Drayton Community Primary School

DRAYTON COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Drayton Community 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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DRAYTON COMMUNITY 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. Drayton Community Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Community School category: Primary Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 104

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hilliat Field Drayton Abingdon Oxon Postcode: OX14 4JF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01253 531316 Fax number: 01253 531316

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Ciaran McDonnell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Drayton is a small primary school located in the village of Drayton, near Abingdon, Oxford. Pupils come from a predominantly white background, mostly of UK heritage. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language and few pupils of mixed background. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, including those with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, is below average. Their needs include dyslexia and emotional, behavioural and speech difficulties. Attainment on entry is wide ranging and varies slightly from year to year, but is average overall. Pupils’ economic circumstances are average. An average number of pupils either join or leave the school during the course of a year. There are two recently appointed teachers; one has suffered a great deal of illness this year and the other is new to teaching. Drayton Community Primary - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

18824 Mrs Janet Sinclair Lead inspector English; Foundation Stage; information and communication technology; art and design; music; history; design and technology. 9163 Mr Geoffrey Humphrey Lay inspector 19916 Mrs Debbie Kerr Team inspector Mathematics; science; geography; physical education; religious education; special educational needs.

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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). Drayton Community Primary - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory and it provides satisfactory value for money. Standards are mainly average across the school and achievement is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although some good and very good teaching was seen, mainly in the Year 3/4 class. The headteacher provides well for pupils’ personal development through an enriched curriculum and a good level of care and guidance.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils achieve well in reading due to good provision across the school. • In Year 2, pupils do not achieve well enough in writing. • Good teaching in the Year 3/4 class ensures that these pupils achieve well. • Although satisfactory and improving, teaching in English, mathematics and science in Year 2 and Year 6 is not yet good enough to enable all groups of pupils to make good progress. • Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are good; the school makes good provision for their personal development, care and welfare and enriches the curriculum well. • Although issues for school improvement are identified and tackled, sometimes follow- up is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure good improvement. • There is very good teaching of art in the Year 5/6 class and, as a result, pupils achieve well. • Standards of presentation of pupils’ work are too low in some classes.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Standards in English and the quality of teaching have improved in Years 3 to 6. Curriculum planning has improved, as has pupils’ progress in subjects beyond English, mathematics and science. The overall quality of teaching has improved and no unsatisfactory lessons were seen.

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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 E E D B mathematics E B E C science C A D B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall achievement is satisfactory. In Year 6, standards are average in writing, mathematics and science. Achievement is generally satisfactory, although some pupils achieve well and there are a few who are not achieving as well as they should. Standards in reading are above average and pupils achieve well over their time in the school. Standards seen during the inspection are higher than those indicated in the 2004 tests because there are fewer pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in the current year. Standards in Drayton Community Primary - 7 Year 2 are average in mathematics and science. Pupils generally achieve satisfactorily, although there are a few who are not achieving as well as they should. Standards are above average in reading and pupils achieve well. Standards in writing in Year 2 are below average and pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Standards are below average in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

information and communication technology (ICT) in Year 6, but pupils’ current rate of progress is good. Standards in ICT are average and improving across the rest of the school. Children in reception enter the school with average standards. Their achievement is satisfactory and they reach average standards in most areas of learning in relation to the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception year.

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

development, are good across the school . Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and relationships are cordial at all levels. A strong feature of the school is how well pupils collaborate with each other in lessons. They are well cared for and have many opportunities to take part in the school’s extra-curricular activities. Due to the school’s very good efforts, attendance is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, although some good and very good teaching was seen, much of it in the Year 3/4 class. There is very good teaching of art in the Year 5/6 class. Where teaching is good, lessons are well planned, teachers have high expectations and match lessons well to pupils’ needs. In these lessons, pupils work hard and are highly motivated and keen to rise to the challenge of the work. Where teaching is satisfactory, but less successful, as in some English, mathematics and science lessons, teachers do not always cater sufficiently for the wide range of abilities within the class.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, although there are good opportunities for practical and investigative work in mathematics and science. Provision for curricular enrichment is good, as are the procedures for child protection, health and safety. The partnership with parents is good and parents support the school well through the range of their involvement. Links with the community and other schools are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher’s leadership is satisfactory overall. She provides good leadership in terms of creating a positive climate for learning and good provision for pupils’ personal development. Issues for school improvement are identified and tackled, sometimes ensuring good outcomes, but occasionally the follow-up action lacks the rigour required to ensure good progress for pupils. Leadership and management of other key staff are satisfactory. Governance is satisfactory. The governors are well led by their chair and are developing a clearer understanding of the school and its strengths and weaknesses. They work hard to ensure money is well managed and used effectively. The school complies with all statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents support the school well and are generally happy about their children’s education, although they would like more information about their progress and some are concerned about bullying. Inspectors feel that parents are provided with satisfactory information about children’s progress and that concerns about bullying are unfounded. Pupils are mainly Drayton Community Primary - 8 positive about the school. Most think that their teachers are fair and help them make their work better.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Improve standards in writing in Year 2. • Address the weaknesses in teaching in English, mathematics and science in Years 2 and 6. • Ensure all improvement issues are followed up rigorously enough to secure good improvements in achievement and standards. • Improve the standard of presentation of pupils’ work, where necessary. Drayton Community Primary - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall, achievement is satisfactory and standards are average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in reading and standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 6. • Standards in writing are not high enough in Year 2. • In mathematics and science, some pupils are not achieving as well as they should. • Although standards in ICT are below average at the end of Year 6, pupils’ current rate of progress is good. • When given targeted support, pupils with SEN achieve well. • Standards of presentation of pupils’ work are not high enough.

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Commentary

1. In the National Curriculum tests taken by pupils in Year 6 in 2004, results were below average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. However, based on prior attainment, achievement was good in English and science and satisfactory in mathematics. The school’s test results over the past four years have not improved at the same rate as nationally. Boys tend to achieve better in the science tests than girls but there was no evidence of differential achievement during the inspection.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.1 (24.3) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 25.2 (25.8) 27.0 (26.8) science 27.9 (30.3) 28.6 (28.6) There were 13 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Standards are currently above average in reading and average in writing, science and mathematics in Year 6. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. However, within this, a small number of pupils are not achieving as well as they should in mathematics and science. This is because teaching is not always sufficiently challenging for lower attaining pupils. Conversely, higher attaining pupils are achieving well due to good attention to their needs. The above average standards in reading are due to a good focus on the teaching of reading across the school and within the literacy hour itself and good support from parents, particularly in the early stages.

