Long Clawson Church of England Primary School

Long Clawson C of E Primary School

Dates of inspection: 8 th –10 th November 2004

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Long Clawson C of E Primary School

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

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Long Clawson C of E Primary School

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4-10 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 66

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane, Long Clawson Melton Mowbray Leicestershire Postcode: LE 14 4PB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01664 822337 Fax number: 01664 822337

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Dr E Pearce

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

With 66 pupils (33 boys and 33 girls) the school is much smaller than most other primary schools. The majority of the pupils come from the local village but some come from the surrounding towns and villages. The pupils’ mobility rate is below average. An average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and no pupil has a statement of special educational needs. A very small minority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and no pupil in the school speaks English as an additional language. Attainment on entry to the Reception year varies because the groups are often very small, but is above average overall. There are three classes, with the reception children being taught in a separate group. The school does not have an indoor space for physical education lessons but uses the village hall for these activities in the winter months. The school won a ‘Schools’ Achievement’ award in 2003 and has recently gained a Healthy Schools’ status and an Investors in

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

People award. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19410 Andrew Matthews Lead inspector Special educational needs, English, information and communication technology, art and design, design technology, physical education, religious education 9003 Bryan Findley Lay inspector 2766 Rashida Spencer Team inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, science, history, geography, music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The Coach House 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Long Clawson Primary is a very effective school with many significant strengths. Pupils’ achievement and the quality of education are good and standards are well above average when pupils leave the school at the end of Year 5. Pupils’ personal development is very well provided for. Under the very capable leadership of the headteacher, the school has developed very strong relationships with the local and wider community. Governors know the school very well and give very good support. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The school’s leadership and management are very effective. • The teaching is good and pupils of all abilities achieve well overall. • There is a very strong and positive climate in the school reflected in the very good relationships between adults and pupils. • Pupils are very enthusiastic, behave very well and work hard. • Teaching assistants are well qualified and provide well-focused support and care to individuals and groups of children. • The school’s curriculum is good, effectively planned and very well supplemented by enrichment activities. • In a minority of lessons in Year 2-3 the teachers’ planning does not always cater successfully for the wide range of ability. • The school has excellent relationships with parents and makes very good use of their support and expertise. ƒ The teaching of handwriting lacks consistency and the presentation of the pupils’ work is

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved well since it was last inspected in 1999. Standards are higher and the quality of teaching and assessment are much better than before. There have also been good improvements to the leadership and management of the school. The headteacher and staff have a secure oversight of standards and the quality of education. Governors now meet their statutory responsibilities in full.

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Year 2 results (end of Key Stage1)

All schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 Reading A C A A Writing A A A A Mathematics A B A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average

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Year 2 results (end of Key Stage1)

Throughout the school pupils of all abilities work hard and achieve well. This is particularly so in the acquisition of their numeracy and literacy skills. As a result of the small numbers of pupils in each year group the overall profile of test and assessment data for each cohort can fluctuate widely and must be treated with caution. In the last three years, the attainment of Year 2 pupils has been well above average overall, with girls achieving higher standards in reading and writing and boys achieving higher standards in mathematics. The Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 7 present Reception children have settled quickly into their new routines and because of the consistently very good teaching, the great majority will exceed the expected standards before they move into Year 1. However, the present Year 2 entered the school with below average attainment. They have achieved well and their attainment is now average in reading, writing,

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Year 2 results (end of Key Stage1)

mathematics and religious education, but above average in information and communication technology (ICT). The present Year 5 pupils, who entered the school with above average attainment, are also achieving well and their attainment is well above average in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in science, ICT, religious education, geography and history. The proportion of pupils working at the higher levels in Year 5 is particularly high in English and mathematics. However, pupils’ handwriting skills are not consistently developed as they move through the school and some pupils’ presentation is too untidy and spoils the quality of their work.

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Year 2 results (end of Key Stage1)

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. There is a very strong and supportive ethos in the school and relationships are very good. Attendance is very high. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and often very good, and leads to good achievement and above average standards by the time pupils leave the school. There is good support from the experienced teaching assistants who work effectively and sensitively with individuals and small groups. Pupils learn well because relationships are very good and teachers use their very good subject expertise and knowledge of the pupils to make lessons interesting and challenging. Although the teachers’ approach to assessment is good and they know the pupils well, this information is not always used to ensure that tasks are accurately matched to the individual capabilities of each pupil. As a result, the needs of some of the younger lower-achieving pupils’ in the Year 2/3 class are not being fully met. The school is addressing this issue by adopting a more flexible approach to literacy and numeracy hours and the way in which

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

the teaching assistants’ support is focused. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously and consistently inform pupils how they can improve their work and move towards their individual targets. Overall, the quality of teaching is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curricular provision fully meets statutory requirements and is good overall. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage, ICT and physical education is very good. Teachers plan effectively for pupils’ to use their literacy and ICT skills across the curriculum and this has a marked impact on their overall achievement. The curriculum benefits from a very good range of visits and extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) is good and helps these pupils achieve well. The school makes good use of the village hall to compensate for its own lack of a hall. Resources are good overall. There is an excellent partnership with parents and very close and effective links with the community and local schools. The school provides a good level of care for all its pupils and makes good use of outside agencies to support pupils with specific learning difficulties.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher’s enthusiastic and determined personal example underpins the effective teamwork of the staff team so that together they have improved the quality of education provided and successfully raised standards. The governors have a very good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and offer both strong support and constructive challenge.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL The parents are extremely happy with the school’s provision and pupils greatly enjoy their learning experiences. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 8 IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED The governors, headteacher and staff should now • Ensure teachers’ planning and organisation of resources, enables the needs of all pupils to be met consistently • Address weaknesses in the way pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills are taught. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Taken overall pupils’ are working hard and achieving well throughout the school. The children in the Foundation Stage make very good progress and achieve very well against their prior attainment. Taken overall, standards in Year 2 are average and in Year 5 are well above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils of all abilities are achieving well overall as they move through the school. • The many higher attaining pupils in Year 5 are achieving very well • Pupils use their literacy and ICT skills well to support their learning in other subjects. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well against their prior attainment. • Occasionally pupils in Year 2/3 do not make enough progress in lessons.

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Commentary

1. The children in the Foundation Stage make a very good start to their school life. They settle very well and form very good relationships with their teacher. Although attainment on entry varies widely, assessments for the last two years show that children enter the school with attainment that is above average. Children are achieving very well because of the consistently high quality teaching and, by the end of the reception year, the great majority will exceed the nationally expected Early Learning Goals 1 , in all areas of learning.

