Milton Ernest CofE Primary School

MILTON ERNEST VC LOWER SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th - 26 th January 2005

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MILTON ERNEST VC LOWER 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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MILTON ERNEST VC LOWER 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. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: First school School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 - 9 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 61 School address: Thurleigh Road Milton Ernest Bedford Postcode: MK44 1RF Telephone number: (01234) 822 079 Fax number: (01234) 822 079 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Reverend N McIntosh

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a small first school, which admits pupils between the ages of four (Reception Year) and nine (Year 4). There are 61 pupils on roll and they are taught in three classes, two of which are mixed- age. Pupils live in the local and surrounding villages and there is a low level of pupil mobility. Pupils come from generally favourable home backgrounds and the proportion eligible for free school meals is below the national average. There are 17 pupils on the register of special educational needs; one of these has a statement of special educational need. As a proportion, this is broadly in line with national averages, with most of these pupils identified as having moderate learning difficulties. When they join the school at the start of the Reception Year, pupils’ attainment is above average overall, with few lower-attaining pupils. Most pupils are of white British origin and there are none with English as an additional language.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The current headteacher took up post in April 2004. The school received a Healthy School Award in 2004. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 23239 Mr M Capper Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology History Geography Personal, social and health education Religious education Physical education French 9545 Mr K Greatorex Lay inspector 23609 Mrs A M Cartlidge Team inspector Foundation Stage English Music Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs

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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 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school with many very good features. Pupils achieve well, benefiting from good teaching and a good curriculum. Pupils are keen to learn and are happy at school. The school is very well led by the headteacher, who is very ably supported by other members of staff. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils’ achievement is good and their attainment is well above nationally expected levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. • The headteacher and other members of staff have very high aspirations for the school and there are very effective systems for monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness. • Teaching is good overall, with very good teaching in Years 1 and 2. • By Year 4, pupils are confident and articulate but they do not always listen well enough. • Although achievement is satisfactory overall in history and geography, pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects as they do in other areas of the curriculum. • The school very successfully extends the curriculum through a wide range of activities. • Parents are very supportive and contribute very effectively to their children’s learning. • Pupils take responsibility well and develop very high levels of confidence and self-

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

esteem. • Governors are very supportive but their role in monitoring and evaluating school effectiveness is underdeveloped.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good progress since the last inspection in 1999. Key issues from that time have been addressed and pupils continue to make good progress. The school is well placed to improve further under the new headteacher.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

reading A A A* A* writing A A* A* A* mathematics A* A A B Key: A* – very high; 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

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. In the Reception class, children achieve well and attainment is good, with over half the children being on target to exceed the expectations for the end of the Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. In communication, language and literacy, achievement is very good because a specific spelling and reading programme has a very good impact on children’s learning.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Care needs to be taken when interpreting national test data, as the number of pupils taking the tests each year is small. Nevertheless, test results at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently at least well above national averages. In 2004, Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 5 test results in reading and writing were in the top five per cent of all schools and similar schools. Test results are supported by inspection findings which show that, in the current Year 2, pupils’ attainment is well above nationally expected levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is very good overall in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 and 4, where attainment continues to be well above nationally expected levels in English, mathematics and science. Speaking and listening skills are satisfactory overall. Pupils speak confidently but do not always listen well enough to each other or, sometimes, to the teacher. In science, there is a very good curriculum and teachers plan a very exciting range of practical activities helping pupils to achieve very well; investigative skills are especially well developed. In information and communication technology (ICT), attainment is above nationally expected levels and pupils’ achievement is good. In religious education, attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In geography and history, pupils are working at nationally expected levels. Achievement is satisfactory, but there is not always enough challenge for more-able pupils and the

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

quality of recorded work does not consistently reflect their ability.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

are good. Pupils develop good attitudes and values and they generally behave well. Attendance is very good; pupils are keen to come to school and arrive punctually.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Good teaching means that pupils learn well. There are good assessment procedures and there is good challenge for more-able pupils in most subjects. Specialist teachers provide expert knowledge and good teaching in French, music and physical education. Pupils with special educational needs are given good support in lessons when working with a teacher or in small groups with a teaching assistant. In Years 1 and 2, where teaching is very good, the teacher has very high expectations and uses a very good range of teaching methods, with practical activities supporting learning very well, especially in science.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is broad and balanced and includes an opportunity for older pupils to learn French. It is very successfully extended through a very wide-ranging programme of clubs, visits, visitors and special events. These have a good impact on learning. The school has very good links with parents and good links with the local community and other schools. Arrangements for ensuring the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils are good. Members of staff know the pupils well and provide good support for their personal and academic development. There are good procedures in place for taking pupils’ views into account.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management is good overall . The headteacher provides very good leadership and she is supported very well by subject co-ordinators. The headteacher has built an effective team, with all members of staff working together very effectively and sharing her very high aspirations for the school and its work. There is very rigorous monitoring of school effectiveness and school improvement planning is detailed, being based on a very clear understanding of where there are strengths and weaknesses. Management is good, but the school has, over several years, accumulated too high a surplus in its budget. The headteacher and governors have recognised the need to reduce this to a more manageable level. Governance is satisfactory, with statutory requirements met in full. The recently appointed chair of governors has quickly established a very good working relationship with the headteacher and other governors are very supportive.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

However, their monitoring is limited and their role in strategic planning is underdeveloped.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 6 Parents are very positive about the work of the school. They are pleased that their children achieve well and they like the quality of teaching. Pupils enjoy school and feel that they are supported well by teachers and teaching assistants.