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Commentary

3. The apparent improvement in standards since 2004, compared with all schools, is due to the fact that there are fewer pupils with SEN now in school as the small group of pupils from the local special school no longer attend the school. Achievement as judged against similar schools is not as high in English and science as in 2004. Pupils Drayton Community Primary - 10 would do better if teaching was more challenging on occasions. However, overall standards are higher in English than at the time of the previous inspection and similar for mathematics and science.

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Commentary

4. In the National Curriculum tests taken by pupils in Year 2 in 2004, the results were above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. However, the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was below average in reading and mathematics and well below average in writing, indicating some underachievement by the higher attaining pupils. Results of teacher assessments for science were in the top 5% nationally at the expected Level 2 and below average at the higher Level 3. Current standards in Year 2 are above average in reading and pupils achieve well. They are average in mathematics and science and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Once again, however, pupils are achieving well at the expected level, but not enough pupils are attaining the higher Level 3 in mathematics and science. This is partly due to the fact that there are fewer higher attaining pupils in this year group but also due to some lack

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Commentary

of challenge in teaching. Standards are below average in writing and pupils do not achieve as well as they should. In writing, the focus on the mechanics of writing ensures most pupils attain the expected Level 2 but few attain beyond this baseline. This is because there is not enough emphasis on the skills required to reach the higher levels. The school is aware of the weaknesses in Year 2 and is in the process of addressing them. Overall, standards are lower in writing than at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.9 (17.1) 15.8 (15.7) writing 15.7 (14.2) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.2 (16.3) 16.2 (16.3) There were 17 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. Children start school with levels of attainment that are wide ranging but average overall. In the current reception year, standards are average in relation to the goals the children are expected to reach in personal, social and emotional development, communication language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Their achievement is satisfactory. There was not enough evidence to judge standards in the other areas of learning.

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Commentary

6. Standards in ICT are average in Year 2 and below average in Year 6, and this is a similar finding to that of the previous inspection. However, achievement and the current rate of progress for pupils in Year 6 and across the school are good. Good management by the headteacher, regular use of the new ICT suite and teachers’ increased expertise are enabling this improvement. There was not enough evidence to judge standards or achievement in other subjects except for art and design, where standards are above average in Year 6 due to the class teacher’s very good subject knowledge and enthusiasm.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with SEN are fully included in all the school’s activities and achieve satisfactorily. They make good progress in learning when they are taught individually or in small groups, and when they receive additional help in the classroom from teachers and support assistants. Pupils who have behavioural problems are managed effectively and make sound progress towards their individual targets. Drayton Community Primary - 11

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils behave well and have good attitudes towards their learning. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. Attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good attitudes towards school and their learning. • Relationships within the school community are good. • Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities. • In lessons which do not capture their interest, pupils do not engage in the learning.

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Commentary

8. In the majority of lessons, pupils demonstrate good attitudes towards their learning. They say they enjoy school and find much of their work interesting and challenging. Where lessons are well planned, activity based and teachers promote high expectations, pupils concentrate and show great commitment and perseverance. Pupils with SEN show the same positive attitudes to school as their classmates. They enjoy their lessons, concentrate well and try hard to succeed at their work. In a few lessons that are not as well planned and where teacher expectations are not strongly enforced, a minority of pupils, mainly boys, do not always behave as well as they should. There is no evidence to suggest that the occasional unsatisfactory behaviour of this small minority adversely impacts on the learning of others. Children in reception attain above average standards in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

They work well as part of a group and are confident to try new activities. Attendance is well above the national average. The school has achieved this very good level of attendance through rigorous monitoring and by gaining the co-operation of parents. Punctuality in the mornings is good.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (96.2%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.8 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

9. Behaviour overall is good. Pupils co-operate well, value the contribution of others and are caring and supportive towards their peers. Around school, pupils are courteous and polite to each other and towards adults. They extend a warm welcome towards visitors and demonstrate confidence when engaged in conversation. Incidents of bullying and harassment are infrequent but pupils confirm that when such behaviour is reported it is dealt with quickly and fairly. Overall, the implementation of the school’s behaviour policy is consistent and successful. Relationships are good and the small minority of pupils from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds are fully integrated into the school community. No pupils were excluded in the past year.

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Commentary

10. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities around the school and to use their initiative and develop their leadership skills. Most parents agree that the school enables their children to become mature and independent. School councillors take Drayton Community Primary - 12 their responsibilities very seriously and exercise a significant influence on the life and work of the school. Pupils run the school library and undertake a wide range of supporting roles, from assisting with the preparation of lessons to organising and managing the projection and sound equipment for school assemblies. Each class contributes to the planning and organisation of special activities for the summer fayre and the school sports day.

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Commentary

11. There are good opportunities for pupils to explore their own values, feelings and emotions through literacy, drama, religious education, history and art. Personal and social values are promoted through assemblies and the personal, social and health education programme. The school promotes a very clear moral code with a strong emphasis on the principles of equality, fairness and inclusion. As they mature, pupils develop the capability to act in accordance with their own principles when challenging injustice and discrimination.

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Commentary

12. There is a good multicultural dimension to the curriculum that ensures that, in addition to understanding their traditional British heritage, pupils have a well-developed awareness of other cultures and traditions and of the culturally diverse nature of many communities in Britain. Overall, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, attendance, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural values have significantly improved and developed since the previous inspection.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although some good and very good teaching was seen. The curriculum is satisfactory and enrichment is good. Pupils are well cared for and there are good links with parents and the community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good in the Year 3/4 class. • Although satisfactory overall, teaching in English, mathematics and science in Year 2 and Year 6 does not always cater sufficiently for pupils’ wide range of ability. • Teaching in reception, although satisfactory and improving, has some aspects that are not yet good enough. • Pupils with SEN achieve well when taught individually or in small groups, but some staff do not have sufficient expertise to accurately assess their needs. • New assessment strategies, including self-assessment by pupils, are proving successful. • Weaknesses in marking in some lessons limit its effectiveness as a tool for improvement.

