Little Horsted Church of England Primary School

LITTLE HORSTED CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th - 19 th January 2005

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LITTLE HORSTED CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL

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

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LITTLE HORSTED CHURCH OF ENGLAND 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. Little Horsted Church of England School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 98 School address: Little Horsted Uckfield East Sussex Postcode: TN22 5TS Telephone number: (01825) 750 380 Fax number: (01825) 750 380 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Dawson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Little Horsted Church of England School is a smaller than average primary school for four to 11-year-olds. At the time of the inspection, it had 98 pupils on roll, 60 girls and 38 boys. The majority of pupils live outside the parish of Little Horsted. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. There is a very small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language but these children are truly bilingual. The proportion of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register is well below the national average and there are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. At the time of the inspection, 15 children were attending the school’s Reception class. Eight of these children attend full time and the remaining seven will join the school full time at the beginning of the summer term. The small number of children who join the school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

each year means that attainment on entry varies but it is generally in line with what is expected for children of this age. The school was awarded the School Achievement Award in 2000, the Basic Skills Quality Mark in 2001, the Football Association Charter Standard for Schools in 2003, the Gold Arts Mark, and the NAACE Mark for quality in information and communication technology (ICT) in schools in 2004. Little Horsted Church of England School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20737 Mr P L Evans Lead inspector The Foundation Stage curriculum English Information and communication technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 9420 Mr D Martin Lay inspector How well are pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities developed 10808 Mr A Britton Team inspector Educational inclusion Special educational needs Mathematics Science History Geography 22113 Mrs A King Team inspector Art and design Design and technology Personal, social and health education and citizenship

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI Ltd. 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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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 contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Little Horsted Church of England School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Little Horsted Church of England School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Little Horsted Church of England Primary School is a good school, with some very good aspects, in which pupils achieve well . Children in the Foundation Stage are given a very good start and pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education. Standards are well above expectations at the end of Year 2 and pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6. The leadership of the headteacher is good, governance of the school is good and subject co- ordinators monitor standards and achievement in their subjects well. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. The provision for their moral and social development is very good . The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• All pupils achieve well. • Provision for the Foundation Stage is very good. • Pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) are used well and developed effectively in other subjects. • The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • Pupils form very good relationships with staff and with each other and develop very good confidence and self-esteem. • In a small number of lessons, more able pupils are not fully extended, and some marking does not fully guide pupils on how to improve further. • The school’s partnerships with parents, the community and other schools are all good. • Pupils’ understanding of the multi-cultural nature of our society and their place within it is not as well developed as it should be. • The curriculum is good throughout the school and the enrichment of the curriculum is very good. • Written reports about pupils’ progress are not as good as they should be.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Since the last inspection, the school has made good improvement . Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 are well above national averages. The test results at the end of Year 6 show that pupils achieve well compared with similar schools. Provision for the Foundation Stage has been improved very well. ICT has also been improved very well and standards are now above national expectations. The tracking of pupils’ progress shows that all pupils achieve well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English B A C B mathematics C D C B science B B A A Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Little Horsted Church of England School - 5 Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school and it is very good in the Foundation Stage. The school has information which indicates that the attainment of children joining the school is in line with expectations for children of this age. Children in the Foundation Stage are in line to reach standards which are above expectations in all areas of learning by the time they reach the end of Reception class. In the 2004 national tests for Year 2, standards in reading were in the top five per cent nationally and standards in writing and mathematics were well above the national average. Standards at the end of Year 6 were close to the

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

national average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. Standards in ICT are above the national expectations in Years 2 and 6 and it is well used in the teaching and learning of other subjects. Religious education was inspected by another authority and other subjects were sampled, consequently standards are not judged. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ standards were above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science when compared to standards in similar schools. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good throughout the school and their moral and social development is very good. Levels of attendance are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The quality of teaching is good overall and it is very good in the Foundation Stage. The quality of support offered to pupils by teaching assistants is very good. The quality and use of assessment are good throughout the school. The quality of the curriculum offered to pupils is good . There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are well cared for and receive good support and guidance. Procedures for child protection are good and those for health and safety are satisfactory . The school has good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good . The leadership and management of the headteacher are good. He has a good educational vision for the school. There is a very good working relationship between the headteacher and the senior teacher. Financial management is good and the governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have a good working partnership with the headteacher. There are some minor omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents and the prospectus but these do not impede pupils’ learning.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are pleased with what the school provides. In questionnaires, at their meeting with the lead inspector and when spoken to during the inspection, almost all were very positive about the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are very pleased with their school. They have great confidence in all adults working in the school. Their questionnaires show that some had concerns about other pupils’ behaviour but inspection evidence shows that the behaviour of all pupils is good.

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

• Ensure that more able pupils are fully challenged in all lessons. Little Horsted Church of England School - 6 • Improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the multi-cultural nature of our society and their place within it. • Improve the quality of annual written reports to parents about their children’s personal and academic progress. Little Horsted Church of England School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards are above expectations. However, because the school has a small number of pupils in each year group, these sometimes vary because the balance of abilities between individual pupils has a very marked effect on the overall attainment of the year group.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 2 are above the expected levels. • All pupils achieve well. • Children in the Foundation Stage make very good progress. • Potentially higher-attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged in a small number of lessons. • Skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are used and promoted well in most other subjects. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well.

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Commentary

1. In the 2004 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 2, the school’s results were in the top five per cent in reading and well above average in writing and mathematics, when compared to those of all schools nationally. When these results are compared to those of similar schools, they were in the top five per cent in reading, above average in writing and well above average in mathematics. Teachers’ assessments in science showed that the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level was in the top five per cent nationally and that an average proportion of pupils reached the higher level.

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Commentary

2. In the 2004 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, the school’s results were average in English and mathematics and well above average in science, when compared to those of all schools nationally. When compared to the results of pupils who scored similarly in their end of Year 2 tests in 2002, the school’s results were above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. This shows good achievement.

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Commentary

3. The trend of the school’s results over the past five years, for all core subjects 1 taken together, shows that at the end of Year 2 the school’s average points score is above the national average. Over the same five year period, the trend in results at the end of Year 6 has been below the national average.

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Commentary

4. Inspection evidence shows that standards in English, mathematics and science are above the nationally expected levels throughout the school. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy are well used to support their learning in other subjects. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are above national expectations for all pupils and the use of ICT to promote pupils’ learning in other subjects is good. Of particular note is the very good use of ICT, by teachers in their teaching, to promote pupils’ learning in lessons. This represents very good improvement in ICT since the

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Commentary

1 Core subjects are English, mathematics and science. All other subjects come under the heading ‘foundation subjects’. This is not be confused with the Foundation Stage which refers to children under five years of age. Little Horsted Church of England School - 8 last inspection. Foundation subjects 2 were only sampled in this inspection because of time restraints and subject timetables and so no firm judgements could be reached about the standards reached in them.

