Hathersage St Michael's CofE (Aided) Primary School

ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 26 th January 2005

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ENGLAND (AIDED) 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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ENGLAND (AIDED) 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. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE (Aided) Primary School i INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 128

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Hathersage Hope Valley Derbyshire Postcode: S32 1BZ

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01433 650434 Fax number: N/A

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: The Reverend David Pickering

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Hathersage St Michael's Church of England Aided Primary School is smaller in size than most other primary schools and serves the Derbyshire village of Hathersage. The village is situated to the south-west of Sheffield and receives many tourists who are visiting the Peak District. The majority of accommodation is privately owned, although there is a small amount of 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 slightly above average during the last academic year, with more pupils joining the school than leaving. Ten per cent of pupils are assessed as having special educational needs; this is below average. There are two pupils with statements of special

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ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

educational need. Children start full-time education with attainment that is above that expected for their age. In 2003, the school was presented with a Schools Achievement Award, and in 2004 the Basic Skills Quality Mark. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE (Aided) Primary School ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities Mr C Kessell Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education English as an additional language Mr W Walker Lay inspector Ms N Bee Team inspector Science Geography History Personal, social and health education Special educational needs The Foundation Stage curriculum 3751 Mrs T Cotton Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

VT Education Limited 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). Hathersage St Michael’s CofE (Aided) 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 7

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 23

Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 1

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a satisfactory school which provides satisfactory value for money. Pupils' achievement is sound. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The school has a positive and supportive culture that reflects its Christian nature well. Good care is taken of the pupils by the teaching and non-teaching staff, and the pupils' personal development is good. The leadership and management of the headteacher and staff are satisfactory.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The great majority of pupils enjoy coming to school, are very well behaved and get on well with each other. • The pupils have very good attitudes to learning. This is reflected in the presentation of their work. They take pride in their books. • The school curriculum is enriched well by a very good range of out-of-school activities that include sports and the arts as well day-trips and residential visits. • There are very good links with the local community. • Shortcomings in the school's provision for information and communication technology (ICT) limit the pupils' progress and their access to an appropriate curriculum. • Some pupils could do better. There are lessons where work could be better matched to their individual needs. Higher attaining pupils could often be challenged more.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has improved satisfactorily since it was last inspected in March 1999. Although some of the key issues have been successfully addressed, there are others that have been less effectively dealt with. The school has developed schemes of work for all subjects, but there are some that are dated and do not contribute well to pupils' learning. The Reception class has been provided with non-teaching support for the mornings, but the class has to rely on volunteer helpers in the afternoon. The school development plan now has clear priorities and also provides a longer-term strategic view of how the school will develop. Although the school has assessment procedures for English and mathematics, they are less effective and as developed in other subjects. Resources for learning have improved well.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

All schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A* A C D Mathematics A* A C B Science A* A B C Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Pupils achieve satisfactorily at the school. Because the school has small year groups and the percentage of pupils who leave or join the school is above average, year-on-year test results can vary, and care has to be taken when interpreting them. The table above shows that, in the national tests in 2004 for Year 6 pupils, standards were average in English and mathematics, and above average in science. When compared with pupils in Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 2 other schools with similar standards at the end of Year 2, the pupils did not do as well in English, but in mathematics they made better progress. Standards in reading and writing, mathematics and science are average for the current Years 2 and 6. Although most pupils make at least satisfactory progress overall, some of the most capable pupils could be challenged more rigorously. Pupils' progress in ICT through Key Stage 2 1 is unsatisfactory

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

for some elements of the subject. Because there are significant gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding, overall standards are below the levels expected. Other subjects of the curriculum, including religious education, were not part of the inspection focus. 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 good overall. The pupils' moral and social development is the stronger element and is very good. The pupils' relationships with others, including classmates and staff, are very good, as are their attitudes to learning and behaviour. Attendance is satisfactory and pupils are punctual.

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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. Although there are a number of lessons in the school that are good, some teachers need to pay more attention to the different levels of ability found in their classes and ensure that pupils are consistently given appropriate work for their needs. Higher attaining pupils are not always challenged sufficiently, whilst those pupils who are less able sometimes struggle with their work. When this happens, pupils do not always learn as well as they could and this limits the progress they make over time. The pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and work well, both with each other and independently. Non-teaching staff make a satisfactory contribution overall to pupils' learning, but the quality of support ranges from good to ineffective.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory. Out-of-class activities enrich pupils' experiences very well. The school's partnership with its parents is generally good, and good levels of care are provided for the pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and staff have developed a school culture where pupils are keen to learn and enjoy coming to school. However, self-evaluation needs to be more rigorous. Although there is a clear programme for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, there are still inconsistencies in teaching that slow pupils' progress. The school fulfils all its statutory requirements. Governance of the school is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The majority of parents hold positive views about the school. They believe that their children make good progress and learn well. Parents feel well informed about school

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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 called 'the infants'. The Foundation Stage caters for pupils from the age of three to the end of the Reception year. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 3 activities and their children's progress but feel that the school could seek their views more and listen to their suggestions. A minority of parents offered concerns about classroom relationships, elements of the school's culture, and the effectiveness of learning in parts of Key Stage 2. The majority of pupils enjoy their lessons and believe their classmates are friendly. Ten per cent of pupils responding to the pupil questionnaire felt there was not an adult in the school they could go to if they were worried.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team supports the parents' views about the good levels of care provided by the school, and agrees that parents are well informed but should be consulted more. Although pupils make good progress in some classes, this is not always consistent throughout the school. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 4 The school culture is extremely positive, and if there are any issues about classroom relationships this is the result of inconsistencies in teachers' expectations of pupils' behaviour. The inspection team supports the pupils' very positive views and noted during the inspection that the interactions between pupils and adults were very friendly and supportive.

