Kirklington Primary School

KIRKLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 – 19 October 2004

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KIRKLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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KIRKLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Kirklington Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 44

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Kirklington Newark Nottinghamshire Postcode: NG22 8NG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01636 812360 Fax number: 01636 816761

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr S Long

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 - 25 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

With only 44 pupils on roll, year groups are always small and often very small. The pupils are taught in two classes, with the Year 3 to Year 6 class split between two teachers for English, mathematics and science and some other lessons. Very nearly all pupils are of white British origin, except for one child of Indian background and one who is from a mixed background. All are English speakers. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average. No pupil has a statement.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is set in a small village near to Newark. Pupils come from both the village and a number of surrounding villages. The proportion of pupils taking free school meals is below the national average. The school pupil population is generally stable but with some pupils joining and leaving the school at different times. The pupils’ attainment on entry to school varies year to year, ranging from well below to above average in recent years. Attainment on entry is rising and the most recent intake is above average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is part of a group of local rural primary schools, which benefits all aspects of school life. Kirklington Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21411 Adrian Portlock Lead inspector Mathematics, science, information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education, special educational needs, personal and social and health education. 32658 Nicky Bolton Lay inspector 19410 Andrew Matthews Team inspector English, art and design, history, geography, music, religious education and Foundation Stage.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Inspire Educational Ltd The Coach House 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Kirklington Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school with a very caring and positive ethos. The pupils throughout the school achieve well, largely because of the effective teaching and very good leadership. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are as follows: • Teaching and learning are consistently good. • The headteacher's leadership is very good, and he is very well supported by the staff. • The provision for the pupils' moral and social development is very good and underpins the pupils' very positive attitudes and behaviour. • Pupils are not set clear enough targets so that they know what specific aspects of their work they need to improve most. • The pupils are well cared for and there are excellent relationships between staff and pupils. • The tracking of pupils’ progress is not rigorous enough. • There are very good links with other schools. • Links with parents are strong.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been good improvement since the last inspection in 1999. The areas for improvement identified in the last report have been thoroughly dealt with. Through the hard work of the staff, the quality of teaching and learning has continued to improve. The curriculum has undergone effective changes and is well supported by additional activities.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D D B E Mathematics A B C E Science A B A B 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.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The number of pupils in each year group varies considerably but all cohorts are small and some are very small; consequently, all data on test performance relating to single year groups should be treated with very great caution. There is also a considerable variation in the attainment of year groups when they first start school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children are taught well in the Foundation Stage and as a result most are likely to at least reach the expected goals by the end of the reception year. Overall, the pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 6 and standards in the school are generally above average. In science, standards are often well above average. Standards in speaking, listening and reading are above average, whereas in writing, identified by the school as an area for improvement, they are improving well and are now average. Over the last few years the school has succeeded in maintaining broadly above average standards in the national tests for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The pupils have very good attitudes to work and school and behave very well in lessons and at break times. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good overall. Their rates of attendance are well above average. Kirklington Primary School - 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are good overall. The core subjects of English, mathematics and science are taught well. Very well supported by the teaching assistant, the teachers plan interesting tasks that motivate the pupils. In Years 3 and 6 the teachers use their specialist subject knowledge very well. Relationships are excellent between staff and pupils and teachers insist on high standards of behaviour. The teachers assess the pupils’ work and record their progress but they do not sufficiently set specific targets for pupils to improve their standards. The tracking of pupils’ progress through each year to ensure that they are on course to achieve their overall targets at the end of Year 6 is not rigorous enough.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The arrangement of the year groups for teaching enables the school to exploit teachers’ subject expertise fully. The curriculum provision is broad and interesting and supports the needs of all pupils well. The extra-curricular provision is good, particularly in the very good opportunities for sport. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good and the school takes very good care of the pupils. The school promotes a very good partnership with parents and carers. Its links with the community are good, and it has very good links with schools in its cluster group.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of the leadership and management is very good overall . The leadership of the headteacher is very good: he is very strongly committed to ensuring that the pupils are involved fully in the life of the school and is very well respected by the parents. The staff work as a very effective team. The headteacher and governors have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents are highly satisfied with the school and the education that their children receive. The pupils enjoy school very much and feel that they are valued and supported.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • ensure that all pupils know what they need to do to raise their standards through a more rigorous approach to setting pupils’ targets for improvement and • track more rigorously how well they are on course to achieve their overall targets by the end of Year 6. Kirklington Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects. Overall, achievement is good and standards are above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are achieving well in English, mathematics and science throughout the school and overall standards are above average. • Standards in science are often well above average. • The standards in writing, identified by the school as an area for improvement, are improving well. • The children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and achieve well against their prior attainment.

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Commentary

1. The children’s attainment on entry varies widely. The present, very small, group of children in the Foundation Stage have entered the school with above average attainment overall. They make good progress and evidence from the inspection indicates that most children will reach and some exceed the Early Learning Goals 1 by the end of their reception year.

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Commentary

2. At the end of Year 2, standards are at present average. In 2003, the results of national tests were very high in reading, average in mathematics and well above average in writing. They were an improvement over previous years. When compared to similar schools, they were average in reading, well above average in writing and very high in mathematics. Currently, standards in Year 2 are average in both English and mathematics, and the pupils are achieving well. The pupils listen carefully, and most reach the expected level in speaking. The school is successfully overcoming the differences between reading and writing.