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Commentary

5. Children join the school in the Foundation Stage with standards which are average for their age. However, the number of children who join the school each year is small and, if a very small number of children are of higher or lower ability, this can change the profile of the whole class to being above or below average for their age. The school does a good job of tracking pupils’ progress to ensure that all pupils reach the standards that they should. The Foundation Stage provision has been improved very well since the last inspection, when it was a weakness. Now, because of the very good teaching and learning, children make very good progress and almost all of the present class are in line to reach standards which are beyond the expectations of the Early Learning Goals 3 , in all six areas of learning 4 .

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Commentary

6. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress towards their targets. This is an improvement since the last inspection when these pupils were found to be making satisfactory progress. The targets in their individual education plans are appropriate to their needs and are formulated in small steps to ensure that they are achievable. The very good care and support offered by the adults that work with these pupils also ensure good achievement to enable them to reach standards in line with their abilities.

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Commentary

7. There is a very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. All are truly bilingual and consequently, although the school has strategies to support such pupils, these are not required at present.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 18.9 (17.2) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.3 (15.0) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 18.6 (14.5) 16.2 (16.3) There were 14 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

Standards in: School results National results English 27.4 (28.6) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 27.8 (25.9) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.0 (29.7) 28.6 (28.6) There were 16 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

2 Foundation subjects are all those other than English, mathematics and science. 3 Early learning goals are the national expectations for children as they join Year 1. 4 The six areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage are :- communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional development, creative development and physical development. Little Horsted Church of England School - 9 Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also very good overall. Pupils’ punctuality is good and their attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ behaviour is good, which reflects the school’s high expectations of them and the way it works to achieve them. • Pupils show good interest in, and enthusiasm for, their own learning and for other activities provided by the school. • Children in the Foundation Stage have very good attitudes to their work. Their behaviour is always good and sometimes very good. They exceed the expectations of the early learning goals in their personal and social development. • Attendance is very good as a result of the very good procedures and practices to monitor and promote it. • Pupils form very good relationships with staff and with each other and demonstrate very good confidence and self-esteem. • The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Pupils exceed expectations in these areas of development.

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Commentary

8. Pupils like the school and feel that they are learning in “good” lessons, which they enjoy. They are polite and show respect for staff and visitors and for each other. They are aware that their purpose is to learn but a small element sometimes become distracted and fail to maintain their focus. This is because, in a small number of lessons, more able pupils are not fully extended or because these pupils tend to discuss their work for too long and do not always complete the tasks set. Most pupils show confidence and self-esteem, which allows them to be independent learners. They are eager to please and they work collaboratively with each other. Pupils understood the need for rewards and sanctions in the behaviour policy and know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Pupils willingly and effectively carry out their roles as classroom monitors, members of the school council or as buddies to younger pupils. All of these good attitudes help to improve pupils’

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Commentary

9. Pupils who have special educational needs show good attitudes to their work. They usually maintain concentration as a result of well-planned activities; good teaching and good support both in and out of their classrooms. Their behaviour is very good and they are fully included in all lessons.

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Commentary

10. Pupils enjoy attending a very good range of extra-curricular activities such as computing, short tennis, football, netball, cricket, and stoolball and the homework club. These activities extend the opportunities for pupils to learn and achieve higher standards.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.1 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. Little Horsted Church of England School - 10 11. The last reported figure, for overall attendance in 2003/2004, is very good, being well above the national median. The amount of authorised absence was well below the national median and the percentage of unauthorised absence was also below the national median. The school has further improved on these figures so far this year. The school has taken effective action to improve attendance by being diligent in establishing reasons for absence. Pupils with 100 per cent attendance records are rewarded with certificates. Punctuality is good, with only a small number of pupils being habitually late.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. Pupils are interested in their learning and are able to contribute to discussions. This is a result of good questioning by staff, which encourages the pupils to explore their learning. The activity-based lessons and drama activities are also successful at promoting this. The school makes good provision to reward good learning, with certificates for pupils who earn ten merit marks, and it celebrates such successes at ‘Golden Award’ ceremonies. Pupils value this recognition: it gives them high self- esteem and self-confidence which motivates them to work even harder.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

13. There is an elected school council and pupils discuss the agenda and outcomes of council meetings during some of their circle time 5 sessions. The council has influenced the quality of the school’s environment by raising money for a ‘friendship bench’ and for a new water fountain in the playground and by introducing a paper recycling scheme.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

14. During lunchtime and playtimes, pupils are confident to approach an adult if they have concerns or are worried. Pupils have very good relationships with adults and with each other. For example, the ‘buddy’ system operated by the older pupils includes shared reading time and caring for younger pupils during break times. Both groups of pupils appreciate this system and consequently, pupils’ self-confidence is increased.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

15. A few parents reported that instances of bullying occur. However, no incidents were observed by inspectors or reported by pupils during the inspection. Pupils have a “thinking” book which enables them to bring their concerns to the attention of staff in confidence. The school has taken effective action, such as the recent anti-bullying week and the development of a specific policy, in order to ensure that pupils remain free from such harassment.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

16. Pupils’ behaviour is good. An appropriate range of rewards and sanctions, well understood by pupils, is consistently used, including awarding ‘golden points’ to deserving pupils and a ‘Golden Jumper’ each week to the pupil in each year group who shows particular consideration for others. These good arrangements for managing behaviour and attitudes meant that there were no exclusions from the school last year. There were no incidents of racial harassment during the inspection and none was reported in meetings with parents or pupils. Pupils have great confidence in all staff and this has a good influence on their attitudes to learning.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

17. Pupils’ moral and social development is very good. Staff work hard to develop very good relationships and moral and social development are very well promoted throughout the school. This encourages pupils to distinguish right from wrong, to develop their own views and beliefs and to value and respect each other. Pupils are encouraged to undertake day-to-day responsibilities and to act as monitors to assist in

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

5 Circle time is time set aside for pupils to discuss issues which are sensitive or important to them. Little Horsted Church of England School - 11 the running of the school. Additionally, the school has organised fund-raising events for a number of charities, the latest of these being a high level response to the ‘Tsunami Appeal’, in which pupils have joined with parents, staff, governors and the local community. These activities give pupils an increased sense of responsibility for the school as a community, as well as for others less fortunate than themselves. Pupils respond well to responsibility and carry out their tasks reliably.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

18. Spiritual development is good and there are good opportunities for pupils to gain insights into their own values and beliefs and those of others. Time is given for pupils to reflect on their feelings in many lessons. They develop a sense of beauty in the world around them and their place in the world. These qualities are promoted well through geography, art and design, music and religious education. School assemblies help to develop a sense of belonging to a whole school community and provide pupils with weekly opportunities to celebrate the achievements of others. ‘Circle Time’ helps pupils to appreciate their own worth and raise their self-esteem.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

19. Cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils have good opportunities to study their own community through the visits and activities provided for them. Pupils have a good understanding of their own culture and, although the school is somewhat isolated geographically, it works hard to promote an understanding of the multi-cultural nature of British society. The school provides visits, visitors and other activities to provide cultural enrichment and is planning to enrich this provision further. Although the school works hard to enrich this area of pupils’ development, it does not have the rich resources available to many schools because of its isolated location.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The quality of teaching and learning is good and it is very good in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is good throughout the school and the provision of extra-curricular activities is very good. The school offers good care, guidance and support to all its pupils. Partnerships with parents, the local community and with other schools are all good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . Systems of assessment are good and the information obtained is put to good use.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment procedures are good and the information gathered is used well. • The development and use of skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT in other subjects are good. • Pupils’ learning is very well supported by teaching assistants. • In a small number of lessons, more able pupils are not fully stretched. • The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is very good. • The quality of teaching and learning is good for all pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

Little Horsted Church of England School - 12 20. The school has good assessment procedures. All teachers make assessments of pupils’ progress daily and the information is used well to guide their planning for future lessons. Teaching assistants also make assessments and contribute well to this work. The outcomes of assessments are shared with pupils so that they understand how they are progressing and know their targets for future improvement. This information is also used well to track pupils’ progress through the school. Using teachers’ records of assessments, the school can show the good progress and achievement of all pupils. All pupils’ work is marked. However, on a small number of occasions, marking does not meet the high standards normally seen in the school and does not provide clear guidance to pupils on how they might improve their work. The school is aware of this and has identified it as a target for further improvement.

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Commentary

21. The school has clear and well-used policies to ensure that pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are well developed in other subjects. For example, pupils wrote prayers and letters to support their ‘Tsunami Appeal’ project. They accessed Internet sites to gain a better understanding of the causes of the tidal waves, and children in the Foundation Stage made a large model of a mobile phone to ‘text God because they understood that he would be busy’. This approach to involving many subjects in one project has a good effect on pupils’ learning and enables them to understand that the skills that they learn have many uses.

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Commentary

22. In almost all lessons, very good teamwork between teachers and high quality teaching assistants ensures that pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ learning is good in almost all lessons because work is interesting, teachers and teaching assistants know pupils very well and give very good support which focuses each pupil’s attention very effectively on their learning.

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Commentary

23. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is very good. These pupils achieve consistently well because of the invaluable support they receive and their teachers’ focus on short-term learning targets. All pupils are included well in all aspects of lessons and extra-curricular activities. They are provided for through tasks which are carefully matched to their levels of ability and all teachers consider the pupils’ individual education plans when planning their lessons. Teaching assistants who work with pupils with special educational needs are experienced and well qualified.

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Commentary

24. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good . It is particularly strong in promoting children’s social development. The Reception teacher has a good understanding of how young children learn, ensuring they feel happy and secure. This enables them to achieve well. A very good atmosphere is created in the class. This is very effective in encouraging and engaging children in their learning, while having fun at the same time. The Reception teacher and teaching assistants work very closely together to form a very good team. Assessment of children’s knowledge and skills is very good. The teacher and the teaching assistants are often seen assessing children’ progress during lessons. The information gathered is very well used to plan future activities and tasks are well matched to children’s needs so that they build well on their previous learning. This shows very good improvement since the last inspection when provision

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Commentary

for the Foundation Stage was a weakness.

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Commentary

25. The use of ICT for teaching and learning is a strength of the school. All teachers are very capable in their use of interactive whiteboards and often use video recorders and other equipment linked to them to stimulate pupils’ interest and involvement. This has a very good impact on their willingness to learn. Little Horsted Church of England School - 13 26. The school has good strategies for challenging more able pupils. In some lessons, a group of teaching assistants focus on these pupils in order to ensure that they are fully challenged. However, more able pupils are very articulate and, on some occasions, they spend too long talking about how to solve a problem. The level of discussion is always very high but it does waste time and sometimes means that tasks are not fully completed. There are a small number of lessons when more able pupils are not fully stretched and they do not progress as swiftly as they should. The school is aware of

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 2 9 3 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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The curriculum

The curriculum is good , with very good opportunities for extra-curricular activities. The school's accommodation is satisfactory. Resources for learning are good and staffing levels are very good , especially the provision of additional support for pupils' learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has successfully addressed the weaknesses identified in the previous report. • The range of clubs and other activities is very good and enriches the curriculum very well. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is very good. • The curriculum for the Foundation Stage of learning is very good. • The school is well-resourced and deficiencies in the provision for information and communication technology have been significantly improved.

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Commentary

27. The previous report identified weaknesses in the curriculum concerning the Foundation Stage of learning and also in the provision for art and design and design and technology and in the resources for information and communication technology. The school has improved these areas considerably, especially in the provision for the youngest children in the school.

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Commentary

28. The school has developed good strategies for curriculum provision. Very often during the inspection, lessons involved several subjects because they fitted together well, within the topic being covered. The school is evaluating this development and plans to extend it further. Pupils enjoy working in this way and the curriculum now provided has a positive impact on their learning

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Commentary

29. There is now a unit for the Reception class, with its own designated outdoor area. The curriculum for Foundation Stage children is now good. It meets statutory requirements, and it is broad and well balanced in all areas of learning. Tasks are well prepared to match the needs of the children. The Foundation Stage teacher has a very good Little Horsted Church of England School - 14 understanding of the children’s needs and always makes sessions interesting and fun. This promotes children’s learning very well.

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Commentary

30. There is a well-equipped computer suite. The school strives to include enjoyment for the pupils in their learning and achievement, with good links to other subjects and very good use of technology to support learning. The curriculum framework is regularly updated, there is a good emphasis on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and national guidelines are modified well to match the needs of the pupils in the school.

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Commentary

31. The range of clubs and other activities is very good and enriches the curriculum very well. Clubs provide a very good variety for pupils. For example, they offer activities including computing, homework, short tennis, football, netball, cricket, and stoolball. The pupils also have the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments, such as the flute, violin, or cello. Trips and visits are planned regularly. For example, older pupils have a residential trip to the Isle of Wight and there are visits to nearby Uckfield. Other activities include a trip to Portsmouth for Years 3 to 6 to see the Mary Rose, and music recitals from the East Sussex Music Service.

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Commentary

32. Curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Targets in their individual education plans are well matched to pupils’ educational needs and include targets for literacy, numeracy and behaviour. Most are given work that is pitched at appropriate levels for their academic development and these pupils are fully included in the school’s curriculum, both in and out of school.

