. At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum for design and technology was not sufficiently broad and balanced but this is no longer the case and the subject now meets statutory requirements. The personal, social and health education programme is wide-ranging and includes appropriate sex and relationships education and drug education. It is an important element in the realisation of the school’s inclusive ethos.

p.14

Commentary

17. Equality of access is outstanding. The school is highly inclusive and does all that it can to ensure opportunities for all pupils. The school examines annually the achievement of pupils in order to assure itself that no categories of pupils are being disadvantaged or are underperforming. Considerable store is set by the ways in which work in lessons is matched to individual pupils, according to their previous attainment and needs. Cultural diversity is fully acknowledged, for example through the inclusion of the study of religious traditions other than Christianity. Good provision is made for pupils who are learning English as an additional language through a teacher who visits the school to teach them and to advise their class teachers and teaching assistants. Care is taken not only to provide very well for pupils with special educational needs, but also to ensure that other pupils understand their needs, for example, their particular physical or medical difficulties.

p.14

Commentary

When pupils are withdrawn for specialist help this time is matched as much as possible to the work undertaken by the rest of the class. Pupils with special talents, such as music, are given opportunities to shine by performing to the whole school and this is much appreciated.

p.14

Commentary

18. The extent of curriculum development is good. Teachers in Year 1 are taking part, with other schools, in an early writing project designed to encourage reluctant writers to improve their physical co-ordination and their speaking and listening skills so that they Barnes Primary School - Page 15 learn to write effectively. This is to be extended into Year 2. As one element of workforce reform, teaching assistants teach French weekly to pupils from Year 3 to Year 6, and they are also involved in assessing the standards of pupils’ writing and mathematics. A further element of reform is that one teaching assistant has particular responsibility for planning and organising the school’s programme of visits. The school is making very good use of other innovations to support pupils’ learning. The ‘five minute run’ before certain lessons, followed by opportunities for pupils to compose themselves, results in very good

p.14

Commentary

readiness for learning. ‘Brain gym’ activities are a regular feature of all classrooms, and quiet classical music accompanies work in groups, leading to improved concentration by pupils.

p.15

Commentary

19. Provision for the transition from Reception to Year 1 is very good through effective induction and information to parents. The transition to secondary education is effective in that there is good liaison; secondary teachers are involved in teaching Year 5 pupils, and Year 6 pupils visit their secondary school. The school intends to build on these initiatives to improve further the transition to secondary education.

p.15

Commentary

20. The degree of enrichment of the curriculum is very good. The Arts Week and the Science Week, which are held annually, provide a major focus for these elements of the curriculum, and the school is intending to extend this initiative to other subjects including design and technology. The school participates regularly in the Richmond Singing Festival. There are a very good number of visitors to the school and visits are paid by pupils of all ages to places of interest. The purpose of visits and visitors is very well related to the curriculum and supports all subjects, most notably science, history, English, religious education and personal, social and health education. Clubs such as the early morning breakfast club make a very good contribution to the personal development of pupils. The family literacy programme provides for parents who are learning English as an additional language but also has a positive impact on the children of these families,

p.15

Commentary

for instance through enhanced support for strategies to develop their reading.

p.15

Commentary

21. The quality of resources, including the information and communication technology suite, is very good, as is the quality of accommodation overall. However, the outdoor play area for nursery and Reception children is in need of improvement. Teaching and support staff are very well deployed to match the demands of the curriculum, in part through the school’s imaginative responses to the national initiative on workforce re-modelling.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

The school is a very supportive, caring environment.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very well guided, supported and challenged to do their best. • There are outstanding systems and procedures for health and safety. • Behaviour is very well managed through the consistent use of agreed systems and procedures. • Very good attention is paid to pupils’ views and opinions.

p.15

Commentary

Barnes Primary School - Page 16 22. The school has a very good range of integrated systems for the pastoral care of pupils. Policies are thoughtful and detailed and backed up by firm, enlightened but, above all, consistent practice. Teachers know their pupils very well, as a result of the variety of groupings which are used to ensure each one makes the best progress possible. These include one-to-one literacy work with a child who has special educational needs, in-class support for behaviour or a special withdrawal group for those identified as gifted and talented. ‘Gold books’ are used for one week’s work each term and sent home to parents, together with detailed comments, grading, targets and annotations. As a result pupils and their parents have a very clear idea of the level they are working at and how to improve. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported. Equally, good behaviour is promoted uniformly; members of staff have the highest expectations and a

p.16

Commentary

shared range of rewards and sanctions to achieve them. Class rules are negotiated within each class and the code of conduct is fully understood by everyone. Members of the office staff are exceptionally helpful and go out of their way to help parents with enquiries or worries.

p.16

Commentary

23. Procedures for health and safety are outstanding. Regular risk assessments are done both around the buildings and for trips and visits, and safety and security have a very high profile. The building is modern, clean and maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. Unusually, the school has two Junior Safety Officers who contribute to assemblies and were responsible for recent work on sun safety and the resulting slogan ‘No hat, no play’. There is great emphasis on healthy eating as part of the Healthy Schools Initiative and fruit is now available every day for snacks and lunches. As a result, pupils behave sensibly around the site, and are beginning to have a good understanding of how they can lead a healthy and active life.

