Montgomery Primary School

MONTGOMERY COMBINED SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st - 23 rd June 2005

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MONTGOMERY COMBINED 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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MONTGOMERY COMBINED 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. Montgomery Combined School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Middle deemed primary school School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 12 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 563

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Manor Road St Thomas Exeter Devon Postcode: EX4 1EN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01392) 273 751 Fax number: (01392) 494 350

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr D Hember

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Montgomery Combined School is a very large school for pupils between the ages of three and twelve. It is in the St Thomas area of Exeter. The number of school-aged children has dropped in this area of the city since the last inspection and the school roll is not as high as it was. Schools in Exeter are currently being reorganised and from September there will no longer be a Year 7 at Montgomery and the school will become a primary school. Currently the school has 21 classes. Pupils come from a wide range of social, economic and academic backgrounds. Eleven per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is broadly in line with the national average. This does not reflect the economic disadvantages experienced by some families. Most pupils are White British, with six per cent from other ethnic backgrounds. Two per cent of pupils do not have English as their first language and these 14 pupils are at the early stages of learning English. This is the first year that the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

school has admitted pupils for whom English is an additional language. When children start school in the nursery class, their skills, knowledge and understanding are very wide- ranging. In most years, the overall profile on entry is well below the levels expected for children of this age. Pupils also join the school at the beginning of their Reception year and in Year 4. Their attainment on entry at these points is also well below the levels expected for their age overall. Eleven per cent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, which is below the national average. This is slightly misleading. In each year group, a large group of pupils are working below the levels expected for their age but are not identified with special educational needs because they are supported well within the Montgomery Combined School - 2 normal arrangements for the class. Ten pupils have statements of special educational need

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

for a range of physical, learning and behavioural difficulties, which is broadly average. The percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school last year, other than at the usual points of entry or transfer, was also broadly average. Montgomery Combined School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 3764 Mrs Stephanie Lacey Lead inspector English Art and design 9646 Mrs Geraldine Osment Lay inspector 17352 Mrs Lorna Flowers Team inspector Geography History Music Special educational needs English as an additional language 24022 Mrs Julia Lawson Team inspector Foundation Stage Religious education 24019 Mr Ken Parry Team inspector Mathematics Physical education 30618 Mr Paul Story Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology 11720 Mr Philip Winch Team inspector French

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal Education 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). Montgomery Combined School - 4

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 15

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a sound school, with many good features. Pupils are cared for well in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Although standards are not as high as in many schools, most pupils make steady progress. The headteacher provides a clear lead for the school community. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Teaching in some year groups is very good and underpins these pupils’ very good achievement, but there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in different classes. • Most pupils are positive about school and behave well. • The experienced headteacher is a strong and supportive leader. • The school’s provision for French is excellent and pupils achieve very well. • Individual pupils are cared for, valued and supported effectively. • Worked planned in different subjects is interesting. • Pupils are not always clear about what they have to do to improve.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has been through difficult times since its last inspection in 1999. Overall it has made satisfactory progress since that time, although standards are not as high as they were in English and mathematics. Standards have risen in science and information and communication technology (ICT), with considerable improvements in the overall provision for ICT. These subjects were both identified by the last inspection as needing improvement. The school made good strides forward for several years after the last inspection. Then, as a consequence of falling pupil numbers in this part of Exeter and the proposed reorganisation of city schools, Montgomery was faced with the prospect of fifteen staff redundancies. This had an understandable impact on staff morale and for a while the headteacher, senior staff and governors were caught up in managing staffing issues, rather than focusing on raising standards. As a result, standards began to fall. However, the calm and clear leadership of

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

the headteacher, with good support from senior staff and governors, kept the school on an even keel. The changeover to becoming a smaller primary school in September has been managed well, standards are beginning to rise again and the school is in a very good position to move forward.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English C E D D mathematics C D E E science C C D E Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall , with pupils doing very well in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6. Pupils with special educational needs, higher attaining pupils and those for whom English is an additional language generally achieve as well as their peers. Montgomery Combined School - 6 Children achieve very well in the nursery and Reception children’s achievement is sound. By the end of the Reception year, some children are well set to reach the goals expected of them, whilst others will not reach these in all areas of learning. Pupils’ achievement is also sound in Year 1. Pupils achieve very well in Year 2, although standards in Year 2 are still well below the levels expected in reading and writing, below the levels expected in mathematics and at expected levels in science and ICT. Pupils’ achievement is sound overall in Years 3 and 4 and very good in Years 5 and 6. Standards in Year 6 are well

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

below the levels expected in English, below the levels expected in mathematics and science and in line with the levels expected in ICT. As the table shows, standards have been below or well below average in Year 6 national tests for a couple of years, but this downward trend has now been reversed. In Year 7, standards are below the expected levels in English, mathematics and science, in line with expected levels in ICT and well above expected levels in French.

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Pupils’ personal development, including their moral, social and cultural

development, is good, and their spiritual development is sound. Most pupils are positive about school and behave well. They respond well to teachers’ expectations of hard work and good behaviour, although they do not make the most of opportunities to use their own initiative. Their attendance is satisfactory.

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The school provides a sound education, with good features. Sound teaching overall

underpins pupils’ learning , with very good teaching and learning in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6. The teaching of French is excellent and ensures that pupils achieve extremely well and reach high standards. In the best lessons, pupils are caught up in the excitement of learning and make rapid strides in their skills, knowledge and understanding. The school is working hard to tackle inconsistencies between the quality of teaching in different classes. There are sound strategies in place to check how well pupils are doing, but pupils are not always clear about what they have to do to improve.

