Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School

HAMPSTEAD PAROCHIAL C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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HAMPSTEAD PAROCHIAL C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 206

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Holly Bush Vale Heath Street Hampstead London Postcode: NW3 6TX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 7435 4135 Fax number: 020 7435 3777

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr A Penny

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Hampstead Parochial is an average size voluntary aided primary school situated in the heart of Hampstead. There are 206 pupils on roll from age four to 11. The school gained a Healthy Schools Award in 2002, and the prestigious Investors in People status in 2003, in recognition of the school’s continuing commitment to professional development for all staff. Teaching students regularly complete aspects of their training in the school. Pupils come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. About a quarter of the pupils speak at least two languages fluently. A tiny minority of pupils are at the early stage of learning to speak English. Pupils in Year 6 are taught French by the headteacher. About 12 per cent of pupils are entitled to claim free school meals, and this is broadly average. The majority of pupils have very favourable home circumstances, and the very good support they receive from their parents is a significant factor in their very high achievement in Year

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

6. When they start school in the reception class, the great majority of children achieve levels that are well above those expected for their age. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average at around 12 per cent. A few pupils, just over one per cent, have very particular special educational needs and receive extra support to help them manage their behaviour and emotions as well as their specific learning needs. The proportion of pupils who leave or join the school during each school year is about average, but higher than this in Year 3. However, the school is greatly oversubscribed with about three applications for every place available in the reception class. At age eleven, when they leave the school, a significant proportion of pupils successfully transfer to private and other selective schools. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

30810 Liz Kounnou Lead inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language 1165 Peter Dannheisser Lay inspector 18283 Sandy Brown Team inspector English History Geography Provision for special educational needs 32378 Priscilla Benny Team inspector Mathematics Science Music Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Parkman Ltd in Association with PkR 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Hampstead Parochial School provides a satisfactory standard of education overall . In Year 6 pupils achieve extremely well, standards in the 2003 national tests in English and mathematics are outstanding. In science standards are well above the national average. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well, reaching standards that are well above those expected for their age. In Years 3 to 6 teaching and learning are very good and in the reception class teaching is consistently good. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in Year 2 and pupils in this year group are not achieving well. They make broadly satisfactory progress in reading, and standards in the national reading tests are above average. However, standards are below the national average in the tests for writing and mathematics, and much lower than pupils in Year 2 are capable of achieving. Leadership and management are satisfactory and the school provides satisfactory value for money. The prestigious

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Investors in People award was gained in 2003. Parents make a very significant contribution to their children’s education by supporting them very well at home and at school. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils’ achieve excellent standards in the national tests by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, so that they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. • Pupils are underachieving in Year 2 because teaching and learning in this year group are unsatisfactory. • Procedures for checking the quality of education are unsatisfactory because they are not sufficiently rigorous; important weaknesses in Year 2 have been identified but the actions taken to address these have not been effective. • There are very good links with parents which contribute significantly to pupils’ achievement. • Pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Leadership and management have improved and are now satisfactory. High standards achieved in Year 6 have been maintained and improved upon so that they are now comparable to the top five per cent of schools nationally. However, standards in Year 2 have declined significantly. This is because the systems introduced to check the quality of education have not been effective. There has been an excellent improvement in the procedures to improve pupils’ attendance and punctuality that has improved the rate of attendance.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A A* A* mathematics A A A* A* science B B A A 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. Achievement overall is good . However, there are significant variations in the achievement of pupils in different stages in the school. The majority of children exceed the goals that they are expected to reach by the end of reception. They achieve well and standards are well above average. In Year 2, pupils’ achievement falls well short of expectations. By the time they leave Year 2 the standards they achieve in writing and mathematics are below average. In reading they do not maintain their very good start, but standards remain above average at the end of Year 2. In

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Year 6, pupils achieve standards in the national tests in English and mathematics that are comparable to those achieved by the top five per cent of pupils nationally. In science tests, standards in Year 6 are well above average. This is an excellent achievement for the pupils. During the inspection standards seen reflected those achieved in the national tests. Furthermore, Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 7 pupils in Year 1 are making good progress in English, mathematics and science. Standards achieved in information and communication technology (ICT) are good in Years 3 to 6, but lower than could be expected in Year 2. Pupils with particular special educational needs receive good support to help them achieve well, but gifted and talented pupils are not supported well enough in all classes. Boys and girls, and pupils from ethnic minorities make similar progress to those in the same year groups, so that whilst they do extremely well by the end of Year 6, they are

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

development is satisfactory overall . There are strengths in pupils’ moral and social development. However there are missed opportunities to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the pupils. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning, particularly when lessons are challenging. Attendance is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with significant differences between the key stages. In Years 3 to 6 pupils learn very well due to teachers’ high expectations. In Year 2 pupils are not learning as well as they should because lessons are not challenging enough for them. Children in the reception class and pupils in Year 1 are learning well because teaching is good overall in these year groups. The curriculum is satisfactory overall. It is enriched well by a good range of extra-curricular activities. In Years 3 to 6 teachers provide particularly interesting and challenging experiences for pupils in lessons. The school works very well in partnership with parents and this has a significant impact on the high standards that pupils achieve by the time they leave the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall . The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. Satisfactory management systems for checking the quality of education have identified some key weaknesses that need to be addressed urgently to raise standards in Year 2. Currently the actions taken to address these have been ineffective. The work of the governing body is satisfactory overall. Governors ensure all statutory requirements are met and have been very effective in improving the school buildings.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The majority of parents and pupils are very satisfied with the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, ICT, history and geography in Year 2. • Improve the quality of teaching and learning where it is weak. • Improve the systems for staff and governors to check the quality of education provided and the standards achieved in all subjects, and ensure that actions taken to bring about improvement in all aspects of the school’s work are effective. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement overall is good. However, there are significant variations in the achievement of pupils in different stages in the school. In the Foundation Stage children achieve well and reach high standards. Standards in the 2003 Year 2 tests in reading were above average, but in writing and mathematics were below average and pupils’ achievement was poor. In Year 6, standards in the 2003 national tests in English and mathematics were well above average and among the highest in the country, and in science well above average. These pupils achieved outstanding results when compared to those with similar prior attainment. Standards seen in these subjects during the inspection are below average in Year 2, and well above average in Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is excellent by the time they leave the school so that they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. • Pupils are significantly underachieving in Year 2 because they do not build successfully on what they already know, understand and can do.

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Commentary

1. In the Foundation Stage children in the reception class achieve well. They make good progress because the curriculum is structured well and helps children to improve on their high level of ability. Most children start school with levels of attainment that are well above those expected for their age. The majority will exceed the goals that children are expected to reach by the end of reception in communication, language and literacy development, mathematical development, personal and social development, and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. There was not enough evidence to make firm judgements about children’s achievement in the other areas of learning.