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

• Ensure that pupils are consistently given work that is appropriate to their ability and that more challenge is provided for the higher attaining pupils. • Produce an up-dated scheme of work for ICT, and put procedures in place to monitor and evaluate how successfully the scheme has been implemented and whether it has raised standards. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 5

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Where teaching is more effective, pupils often make good progress. • The current Year 2 pupils have made good progress in mathematics against their prior attainment. • When well supported, pupils with SEN make good progress. • Although pupils’ progress is satisfactory overall, many higher attaining pupils could be challenged more effectively and make better progress. • Standards in ICT are not high enough at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils do not make sufficient progress in this subject as they move through the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1. Most parents are happy with the progress that their children make. Although pupils make good progress in classes where teaching is consistently good, there are variations in the quality of teaching that lead to inconsistencies in pupils' progress. This was recognised by a few parents at the pre-inspection meeting. Most of the current Year 6 pupils, who have been at the school all though Key Stage 2, have made satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment in Year 2. The current Year 5 has a significant number of higher attaining pupils but they do not always work to their full capacity. Conversely, Year 2 pupils have made good progress in mathematics compared with their starting point when they joined the school. However, they have not done so well in English. In summary, such differences in achievement are directly related to variations in the quality of teaching. The work set does not always take enough account of differences in pupils' ability; for example,

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Main strengths and weaknesses

that undertaken by the more capable pupils is often not sufficiently challenging.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

2. The current Reception children entered the school with higher levels of attainment than normally expected. Because most of the children are making satisfactory progress in their Reception class, they are on course to exceed the expected level in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1. There is some year-on-year variation to the children's attainment on entry. For example, the pupils presently in Years 1, 2, 3 and 6 all started school with average attainment, whilst those in Year 4 and 5 were of above average ability. There is also some variation in the children's attainment in the different areas of learning. Children tend to start the school with better communication, language and literacy skills than mathematical development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.4 (17.5) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.1 (17.2) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 17.0 (17.9) 16.2 (16.3) There were 17 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 6 3. National test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2004 indicated that, when compared to those of all schools, standards were average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. There was a decline in the average point scores for 2004 2 in all three areas of learning, but this was to be expected, as the previous year group had started school with higher levels of attainment. However, the pupils did better in mathematics than in English. When the school's results were compared to those of similar schools (as defined by the proportion of pupils having free school meals), standards were below average in reading

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Main strengths and weaknesses

and writing and average in mathematics. Current standards in Year 2 are average in reading, writing and mathematics. Although the pupils' achievements in relation to their prior attainment has been satisfactory overall, they have made good progress in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results English 28.0 (29.3) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 29.3 (29.5) 27.0 (26.8) Science 29.8 (29.6) 28.6 (28.6) There were 24 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

4. The national test results in 2004 for the pupils in Year 6 showed standards in mathematics to be well above average. Standards in English and science were above average. When compared to those of similar schools, standards were average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Although standards declined in both English and mathematics, the dip was more significant in English and led to the school re- appraising the teaching of writing. Standards in science improved on those of the previous year. Standards are currently average in Year 6 for English, mathematics and science. Pupils have achieved satisfactorily.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

5. Data collected from years 2002 to 2004 shows that the girls often perform better than the boys, in both Years 2 and 6. The gap is wider than found nationally in reading and writing in Year 2, and the girls did better than the boys in all three subjects at the end of Key Stage 2, significantly so in English. There was no evidence of this during the inspection, and these fluctuations in performance could be associated with small year groups.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6. Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) make satisfactory progress in relation to their targets on their individual education plans (IEPs). In lessons where they receive good quality support from teaching assistants, and work is well matched to their needs, they achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

7. The pupils do not achieve as well as they could in ICT, especially through Key Stage 2. This is the result of an inadequate scheme of work for the subject that does not allow continuity and progression or give sufficient guidance to teachers. Although standards are at expected levels in Year 2, they are lower than expected in Year 6. Other subjects, including religious education, were not part of the inspection focus.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance levels are in line with the national average for primary schools. Pupils have a very good attitude to their work. They behave very well in class and about the school. Their personal development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 7 Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 8

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy their schooling and are keen to be involved in school life. • Behaviour is very good. • Relationships are very good. • The school has high expectations of pupils’ conduct and reacts promptly to any report of bullying or racism. • Pupils benefit from very good moral and social development. Their spiritual and cultural development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

8. Pupils enjoy their schooling at Hathersage St Michael’s. The great majority attend regularly and on time. The overall attendance rate is satisfactory but it has fallen in each of the last three years. This appears to be largely due to an increasing tendency for parents to take their children for holidays in term time. The school monitors attendance with great care but has not yet been successful in gaining the co-operation of parents to fully support the policy of full attendance.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.1 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

9. In the main, pupils have a very good attitude to school. Most arrive with a smile on their faces, eager to start their lessons and to be involved in whatever the day has to offer. They show courtesy and respect to their teachers, generally listen well, and respond with enthusiasm to good teaching. When required, they collaborate in a friendly and fruitful manner. There is some distracted behaviour but this reflects more a lack of pace or challenge in a lesson rather than any inherent naughtiness by the pupils. Behaviour generally is very good, both in class and about the school. At play, pupils mix readily amongst their peers and in other age and gender groupings. Meal times are very civilised occasions, with low noise levels, good manners and pleasant social interaction. All seem aware that the school has high expectations of their behaviour. There have been no exclusions in the last year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

10. In the Reception class, attitudes to learning are consistently very good, as is behaviour. This is because personal and social skills are promoted well in all activities. As a result, achievement for this area of learning is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

11. Relationships are very good. Pupils are happy in each other’s company and always seem anxious to help. They clearly feel secure in the well-ordered environment and exhibit no concerns about bullying or oppressive behaviour. As they move through the school they take advantage of opportunities to take responsibility in the daily life of the school. Some represent their classmates’ interests on the school council, some act as 'buddies' to new pupils, and some help in the library or take responsibility for sport or their 'house' activities. In all these situations they take pride in their role and readily explain their duties to visitors in a confident and assured manner.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

12. Pupils with SEN develop very good relationships with the adults who work with them, and generally work very hard and behave very well. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 9 13. The pupils' spiritual development is good. It reflects the Christian ethos of the school and its close links with the parish church. Pupils are encouraged to show respect for other people’s beliefs and feelings, through the example of their teachers and the good use that is made of assemblies and other lessons to reinforce this message. Both in assemblies and in class pupils share daily in a communal act of worship, sometimes leading their colleagues in a prayer they have composed themselves.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

14. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. From their early days at school pupils learn the difference between right and wrong, and the emphasis on self- discipline helps them develop a responsible attitude towards other members of their community. The opportunities for even the younger pupils to experience a residential trip with their colleagues is particularly beneficial in this regard. Their involvement in supporting the school routines, as 'buddies' or librarians, for example, or in assisting with charity appeals, demonstrates initiative and moral sensitivity. When dining or engaged in social interaction in the playground their social skills are clearly evident. This aspect of personal development is a strength of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

15. The cultural development of pupils is good. Pupils have a very good grounding in Christian traditions, and their close links with the village community ensure that they grow up with a thorough understanding of local culture, taking part in festivals and celebrations. Good use is made of the curriculum to broaden their understanding of other cultures, particularly through religious education, geography, music and drama. There is a weakness in raising pupils' awareness of the multi-ethnic and multi-faith society more generally found in the cities. The school is aware of this and is reviewing the provision.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils take pride in their work. • Pupils work well together as well as independently. • Standards of behaviour are very high. • Support for pupils with SEN is often good. • Despite the satisfactory and often good teaching, there are times when pupils could learn more effectively and make better progress.

