Itchen Abbas Primary School

ITCHEN ABBAS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 29 th June 2005

p.1

ITCHEN ABBAS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Itchen Abbas Primary School 2

p.1

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 66

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Itchen Abbas Winchester Hampshire Postcode: SO21 1BE

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01962 779310 Fax number: 01962 779310

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Itchen Abbas Primary School Name of chair of governors: Mr Malcolm Green

p.2

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Itchen Abbas Primary School is a school for boys and girls aged 4 to 11 years. There are 66 pupils on roll and this is much smaller than most other schools. There are 4 more girls than boys in the school. At the time of the inspection, there are 11 children attending the Foundation Stage. These are taught in a class with pupils who are in Year 1. Nearly 99 per cent of pupils are from the White British ethnic group. There are no pupils who use English as an additional language (EAL) who are at an early stage of English language acquisition. There are 10 pupils on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) register. This is broadly average. Three pupils have SEN statements, including one pupil with visual impairment. This proportion is above average. The most common aspect of need is speech or communication difficulties. Mobility is high. In the last year seven pupils joined other than at the usual time of first admission and 13 left other than at the usual time of

p.2

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

transfer. Since the last inspection a new purpose built classroom and covered way have been built and improvements made to the school grounds. Funding has been agreed for a further development of the building which includes the relocation of the office and reception areas. When they first enter the school, most children are achieving standards that are above those expected for their age. Itchen Abbas Primary School 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19227 Paul Missin Lead inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, art and design, history, geography. Children in the Foundation Stage. 9092 Ron Elam Lay inspector 11769 Jim Bishop Team inspector English, science, design and technology, music, physical education, religious education. Pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. Special educational needs.

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Phoenix Educational Consultants 37 Broadlands Avenue North Petherton Taunton Somerset TA6 6QS

p.3

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.oftsed.gov.uk).

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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. Itchen Abbas Primary School 4

p.3

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.4

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

p.4

OVERALL EVALUATION

Itchen Abbas Primary School is a good school with several very good features. This small school develops a very impressive sense of community where pupils are both cared for and challenged. The very good leadership of the Headteacher ensures that the strong ethos and the drive for high standards are maintained. She is well supported by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff team and an effective governing body. The good teaching across the school enables pupils to achieve well and make good progress. By the time they leave, most are reaching standards in English, mathematics and science that are well above those expected for their age. This is an effective school which provides good value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • In Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain standards that are well above those expected for their age in English, mathematics and science and they achieve well as they move through the school.

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

However, standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not as high as they should be. • An important strength in the Headteacher's very good leadership is the way in which parents, governors and staff are involved in the school’s work. The involvement of pupils is outstanding. • The very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development impacts very positively on the very good relationships evident in the school community and pupils’ very good attitudes to their learning. • The good teaching across the school and the work of the effective learning support assistants enable pupils to learn well and make good progress. • The very good partnership with parents and neighbouring schools established by the school adds significantly to the quality of overall provision. • The school works hard to develop and extend opportunities to enrich the curriculum through using the expertise of a very good range of visitors and of interesting offsite visits.

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

• Assessment procedures are developed well in English and mathematics but they are unsatisfactory in ICT and underdeveloped in other curriculum areas. • Subject co-ordination is effective in English and mathematics but other co-ordination roles are less well developed. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Good progress has been made in addressing the key issues relating to ensuring a stable staffing situation in Years 1 and 2, and in improving the curriculum in the Foundation Stage. Satisfactory improvement has been made in developing a whole school assessment and recording system. Since the last inspection, strengths in teaching have been maintained well and standards, particularly in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have risen significantly. Strengths in the school’s leadership have also been consolidated.

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A A A C mathematics A A* A E science A A* B E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. The very small year groups at this school make the analysis of assessment data unreliable but trends in the scores in national tests since 2000 have shown that standards in Years 2 and 6 have been consistently above and well above average. In the Year 2 tests in 2004, the results in mathematics were among the top five per cent of all schools nationally. The largely unfavourable similar school comparisons in the table above is a measure of the statistical effect of a few pupils with higher SEN levels who joined the school since the test for seven-year-olds was taken.

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Itchen Abbas Primary School 6 Achievement across the school is good. Pupils make good progress in their learning in all phases of the school. From a generally above average standard when they enter the school, most achieve well to reach standards that are well above average when they leave. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and reach above average standards in all areas of learning judged in this inspection. In Year 2 and Year 6, achievement is good and pupils are reaching standards in all aspects of English, mathematics and science that are well above those expected for their age. This is in line with the preliminary results of the 2005 national tests. Achievement is good in all inspected subjects except ICT and PE where it is satisfactory. Standards and progress in ICT are not high enough because of gaps in pupils’ knowledge and experience. There are missed opportunities to use ICT skills widely across other curriculum areas.

p.6

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their attitudes to school are very

good. Behaviour and attendance are good and punctuality is satisfactory. The very good quality of the relationships in the school, and pupils’ consistent enthusiasm and commitment to their lessons add significantly to the quality of their learning. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Occasionally, a few pupils are late for school.

p.6

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good

across all phases of the school. Strengths are teachers’ good subject knowledge, their high expectations and the very positive way in which they manage pupils and successfully channel their enthusiasm for learning. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall. They are good in English and mathematics but unsatisfactory in ICT and require further development in science and RE. Opportunities for pupils to assess their own work are not sufficiently developed. The curriculum is planned well and very good opportunities are provided for enrichment activities. Care and welfare procedures are good. The school works hard to develop a very good partnership with its parents which makes an important contribution to the school’s success. Very good links are also established with other schools. The sharing of expertise and resources with the local Secondary School is particularly effective.

p.6

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The very good leadership of the Headteacher ensures that the school’s strong ethos and high all round standards are maintained. A further strength is the way in which everyone is fully involved in the school’s work. The way pupils’ views are taken into account is excellent. The management of the school is good. The roles of some curriculum co-ordinators are not as effective as they could be. Governance is good. Governors are involved and fully committed to the school and have a good view of its strengths and areas for development. They ensure that all statutory requirements are met. The budget and overall resources are managed very well.

p.6

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Both parents and pupils have positive views of the school. All parents thought that their children behaved well at school and that staff treated children fairly. Most pupils liked being at school and were pleased that they found out new things in lessons.

p.6

IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Continue to raise the standards attained and accelerate the progress pupils make in ICT and ensure that ICT skills are used more widely across other curriculum areas. • Further improve assessment procedures to ensure that the good practices in literacy and mathematics are extended to other subjects, especially ICT, science and RE, and increase the opportunity for pupils to assess their own learning. • Ensure that there is greater consistency in the effectiveness of subject co-ordinators across the school. Itchen Abbas Primary School 7

p.6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

In Year 2 and Year 6 pupils reach standards that are well above those expected for their age. From a generally above average standard when they first enter the school, most pupils achieve well and make good progress in their learning. Pupils with SEN also achieve well and make good progress towards their own learning targets.

p.7

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Year 2, pupils attain standards that are well above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. In Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are also well above average. • Pupils of all abilities including those who are higher attainers and those with SEN achieve well and make good progress in their learning. • Standards in ICT are average but there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge which restrict higher attainment. • Children in the Foundation Stage are well supported and challenged in their mixed age class and they make good progress to reach standards in most areas of learning that are above average.

p.7

Commentary

1. Two factors affect the analysis of test data at this small school. The first is that year groups are exceptionally small. There are often fewer than 10 pupils in each year group. The previous Year 6 group consisted of seven pupils and the current group is only four. This means that each pupil represents as much as 25 per cent of the total year group and makes the statistical analysis of national test data unreliable. The second factor is the relatively high mobility in this small school. In the last year seven pupils joined the school other than at the time of first admission and 13 left other than at the time of transfer. This mobility factor had a significant effect on the analysis of the data for the Year 6 national tests in 2004. The fact that pupils joined the Year 6 group who had complex educational difficulties impacted negatively on the data which showed progress made between Year 2 and Year 6.

p.7

Commentary

2. Analysis of the trends in the results of the Year 6 national tests since 2000 shows that, although there is some variation between the years, standards have been consistently above and well above average. In the 2004 tests, when compared with schools having the same proportion of free school meals, standards were very high in English and mathematics and above average in science. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 6 group is attaining standards in English, mathematics and science that are well above average. This is in line with the preliminary results of the national tests in 2005. Standards in ICT and PE are average.

