Midhurst CofE Primary School

MIDHURST CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th January 2005

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MIDHURST CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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MIDHURST CHURCH OF ENGLAND 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. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 5 - 10 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 203

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ashfield Road Midhurst West Sussex Postcode: GU29 9JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01730 813526 Fax number: 01730 817233

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Philip Stringer

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Midhurst Church of England Primary School is situated in the town of Midhurst, West Sussex. There are 203 pupils on roll. Children are able to start in the reception class at four years of age and continue to the end of Year 5. Pupils’ socio-economic backgrounds are mixed and local housing includes both rented and owner-occupied accommodation.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (3.6 per cent) is below the national average. Two pupils who speak English as an additional language have joined the school very recently. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is lower than the national average. There are no asylum-seeker children in the school. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (22.7 per cent) is above the national average, but the number with statements (2.4 per cent) is broadly in line. Pupils’ attainment on entry is in line with that expected nationally for their age. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

11122 David Collard Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Special educational needs English as an additional language 8991 Pamela Goldsack Lay inspector 34431 Mary Usher-Clark Team inspector Science Geography History Foundation Stage 18370 Kevin Johnson Team inspector English Design and technology Music Physical education Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal PPI 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 3 REPORT CONTENTS

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school that provides good value for money. Standards are good and pupils achieve well. Teaching is consistently good. Leadership is good and management very good, ensuring that the correct priorities are addressed. Governors are able to monitor and question decisions well.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards are good and pupils achieve well in most subjects; • Teaching is good throughout the school and there are examples of very good practice; pupils of all abilities and ages are able to progress equally well, whatever year they are in; • The curricular approach, linking a number of subjects, is being carefully developed and is in tune with the latest national guidelines for primary education; • Developments are thought through well because of the questioning nature of the good leadership; • The whole-school community is encouraged to take responsibility for raising the achievement of pupils.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Areas needing development have been tackled well. Teaching quality in the infants is much better. Assessment procedures have been reviewed and enhanced and now provide teachers with the necessary information to develop their weekly planning. Personal, social and health education, including multi-cultural issues, have moved on very well. Performance management is now closely linked to school development. In addition, those areas considered strengths at the last inspection have been maintained and have continued to improve.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 reading A B C C writing B A B B mathematics A A A A Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement through the school is good. Children enter school with ability in line with that nationally; social and literacy skills are better developed. By the start of Year 1, pupils achieve the Early Learning Goals 1 and are well prepared for work on the National Curriculum. Pupils achieve well in all years, an improvement since the last inspection. For those in the present Year 2, standards in reading, speaking and listening are above those expected for their age and those for writing are in line with the expected standard. Attainment in mathematics and science is well above that expected. Results in the 2004 national tests were slightly different because pupils then in Year 2 had a different ability profile. By the end of Year 5, standards in English are at the level expected for their age but in mathematics and science they are well above. Standards are above those expected in information and communication technology in both the infants and the juniors. This

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

represents a significant improvement since the last inspection. Good progress is evident in history, music, physical education and art and design. It is at least satisfactory in religious education,

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Early Learning Goals are a set of national standards which it is expected most children will reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are set out into six different areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 5 geography and design and technology. Particularly strong features include the use of investigation, experimentation and independent working, features that were criticised at the last inspection. These are enabling older pupils to develop better thinking skills and to improve their understanding of what they have already learnt. The school has rightly identified that more needs to be done to improve this aspect through a wider range of writing tasks, particularly in religious education, where much of

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

the work is conducted orally. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and a significant number achieve the age expected level in tests. Those with higher ability do well. An example of the effective progress can be seen in the results from the 2004 national tests, when nearly half of those in the year group achieved above the level expected for their age.

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Personal development, including that for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is

very good. Pupils have very good attitudes towards school. They are highly motivated and interested, both in lessons and in the wide range of other activities offered to them. They are tolerant of others, and know right from wrong. Attendance is similar to that nationally and punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen and over a quarter of the lessons were very good. This consistency across all classes is important because it ensures pupils make good progress. The many strengths include planning, the use of a wide variety of different resources and the expectation that pupils will do their best. Assessment is now used well to plan the next stage of learning and to refine and alter groupwork. The weaknesses are minor and have been identified by the school as improvement areas. These chiefly revolve around improving the use of individual targets. This will ensure that pupils understand how well they are doing across all subjects. The trial of a cross-curricular approach to all subjects is showing signs of success. Similar topics are undertaken across a number of subjects so that a range of expertise can be used to plan work for different abilities and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

ages. These plans are carefully constructed to link well with the National Curriculum guidelines. Pupils are cared for well. They feel safe and secure, knowing that the teachers have strong systems to support their needs. Parents value the partnership with the school and are very supportive. Good links with the feeder schools and nursery settings provide valuable information to ensure pupils seamlessly continue their education.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has worked hard to build a cohesive team, placing the needs of individual pupils at the heart of all developments. He is ably supported by an experienced senior management team. Both day-to-day and longer-term management are very good. The school operates efficiently and governors are prepared to question major decisions using their comprehensive knowledge about the school. Governance is good and all statutory requirements are fully met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents fully support the school. They have no major concerns about the opportunities that are offered and feel they are given good information. Pupils are proud of their school, join in with as many activities as they can and feel they are doing well.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

As identified in the school development plan, the most important things the school should do to improve are: • Continue to develop the opportunities for older pupils to use a wider range of writing styles in all subjects. • Further build on the good assessment practice to help identify ways of improving the performance of individual pupils. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The standards pupils reach by the end of Year 2 and Year 5 are above those expected for the age of the pupils. Pupils achieve well through the infants and the juniors.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those expected and pupils achieve well because teaching is consistently good through the school. • Cross-curricular links are used well to develop learning across a wide range of subjects. • The school has continued to make progress from a strong position at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the school, from a variety of nursery settings, with standards that are broadly in line with those expected for their age, although there are a number with good social and literacy skills. Through the reception year they achieve well so that, by the time they enter Year 1, the majority have reached the Early Learning Goals 2 and a number have exceeded these. They are good communicators, behave, listen and speak well and can count confidently to ten. They are beginning to understand the world around them and have developed some technical skills using computers and simple tools such as scissors and glue.