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Commentary

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

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Standards in: School results National results reading 16.6 (17.1) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. In Year 1, pupils achieve well making good progress because the work they do is tailored well to their abilities and helps them to improve their skills at a good rate, particularly in English, mathematics and science. By the time pupils take the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2, their progress has been disappointing. The results they achieved in the 2003 tests in writing and mathematics were below the national average and considerably lower than expected. In reading, pupils achieved above average results in the tests, but did not build successfully on the very good start to their education in the reception class. When compared to those in similar schools, pupils’ achievement is below that expected overall. A comparison with the longer-term national trend shows that standards in Year 2 are improving at a slower rate than those achieved in other schools. During the inspection

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Commentary

standards of work seen in Year 2 reflected these poor results. This is mainly because the lessons planned are not tailored to the ability of the pupils. Work lacks challenge and does not help pupils to make the progress they should. Pupils’ books in other subjects show that most of the work they are asked to do is insufficiently challenging. A great deal of work in science and history is completed on undemanding worksheets that provide simple experiences but do not Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 9 promote their thinking. The worksheets are often more suited to pupils with much lower capabilities, and this prevents them from developing skills at the higher levels. Information and communication technology work is also too simple to extend pupils skills adequately. No geography is planned except in the summer term, so that pupils in Year 2 lose their skills and are unable to achieve the levels they should reach. This means that standards in ICT, history

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Commentary

and geography are lower than could be expected. There was not enough evidence to judge standards in music, art and design, design and technology, and physical education.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 30.5 (28.7) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 30.9 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7) science 30.5 (29.2) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. There is a very sharp contrast in the achievement of pupils by the end of Year 6. They achieve excellent results, comparable to those achieved by the top five per cent of pupils nationally. They also make more progress than most pupils in other schools who achieved similar results, in the national Year 2 tests, in 1999. Again their achievement is within the top five per cent of this group. Standards in the 2003 national tests in English, mathematics and science were well above the national average. Standards are improving at a much faster rate than the national trend. During the inspection standards seen in these subjects reflected these well above average results. In ICT, history and geography pupils achieve well, reaching standards that are well above those expected for their age. There was not enough evidence to make secure judgments about the standards reached in music, art and design, design and technology, and

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Commentary

physical education. The limited amount of physical education that was seen indicated average standards. Pupils make good progress from Years 3 to 6 partly because the curriculum that is planned for them catches their interest and imagination and helps them develop their skills. However, parents play a significant part in their children’s success through the very good support they give both at home and at school to support their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is satisfactory overall. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes in lessons particularly in Years 3 to 6. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ethos promotes good moral development and there are good opportunities for pupils to develop social skills. • When lessons are challenging pupils are highly motivated. • Pupils lack enthusiasm for learning and show some silly behaviour when they find lessons dull. • There are excellent procedures to promote good attendance.

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Commentary

4. There are many opportunities for pupils to enhance their social development, particularly in Years 3 to 6. There are good systems to encourage pupils to take responsibility, these are most evident in the well-established school council and house system. Pupils in Year 6 show a particularly well-developed sense of responsibility and take pride in the influence they have at school. For example, some school council members have asked if the school will be able to take part in a Black History project during the autumn term. Pupils are confident that staff will consider their request. There is strong support for the idea among all groups of pupils. Older pupils are encouraged to help younger children, for example, monitors sit directly facing the Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 10 reception class in assembly to help them maintain concentration. During the inspection Year 6 pupils were excited about their residential school visit, which was to take place the following

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Commentary

week. Visits such as this help to develop maturity even further. Moral development is strong, due to the caring Christian ethos that underpins the life of the school. Pupils have an acute understanding of right and wrong, which is promoted from a very early age. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to care for and develop respect for others. Consequently, they are polite and courteous and have a genuine care for, and interest in, the welfare of others. Most pupils are happy and secure, enjoying school life in an atmosphere where they are highly valued. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to learn about European cultures, and some classes, particularly Year 6, celebrate the rich cultural heritage of all pupils. However, there are not sufficiently well-planned opportunities for pupils to learn about the contributions that all cultures make to British society.

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Commentary

5. Pupils behave well in and around the school, and this helps to maintain the brisk pace of many lessons. None have been excluded from school in the last two years and there have been no racist incidents. No incidents of bullying were seen during the inspection and pupils maintain they have no experience of it. Pupils are polite and courteous, respond quickly to instructions and demonstrate a willingness to learn and a desire to improve. When pupils are challenged, they are highly motivated. For example, the excellent ICT lessons seen, required pupils to work cooperatively in pairs with a clear goal to achieve together. Pupils worked diligently to achieve these goals producing high quality slide presentations in Year 6, and innovative designs in Year 4. There are many opportunities for pupils to work both independently and co-operatively in small groups, sharing and valuing ideas. This is a significant factor in the outstanding

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Commentary

achievement of pupils by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

6. In lessons that are less well managed, pupils lose concentration and noise levels increase, resulting in low-level disruption. When lessons are not challenging enough, particularly in Year 2, pupils often complete too many worksheets that fail to stimulate their interest. In lessons such as these pupils are not improving their skills as well as they could and this contributes to the low standards achieved by the end of Year 2.

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Attendance

7. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved considerably due to the excellent procedures to promote good attendance and punctuality. These are given a very high priority. For example, parents are very well informed about attendance procedures, monitoring data relating to punctuality and attendance is displayed prominently on the large parents’ notice board in the playground. The attendance rate in the school is broadly in line with the national median and there is no unauthorised absence. Pupils arrive punctually for the start of the day and registrations are completed swiftly and efficiently, in line with national requirements.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.5 School data 0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory, with significant variation between different stages of the school. The curriculum is satisfactory, but not always well planned to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils are cared for very well, and their parents provide very good support to help them learn. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 11

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. However, in Years 3 to 6 they are very good, and in the Foundation Stage they are consistently good. Assessment is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers gain pupils’ interest in lessons in Years 3 to 6 so that they are motivated and learn very well. • In Year 2, lessons are not challenging enough for pupils of all abilities.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 33 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (6%) 10 (30%) 11 (33%) 7 (21%) 2 (6%) 1 (3%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

8. Many lessons seen in Years 3 to 6 proceed at a brisk and purposeful pace that maintains pupils’ enthusiasm. More than half the lessons seen in these classes were very good and some were excellent. This is one of the main reasons why pupils achieve such high standards in Year 6. The excellent ICT lessons seen enabled pupils to learn difficult new skills quickly and provided challenging activities for pupils to try out and improve these new skills. A successful feature of these and many other lessons is the way that pupils work together cooperatively. Teachers have high expectations that pupils will resolve minor difficulties by themselves and take responsibility for their finished work, giving them plenty of scope to influence how their work is completed. This very high level of trust is rewarded by pupils who are often completely absorbed in their work. Satisfactory lessons seen in these classes tended to limit the number of

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Commentary

opportunities for pupils to play an active part, in these few lessons some pupils showed signs of boredom by being inattentive and occasionally silly.