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Commentary

16. The majority of pupils find their lessons interesting and believe the teachers show them how to work better. Responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire, the majority of parents agreed that teaching is good and that staff expect pupils to work hard. The inspection findings paint a slightly different picture. Although there are examples of good Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 10 teaching there are also inconsistencies that have a negative effect on pupils' learning and, consequently, their progress over time.

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Commentary

17. Teaching in Reception is satisfactory overall, but some good teaching was seen during the inspection. A teaching assistant supports the teacher and the children for part of the day, but the quality of the support is variable. The teacher plans interesting and exciting activities that reinforce and develop learning in all areas. Personal and social skills are well promoted in all activities. This results in children quickly learning to get on with each other and developing positive attitudes to learning. Sometimes, work is too challenging for some children. When this happens, they do not do as well as they could do. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 11 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 23 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 1 14 8 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about

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Commentary

18. In the core subjects of English and mathematics, the majority of teachers try to ensure that pupils of different ability are given work that is appropriate to their needs and levels of understanding. However, there are times when this process is not rigorous enough and pupils are not given the right level of work. This leads to pupils in different ability groups covering the same work. Too often, higher attaining pupils are given work which they complete quickly and get right all of the time, whilst lower attaining pupils fail to complete their work. In some classes, lesson organisation is consistently good, ensuring that pupils get work commensurate with their knowledge and understanding, but even the more effective teachers sometimes fail to challenge all pupils. Teacher expectations for the higher attaining pupils can be too low, and challenging extension activities are not provided consistently for those pupils who are performing at above average levels. In the remaining

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Commentary

core subject of science, little effort is made with the pupils' written work to provide different levels of challenge. Although practical experimental and investigative work is often organised around pupils' different levels of understanding, their written work is not. In some instances, pupils of all ability copy the same work, and on other occasions the lower attaining pupils in one year group are doing the same work as higher attaining pupils in another. These weaknesses in teaching limit pupils' progress over time.

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Commentary

19. Most teachers have high expectations in respect of classroom behaviour. Pupils generally enjoy their work, although some higher attaining pupils did comment that they sometimes find work too easy. Standards of behaviour are very high, although in one mixed-age/job-share class the expectations are inconsistent, with one teacher allowing some inattentive behaviour during lessons. This leads to confusion amongst the pupils who have to contend with this inconsistency. This was also the reason why some parents commented at the pre-inspection meeting on some of the inconsistency in classroom relationships. The pupils enjoy talking about their work and always have a secure understanding of what they are expected to do. They work well together in group activities and, when required, independently. The pupils are proud of their work and present work in many different subjects well. The presentation and organisation of pupils' books is a

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Commentary

20. Pupils with SEN are well supported in lessons and as a result learning is generally similar to that of the other pupils. In lessons where teaching is good and they are well supported, they achieve well. At times, when teachers have not used assessment information accurately and activities are too difficult for the pupils, they do not do as well as they should.

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Commentary

21. Work is marked regularly, and often with supportive comments to encourage individual pupils. However, some marking could be used to challenge pupils further or to identify what pupils need to do to correct or improve their work. This is especially the case with the older and higher attaining pupils. Marking tends to be more effective in English than in mathematics and science. The pupils are aware of targets to help them improve their work. One Year 2 pupil confidently explained the group's current targets and what happened when they were achieved. However, this is a relatively new process in the school, and it is too early to judge what impact it is having on pupils' progress. It is well organised and the pupils are keen to achieve their targets. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 12 22. The school has a good range of assessment procedures, particularly in English and mathematics. However, better use could be made of this information to plan work that

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Commentary

provides the pupils with a more accurate match of work. All pupils have a record of achievement which should enable teachers to track the progress of individual pupils in order to gain a broad understanding of how well they are doing in terms of National Curriculum levels. However, the information gained is too general; for example, in ICT it is difficult for teachers to work out which aspects of a child's knowledge are stronger or weaker.

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Commentary

The curriculum is satisfactorily planned for all ages and contains a very good range of activities to support learning outside the school day. Visitors are regularly welcomed into the school to talk to and work with the pupils, and well-organised visits into the local community enhance the curriculum further. The provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is satisfactory. There are weaknesses in the provision for the children in the Foundation Stage because during the afternoons there is no teaching assistant.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most subjects are enriched by visits, and by visitors to the school. • There is a very good range of out-of-school activities offered for pupils of all ages. • Too little teaching assistant support in the Reception class limits what can be taught in the afternoons.

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Commentary

23. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which embraces all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Apart from ICT, the school has addressed the issue from the previous inspection which related to developing programmes of work for all subjects. As a result, all subjects have clear guidelines for teachers to follow and mixed aged classes are satisfactorily catered for. In addition, resources have been developed satisfactorily in all subjects.

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Commentary

24. The provision for the children in the Reception class is satisfactory. The school has partly addressed the issue from the previous inspection on improving the amount of support staff in the Reception class. However, it continues to be an issue during the afternoons, when the teacher has no teaching assistant support and has to rely on volunteer helpers. Resources are satisfactory to promote all areas of learning. Activities are well planned, according to the national guidance. When there is sufficient support available, the outside area is used satisfactorily and the children have regular opportunities to take part in physical activities in the school hall.

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Commentary

25. The provision for PSHE is satisfactory and elements of it are linked to subjects. In science, for example, pupils learn about their bodies and how to live a healthy lifestyle. The parents feel that the school is inclusive and caters well for its pupils. The inspection team would agree with this. All pupils, including those with SEN, are well integrated into all classes. The provision for pupils with SEN is satisfactory. The pupils are generally well supported by the adults who help them. Individual education plans (IEPs) are in place for all identified pupils and focus well on the areas presenting difficulties. These pupils make satisfactory progress towards their targets. Targets generally reinforce basic literacy, numeracy and social skills. All plans are reviewed regularly and parents are satisfactorily involved in the process. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 13 26. The parents’ questionnaire showed that the great majority of parents felt that the

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Commentary

curriculum offered a good range of activities which children find enjoyable and interesting. All pupils have very good opportunities to take part in well-planned visits, which enrich learning in many curriculum areas and promote pupils' spiritual, personal and social and cultural development well. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 visited the Lowry art exhibition, which successfully enhanced their knowledge of art. In Years 2 to 4, pupils attended an activity day in Sheffield, where they learnt about the differences between life as a wartime child and their own. Visitors invited into school support the curriculum well. Theatre groups and storytellers enrich the English curriculum particularly well. Residential visits are carefully thought out to make provision for all ages. As a result, all pupils, including the youngest children in Reception, who have a sleepover in school, develop a good idea of what it is like to live alongside one another. The school offers a very

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Commentary

Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 14 extensive range of activities for the pupils to pursue out of school hours. Activities include clubs that develop skills and knowledge in art and design, music, physical education, and games such as chess. These clubs are well attended by pupils of all ages. Activities such as these greatly enhance pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

27. There is a sufficient number of teaching and support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2. However, because there is only a part-time teaching assistant in the Reception class, the teacher has to rely on volunteer help during each afternoon. This is not satisfactory and it limits the quality of provision she can provide. The accommodation is satisfactory inside but some classrooms are cramped. Outside, the playground area has been attractively developed.

