Great Tew County Primary School

GREAT TEW COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 10 th November 2004

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GREAT TEW COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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GREAT TEW COUNTY 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. Great Tew County Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 56

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Great Tew Chipping Norton Oxfordshire Postcode: OX7 4DB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01608 683642 Fax number: 01608 683642

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs C Woodhead

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Great Tew County Primary School is much smaller in size when compared to other primary schools, and serves the Oxfordshire villages of Great and Little Tew and the surrounding area. The villages are situated to the north-east of Chipping Norton and are mixed rural communities of private and rented accommodation. Most of the pupils come from white ethnic backgrounds. The school has not received any travellers, refugees or asylum seekers. Private pre-school provision is available at the school site. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The number of pupils who either leave or join the school was above average during the last academic year, with more pupils leaving the school than joining. Ten per cent of pupils are assessed as having special educational needs; this is below average. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. Children start full-time education with attainment

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

that is above that expected for their age. Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. In 2003, the school was presented with a Schools Achievement Award. Staff turnover has been quite high over the last two years. A number of teaching staff have either left or joined the school during that time. Great Tew County Primary School ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 20695 Mr C Kessell Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Geography History Physical education Religious education English as an additional language 19677 Mrs M Cumbers Lay inspector 18709 Ms N Bee Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Music The Foundation Stage curriculum Special educational needs Personal, social and health education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

VT Education Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). Great Tew County Primary School iii

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 4

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 4

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 6

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a satisfactory school and it provides sound value for money. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in relation to their prior attainment. Teaching and learning are sound. The leadership and management of the headteacher and staff are satisfactory overall, although the headteacher, individually, provides good leadership. Appropriate care is taken of the pupils by the teaching and non-teaching staff. The pupils' personal development is very good.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average in Years 2 and 6. • The school's links with the local community and its parents are very good. • Under the headteacher's leadership, the staff, many of whom are new, share a common purpose in developing and improving the school. • The atmosphere and culture of the school helps to ensure the very good working relationships and the pupils’ very positive attitudes and high standards of behaviour. • Despite the majority of pupils making satisfactory and sometimes good progress, there are occasions when some pupils could do better.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the school's previous inspection five years ago has been satisfactory. The key issues identified in the previous inspection report have been, for the most part, successfully addressed. However, much of this improvement has only recently been initiated. The presentation of pupils' work in Key Stage 2 1 is satisfactory overall and there are now clear expectations for how work should be set out. The pupils and staff have agreed a school presentation policy, although the pupils' presentation of their work can still be inconsistent. Standards in religious education are better and there have been improvements in the quality of teachers' marking and annotating of pupils' work, although at times this could still be more effective and offer further challenges, particularly to the higher attaining pupils. Despite the above average standards in science, too often, pupils of all abilities are given the same work. Many of these issues are still recognised as areas

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

for development by the present teaching staff and are part of the school's development plan.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English A A B C mathematics A* A C E science A* A A B Key: A* - very high; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

1 Key Stage 2 represents Years 3 to 6 and is often referred to as the 'juniors'. Key Stage 1 represents Years 1 and 2 and is sometimes known as 'the infants'. The Foundation Stage caters for children from the age of three to the end of the Reception year. Great Tew County Primary School 2 Pupils achieve satisfactorily as they move through the school. Because of the very small year groups, year-on-year National Curriculum test results vary, and care has to be taken when interpreting the school's national test results. The table above shows that, in the national tests in 2004 for Year 6 pupils, standards were above average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science. Some of these pupils could have made better progress against their prior attainment in Year 2. There are presently times when pupils could make better progress. Some of the higher attaining pupils could be challenged more rigorously whilst lower attaining pupils could at times, be offered work

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

that is more appropriate to their ability. Recent national test results for Year 2 and Year 6 show that boys outperform girls more than is found nationally, but this may be the result of having very small year groups, which make any statistical analysis unreliable. Children in Reception are on course to exceed expected standards by the time they start Year 1.

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

development, are very good overall. Pupils' attendance and punctuality are good. Relationships through the school are very good. Pupils show very high standards of behaviour and are very enthusiastic about school. Their attitudes to learning are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teaching is good in many lessons. Lessons are well planned and teachers insist on very high standards of behaviour. The pupils work well, both together and independently. However, more attention still needs to be paid to the different levels of ability found in all classes. Pupils do not always learn as well as they could when activities are not accurately matched to their individual needs. Non-teaching staff make a satisfactory contribution to the pupils' learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory. Out-of-class activities, such as extra- curricular clubs and visits, enrich the curriculum well. Appropriate levels of care are provided for the pupils and the school's partnership with parents is very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Despite many of the teaching and non-teaching staff having been together for only a relatively short period of time, they work well as a team. The headteacher provides a good sense of direction for the school, and the school's current priorities are appropriately focused on improving pupils' achievement and the quality of education. Inspection evidence would indicate that the school has developed well over the last year and that staff are already addressing the areas for development identified by the inspection team. The work of the governors is good and the school fulfils its statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Great Tew County Primary School 3 Most parents hold very positive views about the school. The majority believe their children make sufficient progress, although a minority disagree with this view. Parents think that the pupils' behaviour is good and have no concerns about bullying or any other inappropriate behaviour. Parents like the fact that the teachers are approachable, but a few feel that there are inconsistencies in teaching. Many of the parents choose to send their children to the school despite living in other local communities.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The pupils enjoy coming to school and believe that they have to work hard. They know they are trusted with responsibilities and recognise that there is an adult they can go to if they are worried. Pupils agree that their classmates are friendly.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team fully supports most of the views expressed by the parents and pupils.. However, the team would agree with the minority of parents who feel that some pupils could make better progress and that there are sometimes inconsistencies in teaching which result in pupils being given work that is inappropriate for them. Great Tew County Primary School 4

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The most important thing the school should do to improve is:

• Be more consistent in ensuring that pupils of different ability get work that is appropriately matched to their needs so that both lower attaining and higher attaining pupils can work and learn effectively all of the time. Great Tew County Primary School 5

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils' achievements are satisfactory overall, but small year groups can lead to quite significant year-on-year variations in standards.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

• Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. • Standards in religious education have improved in relation to the previous inspection. • Although achievement is currently satisfactory, some pupils could make better progress. • Test data indicates that pupils in Year 6 for the 2003/04 academic year did not all make sufficient progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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Commentary

1. Most parents are happy with the progress their children make at school. A very small minority feel that pupils could make better progress on occasions, and that the rate of pupils' progress is directly linked to the quality of teaching. The inspection team support the views of the minority. Although the pupils' progress is currently satisfactory and sometimes good, there are too many occasions when, pupils could make better progress in lessons and achieve more successfully if they were given work more appropriate to their needs. Higher attaining pupils could be challenged more frequently, whilst lower attaining pupils could be provided with work that is more appropriate to their individual ability. This is particularly the case in writing.

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Commentary

2. The current Reception children entered school with above average standards. Most children are on course to exceed the expected levels in most areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1. Achievement is satisfactory and the children work confidently alongside the older pupils in Year 1.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 17.5 (18.2) 15.8 (15.7) writing 15.7 (15.0) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.8 (18.4) 16.2 (16.3) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. National test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2004 indicated that, when compared to those of all schools, standards were well above average in reading, and above average in writing and mathematics. When compared to those of similar schools (as defined by the proportion of pupils having free school meals), standards were above average for reading, average for writing and below average for mathematics. With the exception of Great Tew County Primary School 6 mathematics, there was a decline in the average point scores for 2004 2 but, with small cohorts, there can be year-on-year variations. Current standards in Year 2 are above average in these three areas and the pupils have achieved satisfactorily in relation to their prior attainment.

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Commentary

4. The 2004 national test results for the pupils in Year 6 showed standards in English to be above average. Standards in mathematics were average, and standards in science well above average. When compared to those of similar schools, standards were average in English, well below average in mathematics and above average in science. Data also indicated that some of the pupils could have made better progress in relation to their prior attainment in Year 2. Because this year group had fewer than 10 pupils, the average point score table is not published. Standards are currently above average in Year 6 for English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

5. National data collected from 2002 to 2004 suggests that the gap in performance between boys and girls is wider than that found nationally in both Years 2 and 6. Boys have performed better than girls, particularly in mathematics and science in Year 6, to a greater extent than that found nationally. In Year 2, the gap between boys and girls is more pronounced than normally seen, and in mathematics the boys did much better than the girls. There was no evidence of this during the inspection but, with very small year groups, fluctuations in performance can be more pronounced.

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Commentary

6. Pupils who have specific special educational needs (SEN) achieve satisfactorily. This is because all adults are aware of the difficulties which they have, and generally adapt the curriculum to meet their needs. Sometimes, activities are not so well matched to pupils’ needs. When this happens, the pupils who have difficulty acquiring basic writing skills find the activities difficult to complete.

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Commentary

7. Pupils now make better progress in religious education than they did at the time of the previous inspection. In Year 2 and Year 6, standards are at the expected levels, as are those for information and communication technology (ICT). Other subjects were not part of the inspection focus.

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Commentary

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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Commentary

Attendance and punctuality of the pupils are good. The attitudes of the pupils to their work, and their behaviour around the school, are very good. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school's positive and supportive culture. • The pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning.

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Commentary

8. The culture of the school is one of its main strengths. Parents bring their children to school in plenty of time, as the start of the school day is a social occasion in the village.

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Commentary

2 Average point scores - The average point score table compares the school's performance with the national results. The calculations are arrived at by using the total scores gained by pupils and dividing the total by the number of pupils with a test result. This calculation is carried out for each subject tested. Great Tew County Primary School 7 Pupils start the day peacefully and settle well to their work. Parents confirm that their children are expected to work hard, do their best and behave well

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Commentary

9. The Reception children show very positive attitudes to learning. Induction procedures are satisfactory and the parents are pleased with how well their children settle into school life. Personal and social skills are developed satisfactorily, and most children work well together and develop good relationships with each other and the adults who help them. Behaviour is good.

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Commentary

10. School attendance is better than the national average. Parents are conscientious about notifying the school promptly of the reasons for absence. Holidays in term time without good reason are discouraged and permission has to be obtained.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.7 School data 0.0 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.

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Commentary

11. Parents agree that the pupils are provided with a range of activities and show curiosity and involvement in their work, as well as a desire to learn. The school ensures that pupils gain in confidence and self-esteem, and by the time they leave to go to secondary school they show maturity and independence in their learning. Relationships are generally very good and the pupils work well together. Mixed age and mixed key stage classes do not appear to cause them problems. Pupils of different ages eat their lunches together sociably and play well together in the playground as a large family. The atmosphere is civilised and friendly. The school has high expectations of the pupils’ conduct and they respond accordingly. The school has not needed to use exclusion as a punishment.

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Commentary

12. Pupils with SEN respond positively in lessons, behave very well, and show very good attitudes to learning.

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Commentary

13. The school provides many opportunities for the pupils’ spiritual development. In daily whole-school assemblies the pupils take their worship seriously, and are responsive, mature and sensitive. Particular care is taken to ensure that the pupils’ horizons are not limited by the size of the school. Good use is made of visitors to school, and the pupils are also taken on many trips to give them an unusually broad variety of social and cultural opportunities.

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Commentary

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

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Commentary

The school provides a sound education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, as is the curriculum. The pupils are appropriately cared for. There are very strong links with parents and the community.

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Commentary

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Assessment procedures, and the use of assessment, are also satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Great Tew County Primary School 8 • Classroom relationships are very good. Pupils are able to work successfully together as well as independently. • Teachers engage the pupils well. • Standards of behaviour are very high. • Despite the satisfactory and sometimes good teaching, there are occasions when some pupils could learn more effectively and make better progress.