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Commentary

9. In the Foundation Stage children in the reception class are taught well. The good partnership between the teaching assistant and the teacher results in children receiving good support throughout the day. The teacher is well aware of the high level of ability of most children in the class and plans work that helps them to improve and broaden their skills. In Year 1, most lessons are prepared meticulously and a good feature is the use of special cards on each table that tell pupils what they are expected to learn in some lessons. Consequently, pupils in this class have a good idea of how well they have succeeded when the aims are reviewed at the end of lessons. They happily demonstrated this to the teacher, using special hand signals to indicate how well they understood. Throughout the school, teachers do not consistently share and explain to pupils what it is they are learning each day, so that in some lessons pupils are not

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Commentary

clear what they should achieve by the end. Parents are concerned that the way teachers throughout the school group pupils, by ability, for some lessons has a detrimental effect on their learning. During the inspection it was seen that this is an effective feature of teaching, particularly in English and mathematics. This good strategy enables teachers to plan and prepare work that helps pupils of all abilities to build on their skills at a good rate.

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Commentary

10. In Year 2, teaching is unsatisfactory and pupils are not learning effectively because much of the work lacks challenge and lessons proceed at too slow a pace. This is often because teaching is interrupted by low-level disruption from pupils who are not particularly interested in the work. During the inspection, the strategies used to deal with this silly behaviour were not effective. Expectations of what pupils are able to achieve are too low in this year group. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 12 11. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. Teachers know which pupils have special educational needs but do not consistently link the targets on their individual plans to the lessons planned for them. There are occasions when pupils are expected to simply produce less rather than complete work that is challenging for them. Pupils with particular special educational needs are given very good, skilled assistance from experienced

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Commentary

and committed support staff. As yet teachers do not identify pupils with individual gifts and talents in their plans or provide special support to help them achieve higher standards, however, a new policy has begun to address this. Pupils from diverse ethnic backgrounds are fully included in lessons so that their progress mirrors that of all pupils. The tiny minority learning to speak English as a new language are provided with specific support that helps them to take part in lessons.

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The curriculum

The school provides pupils with a satisfactory quality and range of learning opportunities. Enrichment of the curriculum through events, visits and visitors is good . The quality and quantity of accommodation and resources are broadly satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school environment and the good range of extra-curricular activities help pupils to achieve high standards in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils with particular special educational needs are included well in all aspects of the curriculum. • In Year 2, learning opportunities are not planned well enough to enable pupils to achieve the levels they are capable of achieving in most subjects. • In Years 3 to 6 the curriculum is planned well so that pupils are motivated and interested in the work provided.

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Commentary

12. A recently completed building project has significantly improved the learning environment for pupils in Years 3 to 6. A stunning new library, with a glass cupola, is the centrepiece of the newly refurbished building for pupils in this stage, and provides them with good facilities for learning. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities including a good range of visits and visitors, arts and sporting activities that add well to pupils’ experiences. For example, they take part in a good range of sporting events with other schools where they are often successful. A number of pupils and parents would like more of these. During the inspection special activities were planned to celebrate Book Week. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 visited the British Library and returned full of enthusiasm, whilst a professional storyteller from Camden Library Services read stories to younger children from the reception class to Year 2. These first hand experiences

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Commentary

enrich the curriculum well, stimulating pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for learning. The high quality playground adjoining classrooms in the block for younger pupils is not used as well as it could be, because the reception classroom does not have direct access to this space. This limits the range of activities that are planned outdoors for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

13. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. Suitable individual educational plans are in place for pupils; however, the targets set for them to achieve are often too wide. This makes it difficult for teachers to check how well pupils are making progress and to plan activities that meet their needs effectively. Procedures to check pupils’ progress are not fully effective, as staff do not communicate with one another systematically. Nonetheless, plans are in place to develop systems that should provide a cohesive whole- school approach. The needs of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs are met well, mainly due to the very good support they receive in lessons. A relatively new policy to support pupils with particular gifts and talents is not yet fully effective, because few teachers identify pupils with this potential. The English coordinator has begun a good writing group to extend the skills of

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Commentary

talented writers in Years 4 to 6; unfortunately, the timing of some group work means that Year 6 pupils miss part of their science lessons. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 13 14. In Years 3 to 6, good use of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy has a significant impact on the outstanding achievement of pupils by the time they leave the school. The consistent approach is effective, not only in raising standards since the last inspection, but also in raising teachers’ expectation of what pupils can do. Consequently, pupils gain higher skills in reading and writing. These skills are used well in other curriculum subjects and help them to become independent learners. Pupils in Year 6 are prepared very well for the next stage of their learning. Teachers in this stage of the school provide pupils with interesting and exciting lessons across a range of subjects, including French in Year 6, that help them to improve their

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Commentary

skills. Pupils are highly motivated, for example, in Year 4 they build on the history work they do in school by completing very good projects on the Tudors at home. These comprehensive projects increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding well and are a good example of the tremendous support they receive from their parents. The curriculum is not planned with the rich cultural heritage of the pupils in mind. Almost all the work centres on white European cultures, however, pupils have asked for this to be addressed through the school council and school managers are considering this.

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Commentary

15. In Year 2 the curriculum is not planned well enough and this has a direct impact on the standards that pupils achieve in most subjects. Too many activities are not planned at a sufficiently challenging level to help pupils in this year group build on their previously high attainment. As a result, pupils who start school with well above average ability do not achieve the standards they could be expected to reach in the national tests in Year 2. This is particularly evident in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, but extends to humanities and creative subjects, where pupils work at too low a level to achieve the standards they are capable of reaching. For example, in history pupils in Year 2 complete a range of low-level worksheets that prevent them from developing historical skills at a high enough level.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are very well cared for and work in a safe and healthy environment. The support and guidance for learning that pupils receive is satisfactory overall. The school’s efforts to involve pupils in the work of the school are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors and staff have very good procedures for checking health and safety. • Pupils have good relationships with all adults in the school. • The school council provides a very good forum for hearing pupils’ opinions. • Systems for informing pupils about the progress they are making and how to improve their work are not implemented consistently.

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Commentary

16. The school’s procedures for ensuring the safety and well-being of its pupils are very good. Governors, teaching and non-teaching staff, in particular the site services officer, are closely involved. They make sure that all areas of the school are regularly checked and kept clean and safe. There are regular professional safety checks of equipment. The staff are well aware of child protection procedures and the school exercises its responsibilities with vigilance and care. For example, good care is taken to ensure that Internet access is appropriately supervised. The school is well prepared to help pupils who do not live with their families. First-aid provision is very good and trained staff provide assistance in the event of mishaps and are prepared to cope with emergencies.

