English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Worthing

ENGLISH MARTYRS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: May 23 rd – 25 th 2005

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ENGLISH MARTYRS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 English Martyrs - 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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ENGLISH MARTYRS CATHOLIC 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. English Martyrs - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 5-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 207

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Derwent Drive Goring-by-Sea Worthing West Sussex Postcode: BN12 6LA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01903 502868 Fax number: 01903 503149

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Niven

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 15 th – 18 th 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

As a denominational school, English Martyrs draws its pupils from a wide area in the west of Worthing and beyond. They come from a very wide variety of backgrounds. Children’s attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year but is below average overall. Twenty per cent of the pupils are identified as having special educational needs, mainly as a result of learning difficulties. This is slightly above the national average and higher than at the time of the last inspection, although the percentage of these pupils varies considerably between classes. At present, two per cent have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, which is about average. Very few pupils come from ethnic minority groups or speak English as an additional language. None are at an early stage of acquiring English. The movement of pupils in and out of the school during the year varies but is broadly average. There has been a high turnover of teachers in the last three years. The school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

received the Investors in People Award in 2003 and a School Achievement Award in 2001. English Martyrs - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22870 Hilary Bonser Lead inspector English. 31758 Ted Tipper Lay inspector 12367 Anthony Green Team inspector Mathematics; information and communication technology; history; physical education; special educational needs; English as an additional language. 30705 Graham Stephens Team inspector Foundation Stage; science; design and technology; music.

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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). English Martyrs - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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 good and it gives good value for money. Pupils now achieve well as a result of improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, although the high turnover of teachers in the last three years has slowed the impact of some developments. The headteacher leads the school well.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils achieve well overall in English, science and information and communication technology. • Within this positive picture, achievement remains satisfactory for younger pupils in reading and for older pupils in mathematics, because it is too soon to see the effect of recent initiatives in these areas. • Pupils achieve well because they are taught well, although inconsistencies in some aspects of teaching, learning and assessment hinder pupils from doing even better. • The headteacher, governors and all staff work together well and are fully committed to further improving standards in all areas of school life. • Very good provision for pupils’ personal development and the attention given to the needs of individual pupils are reflected in the very good behaviour throughout the school and the very positive attitudes that pupils have towards their work. • A very good range of interesting activities, very good links with the community and the very

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OVERALL EVALUATION

good support of parents all contribute significantly to pupils’ learning and enthusiasm for school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection in 1999 has been good. The school has responded well to the main issues identified then. For example, there has been a good improvement in provision and standards in information and communication technology, in the range of assessment procedures and the tracking of pupils’ progress. In addition, achievement and the quality of teaching and learning have improved.

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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 E E mathematics A B D D science A A C C 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

Results in 2004 fell back from the previous two years, mainly due to considerable variations in the range of ability in the different, small year groups and partly because of some disruption to pupils’ previous learning from the turnover of staff. Most pupils achieved satisfactorily compared to their Year 2 results.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall. In reception, standards are average this year in relation to the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the year. Children are achieving well and getting off to a good start in their learning. In the current Year 2, standards are average in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in science. Achievement is good overall. Standards of the current Year 6 are below average in English and mathematics and average in science. Boys and girls of all abilities are achieving well overall. This is an improvement from last year in standards and achievement, even though there is a similarly high proportion of lower attaining pupils and those English Martyrs - 7 with special educational needs. This reflects the increasing impact of better teaching and other effective initiatives.

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

are very good overall. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. The school helps pupils to show a very good level of maturity by the end of Year 6. Attendance is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are good overall . In reception, they are consistently good and at times very good. In Years 1 to 6, they are good overall, but vary more from satisfactory to very good. This is partly because of the turnover of staff and because examples of very good practice are not yet always shared across the school. Nevertheless, there are already many common approaches in this relatively new staff team. Teachers use a good variety of methods to provide interesting lessons. In the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, they generally take good account of pupils’ differing needs. This helps pupils of all abilities to try hard and learn well. The curriculum is enriched very well through visits and visitors and a wide range of additional opportunities. This motivates pupils very well and makes them eager to learn.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher ensures that the school remains focused on a well-planned programme for improvement, based on rigorous self-evaluation, in spite of the staff changes. She is supported well by the deputy headteacher and other staff. The management of the school is good. The work of the governing body is also good and all statutory requirements are met. Governors are actively supportive of the school and have a clear and appropriate view of what is needed to move the school forward.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents: parents are very satisfied. For example, they feel their children enjoy school, are helped to settle in well, expected to work hard and helped to become mature and independent. Pupils: pupils also have very positive views of the school. Most know an adult they can go to if they are worried and feel that teachers trust them and help them to find out new things in lessons. They feel that other children do not always behave well. The inspection team found that behaviour was very good overall.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Continue to improve the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 in reading, and in Years 3 to 6 in mathematics. • Reduce the remaining inconsistencies in teaching, learning and assessment in order to raise standards and achievement further in all subjects across the school. English Martyrs - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is now good overall. It is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6. This year, standards in the core subjects in Year 6 are below average in English and mathematics and average in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well in English and science, but satisfactorily in mathematics. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well in writing, mathematics and science but satisfactorily in reading. • Higher attaining pupils now achieve equally as well as other pupils and this is an improvement since the last inspection. • There has been a good improvement in standards and achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) since 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 16.7 (15.5) 15.8 (15.7) writing 17.5 (16.2) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 18.0 (17.8) 16.2(16.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.4 (28.9) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 26.0 (27.8) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.4 (30.8) 28.6 (26.6) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Year to year fluctuations in standards in these relatively small classes should be interpreted with care, as these often reflect variations in the range of pupils’ attainment within each year group and in particular the percentage of pupils with special educational needs which, although average overall, varies considerably from class to class.

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Commentary

2. Results in the 2004 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 were below the national average overall, with little difference in the performance of boys and girls. Performance in English in particular, but also in mathematics and science, fell back from 2003. This was partly due to some disruption to pupils’ previous learning as a result of a high turnover of staff in Years 3 to 6. In addition, there was an above average proportion of pupils with special educational needs, several of whom joined the school after Year 2. This altered the relative proportions of higher and lower attaining pupils in the year group. A comparison of individual results shows that most pupils achieved satisfactorily in relation to their prior attainment in Year 2. A few pupils did not do as well as expected, mainly due to specific family or health reasons. Over the last five years, Year 6 results have not kept pace with national trends. The

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Commentary

English Martyrs - 9 high staff turnover and increased numbers of older pupils with special educational needs have contributed to this. Results at the end of Year 2 in 2004 were well above the national average overall and those of similar schools. This reflects a general improvement in standards and achievement by Year 2 since the last inspection, although it was a year group with a greater proportion of higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

3. In the current reception class, most children are likely to meet the expected standards in all areas of their learning. In Year 2, standards are average overall in English and mathematics and above average in science. Standards in Year 2 are lower than last year, mainly because there are more lower attaining pupils in the present year group. In Year 6, standards are below average in English, mathematics and average in science. In English, this is a good improvement from the well below average results in the 2004 national tests, in spite of a similarly high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. This shows the increasing impact of school action to improve the quality of writing in particular.

