Gillibrand Primary School

GILLIBRAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 29 th September 2004

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GILLIBRAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Gillibrand Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2004

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GILLIBRAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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GILLIBRAND 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. Gillibrand Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 182

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grosvenor Road Chorley Lancashire Postcode: PR7 2PJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01257 274983 Fax number: 01257 274983

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Harvey

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Gillibrand is an average size primary school with 182 pupils on its roll. Almost all the pupils come from white British families and from a wide range of different social groups. However, there are many families with relatively low incomes although the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is in line with the national average. Far more pupils have special educational needs than is usual and the proportion with statements is noticeably above average. Most of the special needs are related to learning difficulties. Pupils’ attainment on entry varies from just above to just below average from year to year and overall is broadly average. The school is a member of a Network Learning Community of local schools that is researching the impact of the action they are taking to improve pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Both the headteacher and the deputy headteacher came to the school after its last inspection.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2616 P H Cole Lead inspector Mathematics, science, art and design, physical education 14141 E Marshall Lay inspector 19026 B Downes Team inspector Information and communication technology, geography, history, religious education, special educational needs 27591 M Campbell Team inspector Foundation Stage, English, design and technology, music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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). Gillibrand Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Gillibrand Primary School - 6 Gillibrand Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Gillibrand Primary school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils . Overall they reach standards that are just below national expectations but their achievement is satisfactory give their starting points. Teaching is satisfactory and pupils are well cared for in a school that enjoys close links with its community and is soundly led and well managed. It provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils do not achieve well enough in science or information and communications technology (ICT). • Children in the reception class, those with special educational needs and Years 5 and 6 make good progress. • Pupils’ behaviour is good; they enjoy school and attend well and their personal development is good. This reflects the effectiveness with which all the staff look after them and the close links the school has with its community. • Leaders need to place more emphasis in their work on raising the standards that pupils achieve. • Not enough use is made of what the school has found out about the strengths and weaknesses in what pupils know, to make their learning better. • Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply what they have learnt in ICT, English and mathematics in the other subjects of the curriculum.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made sound progress since its previous inspection in 1999. Strengths have been maintained and overall results have varied from year to year, sometimes being higher than in 1999 and sometimes lower depending on the starting points of each cohort. Pupils’ behaviour has improved as has their personal development. The weaknesses in teaching in infant classes have been mostly addressed and the provision in reception is now much better. Good progress has been made in tackling weaknesses in ICT although more remains to be done. Improvement in science has been unsatisfactory and pupils still lack independence in conducting investigations.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English C D C C mathematics C C C C science C A D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall pupils achieve satisfactorily in the school. The unconfirmed results for Year 6 tests in 2004 show a dip from 2003. However, these pupils made sound progress in light of their Year 2 tests. Although pupils in both junior and infant classes reach levels below those expected for their ages in reading and writing their achievement is sound given their starting points and there are indications of improvement resulting from the action the school is taking. Standards in mathematics are in line with national expectations by both Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils are achieving satisfactorily. Pupils across the school do not achieve well enough in science because their knowledge and understanding are weak. Standards and pupils’ achievement in ICT have shown good improvement in recent years but are both still below where they should be for pupils’ ages. Except in science pupils in Years 5 and 6 achieve better than in other classes in Years 1 to 6.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Gillibrand Primary School - 8 Children in the reception class achieve well overall and many are on course to reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the year. Their achievement is good in personal development, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Across the school pupils who have special educational needs make good progress.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils develop good personal qualities including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are well behaved, attend well and enjoy lessons.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory . Teaching is good in the reception class and in older junior classes, particularly Year 5. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and this ensures that most work hard and are involved in lessons. In the best lessons teachers provide work that is well matched to needs of different pupils and challenges all pupils so they make good progress. In some other lessons more could be asked of pupils. In all classes teachers and support assistants work well to help pupils with special educational needs. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work does not provide pupils with enough guidance on how they can make their work better and targets are not used well enough to help pupils take the next steps in their learning. In science, teachers do not place enough emphasis on pupils using the correct vocabulary, learning facts or conducting their own investigations and this limits their achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Pupils are secure and well cared for and this supports their personal development well. The resources for ICT are not used as effectively as they could be and this reduces progress in this important subject. Many out-of-class activities enrich the curriculum. The school benefits considerably from its strong links with the community and other schools. These have led to developments in the curriculum and improvements in the accommodation.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall and, within this, leadership is satisfactory and management is good. Leadership is delegated effectively across the school and senior managers and teachers are increasingly making a positive impact. Good systems are in place to find out how well the school is doing but not enough account of this information is taken when planning improvements. Not enough emphasis has been placed on driving up standards and these have not improved as much as the quality of the provision. Governors provide satisfactory support to the school but should be more challenging over how well it is performing.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally very happy with the school and appreciate the wealth of information they receive. Pupils like the school, feel secure and valued and know that their views are listened to and taken into account when improvements are planned.

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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 raise standards in English and mathematics and raise standards and achievement in science and ICT. • Make the raising of standards central to the work of leaders and the processes of school improvement. • Enable pupils to apply their skills in literacy, mathematics and ICT across the curriculum. Gillibrand Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall standards are just below national expectations but are showing improvement and pupils achieve satisfactorily given their starting points.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. • Standards are below expectations and pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory in science. • Although improving, standards and achievement in ICT are still not high enough. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress

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Commentary

1. The results in the 2003 national tests for pupils in Year 6 indicate that standards were in line with national averages for English and mathematics and that the pupils made sound progress from when they were tested in Year 2. In science, the picture was less positive and pupils did less well than pupils in other schools nationally and did not make as much progress while in Years 3 to 6 as they could have done. The early indications for the results of the Year 6 pupils tested in 2004 are that the results dipped from 2003 when compared with national results but that progress from Year 2 was satisfactory for those pupils in both English and mathematics, but again not in science. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 5 in both English and mathematics equalled the national average, reflecting the effort the school put into raising the attainment of the brighter average pupils.

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Commentary

2. The Year 2 national assessments in 2003 were weaker than those in Year 6 being below national averages and those found in schools with similar levels of free school meals. The 2004 results point to an improvement in reading and writing to broadly in line with national averages. More pupils achieved the expected level 2 than nationally but fewer achieved the higher level 3 in writing and mathematics.

