Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School

SCHOOL

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

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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. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5-9 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 265

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bridewell Lane Bury St Edmunds Suffolk Postcode: IP33 1RE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01284 754840 Fax number: 01284 765296

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Elliot

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the historic centre of Bury St Edmunds and is surrounded by housing and the local brewery. It has no grassed play areas but has developed its limited hard play space well. The school received an Investor in People award in 2002. Most pupils are from a white British heritage with a small number of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. Almost all these pupils speak English well with only a small minority at the early stages of acquiring the language. There are no refugee pupils. A broadly average number of pupils are eligible to receive free school meals and socio-economic factors are at average levels. The percentage of pupils who are on the school’s special educational needs list is below the national average. The number of pupils having statements of special educational needs is broadly average. A majority of the pupils on the school’s special educational needs list have moderate or specific learning difficulties. Most of the rest have social,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

emotional and behavioural difficulties or speech and communication problems. The proportion of pupils who join the school after the Reception year or leave before the end of Year 4 is below average. The attainment of children on entry to the Early Years classes is very wide but is judged to be average overall. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 29262 Mr N Hardy Lead inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Religious education 19320 Mrs B Attaway Lay inspector 14732 Mrs E Korn Team inspector English English as an additional language Geography History Music 32475 Mr N Butt Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education 32523 Mrs F Devine Team Inspector Science Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

PBM Brookbridge & Bedford Ltd 13A Market Place Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8HY

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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). Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This good school provides a good education for pupils in the Early Years and in Years 1 and 2, and a satisfactory education for pupils in Years 3 and 4. The quality of education provided is satisfactory overall. The school provides good value for money. Children enter with attainment that is at broadly average. They achieve well in the Early Years classes and in Years 1 and 2 so that standards are above average by the end of Year 2. This is because much of the teaching is good. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 achieve satisfactorily and standards remain above average, although pupils do not make such rapid progress as when they are younger. The quality of teaching for older pupils is not as strong overall as that for younger pupils. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. Issues raised in that report, especially with regard to the school’s Early Years provision have been resolved and provision is now good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • the standards attained in English, mathematics and science are above average; • the provision for children in the Early Years is good; • the quality of teaching in the Early Years and in Years 1 and 2 is good; • teaching assistants are used well to support pupils’ learning; • the monitoring of the quality of teaching by senior staff and subject leaders is not rigorous enough; • provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language is good; • the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 is not as high as in other areas of the school because expectations of what pupils could do are not high enough; • links with parents, the community and other schools are good; • the leadership provided by the headteacher and other senior staff is good; • the assessment procedures in place do not enable teachers to track pupils’ progress

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall; it is good in the Early Years and in Years 1 and 2 and is satisfactory in Years 3 and 4. Results in reading, writing and mathematics have been consistently above and often well above average over the last three years in the national tests for seven-year-olds. Standards in teacher-assessed science are also above average. Pupils achieve well in all these areas. When the school’s results are measured against those of other schools taking their pupils from similar backgrounds, results are well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. The standards achieved by pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are similar to those of their peers due to the good help and support they receive.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 Reading B A A A Writing A A B B Mathematics B A B A 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. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 7 Current standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average in Year 2. Standards are above average in Year 4 in English, mathematics and science. Pupils do not make as much progress in Years 3 and 4 as they do in Years 1 and 2. Standards in information and communication technology and religious education are average across the school. Those in art and design, music and history are above average. Standards in the Early Years are average. Pupils’ attitudes towards their work are satisfactory overall, and are usually good in the Early Years and in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Years 1 and 2. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory overall and their cultural development is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall and many of the lessons in English, mathematics and science are good. The quality of teaching in the Early Years classes is generally good. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is of better quality than in the classes containing older pupils. The planning of lessons is good, especially in reading, writing, mathematics and science and this makes a positive contribution to the above average standards in these subjects. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are not always provided with sufficient challenge and the teachers’ expectations of what they can achieve are often not high enough. This results in slower progress than in Years 1 and 2. Pupils who are on the school’s special educational needs list and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported and achieve well. The progress pupils make in reading, writing, mathematics and science is checked regularly but the current system for doing this

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

is not as efficient as it could be. The curriculum is satisfactory. A good range of extra- curricular activities is available and popular with pupils. The care, support and guidance provided for pupils are satisfactory. The links with parents, the community and other schools are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT The leadership provided for the school by the headteacher and senior staff is good and provides a strong sense of direction for the school, firmly based on raising standards, especially in reading writing and mathematics. There has been considerable success in this with standards being above average and many pupils, especially the younger pupils, achieving well. The quality of management is satisfactory. Action is planned but not yet initiated to improve the quality and rigour of monitoring of teaching and to check regularly on the progress made by individual pupils. The governors are very supportive of the school and have an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the strengths and areas for further development in the school’s organisation. They ensure that all statutory requirements are met. The administration of the school is efficient and helps the school to run smoothly.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents are supportive of the school. They support the homework its pupils complete. They appreciate being consulted on important matters and feel confident when approaching the school with a problem. Most children enjoy school and are keen to attend, enjoying lessons and the additional activities provided.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • increase the rigor and regularity of the monitoring of teaching by senior staff and subject leaders to ensure a consistency of quality in the teaching across the school; • enhance the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 by raising expectations of what pupils can and should be able to do and to increase the level of challenge; • ensure that assessment procedures enable teachers to track the progress of all pupils efficiently, especially in English, mathematics and science. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

This is a good school where the standards attained in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. The achievement of children in the Early Years and in Years 1 and 2 is good and in Years 3 and 4 is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The standards achieved by seven-year-olds in the 2004 national assessment tests are well above average in reading and above average in writing and mathematics. Standards in science are also above average. • Standards achieved by nine-year-olds are above average in English, mathematics and science. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well in the Early Years and in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils in Years 3 and 4 do not make as much progress as younger pupils.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the Early Years classes with typical levels of attainment for their age. Most of them achieve well and many make good progress so that by the time they transfer to Year 1 they have achieved the national goals for early learning. This is particularly so in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and in their personal development. Children who have special educational needs are identified at an early stage of their education and support provided. Most children who speak English as an additional language make rapid progress in acquiring the language, enabling them to make similar progress to other children.