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Commentary

3. In 2001 and 2002 standards at the end of Year 6 in English had been below average overall, with pupils making well below average progress since taking National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, largely because of the lower standards in writing than reading. Standards in mathematics and science are generally above average, with science often well above average. In 2003 standards were above average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science. In English, the school initiative for improving writing was beginning to show positive results. The unconfirmed test results for 2004 show that this improvement has been continued. In English and mathematics virtually all pupils attained the national average and nearly a third of pupils achieved an above average level. In science all achieved the expected level and over a half achieved the higher level. Attainment for the present Year 6 pupils in the

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Commentary

three core subjects is above average and the gap between reading and writing is narrowing.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 27.6 (26.5) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.0 (28.1) 26.8 (26.7) Science 30.6 (29.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 11 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1 Early learning goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. Kirklington Primary School - 9 4. There is no clear evidence of differences in standards between boys and girls. This is because of the significant imbalance in numbers between boys and girls in some year groups and the often very small numbers in each year groups. For example, there are only six pupils in Years 4 and 5 and most are girls. However, over the last three recorded years Year 6 boys have achieved better in English and science than girls and they have achieved similar results to each other in mathematics. The rate of improvement has been broadly in line with the national trend

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Commentary

5. In information and communication technology (ICT) improvements have resulted in much greater use of ICT in other subjects and average standards being attained by the end of Year 6. The parents are very happy with the progress the pupils are making in all subjects. They consider that their children make a very good start in the Foundation Stage and that pupils in all years are achieving well. In so far as the team was able to evaluate standards in subjects outside the core of English, mathematics and science, they were found to be at least average in all subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils show very good attitudes to learning and their behaviour is very good. Attendance is well above average and punctuality is good. Pupils mature well due to the good provision the school makes for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Behaviour is very good and pupils respond well to the very high expectations of their conduct. • The very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development encourages the children to become caring, confident and responsible. • Pupils love coming to school and are keen to learn. • Relationships are very good between pupils. • More opportunities could be seized to widen pupils’ understanding of other cultures beyond their own.

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Commentary

6. Pupils are clearly very proud of their school and feel a strong sense of community. The importance of respecting others and behaving in a mature and caring way permeates all the school does. As a result, pupils feel secure in an atmosphere in which they can flourish. Younger pupils, even those who had only recently joined the school’s reception class, felt able to sing confidently, recite poems and show their artwork in front of an assembly of the whole school. The older pupils listened attentively and were clearly appreciative. Age groups are deliberately mixed at meal times. The atmosphere is a relaxed and friendly one, in which children are well-mannered but chat happily to each other. This has a positive effect on self- esteem and contributes to the very good relationships between pupils.

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Commentary

7. The wide range of activities available to all pupils contributes to their personal development. These include recorder and guitar lessons, a music and drama club, and coaching in a very wide range of sports. Pupils in Years 5/6 benefit from a residential visit to an adventure centre each year. Pupils respond well to opportunities to demonstrate their independence and maturity. Year 6 pupils are very enthusiastic about their new responsibilities, which they have devised for themselves in collaboration with the teaching staff. These range from the practical (ensuring the computers are turned off at the end of the school day) to the caring (listening to younger children read).

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Commentary

8. The very strong emphasis on making the right moral choices and on living as part of a community means that behaviour in the school is very good. This is achieved with an admirable Kirklington Primary School - 10 lightness of touch. There are classroom rules, drawn up in consultation with the pupils, and staff have very high expectations of behaviour. There is little need for recourse to sanctions, or rewards other than praise. In the classroom, pupils co-operate very well with each other and work well independently and in groups. While there are plentiful opportunities for pupils to learn about their culture, the opportunities for learning about other cultures are more limited. Their very positive attitudes help to develop their learning very well. Behaviour outside the classroom is also very good. Pupils and parents are confident that if any problems in the playground do occur, they are dealt with sensitively and effectively. Attendance rates at the school are very

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Commentary

good and pupils arrive punctually at the start of the school day. This is evidence of the very strong partnership between staff, pupils and parents. Parents make every effort to maximise the potential for learning, for example, and pupils clearly love school. The school itself has taken a effective line in discouraging pupils from taking holidays during term times. This had a positive effect on last year’s attendance rates and ensured that very few pupils missed out in their education. There were no exclusions in the last academic year.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality education.

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Teaching and learning

The teaching is consistently good. The pupils are learning effectively. The quality of the assessment of the pupils’ work is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers plan interesting tasks that motivate the pupils. • The teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. • The teachers in Years 3 to 6 use their specialist subject knowledge very well. • Relationships are excellent between staff and pupils and teachers insist on high standards of behaviour. • There is very good support from the teaching assistant. • The teachers assess the pupils’ work and record their progress but they do not sufficiently set specific targets for pupils to improve their standards. • The tracking of pupils’ progress through each year to ensure that they are on course to achieve their overall targets at the end of Year 6 is not rigorous enough.

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Commentary

9. The teaching is good overall and is a major factor in ensuring that the pupils make good progress and achieve well throughout the school. The Foundation Stage children, who are taught in the same class as the Year 1/2 pupils, make a good start with the teacher and the teaching assistant supports their learning well. They make good progress because of the extensive range of well-planned activities, with a good balance of teacher directed activities and those chosen by the children themselves. The teacher and the teaching assistant provide the Kirklington Primary School - 11 same good quality of teaching for the Year 1/2 pupils, who make good progress and achieve well. They develop effective numeracy and literacy skills.

