Curbar Primary School

CURBAR PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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CURBAR 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. Curbar Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 60

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Calver Bridge Calver Hope Valley Derbyshire Postcode: S32 3XA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01433 630266 Fax number: 01433 630266

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Steer

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Curbar Primary School has 60 pupils on roll, aged five to eleven, including 10 full-time children in the Reception year. The school is much smaller than other primary schools and is an integral part of the community of the three villages (Curbar, Calver and Froggat), acting as a unifying influence. The catchment is not entirely typical of a rural area, displaying rural deprivation alongside considerable affluence. Nearly all pupils are of white British heritage and a very small proportion are of mixed race. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The levels of knowledge and understanding of children when they arrive at school vary from year to year – this year they are about average. There are very few pupils entitled to free school meals, which is a very low proportion compared to other primary schools. The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs (SEN) is broadly average, although the number of pupils with a

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Statement of SEN is below national average. These mainly arise from emotional, social and behavioural difficulties, specific learning difficulties or speech and language difficulties. The number of pupils joining and leaving the school during the year is broadly average. Pupils are taught in three classes and many pupils have pre-school experience before starting school. The school is subject to falling rolls which are attributable to national demographic trends, exacerbated by high house prices in a desirable area, with little affordable housing for young families. There is a strong drama and music tradition in the school. The school has also won the Design Challenge Primary Section for two consecutive years, in 2003 and 2004 and is the first school ever to do this. The main sponsors are Rolls-Royce and this Curbar Primary - 4 provides a focus for work in design and technology. In 2004 the school received the ECO

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Bronze award and very recently it has gained the ECO silver award, for its work on improving the environment. Curbar Primary - 5

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23886 Declan McCarthy Lead inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Science Geography History Religious education Citizenship 9487 Frances Hurd Lay inspector 20963 Judy Keiner Team inspector Foundation Stage English Information and communication technology (ICT) Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Curbar Primary - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a very good school. The headteacher’s very good leadership has transformed the school since the last inspection by establishing a very good ethos for learning and achievement and very good inclusion for all pupils. Standards are well above national averages overall and pupils’ achievements are very good as a result of very good teaching. The school is very well managed and school governance is very good. The school provides good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• By Year 6 standards in science are very high and pupils’ achievements are excellent. • Pupils are not reaching the same high standards in ICT as in other core subjects. • The headteacher’s and senior teacher’s very good leadership have impacted positively on pupils’ achievements. • Excellent provision for pupils’ personal development has led to their excellent attitudes, excellent relationships and very good behaviour. • The excellent opportunities for enriching the curriculum and very good links with parents and the community, impact very positively on pupils’ achievements. • Governors provide very good support for the school. • Although teachers use their very good knowledge of pupils very effectively to raise standards, formal systems of assessment are not yet fully in place.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection in March 1999. Standards have risen substantially and all the issues from the previous inspection have been tackled very effectively. The school’s performance in most subjects and areas of learning is much improved. Standards in ICT have risen and are now broadly average, as a result of recently improved use of resources to support teaching and learning. However, these have yet to impact fully on standards. Very good leadership and management are moving the school forward securely and raising standards quickly. Opportunities for extending pupils’ learning and provision for pupils’ personal development are now excellent. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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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 English D A* A* A* mathematics E A* A* A science D A* A* A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average N.B. Caution is needed in interpreting this data as numbers are small. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievements are very good overall. Care must be taken when interpreting the results above, as there were only seven pupils in the 2004 Year 6. Nevertheless, the results show that standards were very high in English, mathematics and science in both 2003 and 2004. This inspection shows that standards in Year 6 are well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science. Standards are above the expectations of the agreed syllabus in religious education and broadly average in ICT. The school’s own detailed Curbar Primary - 8 analysis of pupils’ performance over time, confirmed by inspection findings, indicates that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are achieving very well. The 2004 Year 2 results show that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are broadly average and very high at the expected Level 2 in these subjects. However, there were only 3 pupils in the 2004 year group, so again, care must be taken when interpreting these results. Trends over time show that

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

standards are rising below the national trend in Year 2 and above the national trend in Year 6. Nevertheless, the school’s own self analysis supported by the LEA shows that standards have been maintained at an above average level in Year 2 and pupils’ achievements are good. This is confirmed by inspection findings where standards for current Year 2 pupils are above average in reading, writing and mathematics and pupils are achieving well. Overall, standards are above average in relation to the goals expected for pupils at the end of the reception year and children’s achievements are good. Furthermore, standards in personal, social and emotional development are well above average and children’s achievements are very good.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities , including their spiritual moral, social and cultural development, are excellent overall. Pupils’ attitudes are excellent; they have excellent relationships with others and behave very well throughout the school, attendance is very good and punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning are very good overall with consistently very good teaching in Years 3 to 6. Teachers have very good knowledge of pupils, they maintain very good relationships in lessons and set very high expectations for learning and behaviour. As a result, pupils’ learning and their achievements are very good. However, formal systems of assessment, including the setting of individual targets in English, mathematics and science are not fully developed.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very good, with very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, very good inclusion for all pupils and an excellent range of extra-curricular activities. The school provides good quality care for its pupils with very good collaboration with parents and partnership with community. As a result, there are enhanced opportunities to promote achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. Leadership by the headteacher and the senior teacher is very good. They support and motivate other staff very effectively and teamwork is strong. Management is very good with very good monitoring and self-evaluation, particularly the use of performance data to raise standards. The work of the governing body is very good. Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and visit the school regularly to evaluate its work. They also ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Parents have very positive views of the school and pupils are very enthusiastic about what the school has to offer.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The most important things the school should do to improve are: Curbar Primary - 9 • develop formal systems of assessment throughout the school and ensure these are consistently used to systematically record pupils’ progress and guide planning; • to raise further standards in ICT. Curbar Primary - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall achievement in the school is very good; it is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6. Standards are high in Year 6 because pupils learn very effectively as a result of very good teaching.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Year 6 standards in science are very high and standards in English and mathematics are well above average. • Standards in reading are well above average and standards in writing are above average in Year 2. • There have been significant improvements in most subjects since the previous inspection, particularly in English, mathematics, science and ICT. • All pupils achieve very well overall, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs

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Commentary

1. A number of significant factors have led to the high standards Year 6 pupils achieve in English and mathematics and their very high standards in science. Firstly, the headteacher, working closely with all staff, has made very good use of performance data and self-evaluation to raise standards and maintain an upward trend. Secondly, the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been very effectively implemented. Teaching is also consistently very good and there are excellent opportunities to extend pupils’ learning, particularly through booster classes and extended visits. As a result, pupils learn very effectively and achieve very well. Although the 2004 results show that by Year 2 standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are broadly average overall. Trends over time show standards falling below the national trend in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2. However care must be taken

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Commentary

when interpreting these results as there were only three pupils in this year group and all of them reached the expected Level 2. The school’s own analysis, confirmed by a recent LEA review of the school shows that by Year 2 all pupils are achieving above expectations because teaching is good and the curriculum is well organised to take account of differing needs and abilities. Furthermore, trends over time in Year 6 are above the national trend in English, mathematics and science. The findings of this inspection show that the school is maintaining high standards in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

2. There has been very good improvement in standards since the previous inspection. At that time pupils in Year 6, were reaching below average standards in English and mathematics and broadly average standards in science. The high standards Year 6 pupils now achieve in English, and mathematics and their very high standards in science represents excellent improvement in these subjects overall. Standards have also risen in ICT since the previous inspection when they were unsatisfactory and are now satisfactory. This is due to good recent improvement in ICT resources with training, which has led to more confidence in the use of ICT by staff. However the school has identified that more needs to be done to bring standards in ICT up to the level of standards in other core subjects. Standards in religious education have also risen to above the expectations of the agreed syllabus, by Year 6 since the previous

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Commentary

3. The attainment of children when they start school is broadly average. Good teaching enables them to achieve well. By the time they leave reception nearly all children will Curbar Primary - 11 reach above the required standards in communication language and literacy and in mathematical development. Children are mostly reaching well above the required standards in personal, social and emotional development and their achievements in this area of learning are very good. This is mainly due to the strong teamwork among staff in ensuring that children settle into their routines quickly and the very good opportunities provided to develop social interaction.