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Commentary

14. Parents like the fact that teachers are approachable and they are generally happy with the quality of teaching provided by the school. However, some parents feel that there are inconsistencies in teaching, and the inspection team would support this view. Although teaching is satisfactory overall and often good, some pupils could learn more quickly and make better progress.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactor y Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 1 6 7 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

15. Teaching is satisfactory for the Reception children who work alongside pupils in Year 1. The newly appointed teacher has formed good relationships with the children. Planning is satisfactory, and information collected on children is used soundly to plan activities which suit their needs. Learning is satisfactory. Adults generally have high expectations regarding listening carefully and behaving well, both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, the children quickly develop positive attitudes to learning and work with enthusiasm and enjoyment. They concentrate well as they work on the activities they are offered. When the children are given a range of activities to choose from, they confidently work independently or in small groups. Profiles are developed on all children that clearly track their progress through all areas of learning.

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Commentary

16. Through the school, classroom relationships are very strong. Pupils find their work interesting, and teachers do their best to ensure that all pupils are actively involved in lessons and given an opportunity to take part in whole class activities. The pupils know that their views are respected, and during class discussions or question and answer sessions teachers do their best to ensure that everyone is involved. Pupils are encouraged to listen carefully to one another and to respect different views. Teachers have high expectations with regard to the pupils' behaviour. Consequently, potential difficulties, such as the limited space for pupils in the classrooms, are managed successfully, with everyone co-operating fully. The pupils are mature and work together well across different age groups, as well as working independently when required. All of the classrooms are very pleasant learning environments.

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Commentary

17. Despite many lessons having good features, the major weakness in teaching is the lack of consistency and rigour in providing pupils with an accurate match of work to their ability. Too often, higher attaining pupils are provided with insufficient challenge, whilst lower attaining pupils can find work too difficult and not suited to their needs. This limits learning and consequently pupils' progress. All lessons start enthusiastically, with pupils having a good and secure understanding of what they are doing because learning intentions are consistently explained to them. Good references are made to previous learning and all pupils work hard at their activities. The provision of appropriate work for Great Tew County Primary School 9 different ability groups varies between subjects. Teachers tend to be more successful in mathematics, although pupils are not always told exactly what is expected of them during a

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Commentary

certain amount of time, and extension activities are not always provided for pupils for when they finish their work. English is less successful and, in science, there is often no attempt to provide different work. In many other subjects, pupils of different ability are expected to do the same work.

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Commentary

18. Teaching for pupils with SEN is satisfactory. All adults are aware of the difficulties the few pupils with SEN have. However, occasionally, teachers do not use assessment information effectively when they plan lessons, in particular when pupils have difficulty acquiring basic writing skills. When this happens, pupils sometimes have tasks that are too difficult for them and this limits their learning.

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Commentary

19. When teachers review the pupils' work, they try and ensure that the pupils understand whether they have achieved the learning intention of the lesson or not. An effective colour coded system of marking is used for this, but not all of the pupils remember what it is for.

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Commentary

20. The school meets its legal requirements for assessment. Procedures are fairly effective and enable the teachers to track the progress of pupils in English, mathematics and science. In the other areas of the curriculum, teachers have a broad understanding of how pupils are doing, although in some subjects the assessment procedures are more advanced than in others. With the amount of information that the school has on its pupils, more attention could be paid to providing them with an accurate match of work. The day- to-day assessment of pupils' work has improved since the previous inspection, when it was judged to be a key issue. Work is marked regularly and, in general, pupils have a secure understanding of how they are doing. However, there are some inconsistencies. On some occasions, marking informs pupils how to improve their work, but there are times when it does not. Incorrect spellings or grammar are not always addressed, and in some literacy

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Commentary

work the activities are unfinished because pupils are not given enough guidance or work is too difficult. Pupils receive individual targets, which they are fully aware of, but these are not always referred to in teachers' marking. This can lead to a situation where a pupil has, for example, a target of using capital letters and full-stops, but no reference is made to this in the pupils' work.

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Commentary

The curriculum is suitably planned for all ages and contains a good range of activities to support learning outside the school day. Well-planned educational visits out into the local community, and visitors invited into school, enhance the curriculum further. The provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good. All statutory requirements are met.

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Commentary

• Visits out, and visitors invited into school, enrich many subjects. • There is a good range of out-of-school activities offered for pupils. • The school provides well for pupils’ PSHE.

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Commentary

Great Tew County Primary School 10 21. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which embraces all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. There has been an improvement in religious education since the previous inspection, when it was reported that standards were too low and too little time was spent on teaching the subject. The headteacher has worked hard to develop curriculum planning since his appointment. As a result, all subjects have clear guidelines for teachers to follow and mixed aged classes are satisfactorily catered for. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is effectively planned for and linked well, in particular to science and religious education.

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Commentary

22. Visitors, who are invited into school support the curriculum well. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is particularly well supported by visitors. As a result the pupils develop a good understanding of the need to live healthy and safe lives. All pupils have good opportunities to take part in well-planned visits that enrich most curriculum areas. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 have visited Chedworth Roman Villa and older pupils, in Years 4, 5 and 6, have spent time in a science centre. In addition, residential visits are organised for pupils in Year 6. As well as reinforcing and developing the skills and knowledge taught in geography, history and science, visits such as these greatly enhance pupils’ personal and social development. The school offers a wide range of activities for the pupils to pursue out of school hours. These include clubs that promote art and design, PSHE, music, physical education and games such as chess. These clubs are well attended by pupils of all

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Commentary

23. The provision for pupils with SEN is satisfactory. Pupils have sound individual education plans with targets that identify what the pupils need to do to improve. However, because these targets are rarely referred to in lessons or in the marking of work, the progress against them becomes haphazard. The plans are reviewed regularly and parents are satisfactorily informed.