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Commentary

17. Relationships between pupils and adults are good. Children visit the school in the term before they start to help them begin to develop good and trusting relationships. Adults know pupils well, and respond very well to their emotional needs. Pupils are well supported by supervisory staff in break-times and are well cared for at lunchtime. They feel they are amongst friends and Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 14 say that there is always support available from the adults and from each other. The school council has had a significant impact on improving the quality of play at lunchtimes. They asked for, and selected, special play equipment and diligently monitor the class games boxes to ensure that the equipment is well cared for by all pupils.

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Commentary

18. The procedures for checking and supporting pupils’ personal development are good because teachers have a very good knowledge of individual pupils. However, procedures for checking the rate of progress that pupils make are not fully effective throughout the school. New procedures to gather information about pupils’ attainment in each class have been introduced in English and mathematics. The coordinators are using this information well to identify where pupils are succeeding and where they are not making enough progress. Not enough importance has been given to the information about pupils’ progress in Years 1 and 2, so that significant underachievement over the last two years has gone unchecked. Pupils in Year 2 continue to underachieve, partly because not enough use is made of the information about their prior attainment. Too often this results in a curriculum that lacks challenge for these pupils so that

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Commentary

standards across many subjects are too low in Year 2. Teachers do not consistently share with pupils the targets that they should be aiming for to develop their work, so that pupils are not fully aware of how to improve.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good partnerships with parents and satisfactory links with other schools and the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents make a very significant contribution to their children’s learning both at school and at home, they are welcomed into school and several help regularly in class. • Staff are very accessible to parents. • Annual reports on pupils’ progress contain considerable detail but lack clear guidance about what pupils need to do to progress. • The quality of weekly newsletters is excellent.

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Commentary

19. Pupils’ achievement of very high standards by the time they leave the school is due in large part to the very good support they receive from their parents. For example, a significant percentage of parents of Year 6 children provide extra private tutoring in preparation for entrance examinations for schools in the private sector. Other parents support their children very well at home with ICT, by sharing books with them and supporting them with their homework. A thriving parents’ and teachers’ association [PTA] strengthens the community and raises useful funds for the school. These funds have been a significant factor in the recent successful redevelopment of the library. The PTA is the focus for many links with local businesses, who are persuaded to support the school by enthusiastic parents. Almost all parents have positive views about the school and the education that it provides. Whereas most parents are satisfied with the school’s

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Commentary

work, there are a few with concerns. Some parents are concerned with what they term ‘streaming’. This is the grouping of pupils within individual lessons to ensure that each group may be given work at an appropriate level. Some parents would like more able pupils to be given more difficult work. Inspectors do not agree with parents concerns about grouping in class. This is an effective way of providing all pupils with suitable work for their level of knowledge, understanding and skills. However, parents’ concerns about the breadth of curriculum in Year 2 are well founded. The school has drawn up specific plans to support gifted and talented pupils with an extended curriculum, but this is at an early stage of development.

p.14

Commentary

20. The headteacher and other teachers make themselves accessible to parents and informal consultations are easily arranged. As one parent said, “This is not a school at which you have to make an appointment for next week to see the headteacher”. Regular parents’ forums give Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 15 them a further opportunity to raise and discuss issues; parents choose the topics for debate. This adds to the wealth of information about the school in the excellent weekly newsletters. These are very well designed for busy parents. ‘Reading record books’ strengthen communications between parents and staff and this helps to develop good relationships between families and teachers.

p.14

Commentary

21. The annual reports on pupils’ progress reflect the detailed knowledge that teachers have of pupils. They tell parents what their children have done and about their attitudes to learning, they provide parents with a useful indication of their children’s reading ages, but lack clear guidance as to what they need to do to progress to the next stage of their learning. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are informed appropriately about their children’s progress and have suitable opportunities to discuss targets and reviews of individual education plans with teachers and the special educational needs coordinator.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall . The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. Management systems are satisfactory in the main. Governance of the school is satisfactory . Governors are very supportive of the school, but some procedures for bringing about improvement are informal and this limits the overall effectiveness of governance. The governors ensure all statutory requirements are met.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Action taken to address the low standards achieved in Years 1 and 2 has not been fully effective because management systems, to check how successful the school is, are not sufficiently rigorous. • Coordinators for English, mathematics and the Foundation Stage lead their subjects well. • The headteacher and governors have worked well in partnership to bring about substantial improvements to the learning environment in Years 3 to 6.

p.15

Commentary

22. Satisfactory management systems identified that there has been a significant weakness in the standards achieved by pupils in Years 1 and 2 over some time. The headteacher has worked successfully in partnership with governors to bring about substantial improvement in Year 1. However, there has not been a similar improvement in standards in Year 2 because the procedures for checking the quality of education provided in the school are not sufficiently rigorous. The strategies for improvement have not been effective mainly because too many are informal. Consequently, school managers have not identified clear priorities to raise standards in Year 2 in the school improvement plan. This limits the effectiveness of strategies used since the school does not have a clear set of planned priorities for improvement that can be measured in terms of their impact on standards in all curriculum subjects. Furthermore, the checks that are

p.15

Commentary

made are not regular or rigorous enough to provide senior staff with the information they need to tackle significant weaknesses in teaching and learning. Governors have been reluctant to trespass on matters of professional development, so that underachievement in Year 2 has continued despite the support that has been provided. The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. Historical factors have resulted in the headteacher carrying a substantial burden of responsibility for managing curriculum subjects and other major responsibilities in addition to her leadership role. For example, the school does not have a special educational needs coordinator, and the headteacher has undertaken the responsibility of overseeing this role. Her collegiate approach has successfully created a senior management team that works together to address weaknesses in a supportive manner that inspires confidence among staff. This is a

p.15

Commentary

significant improvement since the last inspection, when leadership and management were unsatisfactory and there was not an effective management structure. Under her leadership, staff with senior responsibilities have developed their skills well. The appointment of a very effective deputy headteacher in September has accelerated the rate of improvement in management Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 16 systems considerably. This is due to the good partnership that is a strong feature of the school’s leadership team.