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Commentary

2. Through Years 1 and 2, achievement is good so that by the time pupils reach the end of the infants, standards in reading, writing and particularly in mathematics are at least in line with those expected, with a high number achieving levels above those expected for their age. Achievement in other subjects matches those in the core subjects. Through Years 3, 4 and 5, pupils continue to achieve well and are in line to reach at least national average standards by the end of their first year in the next school. With the continuing rate of progress seen in lessons, there are a significant number who are likely to do better than this. The good support provided for pupils with special educational needs ensures that they make good and sometimes very good progress when matched to their own capability, with many achieving the National Curriculum average levels for their age. Only two pupils speak English as an

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Commentary

additional language and they have only joined the school very recently. Their needs are being monitored closely to ensure that support can be given should it be needed.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.3 (16.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 15.2(16.3) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 17.6 (18.6) 16.2 (16.3) There were 42 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Only figures for Year 2 can be shown as there are no national comparisons for pupils in their final year (Year 5)

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Commentary

3. Over the last five years, the trend of improvement in national tests for those in Year 2 has been above those of other schools nationally although they have fallen slightly since 2002 in reading and writing. As can be seen in the table above they still remain above the national

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Commentary

Early Learning Goals are a set of national standards, which, it is expected most children will reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are set out into six different areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 7 average. The fall is not a reflection on the teaching or achievement of pupils but is because the overall attainment of each year group changes. Pupils perform equally well when their scores are measured against both all schools and those of a similar type.

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Commentary

4. Standards in English are at the nationally expected levels both at the end of Year 2 and Year 5, although they are above this in reading, speaking and listening. In 2004, pupils then in Year 2 achieved better national test results because that cohort of pupils had a higher proportion of pupils with higher ability. Pupils achieve well through the school and make good progress both in individual lessons and over time. Better provision for reading has meant that standards have improved since the last inspection. Older pupils are fluent readers and can use their skills to undertake research as well as independently exploring a wide range of fiction. Achievement in writing is satisfactory. Pupils have the opportunity to write in many different styles because of the cross-curricular approach. This works well for the younger pupils but the range is more limited for those in the juniors and restricts their opportunities for writing at

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Commentary

5. Standards in mathematics are well above those expected for pupils’ ages and they achieve well. The school has placed a high emphasis on improving opportunities for the subject through better planning and teaching. The very good results in national tests at the end of Year 2 confirm that this has effectively raised standards. Nearly half of some year groups are working above the level expected for their age. The use of number, mental computation and problem solving are all strong features. As a result, older pupils are gaining an understanding about using mathematics in real life situations.

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Commentary

6. In science, standards are also well above those expected. Pupils have a good understanding of scientific concepts because of the high emphasis placed on practical activity, something criticised at the last inspection. Pupils can explain themselves well and are able to write up and evaluate experiments that they have undertaken. In information and communication technology, standards have improved to above the age-expected level. Progress in the subject has been helped by a thorough review of teaching methods and further training and the introduction of an up-to-date computer suite. Pupils are able to use the software well. Younger pupils have good manual dexterity and, by the time pupils leave the school, they have experienced most branches of the subject that would be expected in the juniors.

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Commentary

7. Standards in religious education are in line with those set out in the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils have a better understanding of some aspects such as those concerned with Christianity. Knowledge is less secure for other religions because there is too little recording and thus pupils forget what they have learnt.

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Commentary

8. In other subjects, standards are at least in line with those expected nationally and achievement is good. The good standards in history are linked to the careful planning and execution of lessons. Teachers build upon what pupils know so that they develop an increasing understanding of chronology and historical fact. Older pupils are beginning to think about how world events affect society. In geography, pupils are learning the key skills associated with the subject, such as mapping and environmental, physical and human development. While many pupils start school with the expected levels of knowledge and understanding to help develop each subject, the school actively encourages pupils to think for themselves, learn new facts and then build upon what they are subsequently taught.

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Commentary

9. In art and design, pupils are taught specific skills as well as being able to experiment with various media. This subject links well with design and technology but the uniqueness of each subject is closely planned. Consequently, pupils design, plan and evaluate their projects and understand how this differs from decorating them. In music, pupils compose and perform. Many sing well and a large number learn different instruments or perform in orchestras or choirs. Achievement is good in physical education lessons. There are many different opportunities on offer, not only in lessons but also through the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Swimming is catered for very well, using the school’s own pool. Almost all pupils can swim the required 25 metres a full year earlier than they are expected to. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 8

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good . Pupils’ attitudes towards school and behaviour are very good . Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy school and are provided with a very wide range of different experiences both during lessons and at other times. • Pupils air their views openly but with consideration for others. • The school develops the social skills of pupils very well. • The school thinks hard about how to promote an effective understanding of cultural differences.

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Commentary

10. Pupils are very involved in school life. They are highly motivated and, as result, behave very well during lessons and in the many activities that are offered. Relationships between adults and children have an air of mutual respect. This enables teachers to be relaxed and friendly and pupils respond very positively. During class discussions there is an open and free exchange of views, even by the youngest children. As pupils become older, their arguments show an increasing maturity. The majority of pupils have very good levels of confidence and high self-esteem because teachers are able to balance the positive elements of their work with those that need improvement. Pupils are inquisitive and ask pertinent and searching questions of the teacher. For instance, in a Year 5 lesson, the paired groups were very socially adept. They helped and shared the materials and asked the teacher for advice when

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Commentary

they were unsure about how to proceed. This ensured that all levels of ability were not only challenged by the task they were set but also by the investigation and sharing of ideas. In the playground, pupils play well with each other and, although there are good levels of supervision, very little intervention is needed. On the rare occasions when more challenging pupils create a disturbance, this is dealt with quickly and efficiently through well conceived and executed procedures. All staff understand the lines of responsibility and how these will work in practice. Pupils feel safe in school. There is very little bullying and, when this does occur, they feel confident that the staff will deal with it quickly and effectively.

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Commentary

11. Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour. Pupils are expected to listen, consider what they say and take account of the feelings of others. From the earliest years, pupils are taught social conventions. During the lunchtime meal, pupils sit quietly and talk harmoniously both with their friends and with others in different age groups. While they play boisterously, the games are good-natured so that pupils return to their class ready for the next session. In all lessons seen, behaviour management was not an issue because of these secure and deep- rooted systems.