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Commentary

4. Pupils of different capabilities, including higher attainers and those identified with special educational needs, achieve equally well because teachers ensure that they are fully included in learning by matching tasks closely to pupils’ different learning needs. Higher attaining pupils are challenged in their learning and good use is made of booster classes after normal school hours to enhance pupils’ learning and attainment. All pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers, as a result of the very good support they receive from teachers and support assistants.

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Commentary

5. More challenging whole school targets are set each year and these are based on good assessment information. However, individual targets for pupils are not yet set in English, mathematics, science or ICT, which limits pupils’ understanding of how well they are expected to do. Nevertheless, this has had a limited impact on standards as staff have a through knowledge of pupils’ needs and use this very effectively in lessons to move their learning forward.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning and towards their school are excellent. Their behaviour is very good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent overall. Attendance is very good and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils, particularly those in the oldest class, show an exceptional willingness to take on responsibility and display enterprise. • Their confidence and self-esteem are excellent. • Relationships, both between adults and pupils, and amongst the children themselves, are excellent. • The provision for pupils’ cultural development is excellent.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.0 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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Commentary

6. Attendance is well above the national average as it has been for the last four years. Its importance is regularly promoted to parents, who are conscientious in informing the school of pupils’ absence and very seldom take holidays in term time. Almost all pupils live within a mile and a half and many walk to school. Registers are appropriately completed and data is monitored electronically. Curbar Primary - 12 7. Pupils are very keen to come to school. They are notably self-confident and very articulate: they are very proud of their school and very willing to discuss their work and school activities with visitors. They expect to enjoy their lessons and the many extracurricular activities. Pupils enthusiastically take the initiative and assume responsibilities: for instance, they frequently instigate charitable fundraising activities. Most remarkably, the oldest pupils decided to turn the grassy slope outside their classroom into a terraced garden: the result is a testimony to their

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Commentary

determination, enterprise and creative powers. 8. Boys and girls all get on very well together. Older pupils of both genders are exceptionally caring and considerate towards younger ones. There have been no exclusions for many years. Occasional fallings-out between pupils do occur, but these are quickly and competently dealt with by staff, and do not amount to incidents of bullying. Pupils show great respect towards the adults in school, but do not hesitate to express their own ideas, confident they will receive a courteous hearing. By the end of the reception year, children are on course to well exceed the goals expected of their age in personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

9. The school is a harmonious community, where every individual feels valued. The school promotes spiritual development very effectively and pupils’ social, moral and cultural development is excellent. The school assemblies give excellent opportunities for reflection, and displays enable pupils to be proud of their work and achievements. Strong links with the local Anglican church and the Methodist college, considerably enhance pupils’ spiritual development. Excellent opportunities are given to pupils to discuss issues and feelings through the personal, social and health education programme whilst preparing them for their adult life. The school often supports charities to raise pupils’ awareness of those less fortunate than themselves. Through assemblies and class discussions, pupils are made aware of current issues such as the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, and feel themselves to be world citizens.

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Commentary

They learn to appreciate the wonders of life, in particular the beauty of their local environment. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is exceptional, particularly for such a small school, which represents outstanding improvement in this area since the previous inspection. Art, literacy and religious education have a strong multicultural content. The school has excellent links with an inner city primary school in Tower Hamlets, which considerably enhances pupils’ awareness of our multi-cultural society. A busy programme of visits and visitors is supplemented by school activities such as the school orchestra and large-scale drama productions. During the inspection, pupils were preparing to attend a children’s opera and workshop.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good, with very good teaching and learning, very good inclusion, and a rich curriculum. Pupils are well cared for; there are very good community links and a very good partnership with parents.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good overall; this was confirmed by parents and pupils in their questionnaires and at the parents’ meeting. The quality of teaching is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. It is very good and sometimes excellent in Years 3 to 6. Assessment is good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching of English, mathematics, science is very good in Years 3 to 6 and good in Years 1 and 2. • Teachers are becoming more confident in their use of ICT to support teaching and learning. • Very good use of learning objectives in lessons enables pupils to know what they will learn, but the use of formal assessment has yet to be fully developed. Curbar Primary - 13 • There is very good team work with support staff and very good management of behaviour. • Very good promotion of literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects support teaching and learning.

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching is very good overall and this is due to the very good leadership and management of the headteacher and senior teacher, who have ensured that teaching is regularly monitored and staff are fully supported when any weaknesses are identified. The teaching of English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6 is very good because teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ learning, they deliver lessons enthusiastically at a brisk and lively pace and they have very good subject knowledge. As a result, pupils focus very effectively on their learning, working at a highly productive pace resulting in very good learning and achievement. All teachers ensure that national strategies for literacy and numeracy are implemented effectively in lessons. Science teaching is also very good and sometimes excellent in Years 3 to 6 because pupils are very effectively encouraged to use investigative approaches in

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Commentary

practical science, in using and applying mathematics and in developing their understanding and use of technical vocabulary.

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Commentary

11. Since the recent improvement in ICT resources, particularly the introduction of interactive whiteboards, teachers are becoming more confident in using ICT to promote teaching and learning. Where teaching is good, teachers promote literacy and numeracy effectively and they are increasingly using ICT to support teaching and learning. In the few lessons, where teaching was satisfactory there was less emphasis on the use of ICT and the lesson proceeded at a slower pace, which caused some pupils to become distracted from learning.

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Commentary

12. All teachers manage behaviour very effectively in lessons and maintain very good relationships with pupils. Consequently, pupils show respect, listen carefully to teachers, follow instructions and remain focused on their tasks. As a result very few incidents of disruption occur in lessons and when these arise, they are swiftly and effectively dealt with. Pupils say they enjoy their lessons and acknowledge that teachers help them to learn new things.

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning in the reception year are good because children’s work is well matched to their abilities and they receive a reasonable balance between teacher-led activities and some opportunities to plan their own learning. Adults have a good understanding of the needs of young children and relationships are warm and supportive.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 16 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 3 7 3 3 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. 14. Teachers and teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs very effectively through strong teamwork. They focus on helping pupils access learning tasks and thus meet the targets on their individual education programmes. They review targets frequently, setting new ones as appropriate. A very knowledgeable and competent team of Curbar Primary - 14 support assistants make very effective use of resources and strategies to match learning tasks to the individual needs of pupils. 15. Assessment is good overall because teachers use their very good knowledge of pupils’ learning in lessons to correct any mistakes they are making and to show them what they must

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Commentary

do to improve. Clear learning objectives are set at the beginning of lessons and these are reviewed and evaluated effectively at the end of each lesson. Teachers then make good use of this information to plan the next sequence of learning. In Years 3 to 6 teachers make very good use of optional tests to identify weaknesses in learning and to re-focus on these in the next lessons. As a result pupils quickly bridge any gaps in their knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers also use the results of national tests very effectively to inform their planning. The outcomes of learning assessments of children in the reception year are used appropriately for planning. Although whole school targets are set each year, based on good assessment information, individual targets for pupils are not yet set in English, mathematics, science or ICT. As a result this reduces pupils’ understanding of how well they are expected to

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Commentary

do. Nevertheless this has had a limited impact on standards as staff have a through knowledge of pupils’ needs and use this very effectively in lessons to move their learning forward. The curriculum

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Commentary

The overall quality of the curriculum is very good. It is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. It is very good in Years 3 to 6. There are excellent enrichment activities to enhance pupils’ learning. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum focus on English, mathematics and science has been successful in significantly raising standards since the previous inspection. • Inclusion and equality of access to the curriculum are very good. • An excellent range of visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum. • The school makes very good provision for personal, social and health education. • There is a very good match of staff to the curriculum. • The small school hall limits opportunities for dance and physical activities within the building, so these take place in the village hall.

