Monkton Park Primary School

MONKTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd - 24 th November 2004

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MONKTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 266607 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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MONKTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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MONKTON PARK 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. Monkton Park Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 211 School address: Sadler’s Mead Chippenham Wiltshire Postcode: SN15 3PN Telephone number: (01249) 652 395 Fax number: (01249) 445 200 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs V Hallam

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Monkton Park Primary School was built in 1967 to serve a private housing estate near Chippenham town centre. Recently there have been changes to the intake as an increasing number of pupils attend from a much wider range of socio-economic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language or are at an early stage of English language acquisition. Almost all pupils are from a white British background. Although the full range of ability is represented in the school’s intake, and the attainment of children entering the school varies from year to year, children’s attainment on entry to the school is in line with that found nationally. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs and those having statements of educational needs is below the national average. The school gained the Basic Skills Quality Mark and a

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

DfES Schools Achievement Award in 2002 and Sports Activemark and Healthy Schools award in 2004. Monkton Park Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

16405 Keith Sadler Lead inspector English Special educational needs Information and communication technology Music Physical education Personal, social and health education English as an additional language 12289 Susan Burgess Lay inspector 32258 Richard Chalkley Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Art and design Design and technology 12783 Martin Kerly Team inspector Mathematics Religious education Geography History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Tribal Education 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Monkton Park Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 13

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory and it provides satisfactory value for money . The headteacher, who is retiring at Christmas, has made a significant impact in her 21 years of headship at the school. She provides very strong pastoral leadership and ensures that the school operates as a most harmonious community and has a strong and inclusive ethos. However, there is a need to bring more rigour to the improvement process to enable the raising of standards. The quality of teaching is good. This helps the pupils to learn and achieve well in most subjects. Pupils thoroughly enjoy all that the school offers and their attitudes and behaviour are good.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The pupils have very good attitudes, their behaviour and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good. • Standards in mathematics in Years 3 to 6 are not high enough. • There is very good provision in the Foundation Stage. • Provision and standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not good enough. • There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Senior managers and subject leaders need to bring focus and rigour to the school improvement process. • Teaching and learning are good. • There is good enrichment of the curriculum, particularly for sport and games activities. • The school’s book stock is poor, particularly in the library.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has shown good improvement in the areas identified as weaknesses in the last inspection. However, standards have declined since then. There has been very good progress in developing consistent and manageable procedures to assess pupils. Teachers’ marking and feedback have improved very well and there has been regular monitoring of pupils’ standards and progress. However, this monitoring information has not been consistently used to determine future improvement projects. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the demands of the National Literacy Strategy have improved very considerably and are now a strength in the teaching of English.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English B D C E mathematics A B C E science B C D E 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. Monkton Park Primary School - 5 Pupils achieve well in lessons in most subjects. There is a wide range of attainment on entry, but overall, children’s attainment is average when they start school. Due to the very good provision, they progress well in the Reception Year, with most children attaining the expected goals in all areas of learning. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Whilst the table above shows that in comparison with similar schools, standards were well below average in the 2004 national tests, inspection findings are that standards are improving in most subjects. Currently, standards are above average in science and English in Year 6. In mathematics, standards are in line with the national expectation though too

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

few pupils are working at above average levels. In Years 3 to 6 pupils’ achievement is at least satisfactory in almost all subjects. In ICT pupils achieve well in all lessons, though their attainment is at the nationally expected level because there are some gaps in their knowledge and understanding, particularly in the use of databases.

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

are all very good and a strength of the school. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and they have very positive attitudes to their learning and other pupils. The school successfully places a strong emphasis on nurturing the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. Attendance is above the national average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Almost 90 per cent of lessons are good or better. Pupils learn well because teachers provide activities that are well planned and pitched at just the right level for most pupils. Teaching assistants provide particularly valuable support. Staff create an effective climate for learning in which all pupils, whatever their abilities, are helped to feel included. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The curriculum is of good quality and there is a good range of enrichment opportunities, including extra- curricular activities, visits and visitors. The provision for sporting activities is particularly good. The school is caring and the pupils are looked after well. The pupils’ education is aided by the very good links that the school has with parents. Links with the local

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

community and other schools and colleges are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has a strong educational vision, though there has been too little use made from the evaluation of the wide range of monitoring activities to bring about improvements, particularly in mathematics. Subject leadership is variable; some subjects, such as English and physical education (PE) are led well. But in others, there is a need to be more focused in raising standards, particularly in mathematics in the junior years. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are very committed to the school, have a growing understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and have a clear vision for the future. The school ensures that all pupils are included in both curricular and extra-curricular activities. Financial management is secure and the school runs smoothly. Statutory requirements are fully met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school and have positive views. In particular, they say that their children love attending the school and they make good progress. They also think Monkton Park Primary School - 6 that the teaching is good. Pupils are proud of their school, enjoy learning and they feel secure and happy.

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

• Raise standards in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. • Strengthen the provision and ensure full coverage of National Curriculum requirements to raise standards in ICT; make greater use of ICT across the curriculum as a whole. • Senior managers and subject leaders need to bring focus and rigour to the school improvement process. • Strengthen the school’s book stock particularly, though not exclusively, in the library. Monkton Park Primary School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards have dropped for 11 year olds in the past two years to unacceptably low levels. However, there are signs of improvement. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In the national tests for 11 year olds, standards are too low in comparison with similar schools, though there are signs of improvement. • Pupils achieve very well and make very good progress in the Foundation Stage. • Pupils achieve well in lessons, though achievement is unsatisfactory in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. • Standards in ICT are in line with expectations, but there are gaps in the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans.

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Commentary

1. In the past two years, there has been a dip in the school’s results in national tests for both 7 and 11 year olds. Previously, pupils had attained standards that were generally above the national average but for the past two years, particularly in tests for 11 year olds, standards have been in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, results are well below the national average in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

2. There have been considerable changes in the make-up of pupils, particularly in Years 3 to 6, with double the average proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school at times other than the normal entry point. In fact, double the national average of pupils have moved in or out of the school compared to the national average in both Year 5 and 6. Only one third of the pupils that took the tests for 11 year olds in 2004 were at the school in Year 1.

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Commentary

3. Inspection findings are that standards are improving, particularly in science and English. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average in science and are in line with the national expectation in mathematics. Standards in English are above the national expectation in speaking and listening and reading, and in line with expectations in writing. Pupils’ achievement is very good in the Foundation Stage. Achievement is generally satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6. Achievement is good in religious education in Years 1 and 2 and is good in English, science and physical education throughout the school. It is unsatisfactory in mathematics. In ICT, the pupils’ achievement is good in lessons seen, though overall standards are no more than satisfactory because there are areas of the curriculum in which the pupils’ knowledge and understanding is limited. The school has placed a

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Commentary

good emphasis on improving standards in writing. This is having a positive impact Monkton Park Primary School - 8 and pupils are currently working at above nationally expected levels by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

4. Although the full range of ability is represented on entry to school, children begin Reception with broadly average overall skills, though this varies from year to year. They make very good progress in their learning as a result of the very good provision, particularly the quality of teaching and learning, and most are in line to achieve the early learning goals before the end of the school year, with a significant minority exceeding them.