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Commentary

There is good provision for pupils’ care, welfare and safety. Teachers and other adult staff are sensitive to the needs of all of those in their charge and relate sympathetically to them. They provide a sound level of support, advice and guidance. Induction arrangements for pupils new to the school are good. The school seeks and values pupils’ views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors ensure a safe working environment. • The curriculum is used well to emphasise the importance of a healthy and safe lifestyle. • Relationships throughout the school are good and often very good. • The school provides good support for the personal development of pupils. • There are effective induction procedures for all pupils. • The school consults with pupils and takes note of their views.

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Commentary

28. The school gives high priority to the well-being of pupils. Governors have established good procedures to cater for the security and safety of the school community. Risk assessments are regularly carried out and rigorously monitored. The school works closely with other responsible agencies to ensure pupils’ welfare and follows the locally agreed procedures for child protection. Proper advice and guidance on this subject is provided for all members of staff. The curriculum is used well to promote a healthy lifestyle.

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Commentary

29. This is a school where teachers know pupils in the context of their families and are very sensitive to individual needs. Warm and trusting relationships develop and this helps to build the confidence and self-respect of the pupils. Personal development is well monitored and supported. However, a recent questionnaire completed by all the pupils indicated that a small number of pupils thought they were not fairly treated and did not feel they could go to an adult if they were worried. This finding has caused surprise and concern to the school and is a current focus of attention by all members of staff. Academic progress of pupils is regularly assessed and pupils receive sound guidance on how to improve. Marking and comments from some teachers help pupils improve their work but this support is not consistent and often teachers’ expectations are not high enough to fully meet the needs of the pupils. The arrangements for the induction of pupils new to the

p.19

Commentary

school work well. Parents speak very favourably of the support they receive in helping their children to settle. Links with the secondary school are close and constructive. They help to ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 15 30. Induction procedures are good in the Foundation Stage, and this results in the children settling in happily and quickly when they enter the Reception class. The children are generally well supported and looked after. However, there is only one part-time teaching assistant, who supports the class each morning. This limits the outdoor opportunities and adult- led activities that can take place in the afternoons.

p.19

Commentary

31. Pupils with SEN are well cared for and supported by the adults who help them. In addition, external agents are used well for extra advice and support. On the occasions when teachers do not use assessment information when they plan lessons, pupils with SEN have difficulty in completing activities.

p.20

Commentary

32. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they are given to express their views. They do this through the school council, by the occasional questionnaire, or during classroom discussions on school initiatives and routines. Many pupils are thoughtful and articulate. They have been able to make a positive contribution, for example to the refurbishing of the toilets and the purchase of new playground equipment and facilities. The school’s procedures for involving pupils are good and help to make pupils feel valued.

p.20

Commentary

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.20

Commentary

The great majority of parents think highly of the school. They are kept well informed about their children’s standards and progress and are able to make a positive contribution to their learning at school and in the home. Fruitful links with the local community help to enrich the curriculum. The school has developed good procedures for the transfer of pupils to high school and enjoys productive links with other primary schools in the area.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are effective procedures to keep parents informed of events and developments at the school. • Parents are well informed about the curriculum and are able to make a positive contribution to their children’s learning at school and in the home. • Links with the local community are very good. • Links with other schools and with colleges are good.

p.20

Commentary

33. The school has a good working relationship with parents. It is a significant focus of village life and benefits greatly from the goodwill of parents, both past and present. Many of them devote much time and energy to organise social and fundraising events to support their school. The amount of money raised is remarkable and it is used very effectively to enrich the curriculum and enhance the school’s facilities. Many parents help in the classroom and with supervision on educational visits. Most of the views they express are very favourable. Parents are well informed about school life and most parents appreciate the good information they receive. They have confidence in the teachers and consider their children to be happy, hard working and making good progress. In most respects it is a very positive picture. A small number of parents are less happy. They feel that their reservations about homework and about discipline in some of the classrooms are not being

p.20

Commentary

addressed. They also feel that the school does not seek their views. The inspection evidence reflects the strong sense of partnership between school and home. Parents undoubtedly make a good contribution to pupils’ learning at school and in the home. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 16 However, the evidence also shows that there is some inconsistency in the attitude and behaviour of pupils in some lessons. There has been no formal consultation with the parent body, such as a questionnaire, over the last two years. Governors may wish to consider that the current arrangements do not accommodate parents who, for whatever reason, do not attend meetings.

p.20

Commentary

34. The school’s links with the wider community are very good. Pupils gain much cultural benefit from their association with the village events such as festivals, fairs and even the annual village bonfire celebrations. They take full advantage of the National Parks Day to exchange experiences with a contrasting school and gain an insight into a very different lifestyle. There is a strong pastoral link with the church. The vicar takes weekly assemblies, and pupils are able Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 17 to learn about Christian tradition and celebrate special occasions in the liturgical calendar. Pupils visit theatres, museums and sporting venues, and they welcome into the school storytellers, dance companies and academic specialists. This all serves to greatly enrich the curriculum and broaden the perspectives of the pupils.

p.21

Commentary

35. The school has developed a close working relationship with the local college to which most pupils transfer. There are several exchanges of staff through the summer term and also shared projects, for example on science, design and technology and ICT. Pupils make several visits to familiarise themselves with the college environment. There are also good curricular and social links with other primary schools in the area, including a shared residential trip. This is effective in building the confidence of pupils and extending their circle of friends. These links help to ensure a proper and consistent transfer of information. They maintain curricular continuity and ease the social stress often felt by pupils as they move on to the next stage of their education.

