Burnt Ash Primary School

BURNT ASH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: June 20 th -22 nd , 2005

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BURNT ASH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Burnt Ash 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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BURNT ASH 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. Burnt Ash Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4-11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 460

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rangefield Road, Bromley Kent Postcode: BR1 4QX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 86972441 Fax number: 020 86955945

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Stephen Cosby

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st June, 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Burnt Ash is a larger than average-sized primary school situated on the boundary of Bromley and Lewisham. Forty per cent of the pupils come from Lewisham. The 460 boys and girls on roll aged 4-11 years are taught in 15 classes. Additionally the school has a Unit for special educational needs pupils of a similar age range. This has three classes. The pupils in the Unit, known as the Special Opportunity Unit, usually receive specialist support in small classes but, when appropriate, join the activities in mainstream classes. The nature of this Unit has been changing over time and now increasingly caters for pupils with severe and/ or complex learning difficulties. The children begin the reception class in the September or January before their fifth birthday. The area the school serves is one of below average socio-economic circumstance. The percentage of parents entitled to free school meals for their children is above the national average. Most pupils are of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

white British background, but the school has a large number of pupils from other ethnic groups. At the time of inspection, 10 pupils were at an early stage of learning English. There were seven refugees or asylum seekers on roll. Attainment on entry is well below average overall. Including the pupils in the Unit, 129 pupils have special educational needs, mainly for learning or emotional difficulties. This is above the national average. Thirty-one have statements of special educational need, including the 24 pupils in the Unit, who are drawn from all parts of the Borough of Bromley. The percentage of pupils with statements is significantly above the national average. During the last academic year, 42 pupils joined the school and 21 left, other than at the normal time of admission. Thirty per cent of the pupils in Year 6 were not at the school at the end of Year 2. The headteacher has been in post for four years.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2700 Peter Sudworth Lead inspector Foundation Stage; Religious education; Design and technology; English as an additional language. 9007 Rafi Salasnik Lay inspector 10421 Rita Kirkwood Team inspector Special educational needs; Science. 23805 Margaret Lygoe Team inspector Art and design; History.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25787 Edmond Morris Team inspector English; Physical education; Geography.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

33444 Barbara Saltmarsh Team inspector Mathematics. 19613 Sue Thomas-Pounce Team inspector Information and communication technology; Music; Personal, social and health education.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Prospects Learning Service 360 Lee Valley Techno Park, Ashley Road, London N17 9LN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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.oftsed.gov.uk). Burnt Ash 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 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Burnt Ash Primary provides a good quality of education . Many of its pupils achieve well by age 11 in reaching the expected standard from a well below expected level of attainment on entry. Teaching is good overall and the staff cater well for the increasing number of pupils with learning and emotional problems. The headteacher leads and manages the school well and is clearly aware of where improvements are still needed. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The provision for pupils in the Special Opportunity Unit and for pupils who have special educational needs in mainstream classes is very good. • Pupils achieve particularly well in English by Year 6. Pupils’ attainment has improved over the last two years in mathematics and science, with scope for more in aspects of mathematics. • Teaching and learning are good overall, though some teachers rely too much on worksheets. • The staff are well led by the headteacher, who receives very good support from the welcoming and effective administrative staff. • Pupils achieve well in information and communication technology lessons, but it could be used to better advantage across the curriculum. • Pupils are very well cared for, guided and supported. There is scope for better provision for pupils who arrive with very little English and for making pupils more aware of how they can

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OVERALL EVALUATION

improve their work. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their relationships with each other are very good. • There is very good extra-curricular provision for sport and pupils do well in these activities. • Attendance is well below the national average because some parents do not ensure that their children attend school regularly enough.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Given changed circumstances, the school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. The school now caters for many more pupils who have special educational needs, emotional problems or who have English as a second language. This has been affecting levels of attainment at age 11, but there are recent signs of significant improvement. The mobility of pupils is higher and attendance has fallen. Pupils’ achievement in English has improved and pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work are of a higher quality. Assessment systems have improved in the Foundation Stage and the Foundation Stage curriculum is planned more effectively. The accommodation for information and communication technology is better. The provision for pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety has improved very significantly.

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Year 6 results

All schools similar schools* Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English C E C A Mathematics C E* E D Science D E* E D 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. *These grades have been moved up a grade to account for such factors as the inclusion of results of the Special Opportunities Unit and pupil mobility.

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Year 6 results

Overall, most children achieve well. They achieve satisfactorily in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2, achieving well in some aspects of work. Pupils achieve well overall in Years 3 to 6. Reception class children make expected progress for their abilities in communication, language and literacy and mathematical skills. They achieve well in other aspects of their learning in reaching the expectations for their age. The trend of improvement in results at the end of both Years 2 and 6 in Burnt Ash Primary School - 7 2004 was below that nationally because not enough pupils had been reaching the higher level in national tests. However, unvalidated results for 2005 indicate a significant improvement and support a continuing trend of improvement in the last two years. In 2004, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher level in English at age 11 was greater than the national average. Pupils’ current

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Year 6 results

levels of attainment in Year 2, though still below average, show a significant upturn on results in 2004. Lesson observations indicate that boys and girls are making equal rates of progress. Pupils with special educational needs, including the Special Opportunity Unit children, make good progress and achieve well.

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Year 6 results

Currently pupils achieve very well in all aspects of English by age 11 and at least satisfactorily in science and mathematics with a significant number of pupils achieving well. In information and communication technology, pupils achieve well in reaching the expected standard. They achieve satisfactorily in religious education and meet local requirements. There was insufficient evidence to judge attainment in other subjects. Pupils with a higher ability are catered for well in English. Pupils with English as an additional language and from different ethnic groups achieve as well as other pupils, but there is a limited expertise for the few pupils who suddenly arrive with no English.

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Overall, pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development are nurtured well. Pupils’ moral, social and spiritual development is good and their cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils’ behaviour is good and their attitudes in lessons and to one another are very good. They are very courteous and polite and relate very well to adults. However, pupils are not always as punctual as they should be and attendance is poor. Not enough parents ensure that their children attend school regularly and their learning suffers. The school continues to work hard with parents on this matter to improve attendance.

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The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. The quality of teaching and

learning seen during the inspection was good and this is improving pupils’ achievements, particularly in the juniors and for pupils with special educational needs. Assessment is satisfactory in the main, though individual pupils do not know well enough how they can improve their work. Curriculum provision is satisfactory with a particular strength in English and a good range of extra- curricular activities, especially in sport. The arrangements for pupils’ care and welfare are very good. Links with parents and the community are good and the school has satisfactory links with other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall with some good features. The headteacher leads and manages the school well. The governance of the school is satisfactory. The governing body meets its statutory requirements. Overall, the leadership of other key staff is satisfactory with particular strengths in the leadership of special educational needs, including the Special Opportunity Unit. Administrative staff provide very good support to the school. Management is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Both parents and pupils express positive views of the school. Parents appreciate the openness of the staff and their accessibility and they feel that they work hard. Pupils are confident in the staff and know that they can approach them with any problems that they may have. They enjoy school and make friends.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve pupils’ attainment in mathematics by improving their mental skills and giving them more opportunities for applying their skills, investigation and problem solving.* • Reduce the reliance on worksheets which curtail the pupils’ own thinking and effort. Burnt Ash Primary School - 8 • Increase the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. • Ensure that pupils have a better understanding of how they can improve their work. • Widen the level of expertise available for pupils who have very little English. • Remind parents more regularly of the legal requirement for regular school attendance, and also its importance in helping their children to keep up with their learning, and take action on those who fail in these duties. * The school is already working on this initiative. Burnt Ash Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Foundation Stage children and pupils in Years 1 and 2 overall achieve satisfactorily. They achieve well in some aspects of work. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well. Pupils’ attainment is below average in English and mathematics in the Foundation Stage and at the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is average in English and broadly reaches average standards in mathematics and science. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Pupils’ competence in information and communication technology reaches national expectations. Pupils with particular gifts and talents achieve satisfactorily in academic work and do well in sport.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good provision for pupils with special educational needs helps them to achieve well. • Pupils achieve well in English by age 11. • Pupils’ attainment in mathematics and science has shown continual improvement over the past two years by the end of Year 6, though there is scope for further improvement in aspects of mathematics. • There is not enough expertise for pupils who have very little or no English.