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

• Raise pupils’ achievement in listening, history and geography. • Develop the role of governors in monitoring school effectiveness and planning for school development. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well and, by the end of Year 2 and Year 4, attainment is well above nationally expected levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Both boys and girls do equally well and there is no difference in the attainment or achievement of pupils from different backgrounds .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s attainment is good by the end of the Reception Year, with strengths in phonic knowledge and reading. • Test results at the end of Year 2 are consistently at least well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. • Pupils’ attainment is well above nationally expected levels in science by the end of Years 2 and 4, with very good achievement in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils’ achievement is very good in reading and writing and good in mathematics. • Pupils do not always listen well enough. • Although attainment is in line with nationally expected levels in history and geography, pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects as they do in other areas of the curriculum.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

1. In the Reception class, children achieve well and attainment is good with over half the children on target to exceed the expectations for children at the end of the Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. In communication, language and literacy, achievement is very good because a specific teaching programme helps to accelerate children’s learning and has a good impact on their early reading skills and their knowledge of the sounds that letters make. There is insufficient evidence to form a judgement about attainment and achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

2. Care needs to be taken when interpreting national test data, as the number of pupils taking the tests each year is small. Nevertheless, test results at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently at least well above national averages.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

3. In 2004, national tests showed that attainment at the end of Year 2 was: Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 8 • in reading and writing and mathematics, in the top five per cent of all schools and similar schools; and • in mathematics, well above the national average and above the average for similar schools.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

4. Test results confirm that there is no significant difference between the attainment of boys or girls or pupils from different backgrounds.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

5. Test results are supported by inspection findings which show that, in Year 2, pupils’ attainment is well above nationally expected levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

6. Pupils’ achievement is very good overall in Years 1 and 2. They benefit from very good teaching in many subjects, with individual needs being met well. More-able pupils are given good levels of challenge and there are good procedures for supporting those who have been identified as being gifted and talented. In science, the teacher plans a very exciting range of practical activities helping pupils to achieve very well and attain at levels that are well above those found nationally. Investigative skills are especially well developed.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

7. There is no comparative test data for the end of Year 4. Inspection findings show that in Years 3 and 4, good teaching successfully builds on the very good attainment at the end of Year 2 and pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils’ attainment continues to be well above nationally expected levels in English, mathematics and science. Differing needs are met effectively and most pupils are on target to make better than expected progress by the end of Year 4, based on their attainment at the end of Year 2.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

8. Speaking and listening skills are satisfactory overall. Pupils’ achievement is best in speaking, with pupils making good gains in skills and becoming confident and articulate speakers. In contrast, pupils do not always listen well enough to each other and although achievement is satisfactory it is not as good as in other aspects of English. This is because there is a lack of structure to how listening skills are taught across the curriculum and teachers are not always successful in encouraging pupils to listen to each other in lessons.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

9. In ICT, attainment is above nationally expected levels and pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils have good basic skills and they benefit from a good curriculum which gives them a wide range of experiences.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

10. In religious education, pupils’ attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, though a lack of differentiation in the recorded work of pupils of differing ages and abilities sometimes restricts the progress of more-able pupils.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

11. Although no geography or history were timetabled during the inspection, a scrutiny of pupils’ previous work and teacher assessments shows that pupils are working at nationally expected levels. Achievement is satisfactory, but there is not always enough challenge for more-able pupils and the quality of recorded work does not consistently reflect the ability of pupils. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects as in English, mathematics or science.

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Foundation Stage (Reception Year)

12. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on pupils’ attainment in other subjects. However, in religious education, pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a good Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 9 knowledge of Judaism. In music, pupils show good skills when playing instruments in a simple performance.

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Pupils with special educational needs

13. The proportion of pupils on the school's special educational needs register is in line with the national average. Pupils with special needs are identified and supported early and are given good support in lessons when working with the teacher or in small groups with a teaching assistant. This helps them to achieve well overall, with very good achievement in Years 1 and 2. As a result, in 2004, all pupils, whatever their needs, reached the expected level for their age in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in English and mathematics.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal qualities, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Pupils develop good attitudes and values and they generally behave well. Attendance is very good; pupils are keen to come to school and they arrive punctually.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school successfully promotes good relationships and pupils get on well together and behave sensibly. • Pupils work hard and have positive attitudes to the school although they do not always listen well to each other in lessons and are sometimes careless in their work. • Pupils are given good opportunities to take responsibility, helping them to develop very high levels of confidence and self-esteem. • Spiritual, moral and cultural development is good and social development is very good. • Parents ensure that rates of attendance are very good.

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Commentary

14. The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. Relationships are very good. Pupils get on very well together and happily support each other in lessons. Older pupils play sensibly with younger pupils and there is a very happy atmosphere around the school. Behaviour has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. Pupils rise to the challenge of high expectations set by the school and as a result almost all their behaviour in lessons is good. When they come to school, in assemblies, in the village hall at lunchtime, on the playground and even in the confined cloakroom areas children show that high levels of orderly behaviour are consistently achieved.

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Commentary

15. Pupils’ attitudes to the school and their work have improved since the last inspection and are now good. They come happily to school and almost all are enthusiastic about their involvement. They are fully prepared to work hard and participate fully in all the activities. The enthusiasm continues through the school and as they grow older pupils become more confident and have high levels of self-esteem. Pupils are consistently considerate to each other. They work co-operatively and collaboratively together most Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 10 of the time although some do not always listen to what others are saying and they are sometimes not careful enough with their work.

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Commentary

16. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and they show that the trust is well placed. Pupils make good progress overall in their personal, social and emotional development as they perform jobs within the classroom and around the school. The school council provides a voice for the headteacher to hear the ideas and opinions of the children. The jobs and responsibilities all offer opportunities for pupils to develop their social, moral and community awareness.

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Commentary

17. Spiritual, moral and cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Social development has also improved and is now very good. Assemblies are used well to promote all aspects of personal development. Pupils are given regular opportunities to reflect on issues that affect their own and the lives of others. With their response to the recent tsunami disaster pupils have demonstrated high levels of responsibility towards those less fortunate. Trips and educational visits are regular and provide further personal development for the pupils.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.7 School data 0.0 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

18. Attendance is well above the national average and is very good. Registers are completed accurately and efficiently and explanations sought for all absence. There is hardly any unauthorised absence and parents are diligent in their efforts to ensure the attendance of their children at all times. Punctuality is good. Virtually all pupils arrive on time and many are early. They come happily to school enabling the school to make a prompt and efficient start to the school day.