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Commentary

33. The school’s accommodation and resources for teaching and learning are good, with a very good match of support staff to the demands of the curriculum. The deficiencies in provision for information and communication technology have been significantly improved, and there is a computer in each classroom as well as an interactive whiteboard. The school's outside areas are good. They are made attractive and are used effectively. There is also a very good field adjacent to the playground.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides a safe, caring and healthy environment for pupils. It provides good advice, support and guidance for the pupils and makes good arrangements to involve them in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very trusting relationships with adults. • Pupils are provided with good support for their personal development. • There is good provision for seeking and acting on the views of pupils. • There are very good induction arrangements for new pupils. • Assessment procedures are used well to support pupils’ academic development.

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Commentary

34. Pupils work in a safe and healthy environment. However, some minor deficiencies were noted during the inspection and the school has been made aware of these. Risk assessments are completed prior to any external events, property and equipment are regularly tested, and fire drills are carried out according to a planned schedule. Little Horsted Church of England School - 15 35. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good levels of care, support and guidance. They are given focused support, either individually or in small groups, mainly in the classrooms. The school has very good links with outside agencies, including the educational psychologist and speech therapist, and they visit the school as required. The special educational needs co-ordinator and senior teacher very carefully monitor the progress of pupils with special educational needs as they move through the year groups. Children who are likely to need extra help are identified in the

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Commentary

Reception class or through liaison with nursery and playgroups before entry to the school. There is good contact with staff responsible for special educational needs both in the local secondary schools and in the cluster of primary schools.

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Commentary

36. Pupils report very good relationships with all adults within the school and say that they would feel confident in approaching them about any matters which were troubling them. They also feel that staff help them with their learning. Pupils know their targets for some of their work and are involved in reviewing them. The ‘buddy’ system and Friendship Bench in the playground are effectively used to support younger pupils and those pupils who are new to the school.

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Commentary

37. The school has good assessment procedures. All teachers and teaching assistants are involved in gathering information which is well used to promote pupils’ understanding about their learning and to support their progress and achievement. There is a constant focus on working together and respecting others’ efforts which promotes children’s personal and social development very well.

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Commentary

38. The school has very good induction arrangements for new pupils which help to reduce any potential anxieties for the child and assist with their early learning. Parents and children attend school on a number of occasions prior to starting and children meet their ‘buddies’ (older pupils who will help them to settle into the school). Parents are provided with useful information on topics such as reading and the use of play. There are also follow-up meetings after pupils start at school and parents complete a questionnaire, giving their opinions and ideas about the school’s procedures for settling children in.

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Commentary

39. The school has made progress in meeting the requirements of recently-enacted legislation in regard to child protection but has not yet completed the required training of staff and governors or updated its policy. However, all staff are aware of the need for vigilance and know the correct procedures to follow and the school closely monitors situations which may give rise to concerns. The use of “thinking books” (“thinking books” provide an opportunity for pupils to express their views and are used as the basis of some of the school’s provision for pupils’ personal development) and time-tabled ‘circle time’ sessions provide pupils with suitable opportunities to indicate if they have any problems. There are satisfactory procedures and practices to meet the medical needs of pupils.

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Commentary

40. The school makes good provision for seeking and acting upon the views of pupils through the school council, to which pupils are elected. Pupils discuss the proceedings and outcomes of the school council meetings during sessions of the class councils.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents have good links with the school. Links with the community and with other schools are also good . Little Horsted Church of England School - 16

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good measures for seeking and acting on the views of parents. • Parents make a good contribution to pupils’ learning at school and home. • There are good outcomes from the school’s good links with the community and other schools. • The quality of some information provided by the school could be improved.

p.18

Commentary

41. Parents receive frequent and informative newsletters from the school and governors and are provided with information at the start of each term regarding the curriculum and topic work. They are also given a homework schedule and some written advice about how to assist their child at home.

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Commentary

42. Parents of pupils with special educational needs have good links with the school. Very good induction procedures are organised on children’s entry to the school. The school ensures that, in line with the guidance in the Code of Practice, parents are fully involved in all it does to educate pupils with special educational needs. As a result, the partnership is very effective in seeking their views and consulting them about making the best provision it can for their children.

p.18

Commentary

43. Some parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire felt that they were not well informed about their child’s progress. The school provides a written report once a year which details what pupils have been doing. This sometimes identifies targets for English and mathematics as well as a general target. However, these targets are not always very clear about how parents could assist their child’s learning at home and the reports do not give an account of pupils’ personal development or explain the levels of attainment given for the core subjects. There are also some minor omissions from other statutory documents, such as the school prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents but these do not adversely affect pupils’ achievement or the standards that they reach.

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Commentary

44. Reading diaries and a ‘pupil target book’ (a book in which pupils’ targets for improvement in subjects are kept) are used to enable parents to make a good contribution to pupils’ learning at home. The school has held a number of helpful curriculum evenings for parents, including ICT, Art and Maths evenings and parents assist the school by reading with pupils and taking part in cultural events. The school has its own website which is being developed as a source of information for parents.

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Commentary

45. Consultation evenings for parents are held twice a year and governors also attend. These meetings are well attended and provide parents with good opportunities to discuss their child’s progress. The school makes strenuous efforts to see all parents. For example, timing arrangements are flexible and parents who do not attend are contacted.

p.18

Commentary

46. The school makes a very good effort to consult parents and respond to their views. For instance, surveys have been held to establish parents’ views on bullying and car parking and governors have held their own consultations. Outcomes are analysed and the results fed back to parents. Governors also provide a suggestion box for use by parents. Little Horsted Church of England School - 17 47. The school has good links with the local community, despite its geographically isolated position and the lack of a large area for school assembly. These links enabled a substantial sum to be raised towards the cost of recent building works. The school also has good links with pre-school providers, secondary schools and other primary schools in a cluster of village schools, all of which are used well to enrich the provision for pupils and improve their learning.

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Commentary

48. There are good arrangements for the transfer of pupils into secondary school and these help pupils to transfer with confidence and settle in quickly.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The leadership by the headteacher and other key staff is good , with some very good aspects. There is a very good working relationship between the headteacher and the senior teacher . The school is managed well . The school’s governance is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher leads the school well and he receives good support from staff and governors. His working relationship with the senior teacher is very strong. • Rigorous self-evaluation underpins the good management of the school. • There is a strong effective link between performance management and staff development. • Very good induction procedures are in place, especially in the case of newly-qualified teachers. • Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the school. • Financial planning is well related to the school’s and pupils’ educational needs.

p.19

Commentary

49. The headteacher provides good leadership and he is well supported by staff and governors. This ensures that the school has a clear purpose which results in good achievement by all pupils. There is a particularly strong working relationship between the headteacher and the senior teacher, who takes a great deal of responsibility and leads the Foundation Stage very well. Their strengths complement each other and they form a very good leadership team. There is a strong team spirit in the school and all staff work well together. The leadership of curricular development is effective, due to the headteacher’s strong sense of purpose and high aspirations. His leadership has created very good relationships and all members of staff are included in all aspects of the school’s work. The school improvement plan has a clear focus on maintaining high standards and spells out quite clearly how success will be objectively measured. The

p.19

Commentary

whole teaching staff is involved in monitoring and developing the curriculum and in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning.