p.7

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

p.7

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.7 (18.4) 15.8 (15.7)

p.7

Commentary

There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.7

Commentary

3. Analysis of the trends in the results of the Year 2 tests also shows that standards have been above and well above average. In the 2004 national tests, when compared with schools having Itchen Abbas Primary School 8 similar free school meals proportions, standards were very high in reading and writing and among the top 5 per cent of schools nationally in mathematics. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 2 pupils are reaching standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science that are well above average. This is in line with the preliminary results of the national tests in 2005. Standards are average in ICT and PE.

p.7

Commentary

4. Across the school, standards in the core subject areas of English, mathematics and science have improved significantly since the last inspection. In 1999 they were average, and currently they are well above average. Standards in ICT have remained average. It was not possible in this inspection to gather sufficient evidence for overall judgements to be made in RE, history, geography, art and design, music and design and technology so no comparisons can be made with the previous inspection.

p.8

Commentary

5. When they enter the school, most children are attaining standards which are above those expected for their age. At the last inspection attainment on entry was judged to have been average. By the end of the Reception Year most children achieve well and are on course to reach above average standards in all areas of learning except in their physical development where no judgement could be made in this inspection. Where comparisons can be made with the last inspection, standards in basic literacy and numeracy have been improved.

p.8

Commentary

6. Pupils with SEN, including those with visual impairment, make good progress towards the targets set for them and reach good standards for their previous abilities. The targets set in their individual learning plans are relevant and appropriate to their needs. The pupils achieve well, largely due to the quality of care and support provided by the adults who work with them.

p.8

Commentary

7. Across the school, pupils’ achievement is good. Although there is some significant variation between different year groups in the school, most children are attaining standards that are above average when they first enter the school. This is a change since 1999 when attainment on entry was judged to have been average. As a result of the effective teaching across all phases of the school, pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve well. Overall, pupils make good progress to reach standards that are well above average by the time they leave. Achievement is good in all aspects of English, mathematics and science. Pupils make good progress in English because of teachers’ good knowledge of the subject, their high expectations and the positive way that pupils are managed. In mathematics, pupils are challenged well in their work and they are given good opportunity to use and apply what they know, sometimes in real-life situations. In

p.8

Commentary

science, teachers expect pupils to work hard and they provide a good range of interesting topics for them to investigate. However, in ICT standards are not as high as they should be and pupils are not maximising the progress they could make. This is partly because concepts and skills are not taught progressively to a sufficient depth for higher standards to be attained. It is also a reflection of some gaps in pupils’ experience caused by insufficient opportunity to learn new skills.

p.8

Commentary

8. Both parents and pupils had positive views about the standards achieved in the school. Most parents thought that their children were making good progress and most pupils agreed that they learnt new things in lessons and that teachers helped them when they got stuck.

p.8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' attitudes to school are very good and their behaviour is good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Attendance is good and their punctuality is satisfactory.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils like school, are keen to do well and generally behave well in lessons. • The school's very good provision for social and moral development leads to very good relationships and social awareness. • Pupils take responsibility seriously. They develop good levels of maturity by the time they reach Year 6. Itchen Abbas Primary School 9 • Pupils do not have a sufficient awareness of the lifestyle and traditions of the other groups in our multiethnic society.

p.8

Commentary

9. Pupils throughout the school have positive attitudes to learning in almost all lessons, as at the time of the last inspection. They listen attentively, are keen to answer questions and undertake tasks enthusiastically. Pupils respond particularly well and maintain a high level of interest when set challenging tasks, which provide opportunity for pupils of all levels of capability to achieve well. Their good spiritual development is enhanced by the links with the local church. School assemblies enable pupils to develop their sense of belonging to a whole school community, to reflect on their own contribution to this and to celebrate the achievements of others. These strengths confirm parents’ and pupils’ positive views of the school.

p.9

Commentary

10. Pupils with SEN show appropriate interest in their work. As a result of well-planned activities, teaching and support, pupils are able to sustain their attention and concentration. They achieve this both during and out of lessons. The attitude to learning of these pupils is good, and they form constructive relationships with fellow pupils, teachers and other adults. Pupils observed during the inspection showed that they really enjoyed their lessons.

p.9

Commentary

11. Pupils' social development is very good. Relationships are harmonious and pupils work well together in groups. The school values its members and encourages pupils to integrate well both at work and at play. Pupils' very positive relationships with their peers and with adults contribute to the quality of work in lessons and to the progress they make. The pupils show maturity in fulfilling their responsibilities around the school and show great concern for the needs of others. Pupils are starting to develop an awareness of the wider world from the collections for charity and the visits by people who work in the community.

p.9

Commentary

12. Pupils’ moral development is very good. The school stands for positive values and there are clear expectations of high standards of behaviour and acceptable conduct to which the pupils respond. Pupils behave well in the classroom, at play and lunch times. They are well mannered and even the youngest work well with their classmates, taking turns and sharing equipment. Nevertheless a few of the older pupils are still developing their self-discipline and are occasionally off-task. There is no suggestion of any bullying or aggression. There have been no exclusions.

p.9

Commentary

13. Pupils develop secure awareness of national and Western cultural heritage through work in subjects such as music, art, history and geography and through educational visits. However, multicultural education remains a relative weakness. Pupils learn about different faiths in religious education (RE) and about people living in other countries through work in geography. The school has the occasional visitor from other cultures such as an African drummer. Nevertheless, there are too few planned opportunities to develop pupils’ awareness of the wide range of cultural traditions in our own British multicultural society.

p.9

Commentary

14. The table below shows the attendance figures for the last school year and the level in the current year is approaching 96%. The school emphasises good attendance in newsletters and in the prospectus. The secretary also telephones home on the first day of any unexplained absence. Nevertheless, some parents insist on taking their children on holiday in term time despite the adverse effect this has on their learning. Most pupils arrive on time in the morning though some families are regularly late causing some disruption to the activities at the start of the day.

p.9

Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.9

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.1 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. Itchen Abbas Primary School 10 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.9

Attendance

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 65 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.10

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good across the school. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall but unsatisfactory in ICT. The curriculum is well planned and the school provides a very good range of enrichment activities. Care and welfare provision is good. The links with parents and with other schools are very good and they support the school’s work very well.

p.10

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good across all phases of the school. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall. They are good in English, mathematics and in the Foundation Stage but there are weaknesses in other subjects particularly in ICT.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good with some very good features. This impacts well on pupils’ learning and the good progress they make. • Pupils consistently have very good attitudes to their work. They are very committed to their learning and concentrate impressively. • LSA’s are effective and well deployed. • Assessment procedures are developed well in English and mathematics but are less effective in other subjects such as RE and science. In ICT they are unsatisfactory. • The involvement of pupils in assessing their own work and that of their peers is an area for development which is recognised by the school.

p.10

Commentary

15. Good, effective teaching has been maintained well since the last inspection. The quality of teaching now is very similar to that in 1999. Currently, the quality of teaching and learning is good in all areas of the school. They are consistently good in the Foundation Stage and examples of very effective teaching and learning are found in all other classes. Both parents and pupils thought that the teaching was good.

p.10

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 16 lessons

p.10

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.10

Commentary

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

p.10

Commentary

16. Several of the current strengths in teaching were also noted at the time of the last inspection. Most significant is the skill of the teachers in creating an exciting learning environment in their classrooms and the encouragement given to pupils to try hard and do their best. Across the school, teachers generate a very high level of commitment and motivation of the pupils who are consistently very keen to learn and concentrate on tasks with commendable tenacity. This is a major reason why they achieve well. Teachers demonstrate good and sometimes very good Itchen Abbas Primary School 11 subject knowledge and devise interesting and challenging activities for the pupils. They give clear instructions and explanations and ensure that all pupils are fully involved in the lesson. Class teachers also maintain good relationships with their LSA’s who also contribute to the high standards pupils achieve and the good progress they make. Planning is usually detailed and full

p.10

Commentary

but a relative weakness is that not all teachers put sufficient emphasis on the learning objectives for the lesson which identify the specific learning that is going to be undertaken.

p.11

Commentary

17. A further strength is the way in which Learning Support Assistants (LSA’s) are used effectively. There are consistently good relationships between class teachers and their assistants. Assistants are well prepared, relate well to the pupils and impact positively on the standards attained and the progress pupils make. Pupils with SEN are particularly well supported.