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Commentary

2. The standards attained by pupils in the national tests for pupils of seven years of age in reading, writing and mathematics have improved since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well in all these subjects and in science. In the 2004 tests, standards in reading were well above average when judged against all schools and almost half of the pupils achieved the above average Level 3. Standards in writing were also above average but with a lesser number of pupils achieving Levels 2A and Level 3. The picture in mathematics was similar to that seen in writing. Standards were also above average in the teacher-assessed science results. When the school’s results are compared with those schools taking their pupils from similar economic backgrounds, results in reading remain well above average. Results in writing were also above average and those in mathematics rose to well above average. There are no national

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Commentary

tests for pupils at the end of Year 4 but the school undertakes optional national tests at this time. The results of these tests show that standards remain above average. Pupils do not make such rapid progress as they made during their time in Early Years or in Years 1 or 2. At the time of the previous inspection standards at the end of Year 4 were judged to be above average in English, mathematics and science. They were also above average in information and communication technology and physical education and were in line with expected levels in religious education. Judgements were not given on standards in other subjects. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 9 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.0 (17.6) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.6 (16.4) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 17.2 (17.9) 16.2 (16.3) There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. There are no significant differences between the performance of boys and girls. Current inspection evidence confirms this. Taking the performance of both boys and girls together over the previous three years standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been well above the national average. However, while standards for boys are well above average in all three areas, those for girls are above average in reading and writing and well above average in mathematics when compared with girls in other schools. Standards for pupils of seven years of age have risen more rapidly than in most other schools over the last five years.

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Commentary

4. Current inspection evidence indicates that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average by the end of Year 2. This indicates that pupils achieve well when compared to their average attainment on entry to the school. Standards are also above average in English, mathematics and science by Year 4 but the achievement of these pupils is judged to be satisfactory. This is because the quality of teaching in Year 3 and 4 classes is not as high as that seen in Years 1 and 2, and the expectations of what pupils could and should achieve are not high enough. Standards in art and design, music and history are above average by Year 2 and Year 4. In both information and communication technology and religious education, standards are at average levels in both key stages. It was not possible to reach judgements on standards in physical education, design and technology and geography. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an

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Commentary

additional language are well supported and they make similar progress to their peers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, relationships, personal development and attendance are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Younger pupils have a good attitude to school and this is reflected in their good behaviour. • The pupils’ understanding of good behaviour is not consistently high enough in some classes containing older pupils.

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Commentary

5. Pupils describe school as “fun”. Extra curricular activities are popular. Pupils enjoy developing additional skills from the new equipment available at lunchtime and this is making a good contribution to positive playground behaviour.

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Commentary

6. Behaviour expectations in the younger classes are clearly understood, promoting not only good attitudes and behaviour but also making a significant contribution to the good quality of pupils’ learning. In older years too much time is taken in some classes Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 10 to correct distracting behaviour during whole class teaching. This reduces learning for all pupils. Prior to the inspection, a number of parents expressed concern about playground behaviour. Some exuberant play may be interpreted incorrectly as boisterous in the limited playground area. Lunchtime assistants generally handle behaviour well through the red and yellow card system. There is no evidence of bullying or racism. Racial harmony is good.

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Commentary

7. There are opportunities for pupils’ personal development, such as helping in assembly and independent research on Anglo Saxons. Playground helpers are proud of their responsibilities. The social skills club is making a good contribution to some pupils’ self-esteem. Pupils enjoy supporting charities such as St Nicholas’ Hospice and Christian Aid. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Their spiritual education is developed through assemblies where time is given for prayer and reflection; it is further developed through circle time sessions. Social development is enhanced by the range of extra curricular activities undertaken by pupils. Community links are good. Pupils’ cultural development is promoted in cross- curricular studies and assemblies. There are examples in workbooks, displays and artwork around the school, of links with different cultures. Visitors to school also help

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Commentary

8. Most pupils are punctual and parents know the procedures to follow when their child is away. The school follows good practice by contacting parents on the first day of absence. Governors and staff are proactive in deciding not to authorise holidays in term time from September 2005. Almost all parents have responded positively to this.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.5 School data 0.7 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

9. There have been several fixed term exclusions over the last two years. These have involved two pupils whose behaviour was unacceptable and interrupted the learning of other pupils. Both no longer attend the school.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 231 4 1 White – Irish 4 0 0 White – any other White background 7 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 3 4 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0 Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 11 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 3 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is similar to that seen in many other schools and is satisfactory overall but is good in English, mathematics and science across the school, and especially so in Years 1 and 2. Much of the teaching in other subjects is satisfactory. Pupils of lower ability and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported . The quality of the curriculum provided is satisfactory but a good range of extra- curricular activities and visits are provided to enrich pupils learning. The provision for children in the Early Years is much improved and is now good.

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Teaching and learning

The teaching in the Early Years is good and enables children to achieve well . Much of the teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good , particularly in English, mathematics and science, ensuring that pupils are able to make good progress and to achieve above average standards in these subjects. The teaching in most of the classes in Years 3 and 4 is generally satisfactory but expectations of what pupils can achieve are sometimes too low and there is insufficient challenge, particularly for more able pupils. Assessment is unsatisfactory because procedures to assess pupils’ progress do not enable teachers to easily and accurately track progress year on year.

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Teaching and learning

• Teaching and learning are good in English, mathematics and science, particularly in Years 1 and 2 and this enables pupils to achieve well and make good progress in these subjects. • The quality of teachers’ planning is good. • The expectations of what pupils should achieve are not always sufficiently high in all classes in Years 3 and 4. • Teaching assistants are used well across the school to support pupils who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. • Assessment is not used sufficiently well to track the progress pupils are making.