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Commentary

Drayton Community Primary - 13 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 24 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

13. Some good and occasionally very good teaching was seen during the inspection, mainly in the Year 3/4 class. Lessons are well planned and learning intentions shared with pupils so they are clear about what they are expected to learn. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and thoroughness in their approach to their work. They have very good relationships with the pupils, using praise well to encourage and motivate them. As a result, pupils are keen to do well and are interested in their work. Effective questioning is a hallmark of these lessons, and particularly the fact that teachers ensure they encourage and question all pupils. This enables all pupils to be involved and develop their knowledge and understanding. Work is well targeted at pupils’ different learning needs so they are all challenged appropriately. This ensures a good level of involvement in all the activities.

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Commentary

14. Although satisfactory, teaching in English, mathematics and science is not yet good enough to enable pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 to make more than satisfactory progress. In mathematics and science in the Year 1/2 class, the teacher does not always cater sufficiently for the small number of higher attaining pupils in Year 2 and this limits the progress they make. Although teaching and learning in reading are good, in writing they are unsatisfactory over time as there is not enough emphasis on higher order writing skills. In the Year 5/6 class, whilst the teacher has a good grasp of the subjects and challenges most pupils well, expectations for the small number of lower attaining pupils are not always high enough. The headteacher and subject managers, who are aware of the issues, are taking steps to resolve them, particularly in supporting the inexperienced teacher, but it is too early to see real improvement.

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Commentary

15. Teaching in the reception class is satisfactory overall. The teacher and classroom assistant provide well for children within small group focused activities. Work is well matched to the needs of different groups of children and activities are relevant and interesting. Children enjoy their work and respond with good levels of concentration. Opportunities for child-initiated activities are good and a wide variety of choices are on offer. Children enjoy this; some of their play is imaginative and helps to develop their social skills. However, sometimes due to the number of activities on offer, staff cannot monitor and support these sufficiently well to ensure good learning for the children. As a result, a few children who have difficulty in involving themselves in activities wander around aimlessly.

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Commentary

16. The teaching of pupils with SEN is satisfactory overall. It is good when pupils are taught individually or in small groups by a specialist teacher or a teaching assistant.

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Commentary

17. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. There has been a recent school focus on improving assessment and teachers have recently introduced some new strategies that are having a positive impact on learning. They have had notable success in involving pupils in self- assessment, particularly in mathematics, and this is giving older pupils in particular greater responsibility for their own learning. Teachers use appropriate standardised assessments to track pupils’ progress from year to year in English and mathematics. This helps them set targets for individual pupils and identify those who would benefit from additional small group support such as booster classes. Periodic assessment in most other subjects is sufficient to tell teachers what pupils have achieved and this informs the writing of school reports. Drayton Community Primary - 14 18. There is an agreed school policy for marking, and while all staff mark work regularly, they do

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Commentary

not use marking enough to tell pupils how they can improve their work.

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Commentary

19. Assessment for pupils with SEN is satisfactory. Individual education plans (IEPs) identify the next steps of learning for each pupil and teachers review these regularly with the SEN co-ordinator. Some teachers are more experienced than others at identifying the next steps in learning and monitoring pupils’ progress towards them. The school recognises the need for further training for inexperienced teachers and has sound plans in place to provide this.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory, and is enriched well through good provision for sports and other activities. The accommodation is good and well maintained and the school is well resourced.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum for mathematics and science provides good opportunities for practical and relevant activity. • Pupils’ good personal development is fostered through a well-taught programme for personal, social and health education. • Pupils are well prepared to move on to secondary education. • There is a good range of extra-curricular sports and extended learning activities. • There is spacious accommodation and excellent grounds with very good recreational and sports facilities.

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Commentary

20. The school provides a broad range of interesting and practical experiences that meet statutory requirements and cater for the needs of all its pupils. Sound planning is in place for all subjects and teachers have refined their planning to enable pupils in the mixed age classes to build systematically on what they have already learnt and undertake new work with confidence and enthusiasm. Good management in mathematics and science has ensured teachers have kept up-to-date with developments in the subjects and in Years 3 to 6 much work is based on relevant practical activity in which pupils learn by planning aspects of their own work and finding things out for themselves. Pupils with SEN are fully included.

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Commentary

21. There is an effective programme for personal, social and health education which, together with the caring ethos of the school, motivates pupils to learn and understand their responsibility towards themselves and their community.

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Commentary

22. There are good arrangements for supporting pupils during the transition from primary to secondary education through a programme of tester days and visits from Year 7 tutors.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum is enriched through a good programme of visits to other locations, including one residential visit every year. These visits are planned to directly link to topics being covered in the classroom. There is also a good range of extra-curricular sports and extended learning activities. Drayton Community Primary - 15 24. Very good use is made of the spacious accommodation, which provides a bright and stimulating learning environment. There is a good computer suite that is very accessible to pupils in the Year 3/4 and 5/6 classrooms. The school grounds are extensive and equipped to support a wide range of sports and recreational activities. There is a very good conservation area for scientific investigation and nature study. The school is well resourced and the library well stocked and managed.

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Care, guidance and support

The standard of welfare, support and care provided by the school is good. Pupils receive good personal and academic advice and guidance. Health and safety procedures are good. Pupils know that their views and opinions are valued.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Welfare, support and pastoral care for pupils is good. • Arrangements for child protection, health and safety are good. • Pupils’ views and opinions are valued highly. • Pupils have good access to staff they feel they can confide in and trust. • Induction arrangements are good.

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Commentary

25. Staff know their pupils well and are therefore able to provide an environment in which pupils feel secure and able to achieve to the best of their ability in terms of both their personal and academic development.

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Commentary

26. There is a good awareness of the needs of vulnerable pupils and their families. The headteacher is the member of staff with designated child protection responsibilities and all other members of staff have recently received refresher training. The school draws on the advice and support of the attached education welfare officer and other relevant outside agencies when necessary for pupils with SEN, who are identified early on and their progress monitored carefully.

