Other · Ofsted report
Horning Community Primary School
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Ian Naylor
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120822
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Strengths
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- Parents view the school as exceptional in the way it supports the learning of their children and provides a supportive and caring environment in which they can learn. p.7
- Pupils show both enthusiasm and concentration, responding very well to the high expectations that teachers have of their behaviour and attitudes. p.20
- The headteacher is a visionary and inspirational leader who gives clear guidance and direction to the staff team so that they all work effectively to support pupils’ learning and achievements. p.7
- The school looks after the emotional and physical needs of its pupils very well and places a high priority on ensuring strong procedures for health, safety and child protection. p.12
- There is inspirational leadership by the headteacher. p.6
Concerns
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- The quality of teaching and learning is not sufficiently well monitored, and assessment is weak. p.22
- Teaching is not always matched to pupils’ individual needs and therefore higher achieving pupils, especially in Year 3, are not always sufficiently challenged. p.20
- Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.9 School data 0.4 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. p.9
Next steps
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- Provide more challenging activities to further improve the achievement of pupils in Year 3. p.7
- Carry out the regular monitoring of teaching and learning in the subjects as set out in the school development and improvement plan (SDIP). p.7
- Standards in the national tests in 2004 were low but do not reflect the true picture of the attainment of present pupils. p.8
- Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. p.8
- Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy. p.8
- By the end of Year 2, standards were average in reading in the 2004 national tests and very low in writing and mathematics compared with all schools nationally. p.8
- Standards were low in reading and very low in writing and mathematics when compared with those of similar schools. p.8
- These national test results may be an unreliable indicator because of the small size of the cohort and the influence of pupils with SEN. p.8
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Leadership & governance25
“There is inspirational leadership by the headteacher.” p.6
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- 25
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- Hard
- Flesch 49, typical 45
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- 17 words
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- 8
- typical 5
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Full report text
HORNING COMMUNITY FIRST 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.
p.1
HORNING COMMUNITY FIRST 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. Horning Community First School i
p.2
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: First School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5 to 8 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 35
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Lower Street Horning Norwich Norfolk Postcode: NR12 8PX
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Telephone number: 01692 630470 Fax number: 01692 630740
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Ms Jane Hodgson
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 28 June 1999
p.3
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
Horning is a very small rural first school. The school roll has increased by just over 50 per cent in the last two years. It has two mixed-age classes. The school is fully inclusive and has 23 per cent of children on the special needs register; three children hold full statements (one child being dual enrolled with a special school). The attainment of pupils is below average on entry. Fifty per cent of children travel from outside the school’s catchment area. A private playgroup shares the school site. The school achieved the Healthy Schools Award in 2003, and it participates in the Extended Schools Initiative. The school has a strong and committed partnership with parents, community and cluster schools. Horning Community First School ii
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 20906 Ian Naylor Lead inspector English Art and design Physical education Information and communication technology Special educational needs 9652 Colin Herbert Lay inspector 32168 Ann Keen Team inspector Mathematics Science Foundation Stage Music Design and technology Religious education
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
VT Education Consultants Ltd Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD
p.4
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). Horning Community First School iii
p.4
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3
Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses
p.5
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities
p.5
QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 5
Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community
p.5
OVERALL EVALUATION
This is a good school with many strengths. The good leadership of the headteacher and the close teamwork of staff promote good teaching. As a result, pupils show very good attitudes and behaviour, and achieve well. The ethos of the school is good. The school gives satisfactory value for money.
p.6
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
• Teaching is good in English, mathematics and the Foundation Stage, and at least satisfactory in the other subjects. • There is a very high quality of pupil welfare and guidance. • Links with parents and their involvement in the school are very good, although pupils’ attendance is unsatisfactory. • The school engages with the local community very well. • There is inspirational leadership by the headteacher. • Teaching assistants give particularly effective support to pupils’ learning. • The curriculum is well supported by a range of additional learning opportunities. • Pupils in Year 3, particularly those who are more able, do not always receive sufficient challenge to their learning in some subjects. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good and they make good progress. • Subject co-ordinators are not fully involved in monitoring teaching and learning in subjects.
p.6
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
There were no issues to address at the last inspection. The school’s results in the national tests and assessments have varied widely since then. This has been the consequence of small year groups and the rise in the number of pupils with SEN. The school has coped with these variations well, especially under the leadership of the present headteacher, who has introduced a host of effective changes to the school’s management, facilities and personnel. These changes have helped to sustain pupils’ achievement and the ethos of the school.
p.6
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
In the 2004 national tests, results in reading were average compared with those of all schools nationally, but well below average compared with those of similar schools. Results in writing were very low compared with all schools and similar schools. Results in mathematics were well below average compared with all schools nationally and very low compared with those of similar schools. However, this year group was very small and it included several pupils with SEN, so these results should be interpreted with caution.
p.6
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
In the current year, achievement is good and standards are satisfactory in the Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well, so that they will attain the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception. The standards reached in reading, writing and mathematics are average by the end of Year 2. In English and mathematics, achievement is good in each year group. In science and information and communication technology (ICT), achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 to Year 3. In religious education and the other subjects, achievement is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Pupils with SEN achieve well and make good progress. All pupils make good progress in their personal development, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils show great interest and enjoyment in coming to school and their attitudes and behaviour are very good, as is their punctuality for lessons. However, attendance
p.6
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
is unsatisfactory, mainly because a significant number of parents take their children out of school during term time. Horning Community First School 2
p.6
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
The quality of education is good. Teaching is good. It is best in English, mathematics and the Foundation Stage. It is satisfactory in the other subjects. There is particularly close teamwork between staff. Teachers know pupils’ abilities and plan well for their individual needs. They set clear targets for learning and make sure pupils know what it is they have to learn, with the result that pupils make good progress in their learning. The support given to pupils’ learning by teaching assistants is very good. The teaching of pupils with SEN is good. Overall, there is a good curriculum, which provides well for pupils with average or lower abilities and SEN. It is good in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2, and satisfactory for pupils in Year 3. There are good additional learning opportunities, including clubs and visits out of school. Staff ensure very good pupil welfare, with good guidance and support. The regular attendance of many pupils is
p.7
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
undermined by absence for family holidays. There are extensive and supportive links with the local community and other local schools.