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Commentary

10. The teaching provided for children in the Early Years classes has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. A particular area of improvement has been the personal and social development of children. The teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to provide a well-planned and often challenging learning opportunity for the children. The adults share an increasingly good knowledge of how young children learn. Activities are securely based on good assessment of what each child can do and, as a result children are keenly interested in their work and have an appetite for their work.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 40 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 % 5 (12.5%) 15 (37.5%) 20 (50%) 0 % 0 % 0 %

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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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

11. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is often good and sometimes very good in English, mathematics and science and this helps pupils to develop a good understanding of the ideas and concepts involved and to achieve well. This results in standards that are above average levels. Where the teaching is best, lessons are made interesting through clear explanations and a crisp pace of delivery. The teachers’ expectations of Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 13 behaviour and the amount of work to be completed are high in these lessons. In some, but not all, lessons in Years 3 and 4, the expectation of what pupils will accomplish are not high enough and the challenge provided does not result in pupils making sufficient gains in what they should learn. In good lessons, for example, in a history lesson in Year 4 the teacher followed an interesting introduction with tasks designed to challenge and extend several different groups. This effectively extended pupils’

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Commentary

understanding and knowledge. This is not the case in all lessons and results in progress and achievement that, while remaining at satisfactory levels, slows in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

12. A scrutiny of pupils’ work across the full range of the curriculum reveals some inconsistencies in the quality of marking. Where marking is good, there is a mixture of encouragement and constructive criticism, together with pointers as to what pupils could do to improve quality of work. This is not the case with all work.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Thorough and regular discussions between the teachers, support staff and co-ordinator ensure that these pupils receive an appropriate challenge with many making good progress. Teaching assistants have a considerable influence in guiding the learning of these pupils and make a significant contribution to this provision. Work in English, mathematics and science is usually well matched to pupils’ needs and basic skills are well taught, especially in Year 1 and 2. Tasks in other subjects are not always so well matched to needs. Good use is made of individual learning plans for these pupils and short- term, challenging but achievable targets are provided. Effective strategies are used to involve these pupils in whole class sessions and to enable them to succeed.

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Commentary

14. The school regularly assesses pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics and checks what pupils have learned at the end of each science topic. The results of these assessments are carefully recorded. The school also uses the optional standard attainment tasks to check on pupils understanding of the different areas of the curriculum in English and mathematics in Years 3 and 4. The results of these tests are analysed to identify areas where pupils understanding is not good enough and modifications are made to the curriculum where needed. The school does not yet have an appropriate system in place to record pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics on a regular basis and to be able to identify individual pupils or classes where progress and achievement are not sufficiently good. This area of weakness has already been identified by the school and action is planned to remedy this.

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The curriculum

Curriculum provision is satisfactory overall, with some good elements, especially in the Early Years. It is enriched by a good range of additional activities. The accommodation and resources in the school are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision in the Early Years is good and has improved since the last inspection. • Pupils are involved in many additional activities inside and outside school.

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Commentary

15. The curriculum fully meets statutory requirements, including those for religious education and the daily act of collective worship. There is suitable provision for sex education and awareness of the danger of drugs. Provision for personal, social, health Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 14 education and citizenship is satisfactory. The establishment of a school council to enable pupils to have a voice and comment upon aspects of school life and development is at the planning stage. Provision in the Early Years is now good, with an effective curriculum in place that prepares children well for entry into Year 1.

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Commentary

16. Pupils’ education is enriched by a good range of clubs and activities. A mathematics club for higher attaining Year 4 pupils provides useful extension work. Pupils also enjoy four recorder clubs for different levels of ability, short tennis, football and netball. There are links with a local upper school, and also with nearby St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, which supports the school in musical, cultural and heritage activities. The school plays a wide role in town life, and takes part in civic events such as the Holocaust Memorial Service in the Abbey Gardens, Bury in Bloom and the Bury Festival.

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Commentary

17. The school is beginning to develop productive links between subjects to use time more effectively and to make learning more relevant and interesting. This gentle and gradual approach to curriculum development reflects the school’s philosophy, which is committed to maintaining high standards whilst embracing flexibility and change. A desire to use information and communication technology more widely throughout the curriculum runs alongside this, and interactive whiteboards have been purchased for the Year 4 pupils and the computer suite.

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Commentary

18. The resources and accommodation are generally good. The school has a dramatic hammer-beamed hall with a lustrous sprung floor. The classes and shared areas are attractive and orderly. The school is kept scrupulously clean by the caretaker. The modern and spacious computer suite is a real asset. The last inspection report criticised the lack of any grass on site, which is a consequence of the town centre location. The school is exploring the possibility of using other green sites for games activities, especially in the summer..

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Care, guidance and support

Pupil care, health, and safety are good. Support and guidance through monitoring is satisfactory. Pupils’ involvement in the school’s development is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral care throughout the school is good. • Pupils have been able to maintain trusting relationships with adults, despite many staff changes. • There are limited opportunities for pupils to have a voice in the school’s development. • Monitoring of pupils’ progress through assessment is not consistently applied throughout the school.

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Commentary

19. The school’s pastoral care is especially supportive because there are many instances of individual pupils and parents receiving support and guidance in difficult situations. The gym trails to develop fine and gross motor skills for special educational needs pupils, the social skills club and outreach support, together with Schoolsafe training for staff, have contributed well to staff and pupils’ care, self-esteem and safety. The arrangements for meeting pupils as they arrive by car are making a good contribution Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 15 to their care and safety and also contributing to the effectiveness of the one-way system through the town centre. Induction arrangements are satisfactory overall. The arrangements for children entering the Early Years are very good.

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Commentary

20. Trusting relationships with adults have been maintained well because members of staff have worked hard to ensure stability, especially those who have remained during staffing changes. Pupils value the reward systems, believing them to be fair. The headteacher’s award is especially valued by older pupils. Pupils’ views are sought through individual classes and groups, for example, safe playground activities. The establishment of a school council is included in the school’s development plan. Monitoring of behaviour is undertaken regularly and any concerns shared with parents. The school does ensure pupils who are always well behaved are rewarded and older pupils expressed their appreciation of this recognition.