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The school provides a sound education, with good features. Sound teaching overall

Most other aspects of the school’s provision are good. These include good planning for work in different subjects, interesting activities outside lessons, good care and support for pupils, good links with the community and other schools and a good partnership with parents. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are sound. The headteacher provides a clear educational lead and responds sensitively to the needs of pupils and staff. He is supported well by senior staff, who provide a sound lead for colleagues. The management of the school is also sound. The school runs very smoothly on a day-to-day basis, with friendly office staff providing a warm welcome for parents and visitors. Governance is sound overall, although there is some non-compliance with statutory requirements for collective worship. Individual governors make significant contributions to the work of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally pleased with all that the school does for their children. They are especially positive about the ease with which their children settle into school, their children’s enjoyment of school and their progress. A few did not feel that they had sufficient information about their children’s progress, but the inspection found that the information Montgomery Combined School - 7 provided was satisfactory. Pupils were equally positive about school. They particularly like practical and creative activities and are clearly fond of the staff.

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English, mathematics and science by:

• Ensuring that the quality of teaching is consistently strong in all classes. • Helping pupils to understand what they need to do to improve.

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And, to meet statutory requirements:

• Ensure that the daily act of collective worship meets statutory requirements.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Most pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, with pupils achieving very well in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6. Overall, standards are below average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in national tests have fallen since the last inspection. • Pupils achieve very well in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6, but standards in work seen were well below expected levels in English and below expected levels in mathematics and science. • Standards in ICT have risen and are now in line with the levels expected in all year groups. • Pupils achieve very well in French and by the time that they leave in Year 7, standards are well above the levels expected.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests have fallen since the last inspection 1. Standards in 2004 national tests in both Year 2 and Year 6 were not as high as they were at the time of the last inspection. Standards had risen until 2003, with the school gaining a government achievement award for the good progress made in 2002. Standards began to fall in 2003. The reasons for this fall are varied and complex and include:

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Commentary

• a change in the school’s intake, with children starting school with less well developed skills, knowledge and understanding than in the past; • a number of changes in staffing in the middle of the academic year in Years 5 and 6 over the last two years, which disrupted pupils’ learning; • a necessary concentration on reorganisation issues which meant that the headteacher did not have sufficient time to monitor teaching and learning; and • low staff morale, as a consequence of possible redundancies, in the run-up to the Exeter schools’ reorganisation.

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Commentary

2. As this table shows, standards in Year 2 tests in 2004 were well below average in reading, below average in writing and average in mathematics. Pupils did as well in mathematics as those in schools with a similar entitlement to free school meals, but not as well in reading and writing. Montgomery Combined School - 8 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 14.1 (14.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.4 (14.0) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.5 (16.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 49 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. Standards in Year 6 tests were below average in English and science in 2004 and well below average in mathematics. Standards did not match those in schools where pupils gained similar standards in their Year 2 tests. There is no significant difference in the standards reached by boys and girls. The school is well set to meet the challenging targets for this year’s national tests.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.8 (24.8) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 25.3 (25.8) 27.0 (26.8) science 27.6 (28.6) 28.6 (28.6) There were 86 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

Pupils achieve very well, in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6, but standards in work seen were well below expected levels in English and below expected levels in mathematics and science 4. The achievement of most pupils is satisfactory, with most pupils making steady progress overall. In some year groups, pupils move forward more quickly as a consequence of very good teaching. This year, pupils have done particularly well in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6. Some pupils have made exceptional progress, most notably the lower attaining pupils in Year 5, who have made great strides in developing their writing skills.

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Commentary

5. Staff are working hard to raise low standards in English, mathematics and science. In all year groups there is a large group of pupils who are working at just below the levels expected for their age, with relatively few higher attaining pupils. Challenging targets are set for pupils, and teachers work together successfully to plan appropriate work. A recent focus on writing is beginning to drive up standards, but many pupils have a limited vocabulary and under-developed speaking and listening skills, which impact negatively on standards in English particularly. Other factors that have worked against the drive to raise standards include:

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Commentary

• Some inconsistencies in teaching in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils not always clear about what they have to do to improve. • Some pupils find it hard to retain new learning.

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Commentary

6. Standards in Year 2 are well below expected levels in reading and writing, below expected levels in mathematics and in line with expected levels in science. Standards in Year 6 are well below expected levels in English and below expected levels in mathematics and science. Standards in Year 7 are below expected levels in English, mathematics and science. Montgomery Combined School - 9 7. Overall, all groups of pupils make similar progress. This includes pupils with special educational needs, who are supported well in class, and higher attaining pupils. This year, the school has admitted several pupils who are learning English as an additional language. These pupils have settled into school life well and are achieving as well as their peers.

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Commentary

Standards in ICT have risen and are now in line with the levels expected in all year groups 8. The school has worked hard and successfully to raise standards in ICT. Teachers are now more confident and the quality and extent of the equipment have improved. Consequently pupils now achieve well and reach the levels expected for their age.