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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 17.5 (16.0) 16.0 (15.7) Writing 16.8 (16.3) 14.8 (14.6) Mathematics 17.4 (17.0) 16.4 (16.3) There were 12 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 2 – average point scores in 2004

2. The much smaller than average size year groups taking the national tests each year means that statistical analysis of the test and assessment data needs to be treated with caution. The results for 2004 show a good improvement over the previous year’s results, with standards in reading, writing and mathematics being well above average when compared to all schools and similar schools. The school’s improvement trend for the last three years is above average. The results for 2004 show a significant improvement in reading and a good improvement in mathematics. There was no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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

1 Early learning goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 10 3. The present small group of Year 2 pupils entered the school with below average attainment. They are achieving well and standards are now average in reading, writing, speaking and listening and mathematics. There is a smaller than average proportion of these pupils working at the higher levels. Occasionally some of the lower-attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs do not always make the progress they are capable of because the work that is set for them is too

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

challenging. This results in work remaining unfinished, with pupils under-achieving in some English and religious education lessons. Year 3 pupils are in the same class as Year 2 pupils and achieve well overall. However, in some mathematics lessons, the higher attaining Year 3 pupils are not appropriately challenged and do not achieve to their full potential. Year 2 pupils’ standards in ICT are above average and in line with expectations in religious education and science.

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

4. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above average at the end of Year 5. Assessment data shows that there is a very high proportion of pupils working at the higher levels, particularly in English and mathematics. Inspectors found no difference in the achievement of boys and girls. In religious education, ICT, science, geography and history, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations, with pupils achieving well in all these subjects. In art and design and technology standards have remained in line with national expectations.

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

5. Overall, pupils are achieving well because teaching is consistently good and pupils are generally well challenged in their work. Teaching assistants are well briefed and their close working relationship with teachers helps to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are well planned for. The school has effective systems to analyse the results of all pupils’ assessments so that strengths are built on and weaknesses addressed in subsequent planning. This has had a noticeable impact on the raising of standards in pupils’ speaking and listening skills and in their scientific and mathematical investigation work since the last inspection.

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

6. The school has good systems to analyse the performance of pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Frequent and regular communication between staff ensures that these pupils receive well-directed support to enable them to be fully integrated into the work of the class. Teaching assistants are fully involved, and individual education plans clearly lay out the targets to be achieved. Parents and teachers regularly review the plans. This ensures that the pupils with SEN make good progress and achieve well.

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

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and they behave very well. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good and pupils become very socially mature during their time at school. Attendance is also very good.

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

• The school stimulates in pupils a desire to learn. • There are very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. • The quality of relationships is very high and pupils show a genuine respect for others. • Attendance is very good. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 11 Commentary

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

7. Pupils’ response to their schooling remains very strong and contributes greatly towards making the school a happy, caring and purposeful place in which they thrive. Parents value highly the way the school encourages their children to become mature learners. Pupils develop very good attitudes to learning mainly because of high quality teaching that captures their interest, especially in Years 4 and 5 and in the Reception class. Pupils are given a very clear idea of what they are learning and activities are absorbing and varied.

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

8. The school places great emphasis on trust and respect in the management of behaviour in the school. Pupils repay the degree of independence they are given with mature and sensible behaviour, for example in the orderly way they organise themselves at the start of the day and settle down quickly to work with little overt supervision from adults. The reception pupils are already very well settled in class routines. Pupils are involved in discussions on school routines and they understand and accept how to behave because expectations are made very clear, such as through a ‘Children’s Charter’. Consequently, behaviour is very good and based on a moral appreciation of right and wrong. Pupils get on very well in the playground and say there is little or no bullying or any other form of oppressive behaviour. Pupils usually need very little encouragement to behave properly, sanctions are rare and there have

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

9. The school has worked successfully to achieve a very effective whole school community, based upon trust and respect for others. Underpinning this success is the very high quality of relationships that exist between adults in the school and the pupils. Members of staff show a unified respect for pupils and a deep interest in how they are doing. All this presents pupils with very good role models of how to treat others and greatly influences the positive relationships that exist between the pupils themselves.

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

10. Pupils make very good progress in their personal development because of the family atmosphere around the school and the high quality of thoughtful stimulation from assemblies and lessons on personal, social and health education. These sessions are well planned and based on an audit of provision across the whole curriculum. Clergy from different local denominations regularly support worship. Pupils are given good opportunities to reflect on their own responses to what they learn, such as seen in a very thought provoking spiritual assembly on ‘Remembrance Day’.

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

11. Pupils’ social development is very good because they are so well involved in school life. They become increasingly self-aware and very well equipped to develop as good citizens. Pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities around the school, such as helping younger ones at play and lunch times. Taking part in the work of the school council, either as a representative, or by making suggestions, provides pupils with a valued sense of involvement. This sense of social responsibility extends far beyond the school, such as in the support pupils are giving to the Casa Hogar Orphanage in Peru.

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

12. Pupils develop a very good understanding of the importance of culture. There is very good provision on cultural influences on lifestyle, especially in religious education, Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 12 history and geography. This includes aspects of multi-cultural appreciation, such as seen in a Year 1 and Reception class lesson on physical education, in which pupils expressed themselves in dance to Asian music associated with Diwali. Visits are used very well to show pupils different communities, such as regular residential trips to North Yorkshire and Wales, and also to places of worship for different faiths. The present Year 5 pupils are completing a project on different cultures in their village.

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Attendance in the year 2003/2004

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 3.6 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the year 2003/2004

13. Attendance is now consistently very high and this is supporting standards in the school. The school monitors attendance very well and takes appropriate action to overcome developing problems before they become a concern, such as when reminding parents of the inadvisability of taking holidays in term time. Punctuality is good and pupils generally arrive for school in good time to begin the first session. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 13

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good .

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Teaching and learning

Taken overall the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are good . Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good and in Years 1-5 it is good.

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Teaching and learning

• Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection and is consistently very good in reception. • Teachers plan carefully for pupils to develop their literacy and ICT skills in other subjects. • The teaching meets the needs of pupils with SEN well and has a positive impact on their learning. • In Years 2-3, the teachers’ planning is not always well matched to the capabilities of all pupils • Teaching assistants are hard working and knowledgeable and used well to support pupils’ learning. • Teachers’ marking is good and informs their good assessment procedures. • Handwriting and presentation skills are not taught consistently.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

0 10 6 2 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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

14. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and has improved since the last inspection. During the inspection a high proportion of lessons observed was very good. The consistently high quality teaching in the Foundation Stage (FS) enables children of all abilities to achieve very well. The nursery nurse has a very good understanding of how young children learn and she plans an exciting range of carefully-planned activities that build constructively on the children’s previous learning. In the activities provided, every opportunity is taken to develop children’s speaking and listening and early reading, writing and mathematical skills. Routines are very clearly understood by the children and make them feel secure and valued. Consistently challenging teaching and very effective use of resources encourages children to develop a passion for learning. Assessment is very good and most

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

effectively informs the children’s future learning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

15. The school has mixed-age classes for Years 2/3 and Years 4/5 and single age group classes for Reception and Year 1. Overall pupils achieve well and often very well in lessons. However, there is a particularly wide range of ability in the Year 2/3 class and Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 14 the planning does not always ensure that children of all abilities are appropriately challenged. Occasionally the work set for the lower-achieving Year 2 pupils is too demanding and does not enable the pupils to meet the objectives of the lesson and achieve appropriately. This is clearly seen in some of these pupils’ English and religious education work. Similarly, the higher attaining pupils in Year 3 are not always consistently challenged in mathematics lessons. In general, pupils of all abilities are well challenged and are achieving well, particularly in literacy and numeracy where the quality of teaching is often very good. Teachers’ planning is good and particularly well