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Commentary

24. The provision for the children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The children work alongside pupils in Year 1, and inspection evidence indicates that this provision has improved recently over a short period of time. Planning is linked satisfactorily to the national guidance , and the outside area is used well to support learning.

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Commentary

25. There is a sufficient number of teaching and support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. The accommodation is satisfactory. However, teaching areas are cramped and there is no hall, and this limits the range of physical education lessons. Outside, where the pupils have most physical education lessons, the playground is on a slope, which makes teaching difficult at times. In dry weather the pupils have access to a nearby cricket field. Resources are satisfactory to support all areas of the curriculum. Deleted: Great Tew County Primary School 11 Care, guidance and support

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Commentary

Arrangements for the care and welfare, health and safety of the pupils are satisfactory. The pupils are all well known to the staff, because the school is small and intimate. The level of support, advice and guidance that the pupils are given is also satisfactory. Pupils are closely involved in what happens at the school and they are consulted through the school council.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a trusting relationship between pupils and staff. • Most staff are relatively new but support each other well, and their teamwork serves as a good model for pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. Many parents send their children to the school because they value the openness and intimacy of a small school. Induction procedures work well and the pupils are well known and supported. Pupils say in their questionnaires that they are trusted to do things on their own and that the teachers listen to their ideas. They are also closely involved in the setting of their personal targets for English and mathematics. The good teamwork seen amongst the staff is reflected in the way that the pupils work well together and support each other.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. All children in Reception are satisfactorily supported and looked after by the adults who work with them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. The listed school building has some disadvantages, but it is clean and tidy apart from some mud from enthusiastic feet, and vibrant with pupils’ work on display. The pupils respect their school and no damage or graffiti are visible. The lunches, which are prepared at another school and transported, are healthy, with fruit and salad options, and the pupils know about healthy eating even if they do not choose to eat what they should. Portions are ample and the pupils enjoy their food.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. Playtimes are sociable, friendly and well supervised. There are many outlines painted on the tarmac which pupils can use for games in the playground. Good-quality climbing equipment is on a soft landing, though some on grass cannot be used in winter. There is also plenty of space for quiet socialising.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

30. Health and safety is taken seriously. There is a shortage of flat space, which makes ball games interesting, and the tarmac gets very slippery when muddy, but the pupils have few accidents. Incidents are few and are logged. Parents confirm that any bullying is quickly sorted out.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The PSHE curriculum supports the pupils with all the information they need as they grow up. Individual problems are followed up by staff; for instance, pupils with no computer at home are first in line for membership of the school computer club.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

32. Child protection procedures are in place and known to the staff, as are many new policies.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Links both with parents and with the community are very good. Links with local partnership schools are also very strong and productive. Great Tew County Primary School 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• An unusually large number of parents help in school. • The school engenders a community spirit. • Parents are kept informed of a wide range of opportunities for their children, both locally and further afield.

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Commentary

33. Parents agree that the school seeks their views and takes them into account. Lines of communication are particularly strong. The school is central to the village, and acts like a local community centre before and after school. All parents agreed that the school is approachable and welcomes their queries. There is an annual written report and an open day when parents can come and discuss progress. Ten parents help regularly in school from a small population of 56 pupils. All parents are encouraged to help their children with homework, in particular reading – recorded on a record sheet – and the learning of tables. They are also asked to help with the provision of topic resources when necessary.

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Commentary

34. The local community has been consulted in depth about plans for changes in the playgroup, which the school hosts and which will become part of the school shortly. The school also welcomes the community to fund-raising functions such as a summer ball, concert and Christmas fair. The pupils take part in a carol service and harvest festival at the village Church, and the Vicar comes in to school to take assemblies regularly.

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Commentary

35. The local school partnership has a particularly strong influence. The staff undertake training together, and occasions such as sports and other competitions broaden the pupils' experience. Year 6 pupils also share their summer residential trip with a partnership school. This is seen as part of the secondary induction process – a team-building exercise with a new set of pupils with whom they will go to school the next September.

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Commentary

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides good leadership. Governance of the school is good. Statutory requirements are met.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although the staff have been together for only a relatively short time, they work well as a team and are determined to improve achievement and the quality of education for the pupils. • The headteacher's leadership is enthusiastic and provides the drive for improvement. • Governors have a good understanding of the school's future development and are actively involved in monitoring the progress of the current priorities.

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Commentary

36. The school staff have not been together long. Over the last few years there has been a significant number of staff changes, but this is not apparent, such is the level of teamwork. The majority of parents believe that the school is well led and managed and feel that the school has become better organised under the current headteacher's Great Tew County Primary School 13 leadership. Parents acknowledge that recent changes have presented staff with a number of hurdles but feel that the school is now coming together. Evidence from inspection would indicate that progress and development at the school over the last year has been quite rapid, with the school effectively dealing with weaknesses in the Foundation Stage, religious education and the underachievement of some pupils. Great Tew County Primary School 14 New policies have been developed for practically every aspect of the school’ work, and

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Commentary

development planning has become more focused on improving the quality of education and pupils' achievement. There is still some way to go, but the teaching team has the capacity and ambition to continue to effect change under the leadership of the headteacher.

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Commentary

37. Staff have worked to successfully evaluate where the school is by means of data analysis, support from the local education authority, and the issues identified from the previous inspection. This has led to the production of a school development plan that has involved all staff and governors. The school's priorities are clearly identified and the school has established a culture of monitoring and evaluation that has been in place for about a year. This is also linked appropriately to the staff performance management process and associated professional development. All the evidence suggests that the school has moved forward considerably and has a more focused approach to its development.