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Commentary

5. In the National Curriculum tests, results at Year 2 and Year 6 show that boys and girls attain broadly similar standards, and inspection findings confirm this. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans and they achieve well. This is because the provision for these pupils is very good. The learning assistants make a good contribution to their achievement when providing in-class support and also when taking small withdrawal groups in mathematics and English.

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Commentary

6. Although the National Curriculum tests show disappointing results for the past two years, there are signs of improvement. This is because the school has focused well on strengthening provision in English, with a particular emphasis on writing. Currently, pupils are attaining above average standards in physical education and there are indications that standards in all other subjects are at least in line with national expectations.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 15.8 (17.3) 15.8 (15.7) writing 15.0 (15.6) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.5 (17.6) 16.3 (16.3) There were 34 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 Standards in: School results National results English 26.8 (26.2) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 26.8 (27.9) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.2 (28.7) 28.6 (28.6) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Provision for personal development is also very good. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

• Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and to school in general. Monkton Park Primary School - 9 • The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Attendance levels are good although there is no system for first-day checking of unexplained absence.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

7. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. All the parents who responded to the pre- inspection questionnaire said that their children liked coming to school. This was confirmed during the inspection in interviews with pupils and by their answers to the school’s own questionnaire. Pupils are very interested in their work and sustain their concentration during lessons. They clearly enjoy the various clubs and activities on offer and willingly undertake responsibilities such as acting as school council representatives, buddies and monitors. Pupils are polite and confident with adults and are keen to talk about their work and to give their views on the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

8. Behaviour in class, in assemblies, at lunchtime and around the school is very good. Pupils generally get on well together; occasional disagreements are resolved as quickly as possible. Although there were a few racist comments recorded last year, the school has good procedures for ensuring that the pupils concerned are made aware that these are unacceptable and that there is to be no repetition. Teachers and support staff work well as a team to provide good role models and bring out the best in pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils themselves are generally very good. All adults consistently expect pupils to respect a clear code of conduct and each class devises their own rules at the start of the school year. As a result, pupils have a clear idea of right and wrong and of how they are expected to behave. There was one fixed-term exclusion last year of a pupil who has since left

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

White – British 191 1 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

9. Attendance and punctuality are good although holidays in term time account for a relatively high proportion of absence. The school promotes satisfactorily the importance of regular attendance. However, monitoring arrangements do not include a system for following up any unexplained absences on the first day of non- attendance. Monkton Park Primary School - 10 10. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good. It is good for their spiritual and cultural development. Through aspects of religious education, ‘circle time’ discussions, assemblies and, to a lesser extent, of personal and social education, pupils are encouraged to reflect on different ideas, faiths and principles. They celebrate the efforts and achievements of others and learn to put forward their own ideas with confidence. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong, honesty and fairness and they are encouraged to consider the consequences of their actions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils consider others less fortunate than themselves and actively support a range of charities such as Blue Peter appeals, Send a Cow and UNICEF. Awareness of their own and other cultures is enhanced effectively by news of the Monkton Mole’s travels, by educational trips and by visitors to the school. These include a dance group during Africa Week, a story teller of Greek myths and a local MP explaining his parliamentary role.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance in 2003-2004 (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.4 School data 0.3 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The curriculum is good and has good enrichment opportunities. The provision for the care, guidance and support of pupils is good. Partnership with parents is very good and links with the community and other schools are good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is very good in the Foundation Stage and it is good in other year groups. Teachers make good use of assessments in lessons.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning was good or better in over 90 per cent of lessons seen. • Learning support staff provide very good assistance both to individual pupils and when working with small groups. • Teachers create a good ethos for learning in which pupils feel secure and, as a result, they enjoy lessons and learn well. • Lessons are well planned and pitched at the right level to challenge pupils. • Marking of work is good.

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Commentary

11. The quality of teaching and learning is very good in the Reception Year and it is good in Years 1 to 6. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection where the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Almost 90 per cent of lessons seen were good or better with almost 30 per cent being very good or Monkton Park Primary School - 11 better. There was one unsatisfactory lesson. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good across all year groups.

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Commentary

12. In the Foundation Stage, both the teacher and the assistant give very good attention to developing the children’s personal and social skills, whatever the focus. Planning is very good and practitioners have high expectations of the children’s behaviour. They make activities exciting and interesting and they support the children very well.

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Commentary

13. Teaching in the rest of the school is good. There are a number of strengths in the teaching. Lessons are invariably well planned and teachers ensure generally that the work is pitched at the right level to provide a challenge for all pupils. However, there were a few instances when this was not the case in mathematics and this led to a drop in the pace of learning. Teachers give good encouragement to the pupils. They listen carefully to what they have to say, value their contributions and make good use of their responses to help others understand the concepts being taught. This is particularly the case in the plenary sessions that are held at the end of most lessons. Here, staff invariably re-visit the lesson objectives to check that the intended lesson outcomes, called “success criteria” by the school, are met. Teachers question pupils well to check their understanding. This also helps to ensure that future lessons are

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Commentary

amended in light of the pupils’ responses. A further good feature of the teaching is the very good and positive relationships that all the teachers have with their pupils. The teachers know the pupils well and have good interpersonal skills. As a result, a good ethos for learning is created in which the pupils feel secure. They thoroughly enjoy their lessons, have positive attitudes to learning and collaborate very well together.

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Commentary

14. There was a weakness identified in the marking of pupils’ work at the time of the last inspection. This is now very good. Teachers take care to ensure that their comments help pupils to understand what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

15. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. A particular strength lies in the role of the learning support staff. They provide very good assistance to pupils when working in the classrooms with individuals or small groups and also when pupils are withdrawn for additional support in mathematics and English. Additionally, these pupils’ individual education plans are of good quality.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 36 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 9 (25%) 22 (61%) 3 (8%) 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is good overall. Opportunities for enrichment are good as is the accommodation. Resources for learning are satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Monkton Park Primary School - 12 • The breadth of curricular opportunities in the Foundation Stage is very good. • A wide range of activities, visits and visitors successfully enriches the curriculum for all pupils. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The accommodation is good and well presented though there is a need to extend the outdoor area in the Reception class. • There is no whole school curriculum map informing or demonstrating the coherence of all the learning experiences. • The quality and range of fiction and non-fiction books is poor and needs addressing urgently.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum successfully meets all statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. In the Foundation Stage, the curricular experiences for children under five is very good with stimulating experiences set up in all six areas of learning and planning takes full account of the children’s starting points and the early learning goals expected of five year olds. The good curricular opportunities in the infant and junior years are supported by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies which are now fully established. Additionally, the recently revised schemes of work for each subject have been carefully adapted to ensure that full account is taken of the mixed age classes. This helps to ensure progression without repetition as the pupils move through the school.