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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 good and there are good assessment procedures. There are good levels of care, welfare, health and safety, with pupils given good support and guidance. There is a very good partnership with parents and good links with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils learn well because teaching is good overall and very good in Years 1 and 2. • Specialist teachers make a good contribution to learning in French, music and PE. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 11 • There are thorough assessment procedures though there is some variation in the use of marking and target setting in different subjects. • There are some missed opportunities to extend learning in history and geography, especially for the more-able pupils. • Teachers are not always successful in encouraging pupils to listen to each other.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 15 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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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.

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Commentary

19. Teaching and learning are good or better in most lessons, with no unsatisfactory teaching. Teaching is best in Years 1 and 2, where the teacher engages pupils’ interest very well by managing behaviour positively, explaining what pupils are expected to learn very thoroughly and by maintaining a very brisk and challenging pace to activities. Throughout the school, teaching assistants are organised well to support groups of pupils. They are caring and experienced, trained well and work closely with the teachers. Specialist teachers provide expert knowledge and good teaching in French, music and physical education and their time is used effectively to provide time out of the classroom for teachers to plan lessons or lead and manage subjects.

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Commentary

20. Lesson planning is thorough, especially in Years 1 and 2 and teachers and teaching assistants provide the correct level of support for individuals, including those with special educational needs or those who are gifted and talented. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well in class and when taught individually. They have detailed individual education plans and their progress towards their individual targets is monitored carefully.

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Commentary

21. As at the time of the last inspection, members of staff use praise well to encourage pupils to try hard. Pupils are enthusiastic about most tasks and are keen to learn, though some older pupils are not encouraged to take enough care with their written work, resulting in some unnecessary errors. In Years 1 and 2, where some literacy lessons are too long, Year 1 pupils start to lose concentration and time is used less productively.

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Commentary

22. Pupils work sensibly when working independently or with other pupils. They develop very good self-esteem and are keen to discuss their ideas and opinions. However, teachers do not always ensure that pupils listen to each other and they plan few formal activities that will help to develop listening skills. Consequently, pupils are comparatively weak at listening and responding to the views of others and can become restless particularly when pupils are talking to the class.

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Commentary

23. There are good assessment procedures, particularly for English, where individual targets are set for reading and writing and marking shows pupils how they can improve their work. Assessment is more variable in other subjects, though better than at the time of the last inspection when there were some weaknesses. There are at least satisfactory procedures in place for all subjects, though these are not used consistently to build on what pupils already know. For example, in history and geography some opportunities are missed to extend pupils’ knowledge and Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 12 understanding because teachers do not always expect enough from the more-able pupils and some topics are covered superficially. Assessment information is used well in the Reception Year to adapt the curriculum in areas where children have been found to be less knowledgeable in the past.

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Commentary

24. Teaching, learning and assessment have improved since the time of the last inspection when they were satisfactory. Parents are very pleased with teaching at the school and pupils know that they are expected to work hard.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good and is extended very effectively through additional activities. The school’s accommodation and the quality and range of resources are satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is an innovative approach to developing the curriculum, but some topics in history and geography are not covered sufficiently. • There are very good additional opportunities for learning. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. • The good level of staffing is used well to support learning. • There are good resources for science, ICT and music. • There is insufficient structure to support the development of listening skills.

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Commentary

25. The curriculum, including the provision for children in the Reception Year, has improved since the time of the last inspection. It is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements in full. The headteacher and other members of staff respond well to weaknesses they have identified during their monitoring of provision, by adapting the curriculum and developing new and effective approaches to support pupils’ learning. For example, after the success of a new method for teaching reading and spelling to younger pupils, the school has adopted a similar approach to help raise attainment further in numeracy.

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Commentary

26. Curriculum planning is thorough, though there are some weaknesses in provision in history and geography. Whilst the school allows enough time for these subjects to be taught and teachers plan lessons thoroughly, some topics are not studied in sufficient depth and detail when pupils’ capabilities are taken into consideration. In science, investigative skills are given a high priority and this has a very good impact on pupils’ achievement. In contrast, in mathematics, a lot of time is spent on developing number skills, but less time is spent on other aspects of the curriculum and there are few examples of investigative or problem solving work in pupils’ books.

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Commentary

27. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education includes suitable opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy lifestyles. Pupils throughout the school are prepared well for the next stages of their education.

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Commentary

28. Since the last inspection, the school has improved the additional opportunities provided for pupils. There is a very good range of clubs and activities including French, ICT and physical education. Specialist teachers add to the curriculum very well in these subjects both during lessons and in sessions outside the school day, helping to make the provision of staffing good overall. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 13 the opportunity to take part in a residential visit during which they take part in various adventurous activities such as archery, boating and problem solving. The school works closely with other schools in the area performing music together and very good use is made of visits and visitors to make learning interesting. Parents are very pleased with the additional activities offered by the school.

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Commentary

29. The provision for pupils with special educational needs has been improved since the time of the last inspection and is now good. Pupils’ needs are identified early and their support and progress are monitored carefully. Pupils are supported well in lessons and often receive additional support towards the detailed targets identified in their individual education plans.

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Commentary

30. The school has a generous allocation of skilful teaching assistants and this means that pupils receive much valuable individual attention. Good opportunities are given to pupils with differing needs and gifted and talented pupils are also identified and supported well.

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Commentary

31. Governors and members of staff have improved the accommodation since the time of the last inspection, and it is now satisfactory overall. The classroom for Reception children has been doubled in size and an outdoor area has been created for their use. Members of staff are starting to make better use of these facilities to extend learning. The school continues to use the adjacent village hall for lunches and physical education lessons. The hall has poor acoustics and this can have a negative impact on the concentration of some pupils during lessons. All classrooms are thoroughfares but despite these difficulties, members of staff ensure that the pupils’ education does not suffer and safe routines help to minimise the inconvenience. Resources for science, ICT, physical education and music have been improved and are now good, having a good impact on learning. Pupils also benefit from an attractive outdoor

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Commentary

environment and their own swimming pool.