p.19

Commentary

50. The governors are very supportive of the school and have a very good understanding of its strengths and areas for development. They visit the school regularly and some members of the governing body have been delegated to oversee various curriculum Little Horsted Church of England School - 18 areas, including special educational needs. They play the part of ‘critical friend’ in all aspects of school life and ensure that that the school fulfils statutory commitments. However, there are some minor omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents and from the school prospectus but these do not have a detrimental effect on pupils’ learning.

p.19

Commentary

51. Effective and rigorous self-evaluation underpins the good management of the school. The school recently underwent a moderated school self-review which indicated a school with many strengths in its leadership and management at all levels amongst the staff and governors. The headteacher carries out thorough and meticulous analysis of test data, including not only those from the national test results at the end of Years 2 and 6, but also those from the optional tests administered at the end of each year. This identifies the performance of year groups, classes and specific groups, such as those with special educational needs.

p.20

Commentary

52. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good. The senior teacher has a very good knowledge and understanding of the needs of these young children, organises her staff very well and provides a very effective learning environment which children find fun. This motivates children and promotes their learning very well.

p.20

Commentary

53. Special educational needs provision is very effectively led and managed. The co- ordinator, who is experienced and well qualified, works in conjunction with the senior teacher. They are responsible for all aspects of this provision, including administration. There are a very small number of pupils who have English as an additional language, but all are truly bilingual. The school has good strategies for providing for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English, but at present these are not required.

p.20

Commentary

54. The monitoring of staff performance is good. There is a strong link between performance management and staff development. Individual training needs are decided during the performance management process, along with the needs of subject areas and those of the school generally.

p.20

Commentary

55. Financial planning is well related to the school’s educational needs as they are set out in its school improvement plan. Expenditure is checked carefully and a small financial reserve is generally carried over to the next financial year. The school funds are used well to promote high standards and good achievement for all pupils. The school is concerned to obtain good value for money and all major projects, such as the proposed new building and the installation of a computer suite, have been put out to tender. All major spending decisions are based on the perceived advantages to pupils.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 322,581 Balance from previous year 20,818 Total expenditure 332,196 Balance carried forward to the next year 11,203

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Expenditure per pupil 3,220 Little Horsted Church of England School - 19

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good .

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• The very good practice of the Foundation Stage teacher, coupled with the very good leadership of the Foundation Stage, has substantially raised the quality of provision. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall. • Very good assessment procedures are very well used to plan the next stage of learning. • There is very good teamwork between the Reception teacher and teaching assistants. • Relationships between adults and children are very good.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. There are presently 15 children in the Reception Year, eight of whom attend full-time. The number of children who join the school each year is low and, whilst the attainment of most groups is in line with expectations for their age, just two or three children with particularly high or low attainment can substantially change the profile of a class. At the time of the last inspection, this provision was a weakness of the school but there has been very good improvement since then. These children are now taught in a separate class and the quality of teaching and learning is now very good.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. By the time they start in Year 1, almost all children’s attainment is at least in line with national expectations in all six areas of learning and, in the present Reception class, many will exceed this. Most children achieve well and make good progress in their learning. This good achievement is encouraged by the very good teaching and high levels of support which children receive. The weaknesses recognised during the last inspection have been rectified and significant improvements have been made to the accommodation and the play equipment. The school has created a very good outdoor area for the Reception children, which is partly covered and is used at every opportunity. The children are provided with a very good learning environment that they can use for exploration and discovery. This has brought about improved opportunities, since the last inspection, for the children to extend their learning outdoors.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The management of the Foundation Stage is very good. The senior teacher is now the leader of this area of the school. A significant strength of the teaching is very good teamwork between the teacher and the teaching assistants. The use of assessment to monitor the development of the children is very good and enables the teacher to plan effectively for future learning experiences. Those children who have special educational needs are fully included by the staff, who design activities that are targeted to meet their needs.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Provision in the area of personal, social and emotional development is very good and all children are in line to exceed the expectations of the early learning goals by the time that they join Year 1. Children enter school with differing social skills, dependent Little Horsted Church of England School - 20 upon their background and the pre-school group that they have attended. As a result of the very good teaching and strong emphasis given to children’s personal development throughout their time in the Foundation Stage, the children achieve very well. By the time they leave the Reception class, most children are on course to exceed the goals expected of them. The Reception teacher and teaching assistants ensure that the environment helps children to quickly feel safe and secure. Children are given very good opportunities to play and work together. The support of an adult is provided, when needed, to encourage them to take turns and share and to show

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

consideration for others. Expectations are high and the children respond well to the enjoyable supportive atmosphere that they work in. The planning and use of time during the ‘child- initiated activities’ are good and provide many opportunities for children to develop their own ideas through play and to make choices about what they can do. The warm and trusting relationships help children to recognise that each of them is valued, and this helps to promote their self-esteem. Overall, the children are enthusiastic learners who already show good levels of interest in all activities.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Most children in the present Reception class achieve well and are on course to exceed the expectations of the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year in communication, language and literacy . Provision in this area of learning is very good. During the inspection, it was clear when observing lessons that almost all of the children who attend full-time, and some of those who attend part-time, already speak in sentences when asking or answering questions. High priority is given to promoting language skills and the very good teaching ensures that children make good progress. Children develop their speaking and listening skills well through role-play. They are all given many opportunities to share their ideas and their news with the class. In this situation, they are starting to sustain attentive listening and respond with relevant comments.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Very good teaching is characterised by a clear understanding of the needs of young children and by well-organised and exciting activities that motivate them. The early stages of writing are developed well, with many opportunities being provided for children to express themselves by making marks on paper. There is a good focus on the teaching of letters and their related sounds and, as a result, many children are beginning to hear and say the initial sounds in words. All children recognise their own name and are encouraged to read it at every opportunity. Activities such as looking at pictures are carefully planned to develop children’s language skills and adults make good use of resources for learning to encourage discussion. Some children are still at the early stage of ‘reading’ the pictures or ‘pretend reading’ the words that accompany the illustrations. However, others have good knowledge of words that