p.16

Commentary

24. There are many opportunities for pupils to express their views. Teachers frequently seek views in lessons and act upon them and as a result pupils feel valued and respected. The pupils’ council meets regularly and has taken some important decisions, for example about playground equipment, lunchtime supervision and raising money for their link school in Africa. Circle time is used frequently to reinforce the idea that pupils’ opinions matter; pupils also contribute their ideas to assemblies. As a result they are confident, polite and mature. Year 6 pupils, for example, were unabashed at talking to the chief executive of a commercial insurance company and asked several penetrating questions.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are very good. There are very good links with the community and good links with other schools and colleges.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents’ views are very positive. • A very good range of information is given to parents. • Very good links with the community are used well to extend learning. Barnes Primary School - Page 17

p.16

Commentary

25. Parents are very positive about the work of the school. They praise good teaching, high expectations and good management; settling in arrangements, the range of extra curricular activities and the progress their children make. Many spoke very highly at the parents’ meeting of the work of the headteacher and deputy headteacher in leading the school through a period of great change and expansion and effectively project-managing a major building programme.

p.17

Commentary

26. The range and quality of written information offered to parents are very good, including annual reports, which include detailed reference to National Curriculum levels and a comment from pupils. ‘Gold books’ are used termly to show one week’s work together with teachers’ comments, grades and targets for improvement. This is a very helpful innovation which is highly praised by parents. The governors’ annual report is detailed and informative, but should also include information about access for disabled pupils. The prospectus contains some delightful drawings done by pupils but needs also to carry information about attendance.

p.17

Commentary

27. Parents are very supportive of school events such as sports and performances; and many come in to help with reading. They are also generous with their time and contacts, particularly for the annual Arts and Science weeks, which have included visits by a senior product designer and various dance artists and musicians. The Parent-Teacher Association is active and has done a huge amount to raise money, for example funding the appointment of a part-time music teacher.

p.17

Commentary

28. Links with the local community are very good and every opportunity is taken to enrich learning through visits out or inviting people into school. For example, a blind person came in with her ‘seeing-eye’ dog to talk to younger pupils; a local author is due to talk to children in Book Week and Year 6 go on a residential trip to an outdoor centre. Sponsorship from the community has raised a large sum for infant books. The headteacher is hard working and proactive in seeking out and using any opportunity to benefit the school, and in return it is well regarded by the local community.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are both excellent and governance is very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and her deputy share the same vision and drive and provide excellent leadership. • The governing body is very well led and provides excellent support and challenge; the expertise of individual governors is used very well. • The management team uses flexible and creative approaches in order to meet the school’s aims. • The leaders evaluate the work of the school very well and use this information to prepare for the future; systems and procedures are efficient and effective. • All staff are encouraged and empowered to use their strengths and skills to the benefit of all the pupils.

p.17

Commentary

Barnes Primary School - Page 18 29. The school has a very strong ethos of mutual respect and of bringing out the best in staff and all pupils. The headteacher, the deputy headteacher and chair of governors have excellent skills in empowering staff. Together they seek innovative ways to meet their aim of recognising the strengths of the whole school community and developing these so that all pupils are valued and given the confidence to do their best. They constitute a creative team which actively seeks solutions, funds and expertise so that the whole school benefits. A major strength is that all staff, including students and newly qualified teachers, feel valued and as a result consistently follow the agreed systems and procedures. They enjoy working at this school and as a whole team seek ways to help each other to improve. Staff describe the headteacher and deputy headteacher as ‘motivators and inspirational.’

p.18

Commentary

30. The senior management team has successfully built a whole school approach on two separate sites. Although the school population has grown and changed there is a sense of a family all working to support each other. This has been achieved by fostering talents and by providing opportunities for pupils from both buildings to visit, value, and help each other. For instance, Year 6 pupils help in the infant dining hall and playground at lunchtime and the very good displays of art work come from a range of ages in both buildings. The managers for each part of the school regularly discuss whole school issues and anticipate needs.

p.18

Commentary

31. Members of staff feel valued as their work has been monitored regularly and they have received constructive feedback. Training needs have been met and teachers’ workloads efficiently reduced so that they can concentrate upon teaching. This is a major strength of the school; teachers are always given the training, resources and confidence to do what is asked. They are also challenged to ask more of themselves. The role of teaching assistants has been enhanced so that they make a very valuable contribution towards helping pupils learn. In addition to their work of directly supporting pupils, they create displays to show pupils that their work is valued; they collect assessment data to help teachers plan for the next lessons and photocopy work to give teachers more time to prepare.

p.18

Commentary

32. The governing body supports the school very effectively and asks searching questions to obtain an objective view of strengths and areas for improvement. It very effectively ensures that statutory requirements, including those relating to race and disability legislation, are met. Governors’ expertise in the areas of finance, education and the arts is used particularly well. Thus the Arts Week enriches pupils’ education and the accelerated learning programme is effective in helping pupils learn. No new initiatives are undertaken lightly; they are researched, members of staff are trained and then sufficient time is given to judge whether the initiative is successful or not. Governors are very aware of the demands made by the increasing number of children starting each year and their wide range of abilities. They see this as a challenge rather than a difficulty.