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Commentary

Pupils achieve very well in French and by the time that they leave in Year 7, standards are well above the levels expected 9. French has been taught at Montgomery for many years. Currently pupils begin to learn French in Year 1. A consistent development of pupils’ knowledge and skills year on year, together with excellent teaching, means that all pupils achieve very well. By the time pupils leave in Year 7, standards are well above those expected for their age.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils are positive about school and behave well. Their personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good overall. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils talk positively about school and most show good and sometimes very good attitudes to their work. • Behaviour is good in lessons, around the school and at play. • Pupils’ personal development is good and is enhanced by good opportunities for developing their moral, social and cultural awareness. • Some pupils lack confidence and are reluctant to show initiative. • The school has very good procedures to monitor attendance.

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Commentary

Pupils talk positively about school and most show good and very good attitudes to their work 10. Pupils clearly enjoy school. They like their teachers and find lessons interesting. They particularly enjoy the challenge of games and puzzles and the more practical subjects. Older pupils say literacy lets their ‘ imaginations run away’ . In lessons, pupils show interest in their work and try their best. They are attentive and respond well to their teachers.

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Commentary

Behaviour is good in lessons, around the school and at play 11. Most pupils behave well and are polite and courteous. There is a good range of strategies for rewarding individual and class behaviour and pupils respond positively to these. Admission to Year 4 from neighbouring first schools has caused disruption for some pupils and behaviour is not always as good in this year group. The school has worked hard in recent years to improve behaviour and to respond to pupils’ and Montgomery Combined School - 10 parents’ concerns about bullying. This firm approach has been successful and pupils say they feel safe in school. No incidents of bullying were seen during the inspection. There were eleven exclusions last year because the school took a firm line on swearing. Consequently, this is no longer a problem. There have been no exclusions this year. Pupils in all year groups appear to enjoy playtimes and engage in

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Commentary

imaginative, physical and quiet play. There is a good selection of equipment for pupils to use during lunchtimes, which encourages co-operative play and sharing. This has a positive impact on pupils’ relationships and behaviour at this time. Lunchtime supervisors make good use of their time to reinforce the expectations for behaving in school.

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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 455 11 0 White – any other White background 11 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0

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Commentary

Black or Black British – Caribbean 1 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 9 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 77 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

Some pupils lack confidence and are reluctant to show initiative 12. Pupils enjoy sharing their ideas with ‘talk partners’ or in small groups, and in some lessons work successfully as a member of a team. In larger group settings, however, pupils generally show a reluctance to speak and their contributions are limited. This affects the impact of the whole-class introduction and conclusion to lessons in some classes. When engaged in their work, pupils respond better to individual discussions with their teacher. In lessons seen, most pupils responded best when directed by teachers and when provided with regular support during independent tasks. They do not readily show initiative.

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Commentary

Pupils’ personal development is good and is enhanced by good opportunities for developing their moral, social and cultural awareness 13. Teachers plan carefully for pupils to explore a range of cultures. In Year 4, for example, pupils examined Indian life as part of their humanities study of Chembakolli. They learnt about traditions, lifestyle, food and religion. In religious education (RE), pupils learn about some of the groups represented in British society. Through their topic, ‘Global Village’, Year 6 pupils imagine the world to be a village. They undertake a range of activities to help them to consider the different experiences of children and Montgomery Combined School - 11 adults from around the world. These well-planned activities contribute well to pupils’ cultural understanding.

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Commentary

14. The school takes every opportunity to help pupils to become morally and socially aware. Pupils and staff draw up their class rules and review these regularly to ensure understanding. Through well-planned class time, pupils consider the consequences of their actions and this helps them to act sensibly. Class displays show that pupils are valued and their successes are celebrated. Each week older pupils select someone from the class to be a ‘special’ person. They identify positive aspects about that person and give them special responsibilities. This helps to raise pupils’ self-esteem. Pupils enjoy having responsibility. For example, in Year 3, pupils talked enthusiastically about their recent training in ‘peer mentoring’. Older pupils in Years 6 and 7 take their responsibilities as buddies for younger children very seriously. The school has done its utmost to ensure that these two year groups, who are leaving this

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Commentary

year, have had opportunities to take on responsibility. The school council members feel proud of the changes they have initiated.

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Commentary

15. Pupils develop spiritual understanding through their work in religious education (RE) and personal, social and health education sessions. They are curious about other cultures and beliefs and through charity fund raising they show concern and feelings for the welfare of others. Pupils’ progress in their spiritual development is hampered by their lack of confidence to engage in class discussions about their own experiences and feelings. Some acts of daily collective worship do not meet statutory requirements because they do not provide opportunities for quiet reflection or acknowledgement of a higher being. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory overall.

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Commentary

The school has very good procedures in place to monitor attendance 16. Levels of attendance are broadly average and most pupils are punctual. The secretary checks pupils’ absences thoroughly and contacts parents on the first day of absence if no reason has been received. The school receives regular support from the educational welfare officer who will visit families if necessary. There have not been any unauthorised absences from the school this year because of the very good checking system that is in place.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.4 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

17. Pupils’ good attitudes, values and other personal qualities have been maintained since the last inspection.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound education, with some strong features. Sound teaching overall underpins pupils’ learning, with variation in the quality of teaching from class to class. Work planned in different subjects captures pupils’ imaginations and is enhanced effectively by interesting activities. Pupils are cared for well, but do not always have enough guidance about what they need to do to improve.