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Commentary

3. The inspection found a similar picture on standards and achievement. Standards in English by Year 2 and Year 6 are below national expectations but the majority of pupils are achieving satisfactorily given their staring points. Initiatives, including ‘Talking Partners’, writing days and target setting, are bringing about improvements in speaking and listening, reading and writing although there is evidence that these could be making an even stronger impact in improving the progress that pupils are making if they were applied more consistently. In mathematics, standards are broadly in line with the national expectations by Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is satisfactory although there are weaknesses in pupils’ abilities to apply their mathematical knowledge and understanding because not enough attention is being paid to this aspect of their learning. The situation in science remains unsatisfactory with both standards

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Commentary

and achievement being too low. By Year 6 pupils have weak knowledge and understanding across the different aspects of the subject. One of the main reasons for this is the way that the teaching of science to the older junior classes is organised with science often being taken by supply teachers while the class teachers do booster classes for English and mathematics. The teaching of science lacks the coherence and challenge found in other lessons in Years 5 and 6.

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Commentary

4. Generally achievement in Years 3 to 6 is stronger than in Years 1 and 2. This is partly because of the strong teaching in the older junior classes, but also because higher attaining pupils are given more challenge and do better than they do in infant classes. Gillibrand Primary School - 10 5. Standards in ICT have improved noticeably since the last inspection but are still below national expectations and pupils could achieve better. The main reason why pupils do not make as much progress as they could is the inefficient way the resources are organised. Although there are sufficient computers in school neither of the two small suites can accommodate a whole class and time for teaching ICT is therefore not used as effectively as it could be.

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Commentary

6. Children make good progress and achieve well in the reception class. Their achievement is good in personal and social development, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. They settle quickly and make good progress overall because the teaching by both the teacher and the support assistant is skilful and well planned and provides a good balance between child and adult-initiated activities.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational achieve well. They are given good support when in class by skilled support assistants who work closely with class teachers and when they are withdrawn they benefit from well-planned tasks that meet their needs well.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 14.9 (15.5) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.2 (12.8) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.0 (14.9) 16.3 (16.5) 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 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 (26.6) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.2 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) science 28.1 (30.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance is above the national average for primary schools and is good. Punctuality is satisfactory for almost all pupils. Pupils have good attitudes to their work in lessons and their behaviour in class and around the school is good overall. One fixed term exclusion has been recorded. Pupils’ moral and social development is very well established and their spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. Overall, pupils’ personal development is good and this shows in their ability to act with consideration for others.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The strong moral and social elements of personal development help pupils to relate well to both teachers and classmates and this provides a good atmosphere for learning. • Pupils’ overall good interest and attitudes to learning combine with good behaviour and make a positive contribution to their achievement and progress. • Pupils’ liking of school and interest in lessons are demonstrated by good attendance. • Provision for experiences in pupils’ spiritual and cultural development could usefully be broadened. • The level of pupils’ full involvement in lessons can decline for some when the teaching does not excite them and does not maintain their interest. Gillibrand Primary School - 11

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Commentary

8. The school sets high standards of behaviour for its pupils and this is a significant contribution towards establishing the good relationships that exist between pupils and between pupils and the staff. Pupils are given the opportunity to discuss the class and playground rules and to appreciate why they are important. The outcome of this is a caring school community where pupils show respect for each other. Older pupils give help and support to younger ones through systems such as the ‘playground buddies’. Regular sharing of lessons with pupils of the nearby special school provides valuable opportunities to help others build up their self-esteem. Membership of the school council is valued and provides many opportunities for pupils to help improve the school for the benefit of all pupils.

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Commentary

9. In most lessons and activities, pupils show an interest in their work and the ability to concentrate on the tasks given. They will willingly work independently, in pairs, or in groups when required, and will share resources sensibly. The good attitudes to learning are most evident amongst children in the reception class and pupils in the Years 3 to 6 age groups. The co-operative way pupils work contributes well to their progress. In some lessons, however, where teaching does not excite or inspire the pupils, the interest and concentration levels can deteriorate and pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of.

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Commentary

10. Responses in the pupils’ questionnaire returns show that they like school and this is reflected in the good level of attendance. Many pupils come to school early and take advantage of the breakfast provision. Older pupils come in even earlier and help to set up for breakfast and distribute the attendance registers in readiness for the start of the school day. The school takes a consistent approach in the encouragement of all parents to ensure the good attendance of their children. Most comply. A few find difficulty with maintaining regular attendance and punctuality. There is no evidence of truancy. Registration meets statutory requirements, and registration periods are often used well for independent work that gets the day off to a good start.

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Commentary

11. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development and they respond well as evidenced above. Provision for cultural development concentrates on information about traditional white British culture. Opportunities for the study of other faiths and cultures are not nearly as well developed and therefore pupils have limited awareness of the meaning and impact of living in a modern multi-cultural society. Through music, art, natural history and to a lesser extent religious education, the school provides satisfactorily for pupils’ spiritual development, but this could be further improved by provision of more inspiring assembly themes that make pupils want to think about the wider world.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.2 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Gillibrand Primary School - 12

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 172 1 0 White – any other white background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 Informaton not obtained 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound education for its pupils. Teaching and learning and the curriculum are satisfactory, pupils are well cared for and the school benefits from strong links with parents and the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory but vary between year groups and subjects. Assessment is sound and systematic but not used sufficiently.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in reception and in Year 5. • Teaching of science is not effective. • The support given to pupils with special educational needs is good. • There are good systems for assessing pupils but not enough use is made of this yet to improve pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

12. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed during the inspection. The judgements on teaching and learning are based on the lessons, the analysis of pupils’ completed work and discussions with pupils. The evidence points to teaching of the youngest children and the older pupils, particularly in Year 5 as being the strongest. In these classes and in other well-taught lessons the strengths included:

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Commentary

• planning that identified clear objectives that were shared and understood by the pupils; • teaching that was well matched to the needs of different pupils and ensured that all were able to make gains in the lesson; • lively pace that kept pupils involved and interested; • questioning used to challenge pupils to clarify their thinking and to check on their learning; • and, in the case of lessons in the reception class, the teacher has established well thought- out routines that she consistently applies and these are ensuring that the children make good progress in their social development. Gillibrand Primary School - 13 13. Teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs are good because teachers and support assistants plan lessons carefully to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are very well supported in lessons. Where pupils are withdrawn from lessons for extra tuition, the provision is appropriate and teaching is well matched to their needs and thoughtfully

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Commentary

delivered. Support assistants give very effective and caring support. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are good. They contain clear and realistic targets for improvement and identify teaching strategies that enable teachers and assistants to successfully focus on pupils’ needs. Assessment for pupils with special educational needs is very good and enables the school to develop a clear picture of their attainment and progress. This good quality provision ensures that these pupils make good progress.