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Commentary

27. The headteacher, supported by a staff representative and the chair of governors, oversees the implementation of a comprehensive health and safety policy. All risk assessments for school activities and outside visits are meticulously carried out and recorded. There is good provision for first aid. Good advice, support and training are provided by the local education authority. Pupils are well supervised and taught to use school equipment safely and to observe good standards of personal hygiene. The personal, social and health education programme places good emphasis on the value of pursuing a healthy life style. The school is cleaned and maintained to a high standard. 28. Relationships throughout the school are good. Pupils say that should they have any personal concerns or need to seek confidential help, they all know at least one adult who they can trust implicitly. The school council meets regularly with a senior teacher

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Commentary

and is able to exercise a considerable influence on the school environment, some school rules and the provision of sports and leisure facilities. School council initiatives have included the organisation of a ‘walk to school’ week and the setting up of a ‘friendship bench’. Drayton Community Primary - 16 29. The arrangements to inform, welcome and settle children when they first join the reception class are good. Children are well supported and the families are provided with good information on the early learning goals of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Commentary

30. Overall the provision for pupils’ welfare, pastoral support, advice and guidance has been well maintained and in some respects further developed since the previous inspection.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has achieved a good partnership with parents and successfully involves them in the education of their children. The engagement of the school with the wider community and with other schools and colleges is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many parents are involved and interested in their children’s learning. • Parents express positive views about the school. • Links with the local village community are good. • Relationships with other schools in the local cluster are good.

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Commentary

31. Parents are very supportive of the school and the majority express high levels of satisfaction with the quality of education and care provided. A significant number of parents do not feel that they have sufficient information on the progress their children are making or that their views and opinions are listened to well enough. The inspectors found the quality of information about the curriculum, related topic work and extra- curricular activities to be good. The school accepts that parental opinion has not been formally surveyed for some years, but does nonetheless encourage informal contact with staff at the beginning and end of the school day.

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Commentary

32. Annual progress reports provide a clear overview of the curriculum covered but the reporting of personal development and progress is less clear, although National Curriculum levels for English, mathematics and science are provided. Parents are offered a termly conference where their children’s progress and attainment are discussed in some detail. The inspectors judged, therefore, that the overall information provided about pupils’ progress and attainment is satisfactory. Parents of pupils with SEN receive appropriate information about their child. The school offers regular opportunities for parents to meet with teachers and discuss progress, and supports them in dealings with outside support agencies.

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Commentary

33. Parents support the school well. There is an active ‘Friends of Drayton School’ association that draws together parents, grandparents and others from the wider community who want to support the work of the school. The ‘Friends’ organise a substantial programme of social and fund-raising events and provide volunteers to help in school and with extra-curricular activities. A significant number of the after-school clubs and sporting activities are run or supported by parents. The school has an active website that was created and is now maintained by a parent.

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Commentary

34. There are close links with the parish church and the newly appointed vicar takes the occasional school assembly and is a regular visitor to the school. Overall, the school has a good outreach into the local village community; it participates in local village Drayton Community Primary - 17 organised events and provides a regular editorial feature in the Drayton Chronicle, through which it shares its achievements and promotes its social calendar.

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Commentary

35. There are good links with other schools and colleges. There are regular professional contacts with the local cluster of seven schools and with the larger Abingdon Partnership of 24 schools. Within the local cluster the schools share good practice, engage in joint professional development programmes and organise joint curriculum and extra-curricular initiatives. Recent initiatives include joint sporting events, a concert and a project on different learning styles and mind mapping. Overall, the relationships with parents and the links with the community and other schools have been well maintained and even further developed since the previous inspection.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The leadership of the headteacher and other key staff is satisfactory, as is the effectiveness of management. Governance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s caring attitude provides a supportive learning environment for pupils. • Some issues for school improvement have been dealt with well and have led to good outcomes. • Some issues, although clearly identified through monitoring, are not always followed through well enough to ensure that improvement is good. • The headteacher and all staff leaders are fully committed to running an inclusive school. • Weaknesses in the school improvement plan make it difficult for the school and governors to securely monitor achievement and improvement. • Finances are well managed and used.

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Commentary

36. Through her leadership, the headteacher has created a caring and supportive learning environment for her pupils. She is committed to getting the best for pupils, both academically and personally, although she is more successful in securing good personal development for pupils. Through the commitment of all staff, she has, however, secured good improvements in ICT. She has ensured that the curriculum provides many opportunities for practical activities and visits, which pupils thoroughly enjoy. She also ensures there are good opportunities for curricular enrichment through, for example, visits and after-school sporting activities. The school council has a strong voice within the school, which ensures pupils’ views are fully taken into account.

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Commentary

37. The headteacher and subject managers analyse the results of tests and set up appropriate action plans, often providing booster classes or additional support for pupils who are not making the expected progress, and this is good. However, they do not always follow their actions through sufficiently to ensure good improvement is secure. For example, weaknesses in presentation of work were discussed and action decided, but issues in presentation of work still remain in some classes. The monitoring of teaching is undertaken regularly by both the headteacher and core Drayton Community Primary - 18 subject managers; pointers for improvement are given to staff and in many cases these are taken up fully. For example, as a result of action taken, the teaching in one class has improved significantly. However, sometimes areas for improvement in teaching are not dealt with quickly enough and this hampers pupils’ progress.

p.17

Commentary

38. There is an appropriate school improvement plan which identifies the school’s main areas for improvement. The plan involves all staff leaders appropriately and is regularly monitored by the headteacher and governors to check progress. However, the success criteria that are identified within the plan are sometimes too general in nature to enable success in initiatives to be fully checked. This weakness also inhibits the governing body’s ability to measure the success of spending decisions against outcomes in terms of educational success for pupils. The headteacher has picked up this weakness and success criteria in the new plan will be much more specific.

p.18

Commentary

39. The headteacher and staff leaders are committed to creating a school where everyone matters. They have good relationships with each other, all staff and pupils. There is good attention to pupils’ views and equality and consideration are promoted well through circle time and personal and social education. Staff provide good role models and respect for each other, openness in discussion and value for differences as well as similarities are a normal part of class and school routines.

p.18

Commentary

40. Financial management is good. The school’s administrative officer is very efficient and monitors the school’s spending closely. The chair of governors manages the finance committee well and regularly checks spending patterns. Governors, along with the headteacher, have been involved in making difficult spending decisions as a result of the school’s falling roll. They have had to cut support staff and trim budgets to suit. They have been heavily involved in ensuring very competitive tendering to get value for money. The high carried forward figure in the table below includes money for the computer suite that is now in place and devolved capital to enable the building of a new staff room and an office for the headteacher, which is expected to begin in the near future. Recommended procedures are carefully followed and record keeping is systematic. Expenditure per pupil is average for a small school; overall the school