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Commentary

16. The school has addressed the key issues for action relating to the curriculum, identified in the previous report very well. As a result, the learning opportunities provided for all pupils are now very good. The curriculum has a very good breadth and balance overall, with a strong emphasis on English, mathematics and science. In turn this has led to a significant and sustained rise in standards in recent years. Excellent provision of booster classes in English, mathematics and science at the end of the school day is very popular with older pupils and impact significantly on standards.

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Commentary

17. The quality of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good overall. Planning is good and provides a good range of activities within the agreed areas of learning for children of this age in the mixed age class, apart from some aspects of physical development and imaginative play, which are limited by a lack of space. However, there are good opportunities for outdoor learning, which is a good improvement since the last inspection, where opportunities for practical work were limited. Opportunities for organized learning to promote physical development, such as dance and gymnastics, remain limited by the small school hall, however, these take place in the village hall. There are also few opportunities for children to use and ride wheeled vehicles as part Curbar Primary - 15 of their outdoor play. There is a strong focus on personal, social and emotional development and helping children to acquire their early literacy and numeracy skills.

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Commentary

18. The latest national guidance is followed when planning the delivery of the curriculum and good account has been taken of pupils’ differing ages and abilities. Topics have been organised in a two-year cycle so that knowledge, skills and understanding are developed systematically from year to year. The school has a strong commitment to inclusion. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is as rich as that for other pupils. Staff have very good knowledge of all pupils and plan for them very effectively, for example, by ensuring that tasks are matched to the needs of lower attainers according to the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. Equally, planning ensures that the learning needs of higher attainers are extended, which was seen in all lessons during this inspection. Pupils have full access to organised visits and clubs irrespective of gender or ability, Furthermore, questioning

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Commentary

in lessons is used very effectively to ensure all pupils are included. Displays illustrate the school’s observance of religious festivals of all faiths.

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Commentary

19. Given the small size of the school, the curriculum is enriched exceptionally well by a wide range of visits, visitors, and extra-curricular activities. Subject related visits, include a humanities trip to Sheffield, an ICT visit to e-learning roadshow, a visit to Derby County F.C., a science trip to Buxton, a visit to Chatsworth and a teddy-bears’ picnic for younger pupils. The wide range of community visitors to the school include various musicians such as a demonstration of folk fiddle playing, a theatre group, a representative of the Indian community to increase pupils’ awareness of the Indian culture, the canon from the local Anglican church, representatives from the local Methodist college, a visit from the ‘Hope in the Valley’ Mission, a visit from the Meningitis Trust walkers en route from Morpeth to Bournemouth, a visit by ’Rammie’, Derby County mascot for reading contest which the school won and a visit from an

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Commentary

anti-quarrying campaigner, to raise awareness on environmental issues. There are excellent opportunities for lunchtime and after school club activities, including a school orchestra, a choir, football, netball, dance, a French club and a drama club. The school participated in and won the Derbyshire design challenge. Pupils participate in the district swimming gala, the Mothers’ Day Service, sports at Lady Manners secondary school. Pupils have entered a TAG rugby competition, 7-a-side football contest, a 6-a- side football contest, a sponsored walk and participated in the Ancient Maybough ceremony. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 also benefit from a residential visit to Whitehall and pupils have produced two performances of Alice the Musical.

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Commentary

20. The school is staffed by three full time teachers including the headteacher. Together they are very experienced and very well qualified to deliver the curriculum. The school also benefits from very well trained and experienced teaching assistants who are very effectively deployed to support teaching and learning. Support staff motivate lower attaining pupils very well, especially those with special educational needs. There has been good improvement in resources, particularly ICT where interactive whiteboards have recently been installed. Teachers are becoming more confident in their use to support teaching and learning, although this has yet to fully impact on standards in ICT. Equally there have been good improvements in the school’s accommodation since the previous inspection. Recent building programmes expanded accommodation to provide more classroom and storage space and improvement to the oldest part of

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Commentary

the building, which has provided more space for Foundation Stage and Years 1 to 4 pupils. The school grounds have improved with a new pathway, tree planting, a playhouse and sandpit. However the hall is small and limits the opportunities for indoor physical education lessons. Nevertheless, the school effectively compensates for this Curbar Primary - 16 by providing these activities in the village hall. The Parent Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA) have installed an attractive and highly popular traversing wall. However, the playground is small, although there are plans to install fixed playground equipment to extend the range of playtime activities

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good overall. The provision for support and guidance based on monitoring is good overall. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The extent to which each pupil has a good and trusting relationship with one or more adults in the school is excellent. • Pupils have good access to well-informed support, advice and guidance. • Effective action is taken against any potential health and safety hazards.

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Commentary

21. Governors and staff are concerned to ensure the safety and well-being of all who work in the school community. The site is regularly checked, potential hazards identified and effective action taken. There is a rolling programme of first-aid training to ensure sufficient coverage at all times, and the child protection liaison officer gives training to all new members of staff. Appropriate risk assessments are carried out whenever necessary. All equipment is regularly checked by qualified contractors. Some points related to health and safety have been drawn to the attention of the governing body.

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Commentary

22. Staff know their pupils very well, and the outstanding quality of relationships is reflected in pupils’ excellent personal development. Pupils with special needs, and those with particularly high abilities, make very good progress because they are quickly identified and given appropriate support. However, assessment data is not analysed with sufficient rigour to enable the school to identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses across the curriculum. Pupils have limited knowledge of their own academic strengths and weaknesses.

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Commentary

23. Although there is no formal school council, the small size of the school and the strong family atmosphere mean that pupils of all ages confidently put forward suggestions for school improvements, for example, through the ECO committee. Similarly, staff always consult pupils as much as possible and feed their suggestions into the school improvement plan. Pupils are strongly encouraged to accept responsibility and to find new ways of doing so.

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Commentary

24. Induction arrangements are similar to those found in most schools. There are close links with two feeder pre-schools and prospective pupils and their parents are welcomed on several visits. Pupils joining older age groups are quickly made to feel at home.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The involvement of parents through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good. • The contribution made by links with parents to pupils’ learning at school and at home is very good. Curbar Primary - 17 • Procedures to ensure satisfaction and deal with any complaints or concerns are very good. • Parents are well informed about the life of the school.

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Commentary

25. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school, a marked improvement since the last inspection. Staff and governors feel that all parents offer help to the school in various ways – some helping in class, others helping to erect the new playground equipment, for instance – whilst everyone supports the highly successful fundraising efforts of the PTFA. Although some parents would like more or less homework, all support their own children’s learning very well, particularly with reading. The school’s small size means that it is easy for parents to talk with staff informally, and for concerns to be quickly dealt with and feedback given. Staff and parents constantly share information about children’s learning and behaviour and how they can be supported at home. Most governors are themselves parents, and in addition the school has established a task group, mainly of parents, to develop ways of improving the school and

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Commentary

promoting it locally. Parents know their views matter and that suggestions will be warmly welcomed.