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Commentary

1. The children’s knowledge and skills when they enter the reception class are well below those normally seen, particularly in communication, language and literacy, although there is a very broad range of ability. Very few children have made a start to reading when they enter school. They achieve well in knowledge and understanding of the world, in their personal, social and emotional development and in their physical and creative development and reach the expectations for the end of the reception year. They achieve satisfactorily overall in their mathematical development and in communication, language and literacy, though many do not reach the expectations for the end of the reception class.

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Commentary

2. The trend of improvement in results at the end of both Years 2 and 6 has been below that nationally over the last reported five-year period. This trend is affected by the school’s population undergoing rapid social change during the last two years. Many more pupils with special educational needs and emotional difficulties have been admitted. There has also been an increase in the number of refugees and pupils at an early stage of learning English. Pupil mobility is high. Thirty per cent of the Year 6 pupils were not at the school at the end of Year 2. This has resulted in a fall in attainment levels in some subjects, such as mathematics and information and communication technology, since the last inspection. Despite these factors, Year 6 results in 2004 were considerably improved on the results for 2003 in English, mathematics and science with a particular strength in English. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher level at age 11 in English

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Commentary

in 2004 was greater than the national average. It was also better than for similar schools on the basis of prior attainment. Girls have been performing better than the school’s boys generally, though during the inspection no overall difference in achievement was noted between them. Unvalidated national test results in 2005 indicate a further significant improvement in mathematics and science in Year 6 and broadly average attainment. Burnt Ash Primary School - 10 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 13.4 (13.9) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 12.1 (12.8) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 13.4 (15.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 73 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.3 (25.2) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 24.6 (23.2) 27.0 (26.8) Science 26.0 (25.4) 28.6 (28.6) There were 68 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. The majority of pupils with special educational needs, including the children in the Special Opportunity Unit, make good progress and achieve well. They are very well included in all aspects of school life and benefit from the flexible and individual approach to their learning programmes. Special educational needs pupils have very effective additional support in language, literacy and numeracy, either in small groups or one to one. The speech and language therapists make a good contribution to pupils’ language development. Pupils with complex difficulties are making good progress because they have clear targets for improvement, which are reviewed regularly and the teaching is good.

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Commentary

4. Pupils’ attainment in reading and writing in the infants has improved overall in the last year, particularly in writing, reflecting good teaching, but standards remain overall below average. Nevertheless, pupils achieve well from a low starting point. They achieve very well in all aspects of English by age 11 in reaching average standards in the main. This is because the lessons are taught effectively. Good standards are set for pupils’ presentation of their work and this is reflected in good handwriting quality. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ achievements have improved significantly in mathematics throughout the school over the past year because the school has focused on this subject, though attainment overall is still below average at the end of Year 2 and broadly average at Year 6. There is scope for more pupils to reach the higher level in both the infants and the juniors through more attention to investigation, mental calculation

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Commentary

and problem solving. In science, whilst standards are slightly below average at the end of Year 2, there has been an improvement in the past year and currently just over four-fifths are reaching the expected level or above and they are achieving well. Greater teacher confidence in teaching science in Years 3 to 6 has improved pupils’ attainment with a significantly higher percentage of pupils reaching the higher level in 2005 than in the previous year and there has been a continuing improvement over two years. Year 6 pupils’ achievements are now at least satisfactory and for a significant number of pupils, their achievements are good.

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Commentary

5. In information and communication technology, pupils reach the expected standard and their achievement is good, though opportunities for its use across the curriculum are not seized on enough. They achieve satisfactorily in religious education in reaching the expected level in the locally agreed syllabus. There was insufficient evidence to judge teaching and learning in other subjects, though some very good work was seen in art in Years 4, 5 and 6 and standards have at least been maintained in this subject since the last inspection. Good use is made of literacy skills in recording history work.

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Commentary

6. Pupils from different ethnic groups, refugees and those with English as an additional language, achieve as well as other pupils, except for those at a very early stage of learning English, where progress is more variable. They sometimes do not achieve as well as they might because Burnt Ash Primary School - 11 there is an inconsistency in the provision for them on a day-by-day basis. They only receive limited individual support during the week and the school lacks internal expertise to guide the teachers in the provision for them at other times. The school recognises that it needs greater in-house expertise to support the present external expertise to deal with the increase in the number of pupils who now arrive suddenly at the school without notice.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with a higher ability are catered for well in English because of the ability setting arrangements and further grouping within the sets, though there is scope for yet greater challenge in mathematics. Pupils of an exceptional ability, though identified, do not always receive an even higher challenge in their class work, but they attain well in sport because of extra opportunities. In lessons seen, boys and girls attained equally well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to their work and to one another are very good. They behave well. However, punctuality is unsatisfactory and attendance is poor. Pupils’ personal development is good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. • Pupils are very responsible, mature and confident. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good and their personal development is a strength. • Attendance levels are poor and punctuality is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

8. Attendance is poor, and has fallen since the last inspection. It is well below the national average because some parents do not ensure that their children attend school regularly enough. The school works hard to monitor and promote good attendance by telephoning parents on the first day of absence to combat unauthorised absence, careful analysis of attendance data, contacting home where there are concerns and the issuing of attendance certificates to pupils. This has already led to some improvement with attendance being nearly 92.5 per cent in the current academic year. The education welfare officer is a regular visitor and any concerns are referred on to him. Punctuality is also a problem with a number of pupils arriving late. The school is also addressing this issue.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.2 School data 1.9 National data 5.1 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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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

9. Pupils enjoy school life; they participate well in lessons and the many extra-curricular activities, taking particular pride in the school’s sporting achievements. They undertake their class and whole school responsibilities with much seriousness and dedication. Year 5 pupils act as ‘Play Pals’, befriending lonely children in the playground. Year 6 pupils assist in assembly and help the Special Opportunity Unit’s younger pupils at lunchtime. The pupils’ school council, composed of Year 6 pupils each representing a class, works effectively. They keep their representative class group thoroughly informed and consult with them. The council contributes to decision-making and some school processes. For example, they recently interviewed candidates for a position in the school. They welcome the responsibility and are pleased that the school takes their views seriously noting that when a suggestion is not going to be adopted, they are given a reason for the school’s

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

decision. Pupils, especially those in Year 6, show much maturity when carrying out their tasks, which they do with keen commitment and a great sense of satisfaction. Burnt Ash Primary School - 12 10. Relationships with each other and with adults are very good, as at the last inspection. Overall, behaviour is good, which is shown by the low number of exclusions. The school, pupils and parents reported that the behaviour of some pupils was a concern in Year 3. Some misbehaviour does occur in some of these lessons, but staff manage it well so that it does not affect learning adversely. Standards of behaviour are reflected in how pupils feel about themselves. The school has introduced a number of schemes to address poor behaviour and its causes, in order to support the small minority of pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. There are clear systems in place for behaviour management and these are made very apparent in the school

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

prospectus. Pupils know that they should speak to an adult if they have a concern about bullying or unacceptable behaviour and they have the confidence to do so.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 1 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

11. Pupils’ personal development is good. Their spiritual, social and moral development is also good. Their cultural development is satisfactory. All aspects are underpinned by the school ethos, which reflects a commitment to enabling all pupils to achieve their potential within a supportive environment.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. In all aspects of the school’s work, a spiritual element is present. Spiritual development is fostered well through the opportunities provided for reflection, prayers and music. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. Positive actions and behaviour are rewarded. Teachers, teaching assistants and all other adults in the school provide very good examples of considerate and courteous behaviour, both in their dealings with the pupils and with each other. The environment and resources are treated with respect by all who use them. Pupils know that an orderly and calm atmosphere is expected and they respond to this very well.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

13. Pupils’ social skills are developed well. They are encouraged to share and work together. The school has very effective systems in place to promote responsibility, for example, through membership of the school council. Year 6 pupils organise and support games for younger pupils and Year 5 pupils lead a Play Pal scheme to befriend the lonely.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

14. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Listening to music is a regular feature in the school day. Visits and visitors contribute well to pupils’ learning. Provision for multicultural education is less well developed. Not enough is done to celebrate the diversity of beliefs and lifestyle both of British society and of the school community.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. The quality of teaching and learning seen during the inspection was good, particularly in the juniors and for pupils with special educational needs. Assessment is satisfactory in the main. The curriculum provision is satisfactory with a particular strength in English. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, particularly in sport. Accommodation and resources are good. The care and attention given to pupils’ welfare is very good. There are good links with parents and the community. Burnt Ash Primary School - 13

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning observed during the inspection were good. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers prepare their lessons well and question pupils effectively. • Teachers make good use of the teaching assistants who are very supportive of pupils with special educational needs. • The teaching of English is a particular strength. • Record keeping in the Foundation Stage and for pupils with special educational needs is good, but elsewhere in the school, pupils do not know well enough how to improve their work. • Too much use is made of worksheets and workbooks.