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Commentary

21. The importance of a healthy lifestyle is being promoted satisfactorily, not only through science and personal and social education lessons, but also practically through the availability of fresh fruit and water bottles. The school is seeking Healthy Schools’ accreditation. Medicines are stored safely and records of administration are detailed.

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Commentary

22. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good. Members of staff have a secure understanding of individual needs and their progress is regularly monitored. These pupils achieve well because work is effectively matched to their needs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are also well supported and many of these pupils make rapid progress in acquiring the language. The progress these pupils are making is well documented in the Early Years but this is not maintained in other year groups.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents, the community and with other schools are good. Parents consider links with school are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Through twice-yearly information evenings and the sharing of the forthcoming curriculum, the school enables parents to have a good understanding of how to help at home. • A good range of links has been established with the local community. • There are too few opportunities for all parents to have a voice in the school’s development.

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Commentary

23. Members of staff are in the playground at the end of the school day and this makes a positive contribution to the quality of home-school relationships. The school is adaptable in ensuring working parents are able to play a full role in their children’s education. Information evenings ensure parents receive good guidance on how to help their children at home; this strengthens the partnership and supports progress. Parental help in school, for example, with reading and art, is assisted by the availability of a supporting brochure. The active Friends of Feoffment School make an important contribution to the school’s resources and to the social life of the school and surrounding community. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 16 24. Curriculum newsletters offer clear guidance on home activities for English, mathematics, science, information and communications technology and history, making a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Regular newsletters and the school’s

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Commentary

website keep parents up to date on school life. The views of parents were not sought when revising the behaviour policy and this is preventing a common understanding being established. Through the website, parents are to be invited to contribute their views on the school’s development plan.

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Commentary

25. Links between Early Years and pre-school are good because staff liaise regularly and ensure progression through joint planning. Good links have been established with the Middle School to which most of the pupils eventually transfer, especially through staff visits and targets crossing both schools. Music, sports and arts days ensure pupils move with confidence to the next stage of their education. The Pyramid Network enables shared teaching methods, for example the development of a calculation policy across middle and primary schools.

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Commentary

26. The school’s good community links make pupils feel they have an important role in the life of Bury St Edmunds and that they are part of its heritage. Participation in Bury in Bloom raises their environmental awareness; support for the local hospice and the almshouses complements their citizenship. Older visitors have shared their wartime experiences and songs from that era, creating cross-generation relationships. There is good association with the Cathedral. Links with the Christian community will be widened further when the newly appointed vicar joins the governing body shortly. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are regularly invited to the school to take part in review meetings to monitor progress. There is effective liaison with external agencies.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school provided by the headteacher and key senior teaching staff is good. Satisfactory management systems are in place to enable the school to operate efficiently. The governors are supportive of the school and have a secure understanding of its strengths. Governance is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and key staff share a clear vision of what the school needs to do to improve. • The issues raised in the previous inspection report concerning the Early Years provision have been successfully resolved. • There is insufficient monitoring of the quality of teaching by the headteacher and subject leaders.

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Commentary

27. The governing body are very supportive of the school and are taking an increasingly strategic role in its management. Most governors are developing an informed view of the standards being achieved by pupils and are aware of the strengths in pupils’ performance in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly in Years 1 and 2. Regular meetings between some of the governors and subject leaders ensure that governors are kept up to date with the developments in the school. Presentations to the full governing body provide further information, enabling governors to take an appropriate contribution to the decision making process. All governors undertake training. Suitable regular checks are made on, for example, health and safety provision and security. Most governors are familiar with the statistical Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 17 evidence that illustrates the attainment of pupils by the end of Year 2 but are less secure in

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Commentary

their understanding of the standards achieved by pupils in Year 4.

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Commentary

28. The headteacher has a strong commitment to the school, its pupils and their families. She has worked hard to promote the positive ethos of the school and to create a family environment. This is appreciated by parents and the local community, with whom they have constructive links. The headteacher and key staff have a good understanding of the areas where the school needs to improve. These are contained in the school’s improvement plan which sets out the priorities for future developments. Some areas are covered in detail although others lack clarity. The main focuses for improvement include the improvement of the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 and the improvement of the use of assessment information. Both the headteacher and staff have high aspirations of what pupils should achieve and good headway has been made in raising standards, especially in Years 1 and 2, in reading, writing and mathematics. Good progress has also been made in improving the provision for

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Commentary

children in the Early Years. There is now a comprehensive policy in place for this age group and the Early Years curriculum is regularly monitored to ensure that it conforms to requirements.

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Commentary

29. The school’s strong commitment to inclusion and to equal opportunities for all pupils is reflected in its aims as well as in its practice. The school works hard and effectively to promote equality of all kinds, including racial tolerance and understanding.

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Commentary

30. Although some monitoring of the quality of teaching is completed, it is not found across all subjects. The Local Education Authority has completed much of this monitoring. Although colleagues’ planning has been monitored, subject leaders have had little opportunity to check on the quality of teaching across the school. This has led to some variation in teaching quality, especially in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

31. The management of the school is satisfactory. A good range of information is collected on pupils’ attainment, especially in English, mathematics and science through regular testing and this information is carefully recorded. This enables the school to identify pupils who are in need of additional support and help with their learning. The school do not yet have an effective system to be able to draw this information together so that they can effectively check on the progress being made by all pupils. However, teaching and support staffs know the pupils well and this enables them to provide the necessary support and challenge through their detailed planning. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are well supported and fully integrated into the life of the school. Their individual educational plans are carefully constructed, enabling most teachers to provide work containing a

p.17

Commentary

suitable challenge for these pupils. The management of special needs is good. The co-ordinator has a good overview of her role and provides effective training and support for staff. Liaison between teachers, teaching assistants and the special needs co-ordinator is effective.

p.17

Commentary

32. The induction of staff new to the school is appropriately managed and enables them to adapt quickly to the school’s systems and policies. There are good opportunities for teaching and support staff to undertake additional training and this increases their effectiveness. The school has effective links with teacher training establishments and offers help with training.