p.18

Commentary

33. The school is very committed to including all pupils in all that it offers. The special educational needs co-ordinator has a very clear understanding of her role and provision for these pupils is managed very well. Additional classroom support is deployed effectively across the school and has a positive impact upon learning. The progress of all pupils is tracked and difficulties highlighted; as a result staff and funds are placed to remedy the identified needs. For instance, the current Year 3 pupils are now organised in ability groups for some subjects and work in very small classes for part of their school Barnes Primary School - Page 19 day. Pupils with English as an additional language, receive sufficient support but the school enhances this creatively by using the expertise of parents, students and staff, for instance in French. The school also makes very good provision for pupils with special

p.18

Commentary

gifts and talents, often in collaboration with other schools and colleges.

p.19

Commentary

34. Financial management is excellent. The governing body, through its very well led finance committee makes sure that the allocation of funds follows the priorities agreed in the school development plan. Day-to-day control by the headteacher and the administrative officer is highly efficient and follows the best value principles. The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection and provides pupils with a very good education; value for money is very good. Barnes Primary School - Page 20

p.19

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.20

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 966,680 Balance from previous year 55,885 Total expenditure 996,874 Balance carried forward to the next 25,691 Expenditure per pupil 3,115

p.20

Financial information

The school’s financial information includes elements of the £4m building project undertaken over the past few years . Barnes Primary School - Page 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. Provision for the Foundation Stage is very good and has improved since the last inspection. Leadership of the Foundation Stage is very good and, when taking account of the headteacher’s contribution, management is excellent. Nursery children attend school for either morning or afternoon sessions; after a year, they start in either September or January in one of two Reception classes part time for a term. After this term they are full time and are very well prepared to start the National Curriculum in Year 1. Staff plan together to make sure that all children have the same good experiences and learn through play. They understand the needs of these very young children well and flexibly use the very limited outside area to meet these. As a result there is a lively buzz of activity in all three classes and children achieve well. Children start school with a very broad range of skills and understanding; they enter Year 1 with skills in most areas which

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. Overall the quality of teaching is good with a third of lessons observed being very good or excellent. A particular strength is the very good working partnership between teachers and their assistants who play an important role in maintaining the smooth organisation of the classes. They also help in the collection of assessment data which is then used very well to plan work to meet the children’s individual needs. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are given good support and work is matched well to their needs. The very good relationships established between adults and children and the very good role models set by staff result in all children being fully included in lessons. Parents are welcomed and given very good information; as a consequence many help in school, for instance, reading with children and helping them to make ‘mini beast biscuits.’

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.21

Commentary

37. Members of staff expertly establish warm and trusting relationships with children and parents. They act as good role models so that children behave well and are keen to learn. Good organisation and planning ensures that teaching meets the needs of the children and that they understand and follow systems, feel secure and confidently try to do their best. New children are confident and happy when they come to school. Parents are also welcomed and encouraged to help their children learn. Good teaching builds upon good relationships to teach children to be responsible and help them work together. As a result they concentrate in whole-class sessions or when working as a group take turns and share with their peers. The establishment of good routines and the provision of a good range of interesting activities teach children to be independent and to make choices. By the time that they enter Year 1 most children have achieved the early learning

p.21

Commentary

goals in this aspect of the curriculum, many have exceeded them. Children’s achievement and the standards they attain are well above average. The lack of a good, Barnes Primary School - Page 22 covered outside area, however, restricts the opportunities that staff can offer, despite their creativity and desire to do so. Barnes Primary School - Page 23

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE and LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.23

Commentary

38. Teachers’ skills are very good and as a result the standard of children’s work is above expectations and they achieve well. They enjoy stories, have a good understanding of sounds in words and listen well to each other. In the Reception class teachers are preparing children very well for the National Curriculum and the literacy hour. Learning is made fun and children are encouraged to work together with puppets to give a performance. As a result, social and speaking and listening skills are developed well and pupils enjoy stories. Children are encouraged to examine pictures to gather clues such as ‘daddy is cross.’ They work together as ‘buddies’ to help each other understand and enjoy stories. They are given key questions such as, ‘which bit of the story did you like?’ and this is successful in encouraging children to question what they read. Children are given appropriate praise so that they are very willing to offer their ideas, knowing that

p.23

Commentary

they will be valued. They describe the star of the day as a ‘Fairy tale girl.’ The skills of teachers and their assistants enable all children to be actively involved in all class activities. For instance, the nursery teacher uses her knowledge of French to help a new child. By the end of the Reception year children are beginning to write sentences with full stops.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good.

p.23

Commentary

39. As a result of very good teaching children achieve well. The one lesson observed in this area of learning was excellent. Very good links are made with other subjects such as information and communication technology so that children’s interest is captured and they enjoy learning. For instance, a robot car was directed to different shapes and numbers. As a result children helped each other and learned the importance of directions. A child with special educational needs was given her turn and her classmates helped her. Most children understand mathematical vocabulary such as up, down . When playing with sand they describe buckets as heavy . They add numbers and find one more or less than ten especially when singing rhymes. They recognise many shapes and state that ‘it is a triangle because it has three points.’ Overall standards are in line with expectations for their age.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.23

Commentary

40. The teachers provide a good range of interesting activities so that children achieve well and attain standards that are in line with those expected for their age. Children are given very good opportunities to use computers and controlled vehicles. In both the Nursery Barnes Primary School - Page 24 and Reception classes, children look at maps and study different places of worship across the world. In role play areas they are provided with various different costumes. They also study weather patterns in this country. Visits extend children’s understanding of the world beyond where they live. Play activities develop children’s scientific skills. They note that their boat sank ‘because it got too wet and was too heavy.’ Barnes Primary School - Page 25