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

informed by the assessments that are regularly carried out. As a result, strengths are built on and identified weaknesses addressed in future planning. The school’s assessment procedures are good and lead to challenging end of year targets that are set for individual pupils. Regular discussion between the headteacher and staff ensures careful tracking of pupils’ progress towards these targets. Teachers also break down the end of year targets in to smaller steps that they discuss with each individual. They mark the pupils’ work carefully and consistently inform them how to improve it in order to achieve the progress towards these shorter term targets. Pupils comment very positively about how these small-scale targets help them to improve their achievement.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

16. Teachers are consistently good at creating opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Teachers make good use of these skills in lesson introductions and in the way they develop pupils’ learning through careful questioning. This encourages pupils to share their ideas which, in the best cases, are then reinterpreted by the teachers, so that all pupils benefit from their peers’ answers. This was particularly effective in a Year 4/5 literacy lesson where pupils were reviewing features of direct speech. Plenaries at the end of lessons are carefully planned and, in the most effective cases, are used to assess pupils’ understanding of their new learning. In all lessons, the management of pupils’ behaviour is very good and effective use is made of teaching assistants who often work on an individual basis or with a small number of pupils with identified learning problems. As a result, these

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

pupils are well included in the lesson and are able to achieve as well as their peers. Resources are used effectively in English, mathematics and science to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning. However, the teaching of handwriting through the school is not consistently carried out. This results in some uneven development of skills, which impacts on the quality of presentation of some pupils’ work. Teachers plan carefully for pupils to use their language and ICT skills in other subjects but the planned use of pupils’ numeracy skills is not as well developed.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

17. Pupils who have SEN are well taught and receive good support. Teachers and teaching assistants support their learning well and effectively develop these pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. Individual education plans are carefully drawn up and used well by the teachers and teaching assistants to plan work for the pupils. The targets in them are clearly focused on the next stage of the pupils’ learning and amended regularly with parents to build on pupils’ successes and extend their learning to the next stage.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

The overall quality of the curriculum is good and it is supported well by very good extra- curricular activities and visits. The quality of the resources and accommodation is satisfactory overall. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 15

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for children in the reception class is very good. • Provision for personal, social and health education is very good. • Activities planned do not always meet the learning needs of all ability groups in the mixed age classes.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum throughout the school is good overall, meets statutory requirements and has improved since the last inspection. The curriculum in the reception class is very good with planning based around specific topics. All the required areas of learning are skilfully and imaginatively linked together and offer children lively and exciting learning opportunities. Key skills are developed to match literacy and numeracy requirements. Hence, pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

19. Overall, curriculum planning is well organised and managed. The school has an effective two-year rolling programme for the mixed-age classes, but the programme has yet to be adjusted in some subjects to take account of the very wide ability spread in the Year 2/ 3 class. Opportunities for pupils to use their literacy and ICT skills are carefully planned for, but pupils’ use of their numeracy skills in other subjects is not fully embedded in the curriculum and is an identified priority of the school.

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Commentary

20. All pupils have equal access to the whole curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils who are experiencing difficulties with work are identified at an early stage and good quality individual education plans are drawn up for them. These plans include clear targets for the pupils to aim at and the strategies to accomplish them.

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Commentary

21. Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is very good. The management and organisation of this aspect of the curriculum is very effective and it has a very positive impact on the wellbeing of children. The school has received a Healthy Schools’ Award and many aspects of personal, social and health education, such as staying healthy, citizenship and protecting the environment are integrated well into other subjects. Residential educational visits support these aspects of the curriculum well. These, and many other extra-curricular activities, such as various sports clubs, music and visits to museums, art galleries and places of worship enhance their interest and increase pupils’ motivation to learn. As a result of these activities and relationships with adults around them, pupils show a remarkable level of maturity, common sense and sensitivity.

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Commentary

The school takes good care of its pupils. It provides very good support, advice and guidance. Pupils are given very good opportunities to influence change in the school.

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Commentary

Main strengths and weaknesses Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 16 • There are very good induction arrangements for new pupils • Pupils enjoy trusting relationships with members of staff • Pupils receive very well informed support and guidance • The school listens very well to pupils’ views

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Commentary

22. Parents are very pleased with the induction arrangements for pupils. The school gets to know its new pupils very well, long before they start at the school because of a long programme of weekly visits from the age of 4 years. By the time they start, children are familiar with members of staff and with school routines. Parents are given starter information, such as booklets on how young children learn, and the school has held family learning sessions on ICT and how to help with reading and writing.

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Commentary

23. The quality of support and advice is very good because of the way that information about pupils is shared between teachers and classroom support assistants and then used in guiding improvement, particularly in the marking of work. Pupils feel they benefit from the way their work is marked and from targets, which together give them a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Information is used similarly well for supporting pupils’ personal development, for example, relationship problems are addressed promptly and pupils helped to overcome difficulties through individual guidance or by exploring scenarios more generally in circle times. There is good record keeping for incidents giving rise to concern, such as bullying or racially motivated behaviour, although incidents like these are rare.

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Commentary

24. The school council provides good opportunities for pupils from Year 2 to Year 5 to have a say in school life, either as a year group representative or through an ‘ideas’ box, which is open to all and provides part of the agenda for council meetings. The council is popular with pupils. Topics raised are usually realistic and discussed sensibly by representatives. Pupils also express their ideas in ‘circle time’, such as when discussing school rules.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There are excellent partnership arrangements with parents. Links with the community and with other schools are very good .

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

ƒ Parents make an excellent contribution to school life and pupils’ learning ƒ The quality of information to parents is excellent ƒ The school places a very high value on parents’ views ƒ The school is a very effective partner within the community ƒ Educational and transfer links with other schools are very good

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

25. The school’s partnership with parents has improved significantly since the last inspection and is now excellent. in the home/school educational partnership is very strong and parents think exceptionally well of what the school does. The school benefits greatly from the willingness of parents to involve themselves in its life and can rely on help whenever it is needed. A parents’ association is very active and continues Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 17 to organise events in support of school funds. This also provides a social facility for parents and the village, such as a children’s film evening and ‘Truck Touch Day.’ Parents value and make good use of the reading and homework diaries, which were introduced because of the intense interest of parents in their children’s’ learning, and are used frequently to communicate with the teachers.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

26. The quality of information to parents is excellent because of the professional way in which information is organised and presented. Formal publications, such as the combined prospectus and governing body’s annual report, are prepared thoroughly and thoughtfully. The school web site has been created with imagination and is kept up-to-date, with links to the village web-site showing school activities. Parents feel they are well informed about how their children are getting on. Reports are good and parents are kept informed of targets for improvement. Parents whose children have special educational needs are well involved in setting the new targets for their child’s individual education plans and in their evaluation. Parents appreciate the regularity of newsletters and curriculum information.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

27. The school consults very well with parents through informal day-to-day contact and the use of questionnaire. Results of questionnaires are fed back to parents with any action over concerns indicated, such as altering the pattern of parent interviews over pupils’ progress. All parents responding to the inspection consultations would feel comfortable approaching the school over any concerns.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

28. The school has forged many beneficial links with the community and links with the church and chapel remain especially strong. The school makes very good use of visits to places of interest locally, such as farms and The National Stone Centre, which enrich the curriculum considerably. It also forges links with community organisations, such as the Woodland Trust - a conservation charity. Pupils play a part in village life, for example, the school choir and orchestra has provided entertainment for elderly at their Friendship Club.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