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Commentary

12. The school promotes spiritual, social and moral development very well. Assemblies provide a time for personal reflection within a broadly Christian theme. Pupils know how to behave as a large group. The settle very quickly without teachers needing to intervene and respond very well to visitors. Through the class and school councils, pupils have a real opportunity to influence the way the school is run. The co-ordinator responsible for personal education has established an excellent structure so that the views of all can be heard in different types of forums. Regular class meetings are minuted and the ideas passed to the class representative for discussion at whole-school meetings. In this way, pupils who are shyer are able to express and voice their ideas in an atmosphere that suits their personality. Teachers take time to ensure that decisions taken by the class are acted upon. In the reception class, for instance,

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Commentary

the children voted on how money raised at a coffee morning should be spent. While the teacher guided this, she was happy to run with the decision that was made. Cultural Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 9 development is fostered well through subjects such as art, history and geography. Ancient civilisations are studied as part of topics but the school actively promotes modern cultures not always seen locally. These have included African drumming and experimenting with Indian art. In this way, the pupils are gaining an understanding about their own culture and how this relates to that of others. In discussion, the older pupils particularly are very aware of the need to understand the reasons why others act as they do.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.2 School data 0.2 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

13. The rate of attendance (94.6%) is slightly above the national average figure (94.5%). The headteacher regularly reminds parents about the timing of the start of the school day and pupils arrive promptly. A significant minority of parents take family holidays during term time and this adversely affects the figures. Parents are appropriately informed about the school’s expectations regarding attendance in the prospectus. However, they are not regularly reminded about the negative impact two weeks holiday during term has on their child’s learning.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed-period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 218 0 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0

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Commentary

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

14. There were no exclusions during the previous year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching and learning are both very good and provide many and varied opportunities for pupils. The curriculum is good . The care, welfare and safety of pupils are good and parents generally appreciate the good procedures to support them. There are effective links with the local community and good links with other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is very good . Assessment is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good overall because it is consistent and has few weaknesses. • Planning is a strength; it ensures pupils make good progress through the school. • A wide variety of methods is used and pupils are excited about what is on offer. • Assessment has improved and now provides more comprehensive information. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 10

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Commentary

15. During the inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Over a quarter of the lessons seen were very good. Pupils learn very well and make good progress because of this consistency. An excellent music lesson was given by an outside specialist. Assessment is used well to set work for different ability groups but more could be done to provide targets for individual pupils, particularly as a number of classes have different age groups and a wider than expected level of attainment. Improvement has continued well since the last inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 10 (28%) 18 (52%) 6 (17%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

16. Planning has improved considerably since the last inspection. The school has to alter the balance of classes each year because of the widely varying number of pupils and school development has centred around providing a wide and varied curriculum. The new system involves teachers planning similar topics; one for the infants and one for the juniors. This has allowed teachers to use their own expertise effectively and support each other. Teachers’ strengths are utilised and the weekly plans show a good balance between pupils learning new skills, knowledge and understanding. The correct level of challenge is apparent from the tasks that are set by the teachers. These often link to the nationally agreed levels. Thus, pupils are able to acquire better understanding about how subjects interlink, while allowing the specific skills in each subject to be developed.

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Commentary

17. The topics and themes are enjoyed by pupils, all of whom are enthusiastic learners. They get excited when they are presented with new challenges and are able to discuss, collaborate and work individually at a high level, depending on their age. Because the work is interesting, there are few behavioural issues in lessons. Noise bubbles up in the groupwork but it rarely disturbs others and there is a relaxed atmosphere within all classes. The best lessons are characterised by the teachers’ good planning, their drive to achieve the objectives they have set and by their real enthusiasm for what they are doing. Pupils pick up these messages and want to do their best.

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Commentary

18. Many different methods are used to stimulate a desire to learn. In the youngest classes, this correctly involves more direction from the teachers but, as pupils move through the school, they are given many more opportunities to work and think for themselves. This is a characteristic encouraged by the schemes of work and policies developed by the staff. Pupils are expected to obtain their own resources, think out how best to complete the tasks set and, in the best cases, to evaluate how well they have done. However, the quality of this evaluation, while always sound, is better in English than in other subjects. Here, targets are set and shared regularly in writing, reading and spelling and pupils have clear criteria to determine when they have been achieved. In other subjects, assessment is not used to lay out clearly what will happen next. This is often left to the coverage of the next unit in the

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Commentary

scheme of work. Despite this, teachers kept comprehensive records on all subjects and have a clear understanding about the ability of their class. On a whole-school level, much of this data is collated and matched to national and other internal results, providing teachers with valuable information about the success of their teaching. The school recognises that this is an area that needs further development and is planning to use computer programs more effectively to provide an efficient means of tracking progress.

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Commentary

19. Teachers use the good quality resources well. In addition, visits, visitors and special themed days are provided as an extra stimulus to learning. Teachers trust the pupils and this is repaid by a respect for the class environment. Pupils are careful to ensure that resources are Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 11 returned or collected at the end of lessons and that rooms are left tidy and neat. Homework is increasingly used, as pupils become older, and is more formally set by Year 5. Parents understand the school’s policy and the work set is used as part of future lessons on its return. Teachers are supported well by the learning assistants who provide valuable support, particularly for those with special educational needs. Well-prepared, efficient and knowledgeable assistants use in-class support and small withdrawal groups very effectively throughout the day and this is a contributory reason for the high numbers of these pupils who

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Commentary

achieve at least the level expected for their age.

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The curriculum

The quality of the curriculum is good , with some very good features.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works hard to continue the improvement of the curriculum. • Pupils’ learning is enriched by a very good selection of well-planned opportunities. • The curriculum provides well for all pupils. • Accommodation and resources are good.

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Commentary

20. The school provides relevant and worthwhile learning opportunities for all of its pupils, which enable them to achieve well. Issues from the previous inspection have been dealt with effectively. There is now very good provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship (PSHCE) and schemes of work are completed for all subjects. Further developments have taken place since the school embraced the government’s published document ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’. Teachers plan thoughtfully to link learning across different subjects. English, science, music, art and history, for example, are linked through a central theme. This is an adventurous approach for the school and planning is kept under continual review to ensure all pupils gain knowledge and skills at the right level. National guidance is followed for most subjects to ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met. Religious education follows the agreed syllabus for West Sussex, and

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Commentary

pupils receive relevant information about sex and relationships and the potential hazards of drugs and other substances. There is an active committee of governors who review statutory policies regularly and who are watchful over curricular development.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good. Children are given a good start because of the range of learning experiences planned for them. They become independent, curious learners and achieve well in their reception year.

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Commentary

22. Pupils who have additional learning needs are well provided for. Their personal and academic targets are carefully planned to ensure they receive the support they need. Teachers plan appropriate work for them. The highly skilled team of teaching assistants is sensitive to the needs of these pupils, enabling them to achieve well alongside their peers.

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Commentary

23. There are very good opportunities for pupils to foster their interests in different activities outside school time. A range of seasonal sports clubs offering soccer, cricket, rounders, netball, rugby and athletics is very well attended throughout the year. There are also non- sporting activities, such as gardening and music. The oldest pupils embark on a residential visit annually. A venue in Wales will soon be added to those visited in Yorkshire. There is a steady stream of visitors to school, such as theatre groups and music ensembles. Very good use is made of the locality because of the strong links established with the local community.