p.7
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is a visionary and inspirational leader who gives clear guidance and direction to the staff team so that they all work effectively to support pupils’ learning and achievements. There are good management structures, policies and procedures to enable the school to operate efficiently. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are enthusiastic and supportive. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are committed to ensuring review and improvement wherever possible. All legal requirements are fully met. The school bursar operates effective day-to-day procedures for financial administration and provides a welcoming school office for parents and visitors.
p.7
PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
Parents view the school as exceptional in the way it supports the learning of their children and provides a supportive and caring environment in which they can learn. Pupils are very happy at school, keen to learn, and proud of all they achieve. They feel that staff listen to them and consider their views.
p.7
The most important things the school should do to improve are:
• Provide more challenging activities to further improve the achievement of pupils in Year 3. • Improve the attendance of pupils. • Carry out the regular monitoring of teaching and learning in the subjects as set out in the school development and improvement plan (SDIP). Horning Community First School 3
p.7
Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects
Achievement is good. Standards are satisfactory.
p.8
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Standards in the national tests in 2004 were low but do not reflect the true picture of the attainment of present pupils. • Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. • Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy. • Pupils with SEN make good progress.
p.8
Commentary
1. By the end of Year 2, standards were average in reading in the 2004 national tests and very low in writing and mathematics compared with all schools nationally. Standards were low in reading and very low in writing and mathematics when compared with those of similar schools. These national test results may be an unreliable indicator because of the small size of the cohort and the influence of pupils with SEN. But an analysis of the results, for example, reveals that there is scope for improvement in the number of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 3) of the National Curriculum in reading by age 7. However, the school’s own analysis and teacher assessments show that all pupils taking part in the assessments and tests who did not have SEN attained at least the mid-range of the expected level (i.e. Level 2B) in reading and writing. The majority reached the higher level (Level 3) in speaking and listening.
p.8
Commentary
2. Children in the Foundation Stage (Year R) show good achievement and therefore meet the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception. This is despite the fact that many children enter the school with below average attainment. The current situation, as seen in lessons and from analysis of pupils’ workbooks, shows that in reading, writing and mathematics, standards are anticipated to be average by the end of Year 2.
p.8
Commentary
3. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good. In Year 3, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, owing to the lack of challenge from teaching in some lessons. However, in English and mathematics achievement is good in each year group. In science and ICT, achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 to 3. In religious education and the other subjects, achievement is at least satisfactory, and sometimes good.
p.8
Commentary
4. Pupils with SEN achieve well and make good progress against the targets set for them in their individual education plans (IEPs).
p.8
Commentary
5. There is no significant difference between the performance of girls and boys across the school.
p.8
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities
The behaviour and attitudes of pupils to school and to their learning are very good. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. The punctuality of pupils to school is very good. Horning Community First School 4
p.8
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and are very happy to talk to visitors. • There is no indication of bullying, racism or harassment in the school. • All adults in the school have very good relationships with pupils. • All pupils are fully involved in all activities.
p.9
Commentary
6. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and to their learning and they are very well behaved in and around school. The relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good, and often excellent. Parents who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the meeting also had very positive views about the behaviour of their children. The school has maintained the very high standards which were evident at the last inspection.
p.9
Commentary
7. Pupils are enthusiastic about school and enjoy attending. They have a very positive attitude and work together well in all lessons. Standards of behaviour in the playground, at lunchtime, and when pupils are moving around school are also very good. Pupils are polite and well mannered towards visitors.
p.9
Commentary
8. Relationships between all members of the school community are very good and the effect is that the pupils show respect to each other and the accommodation. Additionally, the quality of relationships has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning, as there is total inclusion of all pupils in all school activities.
p.9
Commentary
9. The opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and demonstrate initiative in school are good. Pupils enjoy being involved in the school council and are particularly proud that they can suggest rules for the school to adopt. Pupils enjoy acting as buddies to new arrivals in school and putting play equipment out in the playground. All these opportunities have a good effect on the personal development of pupils.
p.9
Commentary
10. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Pupils show good respect for the feelings of others and have a very good understanding of the difference between right and wrong. They are given good opportunities for social development through the school council and through activities in the community. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory and the school is doing all it can to enhance this aspect of school life so that the pupils can gain a better understanding of the richness of the multicultural world in which they live. The provision of all these aspects within school life has a good impact on the personal development of all pupils in school.
p.9
Attendance
11. Attendance rates are unsatisfactory and below the national average. A high proportion of pupils is taken out of school for holidays in term time by parents or carers. The school is trying hard to improve attendance, but since the start of the current school year over 40 per cent of pupils have been taken out on holidays by their parents or carers during term time. This is an unacceptably high proportion, and the school should evaluate its strategies and communication to parents urgently in order to improve the situation.
p.9
Attendance
Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.9 School data 0.4 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.
p.9
Exclusions
Horning Community First School 5 12. There were no exclusions in the current year.
p.10
QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL
The quality of education is good. Teaching is a strength of the school and it is well supported by a good curriculum. Pupil welfare is very good and there are very good links with parents.
p.10
Teaching and learning
Teaching is good overall. There is no unsatisfactory teaching.