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

they see regularly and are beginning to sound out words. This very good teaching has a positive effect on children’s learning.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. The school’s provision for mathematical development is very good. Achievement in mathematical development is good and some children achieve very well. Quality of teaching and learning is very good. Regular sorting activities, games and number songs that involve counting numbers are successful strategies for promoting learning. Adults take every opportunity to develop the children’s mathematical skills and particularly the development of mathematical language. Practical experiences such as exploring repeating patterns through different artistic activities support the children’s use and understanding of numbers and shapes and promote their use of language. Most children are in line to exceed the expectations of the early learning goals by the time that they join Year 1.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. All children achieve well in their knowledge and understanding of the world and many achieve very well. The provision for children’s development of their knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. The quality of teaching is very good. When children first start school, some have a limited general knowledge which is below the expected level for Little Horsted Church of England School - 21 their age. The Reception class provides a stimulating environment that ensures the children’s natural curiosity and enthusiasm are captured and stimulated. Children are given a wide range of activities that includes finding things that need pushing or pulling to make them move and investigating a range of materials. Good opportunities are provided for children to explore and actively learn by doing things, for example in their ‘space rocket’. The construction work is purposeful, and reclaimed materials as well as commercial kits and large building bricks are

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

provided for children to create models. Children have regular access to computers and the good teaching of ICT skills enables children to learn how ICT can help them. Children’s awareness of religious and cultural traditions is effectively enriched through special events, such as the celebration of festivals, and through role-play. The Reception teacher has successfully created a stimulating environment which promotes children’s learning well. Most children are in line to exceed the expectations of the early learning goals in their knowledge and understanding of the world by the time that they join Year 1.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Provision for the development of children’s physical development is good. Most children reach standards in their physical development which are at least in line with national expectations by the time that they join Year 1 and some exceed this. They use a good range of large- scale equipment in the outdoor area and some join an older class for physical education in the school hall. Children progress satisfactorily in these physical education lessons, although the limited space in the hall hampers movement when a whole class is involved. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and children achieve well in their physical development.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. All children develop their manipulative skills well through drawing, painting, handling dough and using construction materials. For most, their hand-eye co-ordination is well developed and they use pencils and scissors accurately. The Reception teacher gives the children a wide variety of experiences intended to improve their manipulation of small equipment, when undertaking tasks such as cutting and sticking a range of materials.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children achieve well in all aspects of creative development and most will exceed the national goals by the end of the Reception Year. Provision for the development of children’s creative development is good. The quality of teaching is very good. Very good learning in this area is particularly due to the many creative activities on offer that allow children to explore and use their imagination. Resources are organised well, enabling children to select activities in the classroom and outdoors. They work with a range of different media and paint with care, expressing themselves well and developing good observational skills. Their observational drawings show a growing attention to detail.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. There are many opportunities for imaginative play and the children need no encouragement to participate. Adults provide sensitive support to the children while they play, without dominating their activities. Children play willingly and quickly learn to play co-operatively with other children. The classroom organisation enables all children to experience the activities on offer. The children are steadily building up a good repertoire of favourite songs and rhymes. There is a lot of fun and laughter when children sing action songs.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well throughout the school. • Teachers promote literacy effectively in other subjects. However, more able pupils are not fully challenged in all lessons. Little Horsted Church of England School - 22 • Learning support assistants are used very well to support the learning of those with particular needs. • Standards in national tests in 2004 were in the top five per cent nationally in reading and well above average in writing at the end of Year 2. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment was good when compared to standards in similar schools. • The school has good procedures to track pupils’ progress as they move from class to class. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. However, marking does not always give sufficient guidance to pupils on how they might improve their work. • Leadership and management are good.

p.23

COMMENTARY

68. The results of the 2004 Year 2 National Curriculum results for reading and writing indicate that standards are well above the national average in writing and in the highest five per cent of schools in the country in reading. Compared with similar schools, standards were above average in writing and in the top five per cent in reading. The 2004 National Curriculum test results for Year 6 pupils indicate that pupils reach standards that are in line with the national average. However, when compared to the standards of pupils whose test results were similar in the end of Year 2 tests in 2000, standards were above average which indicates good achievement for this particular group of pupils. Over time, the improvement in national test results has been above the national trend in Year 2 but below the national trend for Year 6. All these figures should be treated with some caution as there are often small numbers of

p.24

COMMENTARY

pupils in classes and one pupil can sometimes represent ten per cent of the class.

p.24

COMMENTARY

69. The findings of the inspection are that standards are above expectations throughout the school, due to good teaching. Achievement is good throughout the school. Standards in reading are well above expectations and the school’s recent focus on writing has raised standards well. Achievement is good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their classmates.

p.24

COMMENTARY

70. Inspection evidence confirms that the high standards shown in national tests are being maintained. The reading standards are well above expectations, with many older pupils reading very difficult texts with real interest and understanding. Standards in writing improve steadily as pupils move through the school and pupils throughout the school often write at length. By the time that they are in Years 5 and 6, writing standards are above expectations. Pupils are consistently guided by teachers to understand that written language is to be used to express themselves at the highest level whenever possible. This high expectation leads to pupils using and developing their writing skills well in other subjects such as history, geography and science. Pupils learn and progress well because of the good quality of teaching and because all teachers have high expectations of pupils’ writing in all subjects. The school has

p.24

COMMENTARY

evaluated the success of its focus on writing and is determined to raise standards even further. Most pupils use joined handwriting and apply everyday spelling conventions in their writing. Pupils’ work is detailed and is capable of holding the interest of the reader.

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COMMENTARY

71. The school also has high expectations of pupils’ speaking and listening skills and many pupils are justifiably proud of their high levels of Standard English. However, on a very few occasions, more able pupils are not fully challenged by the activities that they are given. In a small number of lessons, they spend too much time in high level discussions of a task before getting down to completing it. When this happens, or when the extra challenge set by teachers Little Horsted Church of England School - 23 is not testing enough, these pupils do not make the progress that they should. Across the school, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening skills is above expectations. Sufficient scope is given for pupils to express their views and opinions in day-to-day lessons. Most pupils speaks expressively and explain ideas with clarity.

p.24

COMMENTARY

72. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan pupils’ learning well and devise writing tasks, for example, that allow pupils to draft and edit their work in order to improve its quality. Pupils learn about the importance of outlining and reshaping ideas before moving on to produce a final draft. In all classes, teachers make good use of the skills of very good teaching assistants and pupils’ learning is promoted very well by their very good support. The school has good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress. Teachers and teaching assistants are regularly seen assessing pupils’ progress in lessons. The information gathered is well used in planning future lessons and to track pupils’ progress and achievement as they move through the school. However, in some classes, the quality of marking does not always give pupils clear enough guidance on how they might improve their work. All teachers make very good use of

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COMMENTARY

ICT in daily lessons to extend pupils’ learning. Literacy skills are often extended when pupils use the ICT suite 73. There is good leadership and management in the subject. The quality of teaching and learning is well monitored. The co-ordinator has successfully implemented various initiatives and the pace of change since the previous inspection has been good. For example, much greater use is made of monitoring information to plan where teaching and learning need to be improved.