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Commentary

4. Records of children’s assessments show that standards on entry to the school vary considerably from year to year but are below average overall. Children currently in their reception year are achieving well, although this is not fully reflected in the standards at the end of the year, as almost half of the children have summer birthdays and have only had the benefit of one term of full time education.

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Commentary

5. Individual progress is now tracked carefully across the school from baseline assessments, through the national statutory and optional tests and other annual assessments. This information, together with past work and lesson observations, shows that most pupils now achieve well overall in English and science as they move through the school in relation to their prior attainment. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 also achieve well in mathematics, but satisfactorily in reading. Here the main focus has been on successfully improving writing and it is too soon to see the benefit of recent measures introduced to improve reading. Achievement is also satisfactory in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. This is mainly because the high turnover of teachers has particularly affected the continuity of pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

6. Standards in ICT in Years 2 and 6, which were below average at the last inspection, have improved to average and pupils achieve well overall, again as a result of effective school action in improving resources and teachers’ expertise in using them.

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Commentary

7. Achievement for pupils with special educational needs has also improved to good since the last inspection. Skilled teaching and learning support assistants, who are led well by the co- ordinator, provide effective help for these and lower attaining pupils.

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Commentary

8. The good improvement in pupils’ achievement has been brought about in turn by improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and the increasing impact of initiatives to improve specific aspects of English and mathematics identified through thorough school evaluation. Improvements in ongoing assessment and the tracking of pupils’ progress since the last inspection also help teachers to intervene to support or extend pupils who are not doing as well as expected, although some inconsistencies in these developments mean that they are not yet as effective as they might be. The rate of improvement has been hindered by the high turnover of staff as it takes longer for initiatives to become embedded. The very good behaviour and very positive attitudes that most boys and girls have towards their work also contribute to their good achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Their personal development, including their spiritual, moral and social and cultural development is very good overall. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

English Martyrs - 10 • The school’s very positive ethos impacts on all aspects of school life so that pupils enjoy school and behave very well. • Pupils work hard and respond very well to the many opportunities to work together and support each other, demonstrating very good relationships throughout the school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ very good behaviour, attitudes and personal development have been maintained well since the last inspection and continue to be a strength of the school. There are very good relationships across the whole school community. In the reception class, children’s personal, social and emotional development is promoted well and they are on course to meet the expected goals. This attention to developing all aspects of personal development continues through the school. Pupils are encouraged to accept responsibility and to show initiative and all pupils contribute well to the needs of others. Adults provide very good role models and have very high expectations of behaviour in classes and around the school. Very secure systems exist to monitor behaviour, including interviews between pupils and governors. This explains why standards of behaviour have been maintained despite the recent higher than average

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Commentary

turnover of staff. A few parents have concerns about bullying. Most feel that any incidents are dealt with effectively by the school. No signs of harassment or bullying were seen during the inspection.

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Commentary

10. The ‘buddy’ system, where Year 6 pupils befriend and support those that appear either lonely or troubled, helps ensure that all pupils are included in activities. Arguments are usually quickly resolved. Year 6 pupils also help supervise meals in the reception class. When Year 6 were absent on a trip during the inspection week, pupils from Years 4 and 5 took over these duties competently and confidently, stating - correctly - when asked, ‘Everything is fine!’ Such opportunities promote pupils’ very good moral and social development very well. There have been no exclusions in the last school year.

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Commentary

11. Pupils are appreciative of the opportunities offered through the extensive range of extra- curricular activities and the well-planted grounds that provide so many opportunities for pupils of all ages to play together in a variety of interesting and unusual environments, such as the forest area and activity trail. These contribute very well to pupils’ very good spiritual and social development. Imaginative planning by teachers provides awe-inspiring moments such as when African snails from the reception class were introduced into a school assembly, surprising and enthralling pupils from Years 1 and 2 and giving the reception children the opportunity to sing and share experiences about their ‘bug hunt’ in the school grounds.

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Commentary

12. The recently formed school council offers those elected to it opportunities to exercise additional responsibilities and to develop a sense of service to their peers. It has recently requested additional play equipment for lunchtimes – a request that was agreed and implemented by the leadership team. An extensive programme of visits helps ensure that pupils have the opportunity to exercise, in the wider community, what they have learned regarding manners and behaviour in school. Two residential visits in Year 5 and Year 6 also help further develop pupils’ independence and social skills. Pupils’ good cultural awareness is enhanced through visits, such as that to a local Indian restaurant, visitors, the choice of books to read and interactive displays such as the accessible one on India in the school hall.

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Commentary

13. The Achievement Book records and celebrates the success of four pupils in every class weekly. Over a year all pupils are included, giving the whole school community the opportunity to celebrate and reinforce the importance of the achievement, whether it be academic or social. This further underpins the schools’ ethos and values.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2003/4 (%) English Martyrs - 11 Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.1 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

14. Attendance for last year was broadly average when compared with schools nationally. The irregular attendance of a small minority of pupils kept it from being above average. Procedures for encouraging attendance are well established and promoted rigorously. Pupils receive termly and annual awards for full attendance. The importance of good attendance is stressed at the parents’ induction meeting and the negative impact of poor attendance on performance highlighted.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good overall. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is satisfactory, but it is very well enriched. The attention given to the care and welfare of pupils and the links with parents and the community are very good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall. They are good in the Foundation Stage, in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6. The assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is now good overall in English, mathematics, science and ICT. • The commitment of this new staff team is reflected in a common approach to many aspects of teaching and learning, although some inconsistencies remain that prevent pupils from doing even better. • There has been a good improvement in the range and use of assessment information since the last inspection, although the effectiveness and consistency with which policies are implemented vary.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 27 lessons

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Commentary

15. The overall quality of teaching and learning has improved from satisfactory to good since the last inspection, although there has been a considerable turnover of teaching staff since then, especially in the last three years in the reception class and in Years 3 to 6. In the lessons seen, there was no unsatisfactory teaching and the amount of teaching that was good or very good has increased. Effective action by the headteacher and leadership team, especially through rigorous monitoring and evaluation, has helped to bring this about. Well-planned, ongoing training and support for teachers and teaching assistants have also made a strong contribution. The enthusiasm, hard work and co-operation between all staff mean that in spite of the high turnover of teachers there is a common sense of direction among them and a determination to improve further. 16. In the reception class, teaching is consistently good, with a significant amount that is very

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Commentary

good. This gives children a good start in their learning. In Years 1 to 6, teaching is good overall English Martyrs - 12 in the core subjects as well as in ICT, but ranges from satisfactory to very good. As a result, although pupils are learning well overall, there are some variations in their rate of progress as they move through the school. In Years 3 to 6, for example, while there is a higher proportion of very good teaching, scrutiny of work shows this is not yet spread evenly across the year groups. This is partly due to the turnover of teachers, which means that initiatives are not yet applied consistently and because the many examples of very good practice have not yet been shared across the school. For example, it is clear from the outcomes of pupils’ learning that the school’s action to increase the level of challenge for higher attaining pupils across the school, which was criticised in the last report, is improving their achievement. Nevertheless, there is

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Commentary

still some variation in the effectiveness with which teachers match tasks to meet the differing needs of their pupils. In most lessons seen during the inspection, work was generally matched well to pupils’ needs, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs. However, a scrutiny of pupils’ past work across subjects indicated that the same task was often given to the whole class, with an over-reliance on the intervention of the teacher or teaching assistants to provide support or extension.