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Commentary

38. On a day-to-day basis, the school runs successfully. Staff have clearly defined responsibilities and all make a contribution to the running of the school. As with many small schools, many decisions are made collectively through regular staff meetings and informal daily communication. The very good relationships support this. The school has procedures to track the progress of individual pupils in reading, writing, mathematics and science. However, this process could be more focused. Targets for individual pupils need to be more precise.

p.19

Commentary

39. The management of SEN is satisfactory. The pupils with SEN are well integrated because all adults are well aware of their particular needs. Satisfactory support enables them to access all areas of the curriculum. However, monitoring to show how well these pupils are doing across all curriculum areas is not so effective. At times, pupils with SEN are given activities that are too difficult for them. In lessons where this happens, their learning is limited.

p.19

Commentary

40. The management of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. who are involved with the children in Reception, work successfully together as a team to provide a curriculum which is suitable for these young children to learn. The Foundation Stage provision has improved significantly over the last few months.

p.19

Commentary

41. Governance of the school is good. It is well led by the Chair. Although many of the governors are relatively new to their posts, they bring a good range of professional and personal experience and are knowledgeable about the school. They are supportive of the headteacher and staff but acknowledge and understand their need to challenge what is happening at the school. All governors are responsible for a curriculum area , and a monitoring timetable has been established that involves meetings with subject co- ordinators and lesson observations. Much of this is linked to the priorities identified in the school development plan. The governors are successfully involved in the strategic development of the school and have a clear role in evaluating progress against school development priorities. This has improved their effectiveness. Governors are very involved in the drive to develop and build a Foundation Stage unit that will include the school's

p.19

Commentary

Reception year and the independent pre-school provision that is currently located in part of the school building. Consultations have been held with parents and the local community and land has been provided for the new building.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Great Tew County Primary School 15 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 218,859.00 Balance from previous year 17,189.00 Total expenditure 229,803.00 Balance carried forward to the next 6,245.00 Expenditure per pupil 3,648.00

p.19

Commentary

42. The governors fulfil their statutory requirements to set a budget for the school and to regularly monitor expenditure. The governing body is committed to having a good pupil- teacher ratio but also understands the need to look for best value in the services that are purchased by the school. The current carry-forward is below the recommended levels but a charitable trust fund is in place to support the school in times of financial hardship. Voluntary funding has also been provided by the Great Tew Supporters Club, which has been particularly successful in providing a good range of learning resources for the school. Great Tew County Primary School 16

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The children in Reception work happily alongside pupils in Year 1. The current Reception children joined the school with above average attainment. These standards are similar to those reported in the previous inspection. Induction procedures are satisfactory and ensure that the children quickly settle into school. Achievement is satisfactory. Activities are soundly planned to develop learning in all areas of the Foundation Stage. Assessment procedures are satisfactory, and adults collect information on the children and use this satisfactorily when they plan lessons. Profiles are developed which show how well each child is doing. There are no children identified as having SEN. Resources are satisfactory but some are tired and worn, and the newly appointed teacher has begun to develop resources to bring about improvements. The outside area is used well to support learning in all areas. A

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

teaching assistant satisfactorily supports the children, and both adults develop good relationships with the children.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children develop positive attitudes to learning. • Behaviour is good.

p.21

Commentary

44. Most children are on course to exceed the expected levels by the end of their time in Reception. Achievement is satisfactory in relation to their prior attainment. Adults generally have high expectations regarding children's behaviour both inside and outside the classroom. Behaviour is generally good. Most children get on well with each other and the adults with whom they come into contact. However, at times, adults are not consistent with the instructions they give to the children. As a result, a few children do not always do as they are told. For example, children were seen continually shouting out in class discussions when they were told to put up their hands before speaking. Other children rode bicycles down the grassy bank outside, when they were told to keep on the playground. This is the result of adult expectations sometimes being too low and listening skills not consistently being well promoted. The children enthusiastically choose activities

p.21

Commentary

themselves, and they work happily on activities that have been selected for them. Teaching is satisfactory. The children are given sound opportunities to develop personal and social skills. As a result, children confidently undress and dress for physical development lessons and put on their coats when they go outside. Relationships are good and this results in the children confidently asking for help if they need it. The children generally work well together in pairs and small groups and begin to develop the skills necessary to work independently. Great Tew County Primary School 17 Great Tew County Primary School 18 COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

p.21

Commentary

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for the children to develop speaking skills. • The children respond positively to lessons. • The skills of reading are well promoted.

p.23

Commentary

45. Teaching is satisfactory. Adults value what the children say, and the children all have many opportunities to speak out in discussions and when they work in small groups. As a result, most speak confidently in class discussions. When the children know they are expected to sit and listen carefully, for example in assembly, they listen well. However, at times, listening skills are not effectively promoted in the classroom. During class discussions, it is sometimes difficult for the older pupils in Year 1, and the Reception children who have well-developed listening skills, to hear what is being said. This is because a few children in Reception continually shout out whilst people are speaking and the teacher does not always effectively deal with this. There are satisfactorily planned opportunities for children to develop the correct way to write the letters. Children’s previous work shows that they confidently develop writing skills as they write their names

p.23

Commentary

and begin to develop an idea of writing in sentences. Higher attaining children begin to write two and three letter words correctly. Reading is promoted well. All children handle books carefully and regularly take reading books home. Reading diaries indicate that parents support their children well at home as they listen to them read and make written comments of how well they have done. The teacher keeps comprehensive reading records that clearly show the sound progress the children are making. All children know at least a few letter sounds and identify the main characters in the books they look at and read. Many children recognise some familiar words. Higher attaining children read simple texts accurately and confidently. Most children are on course to exceed the expected levels by the end of their time in Reception.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children respond enthusiastically to lessons. • Resources for mathematics are used well to support learning.