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Commentary

17. As reported at the time of the last inspection, the curriculum is particularly enriched by the wide range of visits, including residential visits in Years 4 and 6, the use of the local environment, participation in sporting and artistic events locally and nationally and whole school theme weeks, for example, the Africa week last year, and the visual arts week planned for next term. A further indicator of the good curriculum is the recent gaining of the Active Sports Mark and the Healthy Schools Award, each in recognition of good quality elements within the curriculum. There are good examples of cross-curricular links, which help the pupils to practise skills in context and to see the links between areas of learning. Examples of these include the use of ICT in research and presentation of work in geography and history, the links between history and design and technology in studying and building Anderson shelters, and the use of

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Commentary

mathematics in measuring and recording river profiles and water flow in geographical studies of the river Avon. There is a good range of after school activities and a high proportion of pupils in all year groups take part in these. There is a particularly good, and growing, range of sports activities.

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Commentary

18. Despite the many strengths in the curriculum there is no whole school curriculum plan or map demonstrating how the various elements are drawn together into a coherent experience for all pupils. In the absence of such a plan, the weekly class timetables vary considerably in style of presentation, terminology used and in the time allocations apparently given to each subject.

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Commentary

19. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school is inclusive and ensures that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are given additional support, particularly in English and mathematics. Many of the small group activities are operated by teaching assistants Monkton Park Primary School - 13 withdrawing pupils from lessons. This has the potential to stop some pupils having access to the whole range of classroom curriculum opportunities, though the school is mindful of this.

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Commentary

20. Provision for PSHE is good and addresses sex education and drug and alcohol abuse. The school council successfully supports pupils’ understanding and awareness of citizenship and the importance given to it demonstrates the school’s commitment to valuing and listening to the views of all the pupils.

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Commentary

21. Since the last inspection, when the accommodation was barely adequate, it has been significantly improved, most notably with the creation of a new, well-equipped ICT suite, library area and extended staffroom, and is now good overall. There are good outdoor facilities apart from those designated for the Foundation Stage, where an absence of a covered area limits the scope of outside curricular provision. There are sufficient teachers and support staff with a good balance of experience and subject knowledge. Resources for teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and the school makes extensive use of the LEA library and museum service to supplement books and artefacts. However, the range and quality of books available in the library and in classrooms are poor. The school is aware of the urgent need to address this weakness.

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes good provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. It offers good pastoral support, advice and guidance. Pupils’ views are taken into account very well and their ideas valued.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ views are listened to and acted upon very well. • There are well-established systems of support, advice and guidance. • There is an attractive and secure learning environment in which pupils feel safe and confident.

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Commentary

22. Health, safety and security are given a high priority by the school. A good level of supervision throughout the day ensures that pupils are well looked after. The attractive and interesting grounds are kept tidy and litter free and pupils clearly enjoy their break times outside, especially at lunchtime when a good range of activities is available.

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Commentary

23. Appropriate child protection arrangements are in place, with on-going staff training organised. Pupils are confident that they would know who to go to with a problem or concern. If necessary, parents are invited to work with the school to resolve issues that may be affecting their child’s learning, self-esteem or confidence.

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Commentary

24. Staff know their pupils well and relationships are very good. The achievements, personal development and special qualities of pupils are regularly celebrated, with good work, behaviour or attitudes to others being rewarded both in classes and at Monkton Park Primary School - 14 whole-school assemblies. House points earned contribute each half-term towards the winning house enjoying a special “Golden Playtime”. In addition, class teachers may organise their own reward systems, such as marbles in a jar or table points, which all help to promote pupils’ self-confidence and sense of achievement.

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Commentary

25. Induction procedures are well managed. Children have the opportunity to become familiar with Reception staff and routines before they start school. Playpacks help them to make the transition more easily and many already attend the Riverside Pre- school in Monkton Park’s grounds. Staff may help older pupils joining the school to settle in by organising friendship groups, with advice from the Behaviour Support Service, if necessary.

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Commentary

26. Pupils are very well involved in school life. The well-established school council gives pupils very regular opportunities to express their views and to respect other people’s opinions. Several ideas arising from the meetings have been acted upon, such as a tuck shop with healthy snacks, new playtime equipment, a buddy bench for Key Stage 1 pupils and a friendship bench for Key Stage 2. Council members are actively involved in decision-making processes by canvassing opinion from their classes and by reporting back on decisions reached. During the inspection, council representatives also described how they had shown prospective headteachers round the school. They had enjoyed the opportunity to ask the candidates questions and then being asked to contribute their views.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

• Parents’ support of the work of the school is very good. • There is a strong partnership between home and school, which makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. • There are good links with the local community, which broaden pupils’ experiences.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

27. The positive views of the great majority of parents reflect a high level of satisfaction with the work of the school. Almost all parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire were confident that teaching was good and that their children were making good progress. Significantly fewer felt that their views were asked for or that they were well informed about progress. However, those at the pre-inspection meeting said they found the parent/teacher interviews helpful and they liked the fact that pupils in Years 3 to 6 also attend the meetings.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

28. Inspectors support parents’ positive views and find that, in fact, the school has good arrangements for canvassing opinion and for reporting progress. Annual reports indicate clearly pupils’ attainment and progress with targets for improvement and contain comments on personal development. Many parents take the opportunity to Monkton Park Primary School - 15 add their comments to the report and 95 per cent attend the termly consultation evenings with teachers. The six monthly parents' forum also provides an effective opportunity to voice opinions. Much informal information is exchanged at the beginning of the day when many parents, especially in Key Stage 1, accompany their child to the classroom door and the school is buzzing with conversation.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

29. The very active Friends Association organises a range of social and fund-raising events throughout the year, which are well supported by parents and friends of the school. An impressive £32,000 was donated to the school over the past two years, mainly for the new ICT suite. Several parents, governors and other volunteers regularly run clubs, or help in school and on trips.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

30. Links with the community and with other schools are good. Preparation for the next stage of pupils’ education starts in Year 5 and there are efficient arrangements in place to ensure a smooth transfer from Year 6 to Year 7. Several visitors contribute to the curriculum each term. Representatives from local churches regularly take assembly and Year 6 recently conducted an e-mail interview with the vicar of the parish church. Monkton Park has a high profile in the local community and makes good use of its location so near the amenities of the town. The school enjoys the benefits of being part of a town cluster of ten schools and pupils participate in numerous sporting, musical and cultural events, including the North Wiltshire Festival and the Chippenham Festival. Two residential trips, in Years 4 and 6, and the other links with the wider world help to broaden pupils’ experience of life.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Governance is satisfactory and is becoming more involved in the strategic planning for the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The headteacher and senior managers have established satisfactory systems monitoring the school’s provision, but there is too little use made of the information to bring about improvement. • Subject co-ordinators are committed to raising standards. • Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good but the leadership and management of science are unsatisfactory. • Governors are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are developing the ways in which they can manage the improvement process.