p.11

Commentary

18. A lesson to pupils in Years 4/5/6 illustrated several further features of very good, effective teaching. A range of interesting mathematical challenges was devised by the teacher as a separate maths investigation activity. A number pattern was provided for the older pupils and they were challenged well to complete it. This group then proceeded to work independently of the others and demonstrated good co-operative skills and used logic and reasoning well to work out the pattern. The teacher demonstrated very good subject knowledge as she helped younger pupils develop the procedures for solving a similar problem. She cleverly maintained a good pace to the lesson which succeeded in maintaining the full concentration and commitment of all the pupils. Pupils’ attention was rightly focused on the logical process of problem solving. By the end of the lesson, pupils had made very good gains in their ability to use and apply what they knew to solve

p.11

Commentary

problems. Such was the enthusiasm for learning that they were all very disappointed when the lesson ended.

p.11

Commentary

19. ICT is used well to support learning in some subjects, particular English. Older pupils develop their word processing skills well and use computers to present their work in different forms. The use of data handling facilities and monitoring and modelling are less well developed. There is further scope for using ICT skills across other curriculum areas.

p.11

Commentary

20. The teaching of children in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher is well prepared and plans for activities which match the learning goals for children of this age. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Strengths in teaching are in the warm and open style adopted by the teacher. This ensures that children feel safe, secure and valued and improves their learning. The teacher uses a range of effective strategies which include good use of questioning, reinforcement of new vocabulary and opportunity for children to talk about their own experiences. The teacher and her assistants work well together with the teacher often providing the initial teaching input and the LSA’s supervising the groups as they work. Regular assessments are made of what children can do by the class teacher and her assistants. These data are combined in a detailed end of year assessment statement. Good use is also made of data to identify children in need of further

p.11

Commentary

support, particularly in the social use of language group.

p.11

Commentary

21. The quality of teaching of pupils with SEN, including those with visual impairment, is good. Pupils make good progress because they receive work and activities that are both appropriate to their needs and their levels of attainment. They also progress well because the school identifies them sufficiently early, and then, where appropriate, this leads to additional support for pupils from specialist staff supplied by outside agencies. Important strengths in provision are in the way in which assessment data is used to inform learning plans, the effective co-operation between all staff and the informal family atmosphere established by the staff which provides pupils with a real sense of security and guidance. Staff meet regularly and draw-up plans and actions that maximise learning opportunities for their pupils. They also ensure that pupils’ individual learning plans are regularly reviewed, followed and then re-assessed. Pupils are provided with resources that have

p.11

Commentary

been specially selected, adapted or modified to enhance learning. Currently, however, very little use is made of ICT to enhance the opportunities for SEN pupils to learn.

p.11

Commentary

22. Assessment overall is satisfactory. Although day to day assessment was judged to have been good at the last inspection there were weaknesses in the use to which data were put. The school has made satisfactory progress in addressing the key issue relating to assessment. The best Itchen Abbas Primary School 12 progress has been made in English and mathematics where assessment procedures are now good. In these subjects, there are careful and systematic assessments of what pupils know and can do and their attainment is tracked according to expected National Curriculum levels. Data from national tests and from the school’s own records are used well to set appropriate developmental targets for pupils to achieve. These are shared with pupils and their parents. Shortcomings in assessment are that in some subjects, most notable ICT and RE, no whole school assessment and recording procedures have been devised and in science they are insufficiently developed. A further

p.11

Commentary

shortcoming is that procedures to involve pupils in the regular and systematic monitoring and assessment of their own work is underdeveloped. This aspect and the need to improve assessment in ICT have been recognised by the school as an area for development.

p.12

The curriculum

Overall, the curriculum provided is good and meets statutory requirements. The school makes very good provision for enriching the pupils’ learning. Additionally, it has very good and well-resourced accommodation, especially for such a relatively small school.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum, and it ensures equality of access and opportunity for all of its pupils. The curriculum provided for children in the Foundation Stage is now good. • The school gives the enrichment of the curriculum a high priority. • The school has established particularly effective provision for English, mathematics, science and personal, social and health education. • The pupils’ learning is enhanced very well through the range of educational visits and visitors, and the very good variety of lunchtime and after-school activities it provides. • The curriculum benefits greatly from the very good accommodation available at the school.

p.12

Commentary

23. The effectiveness of the school’s curricular provision is kept under review and it takes account of new developments. Appropriate time allocations are provided for each subject, and these subjects fully reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum. All pupils are able to access and participate in the extensive range of curricular opportunities that the school provides. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is now good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the curriculum did not meet requirements. Currently, the needs of the youngest children are met well within this mixed age class and activities are planned which match the Early Learning Goals. An appropriate mix of teacher led and free choice activities is provided. Higher attaining pupils are identified and their needs are met well within the curriculum.

p.12

Commentary

24. The school takes pride and attaches importance to providing a rich and varied approach to its curriculum. For example, it has established a particularly effective provision for health education. This has resulted in pupils enjoying a range of opportunities to study about being a member of a Healthy School. This has provided the pupils with considerable awareness about being healthy, by for example linking with other curriculum subjects such as DT, where pupils have created their own fruit salads and in science they have learned about vitamins. The school’s curriculum provision for English, mathematics and science is also effective because it readily caters for the interests, aptitudes and needs of all its pupils in these core subjects. The teaching and organisation provided for these subjects are particularly successfully in motivating the pupils to learn and promote high achievement. The most able pupils also benefit from the school recognising their special gifts and

p.12

Commentary

talents and from its very good efforts to offer them appropriate and challenging teaching. For example, the Year 5 and 6 pupils attend an annual challenge day at the local Secondary School. The Headteacher effectively carries out the management, monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum. She has also ensured that weaknesses revealed in the school’s last inspection have been fully addressed and resolved. Itchen Abbas Primary School 13 25. The provision for pupils with SEN is good. They are given work that is differentiated at appropriate levels for their development and they receive especially good support from teachers and assistants. Pupils are fully and successfully included in all aspects of school life and no significant differences were observed in the provision for different groups of pupils.

p.12

Commentary

26. The curriculum is particularly well supported by the variety of visitors to the school and the very good arrangements for relevant and stimulating educational visits by the pupils. Visitors to the school also support and contribute considerably to pupils’ learning. These include the Guildhall Art, the City of Shoes and Town Planners’ workshops. The school plans and provides a rich and varied programme of educational visits for its pupils with all classes undertaking off-site visits. For example, Class 1’s visit to Sparsholt, Class 2’s trip to see HMS Warrior and Class 3’s trip which took place during the inspection. This stimulating experience involved travelling to Wintershall to participate in the ‘Passion of Christ’ day, which was an open-air promenade drama production. Year 5 and 6 pupils alternate annually between a sailing week at the Southampton Activities Centre and a residential visit to the Isle of Wight. Participation in the arts adds a further strong

p.13

Commentary

dimension to the school’s provision. The school takes advantage of the services of a peripatetic music teacher, has used an artist-in-residence to provide a large mural on the front of the school building and last year the whole school visited Southampton Art Gallery.

p.13

Commentary

27. The curriculum is further enhanced by the school providing a comprehensive variety of extracurricular activities. These have been fully planned to help pupils see and experience connections across subjects and between learning in school and outside it. The involvement of Southampton Football Club coaching the football club and the ICT Robotics Club at the local Secondary School are good examples of this aspect of the school’s provision. Clubs are well attended and also have a positive impact on the personal development of those who attend them. Conversations with pupils showed that they really value and enjoy their clubs and activities.

p.13

Commentary

28. The school’s building accommodation is a combination of Victorian and relatively recent classroom and corridor extensions. The provision offers very good facilities for the delivery of the school’s curriculum, and its design promotes the development of the school’s sense of community and caring ethos. Classrooms are of an appropriate size to enable pupils to have space for a range of methods for learning, although in some PE lessons the size of the hall restricts certain activities. The library is compact but well organised, and the link area outside the new classrooms is effective in providing good space for group teaching activities. The school has plenty of outdoor space for the teaching of subjects such as physical education (PE) and science. The provision of a Quiet Area, the Trim Trail and the Sensory Garden are all beneficial to the curricular provision on offer. Resources are very well suited to the demands of the curriculum and provide interesting

p.13

Commentary

experiences for the pupils. The resources for the core subjects, PE and music are particularly good. A further important feature of the school’s resources is the generous quota of LSA’s on the staff. Many of these have specialist expertise. They make an especially valuable contribution to the provision for pupils with SEN.