p.10
Main strengths and weaknesses
• There is very good teamwork, which supports pupils’ learning very well. • Teachers delegate well to teaching assistants, who have good skills and make a significant contribution to the success of teaching. • Teachers generally plan so that pupils’ work is carefully matched to their abilities, although this is less effective in some subjects in Year 3, particularly for higher attaining pupils. • There is good attention to marking of pupils’ work. • Teachers make good use of the many parental volunteer helpers.
p.10
Commentary
13. The most significant feature of teaching is the way in which all staff work in harmony to create a good learning environment for pupils. They show great flexibility in their approach to whole-class teaching and group work. It is often difficult to distinguish between who is the teacher and who the teaching assistant. Teachers have good subject knowledge, especially in the teaching of literacy and numeracy. They provide a range of relevant activities suitable to the age and ability of pupils. Many of these are imaginative and very practically based. Great attention is given to the planning of lessons and preparation of resources so that all pupils know what they will learn and how they can best succeed in the tasks they are given. Pupils are therefore well motivated to learn by the many exciting and well-presented opportunities. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year R/Year 1, where pupils were reading the story of the ‘Owl and the Pussycat’ by Edward Lear, the teacher followed
p.10
Commentary
the reading session with a practical activity involving a water tray with an island and various plants and artefacts to represent different aspects of the story. As a result, the pupils’ imaginations were fired and they were able to extend their thinking and language skills by acting out the story. An exception to this detailed attention to planning and preparation was seen in a few lessons at Year 3, for instance in science and information and communication technology, where there was insufficient attention to preparing activities that were different from those given to Year 2. Consequently, there was not enough challenge, which resulted in slower progress and less achievement overall, particularly for those pupils with higher attainment.
p.10
Commentary
14. There is very careful delegation by teachers to the teaching assistants. Some have specific responsibilities for supporting pupils with SEN, which they carry out extremely diligently, often working independently from the teacher. The teaching of pupils with SEN is good. Staff take great care to follow the IEPs of these pupils and record and assess their progress throughout each lesson. One teaching assistant who has gained the status of higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) is used to good effect. This frees the teacher for planning and assessment or to teach specific groups of pupils or to meet the needs of individual pupils. Teachers also make very effective use of the many parents and other volunteers in lessons to give extra support to pupils’ learning by making the adult/pupil ratio even more favourable. These volunteers are very committed in the way they give their time, and are prepared to turn their hand to anything from hearing pupils read to helping
p.10
Commentary
with the play activities in the Reception class area. They also offer valuable assistance for supervision on trips out of school. Horning Community First School 6 15. Teachers use marking effectively. Pupils’ workbooks are regularly marked and there is good use of evaluative comments, praise and rewards (usually in the form of smiley face stickers) for pupils’ achievements. This motivates pupils to make good progress, and they take pride in their work and generally present it well. All staff know the abilities of pupils well, and there are satisfactory systems for the informal and formal assessment and recording of pupils’ achievement and progress. Annual reports to parents are informative on what pupils can do and the progress they have made.
p.10
Commentary
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 2 11 5 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.
p.11
The curriculum
Provision is good overall. National initiatives are in place and are used well. The school has a wide range of additional learning opportunities, both during lesson time and after school.
p.11
Main strengths and weaknesses
• There is good provision for pupils with SEN. • The range of extra-curricular activities is good. • There is a very good match of staff to the needs of the curriculum, with good opportunities for professional development and a good working environment for staff and pupils. • The curriculum for pupils in Year 3 is satisfactory but sometimes needs a sharper focus. • The school is short of teaching space.
p.11
Commentary
16. The curriculum has been sustained at the good level reported at the last inspection. It is good in Years R, 1 and 2, but satisfactory in Year 3. There have been several initiatives introduced by the headteacher. These include good support to pupils with SEN and the further development of the national literacy and numeracy hours, so that these now have a significant impact upon pupils’ learning. Other nationally recognised or county initiatives now in use include ‘Challenging Education’, which has helped to improve pupils’ thinking skills, and ‘Guided Reading’ and ‘Guided Writing’, which have contributed to the good achievement in these areas. The growing links with a local special school have proved effective in supporting pupils with SEN.
p.11
Commentary
17. The school development and improvement plan (SDIP) identifies ongoing efforts to further extend opportunities for pupils, such as the after-school clubs and new approaches to supporting creativity and speaking and listening skills. An area that has not yet been sufficiently addressed is the attention to the specific curriculum needs of pupils in Year 3. Pupils in this year are not always set work at the level expected for their age in the National Curriculum. In particular the work is at times too easy for pupils with the potential for higher attainment. Examples of this were noted in pupils' workbooks in science, religious education and geography in particular, although in general the expectations for the performance of this year group could be higher. There is a good range of additional learning opportunities, including frequent visits out of school to museums or places of environmental interest. There are after-school clubs such as soccer and recorders. There are also
p.11
Commentary
theme weeks, such as the Art Week, and annual concerts and performances, all of which add significant breadth to pupils’ learning experiences. In many lessons, particularly in personal, social and health education (PSHE) and in science, good opportunities are planned for education about relationships, sex education and drugs. Horning Community First School 7 18. There has been significant refurbishment of the premises, and parents indicate that they are delighted with the improvement made to the atmosphere of the school to make it more welcoming and a better working environment for pupils. There is also a better working environment for staff, with new staff room, offices and headteacher’s room. There is no doubt, however, that the school remains very short of space. It compensates well for this by making the best use of what is available and liaising with other schools for support for teaching and the curriculum. For example,
p.11
Commentary
some physical education lessons (especially gymnastics) are held in a local primary school where there is access to better facilities. The school has put forward plans to extend its teaching accommodation.
p.12
Commentary
19. There has been a significant change and increase in the number of personnel since the previous inspection, so that the current staffing complement is now closely matched to the curriculum needs of pupils. Staff training and professional development has increased staff skills, for example in the attainment of ‘Higher level’ status by one teaching assistant, who is now able to take whole-class lessons. There has been a recent reorganisation of staff responsibilities to give the best possible support to the curriculum and to pupils’ learning.