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Commentary

17. There were strong features in many of the lessons seen. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is good overall. Close liaison between teachers, the co-ordinator and the learning support assistants, good planning and assessment contribute to this and help these pupils to do well throughout the school. Teachers are skilled at asking questions that include them well, enabling them to take a full and active part in lessons. Teachers use the very good links with the local community, as well as a wide variety of visits and visitors, to make learning interesting and relevant to pupils. They also use a good range of resources and increasing links between subjects well for this purpose.

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Commentary

18. Teachers are successful in helping both boys and girls to develop very positive attitudes to their work. This makes a significant contribution to their good achievement. The very good relationships between staff and pupils throughout the school also motivate pupils well and help them to meet the very high expectations teachers have of their behaviour and concentration. Parents agree with their children that they are expected to work hard. It was also evident in lessons throughout the school that teachers listen to pupils and value their ideas.

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Commentary

19. Teachers make better use of assessment information to support pupils’ learning than at the time of the previous inspection. This has contributed to the improved achievement. They now use the information from a good range of tests and assessments in the core subjects to intervene to help pupils who are in need of additional help or challenge, although some inaccuracies in teachers’ assessments in relation to National Curriculum levels hinder this. Nevertheless, strategies such as the Early Literacy Strategy for younger pupils and Booster classes in Year 6 have been used very effectively to move on the learning of a significant number of pupils, especially in writing.

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Commentary

20. There are, however, inconsistencies in the effectiveness with which teachers use the individual and group targets set for improvement in English and mathematics. Although these are displayed in classrooms, only in a few, very well taught lessons did teachers focus pupils’ attention on them fully as they worked. Some very good examples were seen of teachers making very pertinent comments when marking work so that pupils knew exactly what to do to improve but this is not yet consistent across classes. Although teachers usually shared the main learning intentions with pupils at the beginning of lessons, often they did not review and assess pupils’ learning effectively in relation to these at the end of lessons or involve pupils in this sufficiently to increase their understanding of how well they were doing. English Martyrs - 13

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The curriculum

The curriculum ensures that all pupils have access to a satisfactory quality and range of learning opportunities. It is enriched by a very good range of visits, visitors to the school and extra-curricular activities. Accommodation and resources are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is enriched very well by a very good range of first hand experiences for pupils, including extra-curricular activities. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The good number of well-trained support staff contributes well to pupils’ good achievement. • The effect of initiatives to further improve the quality of the curriculum has been slowed to some extent by the high turnover of teachers. • Accommodation and resources, whilst satisfactory, are not as good in the Foundation Stage as in the rest of the school.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum is securely based on the National Curriculum, nationally approved schemes of work and the diocesan syllabus for religious education and personal, social and health education. Statutory requirements are met. Since the previous inspection, there has been good improvement in the amount of time allocated to all subjects and appropriate schemes of work are now in place, which ensure a full and balanced curriculum. The school is introducing a number of initiatives, as part of its development plan, to bring greater creativity into the curriculum and more effective links between subjects to make them more relevant to pupils. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of these improvements on pupils’ learning. Curricular provision in the Foundation Stage is good, with a rich range of experiences contributing well to children’s good achievement.

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Commentary

22. Very good use is made of visits and visitors to give pupils first hand opportunities in many subjects. During the inspection week, for example, Year 6 pupils visited two London museums and Year 5 pupils were coached by a professional cricketer. There is a very good range of sports and arts activities, which are well attended by boys and girls and also support the very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Some school clubs such as netball, football, cricket and athletics are provided by teachers, sometimes with the support of parents. Others, for example basketball, golf and karate, are provided by outside organisations. Many teachers generously give of their own time to run extra-curricular activities and to take Year 5 pupils on a 3-day residential visit to Arundel and Year 6 pupils on a 5-day residential visit to the Isle of Wight. There is a very good range of competitive and friendly

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Commentary

sports activities against other schools in Goring, Littlehampton and Worthing. All of these additional opportunities and experiences interest and stimulate pupils very well and contribute very effectively to their very good attitudes and behaviour and their good achievement.

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Commentary

23. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and complies with the Code of Practice. The co-ordinator and learning support assistants provide good day-to-day support for pupils, especially for English and mathematics, enabling them to access the curriculum as well as other groups of pupils and to make good progress towards their particular targets. Pupils identified as gifted and talented have the opportunity to attend workshops organised by the local education authority, and within the local family group of schools, to develop their talents in areas such as literacy, mathematics, science, history, music and gymnastics.

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Commentary

24. The good number of skilled teaching and learning support assistants work closely with class teachers to provide effective support for pupils’ learning. Accommodation and the level of learning resources are good, except in the Foundation Stage. Here, facilities for children’s outdoor activities are limited, although this is to be addressed shortly. Generally, classrooms, corridors and shared areas are bright and well maintained and provide a safe environment for English Martyrs - 14 learning that contributes to pupils’ very positive attitudes. The spacious grass and hard areas are used very well to support pupils’ learning and their social skills. For example, the school and the neighbouring special school share some of their outdoor facilities with each other and good opportunities are used for pupils to work on practical activities with children from the special school. This contributes very well to their personal development.

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes very good provision for the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils and provides them with good support, advice and guidance. It seeks and acts on the views of its pupils well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures pupils receive very good personal support and guidance. • Pupils are very well cared for in a safe and healthy environment. • Pupils’ views are valued, enabling them to influence the way their school operates. • Very good arrangements exist for pupils joining the school.

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Commentary

25. Pupils develop very good relationships with their teachers and the classroom support staff, who get to know their individual personalities very well. The close-knit school community allows this understanding to be passed on as the pupils move through the school. Outside professionals are also used to provide pastoral support. A play therapy counsellor works with certain pupils while a family link worker supports others, in co-operation with their families, to overcome barriers to learning. There are also social and nurture groups that help to improve behaviour, social skills and self-esteem. Pupils also support each other with the ‘buddy’ system, seen to be a very effective way of providing support for younger pupils by their older colleagues at lunch and playtimes.