p.13

Care, guidance and support

The arrangements for pupils' care, welfare and health and safety are good and they support pupils' learning well. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is good overall. The involvement of pupils in the school's work through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is outstanding.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures to involve pupils in the school’s work are outstanding. • Staff always treat pupils with respect, value their opinions and take these into account in planning for both individuals and the school community. • Pastoral care arrangements are good with good arrangements for child protection, first aid and ensuring people’s safety. • The staff effectively support pupils’ academic and personal development through the school. Itchen Abbas Primary School 14

p.13

Commentary

29. As at the last inspection, staff know pupils well, are very caring, and show good concern for pupils’ personal and academic needs. Staff are approachable and provide good role models that help pupils to form positive relationships. Parents are pleased with the level of personal support for their children. In particular, parents agree that children are well supported when they first come into the school when they start in the Reception year or if they arrive at a later stage. Pupils know to whom they would go to if they need help. Pupils with SEN receive good support from all teachers and teaching assistants, who consistently adopt positive attitudes towards their pupils and their needs. This promotes both the pupils’ self-esteem and their ability to succeed at work.

p.14

Commentary

30. The school takes the involvement of pupils very seriously and procedures established to seek out pupils’ views of the school are excellent. The school council is a very good means of enabling pupils to influence what happens in school. Pupils from all years (including Reception) meet each month and their discussions have led to initiatives such as the friendship bench, fund-raising through non-uniform days and the activities on Fridays. Other adult groups, such as LSA’s and governors are also represented on the council. This helps to give the council’s work a high priority. The school also finds out pupils’ views by means of questionnaires each year which are carefully analysed. A further strength is the way that teachers use pupil interviews in order to assess the effectiveness of subject provision. Additionally, classes have ‘circle time’ and ‘bubble time’ when pupils can talk individually to their teacher. Pupil opinion is taken seriously and the school acts well

p.14

Commentary

on information received as, for example, pupils requested a drama club and more three- dimensional art work.

p.14

Commentary

31. The arrangements for child protection are good with the Headteacher ensuring that all staff receive guidance at whole school staff meetings. The arrangements for first-aid are good with LSA’s and the secretary having had training and parents are contacted when necessary. The school has risk assessments in place for various activities taking place within the school and for visits out. The governors tour the school regularly and the local education authority reviews the school’s procedures from time to time.

p.14

Commentary

32. The procedures for monitoring pupils' academic progress and personal development make a good contribution to raising pupils’ achievement. The teachers assess pupils’ progress continuously in English and mathematics though teachers use different systems in each class. Pupils understand what to do to improve and this is reinforced by the comments made by the teachers when they mark the work. The pupils have recently started to set their own targets which are reviewed at least half termly. The school recognises that these need to be developed further as some are good with measurable outcomes such as ‘volunteer answers in class three times a day’ but others are vague such as ‘be more confident in science’. Records are kept of the pupils' reading and parents are encouraged to comment on their child's reading at home. The pupils’ personal development is less structured though all the staff have a good understanding of their

p.14

Commentary

attitudes to work and social skills. They consistently and appropriately use praise and rewards to raise pupils’ self esteem and to develop their personal qualities.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are very good and show improvement since the last inspection. Links with other schools are also very good and with the local community are satisfactory.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents hold the school in high regard. • The parents' support at home and in school makes a very good contribution to pupils' achievement. • The school actively seeks, and acts on, the views of parents. • The links with the community and other schools enhance pupils’ academic and personal development Itchen Abbas Primary School 15

p.14

Commentary

33. Parents are very pleased with what the school provides. In particular, their children like school, the staff treat them fairly though they are expected to work hard and they are encouraged to become mature individuals. The inspectors agree with all their positive comments. The school sends home regular news and other letters about general matters and, at the start of the year, outlining what is to be taught in each class. Teachers are readily available, coming into the playground at the end of the day. From the relaxed, informal conversations seen to take place during the inspection, it is apparent that parents are comfortable talking to the staff. The annual reports on pupil progress in the summer term provide a good summary of what the children know and can do in each area of learning or subject though they usually do not include targets for improving achievement. The school has established good links with parents and outside agencies

p.15

Commentary

to support its provision for pupils with SEN. Effective links have developed in recent years with the school’s speech and language therapist and the occupational therapist. As a direct result, SEN pupils have benefited considerably from their expertise.

p.15

Commentary

34. The reading records show that the majority of parents ensure that their children read at home several times a week. A few parents regularly help in school with others helping on trips out and by ferrying pupils to events. Many parents come to the curriculum and other evenings with the teachers. Parents help their children at home with reading and ensuring homework is completed. The Friends’ Association works hard to successfully organise both fund raising and social activities. In addition the parents help to develop different parts of the outside of the school such as the quiet area. Parents are actively involved in helping to formulate school policies and practice by responding to questionnaires sent out each year. This has resulted in changes such as increased opportunities for parents to meet teachers informally, homework diaries and folders so parents can see it after it is marked.

p.15

Commentary

35. The pyramid of local schools enables the Headteacher and the curriculum co-ordinators to meet their colleagues in other schools to discuss and share good practice and for pupils to engage in inter-school sporting activities. The local Secondary School provides a computer technician, a teacher for French and extends the teaching of games skills as well as providing training to the PE co-ordinator. It also provides several opportunities for Year 6 pupils to get to meet pupils from other primary schools before they move up to secondary school. The school builds upon contacts with the villagers who are welcomed to the open day and some of whom become involved in lessons such as talking about the past or an artist helping the pupils to produce a mural. Pupils participate in local events such as the flower show competition, church services and village fete.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the Headteacher is very good. The leadership of the Foundation Stage and the contribution of other senior staff are good. Overall, the management of the school and the school’s governance are good.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The Headteacher’s leadership of the school is very good. She ensures that the school remains committed to high and very high standards and she involves all stakeholders very effectively in the school’s development. • The Headteacher has a clear view of the strengths and areas to be developed within the school. • The school’s budget is devised and monitored very well through the effective combination of the input of the Headteacher, the office manager and the chair of the governors' finance committee. • The School Improvement Plan, The Strategic Management Plan and The Self-Evaluation Plan are all detailed and useful documents but there is some lack of clarity between the different priorities to be followed. • There is too much inconsistency in the impact of different curriculum co-ordinators. Itchen Abbas Primary School 16

p.15

Commentary

36. The Headteacher’s leadership of the school is very good. She has a major impact in setting and maintaining the clear vision for the school and she articulates this very well. An important strength is the way in which she involves all stakeholders in the school’s work. She ensures that the governing body is well informed about school issues through her clear and full written reports to their meetings. An open approach to school management helps to involve all staff in the day to day running of the school. Parents are involved well with the school’s development, both through their representation on the school governing body but also through the regular questionnaires that are used by the school. The involvement of pupils is outstanding. Through the work of the well organised School Council and through regular questionnaires to pupils, their views are sought, taken seriously and acted upon. These strengths help to secure the good sense of community

p.16

Commentary

within the life of the school and the successful implementation of its fully inclusive ethos. The Headteacher has a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This is informed through her regular contact with staff and parents and through her regular teaching commitment. She leads well by the example that she sets as an effective class teacher and in the way that she encourages and supports all in the school community well.

p.16

Commentary

37. The details of the school’s development are charted through the construction of a useful strategic plan. This includes a separate School Improvement Plan, a Management Plan and a Self- Evaluation Plan. These plans identify important priorities for moving the school forward and are clearly costed and contain appropriate guidance on how to assess their success. The work on the Self-Evaluation Plan ensures that procedures to enable the school to continue to monitor its effectiveness are beginning to be firmly established. A relative weakness is that there is some overlap between the different plans and it is not clear which of the different priorities takes precedence in future development.

p.16

Commentary

38. The management of the school is good. Staff are well informed about and involved in decisions made about the school. Performance Management for teaching staff is effective and has been extended to include support staff too. Clear links are made between individual teachers’ objectives and school improvement planning priorities. For example, the school’s work on the Healthy Schools initiative was a focus of teachers’ objectives. Performance Management processes are also related well to the professional development of staff and in-service training. A relative weakness in the school’s management is that the impact of subject co-ordinators is too inconsistent. Several, especially those managing science, ICT and RE do not have a sufficiently clear view of the standards pupils are achieving across the different phases of the school and co- ordinators are not sufficiently aware of achievement trends shown by the analysis of assessment

p.16

Commentary

39. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is good. There is close and effective liaison between the class teacher and her assistants. They are well prepared and their work impacts significantly on the quality of provision at this stage. The class teacher, who is also a senior teacher in the school, ensures that the Foundation Stage has a high priority within the school’s work.

p.16

Commentary

40. The leadership and management of SEN are good. The SEN co-ordinator has ensured there is a whole-school approach which fully meets the pupils’ particular needs. She has also established overall consistency within the school’s provision for pupils of all ages. The SEN co-ordinator’s analysis of performance data and procedures for assessing the progress of pupils who have SEN are satisfactory, but require continuing development. Effective use of funding has enabled the school to build-up good learning resources and to provide additional training for teachers and LSA’s.