p.25

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

74. The school has made good progress in ensuring that, where possible, other subjects of the curriculum are used to extend pupils’ learning of literacy. Science, history and religious education are used well in order to develop their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. There is a clear policy for developing literacy skills in other subjects and this is promoting pupils’ learning well.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectations and achievement is good in Year 6 and Year 2. • The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. • Pupils are interested in mathematics and their attitudes are good. • Information and communication technology is now used well to promote pupils’ learning of mathematics. • Assessment of pupils’ performance is good but it is not fully used to respond to all pupils’ individual needs. • The teachers’ marking does not always give helpful guidance on how to improve.

p.25

Commentary

75. Pupils’ achievement is good. As a result of the consistently good teaching, all pupils, regardless of ability, achieve well. In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2004, pupils’ standards were well above average when compared to all schools nationally. When these results were compared to those of similar schools, they were also well above average. In national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004, pupils’ standards were average when compared to all schools nationally. However, when these results were Little Horsted Church of England School - 24 compared to the results of pupils who reached similar standards in their Year 2 tests in 2000, standards were above average and this represents good achievement.

p.25

Commentary

76. When the results for the past three years, for pupils at the end of Year 2 are considered, the trend has been slightly above the national trend. When the data for the end of Year 6 is considered, it shows a trend which is in line with the trend nationally.

p.26

Commentary

77. The attainment of pupils in Year 6 is above the nationally expected level. This is not quite as high as the standard achieved in the 2004 tests but the difference is largely due to different and small cohorts. This is an improvement on the judgement of the previous inspection when pupils’ standards were found to be average.

p.26

Commentary

78. In the current Year 2, standards are also above expectations. This judgement is below that of the 2004 national test results for the same reasons as in Year 6. It shows an improvement from the findings of the previous inspection when standards were found to be average. Pupils’ achievement in lessons and over time is good.

p.26

Commentary

79. The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good. Teachers plan well and their insistence on high standards of behaviour results in at least good standards of behaviour throughout the school. However, marking is not always used to give pupils helpful guidance. Equality of opportunity is generally promoted well and pupils with special educational needs are very well supported to enable them to achieve well and in line with their classmates. However, potentially higher-attaining pupils are not always given challenging tasks or activities to stimulate their learning. Information and communication technology is now used extensively in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Teachers present very good role models in using ICT in their teaching and pupils regularly learn mathematics through the use of ICT.

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Commentary

80. The main resources used by teachers are workbooks and worksheets from a commercial scheme and these are used well. All teachers plan their lessons within the structure of the National Numeracy Strategy and opportunities are presented for pupils to participate in ‘hands-on’ practical tasks in their mathematics work. Pupils enjoy these experiences and they learn well. In the Years 1 and 2 lesson, the class teacher used a good range of resources and strategies to introduce and develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of ‘doubling’. The lesson was well linked to information and communication technology by the teacher who used a video recording to introduce the topic. Pupils’ attention was very good during the introduction, they understood the principle and learned well. In another lesson for older pupils, the teacher skilfully involved the pupils in the use of the interactive whiteboard to encourage their interest and enthusiasm in the activities. Again, pupils were very

p.26

Commentary

attentive, enjoyed their activities and learned well.

p.26

Commentary

81. Pupils who have special educational needs are given a very good level of support by teachers and particularly by the support staff. Teachers plan appropriate work for different abilities but the work for higher-ability pupils is not always challenging. All teachers have established good classroom routines. As a result, pupils behave well, remain on task and are generally keen and interested in mathematics. This leads to their making good progress. Good pace and use of time are evident in the majority of lessons and most teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ performance. Homework is regularly set and is well matched to pupils’ work in lessons. Little Horsted Church of England School - 25 82. Leadership and management in the subject are good, leading to standards which are above national expectations, and good achievement. The subject co-ordinator is experienced. She manages the subject well and involves the whole staff in decision-

p.26

Commentary

making. The monitoring of teaching and learning is usually carried out by the headteacher and the senior teacher, although the co-ordinator has scrutinised pupils’ work. The headteacher has been instrumental in using information and communication technology to analyse pupils’ performance in national and optional tests. Resources for the subject are good and information and communication technology is used extensively.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

83. Pupils are using mathematics more and more in other curriculum subjects and are coming to appreciate the practical uses of mathematics in real life. For example, graphs and tables are used to record data in science and geography. Pupils’ measuring skills are used in many aspects of design and technology and, in an information and communication lesson, pupils used their mathematical skills to construct and analyse information in a data-base to construct graphs and pie charts. The use of information and communication technology for mathematics has been greatly improved since the last inspection.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is an emphasis on the investigative aspects of science throughout the school to raise or maintain pupils’ standards. • There has been good improvement in pupils’ standards since the last inspection. • The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. • Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support to enable them to achieve well. • Science is led and managed well.

p.27

Commentary

84. In the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004, pupils reached standards which were well above average when compared to all schools nationally and when compared to those of pupils in similar schools. The trend of results in science over the past three years, at the end of Year 6, has been above the national trend. Teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2004 showed that pupils’ standards were very high when compared to schools nationally and to those of similar schools. Little Horsted Church of England School - 26 85. At the time of the last inspection, standards in science were judged to be average across the school and this has been improved. Standards in the current Year 6 and Year 2 are now above expectations and all pupils are achieving well both in lessons and over time. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls, even though there is a gender imbalance in small cohorts. Pupils with special

p.27

Commentary

educational needs are given very good support to enable them to achieve well, in line with their classmates.

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Commentary

86. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Although no lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2, a scrutiny of pupils’ work, displays and teachers’ planning and discussion with pupils indicates that teaching is good. There is an emphasis on the investigative aspects of science throughout the school and this has had the effect of raising standards and achievement.

p.28

Commentary

87. Teachers often use imaginative strategies to enthuse pupils about their work in science, which has the effect of promoting good attitudes to their work which leads to good learning and achievement. In the Years 3 and 4 lessons observed, the teacher used good, open ended questioning to ascertain pupils’ previous knowledge about the human skeleton. She displayed a variety of her son’s clothes from birth to the present day in order to stimulate discussion on the subject of growth. The topic of the science lesson was used well to introduce the personal, social and health education lesson on healthy living. Pupils responded really well offering opinions based on their prior learning and their achievement in the lesson was good. Discussion with pupils indicates that they understand the principle of a ‘fair test’. Their knowledge and understanding of mathematics is often well linked to activities, for example, when

p.28

Commentary

measuring angles as they moved mirrors during an investigation. Assessment is well used to inform teachers planning and to track pupils’ progress.

p.28

Commentary

88. The leadership and management of science are good. A scheme of work has been produced following national guidance which helps to ensure good progress for all pupils - especially important in classes with two age groups. A great deal of monitoring and analysis of test results has been undertaken which has identified areas for improvement and resulted in high standards of achievement. Resources are good, enabling teachers to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum and to give pupils the opportunity to participate in practical investigative work. The curriculum is enriched when Years 5 and 6 pupils attend a residential rural study centre, also linked to their work in geography. Pupils have also attended challenging sessions at a neighbouring secondary school where science and design and technology are linked to further promote their learning.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

THE PROVISION FOR INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IS GOOD .