p.15

Commentary

23. Leadership of English and mathematics is good. These senior teachers undertake regular observations of lessons and check the standards achieved in pupils’ books as well as analysing data to track pupils’ progress in these core subjects. Substantial support has been provided for newly qualified staff that has had a direct impact on improving standards in Year 1. The coordinators have rightly directed their support towards improving standards in Years 1 and 2. This had included help with classroom organisation in addition to discussions about planning and teaching methods. Currently, their good support has not been fully effective in Year 2. They have also identified other areas for development and have successfully introduced more rigorous systems of assessment in their subjects. This has brought about further improvement in the very high standards that pupils achieve in these subjects in Year 6. The coordinator for

p.16

Commentary

the Foundation Stage ensures that good account is taken of children’s ability when they start school, so that the curriculum for children in the reception class is well suited to their abilities. There has been some improvement in the use of the outdoor area since the last inspection under her good leadership. However, continuous access to a secure outdoor space for learning has not been resolved. Whilst leadership of these important areas is good, management systems are satisfactory. This is because the procedures for checking the quality of teaching and learning, and providing clear points for development for staff, are not yet sharp enough to bring about improvement where it is needed. Other curriculum coordinators are not working effectively because they do not have a clearly defined purpose to their work. Consequently, when they check the standards achieved in their subjects some important weaknesses are not

p.16

Commentary

identified. There is room for improvement in the leadership and management of special educational needs support. Although satisfactory overall, currently, there is not a clear enough system of communication between the effective learning support coordinator and the special educational needs coordinator, this means that teachers and support staff do not always receive the guidance they need to plan and provide appropriately for this small group of pupils.

p.16

Commentary

24. Governors have been particularly effective in the very good support they have given to improve the quality of the learning environment for pupils in Years 3 to 6. They have been extremely active fundraisers and have used the school’s limited financial resources very well to implement a substantial building programme. The headteacher has driven forward the project admirably, ensuring that work was completed more or less on time with the minimum disruption to teaching and learning. The result is a distinctive and well-resourced library area, a high quality resource room fitted well for small group work, and a new community room. The library will enable pupils to enhance their very good reading skills even further. Since the last inspection governors have also worked in partnership with the headteacher to install a full ICT suite with sufficient space for each year group to work together. This has led to a considerable improvement in the standards

p.16

Commentary

that pupils achieve in ICT. However, governors have not yet ensured that children in the reception class have direct access to a safe and secure outdoor area throughout the day. A self-contained playground for pupils in Year 1 and children in the reception class has a very high quality soft surface and a good range of large play equipment. It provides an ideal learning environment for young children. However, although the Year 1 class has direct access to the playground, the reception class does not.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 676,394 Balance from previous year 32,074 Total expenditure 641,621 Balance carried forward to the next 34,773 Expenditure per pupil 3,114 Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

25. Many children starting school in the reception class have very favourable home circumstances. A large number have attended pre-school education in various local settings. Parents are mainly extremely supportive of their children, so that some of their social skills are very well developed and almost all are very familiar with books and stories. This means that when they start school, the majority achieve levels that are well above those expected for their age. A number of parents provide a lot of time to help in the reception class. Good leadership of the Foundation Stage ensures that the curriculum that is planned for children is challenging and helps them develop their skills further.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good support to help children develop vital skills in cooperating with one another. • The number of opportunities for children to work independently is limited in some lessons.

p.17

Commentary

26. The majority of children are already exceeding the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception, and almost all are likely to exceed these by the end of the school year. Teaching and learning are good. Both the teacher and teaching assistant know the children very well and have good relationships so that children work in a safe and secure environment. A particularly good feature is the superb portfolios of children’s work that are collected in collaboration with each child and the teacher. Children decide which special pieces of work they want to include, and the teacher takes great care to annotate and present the work to a very high standard. Children value their part in making decisions about this work. Although children have very good skills in most aspects of personal development, a number find it difficult to share and negotiate with others. Planning to improve these vital skills could be improved.

p.17

Commentary

27. In many lessons pupils take responsibility for a large part of their learning, selecting from well- prepared activities that help them improve their skills in all areas of the curriculum. In a few lessons the large number of adults present limits pupils’ independence as they tend to be over directed by adults.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Literacy lessons help children develop reading and writing skills well. • There are occasions when staff miss opportunities for children to develop reading and writing skills as they play outside.

p.17

Commentary

28. Almost all children should exceed the goals that they are expected to reach at the end of reception. Teaching and learning are good because the teacher takes great care to ensure that lessons help children improve their skills. Questions are asked skillfully so that children eagerly Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 18 respond when discussing the book “I Want My Mum” together. The good focus on reading skills helps children to identify and put together sounds and letters so that they begin to read simple new words independently. The opportunities for some children to act out the story help them learn to work together and speak out confidently. Many children are very articulate, but not all know when it is their turn to speak, so that high quality activities such as this help them to learn when they need to listen more carefully. Some children wrote letters about the book that they

p.17

Commentary

read to the class at the end of the lesson. The classroom is carefully organised with a special office corner to promote writing skills. Children asked for a post box to be provided and thoroughly enjoy filling it with letters for one another.

p.18

Commentary

29. There are missed opportunities to develop language and literacy skills when children are playing outside. The playground has very few written signs and notices for children to read, and the activities provided rarely include opportunities for developing writing skills as children play.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very specific teaching of key skills helps children to develop mathematical skills well. • There could be more planned opportunities for pupils to develop mathematical skills as they play.

p.18

Commentary

30. Teaching and learning are good. Great care is taken to provide activities that build on children’s knowledge and understanding of numbers and shapes. Consequently, the majority will exceed the goals they are expected to reach at the end of reception. Mathematics lessons are organised well so that both the teacher and teaching assistant concentrate specifically on helping small groups of children to develop new skills, whilst other activities all have a specific mathematical purpose. Good notes are made of children’s achievement in each activity so that the next steps for learning are planned carefully. Children increase their skills through challenging activities that make them think about mathematics. For example, they play games that require them to add two numbers together and make a choice about where to use the sum of the numbers in their game.

p.18

Commentary

31. The outside area is not used effectively to promote mathematical development. Some games are provided, for example, hopscotch, but there is not a clear focus for developing mathematics skills when children are playing outside.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children take part in challenging activities that help them to increase their skills.

p.18

Commentary

32. During the inspection children were investigating a topic about pushing and pulling, to learn about scientific forces. As they made a pipe-cleaner puppet, adults leading the activity helped children to see how pushing a pipe cleaner changes the shape. This very specific aim is typical of the very detailed work that was taking place in the classroom. Other children used a wide range of construction toys, ramps and cars, dough and other materials. Each activity had a clear aim to improve children’s knowledge and understanding of the effect of pushing and pulling Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 19 on various materials. This good teaching and learning helps children to build on their skills. The majority will exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception.

p.18

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

There is not enough evidence to make a judgement about the quality of provision in this area of learning, as only a little work was sampled.

p.19

The main features of the work seen were:

• Children have planned opportunities to use the large equipment on the playground in small groups each week. • Activities linked to other areas of learning provide children with plenty of opportunities to develop skills in using small tools.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

There is not enough evidence to make a judgement about the quality of provision in this area of learning, as only a little work was sampled.

p.19

The main features of the work seen were:

• Classroom displays of children’s creative work are imaginative. • Children playing outside in small groups enjoy creating make believe games with the equipment.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is very good and pupils achieve excellent standards. • Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in Year 2, so that pupils are underachieving in this class. • The leadership and management of the subject are good.

p.19

Commentary

33. Standards seen during the inspection mirror those achieved in the national tests. The high standards in Year 6 have been maintained and improved upon since the last inspection. In speaking and listening standards are well above average in Year 6. Most pupils in Years 3 to 6 speak confidently and staff work hard to support those who are less skilled, for example, the very few who are beginning to learn how to speak English. Pupils have many good opportunities to confer, report back, respond to others’ comments, to address and conduct meetings. Staff work hard to extend pupils’ vocabulary by:

p.19

Commentary

• the use of dictionaries and thesauri. • teaching key technical vocabulary across the curriculum.

p.19

Commentary

Pupils achieve well above average standards in reading and their enjoyment is maintained as they develop skills and knowledge. There are opportunities throughout the day to engage in silent reading, reading to adults and group reading. Volunteers from the community make a valuable contribution by listening to pupils read. Staff have been working hard to improve standards in writing. These are now well above average in Year 6. Pupils achieve well because Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 20 of systematic teaching of punctuation, grammar, language usage and spelling. There is room for improvement in the consistency of good handwriting and redrafting to refine work and correct errors. Nonetheless, in Year 6 standards are higher now than they were at the last inspection. This is because the quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is very good. Teaching is stimulating and lessons are conducted at a good pace with teachers inspiring their classes.

p.19

Commentary

Teachers develop and sustain very productive relationships with pupils. They encourage them, praise them and give them confidence in their own abilities. Teachers are skilful at making learning interesting and enjoyable, whilst at the same time purposeful and rigorous. All pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6, including those with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils, as well as all those from ethnic minorities. Every effort is made by most staff to raise their attainment by planning work carefully. There are clear marking guidelines and procedures, but they are inconsistently followed at the moment.

p.20

Commentary

34. There is a contrast in the quality of teaching and learning for younger pupils. Standards seen in Year 2 are lower than they were in 1998 when the last inspection took place. In Year 2, teaching and learning are unsatisfactory. Pupils’ achievement is worse than expected in reading. Although pupils reach above average standards, they do not build on the very high standards they achieve in the Foundation Stage because not enough is expected of them. In writing, pupils’ progress is extremely slow. Standards of work seen are below average and fall well short of those that could have been expected given pupils’ prior attainment. Lessons seen in Year 2 lacked pace and interest and did not focus on the needs of pupils. The classroom assistant was sometimes insufficiently briefed about the purpose of the lesson. Consequently pupils’ achievements in developing spelling skills were unsatisfactory. Unsatisfactory

p.20

Commentary

management of behaviour resulted in too much noise from the rest of the class for the teacher to work effectively with pupils in her spelling group. Teaching in Year 2 lacks high expectations and the development of writing is not well planned. Spellings taken home to learn in Year 2 are not matched to pupils’ prior attainment and so are of limited use in moving pupils forward as they are too easy for some and beyond the ability of others. In Year 1 there are higher expectations, the work in pupils books shows that they have made significant progress in developing writing skills since September.

p.20

Commentary

35. The coordinator leads the subject well and has good management skills. She is committed to raising standards and to supporting her colleagues to increase effectiveness. She has a clear view of what needs to be done to raise standards in Year 2, and has provided considerable assistance. This has not yet been effective. Furthermore, she is working hard to improve the use of assessment and checking of standards throughout the school by providing training and support for all teaching staff.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

36. Pupils’ high reading skills in Years 3 to 6 enable them to access all curriculum areas well and to research projects using information texts and the Internet. English skills are used effectively across the curriculum to extend learning in these year groups. For example, pupils record work in a variety of ways often using a computer to present their work. In Year 2, however, too much work across the curriculum is recorded on undemanding worksheets that have limited opportunities for pupils to extend literacy skills. This contributes to the very low achievement in writing in Year 2.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach outstanding standards in Year 6, and achieve very well from Years 3 to 6. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 21 • Pupils in Year 2 do not reach the standards they should because teaching and learning are not effective, mainly because assessment is not used consistently enough to inform teachers’ planning. • Most teachers are effective at questioning pupils to help them think about mathematics. • Effective teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs, but work is not planned well enough for their needs.

p.20

Commentary

37. Standards seen during the inspection are the same very high standard as those achieved in the 2003 national tests in Year 6. These standards are higher than those seen at the last inspection. Throughout Years 3 to 6 pupils make very good progress building successfully on the skills they have acquired. They are keen to learn mathematics, rise to the challenges set and have the confidence to explain how they arrive at answers. They often ask questions to further their understanding. This is due to very good teaching that is challenging and interesting to pupils. Pupils study a broad curriculum, for example, in Year 6 they recognise and estimate acute, obtuse and reflex angles, use a protractor to draw them to the nearest degree, and calculate angles in a triangle or around a point. Information and communication technology is used well to improve skills in collecting data and presenting findings. Pupils are confident in

p.21

Commentary

explaining how to organise the results into charts and graphs, and can select from a variety of formats including pie charts. Standards seen by the end of Year 6 are well above average and higher now that they were at the last inspection.

p.21

Commentary

38. In Year 2, by contrast pupils are underachieving. Standards seen are below average and lower than they were when the school was last inspected. Opportunities for pupils to work independently are restricted by the use of worksheets, which do not stimulate interest or challenge pupils sufficiently. Standards seen are below average and pupils’ progress is much too slow. This is because assessment is not used well enough to inform teachers’ planning so that the work planned is not at a suitable level to extend the majority of pupils. Consequently they do not build successfully on the well above average levels they reach at the end of the reception year. In Year 2 expectations of what pupils are able to achieve are too low, so that lessons lack pace and challenge and an inappropriate curriculum results in underachievement. In Year 1 pupils are taught well, they are fully involved in lessons and learn to work

p.21

Commentary

independently building successfully on their previous knowledge and skills. Expectations are very high and good organisation and preparation ensure that pupils work independently on purposeful activities. For example, they count in twos, fives and tens up to a hundred and continue a sequence from any given number. The most able are beginning to understand the operations of multiplication and division.