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Commentary

10. Two teachers, who share the teaching of English, mathematics, science and some other lessons, teach pupils in Years 3 to 6 in one class. The class is split into Years 3 /4 and Years 5 /6 for these lessons. The class teacher takes both groups for English and science and the headteacher takes both groups for mathematics and ICT. This arrangement works very effectively. It allows the teachers to use their very good subject knowledge and for the pupils to work in smaller groups with the ability to focus more effectively upon the pupils’ needs. In Years 1 to 6, the good teaching of English, mathematics, science and ICT is a significant factor in raising standards and achievement in these subjects. The school’s recognition that standards in writing were not as high as standards in reading has led to a whole school approach to writing that is having a positive impact on standards.

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Commentary

11. There are some good examples of links developing between literacy and other subjects. The teaching of mathematics is particularly effective throughout the school but, while the use of other subjects to develop mathematical concepts is well developed, the level of the mathematics employed is sometimes not as high as it could be. The teaching of science is effective throughout the school with the pupils carrying out a wide range of investigations. The teaching and learning in ICT is good overall and the pupils achieve well. There are good o pportunities for them to employ ICT in supporting other subjects and this is being extended all the time.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 15 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 5 10 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

12. In both classes, the lessons are consistently well planned. The planned learning activities take into account the pupils’ differences in age and ability, which allows all pupils, including the more able pupils and those with special educational needs, to work confidently and to achieve effectively. The lessons are interesting and mostly challenging. The teachers and teaching assistant work as a very effective team. The teaching assistant plays a very effective role, particularly with the younger pupils and supports their learning very well. One of the most significant features of the teaching and learning is the excellent relationship between staff and pupils and the teachers’ insistence of high standards of behaviour. The teachers undertake a good range of visits and utilise a good range of resources to support and extend the pupils' learning.

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Commentary

13. The pupils identified with special educational needs receive good support that enables them to make good progress in line with their ability levels. The assessments for these are thorough and form the basis of the individual child’s education plan. These plans are used effectively to ensure that the work is suitably matched to the pupils’ needs. In lessons, these pupils are fully involved in discussions through the support they receive, thus enabling them to remain part of their social group and to complete their tasks.

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Commentary

14. Pupils have a clear understanding of what they are to learn. The teachers are beginning to set pupils individual learning targets in English. This technique is not yet used in the other core subjects of mathematics and science, though the school has plans to do so. Pupils state that this gives them a clearer idea on what they particularly need to do to improve their work. Marking is thorough, although teachers do not consistently inform pupils in their books what they need to do next to improve. Standardised tests and teacher assessments are used effectively to track pupils’ progress overall. However, the school does not make enough use of the information that it collects on the pupils’ progress each year to ensure that all pupils are on track to achieve their overall targets by the end of Year 6. Kirklington Primary School - 12 The curriculum

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Commentary

The curriculum is good, with a good range of enrichment opportunities. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage is good. • The pupils have opportunities to apply their literacy and numeracy skills to other subjects and to extend their skills and understanding in the arts, humanities and sporting activities. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by their teachers and the teaching assistant. • Provision for the pupils’ personal development is good. • The school hall is not large enough for rigorous activities for the older pupils.

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Commentary

15. The curriculum is planned well to meet all the statutory requirements and to meet the needs of all the pupils. Strengths have been built on since the last inspection. There has been an overall improvement since the last inspection. There is a good range of learning opportunities that provide appropriately for the mixed age classes. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is well organised and ensures that the children receive a good grounding in all six areas of learning and particularly in the early skills of literacy and numeracy. Their curriculum has been enhanced by short weekly French lessons that are very popular with the children. The national literacy and numeracy strategies and the linked intervention programmes are used effectively to support the pupils’ learning. The pupils have good opportunities to apply their literacy and numeracy skills to other subjects and there is an increasing use of computers to support the pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

16. All the pupils are valued and the school makes significant efforts to ensure equality of access and opportunity for all of them. The few pupils with special educational needs are supported well as they were at the time of the last inspection. The experienced teaching assistant plays a significant part in this good provision and the school has established effective relationships with outside experts who are called in when needed. The programme for special educational needs pupils are carefully drawn up and have clear targets, which inform the planning of differentiated activities to meet the pupils’ individual needs in lessons. The small steps in learning are measured, acknowledged and celebrated. The range of support is thoughtfully considered and flexible with a balance of whole class teaching, small group work and individual attention to areas of difficulty. This enables these pupils to make good progress and attain standards that

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Commentary

17. The school has an effective approach to personal, social and health education, and this is an improvement since the last inspection. There is a policy for sex education and pupils are taught about the dangers of drugs by the county police under the ‘DARE’ project. The teachers understand how to involve the pupils in sharing their views about sensitive issues, aspects of social awareness, behaviour and personal responsibilities. The teachers use circle time effectively where the pupils sit together and share their views and concerns. Discussions with the pupils indicate that they understand the need for rules in school and in the wider society. All the members of staff are very good role models as they demonstrate the importance of respect for each other’s views and feelings and help the pupils to develop an understanding of what is involved in belonging to a community. This is clearly seen at playtimes with pupils of different

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Commentary

ages playing happily together. All the teachers and support staff work sensitively to ease the introduction of the children entering the education system for the first time and those who transfer to the secondary stage. Kirklington Primary School - 13 18. The school makes good provision for enrichment and for extra-curricular activities. The curriculum is well supported by a programme of day and residential visits to places of historical, geographical and cultural interest. The school has developed a very good range of sporting opportunities for the pupils and a significant proportion of older pupils benefit from guitar tuition.