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Commentary

26. Support for academic development is not quite as strong, as the assessment process does not consistently help pupils to clearly understand what they need to do to improve. Pupils’ annual reports, for example, while rightly celebrating their achievements, provide insufficient information on areas for development. The school has recognised this and is taking steps to improve pupils’ knowledge of their individual targets and what they need to do to achieve them.

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Commentary

27. The school site is very secure. Fencing and locked gates ensure pupils can not wander off, while the coded entry system serves as a barrier to intruders. The health and safety committee carries out detailed audits of the school premises and grounds each term. These are supported by weekly checks by the caretaker and the constant awareness of all members of staff who note any concerns in a record book that is monitored daily. Consequently, no serious hazards were identified during the inspection. All outside trips, from a walk around the local area to the residential visit to the Isle of Wight, receive thorough risk assessments that are updated each time. There is a good number of trained first aiders who have the use of a suitably equipped medical room. The headteacher, who is the fully trained designated person for child protection, operates a system in line with the local education authority guidelines. All

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Commentary

members of staff have recently received training on how to respond to any concerns they may have. The school is encouraging its pupils to develop healthy lifestyles through its teaching and by encouraging the use of water bottles and only allowing fruit and vegetables at snack time. It is also promoting an active lifestyle through its numerous sporting activities.

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Commentary

28. The school council meets regularly to discuss ideas raised by pupils in ‘circle times’. This has resulted in various improvements such as new playground equipment chosen by the council and paid for out of its own budget. Pupils’ views are also sought on other matters, for example, through surveys carried out to monitor the effectiveness and consistency of the behaviour management policy and how well pupils understood their literacy and numeracy targets. English Martyrs - 15 Appropriate action was taken in response to the findings. Other examples of pupils’ involvement include interviewing younger girls to identify their preferences in reading books, after it was discovered they were not progressing as well as boys, and the reorganisation of the playground duty rota.

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Commentary

29. There is a very good system for pupils joining the reception class. Teaching staff visit the pre- school groups from which most of the school’s pupils transfer to start building personal profiles and to identify any special needs. The children then visit the school with their parents, who also attend a presentation evening where they meet staff, tour the school and are given a detailed information pack. There is also a clear induction programme for pupils joining at other times, including the provision of a ‘buddy’ to help them learn the daily routines. The overwhelming majority of parents feel that these arrangements were a great help in helping their children to settle happily into the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has developed very good relationships with its pupils’ parents and carers and the local community. Links with schools and colleges are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents make a very positive contribution to their children’s learning. • Links with the local community do much to assist pupils’ learning and develop their social skills. • The school has established links with other schools that are of clear benefit to the achievement of pupils. • Parents are very well involved through seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

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Commentary

30. The school actively seeks to involve its parents in their children’s education and many take advantage of the opportunities to do so. It provides them with a good level of information on what is happening within the school through the regular newsletters, soon to be supported by a website. They also keep in contact through the home/school link book, although this varies in its effectiveness between classes. Parents are also informed as to what their children will be studying, and how they might help them, each term in class newsletters, but again, the quality of information is variable. Parents are welcome to assist in school and several regularly do so, including supporting in the classroom and running the uniform shop. There has been a good take-up of a six-week course on how to help pupils with their reading. The Friends Association is very active, running a range of social and fund-raising occasions, well supported by parents

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Commentary

as a whole, which raised over £4000 last year. Parents are also keen contributors to school activities such as running after-school clubs and the annual Grounds Week.

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Commentary

31. The school is an integral part of the communities of the two Roman Catholic parishes to which it is linked. Both parish priests are regular visitors to take Mass, assist in religious education lessons and support pupils and staff well. In return, the pupils visit their churches and are involved in services on special occasions such as Education Sunday and Pentecost. Members of the local community attend school productions and some talk to pupils about their lifetime experiences. Local sporting and literary personalities, drama groups and charity representatives are also regular visitors. The school makes full use of the many nearby attractions to support teaching very well in subjects such as geography, history and science. Year 1 pupils, for example, have visited local shops and a ‘pick your own’ farm as part of a project on vegetables, while those in Year 5 were able to experience Indian cooking at first

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Commentary

hand during a visit to an Indian restaurant. Links with business are not as extensive but several donations of materials are received for Grounds Week and there are plans to harness parental contacts more effectively. The arrangement with the National Health Service to run a holiday English Martyrs - 16 playscheme for their employees’ children on the premises benefits the school’s pupils, who are also invited.

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Commentary

32. The school is an active member of a group of Catholic Deanery schools that holds meetings every term to share ideas, undertake joint training and develop initiatives. It is also fully involved in the Durrington Family of Schools. Here it benefits from collective activities such as the development of a creative approach to teaching literacy and the promotion of inclusion. The school has a wide range of links with other schools in sports such as athletics, cricket, football, netball and swimming. Relationships with the main receiving secondary school are also very good. There is a sharing of staff expertise as well as resources, especially in physical education. While academic links are limited, arrangements for the transfer of Year 6 pupils are thorough and include transition units of work in some subjects. A special relationship is being cultivated with the neighbouring special school. The schools share facilities and expertise and

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Commentary

pupils often work together, as in Grounds Week and in the maintenance of the Labyrinth in the school grounds. Students from nearby colleges and university are invited to take up work placements. In September, the school is working on a project with the university on ‘group collaborative working as a method of learning’. All these links do much to promote pupils’ learning and further develop their skills to interact socially.

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Commentary

33. The school goes to considerable lengths to discover the views of its parents through feedback slips on newsletters and surveys, for which detailed feedback is given. Their views have been asked on a range of topics such as behaviour management, after-school clubs and changing the school day. They have also been instrumental in promoting initiatives such as the uniform shop. After a fairly negative response by parents to being asked how well they were informed about their children’s progress, the school introduced stickers for pupils who had achieved targets and encouraged them to share their achievements with their parents. Research on the views of parents of pupils with special educational needs has also led to an improvement in the way their children are supported. The majority of parents answering the pre-inspection questionnaire felt that the school seeks and values their views well.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is good. The management and governance of the school are also good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has shared effectively a clear vision that is strongly focused on improving achievement, while maintaining the very inclusive and caring nature of the school. • The high staff turnover has slowed the impact of school action and the development of the role of the subject co-ordinators. • Systematic self review is underpinned by good procedures for monitoring and evaluation. • The governing body takes an active and effective part in the life of the school.

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Commentary

34. The headteacher has included all staff, governors, parents and pupils in establishing a clear vision for the school, and led by example in the drive to raise standards by initiating a review of the curriculum based on the development of more creative learning styles. She has high expectations with regard to behaviour and the need for all pupils to be included and experience a wide range of opportunities within a rich learning environment. These are reflected in the large range of extra-curricular opportunities, the development of the grounds as a learning resource and the number of visits that support learning in school.