p.17

Financial information

Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 18 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 623,571 Balance from previous year 18,250 Total expenditure 615,686 Balance carried forward to the next year 26,135 Expenditure per pupil 2,323

p.18

Financial information

33. The financial management of the school is satisfactory and has enabled the school to balance its budget. Careful consideration is given to staffing costs and grants are sought to help with school improvements, for example, the improvements to the school grounds. Best value principles are applied satisfactorily. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. The provision for children in the two Early Years classes is good. There have been considerable improvements since the last inspection. Concerns were then expressed about the quality of several aspects of the provision for the youngest children including the curriculum for the under fives and unsatisfactory provision for children’s personal and social development. These have now been rectified.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. On entry, children’s levels of attainment are very broad, but are average overall. Children in the Early Years classes achieve well and most make good progress in acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to reach their early learning goals. Most children are likely to achieve the early learning goals by the time they transfer to Year 1. A sizeable minority of children achieve above the levels expected for their age. This is because the quality of much of the teaching is good, based on a secure understanding of how young children learn, good planning and careful assessments of how well children are learning. The specific needs of individual children are met well. Children are well prepared for the next stage of education when they move into Year 1 because of the emphasis that staff place on children’s personal development and social skills, the promotion of their independence and the solid

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

foundations given in the development of literacy and numeracy skills.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. The Early Years provision is managed well. Induction procedures are good. There are effective links with the pre-school group. The information they provide on what children know and can do is built on effectively through the regular day-to-day assessments that are used well to develop individual profiles on each child. Members of support staff make a good contribution to children’s learning and development, especially those who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. This enables many of these children to make rapid progress.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children react positively to the staff’s high expectations of both behaviour and attitudes towards learning. • Opportunities for children to develop their social skills are well planned.

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Commentary

37. The teachers and support staff working with the Early Years children have developed a good range of strategies to help them to develop good social skills. Most children are expected to attain standards that are in line with those expected and their achievement is good. Many will exceed them. Good teaching and planning running alongside clear boundaries ensure that children feel secure and valued. Teaching and support staff provide good role models and create a well-organised working environment in which children thrive and become confident learners. Children quickly learn to take turns and to share when working in small groups, for example, when Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 20 working on the class computer. They listen attentively to instructions and in whole class sessions many contribute well to the teachers’ questions. A small number of children lack self-confidence but receive good encouragement that enables them to

p.19

Commentary

contribute to the lessons. Relationships with one-another and with adults are good, securely founded on the teachers’ high expectations.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The needs of pupils of all abilities are met well. • All staff use good questioning skills to check on children’s understanding. • Good teaching ensures that children achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

38. Many children enter the Early Years classes with well developed speaking and listening skills. Well-planned opportunities for all children to contribute to whole class and small group discussions provide good encouragement for those who are less confident and most children achieve well. Children listen carefully to what others have to say and this enables them to respond appropriately. More able children are provided with good levels of challenge and are expected to give answers in complete sentences. This extends their learning well. Children with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language often make rapid progress. Most children are likely to achieve the expected levels in speaking and listening with a sizeable minority exceeding this. Both teachers and support staff are using every opportunity to ensure that children know their letter sounds. More able pupils are

p.20

Commentary

encouraged to sound out words and a small number of children are able to read simple text. Most children realise that writing carries meaning and many write their own names legibly with correctly formed letters. All children are given many opportunities to write with the more able using their phonic skills to write independently. Stories are used well to interest and inspire children and to stimulate their imaginations.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons and practical activities are well planned. • Children’s mathematical vocabulary is developed well.

p.20

Commentary

39. Children enter the Early Years classes with typical levels of mathematical skills. They achieve well because of the good teaching so that most children will be in line to achieve the Early Learning Goals in mathematics by the end of the Reception year. This includes many of those who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Whenever opportunities present themselves, teachers and members of the support staff encourage children to consolidate their ability to count accurately and to develop their mathematical vocabulary, for example, their understanding of more than and less than. Most children can order numbers to 20 accurately and many know the names of several two- dimensional shapes. Learning is effective because children have many practical opportunities Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 21 to consolidate what they have learned, with more able children receiving suitable challenges

p.20

Commentary

to build on what they already know. For example, in an effective group session children learned about the need to carefully weigh ingredients when making a banana cake. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 22

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

• Interesting activities are planned and organised to promote children’s learning. • Children extend their learning well through the use of information and communication technology.

p.22

Commentary

40. The children enter the Early Years classes with broadly typical skills and general knowledge. The teaching is good and children achieve well because of the wide range of interesting and well-planned topics that hold their attention. Teachers and support staff use good questioning techniques to check on what pupils know and to provide a good level of challenge for the most able. Most children, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, are likely to reach standards typical for their age with a good proportion exceeding these. Activities are effectively linked to other areas of learning so children remain interested and are keen to learn. Their understanding is reinforced well through language and creative activities. Children use the school and local environment well, despite its shortcomings and are involved in the development of the area surrounding the

p.22

Commentary

school. They find out about past and present events through looking at their own family histories. The planned work provides good opportunities for baking, building, and construction and developing control skills when using the computer keyboard. They access relevant information and communication technology programs, concentrating for good periods of time.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good provision is made to develop children’s co-ordination. • Good use is made of the outdoor facilities. • The provision for children’s physical development is much improved since the previous inspection.

p.22

Commentary

41. Standards of physical development are average. The good overall teaching ensures that children refine their physical skills across the Early Years and achieve well. Children have many opportunities to develop their manipulative skills and co-ordination using a wide range of tools such as scissors and paintbrushes. Most children demonstrate good skills and accuracy in manipulating the mouse when operating the computer. When using scissors, they cut with increasing levels of accuracy. Many children show good skills when making models or using construction kits. Children have regular opportunities to take part in more energetic activities out-doors in the much improved play area. They use the area carefully and with consideration for other users. Adult involvement improves the quality of learning by adding new challenges and interest to on-going activities. Activities are well planned to extend children’s skills and a

p.22

Commentary

careful check is kept on maintaining a balance between the differing types of activity. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 23