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Commentary

14. Although the work of the Year 5 and Year 6 teachers is effective in accelerating the learning of pupils in junior classes in English and mathematics, as seen in the school’s records that track pupils’ progress, this is not the case in science. Most science lessons in these classes have been taught by supply teachers and the pace, level of challenge and match to pupils’ needs seen in their other work are not evident in science. This results in insufficient progress being made across Years 5 and 6. In the lessons seen across the school science was taught at least satisfactorily but even in these lessons not enough emphasis was placed on ensuring that pupils learnt and used the correct scientific terminology. Opportunities for pupils to record for themselves were also missed and this is holding back their learning.

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Commentary

15. In almost all lessons teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. As a result they are well behaved and willingly engage in lessons. On a few occasions when teaching is less well matched to different pupils’ needs or teachers fail to notice and tackle inattention some pupils make less progress than they could.

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Commentary

16. Good systems for assessing pupils have been developed for the English, mathematics and science, and for ICT. These provide teachers with useful information on what individual pupils know, understand and can do. This information is used to group pupils in lessons in English and mathematics. Gaps in the learning of groups of pupils are also identified and action is taken to tackle some of these. However, not enough use is made of this valuable information to tackle underachievement, for example in problem solving in mathematics or investigations in science. Pupils are being provided with learning targets that should help them to take the next step in their learning. However, insufficient emphasis is given to these and pupils do not understand their importance and most fail to work towards achieving them. A common weakness in teaching is the day-to-day marking of pupils’ work. It is done regularly but provides little benefit

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Commentary

to pupils as too often there is little guidance offered to them that could help them to improve and only rarely do pupils respond to teachers’ requests to correct their work.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 25 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. The school has sufficient resources and appropriate accommodation

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum of the Foundation Stage is good but there is need for development of the outside learning area. Gillibrand Primary School - 14 • The deployment and use of ICT resources need to be reconsidered in order to make better use of pupil/teacher time. • There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities which contribute well to curriculum enrichment. • Management of ICT curriculum time needs attention so that pupil achievement is improved. • Pupils with special educational needs receive a good quality education. • There need to be stronger cross-curricular links. • There are strong links with other schools, colleges and the community.

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Commentary

17. The Foundation Stage curriculum is broad and balanced and incorporates all six areas of learning. Due emphasis is given to the development of speaking and listening, literacy and numeracy skills and there is, rightly, a focus on personal and social education at the beginning of a new school year in order to help children settle quickly into school and its routines. However, there is no discrete, secure area outside the reception class so children cannot choose to work here independently. This impacts on the curriculum for physical development and to a lesser extent the personal and social development offered to the youngest children.

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Commentary

18. Although two small computer suites have been established, they are each not big enough to accommodate a whole class at once. Consequently, whilst half a class are working on computers, other children are engaged on a variety of non-ICT tasks which vary in quality. This affects the rate at which pupils acquire competence in keyboard skills and confidence in working with computers generally.

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Commentary

19. Pupils with special educational needs are well catered for. There are an appropriate number of support assistants who work closely with class teachers and the part-time special needs teacher bought in by the school. The resulting provision is well planned and resourced, and informed by careful assessments. As a result these pupils make good progress both in class and when withdrawn for additional help.

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Commentary

20. Lunchtime and after-school clubs have proved very popular with sports skills being taught, a thriving computer club, a courtyard gardening group, a German club for younger children as well as a dance club. Such activities allow all pupils access to a range of activities and help to develop positive attitudes to learning. The residential trip to Borwick Hall does much to develop the confidence and social skills of the older pupils.

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Commentary

21. Teachers make limited links between subjects when planning their lessons, which restricts the ways that pupils’ learning is made cohesive or relevant. For example, there is limited evidence of the use of ICT in English and there is little use of literacy, mathematical or ICT skills in history, geography and religious education. There are good examples of art and design being used effectively to illustrate topics in history and some graph work is seen in recorded science.

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Commentary

22. There are close links with other Chorley pimary schools and the Network Learning Consortium strengthens these ties. The high school works with the oldest pupils on ICT and design and technology work and there are strong links with a local special school when pupils work together in each other’s classrooms. Family Learning courses are run by Lancashire College and a ‘Parents as Educators’ course is run by the Learning Partnership. This gives parents an opportunity to be more fully involved in the education of their children. The school is frequently involved in the life of the local community, whether by making visits to local environmental sites, singing for local charities, coaching from local football and rugby teams or the development of the school grounds by inmates of the local open prison. All contribute to an enrichment of the school community.

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Care, guidance and support

Gillibrand Primary School - 15 The school makes good provision for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Pupils are provided with good support, advice and personal guidance, but this is not always as effective in their academic work. There is a good level of involvement through seeking and acting upon their views. Gillibrand Primary School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel secure and work in a healthy and safe environment. • Pupils do not always receive enough guidance on how they can improve their work. • Induction arrangements for children in reception are good. • The school council feels valued and able to contribute to school life.

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Commentary

23. The school provides a happy and safe environment. Attention is paid to health and safety issues. First aid provision is good and there is sufficient expertise among staff to ensure that pupils who are unwell are looked after well. Child protection procedures are good. Teachers and support staff know the pupils well and are thus able to provide good support and guidance. Good working relationships between pupils and staff encourage pupils to raise any concerns they may have, knowing they will be dealt with sympathetically. The breakfast club helps to ensure that pupils’ welfare needs are attended to.

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Commentary

24. Induction arrangements are good and contribute to the way the youngest children settle in.

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Commentary

25. The academic guidance pupils receive, especially through comments teachers write in their books, does not always provide them with enough advice on how they can improve their work. The use of targets for pupils is limited and a proportion of them do not understand what they need to do to improve their work or how to do it. Assessment for pupils with special educational needs is good and contributes to their good achievement and personal development. There are good formal and informal links with parents of pupils who have special educational needs.