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Commentary

15. Overall teaching is good, as at the last inspection. It is satisfactory overall in the Foundation Stage with significant strengths in the teaching of knowledge and understanding, physical and creative development and personal, social and emotional development. Teaching is better in the juniors than in the infants because there is much more very good teaching in Years 3 to 6, leading to an increase in pupils’ progress. Over time, teaching in the infants has been satisfactory, but there are now signs of improvement. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 62 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (2%) 11 (18%) 33 (53%) 17 (27%) 0 ( 0%) 0 ( 0%) 0 ( 0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

16. Teachers throughout the school manage pupils well, have very respectful relationships with them and show much concern for them. In return, the pupils try hard, mostly behave well in lessons and cooperate, showing a very good level of interest in their work. Time is used well. Lessons begin promptly and pupils settle down quickly after breaks. Lessons usually proceed with a good pace. Teachers revise effectively on previous learning so that new learning can build on this. They prepare their lessons well and research the content effectively so that when pupils ask questions, they are able to deal with them effectively. There is some inconsistency, however, in the clarity with which teachers share the intended learning with the pupils before the lessons commence. Few teachers give sufficient attention to success criteria, and evaluating with the pupils at the end how well they have understood the content. Questioning of pupils is a strength and frequently there is a

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Commentary

good balance of discussion and activity.

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Commentary

17. Teachers cater well for pupils’ different needs, particularly in English and mathematics, through setting arrangements and grouping pupils within the sets. The teaching of English is a particular strength and it is taught well in both the infants and juniors. A significant amount of teaching in English is very good. Very good use is made of partnered activities that promote the pupils’ thinking. In an excellent Year 4 literacy lesson, the very good literature content encouraged the pupils to discuss the character of ‘the troll’ and they did so with much animation, promoting their speaking and listening skills very effectively. The good use of individual whiteboards in English and mathematics lessons to record answers ensures that all pupils are thinking for themselves. Resources are well prepared for lessons. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson on capacity, very good preparation of different containers led to pupils being absorbed in the practical activity and they

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Commentary

made good strides in learning. Some teachers make very good use of modern technology to present lessons visually, and this adds to the pupils’ interest and enjoyment and in sustaining their concentration. However, overall, insufficient use is made of computers across the curriculum. Burnt Ash Primary School - 14 18. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good and sometimes very good, enabling them to make good progress and to have full access to the curriculum. The support staff make a very good contribution to their learning. Staff are very successful in supporting pupils who have behavioural difficulties. Pupils respond well because they are treated calmly and expectations are clear. Pupils are regularly reminded of their behavioural targets. Good behaviour is praised and encouraged, and pupils’ efforts to conform are quickly acknowledged by teachers. Focused teaching in support groups for literacy is closely matched to pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

19. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is mostly good, but in some mathematics lessons the mental opening part is not rigorous enough in helping pupils to develop their thinking strategies. Good teaching in mathematics lessons helps the pupils to enjoy their lessons. They work with interest and enthusiasm, and this is leading to improved attainment. However, the quality of teaching mental arithmetic is more variable.

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Commentary

20. Assessment is satisfactory. Teachers‘ marking of pupils’ work is up to date, but the quality is inconsistent. At best, marking helps pupils think of how they can improve their work in the future. Too often, however, it merely gives brief overall judgements. As a result, not enough pupils are aware of what they need to do to improve. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is good. All pupils with special educational needs have targets that are reviewed regularly and these pupils are increasingly being involved in the review and setting of them. Assessment is good in the Foundation Stage. Reception teachers keep good records of the children’s progress. They have a thorough knowledge of the children’s development, which they use effectively in planning learning in numeracy and literacy activities.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. There are good opportunities for widening pupils’ experience through clubs and visits. Staffing levels are good. The accommodation is good and resources are satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Provision in English is a particular strength. • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use their computer skills in the classrooms. • Pupils have good opportunities for investigation in science, but fewer such opportunities in mathematics. • The curriculum is extended well through visits and clubs, and opportunities for sport are particularly good.

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Commentary

21. There is generally a good breadth to the curriculum, which covers all the required subjects in the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. The amount of time given to different subjects is managed thoughtfully and reflects the pupils’ needs. The school has rightly identified the need to review the curriculum organisation in order to improve links between subjects and to increase opportunities for creativity. Pupils do well in English because the curriculum is covered thoroughly. Planning for pupils in the reception classes is in line with national guidance, but the outdoor learning could be used to greater advantage and there is scope for setting out the classrooms and work areas more invitingly.

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Commentary

22. The weekly lessons in the computer suite enable pupils to achieve average standards in information and communication technology and the air-conditioning facilities in the suite provide a pleasant temperature for the pupils to work in. However, pupils do not get enough opportunities to develop their computer skills further in other subjects when they are in their own classrooms. Burnt Ash Primary School - 15 23. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good overall, and is particularly strong in the Special Opportunity Unit. Here, the curriculum is planned closely to cater specifically for individual needs and individual programmes of work are very flexible. Pupils are carefully integrated into the main school for some lessons. Special needs provision in the main school is very good. Individual education plans are reviewed termly and identify measurable targets. Support in the classroom and in smaller groups ensures that pupils have full access to the

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Commentary

curriculum. Specific support for pupils with statements of special educational need is often very good. Staff have a wide range of appropriate expertise and work closely with each other at all stages. All pupils follow the National Curriculum, which is adapted to meet the needs of individuals. This, and the additional support for some of them, leads to successful inclusion for these pupils in mainstream classes.

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Commentary

24. Provision to ensure equality of curriculum access is satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to the curriculum. Support for pupils learning English as an additional language has some shortcomings. Although there is good support for those who have acquired a good competence in English, there is insufficient full-time support for older pupils who are at an early stage of learning English. The school has yet to implement a programme to extend pupils with particular gifts and talents. Teachers have started by identifying a few pupils as ‘able and talented’ in literacy and mathematics, but have not yet focused on other areas, such as art or music.

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Commentary

25. The school provides a good range of activities to enrich pupils’ learning. Visits to places of interest and to the field study centre bring the curriculum to life. Year 6 pupils benefit considerably from their residential journey to the Isle of Wight. This visit provides a valuable focus for learning as pupils prepare to move on to secondary school. There is a good variety of clubs including French, art and choir. The school’s significant strength is in provision for sport, with many clubs available. Clubs include gymnastics, three hockey clubs, five football clubs, two netball clubs, athletics and cross-country running. Since the school also provides a good physical education curriculum, pupils are very successful when competing against other schools.