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

42. It was not possible to gather sufficient evidence on children’s creative development to make valid judgements on standards or the quality of teaching. A scrutiny of teachers’ planning and children’s work suggests that creative development is a regular part of children’s learning and that they have a good range of materials to experience. Children have regular opportunities to be involved in role-play activities to develop their imaginations. Attractive and colourful wall displays suggest that the required skills in art and design are developed well.

p.23

ENGLISH

The provision for English is good . The achievement of the pupils is good overall.

p.23

ENGLISH

• The teaching of English is very good in the Years 1 and 2, and good in the Years 3 and 4. • The pupils achieve well in the Years 1 and 2 due to the consistently very good teaching they have received. • There is insufficient assessment of speaking and listening skills and of writing skills during the school year.

p.23

ENGLISH

43. Standards in English are good throughout the school. In 2004, standards in Year 2 tests in reading and in writing were well above the national average and the average for similar schools. The school's statistics show that the pupils in Year 4 left the school with standards above those expected for their age. These results represent an improvement in standards since the previous inspection, particularly in writing. In most areas of the curriculum, girls and boys of all ability levels and those for whom English is not a first language achieve similarly.

p.23

ENGLISH

44. Pupils enter the school with very varied standards in speaking and listening. A sizable minority have very high standards and are very articulate. The pupils make a good start to their learning and by the middle of Year 1, around half the pupils display standards above those expected for their age. The development of speaking and listening skills is a school priority and these skills are practised and developed well in most lessons. Pupils often have opportunities to discuss their ideas with a partner enabling them to articulate their ideas and to share their views. The curriculum is structured appropriately for developing speaking and listening skills and towards selecting precise vocabulary. For example in Year 2, there was very good teaching of definitions that necessitated the use of specific vocabulary. Within assemblies there are some opportunities provided for the pupils to speak in front of a large audience.

p.23

ENGLISH

Standards by Year 4 remain above average but the progress pupils make is often not as much as they do in Years 1 and 2. This is because teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently high in several of the classes.

p.23

ENGLISH

45. The teaching of reading is a strength within the school and the standards are high. Overall the achievement of the pupils from when they enter the school is very good. There is very effective additional support for twenty percent of the pupils in Year 1 who made a slow start in their reading skills and these sessions help the pupils to catch up Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 24 with their peers. Particularly in the younger classes, teachers emphasise recognition of letter combinations and their sounds within words and this knowledge gives the pupils some independence in their reading. Adults hear the pupils read regularly and the lower ability and special needs pupils are heard very frequently on an individual basis. In these sessions the pupils reading skills are developed well. In Year 1, the higher ability pupils know that a non-fiction book has an index and by Year 2 the pupils

p.23

ENGLISH

know when to skim a page to gain information. Evaluating a text in a critical manner is a skill developed from Year 1. In this year group a short but very effective teaching session was observed where the pupils were reading captions related to artefacts from their history topic. The pupils were identifying which part of the text told them the use of the object and which described its appearance. By Year 4, the pupils identify the writing characteristics of a range of children's authors. They have good range of literature to read, from the school's good resources that includes a well-stocked reference library.

p.24

ENGLISH

46. The development of writing skills and the pupils' achievement are good in the Years 1 and 2, and satisfactory in the Years 3 and 4. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of writing styles. There is a suitable emphasis upon the teaching of grammar. By Year 3, the pupils have a secure understanding of the use of verbs and of how they can change the suffix. Phonics and spelling patterns are taught well throughout the school and the standard of spelling is good. Handwriting is taught consistently throughout the school and many of the junior pupils have excellently presented practice pieces in their books. Many pupils do not maintain this level of quality in other work. The standard of presentation is generally satisfactory but this is not an aspect of the pupils work that teachers focus upon in their marking. There was no evidence of the development of drafting skills in pupils’ books.

p.24

ENGLISH

47. There are much strength within the teaching. Lessons are well planned with an interesting and relevant content. There is a good range of activities that develop the pupils' ability to work co- operatively with others, particularly when developing speaking and listening skills and reading skills. Teaching assistants are used well in lessons and outside the classroom where they support the lower ability pupils, particularly with reading and handwriting. Teachers have good questioning skills, to remind the pupils of previous learning, to extend the pupils' understanding and to assess the pupils learning and progress. In the younger classes the group work is well organised and the pupils undertake their tasks in a purposeful manner. This was not always evident in classes containing older pupils, where, at times, the pupils were easily distracted. In most year groups the work is planned to build upon the skills developed in

p.24

ENGLISH

the previous day’s lesson, but this was not the case in the lessons observed in Year 3. Throughout the school, the teacher's marking contains many supportive comments, but the impact of the marking on the pupils' writing is partially dissipated in some classes because areas for development are not consistently followed through.

p.24

ENGLISH

48. The co-ordinator has provided good leadership and standards have risen. Target setting is introduced, but it is not used consistently. The older pupils are not sufficiently aware of their targets. They are not sufficiently aware of what they need to do next to improve the quality of their work. There is good assessment of reading which is ongoing throughout the year. This is not the case for speaking and listening skills or for writing. There is little monitoring by the subject leader of standards through direct observation of teaching and by assessing the pupils National Curriculum levels as they progress through the school year. Suitable improvement plans have been implemented.

p.24

ENGLISH

Literacy across the curriculum Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 25 49. There is good use made of the pupils’ developing literacy skills, both reading and writing within other subjects of the curriculum and the standards of English seen in other areas of the curriculum remain at similar levels to those seen in English. For example, the pupils use and improve their writing skills when they describe aspects of life in a Saxon times and when recording a scientific investigation. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 26

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Years 2 and 4. • Some of the teaching is exciting and challenging. • Assessment is not rigorous enough.