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Commentary

19. There is a very good number of experienced teachers to meet the needs of the curriculum, with pupils benefiting from the very good use of specialist teaching in Years 3 to 6. As a result, teachers know the pupils very well and are able to plan appropriate work for the needs of individuals. The teaching assistant is very experienced and is used particularly effectively in the Reception and Year 1/ 2 class. Her skills are also well used with small groups of pupils who are withdrawn for extra support. Resources are good overall but reception children do not have access to larger play equipment such as wheeled vehicles to supplement their physical development. There have been some improvements in the accommodation since the last inspection. The open plan area has now been divided into two teaching areas, which gives much greater flexibility to the teachers when the older pupils are divided into two groups, and an

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Commentary

outside covered area has been added to the class of the younger pupils. However, the school hall is cramped for physical education lessons for the older pupils particularly for aspects such as gymnastics. Good use is made of the beautiful school grounds to support learning in a range of subjects.

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Commentary

The school works well to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Pupils receive good levels of support and guidance from staff based on an understanding of their needs. The school involves pupils well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy excellent relationships with adults at the school. • Pupils are helped to feel involved in the school and valued. • Staff know the pupils well and are able to provide good support to them based on their individual needs.

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Commentary

20. All adults at the school know their pupils well and understand their individual needs. The school works hard to respond to these varying needs: the provision is good for pupils with special educational needs; the teaching assistant is used very effectively to support younger pupils. The school is very aware of the needs of more able pupils and is a member of an association for more able children. This emphasis has a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to school and to their learning.

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Commentary

21. The quality of the relationships between adults and pupils is outstanding. Pupils’ self-esteem and confidence benefit from what are clearly good and trusting relationships. Pupils are polite and respectful to adults, but feel at ease with them. During a ‘wet break’, teachers and pupils interact informally but constructively as they go about their respective business. One staff member stops to help a pupil out on a computer as they pass by, for example, another chats for a while about cricket.

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Commentary

22. Pupils feel that adults listen to and respect their views. This bolsters their confidence and self- esteem. All pupils are involved in drawing up rules for classroom behaviour, for example. They choose which charities the school should support. Older pupils report that they successfully petitioned for new cricket equipment to be made available at playtime. Staff and pupils are now working together to come up with rules for the cricket games, which ensure the safety of all the other children in the playground. Kirklington Primary School - 14 23. Close attention is paid to the care, welfare and health and safety of the pupils. Child protection and first aid procedures are satisfactory and the school environment is secure and safe. On the rare occasions when it has had to, the school works well with outside agencies to ensure the welfare of its pupils.

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Commentary

24. Induction arrangements are good. Children entering into the reception year attend the school for one day a week in the half term before they start. Parents report that their children settle in quickly and can therefore make good progress. Pupils joining the school other than in reception are well looked after by other pupils.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The relationship with parents is very good. Links with the community are good. Very good use is made of links with other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views about the work of the school and are very supportive of pupils’ learning at school and at home. • The school works very well with other schools to the social and educational benefit of the pupils.

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Commentary

25. Parents are hugely appreciative of the school. They welcome the open culture and feel comfortable about approaching staff. This level of contact with teachers, together with frequent letters sent home about school events, enable them to feel well informed about their children’s progress. Pupils have one written report a year. This is not just summative but successfully conveys the teachers’ understanding of their pupils. The school plans to make greater use of targets for achievement in these reports.

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Commentary

26. The very good relationship between the school and parents has a very positive effect on learning. All parents attend the two parents’ evenings each year to discuss their child’s progress. They ensure their children attend school and arrive punctually. They are very supportive of homework and ensure it gets done. The Parent Teacher Association is active and successfully raises funds for the school.

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Commentary

27. Links with the community are good. The school joins with the local church to celebrate a number of important festivals, for example Mothering Sunday. It works with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. The children’s efforts to raise money themselves, for example the Year 6 fundraising work, benefit local as well as national charities.

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Commentary

28. The school works particularly well with other primary schools in the area to ensure that pupils are not disadvantaged by the school’s size. This inter-school relationship works very well on many levels. Staff and governors share training and experiences, while pupils benefit from the social contact and sporting opportunities provided. Pupil contact intensifies in Year 6 to allow the children to establish wider friendships, which they can build on in their subsequent move to the local secondary school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is very good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher is very good. • The headteacher and staff work as a very effective team to manage the curriculum. Kirklington Primary School - 15 • The governing body works effectively alongside the headteacher to shape the future direction of the school.

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Commentary

29. The headteacher provides a clear vision for the school and has developed a shared sense of purpose and high aspirations that are having a very positive effect on the school. The headteacher, with the very effective support of governors and staff, has brought about good improvements.

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Commentary

30. The school has made good progress since its last inspection in 1999 and has fully addressed the issues raised. The leadership of the school focuses upon raising standards in English and mathematics, which has been largely successful and ensures that the curriculum offered to the pupils is enjoyable and interesting. The work done to raise standards, in for example writing, have resulted in improvements in the pupils' achievements and much more consistent and effective teaching and learning throughout the school.

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Commentary

31. The governing body is effective in supporting and being involved in the development of the school. It works well with the headteacher and staff to bring about changes. The very committed Chair, very recently retired, has effectively led the work of the governing body, and she is supported well by the other governors. Many governors are actively involved in the work of the school. Through their commitment to visiting the school and working with subject leaders, they have a good knowledge of how well the school is working and what it needs to do to improve. They are supportive but also ready to challenge the school. The governing body has high expectations for the school. Governors play an effective role in financial management and work hard to achieve best value for the school.