p.12
Care, guidance and support
The school provides a high level of care for the physical and emotional needs of its pupils, and there has been an improvement in this aspect of school life since the last inspection. The school provides good support, advice and guidance to its pupils and gives them very good opportunities to be involved in school life by seeking, valuing and acting on their views.
p.12
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Effective procedures are in place for health, safety and child protection. • There are very good opportunities within school for the views of pupils to be heard. • Very good procedures are in place to support, advise and guide pupils, including those who have SEN.
p.12
Commentary
20. The school looks after the emotional and physical needs of its pupils very well and places a high priority on ensuring strong procedures for health, safety and child protection. Appropriate records are maintained for risk assessments, first aid, fire drills and accident recording. The governing body takes a keen interest in this aspect of school life, and the nominated health and safety governor has recently reviewed and updated the policy. The procedures for child protection are effective and understood by all staff.
p.12
Commentary
21. There is a good level of provision for the support, advice and guidance of all pupils. This is based on the very good knowledge that all adults have of the pupils and the very good trusting relationships that exist within the school community. The school council provides a very good forum for pupils to make their views known about aspects of school life, and they described one of their roles as ‘caring and helping others’.
p.12
Commentary
22. Parents also share this very positive view and consider that the school provides a happy and secure environment for their children. They feel that the school is very inclusive and ensures a high level of care. Similarly, pupils reflect this very high level of care in their own very positive views about the school. Horning Community First School 8 23. Provision for pupils with SEN is good. Individual education plans (IEPs) are regularly reviewed and discussed with parents. Teaching assistants are very diligent in their support for these pupils and make detailed reports about their progress. The staff have established a good link with a local special school that has enabled a particular pupil to be given specific learning support. All pupils have been taught simple signing so that they can communicate with pupils who have speech and language difficulties.
p.12
Partnership with parents, other schools and the community
The school has now developed very good links with its parents, carers and the community, and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. Information to parents and carers has also improved and is now very good. Links with other schools are very good.
p.13
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The support provided by parents in the classroom and on visits is very good. • The hard working Friends Association gives generously to the school. • The school uses its membership of the local schools cluster to good effect. • The information that the school provides for its parents and carers is comprehensive.
p.13
Commentary
24. A good number of parents and community friends help out in school on a regular basis and the school is never short of parents who are able to give their time to support class visits into the community. There is a committed and hard working Friends Association that arranges a varied programme of fund-raising events. These are all well supported within the village, and the money that is raised helps provide additional resources for the library and the school grounds. The school values the contribution that all its parents and friends make to school life.
p.13
Commentary
25. The school produces some very good information for its parents and carers. The regular newsletter is very informative. Pupils also produce their own newspaper with their own personal contributions. Annual reports to parents give detailed accounts of their child’s progress in each subject and include the child's own views. Parents who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the meeting expressed very positive views about the school. Almost all felt that they were well informed about their children’s progress and that they were very comfortable about approaching the school.
p.13
Commentary
26. The school has a very good partnership with the local community. This has had a good effect on pupils’ understanding of the importance of living in the community and adopting a responsible attitude towards others. Additionally, membership of the local schools’ cluster has brought benefits, such as the joint funding and the sharing of resources, including many visits and visitors. This valuable link also ensures that pupils are well prepared to make the move into the next stage of their education.
p.13
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management are both good. There is inspirational leadership by the headteacher. There are good management systems and procedures that help to support effective teaching and learning. Governors provide satisfactory governance.
p.13
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The headteacher’s leadership is good overall, with a number of very good qualities; she creates a good school ethos that is very inclusive and provides staff and pupils with a very good role model. Horning Community First School 9 • There is strong and committed teamwork amongst staff, and this supports effective teaching and learning. • Governors have a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school but could do more to give direct support to the headteacher and staff. • Staff are very well managed and deployed. • Financial administration is good.
p.13
Commentary
27. The headteacher has a clear sense of how the school needs to be developed and gives very strong inspiration to staff, governors, pupils and parents as to how this can be best achieved. In the relatively short time since her appointment, she has introduced many effective changes and built a successful staff team. Changes have been made to the fabric and furnishings of the classrooms, staff room and office that have improved the working environment of pupils and staff. Close attention has been given to staff well being and this has resulted in very good teamwork. This has had the effect of enhancing the quality of teaching, which has also been further supported through the full introduction of performance management arrangements. As a result, the learning environment and achievements of pupils are good.
p.14
Commentary
28. The headteacher and governors work closely together. Although many governors are new to their responsibilities, they show a commitment to their roles and are familiar with how the school works. This is because the headteacher provides governors with detailed information about all aspects of school life. The governing body is well run and takes positive actions for the review and evaluation of all key areas of school policy. It meets all its legal requirements in full. However, governors make infrequent visits to classrooms with the specific aim of seeing for themselves the progress that pupils are making or the way the curriculum is being delivered. They are aware that this aspect of their role needs a more systematic approach if they are to be able to provide focused challenge and support to the headteacher and staff. Governors have recently completed training through the governor support programme provided by the local authority, and this has helped them
p.14
Commentary
to gain a better perspective on how they can further develop their roles.
p.14
Commentary
29. The school development plan (SDIP) provides clear action plans and sets priorities for what should be achieved next. It sets targets for teaching, pupils’ standards and the curriculum, and these targets have helped to further improve overall performance in the school. The monitoring of teaching and learning is mainly carried out by the headteacher. Although this is satisfactory, the procedures set out in the SDIP for the involvement of other staff have not yet been fully implemented. This remains an area for development.
p.14
Commentary
30. There is very good organisation and delegation to staff by the headteacher. For example, statutory work force reforms have been introduced ahead of schedule. This has been achieved by providing the hours for an HLTA, resulting in additional support and flexibility for teaching and more efficient support to pupils’ learning.