p.26

Commentary

50. Standards have improved in Years 1 and 2 since the last inspection but have remained at similar levels in Year 4. Results in the 2004 national tests for Year 2 pupils were above average compared with all schools. When compared with similar schools they were well above average. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was average. This means that pupils of average ability achieve well but those who are most able do not do quite so well. Current standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 4. This is better than at the time of the last inspection. The subject benefits from a very experienced subject leader whose high expectation and expertise enable her pupils to make very good progress. Achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 as a result of generally good teaching, but is more variable in Year 3 and part of Year 4, where teaching is mainly satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs and

p.26

Commentary

those who speak English as an additional language are well supported and this enables most of them to make similar progress to their peers.

p.26

Commentary

51. In the best lessons the teachers’ enthusiasm fires up pupils, and very good use of resources ensures work is interesting and demanding. For example following a lively introduction with the interactive whiteboard Year 4 pupils had to use all four rules of calculation to create an array that made the same total. This led to them devising their own “magic triangles” which clearly showed them the link between multiplication and division. In less effective lessons the learning objective is not made clear, or pupils spend too long on an activity and become bored. The beginnings of lessons are often well taught, and pupils’ mental arithmetic is good.

p.26

Commentary

52. The impact of leadership and management is good overall, with recent developments bearing fruit, such as greater use of the empty number line to improve calculation. Teachers are also beginning to use more open-ended investigations and problem solving as a result of training. Coverage is focused on number skills, with less emphasis on data handling. There has been some useful monitoring of planning and lessons, with strengths and weaknesses identified clearly. Books are not checked on a regular basis, and this has allowed some inconsistencies to slip in regarding marking and the quality of presentation of work. Assessment is a weakness. The current tick lists do not sufficiently identify pupils’ progress, especially in Years 3 and 4. Tracking of achievement is not systematic or rigorous, which means target setting is unreliable. For example the targets for the current Year 4 are too low. The progress of some

p.26

Commentary

higher-attaining pupils is not monitored closely enough.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. There is little evidence of planned use of mathematics in other subjects. An enrichment club benefits higher-attaining pupils, who make good use of the computer Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 27 suite. Some graph work goes on in science, and some measuring in design and technology. Information and communication technology is under-used. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 28

p.26

SCIENCE

• Pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 and 4 achieve well and reach above average standards. • Investigative science is well taught. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards science. • Marking is inconsistently used to advise pupils how to raise the standard of their work.

p.28

Commentary

52. Teacher assessments for 2004 showed above average standards for the end of Year 2 and Year 4. This is a similar picture to that seen at the time of the last inspection. Inspection evidence confirms that standards are above average and that pupils achieve well, particularly in developing the skills of scientific investigation. During lessons there were several opportunities to observe pupils extending their investigative skills.

p.28

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning in science are good overall and during the inspection some very good teaching was observed. Particular strengths in teaching include good questioning skills that encourage pupils to explain their findings and help to involve all pupils in lessons. Most teachers have good subject knowledge and are generally confident. They encourage a scientific approach, asking pupils to think as scientists, so that they develop an understanding of the importance of evidence and making their testing reliable.

p.28

Commentary

54. Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are developed well in lessons, through whole class teaching, and they are developed in enquiry based research activities. Science teaching contributes well to literacy skills, including writing, speaking, and listening. Pupils have positive attitudes towards science. Pupils are engaged in a wide variety of problem solving activities. In a very good lesson about materials, pupils used their own criteria to sort household objects. The good questioning skills of the teacher encouraged pupils to explain their findings. Pupils use scientific vocabulary with good understanding and this helps them to discuss what they have observed and to explain processes accurately.

p.28

Commentary

55. The quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent. Where marking is best, pupils are given clear guidance on what they need to do to improve the standard of their work. Other marking is less informative, providing praise where it is not necessarily due.

p.28

Commentary

56. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader supports other staff and monitors planning well. There have been limited opportunities for the subject leader to monitor the quality of teaching across the whole school and this has resulted in some inconsistencies. The subject is well resourced. Good use is made of pupils writing skills to record their scientific observations and there are good links to other subjects such as history and geography.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 29 Provision is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The improved accommodation and resources motivate pupils well. • Planning does not take sufficient account of pupils’ differing needs.

p.29

Commentary

57. Standards are average in Year 2 and Year 4, with adequate coverage of the different aspects of the curriculum. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. They enjoy using the modern spacious and well-designed computer suite. Year 4 pupils are benefiting from having new interactive whiteboards as a resource in their classrooms. These enable teachers to make lessons more interesting.

p.29

Commentary

58. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Lessons tend to be planned all for the same ability, which means more able pupils find the work too easy and others may struggle. Teachers do not always think through their ideas for lessons, with the result that they are less effective than they might have been. For example Year 3 pupils, wishing to merge text with images to create a fact sheet about Ancient Greece, only had access to “clipart” as a resource, which contained very little of relevance. Year 4 pupils had to wait to take a digital photograph of a shoe because there was only one camera for the whole class. Nearly all work takes place in the computer suite at present, with very little opportunity to practise skills back in the classroom.

p.29

Commentary

59. The subject leader knows the strengths and weaknesses of the subject well, and has drawn up a comprehensive action plan. She has worked effectively with staff to help them to make use of information and communication technology in the wider curriculum. This has included drawing up an audit of teachers’ skills. At present there is no coherent record of pupils’ work, apart from what is printed off, as they do not have individual files. Assessment is not yet linked to the National Curriculum level descriptors. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory overall.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. There is increasing use of information and communication technology in other subjects. This is a priority for development identified by the school, and the coordinator provides a strong lead. Art programs such as “dazzle” are used to generate work in the style of famous artists like Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock. The Internet is used for research. “Logo” programs are used to create shapes in mathematics, and sounds programs to help to teach phonics in English.