p.21

Commentary

39. Most teachers make effective use of the mental start to lessons, to probe pupils’ understanding and help them to clarify their thinking, encouraging them to talk about the methods and strategies they used to work out the problems. A strong feature of this is the high expectations teachers have of pupils’ participation, behaviour and learning. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with a distinct contrast in the very good quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6, and the unsatisfactory teaching of pupils in Year 2. Most teachers are particularly good at targeting questions to specific groups or individuals to help them reflect on their learning. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to talk about and explain their thinking, and this helps them to reflect on mathematics and deepens their understanding. Close attention is given to specific groups of pupils such as those with special educational needs and those who are learning to speak

p.21

Commentary

English as an additional language, pupils from ethnic minorities are very well represented amongst the higher attaining groups. Pupils with special educational needs, particularly those who have statements for their needs, are supported well by teaching assistants. However, staff do not make enough use of the good individual plans for pupils with special educational needs when they plan lessons. A new policy is in place but the school does not yet effectively identify and plan for pupils who are particularly gifted and talented in mathematics. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 22 40. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The coordinator has a clear overview of how effectively teachers use the national numeracy strategy and of the quality of teaching in the subject. There are good strategies in place to check the standards achieved in all year groups, for example, by looking at pupils’ work. Good support has been provided to address some key

p.21

Commentary

weaknesses in teaching. This has not been effective because key points for development to help teachers improve are not documented well enough. The outstanding achievement of pupils in Year 6 has masked the need to raise standards further in Year 2. This has limited the rate of improvement.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

41. Pupils’ use of their mathematical skills in other subjects is satisfactory overall. Computers are used well in Years 3 to 6 to improve mathematics, but less frequently in Years 1 and 2. The use of undemanding worksheets in Year 2 limits pupils’ use of mathematical skills across the curriculum. There are missed opportunities in geography for pupils develop mathematical skills, as the range of work covered in Year 2 is very limited. In Years 3 to 6 by contrast pupils have good opportunities to use mathematics in subjects such as geography and science.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations. • Pupils are developing good use of scientific vocabulary. • Overuse of worksheets in some year groups limits opportunities for pupils to develop skills through independent work. • Leadership and management of the subject are not effective.

p.22

Commentary

42. Pupils achieve well overall but there is a sharp contrast in each stage of the school. Standards seen in Year 6 during the inspection are well above average and match the very high standards achieved in the national tests. These standards are higher than those reported at the last inspection. From Year 3 to 6 pupils learn very well due to high expectations from teachers who have good subject knowledge. A strong feature of the very good teaching in these year groups is the high expectations teachers have of pupils’ participation, behaviour and learning. Lessons provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to make predictions and learn by trial and error through an investigative approach. Pupils work both co-operatively and independently on purposeful activities that stimulate interest and excitement. They are confident and demonstrate good speaking and listening skills when describing outcomes of their experiments. Opportunities to

p.22

Commentary

discuss work help them develop a good scientific vocabulary. In Year 1, pupils identify and locate parts of their body, including the sense organs, and develop good investigative science skills through a series of practical tasks, which test their ability to recognise texture, taste and smell and to make comparisons. In Year 6, pupils recognise that light travels from a source and know that light sources are seen when light from them enters the eyes. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding are developed through probing questioning skills, and teachers capitalise on their enthusiasm for the subject. The work on making a beam is carefully sequenced, combining instruction, demonstration, questioning and discussion. This provides a structure for subsequent tasks and helps pupils to learn new skills and information effectively. Older pupils use computers well to support the development of scientific skills and extend their learning. Close

p.22

Commentary

attention is paid to specific groups of pupils such as those with special educational needs and those learning to speak English as an additional language. Pupils from ethnic minorities are well represented amongst the higher attaining groups in Year 6. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 23 43. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with a disparity in different year groups. In Years 3 to 6 teaching is very good. However, in Year 2 teaching is unsatisfactory, due to low teacher expectations. In this class, work is not tailored well enough to match pupils’ abilities. It is unchallenging for the more able pupils or too demanding for pupils of lower ability. Pupils work at a much lower level than expected and their achievement is poor. For example, in work on pushes and pulls, opportunities to describe how to use forces to make familiar objects speed up, slow down and change direction or shape are missed, with no opportunities to plan a

p.22

Commentary

comparison and decide whether it was fair. There is overuse of undemanding worksheets in pupils’ science books, which neither interest nor stimulate pupils enough. These restrict opportunities for developing both literacy and scientific skills, and the times when pupils can decide for themselves how to set out their work. This results in a lack of motivation with much work unfinished. As a result, standards seen in Year 2 are below average and lower than they were at the last inspection. In Year 1, pupils learn well due the way the teacher inspires enthusiasm for challenging work; for example, on senses.

p.23

Commentary

44. Leadership and management of the subject are not effective enough to raise standards in Year 2. Checking of lessons and sampling of pupils’ work takes place regularly, but are not rigorous enough to support and develop the subject. There is insufficient regular feedback to teachers and no specific support to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The action plan is not effective because it does not focus on improving teaching and learning, and raising standards.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most teachers plan lessons that help pupils build on the skills they learn and practise at home. • The work planned for pupils in Year 2 is undemanding.

p.23

Commentary

45. Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 reaching above average standards in ICT and this is an improvement in the standards they achieved at the last inspection. The considerable improvement in ICT resources has made a significant difference. Pupils are now taught in a well-fitted ICT suite that has room for each class to work together. There is some congestion in parts of the suite due to the way that the computers are spaced around the room. In a few lessons this distracts pupils from learning. Teaching is very good in Years 3 to 6, and some excellent lessons that enabled pupils to improve their skills extremely well were seen. In these lessons pupils were completely involved in their work. Year 6 pupils were finalising a slide show they had been preparing using a well-known software package. They had searched the Internet independently for information to include in the slide show after choosing the subject of their

p.23

Commentary

presentation. The work was linked very well to the geography topic of rivers and mountains, and provided good opportunities for pupils to use their very good literacy skills. For example, they had to consider who the audience would be for the slide show as one element of the work. Pupils confidently used a wide range of functions to edit and eventually produce a final presentation. The very good opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively were also a feature of excellent teaching in Year 4. Pupils learned very quickly how to use specific features of a drawing package to design a sheet of wrapping paper on a Tudor theme. They learned how to use toolbars for a sequence of difficult steps, making use of drawing tools and wizards to create a regular pattern. Pupils were completely engrossed and thrilled with the finished designs. Both lessons gave pupils very effective opportunities to experiment before setting a tight deadline for

p.23

Commentary

the finished product. Almost all pupils in Years 3 to 6 have access to ICT at home. However, pupils were very clear, when asked, that they were learning new skills at school. Some pupils described how they went home and made good use of these skills. For example, pupils in Year 5 were delighted to be shown how to access a child centered search engine. This enabled them Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 24 to find information on the Internet more easily, a number of pupils said they were going to show this to their parents when they got home.

p.23

Commentary

46. There is not enough evidence to make a judgement about standards achieved or the overall quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2, as only one lesson was seen in this stage of the school. However, pupils tended to work individually in turn rather than together as a pair, and this limited learning as some had too little involvement in the work for part of the lesson. Nonetheless, Year 1 pupils are confident in using simple tools to edit work and drag and drop items on the screen due to the clear explanations they were given. Year 2 pupils are not challenged sufficiently. In discussion it is clear that they have few skills and do not understand simple technical terms. The work that is provided for them is not sufficiently demanding, and is too limited in its range. Most work has been completed using a graphics package, which pupils have used well to create pictures and designs. However, their skills in other aspects of ICT are

p.24

Commentary

much more limited as they have had little experience of other work.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