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is satisfactory.

p.25

Commentary

41. There are well planned opportunities to improve children’s physical skills but these are hampered by the outside provision. In the Nursery the covered area cannot be used when it is raining. One Reception class has difficult access to the outside area and this area is too small to help pupils develop physical and social skills. Improvement of this is recognised as a high priority. Nevertheless, teachers are flexible and work well together to make the best of what they have; the overall quality of teaching and learning is good. The Nursery has regular use of wheeled vehicles in the extended play area. In class, the children are given many opportunities when they cut paper, use pencils and paint brushes to develop their skills. Children achieve well and most are securely on track to achieve the early learning goals in this aspect of the curriculum

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good.

p.25

Commentary

42. The whole school exudes delight in the creative arts. Children are used to working with a good range of media and their work is very well displayed; this supports the progressive development of skills well. For instance their collage based on a famous tiger picture is built on in Year 2. Children’s work meets expectations as they are offered the opportunities to use a wide range of materials, such charcoal, pencil and mixing paint colours. Children know and sing a number of rhymes in tune and in time. The role play area in the Reception class extends children’s’ mathematical knowledge; it is a ‘bus station’ with timetables and directions. Children are on track to attain the early learning goals in this area of the curriculum; their achievement has been good as a result of good teaching and learning.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards have improved since the last inspection, particularly at Year 6. • Standards of reading are well above average at Year 2 and Year 6. • Skilled teaching ensures that there are very good opportunities for pupils to learn English. • Teachers provide very good models of speech and language use. • The use of information and communication technology to teach English is very good. • The subject is very well led and managed.

p.25

Commentary

Barnes Primary School - Page 26 43. In the National Curriculum tests in English in Year 6, results in 2003 were above the national average in comparison with all schools and with similar schools nationally . Over the last five years, results have varied but have usually been above the national average. In Year 2, pupils’ results in 2003 in reading and in writing were in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, both reading and writing results were above average. Over the last five years, reading results in Year 2 have been well above average except in 2003, and writing results have generally been above average. Although there are variations from year to year and boys often do less well than girls, the differences are not significantly greater than the national variation.

p.26

Commentary

44. The achievement of pupils in English is good overall. In speaking and listening, pupils’ achievement in Year 2 is satisfactory, but a minority of pupils do not find it easy to concentrate when the teacher or other pupils are speaking. Pupils are achieving very well in reading. They read fluently and accurately. Higher-attaining pupils and those whose standards are average have read some more challenging books, and employ good expression when they read aloud, showing good understanding. In discussion, they demonstrate that they can draw conclusions from their reading. Lower-attaining pupils are also achieving well, showing confidence at the level which they have reached. The achievement of Year 2 pupils in writing is satisfactory. Pupils are using cursive handwriting and are confident and accurate in their spelling. Their factual writing shows that they can record sequences such as the life cycle of a frog or how to make a wind-up

p.26

Commentary

45. By Year 6, pupils are achieving well. Their attainment in speaking and listening has improved so that they speak thoughtfully and confidently to others. Pupils read text very well, with fluency, accuracy and good expression. They show very good understanding of their reading in discussing inferences which can be drawn. Many pupils have read widely, and the most able pupils are reading challenging books, for instance ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’. Their attainment in writing is good. The quality of handwriting is at least good, and often very good. Most pupils spell and punctuate accurately. The content of their writing becomes more adventurous and higher-attaining pupils know how to aim their writing at particular audiences, employing apt and sophisticated expression.

p.26

Commentary

46. The overall quality of teaching is very good. Planning is very good, and includes clear purposes for lessons and very good sequencing of work. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils, and in the best lessons challenge their thinking and reasoning. Teachers show very good teaching skills, including good personal use of language, and the capacity to listen well to pupils and to praise them effectively. They provide pupils with very good opportunities to develop ideas and to speak, for example through work in pairs. Multi-sensory learning is used well, especially for lower-attaining pupils or those with special educational needs. Lessons are well balanced between whole-class and group or individual work. Teachers prepare resources very well before lessons. Lessons are taught at a very good pace and with a good sense of direction. The management of pupils’ behaviour by positive means is very good overall, but a small

p.26

Commentary

number of pupils in Year 2 are slow to respond on occasions even when they are effectively managed.

p.26

Commentary

47. Teaching assistants make a notably effective contribution to lessons and support pupils with special educational needs particularly well, which ensures their effective inclusion in lessons. Information and communication technology is very well linked to literacy work, Barnes Primary School - Page 27 including the effective use of interactive whiteboards, and very good opportunities for pupils to use computers in the suite, for example to access Internet material or to produce a PowerPoint presentation. Assessment arrangements are very well developed across the school and teachers keep very good records of pupils’ work. Targets are set for pupils, but attainment of targets is not always regularly assessed and updated. Marking of pupils‘ work is regular and thorough, but teachers’ comments are not always sufficiently concerned with improvement.

p.26

Commentary

48. The leadership and management of English are very good. The co-ordinator has a very good understanding of the subject, and has a secure grasp of the pattern of pupils’ current standards. The monitoring of the subject is well established, thorough, and involves observation of teaching, and review of teachers’ planning and of pupils’ work. The action plan is ambitious and well constructed, and focuses on a wide range of issues to improve pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching.