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Commentary

31. The headteacher leads the school satisfactorily. The positive ethos that she promotes ensures that pupils feel well supported and enjoy their learning. The headteacher and senior management team are committed to including and supporting pupils of all abilities and backgrounds into the school. Together, they have established systems and procedures that enable pupils of all ages and ability to benefit from the provision the school offers. The headteacher and other key staff have implemented good systems for assessment, which provide a wide range of pupils’ performance data. Key staff support the headteacher satisfactorily but need to be more focused upon the use Monkton Park Primary School - 16 of monitoring information to raise standards. Similarly, the headteacher does not check the impact of the leadership team’s actions closely enough. Subject coordinators monitor pupils’ progress through sampling their work but do not have

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Commentary

enough opportunities to observe the quality of teaching in their subjects. Arrangements for leadership and management in science are unsatisfactory because the co-ordinator is a part-time teacher and is therefore unable to monitor teaching and learning effectively.

p.18

Commentary

32. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and provide a very good model for the rest of the school. The leader is very knowledgeable and has implemented very good systems for the induction, assessment and monitoring of the children’s progress. She uses performance data very well to plan lessons in detail, which ensures that each child achieves very well because their individual needs are very well met.

p.18

Commentary

33. Overall, the management of the school is satisfactory. Performance data, from national and optional tests are used to set targets for all pupils in English, mathematics and science. The leadership team does not monitor individual pupils’ progress in enough detail to ensure that they take appropriate action to ensure that pupils meet their expected targets. The school’s provision for those with special educational needs is well managed by the co-ordinator. Such pupils are identified at an early stage and their progress is carefully monitored. The quality of arrangements for teachers’ performance management is satisfactory and staff new to the school receive the advice and support they need.

p.18

Commentary

34. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are developing their role as ‘critical friends’ of the headteacher and her senior staff. They have completed a self-evaluation activity in order to identify their future training needs. They are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school because they visit classrooms regularly and use the School Improvement Plan to monitor the school’s progress towards achievement of its priorities. Governors are thorough in ensuring that they fulfil their statutory duties and have a well-established programme for the review of school policies. Satisfactorily financial management helps the school to achieve its educational priorities. Governors receive regular monitoring reports on the school’s budget. Additional funds are used appropriately to support educational priorities. The principles of ‘best value’ are applied satisfactorily, for example, in building improvements and purchase of

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Total income 682,673 Total expenditure 669,894 Expenditure per pupil 2,964 Balances (£) Balance from previous year 54,509 Balance carried forward to the next year 12,779 Monkton Park Primary School - 17

p.18

SUBJECTS

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

p.19

SUBJECTS

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good .

p.19

SUBJECTS

Children enter the Reception class at the beginning of the school year in which they become five. Autumn born children attend on a full-time basis whilst others are part-time until the beginning of the spring term. Their attainment on entry is average. It was only possible to make overall judgements about provision in personal, social and emotional development and children’s development in communication, language and literacy and mathematics . In all these areas children achieve very well. There are indications that achievement is also very good in the other three areas of learning; i.e. children’s knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development . Almost all the children are on course to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year with a minority of children exceeding them. They are on course to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Reception class. This is due to

p.19

SUBJECTS

the very good quality teaching and learning. About a third of the class are working within the early stages of the National Curriculum by the end of their first term. The support provided for children with special educational needs is very good. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and result in very good and sometimes excellent teaching.

p.19

SUBJECTS

Whilst the accommodation in the classroom is of good quality and resources are good, there is a weakness. The outdoor area is very cramped and, in addition, no shade or cover is available and this limits opportunities for outdoor learning in all areas of the curriculum. This is because the area, which is almost south facing, becomes too hot in the summer and also cannot be used when it is wet.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children have very positive relationships and care for each other. • Children’s contributions to discussions are highly valued and used to develop their self-esteem and confidence. • Both the teacher and the teaching assistant have very high expectations of the children’s behaviour, which helps children to know right from wrong and show respect for each other. • Very good opportunities are provided for children to use their initiative and develop their independence.

p.19

Commentary

35. Children achieve very well in this area and almost all reach the goals that are expected of them by the end of their year in the Reception class. This is because of Monkton Park Primary School - 18 the teaching, which is consistently very good and sometimes excellent, and the very good support given by the teaching assistant.

p.19

Commentary

36. The teacher has very clear and high expectations so that children are confident and eager to offer suggestions and answers. She is very skilful at responding positively to children’s answers, whether they are right or wrong and uses them, along with lots of praise, encouragement and rewards, to develop their self-esteem. This very caring environment helps children to learn to help and care for each other very well.

p.20

Commentary

37. In one excellent lesson at the start of the day the teacher had arranged a wide range of activities for the children which included the computer, role play, a number table, water play, reading or literacy. She greeted them warmly as they entered the classroom and reminded them of the need to register their attendance. The children independently, and without fuss, greeted each other very politely as they chose one of the activities. During the formal part of the session the teacher made very good use of the early morning classroom jobs to help children learn about being responsible and taking turns. It was a highly effective start to the day which established a very good atmosphere for what was to follow.

p.20

Commentary

PROVISION IN COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY IS VERY GOOD .

p.20

Commentary

• Children of all abilities are very well challenged and they achieve very well. • Adults are very good role models and this supports their learning very well. • Activities are frequently linked to storybooks which develop the children’s interest in reading and develop their overall skills in talking, listening and writing and general knowledge of authors.

p.20

Commentary

38. Teaching is very good and, as a result, children achieve very well and a significant minority attain standards that are above expectations. Almost all children are on course to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Reception class. About one third attain this standard by the end of the first term and are challenged very well as they work within the early stages of the National Curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

39. An appropriate emphasis on the development of communication skills supports children’s speaking and listening skills. The teacher provides a very good role model in the way children talk and listen to adults and to each other. For example, the teacher listens very carefully to what children say and is very successful in expecting the rest of the class to do the same. The teacher is very well supported by her assistant in developing these skills. Overall, children have a very consistent role model, which helps them to achieve very well. Monkton Park Primary School - 19 40. The book used during the inspection was Peace at Last which provided a wide range of very good learning opportunities. The teacher reads stories with very good expression, which not only ensures very good concentration of all children, but also encourages them to ‘read along’ with her. As a result of a very good range of activities, the children of all abilities are able to re-tell the story in ways appropriate to

p.20

Commentary

their stages of development. For example, some are able to write simple sentences whilst others ‘role play’ the retelling of the story in the ‘home corner,’ which is well equipped with appropriate resources. Overall, the teacher provides very good opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills through very carefully planned activities that meet the needs of all children.