p.22

Commentary

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject co-ordinators for English and mathematics are good role models in the classroom. • Governors are aware of their responsibilities to challenge and support senior staff. They have a good understanding of budget management. • Induction procedures for new teachers to the school are good. • The school is organised effectively, and the day-to-day management is good.

p.22

Commentary

36. The majority of parents are happy with the way the school is led and managed. At the pre-inspection meeting, parents expressed satisfaction at the day-to-day running of the school, and the inspection team would agree with their views. All the necessary procedures are in place to ensure that daily routines run smoothly and do not hinder the quality of education. The assistant head is particularly well organised and contributes much to this effectiveness. She leads by example in the classroom and is an effective primary classroom practitioner.

p.22

Commentary

37. The headteacher is well intentioned and wants to improve the school further. He does monitor performance and there are clear procedures for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and development of the school curriculum. He is aware of the weaknesses at the school and is committed to improvement. However, there are some areas for development in teaching, classroom support and the curriculum that have not yet been tackled effectively, despite being recognised by the senior management team. These shortcomings still slow pupils' progress. Self-evaluation could be more rigorous and, although staff have good relationships with one another, some teamwork could be more effective.

p.22

Commentary

38. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics are good role models in the classroom. They teach their subjects well and so pupils learn effectively. However, not all subject leadership is as dynamic. Although most co-ordinators have a good knowledge of their Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 18 subject, not all offer a good sense of direction or drive for improvement. The school has an up-to-date improvement plan that is clearly directed at raising standards and the quality of education it provides. However, too much of the improvement plan is focused upon Key Stages 1 and 2 with very little reference to the Foundation Stage. A visitor to the school could easily conclude that the Foundation Stage does not have the status it deserves. The school is committed to staff development and the induction procedures for newly qualified teachers are good. However, the deployment of some support staff, could be more

p.22

Commentary

39. The Foundation Stage is satisfactorily led and managed. The teacher in the Reception class has a secure knowledge of how the Foundation Stage curriculum works. She works hard at planning activities that fit in with the support she has, and meets the needs of all of the children appropriately.

p.23

Commentary

40. Provision for pupils with SEN is satisfactorily led and managed. The co-ordinator keeps clear documentation on all identified pupils, and these pupils are well integrated into all classes. However, there is no clear monitoring system which shows how well pupils with SEN are performing across all curriculum areas. As a result, some pupils are occasionally given work that is too difficult for them. Funding for SEN is used appropriately.

p.23

Commentary

41. The governance of the school is good, although some elements are stronger than others. The governing body is well organised and is a mixture of experienced governors and relatively new members. Those new to the group are keen to improve their understanding and knowledge through training. Governors have a relatively secure understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They are aware that small year groups can cause year-on-year variations in standards, although there is a tendency to place more emphasis on test results rather than on the progress pupils make from their relative starting points. The governors are actively involved in school development and have good procedures in place to ensure that they regularly audit all the statutory requirements that the school is expected to fulfil. They also have a very clear view and cycle of development for procedures that have to be regularly 'maintained', as against

p.23

Commentary

specific short-term areas for development. The governors are very supportive of the school but understand the need to offer challenge to the headteacher and staff.

p.23

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 267,185.00 Balance from previous year 17,528.00 Total expenditure 274,788.00 Balance carried forward to the next 9,925.00 Expenditure per pupil 2,082.00

p.23

Commentary

42. The governors fulfil their statutory requirements to set a budget for the school and to regularly monitor expenditure. The vice chair of governors has a particularly good understanding of financial management and this ensures that the school's financial resources are well organised and thus benefit the pupils currently at the school. The substantial improvement in learning resources over the last few years is an example of this. All of the recommendations of the school's most recent financial audit have been fulfilled. The governors are keen to ensure that the school gets value for money from the services it require and understands the importance of best value principles. However, there is a weakness in their processes of consultation, which supports the view of some parents that the school and governors do not do enough to seek the views of parents or take into account their suggestions. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 19

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall, as are leadership and management. Induction procedures are good, and the school has created good links with the local playgroup which most of the children have attended. As a result, the children come to school happily and are keen to learn. Parents are happy with the information they are given. The children in the Reception class started school with standards above the expected levels for their ages and are achieving satisfactorily. Information collected when children start school shows that attainment on entry varies slightly year-on-year, probably as the result of small year groups. Most of the children presently in Reception, apart from a small minority, are on course to at least reach the expected levels by the time they reach Year 1. A significant number of children are likely to exceed the expected levels. No child is identified as having SEN.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. The curriculum provides an interesting and exciting range of activities that reinforce and promote learning well. However, the provision for these young children is not as good as it could be. Although a teaching assistant satisfactorily supports the children each morning, the teacher has to rely on support from volunteers during the afternoons. This limits the use of the outside area and the number of adult-led activities on offer for part of the day, and it continues to be an issue raised in the previous report. The teacher has a good idea of how these young children learn, but limited teaching assistant support restricts what she can do. Systems for monitoring pupils’ progress are satisfactory, and profiles which show how well the children are doing are produced for all children. There is a satisfactory level of resources to support all areas of learning.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and the teacher consistently promotes this area effectively in all activities. • Personal development is reinforced well. • The children quickly develop very positive attitudes to learning and achieve well. • Behaviour is very good.

p.24

Commentary

45. The majority of children are on course to exceed the expected levels in this area. Most children are confident and get on well with the adults with whom they come into contact. They achieve well. This is because teaching is good and no opportunities are missed to promote the development of personal and social skills. As a result, the children show very positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school. They work well together in pairs and small groups and are helped to develop the skills necessary to work independently. A good example of this was seen during a lesson where the children were expected to plan and record the activities they were going to be involved in. The children Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 20 moved around the classroom and the outside area, confidently explaining which activities they had worked on and where they were going to next. It clearly showed the high standard

p.24

Commentary

of personal and social skills these children have reached. All children take turns and interact very well with each other and with the adults in school. They eagerly help to tidy away at the end of each session. Personal independence is well developed. The majority of children quickly and maturely get changed for physical development lessons. If they need help with difficult pieces of clothing they confidently and politely ask for help. The teacher has high expectations regarding behaviour and, as a result, behaviour is very good.

p.25

Commentary

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of reading is good. • Writing activities are sometimes too challenging for some of the children. • Some adults miss opportunities to develop the children’s basic writing skills.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

46. Most children are on course to at least reach the expected levels by the end of their time in Reception, and a significant number are on course to exceed these levels. The majority of children speak with confidence about their experiences and topics that are familiar to them, because they have daily opportunities to develop speaking skills. When the children know that they are expected to listen, for example during assembly, they all do so attentively. However, listening skills are not always promoted effectively. Occasionally, children are allowed to shout out during class discussions and this temporarily interrupts the learning of others. Most children pick up writing tools confidently and have a go at writing, in particular their first name. Many children confidently write their full names. A few find it difficult to use a pencil, and at times adults miss opportunities to reinforce this learning.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