29. Educational and transfer links with other schools are very good because of the close liaison there is over transfer arrangements and joint school development. School managers work collaboratively with the development group of primary schools in the area, for example, in the joint organisation of a technology day and in the use of authors across the schools. There are also jointly organised sporting events. Transfer arrangements are very effective and include a ‘buddy’ system for individual support when pupils move to the high school. Reports for these pupils are accompanied by individual profiles, so that friendship groups can be organised more effectively. There are also very good curricular links with joint bridging projects in mathematics, literacy and ICT.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the headteacher and the governance of the school are very good . The management of the school is very good and the leadership of other key staff is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher leads the school very effectively and, with the help of all staff, manages the ongoing development of the school very well. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 18 • Governors are very knowledgeable about the school’s effectiveness. • The school has very good self-evaluation procedures. • The school’s improvement plan has been instrumental in improving the school’s provision and is very well linked to the performance management programme. • The school’s target setting and tracking processes are very effective. • The school has good systems to support new staff and well-focused inservice training to enable them to become proactive in their management roles.

p.17

Commentary

31. The leadership and management of the school have improved significantly in all areas since the last inspection. Governors meet all statutory requirements and now provide very good support for the work of the school, playing a major contribution to its leadership and development. The combination of information gleaned from governor visits, classroom observations and from the headteacher’s detailed termly reports gives them a very secure appreciation of the strengths of the school and the areas that need to be improved. This information is used most effectively in the drawing up of the school improvement plan. Governors are keenly aware of the progress and end of year targets for the Year 2 pupils, and also receive detailed information about the progress of all the other year groups during the year. As a result, they have a very good understanding of the progress of all classes. The school’s target setting and

p.18

Commentary

tracking systems are very thorough and provide governors with detailed information to enable them to fulfil their role of critical friend. Governors have been particularly supportive of the headteacher, especially in the work to procure ‘Investors in People’ and ‘Healthy Schools’ status. They have also worked very closely with the local education authority to find monies for the building of the new toilet and library areas. Governors are particularly aware of the importance of value for money in all their decision-making. For example, all members of staff who attend courses are asked for evaluation feedback.

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Commentary

32. The headteacher has worked very hard and effectively to improve the school’s provision since the last inspection. He provides very good leadership for the school and is very well respected by governors, staff, pupils and parents. Even with the high turnover of staff for the size of school, he has developed a most effective staff team, which firmly puts the raising of pupils’ achievements at the forefront of the school’s work. He has a very clear vision for the school, so that all staff know exactly what they are working towards. He leads the curriculum development very effectively and is regularly implementing initiatives to ensure that pupils of all abilities are supported and challenged in their work. The school has a very strong ethos and is well respected and well ordered community in which pupils feel most secure and highly valued.

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Commentary

33. The management of the school is very good. New staff have settled quickly and all members of staff have a secure understanding of how the school runs from day to day and carry out this policy in a consistent fashion. The role of the co-ordinator has been particularly carefully developed. At the time of the inspection, the key subject areas of English, special educational needs, religious education and science, had new co-ordinators. Whilst the co-ordinators for all of these areas have highlighted clear developments for their subjects, there has not been enough time for these plans to impact sufficiently on individual subjects. Very good ongoing training has been arranged for these co-ordinators, particularly those who are leading a subject for the first time. However, the senior teacher who joined the school in September does have too many new responsibilities. The school is aware of this and is looking to share subjects

p.18

Commentary

more equitably. However, since the last inspection, the role of the co-ordinator has developed well and has been instrumental in improving the school’s provision.

p.18

Commentary

34. The school has developed very good self-evaluation procedures and uses these most effectively to draw up improvement plan priorities. Views of governors, staff, parents and Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 19 pupils are carefully considered. These, together with information from the school’s very effective monitoring systems, enable the school to set very specific targets for its improvement plan. Since the last inspection, these have had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 254,158 Balance from previous year 52,570 Total expenditure 204,344 Balance carried forward to the next 49,814

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

35. The governors manage the budget very carefully and apply the principles of best value very well. The school has budgeted for a significant carryforward in the present school year, most of which has been earmarked for the new building work, which, it is hoped, will be carried out during the present academic year. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. The provision for children under five is of very good quality and has improved well since the last inspection. There are 14 children in the reception class, which is managed and taught by the nursery nurse. Overall, the Year 1 teacher leads and manages the Reception arrangements. The children enter the reception class in the school year in which they become five. In the autumn and spring terms they attend one session per week and in the summer they attend two sessions per week. This gradual but well organised and managed induction of children lays a very secure foundation and, hence, when children start full-time education they have a very good knowledge and understanding of the routines, the layout and expectations of the adults. Parents are briefed well and are very comfortable about the whole process.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Cohort size and ability vary from year to year. The attainment of this year’s intake is above average with a low proportion of children with special educational needs. Space is cramped; hence, reception and Year 1 operate in two classes but their planning is done jointly. The curriculum is very well matched to the children's needs.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. The reception curriculum is planned around specific topics so, for example, this half term’s topic was on ‘Celebrations’. The targets of each of the six areas of learning are very skilfully linked and assessment points are clearly identified. Very good assessment procedures and analysis of daily and weekly outcomes of the children’s learning are used very well to inform reception curriculum changes. Learning is progressive and, while the curriculum is challenging for all, there is still room to raise expectations for the higher attainers who are ready to begin the early stages of the National Curriculum, for example, in number work.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is excellent .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make very good progress because the teaching is very good. • Planning for personal, social and emotional development makes a positive contribution to all activities. • Very good relationships have a very positively impact on children's confidence and independence.

p.20

Commentary

39. Children's personal development is given a high priority. The teacher’s expectations are high and children achieve exceptionally well in all aspects of this area. The great majority are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. Because of their very good induction, children settle quickly and confidently. They conduct themselves in the limited accommodation with care. They know the classroom routines well so, for example, first thing in the morning they collect their reading books and settle down to ‘read’. They share their favourite pages and talk about the character to each other. They have very good social skills. They respect the fact that the teacher is busy with other children and do not seek her attention. They engage with the visitor comfortably and confidently, ready to talk about their books and what they were doing over the weekend. At the end of the session, they return the

p.20

Commentary

books to the right container, upright with the titles showing! Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 21 40. Children choose their own tasks and equipment and often complete them to a high standard. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are very highly motivated to learn and have the patience and interest to sit still on the carpet for occasionally long sessions of 40 minutes. They show a high level of tolerance and sympathy relative to their age, for example, when they await a response from the children with special educational needs. There is no fidgeting or trying to attract the teachers’ attention. This remarkable behaviour is based on the knowledge and understanding that when they approach the teacher their views will be valued and that, regardless of the time or situation, they will receive a balanced, consistent and caring response.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is consistently very good and children achieve very well. • Children's speaking, listening and reading skills are promoted expertly.