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Teaching and learning

Montgomery Combined School - 12 Overall, sound teaching ensures that pupils make steady gains in their learning. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are particularly good in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6. • There are some inconsistencies in the way that teachers work. • Pupils are not always clear about what they have to do to improve. • The teaching of French is outstanding.

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Commentary

Teaching and learning are particularly good in the nursery and Years 2, 5 and 6 18. During the inspection a high proportion of the lessons seen were very good. These were observed in the nursery and classes in Years 2, 5 and 6. All of the French teaching was also very good or excellent. In the five other year groups, teaching ranged from good to unsatisfactory. This variation in the quality of teaching from class to class means that teaching is sound overall. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 62 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (2%) 19 (31%) 23 (37%) 18 (29%) 1 (2%) 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

19. Particular strengths in the very good lessons seen included:

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Commentary

• imaginative activities that engage pupils’ interest and help them to be fully involved in learning; • high expectations of pupils’ good behaviour and hard work; • very good subject knowledge; • very good planning, so that all groups of pupils are challenged effectively; and • a very good pace to the lesson so that pupils achieve a good deal in a short time.

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Commentary

Some classrooms, especially those in Year 2, provide a very stimulating learning environment for the pupils.

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Commentary

20. There are some strengths that underpin the work in almost all classes. These include good support for pupils learning English as an additional language. As the pupils gain fluency and confidence in English, they are assimilated into classes, where they are ably supported by the teachers and teaching assistants. One teaching assistant is specialising in supporting these pupils and effectively shares her developing expertise with colleagues. Learning activities are adjusted and adapted to enable the pupils to participate fully in the planned learning. Their progress is checked carefully.

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Commentary

21. Pupils with special educational needs are also supported effectively. Every effort is made to identify and address a pupil’s needs as early as possible. Referral systems are straightforward so that pupils receive appropriate support with minimum delay. Montgomery Combined School - 13 The school has forged good links with a wide range of professional agencies to ensure that specific needs can be addressed effectively.

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Commentary

22. Teaching assistants are highly skilled and work very effectively with the pupils, either individually, or in groups in the whole-class situation. Their sensitive support enables the pupils to make progress and develop self-confidence. Several instances of this were observed during the inspection, where pupils were clearly developing confidence in relating their ideas to their classmates.

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Commentary

There are some inconsistencies in the way that teachers work 23. There are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching from class to class, which mean that pupils make steady rather than good progress through the school. Factors in the satisfactory and one unsatisfactory lesson seen, which meant that pupils achieved satisfactorily rather than any better, included:

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Commentary

• Lack of clarity to pupils about the purpose of the lesson and what they were expected to learn. • Not enough challenge for higher attainers in one or two sessions. • Activities that did not capture pupils’ imaginations.

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Commentary

Pupils are not always clear about what they have to do to improve 24. The school has developed good systems to track the progress of individual pupils, particularly in the core subjects and in personal and social development. Pupil information is gathered in the Foundation Stage, but is not used rigorously to monitor progress from the Foundation Stage into Year 1. At present, nursery staff do not have a sufficiently clear picture of standards at the beginning and end of the nursery year. In Years 3 to 7, the data is analysed with care to monitor rates of progress over time. This ensures that all pupils receive appropriate support. Each pupil’s progress is summarised at regular intervals and recorded. The assessment co-ordinator ensures that assessments are consistent.

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Commentary

25. The day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress and the adjustment of subsequent teaching are not yet firmly embedded in practice. This means that sometimes work is not matched well to pupils’ different learning needs. The value of good marking and feedback to pupils to inform them on how well they are doing is recognised, but it is not yet consistently carried out through the whole school. In the better lessons, pupils are clearly made aware of what they are about to learn, and checks are made at intervals during the lesson and at the end of the lesson. Pupils are also given the opportunity to explain their understanding, and so the teacher can quickly address any misconceptions. The involvement of pupils in the assessment of their own progress is at an early stage. There is some use of individual targets for learning, but generally pupils are not clear about what they have to do to improve.

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Commentary

The teaching of French is outstanding 26. The quality of French teaching is excellent. The specialist teacher’s very secure subject knowledge and high expectations together with an emphasis on helping pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills underpin pupils’ learning very effectively. One of the lessons was the best that the French inspector had ever seen. This particular member of staff is an advanced skills teacher.

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The curriculum

Montgomery Combined School - 14 The curriculum is good, broad and balanced. It is enlivened by good use of the locality and visits in this well-staffed school. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Work planned in different subjects is varied and interesting. • Imaginative approaches and good use of the locality and visits enliven learning. • There is a strong commitment to ensuring that all pupils take advantage of the opportunities offered. • Good use is made of the spacious, but dated, accommodation. • The school is staffed well and resources for ICT, French and aspects of early years play, mathematics, art and design and design and technology are good.

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Commentary

Work planned in different subjects is varied and interesting 27. Since the last inspection, good progress has been made in planning work. National guidance, commercial schemes and the locally agreed syllabus for RE have been used well to develop a broad and balanced curriculum that meets statutory requirements and the needs of pupils. Stimulating and imaginative activities are planned for children in the Foundation Stage. Good use is made of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy as the basis for planning work in English and mathematics in Years 1 to 7. Good and interesting links are frequently made between subjects in Years 1 to 7 to support and extend pupils’ understanding. Increasing use is being made of ICT to enhance learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

28. Particular attention in this well-planned curriculum is paid to the needs of pupils joining the school in Year 4 and those leaving in Year 7. It includes the teaching of French in all year groups except Year 2. There is a good programme of personal development, including team-building activities, personal safety and the opportunity to explore feelings and emotions.