Occasionally, too little attention is paid to forming letters correctly and, sometimes, writing activities are given to children that are too difficult for some of them. When this happens they do not do as well as they could. The children achieve satisfactorily in developing their speaking, listening and writing skills. Teaching is satisfactory overall, but the teaching of reading is good. All children enjoy listening to stories; they develop a love of books and an interest in looking at them. They are all taught sounds and familiar words and are encouraged to use this knowledge as they read. The children regularly take home reading books, and parents support the school well by filling in a reading diary when they have listened to their child read. The children are enthusiastic readers and are very keen and eager to read their reading books to adults. They achieve well as they develop basic

p.25

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities are well planned, interesting and stimulating. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 21 • Sometimes, when an adult leads an activity, opportunities are missed to develop independent learning and basic number skills.

p.25

Commentary

47. Teaching is satisfactory overall but some good teaching was seen during the inspection. In one lesson, which was well organised and interestingly planned, the children moved briskly from one mathematical activity to another. They were offered good opportunities to use a computer program to reinforce and develop skills. Activities were interesting and stimulating, and as a result the children worked with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Learning was extended well as the teacher gave the children good opportunities to identify large numbers like 35 and 53. However, on some occasions during activities that were led by an adult, opportunities were missed to develop not only basic number skills but also the ability to work independently. Children’s previous work shows that they all have many good opportunities to record and learn how to write numbers properly. All children recognise the numbers 1 to 10 and many are familiar with higher numbers. They learn

p.26

Commentary

about simple two-and three-dimensional shapes and basic vocabulary related to number, such as ‘large’ and ‘small’. Work is generally well presented and marked. However, although marking of children’s work is supportive it does not always inform the children that they have, for example, written their numbers incorrectly. Achievement is satisfactory and the majority of children are on course to at least reach the expected levels. Many children are likely to exceed these levels.

p.26

Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

p.26

Commentary

48. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on provision in Knowledge and Understanding of the World. Evidence from teachers’ planning, and some short observations, showed that children have good opportunities to increase their understanding of the world. For example, children were seen looking at different materials, using a digital microscope and then printing the images which they saw. Previous work shows that the children take part in simple investigations such as using their senses to identify different flavours of crisps. The children are given good opportunities to develop an understanding of life in different countries. As a result of watching a video of Barnaby Bear in Brittany, the children successfully experienced activities that gave them a flavour of life in France. Children enthusiastically visited a ‘French Café’ and ate croissants and French bread ,whilst others played bingo, using pictures with words written in French. Opportunities such as

p.26

Commentary

these enhance the children’s cultural and social development well.

p.26

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities in this area cleverly reinforce skills and knowledge taught in other areas. • When leading activities, adults sometimes miss opportunities to reinforce in the children the correct way to hold pencils.

p.26

Commentary

49. No outside lessons were seen but planning shows that the outside area is used satisfactorily to promote this area of learning. In addition, the children have good opportunities to use the school hall for physical development activities. One dance lesson was seen, in which teaching was judged to be good. The lesson linked well with a story the Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 22 children had listened to, and during the session they acted out the story by pretending to go on a 'Bear Hunt'. The children listened to a CD and followed instructions well as they moved confidently, enthusiastically and with good imagination. The teacher did not miss any opportunities to reinforce and develop vocabulary from the text in the story, as well as the names of parts of the body during the warm-up session. Achievement was good and standards were higher than those expected for children of this age. Most children handle

p.26

Commentary

paintbrushes and pencils with satisfactory control but a few have difficulties, and sometimes adults do not reinforce this learning effectively as they interact with individuals. The children have good opportunities to play imaginatively with construction toys, and they work well together. They achieve satisfactorily and most are on course to at least reach the expected levels, with many children likely to exceed them.

p.27

Commentary

50. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on provision in Creative Development. Evidence from children’s previous work and teachers planning shows that interesting activities are devised to develop learning in this area. For example, the children have previously mixed coloured Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 23 inks to develop colourful patterns. During the inspection, children were seen working well independently, as they used straws to blow paint to make patterns. In addition, children played co- operatively in the 'Toy Shop' that has been created in the classroom to encourage imaginative play..

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Guided reading is working well in Years 3, 4 5 and 6. • Some teachers do not have high enough expectation and work lacks challenge. • Pupils are confident speakers and contribute well in lessons. • Writing development in the junior classes lacks consistency • Pupils take pride in their work, and it is well presented. • Work is not always planned precisely enough to meet the needs of different ability groups.

p.28

Commentary

51. Inspection findings indicate that by the end of Year 2 standards in speaking, reading and writing are likely to be similar to levels found nationally. However, although the majority of pupils are expected to achieve the expected level 2 in reading and writing, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 3 is likely to be below average. Pupils build on their good attainment at the start of school and make sound headway with their learning. Their good grasp of spelling and the basic skills enables them to read and write with growing independence.

p.28

Commentary

52. By the end of Year 6, standards in reading and writing are likely to be average. This is due, partly, to higher levels of pupil mobility within this class, and to an increase in the number of pupils with SEN. However, the lack of teacher expectation and challenge for average and higher attaining pupils also plays an important part. Although progress is satisfactory, pupils are not achieving as well as they could, particularly in writing. Work can be too easy. This was evident in a lesson where pupils learnt rules for ‘tricky words’ they could already spell correctly.

p.28

Commentary

53. Standards and achievement in speaking are good. Pupils are confident and competent speakers, who readily ask and answer questions and contribute to discussions in class. Teachers value the pupils’ speaking skills and develop them through a range of purposeful experiences. For instance, in Year 2, the skilful use of puppets in role-play enlivens and develops dialogue. In the junior classes, working in collaborative groups enables pupils to achieve well, as they learn how to put forward their own point of view and listen to those of others.

p.28

Commentary

54. Pupils enjoy reading, and they read accurately and with understanding. The school uses structured reading schemes to support reading development. This works soundly for less confident readers who need to practise their reading skills and develop greater fluency. However, the range and quality of these texts lack challenge for more able readers, who need to read and interpret at a deeper level if they are to attain the highest levels in reading. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 24 In Years 3,4,5 and 6, provision in guided reading works well. Pupils find their books interesting and say that teachers’ guidance and target setting in lessons helps them to improve.