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Commentary

26. Regular newsletters, a lively website and curriculum information keep parents well informed about school activities. However, pupils’ annual reports, whilst amply demonstrating the excellent personal knowledge staff have of their charges, do not clarify whether their progress and achievement is at, above or below that expected for their age group.

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Commentary

27. The PTFA’s newsletter is circulated to all residents of the three villages in the school’s catchment area, and the strong local interest taken is reflected by the number of non- parents who attend school events and donate time, money or expertise. There are particularly close links with Cliff College, owned by the Methodist church, where the school took up temporary residence during its recent building works, and the parish church. The village hall is used for physical education lessons. The school makes very good use of its setting in the Peak Park to enrich learning. It maintains the local tradition of the ‘Maybough’ each year.

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Commentary

28. Most pupils transfer to Lady Manners School in Bakewell, and there are well- established transition arrangements. Pupils begin a transition project in their final year to complete at their new school, and this year will attend a literacy workshop. The school regularly joins forces with other small schools for sporting activities and annual residential visits. Staff training days are also jointly organised. The after-school care and holiday club run on school premises is open to pupils from other schools as well. The school has strong links with two playgroups, the local Anglican church and the nearby Methodist College. The school is also involved in initial teacher training with Sheffield Hallam University.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is supported very well by the senior teacher; both support the work of subject co- ordination very well. The school is very well managed and school governance is very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and senior teacher provide very good role models for the teaching and the development of the curriculum. Curbar Primary - 18 • Very good use is made of performance review and self-evaluation to raise standards and bring about improvements. • Governors have a very good knowledge of the school, and are very good in holding the school to account for its work. • Financial management and day-to-day management of the school are very good.

p.17

Commentary

29. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management for the school and is very effective in motivating staff and developing strong teamwork. He has been instrumental in driving the school forward and overseeing very good improvements since the previous inspection. The headteacher has established a strong vision for raising standards, promoting inclusion and improving provision, which is reflected in the very good support from parents, the confidence in his leadership from staff and governors. The headteacher also receives very effective support from the senior teacher. Together they provide very good role models for teaching and the development of the curriculum and share the same vision for school improvement. This vision is also supported by other staff and governors. Performance Management is effectively linked to the school’s priorities for improvement, which are established in the

p.18

Commentary

well-conceived school development plan. The school has already identified the key issues for improvement through its highly effective self-evaluation. Good training opportunities are provided for staff which are linked to the school ‘s priorities as well as the needs of individual staff. For example, the good recent improvements made to ICT provision, have led to higher standards as a result of the effective training provided to staff. The headteacher and senior teacher also make very good use of performance data to set challenging whole school targets, raise standards further and identify emerging priorities for improvement. Together with governors, they have made good use of self-evaluation to clearly identify significant barriers to achievement (these include the small size of the school and falling rolls, due in part to unaffordable housing for young families) and provide effective strategies to minimise their impact. These

p.18

Commentary

include the strong team work of staff and the use of their very good knowledge of pupils’ learning, which are significant aids to achievement.

p.18

Commentary

30. Subject co-ordination is shared between three teachers, including the head teacher and senior teacher. Communication and support for subject development, monitoring and planning between all three is very good. Most subject polices and schemes of work have been reviewed with governors and updated. However, formal systems of assessment are not yet fully developed in all subjects. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is good and the special educational needs co- ordinator provides good leadership and management.

p.18

Commentary

31. School governance is very good. Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they provide very good strategic support for the school. Governors regularly visit the school and meet with their subject co-ordinators to review the subject and then report their findings to the governing body. They also monitor lessons informally through visits and other aspects of the school’s provision, such as health and safety and the school budget more formally. The governing body ensures all statutory requirements are met, including its responsibilities for pupils with special educational needs.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Curbar Primary - 19 Total income 202,123 Balance from previous year -10,501 Total expenditure 192,593 Balance carried forward to the next -971 Expenditure per pupil 3,210

p.18

Commentary

32. Financial management is very good. Governors scrutinise the budget carefully and are ably assisted by the school’s very effective finance officer. The deficit budget was due to falling rolls and the previous building project but very effective steps have been taken to reduce this further by reducing staffing from 3.2 to 3.0 full time teachers, without impacting too much on standards. The school makes very good use of strategic resources and ICT to support school administration, and uses money allocated to special educational needs very well. The budget is very well managed and monitored and any minor overspend from year to year is met from the school’s basic budget. The school closely adheres to the principles of best value, achieving this very effectively. Curbar Primary - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children in the Foundation Stage are taught in a mixed age class alongside Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. Leadership and management are good and greatly enhanced by the support of the headteacher and senior teacher. The co-ordinator’s careful planning ensures that the shared teaching time provides equally well for the learning needs of the children working towards the Early Learning Goals and the older pupils following the National Curriculum. As a result of this good planning, standards and achievement have improved well since the last inspection and are now above those usually found nationally. The children begin key lessons alongside their older classmates. A high proportion of their day’s learning activities is then spent in suitably equipped dedicated accommodation adjoining the shared classroom, where a teaching assistant effectively supports the children’s play and exploration. There are ample opportunities for outdoor learning. This is a good improvement

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

since the last inspection, where opportunities for practical work were limited. Opportunities for organized learning in physical development, such as dance and gymnastics, remain limited by the lack of a suitable school hall. There are also few opportunities for children to use and ride wheeled vehicles as part of their outdoor play. There are sound arrangements for informing and consulting parents when their children first join the school, and subsequently, including arrangements for receiving and identifying children with special educational needs. Informal contacts are very good, and the staff know parents and the children very well. The records kept enable staff to keep track of the children’s progress and learning needs appropriately, but records of personal, social and emotional development and physical development are not kept together with the assessments of the other areas of learning. This makes it difficult to make the most of the records in checking progress and

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

planning for the next learning steps for each individual.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because teaching and learning are very good. • Children’s poise and social skills benefit from learning with older children. • They show high levels of concern and care for each other.

p.20

Commentary

33. When they start the reception class, children have the usual levels of personal, social and emotional development for this age group. They make very good progress and by the start of Year 1 they are well beyond the expected early learning goals in this area of learning because of very good teaching. This is good improvement since the last inspection, where standards and progress were satisfactory. The children show poise and maturity as they sit calmly and attentively in assembly, and they join in the songs and prayers. They wait their turn when it is time to go to their own learning area, and are at ease donning costumes for make believe roles. They show a great deal of concern for each other in their play. They consult each other about what they should play next and are eager to show each other how to do things. If friends lag behind, they check that they are happy and feeling up to the next task. They are keen to work

p.20

Commentary

Curbar Primary - 21 in teams and play group games. The books and images they meet introduce them to a wider world.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many good opportunities for children to develop speaking and listening skills. • Shared learning with Year 1 and 2 pupils develops their literacy skills well. • More use could be made of ICT facilities to extend children’s communication skills.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

34. Children begin the reception class with communication, language and literacy skills which match those usually found nationally. By the time they start Year 1 they have achieved well and nearly all attain above the early learning goals for this area of learning as a result of good teaching. This represents good improvement since the last inspection, when standards and achievement were satisfactory. During the inspection, the good teaching of the shared “big book” story excited their interested comments and suggestions, whilst they listened attentively to the reading and to other people’s ideas. Each child subsequently wrote a sentence about the witch, supported by the teaching assistant. Over time, they write in a range of styles, including riddles and such captions as, “I’m playing with my animal hospital.” They enjoy looking at and beginning to read a good range of books. There is scope for using the good ICT facilities in the shared