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• ICT is used well in classrooms and in the ICT suite in the teaching and learning of other subjects. • There is good support for pupils with special educational needs. • The management of resources is very good. • Teaching and learning are good. Little Horsted Church of England School - 27 • The resources in the ICT suites are very good and support the teaching well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

89. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are above national expectations. Achievement is good throughout the school. Pupils use computers regularly and develop skills which are above expectations by the end of Year 2. These skills are built upon well in Years 3 to 6.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

90. The quality of teaching and learning is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection and is a direct result of the school’s focus on the use of ICT for teaching and learning in other subjects. This is raising standards. There is good support for pupils with special educational needs, as teaching assistants ensure that they gain the greatest benefit from using ICT in lessons. Teachers frequently plan to use computers in lessons. All teachers use the interactive whiteboards very well, also allowing pupils to use them in their investigations. The quality of pupils’ learning is good because of the good teaching that they all experience in the regular lessons for each year group with the headteacher. He uses his good ICT skills well to promote pupils’ interest and enthusiasm, combining the learning of ICT skills with learning in other subjects such as history, art and design or mathematics. Pupils are also provided with very good role

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

models as all teachers use interactive whiteboards and other ICT equipment very well during lessons. This promotes their learning well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

91. Throughout the school, pupils’ skills in using computers, digital cameras and other technical equipment are good. They use a mouse and the keyboard well and can find the programs that they want, with ease, by following instructions on screen. They use these skills well when learning other subjects. Good creative thinking has gone into the provision of an ICT suite which can accommodate whole year groups. Pupils follow a commercial scheme of work in ICT as well as learning other subjects. The management of these resources is very good and the use of ICT is fully integrated into almost all subjects. Pupils really enjoy using computers and this promotes their learning and achievement well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

92. The leadership and management of ICT are good. The headteacher’s leadership is having a good effect on the way the subject is taught and managed. The ICT suite is very well timetabled, very well equipped and well used. All classes have regular use of the suite and all pupils show that they can use computers well for their age as they progress through the school. This has a positive impact on their learning and achievement. In-house training for staff is good, for example in the use of the digital cameras and in the use of interactive whiteboards as an aid for teaching and learning. All teachers use ICT very well to promote pupils’ learning and in doing so provide very good role models in this area. The quality of teachers’ planning and of some pupils’ work is monitored. The assessment of pupils’ progress is satisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

93. Planning is coherent, with a clear vision for further development. The co-ordinator provides good capacity for further improvement in all aspects of the subject. There has been very good improvement in ICT since the last inspection when standards throughout the school were below expectations. Little Horsted Church of England School - 28 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

94. ICT is well used to support pupils’ learning and achievement in other subjects. Teachers plan to use these skills while focusing on the development of skills in other subjects. There is dedicated time each week for each year group, during which they are taught elements of other subjects by the headteacher while also extending their ICT skills. Pupils use the Internet to research and find information for topics that they are working on. This not only promotes the development of good ICT skills but also uses and promotes their skills in other subjects well. Pupils revel in these opportunities to use a good range of ICT and the good quality of teaching and learning in lessons promotes their achievement well.

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HUMANITIES

95. The school’s very close links with the church mean that religious education was inspected by another authority. Geography and history were sampled. In geography , no lessons were observed during the inspection. Consequently, no judgements could be made on the quality of teaching and learning, standards of attainment or the quality of the school’s provision. However, from looking at classroom displays and teachers’ planning, it is clear that all aspects of the subject are taught throughout the school. The subject is planned using a nationally recommended scheme of work. The subject is well linked to other subjects, such as science, mathematics and information and communication technology, to help pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding.

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HUMANITIES

96. In history , only one full lesson was observed, in which the quality of teaching and learning was good. However, from looking at classroom displays and teachers’ planning, it is clear that all aspects of the subject are taught throughout the school. A comprehensive classroom display of toys donated by parents and grandparents is used well to interest pupils in history and to encourage discussion. The Year 5 and 6 pupils are studying the Tudors, particularly exploration by sea at that time. Their writing on the subject demonstrates a good link with their literacy work. These pupils have visited the ‘Mary Rose’ museum in Portsmouth to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the Tudor period of history.

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HUMANITIES

97. The history curriculum is well linked to other subjects, including literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology, for independent research by pupils. The use of information and communication technology demonstrates an improvement from the previous inspection. Medium- and long-term plans have been formulated using recommendations from a national scheme to ensure progression of learning through the year groups. Resources for the subject are satisfactory, overall, but good appropriate displays are seen in two of the three classrooms, and out-of-school visits are also used to broaden the curriculum.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. Due to the school’s timetabling and the need for the inspection to focus on other subjects, music, art and design, design and technology and physical education were only sampled. No judgements could be made on the quality of teaching and learning, standards of attainment or the school’s provision in these subjects . It was Little Horsted Church of England School - 29 possible to observe only one lesson in art and design , in which the quality of teaching and learning was good, and none was seen in design and technology. The statutory curriculum for both subjects is covered fully, with work in art and design being quite detailed. Pupils' sketchbooks reflect the good range of skills and techniques they are taught and how they then transfer these to create their own artwork, for example using charcoal to produce portraits and using print techniques to create patterns, especially those which reflect other cultures, such as Islamic art. From photographs and work

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

stored on the school's website it is evident that design and technology plays a major part in the school’s curriculum and activities. The 'Goblin Car Challenge', a project with the local community college, is well documented and the links with the college are put to very good use to develop this work. Work in art and design is very well supported by the use of computers, for example to re-create art work in the style of Mondrian, and the pupils' artistic efforts are well presented and displayed proudly around the school. Artwork is also in evidence in other subjects, for example in history on the Ancient Egyptians.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

99. From looking at the school’s plans and teachers’ planning and from talking to pupils, it is clear that music and physical education are taught throughout the school. In music , pupils sing well and they have the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments. In physical education , pupils are taught the full range of the subject. There is a good range of sporting clubs and the school has been successful in a good number of local sports events and competitions

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

100. There is a good programme for personal, social and health education. Most classes have specific lessons about how to consider others and their feelings and how to look after themselves. For example, a science lesson was well developed from being a study of the human skeleton to a discussion about healthy exercise. The programme covers the expected elements of sex education, puberty and relationships. Other topics cover drugs awareness. The school council is used very well to seek the pupils' views and to enable them to express their opinions about how the school functions. Awareness of good citizenship is also well promoted. Pupils are encouraged to support charities and to consider others less fortunate than themselves and currently they are taking an active part in supporting the Tsunami Appeal. Little Horsted Church of England School - 30

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2

Attendance 2 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 Little Horsted Church of England School - 31 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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