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Commentary

32. Pupils at the school are full of confidence and enjoy stating their views and opinions. However, several are not good at listening to each other. The school does not have clear structures in place to improve pupils’ listening skills in the same way that reading and writing are developed. This is a comparative weakness in the otherwise good provision in English.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides good quality care, welfare, health and safety. It provides good support and guidance for pupils’ academic and pastoral needs. The school is effective in taking pupils’ ideas and opinions into account.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides good support and guidance for children based on a clear understanding of their social and educational needs. • The school works hard to provide a healthy, safe and secure environment and child protection procedures are effective. • The school council gives pupils good opportunities to make their views known.

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Commentary

Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 14 33. The school continues to promote effectively the welfare, health and safety of the pupils in a warm, caring and secure environment. In this very small school, all members of staff know the children well and are well equipped to offer good quality pastoral and academic support when it is needed. All staff counsel pupils well, offering high quality support to those most in need. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and their progress is monitored effectively. Adults at the school are very supportive and friendly to all pupils and relationships between pupils and members of staff are very good. Consequently, the school is able to respond quickly to individual needs, be they academic or personal, leading to pupils feeling safe and secure at school and learning well.

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Commentary

34. All members of staff continue to be aware of their roles and responsibilities in respect of child protection issues. They understand the need for vigilance and the steps to take if suspicions are aroused. Members of staff seek to identify potential hazards in order that remedial action can be undertaken. All equipment is checked and tested regularly to ensure that it is fit for its purpose. All members of staff continue to be safety conscious and watch for the security of the children.

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Commentary

35. There are good mechanisms in place to take account of the ideas and opinions of the pupils. The school council is instrumental in providing the opportunity for pupils’ views to be considered by the staff. The latest consultations have enabled pupils to be influential in the choice of the improved playground equipment.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents. Links with the community and other schools are good.

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Main strengths

• Parents are highly supportive of the school and contribute very well to their children’s learning. • The school makes good use of the local community to support learning. • There are good transfer arrangements at the end of Year 4 when pupils move to their next school.

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Commentary

36. The partnership with parents has been further developed since the last inspection and is very good, making a significant contribution to pupils’ good achievement. Parents responding to the questionnaire and those attending the meeting were very supportive of the school and its work. They rightly believe that it has many strengths. They feel that they are consulted and listened to and that they are given very good opportunities to support their children in their learning.

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Commentary

37. The information provided for parents continues to be good overall. The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are attractive and well- presented documents that keep parents well informed about the school and its organisation. Annual reports to parents on their children’s progress contain much good information about what the pupils know, understand and can do. They report on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science clearly but the information about Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 15 other subjects is in some instances repetitive. They are also clear about pupils’ progress and contain specific information about areas for improvement.

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Commentary

38. Parents are encouraged to become involved in the life of the school and many respond positively. They are a considerable help in the classroom, around the school as well as on school trips and visits. The PTA is very active. It organises many fundraising and social events in support of the school. The school values highly the support and contributions made by all parents and members of the community which enhance the children’s learning and development.

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Commentary

39. The school has maintained well the links with the community and they continue to be good. Links with the local church are particularly strong. Visitors are used well to enrich the pupils’ learning. They include representatives of various faiths. In addition, trips and educational visits are used effectively to promote pupils’ awareness of the outside world.

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Commentary

40. There are good links with other local schools. The school is active in a local cluster of schools which provide advice and support to each other. These good links provide effective support to pupils’ learning. A well-considered induction programme allows pupils to settle quickly when they transfer to the middle school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and she is supported very well by subject co-ordinators. Management is good. Governance is satisfactory, with statutory requirements met in full.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and other members of staff have very high aspirations and a very clear vision for the work of the school. • There are very effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. • School improvement planning is based on a very clear understanding of where there are strengths and weaknesses. • Co-ordinators of English, mathematics and science provide very good leadership in their subjects. • Governors are very supportive but their role in monitoring and evaluating school effectiveness is underdeveloped. • Over time, the school has accumulated too large a surplus in its budget.

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Commentary

41. The headteacher has only been in post for a relatively short time but already the impact of her very good leadership is evident in the work of the school. She is very well respected by members of staff, pupils, parents and governors, who recognise the many developments that have taken place over the last two terms. The headteacher has built an effective team, with all members of staff working very well together and sharing her very high aspirations for the school and its work. This means that the school is in a strong position to improve further in the future.

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Commentary

42. There are very rigorous systems for monitoring and reviewing school effectiveness. This has helped the headteacher to quickly establish a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This is reflected in the very thorough school development plan, Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 16 which clearly identifies where the school needs to improve further. The headteacher has established a well considered timetable for monitoring school effectiveness which involves all members of staff. There has been some helpful monitoring of teaching, with plans to extend this further in the rest of the academic year. Detailed records of pupils’ individual test scores are kept and used effectively to set targets for improving attainment. Members of staff have established thorough procedures for analysing test data to identify where improvement is necessary. For example, a weakness in the number of pupils achieving Level 3 in

p.17

Commentary

mathematics at the end of Year 2 was identified in the summer term. As a result of this relative weakness, the school has introduced new teaching strategies in the Reception Year to further improve pupils’ number skills.

p.18

Commentary

43. Members of staff feel that their views are valued and that they have been enabled to carry out their curriculum responsibilities more effectively. This has helped to establish a very clear, shared educational vision, with all members of staff strongly committed to achieving high standards in all areas of the school’s work. Subject co- ordinators in English, mathematics and science now provide very good leadership in their subject. All are involved in monitoring the effectiveness of provision and recent improvements in the way that this is organised have improved the effectiveness of this monitoring. Co-ordinators have had regular release time which has been used effectively to draw up and monitor action plans, to review resources and complete schemes of work or policies. These developments have had a good impact on learning.

p.18

Commentary

44. The headteacher is well organised. Although she takes a class for much of each week, her management is good, which means that the school runs smoothly. There are good opportunities for members of staff to undertake professional training and good account is taken of national workload agreements for teachers, with members of staff getting some time in each week when they can undertake planning and assessment work.

p.18

Commentary

45. Governance is satisfactory. The recently appointed chair of governors has quickly established a very good working relationship with the headteacher and other governors are very supportive. Statutory requirements are met well and the governors’ annual report is well presented and informative. Recent work on establishing clear roles and responsibilities has helped the governors to improve their effectiveness and they make good use of specific skills. For example, a working committee has worked well with the school to improve provision in ICT. This project has been well managed and has had a good impact on standards. The headteacher works hard to keep the governing body informed and this means that they have a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, their own monitoring although recently improved is still relatively limited and they do not yet do enough to challenge the school over its performance.