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

classroom to build their communication skills by using “talking” word bank programs, digital cameras and the interactive whiteboard to help them create simple stories and reports.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Shared mathematical starter lessons with Year 1 and 2 help children make very good progress in counting. • Indoor and outdoor learning supports mathematical development effectively.

p.21

Commentary

35. When children join the reception class, they show the usual levels of mathematical development. They are achieving well, and by the time they start Year 1 many have achieved above the early learning goals because teaching in this area of learning is good. A very good feature of teaching seen was the shared starter mathematical lessons with Year 1 and 2 pupils, which enabled the children to make very good progress. In the starter lesson seen, the children counted up to fifty in their large group. Higher achieving children counted in intervals of two or three. Satisfactory teaching of the follow-up learning activities in their own accommodation enables them to apply mathematical concepts to play. For example, they build sets of three or four cubes in Curbar Primary - 22 different colours, or play counting games in the sandpit. Records of their work show they assemble mathematical shapes to make new shapes, such as putting together

p.21

Commentary

36. It was not possible to observe all aspects of children’s knowledge and understanding of the world during the inspection as too little direct evidence of teaching and learning was seen to enable judgements to be made on standards, achievement, teaching and learning. Records of children’s learning show they reach the expected Early Learning Goals in this area by the time they begin Year 1. They are familiar with using computers to make simple images and insert missing words in a sentence. They explore the qualities of different types of fabric. Ample opportunities for outdoor play give them regular opportunities to explore what can be done with sand and water. When it snows, they use magnifying glasses to explore the qualities of snow and ice.

p.22

Commentary

37. During the inspection there was not enough direct evidence of teaching and learning in creative development to make judgements about standards and achievement. Children enjoy the opportunities for make believe play in and outdoors. During the inspection, they enjoyed playing the part of the witch from the current class storybook or asking her questions in their literacy lesson. They played elaborate pretend games in the sandpit of setting traps to catch the witch. Records showed they had improvised dressing up clothes and made themselves masks to match.

p.22

Commentary

38. Too little direct teaching of physical development was seen during the inspection to enable judgments to be made on standards, achievement, teaching and learning. Since the last inspection, the improved dedicated outdoor learning area gives children ample opportunities to climb and play on large scale equipment and a generously sized sand pit. Records show they are given many opportunities to experience the outdoors in different weathers, so that they walk on snow and ice in the winter. They also use a good range of tools as part of their indoor learning, including pencils, scissors and brushes.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average at the end of Year 6. • The school promotes reading very effectively. • Literacy skills are very well promoted across the curriculum. • Tasks set for higher achievers in Year 2 do not challenge them enough. • Written assessments do not give enough guidance to pupils on how to improve their work. • Very good leadership and management has led to very good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

39. Standards at the end of Year 2 are above average in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Indications from the most recent unpublished test results, for 2005, and from Curbar Primary - 23 work seen during the inspection, show that they have improved since 2004. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher level 3 is slightly below that found nationally. This reflects some lack of challenge in writing tasks set for higher achieving pupils in Year 2. Standards at the end of Year 6 are well above average. The proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the higher level 5 at the end of 2005 is high in comparison with the most recently published national test results.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

40. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well in speaking, listening reading and writing because of the effective way in which their teacher develops their language skills through a wide range of discussion and demonstration tasks. By the end of Year 2, they readily offer suggestions for questions to ask the witch character in the class book they are reading, and high achievers play the role of the witch answering the questions. They enjoy reading story and information books. They write accounts of the characters in their favourite story and a wide range of stories and reports of their own. They do not make such rapid progress in handwriting, because some begin to use joined writing relatively late. Pupils achieve very well by the end of Year 6 because of the very good teaching and the range of outstanding fiction and poetry they read. By the end of Year 6, their skills in speaking and listening are high. These skills are developed by a wide range of

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

challenging class discussions, such as a daily time for reflecting on the current novel the class is reading together. They are enthusiastic and wide ranging fiction readers, drawing on the classroom stock of such quality authors as Michael Morpurgo, Joan Aitken and Mallory Blackman. However, the range of non-fiction available at the school is limited, and there is no library, so that they do not develop non-fiction study skills well. By Year 6, pupils, including boys and girls of all abilities, develop a wide range of sophisticated writing styles. They write poetry in styles from McGonagall ballads to poetry of the sixties. Pupils’ reports of their visit to a local industrial museum are full of life and excitement, and they write mature arguments for and against a debating proposition. Standards of spelling and handwriting are high. Pupils with special educational needs make as good progress as their classmates.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

41. Teaching and learning are very good overall. Teachers are very skilled in engaging the pupils in exciting and challenging discussions which help them develop their ideas, and in showing them ways to put these into good quality writing. A very good Year 6 poetry lesson was seen on Masefield’s “Sea Fever”, linked to the celebrations of the 200 th Anniversary of Trafalgar Day. The teacher started by engaging the class in thinking deeply about the meanings of text by getting them to do an exercise in which they had to change the sense of a single sentence by reading it out with the emphasis on different words. This sharpened their skills in analysing the impact of the words Masefield used in “Sea Fever”. By the end of the lesson, the class had composed a poem which began, The dark blue sheets of solid water smash like a blacksmith’s hammer. The rain claps and the thunder stomps and the lightening engulfs the sky.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

42. Teachers’ imaginative involvement of older pupils as peer tutors to help pupils in younger classes in reading lessons contributes well to promoting their very good progress in reading. Many Year 4 pupils are enjoying books, such as Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” which normally only interest the oldest pupils.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

43. Whilst teachers give very effective informal and oral feedback and advice in lessons, they do not teach pupils to check and correct their written work before they complete it. Their comments on pupils’ written work are positive in recognising the strengths of their work but give little clear guidance on how to improve it. A numerical marking system used for older pupils does not give reliable guidance in relation to the National Curriculum levels they are expected to reach in writing. Curbar Primary - 24 44. Leadership and management are very good and have ensured very good improvement in standards, teaching and learning since the last inspection. The subject leader has very good subject knowledge and is a very good role model as a teacher. She has ensured that the quality of subject resources is consistently very good, although the book stock for the older pupils is now dated and there is no stock of adult reference

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

books for the highest achieving readers.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

Language and literacy across the curriculum

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

45. The promotion of pupils’ language and literacy skills is very good. Assemblies regularly provide opportunities for pupils to comment on the events of the day, like the Trafalgar Day commemorations, or the stories their headteacher reads them. Many lessons follow excellent teacher explanations with pair discussions and good guidance on how to structure writing for such purposes as writing up different kinds of science experiment or the economics of life in Jamaica.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 6 are well above average and have improved significantly since the last inspection. • Pupils achieve very well in Years 3 –6 because of consistently very good teaching and learning. • There is a very good focus on problem solving and investigations. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning in lessons and are keen to do their best. • Formal systems of assessment are not yet fully in place. • Very effective leadership and management have ensured that good use is made of optional tests and performance data to raise standards.