p.27

Commentary

49. When the school was last inspected, standards in all aspects in English were judged to be in line with national expectations. Improvements are evident on the present inspection. At Year 6, standards of listening and speaking and of writing are now above the national average, and standards of reading are well above average at Year 2 and Year 6. Teaching and learning have improved from good to very good overall. The leadership and management of the subject remain very good.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

50. Teachers use very well the opportunities provided by other subjects, such as history, geography and religious education, to promote language and vocabulary development. In addition, teachers make effective use of written work in history and geography to extend pupils’ knowledge of factual writing. There is very good overall provision for developing pupils’ language and literacy skills across the curriculum.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is very good . Pupils achieve well. Standards are well above average in Year 6 and average in Year 2.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• National test results in Year 6 are well above average as a result of good teaching and careful tracking of pupils’ progress. • There is very good use of information and communication technology resources to promote and extend learning. • Pupils’ learning and confidence are enhanced because teaching is good and focused on raising pupils’ achievement from their differing starting points. • There are too few planned opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding in other subjects.

p.27

Commentary

51. National test results in 2003 were below average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. In recent years, the school’s results in Year 6 have been well above those of similar schools. Since the last inspection, national test results in Year 2 were improving but fell in Barnes Primary School - Page 28 2003, due largely to the fact that the year group was double the size of its predecessors and included a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Results in Year 6 have improved at a rate that is better than the national trend . Pupils are well taught and many benefit from working in small groups with others who have similar learning needs. On the whole, achievement is good. There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and these help teachers to plan work that meets pupils’ different learning needs well.

p.27

Commentary

52. There is a wide range of ability in the present Year 2 classes and the school has responded to this by creating ability groups. During the inspection this enabled teachers to use examples at an appropriate level of difficulty when pupils were learning about different ways of carrying out additions such as 17 + 9. Much of the recorded work over the year has been on number and there is evidence of good teaching for understanding, for example through the use of structural apparatus and number lines. Pupils also correctly name common two-dimensional shapes and draw lines of symmetry. A good feature of the lessons observed in Year 1 was the use of multilink cubes to help pupils who were adding three numbers together that totalled more than 10. Good display of the key vocabulary, for example counting on, equals and addition also helped learning and understanding. Indications from the lessons observed and from the school’s own

p.28

Commentary

assessments are that overall standards are broadly in line with national averages. During the inspection, learning was good and pupils were provided with work that was matched well to their ability .

p.28

Commentary

53. The school is making a very positive response to below average results recorded by the present Year 3 pupils when they were in Year 2. The two classes are split into at least three, sometimes four, groups for the daily numeracy lesson. The indications are that pupils are benefiting from the extra individual attention; their learning and achievement in lessons are often good. The overall quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. Strengths include lesson planning, marking and the keeping of useful assessment records. There is a clear emphasis on teaching for understanding and because of this pupils become good at explaining the methods by which they perform calculations. A further very strong feature of the teaching of mathematics throughout the school is the very effective use of information and communication technology resources to enhance learning. Year 2 pupils, for example gained a lot from their teachers’ very

p.28

Commentary

good use of interactive whiteboards to demonstrate the position of the hands of the clock when they were learning to tell the time.

p.28

Commentary

54. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are grouped by ability for mathematics lessons and this is most clearly of benefit to the more able pupils, including a few from Year 4 who join these groups. Pupils are provided with tasks that promote their learning and achievement well, whatever their starting point. As a result most pupils experience both success and further challenge and develop very positive attitudes towards their learning. This is equally true for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. By the summer term in Year 6 the vast majority of pupils are working at the standards expected for their age and nearly half are exceeding them, in some case by a substantial margin. Their achievement has been good, often very good in the case of pupils with special educational needs.

p.28

Commentary

55. Leadership and management of the subject are very good and include monitoring through lesson observations and work sampling. The co-ordinator has made a good start towards improving opportunities for using and applying mathematics and Barnes Primary School - Page 29 recognises that greater involvement of teaching assistants in numeracy, as in literacy, will contribute to further improvement. Record keeping and target setting are very good and the development of pupils’ self-assessment and of peer assessment is a good initiative. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection, particularly in the use of information and communication technology resources.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. There are some good examples of pupils using their mathematical skills, mainly data handling and graph drawing, in other subjects, including science. However, there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to apply the mathematics that they are learning in other contexts.

p.29

SCIENCE

Provision for science is very good . Pupils achieve well. Standards are well above average in Year 6 and average in Year 2.

p.29

Strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 are well above the national average As a result of very good provision. • Well-informed and enthusiastic leadership is promoting further improvements in pupils’ achievement. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils develop a very good scientific knowledge base and understanding of the scientific method. • Parents make an important contribution to the overall quality of the provision.

p.29

Commentary

57. The results of teachers’ assessments in 2003 were close to the national average in Year 2 in terms of the proportion of pupils achieving the national expectation of Level 2 and above average in terms of Level 3. In Year 6, results were above average when compared with all schools nationally and average when compared with other schools whose pupils had recorded similar results in their Year 2 tests . More than 90 per cent of pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 4 and 44 per cent achieved Level 5.