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 349984 Balance from previous year 31597 Total expenditure 327660 Balance carried forward to the next 53921 Expenditure per pupil 3151 Drayton Community Primary - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children are in a mixed-age class, which includes some Year 1 pupils. All reception children now attend full time, although the youngest children attended part time until recently. They enter school with a wide range of attainment that is average overall.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. The class teacher, who only started last September, has had a great deal of absence due to illness and has only recently returned to work. Much of what she intended is only now being put into practice. Her leadership and management are satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. All of the lessons seen were satisfactory. The strengths of the teaching are the supportive environment that has been created, the systematic teaching of basic skills, the involvement of the teaching assistant in group activities, the quality of relationships between the children and staff and good opportunities for child initiated activity. The weaknesses are that sometimes, due to the number of activities on offer, staff cannot monitor and support these sufficiently well to ensure good learning for the children.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Not enough direct teaching could be seen to judge provision in physical development or creative development, and these areas were sampled. In physical development , children’s movements around the classroom and outdoor play area are broadly typical for their age. Children move around the school in a controlled fashion and handle toys and equipment safely. They develop their manipulative skills well and have daily opportunities to use tools and equipment such as scissors, paintbrushes and crayons appropriately. The classroom is well resourced with construction equipment and the fenced outdoor area with smaller apparatus for balancing and climbing. This area is used well as an extension to the classroom and children move in and out freely. Weekly physical education sessions are timetabled in the school hall and these are planned appropriately, but outdoor play sessions would benefit from greater focus in

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

order to extend and develop physical skills well.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. In creative development , children enjoy creative activities and their skills are broadly average for their age. They enjoy sponge printing and painting and in one activity seen a child experimented with different coloured paint in order to create new colours. This was a follow-up to a teaching input when children were encouraged to mix primary colours to create new ones. They experiment with water and sand and use clay and other materials in order to make artefacts and leave imprints. In music lessons, they learn to sing songs, move to music competently and explore the different sounds of instruments. They are quiet and very attentive during these times. Many opportunities are provided for creative and imaginative play during various role play activities, but teacher interactions are not always used well enough to extend or develop these.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children behave well and have good relationships with each other and staff. Drayton Community Primary - 20 • They use their initiative well in child-initiated activities. • Play activities do not always have sufficient challenge.

p.19

Commentary

45. The good atmosphere that the class teacher has created ensures that children are keen to come to school. They come in happily with their parents in the morning, are clear about the routines involved and settle quickly and sensibly to their work. They feel secure, know how they are expected to behave and are kind and friendly towards each other. They are mainly interested in what they are doing and cooperate well with each other. Most remain involved in activities for a sustained period of time. They work well independently on activities such as painting and water play and are quiet and attentive in more formal settings, such as in their music session in the hall.

p.20

Commentary

46. They enjoy the opportunities they have to initiate and become involved in play activities. In these activities, many demonstrate good levels of cooperation, suggesting ideas to one another and negotiating roles. For example, a group of children were involved in weighing when one boy took charge and went into role as a sports commentator. Using a tub as his microphone he commented on which child was filling the scales more quickly. Within this group, children showed good levels of social interaction and imagination. Standards in this area of learning are average in relation to the goals the children are expected to reach, and children achieve satisfactorily.

p.20

Commentary

47. The teacher provides suitable play activities. However, sometimes there are too many activities on offer and a few children flit aimlessly from one to the other.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Reading and writing skills are taught systematically. • Adult questioning is not used well enough to extend speaking and listening skills.

p.20

Commentary

48. The teacher ensures that her planning provides well for the teaching of letter sounds and their recognition. She reinforces this well through a variety of activities such as ‘hang man’ and word building using ‘linking bricks’ and ‘dinosaur eggs’ with individual letters on them, which children have to make into three-letter words. Higher and average attaining children use this knowledge well in their reading, with many building up simple words. Children enjoy reading both at school and at home and there are good structured and informal reading sessions when they can enjoy reading for enjoyment and in order to develop appropriate skills. They also use their knowledge of initial sounds when writing and are encouraged to play write. Some children are reluctant to write and there was limited evidence of them writing within their role play situations, even though there were materials available. There are relevant

p.20

Commentary

opportunities for writing for a purpose, such as re-writing the story of ‘The Elves and the Shoe Maker’ or writing instructions on how to grow plants. Higher attaining children write simple sentences, occasionally using a full stop, while lower attaining children use initial sounds for words. Overall, standards are average in relation to the goals that Drayton Community Primary - 21 the children are expected to reach by the end of the reception year and achievement is satisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

49. In most of the work seen, although staff spoke regularly to the children, especially in focused activities, there was sometimes not enough questioning to extend their ideas or develop their vocabulary.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory. Drayton Community Primary - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn through practical activity that interests and engages them. • There are missed opportunities to extend learning in children’s exploratory play.

p.22

Commentary

50. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The reception teacher and classroom assistant work closely together to provide a wide range of mathematical experiences to help children develop their knowledge and understanding through practical, relevant activities which link to other areas of learning. As part of their topic on dinosaurs for example, higher attaining children experimented with play dough, model dinosaurs and balances to help them investigate the concepts of ‘heavier than’ and ‘lighter than’. Lower attaining children hunted around the classroom for objects that weighed less than or more than their model dinosaur and tested them out on scales. Good teaching takes place in small group sessions, when number skills and mathematical concepts are taught directly, and the teacher makes very good use of visual aids and a puppet to capture children’s imagination. Number lines and mathematical displays in the

p.22

Commentary

classroom support learning well and children use them as prompts when calculating in their heads. Daily practice ensures all children are familiar with numbers to 10 and many can count to 20 and beyond. Standards are average in relation to the goals the children are expected to reach by the end of the reception year and achievement is satisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

51. Children enjoy their time on exploratory play activities inside and outside the classroom, some of which have a mathematical focus, but sometimes there is not enough intervention through questioning and guidance to take children’s learning forward well.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of practical activities ensures that children experience all aspects of this area. • The proportions of time spent on structured and unstructured activities are not well balanced.

p.22

Commentary

52. The teacher and classroom assistant provide a good range of practical activities to help children explore the world around them. Activities often link to a theme, to help children make connections in their learning and give the tasks a real context. A good example was seen in the children’s work in design and technology in connection with their science studies on living and growing. Children had designed their own seed packets. The fronts were decorated with colourful drawings of flowers and plants, and they had written instructions for planting in a carefully ordered sequence on the back. They knew, because of their careful observations of their own growing plants, that their seeds needed light and water to grow. Children use the classroom computers Drayton Community Primary - 23 confidently to play games that link with learning in language and mathematics, and use drawing programs for artwork. Adults make very good use of the school grounds and

p.22

Commentary

the village to develop children’s historical and geographical skills and foster a responsibility towards their local environment. Standards are average in relation to the goals the children are expected to reach by the end of the reception year and achievement is satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