p.21

Commentary

41. Activities planned for this area of learning are very imaginative and capture the children's attention. Activities are carefully thought out to promote independence and choice. For example, during imaginative role-play, which was celebrating Diwali, they dressed themselves in saris and collected their Diwas, which they had made, and moved around with their new costume with confidence. They were fully immersed in this unusual celebration with their speaking and listening skills above expectations for children of this age. They are keen to learn to read and their early reading skills are developed through sharing their books in the morning, listening to the teacher read to them from the Big Book and taking books home. Children handle books carefully and most hold them correctly. The higher attainers can point to the title and to their favourite character, name it and know that they can get information from the

p.21

Commentary

books. Through phonics sessions they learn how to make sounds, for example when learning ‘W U V’ sounds, and recognising letters. Very skilful teaching ensures that every child finishes the sessions feeling confident. More able children recognise the letters and the sounds they make in their reading books. Most hold a pencil correctly and make recognisable letter forms. All recognise their names and some are beginning to write them. More opportunities to write would further enhance these skills.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A wide variety of activities encourages learning and reinforces number skills. • Teaching is consistently very good and has a very positive impact on children's achievement.

p.21

Commentary

42. Most children enter school with a good knowledge of numbers up to five and some can count beyond this. Good teaching ensures they build on this prior attainment well. Simple addition Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 22 and subtraction are effectively promoted through number rhymes and everyday activities, such as how many children are present. More able children select correct numbers, such as 12, from a box of cards and talk confidently about one more or less. The lesson observed focused on using numbers in a sequential order and recognising and knowing the value of the number eight. When using number lines, most children could, independently of the teacher, count to ten. Many went on to 20 and then demanded to count backwards! Two more able pupils started counting from 20 accurately and confidently. Others joined in from ten. They had a variety of activities to learn to draw, make, trace or shape the figure eight. Before the end of

p.21

Commentary

the session, about half could write the number eight independently. These children were ready for a further challenge. All through the activities, children's behaviour was impeccable. They move from activity to activity completing their tasks, returning the finished work to the appropriate tray. They show a remarkable level of independence and an ability to concentrate on their tasks, at the same time relating well to each other. Their achievement is well above expectations for this age.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A well-planned curriculum enables teachers to provide a wide range of opportunities and activities. • Very effective teaching stimulates interest and imagination.

p.22

Commentary

43. Children are offered many different activities, which develop a good understanding of the world around them. They learn to draw simple maps showing routes from home to school, which enhances their understanding of the local areas and of themselves. Through celebrating birthdays and festivals, they learn about ingredients needed to make a birthday cake and buying and wrapping presents. In learning to wrap presents, they have to select the correct size paper for the different sizes and shapes of present and try a variety of materials such as glue, sticky tape and paper clips to secure the parcel, with growing confidence and skills. One of the themes focused on helping children to develop an awareness of parts of the body and how they grow. They learnt to taste things, helping them to understand the types of food for healthy eating. These activities helped them to develop their sensory experiences. Taking part

p.22

Commentary

in events, such as Diwali, successfully develops their understanding of different cultures and religious beliefs. Children use computers confidently, select an appropriate program, use a keyboard to type their names and handle the mouse with increasing accuracy. Most children are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the time they reach Year 1.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for children's physical skills. • Children handle tools and equipment with increasing skill.

p.22

Commentary

Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 23 44. The teaching is good in all areas of this aspect and planning meets the needs of the pupils well. Children have direct access to an improved outdoor play area. They make good use of this area and learn to climb, slide, balance and jump etc. Teachers encourage them to use these facilities all the time. Indoors they have a sand and water area and they fill the measuring container and explore how different shaped containers fill. Good, well-focused teaching ensures that there are specific learning objectives linked with different activities. During a dance lesson, children were aware of space; they listened carefully to Diwali dance music, which was very different from their normal experiences. They were encouraged to use their imagination to locate Diwas, which were placed in different places. They bent low and high, they held their balance and were able to find space to turn and twist. Clear, good

p.23

Commentary

instruction from the teacher supported them. They enjoyed the sessions and, once again, were remarkably self-disciplined. They collected their clothes, dressed themselves and got ready. They have many opportunities to work individually or with others. The teacher has very high expectations of children's behaviour and attainment and as a result children make very good progress.

p.23

Commentary

45. Too little work was seen in creative development to make a reliable judgement about the quality of provision. However, children appeared to be making very good progress in this area of learning. Children enjoy an appropriate range of experiences in music but there was not sufficient evidence of a range of artwork, partly because there is not sufficient room to put up more than one easel. The teacher is adept at making children use their imagination and has very high expectations of children's behaviour and attainment. They have many opportunities to work individually or with others.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils through the school are achieving well and standards are well above average at the end of Year 5. • Teaching is consistently strong and pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects. • Pupils’ speaking and listening skills have improved significantly since the last inspection. • The teaching assistants play a significant part in the good provision. • The development of pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills is inconsistent.

p.23

Commentary

46. Through the school, pupils are achieving well and the attainment of the present Year 2 pupils is average in reading and writing and well above average at the end of Year 5. The standards in Year 5 are higher than at the time of the last inspection and standards have been maintained in Year 2. This represents good progress for these Year 2 pupils who entered the school with some considerable weaknesses in their language work. In the 2004 national tests, last year’s Year 2 pupils attained standards in reading and writing that were well above the national average for all schools and for schools whose pupils come from a similar background. The proportion achieving the higher levels was also well above average overall. Over the past three years attainment in Year 2 has fluctuated considerably but has been well above average Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 24 overall. The small number of pupils in each year group means that these fluctuations

p.23

Commentary

47. Standards in speaking and listening were a key issue for the school to address at the time of the last inspection. A well-focused development programme was successfully put into place and has resulted in significant improvements in this area through the school. As a result, pupils achieve well in this area and standards are average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 5. The Year 5 pupils have very well developed speaking skills and use language in an interesting and mature way to answer questions and voice their opinions. They listen extremely carefully to their teachers and the other pupils. This was evident in a very good Year 4/5 lesson when pupils were reviewing features of direct speech.

p.24

Commentary

48. Standards in reading are average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 5. Inspection evidence supports the view of parents that pupils are making good progress in this aspect of their language work. Pupils in Year 1 build successfully on the very good start that they make in the reception class and are introduced to a structured reading programme supported by the systematic teaching of phonic skills. By Year 2 the majority of pupils read accurately with increasing fluency and all enjoy books and stories. However, the significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the class are still hesitant when reading and do not have the skills to pronounce common words that are new to them. By Year 5, the pupils are independent and enthusiastic readers who explain why certain books appeal to them. They use books and computer programs resourcefully to support their work in other subjects such as

p.24

Commentary

geography, history and religious education. Through the younger pupils’ home-school reading diaries, a careful record is kept of their progress and parental support. A present area for development is to share pupils’ individual reading targets with parents to give them a focus when they listen to their child read at home. In this way the school and home will be genuine joint partners in developing the pupils’ reading.