p.29

Commentary

58. Completed work by Year 2 pupils shows that they have achieved well across a good range of topics. It is evident that they have been given good encouragement to observe carefully and record what they seen in their own words. Recent work on electrical circuits includes good diagrams and clear sets of instructions for how to connect the components. Earlier work shows that pupils successfully classify living creatures into legs/no legs, fly, walk or slither. Work on forces, using swings, see-saw, slide, bike and scooter shows good understanding as does work relating to materials. Pupils develop their understanding of a fair test when trying to find the warmest place in their classroom. Pupils of all abilities are clearly achieving well in response to good teaching that promoted good learning in terms of knowledge and the scientific method. Many pupils are attaining in line with or above national expectations for their age but the presence in

p.29

Commentary

the year group of a significant minority of pupils with learning difficulties suggest that standards overall are in line with expectations. Barnes Primary School - Page 30 59. The overall quality of teaching is very good and pupils in Year 4 responded very positively to their teacher’s enthusiasm for posing questions about habitats in relation to woodlice, snails and earthworms and constructing fair experiments to find out the answers. The lesson was a very good example of teaching scientific knowledge through an investigative approach and the quality of pupils’ learning was very good because the practical nature of the task engaged them fully. Pupils showed a lot of scientific maturity and worked together very effectively. Achievement in the lesson was good and, on the evidence of recorded work, achievement over the year has been very good as a result of consistently very good teaching based on the very good subject knowledge and

p.29

Commentary

60. Pupils in Year 6 showed above average understanding of the scientific method when responding to their teacher’s challenge to ‘think as scientists’ in the context of investigating the growth of dandelions in different conditions. Pupils were stimulated by the opportunity to contribute to a national survey and the investigation provided a good opportunity for exercising mathematical skills. Because of very good planning and organisation of working groups all pupils were very effectively included in the project. Evidence from earlier work indicates that pupils’ generally good literacy skills enable many to write very good accounts of their experimental activities. Overall standards are well above the national average with almost all pupils achieving the national expectation of Level 4 and more than half working at Level 5 and beyond.

p.30

Commentary

61. Pupils’ learning in science is considerably enhanced by the involvement of parents who organise a Science Week each year and produce a booklet offering answers to the many interesting questions that pupils ask. Pupils also benefit from visits to the Science Museum, to Kew Gardens and other place of interest. The co-ordinators provide very good support for colleagues, particularly in the use of the school’s information and communication technology resources to enhance learning in science. There has been very good improvement in provision since the last inspection.

p.30

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is very good .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are very good and teachers use them very well to promote very good learning and achievement. • Standards in Year 6 are well above average. • The subject is very well led and managed and this contributes strongly to improving use and to raising standards.

p.30

Commentary

62. By Year 2, pupils’ standards of attainment are in line with national expectations and in Year 6 pupils’ standards of attainment are well above national expectations. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection, when attainment in Years 2 and 6 was judged to be unsatisfactory. Pupils now achieve well because as well as teaching skills, teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use these skills to enhance their learning in other subjects. Barnes Primary School - Page 31 63. The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils benefit greatly from having skills taught in a relevant context. Pupils in Year 3, for example, developed their skills of using Excel to display graphical information using data that had been generated by measuring plant growth over the preceding five week period. In this lesson, as in many others, the teacher’s effective use of the interactive whiteboard enhanced pupils’

p.30

Commentary

64. The geographical context of the causes and effects of floods was used very effectively to develop further the skills of pupils in Year 6 in creating PowerPoint presentations. The teacher enabled pupils to build on their earlier learning and set clear targets for what was to be achieved in the lesson. The pace and challenge of the lesson put creative pressure on pupils and they were very well supported by the teacher and the teaching assistant. Pupils’ skills were impressive as they rapidly opened the program, accessed their existing work and entered text and imported relevant pictures from the Internet to create interesting pages. Many successfully used very good animation and transition effects. These were also used to very good effect when members of the pupils’ council gave a polished presentation about their work to members of the inspection team.

p.31

Commentary

65. The leadership and management of information and communication technology are very good and this makes a major contribution to pupils’ very good attainment . The subject co-ordinator, who is also responsible for mathematics, works very effectively with the literacy co-ordinator and with the former co-ordinator, who is now information and communication technology technician. This gives a very high profile to the subject and provides a high level of training and support for staff who are consequently becoming increasingly confident about using the resources.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. Information and communication technology is used very well across the curriculum. This is particularly evident in literacy but also in art and design, for example when pupils in Year 2 ‘paint’ in the style of Mondrian. Very good skill development is evident by Year 4 when pupils use different brush sizes to re-create pointillist pictures. In science, as well as work on data handling, older pupils use PowerPoint to share their learning about the water cycle. There are many other examples of the planned use and development of pupils’ information and communication technology skills in other subject contexts.

p.31

Geography

Geography was sampled by the observation of three lessons, scrutiny of the work of some pupils in Year 2, and a discussion with the co-ordinator. No overall judgement of provision or of improvement since the last inspection is, therefore, possible. Barnes Primary School - Page 32

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in geography. • Geography is well taught, and teaching includes some very good features. • Geography is satisfactorily led and managed.

p.32

Commentary

67. The achievement of Year 6 pupils is good. They have recently created a large number of PowerPoint pages on aspects of rivers, and show good understanding of the causes of flooding. Pupils in Year 5 similarly demonstrate good knowledge of what causes flooding to occur. The written work of Year 2 pupils shows insight into the roles of people on a remote Scottish island and how that compares with life in Barnes.