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Commentary

24. Learning resources for all subjects are good and best use is made of space in the school. A well-appointed and well-stocked library has a very positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to books Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 12 and reading. The well-equipped information and communication technology (ICT) suite is a major contributor to the much-improved standards in that subject.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good . The provision of support, advice and guidance based on the monitoring of pupils’ achievement is good . The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships ensure that pupils have at least one adult they can confide in. • There are very good arrangements for the induction of new children from the pre-school groups.

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Commentary

25. The school cares well for its pupils. Their happiness, health and safety are important to all members of staff. Governors take the lead in carrying out regular risk assessments of the site. Teachers complete risk assessments as part of their preparation for class trips. There is an ample number of staff trained to administer first aid. Difficulties related to the absence of a medical room identified in the last report are kept to a minimum because of the sympathetic care pupils receive and the sensible adaptation of the administration area as required. A new medical room is planned as part of the building programme scheduled for later this year. Arrangements to meet the needs of pupils with allergies or ailments are well planned with their parents and followed consistently. Pupils are well supervised at all times. The headteacher is the named teacher responsible for child protection and the school follows the guidance from

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Commentary

the local authority. There has been improvement in provision for child protection since the last inspection. The headteacher is very experienced and makes sure that all staff members are up to date with procedures and awareness in this area.

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Commentary

26. Pupils are well known as individuals by their teachers and teaching assistants. Each class teacher updates his or her records on personal development regularly throughout the year. This information is shared with parents during consultation meetings and in the end-of-year reports. Parents agree that the school helps pupils to become mature and treats them fairly. The academic monitoring of pupils’ achievement is based on a good range of testing. Pupils are given sound guidance on how they can improve in subjects and are well aware of their group targets. However, the arrangements do not identify individual targets or provide information about national levels.

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Commentary

27. The very good relationships among pupils, teachers, teaching assistants and the headteacher mean that pupils have at least one adult they can talk to if they have a concern. Attractive displays throughout the school highlight pupils’ own work. The school council is a good forum for pupils to express their opinions on how the school can improve. Their proposals are taken seriously and pupils meet regularly to discuss the practical arrangements connected to ideas from the suggestion box. This year pupils decided to run events to support ‘Children in Need’ and raised a considerable amount of funding for this charity. The very good relationships mean that pupils are confident in expressing themselves and adults listen with respect and encouragement.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents and the community are good . The school’s links with other schools are good .

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 13 • Parents are very supportive of the school and place a high value on its work. • Visitors, including specialists, are used very well to support learning.

p.15

Commentary

28. The good partnership between the school and parents has been maintained since the last inspection. Parents who made their views known during the inspection were very positive and enthusiastic about all areas. The school values its link with parents and welcomes their opinions. Their views are regularly taken into account. For example, parents chose the company that runs the French club. The completed reply slips on pupils’ end-of-year reports receive careful consideration. Parents appreciate that all members of staff are friendly and easy to approach. Parents are active in their support for the school and they enrich pupils’ learning, for example, by supporting homework and reading at home. Parents and grandparents volunteer regularly to help in lessons and on class trips. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is very active with social and fundraising events throughout the year. It provides valuable extra resources and pays for the operating costs of the swimming pool.

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Commentary

Events are planned to ensure that there are no barriers to prevent all families from participating fully.

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Commentary

29. The quality of information for parents has improved since the last inspection. The prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents now contain all of the required information. Information regarding the curriculum for each class is distributed each term along with guidance on helping at home. Parents are pleased with the good quality of the pupils’ end-of- year reports.

p.15

Commentary

30. Pupils benefit from the good links with the local community. The vicar regularly leads assemblies. Pupils sing and the school band performs for local community groups. Pupils’ personal development and sporting skills are enhanced by the link with Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. Pupils also compete with other schools in cricket, netball and athletics. The school makes good use of the locale and organises a wide range of worthwhile class trips and a residential trip for Year 5 pupils. Learning for pupils is enriched by visits from artists, poets, writers and talented parents and members of the support staff. There is an appropriately planned induction for Year 5 pupils to prepare them for transferring to the intermediate school.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, the leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher provides good leadership and is well supported by an efficient senior management team and other key staff. The governance of the school is good and all statutory requirements are met. Management is very good .

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher places a very strong and effective emphasis on the care, personal and academic support of the individual. • Governors have a very good effective understanding of the school. • A stable and experienced staff works as a productive and positive team. • The school works proactively within the local community.

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Commentary

31. The headteacher’s highly personalised management style is committed to continual school improvement and he inspires and motivates his staff well. His prime aim to is provide the best possible opportunities for the whole-school community. A strong sense of purpose permeates the school, and it is a well-ordered community. The headteacher leads very effectively and has established a cohesive school team of staff and governors. All staff are well supported by Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 14 each other and by the headteacher. The senior management team and key staff are instrumental in making change to the curriculum. For example, co-ordinators have established a successful system where a number of subjects are taught together as topics. This approach is being constantly monitored and all staff are trialling it within the school. Co-ordinators are very well aware of their roles and offer good support and guidance to the rest of the staff. All

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Commentary

staff contribute to the comprehensive school development plan.

p.16

Commentary

32. The management of the school is very good. Efficient organisation ensures that the school runs very smoothly from day to day. Performance management is now fully in place and plays an important part in the whole-school development plan. Other areas for improvement identified in the last report have been convincingly tackled and, indeed, some improvements have become strengths, such as the provision for ICT and personal, social and health education and citizenship.

p.16

Commentary

33. The governance of the school is good, with some very good features. The governors take a full and active part in the life of the school. They have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and appropriately offer challenge and support. They are fully involved in the strategic planning. Individual governors act as links to subject co- ordinators. They produce written reports for the rest of the governing body and in this way, all governors are kept fully up to date with curricular development. Governors are aware of the school’s falling roll and take an active and positive approach to finding solutions. This has included becoming partners with a local nursery group who will be using the school’s premises. It is hoped that this will result in higher numbers of entrants next year.

p.16

Commentary

34. Financial management is good. All subject co-ordinators are able to bid for money and this is used very effectively to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. The headteacher, bursar and the chair of finance meet to ensure appropriate procedures are implemented to ensure best value for money. The school’s large carry-forward figure includes approximately 50 per cent of specific capital funding, a sum earmarked for future planned building improvements. The school gives good value for money.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 700,537 Balance from previous year 40,763 Total expenditure 611,284 Balance carried forward to next year 89,254 Expenditure per pupil 2,485 Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 15