p.16

Commentary

41. Governance of the school is good. Governors are fully committed to the school and ensure that a wide range of relevant issues is discussed at their full and committee meetings. They are supplied with good levels of information about the school through the Headteacher’s regular reports which are clear, full and helpful. Governors take their monitoring role seriously and have recently discussed a programme of visiting governors and agreement of how visits are to be undertaken and recorded. The formal recording of overall judgements about school effectiveness is Itchen Abbas Primary School 17 less clear. Governors support financial planning well and maintain a good view of the day-to-day spending through their effective finance committee.

p.16

Commentary

42. The management of the school’s finances is very good. The office manager and the Headteacher work together effectively to provide a very good overview of budgetary control and spending priorities are always costed realistically within the constraints of a small budget which is heavily weighted towards staffing costs. The office manager has a clear view of spending patterns and produces regular cost effectiveness statements to ensure the school is getting good value for money on its spending. The balance carried forward to the next financial year is slightly higher than the recommended level but contains funds earmarked for the new building programme. Strengths in leadership and management have been maintained well since the last inspection, but in several areas the current judgements are not as high as they were in 1999.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 204 to March2005

p.17

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 316748 Balance from previous year 5352 Total expenditure 299751 Balance carried forward to the next 22349 Expenditure per pupil 4541 Itchen Abbas Primary School 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is good.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. At the time of the inspection there were 11 children in the Foundation Stage who were being taught in a class with 12 other Year 1 pupils. Procedures to admit children to the school are well organised. The class teacher visits the main feeder playgroup and most children start school during the autumn term during the year when they are five. A strength of provision in this school is the flexibility of its induction programme. A pattern of pre-starting visits is prepared but this can be adapted and modified to suit the needs of individual children. When they enter the school, although there is some variation between the different year groups, most are achieving standards that are above those expected for their age. In 1999, standards on entry were judged to have been average.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. By the time they leave the Reception Year, most children are on course to achieve standards that are above those expected for their age in all areas of learning, except in their physical development where there was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made. Where it is possible to make comparisons with the last inspection, standards in basic literacy and numercay skills have been improved.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. The curriculum is good. The teacher’s long-term planning shows clearly how the required areas of learning are to be taught and this is linked cleverly with topics that are also taught to pupils in Year 1. The teacher has a good understanding of the differences in emphasis required by the different age groups in the class and the organisation of lessons makes good reference to this. This represents good improvement in addressing the key issue from the last inspection which found that the full curriculum for these young children was not being provided satisfactorily.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. The class teacher is well organised and adopts a warm and friendly approach which encourages the children to feel safe, secure and valued and establishes an effective learning environment in her classroom. The teacher ensures that there is an appropriate balance between adult led and free choice activities. LSA’s are deployed well and assessment procedures are good. A strength in provision is the contribution which homework makes to the quality of children’s learning. The homework topics are well managed by a teaching assistant and are given a high priority in the class. This work successfully builds on skills learnt at school and provides good opportunity for parents to help and support their children’s learning.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of the year, children make good progress and most are on course to reach standards that are above those expected for their age in all areas of learning where it is possible to make inspection judgements. • The needs of the Foundation Stage children are met well within this mixed age class. • The class teacher manages the provision well and she is well supported by her LSA. • Basic literacy and numeracy skills are introduced and taught well. This provides a good start to children’s time at school and provides a good basis for their further learning. • The strong emphasis on homework encourages both children and their parents and impacts well on children’s learning and the home school partnership.

p.18

Commentary

47. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the teacher and her assistants and children reach above average standards by the end of the year. The quality of teaching and learning is good. When they first enter the class, children are settled quickly and effectively and because there are always older pupils in the class, routines and expectations are Itchen Abbas Primary School 19 always well set out. This means that little learning time is lost when children start school. The class teacher ensures that there is always a calm and responsive environment in the class and children’s work and their contributions to class talk time are respected and valued. This approach is consistently adopted by all adults in the class. The effect is that children are enthusiastic learners, have a positive self-image and are keen to do their best. They demonstrate good levels of concentration in lessons and following their own activities. Children observed using the sand-tray

p.18

Commentary

demonstrated good levels of co-operation and social interaction as they worked together to build a sand fort and place people in it. Children’s independence is promoted well as they make choices about some of the activities they intend to follow and place their name card under the appropriate activity symbol. They take responsibility for getting out toys and equipment and in putting things away at the end of the activity.

p.19

Commentary

48. Standards in communication, language and literacy are above average and the quality of teaching and learning in this aspect of development is good. The teacher and all other adults consistently promote children’s speaking and listening skills in the way that they use questioning and provide opportunities for children to talk to them. Early reading and writing skills are planned and taught well. The programme which encourages the sounds of letters to be learnt in a fun way is followed and a reinforcement activity observed during the inspection showed the children learning well and having fun at the same time. Letter blends are introduced and children enjoy having their own reading book as soon as possible. Reading standards are above average and most children are able to read texts independently, several higher attaining pupils are reading at levels well within the National Curriculum. Handwriting skills are taught progressively and by the

p.19

Commentary

end of the year most children are beginning to use a handwriting style with recognisable and well- formed letters. Opportunities are lost to support early writing skills through a writing area in the class or making writing a focus of the travel-agent role-play area. Speaking and listening skills are encouraged through all class activities. In a well organised ‘Show and Tell’ time observed during the inspection, children were given opportunity to talk about things they had brought into class and through clever management of the class the teacher involved all children, including those who were less confident.

p.19

Commentary

49. Children also reach above average standards in their mathematical development. Early number skills are developed well. Most children can count reliably up to 10 and many are comfortable in using higher numbers. Number concepts are explained well and then children have good opportunity to reinforce newly learned skills in different contexts. Teaching and learning are good. In an effective activity observed during the inspection, the class teacher introduced the topic of doubling numbers up to 10 successfully with the whole class. Smaller groups were then given the opportunity to reinforce their understanding in activities supervised by the class teacher and other support assistants. Important vocabulary such as more than and less than was emphasised and children were challenged to roll dice and select coloured cards with numbers which they could double. They were all fully involved in the activities and learnt well. Concepts of space and

p.19

Commentary

measures are developed well as children consider which objects are longer or shorter than others and numbers that might be above, below or next to another. They begin to measure objects in the classroom using units of measure such as counting bricks.

p.19

Commentary

50. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is developed well and most reach standards which are above average by the end of the year. Several have a very good all round general knowledge. For example, during a discussion about what animal might have been responsible for some foot-prints in the sand one child remarked how she knew it might have been a sea-gull, duck or goose because they all have webbed feet. The good teaching and learning encourages children to take an interest in the school environment. They consider some of the materials, such as wood, plastic, metal and glass that are found around the school. They observe closely the seeds inside several fruits and know how seeds change as they grow. They know the sequence of activities required to make a sandwich and they confidently use a good range of construction equipment. Their appreciation of more distant places is developed well as they plan a

p.19

Commentary

trip to China through their class Travel Agent. During the inspection they had been preparing for the visit which included making their own passports. Children have good access to computers and activities observed during the inspection showed that they were confident in using the mouse to move the icon across the screen to, for example, match numbers and objects. Itchen Abbas Primary School 20 51. There was no specific teaching of creative skills during the inspection but evidence from the displays of previous work indicated that standards are above those expected for children’s age and that teaching and learning are good. The classroom is decorated with a large collage illustrating the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Developing their topic on toys, children have produced colourful paintings of their bears which have been cut out and displayed effectively and collage models of bears with moving joints. Other children have produced observational drawings of

p.19

Commentary

sections through different fruits and portraits painted in the style of Van Gogh which were of outstanding quality. The pictures of fruits were done in a range of bright chalk and wax crayons which showed very good observational skills and mature colour mixing and shading techniques. Around the class there were also displays of colourful symmetry patterns and interesting warning posters about the dangers of fire. Paints and modelling materials are organised as free choice activities when these are available.

p.20

Commentary

52. There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made about the quality of teaching and learning or overall provision for children’s physical development. There was evidence during the inspection that children were able to handle tools and materials with control and that they used construction equipment safely and sensibly. During an outdoor physical activity lesson children were able to move around a specific area with control and an awareness of their space and that of others and they demonstrated good co-ordination as they moved a rubber quoit around, under and over different parts of their bodies following the teachers’ instructions. During the duration of the inspection, the outdoor bikes and trikes equipment was not being used and children did not have an opportunity of choosing a physical activity during their free choice time.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading, writing and speaking and listening are well above average across the school. • Teaching is good overall, with very effective partnerships between teachers and LSA’s. This enables pupils to achieve well throughout the school. • Good relationships help pupils to have positive attitudes towards their work. • Assessment procedures, including the marking of pupils’ work, are good but opportunities to involve pupils in assessing their own work are less well developed. • The subject is well managed but the co-ordinator is not sufficiently aware of the standards being achieved across the school.