p.28

Commentary

55. Evidence from pupils’ written work in Year 2 shows a good balance between work with the basic skills and independent ‘have a go’ writing. In all year groups across the school, pupils achieve well with their handwriting and take pride in the presentation of their work. However, Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 25 achievement can be hampered by the lack of consistency in developing writing in each year group. Teachers are not making the best use of the guidance provided by the specialist writing teacher to help pupils structure stories and non-fictional writing. Moreover, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length or to edit and improve their work.

p.29

Commentary

56. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The good teaching is linked to well- managed lessons, where work is planned to meet the pupils’ learning needs. When teaching is satisfactory, work is not so carefully planned for different ability groups, and lessons lack challenge and pace. In the lessons observed, there was no marked difference between the attainment of boys and girls. Teachers include both groups equally in discussions and there is a balance of gender within ability groups. There is good support for pupils with statements for their SEN. The specific help from learning support assistants under the class teachers’ guidance helps pupils to make good headway with their learning.

p.30

Commentary

57. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory overall, with some aspects that are good. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and has monitored pupils’ achievement in mixed-age classes and in guided reading groups. Progress also is tracked through test results, and the information gained is used to set targets for improving work.

p.30

Language and literacy across the curriculum

58. Provision is satisfactory, but writing at length and for different purposes has yet to be promoted and developed in other subjects. Pupils use their reading skills successfully to research in history lessons, and in writing they use the computer when drafting. Opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills are well focused in history and science lessons, where work in collaborative groups is of a good standard.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The Year 2 pupils have achieved well in relation to their prior attainment. • Pupils present their work well. Notation is good. • Teachers' marking could support learning more effectively. • Pupils are not always given work that is appropriate to their level of understanding or needs. • The subject co-ordinator is a good role model in the classroom.

p.30

Commentary

59. Standards in mathematics are average in Years 2 and 6. This represents a decline from 2004, but small year groups and variations in the proportions of pupils with SEN can lead to significant year-on-year differences. Pupils' achievement through the school is generally satisfactory, but as a result of good teaching the pupils in Year 2 have made good progress in relation to their prior attainment on entry to the school.

p.30

Commentary

60. Although the majority of numeracy lessons during the inspection were good, analysis of pupils' work and school data indicates that teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. During the inspection, teachers were successful in providing suitable work for different Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 26 ability groups, but this has not always worked as well over time. Analysis of work produced a number of examples across the school of lower attaining pupils doing exactly the same work as their higher attaining classmates. The recommendations of the National Numeracy Strategy are generally used well by most teachers, and lessons are divided effectively into three parts. Teachers clearly indicate the lesson's intentions, and discussions with pupils show that they always know what is expected of them.

p.30

Commentary

61. During the first stage of the lesson, the mental mathematics element, teachers use questioning well and lessons start with a good pace. During the main activity, pupils are able to work well together or independently. The are keen about mathematics and take pride in their work. Exercise books, workbooks and worksheets are always well presented. In the lower part of the school, a commercial scheme is used to support learning. Sometimes there is an over-reliance on this scheme, with higher attaining pupils being given work that does not always challenge them sufficiently. Lessons end with a useful plenary session that is used successfully to review pupils' learning. Some numeracy lessons exceed the recommended timings, and this results in a lack of urgency and pace that slows learning during the main activity.

p.31

Commentary

62. All of the pupils' work is marked regularly. Some of the marking is supportive to pupils and shows them how to move to the next stage of learning or offers them further challenge. However, this practice is not consistent. In some instances, marking is not rigorous enough and pupils are allowed to make mistakes which are not corrected, for example when pupils form numbers incorrectly. Homework is provided regularly and discussions with pupils indicate that it makes a useful contribution in supporting learning.

p.31

Commentary

63. The subject co-ordinator is a good role model in the classroom, providing consistently good teaching from which pupils learn well. However, there are still shortcomings in the subject, which the school recognises but which have not been successfully addressed. By the co-ordinator’s own admission, monitoring of numeracy lessons revealed some teaching to be 'solid' rather than dynamic and active. Analysis of pupils' work indicates that very little has changed and there is often an over-reliance on worksheets which some pupils find boring and uninspiring. Although there is a good range of assessment procedures in mathematics, too little attention is paid to this information when work is organised. There are some higher attaining pupils who need to be challenged more and not just undertake work for the sake of it. Pupils are given targets, but this is a relatively new initiative at the school. On the basis of impact, leadership and management are satisfactory overall.

p.31

Commentary

64. The subject is satisfactorily promoted and used in other subjects of the curriculum, particularly science and ICT. Analysis of pupils' work in science, for example, provided a number of instances of pupils using mathematics.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. • There are weaknesses in the management of the subject. The co-ordinator has a limited view of standards in teaching and learning. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 27 • All pupils have good opportunities to take part in scientific investigations. • Too often the teachers give t pupils the same task when they record their results.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

65. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 have made satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment. Standards are average in these two year groups.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

66. On the evidence of pupils’ previous work and of the lessons seen, teaching is satisfactory, although some good teaching was seen in Years 2 and 6. These good lessons were planned well to enable all abilities to complete scientific investigations. The pupils handled all resources sensibly and worked in mixed gender groups, both co-operatively and collaboratively. Relationships between all adults and the pupils were good and, as a result, pupils showed enthusiastic attitudes to the subject. Both lessons moved at a brisk pace and were well resourced to promote good learning. In Year 6, pupils spoke confidently about the electrical circuits they worked on. Lower attaining pupils and those with SEN received a considerable amount of good quality support and were given many opportunities to explain what they are doing. As a result, they learnt well during the lesson. Pupils in Year 2 worked well together as they investigated how fast cars would travel with one push

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

and which surfaces enabled the cars to go the fastest. Again, most pupils confidently spoke about what they had discovered because the teacher found many opportunities for them to do so. Achievement in both of these lessons was good. However, pupils’ previous work indicates that achievement is no better than satisfactory overall. This is because teachers do not always use information, collected on individuals, to plan lessons that suit the needs of the mixed abilities and ages within their classes. When this happens the lower attaining pupils sometimes have difficulties because the task is too hard for them to complete, and higher attaining pupils are not challenged sufficiently. Consequently, learning is not as good as it could be. Despite this, in all year groups, pupils have good opportunities to take part in scientific investigations and all work is well presented.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