47. In Years 3 to 6 ICT is used well across the curriculum. Pupils learn specific skills in their ICT lessons that are used to enhance work in English, mathematics, humanities and art and design. They use ICT regularly to store and retrieve mathematics’ data in different charts and graphs. Some aspects of ICT are under-represented in the curriculum, for example, using ICT based models and simulations to explore patterns. Science investigations do not include many opportunities to control ICT devices.

p.24

HUMANITIES

During inspection it was only possible to observe one lesson in history and none in geography. Pupils’ books and displays were looked at and teachers’ planning considered. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 also spoke about their work but the amount of evidence is insufficient to make a secure judgement about the overall quality of provision in these subjects.

p.24

HUMANITIES

Religious education was subject to a separate inspection arranged by the governing body.

p.24

History

48. The work in pupils’ books in Year 2 is below the expected standard. This is because the activities planned for them are not well-tailored to meet their abilities. Pupils start school with well above average ability and a number of them could reasonably be expected to be working at a higher than average level in Year 2. Most of the work completed does not provide them with the opportunity to extend their skills to this level. For example, they learn about particular historical events but have not considered reasons for these. Their conversations show that they enjoy learning about famous people, such as Florence Nightingale. Their books show that they do not produce an adequate amount of written work and that their work is not good enough. Almost all the work is completed on worksheets that require a minimum of skill to complete. Higher-attaining pupils have spent valuable time colouring the sheets extremely carefully.

p.24

History

49. Work seen in Year 6 books demonstrates a developing factual knowledge of the difference between life in Victorian times and the present. Their work shows good research skills, which they use as a basis for their work. Teachers set deadlines and expect pupils to adhere to these. The use of nationally recommended longer-term plans has ensured that all aspects of the National Curriculum are covered in sufficient detail.

p.24

Geography

50. Pupils in Year 2 have not covered any geography yet this year. The school plans show they will begin work soon, but do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to cover all the required elements of the National Curriculum for pupils in Year 2. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 25 51. In Years 3 to 6, good use is made of nationally recommended plans. Year 6 pupils talk knowledgeably about rivers and mountain ranges of the world and books show that their written work is of good quality. There are particularly good links with ICT. Pupils used their comprehensive knowledge of the topic to create a slide show using a well-known software package. They enthusiastically sifted the vast amount of information they found on the Internet about a topic of their choice, and pulled the work together in pairs deciding together how best to present the final slides.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In music only two singing practices for both older and younger pupils were observed with no lessons being seen. Two lessons were observed in physical education. In art and design one lesson in Year 6 was seen, but it was not possible to observe any design and technology lessons. As a result no firm judgements about the quality of provision in these subjects can be made.

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Art and design

52. Work seen around the school indicates that standards in drawing and painting are at least satisfactory. Displays of Year 6 work in the school hall are good quality drawings and pictures of buildings in the local area that make good use of colour, line and texture. Year 6 pupils returned from their visit to the British Library full of enthusiasm for art and design work; some designed a character in the Chinese style. In Year 2 pupils have created colourful designs in the style of Mondrian and pupils in this class can talk about the style of a few other artists, such as Jackson Pollock. Throughout the school pupils’ sketchbooks have a limited range of work, mainly observational drawing. Overall the range of work appears somewhat restricted, as pupils cannot talk about any three-dimensional work they have done. This limits the range of skills they are developing. Parents support work in art and design very well, as some are professional artists

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Art and design

who give their time to support in lessons.

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Design and technology

53. Pupils’ work indicates that in Years 3 to 6 they do not complete the process of designing, planning, making and evaluating their work appropriately. Designs are often incomplete and there is no indication of how pupils have learned to modify and improve these ideas. Planning for design and technology is appropriately based on the nationally recommended longer-term units of work. However, the range of finished work available indicates that pupils may not have sufficient opportunities to achieve the aims of these well-planned units. In Year 2 pupils have made puppets, and the finished models are satisfactory; however, the recorded process of designing the puppets does not show how pupils have improved their skills. Monitoring of design and technology, to check the standards achieved in each year group is weak. Nonetheless, school managers identified that the subject requires support in a recent visit from

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Music

54. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to experience a variety of music and the school is very well resourced. The choir meets weekly and provides pupils with the opportunity to improve their singing to an above-average standard. The school takes part in the Camden Music Festival and recently participated in a festival of music at the Royal Albert Hall. Many pupils benefit from individual instrumental tuition including, amongst others, piano, guitar and violin. There are opportunities for pupils to perform in assemblies and school plays, which parents attend, providing good links between home and school. A considerable proportion of pupils are learning to play the piano due to the commitment of their parents to private music lessons. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 26

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Physical education

55. Parents and pupils expressed misgivings about the amount of time that is given to physical education. The subject is timetabled regularly in each class, but there is not enough monitoring to ensure that all these lessons take place. As a result there is no evidence to repudiate parents’ and pupils’ concerns. In Year 4 pupils learn to swim at a local pool. Standards for pupils in Year 3 and Year 5 are satisfactory. Year 3 pupils made satisfactory progress in the lesson seen, using a variety of simple tactics to develop co-ordination and skills in an outdoor games lesson. Pupils in Year 5 made satisfactory progress in a dance lesson, successfully developing their dance composition skills, adapting and refining the way they used weight, space and rhythm in their dances to express themselves. Opportunities for pupils to demonstrate and evaluate each other’s work and how it might have been improved were lost.

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Physical education

The school makes satisfactory use of its resources and limited indoor and outdoor space with good attention to health and safety issues.

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Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social and health education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of a commercial scheme ensures that pupils cover a wide range of issues. • The school ethos promotes good social development.

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Commentary

56. A well-structured personal, social and health education programme encourages pupils to develop their self-esteem. Lessons are timetabled regularly in each class to help pupils discuss important issues, such as road safety in Year 3. In Year 6 pupils were highly motivated to write down personal fears anonymously after watching a clip from a well-known animated film that illustrated how people respond to pressure from their peers. This enabled a very profitable and calm discussion, which allowed pupils to explore strategies for coping with conflicting pressures.

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Commentary

57. The good school ethos is built around a desire to help pupils develop maturity. The house scheme rewards pupils throughout the school for their efforts, and house captains take pride in leading the school. The school council is well established. It is an elected body with representatives from Year 1 to Year 6 that is confident to bring new ideas to staff. The school acts on these ideas well, promoting a good sense of responsibility among pupils. Hampstead Parochial C of E Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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