p.23

Commentary

46. Teaching is satisfactory and the children are on course to exceed the expected levels by the beginning of Year 1. Resources to promote numeracy are used well. The teacher uses a number line well to help the children to recognise and order numbers up to 10. Most children identify numbers up to 5 and many confidently work with the numbers 5 Great Tew County Primary School 19 to10. A few higher attaining children begin to recognise numbers over 10. All children begin to see how number patterns develop. Children in Reception were seen working well alongside the Year 1 pupils as they counted in tens. The teacher used the whiteboard well to enable the children to see what the numbers looked like when they were written down. Higher attaining children confidently completed simple addition and subtraction problems such as ‘If you had 10 sweets and ate 1, how many would you have left?’ Previous work

p.23

Commentary

shows that the children begin to recognise the value of coins and develop an idea of how we measure the length of objects. Assessment information indicates that most children can name two, three or four basic shapes. The children have good opportunities to participate in well-planned activities that are based around the classroom ticket office for the puppet theatre. Children confidently wrote numbers on tickets and used vocabulary correctly as they spoke about ‘today’s’ show and ‘tomorrow’s’ show. Many children show a good understanding of vocabulary associated with this area of learning, such as ‘before’ and ‘after’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Achievement is satisfactory. The children respond positively to the many activities that support their mathematical development.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children enjoy physical sessions outside in the playground. • The children work well together as they handle tools, soft materials such as 'Play doh', and construction toys , which they do safely and with satisfactory control.

p.24

Commentary

47. Teaching is satisfactory in this area and the children receive regular opportunities to work and play in the playground. One lesson was seen where Reception children worked with pupils in Year 1. Although the children were generally well motivated and enthusiastic, a few found it difficult to listen and concentrate on what they were told to do. The teacher made the children think hard about what was happening to their bodies during the warm up session but missed the opportunity to expand on this when one boy said, ‘My heart’s running!’ Learning was satisfactory, but the need to follow instructions and concentrate on what they were doing was not well promoted by the adults taking the lesson. Most children handle tools such as scissors and pencils with satisfactory control. All children play imaginatively and confidently with construction toys and have good opportunities to develop their manual dexterity, using soft materials such as 'Play doh'.

p.24

Commentary

Children were seen developing satisfactory rolling and cutting skills as they used tools safely and confidently. Achievement is satisfactory in this area and most children are at least on course to exceed the expected levels.

p.24

Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

p.24

Commentary

48. There is too little evidence for judgements to be made on knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. However, activities to support these areas are soundly planned for. Activities to support ICT are planned for but none were Great Tew County Primary School 20 seen during the inspection. Opportunities to reinforce and develop learning were missed in lessons when computers were switched on but no children used them. In one lesson, which was planned under knowledge and understanding of the World, children developed their knowledge of fruits after listening to the story of 'Handa’s Surprise'. As they looked at a good range of different fruits, the concepts of touch, smell and feel were reinforced well. The children worked with great enthusiasm, and vocabulary was developed well as children were asked to describe what the inside of a pomegranate looked like. One child said, ‘I

p.24

Commentary

think it looks like jewels’. The need to wash hands before touching the fruit was promoted well and the children had good opportunities to learn about fruits as they cut them up and tasted them. The teacher gave good quality support to the children taking part in this activity. During this lesson, other children worked satisfactorily together as they used torches in a darkened area of the classroom. One higher attaining boy confidently said that a bulb made the light and the torch worked from a battery. Previous work shows that the children have many opportunities to paint and print and to make collages from different materials. Activities such as these promote learning in creative development. Great Tew County Primary School 21

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6. • Pupils show positive attitudes to the subject. • Assessment information is not always used well when planning lessons.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

49. In Year 6, standards are above average. Achievement is satisfactory in relation to these pupils' prior attainment at the end of Year 2. Standards in Year 2 in speaking and listening, reading and writing are above average. The pupils have achieved satisfactorily. Standards are similar to those reported during the previous inspection.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. Teaching is satisfactory. Strengths in teaching include good opportunities for speaking and listening and good relationships between the teachers and the pupils. In a good lesson seen which contained pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6, pupils had good opportunities to use drama skills as they focused on the poem of 'The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes. The teacher skilfully grouped the pupils into mixed aged groups that enabled all to achieve well. There were good opportunities for the pupils to work co-operatively and collaboratively as they identified confidently with the characters in the poem. Learning was good in this lesson because the pupils listened very well and maturely coped with the activities they were given. Speaking and listening skills were promoted well and resources to reinforce learning as the teacher told the story were used very well. The limited amount of space in the classroom was used well and did not impinge on the learning. Teachers

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

have high expectations regarding behaviour in lessons. As a result, pupils show positive attitudes to the subject and confidently speak out in lessons because the teachers value what they say. Behaviour is very good. All teachers give clear instructions which enable the pupils to know exactly what is expected of them.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. Sometimes teachers do not use assessment information collected on pupils with enough precision. This results at times) in higher attaining pupils not being challenged sufficiently. Lower attaining pupils are not always given enough guidance when asked to write. For example, pupils in Year 2 were seen wanting to spell words correctly but they had been given no dictionaries or banks of words to help them. Teachers do not regularly refer to literacy targets on the individual education plans of pupils with SEN when marking or in lessons. This limits the progress these pupils make towards their literacy targets. Pupils’ previous work shows that all pupils have satisfactory opportunities to develop writing skills and that learning is satisfactory. The best marking informs the pupils of what they need to do to improve. However, this is not consistent throughout the school. Great Tew County Primary School 22

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

52. The subject is satisfactorily managed. Assessment arrangements are satisfactory. Reading and writing records are kept on each child that show exactly how well they are progressing and clearly show the satisfactory achievement they make. Teachers use information collected on pupils to group them and plan activities. All pupils have individual literacy targets. Educational visits to the theatre enrich the English curriculum as well as promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The library has recently been restocked and now contains a good number of books. The good supply of reading books has been graded so that pupils can easily select one at Great Tew County Primary School 23 the correct level for their ability. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used satisfactorily to develop word processing skills. Pupils in Years 3 were seen enthusiastically using the computers to support their literacy work. Previous pupils’ work showed that