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Commentary

32. The headteacher and other teaching staff all take on the role of subject leaders for a number of subjects. They work as a very effective team in raising standards and ensuring that there is a relevant and interesting curriculum. Their monitoring of the teachers’ planning and classroom practice and their scrutiny of the pupils’ work is well established. They have a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and ensure there is a consistency of approach throughout the school. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator has a clear vision and understanding of the needs of the youngest children and has made significant improvement since the last inspection in the curriculum provision for the reception children. Key roles, such as the co-ordination of English, mathematics, science and special educational needs, are carried out very effectively, and as a consequence these pupils make good progress.

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Commentary

33. The school's self-evaluation is based on the improving monitoring and analysis of the information it collects on how well the pupils are achieving but the school does not use the information rigorously enough. The school makes good use of standardised tests and teacher assessments to track pupils’ progress. However, the present weakness is in the way that the school tracks pupils’ progress through each year to ensure that they are on course to achieve the ultimate targets at the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

34. This allows the governors and senior staff to identify the effectiveness of its work and the resources that are needed to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. The school is aware that its short-term target setting is not yet sufficiently developed to ensure that all pupils' know what they need to do to improve. The English co-ordinator has devised a new system that is being tried out to overcome the earlier deficiencies. Kirklington Primary School - 16

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 193 960 Balance from previous year 4295 Total expenditure 177 291 Balance carried forward to the next 16 668 Expenditure per pupil 4076

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Financial information

35. The school development plan clearly shows the school's main priorities and how they are to be achieved. All staff with management responsibilities and governors are fully involved in the process of reviewing the work of the school and taking decisions about what needs to be done. The school links its spending to the school development plan well in providing financial support for its key priorities. There are clear budgeting procedures and careful forward planning. Good financial records are kept and all the recommendations made in the last audit report from the local authority have been implemented. The governors have a very clear strategic view of the financial implications of their educational decisions and evaluate these fully. The procedures for obtaining value for money are good. Kirklington Primary School - 17

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

There were only four children in the Foundation Stage at the time of the inspection and during the two days in school it was not possible to form judgements about the quality of the provision in individual areas of learning. Overall, the quality of provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make good progress overall and are enthusiastic learners. • The teaching is consistently good, with the teaching assistant playing a valuable role in the children’s learning. • Standards and children’s achievement are good in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. • Children benefit from working alongside older pupils in the class. • The co-ordinator gives very good leadership and management to the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

36. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage has improved all round since the last inspection and is now good. The co-ordinator has many strengths and leads the department very well. The small number of children in the Foundation Stage benefit significantly from being taught in the same class as Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. The class teacher and teaching assistant work very well together to ensure that the work is suitably matched to the needs of the youngest children. The curriculum for these children is good, being carefully planned and well adapted to ensure that they are challenged and that it builds effectively on their previous learning. Central to this planning are the school’s good assessment procedures, which enable teachers to monitor the children’s progress regularly. As a result, strengths are built on and perceived weaknesses addressed. Adults set excellent role models for the children and manage them very well.

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Commentary

Relationships are excellent and children respond by being very enthusiastic learners and behaving very well. There is a very good ratio of adults to children, ensuring that their needs are well met. The accommodation inside is satisfactory and, while resources are satisfactory overall, there is a lack of large play equipment such as wheeled vehicles, to enhance pupils’ physical development. The teacher ensures that the lack of an adequately equipped school hall is compensated for by regular outdoor sessions.

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Commentary

37. The adults appreciate the importance of planning opportunities for children to develop both independently and collaboratively. A wide range of opportunities is planned for their personal, social and emotional development, for example working in the class ‘post office’. Children have quickly learnt classroom routines and expectations of behaviour from the older pupils in the class. The classroom is carefully planned to provide a colourful and interesting environment which enthuses and motivates the children and enhances the all round relationships in the class. The mix of activities enables the children to develop their independence through making some choices in the activities and in the way they use the resources.

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Commentary

38. In communication, language and literacy children benefit from well-focused teaching that effectively supports their speaking and listening. Children are encouraged to talk about their work in small groups and they do this readily and with growing confidence. Staff are skilled in questioning the children and encouraging responses to facilitate the development of their speaking and listening skills. They have regular opportunities to listen to stories and talk about books. Very good attention is given to developing reading skills and this contributes significantly to the good progress that is made. Good links with parents encourage a joint approach to the Kirklington Primary School - 18 development of these skills. The stimulating classroom environment enhances children’s development in this area of learning and celebrates their successes, including their efforts as early writers. Mathematical development is also taught successfully. A range of good quality

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Commentary

resources enables children to develop their understanding of counting and ordering. Higher- attaining children are well challenged and work with older pupils when appropriate.

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Commentary

39. The children are inquisitive learners because the practical tasks they are set stimulates their imagination. In a very good lesson focusing on knowledge and understanding of the world , the children successfully learnt the rudiments of a fair test when testing different materials for their waterproofing abilities, so that a hole in an umbrella could be successfully mended. Children’s achievement was considerably enhanced in this lesson by working and interacting with older pupils. Children have regular access to computers to consolidate their learning in other areas.

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Commentary

40. Very good displays in the classroom indicate good opportunities for creative development in working with a range of media. Children are beginning to understand the importance of planning when they design faces to be used as a template for icing their ‘funny face’ biscuits. The teacher carefully plans a good range of activities for children’s physical development but as no movement lessons were seen it is not possible to make a judgement on children’s expected standards at the end of the reception year.