p.21

Commentary

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good and is very well supported by the assistant. • The teacher has very high expectations of what the children can achieve. • The teacher ensures that learning is fun so that children enjoy the tasks, concentrate very well and make very good gains in their learning. • Very good opportunities are provided to develop the children’s understanding of number.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

41. Children achieve very well and a high proportion are in line to achieve the goals that are expected of them in this area of learning, and about one third of them are on course to achieve the goals well before the end of the school year.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

42. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and, as a result, children of all levels of ability achieve very well. The teacher plans a wide range of appropriate tasks to develop their knowledge and understanding and learning proceeds at a very good and appropriate pace. For example, in one very good lesson, the teacher challenged the more able children to develop their knowledge of number beyond 15 by asking them to complete missing numbers up to 20, whilst developing lower ability children’s knowledge and understanding of numbers up to 6 through very good use of number games. In this lesson, the teaching assistant provided very good support for children of the lower ability range.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

43. Children enjoy mathematics because lessons are fun. The teacher uses a range of very good strategies that ensures children are rewarded for their contributions and feel confident when responding to her challenging questions. In one lesson, the teacher pretended to be too old to remember the purpose of the lesson and the children took great delight in reminding her of what they were expected to learn, which resulted in very good consolidation of the main learning points of the lesson. Monkton Park Primary School - 20 44. At the start of the day children are asked a series of questions about the date, number of children present and how many require hot meals or sandwiches. This is as a result of very detailed planning and very good routines that are designed to take every opportunity to develop children’s understanding of number.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

45. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT ABOUT PROVISION FOR THE CHILDREN’S KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD , THEIR CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

46. In the area of knowledge and understanding of the world , the work on display and the one lesson observed indicate that the quality of teaching and learning is very good, children achieve very well and that standards are above expectations. All children are provided with very good opportunities to use a computer and demonstrate standards of attainment that are well above average in this area.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

47. Whilst no lessons were seen, there are strong indications that the children’s physical development is very well catered for. The teacher’s planning indicates that a wide range of good quality activities is available to secure the children’s physical development. This includes lessons in the hall, in the outside area and also as part of other lessons, particularly in the development of small muscle control in using tools and implements. However, the designated outside area is cramped and limits opportunities for outdoor activity, particularly the use of large wheeled toys.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision for the children’s creative development but the limited amount of work seen indicates that standards are above expectations. Teacher’s planning and work on display indicate that a wide range of activities is made available to the children. This includes singing and experimentation with colours, shapes and role-play activities. For example, during a mathematics lesson, children were in the role play area that had been designed as a shop so that they could develop their knowledge and understanding of number. Monkton Park Primary School - 21

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy lessons and they achieve well. • The quality of teaching and learning was at least good in all lessons seen. • The stock of books throughout the school is poor. • There are signs that standards are improving to above average levels in both reading and writing.

p.23

Commentary

49. Results in the National Curriculum tests for 2004 show that pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6 attain standards that are generally in line with the national average when compared to all schools nationally and well below average in comparison with similar schools. Achievement is now good for all pupils including those identified as having special educational needs. This is because of the very good emphasis that the school has placed on improving standards in both reading and writing. There are indications that this school-wide priority is impacting in lessons. Already, pupils in Year 2 are performing at the expected levels in reading at this early stage of the school year. Pupils in Year 6 are attaining standards that are above the national expectation in speaking and listening and reading. Standards in writing are in line with the national average.

p.23

Commentary

50. The teaching and learning of English is good. The quality of teaching was good or better in all the lessons seen. Teachers plan their lessons very well and invariably ensure that the work set meets the varying needs of the pupils. At the time of the last inspection, there was a weakness in the teachers’ knowledge and understanding of aspects of the National Literacy Strategy. This weakness has been removed and teachers are now very familiar with the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy and they have made good amendments to meet the needs of their class. In addition, their subject knowledge is good. This results in sharply focused lessons where the pace of learning is brisk and because the teachers provide good challenges in the tasks that they set, the pupils respond well and make good progress. One particular strength lies in the support that teaching assistants provide. They are always well

p.23

Commentary

briefed by teachers and they make a strong contribution to the pupils’ achievement by supporting pupils well in discussions in classes. In addition, they make a good contribution for pupils with special educational needs in withdrawal groups. Their work is a key factor in the good achievement of these pupils.

p.23

Commentary

51. Reading skills are taught systematically. Whilst overall English test results for Year 6 pupils are average, standards in reading are above average in national tests. Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading and they are keen to discuss their favourite books and authors. Throughout the school, the most able readers are particularly skilled. They read fluently and accurately with good expression. The oldest pupils talk about the Monkton Park Primary School - 22 plot, their favourite characters and they can provide lucid information about the author and make comparisons between different authors and also the characters.

p.23

Commentary

52. There are also indications that standards in writing are improving to above average levels. Year 2 pupils, when learning about non-fiction writing, were able to identify features of good invitations when writing invitations for other children to attend a teddy bear’s party. They explained why the different elements of the invitations were needed. They produced good quality invitations and attained standards that are in line with those expected at the end of the school year. By Year 6, writing is imaginative with sentences that are well structured to extend ideas. For example, during the inspection week, pupils were writing a poem based on personal experience. The target was to use powerful language and figurative speech. Pupils commenced with a shared writing session in which pupils showed a very good understanding of simile, metaphor and alliteration and they made positive amendments to the “starter” poem to make the language more lively and interesting.

p.24

Commentary

Their own poems, written using a word processing program, were of high quality and almost all pupils attained above average standards.

p.24

Commentary

53. Whilst the school has a very good range of reading materials to support pupils’ learning as part of the National Literacy Strategy, the overall book stock in the school is very poor. Currently, the library has been denuded by a “cull” of old and poor quality books. Whilst this is helpful, it has left the school with far too little material. There is no fiction in the school library, and stocks in classrooms are also very thin. There is also too little reference material in the library, and although the school makes very good use of the County Library for collections of books for project work, there are too few information books to meet the pupils’ general needs.

p.24

Commentary

54. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The two co-ordinators, one for Years 1 and 2 and the other for Years 3 to 6, have worked very hard in their analysis of assessments to ensure that future work pinpoints particular weaknesses. As a result, useful targets are set and good strategies, such as the focused planning, are used to bring about improvements and there are indications that this is impacting positively on standards. In addition, the co-ordinators have good plans for improving further standards in writing.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. There are good examples of extending writing in other subjects. For example, Year 3 pupils have been writing about life in Chippenham for children who were evacuated from London during the war. Older pupils have written good evaluations of design and technology work. However, at present this work is not systematically planned.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In the national tests for 11 year olds, standards have declined in the last two years, and the achievement of some pupils is unsatisfactory by the end of Year 6. Monkton Park Primary School - 23 • Assessment strategies are good and frequently used well. • Pupils have positive attitudes to mathematics and respond well in lessons, which are challenging. • In some lessons work is not matched closely enough to pupils’ varying abilities. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and make good progress. • There is insufficient use of ICT to support teaching and learning in the subject. • The effective subject leadership in Key Stage 1 is not maintained throughout Key Stage 2.