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Commentary

26. The accommodation is good. The school has two halls, relatively large classrooms and adequate space for small groups. However, ventilation is poor in many classrooms and they are very uncomfortable in hot weather. The school has a good number of qualified teachers. Support staff are experienced and are deployed effectively in the classrooms. Learning resources are satisfactory, with a strength in the quality and range of books in the library.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

The school takes very good care of its pupils. It provides sound guidance based on monitoring their progress and personal development. It is very good at involving pupils and taking account of their views.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Care and support are priorities. The school is proactive in addressing pupils’ emotional and behavioural needs through its own systems and in partnership with outside agencies. • Pupils have very good and trusting relations with adults. • The school listens carefully to pupils’ opinions. • Pupils do not know in precise enough terms how they can improve their work.

p.15

Commentary

27. The provision for pupils’ care and welfare has improved since the last inspection. The care and welfare that teachers give to pupils make a significant contribution in helping them develop a positive attitude to learning. A number of good initiatives have been set up to help pupils who have behavioural or emotional difficulties and there are good links with outside agencies, such as the Bromley Children’s Project, Heartbeat and the recently established Vulnerable Pupil Panel to bring Burnt Ash Primary School - 16 key agencies together. The school’s approach is rightly based on the principle that in helping to address their issues, these pupils can become better learners. The headteacher is the Child Protection Officer and has recently arranged update training for teaching staff.

p.15

Commentary

28. All adults play an important role in looking after pupils’ welfare. The learning support mentor is a key figure in providing support and guidance to pupils, and helps to deflate pupils’ behavioural outbursts – particularly for those who struggle to manage their own emotions. She is readily available in and around the school and her presence in the playground before school and during play times gives both parents and pupils opportunities to talk with her. The Listening Ear project, an appointment system to discuss personal concerns, is proving effective in sharing pupils’ worries. The large range of extra-curricular activities helps the pupils to know more teachers in the school, other than their own classteacher, and extends the range of adults that they can confide in.

p.16

Commentary

29. The school shows pupils that it cares about their views. The school council is an important link between the school and all pupils. Its suggestions and recommendations are acted upon if possible. Where they cannot be, then the school makes sure it explains the reasons. All pupils completed a questionnaire earlier in the year. The school was gratified at the high satisfaction ratings that the pupils gave. The exception, about pupil behaviour, has fed into the school’s new approach to behaviour management strategies.

p.16

Commentary

30. Daily checks by the site manager and headteacher ensure that the site is safe. There is an adequate number of first-aiders and the school nurse visits regularly. The school encourages healthy living, with healthy menus for lunch and encouragement to bring in healthy snacks. As part of the induction process for reception pupils, meetings are held for parents, which help to ensure that the children settle in well and that they are well informed about school procedures. The buddy system is effective in helping new pupils who join the school during the year to settle in.

p.16

Commentary

31. The teachers monitor pupils’ work satisfactorily. Good use is made of tests to track pupils’ progress and individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are used effectively. In general however, pupils are not sufficiently aware of what they can do to improve their work.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents of pupils in the Special Opportunity Unit is very good. The school has good relations with parents and the community. Its links with other schools and colleges are satisfactory.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Reports and other information provided for parents are good • There are good links overall with external agencies. • There are good sporting links with other schools. • Parents are very supportive of the school. • The school consults well with parents and values their views.

p.16

Commentary

32. The quality of relationships with parents has been maintained since the last inspection. The annual reports to parents on their children’s progress are of good quality. Parents receive an excellent accompanying guide with them, which helps to explain the different sections of the reports and how to interpret attainment, effort and progress. They give pupils and parents the opportunity to comment and this adds to the overall picture of progress. They are clear about where improvement is needed.

p.16

Commentary

33. There are good opportunities for parents to learn how their children are taught important aspects of the curriculum, such as reading and mathematics. Good information is sent home about Burnt Ash Primary School - 17 the mathematics curriculum, explaining what will be learnt and what their child should be able to do by the end of the year, together with some fun activities that parents can undertake with their children. However, the range of detail about the coverage of other subjects is rather brief. The school is aware that these are too short to explain fully to parents what their children are to learn. Parents respond satisfactorily in supporting their children with work at home.

p.16

Commentary

34. A small percentage of parents, lower than that normally found, participated in the pre- inspection consultation. Their comments and responses were largely supportive of the school. Currently the support of a few parents in classrooms, together with a number of grandparents of past pupils and retired volunteers is invaluable in giving individual attention to pupils’ efforts, particularly, but not only, in reading. Parents usually show good interest in their children’s progress by attendance at the termly teacher-parent consultations. The school has made good strides in supporting parents’ education classes, covering subjects like mathematics and aspects such as parenting, so that they can help their children at home and organise and manage their children more effectively. Governors consult with parents every two years and their suggestions are an important part of the school’s decision-making process. Parental suggestions, concerns and complaints are

p.17

Commentary

35. There are good relations overall with several other organisations to help the education and general well-being of the pupils and, where necessary, their families. The school recognises and welcomes the support that they receive and their partnered outside agencies are enthusiastic about the school’s commitment. Sometimes, however, these arrangements place extra burdens on the school in the follow-up time to the detriment of the oversight of the educational provision. Despite the school’s best efforts, links with secondary schools are rather limited, in part due to the number of schools that Burnt Ash pupils go on to, and also the geographical distance from them. However, the short course in French for Year 5 pupils provided by one of the secondary schools provides a useful taster in the subject.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall with some good features. The headteacher provides good leadership and management and this is a strength of the school. The governance of the school is satisfactory. Overall, the leadership of other key staff is satisfactory. Overall, management is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s leadership and management focus effectively on learning. • The administrative staff provide very good support for the headteacher in the day-to-day running of the school. • The leadership and management of other key staff are still developing, though it is very good for special educational needs and the Special Opportunity Unit. • Performance management of support staff has yet to be fully implemented.

p.17

Commentary

36. The leadership of the head teacher is good and continues a strength reported previously. She has a clear vision for the future needs of the school. She has taken effective action to deal with the increase in the number of pupils with social and learning difficulties by obtaining links with other service providers, sought advice and brought in external expertise. These links are most helpful, but add to the burden of leadership and managing the school. Since her appointment, she has put in place a revised management structure enabling departmental leaders, including the head of the Special Opportunities Unit, to work more closely as a team and to help in the management of the school’s changed circumstances. Furthermore, subject leaders have been trained to fulfil their duties more effectively in leading and managing their roles. Consequently they now have a better understanding of standards across the school. Their leadership is satisfactory overall, with scope

p.17

Commentary

for further development in the quest to improve standards further. The school’s own identification Burnt Ash Primary School - 18 and focus to raise achievement in mathematics further is confirmed by the inspection as a key priority. Staff are clearly keen and committed to raising achievement in both mathematics and science to match the greater success which it has obtained in English, and this is beginning to reap benefits in improved results.

p.17

Commentary

37. The work of the governing body is satisfactory. It is supportive of the school’s work and aware of the issues facing it. The governors monitor the progress of the school improvement plan, but are not yet fully involved in drawing it up. Governors do not yet have clear strategies for determining whether the school is providing value for money.

p.18

Commentary

38. The governing body has a good committee structure with written terms of reference that guide and streamline its work. Whilst all governors are members of committees, few have other specific roles in monitoring the school’s work. Changes in governing body personnel mean that the governor for special educational needs has only just taken up her role. The governing body does not yet have a governor with oversight of governor training or monitoring the use of the service level agreement for governor training.

p.18

Commentary

39. The effectiveness of management is good overall. The school’s self-evaluation of its performance is realistic and its improvement plan outlines appropriate priorities for development, although on the plan, much is allocated to the headteacher and senior management team without sufficient reference to individuals. There is a clear structure for staff training and a termly focus is identified. Success criteria are identified for each initiative and there are some costing implications. The school has good systems to analyse pupils’ performance data, but this information is not yet fully embedded in the school’s practice, and the means to it are not yet consistent across the teaching staff. Staff changes have been very well managed so that pupils’ education is not unduly interrupted. Induction arrangements for new staff are good. The school’s very good administrative officer keeps governors fully informed of the financial arrangements and manages the school budget

p.18

Commentary

and finances very effectively on a day-to-day basis. There are good systems for determining the allocation to subject leaders to improve resources. The carry forward amount is realistically earmarked for future developments.

p.18

Commentary

40. Performance management targets are linked through pupils’ class/ group progress objectives to whole-school improvement targets. Performance management for support staff has yet to be implemented, but it has been identified by the school as an area for development.

p.18

Commentary

41. The headteacher, staff and governors work hard to ensure that children with special educational needs are well catered for. The provision for these pupils is clearly recognised and the head of the Special Opportunity Unit is a member of the senior management team. The special educational needs co-ordinator works closely with both the head of this Unit and the headteacher. Both these special education needs departments are strengths in the school. Effective liaison and close working by the senior management team leads to very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and effective inclusion at all levels. The management of teaching assistants is good.

p.18

Commentary

42. Given the difficult nature of the catchment area and the high number of pupils with special educational needs and taking into account the good quality of teaching and the pupils’ overall increasing progress and good achievements from a very low base at entry, the school provides good value for money.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,570,400 Balance from previous year 103,500 Total expenditure 1,555,100 Balance carried forward to the next 119,000 Expenditure per pupil 3,650 Burnt Ash Primary School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The Unit is very well led and there is very good liaison between the head of Unit and the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator. • Pupils are successfully integrated into main school activities.