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Commentary

26. Seeking pupils’ views and involving them in the work of the school are good. There is an active school council that regularly brings items to the headteacher’s attention. For example, improvements in toilet facilities and outdoor play equipment have resulted from suggestions from the school council. Older pupils help to look after younger ones both at lunchtime and in the breakfast club. Whenever they are given such responsibilities, pupils take them seriously.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents are good due to the extent and quality of information and support the school provides. The school uses its good links within the community effectively to enhance pupils’ learning. The quality of the school’s links with other schools and colleges is good and the links are used well to provide support for learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good range and quality of information provided ensure parents are able to be well informed of the work of the school and of the progress their children are making. • The school’s links within the community are used well to broaden pupils’ learning opportunities both on and off the school site. • The school uses its links with other schools and colleges to provide an effective source of practical training for staff development and additional help in the classroom.

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Commentary

27. The headteacher is present by the school entrance at the end of the day to help check pupils’ dispersal and to meet parents and carers. Any concerns can be raised or any requests for information made. The school provides a good range of more formal information through the prospectus, weekly newsletters, termly notification of what is to be taught in the curriculum, and by provision of three opportunities each year for parents to come into school, meet class teachers and discuss their children’s progress. Parents are given interim or half-termly Gillibrand Primary School - 17 statements of progress in English and mathematics and are invited to discuss future targets. Annual reports of pupils’ progress cover all subjects. An evening meeting where pupils demonstrated work in all curriculum subjects was arranged and was very well attended. The school, through the local education authority, has arranged various adult courses to enable

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Commentary

parents to develop their own skills and to be able to improve the support they can give to children’s learning at home. There is a staff member with the role of School Marketing Team Leader.

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Commentary

28. Despite the proactive approach made by the staff, the number of parents able to make a regular commitment to provide help in school remains small. There are only two regular helpers in the classroom. Other parents give occasional help for events or activities. Attendance at the adult education courses has dwindled. The parent/teacher association has been disbanded due to lack of parent numbers, but the events arranged by the staff continue to be well supported and valuable funds are raised. Parents have very supportive views of the school.

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Commentary

29. Parents and pupils are fully involved in the review processes for special educational needs.

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Commentary

30. The school markets itself within the community and uses the local newspaper to good effect. The local residents’ association group meet regularly on school premises. The link with the local prison service has been very well used during school holiday times to provide significant work in re-decoration and improvements to the outdoor play areas. Local businesses help with printing the prospectus and improving the inner garden area to provide a fine facility that is useful for science work as pupils plant and nurture bulbs and flowers. The school attracts support for the curriculum and pupils’ safety issues through visits by local football and cricket teams for coaching, and police and fire service officers for personal and home safety instruction. Visits to buildings and sites in the community are used to broaden and enhance the curriculum material taught in class.

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Commentary

31. The school is a member of the network of local schools and this provides regular joint discussion, training, and research opportunities for the heads, deputy heads and special needs co-ordinators. Staff groups working in reception classes and staff with responsibility for ICT have been provided with opportunities to meet, discuss and share best practice initiatives. The link with the local special school is particularly well used to allow pupils from both schools to share regular lessons.

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Commentary

32. Good contact with the secondary schools makes a positive contribution to the transfer of Year 6 leavers. The secondary schools provide induction days for pupils to attend in the summer term prior to leaving. Year 7 staff visit to meet the pupils and provide a good insight into the work they will be doing. Work in mathematics begun in the summer term is programmed to continue into the new school year. Year 10 pupils are encouraged to come into the primary school on work experience placements. Links with local colleges are also used by the school to secure additional adult help in classrooms by offering work experience placements for teacher training and for students on vocational courses. These good links provide support for staff training and development and contribute positively to learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are satisfactory. Leadership is satisfactory, management is good and governance is sound.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Insufficient emphasis has been placed on driving up standards. • Staff performance management and staff development are effective and supporting improvements in teaching and the skills of subject leaders. Gillibrand Primary School - 18 • Leadership is successful in developing good teamwork, in setting a positive ethos and in looking after the needs of individuals. • Good systems have been established to monitor and evaluate the school’s performance but not enough has been done with the information gained to bring about improvements.

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Commentary

33. The headteacher has worked hard to increase the involvement of all staff in the development of the school. Responsibility is delegated effectively to senior staff such as the deputy headteacher and teachers in their roles as subject leaders. The leadership team meets regularly and focuses appropriately on whole-school issues. The headteacher has taken thoughtful action to enable subject leaders to fulfil their roles more effectively by providing appropriate training and giving them time to find out how good the provision is in their areas. She has successfully encouraged the setting up of very appropriate systems for the analysis of data to inform judgements about the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Performance management is well established and includes support staff and is being used to bring about improvements in individuals’ effectiveness. Staff development is used well to support both

p.18

Commentary

performance management and the achievement of school priorities.

p.18

Commentary

34. The weakness in the headteacher and other key staff’s leadership is in not stressing sufficiently in their work the importance of raising standards. The school improvement plan is a useful management tool but does not place enough emphasis on targets directly related to bringing about improvements to pupils’ achievement. Not enough weight has been given to information from the evaluation of national tests in deciding school priorities. As a result, unsatisfactory results in science, for example, have not been taken into account and standards in this subject continue to be too low. The implementation of the plan has been and continues to be effective in improving the quality of accommodation and resources and takes full account of the views of pupils and parents in this.

p.18

Commentary

35. The school has a positive ethos that values everyone and seeks to ensure their welfare and social and emotional needs are met. The headteacher sets a good example as co-ordinator for special educational needs. She has shown good leadership and management in implementing the 2001 Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs and in training staff for it. She works closely with the advisory teacher to ensure that procedures and administration for special educational needs are good. Clear identification procedures, good support and well-established priorities ensure that pupils with special educational needs achieve well. Statutory requirements are fully met.

p.18

Commentary

36. The governors make positive contributions to the life of the school, as reflected, for example, in the development of the quadrangle garden. They have a sound understanding of the school and of its financial situation. However, they do not look closely enough at how well pupils are achieving and need to do more to ensure that standards are driven up.

p.18

Commentary

37. The school budget does not currently balance within year. The large reserves are being used to fund improvements to accommodation and to maintain support staff provision. It is likely that there will be a modest and realistic carry-forward into the next financial year and there are clear plans to maintain a prudent budget.