p.24

Commentary

46. In the 2004 national tests, Year 2 pupils reached standards that were broadly average. However, only three pupils took the tests and they all reached the above average Level 2B, although none reached the higher Level 3. On the other hand, Year 6 pupils reached very high standards (in the top 5 percent nationally) and compared with their Year 2 results, these pupils achieved very well. Being a small school, standards vary from year to year. However, since 2003 standards by Year 6 have consistently been very high. This inspection shows that standards by Year 2 are above average and by Year 6, standards are well above average, confirmed by the recent LEA review and the school’s own self-analysis. This represents excellent improvement from the previous inspection when standards were below average by Year 6.

p.24

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall, good for Years 1 and 2 and consistently very good in Years 3 –6. As a result, pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 and very well in Years 3 to 6 from their average starting point on entry to school. Pupils with special educational needs, who are very well supported by teachers and other adults, achieve as well as their classmates. The most successful teaching is characterised by very high expectations of what pupils can achieve and a confident and imaginative delivery of the lesson. All teachers provide very clear explanations and their questions are always challenging so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding is moved forward rapidly. Wherever possible a practical Curbar Primary - 25 approach is used with very good use of the interactive whiteboard and visual aids to enrich pupils’ learning. In turn, this captures pupils’ interests and enthusiasm for learning and they

p.24

Commentary

behave very well. For example, in a good Years 1 and 2 lesson, pupils were effectively challenged to take away 35 from 200, arriving at their answers using a Jumping Jack, number snake or number line. In a very good Years 5 and 6 lesson, pupils calculated accurate distances between various places, entering their results in a chart. They then used other variables such as fuel consumption, and the cost of bridge toll charges to calculate the most efficient route by car.

p.25

Commentary

48. Problem solving and investigations feature strongly in nearly all lessons. Pupils are positively encouraged to explore as many different approaches to solving problems as they can and explain their working out using the correct mathematical vocabulary. For example, by Year 2 pupils have established secure links between the meanings of word equations and mathematical notation and by Year 6 pupils estimate accurately, measure, record and analyse mathematical data with precision. Pupils learn from their mistakes in lessons, when the teacher makes very good use of their errors as teaching points to significantly improve their numeracy skills by accurately solving practical everyday problems. Because teachers have excellent supportive relationships with pupils and lessons are always meaningful with varied activities, attitudes to learning are excellent. As a result pupils are extremely well motivated and show a keen desire

p.25

Commentary

to do their best. This impacts very positively on learning and achievement.

p.25

Commentary

49. Teachers and support staff make very good use of their thorough knowledge of pupils to move learning forward in lessons. Although challenging whole school targets, based on very good use of performance data are set for raising standards in mathematics, individual pupil targets are not yet set and reports to parents do not record the National Curriculum levels pupils have reached or are likely to reach. As a result, pupils and parents do not have a very clear idea of how well pupils are achieving. Nevertheless, the lack of such formal systems of assessment has had virtually no impact on the standards pupils reach.

p.25

Commentary

50. The headteacher, who co-ordinates the subject very effectively makes very good use of performance data and optional test results in planning the next stage of learning. For example, in a very good Years 3 and 4 lesson, pupils’ ability to handle data was identified as an area of weakness. As a result, the headteacher used data collected by pupils from their class trip to Sheffield as a basis for constructing and interpreting graphs, making excellent use of the interactive whiteboard to record information. Consequently, pupils reached standards well above expectations in data handling showing excellent improvement in their skills and understanding of handling data in a short period of time. The co-ordinator has monitored the subject very effectively over the last two years. Furthermore, additional opportunities for enrichment have been provided through, for example, booster classes held after school and pupils’

p.25

Commentary

participation in the Derbyshire Mathematics Challenge.

p.25

Commentary

51. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects in an informal way in addition to planned provision. The use of ICT to support mathematics has greatly improved since the last inspection and there are some good examples of pupils producing well-presented graphs to record results of experiments in science and investigations in mathematics with a sharp focus on drawing accurate conclusions. Curbar Primary - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been excellent improvement in standards since the previous inspection, which in Year 6 are now very high. • Pupils’ achievements overall are very good because teaching is very good. • Teachers make very good use of their knowledge of pupils to improve learning, although formal systems of assessment are not fully in place. • There has been very good improvement to the curriculum with excellent opportunities for enriching learning. • Pupils enjoy science and have very good attitudes to their learning. • Leadership of the subject is very good and has led to significant improvements in teaching and the curriculum.

p.26

Commentary

52. In the 2004 teacher assessments, Year 2 pupils reached very high standards at Level 2 but well below average standards at the higher Level 3. However only three pupils took the tests. Nevertheless, Year 6 pupils reached very high standards (in the top 5 percent nationally) and compared with their Year 2 assessments, these pupils achieved very well. As this is a small school, standards vary from year to year. However, since 2003 standards by Year 6 have consistently been very high. This inspection shows that standards by Year 2 are above average and by Year 6, standards are very high (in the top 5 percent nationally), confirmed by the recent LEA review and the school’s own self-analysis. This represents excellent improvement since 2002 and from the previous inspection when standards were below average by Year 6.

p.26

Commentary

53. Evidence from lessons seen and from pupils’ work shows that Years 1 and 2 pupils are achieving well, and by Year 6 pupils are achieving exceptionally well. This is mainly due to good teaching in Years 1 and 2 and very good, with sometimes excellent teaching, in Years 3 to 6. All teachers have very good subject knowledge and they specify clear learning objectives at the beginning of lessons, which they carefully review with pupils at the end of lessons. They have high expectations for learning, constantly challenging pupils’ scientific thinking. For example, in an excellent Years 5 and 6 lesson, on separating mixtures, pupils were challenged to discuss reasons for separating a mixture of dirty water in different ways and the teacher asked them to think about the properties of bark and paper clips that would determine the most efficient means of separation. At the same time pupils were cautioned about the dangers of

p.26

Commentary

handling contaminated water and much discussion ensued about the mechanisms of water treatment plants, water shortages and their effects on Artesian wells, particularly in inner city areas with dense housing. Teachers promote literacy very effectively as pupils develops speaking and listening skills through discussion on such topics as the causes of gum disease, learn the meaning of scientific vocabulary, write up investigations scientifically and produce extended pieces of writing on scientific topics such as the earth in space and phases of the moon. Numeracy is also very effectively promoted as pupils record their results from investigations in tables and graphs and develop their use of standard measures, for example, in recording temperature change and distances travelled as a result of the action of forces on an object. Teachers have recently been trained in the use of ICT and interactive whiteboards

p.26

Commentary

to support teaching and learning. As a result ICT is used effectively to support teaching and learning. For example, Years 5 and 6 have used a digital microscope to show bacterial growth and in a Years 3 and 4 lesson, pupils used a BBC science website to research teeth. In the Curbar Primary - 27 same lesson, the teacher made very good use of the interactive whiteboard and a CD-Rom to show pupils the structure of the teeth, promoting their use of technical vocabulary; enamel , dentine and pulp , very effectively.

p.26

Commentary

54. Some good assessment procedures are in place, which are used for planning the next stage of learning, such as the evaluation of lessons objectives at the end of lessons and very good use of ongoing assessment in lessons to move pupils’ learning forward. However, pupils do not have individual science targets, to further their understanding of how to improve their work and reports to parents do not show what National Curriculum Level pupils have reached and are currently working towards. Nevertheless, teachers use their very good knowledge of pupils very effectively to move their learning forward in lessons, which has led to very good improvement in standards and very good achievement overall.