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The attainment of children joining the school varies from year to year but, generally, the present group are at a level that would be expected for their age. Achievement is good. By the end of the reception year, most children have reached, and some have exceeded, the early learning goals. This is due to good teaching and interesting and varied activities. The standard of teaching is good and sometimes very good. Children enter school with a wide range of ability. Teachers have high expectations. Good use is made of observations to track the children’s learning and they are well prepared for Year 1. New children arrive from three different pre-school settings and are given many opportunities to join the existing class for story time before they come into the school. There are very strong links with the private nursery that shares the building with the reception class. They meet together for story times and more liaison is planned for the future. Communications with

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

parents are good and they are kept well informed about their children’s learning. The accommodation is spacious and separated into different learning areas. A library, in need of further development, is a shared area between the nursery and the reception class. There are plans in the school development plan to improve the immediate outside environment. Leadership and management are good and the good quality of provision has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children concentrate well on a variety of activities. • Children have good relationships with each other and behaviour is exemplary. • There is a good balance between activities initiated by adults and those created by the children.

p.17

Commentary

35. Teaching is very good and achievement is above that expected by the end of the reception year. Nearly all children achieve the nationally agreed Early Learning Goals. A good start to school is made. Routines are well established and children quickly respond to instructions. They independently collect the books they need for their lesson from their own drawers. Good manners are encouraged and children willingly help each other throughout the day. They share resources and know how to take turns. During the inspection, the reception class council discussed and debated what to do with the proceeds from a coffee morning. The officers took their roles very seriously and the children debated well, taking turns and having good listening and social skills. During another lesson, a group of children sensitively shared their feelings about a new baby coming into the family. The good quality provision has been

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children listen and respond well to questions. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 16 • They talk confidently in groups and as a class. • Teaching is very good, with emphasis on individual learning targets.

p.17

Commentary

36. The good quality provision has been maintained. Most children achieve the early learning goals in speaking and listening, reading and writing and some exceed these goals by the time they leave reception. Teaching is good. It is well paced and therefore children remain interested in their learning. There is a good variety of activities to develop early writing skills. After writing their news, children discuss with their teacher their own individual targets and check together whether they have written their names or a simple sentence, starting with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. Children know how to improve their own work. Their knowledge of grammar conventions is good and, in one session, they enjoyed playing a game identifying the letter sounds of a variety of items. Children enjoy sharing and listening to stories. Whilst looking at a big book together, children used good descriptive language to

p.18

Commentary

explain what they could see. Some children are able to read well. The good support from the nursery nurse and other adults enhances the children’s learning opportunities during small group work.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-planned lessons are effectively taught. • Resources are used well to motivate children and make learning fun. • Good use is made of ICT.

p.18

Commentary

37. Most children will exceed the national expectations by the time that they leave the reception class. Achievement is good in this curriculum area, particularly in mathematical calculation. Teaching and learning are very good. Many children can already count to 20 confidently and reliably. In a very good lesson, some children worked independently and accurately, adding numbers to 12. Others carried out an audit of musical instruments held in the classroom. A well-planned plenary session used the whiteboard to reinforce addition facts to the class. In their numeracy books, work covers shape, sequencing, weighing and the use of money. Work is carefully marked and information is gathered well to help move on pupils’ understanding.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of ICT. • Good use is made of visits and visitors. • The immediate environment needs development to enhance learning in this area.

p.18

Commentary

38. Most children exceed the Early Learning Goals by the end of the year. Achievement is good because of the good teaching and assessment of each individual’s needs. Children progress well because of the well-planned lessons that integrate many different aspects of this learning goal. Through topics, children learn about themselves and people who helped them and about water. Following an investigation where they made blocks of ice in balloons, children used the Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 17 interactive whiteboard, competently drawing their impressions of what had happened. They could change the pen colour, rub out, and write their names clearly. Links with the local community are strong. Children visit the local library and, during the year, they visit the local café and have the opportunity to place their own order and pay for it. A visiting music teacher played the tuba, trumpet, cornet and clarinet for them and emphasis was placed on how high,

p.18

Commentary

low, soft or loud the music was. The children enjoyed this lesson and many of them succeeded in producing notes themselves when they were given the opportunity to play the tuba.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The adjacent grounds need to be further developed to ensure outdoor play activities become an integrated part of the curriculum.

p.19

Commentary

39. Teaching is good and children learn well. They can handle small tools competently. For example, they hold pencils correctly, and some very careful colouring-in was seen. During the inspection, persistent rain prevented very much outdoor play. During the little seen, children rode bicycles and scooters confidently. They climbed and balanced on the large and attractive wooden activity circuit. Teachers, through the good planning, actively encourage the class to use different aspects of their play to develop physical skills. Children are taught ball skills from a visiting professional footballer. Most pupils exceed the requirements of the Early Learning Goals. They achieve well. Provision has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

40. During the inspection it was not possible to observe all aspects of this area and therefore no overall judgement can be made. In the role-play area, children played happily together in the ‘post office’. Children showed great interest in playing the musical instruments available. Attractive displays in the classroom showed the use of different media and techniques. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 18

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in reading, speaking and listening. • Attitudes to work are good. • Teaching is good. • The subject is led and managed well. • Sometimes presentation of work is indifferent and the quality of marking inconsistent.

p.20

Commentary

41. Standards attained by pupils at the end of Year 2 and in Year 5 are broadly in line with the national expectation. Whilst standards have been maintained overall since the previous inspection, attainment in Year 2 was well above average in the 2004 national tests. Boys performed particularly well. Data shows, however, that it was an exceptional year group in which pupils performed against the national trend. Currently, pupils in Year 2 achieve well, given their lower standards when they entered Year 1. When measured against those in similar schools, reading and writing levels are average. Writing standards are maintained in Years 3 to 5 and achievement overall is satisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

42. Pupils throughout the school achieve well in reading and standards in Year 2 and Year 5 are better than expected nationally. Positive action has been taken to develop reading. Previous national test papers have been analysed to identify areas for improvement. This has enabled teachers to plan new teaching strategies. There is a strong focus on guided reading, for example, and this, combined with very good library provision, has encouraged and stimulated pupils. Thoughtful choices of fiction and non-fiction have had a particularly strong influence on boys’ achievement in reading over recent years.

p.20

Commentary

43. By the time pupils leave the school, most are fluent, independent readers. They enjoy books and supplement their reading by borrowing from the public library. They express clear preferences for books and authors. In Year 2, pupils read accurately. They approach unfamiliar texts confidently because of their good knowledge of letter sounds and strategies for tackling new words. All read regularly and talk enthusiastically about the books they have at home.