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 562,870 Balance from previous year 94,183 Total expenditure 572,408 Balance carried forward to the next 84,645 Gillibrand Primary School - 19 Expenditure per pupil 3,198 Gillibrand Primary School - 20

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children settle into school well because good teaching focuses on social development, organisational routines and high expectations of behaviour. • Although attainment on entry for the present cohort is below that usually found, children achieve well because they experience high quality learning activities, which are well planned and appropriate to their needs as they start school. • Although staff make sound use of the existing outdoor area, a secure specific area is needed so that children can choose to work outside independently. • Good teamwork by all adults ensures a commonality of approach for all children.

p.20

Commentary

38. Children in the reception class are given a good start to their education. A significant number of children are of below average attainment in most learning areas when they start school. By the time the children enter the next class, many are still below the expected standards although during their reception year, the children’s learning accelerates and they achieve well. Their good achievement is due to overall good teaching in the Reception class and the judicious blend of child-initiated and teacher-directed activities, which are appropriate to the age and abilities of the children. The support assistant is well briefed and works enthusiastically to add to the quality of experience that the children receive.

p.20

Commentary

39. The curriculum is well planned and children are given a wide range of experiences, that are stimulating, interesting and of good quality. This motivates all children to learn well and children enjoy all areas of learning that lead into the National Curriculum. Assessment arrangements are effective and build up a clear picture of each child’s development, enabling staff to match activities closely to individual needs so that all groups of children make progress, including those who have been in school for only a few days. Staff bring enthusiasm, skill and understanding to the children’s learning and every opportunity is taken to develop spoken language, literacy and numeracy skills.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Commentary

40. There is good teaching and learning in this area of development; children make good achievement and most will have reached expected levels by the end of the reception year. They receive patient and caring support and much of the teaching in personal, social and emotional development underpins the work in the other areas of learning. This ensures that expectations are reinforced through the range of different activities on offer and that learning in this area is set within meaningful contexts. Once in school, children settle very quickly and get to know daily routines. They participate in whole-school collective worship after being in school a short time and take registers back to the office at the other side of the building. They understand the need to change activities and are learning how to make independent choices. When they set off on their tasks, they show interest and share resources. Children play happily in the ‘Doctor’s

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Commentary

Surgery’ or are absorbed using bricks and construction kits to make models. They take part Gillibrand Primary School - 21 willingly at tidy up time, because they have learnt that working together makes the task easier. Children have the opportunity to develop effective working relationships with one another and the adults who work with them. They are learning traditional playground games, holding hands and taking turns. Adults set good examples for the children to copy, and interactions are positive; this plays an important part in the children’s learning.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is sound.

p.21

Commentary

41. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills and to promote early reading skills. Some children will have reached the early learning goals by the time they leave the reception class but many will still be working towards them. Overall, children’s achievement is satisfactory. Sound teaching is characterised by a secure understanding of the needs of young children and the well-organised activities that motivate them. Children develop their confidence in speaking and listening because staff engage in almost continual conversation with them. They chat, question and encourage the children to extend their vocabulary and their confidence in the spoken word. The children initiate and develop their own conversations in the ‘Doctor’s Surgery’ and all children talk about sounds they hear on their ‘Listening Walk’ with enthusiasm.

p.21

Commentary

42. Children begin to practise their phonic skills which helps them learn to read and write. Some children already recognise individual letters and use these in recognisable form in their emergent writing. Staff provide a range of activities to encourage children to explore writing. They can write appointments for the Doctor’s Surgery, label their models or copy their name labels when they come into school in the morning. Basic writing skills are taught and children begin to see the purpose of writing because activities are often linked to work in other areas of learning, such as role-play in these early days of schooling. The development of early reading skills has a high priority and children enjoy their book corner, handling books with care. They know which way the pages are turned and know what a title page is. They use a range of books and make choices about class stories such as Jake’s Birthday and Peace at Last at story time.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.21

Commentary

43. Provision is good because of good teaching and learning and the many opportunities children get to count and use number across their curriculum. Achievement is good even though many children have recently entered school at levels of attainment below those expected at this age. Teachers make purposeful links between children’s mathematical development and related activities, for example shape work in art. Children begin to recognise two-dimensional shapes and practise rhymes whilst drawing circles in the air. They search the classrooms for circular shapes so that they are becoming aware of shape in the world around them. The teacher practises counting at every opportunity such as when children split into group activities. The good range of attractive resources stimulates and focuses learning well, such as the home corner kitchen equipment, when counting. Opportunities for children to learn and say number

p.21

Commentary

names, sing number rhymes, use the computer and play mathematical games ensure they gain a secure understanding of the work they are covering. Work is matched to ability groupings and smaller learning steps are given to some children. Gillibrand Primary School - 22

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

Commentary

44. Children use their immediate environment to consolidate and extend their learning. Achievement in this area of learning is good even though attainment on entry to school is judged to be below that expected at this age. Staff plan a range of activities which help children learn about the world around them and help them develop an appropriate vocabulary. For example, children undertake a ‘Listening Walk’ around the school. They use the words ‘inside’ and ‘outside’, ‘in front’ or ‘behind’, whilst also stressing the letters learnt in phonic work, ‘s’ and ‘i’. They learn that noise comes from many sources and from different directions and that noises can be loud or soft. Such activities provide chances for children to draw on their own experiences and this helps them develop an awareness of themselves and others. All children have access to computers and are beginning to develop their motor-skills and hand-eye co-

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Commentary

ordination. They learn about feasts and festivals celebrated by different cultures such as Chinese New Year and this enables children to learn how different groups of people are the same and yet different.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is sound.

p.22

Commentary

45. Children are given a range of opportunities to develop the necessary motor skills. Standards in physical development are lower than usual on entry to school and achievement is sound. Teaching is satisfactory with some real strengths and children learn quickly because they are successfully encouraged to participate in well-planned activities both indoors and outdoors. At present, although the outdoor area for reception is purposefully used, there is no secure designated area where children can work independently, out of choice. Staff work hard to provide a range appropriate activities but because there is little secure space outside, it impacts on the richness of the curriculum that can be offered. Children use the hall for physical education lessons. They are able to run and jump, try to skip and make good attempts at finding spaces, showing developing control of their bodies. All staff give children opportunity to develop

p.22

Commentary

their manipulative skills by using the computer, printing shapes, using scissors, tools and playing with small toys. They also have access to a wide range of construction equipment which further supports their physical development.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good.