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Commentary

Imaginative approaches and good use of the locality and visits enliven learning 29. Subject links and topics such as the ‘global village’ are used well to make learning interesting and relevant. Good use is made of the local area and visits to museums and places of interest to enrich pupils’ work in history, science, geography, art and design and RE. Exciting developments such as video conferencing considerably enhance work in French and residential visits extend this further. Links with the local technology college and instrumental tuition provide further specialist input. A good range of clubs and out-of-lesson activities provide pupils with opportunities to develop their personal interest in sport, music, art and gardening.

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Commentary

There is a strong commitment to ensuring that all pupils take advantage of the opportunities offered 30. The school is fully committed to ensuring all pupils enjoy equal access to the learning opportunities and activities provided. Ability grouping in English and mathematics lessons, catch-up programmes and setting for older pupils all contribute to this aim. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Commentary

31. This year, pupils learning English as an additional language have been admitted to the school. The school, with the support of the LEA advisory service, is developing very good provision to enable these pupils to participate fully in the life of the school and develop fluency in using English. As the pupils gain fluency and confidence in English, Montgomery Combined School - 15 they are assimilated into classes, where they are ably supported by the teachers and teaching assistants. All staff have received initial training in the teaching of English as an additional language, and more is planned. The success of the provision is demonstrated by the pupils’ confidence in class, their progress in learning English and their clear enjoyment of learning.

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Commentary

Good use is made of the spacious, but dated, accommodation 32. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. Since the last inspection the school has developed and improved the ageing building by replacing windows, re-flooring, extending the ICT suite, restructuring and extending the early years accommodation and creating further areas for group work. Although there are specialist areas for subjects such as French and music, most of the classrooms are relatively small. They do not always provide sufficient room for practical activities or for older pupils to move about freely. The school has worked hard to overcome this but high costs and the absence of local authority funds have limited its options. Current plans for reorganising office space and redesigning the entrance will increase the library area, improve security and create a more attractive first impression for visitors. Entrance steps into many of the older pupils’ classrooms severely restrict disabled access. The school is

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Commentary

maintained well and the new site manager has improved the cleanliness of the school considerably. Displays vary from room to room and create a more exciting environment for learning in some than others. Some areas would benefit from a review of tired and unwanted items.

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Commentary

The school is staffed well and resources for ICT and French and aspects of early years play, mathematics, art and design and design and technology are good 33. The well-qualified and experienced teachers and teaching assistants are deployed well to make the best use of their specific expertise. Sufficient resources are in place to meet the needs of all subjects. Although, more recently, funds have been limited resources have been maintained and those for French, ICT, early years outdoor play, mathematics and materials for art and design, and design and technology are all good.

p.17

CARE, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT

Procedures to ensure the care, guidance and welfare of the pupils are effective. Achievement and personal development are monitored well. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to be involved in the work of the school.

p.17

CARE, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT

• There are very good relationships between pupils and adults that help the pupils feel safe and secure in school. • The school takes good care of the pupils. • Pupils are involved effectively in the work and development of the school.

p.17

Commentary

There are very good relationships between pupils and adults that help the pupils feel safe and secure in school 34. School staff form close relationships with the pupils. Pupils feel that there are people to go to if they have any worries and teachers are good at sorting out problems. There is good provision for pupils who need additional support. These include the school counsellor, the pastoral support worker and the social use of language programme (SULP) group. Teaching assistants are well trained in behaviour management and Montgomery Combined School - 16 other strategies to help pupils develop their social skills. Lunchtime clubs provide alternative activities for pupils who prefer to stay in the school at these times. Year 3 pupils are currently being trained as peer mentors and the buddy system is popular and a good way for older pupils to help younger ones. Adults use praise very well to build the confidence of the pupils and their achievements are rewarded through team

p.17

Commentary

points and celebrated in weekly assemblies. Pupils are encouraged to share out-of- school activities and show their awards to their peers. New pupils from abroad are enabled to feel safe and secure in the school environment and are made to feel very welcome by their fellow pupils.

p.18

Commentary

The school takes good care of the pupils 35. The school’s procedures for dealing with child protection issues, medical support and first aid are well established. Governors regularly undertake risk assessments and health and safety checks and deal with any issues through the sites and buildings committee. Health, sex and drugs education is well planned and through the good personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme the pupils are learning to keep themselves safe and healthy. The pupils are well supervised at break times and routines, such as the way lunchtimes are managed, are helping pupils to develop good social skills. The breakfast and after-school clubs are well organised and good care is taken of the attending pupils.

p.18

Commentary

Pupils are involved effectively in the work and development of the school 36. Pupils are consulted about school matters. They were asked, for example, for their suggestions on what books to buy, when each class was given some of the profits from the Book Fair. Through an idea of their own, six Year 7 pupils produce ‘Monty Gossip’ containing pupil news, games and competitions. The school council is very proud of its achievements in influencing aspects of the school. For example, the lavatories have been improved because of their suggestions. Pupils plan activities to raise funds for charities and they organise talent shows so that pupils can share their skills with the whole school community.

p.18

Commentary

37. The school’s strong provision for pupils’ care, guidance and support has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.18