p.19

Commentary

43. The Special Opportunity Unit is for pupils from across the Borough of Bromley with special educational needs for whom a mainstream placement is not currently suitable. Twenty-four pupils are based in the Unit in three classes according to age and they all have a statement of special educational need. They have a range of needs, including severe learning difficulties, autism and social and behavioural problems. At the time of the last inspection, the Unit catered for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. Pupils now attending often have more complex needs. Since the last inspection, the school has worked hard to continue to meet successfully the needs of pupils.

p.19

Commentary

44. Each pupil has an individual programme and these are of a good quality. They are reviewed regularly. There is an effective programme of integration into mainstream classes for part of the time and this has benefits for both sets of pupils providing an inclusive environment for learning. Equally, pupils with special educational needs, based in a mainstream class, may spend some time in the Unit as part of their programme. These flexible and individual arrangements enable the school to meet the needs of the majority of pupils with special educational needs very well.

p.19

Commentary

45. Pupils make good progress in their learning. There is no difference between the progress made by boys and girls, or by pupils from different ethnic backgrounds in the Unit, in relation to their abilities. Pupils benefit from being in small groups. They work hard and respond well to the skilled teaching and high level of support. Teachers and support assistants know the pupils well. They have high expectations, while providing appropriate support. This enables pupils to learn to be more independent and to achieve well according to their abilities. They behave well and learn good social skills. They share equipment and learn from each other by watching what others do and by experimenting. In one class before the start of school, younger pupils played happily alongside each other in the sandpit.

p.19

Commentary

46. Overall teaching in the Special Opportunity Unit is good and often very good. Lessons are well prepared and the familiar routines and the clear explanations given by staff enhance learning. Work is adapted to the pupils’ abilities so that they are able to complete tasks as much as possible on their own. Support staff make a valuable contribution, often working one-to-one with pupils on individual tasks, such as reading or handwriting. Some lessons, led by the speech and language therapist, successfully support the development of pupils’ expressive language and listening skills. Staff are patient but firm and, as a consequence, pupils feel secure and confident. Pupils readily make suggestions and answer questions. They learn to listen to each other and to work together. The use of information and communication technology in the Special Opportunity Unit classes is underdeveloped. It is sometimes included in teachers’ planning, but is not used sufficiently regularly

p.19

Commentary

to make a full contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.19

Commentary

47. Assessment is thorough and the regular review of pupils’ targets enables teachers to offer a good level of challenge to pupils. In one class of older pupils, the teacher’s constant checking of pupils’ memory and understanding of a story, provided ongoing assessment of their progress. Staff have started to involve pupils in their target setting and in the review of their progress and they plan to develop this further. Burnt Ash Primary School - 20 48. Teachers in the Special Opportunity Unit follow the school’s schemes of work for each subject, adapting activities to the abilities of the pupils. This enables a smooth transition for these pupils when they take part in mainstream lessons. Pupils are prepared well for their transfer to secondary school.

p.19

Commentary

49. The head of the Special Opportunity Unit leads and manages it very well. The school’s special educational needs co-ordinator is responsible for special educational needs in the mainstream classes. Close liaison at senior management level, which includes the head of the Special Opportunity Unit, and discussions with the special educational needs co-ordinator and classteachers, contribute significantly to the success of the integration programme. The school is successful in addressing the changing needs of pupils. A few pupils each year move on to secondary school continuing with their statement of special educational need. Resources in the Unit are good, although there are insufficient computers in each class to support the development of pupils’ information and communication technology skills. The Special Opportunity Unit makes a very good contribution to the learning of pupils in the school.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. Children commence the Foundation Stage in either the September or January according to the date of their fifth birthday. When they enter, although most have been to some from of pre- school provision, attainment overall is well below that normally found at this age, particularly in their communication and language development.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good features. Lessons are often planned well, but the learning environment does not encourage the children to take a sufficient interest in books. Insufficient use of the outside and shared areas does not develop the children’s independence enough. Teachers have very good relationships with the children and take much care of them. As a result, the children enjoy school. Members of staff are increasing their skills in understanding how young children learn. They plan a balanced curriculum with good links made between different areas of learning. There is good blend of adult-led activities and those that the children choose from. Planning has improved since the last inspection and is now linked much more effectively to the national guidance for the Foundation Stage. Assessment of the children’s learning has also improved and is now good. This ensures that the teachers have a good knowledge of the children’s

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

capabilities. The teaching assistants work well with the teachers and provide valuable support.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The Foundation Stage leader, who is not one of the reception teachers, has created good opportunities for parents to meet with teachers and to be informed about the teaching arrangements. She has also helped staff with the new planning arrangements. However, she is not involved enough on a day-to-day basis in overseeing teaching and learning. As a result, the teachers are left too much to their own devices in the organisation of the provision.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy very good relationships with adults and their classmates, working together happily. • They are confident to take part in new activities.

p.21

Commentary

53. The teaching of this aspect is good. The children form good relationships with those around them, including adults. They achieve well and most will reach the expectations for the end of the reception year. Most show good skills in concentrating on the tasks that they have chosen or join in the activities being supervised by adults. They hang up their coats and bags independently and most dress and undress for physical education without help. They are interested in their learning, as seen when they had to arrange the correct numbers of plates and spoons for a teddy bear party and find out if they had enough for each teddy. They co-operate well in pairs when sharing the computer. They integrate well with children from the Unit who have special educational needs. They show excitement when they engage in something new and are keen to take part. When working in groups, they share the equipment well and have a concern for the needs of others.

p.21

Commentary

The children behave well. Burnt Ash Primary School - 22

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good opportunities are provided for pupils to speak formally. • Not enough is done to help the children develop an interest in books for pleasure. • Role-play areas do not always stimulate pupils to converse meaningfully in informal settings.

p.22

Commentary

54. Teaching and the children’s achievement in this aspect are satisfactory. Many children will not reach the expected goals for the end of the reception year because they have a low level of communication skills when they enter the school and several have speech defects. Despite this, the children engage well in formal opportunities to discuss their news. They listen attentively to one another during such opportunities. Teachers read stories to the children to increase their interest in books and to develop language, but the book corners are unappealing and many books are not in a good enough condition to inspire the children to browse. Many children have made a start at reading simple sentences, but very few know all the letter sounds. Most can write their names, but less than half the children can write simple sentences independently. Nevertheless, the teachers obtain the children’s ideas and model writing effectively, producing little books of riddles, or of

p.22

Commentary

subjects such as ‘That’s not my Dinosaur’ or poems about the weather. Some children are maintaining a simple diary to record their observations in drawings or words about the grass head puppets that they have made. The role-play areas are not always designed with enough imagination to promote pupils’ speaking skills informally, and adults rarely share in this aspect of play with the children to model speech and extend their vocabulary.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers often use interesting activities when they work with children in groups. • There are not enough stimulating mathematical activities when the children choose their activities independently. • The computer is not used enough to further the children’s mathematical development.

p.22

Commentary

55. Teaching and pupils’ achievement in this aspect of learning are satisfactory. About two- thirds of the children, mostly the oldest, will reach the expected goals by the end of the reception year, but overall this is below average attainment. Almost all the children can count up to ten and about two-thirds recognise the written numerals. Most recognise common two-dimensional shapes, such as circle and triangle, and incorporate these into their designs of Noah’s Ark. They are confident in sorting objects into different groups. While the pupils’ are often accurate in adding two simple amounts together with peas and cubes, they find it much more difficult to work out how many objects have been taken away from a set of objects. Teachers do not provide enough stimulating mathematical work in the choosing activities to follow up the work that they have introduced with the children or to develop their counting and mathematics skills further. Insufficient use is made of the

p.22

Commentary

class computers to further the children’s mathematical development. Burnt Ash Primary School - 23

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers make good use of visits and visitors to widen the children’s knowledge. • The children have good opportunities to use the computer suite to develop their skills.