53. The school needs to review the balance of time given to structured activities and free play to improve children’s achievement as too much time is currently given to the latter and this affects their overall achievement. Drayton Community Primary - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in writing are not high enough in Year 2. • Teaching in the Year 3/4 class is good and pupils achieve well. • Whilst satisfactory overall and improving, teaching is not yet good enough in Year 2 and Year 6 to enable pupils to make good progress. • Pupils achieve well in reading due to good teaching and provision across the school.

p.24

Commentary

54. There is an appropriate variety of writing activities in Year 2. However, the level of work is geared to the average pupils with a strong emphasis on handwriting and letter formation and the mechanics of writing, which are covered well. Marking of work is mainly praising or explanatory. When it is used for improvement, it is mainly for punctuation and handwriting. There is not enough emphasis on higher level writing skills, such as making work lively and interesting or using interesting vocabulary to describe characters or situations. In this aspect of English, teaching and achievement is unsatisfactory. However, teaching and achievement in reading are good.

p.24

Commentary

55. Teaching is satisfactory overall. It is good in the Year 3/4 class because lessons are well planned and learning intentions are shared with pupils so they are clear about what they are expected to learn. Questioning is good with a clear focus on subject matter and involving all pupils at the appropriate level. This ensures that pupils develop their ideas and explain their thinking. There is a good pace to lessons with clear expectations for learning. Work in pupils’ books confirms that teaching is good over time. Work is well marked, and areas for improvement are suggested and followed up. There is a good focus on handwriting and spelling, work is well presented and always carefully marked. The teachers give pupils a regular writing assessment which is carefully marked and graded against National Curriculum levels. Crucially, the teachers set out what the pupils need to do next in order to improve. In this class, pupils achieve

p.24

Commentary

56. Teaching in the other classes is satisfactory overall, although good in reading. In the Year 1 /2 class, although relationships are good and activities are interesting and grouped to match differing needs, there is not enough emphasis on higher order writing skills. In the Year 5/6 class, although the content of pupils’ work is often good, it is sometimes untidily presented with basic spelling and punctuation errors. There is little evidence that pupils are encouraged to check their work in order to identify and correct such simple errors. In the lesson seen in the Year 5/6 class, the content of the lesson was good and pupils were challenged well. However, a small group of boys caused low level distraction during the lesson as the teacher allowed talking to continue while she was addressing the class. This meant that pupils did not benefit fully from the input of either the teacher or the other pupils.

p.24

Commentary

57. Standards of reading are above average in Year 2 and Year 6, and pupils achieve well over their time in the school. There is a good focus on the teaching of reading Drayton Community Primary - 25 throughout the school. In the early stages there are guided reading sessions within lessons as well as daily quiet reading sessions, which are taught well. This is supplemented well by parents and helpers, who regularly read with children. Pupils enjoy reading activities and concentrate well. By Year 6, pupils read well and sometimes very well. Higher attaining pupils read fluently and with good expression. Some keep journals to chart the progress of a book. They have a clear understanding of what they are reading and discuss characters and main events fully. They are able to see behind the story to get at the more subtle levels of meaning. They take very difficult vocabulary in their stride. This level of competence is supported by their work

p.24

Commentary

in the literacy hour, where pupils read extracts from a variety of genres and authors. They have good opportunities to discuss how authors create interesting story lines, develop characters and use vocabulary to create mood. All other pupils read with a good level of competence.

p.25

Commentary

58. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Data is analysed and targets for improvement set, most of which are met. Work is undertaken to secure improvement as weaknesses are identified and action prescribed. For example, the current weakness in the teaching of writing in Year 2 was recently identified and areas for improvement such as planning and questioning have been discussed with the teacher, but it is too soon to see substantial improvement. However, presentation of work in the Year 5/6 class needs further attention.

p.25

Commentary

59. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Standards in English are now higher in Year 6, though in Year 2 they are lower in writing and higher in reading.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

60. This is satisfactory overall. For example, in religious education in the Year 5/6 class, pupils used their language skills to write prayers for the tsunami survivors. In the Year 3/4 class, pupils took on the role of Henry VIII and wrote a plea letter to Cranmer asking for consent to his divorce form Catherine of Aragon. However, overall there is limited evidence of extended writing in other subjects.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Some groups of pupils do not do as well as others. • Although teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, there are some good features. • Teaching and learning are consistently good in Years 3 and 4. • Pupils have good attitudes to the subject and enjoy self-assessing. • Pupils’ work is often untidy.

p.25

Commentary

61. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily, although there are some inconsistencies in the performance of different groups. In Year 2, lower attaining pupils do well. Almost all pupils reach the level expected for their age in the assessments, but the very small number who could reach the higher level do not. In Year 6, higher attaining pupils do well. More pupils than average reach a higher level than that expected for their age, Drayton Community Primary - 26 but some lower attaining pupils do not reach the level expected. The main reason for this discrepancy lies in the way lessons are taught and organised. In the Year 2 class, pupils do not have enough opportunities to attempt work at the higher level. In Year 6, higher attaining pupils are very well challenged with harder work, but lower attaining pupils sometimes slip through the net because expectations of what they should achieve in a lesson are not always high enough.

p.25

Commentary

62. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good and very good features. The concept of place value is taught very well. Teachers reinforce pupils’ understanding at every opportunity and in all classes pupils are given good mental strategies for dealing with calculations in their heads. Pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking and use the correct mathematical vocabulary. Teachers relate learning to the real world and give pupils practical problems to solve. For example, some higher attaining pupils working with percentages in Years 5 and 6 calculated VAT on catalogue items, whilst others used a spreadsheet program on the computer to calculate bulk purchase orders. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 worked practically with coins and unifix blocks when learning to halve and quarter two-digit numbers. Good support from a teaching assistant in this class helped lower attaining pupils and those with SEN to achieve well at their practical

p.26

Commentary

63. Observations of lessons and work in pupils’ books demonstrate that teaching and learning are consistently good in Years 3 and 4. Work is well planned to take account of the full range of attainment in the class. In lessons no time is wasted; teachers challenge pupils with hard work and ask probing questions to extend their thinking.