p.20

Commentary

53. In Year 2 and Year 6, standards in all aspects of literacy are well above average and pupils’ achievement is good. This includes pupils with SEN and the more able pupils. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when standards were average across the school and progress was judged to have been only satisfactory in Year 2. The judgements mean that the school has made good progress since its last inspection. The current findings are also in line with the high standards which have been consistently maintained in the national tests and match the results of the 2004 tests when standards were very high across the school.

p.20

Commentary

54. Across the school, standards of speaking and listening are well above average. The school provides pupils with good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills and this encourages effective learning. Most pupils are careful and very responsive listeners and this assists them in absorbing new information and ideas and in applying them to their work. In Year 2, most pupils speak confidently and audibly and offer opinions readily in appropriately formed Itchen Abbas Primary School 21 sentences. Many pupils also show an understanding of the main points in a discussion. Year 6 pupils offer views in a very well judged and thoughtful way, and during discussions listen attentively to others and take account of others’ views. Additionally, they express their ideas really confidently and are quick to respond to questions. Across the school, teachers frequently use ‘talk-partners’ to

p.20

Commentary

stimulate and promote pupils’ opportunities to develop their language skills. Role-play and drama are sometimes used well to develop speaking and listening skills and to extend pupils’ vocabulary.

p.21

Commentary

55. Reading skills are well above average in Year 2 and in Year 6. This is a significant strength in the school’s provision. Most pupils in Year 2 read fluently and independently and they can retell a story, capturing the main parts of the plot. Most pupils have a secure knowledge of individual letter sounds and are able to apply this knowledge to help them blend the sounds to read unfamiliar words. They enjoy their reading and are eager to read to adults. By Year 6 the pupils read books which are mainly suitable for pupils older than themselves yet they still have an appropriate understanding of the text. They talk confidently about books they have read recently and are able to select key points and use deduction effectively. They are also able to retrieve information from a variety of sources. Higher order skills such as skimming and scanning are taught well. Additionally, across the school the use of time spent on guided reading that occurs both during and

p.21

Commentary

outside the daily literacy hour is well focused. This provision further enhances the standards attained in reading by the pupils throughout the school.

p.21

Commentary

56. Standards in writing are well above average in Year 2 and in Year 6. This has been a recent school improvement priority. There is evidence that this focus has already begun to have a really positive impact on raising standards to their current level across the school. In Year 2, the range and form of pupils’ writing are very well extended and most pupils develop their ideas in great detail. This reflects their strong language and communication skills. A weakness is that some of their work is not well presented but most pupils’ handwriting is legibly formed and joined. Spelling and punctuation are usually correct and for many pupils writing is clear, organised and imaginative. Pupils benefit from links with other subject areas to extend the detail and length of their writing, such as in the retelling of traditional stories in RE.

p.21

Commentary

57. Pupils in Year 6 write in an appropriate range of forms. These include, formal and informal letter writing, poetry writing in several forms and discursive and report writing linked to visits. Pupils organise their writing into paragraphs and, in the best writing, ideas are organised concisely and words are chosen imaginatively and used with precision. Handwriting is joined, clear and fluent and is often adapted well for a range of tasks. Evidence seen in pupils’ work over the year indicates that across the school, teachers have been seeking and succeeding in improving both the quality of pupils’ handwriting and also the quality and standard of presentation. Words with some complex regular patterns are usually spelt correctly. Some pupils have a lively and spontaneous style of writing which is interesting and often persuasive.

p.21

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching and learning across the school is good. This judgement represents an improvement since the last inspection in Years 1 and 2 where teaching was judged to have been satisfactory. Strengths in teaching include good subject knowledge, the effective use of appropriate teaching methods and resources, and the very productive partnerships that teachers have with their LSA’s. This enables pupils to be well supported and is particularly effective in ensuring that pupils with SEN and the most able pupils make good progress. Teachers consistently create very good relationships with their pupils, by insisting on high standards of behaviour and by their high levels of expectation of what pupils can achieve. Good provision is made for homework which is used to provide opportunities for independent learning. In addition, homework reinforces classroom learning and understanding. Parents are supportive with their children’s homework and this is

p.21

Commentary

another factor contributing to the pupils’ good achievement by the end of Year 6. Marking is conscientious and most teachers make reference to the pupils’ individual targets to show them what they need to do to improve.

p.21

Commentary

59. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Raising standards in the subject has been a consistent focus over several years. Training needs have been fully recognised and addressed. The monitoring of pupils’ progress is good and there is good evidence of tracking individual pupils’ work throughout the school. Where sufficient progress is not made, the school Itchen Abbas Primary School 22 identifies weaknesses and provides good support from the teachers and LSA’s. The monitoring of teaching and learning has been regular but there has been insufficient opportunity for the co- ordinator to observe teaching. She also has insufficient awareness of standards across the school and is insufficiently involved with handling and analysing performance data. However, she is enthusiastic about the subject, committed to its development and has ensured that raising standards has been an important priority. Assessment procedures are well established and

p.21

Commentary

consistently adopted. The further involvement of pupils in assessing their own work and that of others is an area for development which the school has identified. The curriculum is broad and is extended to include visits and to welcome visitors who can stimulate pupils’ interest and learning. For example, the whole school visited the Nuffield Theatre to see ‘The Snow Queen’ and the school organised a Poetry Week earlier this year.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

60. Language and literacy skills are applied well across other curriculum areas. Pupils are given a good range of opportunities in subjects across the curriculum to develop speaking and listening skills. There are also good opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in subjects such as science, where pupils use their recording and research skills, and in DT where they label and annotate their drawings and diagrams. Increasingly, teachers are making better use of ICT and cross-curricular links with other subjects to promote learning. For example, Class 3 used computers and a variety of styles and fonts to produce poems about snow, and then mounted and displayed them effectively.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Across the school, pupils achieve well and reach standards that are well above average. • Pupils’ interest, enthusiasm and commitment to their lessons impacts very positively on their capacity to learn. • The needs of more able pupils are met very well. • The quality of teaching is good with several very good features. • ICT skills are not fully used in this subject. • Assessment is good but the co-ordinator is not sufficiently involved with the analysis of test data and procedures to involve pupils in assessing their own work are not yet fully developed.

p.22

Commentary

61. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils reach standards that are well above those expected for their age. This is similar to the results of the respective national tests in 2004 and continues the trend of very high standards which has been evident since 2000. The current findings represent a significant improvement in standards since the last inspection when they were judged to have been average. Across the school, pupils achieve well and make good progress in their learning. This also represents good improvement since the last inspection when progress was judged to have been good in Years 3 to 6 but only satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. The increased rate of progress has been achieved as a result of the good, effective teaching and the priority given in the school to raising standards in the subject.

p.22

Commentary

62. Across the school, a strength in pupils’ achievement is their understanding of and confidence in working with basic numbers. In Year 2, most pupils have a good understanding of numbers which together total 20 and are able to do mental calculations with numbers up to 10 quickly and accurately. Higher attaining pupils work confidently with numbers that include thousands and are beginning to know and use a range of number tables. In Year 6, most pupils are able to add and multiply numbers by 10 and 100 while higher attaining pupils calculate with numbers to two decimal places. Across the school, pupils also have good opportunity to develop other Itchen Abbas Primary School 23 mathematical skills. In Year 2, pupils estimate and then measure the length of classroom objects, investigate the pattern of odd and even numbers and classify two-dimensional shapes. In Year 6, pupils draw and measure angles accurately, find angles by calculation and work out the area and

p.22

Commentary

perimeter of some regular and irregular shapes.

p.23

Commentary

63. Teaching and learning across the school are good with several very good features. Teaching at the last inspection was also judged to have been good. Teachers’ lesson planning is detailed and clear and follows the format recommended in the National Numeracy Strategy. Good attention is paid to the different ages and abilities of pupils in each class. In lessons where teaching is good or very good, teachers introduce interesting and challenging work, show good, confident subject knowledge and manage the pupils very well. Pupils show very high levels of interest in and commitment to their learning. A very good lesson to pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 illustrated several features of very effective teaching. The lesson was a follow-up to a visit the class had previously made to a redevelopment site in Winchester and was based around the concepts of area and perimeter. The activity provided a very good opportunity for pupils to apply their skills to a real-life

p.23

Commentary

situation and the pupils were engrossed in their different tasks of identifying and measuring some of the separate areas marked out on a map. The class teacher interacted very helpfully with each group and all pupils made important gains in their understanding of and ability to apply what they knew.