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 242,781 Balance from previous year 45,364 Total expenditure 248,278 Balance carried forward to the next year 39,867 Expenditure per pupil 3,879 Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 17 46. Financial planning is satisfactory. The day-to-day management of finances by the headteacher and governors is good, with spending clearly targeted on raising standards. However, the school has maintained a very high surplus in its budget for some time. Although part of this surplus has sensibly been maintained to allow for fluctuation in pupil numbers, not enough has been done to reduce the surplus to a more manageable amount and at 16 per cent of the overall budget it far exceeds recommended levels and is too large.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for the Foundation Stage (Reception Year) is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well overall and very well in reading and writing. • Teaching is consistently good and members of staff work together well to provide activities that engage the children’s interest. • The curriculum is good with very good opportunities to increase the children’s knowledge about other cultures. • Improvements in accommodation are having a positive impact on learning, though limited use is being made of the new outdoor area.

p.19

Commentary

47. At the time of the inspection several children in the small Reception class were absent due to illness; there were only four Reception children in school for most of the inspection. Judgements on attainment and achievement have been supported with a scrutiny of work and an analysis of assessment information.

p.19

Commentary

48. Attainment on entry to the Reception class is above average. Children’s achievement, including that of those with special educational needs is good overall and very good in communication, language and literacy, where a specific spelling and reading programme helps to accelerate children’s learning. Over half the children are on target to exceed the expectations for children at the end of the Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. There is insufficient evidence to form a judgement about attainment and achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. Overall, attainment is similar to that found at the time of the last inspection, though children are now making faster progress and there have been further improvements in attainment in communication, language and literacy.

p.19

Commentary

49. Teaching, learning and assessment are good. The teachers and teaching assistant are patient and supportive and enable children to settle into routines and develop independence quickly. Procedures to ensure a smooth transition from home to school Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 18 have been improved since the time of the last inspection and are now good. Lessons are well organised and include a good mix of child initiated and adult led activities. Adults support children effectively and ask probing questions to help children to think about what they are learning. There is a good emphasis on learning through purposeful play and practical tasks. This is successful in engaging the children’s interest and consequently children concentrate well for a good length of time. Teaching and learning in communication, language and literacy are especially effective with reading and spelling being promoted strongly. Assessment procedures

p.19

Commentary

are thorough and information is used fully to adapt the curriculum to meet the children’s needs. Teaching is more effective than at the time of the last inspection when children made satisfactory progress.

p.20

Commentary

50. The provision for children with special educational needs is good. Their specific needs are identified and supported quickly through the use of detailed individual education plans. Members of staff are vigilant in ensuring that all children are included in activities and that their needs are being met.

p.20

Commentary

51. There has been a conscious decision this year to expand the children’s understanding of different cultures. For example, during the inspection a Chinese role-play house was very well resourced and children were able to prepare the house for visitors for the forthcoming Chinese New Year. As a result, children developed a very good understanding about how Chinese traditions might be different from their own.

p.20

Commentary

52. Provision for the Reception Year is led and managed well and improvement since the time of the last inspection is good. The headteacher works with other members of staff to plan and monitor provision. The classroom has been extended recently allowing children greater space to make choices and accommodation is now satisfactory. Members of staff are keen to improve this further by making resources more accessible to the children. The school has recently established a small outdoor area. Whilst this is used for short lessons each day, there are some missed opportunities to use it more extensively to support learning throughout the day. For example, during the inspection an opportunity was missed to investigate the temperature outside when discussing cold winter days.

p.20

Commentary

53. The children’s achievement is good in personal, social and emotional development . The teachers and teaching assistant have clear expectations for good behaviour and set a good example for relationships. Praise is used well, helping children to develop confidence and self-esteem. Members of staff discuss activities with the children and work alongside them showing them how to work together sensibly. As a result, children handle resources carefully and play together well. They concentrate well when working with an adult or on a task they have chosen for themselves.

p.20

Commentary

54. In the area of communication, language and literacy children achieve very well in reading and writing. A specific scheme is used to support children in learning about letter sounds and spelling and all children are able to read most sounds and many common words by sight. Children are keen to share a book with the teacher, join in with repetitions in the text and enjoy shouting out captions written in bold print. Teachers have high expectations for writing, and letter formation is taught well using a new scheme. Independence is encouraged and tasks are interesting and relate well to other activities in the class. For example, children enjoyed writing invitations and place cards for the Chinese New Year party. When talking about cold weather the teacher successfully encouraged children to extend their vocabularies by discussing Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 19 words such as ‘freezing’, ‘melting’ and ‘glistening’. Parents are very supportive and

p.20

Commentary

are given helpful guidance on how they can work with their children at home. Members of staff have rightly identified the need to develop listening skills by providing greater opportunities for children to talk about their own ideas.

p.21

Commentary

55. In mathematical development , children’s achievement is good. Most children enjoy joining in with counting games and are starting to add small numbers together. A new scheme is supporting children’s understanding of number values well. Members of staff are good at promoting mathematical vocabulary such as ‘equation’ and ‘altogether’. There are good opportunities for children to take part in practical tasks such as comparing the lengths of various ribbons. However, some opportunities are missed to extend the more able by providing a greater challenge than for other children and some recorded work is repeated without sufficient development.

p.21

Commentary

56. In knowledge and understanding of the world , children enjoy using the computer to put appropriate winter clothes on teddy. They learn about the weather, make good observational drawings of fruits and learn about different festivals such as Diwali. Children are learning about birds by watching them in the school grounds.