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

older pupils in Year 6 have written accounts of their Junior Citizenship Day, using the computers.

p.28

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to use language and literacy skills across the curriculum. Satisfactory examples were seen in history, religious education and science books in Years 2 and 6. However, at times, the presentation of written work could be of a higher standard, and this was a key issue at the previous inspection.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Years 2 and 6. • Pupils are enthusiastic about the subject and work well together and independently. • On some occasions, pupils could make more rapid progress.

p.28

Commentary

54. Because of the small year groups, there are significant year-on-year variations in the school's national test results. Inspection evidence would suggest that the pupils are currently making satisfactory progress against their prior attainment. However, if some elements of teaching were more effective, pupils' progress could be better. Pupils are enthusiastic learners. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are above average.

p.28

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Pupils have a good understanding of what they are doing because learning intentions are shared with them. Lessons are also placed into context by the teachers, with good references made to previous learning. Analysis of pupils' work indicates that. in general, teachers are more successful in providing different work for the different ability groups in mathematics than in other subjects. However, this process could still be more rigorous, with clearer demands made on some groups of pupils so that they know exactly what is expected of them in a particular period of time. Although there are many strengths to lesson introductions, including good questioning, some of these are too long and are not always relevant to all pupils, many of whom are keen to get on. When introductions are too long, the pace of lessons slows and time is not used effectively. Teaching assistants contribute satisfactorily

p.28

Commentary

to pupils' learning but often sit passively during the beginning of lessons and at this point are not helping pupils to learn.

p.28

Commentary

56. Teachers' marking can be effective. When at its best, it is informative to pupils and asks relevant questions about their understanding. However, on other occasions, marking does not challenge pupils or guide then on to the next stages of learning. Some written comments could be clearer and do not set a good example for the pupils. There are times Great Tew County Primary School 24 when pupils undertake their own assessments of their understanding of a particular concept, and this is good practice, providing useful information to the class teacher. The pupils are enthusiastic and mature learners who would benefit from informative and challenging marking that would enable them to carry out some work independently.

p.28

Commentary

57. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject co- ordinator has responsibility for the mathematics element of the school development plan which focuses on improving the quality of teaching and use of assessment. She has successfully analysed national test results and identified areas of weakness in teaching that the school is now addressing. Procedures for assessment are satisfactory. Teachers are able to track pupils' progress, although end-of-year targets for pupils could be sharper. Pupils have individual targets that they understand and look to achieve. These are appropriate to the pupils' individual needs. During the inspection, ICT was not used to support the subject.

p.29

Commentary

58. Mathematics is satisfactorily promoted and used in other subjects of the curriculum. Classroom displays, for example, indicate that mathematics has been used in science and ICT. All classrooms have mathematical displays that are generally related to areas of mathematics that are currently being covered. Mathematical language is particularly well displayed, and pupils are given opportunities to work on mathematical investigations that support their social development.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Years 2 and 6. • Pupils talk enthusiastically and confidently about the subject and retain knowledge well. • Insufficient attention is paid to pupils' ability levels. Too often, pupils of different ability do the same work.

p.29

Commentary

59. Standards in science are above average in Years 2 and 6. The pupils achieve satisfactorily. Although the curriculum is organised effectively to take into account mixed- age classes, and pupils have opportunities to undertake scientific investigations, too often, pupils are given the same work regardless of their ability. For some pupils, written tasks are too difficult, whilst for others they could be more challenging. Analysis of pupils' previous work indicates that ICT is used to support the subject appropriately.

p.29

Commentary

60. Only one science lesson was observed during the inspection. It was a good lesson and well organised. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 undertook a scientific investigation to identify whether some materials would change shape when heated. The pupils worked well with each other as they discussed how they were going to organise their experiments, and they showed a good understanding of the need for their experiments to be 'fair', by chanting, Great Tew County Primary School 25 'We change one thing, we measure one thing – we keep the rest the same'. They also talked confidently about the work they had covered previously. The pupils' positive attitudes to learning helped maintain a good pace to the lesson, and the class teacher's effective interactions with all groups of pupils meant that she had a good understanding of what they were all doing.

p.29

Commentary

61. Despite the good lesson observed during the inspection, teaching and learning are judged as satisfactory overall. Analysis of pupils' work indicates that, on many occasions, pupils of all ability do the same work and teachers rely too much on different ability groups arriving at different outcomes rather than provide them with a range of work. The marking of pupils' work is also inconsistent. It varies in quality and the impact it has on pupils' learning. In the best examples, questions are posed to pupils to further their understanding and challenge them more. On other occasions, although marking offers supportive comments, it is not a useful aid to teaching and learning. There are times when the quality of marking varies in pupils' books when different teachers are involved. This must be very confusing for the pupils. Great Tew County Primary School 26 62. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The school has

p.30

Commentary

developed a system to track pupils' progress, and regular assessments are completed when pupils finish a unit of work. However, the tracking needs to be more rigorous and better use could be made of the information gathered when planning science lessons.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

63. Very little ICT teaching was observed during the inspection and there was very little pupils' work to analyse. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about the provision in the subject. Discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6 provided evidence that their knowledge and understanding is at the levels expected and that they are making satisfactory progress.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

64. The pupils spoke very positively about the subject, with the younger pupils in particular confidently using language associated with the subject like ‘retrieve’, ‘print’, ‘save’ and ‘file’. It was also very apparent through the pupils' responses that provision for ICT has improved quite significantly since the arrival of the present headteacher. The school has a good number of computers in relation to the number of pupils at the school and exceeds the government's recommended pupil-computer ratio.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

65. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The school has identified shortcomings with its curriculum for ICT and has recently produced a new ICT scheme of work that will encourage far more links with other areas of the curriculum. Assessment procedures are being developed. Information and communication technology (ICT) continues to be a priority in the school.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. During the inspection, very few lessons were observed where ICT was being used to support other subjects. However, discussions with pupils and staff, and evidence from classroom displays , would indicate that the school does its best to try to use ICT across the curriculum. Pupils use computers as word processors to support their writing in English and other subjects. They use the Internet and CD-Roms to research topics such as the Ancient Greeks and, working with a screen 'turtle', the older pupils write their names using the Greek alphabet. An ICT club provides pupils in Years 4 to 6 with additional time on the, and all pupils have their own e-mail address at school. Analysis of pupils' work in other subjects, such as science, indicates than ICT is used to support learning , and Year 6 pupils discussed using computer programs for work in mathematics.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Geography and history were not part of the inspection focus and no lessons were observed in either of these subjects. Discussions were held with pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 and a limited amount of work in the two subjects was analysed.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. On the basis of this evidence, the pupils appear to have an appropriate knowledge and understanding for their ages. The Year 6 pupils were particularly good at retaining information about their previous learning and talked confidently and enthusiastically about their recent work on the Ancient Greeks. They had a good knowledge of the ancient gods Great Tew County Primary School 27 and myths, retelling their favourite stories with accuracy. The Year 6 pupils were also able to maturely discuss work they had undertaken on India in Year 5. They spoke about the similarities and differences between India and the United Kingdom and also commented on how they had unfairly stereotyped India before beginning to understand the country's diversity. Year 2 pupils also showed a secure knowledge of countries they have studied. They were also able to successfully explain how they had undertaken simple map reading.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. The school curriculum is organised to ensure correct coverage of history and geography through a rolling programme of topics. This ensures that pupils in the mixed-age classes do not repeat work as they move through the school.

p.32

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 and pupils' achievement have improved since the previous inspection. • The school has worked hard to develop the religious education provision in the last year. • The subject supports the pupils' social, moral and cultural development. • Pupils are respectful of others' beliefs. • The subject could be used more effectively to develop pupils' writing skills.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

70. Standards in religious education are similar to those expected for pupils in Years 2 and 6. Overall, the pupils make satisfactory progress in the subject, which is an improvement on the previous inspection, when progress through Key Stage 2 was unsatisfactory. The teaching staff have worked hard over the past year to develop the school's religious education provision, undertaking in-service training and looking very carefully at classroom practice. Religious education has been a priority in the most recent school development plan. There is still some way to go in promoting the subject. The older pupils, for example, do not retain subject knowledge very well and are not always clear about when they have had religious education.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

71. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. However, the two lessons observed during the inspection were good and very good respectively. Both of the lessons made significant contributions to the pupils' personal development, and class discussions indicated that pupils throughout the school are mature in their thinking and respectful of other's beliefs. Year 2 pupils, for example, spoke enthusiastically about a class prayer mat that they had produced as part of their work on the Islamic faith. Lessons are becoming more meaningful in the school, so that not only pupils' religious knowledge is improved, but their understanding of what they can learn from different religions is very much a subject focus. However, scrutiny of pupils' books indicates that, on many occasions, pupils of all abilities are given similar work. Pupils are given opportunities to produce written work but, in many instances, lower attaining pupils are not given enough guidance and

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

support. Great Tew County Primary School 28 72. Although the school provides a satisfactory religious education curriculum, procedures for assessment are still being developed. However, staff do have a general understanding of how well the pupils are doing. There are some shortcomings in the school's resources for the subject. The school does not have sufficient books and other resources for all of the major religions pupils are expected to study.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

73. Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were not a focus for the inspection and there is not enough evidence to report on them fully. One lesson was seen in physical education. Curriculum planning indicates that these subjects are satisfactorily planned for each term. After-school activities and educational visits also promote these subjects well.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

74. Pupils’ previous work completed in art and design and in design and technology books clearly indicates that pupils have opportunities to design and plan their work. In art and design, the pupils work on some interesting activities. For example, pupils in Year 6 have produced pictures of their dreams after looking at the work of Joan Miro, a Spanish artist. Music is promoted satisfactorily during some whole school assemblies where all pupils have satisfactory opportunities to sing. In addition, teachers play music as the pupils enter and leave the classroom during these times. Good opportunities such as these enable the pupils to listen to different types of music. Older pupils correctly identified ‘Winter’ by Vivaldi, which was played during the week of the inspection. The physical education lesson that was observed included the Reception children and pupils in Year 1. Teaching in this lesson was satisfactory, and pupils were judged to be reaching standards that are expected

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

for their age in Year 1 as they took part successfully in games activities.

p.33

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

75. Provision for PSHE is good. The teachers follow clear guidance, and the programme places an emphasis on living safely and eating healthily. Even the youngest children in the school are very aware of which foods are good for them, whilst older pupils show a good awareness of the importance of eating sensibly. As they get older they learn about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils in Year 6 spoke very enthusiastically about recently going to a Junior Citizenship Day and learning about the possible dangers in the home. All classes have a time when they discuss issues related to PSHE but none were seen during the inspection. Pupils’ previous work in Year 6 shows that the class has talked about ‘appreciation’ and what the pupils are thankful for, friendship and what it means to them, and how to behave. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) promotes speaking and listening and the development of writing skills well. Older pupils have good opportunities

p.33

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

to write about the issues they discuss. The programme links well with physical education, science and religious education. In a very good religious education lesson in Years 4, 5 and 6, the pupils maturely linked rules such as the Ten Commandments, that had developed long ago, with how they live today. During this lesson, they clearly showed how well they work together, pool their ideas and confidently feed back their thoughts to the whole class. Visitors invited into school enrich this area greatly. Recent visitors include the St John’s Ambulance and the school nurse, who spoke to the pupils about issues related to drug awareness, sex education and the relevance of eye tests. Great Tew County Primary School 29 Great Tew County Primary School 30

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspection judgement Grade The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.35

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.35

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.35

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 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 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 2

p.35

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.35