p.23

Commentary

64. The subject co-ordinator is relatively new to her post and she has made a good start to her work. Planning in the subject is secure and the school has modified and adapted a commercial scheme of work to fit its own situation. Important strengths in provision across the school are the way in which higher attaining pupils are identified and challenged well. The organisation of separate investigation lessons for older pupils is impacting very well on raising standards and an able pupils group is organised by the local pyramid of schools. Another strength is the effective use of homework. The school places a high priority on the effective operation of a homework system which is well managed in each class by LSA’s. This initiative is helping to raise standards but also helps to involve and encourage parental support. This was appreciated by several parents at their pre-inspection meeting. Assessment is good and data are used to set achievement targets for

p.23

Commentary

pupils and to organise groups requiring special support. Relative weaknesses are that the co- ordinator is not sufficiently involved with the analysis of assessment data and that pupils are not sufficiently involved in assessing their own work.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

65. Mathematics is used well across other curriculum areas. For example, in history, older pupils devise a timeline from Ancient Egypt to the modern day, and in English, they make a tally chart to record the length of words in a piece of text. In PE, younger pupils measure the distance they can jump or throw a ball. A weakness is that opportunities to use ICT skills are not sufficiently developed.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reach standards that are well above those expected for their age. • Teachers manage and control classes well. This encourages pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes and promotes their good achievement. • There are regular opportunities for pupils to investigate and experiment. • Too little use is made of ICT to support the teaching of science. • The co-ordinator does not have a sufficiently clear view of the standards being achieved across the school and procedures for monitoring the overall quality of provision are not yet applied rigorously. • The assessment of pupils’ achievement is at an early stage. Itchen Abbas Primary School 24

p.23

Commentary

66. Across the school, pupils attain standards that are well above those expected for their age. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to have been in line with national expectations. The current inspection findings reflect the most recent results the pupils have attained in national tests. Across the school, pupils of all abilities achieve well and make good progress.

p.24

Commentary

67. Pupils are taught a good range of concepts and skills as they move through the school and an important strength in their achievement is their ability to undertake a good range of interesting and challenging investigations. In Year 2, pupils know and understand basic life processes and can record their observations in a variety of ways. They know, for example, the names of the different parts of flowering plants and that living things have a specific life cycle. They consider the feeding relationships in a food chain and investigate the changes that take place as ice melts. Most understand physical phenomena to link cause and effect, such as a light bulb failing to light because of a break in an electrical circuit. In Year 6, pupils know some of the effects of the rotation of the Earth on, for example, the length of day and the formation of shadows. They research topics, such as the different gases in the atmosphere and investigate phenomena such as the factors

p.24

Commentary

affecting evaporation and water retention in different types of soil. A shortcoming, particularly in the recording of some older pupils, is the standard of presentation and the layout of diagrams and results of observations and experiments. This occasionally impedes the pupils’ ability to identify simple patterns in their observations and measurements.

p.24

Commentary

68. The overall quality of teaching and learning across the school is good. This judgement is similar to the findings of the previous inspection. Across the school, teachers encourage pupils to experiment and participate in scientific investigations. This encourages pupils’ appreciation of the scientific approach and also helps pupils to enjoy their work, behave well and show positive attitudes towards their learning. During lessons teachers manage pupils well, which enhances the pupils’ interest and helps them to concentrate. Good teaching of the older pupils was evident in the overall productivity found in pupils’ work since the beginning of the year, and in their revision files. These files indicate that the pupils are also thoroughly prepared for the taking of national tests, and that effective use of homework contributes successfully to their achievement. Teachers also make effective use of LSA’s, by involving them in lessons to ensure they promote pupils’ learning. Pupils

p.24

Commentary

with SEN are particularly well supported by the LSA’s who enable pupils to make good progress and to achieve well. Relative shortcomings in teaching are that ICT is not yet sufficiently used and that teachers’ lesson planning does not consistently make sufficiently clear reference to the National Curriculum levels at which their pupils are working.

p.24

Commentary

69. The subject is soundly led and managed. The co-ordinator has developed an appropriate Action Plan which has identified most of the subject’s developmental needs. This includes the encouragement of teachers to place greater emphasis on the teaching of scientific enquiry. Relative weaknesses are that opportunities for the co-ordinator to sample pupils’ work and to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning are not routinely completed and the co-ordinator does not yet have a comprehensive over-view of attainment across the whole school. Assessment is satisfactory overall. Assessment tasks are carried out at the end of units of work. However, a whole-school process for recording and monitoring the progress pupils are making and for predicting pupils’ probable end of year National Curriculum levels has not been completed. Assessment data are not yet used effectively to set individual pupil achievement targets. A new

p.24

Commentary

assessment programme is planned to be introduced from the beginning of the next academic year. Overall, the co-ordinator has ensured that since the last inspection, standards have risen, and therefore good progress has been made in improving the school’s provision. Itchen Abbas Primary School 25

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the time they leave the school pupils are not reaching as high standards as they should. However, in Year 6, pupils reach above average standards in their use of word-processing facilities. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. • The inconsistent teaching of all the required concepts and skills has left gaps in pupils’ understanding. • The increasing use of the newly introduced equipment and the developing links with the local Secondary School are raising the profile of the subject and beginning to raise standards. • ICT skills are not yet used sufficiently across most other curriculum areas and there is insufficient use of the Internet and e-mail.

p.25

Commentary

70. Across the school, pupils reach average standards. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Pupils achieve satisfactorily but the rate of progress that they make in this subject is too slow. Many are advantaged by significant access to computers at home. The provision of hardware, including a bank of laptops which were on-loan during the period of the inspection, is good and this is to be further enhanced by the imminent installation of a further interactive whiteboard. The main factor limiting higher all round standards and better progress has been the lack of specific resources and the ineffective teaching of some key concepts and skills.

p.25

Commentary

71. Across the school, pupils’ achievement in the word processing elements of the subject is good and standards are above average. Evidence from a scrutiny of pupils’ work and observation of some class activities showed that pupils in Year 2 were able to write and print their poems using effective presentational techniques such as changing fonts and colour and devising a colourful background. Others accessed menus to load programmes and used features such as ‘drag’ and ‘drop’ and were able to re-size a speech box before writing their text inside it. Older pupils also use a good range of facilities. These included letters of thanks for equipment provided for the school and persuasive letters to the local Member of Parliament, colourful illustrations of science work on the solar system and presenting poems in different ways. Satisfactory use is made of data handling facilities. Younger pupils construct a graph to show the classes’ favourite pet while older pupils

p.25

Commentary

construct a spreadsheet to show the amount of money which might have been spent on different side-shows at the fair. Across the school, pupils have insufficient opportunity to use control or modelling facilities and they have limited access to the Internet or e-mail.

p.25

Commentary

72. Across the school the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. At the last inspection the quality of teaching was good. It is lower now because there are gaps in pupils’ understanding because not all key skills have been appropriately covered. There was only opportunity to see one short session with older pupils where specific skills were taught. In this activity, the teacher introduced the task enthusiastically. It was based on designing a street scene to link with other topic work. The teacher demonstrated the programme confidently on the interactive whiteboard and the pupils were interested and very keen to start. They were very disappointed to be told that they would come back to this topic later in the week. This did not allow for an effective expression of the pupils’ enthusiasm. During the inspection, pupils were using class computers satisfactorily, for example, when pupils in Year 1 were using a number reinforcement programme. Class

p.25

Commentary

teachers used the new interactive whiteboard effectively in Years 4, 5 and 6. However, across the school, computers were not being used as an integral part of each lesson.

p.25

Commentary

73. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory overall. The co-ordinator has devised a useful subject action plan and has been instrumental in the introduction of a new scheme of work which will be introduced from the beginning of the next academic year. Several of the computers are Itchen Abbas Primary School 26 relatively new and additional resources have been ordered. Shortcomings in leadership are that the action plan, while being very detailed about resources, makes insufficient reference to the standards which pupils are reaching and the rate of progress which pupils are making. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. There is currently no agreed whole school system of assessing what pupils know and can do or to track their progress through the elements of the National Curriculum. This is an important weakness. The monitoring of teaching and learning has not been sufficiently rigorous to identify important areas for development. The school recognises these

p.25

Commentary

areas for development and the subject has a high profile in the current school improvement plan. There are very good links with the local Secondary School which help to raise the profile of the subject. Resources and expertise are shared and pupils from different schools are invited to attend a Robot Club.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. There is some use of ICT skills across other areas of the curriculum. Literacy and presentational skills are developed well. Use in other subjects includes older pupils writing about Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Greece in history and facts about gases in science. Good use is made of the digital camera across the school to record evidence of what pupils have achieved in several different subjects. However, there is insufficient planned use of ICT skills to support work across most other curriculum areas.