p.26

Commentary

64. Pupils enjoy their work in mathematics and their attitudes to learning are positive. They particularly enjoy practical work in the subject and often support each other well in pairs and groups. The school has recently introduced a system for self-assessment and in Years 5 and 6, pupils are becoming skilled at identifying what they can do well and where they need help, writing notes in their books to inform their teacher.

p.26

Commentary

65. Pupils let themselves down with the recording of their work, however, and throughout the school standards of written work and presentation are barely satisfactory. Too few pupils use rulers when they should and work is often left unfinished.

p.26

Commentary

66. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject is well managed by the co- ordinator who works hard to keep abreast of national trends and identify areas for development. For example, she has introduced more opportunities for practical work across the school. These are now a good feature of mathematics lessons. The weaknesses in Year 2 have been identified and are now being addressed. Standardised assessment tasks are administered each year to pupils in Years 2 to 6 and the results used to track individual progress and set school targets for national tests.

p.26

Commentary

67. Overall provision and standards in mathematics are similar to those found in the previous inspection.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

68. Pupils use mathematics appropriately in other subjects, although opportunities for consolidating numeracy skills are not planned in a systematic way. Pupils use their measuring skills accurately in design and technology when measuring wood, and Drayton Community Primary - 27 readily use calculators. Pupils use charts and graphs for work in science and apply mathematical skills in their geographical surveys.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A practical and relevant curriculum enables pupils to enjoy working together and learn through discovery. • Although teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, teachers in some classes do not cater sufficiently for the wide range of abilities. • There is good provision in the Year 3/4 class. • Some pupils’ work is untidy.

p.27

Commentary

69. Pupils in all classes benefit from a practical curriculum in which they are taught to find things out for themselves and this is a good improvement since the last inspection. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils demonstrate an appropriate range of scientific skills. In their work on specific gravity, Year 6 pupils were able to devise and carry out simple experiments using weighted straws and had used scientific equipment such as force meters and thermometers in earlier experiments on upthrust. They understood the principles of ensuring the test was fair by controlling the variables, and wrote up their findings appropriately. Year 2 pupils could observe and compare the rate at which ice cubes melted when placed in different locations around the school, as a result of their practical investigations into ice and water. All teachers make very good use of the school grounds for work on interdependence and habitats. Pupils use the school pond

p.27

Commentary

regularly and talked enthusiastically about pond dipping and their work on hedgerows as habitats.

p.27

Commentary

70. The many opportunities for collaborative work foster pupils’ social skills well and they learn to share apparatus and take turns well when working together.

p.27

Commentary

71. Teaching, learning and pupils’ achievement are satisfactory overall. Teachers have a good understanding of the subject and plan a good range of practical activities to support scientific investigation. However, pupils’ achievement varies from class to class. Although the vast majority of pupils do as well as expected, there are a small number who do not. For example, in Year 2, some pupils do not do as well as they might because some of the tasks are not hard enough for them and in Years 5 and 6, the lack of classroom support means that there are occasions when some pupils struggle to keep up. The presentation of pupils’ work is a weakness. It is often untidy and too little use is made of rulers when recording findings in diagrams, charts and graphs.

p.27

Commentary

72. No teaching was seen in the Year 3/4 class, but work in pupils’ books was of a good standard and demonstrated consistently good teaching and learning throughout the year. There is evidence of systematic study and good coverage of the curriculum in a relevant and practical manner. For example, pupils have investigated arm and head sizes, magnetic and non-magnetic materials and conductors of electricity. They also visited an allotment in connection with their work on living things. Drayton Community Primary - 28 73. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The subject leader ensures teachers keep up-to-date with training and the subject is well resourced. She has been successful in improving provision for investigative science, which is now a good feature of all lessons. Regular monitoring of teaching and pupils’ work and analysis of the school’s results is undertaken in order to identify main areas of weaknesses and to set

p.27

Commentary

targets for improvement, many of which have been met. She is currently looking at how to improve provision, in particular to support inexperienced staff.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Work in ICT was sampled as the school timetable meant that only one lesson could be seen.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

74. As well as the one full ICT lesson seen, ICT was observed in use in lessons in other subjects. Discussions with pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 were held and available evidence from computer files was used. These indicate that standards in Year 2 are average and in Year 6 are below average, although the current rate of progress for pupils in Year 6 and across the school is good. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Since the new computer suite was installed approximately two years ago, the school has worked hard to improve teachers’ expertise and ensure regular use of the suite by pupils. However, due to the short time this has been in place it has not enabled Year 6 pupils to catch up sufficiently in order to attain the expected standards. From work seen, pupils across the rest of the school are now achieving at the expected level.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

75. In the good lesson seen in the Year 3/4 class, pupils worked well in pairs to create a series of shapes using the ‘text ease turtle’. They knew the procedures necessary to access the program and were able to write a list of commands in order to produce their shape. Most were able to use the repeat command successfully. In a good Year 5/6 mathematics lesson, pupils used ‘number magic’ to produce a spreadsheet of catalogue items and their cost. They drew up the grid, entered the product, quantity and cost and used the calculator tool to set the function for each cell. Their achievement was good and they were completely involved in their work. Discussions with pupils in the Year 1/2 class reveal that they have developed a good range of ICT skills. They can save, retrieve and print their work. They have made graphs for their work in science and have kept appropriate databases. They know how to control

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

devices such as the ‘roamer’ and have used simulation programs to explore imaginary situations. All pupils regularly use the internet for research purposes.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

76. It is very noticeable that in all ICT activities pupils are highly motivated and work very sensibly. They collaborate well in paired activities and are helpful and courteous towards each other. They achieve well in lessons as a result.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

77. The ICT co-ordinator is new to the post but is keen to continue to improve standards and provision in the subject. As yet, there is little monitoring of standards in order to ensure all pupils progress at a steady rate and those who need extra support are given it. The co-ordinator herself has had little time out of the classroom in order to support her colleagues – this would be extremely helpful as both she and all other members of staff are keen to improve their expertise in a subject pupils so clearly enjoy. Drayton Community Primary - 29