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Commentary

35. Well supported by her deputy and key staff, who make up the leadership team, the headteacher has worked hard and successfully to maintain the very caring ethos of the school and, at the same time, to focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning. This involves English Martyrs - 17 the headteacher and deputy in regularly monitoring lessons and discussing with staff how their practice might improve still further. The headteacher has led the school well through a period of high staff turnover that has placed additional demands on key staff. This has not deterred them in their drive to maintain and further improve standards and achievement. It has meant, however, that the temporary co-ordination of most core subjects is carried out by the leadership team, rather than being evenly spread across staff, and hindered the development of the role of subject co-ordinators. Systems to empower other staff to exercise their leadership

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Commentary

role by sharing good practice in the classroom are less well developed. For example, the expertise of the science co-ordinator, especially in investigational work, has not yet been shared with other staff.

p.17

Commentary

36. The headteacher has ensured that the accurate identification of key areas for school improvement is based on thorough self-evaluation in which all staff and governors are involved. A good range of performance and assessment data is now used to track the progress of individual pupils in all classes and to set challenging annual targets for them to reach, in terms of National Curriculum levels. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. However, these procedures are used satisfactorily rather than well, for example, in intervening to support or challenge any pupils not making the expected progress. This is mainly due to inconsistencies that remain within the accuracy of teachers’ assessments. The leadership team has plans in hand to address this.

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Commentary

37. The systematic use of the performance management process for all staff has been developed effectively to further improve the quality of teaching and learning. It has the added benefit of keeping all staff focused well on school priorities and is carefully linked to well-planned training. Performance data is also used well to identify and remedy any weaknesses in the curriculum, such as pupils’ problem-solving skills in mathematics. The headteacher and leadership team, supported by local education authority advisors and governors, carry out regular monitoring and evaluation of classroom practice to support the priorities on the school improvement plan. Very good induction procedures and support have helped to minimise the disruption to pupils’ learning caused by the high turnover of teachers. All of these factors are contributing significantly to the improvement in pupils’ achievements.

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Commentary

38. Governors are very supportive of the school and carry out their statutory duties well. Since the last inspection, the membership of the governing body has changed and this opportunity has been used to create a more efficient committee structure. Governors have also become much more actively involved in shaping the direction and vision of the school. They are committed to the principles of inclusion and high achievement for all. They have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. A key feature in this is the very active part they take in monitoring the school development plan. Very good relationships with staff and a strong partnership with subject leaders, ongoing training and their understanding of performance data all contribute to this. It also puts them in a strong position to question and discuss issues constructively and effectively with the headteacher and leadership team.

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Commentary

39. The governing body is very clear about obtaining value for money. It is fully focused on ensuring that available funding is used well in support of school priorities and pupils’ learning. As a result, financial planning and management are very good. The efficient administrative staff contribute well to this.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 528738 Balance from previous year 13919 Total expenditure 520165 Balance carried forward to the next 22492 Expenditure per pupil 2500 English Martyrs - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has been sustained since the last inspection. Children’s skills and knowledge on entry to the school vary from year to year. They are sometimes average, as this year, but overall they are below average. The very good links established with parents before children start school continue throughout and this on-going contact helps staff identify and meet children’s needs. Consistently good and sometimes very good teaching ensures good progress. Children achieve well in all areas of learning, except in some aspects of physical education, where a shortage of resources such as wheeled vehicles means that the full range of experiences cannot be made available . All children enter the school in September, but do not attend full time until the beginning of the term in which they are five. As many of the current class have summer birthdays, it means that nearly half of them

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

have not attended full time or had full access to the curriculum until the spring and summer terms. This means that standards by the end of their reception year are likely to be average, in spite of their good achievement.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. The Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Assessment procedures, involving all staff, are well established and used and appropriate areas for development have been identified. These include extending the outdoor play area – under cover – and providing a range of wheeled vehicles. Although a rich variety of experiences are provided for the children, accommodation and resource provision is only satisfactory at present, because of the restricted range of outdoor activities and the small area of hard standing currently available for the children to use.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All adults present very good role models and expect and receive high standards of behaviour. • Many opportunities are provided for children to learn and work together. • Routines that encourage children to become independent are well established.

p.18

Commentary

42. Children achieve well because they are well taught and all adults expect and encourage them to co-operate and work well together and to accept responsibilities. Consequently, for example, children register themselves and quickly and confidently settle to a variety of well- prepared activities at the start of the school day. They relate confidently to adults and are keen to explain what they are doing. They also share resources well. On request, all co-operate well and clear away ready for the next session, with adults presenting good role models praising, guiding and thanking individual children for their efforts. All children, including those with special educational needs, are encouraged and included well in these activities. Children move around the school sensibly, walking quietly into assembly in the school hall. They also benefit from mixing with pupils of all ages at morning break and lunchtimes on the school field. By the

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Commentary

time they enter Year 1, most of the children are likely to meet the expected goals and some will exceed them.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good. English Martyrs - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are confident speakers and their listening skills are developing well. • Early reading and writing skills are taught well.

p.19

Commentary

43. Good teaching ensures good achievement in children’s language development. Most children are on course to meet the expected goals by the end of the year. The majority of children listen well. For example, when the teacher read ‘Handa’s Hen’, they demonstrated this by the way they asked questions and completed related activities that were planned to assess their understanding. Carpet sessions with the focus on ‘thinking skills’ further encourage the children to reflect and explain their thinking in response to questions that encourage the development of their speaking skills. Role-play areas, such as the ‘Vet’s Surgery’, also encourage rich dialogue, as when a child told a visitor, ‘Just keep the blood pressure monitor on for another minute!’ The way that the adults talk to and question children skilfully as they are working and playing contributes well to this.

p.19

Commentary

44. A well-structured approach to the teaching of both initial and final sounds of words is well established. Children take books home regularly and have access to a good range of books to read and look at. The improvement of these resources has been a recent priority. Writing for a variety of purposes is encouraged, both in the play area and through opportunities to write with support from an adult. These are provided every day, ensuring that skills taught are well practised and consolidated. Many children, especially those that have benefited from full time attendance since the beginning of the year, are beginning to write independently.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A wide range of activities capture the children’s interest and ensure that they are developing positive attitudes toward mathematics. • Most of the children count well beyond ten, recognise common shapes and are beginning to record single numbers accurately.

p.19

Commentary

45. Teachers plan an appropriate range of interesting activities and this, combined with good teaching from all staff, ensures that children, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. Most are likely to meet the expected goals by the time they reach Year 1. Staff seize every opportunity to encourage children to match numbers and to count, for example, when recording the events from a story previously read. Children also respond confidently to questions, as one explained, ‘This three wheeler car needs one more wheel to make four altogether.’ They quickly improve their knowledge and understanding of shape in response to well planned activities, identifying pentagons and hexagons and explaining which shapes would fit together exactly and why, referring to straight and curved sides. Most are beginning to record numbers accurately and are generally quick to identify numbers that have been written