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

The school has a good partnership with the parents, the community and other schools.

p.18

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

• Parents are positive about the school. • Good links with other schools enhance pupils’ experiences. • The school makes effective use of the local and wider community.

p.18

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

Parents are positive about the school 38. Parents expressed mainly positive views of the school. About a fifth responded to the questionnaire sent out to them before the inspection and a small number attended the pre- inspection meeting. These parents feel that is it a happy school and teachers are approachable. Some feel that information about their children’s progress could be improved. The inspection found that this information was satisfactory. There are termly parent, teacher and pupil consultation evenings, where targets and National Curriculum levels are discussed, and the annual reports to parents give good detail about what the pupils have been learning and the skills they are acquiring. The school provides good information about school matters. The nursery handbook contains useful information for new parents, for example, and there are some helpful leaflets about the numeracy hour. The school is proactive in seeking parents’

p.18

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

Montgomery Combined School - 17 views. It has introduced ‘governor surgeries’, fortnightly newsletters and has sent questionnaires asking for their views about uniform and the school’s values. Parents were concerned about the level of cleanliness in the school and this has been addressed through the employment of a new caretaker. The school recognises the need to implement the homework policy consistently through the school. Parents demonstrate their support through the Friends of Montgomery Association, holding summer fetes and other events to raise funds for the school. Good contact is being fostered with the parents of children learning English as an additional language. The value of working in partnership with parents of pupils with special educational need is also recognised. They are consulted regularly and their views and observations taken into account when reviewing a pupil’s progress.

p.19

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

Good links with other schools enhance pupils’ experiences 39. Good links with West Exe Technology College greatly enhance what the school is able to offer. For example, sessions for able mathematicians provide good opportunities for pupils to visit, so that they are well prepared for the transfer to secondary education. Through the local learning network with other schools, Year 3 pupils are training as peer mentors and the schools are working on opportunities for all pupils to have a voice. Pupils take part in sports with other schools, including football and netball. Trainee teachers from Exeter University and students on work experience from West Exe are welcomed.

p.19

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

The school makes effective use of the local and wider community 40. A range of opportunities enhances pupils’ personal and social development effectively. The band and choir entertain senior citizens at the Age Concern day centre and they perform in the University Great Hall as part of the Exeter Festival celebrations. Pupils collect harvest gifts for the Baptist Church soup kitchen and they visit local churches, including St Thomas and the Methodist church. Teachers use the local area well to enrich work in lessons, for example, Exmouth beach, St. Thomas Park, Exeter Museum, the Guildhall and Okehampton Road for a traffic survey.

p.19

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

41. This area of the school’s work remains good, as at the time of the last inspection.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are sound overall. The headteacher provides good leadership and other key staff make a sound contribution overall. Governance is satisfactory, but statutory requirements for collective worship are not met in full.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s clear vision has helped him to maintain a positive and realistic attitude to change and reorganisation. • The school has faced significant challenges recently and is well placed to move forward. • Key staff support the headteacher well in developing teaching and the curriculum, but not all are involved in working alongside colleagues in classrooms. • There is little flexibility in the budget and this has restricted spending on buildings, staff training and resources. • Governors are well informed and support the school well.

p.19

Commentary

Montgomery Combined School - 18 The headteacher’s clear vision has helped him to maintain a positive and realistic attitude to change and reorganisation 42. The headteacher has clear ideas about teaching and learning and the curriculum and he is positive and realistic about the school’s reorganisation as a primary school. His good leadership has been a key factor in building a shared sense of direction for the new primary school. Through discussions with staff and governors, and the use of whole-school training days, the headteacher has created a mood of optimism. He is determined to develop a school ethos that embraces the best in primary education, while meeting the particular needs of pupils and the community. He is working closely with staff to establish agreed criteria for effective teaching, with a particular emphasis on engaging pupils more actively in their learning.

p.20

Commentary

43. The deputy headteacher provides good support for the headteacher on strategic issues as well as the day-to-day management of the school. He makes a sound contribution to the overall leadership and management of the school. He is a key figure in the analysis of data about pupils’ progress. All staff contribute to the smooth running of the school, including the office staff, who are efficient, helpful and welcoming.

p.20

Commentary

The school has faced significant challenges recently and is well placed to move forward 44. All available evidence suggests that the school has been through a difficult period leading up to its imminent reorganisation. It is understandable that, faced with the possibility of large-scale redundancies, staff morale fell and possibly contributed to the recent dip in pupils’ standards. The headteacher and governors have managed the situation sensitively and all the uncertainties about the school’s future and those of its staff have now been resolved. As a result, morale has improved, a good sense of teamwork is developing and the school is well placed to move forward. Staff views feed into the school development plan and account is taken of local and national initiatives. Priorities, tasks and responsibilities are clearly defined.

p.20

Commentary

Key staff support the headteacher well in developing teaching and the curriculum, but not all are involved in working alongside colleagues in classrooms 45. The subject leaders for English, mathematics, science, ICT and the Foundation Stage provide good support for the headteacher, using a range of strategies to check the school’s work. For example, lessons are observed, teachers work alongside each other, test results are analysed and pupils’ work and teachers’ plans are examined. However, not all subject leaders have been able to make use of the full range of strategies and therefore have not been able to develop a complete picture of provision and standards across the school. For example, the literacy team have only been working together for a short time and in science there have been no opportunities to observe work in other classes. The special needs co-ordinator leads and manages the provision effectively. An experienced teaching assistant, who deals with much of the

p.20

Commentary

administrative work in addition to supporting the pupils’ learning, assists her well.