p.14
Commentary
31. For such a small school, there is a surprisingly good programme for staff training and professional development, including in-service sessions and many other opportunities taken by staff to attend county-led courses. This has given good support to the development of the curriculum and helped to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The headteacher chairs meetings of local cluster schools which provide a good forum for information and discussion.
p.14
Commentary
32. There are good financial systems and procedures that are administered in conjunction with the financial management support bought from the local authority. The school administrator provides very effective day-to-day financial accounting as well as an efficient school office. Leadership, teaching and achievement are good, and although there are high pupil costs these are associated mainly with the high percentage of pupils with special educational needs. This means that value for money is satisfactory. Horning Community First School 10
p.14
Financial information
Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 172,219 Balance from previous year -8,337 Total expenditure 175,030 Balance carried forward to the next -5,526 Expenditure per pupil 5,000 Horning Community First School 11
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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
33. At present, the children's level of attainment when they start in the Reception class is generally below what would be expected for their age. This is often due to the children’s lower than expected level of communication skills and personal, social and emotional development. However, as the number of children entering school is so few, the overall standard varies considerably from year to year. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage (Reception Year) is good, so the children’s achievement is good by the end of the Reception class. Consequently, many of the children are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals in the six areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception class. The staff work very well as a team, and the leadership has a clear vision for the future. One of the strengths of the provision is the way that the teaching assistants are used to support the children’s learning. Helpers are also used effectively to ensure that children have as
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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
much individual attention as possible. This means that the teaching is planned very well to meet individual children’s needs. Since the last inspection, the level of provision has been maintained in the Foundation Stage.
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children’s attitude to learning is very good; they are interested and involved in activities. • Behaviour is very good. • Children form very good relationships with all adults.
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Commentary
34. Overall, the children achieve well in their personal, social and emotional development. They are interested in the activities available, such as the opportunity to lay bricks, helped by a parent. Teachers and teaching assistants have very good relationships with the children, developing the children’s self-esteem very well. Children with SEN are included effectively in the activities; they are given very good support to understand appropriate behaviour, meet their emotional needs and enhance their learning. The quality of teaching and learning in this area is good because sessions are well planned to ensure that the learning is matched to each child’s individual learning. The children concentrate and listen well because they are motivated by the lessons and enjoy activities. In group times, for example, they listen attentively to stories. Children’s attitudes and behaviour are very good.
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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
Provision for communication, language and literacy is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children systematically learn the sounds that letters make. Horning Community First School 12
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Commentary
35. Children make good progress in recognising the sounds that letters make and how to use that knowledge to write and read. They learn the elements of a story and the nature of books by following the text in a ‘big book’, such as ‘Building Ted’s House’. They are encouraged to write recognisable letters, and higher achievers are starting to create their own simple sentences. Teaching is good; staff use resources such as puppets to capture the children’s imagination. Staff plan the children's learning according to national guidance, and they have high expectations of what they expect the children to learn. As a result, the children achieve well. They have the opportunity to read on a daily basis with their parents or the staff, and they are confident in their reading skills. They listen well and are encouraged to develop their skills through well-planned activities. Children with SEN achieve well through careful and systematic teaching.
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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Provision for mathematical development is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The children are taught well to count. • Resources are used effectively to help children understand mathematical ideas.
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Commentary
36. The children's achievement in mathematics is good. The emphasis placed on learning to count and use numbers is a good feature. Focused activities with a teacher or teaching assistant are used effectively to concentrate on specific mathematical teaching points such as ordering and recognising numbers. All children have the opportunity to participate fully in activities during the sessions and those children with SEN are very well supported, so they achieve well. The quality of teaching and learning is good in the area of mathematics. Methods of teaching mathematics are generally suitable, although the lower attaining pupils in particular would benefit from more ‘hands on’ practical activities to consolidate their learning. Staff use games and equipment such as number lines and coins to help the children understand ideas, but the use of more extensive problem-solving activities would further enhance the children’s learning.
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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children learn through interesting and exciting practical activities.
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Commentary
37. A wide range of resources is available to help children to learn. In music sessions, for example, all the children are able to explore and experiment with musical instruments. The computer is available in the classrooms and the children enjoy using it, often supported well by adults. Very good learning takes place in activities that are practical and meaningful. Overall, the quality of teaching in this area is good, and the children therefore achieve well. Horning Community First School 13
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
38. Playgroup space is used to provide additional accommodation and resources. In adult- directed sessions, children work productively to increase their skills. They follow instructions well and are learning to control their movements successfully, although sessions are not always as challenging for the more able children as they could be. The children have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities, using some large equipment like wheeled toys. They develop their fine manipulative skills by exploring and experimenting with a selection of simple tools and small equipment.
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
39. A variety of activities is available to enhance the children’s creative development. Role-play is used regularly to help children expand their imagination. They enjoy a range of good experiences in experimenting with colour and texture through weaving and creating mobiles. Music is used to support the children’s learning. Children learn simple songs and know that instruments can be played loudly or softly. They have good opportunities to use a wide variety of colours, media and textures. They have printed with their hands and feet, and have made objects from glitter, cotton reels, wool, fabric and a variety of papers.
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ENGLISH
Provision in English is good. Standards are satisfactory overall, but achievement is good as a result of good teaching.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils have good reading, speaking and listening skills. • Teachers make known to pupils what they will learn and what they must do to succeed. • There is good attention to supporting pupils’ individual learning needs through very good teamwork. • Very good support is given to pupils with SEN. • Marking and reward systems are used well to promote learning. • Creative and descriptive writing skills are not developed sufficiently.