p.22

Commentary

46. Provision is good because lively and exciting activities capture children’s interest and they make good progress in imaginative work and play. Good teaching ensures that children have a wide range of creative learning opportunities. They express their feelings through a range of materials and media, music and movement, story making and imaginative play. Children’s skill development is secure because they have access to daily activities such as paints, collage opportunities and a variety of fabrics, papers and artist’s materials. Conversations with adults in these activities are a strength of teaching, expanding ideas and vocabulary. Children are surrounded by displays of their work, sparkling name labels, pasta lettering and ‘straw’ skeletons. The use of colour and different materials stimulates children to produce good quality Gillibrand Primary School - 23 painting and collage work. In music, the children have opportunity to sing and clap simple

p.22

Commentary

rhythms, play singing games outside in the playground and paint whilst listening to music.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are improving in response to the effective initiatives taken by the school. • Marking and the setting of targets for pupils are not making sufficient impact on improving pupils’ learning. • Literacy skills still need to be regularly reinforced in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

47. Throughout the school, standards are below average in reading and writing although achievement is satisfactory overall because overall children start school with below average levels of literacy. Speaking and listening levels are slightly better and are improving because teachers are beginning to provide more opportunities for pupils to participate in class discussions and new materials will be introduced during the coming term. The Network Learning Community Initiative and ‘Talking Partners’ scheme are intended to support the development of pupils’ oral skills which is hoped will, in time, impact on writing standards. There is a clear need for this approach. For example, Year 6 pupils were studying text in order to make predictions about a story but were reluctant to answer the well-directed open questions that the teacher posed to take their thinking further. Role-play areas have been established in all

p.23

Commentary

infant classrooms to allow the younger children opportunity to further develop their oracy skills and these are beginning to have a positive effect.

p.23

Commentary

48. There is a good supply of reading materials and a previous focus on reading and the introduction of a structured phonic scheme in the infants are having a positive effect. Reading is a regular activity in all classes and pupils’ progress is tracked carefully. Research skills are being developed by some teachers but there are limited opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy in meaningful contexts across other curriculum areas and this is limiting the development of these key skills.

p.23

Commentary

49. Results of national tests in 2004 show a significant improvement in writing in the infants and a slight improvement in the juniors. This has resulted from the introduction of several initiatives, including: writing days on Fridays; the use of drafting books that are encouraging pupils to modify and improve their own work; and the setting of targets to help pupils take the next steps in their learning. These initiatives are not yet making their full impact as some teachers do not consistently make use of the writing days and more opportunities could be given to pupils to develop their ideas in extended pieces of writing. Targets are not emphasised enough by teachers and are therefore not continuously worked towards by pupils. Marking, although regular, does not make a sufficient contribution to improving pupils’ work because teachers do not provide enough guidance to pupils on how they can make their work better and there is little

p.23

Commentary

indication that pupils respond to teachers’ comments when they are made. In class lessons pupils of average and higher than average ability are sometimes not challenged enough by the tasks they are given although lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are often given tasks well matched to their abilities. Support assistants have been effectively trained and are able to successfully help pupils with special educational needs to make good progress. The programmes to provide additional support to literacy are targeted towards average ability pupils who are capable of reaching higher levels in reading and writing. These compensate for the lack of challenge in some lessons and are having a very positive effect on Gillibrand Primary School - 24 the number of pupils achieving the higher levels. In 2004 for example, the proportion of Year 6 pupils achieving level 5 improved considerably, matching the national average and exceeding

p.23

Commentary

50. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory but is better in the junior classes than the infant classes. There is good teaching in classes where teachers show flair and originality in their approach. Here, they vary the pace of the lessons and adapt the structure of the literacy hour to allow pupils time to think and to discuss ideas in groups. Teachers in these classes provide clear frameworks for writing and classroom displays reinforce good practice. Other lessons are slow and lack vitality and worksheets are frequently used, limiting pupils’ scope for writing. Teachers can be too directive and some tasks limit pupils’ creativity. Occasionally, tasks are not always imaginative and do not always challenge pupils and, as a result, pupils become bored and lose concentration.

p.24

Commentary

51. Leadership and management are now good. The subject leader who has recently taken on the responsibility works hard to implement change in order to raise standards and the fall-off in standards since the last inspection is beginning to be tackled. The monitoring and analysis of strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning are good and actions to raise attainment have been identified.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. There is little evidence that pupils are given opportunity to develop their literacy skills in other curriculum subjects, and provision is unsatisfactory. Although book resources are good in fiction and non-fiction and pupils do have sufficient library opportunities, there is limited scope for research using either information books or ICT resources. There is some evidence in history that opportunities for purposeful and extended writing are being developed but in other curriculum areas there too little is planned and opportunities are lost. For example, in science even the oldest pupils are not expected to plan, draft and present their own investigations.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good skills in handling numbers and they calculate well in their heads. • By Year 6, pupils do not apply effectively their understanding and skills when solving problems and applying their knowledge and understanding of mathematics. • Teaching in older junior classes is strong. • The subject is well managed and pupils’ progress is carefully monitored and evaluated to identify what needs to be done to improve their learning. • Not enough use is made of the information gained from evaluating pupils’ learning to drive up standards further.

p.24

Commentary

53. Pupils make sound progress overall and achieve broadly in line with national expectations by Year 2 and Year 6. This is stronger picture than recent test results would suggest. Teaching is generally satisfactory with some real strengths in Year 5 in particular and Year 6. In these classes pupils are provided with real challenge in their work and this is resulting in an increase in the numbers of pupils working at the levels above those normally expected for their age and a noticeable acceleration in the learning of all pupils. This is evident in the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress. Results are starting to reflect this improvement with more Year 6 pupils now achieving level 5 in the national tests and many are now accessing this higher level in their day- to-day work. Pupils’ learning is broadly based and secure in most aspects of the subject. By Gillibrand Primary School - 25 Year 6 pupils can quickly calculate answers in their heads as they have learnt number facts,

p.24

Commentary

such as tables, well. Although identified by the school as a weakness, not enough has been done to help pupils to solve problems. They have not developed the skills that would enable them to identify the main features of a problem or to decide on the steps that need to be taken to solve it.