p.26

HUMANITIES

There was insufficient opportunity during this inspection to gather sufficient evidence for overall judgements about provision and standards to be made in religious education, history or geography.

p.26

HUMANITIES

75. In geography, younger pupils study their local environment and consider how it might be improved. Older pupils study life in the rainforest and know the distribution of the main oceans, seas and continents across the world. Work is made relevant as pupils look at the location and consider some of the effects of the recent tsunami disaster. Older pupils’ appreciation of their local area is promoted well though a well-planned visit to nearby Winchester to look at a proposed city development site. With the help of maps and photographs, pupils consider what changes are being planned and make judgements about how they think the area is being improved. In both these subjects there is insufficient use of ICT, including the Internet to support pupils’ learning. In history , Year 2 pupils know appropriate details of the people and events that they have been studying. For example, they know the clothes that may have been worn by men and women in

p.26

HUMANITIES

Anglo-Saxon times, how the Great Fire changed the city of London and some of the hospital conditions found by Florence Nightingale. Older pupils know some of the events from and legacy of the Ancient Greeks. They know, for example, details of the homes of the period and the legacy of the Greeks on our words and alphabet. Topics in history and geography are now well planned and the repetition noted at the last inspection has been eliminated.

p.26

HUMANITIES

76. The religious education curriculum is provided in line with the recommendations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils have satisfactory opportunity to investigate the main symbols of Christianity and other world faiths. They know, for example, some of the stories that Jesus told and some of the different people that he met. They also know that people worship in special places. The subject co-ordinator regularly requests boxes of artefacts from the Local Education Authority’s resource bank, when studies link with particular faiths. The subject has an action plan which is being followed. However, the subject’s leadership and management have some relative shortcomings. The provision for monitoring the curriculum and in particular for the co-ordinator to establish a whole-school overview of standards is underdeveloped. There are currently no agreed whole school procedures for assessing and recording the progress that pupils make. This is a

p.26

HUMANITIES

weakness. There is insufficient use of ICT in this subject.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

There was insufficient opportunity during this inspection to gather sufficient evidence for overall judgements about provision and standards to be made in art and design, design and technology and personal, social, health and citizenship education. Itchen Abbas Primary School 27 77. Art and design have a high priority in the school and interest in the subject is promoted very effectively by attractive and well organised displays of pupils’ work and the work of other artists. There is evidence in displays around the school of the input of a recent ‘artist-in-residence’. Pupils across the school have considered the work of Van Gogh and have produced some very effective paintings done in his style. Work on the style of Kandinsky was evident in the display in the Year 2/3 class. Evidence from displays also shows that pupils are introduced to a wide range of techniques and media. Older pupils mould clay to illustrate segments through different fruits and

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

younger pupils design and make colourful collages using a range of colourful fabrics and papers. Interest in the subject is promoted well by an art club for younger pupils. There is insufficient use of ICT in this subject.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. Indications from the work on display around the school and from samples of pupils’ previous work in design and technology are that an appropriate range of concepts and skills are being developed. Pupils are being introduced to appropriate tools and techniques. Pupils in Year 1 have access to a good range of construction kits and building resources and they use paper fasteners and a selection of materials to make their own teddy bear models. A scrutiny of the work done previously by older pupils showed that they had completed detailed initial designs for their mobile cranes and 3D drawings of the final model.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Music has a high priority in the school and the subject is much valued by the pupils and staff. For a relatively small school the provision of equipment is especially good, with a wide range of both tuned and percussion instruments. Resources also include those from other cultures including African shakers. The tuition available to the pupils includes the regular provision of a specialist peripatetic teacher for clarinet, flute and recorders. Recently the school attended a Recorder Jamboree. Pupils in Years 2 to 6 also benefit from an after-school Music Club. The pupils sing well in assemblies and listen attentively when music is played for particular purposes. They also enjoy singing and making music before an audience during annual concerts.

p.27

Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy their lessons and acquire and develop sound skills. • The pupils benefit from a wide range of activities and extracurricular experiences. • Pupils make good progress in swimming. • The subject has good resources and outdoor accommodation. • In some lessons opportunities for evaluating and improving pupils’ performance are missed.

p.27

Commentary

80. Standards are average at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. It is not possible to compare these findings with those judged during the last inspection, because no overall judgements were made in 1999. Across the school, pupils achieve and progress satisfactorily. All pupils are included fully in the wide range of learning opportunities provided, which include gymnastics, dance, games and outdoor education. Pupils with SEN take a full part in lessons and make similar progress to their classmates.

p.27

Commentary

81. By the end of Year 2, most pupils explore and vary simple skills, actions and ideas and most link these in ways that suit the activities. Most pupils are able to copy, repeat and explore simple actions and to move satisfactorily with control and co-ordination. By the end of Year 6 most pupils can link skills, techniques and ideas and apply them accurately and appropriately. They can also describe what effects exercise has on their bodies, and how it is valuable to their fitness and health. Although swimming was not observed during the inspection, the school’s records indicate that standards are above average, with virtually every pupil able to swim at least 25 metres safely and unaided, well before the end of Year 6. Itchen Abbas Primary School 28 82. Teaching and learning across the school are satisfactory with some good features. No clear judgement was made at the last inspection. Lessons begin with an appropriate warm-up activity

p.27

Commentary

and teachers actively encourage pupils to take part and to enjoy their physical exercise. Teachers manage pupils well and devise stimulating activities and approaches which quickly gain their interest. Teachers deal sensitively with pupils who may find the subject difficult. This results in every pupil being able to take a full part in the lessons. Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and expect pupils to pay full attention during periods of instruction. LSA’s play an invaluable role in lessons, especially when they provide support for pupils with SEN and also when they work with specific groups. A relative shortcoming is the lack of emphasis on pupils learning how to evaluate and improve their performances. Several lessons observed during the inspection had opportunities for pupils to demonstrate newly acquired skills or knowledge and to evaluate their performance, but these were not seized upon by the teachers concerned. However, teachers

p.28

Commentary

make effective use of both the school’s wide range of equipment and apparatus and its good outdoor facilities.

p.28

Commentary

83. The subject is led satisfactorily by a relatively new and enthusiastic co-ordinator, who is keen to continue to raise standards in the subject. She has ensured that all the required elements of the subject are taught but the current subject Action Plan recognises that the provision for teaching dance and gymnastics requires further development. Additionally she is aware that current assessment procedures are underdeveloped and do not facilitate on-going monitoring of pupils’ performance and progress. The lack of effective monitoring of teaching and learning in recent years has resulted in only satisfactory teaching of some basic skills, such as catching and batting. The subject benefits from the school’s good provision of extracurricular activities and from the expertise and coaching skills of visitors, such as qualified instructors from the Lawn Tennis Association. The school takes part in local school events such as the Alresford Football and

p.28

Commentary

Netball Rally and an area swimming gala. The school is also part of the nationally funded School Sports Co-ordinator Education and Training Programme. The opportunity for pupils to participate in outdoor activities, such as those provided during the Year 5 and 6 Sailing Week also enhance the school’s provision.

p.28

Commentary

84. Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education is largely taught through learning opportunities provided during lessons, including ‘circle time’, where pupils sit in a circle and are encouraged by appropriate guidance from their teacher to openly discuss their feelings and experiences. Discussion with younger pupils showed that they were able to express themselves clearly on issues that affect them, such as the dangers of lighting matches. They also had real enthusiasm for developing a healthier and safer lifestyle. Discussion with older pupils revealed strong evidence of them learning about playing an active and responsible role, not only within the school, but also as citizens in the wider community. They too were keen to discuss their work relating to a healthy lifestyle. The Class 3 display in the hall revealed evidence of them compiling recipes and drawing posters promoting being healthy. Currently the school is actively working

p.28

Commentary

towards achieving a Healthy School Award. The subject is also promoted well through collective worship which includes a regular Citizen of the Week Award. The subject co-ordinator has produced an effective and comprehensive action plan for its future development. The school’s generally happy and caring atmosphere is successfully influenced by its developing provision for this subject. Itchen Abbas Primary School 29

p.28

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 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

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 2 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 1 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the Headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.29

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).

p.29