p.23

Commentary

56. Teaching is good and pupils achieve well. They make good progress in developing their knowledge of the world about them and reach the expectations for the end of the reception year because the teachers plan good experiences for them. Visitors to the school, such as the fire service and police, widen the children’s knowledge of people who help them. They develop a good familiarity in operating a computer when in the computer suite and show good skill in manipulating the mouse and clicking on icons, though the classroom computer is not always used to best advantage. Visits to places of interest, such as a farm, often provide a completely new experience for the children and they learned a lot about different animals on a recent farm visit. They acquired a good understanding of how wool was spun in the olden days and observed the full process of carding and spinning. Their general knowledge is enhanced well through practical activities, such

p.23

Commentary

as opportunities to make bread, play in the role-play area when it is transformed into a baby clinic, a surgery or hospital where greater thought has been given to the possibilities of role-play.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show a lively interest in physical education activity. • Teachers are enthusiastic and develop pupils’ confidence effectively.

p.23

Commentary

57. Teaching and pupils’ achievement are good. Most children will reach the expectations for the end of the reception year. In physical education lessons, the children are confident in their movements and their barefooted work enables them to move nimbly on the surface. The teachers lead the lessons enthusiastically so that the children enjoy the freedom of movement and work with interest. They are confident to demonstrate their movements to others and the rest of the class watches attentively. When working with quoits, the children think of different parts of their bodies where they can place a quoit, such as between their knees and around their ankles and hold it in place while moving around the hall. They show good aim when throwing a quoit into a hoop. Children make good use of space when moving around and are mindful of others. Some show good skill and invention when asked to pass their body through a hoop and begin to skip with it.

p.23

Commentary

Outside they show confidence when climbing on the fixed equipment. They manipulate paint brushes and paste spreaders with due care. Practising letter shapes in a tray covered with grass seed helps the accuracy of letter formation.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Three-dimensional work is often of a good quality. • Pupils work with a good range of materials. Burnt Ash Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

58. Teaching in this aspect is good. The children achieve well in the main and are on course to reach the goals for the end of the reception year. Work in three-dimensions is of a very good quality reflected in the detail on the children’s well proportioned minibeasts, made with a wide range of colourful materials, such as the spots on the ladybirds and stripes on the wasps. However, little use is made of wood in creating three-dimensional objects or the use of simple hand tools. Some children show good skill in their observational drawings of daffodils, reflecting the colour well. Their skeletons made from straws are proportioned well and help them to name the different body parts. They make interesting animals on paper plates using a variety of shapes and texture. Overall, most pupils reach the expected standard in creative activity by the end of the reception year. Burnt Ash Primary School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards attained at the end of Year 6 are above those found in similar schools. Standards in handwriting have much improved. • The quality of teaching is good. Pupils achieve very well in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils have a very good attitude to their work. • Literacy skills are used in other subjects of the curriculum, but their use is not always well planned.

p.25

Commentary

59. There has been a good improvement in English since the last inspection. Standards at the end of Year 6 have risen, the quality of handwriting and presentation of work have much improved and the attitudes of the pupils are now very good indeed.

p.25

Commentary

60. In the 2004 national test, the pupils in Year 6 attained standards in line with the national average and above those found in similar schools. Pupils currently in Year 6 are also working at levels expected for their age. The 2004 test for pupils in Year 2 showed them to be attaining standards in reading and writing well below the national average and well below the standards in similar schools. This has consistently been the situation since 2001, although the pupils currently in Year 2 are showing an improvement in their writing. Pupils enter the school with literacy and language skills well below those expected and many reach or exceed the nationally expected level by the time they leave. This shows how well they achieve by the end of Year 6 and is predominantly due to the consistently good teaching in English across the school. The good improvements in writing and presentation are direct results of the well-planned opportunities pupils

p.25

Commentary

have each day to develop these skills. The good presentation skills are used in other subjects to make pupils’ work attractive and give them greater pride in their finished efforts. This is particularly noticeable in classes that do not rely heavily on worksheets to record work and instead allow pupils to develop their own style of presentation.

p.25

Commentary

61. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and speaking and listening as they receive good quality teaching. Teaching and learning are good and often very good. In Years 3 to 6 the teaching is always good with half the teaching very good and occasionally excellent. Pupils in these classes achieve very well. Lessons are planned well with work for different groups of pupils carefully matched to their prior attainment. This ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well as they move up through the school. Most pupils with English as an additional language make similar rates of progress. However, there is more variability in the progress of pupils at a very early stage of learning English because they do not receive enough skilled support. In all classes, pupils are well managed and teachers create a good working atmosphere that helps them concentrate without interruption. In an outstanding Year 4 lesson seen,

p.25

Commentary

the teacher had superb relationships with the pupils and had created an environment highly conducive to top quality learning. All the pupils were extremely eager to participate with enthusiasm and the teacher’s extremely high expectations of both work and behaviour were completely fulfilled.

p.25

Commentary

62. Speaking and listening skills are taught well throughout the school. Teachers often use ‘talk partners’ for pupils to discuss their ideas before reporting back to the class and are regularly encouraged to speak clearly and in full sentences. By the time the pupils leave the school, they are confident and articulate speakers and are willing listeners to the views of others. Teachers use support assistants very well to assist pupils who require additional help. They are fully involved in all parts of the lesson and contribute effectively to pupils’ learning. Teachers’ marking is regular and Burnt Ash Primary School - 26 supportive, but is inconsistent in helping pupils to achieve better by suggesting ways to improve their work.

p.25

Commentary

63. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and behave very well in lessons. They are thoughtful and considerate in their relationships with adults and each other. When working in pairs or small groups, they support each other and share ideas sensibly and fairly. This was clearly evident in a very good Year 6 lesson about writing a balanced argument. All the pupils worked very well in pairs to write well thought out points outlining the advantages and disadvantages of a family sailing round the world. They then successfully arrived at a joint conclusion based on their thoughts and ideas.

p.26

Commentary

64. The subject leader for English is fairly new to the post. The previous post holder led and managed the subject well, putting in place thorough monitoring of the subject and analyses of test data. The findings have been used well to identify individuals or particular groups in need of more support to help them achieve better. Such pupils have then been given extra help, often in a programme of work with skilled teaching assistants, to help them improve their literacy skills. Setting of pupils by ability is proving to be effective in raising standards as the work can then be planned to meet the pupils’ individual needs.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

65. Pupils’ language and literacy skills are often used in other subjects of the curriculum. For example, in subjects such as history, pupils often write at great length and the lesson time is used effectively to improve their writing skills as well as their knowledge and understanding of historical events. However, the pupils will then sometimes be set a writing task in a literacy lesson that is in a similar style about an unrelated topic. This results in valuable curriculum time not being used as effectively as it could.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is beginning to catch up on that in English. • Support staff are used well to support children with special educational needs. • There is an over reliance on worksheets and workbooks. • Mathematics is not used well enough across the curriculum and pupils do not have enough opportunity to investigate in mathematics.

p.26

Commentary

66. Pupils have achieved satisfactorily over time in mathematics, given their well below average attainment on entry, and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels has not reached that nationally. There are now clear indications of an improving picture with more pupils reaching the expected and higher levels. Pupils’ attainment is still below average at the end of Year 2 but they achieve satisfactorily in line with their abilities. Attainment is broadly average at Year 6 and pupils achieve well in number and satisfactorily in other aspects of mathematics. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good because of good support from their teachers and the effective deployment of support staff. No difference was noted during the inspection between the achievement of boys and girls.

p.26

Commentary

67. Whilst the curriculum covers all aspects of mathematics, work on number is predominant with less time for investigation and practical problem solving. Throughout the school, there is an over reliance on worksheets and commercial workbooks, which do not give pupils enough responsibility for setting out their own work and thinking for themselves. Burnt Ash Primary School - 27 68. Teaching and learning observed during the inspection were good and this is leading to better achievement overall and to improved results in the current academic year. Some good teaching was observed throughout the school and some very good teaching in the juniors where overall the quality of teaching is stronger than in the infants.

p.26

Commentary

69. Teachers have good subject knowledge and most have attended extended professional development in mathematics. They clarify to good purpose what the pupils are to learn at the start of lessons and review their learning at the close. A brisk pace and good levels of concentration are typical in the most successful lessons. Pupils’ enthusiasm and attentiveness are heightened when modern technology permits a visual approach to new content and the demonstration of skills. In a Year 6 lesson it was used very effectively to add pace to the mental starter of the lesson, although more generally mental sessions are very variable in quality. Learning is at least satisfactory in all lessons and good or better where pupils are given the opportunity to explain their reasoning and methods, as in a Year 4 class where a pupil demonstrated a way of multiplying a two-digit number. In the majority of lessons, behaviour is good and well managed by the teachers so that learning can

p.27

Commentary

70. Opportunities are missed to engage pupils in paired talk to explain to one another how they arrived at an answer and for them to devise their own problems to extend and challenge themselves.