p.20

Commentary

44. Teachers recognise the value of speaking and listening to support writing. Consequently, pupils are given good opportunities to express ideas and opinions. By the time pupils leave the school, they engage confidently in formal and informal discussion and are self-assured when sharing ideas in the classroom. A good example was seen in Year 5 lesson, where pupils collaborated very well to discuss and negotiate their roles in the poem they had read. They demonstrated effective speaking and listening skills, which helped them come to terms with the poem’s meaning and achieve a high standard in their performance of the poem.

p.20

Commentary

45. Achievement in writing is satisfactory through all classes. In Years 3 to 5, pupils practise different styles of writing, such as poetry, narrative and factual writing linked to history. The current policy of using a cross-curricular approach means that writing is more meaningful to pupils because of its clear purpose. However, while there are satisfactory planned writing opportunities for most pupils, the range of writing for the older pupils is too narrow. More capable writers achieve well. There is some lively narrative and poignant poetry based on World War II, but there is too little challenge for others to extend and sustain their ideas. By the end of Year 2, pupils express ideas clearly and logically. Most punctuate accurately and begin to use some extended sentences. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 19 46. The quality of teaching and learning is good and has improved since the last inspection.

p.20

Commentary

Teachers have good knowledge of the subject and prepare well for lessons. As a result, lessons are delivered confidently, with good pace and sufficient challenge to ensure pupils make progress. Corporate planning across infant and junior classes ensures that basic skills are approached consistently. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are taught well throughout the school. Consequently, most spelling is accurate and there are plausible attempts at unfamiliar words. However, there are some inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations with regard to handwriting. This sometimes spoils the overall quality of pupils’ work. Teachers expect a satisfactory range of written work but there is scope to promote further extended writing across all subjects. All teachers establish good relationships in their classes. They value pupils’ contributions to lessons. This brings about an atmosphere of mutual respect and

p.21

Commentary

trust, which contributes to the very good attitudes and behaviour seen in lessons. Good account is taken of different ability groups. Teachers plan carefully for pupils who have additional needs and the very skilful support from teaching assistants ensures that they achieve well. Assessment is satisfactory. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously. There are some very good examples where teachers evaluate what has been done against pupils’ targets and point out how work can be improved. This is not a consistent picture, however, and often pupils are not challenged to do better.

p.21

Commentary

47. English is led and managed effectively by the subject leader, who has a clear overview of work in the school. Teaching is monitored and evaluated and this has resulted in improved quality. The co-ordinator monitors pupils’ progress well through statutory and non-statutory national tests. The successful evaluation model used to improve reading has not been extended to writing.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to practise literacy skills across all subjects. Good writing from all year groups is evident in topic work that has a history focus. There are also examples of writing for different purposes in science, and some reflective writing, for example, in art and music books. Nevertheless, there is scope for more planned writing opportunities as the revised cross-curricular planning model is developed.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are high and have been maintained at this level for a number of years. • Teaching is consistently good and provides good levels of challenge. • The right priorities for improvement have been highlighted and acted upon.

p.21

Commentary

49. Most pupils enter Year 1 with standards that are at the expected level for their age. By the time they reach the end of Year 2, all have achieved well and their standards have improved considerably to well above that expected for their age. They are confident using numbers, can recognise a variety of two- and three-dimensional shapes and are beginning to apply their mathematical knowledge in other subjects. Test results confirm the judgements from the inspection. In 2004, standards were well above average when measured against all schools and were in the top five per cent nationally when compared to schools of a similar type. Over half of those who took the test achieved above the level expected for their age. This good progress continues through Years 3, 4 and 5. Pupils achieve well and, by the time they leave the school, they are attaining standards well above the level expected for their age. Through

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Commentary

these years, they become more confident in using their numerical understanding when Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 20 collecting data from experiments, in developing simple spreadsheets and working out different types of problems. Since the last inspection, provision has continued to improve.

p.21

Commentary

50. Teaching and learning are good, with a number of significant strengths. They are consistent through the school, ensuring that pupils build upon what they already know. Planning relates well, both to the school’s own scheme and to the national guidelines. Teachers are careful to ensure that their own weekly planning caters for the higher ability of the class and thus presents a high level of challenge. Those with special educational needs make good progress and some manage to achieve the nationally expected levels for their age. This represents good progress from a lower level of capability. Learning assistants support these pupils well. Teachers ensure that they are aware of any individual need and discuss what is to be achieved in each lesson. A variety of methods is used to interest and motivate the pupils. This sometimes involves practical use of mathematics, such as computer work or the provision of

p.22

Commentary

novel displays on the interactive whiteboards. The expectations of teachers are high and they are able to check the success of each lesson by comparing it with the expected outcomes indicated in the planning. Teachers often re-plan their lesson in light of the previous day’s successes or failures and this provides further reinforcement or extra challenge.

p.22

Commentary

51. Pupils clearly enjoy mathematics. During lessons they work hard and even the youngest pupils are able to concentrate for extended periods. This is because teachers make it clear what is to be finished and what is to be learnt, and check that the class understands what is expected. In this way, pupils know what they have achieved and are comfortable about asking for help if they do not. Assessment is good, particularly in the use of data to provide information about how to improve the provision through the school. Marking follows different formats. For younger pupils, much of the marking takes place through discussion, while it is more formally undertaken as pupils move through the school. Some classes set targets, which further adds to the pupils’ understanding of what they have learnt. This practice, however, is not widespread and is an area that the school is presently developing.

p.22

Commentary

52. The headteacher is also the co-ordinator for mathematics and has a good overview of the subject. Some monitoring has taken place and a development plan has been produced which provides a list of priorities that will ensure the subject continues to move forward.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. Mathematics is used well in other subjects. Examples can be seen in science, where pupils have collected data and produced their own graphs and charts, in information and communication technology, through the use of spreadsheets developing formulae, and in design and technology, when measuring out plans and models. There are planned opportunities in the many themes and topics being undertaken. The school has actively sought to combine the learning in mathematics with other subjects and has thereby ensured that pupils realise the importance of numeracy in our everyday lives.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All topics follow a strong cross-curricular approach. • Good emphasis is placed on investigative work. • The subject is led and managed well. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 21

p.22

Commentary

54. At the age of seven and by the time they leave the school at ten years of age, standards in science are well above the levels expected for pupils’ ages. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve and learn well because of good teaching and interesting activities. Most pupils understand the concept of fair testing and discuss their work using technical language.

p.23

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching is good, with particular emphasis on investigations. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Lessons are well planned and interesting. In Year 1, pupils tested what materials were best used for insulation. In a good lesson on electricity, Year 2 pupils sorted appliances into four categories according to their function. Pupils were very articulate and subsequently work was well recorded. Older pupils used their skills of prediction to say what would happen to a candle covered by a jar and linked their previous knowledge about gases to their present work on electricity.