p.24

Commentary

56. Pupils in the current Year 2 class are attaining standards in line with the national average. Whilst almost all are achieving nationally expected standards, relatively few are exceeding the national expectations. In last year’s national tests for Year 2 pupils, results were in line with the national average when compared with all schools but below, when compared with similar schools. Pupils in Year 6 are also currently attaining average standards, but too few are exceeding them. In last year’s national tests for Year 6 standards were in line with the national average when compared with all schools but well below the standards attained by pupils in similar schools. Not enough progress was made by many of these pupils during their junior years. This under-achievement will continue, especially by the more able pupils, unless the targets set by the school for the summer of 2005 are substantially exceeded. The

p.25

Commentary

relatively small number of pupils with special educational needs are achieving well as a result of good support both within the classroom and when they are withdrawn for specific help.

p.25

Commentary

57. At the time of the inspection most classes were focusing on the number system and methods of calculation. In these areas, pupils in Year 2 were being helped to recognise the inverse principle of addition and subtraction and were becoming secure in number bonds to 20. Pupils in Year 6 were gaining confidence in using a standard method for calculating long multiplication; others were beginning to understand the principles of measuring angles. Evidence from the previous year’s work shows that the pupils cover the full range of mathematics concepts including measurement, problem solving, shape and the use of data. However, the school is aware that insufficient use is made of information and communication technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics, despite the potential offered by the recently established ICT suite.

p.25

Commentary

58. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In some of the lessons learning was good, especially where the teacher had high expectations of all the pupils, a good subject knowledge and had carefully matched the tasks to the abilities of different groups. An example of this was in a Year 4 lesson where pupils were responding well to the challenge of learning how to use a standard written method to multiply two digit numbers together. Some teachers are using good strategies to implement the principles of the National Numeracy Strategy, by varying the teaching and learning styles during the course of a lesson, with brisk introductory oral and mental sessions to practise previous skills and develop rapid recall of number facts. For example, in a Year 1 lesson, pupils were totally engaged in mental calculations and recorded them on mini whiteboards to share with the teacher who was able to assess each pupil’s

p.25

Commentary

level of understanding. However, in some lessons the work is not matched closely Monkton Park Primary School - 24 enough to the abilities of different groups. All the pupils are given the same mental calculations during the introductory warm up session and during the review at the end of the lesson the more able pupils are seldom challenged. This lack of differentiation is also apparent in the pupils’ workbooks in some classes, particularly in more able pupils’ work. There are good whole-school systems for assessing and recording pupils’ progress in lessons, at the end of units of work and at the end of each year. All the pupils have specific targets, and their recorded work is marked carefully and in detail by the teachers. There is very little mathematics work by pupils displayed in classrooms and the subject has a relatively low profile around the school, given the extensive time given to it.

p.25

Commentary

59. Overall leadership is satisfactory. It is good in the infant years where the subject leader is able to demonstrate a good understanding of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, it is less effective in the junior years. The two subject leaders implement a number of good strategies including systematic monitoring of teaching, careful collation of performance data and analysis of pupils’ performance. They have a detailed action plan designed to address the disappointing standards.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. The National Numeracy Strategy principles have been adopted and are largely embedded in the practice across the school. Pupils’ understanding of mathematics supports their learning in other subjects, for example, in geography they make accurate scale drawings in Year 6 to produce cross-sections of the River Avon, and they show an understanding of a time line in history in Year 4. There are insufficient links between ICT and mathematics.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Increased emphasis upon investigational work is helping to raise standards. • Teaching is good overall. • The curriculum is broad and balanced and well planned. • Leadership and management are unsatisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

61. Year 6 national test results for the last two years have been broadly average in comparison with all schools nationally, though well below average in comparison with similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that the increased emphasis on practical work is having a positive impact on standards so that currently, they are above average in Year 6. Pupils’ Monkton Park Primary School - 25 achievement is good by the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as others in the class.

p.26

Commentary

62. Pupils in Year 2 have a good understanding of senses, how the human body works and healthy lifestyles. They are able to make lists, label their diagrams and write extended paragraphs about what they have learnt. Their work is well presented. However, an analysis of their books and discussion with Year 2 pupils indicated that there has been an insufficient emphasis on investigational work at this stage.

p.27

Commentary

63. Pupils make good progress in their learning in Years 3 to 6. They present their work well and use scientific terms accurately as they explain what they have learned. Their learning and achievement are enhanced because teachers place a good emphasis on investigative and practical work. This helps to motivate and engage pupils. They record the results of their investigations well, writing in their own words and producing good quality illustrative diagrams. As a result of good teaching, pupils are expected to include their predictions and conclusions in all their reports. This target is achieved well.

p.27

Commentary

64. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in Year 2 and good overall by the end of Year 6. In most lessons in years 3 to 6, teachers set challenging tasks, lead lessons at a good pace and provide good opportunities for practical work. This helps to ensure pupils’ enthusiasm and good concentration. One lesson was unsatisfactory because the teacher did not use her lesson plan effectively and spent too much time talking and explaining so that too little time was left for pupils to carry out their investigations in sufficient depth. Overall, however, the quality of teaching and learning is having a positive impact on the improvement in standards.

p.27

Commentary

65. The curriculum covers the full National Curriculum and is carefully planned over a two-year programme to ensure that all pupils have full access to it as they progress through the school. Teachers assess pupils’ work at the end of each unit of study and these assessments are used effectively to identify the specific needs of individuals.

p.27

Commentary

66. There have been four coordinators for science since the previous inspection. The previous co- ordinator was a part-time teacher for one year and her successor, very recently appointed, is also a part-time member of staff. The co-ordinator has already identified a good range of actions needed to improve standards and the quality of teaching and learning. However, given the limited number of days that the co-ordinator is employed at the school, insufficient time is available for her to implement the improvements.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although pupils achieve well in lessons and attain standards that are above national expectations, standards overall are in line with the national expectation. • The curriculum meets statutory requirements, though there are parts that do not receive sufficient emphasis which leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Monkton Park Primary School - 26 • Work in ICT is planned very well to integrate with other subjects of the curriculum in lessons in the ICT suite, though too little emphasis is provided on its use as part of classroom based lessons.