p.21

Commentary

57. In a good physical development lesson observed, a specialist teacher delivered a lesson with a quick pace and the four children at school that day increased their control and balance well. They followed instructions well and made various body shapes by stretching. Higher attaining children increased their control very well when rolling and catching a large hoop. Most children can hold and control a pencil or scissors correctly. 58. Samples of artwork show that in creative development , children have suitable opportunities to learn skills such as colour mixing and painting. The role-play area is very well resourced and provides good opportunities for children to expand their knowledge and understanding of another culture.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in reading and writing, though listening skills are less well developed. • Good quality assessment helps pupils to improve. • Some older pupils do not take enough care with their work. • The subject is led and managed very well.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

59. Attainment is well above the nationally expected levels by the end of Years 2 and 4 in reading and in writing. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve very well. In the national test results in 2004, attainment at the end of Year 2 was in the top five per cent nationally. Test results continue to improve from the time of the last inspection. Teachers have high expectations and use marking and target setting well to encourage pupils of all abilities to improve. Pupils use their extensive vocabularies to make their writing interesting Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 20 and lively. However, some older pupils do not take enough care in the presentation of their work and, as a result, their writing sometimes becomes untidy and they make avoidable errors in spelling and in the maintenance of the correct tense. In reading, pupils read difficult texts fluently and expressively. They have a very good understanding of how to tackle unfamiliar

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

words and know how to find information in books.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

60. Pupils’ achievements in speaking and listening are satisfactory because there are fewer opportunities planned to help extend these skills and assessment arrangements are less rigorous. Most pupils are articulate and confident when sharing their ideas and opinions. However , pupils do not always listen well to each other and this is a weakness that has an impact on learning across the curriculum.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

61. Teaching, learning and assessment are good overall because teachers and the good number of teaching assistants work together well as a team. Teaching and learning are very good in Years 1 and 2, where the pace of learning, spelling and reading is exceptionally fast and the teacher is very successful in using positive behaviour management to encourage full participation. Timed activities challenge pupils and support their concentration and interest very well. Throughout the school, rigorous assessment procedures enable teachers to plan work that is carefully matched to pupils’ needs. Well-trained and thoroughly prepared teaching assistants provide good quality support. Teachers explain the purpose of tasks clearly and are skilled at making learning interesting. Praise is used well to encourage pupils to try hard. Pupils are good at working independently and at collaborating with each other.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

For example, pupils in Year 3 worked together well when preparing and reciting a poem to the rest of the class.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

62. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and they are given valuable additional support towards targets identified in their individual education plans. Careful records are kept of their progress and changing needs, enabling them to take part in all activities. 63. The curriculum is good overall, with new initiatives for improving spelling, reading and handwriting having a good impact on the way younger pupils learn. Very good use is made of workshops and theatre performances to develop pupils’ interest in poetry and these activities also contribute well to pupils’ cultural development. However, some lessons for pupils in Years 1 and 2 are too long and on these occasions, the younger pupils in particular, start to lose interest towards the end of lessons.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. Very good leadership and management have ensured that good provision, teaching and learning have been maintained successfully since the time of the last inspection and that attainment and assessment procedures have been improved further. Thorough monitoring of teaching, learning and attainment provides a very good understanding of what needs to be developed next in the subject. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge, high aspirations and provides a good role model in her teaching. There is a clear action plan for the subject that is firmly based on raising attainment further.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

65. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to use their writing and reading skills in other subjects. Until very recently the school has been without a library because it has been needed as a classroom. These difficulties have been overcome well and pupils know how to research a topic using information books. In some lessons, pupils use word- processing to produce written work.

p.22

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE (FRENCH)

Provision in French is good . Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 21

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching means that pupils learn well. • Pupils develop good attitudes towards learning a new language.

p.23

Commentary

66. The school is unusual in that it teaches French to pupils in Years 3 and 4. This is a fairly recent initiative which is having a good impact on learning. There are no national expectations for pupils of this age, but pupils have a very positive attitude towards learning a second language. They achieve well, quickly developing new skills and benefiting from the good quality teaching of the specialist teacher. The teacher has good subject knowledge and there is a good pace to learning. Learning is made fun and activities are purposeful and motivating. The teacher plans a wide range of activities for each lesson and these hold the pupils’ interest whatever their age. As a result, pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a good vocabulary and they respond accurately to different questions, for example talking about their birthday, colours and food.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and have a very good knowledge of basic number concepts. • The quality of teaching is good; learning is made fun by the very good use of practical activities. • A high amount of time is spent on developing number skills, sometimes to the detriment of other aspects of the curriculum. • Target setting to show pupils what they need to improve is underdeveloped. • The subject co-ordinator has a very clear understanding of what needs to be improved.

p.23

Commentary

67. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, improving the high standards found at that time. Pupils’ attainment is now well above nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. This is confirmed by test results at the end of Year 2, which are consistently at least well above the national average. In 2004, test results at the end of Year 2 were above average when compared with similar schools.

p.23

Commentary

68. Number skills are particularly strong, with pupils showing a very good understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In the current Year 2, pupils are developing a clear understanding of basic number concepts. They accurately add two- or three-digit numbers and count confidently in threes, fours, fives and tens. In Years 3 and 4, the majority of pupils successfully carry out calculations in their head and they explain clearly the strategy that they have used. Problem solving skills are less secure and older pupils are not as skilled in solving problems that involve more than one calculation. This is the one aspect of the curriculum that continues to be relatively underdeveloped.

p.23

Commentary

69. Pupils’ achievement is good and differing needs are met well. Pupils with special educational needs often work with teaching assistants who are skilled and offer good support, enabling these pupils to achieve well and to reach nationally expected levels by the end of Years 2 and 4. The school has also identified a small number of gifted and talented pupils and they are given challenging work which successfully extends their knowledge. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 22 70. Teaching and learning are good. A strong feature of teaching is the use of practical activities to support learning. In many lessons the main focus of learning is built around carefully differentiated and well-resourced practical tasks. As a result, learning is fun and pupils are very well motivated. They quickly learn to apply their mathematical skills to the good range of practical activities that are planned by teachers. Teachers have high expectations and

p.23

Commentary

lessons are well organised, with good account taken of differing age or ability groups in each class. Pupils have good attitudes towards their work and quickly become engrossed in activities. They co-operate well, but do not always listen carefully enough, sometimes to the teacher but especially when sharing work with each other at the start or end of lessons. When this happens the pace of learning slows and time is wasted.