p.29

HUMANITIES

61. History and geography were not a main focus of the inspection. The standards in history are good throughout the school. In the two lessons observed, in Years 1 and 4 the teaching was good and very good respectively. The curriculum is enriched very well, in many exciting ways. In the Year 1 lessons the teachers dressed up as Victorians, and they role-played undertaking the family wash, explaining to the pupils how hard they worked. The pupils assisted, using artefacts from the Victorian era, such as a washing dolly and a block of hard soap. In Year 4, the pupils understanding of the life in a Saxon village was enhanced through a visit to a museum. There are Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 30 planned visits for each year group. The pupils in Year 4 make good use of the skills used in literacy to record their learning. They identify sources of evidence and learn about the work of archaeologists. No geography was seen being taught. Pupils in

p.29

HUMANITIES

Year 4 have used maps and plans of the locality, some with keys, but none to scale. In Year 2, the pupils have started learning about life in a village in the mountains of Peru. In the Years 3 to 4 geography is taught at the start and the end of the year and this arrangement limits the continuity of the pupils' learning. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 31

p.30

Religious Education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good attitudes to learning. • Pupils have a secure overview of Christianity and Judaism.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

62. Standards are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The main focus of learning is the Christian tradition but also includes the development of an understanding of some other faiths, for example, Islam and Judaism. Pupils have an appropriate understanding of the major elements of the Christian calendar and are able to demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of several parables. They have an appropriate sense of right and wrong and understand the concept of forgiveness.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. The teaching is satisfactory overall, as seen in pupils’ books and in the lessons observed. Lessons are appropriately planned and pupils are given ample time to contribute their views on issues. This helps pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills appropriately. When recording these views, pupils use and develop their writing skills rather than copy text and this is good practice. Appropriate links are made with other subjects such as art and design and this helps to raise the level of interest in the subject. The school benefits from its close links with local Christian churches and pupils make regular visits to these. Links with members of other faiths are more limited. Plans to improve this are being formulated and the school is exploring opportunities to visit places of worship of other faiths.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. Art and design, design and technology, and physical education were not a main focus of the inspection and there were limited opportunities to observe any teaching in these subjects. In art and design teachers’ planning, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of pupils previous work were completed which show that the art and design curriculum is covered well, the necessary skills are taught and standards are above average. Pupils benefit from a wide range of artistic experience ranging from observational work to sculpture and clay work. Much of the work is of high quality. For example, pupils in Year 4 produce well-observed studies of flowers in pastels showing good care and control of the media. The quality of printing is good across the school. Children in the Early Years classes produced a very good large-scale fabric print using a motif of autumn leaves with the help of an artist in residence. Pupils in Year 2 have

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

created a good quality and colourful print using African printing blocks providing an insight into the artwork of other cultures. Natural objects are used well in the work of Year 1 pupils who produce intricate work in the style of Andy Goldsworthy. Pupils have good opportunities to work on a larger scale when making large mobiles of sea creatures. The clay work that is produced by the older pupils shows considerable skill and patience. Information and communication technology is used appropriately when pupils create work in the style of Jackson Pollock and older pupils recognise the work of well-known artists such as Henri Rousseau. Art is used at times to add to pupils work in other subjects such as history and geography but the standard of this is not as high as it is in art and design lessons. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 32 65. In design and technology one lesson was observed. Year 3 pupils were making

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

puppets by joining two pieces of fabric together. They clearly enjoyed the activity, but progress was only satisfactory because access to resources was rather disorganised. There is good coverage of the curriculum, and the coordinator has monitored planning. A useful photographic record of the work produced is kept. This includes examples of pop-books and purses in Year 4; sandwiches in Year 3; photograph frames and glove puppets in Year 2 and moving pictures in Year 1.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. In physical education three lessons were observed, all of them satisfactory. Appropriate plans are followed carefully by teachers. There is a good level of activity in lessons but pupils do not always have opportunities to say how they could improve their performance. Games skills and country dancing are taught in the hall, and Year 4 pupils go swimming at a nearby RAF base. There is football training available on Saturday mornings as well as netball. The school has begun to explore the use of a field for outdoor games and athletic activities.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The provision for music is satisfactory. Overall, standards are similar to those expected for the pupils’ age and pupils achieve appropriately.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

• Singing in the hall at assembly time is good and the pupils sing simple two part rounds well. • The pupils’ ability to listen attentively is good.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. The pupils make a good start to their musical learning in Year 1. Through a range of well- designed activities these pupils learn to listen attentively in order to distinguish between notes, identifying changes in pitch and to follow a simple score. In Year 2, the pupils identify sounds within a piece of music and their listening skills are good. They all have the confidence to play a simple untuned instrument. Many pupils immediately recognise familiar tunes and they learn new words and refrains very quickly. This ability to learn quickly was also seen in a Year 3 lesson, where the pupils were starting to put lyrics to the five notes of the pentatonic scale.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. Three lessons were observed in the Years 1 to 2 and one in the Years 3 to 4. In one Year 1 class the teaching was good and the pupils achieved well. In this lesson, the teacher had high expectations, the activities were carried out in a rigorous manner and there were good classroom management strategies that enabled all the pupils to be involved and motivated. The pupils with special educational needs were supported well and they were fully included in the lesson. In the other lessons seen, the achievement of the pupils was satisfactory. In a Year 3 lesson the teacher developed the pupils’ language skills well and in her discussion of the Chinese dragon she extended the pupils’ cultural development well.

p.32

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

71. Few lessons were seen but further information was gained from discussions with staff and pupils. This is, however insufficient evidence upon which to base a firm judgement on the overall provision. The school sees personal, social and health education as an important part of its work and provides regular opportunities for pupils to develop the skills they need to become responsible citizens. The curriculum effectively promotes pupils’ social skills and their understanding of how to work together to the benefit of the school and the local community, for example, the raising of funds for the local hospice and the links with the church. It incorporates appropriate sex education in its Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 33 curriculum and provides pupils with suitable opportunities to understand the misuse of alcohol and drugs. Pupils’ personal and social skills are developed appropriately

p.32

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

through opportunities to work co-operatively, share ideas and appreciate the contributions of others. There is no school council but one is planned. Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School - Page 34

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 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 3

p.34

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.34

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 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 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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