67. There are weaknesses in the leadership and management of the subject. The co- ordinator does not have a clear view of the standards achieved throughout the school. In addition, the monitoring of what has been taught is unsatisfactory. However, the co- ordinator has identified the need to develop assessment procedures and then use the information more accurately to guide the planning of lessons in science. She has worked hard at developing links with the local secondary school, which enables the pupils in Year 6 to visit and work in the science laboratories. Information and communication technology (ICT) is beginning to be used to support the subject but, although resources are satisfactory overall, the co-ordinator has identified a need to develop ICT resources and the use of ICT generally. Literacy and numeracy skills are promoted satisfactorily. Pupils have sound opportunities to develop handwriting skills when they write up experiments. Mathematical

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

skills are used when pupils measure weather temperature, for example. As they get older, pupils use tables, graphs and charts to record their work.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 28 • Standards are below the levels expected in Year 6. These pupils have not made sufficient progress. • There is no up-to-date scheme of work to support teachers and ensure continuity and progression in the subject. • Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to support other areas of learning.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

68. The school does not currently have an adequate scheme of work to ensure that the subject develops progressively through the school. This limits curriculum coverage, particularly at Key Stage 2, where ICT development has been 'hit and miss'. The lack of an effective scheme of work also limits the amount of support offered to individual teachers when planning their work. Not all teachers are confident with the subject. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 29 69. Standards are not as high for the pupils in Year 6 as one would normally expect. There are gaps in these pupils' learning, and consequently they have not achieved as well as they should. Although the pupils talk enthusiastically, particularly about using computers, their knowledge and understanding of the subject is not as well developed as it should be. Pupils in Year 2 are achieving expected levels for their age. However, there is a

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

strong possibility that these weaknesses will slow their future progress.

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

70. No direct teaching of ICT was observed during the inspection, although a good number of lessons in other areas of the curriculum were seen where ICT was being effectively used to support learning. The subject co-ordinator has a secure subject knowledge and an accurate understanding of the school's shortcomings in its provision. However, the development of the subject scheme of work is taking too long and this is having a detrimental effect on pupils' learning. Because essential policies and procedures are not in place, teachers are not clear about their responsibilities or what they should be teaching. Assessment procedures are limited and, at present, it is difficult to monitor pupils' progress as they move through the school. Assessment is not sufficiently rigorous and focused. There are adequate resources, and recent funding has enabled the school to invest in some interactive whiteboards to raise the profile of the subject. However, it is

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Main strengths and weaknesses

difficult to understand why ICT is not a major initiative in the current school development plan, given that senior managers and governors recognise what needs to be done.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. Although standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are not as high as they should be, the school uses ICT well to support other areas of learning. During the inspection, many lessons were observed where ICT was successfully used to support learning, particularly in English, mathematics and science. The Year 6 pupils spoke enthusiastically about how they 'always' used computers in other subjects, and this element of ICT is a strength of the school. However, it is equally important for pupils to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills in ICT as a discrete subject.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. Geography and history were not part of the inspection focus and so not enough evidence was gathered for an overall judgement to be made on provision for this curriculum area. One geography lesson was observed and a limited amount of work in the two subjects was analysed. Discussions were held with pupils in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

73. The school has developed a rolling programme of work in history and geography to cater for the mixed aged classes. Too often, the same worksheet is given to all pupils in lessons. As a result, work given to some pupils is too difficult, and for others it is not challenging enough. Assessment procedures for history and geography are satisfactory but teachers do not use assessment information well enough when they plan lessons. The quality of teaching and learning in the geography lesson observed was satisfactory, as the pupils recalled information they had learnt about the points of a compass and developed their understanding of the weather. However, the teacher had to work hard as she interacted with individuals because the same task was given to pupils of all abilities and some found it too difficult. This slowed the pace of the lesson at times and restricted the learning overall. Evidence collected from discussion with pupils and from looking at a

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

sample of pupils’ previous work shows that pupils in all year groups have covered a satisfactory range of work. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 30 CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. 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. Curriculum planning indicates that these subjects are satisfactorily planned for each term. Extra- curricular provision also promotes many of these subjects very well.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

75. The quality of artwork on display and in pupils’ sketchbooks is of a good standard. Pupils learn how to draw and paint with greater detail and accuracy. There is evidence of the focus on the work of famous artists, such as Redon, influencing older pupils’ use of painting techniques. Year 6 pupils explore a wide range of materials, and they successfully develop new skills with work in clay and the construction of three-dimensional models. Younger pupils are taught how to mix and apply paints. Learning in art is enhanced by a visiting artist, who introduces pupils to a different culture through African art. Pupils draw from this experience and create imaginatively, using new printing techniques such as Batik. Pupils enjoyed visiting Manchester Art Gallery and have good recall of the themes and detail of Lowry’s paintings.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

76. In music, standards in singing are good. In assemblies, pupils sing hymns in harmony and with confidence. They are aware of others as performers, and they enter on cue and sing tunefully. Younger pupils handle instruments with care and can keep a steady beat. They learn songs by heart and clap and sing simple repeating patterns. Older pupils are enthusiastic about having the opportunity to learn to play the keyboard. In the school there is a strong tradition of music, which includes a choir and an orchestra.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

77. The work seen indicates that standards in design and technology are at least at expected levels and that National Curriculum requirements are met. In Year 1, standards are good. Pupils understand how to plan and test out their ideas for playground rides. They use construction kits to construct models of swings and roundabouts and explain their thinking to others. Effective teaching enables pupils to plan their designs and suggest which materials could be used. Evidence from displays and from work in pupils’ books indicates that the process of planning, making and evaluating is soundly established in the curriculum.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

78. Physical education has a high profile in the school, and the pupils have many very good opportunities to take part in extra-curricular sporting activities. The school is conscious that its indoor accommodation is cramped and there are limits to the outdoor facilities. This does not restrict the physical education curriculum in any way, and the demands of the National Curriculum are met, including swimming at Key Stage 2 and opportunities for outdoor and adventurous activities. Only one physical education lesson was observed during the inspection. Year 2 pupils listened carefully to a pre-recorded tape of instructions and music as part of a dance lesson. They successfully produced simple actions in response to the teacher’s directions and the music. They showed good levels of imagination as they pretended to be clowns in a circus. Physical education, as illustrated in the lesson observed, contributes well to the pupils' personal development.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHE)

79. The school has made a significant impact on pupils’ personal development, even though it does not have a formal programme for personal, social and health education. Throughout the school, teaching and non-teaching staff successfully promote the need to get on well with one another. There are clear links between PSHE and other subjects. The Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 31 importance of a healthy lifestyle is considered in science and physical education. In religious education, pupils learn about dealing with feelings and respecting and valuing others. As a result, PSHE has had a significant impact in the school, although the arrangements in the past appear to have been somewhat ad hoc. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to draw together its good practice to form clear guidelines for each class group to follow. Hathersage St Michael’s CofE Primary School 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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