p.27

Commentary

71. On occasions, too much repetition of similar activities takes place in lessons and learning is not moved on fast enough. Teachers sometimes allow pupils to work through published workbooks disregarding their previous success and this impedes their progress.

p.27

Commentary

72. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The headteacher has involved the subject leader in recent intensive training so that she has acquired strategic skills to improve the provision for mathematics. Alongside the head teacher, who has shown a strong lead in the monitoring and evaluation of mathematics across the school leading to improved attainment, the subject leader is now beginning to analyse and use data with staff to identify strengths and weaknesses in the subject. For example, she has identified the need to improve assessment further so that there is better continuity in learning when pupils move to a new year group. Marking is inconsistent and is not always used to show the pupils how they can improve. Resources are good and support pupil’s learning well.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

73. Little evidence was found of mathematics being used in other subjects. Occasional use was seen as in geography where pupils had contrasted temperatures in different parts of the world and in science where pupils had measured the growth of plants.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. • Results in science have shown continuing improvement over the last two years, despite an increase in pupils’ with English as an additional language.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

74. A number of factors contribute to a slight fall in attainment since the last inspection, including the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs now attending the school and the significant increase in their number since the last inspection as a result of population movement. Some pupils have very little understanding of English because they are recent arrivals in the country. No pupils are disapplied from the end of stage tests, but the difficulty a number of pupils have in understanding scientific language fully and solving problems sometimes affects their ability Burnt Ash Primary School - 28 to apply their knowledge. The subject co-ordinator’s analysis of results that more science investigations were needed, combined with close monitoring, have reaped much benefit. The school has made significant strides in addressing the issue of raising standards in science and is already being very successful. The school’s unvalidated test results for 2005 show a significant

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Main strengths and weaknesses

improvement with a much higher percentage of pupils reaching the higher level than last year and a continuing improvement over two years. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are now achieving well. Years 3 to 6 pupils are achieving at least satisfactorily and a significant number achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

75. Most Year 2 pupils currently are reaching the expected level and some are reaching a higher level of attainment than that expected. They enjoy lessons and are enthusiastic about their learning. In one lesson seen, Year 1 pupils tried a range of musical instruments and identified correctly the methods used to produce the sounds. Pupils of lower ability could identify objects made of a range of materials, such as wood, plastic and metal. They know the difference between push and pull forces and that sounds can be produced in a number of ways, for example, by striking, blowing or shaking. Pupils of a higher ability identified whether different materials can be bent, twisted, stretched or squashed. Pupils have a basic understanding of electrical circuits and how to put batteries into a radio correctly. They collect data from their investigations and record it either in a table or in a bar chart.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

76. Older pupils often make good progress in lessons, particularly when there is an opportunity to experiment. Year 5 pupils enjoyed checking their pulse rate and concentrated and co-operated well, relating the pulse to the heartbeat, and some knew how the heart worked. Year 3 pupils made good connections between the sun and the formation of shadows when investigating light. Their experiments reinforced their understanding that light travels in straight lines. They listened well and enjoyed the lesson and made good progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

77. The curriculum is planned well. The timetable provides a good time allocation to the subject, and teachers allow sufficient time for practical investigations. The links between science and other areas of the curriculum are developing well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

78. A range of teaching quality was seen in science teaching during the inspection from satisfactory to very good, but overall it was good. Teachers and support staff know the pupils well and manage any potentially disruptive behaviour very effectively. The pupils who integrate from the Special Opportunity Unit are included very well in all aspects of lessons, both by staff and other pupils. Teachers plan carefully and adapt the work for pupils of different abilities. This provides a good challenge to all pupils and enables them to achieve satisfactorily. Pupils generally like science and particularly enjoy investigations. Modern technology makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning in some classrooms and permits an interesting visual approach to the content. Occasionally, overuse of worksheets in some lessons limits the progress pupils make in developing their own investigative and problem-solving skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

79. Assessment is satisfactory overall. Teachers track pupils’ progress over time through half- termly assessments. Verbal feedback and encouragement during lessons are often positive, but work is not always marked constructively. Where suggestions are made, pupils do not often act on them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

80. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader has improved the scheme of work and the half-termly assessment used across the school for science. She has analysed results effectively and taken action to improve them. She supports teachers when they request assistance. Accommodation for science is good, most classrooms having colourful and informative wall displays. Resources for the subject are satisfactory, with access to a wild pond in the garden and a range of suitable equipment and books. There is scope for better use of computers in lessons to re- inforce their information and communication technology skills. Burnt Ash Primary School - 29

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good attitudes to learning and achieve well. • Leadership of the subject is good. • Unreliable resources are slowing progress and development throughout the school. • There is not enough use of information and communication technology across the curriculum.

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Commentary

81. The majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well and attain standards in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Most pupils by the end of Year 2 are confident users of computers being able to log on, find a named programme and make good use of onscreen cues. By the end of Year 6 pupils demonstrate expected knowledge and skills for their age in the use of computers. Regular timetabled information and communication technology lessons are provided in the specialist suite giving a range of basic experiences. The curriculum is satisfactory, but control and modelling need more emphasis. Pupils’ behaviour is good and they show a keen interest in their lessons. They are very supportive of each other.

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Commentary

82. The overall quality of teaching and learning seen during the inspection was good. This reflects teachers’ good subject knowledge, planning and teaching skills. Projectors are used effectively for whole class teaching and the use of interactive whiteboards is giving pace to whole class teaching strategies. In the best lessons, the learning objectives are well focussed and pupils fully aware of teacher expectations. Strengths in teaching include positive pupil management, clear instructions and good lesson pace. Teaching assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly those with learning difficulties. However, not enough is made of assessment to identify what pupils already know and to plan challenging work.

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Commentary

83. Leadership of the subject is good. The action plan identifies appropriate priorities and robust systems are in place to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning. The co-ordinator has a very good understanding of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses and has detailed plans for the development of the subject. Accommodation is well designed and there is a range of specialist software. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last report

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Commentary

84. Basic provision of computers available at the school is unsatisfactory. The school has a computer suite, but equipment is sometimes unreliable. Many of the computers are old and those in the classrooms not sufficiently used. Plans for improvement are in hand and these include increasing the number to bring the computer- to -pupil ratio to the level recommended nationally. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use information and communication technology in other subjects and to develop skills in the control and modelling aspect. There is scope for more development in the subject to improve pupils’ skills still further.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

85. At present there are insufficient opportunities provided for pupils to apply information and communication technology skills in other subjects. The scrutiny of work provided very few instances of pupils using their information and communication technology skills to enrich or extend their learning. The school is aware of this. There are plans to address this when new equipment has been purchased. Burnt Ash Primary School - 30

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HUMANITIES

Three lessons were seen in geography and one in history and additional evidence was scrutinised, but it is not possible to give an overall judgement about provision and standards.

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HUMANITIES

86. Geography is taught throughout the school with an appropriate emphasis on geographical skills. From Year 1 onwards, maps and globes are used constantly to help pupils learn about their world and to gain an understanding of scale and direction. In Year 2, the travels of ‘Barnaby Bear’ are followed with much interest and pupils compare distant locations such as Mexico with Bromley to find similarities and differences. They also study an island environment to compare with their own. The Year 3 pupils’ investigation into climate and weather was of a high standard and prominently displayed for all to enjoy and learn from. The Year 6 school journey to the Isle of Wight gave a very good impetus to their geography work and made their study of coastal erosion come alive as they could see the effects of the power of the sea for themselves. Their resulting work on this topic is of a high standard. They also studied a local river in detail and found out about other

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HUMANITIES

rivers around the world and the impact of flooding on local communities. Good use is made of local walks and visits for pupils of all ages to make the subject more interesting, and give them good quality first-hand experiences to help develop their understanding and skills. The lessons seen were at least satisfactory and those in Year 3 helped pupils understand more about maps through first looking at aerial photographs of the school and surrounding area. The Year 2 lesson was good and gave pupils an insight into life in a Mexican village.