p.23

Commentary

56. An interview with older pupils showed that science was clearly enjoyed . “It is fun because we check things out.” They recalled favourite experiments about gases and electricity and displayed good knowledge and recall of all previous science they had learnt.

p.23

Commentary

57. The science co-ordinator has a good overview of standards. Work is assessed well and teachers can now know how well pupils can predict and test hypotheses during investigative work. At present, science is taught alongside other subjects within a topic. This approach is relatively new within the school and is under regular review. The co-ordinator has monitored teaching throughout the school. There are good links with other schools. Older pupils have the opportunity to carry out work in the laboratory of the local grammar school.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved and are now above those expected nationally. • The consistently strong teaching ensures that pupils make good progress. • Teachers plan cross-curricular links very well.

p.23

Commentary

58. Pupils’ standards at the end of both Year 2 and Year 5 are above those expected for their age and achievement, including for those with special educational needs, is good. There has been improvement since the last inspection, both in the quality of the resources and in the achievement of pupils. Teachers are now more confident about using computers and planning links through a number of different subjects. As a result, pupils are able to understand the purpose of the skills that they are learning.

p.23

Commentary

59. In the infants, pupils are given opportunities to learn how to use appropriate programs for word-processing and drawing and to start some basic research using the Internet. They are very adept at manipulating a mouse around the screen, filling in shapes and producing some interesting pictures. In Year 2, the Rangoli patterns they create are of good quality, above the level that might be expected. Pupils have used pictures and combined them by putting in speech bubbles to produce cartoons. Through the juniors, pupils build upon these early experiences and undertake more varied tasks linked to the topic or theme they are studying. The spreadsheets in Year 5 indicate that pupils have used their good mathematical knowledge to develop formulae about buying Christmas presents. Again, although the nature of the initial task is set at the level expected, the results achieved by most pupils are what might be expected from later years.

p.23

Commentary

Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 22 60. Teaching and learning are good. There is a secure level of competence amongst the staff and this confidence ensures that planning is thorough and related well to the ability range within the class. The new computer suite is used regularly and this provides teachers with the opportunity to teach new skills which can then be practised later, during other lessons. There is a good balance between teaching and independent work. For instance, in one lesson about using different painting options, the teacher gave a short initial presentation, ensured that the class knew what they had to do and then allowed them to try out what they had watched. The lesson linked well to some other work the previous term and built upon the skills learnt then. Pupils work very hard, either on their own or in pairs. They take turns, ensuring each has a go. They help one another when they get stuck and readily ask the teacher for help. The quality of

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Commentary

the teachers’ contributions is good. They concentrate on teaching the most important aspects and allowing pupils to find out other things for themselves. When they are supporting the groups, they do not try and complete the work for them but point to the correct keys. This ensures that pupils understand for themselves what they are doing.

p.24

Commentary

61. The good assessment is now more focused and is being efficiently developed. Each teacher keeps a log of what has been completed and a set of ‘I can’ statements related to the nationally agreed levels. Planning can then be related well to the needs of each individual, particularly those who might be struggling or who have special educational needs. Learning assistants are briefed well and are able to provide good support when it is needed. An innovative use of a specialist learning assistant allows an even better level of support during some lessons.

p.24

Commentary

62. The established and knowledgeable co-ordinator provides very good leadership of the subject. This has included replacing many old machines and other equipment over the last five years. There has been a high level of training provided both in-house and through other consultants. A recent initiative has included putting interactive whiteboards in each classroom. These are used very well and are becoming increasingly popular amongst the teachers as their own expertise improves.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

63. Very good use is made of the technology across many subjects. The cross-curricular approach to planning always includes links to ICT. Teachers take the skills that are to be learnt that term in ICT and find activities that will allow the pupils to practise what they have been taught. For instance, a ‘time capsule’, linked to history work, is being used by Year 5 to make a presentation about life in their school. The teacher explained that “Your work last week, learning these skills, is now going to be put into practice.” By the end of the lesson, the class were very adept at producing animations, thinking carefully about which colours to use on the background and the typefaces that could be read easily. All these skills might be expected of pupils in Year 6. While all subjects include the use of ICT, the co-ordinator has rightly highlighted music as the next area for further development.

p.24

HUMANITIES

64. Sufficient lessons were seen to make judgements about the work in religious education and history, although work samples were also scrutinised and discussions with teachers and pupils took place. Only one lesson was seen geography and it was not possible make secure judgements about the overall provision. However, an enthusiastic and very experienced co- ordinator leads geography, and has been instrumental in introducing the good cross-curricular approach through topic work. In the good lesson seen, older pupils linked their work to the Victorian topic, studying early and present-day maps for differences in population, and questioned why people settled in certain towns and areas. They also watched a video about the Industrial Revolution. The future development planned for the subject, aimed at improving the already satisfactory standards, will correctly focus on a more investigative approach to

p.24

HUMANITIES

geography. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 23

p.24

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The sound standards have been maintained. • There are good resources to help pupils learn. • Too little work is recorded and so some pupils are unable to retain what they have been taught.

p.25

Commentary

65. The sound standards in Year 2 and in Year 5 are similar to those reported previously. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other religions are broadly in line with the expectations set out in the agreed syllabus for West Sussex. Achievement is satisfactory. Pupils have a sound knowledge of the Bible and of major events and celebrations in the Christian calendar. Strong links with local Christian churches support pupils’ learning by enabling them to visit, talk to clergy and learn about the different artefacts used in religious ceremonies. Pupils also recalled a similar visit to a synagogue with enthusiasm. Their knowledge of other world religions is less secure. They know about Diwali and Hanukkah and some can recall the story of Rama and Sita. Although pupils enjoy learning about different faiths, they are unable to retain facts because they do not always record what they learn. As

p.25

Commentary

one pupil commented ‘RE is mostly talking’ .

p.25

Commentary

66. Planning is currently undergoing some changes in order to link learning more clearly to other subjects. For example, the theme, ‘Festivals of Light’, was linked to history and science and resulted in some good writing in Year 2 about Diwali.

p.25

Commentary

67. Although some good lessons were seen during the inspection, evidence from pupils’ work suggests that the overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In the good lessons seen, teachers were well prepared and there was a clear focus on what pupils were expected to learn. Teachers engaged pupils well through open questioning to help them reflect and express opinions. In another lesson, pupils’ knowledge of the Bible was challenged well when they had to discuss true or false statements. This resulted in good learning, as many misconceptions were put right. Sometimes there is less enthusiasm because of lack of challenge and pupils become restless and do not achieve as much as they should.