p.20

Commentary

46. The roles of other subject leaders are not so well developed. As the school enters a more settled period, the senior management team is aware that checks need to be more rigorous so that agreed courses of action are implemented across the school. This is especially important in relation to ensuring that teaching and therefore pupils’ progress is more consistent.

p.20

Commentary

47. The school provides good opportunities for trainee teachers. They are managed well and their contribution to the work of the school is valued. There are good Montgomery Combined School - 19 arrangements to support newly qualified teachers as well as those who are new to the school. The policy for performance management is being implemented satisfactorily.

p.20

Commentary

There is little flexibility in the budget and this has restricted spending on buildings, staff training and resources 48. Financial management is sound. Spending is considered carefully by the headteacher and governors and they monitor expenditure regularly. There are sound procedures in place to ensure money is well spent and the school provides satisfactory value for money. Evaluation of spending decisions is an area for development. Two years ago a significant and unexpected fall in the number of pupils on roll resulted in a sharp drop in funding and an overspend of £34,707. Arising from this, the school has operated with a deficit budget for the past two years but expects to balance the budget this year. This has led to some difficult decisions and in order to avoid further staff reductions, spending on buildings, staff training and resources has been restricted. However, the school makes best use of the limited funds available to develop the

p.21

Commentary

expertise and skills of staff at all levels in order to address whole-school priorities.

p.21

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.21

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,394,424 Balance from previous year -34,707 Total expenditure 1,382,839 Balance carried forward to the next year 23,122 Expenditure per pupil 2,615

p.21

Commentary

Governors are well informed and support the school well 49. Governance of the school is satisfactory overall. The headteacher and subject co- ordinators provide governors with good information which gives them a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, they are not solely dependent on the staff for information and many are regular and welcome visitors to classrooms. Discussions with individual governors showed they have been involved effectively in the plans for reorganisation and in formulating and monitoring the school development plan. They have supported the headteacher and staff well during this period by questioning and approving the school’s plans and developments. Their role in asking more challenging questions about the school’s work is not so well developed. On two occasions during the inspection the school did not meet the statutory requirement for all pupils to attend a daily act of collective worship.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The nursery class is in a new self-contained building which benefits from a covered play area. It provides an attractive and stimulating environment in which to learn. It is currently open three days a week, but will run five days a week from September. The Reception classes have been moved since the last inspection and children now enjoy a large outdoor area, which enhances their learning. One of the teachers is a leading Foundation Stage teacher for the authority.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships and secure routines underpin children’s learning. • Children are confident in their new surroundings.

p.22

COMMENTARY

Standards of attainment Most children reach levels expected for this age Achievement Good Montgomery Combined School - 21 Quality of teaching and learning Good Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Staff make expectations clear Good focus on personal, social and emotional development in nursery Teaching assistants are supportive and encouraging Children have good attitudes and behave well Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory

p.22

COMMENTARY

Very good relationships and secure routines underpin children’s learning 50. Children have settled well into their new nursery environment. They are happy to come to the nursery and to engage in the range of interesting activities available for them. Nursery children respond well to the secure routines. They join in with the ’greeting song’ and sit confidently during large group time, for example. Reception children also show a good understanding of their routines. For example, they recall the activities for independent play and show good independence when not involved in an adult-led activity. Nursery and Reception staff have worked hard to provide an environment in which all children feel safe and secure. They value children’s responses and this helps them to achieve well in this area.

p.23

COMMENTARY

Children are confident in their new surroundings 51. A well organised and stimulating nursery classroom and outside area encourage children to be independent. Most children confidently attempt new experiences because of the very good nursery provision. Afternoon children are not as confident and rely more on adult support to guide this play. In Reception, children enjoy using both indoor and outdoor environments. They play imaginatively, use the writing area or select their own construction equipment. All children show a good understanding of their environment and use it with confidence to direct their own independent learning.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for children to develop their skills in speaking and listening. • Children benefit from working in small groups. • Some independent writing tasks do not sufficiently challenge some children.

p.23

Commentary

Standards of attainment Most children do not reach levels expected for their age Achievement Satisfactory overall and very good in the nursery Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory overall and very good in the nursery Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Good support from assistants and nursery nurse Topic planning allows for links with other subjects Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory Montgomery Combined School - 22 There are good opportunities for children to develop their skills in speaking and listening 52. Staff plan for a range of opportunities to encourage children to talk and to extend their vocabulary. In the nursery, for example, they engage children in conversation about their work and direct questions to involve all children. In Reception classes, small group activities allow for language development and for the introduction of new

p.23

Commentary

vocabulary. In all classes, children have a range of opportunities to speak but some show a reluctance to contribute in large group settings. Staff work hard to overcome this and support children through well-chosen questions and encouragement.

p.24

Commentary

Children benefit from working in small groups 53. Children regularly work in small groups with an adult and this helps them to achieve well. They particularly benefit from working with children of a similar ability in reading and writing tasks. This allows for their individual needs to be met through well-planned and appropriate activities. This was particularly evident in a guided reading session for lower attaining Reception children. They displayed good attitudes and interest in their books, because they were well supported by the teacher and by one another. Staff find it more difficult to address the diverse needs of the whole class when they are together and on some occasions there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils at this time.