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good. English Martyrs - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have regular access to computers and use them well. • Children are given many opportunities to explore the wider school environment. • A rich variety of activities are organised to encourage the children to explore and understand the world around them.

p.20

Commentary

46. Most children achieve well and are on course to reach standards that are above those expected in this area of learning because of good, and often very good teaching. Exciting activities are planned and a good adult to child ratio ensures that questions are answered promptly and that help and guidance are always at hand. Computers are used regularly, both in the classroom and the adjacent ICT suite, to support work in mathematics, language and the creative arts. The opportunity to observe African snails encouraged a range of questions about feeding, age, country of origin and care. When eggs were laid, it gave further opportunities for the teacher to consolidate understanding about life cycles, already discussed in relation to butterflies and frogs. The school environment is rich in its diversity of plants and habitats and ‘bug hunts,’ supported by very good questioning, encouraged the children to develop their

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Commentary

observation skills, looking closely to count the number of legs, shape of the bodies and colours of the ‘bugs’ that they found.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The large school hall is used well to encourage physical development. • The outside area does not allow a full range of activities to take place.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children achieve satisfactorily in this area of learning and the majority are likely to meet the expected goals in most of this area of learning. Although children are taught well, there is not a large enough dedicated outdoor space that allows them to ride wheeled vehicles, take part in robust physical activities and to construct, balance and climb. This inhibits some aspects of their development, although they have opportunities to use the school Trim trail and large field. Plans are in hand to address this. The hall is used well and the children move confidently, creating a range of shapes and movements. They respond well to the teacher’s encouragement to improve the quality of what they have done still further. They use a wide variety of tools in writing and creative activities. Consequently, they cut and stick and hold pens, pencils and brushes correctly, forming letters, numbers and shapes well.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are deployed well to encourage a wide range of activities. • Children enjoy creative activities. English Martyrs - 21

p.20

Commentary

48. Children achieve well as a result of good teaching and are likely to meet the expected goals by the end of the year. Children are encouraged to try different pencils and to select the most suitable before completing, for example, very good observational drawings of African snails. Consequently, they are trained well to be selective in their choice of equipment. They are praised for their efforts and have the opportunity to show and compare their pictures with others. A wide range of exciting activities is planned and children are keen to talk about their paintings and models. They sing a range of repetitive songs to support mathematical development and promote recall. The role-play area is well resourced and used well throughout the day, giving children the opportunity to negotiate roles and to co-operate well together.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well overall in all aspects of the subject except in reading in Years 1 and 2, where they achieve satisfactorily. • There are some inconsistencies of approach within the good overall quality of teaching. • Effective school action is promoting further improvement in reading and writing. • Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are developed well. • Pupils’ presentation of work in their books and their handwriting are often untidy.

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Commentary

49. Standards in reading and writing are average this year in Year 2 and just below average in Year 6, where they have improved from well below average at the end of Year 2. Standards in speaking and listening are above average in both Year 2 and Year 6. Frequent, good examples were seen in all classes of teachers using strategies such as talking partners, role- play, group discussions and collaborative work to successfully develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. The way that teachers value and respond to pupils’ ideas and answers also contributes strongly to their confidence in speaking.

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Commentary

50. In Years 3 to 6, pupils are now achieving well in relation to their prior attainment in all aspects of the subject, although in writing, in particular, their rate of progress as they move from class to class varies from satisfactory to very good. This is partly because the recent high turnover of teachers has slowed the consistent application of initiatives. In Years 1 and 2, pupils are also achieving well in writing and speaking and listening but satisfactorily in reading in relation to their prior attainment. One reason for this is that in these classes, over the last three years, teachers have concentrated on improving standards in writing. However, the school is already taking action to improve pupils’ rate of progress in reading in these year groups, although it is too soon to judge its impact. Examples include extending the range of reading books for pupils, training for volunteer parents to support individual reading in school and training for teaching

p.21

Commentary

assistants to provide an additional support programme for pupils not making the expected progress.

p.21

Commentary

51. A number of factors have contributed to the good improvement in pupils’ achievement. The most significant is an improvement in the overall quality of teaching and learning, which is now good. Well focused monitoring of teaching and learning has contributed to this, together with the good leadership of the co-ordinator. Ongoing developments in tracking pupils’ progress have helped to identify and then support or extend pupils who are not making the expected English Martyrs - 22 progress. However, the impact of this is limited to some extent because the accuracy of teacher’ assessments is not yet secure.

p.21

Commentary

52. Another important factor in the improvement in writing has been the increasing use teachers are making of high quality texts on which to base planning, and of work in other subjects as a context for pupils to practise and extend their literacy skills. This has been supported by effective training and guidance from the co-ordinator and has had a significant impact on the improvement in the quality and variety of pupils’ writing and the motivation and enthusiasm of both boys and girls for writing. A very good example was seen of this in a Year 4 lesson. The teacher built very effectively on pupils’ previous learning about how the author of ‘The Tunnel’ creates a feeling of tension. The teacher’s very skilful questioning and very good use of learning objectives and well matched group targets helped pupils to apply what they had learnt in well crafted paragraphs, with sentences such as, ‘I could feel the cold wind whispering in my

p.22

Commentary

53. In Year 6, many pupils have made rapid progress this year partly as a result of the booster classes held last term, where very high quality individual marking of work had a considerable impact on the development of their writing skills. The teacher has also ensured that pupils are fully aware of the specific criteria of each National Curriculum level in writing and uses these effectively to provide a constant, well matched challenge to them to improve their work. This was evident in a very well taught lesson where pupils were motivated very well by the task of writing a brochure to convince the general public that accommodation, where they had recently enjoyed a residential visit, should not be closed.

p.22

Commentary

54. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well in reading. The co-ordinator has promoted more focused teaching of skills in group reading sessions, which all classes now have in addition to the literacy hour. Events such as ‘Book Week’, book fairs, information sessions for parents and visits from authors have all helped to raise the profile of reading in the school and contribute to pupils’ very positive attitudes to reading. The opportunity for older, able readers to take part in initiatives such as the West Sussex Book Award extends their skills and their enthusiasm for reading very effectively. Pupils involved in this spoke knowledgeably about the books they had read, explaining clearly which authors they preferred and why. They felt that the experience had not only enabled them to discover new and exciting authors but also how to improve their own writing through, for example, the exploration of emotions.

p.22

Commentary

55. Teachers show a good level of expertise in the subject. They manage their pupils very effectively and consistently, which helps them to meet the high expectations of behaviour and concentration. As a result, pupils listen very well and try hard to do their best. This helps them to learn well. Teachers work closely with their teaching and learning support assistants, helping them to provide very effective support in lessons, especially for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, which helps these pupils do well.