p.24

Commentary

49. By Year 5 standards in writing, including spelling, are well above average. The school uses the local education authority’s planning, which is based on the National Literacy Strategy. However, by following this planning rigidly, the present Year 2/3 pupils have not had sufficient writing opportunities to put into practice the language skills they have been learning. Sometimes work that is set for the younger pupils in this class, is too challenging and, as a result, individual pupils do not always have enough time to finish their work. By the end of Year 5, the pupils organise their writing well. They often prepare an initial draft of their work and edit it to clarify their thoughts through their writing. They write narrative, arguments and factual pieces and there is clear evidence that language exercises that the pupils undertake have a positive impact on the standards of their final writing. Teachers’ marking is carried out rigorously but

p.24

Commentary

also gives a clear indication to pupils what they need to do to improve their work and meet their next target. Pupils who were interviewed spoke very positively about how the targets set for them in reading and writing were having a positive impact on the progress they were making. Although handwriting is taught regularly, pupils’ writing is often untidy and does not show a clear development through the school. Joined up writing is taught from Year 2 onwards but pupils do not consistently use their newly learned skills in other lessons. As a result, their handwriting too often reverts to printing. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 25 50. The vast majority of the pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning and they enjoy their lessons. They are very well behaved and try to do their best at all times. During discussions, they are attentive, make relevant contributions and respect the ideas and opinions of others. They have a very clear understanding about the

p.24

Commentary

teachers’ high expectations of their work and their behaviour. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they begin to understand the power of words to pose questions, create arguments and encourage empathy.

p.25

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching is good and is reflected in pupils’ good achievement in the subject. Two lessons were observed, both with very good teaching. In the Year 2/3 class, the teaching assistant played a significant part in the pupils’ work, enabling the teacher to work successfully with higher-achieving pupils in that lesson. All teachers have very good subject knowledge and use this particularly well in their questioning of the pupils. The lesson objectives are explained to the pupils at the start of the lesson and then revisited during the end of lesson plenary. As a result, pupils are clear about what they are going to learn and have a good opportunity at the end of the lesson to talk about their individual learning. The lessons are organised well, presented imaginatively and the work is generally challenging for all ability levels. Teachers give very good support to pupils and, in the class of the older pupils, very good use is

p.25

Commentary

made of exemplars so that high quality work can be shared and evaluated by the class.

p.25

Commentary

52. Throughout the school the pupils with special educational needs make good progress and attain standards that reflect their individual targets. These pupils benefit from a balance of whole class teaching, small group work and individual attention to their areas of difficulty. The experienced teaching assistants’ effective guidance and support play an important part in this good provision. The school uses an effective range of intervention strategies to support these pupils.

p.25

Commentary

53. The new subject co-ordinator has made a good start to her role. She has rightly identified, through a scrutiny of pupils’ work, that they need more opportunities to write at length. The new marking symbols that have been introduced in the top class are having a positive impact on pupils’ work. Assessment is good and the new plans for termly language assessment tasks will give the co-ordinator an even greater insight into pupils’ attainment. It will also provide the school with detailed information to track the progress of individual pupils through each academic year. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection in the range of fiction books for the younger pupils and the school continues to have regular visits from theatre groups, poets and authors to inspire and enthuse the pupils. The school’s resources are good. Pupils benefit from visits to Melton Mowbray town library during the spring

p.25

Commentary

term. Throughout the school, the pupils make good use of ICT for research and for word processing to enhance the quality of their written work.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. The pupils use their literacy skills well to support work in other subjects. Their skills in speaking and listening are used most effectively across the curriculum in support of discussions in class sessions and in groups, in subjects such as mathematics, music, ICT, religious education and history. Pupils are encouraged to retrieve and collate information from a range of sources to support history and geography topics and their Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 26 writing skills are developed well in most of the subjects. Occasionally the quality of pupils’ presentation and their spelling does not match the work they carry out in literacy lessons.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

• Standards are well above average in Year 5. • Leadership and management are both very good. • Assessment procedures are good and used effectively to set targets. • Activities in Years 2/3 do not consistently match the educational needs of the lower and higher attainers.

p.26

Commentary

55. Standards are average in the present Year 2. Over the years, the variations of national test results in Year 2 have largely been the consequence of variations in the cohort. This year the cohort is very small, with average and below average abilities. Given the level of attainment on entry, these pupils are making good progress. Unvalidated 2004 National Curriculum assessment results indicate that the Year 2 pupils’ attainment was well above average both for all schools and similar schools. The present Year 5 cohort is strong and a significant proportion of pupils are working at the higher levels. The achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good.

p.26

Commentary

56. Throughout the school, number work is strong. Pupils manipulate numbers quickly and accurately and have developed a wide range of strategies. This was well exemplified in both Year 1 and Year 5. In Year 1, where the learning objective was to find totals, one of the tasks for above average pupils was to buy two items of breakfast for each of five people. Two pupils selected items and one did the calculation mentally and the other partitioned. Pupils showed an astute understanding of looking at patterns and within seconds had worked out the total. Similarly, Year 5 pupils confidently use a range of number strategies, which they successfully apply to their work on fractions, percentages, decimals and angles. They also apply these skills knowledgeably in other areas of the curriculum, such as geography.

p.26

Commentary

57. Older pupils’ data-handling skills are well developed. They interpret results and provide well thought-out reasons for any variation in patterns. They confidently use computers and calculators to support their learning. Overall, written work is presented well in Year 5. Squared paper is used inconsistently throughout the school and pupils would benefit from clear instructions about its use. Graphical drawings are sometimes inaccurate and untidy, and this mars otherwise good work.

p.26

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching is good overall. Pupils have very positive attitudes and enjoy mathematical challenge. They particularly enjoy the introductions, which are handled well. Teachers follow the pupils’ explanations of how to solve problems, making deliberate mistakes for the pupils to identify. Medium-term plans are good; however, the activities selected are not always matched carefully to the range of abilities in the class, which results in inappropriate work for the less able and not sufficiently Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 27 challenging for the more able in some classes. There is good practice in the school, for example, in Year 1 where activities are planned and matched carefully on the basis of pupils’ prior attainment. The good lessons are characterised by secure subject knowledge and good questioning skills, which challenge pupils’ thinking. At the beginning of each session, teachers introduce new mathematical vocabulary but do

p.26

Commentary

not always emphasise learning new spellings. Assessment is good, with teachers’ marking having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and their understanding of how to move towards their individual targets. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.27

Commentary

59. The leadership and management are very good. All assessments and external data are carefully analysed. The relevant curriculum units are modified according to pupils’ needs. Teaching is monitored and in-service needs are identified. As a result of the monitoring of the curriculum, a very accurate audit list of the strengths and weaknesses is prepared. Over time there is clear evidence of the school changing, addressing and improving areas of weakness. Improving standards reflect this very good management.

p.27

Commentary

60. There are some good examples of pupils using their mathematical skills in other subjects, particularly in Year 5. For example, in a geography lesson they use skills to identify co-ordinates, and their knowledge of drawing graphs and using the information supports their work in science. However, the planned use of mathematics is not fully embedded in the curriculum.

p.27

SCIENCE

• Pupils in Years 4 and 5 are achieving high standards. • A greater emphasis on the investigating work is improving standards. • Planning does not match the range of abilities reflected in Years 2 and 3.