p.32

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching of geography is good. Lessons are well planned, and prior preparation of materials by teachers is very good. Teachers set clear objectives, and communicate them effectively to pupils as well as the tasks which they are to undertake. Very good use of information and communication technology resources, for instance video clips, enhances the teaching of geography. Teachers make very good use of time and ensure that lessons proceed at a good pace, with the result that pupils apply themselves well and make good progress. High expectations of pupils help to produce good work rates. In Year 3, where there are higher numbers of lower-attaining pupils, the teacher managed their behaviour very well. She used fieldwork in the locality very well, and displayed very good skills in eliciting responses from pupils, shaping their understanding of how different kinds of land use can be represented on a map by use of

p.32

Commentary

69. The leadership and management of geography are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is new to the role, and has good ideas to raise the profile of geography for pupils; the subject has had a relatively low priority in recent years. She has a clear understanding of the present stage of development of the subject and is ambitious to develop it further. Resource levels are satisfactory, and the school has already planned to improve further the use of information and communication technology resources to teach geography. The quality of teaching and learning in geography is not being monitored, but plans are in hand to do so.

p.32

History

History was sampled by observation of one lesson, scrutiny of the work of some pupils in Year 2, and a discussion with the co-ordinator. No overall judgement of provision or of improvement since the last inspection is, therefore, possible.

p.32

Commentary

70. The achievement of Year 2 pupils in history is satisfactory overall, and includes some good written work. Pupils of all levels of attainment effectively record the sequence of events, for example in the Great Fire of London, and show an understanding of the way in which Samuel Pepys wrote his diary. In classroom work, Year 2 pupils show good understanding of the relationship between Florence Nightingale and her mother through their own dramatic enactments. Barnes Primary School - Page 33 71. The quality of teaching of history is satisfactory in Year 2. Pupils’ interest is quickly captured and their participation in the lesson is effectively monitored. Drama is used satisfactorily as a way of developing understanding. The teacher serves as a good model for children’s use of language.

p.32

Commentary

72. The leadership and management of history are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is new to the role, and has good ideas for the development of the subject; like geography it has had a relatively low priority in recent years. The possibilities for linking history with literacy are already being effectively realised, but activities to check the quality of history teaching are not yet in place. Good assessment criteria have been planned but are not yet being employed. Resource levels for teaching are adequate. The intention is to acquire more objects to support teaching, and additional information and communication technology resources to facilitate more effective use of computers in learning history.

p.33

Religious Education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents’ knowledge is used well to explain the beliefs and rituals of many religions. • The school’s ethos of valuing each individual results in pupils respecting a variety of religious beliefs. • The development of this subject has been a low priority in recent years.

p.33

Commentary

73. Most of the pupils’ work is through discussion but the written work and the school’s own assessments show that their understanding of religion is in line with that expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Visits to places of worship such as the local church, mosque and synagogue help pupils understand the variety of symbols and beliefs throughout the world. The school’s approach towards respecting and developing each individual, helps pupils to understand that differences can be accepted and understood. Pupils have a good knowledge of a variety of faiths and this is fostered by parents who come to talk to them. However, there are very few displays of religious artefacts to help them become familiar with this subject and help them build upon the artistic work produced in the celebration of many faiths.

p.33

Commentary

74. The curriculum is satisfactory. The scheme of work gives reasonable guidance to teachers but at times too much is expected to be taught in one lesson. For instance in Year 1, pupils covered the five sacraments in one short lesson. The teacher made this interesting by providing photographs and her own ‘first communion dress’ but too much was included in this lesson. Generally, teachers are very clear as to how they can ensure that the variety of beliefs held in this multicultural country are represented and respected. In Year 2, for instance, a pupil confidently wrote his name in Arabic and his classmates were appreciative of his skill. This is due to the teacher’s good relationship with pupils setting a good example so that the class is confident to show what they can do.

p.33

Commentary

75. Leadership of this subject is satisfactory overall but very good support is given to teachers through the efficient assessment procedure where pupils’ ability to listen to, re- tell and respond to different religious stories are noted. The co-ordinator has had little Barnes Primary School - Page 34 time to monitor directly the quality of teaching and learning but this is a priority in the near future. She recognises that several teachers lack confidence with this subject and is seeking ways to improve this.