p.25

Commentary

54. In all classes teacher plan their lessons with clear objectives and they almost always manage pupils’ behaviour well ensuring that little time is wasted. Occasionally, though, a few of older pupils in the infants are not kept as fully involved as they could be in whole-class sessions when the main learning points are being made and this can make their learning less effective. Teachers and support assistants work well together to ensure that the needs of lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are effectively met, particularly during group activities. The progress made by pupils in classes other than Years 5 and 6 is steady because the pace of lessons is sometimes slow and the challenge for more able pupils could be greater. Pupils’ work is marked regularly but does not often give pupils enough guidance on how they can improve their work or how they can take the next steps in their learning.

p.25

Commentary

55. Since the last inspection the weakness in assessing pupils learning has been tackled well. Regular tests are set that enable teachers to keep a careful eye on pupils’ progress. These tests and national test results are analysed and strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning are identified. This information is used to help with grouping pupils in class, in providing additional support and in setting achievement and learning targets for pupils. This is partially successful. Groups in class are often given appropriate work but this is not always the case for the higher attainers. Insufficient emphasis has been placed on pupils’ individual learning targets and few pupils see the need to work towards achieving them and their impact is therefore limited.

p.25

Commentary

56. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection with good progress in some aspects, such as assessment. The subject leader supports her colleagues well and undertakes extensive monitoring of quality through her scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work and by observing lessons. This gives her a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses in the subject. Her good management does not yet support strong leadership as insufficient use is made of the useful information she has gathered from the above to drive up standards.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

57. Unsatisfactory use is made of mathematics across the curriculum. This is reflected in weakness in pupils’ abilities to solve problems and apply their mathematical knowledge and understanding in purposeful contexts. Planning in science, design and technology and geography for instance does not include sufficient opportunities for mathematics to be used.

p.25

SCIENCE

Provision in science is unsatisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do not achieve well enough by Year 6. • Teaching is unsatisfactory, particularly for older junior pupils where teaching lacks continuity and coherence. • Insufficient improvement has been made since the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

Gillibrand Primary School - 26 58. Results in the national tests at Year 6 and teacher assessments in Year 2 have not been high enough and currently pupils in Year 6 are not achieving well enough. Generally they have insecure knowledge and understanding of the knowledge-based aspects of the subject, that is, of living things, materials and their properties and of physical processes, such as electricity. Pupils are also very unsure as to how to undertake investigations and particularly of the nature of and need to conduct fair tests. The latter was a weakness identified in the previous report and still persists. The main reason for the weaknesses is the ineffective teaching of science in Years 5 and 6. The Year 5 and Year 6 class teachers do not teach enough science to their own classes. These pupils are taught by supply teachers while the class teachers take booster lessons in English and mathematics. This results in teaching lacking continuity and coherence

p.26

Commentary

and this leads to pupils’ learning in this subject being less impressive than it is in others. When pupils are taught by their own teachers, pupils make at least satisfactory progress because practical approaches are used effectively to promote learning, and skilful questioning of pupils challenges them to think things through and enables teachers to check on pupils’ understanding and knowledge. However, too little attention is paid to the use of correct scientific vocabulary in these lessons, and in others across the school, and this is contributes to the weaknesses in pupils’ learning described above. The scrutiny of pupils’ completed work that has mostly been undertaken in lessons taught by supply teachers while class teachers teach booster classes, shows pupils working at levels below national expectations with little challenge for higher attaining pupils and too little coverage of the required content. There are few

p.26

Commentary

examples of pupils producing their own reports and this is a missed opportunity to develop both their skills in investigation and in writing purposefully using their English skills across the curriculum. This arrangement is ineffective and leads to pupils underachieving.

p.26

Commentary

59. Overall teaching is unsatisfactory. This judgement is based on lessons, the scrutiny of pupils’ completed work and discussion with pupils. The lessons observed were taught at least satisfactorily with some strengths as described above, but in an infant class there could have been more rigour and higher expectations to ensure that pupils were appropriately challenged and involved. Year 2 pupils’ completed work (mostly undertaken when in Year 1) shows little difference in the work given to pupils of different abilities and insufficient emphasis on practical work, although much of the work was in line with the level expected for pupils of this age. The teachers’ marking of pupils’ work provides little helpful feedback to them and does not make a sufficient contribution to improving their learning.

p.26

Commentary

60. The weaknesses, particularly in results in national tests, have not been picked up at the school level and overall leadership and management of the subject have been unsatisfactory. Improvement since the last inspection has not been good enough. The co-ordinator herself provides sound leadership and management. She has a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses based on extensive monitoring and evaluation of test information, pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and lessons. She has established a sensible and appropriate system for recording pupils’ progress. Her absence on maternity leave has resulted in little time being available to tackle the weaknesses she has identified although more emphasis could have been placed over time on taking action to improve standards.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although still below average, standards have risen steadily since the previous inspection. • The school's deployment of its computers is unsatisfactory and limits the opportunities for pupils to use them and this slows the improvement in standards. • Leadership of the subject is good. • Overall provision has improved considerably since the previous inspection. Gillibrand Primary School - 27

p.26

Commentary

61. Standards are below those expected of pupils at the same age at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Standards have risen since the previous inspection and continue to rise steadily. Standards are adversely affected by the way the school deploys its computers. Although the number of computers in school matches that recommended, they are distributed around the school in such a way that no full classes can use them for ICT lessons. In a typical lesson half the pupils will be working at tables on activities that may or may not be related to ICT. The other half will be using computers, but even then pupils will be sharing equipment because there are not enough in one place. Thus the school’s substantial investment in resources is not being used to best effect in raising standards and pupils have limited opportunities to develop a range of skills and experience.

p.27

Commentary

62. Although pupils achieve satisfactorily when they are working with computers, achievement overall is unsatisfactory because of the lack of time they have for ‘hands on’ work. There are no differences in achievement between boys and girls, across different levels of attainment or across the different ethnic groups in the school.