p.22

Commentary

56. However, the high turnover of teachers is reflected in the inconsistencies within the overall good quality of teaching, which varies from satisfactory to very good and so hinders pupils from making even better progress. For example, there are variations in how well learning objectives, individual curricular targets and marking are used to help pupils improve their work. The way in which the final part of lessons is used to reinforce and extend pupils’ learning also varies considerably. In general, teachers’ expectations over the neatness of pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work in their books are not high enough. There are also differences, evident particularly in pupils’ past work, in the effectiveness with which teachers match tasks to pupils’ differing needs. In all of these areas, examples of very good practice were seen in some lessons, but these have not yet been shared across the school.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

57. Teachers make satisfactory but increasing use of opportunities in other subjects for pupils to practise, apply and extend the literacy skills they are learning. Examples include pupils writing letters in role as evacuees in the Second World War and younger pupils comparing holidays English Martyrs - 23 and bathing now and in the past. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for their work in English. Teachers generally extend pupils’ vocabulary well across the curriculum, ensuring they understand and use subject terminology correctly.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement of pupils by Year 2 is good, but it is satisfactory by Year 6. • Teaching is good overall, although it varies from satisfactory to very good. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good. • Assessment, presentation and marking of pupils’ work are not consistent. • Leadership and management are good.

p.23

Commentary

58. By Year 2, standards are average and the achievement of pupils is good. By Year 6, standards are below average and the achievement of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well overall. Good support is given to gifted and talented pupils. No differences were observed in the achievement of boys and girls.

p.23

Commentary

59. Teaching is good overall. In forty per cent of lessons observed, teaching was very good. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection when teaching was judged to be satisfactory. The overall good teaching results in good learning and achievement by Year 2. However, the high number of teachers leaving and joining the school in Years 3 to 6, which affects the continuity of pupils’ learning, and the high percentage of pupils in Year 6 with special educational needs, are the main reasons why, even with good teaching, standards are below average and achievement by Year 6 is only satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

60. Teachers manage their pupils very well, and this results in very good attitudes and behaviour by pupils. They want to learn and co-operate well together. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are given good support by teaching assistants and learning support assistants and so achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Pupils identified as gifted and talented in mathematics are given the opportunity to take part in local authority workshops to develop their talents. They are also identified on teachers’ planning and their progress monitored by the co-ordinator for gifted and talented pupils.

p.23

Commentary

61. Presentation of work varies considerably from class to class. Satisfactory use overall is made of assessment and marking to ensure work is matched to the prior attainment of pupils and to track their progress. However, it is inconsistently applied throughout the school and the quality and legibility of teachers’ marking also vary. The co-ordinator recognises that these are areas for development. Teachers begin lessons by sharing the learning intentions so that pupils know what is to be learnt and why. The majority of teachers return to these at the end of the lesson for pupils to assess whether they have achieved the learning intentions. This helps them to be more aware of their own learning. Pupils in Year 3 to 6 know their targets for improvement and levels of attainment, which are identified in the front of their exercise books. This helps them to track their own progress, although teachers do not refer to the targets

p.23

Commentary

consistently in marking or in lessons as a means of helping pupils to improve further.

p.23

Commentary

62. The school has identified the use of problem solving and data handling as areas of weakness in mathematics. Throughout the inspection week, good examples were observed of teachers encouraging pupils to solve problems using a variety of strategies. For example, Year 6 pupils solved money problems using real coins and imaginary coins, such as a three pence piece. Teachers generally use pupils’ errors and misconceptions well as teaching points to share with the class and encourage pupils to explain their personal strategies. This also contributes well English Martyrs - 24 to the development of their speaking and listening skills. However, in the satisfactory lessons, personal strategies and explanations were not always encouraged. In many classes, number squares and number lines are not prominently displayed for ease of reference. In the good and very good lessons, teachers stressed and discussed the key vocabulary well and displayed it

p.23

Commentary

63. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is a very good role model for the teaching of mathematics and is making a good impact on the teaching of the subject. The co-ordinator monitors planning and analyses school and national results to identify strengths and weaknesses in the subject. She has had the opportunity to work alongside colleagues to monitor and support teaching. Although examples of the use of ICT were observed to support mathematics, this aspect is generally underdeveloped.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

64. The use of mathematics and numeracy across the curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers plan some activities in subjects such as science, ICT and history which consolidate and develop pupils’ use of mathematics. These opportunities need to be extended further to have a greater impact on the achievement of pupils.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The achievement of all pupils is good. • Teaching is good overall. • The development of investigative skills is inconsistent. • The role of the co-ordinator needs to develop further. • Pupils have very positive attitudes toward this subject.

p.24

Commentary

65. In the current year groups, standards are above average in Year 2 and average in Year 6. Although these standards are not as high as in some previous years, the varying range of ability from year to year in these quite small classes needs to be taken into account. In relation to their prior attainment, pupils Year in 2 are achieving well, as are pupils by Year 6, many of whom have special educational needs. This is a good improvement since the last inspection, when pupils’ progress was judged to be satisfactory. Teachers are enthusiastic and as a result pupils are developing very positive attitudes to science. Resources are plentiful and well deployed, ensuring that all, including those with special educational needs, have access to equipment and are fully included in the wide range of investigations planned.

p.24

Commentary

66. Pupils respond positively to teachers’ very high expectations regarding behaviour and, as a result, equipment is handled carefully and pupils co-operate well with each other when carrying out investigations. However, there are inconsistencies of approach as, in some classes, pupils are over-directed by teachers and have too few opportunities to apply their good knowledge and understanding by planning and carrying out their own investigations in a methodical and systematic way. When the pupils are involved in constructing ‘a fair test’ and where the teacher poses problems for them to solve, then work of a high standard ensues, as observed in Year 2 when pupils investigated the impact of gravity using a variety of model cars and ramps in the school hall. Teachers’ expectations with regard to the amount of recording that needs to be completed also vary. For example, pupils in Year 2 record very little, which limits their

p.24

Commentary

opportunities to reinforce their learning, while pupils in Year 6 record their work in great detail, well supported by marking that is constructive and supports learning well. English Martyrs - 25 67. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff are aware that inconsistencies exist but science has not been a school priority for review recently. Good practice is not shared effectively and consequently scientific skills and thinking are not promoted consistently throughout the school. Satisfactory assessment procedures are established. The setting of individual targets for pupils is at an early stage of development. However, the enthusiasm of the staff and the strong focus on knowledge and understanding ensure that by Year 6 pupils are confident and able to discuss a wide range of science topics at an appropriate level.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning and the achievement of pupils are good. • The leadership and management of the subject are good. • There has been good improvement since the previous inspection. • Whilst satisfactory, more use could be made of ICT to support pupils’ learning in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