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English

Provision is good and has improved since the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the national average at the end of Year 6. • Teaching is good and pupils of all abilities achieve well. • The co-ordinator gives very good leadership and management to the subject. • The curriculum is good and pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects. • The teaching assistant plays a significant part in the school’s good provision. • Standards in writing are improving and are now average. • There are weaknesses in the way that the school sets targets for pupils and tracks their progress towards them.

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Commentary

41. Standards in speaking and listening are average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. The majority of Year 6 pupils have well developed speaking skills and use interesting language with complex sentences. They listen carefully to their teachers and other pupils. This was evident in a very good Year 5/6 lesson when pupils discussed the merits of a play script before writing their own. Pupils respond very well to the regular use of drama to extend their speaking and listening skills. Teachers use questioning very well to challenge pupils and deepen their understanding. Most pupils think carefully when they answer questions and justify their answers and opinions in a mature way.

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Commentary

42. Standards in reading are average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Inspection evidence supports the views of parents that pupils are making good progress. The Reception pupils are introduced to a structured reading programme, supported by the systematic teaching of phonic skills. By Year 2, most pupils read accurately, with increasing fluency and all enjoy books and Kirklington Primary School - 19 stories. By Year 6 pupils are independent and enthusiastic readers. They use books and computer programs for research to support their work in other subjects, such as geography and history. The reading record book of the younger pupils gives good opportunities to parents to comment on their child’s reading. However, teachers do not consistently note down individual targets for pupils to give a focus to parents when hearing their children read.

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Commentary

43. By Year 6 standards in writing, including spelling, are average. The National Literacy Strategy has influenced the organisation of lessons and this is having a positive impact on the development of pupils’ knowledge of grammatical structures and the process of writing in different styles and for different purposes. There has been a good improvement in teachers’ planning for pupils to use their literacy skills across the curriculum. Pupils in Year 2 are developing their ideas into a sequence of punctuated sentences and are beginning to use connecting words to join ideas. By Year 6, pupils generally organise their writing well. Good use is made of initial drafts to clarify their thoughts before writing.

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Commentary

44. The great majority of pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning and they enjoy their lessons. They are very well behaved and do try to do their best at all times. During discussions they are attentive and respect the ideas and opinions of others. They are clear about the teachers’ high expectations of their work and behaviour. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they begin to understand the power of words to create moods and atmosphere and encourage empathy.

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Commentary

45. Three lessons were observed during the inspection and all were consistently good. The teaching assistant plays a significant part, particularly in her work with the younger pupils and in supporting older pupils who have assessed weaknesses in aspects of their language development. All members of staff have a good knowledge and clear understanding of the subject. Very good use is made of the specialist skills of the co-ordinator, who teaches all pupils in Years 3 to 6. The curriculum is very good and has improved since the last inspection. Work is carefully planned and pupils have a clear understanding of what they are to learn. The setting of individual targets is new but pupils report it is helping them to focus on areas for further development. Marking is thorough, although teachers do not consistently inform pupils in their books what they need to do next to improve. Whilst the school makes good use of standardised

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Commentary

tests and teacher assessments to track pupils’ progress, it does not sufficiently track pupils’ progress through each year to ensure that they are on course to achieve the ultimate targets at the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

46. The subject is managed very well by the enthusiastic co-ordinator who works closely with all staff in the school. She has rightly identified writing as a key area for improvement and her personal expertise and enthusiasm in this area are already bringing about a rise in standards. School resources are good, with a good collection of reading scheme and other fiction books. There has been an improvement in the way that pupils now use the library to support their work in other subjects. Satisfactory use is made of ICT for research and for word processing to enhance pupils’ written work.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

47. Teachers plan carefully for pupils to develop their language and literacy skills across the curriculum and this is having a good impact on the school’s focus on improving writing through the school. This was clearly seen in the pupils’ science, history, geography and religious education folders. The Year 3 pupils were observed using the Internet to collect information linked to their English work. The pupils were able to read the largely adult text and showed very good phonic knowledge when tackling unfamiliar more difficult words.

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French

48. The pupils enjoy their French lessons, which is taught by a specialist teacher. As only one lesson was observed, no overall judgement can be made about the quality of the provision or Kirklington Primary School - 20 the standards achieved. However, this is a positive and enjoyable part of the curriculum and it contributes well to the pupils’ understanding of language. In the one very good lesson observed, the pupils learnt quickly in an effective and enjoyable learning environment. For example, the pupils responded well in French to questions about names and age, counted, joined in picture and letter games and sang a French version of ‘Happy Birthday’.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average. • Pupils of all abilities are being appropriately challenged and, as a result, are achieving well. • The teaching is good and often very good. • The co-ordinator gives very good leadership and management to the subject. • The curriculum is good and pupils use their numeracy skills well in other subjects. • The teaching assistant plays a significant part in the school’s good provision. • At present the school does not set mathematics targets for pupils and track their progress towards them.

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Commentary

49. The pupils achieve well and make good progress. In Years 1 and 2, they effectively develop basic skills that provide a firm foundation for later work. The older class is split into two teaching groups so that Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6 are taught separately. In both these groups, the pupils build on and extend their skills effectively, resulting in above average standards by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

50. Overall standards vary each year depending upon the make up of the small or very small year group. However, test results for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils indicate that, over a number of years, standards are broadly above average. Inspectors’ observations confirm these standards. Good achievement is evident in the pupils’ work, showing that they are being challenged and supported well. Much of the work gives the pupils good opportunities to use and apply their skills, often linked to other subjects.