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Commentary
40. Standards by the end of the current Year 2 and in Year 3 are likely to be average in reading and writing. The achievement of pupils is good in reading, speaking and listening, and it is satisfactory in writing. Pupils achieve well overall. This is because of the good quality of teaching, evident in all lessons and in analysis of pupils’ workbooks. Good teamwork between teachers, teaching assistants and the many parent and other voluntary helpers means that pupils are given very close attention to their individual learning needs. A range of strategies and opportunities is used to boost pupils' confidence and reinforce their learning. The National Literacy Strategy is used successfully in each year group and gives appropriate focus to literacy, using whole-class and group work.
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Commentary
41. All pupils gain from the daily reading sessions in class and from staff-focused use of the guided reading and writing sessions. Pupils build their skills of letter and word recognition through regular opportunities to practise phonics, using a commercial scheme. In this way, pupils in Year 1 can follow a poem and understand that it is a fiction with strange imaginary characters, events and words. They show good speaking, listening and reading skills when giving answers about what they have read. Their class diaries illustrate their progress in writing, with most answers and descriptions given in sentences, showing good use of simple punctuation, grammar and handwriting that is well formed. Horning Community First School 14 42. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand what a limerick is. They read poems that are tongue twisters and can devise their own. Pupils make good progress in their spelling through the regular
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Commentary
practice they receive, often involving homework. Most are joining their letters in handwriting and can write accurate reports about events, using paragraphs. By Year 3, pupils are confident speakers and can read fluently and write for a variety of purposes. Creative and descriptive writing skills are satisfactory, but teachers are right to be targeting these areas in their longer term plans to raise pupils’ attainments, so that more pupils achieve the higher level (Level 3) in the national tests.
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Commentary
43. Additional support is targeted at pupils with lower attainment. These pupils and those with SEN make good progress. Through the careful planning of teachers, which includes very good use of IEPs where required, teaching assistants give very good individual support.
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Commentary
44. All pupils work very co-operatively with one another and with staff. Behaviour is very good and pupils respond readily to the exciting and interesting activities devised for them. They understand what they have to do because teachers carefully describe what they will learn and how they can succeed. Teachers mark pupils’ work carefully and effectively use evaluative comments and simple reward schemes such as ‘smiley faces’ to reinforce pupils’ learning. Pupils make good use of the school library.
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Commentary
45. The subject is satisfactorily managed and has shown satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.
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Language and literacy across the curriculum
46. Pupils’ topic workbooks illustrate how literacy skills are used well across the other subjects. For example, they contain pupils’ written descriptions of events in history and geography that they have discussed and read about. In personal and social education lessons, pupils show how they can listen carefully to other people and express their own views clearly.
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MATHEMATICS
Provision in mathematics is good and has been maintained at this level since the last inspection.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The lessons are well planned to provide interest. • Pupils’ attitude to their learning is very good. • The work is planned to meet all pupils’ individual needs, including those pupils with SEN. • There is not enough problem-solving planned into the lessons to enable pupils to learn the practical uses of mathematics.
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Commentary
47. Standards attained by pupils at the end of Year 2 are in line with national expectations. Pupils in Year 3 also attain national standards. As a result of good teaching, pupils achieve well. Staff have worked hard to develop mathematics throughout the school. A new mathematics scheme has been introduced and its effect on learning is being closely monitored. Through very good teamwork, the school is improving its teaching. It has accurately identified in its action plan that the teaching is not planned sufficiently well to support problem-solving so as to make mathematics meaningful to children. It is taking appropriate action and the results are beginning to be seen in lessons.
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Commentary
48. Pupils in Year 1 understand how to order numbers accurately and to recognise numbers to 100. The more able pupils quickly and accurately add or subtract 10 from large numbers. They count to 30 accurately and have sufficient understanding of number order to count backwards as Horning Community First School 15 well. In Year 2, pupils learn the value of numbers and identify whether given numbers are larger or smaller than each other. In Year 3, pupils learn whether numbers are odd or even, and how to double numbers. More able pupils use numbers up to 1000 confidently.
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Commentary
49. Teaching in mathematics is good overall throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations of what they expect pupils to learn. Those pupils with SEN achieve well because they are very well supported. Presentation is considered important, so pupils take pride in their work. Recent developments that have been put into place are still not showing on pupils’ test results but they are beginning to make an impact on pupils’ learning, especially on that of the younger children in the school.
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Commentary
50. Teachers share with the children what they are expected to learn. Many lessons are planned to capture the pupils’ interest with a variety of games. Teachers know the pupils’ abilities and plan their work accordingly. In the best teaching, skilled questioning, discussions and a wide range of teaching methods ensure that all pupils have full access to the curriculum and make progress in their learning. Teachers recapitulate pupils’ learning at the end of lessons and ensure that pupils understand. Pupils respond enthusiastically to activities, and their attitudes to their work are very good. They settle quickly to their work and work hard throughout lessons. Pupils show both enthusiasm and concentration, responding very well to the high expectations that teachers have of their behaviour and attitudes.
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Mathematics across the curriculum
51. The use of mathematics in science and ICT is satisfactory. In science, mathematical skills are used when needed, for instance in making graphs. The computers are used well to support mathematical learning; the lessons are often consolidated with the use of interesting programs. It was not possible to see the extent of mathematics in other subjects during the inspection.
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SCIENCE
Provision in science is satisfactory and has been maintained at this level since the last inspection.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Practical activities and investigations are taught well. • Pupils are involved in interesting activities. • Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are very good. • Teaching is not always matched to pupils’ individual needs and therefore higher achieving pupils, especially in Year 3, are not always sufficiently challenged. • Assessment procedures need further development. • The quality of teaching is not monitored.
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Commentary
52. Standards in science are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2, and satisfactory in Year 3. The school has already identified science as an area for development, and teachers have adjusted their teaching to provide interesting and practical activities that are more meaningful to the pupils. These improvements are contributing significantly to pupils’ learning.