p.27

Commentary

61. Attainment in the interim 2004 National Curriculum teachers’ assessments for pupils at the end of Year 2 is judged to be well above average. Standards in the present Year 2 are close to the national average. Variations are due to differences between the cohorts. Out of eight Year 2 pupils, three have special educational needs. The standards at the end of Year 5 are above average as a result of a greater focus by teachers on scientific enquiry and a higher proportion of more able pupils in the current Year 5. In relation to pupils’ prior attainment, the achievement of both groups is good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of well- planned support.

p.27

Commentary

62. Reception and Year 1 pupils build up a good level of knowledge about living things. They recognise that living things grow, and are developing an understanding of the importance of healthy eating. Pupils learn about the human body and name different Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 28 parts of the body; the more able talk about their function. From reception to Year 1, pupils’ progress is very good. Although progress is good in Year 2, it is not sustained in Year 3 partly because the planned activities are not well matched to the needs of the higher attaining pupils. Pupils are developing an understanding of fair testing and learn to record their observations in a number of ways. In Year 2, the range of activities enables pupils to learn that forces pull and push. Many of these activities encouraged pupils to ask questions. The current topic on electricity offers opportunities for pupils to examine different types and shapes of batteries and the

p.27

Commentary

importance of positive and negative terminals. In an observed lesson, resources were well prepared but the activities did not sufficiently take into account the prior attainment of the more able Year 3 pupils or the language and conceptual understanding of the lower ability younger pupils, who struggled with words like negative and terminals.

p.28

Commentary

63. No lessons were seen in Year 5; however, information gathered indicates that pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils in Year 5 have a very good understanding of forces, such as air resistance, through their investigation on the different sizes of parachutes. They record their observations and data accurately. They use their previous knowledge and understanding of science well to interpret and explain their conclusions. They offer thoughtful explanations for any differences they encounter. They record their work selecting a range of appropriate formats, including effectively using ICT skills. In considering evidence, they use tables and bar charts. Overall, pupils’ presentation skills are not well developed and this mars otherwise good work.

p.28

Commentary

64. Throughout the school, there is considerable emphasis on the ways in which science is relevant to pupils’ personal health. They understand the importance of a healthy and balanced diet and are keen to explain why their tuck shop sells only fruit. A well planned strand which focuses on the health and diet is included in each topic.

p.28

Commentary

65. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They are self-motivated and, as the relationships between teachers and pupils are good, the pupils feel confident to carry on investigations on their own. The organisation of resources and the management of pupils are good. While the ongoing assessment of pupils is generally satisfactory, closer attention to what pupils already know would enable teachers to provide more challenging activities for the higher attainers. Scrutiny of Year 5 pupils’ work, discussion with pupils and analysis of data indicate that pupils achieve a high standard of work. Since the last inspection, there has been a much-improved emphasis on developing scientific enquiry. Pupils are encouraged to consider a range of investigations. Teaching, especially in Years 4/5, promotes pupils’ independence in making choices about how their work is presented and in what lines of enquiry they

p.28

Commentary

66. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and comments are often helpful. Marking does not consistently comment on untidy work, such as scientific diagrams and graphs that have not been well presented or accurately drawn. Good analysis of National Curriculum assessments and optional tests inform the curriculum planning. The co- ordinator is new but has made a good start carrying out an extensive audit of resources and reorganising these so that they are easily accessible.

p.28

Commentary

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 29 The provision in ICT has improved since the last inspection and is good.

p.28

Commentary

• Teachers are confident to teach all aspects of the curriculum. • Pupils are achieving well through the school and standards are above national expectations. • Computers are used well to support pupils’ learning in other subjects.

p.29

Commentary

67. There has been a good improvement in the school’s provision for ICT and, because of this, pupils are achieving well throughout the school and are making effective use of computers to help their learning in other subjects. Standards are above average, as they were at the time of the last inspection, and they are high in the use of databases in Years 4 and 5. The school has two interactive whiteboards and a set of laptops. The combination of these two effectively compensates for the school not having an ICT suite and indeed provides more flexibility for pupils to access computers in the classroom.

p.29

Commentary

68. Pupils make effective use of the Internet from Year 1. The younger pupils also make good use of an art program to design high quality posters, such as when setting out a firework code. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 have particularly good skills in integrating text and graphics and used these well when they designed harvest festival invitations for parents. By the end of Year 5, pupils are proficient in all areas of the subject. They give Power Point presentations to their peers and make good use of the local school’s ‘Eco Centre’ for their monitoring work. Regular ‘kids biz’ magazines containing pupils’ work accompany the frequent newsletters home to parents. This magazine is designed by the pupils and contains pupils’ work from all years. The older pupils make particularly good use of the Internet in their history, geography and religious education lessons. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the subject and show very good

p.29

Commentary

collaborative skills when working together. The subject makes a particularly good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.29

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching is good and has been improved by well-focused training at the local upper school. Teachers now have a greater confidence to teach the subject effectively and to plan its use across the curriculum. Teachers’ questioning challenges pupils’ learning, shows good subject knowledge and is used effectively to assess the pupils’ understanding of their work. A significant number of pupils in the school have their own computers at home and some higher-achieving pupils email homework to the school. Good use is made of a digital camera, particularly on school trips, where wall displays show the variety of layout skills that the pupils have mastered. Very good links exist with the feeder high school and Year 5 pupils produce ‘bridging projects’ which are continued when they move there at the beginning of Year 6. The co-ordinator gives very good leadership to the subject and has developed a good

p.29

Commentary

curriculum. It is his enthusiasm and expertise which have successfully overseen the all round improvements that have taken place since the last inspection.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 30 70. Pupils make good use of computers to support their learning in many areas of the curriculum. Pupils confidently access the Internet and CD-ROMs to support their learning in subjects such as history, geography and religious education. Above average word processing skills enable pupils to present their work in original and appealing styles, as was seen in the wide variety of displays around the school.

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HUMANITIES

71. Owing to timetable arrangements, only one lesson was seen in history and no lessons were observed in geography. It is therefore not possible to make secure judgements on the quality of provision in these two subjects. Evidence was gathered by looking at samples of pupils’ work, examining teachers’ planning and talking to pupils about their work and shows clearly that both subjects make a very good contribution to the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.

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HUMANITIES

72. In both subjects, the work seen was similar in standard to that expected for Year 2 pupils and above expectations for Year 5 pupils. Work in Year 2 pupils’ history books shows that they are at an early stage in developing their research skills. In their study of the Tudors, they have used books and photographs to compare living standards of rich and poor people in Tudor times. Good curriculum planning indicates that the topic on the Tudors is continued in Year 5 in a progressive way. Pupils explore why trading and exploring was an important activity for this period. Their empathetic writing of the life of a sailor shows above average understanding because they used both primary and secondary sources skilfully and, with increasing accuracy. Teaching in Year 5 is very good. As part of their study of the Remembrance Day and the two world wars, pupils studied pictures of war, read Siegfried Sassoon’s verses from a poem A Working

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HUMANITIES

Party and extracts from All Quiet on the Western Front. Pupils showed sensitive understanding of the issues raised. The lively, thoughtful and intelligent discussions that followed indicated a high level of language and literacy skills since some of the vocabulary, imagination and nuances in the poem and the extract were very challenging. Their learning was further enhanced and enriched by the information gained from residents who were veterans, and visits to special places. The experienced co-ordinator leads the subject very well.