p.27

Commentary

55. A strong emphasis on scientific investigations ensures that pupils achieve well in all areas of science and has led to higher standards over the last three years. Pupils develop secure skills of observation and scientific recording. They form their own hypotheses and test these out methodically. There has been very good improvement to the curriculum with excellent opportunities for enriching learning. Pupils enjoy science because they have excellent opportunities for investigations and excellent opportunities to extend their learning, through for example, booster classes after school and through an excellent partnership with the Peak Park Authority. Through this partnership, pupils in Years 5 and 6 have carried out investigative work on a marshland habitat containing endangered species: the brook lamprey, the water vole, the great crested newt and the harvest mouse. As a result of their work, the Peak Park Authority

p.27

Commentary

will use pupils’ findings to inform the community of the reasons for fencing off areas off specific areas to protect endangered species. Visitors from Longstone Edge Quarry have visited the school to talk about the effects of taking limestone along with fluorspar from quarries on the environment. These activities have made an excellent contribution to pupils’ personal development as they deepen their awareness of the need to conserve their environment. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 have also participated in science days in Buxton. As a result, they remain focused on their lessons activities. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to work together in small groups, which they do sensibly. Pupils show respect for staff and for each other, work safely in lessons and treat equipment properly.

p.27

Commentary

56. The senior teacher provides very good co-ordination for the subject and has been instrumental in ensuring excellent improvement in science since the previous inspection, with a much improved curriculum and excellent opportunities to enrich pupils’ learning experiences. She has systematically monitored teaching and learning and made very good use of monitoring outcomes, self–evaluation and performance data to support staff in raising standards.

p.27

Commentary

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

p.27

Commentary

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have risen since the previous inspection. • Teachers are more confident in the use of ICT. • New resources have been successfully introduced. • Formal systems of assessment are not yet in place.

p.27

Commentary

57. Standards in the range of pupils’ work seen during the inspection were comparable with those found nationally at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This indicates good Curbar Primary - 28 improvement since the last inspection, where standards were judged to be below average. The improved range of hardware and software since the last inspection, and the greater availability of internet facilities, has enabled pupils to achieve satisfactorily in the work seen in using ICT tools to exchange and share information. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a paint program to create images of the story of the Island of Struay, which they have studied. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 create presentation slide shows to present their investigations of world religions in assemblies. They have used the internet to take part in an imaginative exchange of emails about their neighbourhoods with pupils in an inner city school in the docklands of London, a large

p.27

Commentary

proportion of whose pupils are from the local Bengali community. The greater range of software and the availability of the internet also enables pupils to use ICT to find things out, for example, by searching for information on CD-ROMs or on the internet. Younger pupils make progress in developing ideas and making things happen by programming robot toys to follow a route, whilst the oldest pupils use control programs to learn how mechanisms can be programmed to switch on and off automatically when given the right signal.

p.28

Commentary

58. Teachers have improved their confidence in the use of ICT and as a result teaching is satisfactory and leads to satisfactory learning. Pupils remain focused on their activities and acquire appropriate knowledge and skills. Teachers have recently received training in ICT and now have satisfactory subject knowledge. The school recognises that this needs to be developed further in order to raise standards in ICT.

p.28

Commentary

59. In the previous inspection, the development of planning for ICT within subjects was identified as a key issue. The school has successfully managed the introduction of the new hardware and software and the co-ordinator, who has been in post only in the current school year, provides satisfactory leadership and management with strong support from senior management and the LEA. For example, she has worked closely with the local specialist adviser on planning further improvements in provision. The school now has a sound policy on acceptable internet use, but pupils do not yet learn about the rules about permissible use of images and text from web sites. The school also recognises the need to develop further the curriculum. As yet, there is not a formal system of assessment by which pupils and their teachers can see how they are doing in relation to National Curriculum benchmarks and there is little evidence that enough

p.28

Commentary

is being done to develop pupils’ skills in reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it develops. For example, in checking whether the colours and typefaces they choose for a slide show are the most effective for the audience to whom it will be presented.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. Much evidence was seen during the inspection of very good use by teachers of the recently acquired interactive whiteboards and digital projectors to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum and in assemblies. For example, an outstanding feature of an excellent geography lesson seen for Year 5 and 6 pupils was the teacher’s use of the digital projector to make a dramatic presentation of a small number of very striking images and text slides. These brought home to pupils the stark contrast between developing countries with desperate water shortages and the relatively profligate amounts of water used by households in Britain to take baths and run washing machines. Pupils also use digital cameras and an interactive whiteboard to present their work to whole school assemblies.

p.28

HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in detail and is reported in full below. Geography and history were sampled Curbar Primary - 29 61. In an excellent geography lesson seen, the teacher made very good use of the interactive whiteboard to present the Years 5 and 6 topic on water and water conservation. She used very well chosen images and key facts, such as a locked communal water tap in Africa and key facts about the comparative use of water in a domestic shower and bath to challenge pupils’ thinking on the conservation issues involved. Numeracy was promoted very effectively as pupils calculated the amount of water consumed, rounding to the nearest litre. Very good use was made of a power point slide show to promote awareness of water deprivation. As a result of excellent teaching, pupils’ learning and achievement were excellent, as they quickly gained an insight into issues of water and aid to third world countries. This also considerably

p.28

HUMANITIES

enhanced pupils’ moral awareness of the need for conserving water. Planning shows that in Years 1 and 2, pupils contrast their own locality with that of the seaside, identifying differences and similarities. They learn about the island of Struay, developing map reading skills as they record key locations. They understand that different types of clothing must be worn according to the seasons and weather changes. They also plan a route from school to the local park recording instructions. Literacy is very well promoted in geography. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 wrote down and learned old weather sayings such as, ‘One swallow doesn’t make a summer’ and ‘rain before seven, fine by eleven’. By Year 6, pupils know the differences between polar, tropical and temperate climates, they relate the Beaufort scale to wind conditions and produce a weather chart.

p.29

HUMANITIES

62. In a whole school assembly pupils learned about the history of Trafalgar and that this year we are celebrating the 200 th anniversary of Nelson’s victory over Napoleon. In their topic about ancient Rome, pupils in Years 1 and 2 recognise how vast the Roman Empire was from a map and they know that important Roman people had two houses. They made good use of the computer to see a mosaic of the Roman goddess Venus and they know that a volcano destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. In their topic on the Victorians, pupils in Years 1 and 2 looked at the work of Florence Nightingale and gained insight into the life of Mary Seacole, a Black Jamaican nurse who worked in the Crimean war, which greatly enhanced their multi- cultural awareness. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are developing a good sense of the passage of time, for example, as they compared clothes worn at the time of Samuel Pepys and clothes worn now. In their topic on Ancient Egypt, pupils in Years 3 and 4 know that Tutenkhamun was

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HUMANITIES

a young pharaoh. Literacy and numeracy are well promoted to support teaching and learning as pupils write down their names and various numbers using Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Years 5 and 6 pupils have deepened their sense of chronology, for example, in knowing that the Tudor period began in 1485 when the Battle of Bosworth Field ended the Wars of the Roses. Good use is made of ICT to support teaching and learning as pupils write a letter to Sir Francis Drake using an old English font. This also effectively promotes literacy.

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Religious Education

Provision in religious education is good.

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Religious Education

• Very good links have been established with the local Christian churches. • There is a good focus on teaching world religions, which considerably enhances pupils’ multi-cultural awareness. • Pupils have a good understanding of the effect of religious teaching and worship on everyday life. • There are no formal assessment procedures in place. • The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management.

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Religious Education

Commentary Curbar Primary - 30 63. Standards in religious education are in line with the expectations in the Derbyshire Agreed Syllabus in Years 1 and 2 and above expectations in Years 3 to 6. This represents good improvement in standards since the previous inspection, which were then judged to be average. From the evidence of sampling work, talking to pupils and observing lessons, teaching, learning and pupils’ achievement are good overall: they are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6.