p.25

Commentary

68. Leadership and management are sound. National guidance and the agreed syllabus are thoughtfully adapted to provide a meaningful curriculum which can be linked to other subjects. A lack of recording, however, limits opportunities to promote literacy skills. The governor who supports religious education works very closely with the co-ordinator to help maintain the subject.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good cross-curricular approach produces a high standard of work. • Teaching and learning are good. • There is a strong focus on historical enquiry. • Good links have been forged with the local museum. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 24

p.25

Commentary

69. Standards of attainment across the school are good and are above nationally expected levels. Pupils very obviously enjoy this subject and achieve well. Younger pupils have produced good written reports and have a thorough understanding of the work of Florence Nightingale. Some pupils did their own independent research on computers. In a very good lesson on the Victorians, the older pupils closely examined artefacts borrowed from the local museum, making accurate predictions of what each item might have been used for. Pupils discussed confidently and investigated various avenues of inquiry. They came up with very logical and mainly accurate ideas.

p.26

Commentary

70. The high quality displays of history throughout the school give the subject a high profile and depict life in Britain during World War Two. The in-depth study included propaganda posters, the Blitz and blackout procedures. Work in topic books was of an equally high standard and well presented.

p.26

Commentary

71. Teaching is good. Lessons are well planned and pupils with individual special educational needs are supported with the good use of technology. Good resources and the use of the interactive whiteboards further enhance teaching and learning. Pupils’ research skills and investigations are encouraged by their teachers’ good use of questioning. As a result of these strengths, pupils are inquisitive about historical events and question why and how events came to happen. They work hard and are beginning to understand about how to be an historian.

p.26

Commentary

72. The very experienced co-ordinator provides good leadership of the subject. She has a good overview, as the pupils’ work is moderated, and comprehensive assessments are kept.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. Insufficient teaching was seen to enable a judgement to be made on the overall provision in physical education . Discussion with teachers and other limited evidence suggest that standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils do particularly well in swimming, benefiting from the school’s open-air pool. All meet the requirements expected of older pupils by the time they leave Year 5. Opportunities for pupils to develop skills and interest in sport are enriched very well through strong links with local clubs and providers. Coaching in soccer from Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club’s coaching staff, and clubs for rugby, cricket and martial arts, as well as other seasonal sports activities, are all well attended.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Pupils achieve well in art and design . Although too little teaching was seen to make an overall judgement about the provision, it is clear from the work on display and from discussions that pupils are given a wide variety of challenging work to help them develop artistic expertise. Good links are made with other subjects. The exercise to make clay models produced in Year 2 links well with design and technology but pupils have been allowed to put in their own individual flair. The Tudor houses drawn by pupils in Years 3/4 show how some talented artists have been able to use observational drawing combined with tone and blending, to illustrate their work in history. There are many different examples of two- and three-dimensional work on display. Pupils learn about famous artists such as Henry Moore, and their charcoal sketches are of good quality. Other examples of work, such as fabric collage and calendars, indicate that teachers think carefully about what to plan that will excite

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

interest while developing different skills.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. Assessments are made, linked to the nationally agreed guidelines for the subject, and support the view that standards are above those that might be expected. Resources are good and the policy and schemes of work have been reviewed and modified recently.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Work in design and technology is equally well planned. Teachers think hard to make real connections with work in other subjects. In one class, the pupils were starting to construct Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 25 different types of bridges. As part of the exercise, pupils were expected to work in groups, deciding different roles for themselves. They had time limits put on their construction and also limits on the materials. In this way, the teacher was able to draw together various elements of the subject in one task. Pupils thought hard about how best to complete the project. They refined their ideas, recorded them and tested how effective they were. The teacher explained how the work linked to science and mathematics and the relevance of each. There are a number of other examples of work displayed around the school which show that appropriate experiences are provided in each year group, although it is not possible to make an overall

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

judgement about the provision as too little teaching was seen.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those expected for pupils’ ages. • The quality of singing throughout the school is very good. • Teaching is consistently good. • There are good resources. • Good opportunities are provided for pupils to perform music.

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Commentary

77. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve very well in music and reach standards, particularly in singing, which are above the expectation for their age. The consistently good quality of teaching and the high levels of expectation and challenge account for the good achievement. During the inspection, singing was linked to the Victorian theme being studied in history. Songs such as ‘Any Old Iron’ and the ‘Flying Trapeze’ were sung with great enjoyment because pupils recognised their context. From Year 3 onwards, pupils learn theory of music and correct notation. For example, all recognise the values of crotchets, minims and semi-quavers and can repeat rhythmic patterns by following the notation. In Years 1 and 2, pupils have a good repertoire of songs, which they are encouraged to recall from memory. They are taught correct posture and the importance of listening to others.

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Commentary

Consequently, like their older peers, they sing tunefully, maintain rhythm and melody and follow an accompaniment well. A significant number of pupils learn to play instruments. The quality of provision for those who learn brass and woodwind instruments is very good. Pupils achieve high standards in both musical knowledge and performance skills. Recorder and guitar lessons are also available outside lesson time, which add to pupils’ achievement.

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Commentary

78. The quality of teaching and learning was at least good in all lessons seen. Singing is taught by the music co-ordinator, whose own expertise and enthusiasm rub off on the pupils, resulting in high levels of performance. Teachers are confident about the subject and challenge pupils’ musical knowledge and abilities in lessons. Pupils are motivated. For example, they were keen to show how accurately they could transcribe a rhythm clapped by the teacher into correct musical notation.

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Commentary

79. The very good leadership and management ensure that music maintains a high profile in the school. Support from parents is strongly encouraged and some join their children to play in the school band. Performances in the community as well as in school are an important feature of the school’s calendar. Visiting ensembles from the peripatetic service or from local schools perform for pupils so they learn to appreciate a wide range of music. The co-ordinator monitors teaching quality to ensure standards are high and checks to see all aspects of the curriculum are covered. Good resources mean that all pupils can be engaged in musicmaking. The sound assessment is being monitored to provide a means of developing the subject further. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 26

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. Provision is very good. While this is not a compulsory subject within the primary curriculum, the school thinks hard about how to incorporate the many different aspects to ensure that pupils have a good understanding of their place within society and how they need to have a healthy lifestyle. In science lessons, for example, there are opportunities to understand what foods to eat and how to make the right choices. The class and school councils provide an opportunity for pupils of all ages to air their views, talk openly in a more formal forum and to make a real difference to their school community. The co-ordinator for this area has worked hard to develop systems which will allow teachers to use discussions known as ‘Circle Time’ to the best effect. Pupils with behavioural or social problems particularly benefit from these exchanges. Citizenship is encouraged through charity collections, carol concerts and open

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

days, as well as more formally through lessons such as history, where the pupils have studied the use of propaganda during World War II. Midhurst Church of England Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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