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HUMANITIES

73. In geography , Year 2 pupils show a satisfactory level of knowledge of local studies and of local physical features. There is heightened awareness of issues related to the local environment and, in their study, they have considered how litter pollutes the environment. The main topic this term has been on the rain cycle. A wide variety of resources were used to stimulate interest. In Year 5, pupils use primary and secondary sources confidently to describe physical and human resources of a contrasting locality focusing on North Wales and East Leicestershire. Their skills in using and interpreting Ordnance Survey maps are well above average, as evidenced by their written accounts that accurately described what they would expect to see in Wales based on these maps. They use the correct technical vocabulary well but sometimes do not spell them correctly.

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HUMANITIES

74. After each unit pupils’ work is assessed and targets are set. Assessment includes personal analysis of the social and personal skills they have developed. This aspect is exceptionally well promoted through numerous historical and geographical visits. Leadership offered by the co-ordinator is very good. The nationally recommended curriculum is adapted and matched well to pupils’ learning needs. Monitoring, Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 31 organisation and management are carried out systematically and thoroughly and inform future planning and resources.

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Religious education

The provision in religious education is good.

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Religious education

• The teaching is consistently good. • Standards are above expectations at the end of Year 5. • Pupils are developing a good knowledge of Christianity through the school. • Some pupils’ work is unfinished and poorly presented.

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Commentary

75. There has been a good overall improvement in religious education provision since the last inspection. Standards are now in line at the end of Year 2 but above expectations at the end of Year 5, with all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieving well as they move through the school. Pupils are following the locally agreed syllabus, which this term concentrates mostly on Christianity and, in this area, pupils by the end of Year 5 are developing a good knowledge. They use their literacy skills well, evident in their play script of the ‘prodigal son’ and are making good progress because of the consistently good teaching they receive and also because their work is marked carefully and with clear ideas on how they can improve. Year 1 have made good progress in their Christianity work and are also building up a good knowledge of aspects of Hinduism, particularly in their understanding of Diwali, where

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Commentary

their work has made good use of both their literacy and art skills. Whilst pupils in Years 2 and 3 have developed a good understanding of how the Bible is laid out and how to use the index to find the different books, some of the work they have covered has been too challenging for the lower-achieving pupils. As a result, they have a limited understanding of the work covered.

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Commentary

76. Teaching is good overall and, during the inspection, was often very good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this well in their questioning to develop pupils’ thinking and understanding. Particularly good was the way older pupils used the Internet to find information about different places of worship in their village. This enabled them to produce a pamphlet for newcomers to the village who were looking for a place of worship. This enquiry-based approach greatly appealed to the pupils who were enthusiastic and worked hard.

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Commentary

77. Assessment, which was a weakness at the time of the last inspection, is now good and is closely linked to the different elements of the agreed syllabus. The co-ordinator is new to the school and has rightly been concentrating on her larger subject responsibilities. It is planned that, during this year, she will monitor teaching and learning in the classroom. Right through the school, teachers plan carefully for pupils to use both their literacy and ICT skills. Work is generally neatly presented, although in the Year 2/3 class some of the work is untidy and not completed. Resources are satisfactory but the school makes good use of theatre groups who regularly visit the school. The subject makes a good overall contribution to the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 32 CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

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Commentary

78. During the inspection, no lessons were observed in art and design and design and technology. Two short lessons were observed in music and one Year 1 lesson featuring physical education. It was, therefore, not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of the school’s provision in these subjects.

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Commentary

79. A scrutiny of classroom walls indicates that pupils use a satisfactory range of techniques and materials in art and design and that there is a clear progression of skills as they move through the school. There is some particularly good cross- curricular links in the Year 1 class where pupils design and make Diwali cards as part of the religious education work on Hinduism. Pupils in Year 3 showed some good originality in their creative work using natural materials to create pictures in the style of Andrew Goldsworthy. Throughout the school, pupils make effective use of computers to support their artwork. Teachers display pupils’ work carefully and this enhances the standing of the subject.

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Commentary

80. In design and technology , weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been well addressed by the co-ordinator. Pupils now have an improved knowledge of the importance of design before the making process. This was clearly seen in the Year 2 pupils’ money containers where their work was further enhanced by the good use of a sewing focused task before they joined their materials together. Evaluations are now an integral part of the subject, with older pupils having a clear idea how perceptive evaluations can impact on the success of future projects. Pupils enjoy the collaborative elements of the subject and as such it makes a good contribution to their social development. A study of photographic evidence shows that pupils work with an appropriately wide range of resources and take good care with the presentation of the final product.

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Commentary

81. With little other supporting evidence, it is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of the provision in music . Overall, standards appear to be satisfactory. Pupils sing tunefully in assembly and are given opportunities to sing in class and in the choir. In Year 2, pupils represent a story line in sound with untuned percussion instruments. In Year 5, pupils listen attentively, explore sounds by clapping a rhythm and are given opportunities to appraise group work and indicate how they could improve the tempo, rhythm and beat. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Relationships with pupils are good; hence pupils are relaxed and not hesitant to explore unknown areas. All pupils are offered a good range of musical experiences. They have the opportunity to play recorders, and peripatetic teachers provide tuition for other instruments. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities, which have a positive impact on the pupils’

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Commentary

achievement. The co-ordinator is new but has already made a good start.

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Commentary

82. In physical education , the school does not have a school hall but makes good use of the village hall and the playground to ensure pupils experience the full range of national curriculum activities. The co-ordinator leads the subject very well and it is his enthusiasm, which has resulted in the pupils having access to a very good range of activities as they move through the school. The school has built very good links with local league football clubs together with rugby and tennis clubs. As a result, pupils have access to a wide range of coaches who work with them. All pupils go swimming during the spring term and standards are above national expectations at the end of Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 33 Year 5. Inter school competitions regularly take place in a wide range of sports and it is part of the school’s philosophy that all pupils have an opportunity to take part in these competitions. The very good curriculum is further enhanced by the pupils’

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Commentary

residential visit to Aberglaslyn where they engage in a range of adventurous activities including canoeing, abseiling and orienteering. Good teaching in the one lesson observed led to pupils working at different levels and holding balances as they responded to Diwali music. Pupils greatly enjoy the subject, which makes a very good contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

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Commentary

83. Only one lesson was seen in PSHCE and therefore it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of provision. However, the available evidence about the way that the school integrates the subject into many aspects of the school’s work, indicate that the provision is very good and impacts very positively on pupils’ behaviour and the way they treat each other. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and pupils have a very clear understanding of the need for rules and the importance of maintaining them. There are very well planned opportunities for them to take part in discussions and to develop social skills, such as learning to take turns, share, work and play together, and help each other. The older pupils are particularly sensitive and caring in their support of the youngest pupils. The school has recently been awarded a ‘Healthy School’ status because of its high class work in all aspects of PSHCE with

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Commentary

pupils having a very good knowledge about the importance of personal hygiene, diet and exercise. Sex education and awareness of drug and alcohol abuse are dealt with when pupils move on to the local high school. Pupils have regular circle time to discuss issues which are important to them and representatives from Year 2 onwards take part in a school council, which pupils rightly feel helps them play an active role in the life of the school. Long Clawson C of E Primary School - 34

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 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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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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