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Commentary
53. In Year 1, the pupils are learning about materials. In a very good lesson, the teacher gave the pupils suitable opportunities to investigate and experiment so they could discover for themselves. Consequently, pupils realise the properties of different materials and their usefulness in constructing buildings. The more able pupils can make comparisons between the bricks that they have laid with the builder and the materials used for the ‘Three Little Pigs' Houses’. In such lessons, pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour are very good. In Years 2 and 3, pupils Horning Community First School 16 can identify common materials and recognise how they are used in the classroom. They are aware of simple properties of materials such as those metals that are hard or shiny. Through practical experimentation and investigation, pupils learn about the movement of the sun and magnetic force.
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Commentary
54. Overall, the quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory. Nationally recognised guidelines are used to ensure that the appropriate work is being covered. Teachers do not always plan for the differences in pupils' learning to allow them to move forward at their own pace. The results of assessments are not used to support more detailed planning. As a result, higher attaining pupils, especially in Year 3, are not always sufficiently challenged and their progress is held back. At the end of the lessons, teachers draw the pupils' experiences together and provide sound summaries of the learning made by the class as a whole. Teaching and planning is not monitored regularly and this affects the overall quality of provision.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Information and communication technology (ICT) is taught in discrete lessons as well as being included in most subjects. • Pupils are confident and show good skills in the use of computers. • There are good resources in ICT, including a data projector.
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Commentary
55. Achievement is satisfactory and pupils reach nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 and satisfactory standards in Year 3. This is because teachers and teaching assistants have an assured approach. They have received good training from the subject leader and consequently teaching is at least satisfactory and often good.
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Commentary
56. Pupils make good progress in their achievements in the specific ICT lessons provided in each class. For example, in a good lesson taken by the HLTA, pupils in Year 1 gained an understanding of which machines and devices can be controlled and those which cannot. A well prepared practical activity using toys and small machines helped them to investigate the principles of control.
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Commentary
57. Pupils in Year 2 showed good skills in using a program to help them illustrate key words in an English poetry lesson. They open paint and draw files, use drop-down menus, cut and paste, and select fonts, colour and images to create their own versions of the ‘word-pictures’ they have chosen. There are some examples of the use of emailing by older pupils, and of the use of computers and the Internet for their own research, although the school accepts that still more could be achieved.
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Commentary
58. Resources are good and, in particular, show an efficient use of laptops, which are used by the pupils during the day and double as machines for teachers to use for their lesson planning. The recent introduction of a data-projector and whiteboard has increased the use and effectiveness of ICT in teaching. The subject is satisfactorily co-ordinated and there has been a good improvement in resources since the last inspection.
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Information and communication technology across the curriculum
59. There are some examples in pupils’ workbooks of the use of word-processing to support their work in subjects such as English, history and geography. Commercial programs are used effectively in English and mathematics to support pupils’ reading, spelling and numeracy. More opportunities could be created for pupils to use ICT more extensively in other subject areas. Horning Community First School 17
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HUMANITIES
Only one lesson was seen in geography and none in history. Therefore, no judgement can be made in these subjects about the overall provision, teaching or standards.
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HUMANITIES
60. In the lesson in geography in Years 2 and 3, teaching was satisfactory. Using the digital projector and whiteboard, the teacher successfully illustrated how people live on an island community in Scotland. Pupils learn to identify human and physical features, and contrast and compare the differences and similarities to their own local environment. They engage well in the activity and their oral and written answers show that they can describe these differences and similarities well. Pupils also use ICT effectively and can access the program to carry out a virtual tour of the island. Pupils in Year 3, however, are not sufficiently challenged by the follow-up activities, and more could have been achieved by additional activities to extend pupils’ thinking skills further. In Year 1, pupils produce good work on ‘My journey to school’, where they contrast the physical features of the locality. They learn about places on a map of the world and discuss how
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HUMANITIES
they might travel there and what they might see, using postcards from travellers who have actually been to these locations.
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HUMANITIES
61. In history , pupils in Years 2 and 3 show good understanding of events and people of the past in their written work for their topic books. They know key facts, for example about the life of Florence Nightingale and the Great Fire of London. They use local historical sources to find information about, for example, Remembrance Day. Following a trip to a museum, they write about their visit and draw the artefacts from the Tomb of Tutankhamun and record facts about the life of Ancient Egyptians.
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HUMANITIES
62. In both subjects, teachers follow national curriculum guidelines satisfactorily to create a range of interesting and relevant activities for pupils. The curriculum is well supported by visits to museums and key environmental sites. The subject action plans in the SDIP clearly identify the need to extend resources, especially in video recordings and software. Theme days are held which stimulate pupils’ interest in research. A residential trip, organised every other year, provides opportunities for older pupils in Year 2 and 3 to explore a different location and environment. Pupils are encouraged to use the Internet to extend their research.
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Religious education
Provision in religious education is satisfactory. Standards meet the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus by the end of Year 2 and Year 3.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The curriculum is satisfactory. • The quality of teaching and learning is not sufficiently well monitored, and assessment is weak.
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Commentary
63. Pupils experience a broad and balanced programme of activities and they are taught in line with the locally Agreed Syllabus. They are introduced to a variety of religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. Consequently, pupils are suitably introduced to a broad spectrum of beliefs. They also have practical experience and visits to the local church; the choir sing at Christmas, for example.
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Commentary
64. The strength of the teaching lies in the moral and social focus connected to this subject. The school has a strong sense of social values and ties the learning well into assemblies and personal and social education. The theme of friendship is used, for example, to help the children think about what makes a good friend and compare their ideas to the ‘Good Samaritan’. The school is aware of the need to continue developing and updating the resources. Horning Community First School 18 65. Teaching is at least satisfactory in this subject, so pupils achieve satisfactorily. Pupils know a variety of stories and these are used effectively to increase their understanding of the Bible. A lesson in Years 2 and 3 involved a suitable introduction to Judaism, giving pupils an idea of some of the language, symbols and events involved.