p.33

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Design and technology , music and physical education could not be a main focus of the inspection because of time restrictions. However, some lessons were observed, discussions were held with teachers and some examples of pupils’ earlier work and teachers’ planning were examined. The following evaluative comments are based on this evidence.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. The achievement of pupils in Year 6 in design and technology is good. In the course of the year, they have designed, made and evaluated different musical instruments, and have designed and constructed a variety of shelters and evaluated their products. Currently, Year 6 pupils are designing a controllable vehicle, where they show a good understanding of the design process; they show good drawing skills and the tasks set for them are suitably challenging.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. The achievement of pupils in Year 2 is satisfactory. They have undertaken projects to produce finger puppets and winding mechanisms, and their written work shows that they have a secure understanding of the process of designing, and then making and evaluating products, including consideration of improvements which could be made. They are effectively encouraged, so that they are confident to explain the work which they are undertaking. In their present project, however, they have not had sufficient opportunities to select and cut materials independently in their construction of vehicles although effective use of the Internet provides them with access to aspects of the design of vehicles.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. When the school was last inspected, improvement of the attainment of pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 was a key issue, and the curriculum for these year groups did not meet statutory requirements. The standards of pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 are now in line with national expectations, and the design and technology curriculum is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the subject, which were not judged on the previous occasion, are now satisfactory.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. The requirements of the National Curriculum in music are met. Music throughout the school is taught by a specialist teacher which not only releases teachers from this demand so that they can use their own expertise to advantage but also ensures that the pupils receive expert help. Parents are very appreciative of this and have consequently raised funds to maintain this specialist teaching.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. In the very few lessons observed and during assemblies pupils sing in tune and with appropriate rhythm. They appreciate the work of a variety of composers and in Year 4 they compose their own singing games to use in the playground. They select instruments, compose, rehearse, improve and perform. Pupils offer suggestions as to how this can be improved. Pupils also perform in the local schools’ concert.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. Talented pupils are given good opportunities to perform to the whole school, for instance the rest of the school watched and listened to a Year 4 violinist with great shared pride. There are many opportunities for pupils to receive expert tuition. Overall, this subject Barnes Primary School - Page 35 greatly enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In assemblies they listen appreciatively to a range of classical and modern music.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Physical education has a high profile in the school and pupils benefit from very good subject leadership and the enthusiastic involvement of many members of staff. There is a very good range of clubs for both older and younger pupils and plenty of opportunities for competitive sport. Parents and other members of the community provide good and regular support, working with teachers to maintain the wide range of sports provided. Pupils achieve high standards in street dance as a result of teaching by a former professional dancer.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. Pupils have swimming lessons in one term each year from Year 2 onwards and almost all achieve the national expectation of swimming 25 metres unaided by the time that they leave the school. Outdoor and adventurous activities are well provided for with the school site used for orienteering, a camp for Year 5 pupils and an active residential experience in Year 6. All areas of the physical education curriculum are fully provided.

p.35

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. The school has the use of a nearby public park and this enabled pupils in Year 6 to take part in a well planned and organised athletics lesson in which they ran, hurdled and long jumped. There was a wide range of attainment across the group, which included some very fit and well co-ordinated athletes who had achieved considerable success in a district sports competition the previous evening. Pupils across the school have very positive attitudes towards physical activity and develop a good understanding of the need for it because teachers include breaks for running or stretching as a normal part of lesson routine.

p.35

Art and design

Provision for art and design is very good.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The standard of pupils’ work in art and design throughout the school is very good. • This subject is very well led and managed. • The curriculum is rich and there are productive links with several other subjects. • Art and design makes a very valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.35

Commentary

86. Across the school the standard of pupils’ work is very good. Many pieces of work are beautiful and are so well displayed that they enrich the whole school environment. These displays show that the pupils’ work is valued highly. Many pieces are collaborative efforts and so pupils are used to working together. The work of pupils of different ages is shared between the two buildings so that all learn from each other and celebrate success. Pupils’ achievement is very good; they build very well upon what has been learned before. For instance, in the Reception class children create an interesting collage based upon a famous tiger painting. In Year 2 they use this painting to include detail and a three-dimensional effect of a tiger behind long grasses. They use a variety of skills and media such as cutting, planning, observing positions and mixing crayon, paper and felt tip. Barnes Primary School - Page 36

p.35

Commentary

87. The subject leader is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. With very good help from a parent governor she inspires teachers and therefore their pupils to create very good work. The co-ordinator runs staff meetings to help give teachers the necessary skills and has provided a good scheme of work to ensure that pupils’ skills are built on as they progress through the school. The co-ordinator has very high standards and is seeking to improve; her action plan includes observing other teachers at work with their pupils so that subsequent training helps to maintain standards and teachers’ confidence in teaching this subject.

p.36

Commentary

88. The curriculum is enhanced by the after school art club which is available over the year to both infant and junior pupils. It has also been enriched by working for the Arts Mark award which links music, drama and poetry with this subject. The curriculum is flexible so that work can be completed without being rushed. For instance there is an annual Arts Week and teachers are also confident about blocking time in order to have several days to complete an art project.

p.36

Commentary

89. Teaching of this subject is very good. Teachers are given sufficient help from the scheme of work and support from the subject co-ordinator so that they are confident and sufficiently knowledgeable to teach this subject very well. There are very good relationships with pupils, good organisation skills and very good support from teaching assistants which helps pupils to learn very well. Added to this, the whole school delights in the work produced. This enthusiasm is shared with pupils whose cultural understanding is developed very well; visits to art galleries add to this. Appreciation of the finer things in life adds to pupils’ spiritual awareness and the fact that they work together and look for the good features of each others’ work adds to their social and moral understanding. Barnes Primary School - Page 37

p.36

Personal, social and health education

Provision for personal, social and health education is very good.

p.37

Commentary

90. Concern for pupils’ personal development has a very high priority in the work of the school. The approach is cross-curricular and securely embedded in assemblies, play and lunch arrangements as well as in classroom activities that include good and regular opportunities for pupils to discuss issues important to them. The school provides sex education with the support of the school nurse and pupils are made aware of drugs related issues.

p.37

Commentary

91. The pupil council meets regularly and is very active; it provides a very good vehicle for the development of citizenship skills as does the appointment of two junior safety officers who visit assemblies to promote good practice, for example in relation to protection from the sun. The curriculum provides very good opportunities for pupils to consider important issues, for example with respect to healthy eating. Barnes Primary School - Page 38

p.37

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Value for money provided by the school 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of the school’s links with the community 2

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership of other key staff 2 Barnes Primary School - Page 39 The effectiveness of management 1

p.38

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.39