p.24

Commentary

71. There is a satisfactory curriculum. A lot of time is spent on developing number skills and this has a very good impact on learning. Less time is spent on other aspects of the curriculum and there are few examples of investigative or problem solving work in pupils’ books. On occasions, commercial workbooks are followed too rigidly, restricting pupils’ opportunities to record work for themselves and limiting the challenge for pupils, especially when learning about shapes, space and measures and data-handling.

p.24

Commentary

72. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. Work is regularly marked and teachers often give good quality verbal feedback during lessons. However, written comments vary in quality and limited use is made of target setting to help pupils understand what they need to do to improve next.

p.24

Commentary

73. The subject is very well led and managed. The subject co-ordinator has a clear vision and high aspirations for developing the subject. Self-evaluation is very well established and this means that there is a very good understanding of which aspects of the curriculum need developing next, including the need to improve marking, target setting and pupils’ problem solving skills.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

74. Pupils are given sound opportunities to apply their mathematical skills across the curriculum. They sometimes measure in science and they use their understanding of data to make graphs and charts in ICT.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good. • Teaching and learning are very good in Years 1 and 2, where pupils have very good investigative skills. • There is a very good curriculum and the subject is well resourced. • In Years 3 and 4, pupils often complete the same piece of recorded work whatever their age or ability. • The subject is very well led by the co-ordinator.

p.24

Commentary

75. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, improving pupils’ attainment and the quality of teaching significantly. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 23 76. Pupils’ attainment is well above nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. This is confirmed by teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 which show that in most years all pupils reach the expected level for their age (Level 2), with many achieving the higher Level 3.

p.24

Commentary

77. Pupils’ achievement is very good. This is because all teachers ensure that there are good opportunities to learn through investigations and experiments, with pupils encouraged to think like scientists. Questioning is used effectively to help pupils develop a good understanding of basic scientific concepts and skills and by the end of Year 2 very good teaching means that pupils have already developed very good investigative skills. Pupils in the Year 1 and 2 class confidently talk about how they are going to plan and organise an investigation. They understand what is meant by a fair test, with many being able to explain why it is important to change only one variable at a time. This was seen to good effect as pupils planned with their teacher an investigation to see which car would roll the furthest down a ramp. Pupils clearly understood how they could ensure that the test was fair, with one pupil commenting that ‘we

p.25

Commentary

must only change the car and nothing else’ and another adding that ‘we must make sure that we start the cars in the same place each time’ .

p.25

Commentary

78. Only one science lesson was timetabled during the inspection. In this lesson in Years 1 and 2, teaching and learning were very good. The teacher has very high expectations and a very good knowledge of the subject. He gave pupils very good opportunities to explore ideas for themselves. Pupils were very well motivated and though a few found it hard to organise themselves at the start of their investigation most were very interested in their work and clearly enjoyed the practical activities they had been given. As a result, pupils were well motivated and fully engaged in their work. There was a very good pace to learning and differing needs were met very effectively, with planning taking very good account of the needs of the two age groups in the class. A teaching assistant very effectively supported a group of less-able Year 1 pupils, helping them to make very good progress.

p.25

Commentary

79. There are only minor issues for improvement in teaching across the school. A scrutiny of work shows that limited use is made of ICT to support learning and in Years 3 and 4 there are occasionally missed opportunities to extend the learning of more-able pupils, especially in how they record their work. Assessment procedures are satisfactory and usefully show pupils’ progress over time. However, the marking of work does not always help pupils understand what they need to do to improve.

p.25

Commentary

80. There is a very good curriculum. It is carefully planned to ensure that there is good continuity to the development of skills and knowledge and the clear emphasis on learning through investigation has a good impact on pupils’ achievement. Good quality resources support learning well and help teachers to plan interesting activities.

p.25

Commentary

81. Leadership of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator has high aspirations and is a very good role model in his own teaching of the subject. He gives very good support to colleagues: a support document which identifies how investigative skills can be developed is very useful and has helped to raise, even further, standards in the last three years.

p.25

Commentary

82. Management of the subject is good. There has been some helpful monitoring of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work, though, as yet, no opportunity to observe lessons. Nevertheless, the co-ordinator has a very clear understanding of what needs to be improved next and areas for development are clearly identified in a detailed action plan.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 24 • Good leadership by the co-ordinator and governors has helped the school to make good improvements since the last inspection. • A good curriculum means that pupils acquire a good range of basic skills. • There are good quality resources. • There are some missed opportunities for pupils to extend the learning of more-able pupils and for all pupils to use their ICT skills in other subjects.

p.26

Commentary

83. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection. Under the good leadership and management of the co-ordinator and with good support from governors, there have been many developments. Resources have been significantly improved and there is now a good curriculum, with pupils encouraged to use their skills across the curriculum. Teachers plan an interesting range of activities helping pupils to gain a wide range of skills. As a result, pupils achieve well. Pupils’ attainment is above nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 4 and they have a good range of basic skills. They have a clear understanding of the different uses of ICT and control the mouse successfully to move pictures. Older pupils handle resources confidently and make good use of word-processing techniques to make their work interesting.

p.26

Commentary

84. Only one lesson was timetabled during the inspection. In this lesson, the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory. Although the teacher had organised the lesson well, with the Year 3 and 4 class split into two groups so that pupils could work in pairs on the computers, there was insufficient time for pupils to practise and significantly extend their new skills and for some more-able pupils the work lacked challenge. Nevertheless, teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They have good subject knowledge and introduce new skills effectively. Pupils generally have good attitudes towards learning and work hard in lessons, co-operating well when they are working in pairs. However, they do not always listen to each other, especially when they are talking about their work at the start or end of lessons. This slows the pace of learning.