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

78. The use of ICT across the curriculum is developing well. It is used in mathematics to produce spreadsheets. It is used in science to create databases and in history and geography to research projects via the internet. It is used in artwork in the Year 1/2 class, both through the use of paint programs to create pictures and also through using the internet to find pictures of the rain forest. In their science work, pupils in the Year 3/4 class have used it to create a graph of pupils’ head circumferences and arm lengths, and in the Year 5/ 6 class pupils have used sensors in their investigations.

p.29

HUMANITIES

Geography and history were sampled. Religious education was also sampled, as timetabling meant that only one lesson could be seen during the inspection.

p.29

HUMANITIES

79. In geography, an appropriate scheme of work is in place that ensures the subject is studied systematically over a two-year period to take account of the two-year age range within each class. Standards of work in pupils’ books were broadly at the levels expected for their age, although there was little evidence of harder work for higher attaining pupils in Year 2. This was particularly noticeable in the one lesson seen, which was satisfactory; the lesson content was pitched at the expected Level 2, as was the teacher’s questioning.

p.29

HUMANITIES

80. Geographical skills are taught well through practical activities and good use is made of the school and the local area for map work and environmental studies. Visits further afield support the subject well. Pupils in Year 6 have benefited from a trip to the River Lyn and were able to draw comparisons between it and the more familiar River Thames. Year 3 and 4 pupils have investigated the village, taken a series of photographs and used local maps to write directions that took into account street furniture and street names. Pupils make appropriate use of computers for independent research on the Internet. The presentation of pupils’ work lets them down as it is often untidy.

p.29

HUMANITIES

81. The one lesson seen in history was good. It was well planned, with high expectations for pupils’ work output. It was a follow-up to a museum visit on the topic of Ancient Egypt and focused on the findings of the archaeologist Howard Carter. Pupils used the internet and library well to find out more about what was in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

p.29

HUMANITIES

82. Pupils in Year 2 have looked at transport, moving pictures and entertainment in 1950. In the Year 3/4 class, pupils have carried out internet research related to Henry VIII and his wives. This shows work they have undertaken related to his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The standard of most of the work seen is in line with expectations. The school follows national guidelines and work is undertaken within a two year rolling programme to cater for the mixed-age classes.

p.29

HUMANITIES

83. In the religious education lesson seen in the Year 5/6 class, pupils were looking at similarities and differences in pilgrimages such as the Hajj and the Jewish ‘wailing wall’. The lesson was satisfactory overall, but the pace of learning was slow for some pupils. Pupils are taught a balanced curriculum in which they learn about Christianity and other major world faiths and consider the importance of faith and worship in the lives of groups and individuals. Year 6 pupils, who had been studying the importance to Muslims of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, were able to compare it with other Drayton Community Primary - 30 important pilgrimages and identify key similarities and differences. Pupils’ books contained examples of personal reflective writing: ‘special places’ in Year 6 and what it might be possible to give up for Lent in Year 2. In Years 1 and 2 pupils have been learning about Christian festivals and wedding ceremonies and their significance.

p.29

HUMANITIES

84. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn to explore their own feelings and consider what is important to themselves and others, and often work together in pairs and groups for discussion and research. Year 6 pupils recognise that knowing what others believe and how they worship leads to respect and understanding. There are good links with local churches and pupils in the Year 3/4 class had enjoyed a visit to the local Anglican Church, as their sketches of the lectern, organ pipes and wooden doors demonstrated. Teachers also plan visits to the Baptist church and a local mosque. Pupils make sound use of the internet for research into the subject and older pupils plan and research their own projects.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. In art and design , standards are above average in Year 6. The Year 5/6 teacher is an accomplished artist herself and transmits her love of art very effectively to her pupils. In the one lesson seen, which was very good, the activity chosen was very challenging as pupils were expected to achieve a Picasso style drawing using a series of pots that were viewed from different angles. Pupils demonstrated good skills in pencil sketching and in the use of charcoal. They used line, tone and scale to great effect. The result was some very good drawings, demonstrating high level skills which were clearly building on past experience. Other samples of work on display in the Year 5/6 class are very good paintings of poppies in the style of Georgia O’Keefe that demonstrate very good control of colour. Pupils have also interpreted Picasso’s Guernica very well while bringing their own imagination into play. There are good displays of still life

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

drawings, which demonstrate a good use of shading and a good understanding of perspective.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. In the Year 3/4 class, pupils have drawn Tudor portraits and modern ones and compared and contrasted the styles. In Years 1 and 2 pupils have painted leaves and collected materials for their rain forest project. The standard of their work on display is at the expected level.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. One satisfactory lesson was seen in design and technology . This was very much a practical task, which the Year 5/6 pupils thoroughly enjoyed. They used tools and equipment safely and carried out very accurate measurements in order to shape materials and put together components. They collaborated very well on tasks and enjoyed discussing their work and sharing the tools and equipment with each other. They made very little reference to their designs but these were of a very basic nature that was not actually helpful in the execution of their plans. However, within the sample of work there were better examples of designs, which were in line with expectations. Work in the other classes is appropriate. Pupils in the Year 1/2 class have designed and made a coat and in the Year 3/4 class they have investigated syringes and made a monster.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. In music , there is a scheme of work in place and regular music teaching is planned. In a hymn practice for the younger children, the teacher leading the session focused well on musicality, clear diction and a good singing voice, and pupils responded well. This Drayton Community Primary - 31 was less noticeable in the upper school hymn practice. Although pupils sang tunefully enough, none of the teachers present gave a strong lead in developing their singing.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. The school has an appropriate curriculum in place that covers all aspects of physical education. The school grounds are extensive and support a wide range of outdoor activities. The school is proud of its provision outside the school day and clubs run by teachers and parents include gymnastics, football and netball. These make a very positive contribution towards pupils’ enjoyment of the subject and contribute towards the success the school enjoys in local sporting tournaments. In the one lesson seen, which was satisfactory, pupils in the Year 3/4 class were designing and trialling sporting activities for their summer sports day. They used a good range of small games equipment such as balls, bats, cones and a parachute and co-operated well in small groups and teams.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

90. Evidence from the one good lesson seen and from planning and pupils’ work demonstrates that this is an important area of the school’s work. There is a comprehensive scheme of work in place to cover all aspects of the subject. Pupils have regular opportunities for study and discussion about a wide range of issues. Teachers make good use of story, drama and debate to help pupils learn about the need for self-respect and respect for others, and consider the importance of keeping healthy. As a result, pupils develop a good understanding of their responsibilities towards each other, their school and their local community. Drayton Community Primary - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 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 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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