p.27

Commentary

63. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Because of inspection and timetable arrangements it was not possible to see any teaching in Years 1 and 2. Judgments for these two years are based on analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with teachers. Teachers have undertaken a good programme of training for ICT and this has been a major contributory factor in the rise in standards now taking place. However, teachers’ level of competence and confidence is still inconsistent across classes, especially where teaching more advanced skills is required. In lessons seen, teachers control their classes well and behaviour is good. Pupils enjoy working with computers. They show good attitudes to work and treat equipment with care. Assessment procedures are now in place that allow teachers to track pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.27

Commentary

64. The subject co-ordinator has shown good leadership in supporting and advising staff and in establishing clear priorities for development. The school’s management of the subject is satisfactory. There has been good staff development, a substantial improvement in resources and steadily rising standards. This is balanced by the failure of the school to deploy its resources to help raise standards still more. ICT did not meet statutory requirements at the time of the previous inspection. This has been corrected and the subject has made good progress since that time.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

65. Cross-curricular provision is unsatisfactory. Although there are some good examples of ICT use, in art for example, teachers generally do not place enough weight on ICT in their planning to enrich and enhance the curriculum. For example, there is limited use of computers by pupils to correct, edit and improve their work or to produce a range of tables and graphs. The use of websites for research is improving.

p.27

Commentary

66. Because of timetable and inspection arrangements it was not possible to observe any geography teaching during the inspection. Judgements are based on analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils. Pupils’ work indicates that standards are in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 and the end of Year 6. Pupils show good attitudes to work and take care over presentation of it. Pupils’ work is marked and corrected but teachers Gillibrand Primary School - 28 make limited use of marking as a means of giving pupils advice about how thy can improve their work. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory and it has made satisfactory progress since the previous inspection.

p.27

Commentary

67. It was not possible to make a firm judgement on the quality of provision made for religious education. No lessons were observed because of timetable and inspection arrangements. The judgements made are based on analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with teachers and pupils. These point to provision being satisfactory. 68. Standards are in line with those in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education, at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils achieve satisfactorily during their time in school. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils.

p.28

Commentary

69. Analysis of teachers’ documentation indicates that planning, both for lessons and in the longer term, is satisfactory and provides adequate coverage of the scheme of work. Teaching and learning are better in the aspect of learning about religion than in that of learning from religion.

p.28

Commentary

70. Pupils develop an adequate knowledge of religious practices and key beliefs of the religions studied. Teaching and learning with regard to religious responses to puzzling questions about life and to moral and religious questions are not as effective. The link between religious education and literacy is inconsistent and does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to write at length and in a range of styles. Assessment procedures have recently been put in place and are not yet well enough developed to assess pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and give them advice on how they could improve their work. A study of pupils’ books indicates that they show good attitudes to work and take care over presentation of it.

p.28

Commentary

71. The contribution of religious education to pupils’ spiritual development is not as strong as it could be because pupils are given limited opportunities to reflect on and discuss a range of religious and moral issues. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory and it has made satisfactory progress since the previous inspection.

p.28

History

No teaching of history was seen in Years 1 and 2 during the inspection. Judgements on teaching and learning are based on lessons seen in Years 3 to 6.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils develop adequate factual knowledge but do not learn the skills of interpretation and research well enough. • Pupils behave well in lessons and show good attitudes to work.

p.28

Commentary

72. Standards are broadly average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Overall pupils achieve satisfactorily.

p.28

Commentary

73. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In lessons teachers manage their classes well and no time is wasted because of poor behaviour. Pupils behave well and show good attitudes to work. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons well. In the lessons seen clear instructions were given Gillibrand Primary School - 29 to pupils about what to do and all materials for the lesson were to hand, so no confusion arose when pupils worked independently or in groups. In general teachers did not allow sufficient opportunities for pupils to develop research and interpretation skills. Pupils do not regularly study the reasons why people acted as they did or look at the different ways in which the past is represented and interpreted. The link between history and literacy is not developed well enough to give pupils good opportunities to develop extended pieces of individual research. The use of ICT for research and for editing and improving work is unsatisfactory. Teachers do not keep

p.28

Commentary

ICT possibilities well enough to the forefront of their planning. Where ICT is used well, pupils produce good work. Year 6 pupils, for example, produced interesting and varied front pages for imaginary newspapers covering very important historical events. Consistent assessment procedures are now being developed, but the use of assessment to enable pupils to improve their work is unsatisfactory.

p.29

Commentary

74. The scheme of work for the subject was reported as being out of date at the time of the previous inspection. This has been corrected and a consistent scheme is now in place which gives good progression over the years. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory and it has made satisfactory progress since the previous inspection.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. No art and design, music , design and technology or physical education lessons were observed so it has not been possible to judge the quality of provision in these subjects.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. The range and quality of pupils’ completed work indicate that standards in art and design are satisfactory. Examination of curriculum plans suggests that pupils experience at least a satisfactory coverage of the different media and materials and gain insights into different traditions and the work of famous artists.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. In design and technology , the limited evidence indicates that pupils experience the aspects of designing, making and evaluating their work. Year 6 pupils are enthusiastic about the subject and had enjoyed making cards, model cars and designing and making Christmas biscuits which were then sold at the Christmas Fair to an unsuspecting public.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In music , planning shows that all the required elements of the curriculum are taught. Music lessons are taught by visiting teachers. Concerts and performances and singing for local charities contribute to pupils’ overall musical experiences. In collective worship, children’s enjoyment when singing hymns is obvious and contributes well to their spiritual and personal development. A new published music scheme helps teachers to ensure that pupils build progressively on their skills year on year.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. The curriculum for physical education is broadly based and covers all the required aspects. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 go swimming and almost all manage to swim the 25 metre standard and understand about being safe in water. Pupils’ learning is enriched by a good range of out-of- class clubs and activities that include dance, football, badminton, athletics, cricket and skittleball. Pupils also compete in an annual swimming gala and cross-country events.

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements on the quality of provision in this area of learning. Planning for personal, social health education and citizenship is satisfactory in its coverage, and activities such as circle time and discrete personal and social education lessons have a positive impact as seen in pupils’ good behaviour and social development. Work in science is helping them to become aware of how to look after their health and important moral issues are discussed in assemblies and this contributes effectively to their good personal development. Gillibrand Primary School - 30

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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