p.26

Commentary

85. There are satisfactory procedures for assessing learning, with teachers keeping class records of how well pupils have achieved at the end of each study unit. Teachers are aware of those pupils who bring good skills from home and they strive to ensure that these pupils are also challenged in lessons. Nonetheless, there are occasions when their needs are not met fully because the work is too easy for them.

p.26

Commentary

86. Resources are good. The number of computers exceeds the nationally recommended number and there is suitable software to cover most areas of the curriculum. Where there are still shortfalls in software, the co-ordinator has appropriate plans to address the weakness.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

87. Good links are made between different subjects when pupils are being taught in ICT lessons. This helps to make learning purposeful at these times. However, although all classrooms have access to computers, these were not always used purposefully during the inspection. As a result, there are some missed opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate ICT skills and there is limited evidence of ICT being used to support learning in subjects such as science, history or geography. This has a negative impact on achievement.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 25 There is insufficient evidence to form judgements on provision in geography and history as few lessons were timetabled during the inspection.

p.27

HUMANITIES

No lessons were seen in geography or history . However, a scrutiny of previous work and teacher assessments shows that pupils are working at nationally expected levels. Although achievement is satisfactory, pupils do not achieve as well in history and geography as in many other subjects because there is not always enough challenge for more-able pupils and on occasions there is very little difference between the work covered by pupils of differing age or ability. The coverage of some topics is superficial and the quality of recorded work does not consistently reflect the ability of pupils.

p.27

HUMANITIES

Provision for religious education (RE) is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good curriculum. • Effective links with the local Anglican church support pupils’ learning well. • Pupils often complete the same piece of recorded work whatever their age or ability.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

88. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, though a lack of differentiation in the recorded work of pupils of differing ages and abilities sometimes restricts the progress of more-able pupils.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

89. Only one lesson was timetabled during the inspection. In this lesson the quality of teaching and learning was very good and pupils showed a good knowledge of Judaism. Pupils very quickly acquired new skills because the teacher had planned an exciting and involving practical activity which very effectively brought to life the significance of the Seder meal in the Jewish festival of Pesach (Passover). Pupils showed good respect for the beliefs and traditions of Judaism as they re-enacted a Seder meal with the teacher very effectively emphasising the religious meaning of each part of the meal. The teacher had prepared very well for this lesson and pupils quickly became fully involved in the task, with one reporting that it had been ‘the best lesson ever’ . The teacher made very good use of questioning to extend learning further and pupils confidently explained why Jews celebrate Pesach, although they did

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

not listen well to each other’s contributions.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

90. There is a good RE curriculum, which is well led and managed by the subject co- ordinator. Resources are good. A good range of artefacts about different religions helps to bring the subject alive. Good use is made of the local Anglican church to help pupils learn about Christianity. Occasional visits to other places of worship such as a Sikh gurdwara further supplement pupils’ knowledge of faiths other than Christianity.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

This was not an area of focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form judgements on provision. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 26 91. In art and design , there is evidence of some good artwork on display in the classrooms and in pupils’ sketchbooks. In Years 1 and 2, pupils show good detail in their self-portraits and in Years 3 and 4 there are examples of interesting Chinese style painting and good quality clay plaques. Appropriate use is made of ICT to support learning in the subject. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 used a computer program to experiment with the technique of pointillism.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 follow their designs accurately when weaving patterns in design and technology and they design and make interesting boxes to hold the Torah. In Years 3 and 4, pupils make detailed plans showing the materials they intend using in a model. However, opportunities to develop their numeracy skills by including dimensions on their designs are sometimes missed.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. In a very good lesson in music , the specialist teacher demonstrated her very thorough subject knowledge and high expectations, enabling pupils to learn a new song very quickly and to include several tuned and un-tuned parts in their performance at the end of the lesson. Pupils sang tunefully and showed a good knowledge of the orchestral instruments used and the changes that occurred, in a piece of music by Grieg. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn to play the recorder and to make music with other schools in the area.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. One lesson was seen in physical education . In this lesson, teaching and learning were satisfactory. The teacher had very secure subject knowledge and had planned an exciting range of activities which ensured clear progression in pupils’ dance skills as they moved from working individually to dancing in pairs. However, the pace of learning was slowed significantly by the poor response of the pupils, who did not listen well and showed only limited interest when they were evaluating the work of others. Nevertheless, when dancing individually, pupils had good skills, making good use of shape and different sorts of movements to make their performance interesting.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. There is a good curriculum in physical education. Most lessons are taken by a specialist teacher and this has a good impact on standards. Pupils get good opportunities to take part in out-of-school activities, with an after-school sports club being very well attended.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. Pupils’ achievement is not significantly impaired by the lack of a school hall. Lessons are held in the nearby village hall, which provides adequate facilities, though the acoustics are very poor and this sometimes makes it difficult for pupils to concentrate.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

97. There is insufficient evidence to form judgements on provision in personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship as only one lesson was seen during the inspection. In this lesson, where teaching and learning were good, pupils made good progress as they explored human rights, using information they had gathered at home. The lesson was well organised, with pupils showing good attitudes and sharing their research on famous campaigners such as Martin Luther-King and Mahatma Ghandi. Pupils were fully engaged in their work and the teacher effectively assessed learning at the end of the lesson through a well-managed whole-class discussion.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

98. At other times during the school day, pupils are given good opportunities to share their views and issues raised are considered sensitively. Pupils of all ages show a very good awareness of how to behave in a community and they carry out the many Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 27 responsibilities that they are given very sensibly. Pupils are able to become school councillors, playground buddies or eco-monitors and these activities are effective in teaching them some of the responsibilities of citizenship.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

99. Throughout the school, members of staff are good role models, treating all pupils and each other with care and respect. There is a good emphasis on adopting a healthy life-style, ensuring that pupils develop good values and leave having been well prepared for the next stage of their education. Milton Ernest VC Lower School - 28

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 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 4 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 3 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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