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HUMANITIES

87. The one lesson seen in history does not make it possible to make an overall judgement on provision. Samples of work show that curriculum coverage is satisfactory. There are some good links with other subjects, for example with geography, but there is scope for these to be increased. Pupils make good progress during Year 2. Some teachers work hard to make history interesting for pupils. A lively account of a visit from “Florence Nightingale” shows that that this effectively brought history to life for Year 2 pupils. Similarly a “Victorian” school day, recorded in “sepia” photographs, gave Year 5 pupils a practical experience of the past.

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HUMANITIES

88. Pupils have good opportunities to write about history in Year 2 and in Years 4, 5 and 6, and to exercise their improving literacy skills. In Year 3 samples of pupils’ work contained many worksheets, with little variation to cater for pupils of different abilities. Work in Year 6 shows a good level of challenge as pupils studied the development of Britain after the Second World War. Some pupils in Year 4 produced good quality work on the local area. Pupils learn to use a range of source materials, and Year 6 pupils worked well to answer questions about smuggling during an activity linked with their Isle of Wight visit.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of visits to places of worship and of visitors. • Insufficient use is made of the pupils’ own cultural backgrounds to help them understand difference and similarities in faiths; • Some year groups rely too heavily on poor quality worksheets to record their work.

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Commentary

89. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in reaching the local expectations for their age at the end of Years 2 and 6. Staff show a good level of commitment in ensuring that adequate time is given to the subject. A healthy balance is maintained between study of the Christian faith and other world faiths. Burnt Ash Primary School - 31 90. A small number of lessons was observed during the inspection which did not permit an overall judgement on the quality of teaching in either the infants or the juniors. Of the lessons seen, two were good and one was satisfactory. Pupils show a good level of interest in learning about religious faith and they take part enthusiastically in answering questions and in discussions. In a good Year 4 lesson, pupils reflected well on their recent visit to a local church and remembered several of the artefacts that they had seen and the purpose of them. Year 6 pupils were prepared

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Commentary

well for pilgrimages in a lesson about journeys by studying the different purposes for journeys.

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Commentary

91. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Some monitoring of lessons has taken place and the subject leader has examined work from across the school to check that local requirements are being fulfilled. Usefully she has developed a portfolio of samples of work, which reflect a good interpretation of the programmes of work. Visits to local Christian places of worship make a good contribution to pupils’ understanding of the Christian faith, though visits to other religious buildings are not arranged as much. Similarly few visitors from other faith communities visit the school except for Christianity. Currently too much of the work is done on worksheets which limit pupils’ own ways of presenting their work. Insufficient use is made of pupils’ own religious background and cultures in developing an understanding of how others live.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. One lesson was observed in art and design, three in design and technology, two in music and one in physical education. It is, therefore, not possible to judge the overall quality of provision or attainment in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. Standards have been maintained in art and design since the previous inspection, and some pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 achieve very well. Pupils have good opportunities to work with a variety of resources and their work is valued. Displays brighten many corridors and standards of display are generally good. Last year all pupils had the very exciting opportunity of having piece of work professionally framed for an exhibition. There are some good links with other subjects, for example the Year 2 history collages of Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. Pupils now have adequate experience of three-dimensional work, and the shortcoming identified during the last inspection has been tackled. Displays show that pupils gain a good introduction to the work of famous artists. Many produce good work in the style of, for example, Lowry, Hockney, Klimt and Matisse. Apart from some good work in Year 4 based on aboriginal art, there is little evidence of

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pupils being exposed to non-western influences. The co-ordinator has already identified this as an area for development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. The programme for activities in design and technology is clearly mapped out, but there was little evidence remaining in the school of previously made artefacts to judge their quality across the whole school. Of those available, Year 2 pupils’ working models of wells made from cardboard cylinders and egg carton buckets with a winding mechanism were of good quality. Year 6 wall hangings made for a child of a specific age were of an expected quality and had involved the use of various types of stitches. Earlier in the year, they had made motorised buggies with reverse switches and a chassis, but these could not be seen. Photographic evidence indicated that Year 5 pupils had individually designed model chairs with attention to shape and design of the back, whilst Year 4 pupils had previously made various torch designs.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. Three lessons were observed during the inspection, all of which were taught well. Two Year 4 lessons were seen in which pupils designed levers with fixed and moving pivots as a prelude to making a page of a book with a moving part. Pupils worked well on their different levers, cutting with care and concentrating well on task. Year 6 pupils worked cooperatively in pairs designing T shirts. Standards of design were similar to those usually seen in Year 6.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. There is every indication from a range of pupils’ work in music that standards are broadly average for Year 2 and above average in Year 6, as they were at the time of the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

97. The quality of singing is a strength of the school. All pupils sing enthusiastically and with obvious enjoyment. Pupils’ attitudes to music learning and their behaviour are good. They work Burnt Ash Primary School - 32 very well in small groups as they prepare compositions and then give performances. Pupils listen attentively to music and they demonstrate a growing confidence in working with rhythm.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. Strengths in teaching seen in the two lessons observed include positive pupil management and, from the subject leader, skilled musicianship and very good subject knowledge. Teaching assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly those with learning difficulties. Pupils are encouraged to cooperate with each other in their practical tasks and this makes a good contribution to the development of social skills. Pupils are making good progress throughout the school. The strong lead from the music coordinator has ensured that music development has high priority.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

99. The subject coordinator has a sound understanding of how music is most effectively taught and has successfully led colleagues to ensure listening and appraising, performing and composing are successfully integrated. Resources and accommodation are good and support subject development. There are weekly singing celebrations for both younger and older pupils, contributing to the good overall provision. Assemblies provide additional planned opportunities for pupils to listen to and appraise music.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

100. Standards reported at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. This subject makes a substantial contribution to pupils’ spiritual and social development allowing them to experience the excitement of working together and performing.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

101. Physical education is taught to all classes in the school and all aspects are covered including athletics and outdoor and adventurous activities. Pupils learn to swim in Years 4 and 6. The vast majority are able to swim 25 metres and are confident in water by the time they leave the school. The good Year 5 games lesson seen during the inspection was well organised and pupil management was very good. During the lesson, pupils were kept very active and experimented with various throwing and catching styles to improve their skills in games such as cricket and rounders. The residential school journey by pupils in Years 6 to the Isle of Wight gives them many opportunities to take part in outdoor activities in a safe environment as well as learning to live together in harmony away from home. There is a very good number of clubs for pupils to join. These include gymnastics, football, netball, athletics and hockey. Pupils thoroughly enjoy all the

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

sports they can sample. A great many represent the school in competitive matches against other local schools. The school enters every competition and tournament held in a wide range of sports and has enjoyed a good measure of success over the years. This year, as a result of their success, they are representing the Borough of Bromley in netball at the all London games to be held at Crystal Palace. The school holds two sports days each year that are well attended and enjoyed by parents and carers as well as the pupils taking part. The school has commendably received an Active Mark for their involvement in sport and physical fitness. This fully reflects their commitment to improving the health of all the school community through active involvement in sporting activities.

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PERSONAL,SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The programme of work is planned thoughtfully.

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Commentary

102. The well planned programme of activities includes education for citizenship and thoughtfully planned content for sex and relationships, education for drugs and healthy lifestyle that provides pupils with a good knowledge for their own safety and well-being. The school council is well organised and has made an important contribution to the life of the school through elections and pupil involvement on issues of concern, such as playground remodelling. Leadership of the area is good. Burnt Ash Primary School - 33 103. Assessment procedures are not yet well established. The coordinator is well aware of the actions needed to develop this area. Schemes of work in all subjects have been monitored and annotated to show the contribution to the development of citizenship. Circle time builds on the strong commitment to inclusion. Theme days are held once a year, reinforcing the focus on helping each other, characteristic of the school’s concern for the personal development of all pupils.

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Commentary

104. The school provides a range of activities, many of which reflect the requirements of citizenship such as collective worship and raising money for charities. Responsibility and jobs within the school are encouraged and developed. Pupils in Year 6 involve themselves in teaching playground games and those in Year 5 volunteer as play pals for those who are feeling lonely at playtime. Pupils demonstrate a high level of interest in extra curricular activities, which help them understand their responsibilities as members of a community. Burnt Ash Primary School - 34

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 6 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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