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Commentary

51. In Years 1 and 2, the teacher develops the pupils’ understanding of the use of number thoroughly. In the lesson seen, the pupils were developing their knowledge of simple two and three-dimensional shapes. The work was well matched to the pupils’ ability and understanding. In Years 3 and 4, the teaching is very well focused on raising the pupils’ ability to use tally charts to accurately record observations and to represent the data on a frequency chart. In Years 5 and 6, the pupils are actively involved in measuring angles using a protractor and the teacher consistently questioned and challenged the pupils. More demanding tasks are set for the more able pupils and those who encounter difficulties are very well supported.

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Commentary

52. The teachers have very good subject knowledge and plans are well focused and challenging. The teachers’ excellent relationship with the pupils ensures that they work very positively and enjoy the work. The work takes account well of the different needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs. The pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by the teaching assistant, which allows them to play a full and active part in the lesson. The teachers support and guide the pupils effectively during the lesson and make it clear to them how well they are progressing. Consequently, the marking of the pupils’ work is thorough but does not detail what they need to do to improve further. At present, the pupils do not have individual clear short-term targets that provide a focus for them to improve their standards further. The school is aware of this and has begun the process of improving the situation. The

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Commentary

subject manager is very effective in promoting and managing the subject. He works well with all Kirklington Primary School - 21 staff to raise standards and develop the strategies that are raising standards. The planning, teaching and the pupils’ work are monitored thoroughly in order to achieve this.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

53. The pupils use their mathematical skills well in various other subjects, for example science and geography. In science, the pupils record data collected from their observations in a variety of ways, for example, in tables and spreadsheets. They present their findings graphically and analyse their results. However, on some occasions the level of the mathematical work in these other subjects could be higher.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average by the end of Year 6 • The teaching is good. • The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management. • The curriculum is good. • At present the school does not set science targets for pupils and track their progress towards them.

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Commentary

54. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are above average and the pupils make good progress. Standards are usually at least above average and often well above. In Years 1 and 2, the pupils are taught well and are very interested in the work. They effectively develop basic skills, which provide a solid basis for subsequent development. As with other core subjects, the older class is split into two teaching groups so that Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6 are taught separately. The teacher who works with both groups uses her very good subject knowledge to extend the pupils’ skills and knowledge well. In all of the lessons seen, the teaching was good and pupils were making good progress.

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Commentary

55. In Years 1 and 2, the pupils investigate waterproof materials to mend a hole in an umbrella. The pupils consider how to ensure that their tests are fair and work carefully when counting the drops of water they apply to each material. They gain a good understanding of what makes an effective waterproof material. In Years 3 and 4, the pupils were discovering the properties of metals and finding if all metals are magnetic. They also consider which materials float. The pupils become fully involved in the initial discussion and provide good examples of why materials are used for different purposes. They are encouraged to extend their use of vocabulary when talking about materials, for example, some were described as flexible whilst others were rigid. In a lesson in Years 5 and 6, the pupils made good gains in their understanding about ways of separating different materials. Pupils showed good knowledge of

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Commentary

the differences between chemical and physical changes in materials and described the methods for separating mixtures. They use this knowledge to carry out their investigation, which they tackle well. Pupils were observed working together well and learning from each other.

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Commentary

56. In the lessons seen, the teachers built effectively upon the pupils’ previous knowledge and involved and challenged pupils of differing abilities well. The teachers’ questioning extended the pupils’ understanding of the work and made them think more deeply about what they were doing. The support for the pupils with special educational needs was good in all lessons. The pupils’ work shows that they achieve well as they move through the school. Pupils carry out a wide range of work, including many investigations. Their work is well presented and they record their work in a variety of ways. There are good opportunities to develop mathematics and ICT skills. The pupils are very interested in the work and talk knowledgeably about the work they Kirklington Primary School - 22 have done. The subject manager leads and manages the subject very well. She works effectively with all staff to raise standards further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved. • Good use is made of ICT across the curriculum.

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Commentary

57. The pupils’ standards and achievement have improved since the last inspection and are average. They have now a much greater breadth of experience and understanding. The pupils are confident and persevere well when carrying out different procedures, which they do competently. The range and use of ICT has increased and the pupils are involved in using their ICT skills for many purposes.

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Commentary

58. In the one lesson seen the teaching was good. In a Year 3 and 4 lesson, the teacher gave a clear explanation of the task and supported the pupils so that they were able to achieve the tasks set. The pupils used their skills to combine graphics and text in various ways. They worked with enthusiasm and enjoyment, helping each other. The pupils’ attitudes to ICT are very good. Although no other direct teaching of ICT was seen during the inspection, it is clear that the teachers are making effective use of a range of software to develop the pupils’ skills and support learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

58. The school has worked hard at improving equipment and resources but has identified that it needs to replace and extend these further. To this end, they are in the process of increasing the number of computers and introducing interactive whiteboards to both classrooms. The subject is effectively led by the subject co-ordinator.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

59. The use of ICT to support other subjects and to give the pupils good opportunities to practise their skills and knowledge has continued to improve since the last inspection. During the inspection, ICT was used in English and mathematics lessons and displays of work show that ICT is used in other subjects, for example, in art and history. Year 3 pupils were observed using the Internet to collect information linked to their English work. The pupils worked independently and used the program with confidence. In a mathematics lesson, a group of pupils used a program to improve their knowledge of angles. Older Year 6 pupils collect and record daily weather data that is then recorded on a spreadsheet. Some opportunities to use the Internet to provide links with other schools has been available but this could be extended further to raise the pupils’ awareness of people and places further afield.