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Commentary
66. The quality of teaching and learning in religious education is not yet sufficiently well monitored. Children’s work is not adequately assessed to provide information on how teaching can be matched to individual needs. However, pupils do make their own assessments of their learning and identify successfully what they have understood.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
Only one lesson was seen in physical education and one in music. None was seen in art and design or design and technology, so no judgement can be made in these subjects about the overall provision, teaching or standards.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
67. In the one lesson seen in physical education , teaching was satisfactory. Year R and Year 1 pupils made satisfactory progress in their hand-eye co-ordination whilst practising ball control skills. They threw and caught a ball successfully. All pupils worked enthusiastically and well together. Pupils with SEN were fully included in the activities and supported well by staff. The session was successfully led by an HLTA assisted by two other teaching assistants. Careful attention was given to ensuring that each pupil was correctly dressed for physical education on the school field.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
68. The curriculum for physical education is restricted because the school does not have a hall to use as a gymnasium. To give pupils in Years 2 and 3 the chance to use the larger space for lessons in dance, the two classes swap rooms. The headteacher and subject co-ordinator have successfully negotiated a link with the local primary school, so that Horning School pupils have access to its gymnasium. Weekly gymnastics lessons are successfully taught in the summer at this venue by Horning staff. An added bonus is that this gives pupils an opportunity to learn in the school to which most of them will transfer in Year 4. Games lessons, including rugby and soccer, are taken outdoors on the school field, which is an ideal venue during fine weather. Aerobics are taught in the classroom as an alternative during inclement weather.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
69. The subject is satisfactorily led in these difficult circumstances. Resources are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator uses a nationally recognised scheme of work and keeps an accurate record of curriculum activities and the progress of pupils in them. This record indicates that pupils’ progress and achievement are at least satisfactory and often good. Pupils are also encouraged to participate in evaluating their own performance in physical education. There is an after-school soccer club, led by an external coach, that is open to all pupils and is well attended. Pupils take part in the local cluster schools' sports day and also in the school’s own sports day, which is a mixture of traditional athletics events and fun physical activities.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
70. No lessons were observed in art and design, but analysis of pupils’ sketchbooks and displays of their work around the school and in classrooms indicates that achievement is good. Art is clearly used effectively to support pupils’ learning and help them to express their ideas and illustrate their work across other subjects. The school magazine is written by pupils and is well illustrated by their artwork. Pupils show a flair for imaginative and colourful work in a range of media, especially painting. Year 2 and 3 sketchbooks show a range of activities to support learning, and successful progress by pupils in line drawing, self portraits, observational drawings, use of light sources, facial expressions and poses. Pupils experiment with tone and texture, and with paint and crayon techniques. In Year 1, pupils show good imagination in decorating their topic work themes, producing collages on Noah’s Ark and Chinese Dragons. They make large mobiles, papier-mâché
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
masks, Easter bonnets and large scale weaving with various textiles, strings and Horning Community First School 19 threads. They successfully create simple three-dimensional models in ceramics. Pupils’ work shows creativity and imagination, and it is evident that staff place great emphasis on providing good resources and varied activities. The result is evident in the bright and welcoming classrooms, where pupils’ artwork is well displayed and valued.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
71. The teaching of music is providing a solid musical foundation for the children. The lesson seen was well planned and the pupils were interested in their work. They used a good variety of untuned instruments, combined with their voices, to participate in the lesson. They enjoyed exploring the sounds that musical instruments make and discussing the different noises they could create. They worked collaboratively with each other to produce an end product, singing ‘The Sea Is Always Moving’. In assemblies, pupils are made aware of the mood of music and encouraged to listen to taped music as they leave. They know the words and tunes of simple songs. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn musical instruments, such as the recorder. Children enjoy the recorder club and they are taught well to play new notes and eventually tunes. Children are introduced naturally to musical vocabulary such as ‘stave’ so that they understand its meaning. A
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
visiting peripatetic music teacher, who follows national curriculum guidelines, also teaches music. Pupils take part in a range of activities to encourage the development of skills, such as creating rhythm games and the sounds that animals make. Activities are developed so that they lead to performances on special occasions, such as Harvest and Christmas. Music teaching is successfully supported through special events, for example the ‘African Music Day’, and these also lead to other creative activities such as making masks.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
72. Design and technology is planned in line with national guidelines. By the end of Year 3, pupils are learning useful skills such as creating axles to join wheels to model vehicles. They plan their own designs and evaluate them successfully. They are able to use their own initiative so that they can experiment with their models, and they can identify the strengths and weaknesses of their designs. Teachers provide useful guidelines to steer the children’s thinking in the right direction. Pupils have made fabric pictures, using a variety of joining methods like gluing and stitching. In Year 2, pupils have designed puppets linked to other subjects, such as history, for example by making Viking puppets. There is an assessment system to monitor how well the children are learning but not to monitor the quality of teaching.
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP
73. The school has a policy for PSHE but does not have a structured scheme of work. However, the teaching is based on a series of themes, which is also incorporated very successfully into assemblies. A programme of ‘circle time’ has been created and is very effectively taught throughout the school. These times are used to develop social and moral skills so pupils learn to improve their relationships. In working through these themes, pupils begin to understand the difference between right and wrong. This area of the school’s work is strong and consequently very successful. The school council is an impressive tool in providing children with a forum to discuss issues relevant to them and to develop their confidence and self-esteem. Teachers tackle issues appropriately for the age group, such as sex education and drug misuse, when opportunities arise in other lessons. Horning Community First School 20
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 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 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 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 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2
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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 4 The effectiveness of management 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).
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