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Religious Education

64. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a satisfactory knowledge of Christianity. They know the familiar stories of the Old Testament, such as the story of Moses and they understand the meanings of the stories of the New Testament, such as the parable of The Lost Sheep. Pupils know the major Christian festivals and their importance in the life of the church. By Year 6, pupils define religion in terms of a belief in God and methods of worship. They have deepened their understanding of Christianity and understand its main teachings such as the mystery of the Trinity, its rites of passage, such as the celebration of marriage and Baptism, and its signs and symbols, such as the advent candle. The local Anglican church and Methodist college are used regularly to enrich the teaching of and celebrate Christianity. Pupils take part in various Christian festivals, such as Harvest Festival and Christmas Carol services, celebrating through music,

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Religious Education

prayer and worship. Pupils also know the differences and similarities between other world religions. For example, they understand that Muslims believe that Allah, who created the world, is loving and the source of peace. They know the Hindu story of Rama and Sita and they learn that it is important to respect other religious traditions. They know that most world religions have a holy book and that the Qu’ran, the Bible, the Torah and Guru Granth Sahib are equally sacred to Muslims, Christians, Jews and Sikhs alike.

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Religious Education

65. Teaching is good overall, with satisfactory teaching in Years 1 and 2 and some very good or better teaching in Years 3 to 6. In an excellent lesson seen pupils learned about the importance of helping others as the teacher challenged them to decide what constitutes good neighbourliness, as they considered the New Testament story of The Good Samaritan. Excellent links were made to the work of Bob Geldof and water aid in Africa, as an example of being a good neighbour and pupils learned quickly that decisions to be a good neighbour or otherwise are made based on beliefs and values which people hold. Where teaching is good, expectations for learning are high, and lessons proceed at a brisk and lively pace. Where teaching is satisfactory the pace of lessons sometimes slows, so that some pupils become distracted from learning. All teachers maintain very good relationships with pupils and promote literacy skills well, by providing many opportunities for discussion and good opportunities to

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Religious Education

extend writing. For example, In a Year 1 and 2 lesson, pupils read Bible stories aloud together, made notes and then compared these with notes made by other pupils. In Years 5 and 6, pupils write their own religious education books and produce an index to show the contents.

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Religious Education

66. There are no formal systems of assessment in place, although teachers use their good knowledge of pupils to move their learning forward. The co-ordinator provides good support for teachers with improved planning and better resources and provides a good model for the development of teaching through her own very good teaching. The co- ordinator monitors other teachers planning, and intends to observe lessons to enable her to have an overview of standards and the strengths and weaknesses in teaching. Curbar Primary - 31 CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

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Religious Education

All these subjects were sampled, as not enough teaching was seen to enable secure provision judgements to be made.

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Religious Education

67. In art and design , evidence suggests that standards overall are above those usually found nationally, although there is little indication of three dimensional work of as good quality as the best work in painting and mixed media. Very good quality work was seen by pupils in Year 3 and 4. Following an exciting visit to Sheffield, they had developed very striking and well designed banners advertising the city through vivid iconic images using such symbols as stylised cogwheels and flowers. The quality of their designs was much enhanced by the tryout images their teacher had encouraged them to do on smaller scale paper. Planning records indicate that the school follows nationally recommended approaches, and uses studies in history and other subjects as a starting point for work in a good range of materials and media, including textile printing and computer graphics. There is some evidence that pupils use sketchbooks in some years

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Religious Education

to develop their work to a higher standard, but they are not used consistently enough. This is reflected in the sometimes uneven rate of progress shown in pupils’ work over the time they are in the school.

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Religious Education

68. Evidence seen in design and technology included work above standards found nationally done by Year 6 pupils on a visit to an industrial museum. They had completed models powered by a variety of mechanisms, including electric motors and wind-up pulleys, around the theme of a lifeboat station, as part of a Design and Technology Challenge day. The school has won local competitions in this challenge in recent years. Year 2 pupils had designed and made improvised musical instruments and finished them to a standard above that usually found for this age group. They had also designed and made paper puppets with moving arms. Little evidence was found of the expected processes of systematic documentation and evaluation which are part of national requirements for the subject. The school now follows the nationally recommended curricular plans, which is good improvement since the last inspection.

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Religious Education

69. The standards of music seen in assemblies, extra curricular activities and in part of a lesson during the inspection were above those found nationally. Standards of part- singing in Years 3 to 6 and of instrumental playing seen in the extra-curricular school orchestra are high. The Year 3 to 6 pupils in a shared music lesson gave as polished a performance of a fast-paced syncopated song as if they were an experienced school choir. During the inspection, the orchestra ensemble included a xylophone, two glockenspiels, a double bass, five recorders, a violin, and a guitarist, ably and enthusiastically led and accompanied by the head teacher on guitar. Their playing showed very good attention to rhythm and tuning. They played in a wide range of musical styles, including American Rock and Roll, Caribbean Calypso and Scottish and Chinese folk traditions. Music makes an important contribution to the school’s ethos

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Religious Education

and continues to make a strong contribution to the local community, as noted in the previous inspection. The exceptionally good range of instrumental tuition available on a paid extra curricular basis provides very well for gifted and talented pupils, and further fosters the enthusiasm for music in the school. A high proportion of the pupils opt for extra curricular instrumental tuition. Since the last inspection, curricular plans have been improved by the adoption of good quality commercial teaching plans which cover national requirements well.

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Religious Education

70. Standards of physical education seen in an outdoor games lesson for Years 3 to 6 during the inspection were comparable with those found nationally. Pupils showed Curbar Primary - 32 sound knowledge of warm-up routines and of the rules and appropriate batting, bowling and catching techniques for rounders. They enjoyed their game and were supportive of each other’s efforts as team members. Teachers provided appropriate extra challenge for gifted and talented pupils by dividing the large group into two sets of competing teams for pupils with comparable levels of achievement. They ensured pupils paced themselves well and played within the rules. More opportunities could have been used to coach individuals and encourage higher achievers to help develop the skills of less confident classmates. The recent addition of a climbing wall as part of the playground, funded by parental fundraising, has improved the range of physical

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Religious Education

education challenges available since the last inspection. The limitations in the school’s accommodation, particularly the limited opportunities for apparatus-based gymnastics in the nearby village hall, continue to limit more rapid progress, particularly for younger pupils who do not take part in outdoor field lessons. Despite the small size of the school, it fields two successful teams for each local football and netball event.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

71. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is taught in discrete lessons but also permeates strongly throughout the school’s work. In lessons, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own actions and consequences. In Years 1 and 2 pupils learn about healthy eating, they learn to be part of the community by taking turns, sharing and helping others. For pupils in Years 3 to 6 the PSHE programme helps to prepare pupils for adult life by giving them greater responsibility within school. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils designed and made a garden for all pupils and they ensure that younger pupils treat it properly. In a conservation project with the Peak Park Authority, pupils made bird boxes placing them around the school to encourage wild life. They also furthered their understanding of the need for conservation through their work with endangered species on Calver marshland. Pupils also support a number of charities

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

such as the Tsunami Appeal, Comic Relief and the Meningitis Trust. The strong links with the Anglican church and Methodist college, promote Christian values so that pupils show kindness and consideration towards others and assemblies promote an understanding and acceptance of different beliefs. Adults provide excellent role models for pupils and the strong emphasis on inclusion promotes the acceptance of differences in others. Curbar Primary - 33

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 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 2 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 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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