p.27

Commentary

67. Standards in lessons seen during the inspection were consistently above the national average. Pupils thoroughly enjoy lessons and they learn and achieve well. Pupils develop ICT skills well in lessons in the new ICT suite. This is helped because the teachers invariably ensure that the work relates directly to other subjects. For example in a good Y1 lesson, the class, in following the theme of bears, were producing a page to be published in Barnaby Bear’s Holiday Brochure. This good context made relevant the activity of inserting clip art into their writing. The pupils were able to make captions such as “the kangaroo will put you in her pouch” and “look how cute the koala is.” In another good Year 2 lesson, the pupils were writing instructions for preparing a teddy bear’s picnic. This helped to make the work exciting and interesting for the pupils. They were using Word and were able to

p.28

Commentary

change fonts, centre and embolden text, save and retrieve their work. All the pupils focused well throughout the lesson and achieved well. This was also helped by the fact that all the pupils could work with a machine individually.

p.28

Commentary

68. However, there is a weakness. Although the statutory curriculum is in place and there are good plans to ensure that the whole curriculum is covered, this is a relatively recent innovation. As a result, there are some gaps in some Year 6 pupils’ knowledge because they have not yet learned about some aspects of the curriculum. They have limited knowledge and understanding of the use of databases. As a result, although standards are above average in the work that they have covered, standards overall are barely average. The school is aware of this issue and the co-ordinator has a useful action plan to address the issue.

p.28

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching and learning was good in all lessons seen. Teachers plan lessons well, they are clear about what is to be learned and they make sure that the pupils understand the purpose of the lesson and how it builds on previous learning. In all lessons seen there was a review of objectives at the end of the lesson. In a Year 6 lesson linked to geography, the teacher provided very good support to pupils and constantly reminded them what they were learning.

p.28

Commentary

70. There has been a considerable improvement in ICT resources since the last inspection. The new ICT suite provides an excellent resource base for teaching and learning, and it is enhanced by the use of a digital projector and interactive whiteboard, which is also used well by staff. The suite is well organised and laid out in such a way that it enables good access to the machines for all pupils. However, too little use is made of ICT resources in classrooms as part of everyday class lessons. There were very few examples of the use of ICT in the pupils’ books in any subject.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

Monkton Park Primary School - 27 71. ICT is used very well to support learning in other subjects in the suite. This term there are plans to support pupils’ learning in history, geography, design and technology, art and design, religious education and English. However, the range of work that is used is mainly limited to use of the Internet to seek information, paint/drawing programs and word processing. There is too little use of ICT for the presentation of information in the form of graphs and charts. There is little use of spreadsheets or database even though these programs are present on the machines in the ICT suite. The school is aware of this weakness and there are plans in place to address the issue.

p.29

HUMANITIES

72. Religious education was inspected fully. No lessons in geography or history were observed during the inspection and so it is not possible to make an overall judgement about provision, standards achieved or the quality of teaching and learning in these subjects.

p.29

HUMANITIES

73. In geography , from the information gained by examining pupils’ work, talking to them about their work, discussions with the subject leader and a scrutiny of planning, it is clear that pupils enjoy and benefit from a range of worthwhile geographical experiences during their time in the school and are gaining a good understanding and knowledge of geographical concepts.

p.29

HUMANITIES

74. There is clear curriculum planning for each year group based on a nationally recognised scheme. A particular strength is the range of first hand experiences gained by the pupils, notably the residential visits to Devizes in Year 4 and to the Isle of Wight in Year 6. Teachers also make good use of the local environment in and around Chippenham, and provide a detailed study of the river Avon. A further strength in the subject is the good use of ICT to support learning and the presentation of their work. For example, in the study of the river Amazon in Year 6, pupils use the Internet in their research and then a publishing package to produce a travel brochure of the Amazon region. In Year 4, pupils use an ICT package to produce pictures and text boxes, collaborating in pairs to present their detailed work on the water cycle. The subject is well led and managed by a subject leader who has reviewed the subject each year and has a clear plan for future developments.

p.29

HUMANITIES

75. At the time of the inspection, history was being taught in all year groups and the subject had a high profile with good displays in classrooms and around the school. The curriculum is of good quality. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have recently been studying their own families, past and present and are developing a good awareness of differences between the past and present and the importance of recording events and memories. In the junior years, pupils have been studying World War II and Britain since the 1930s. This work has been effectively supported by visits to the Chippenham Heritage Centre, and by the study of artefacts from the period. There are examples of good cross-curricular work, such as work on Anderson Shelters involving use of the Internet for research purposes, and building a shelter as part of design and technology lessons. History is used well to support independent study skills in homework in Year 6 and pupils have produced work of high quality on such

p.29

HUMANITIES

concepts as weaponry, food, transport and social change in the last 50 years. Monkton Park Primary School - 28 76. The subject is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has a good knowledge of the subject. In addition to leading the development of the curriculum, she has introduced a comprehensive and effective system for assessing pupils’ progress. She monitors pupils’ work from all classes and has annual discussions with each teacher about ways of planning and teaching history. These contribute to an annual review and to an effective subject action plan.

p.29

Religious education

Provision for religious education is good .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The religious education curriculum contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social education and to their personal attitudes. • Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding is good. • Arrangements to monitor teaching and learning are very good. • The subject has been very well led and the new co-ordinator has a clear view of her role and responsibilities.

p.30

Commentary

77. Standards are above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus in Year 2 and in line with them in Year 6. Pupils in the infant years achieve well. Those in the junior years make sound progress in their understanding. Christianity provides the basis for learning and pupils have a good understanding of Christian values and beliefs. They also learn about the beliefs and values of a range of other faiths including Islam and Judaism.

p.30

Commentary

78. There is good whole-school curriculum planning based on the locally agreed syllabus. The planning ensures a balance across the years, and includes an awareness of an extensive range of festivals and customs as well as visits by representatives of different faiths. For example, all the pupils recently shared in the Moslem festival of Eid at the end of Ramadan, when a Moslem family visited the school to talk about their customs at this special time, thus enriching the pupils’ cultural experiences and strengthening their understanding of minority groups within the school community. Pupils visit places of Christian worship. There are plans to extend these visits to a mosque and a synagogue during the course of this academic year. Assemblies contribute very well to pupils’ religious education, and pupils’ moral and social education is strongly supported by a range of sensitive discussions during religious

p.30

Commentary

education lessons. For example, pupils in a Year 4 lesson were learning about the Christian 10 commandments and were able to reflect on suitable laws to govern their own lives. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils were discussing self-worth and were able to identify why they were special and to whom.

p.30

Commentary

79. Teaching and learning in the infant years is good and is supported by the very good subject knowledge and high expectations of the teachers in these years. In the junior Monkton Park Primary School - 29 years, teaching and learning are satisfactory and benefit from the well-structured whole-school planning. There is little evidence of teachers varying their expectations of pupils of different abilities despite the detailed assessment system in place.

p.30

Commentary

80. Until recently, the subject had been very well led by a co-ordinator who had a very good knowledge of the curriculum. The new co-ordinator is being well supported by her predecessor and has quickly gained an understanding of her role and responsibilities. There has been very good monitoring of the teaching and learning in the subject and the establishment of a very good system for assessment, which is used throughout the school. There is a good collection of resources for each unit of work including artefacts and books. These resources are clearly presented and accessible, and help to raise the profile of the subject in classrooms.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Physical education was inspected fully. However, it was not possible to make judgements about provision in art and design, design and technology and music .