68. By Year 2 and Year 6 standards are in line with the national average. The achievement of pupils is good. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection when standards and progress were judged to be unsatisfactory throughout the school and ICT was a key issue for improvement.

p.25

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and often very good. The previous report highlighted the need to improve teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge. This has been addressed well through staff training and improved resources, including a new computer suite. Teachers set tasks that interest pupils and, as a result, they are motivated well and show very good application and behaviour overall. In a Year 2 lesson observed, the pupils’ attitudes were excellent because of the very well-matched work set. Pupils co-operate well in lessons, sharing advice and supporting each other. Teaching assistants and learning support assistants also support pupils well in their learning. As a result of the overall good teaching, good support and the improved quality of resources, standards are rising. This is especially noticeable in Years 3 and 4, where standards were above average in the lessons seen. Assessment of

p.25

Commentary

pupils’ skills and knowledge varies throughout the school. This is recognised by the co- ordinator in her development plan as one of the next steps for improvement.

p.25

Commentary

70. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is a very good role model for teaching the subject. The previous and the present co-ordinator have ensured that the key issues of the previous inspection have been addressed successfully, including the varying quality of resources. The computer suite allows for focused lessons where pupils are taught skills that they can then transfer to other subjects of the curriculum. For example, Year 4 pupils are taught how to use a digital camera and then to manipulate photographs on screen, which are turned into pictures in the style of the artist Andy Warhol. Year 6 pupils are taught how to use spreadsheets before manipulating numbers to study patterns in the multiplication tables.

p.25

Commentary

71. The ratio of computers to pupils is above the national recommendation. Access to the Internet is monitored and filtered to ensure that only appropriate sites are accessed and responsible adults, pupils and parents are made aware of the rules for Internet use. A technician and teaching assistant are employed part time to maintain equipment. This means that teachers can concentrate on teaching rather than having to worry about the general maintenance of computers and issues with software. During the inspection week, there was little evidence of classroom computers being used on a regular basis by pupils. English Martyrs - 26

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. ICT is used satisfactorily at present to support learning in other subjects of the curriculum. Examples in lessons and in scrutiny of work show that ICT is used to support some learning in literacy, mathematics, science, art and design, history and design and technology. Good use was seen of word-processing skills being used to support Year 6 individual topics on the Ancient Greeks and Year 4 accounts of a visit to Lancing waste disposal site. Nevertheless, the co-ordinator recognises in her development plan that such opportunities are not fully exploited.

p.26

HUMANITIES

As this is a denominational school, religious education is to be inspected next term in a Section 23 inspection. History was sampled and geography was not inspected.

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HUMANITIES

73. In history , no complete lessons were observed. However, scrutiny of teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and displays around the school, as well as the observation of a small part of a Year 5 lesson, taken by a visiting author of historical novels for children, indicates that the history curriculum is soundly planned and is made relevant to pupils by good use of visits and visitors to give first hand experiences. Visits include those to Brighton Pavilion, the British Museum, Hever Castle and the Imperial War Museum. In Year 6, pupils made good use of the internet to support research on individual topics about the Ancient Egyptians. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows a wide variation in the quality of presentation. As identified at the time of the previous inspection, assessment of pupils’ work is also inconsistent and this results in similar work being set for pupils irrespective of their prior attainment.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Design and technology, music and physical education were sampled. Art and design was not inspected.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Only one lesson in design and technology was observed. Good teaching resulted in well organised resources and the pupils in Year 1 behaving very well as they prepared a variety of fresh fruits and compared their appearance and taste with the contents of a tin of fruit cocktail. An appropriate emphasis on health and safety was observed, as the pupils thoroughly washed their hands and used a variety of scrapers, peelers and a knife to prepare the fruit. Scrutiny of work indicates that pupils throughout the school have many opportunities to plan, design and make products, closely following national guidelines, and that standards at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 have improved since the last inspection. The principles of the importance of the context and purpose of design are taught consistently. However, much of the work is directed by the teacher, thus restricting opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

understanding as they move through the school. A brief discussion with pupils confirmed that a good variety of tools are used and that safety advice is given. This was confirmed in the lesson observed.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. One well taught lesson only in music was observed, when Year 6 pupils, who have developed very positive attitudes to music, worked very well together as they prepared a performance to be given to younger pupils. They had a very good understanding of their roles and talked with great enthusiasm about music that they had previously composed and recorded. A specialist music teacher teaches all pupils and their skills, knowledge and understanding are improving, as indicated by the regular review of the scheme of work to ensure that pupils are consistently challenged. Pupils sang with great enthusiasm in assembly and discussion confirms that they have developed a good repertoire of songs. Resources are satisfactory, supplemented by a range of keyboards donated by the local comprehensive school. Visiting teachers take groups for tuition in violin, woodwind and brass, further extending the range of musical opportunities

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

for pupils. English Martyrs - 27 76. One lesson in physical education was observed during the inspection week. The well taught Year 5 games lesson developed pupils’ cricketing skills well. A visiting cricket coach also gave good support in the lesson. Pupils were very motivated by the challenging tasks set by the teacher and the coach, which resulted in good achievement in the lesson and good progress in their bowling, catching and batting skills. All pupils were appropriately dressed for a games lesson. Discussion with the subject co-ordinator and scrutiny of planning shows that pupils are involved in a full range of gymnastics, dance and games activities. The previous inspection judged the scheme for physical education to be insufficiently detailed. This has now been addressed. Swimming is taught to Year 3, 4 and 5 pupils. By the end of Year 6, the majority of pupils are able to swim the minimum expectation of 25 metres. The school offers a very good

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

range of after school sporting activities, provided by teachers, parents and outside agencies. The Year 6 residential visit to the Isle of Wight also includes sports activities such as archery, trampoline, badminton and bowls.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

This area of the curriculum was sampled.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

77. The school’s very caring ethos, overall provision and scheme of work for this area support pupils’ personal development very well. Drugs, sex, relationships and health education are taught through dedicated lessons, as well as other areas of the curriculum, including religious education, science and physical education. The school nurse and police liaison officer provide useful support. One aspect of the PSHCE curriculum is cycling proficiency and pupils are only allowed to cycle to school once they have passed a test. Teachers regularly hold ‘circle-time’ sessions, encouraging pupils to talk about and perhaps find solutions to problems that concern them. During a well led Year 2 circle time, the teacher helped pupils to appreciate that everyone has different needs and to suggest ways of responding to these. The pupils were given good opportunities to share their thoughts and express their opinions. PSHCE has a very

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

positive impact on pupils’ behaviour and personal development and results in pupils who relate very well to each other and to adults, who are confident and who are very sensitive to the feelings, values and beliefs of others. English Martyrs - 28

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 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 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 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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