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HUMANITIES

60. In humanities, work was sampled in history, geography and religious education as only one lesson was observed in history and none in the other subjects. It is, therefore, not possible to form an overall judgement on the quality of the provision in these three subjects. There is every indication from pupils’ work and from discussions with pupils that standards have remained broadly in line with expectations since the last inspection, with pupils achieving satisfactorily. Careful planning by teachers ensures pupils use their literacy skills well in the subject. Kirklington Primary School - 23 61. In history and geography it is clear that a range of visits play an important part in making the work interesting and relevant to the pupils. The residential visit to Shropshire for the older pupils gives them a good opportunity to compare different localities and understand the different physical and human features of this environment. From discussions with older pupils, it is

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HUMANITIES

evident that pupils particular enjoy history with those interviewed talking enthusiastically about the recent Second World War topic. These pupils also had a clear understanding of the importance of how they can learn from studying the past. In the lesson seen, pupils made good gains in their understanding of the development of illuminated script by the monks in Anglo- Saxon Britain. Good use is made of the strengths of the co-ordinators for both subjects who teach the majority of pupils in school and so have a clear understanding of the school’s provision in the two subjects. The subjects make a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. 62. In religious education , discussions with pupils and scrutiny of past work shows that standards are in line with the locally agreed syllabus and have been maintained since the last inspection. Discussions with older pupils shows that they are beginning to link religious teaching with

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HUMANITIES

aspects of every day life, such as the ten Commandments giving us rules to live by. This shows that pupils are being given opportunities to discuss the meaning behind religion as well as to acquire knowledge. While they have a satisfactory knowledge of aspects of the Hindu religion they are sometimes confused between aspects of Judaism and Islam, such as their sacred books and places of worship. The school has some close links with the local church where the school’s Christmas concert takes place. Pupils know about the important festivals in the Christian calendar and their significance to believers. The subject has strong links with the school’s personal, social and health education with pupils talking enthusiastically about the importance of getting on well with each other and sorting out differences using conflict resolution. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator who teaches the majority of the pupils in

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HUMANITIES

school. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63. There was opportunity to observe only one music lesson during the inspection, and no art and design or design and technology lessons and only a short part of a physical education lesson. Therefore, it is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of the provision in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. From discussion with teachers and pupils and from the scrutiny of completed work, the evidence indicates that standards in art and design are in line with national expectations and have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils’ skills are developing satisfactorily. Sketchbooks are used well, both for design work and for the development of pupils’ drawing skills. The subject is popular with pupils and the co-ordinator gives satisfactory leadership and management to the subject. The school has a good curriculum, which is clearly demonstrated in the wide variety of good quality displays around the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. A very good display of completed Year 5/6 pupils’ design and technology work indicates that standards are at least above average. The pupils had been investigating lifting devices linked to a history topic. The pupils had obviously take considerable pride in their work and finished it to a high standard, demonstrating good construction techniques and an understanding of effective structures. The wide range of different methods used to develop the given brief indicates the thought, planning and inventiveness that had gone into this work. The work in is well planned and shows a broad curriculum is in place.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. In music , pupils were only observed in Years 5 and 6, although the whole school was heard singing in assemblies. Pupils sing tunefully with good dynamics and obviously enjoy singing. It is clear that the good expertise of the music co-ordinator is used well to help pupils develop their skills. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught by the co-ordinator. They learn the recorder where there is a good emphasis on using the correct technique and the quality of sound. Good use is made Kirklington Primary School - 24 of the skills of the teaching assistant who works with some of these younger pupils. There is a strong expectation that pupils will practice short pieces for homework. In the one lesson observed, pupils made good progress in incorporating a challenging ostinato into a basic rhythm. Pupils also benefit from guitar tuition and from appearing in musical concerts and performances. The school has built up a good range of tuned and untuned percussion

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

instruments. The positive picture has been maintained since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. The school’s facilities and accommodation for physical education are limited indoors to a small hall but are enhanced by good outdoor space. Only part of one lesson was observed. This was planned for outside but had to be rearranged to use the school hall. The hall is too small to cater for whole class gymnastics and games and normally the older class is split to allow appropriate activities to take place. The lesson was very active and challenging and effectively taught by the knowledgeable teacher. The pupils enjoyed the lesson and were fully engaged in the tasks and worked hard. The lesson gave the pupils good opportunities to work together, which they did well. Although at times they became very excited, the teacher maintained very good control. The pupils have weekly swimming and games lessons and virtually all pupils attain at least the expected level. The good subject co-ordinator has been effective in extending opportunities in a

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

wide range of activities. The school has developed a very good range of sporting opportunities for the pupils outside of lessons. There is regular football coaching from a local football club. Also coaching has taken place in archery, badminton, athletics, golf, multi-sports and street dance during the last two years. This is further enhanced by an annual residential visit for the oldest pupils to an outdoor activity centre. The pupils participate in local tournaments and competitions.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

68. The provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is developed through weekly lessons for all classes and through all aspects of school life. One lesson was observed during the inspection. This good lesson, which was stimulating and fully involved all pupils, allowed the pupils to focus on respecting other people and how to solve problems for themselves. This is further developed in assemblies, when pupils are helped to consider moral issues, such as how they can deal with situations where they are in the wrong. The staff support the pupils’ personal and social education very effectively by encouraging them to work together effectively and to consider other pupils opinions. . The school places considerable importance on developing social skills and giving pupils responsibility within the school. This work in school is a strong element in the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.25