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. No overall judgement about provision in art and design is possible because only one lesson was observed. Evidence gained from talking with pupils, evaluation of pupils’ work on display around the school and a discussion with the subject co-ordinator were used to provide evidence. Overall, pupils are provided with good opportunities to produce paintings, models and drawings. There are indications that standards are above nationally expected levels. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn to mix colours very effectively. For example, in Year 2, and as a result of practising these skills, they produce very good painted self-portraits. They use the skills learned in art and design to produce good illustrations for work in other subjects. In Years 3 to 6 pupils learn about the life and styles of famous artists and attain good standards in their efforts to reproduce their styles. Good links are made with other subjects. For example in Year

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

6, pupils make three-dimensional models of parrots as a result of their geography studies of the rainforest and in Year 1 they illustrate their work in science by including drawings and diagrams. Year 6 pupils concentrated well and their achievement was good. They were beginning a challenging task to use scale drawings to enlarge and paint a self-selected cartoon picture in the style of Roy Lichtenstein. Pupils had learnt about this style from previous lessons and researched it using computers. The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. She has produced a good quality curriculum, based upon National Curriculum requirements, which is designed to provide greater opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in more concentrated periods of time rather than spread over weekly lessons.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. In design and technology one lesson was observed. Interviews with the subject co-ordinator and analysis of pupils’ work on display provided additional evidence. In the good lesson observed in Year 6, pupils were demonstrating the results of a recent project in which they were required to design, make, package and advertise a Monkton Park Primary School - 30 ‘Welcome Home’ gift in work that was linked to history. They had baked cakes, designed and packed them in well-made containers. They performed musical jingles and presented posters to advertise their product. It was a good lesson because pupils of all abilities and backgrounds were encouraged well to evaluate their own and others work. Pupils had been challenged well and supported by their teacher and as a result showed good enthusiasm for the subject. Standards observed in this lesson were above the national average. Pupils’ work displayed around the school indicated

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

good opportunities for them to develop the knowledge and skills required of the National Curriculum. For example, Year 1 pupils develop their cutting and pasting skills as they make models of animals and Year 5 and 6 pupils design and create periscopes as part of their science investigations on light reflection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. One lesson was observed in music . Music plays an important part in the life of the school and plays a strong role in supporting the pupils’ social and cultural development. There are indications that the leadership and management of the subject is at least satisfactory. Many pupils are taught by visiting teachers how to play musical instruments. In addition, pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn the recorder. Pupils sing tunefully in assembly and are taught by the specialist part-time teacher. The curriculum is broad and balanced, and is based on a published scheme. In the Year 6 lesson seen, pupils were able to sing and hold the melody when singing a difficult four part round of an African song. They also successfully used both pitched and non-pitched instruments to accompany the song. Standards in this lesson were in line with the national expectation as pupils were able to maintain their own part,

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

sing tunefully and follow the written notation.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are very good and have a positive impact on the curriculum and standards. • Pupils achieve well and attain standards that are above the national expectation in the areas inspected. • The curriculum is of very good quality and there is a wide range of enrichment opportunities available.

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Commentary

84. Provision in PE was not a major focus of the inspection, though it was possible to observe four lessons, which included pupils from all age groups. The lessons covered games, gymnastics and dance. Standards in the lessons seen were at least in line with the national expectation and in two were above. Pupils achieve well. Year 1 pupils attained above expected standards when practising travelling on “points and patches” of the body. Many pupils were creative in their interpretation of the task Monkton Park Primary School - 31 set. The higher-attaining pupils achieved standards in line with expectations for pupils at the end of Year 2 when they successfully linked their actions together to create good sequences. By the end of Year 2, pupils successfully developed a dance sequence that was created from the stimulus of a poem read by the class teacher. In a Year 6 hockey lesson, pupils attained above average standards. They showed good

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Commentary

passing and dribbling skills. Due to the good teaching in which the pupils were encouraged well to improve their performance, the pupils progressed well in their learning and they quickly accommodated the teaching point of moving towards the ball as it was passed to them. They also learned effectively when they were taught to point their stick in the direction of the pass and to move forward as a pass was made.

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Commentary

85. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers plan lessons well, they generally, though not always, include a good warm-up sequence. Teachers manage the pupils very well and they present a clear focus on improving performance. This helps to boost the pupils’ learning and achievement.

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Commentary

86. The curriculum is very good. This is has been strengthened and developed in the past year as a result of the very good leadership provided by the subject co-ordinator. The work is progressive and challenging for pupils and provides a very good balance of activities. The extra-curricular activities are a particular strength as they have been significantly expanded due to the efforts of the subject co-ordinator. They now include a wide range of sporting and games opportunities for both boys and girls. In addition, there has been a widening of opportunities for younger pupils. The co- ordinator has brought in many coaches from local clubs and organisations as well as making very good use of the local Sports Development Officer.

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Commentary

87. The very good leadership and management have also brought other benefits. In the short time that she has led the subject, she has guided the school and enabled it to gain the Sports Activemark gold. She has monitored and evaluated practice, strengthened provision and has exciting plans to link with a specialist Sports College in Devizes as part of their outreach support. She has also made very good use of local community resources including Chippenham hockey, rugby, netball and cricket clubs.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

88. Although only two PSHE lessons were observed and therefore it is not possible to make an evaluation of overall provision in this area, it is clear that the subject makes a strong and positive contribution to the life of the school. Each class has at least one lesson a week and the curriculum is well planned and organised. Both of the lessons seen had clear objectives, were part of a sequence, and provided a very good opportunity for pupils to consider their own feelings and to express their thoughts. Pupils’ views were listened to carefully by other pupils and this helped to raise their self-esteem as well as providing an opportunity for the whole class to be reflective. Monkton Park Primary School - 32 89. The school places a strong emphasis on personal, social and health education and it is an aspect of learning that is well supported in most classes. It is apparent that pupils’ personal and social education is very good. It has a positive impact on all that the

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

school seeks to do in terms of developing confident people. The school works hard to ensure that pupils work and operate harmoniously. The work of the school council supports the development of pupils’ skills and helps them to establish roles as citizens. This was enhanced last year when the local MP came to talk about his work as a parliamentarian. Monkton Park Primary School - 33

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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 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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