p.24

Commentary

Some independent writing tasks do not sufficiently challenge some children 54. Children enjoy using the writing area in the nursery and Reception classes but some independent writing is not sufficiently challenging for higher achieving children. In the nursery, children confidently use pens to make marks on paper. Even the most reluctant are motivated by good resources, such as train-shaped paper, and give meaning to their marks. In Reception there are not enough different purposes for writing to stimulate children’s interest and help them to explore and use their knowledge of letter sounds.

p.24

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good focus on developing children’s numeracy skills. • There is insufficient challenge for some children in their independent tasks.

p.24

Commentary

Standards of attainment Most children do not meet levels expected for their age in calculations Achievement Satisfactory overall and good in the nursery Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory overall and good in the nursery Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Children benefit from small group work A broad curriculum is in place Good introduction and use of appropriate vocabulary Good support for pupils with special educational needs Computer programs reinforce counting skills Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory Montgomery Combined School - 23 There is good focus on developing children’s numeracy skills 55. Children have regular opportunities to practise and reinforce their understanding of number. In the nursery they count with support to 20 when checking who’s here. They sing number songs and explore counting patterns through clapping and tapping. In

p.24

Commentary

Reception there are good opportunities for children to practise and consolidate their understanding of number. They chant in twos and in tens and order numbers to twenty. Most independent tasks are too repetitive to sustain children’s interest and this affects their achievement. There is insufficient challenge for children of higher ability at this time.

p.25

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.25

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• There is a good range of first-hand experiences, but children lack confidence to initiate their own learning and explore for themselves.

p.25

Commentary

Standards of attainment Most children meet levels expected for their age Achievement Satisfactory overall and very good in the nursery Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory overall and very good in the nursery Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Visits and visitors bring learning alive Good use of appropriate vocabulary Topic planning allows for links with other subjects Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory

p.25

Commentary

There is a good range of first-hand experiences, but children lack confidence to initiate their own learning and explore for themselves 56. Topics are chosen well to help children to make sense of the world in which they live. Through planting their own beans, nursery children learn about what plants need to grow. They learn about other living things by sorting and using magnifiers to identify features. One child told me her butterfly had ‘patterns on its wings’. There is a range of very good opportunities, which help children to achieve in this area. For example, they make marks on a big map to show what they see on their way to school; they explore the different properties of wet and dry sand and operate the tape recorder to play sound lotto. All children are fully absorbed in this range of well-planned and organised activities and staff use their time effectively to support this learning.

p.25

Commentary

57. Reception children make good progress in developing their understanding of flotation because their different needs are met. They learn how to predict with reasonable accuracy and to test their ideas. In these lessons all children achieve well because they are fully engaged in their learning and because they are well supported and directed by adults. There was limited evidence of Reception children following their own lines of enquiry when exploring objects, materials and living things. Children have regular access to computers and children display appropriate skills when operating simple programs. Montgomery Combined School - 24

p.25

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.26

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• A good range of resources supports learning in this area. • There are good opportunities for children to handle tools and materials.

p.26

Commentary

Standards of attainment Most children meet standards expected for their age Achievement Satisfactory Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Good resources Good use made of indoor and outdoor environments Published schemes support planning for Reception dance Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory

p.26

Commentary

A good range of resources support learning in this area 58. The new covered play area in the nursery provides a valuable opportunity for children to develop their physical skills. They climb, slide and balance with confidence because they are well supported by the nursery nurse. There is a good range of wheeled toys for children to pedal, steer and control, although nursery children are not sufficiently aware of others when using these toys.

p.26

Commentary

59. In the Reception classes, pupils’ musical development is enhanced by well-chosen music to help children to put together a sequence of ‘weather’ movements. They change their movements to reflect rain, thunder and lightening and perform with confidence in front of one another. Good use is made of a range of strategies to support and stimulate children’s ideas, but most follow the direction of the teacher.

p.26

Commentary

There are good opportunities for children to handle tools and materials 60. In the nursery, children have regular opportunities to manipulate dough and to sieve and mould sand. During the inspection children learned to use the hole puncher and to thread tags through to join paper. One child was so fascinated that she squealed with delight and covered her paper with holes. This very good provision helps all children to achieve well. In response to low standards at the end of Year 2, additional sessions have been introduced to help Reception children develop their fine motor control. Children now undertake a range of activities to strengthen their fingers such as cutting, weaving, threading and patterning. Some children display an inappropriate pencil grip and this is affecting their control.

p.26

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children benefit from focused teaching but Reception children require further direction to develop their learning further. Montgomery Combined School - 25

p.26

Commentary

Standards of attainment Most children meet levels expected for their age Achievement Satisfactory Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory Quality of curriculum leadership Satisfactory Other factors affecting pupils’ achievement Good links with other subjects Improvement since last inspection Satisfactory

p.27

Commentary

Children benefit from focused teaching but Reception children require further direction to develop their learning further 61. In the nursery, children engage in imaginative play with the support of an adult and, for example, make tickets before ‘riding’ on the train. Children make good use of the ‘baker’s shop’ and generally engage in solo play unless directed by an adult. In the Reception classes, children enjoy the aquarium, but some now require additional support to make their play more purposeful.

p.27

Commentary

62. Through small group work, Reception children learn how to mix powder paint and experiment with colour mixing. They make observational drawings with charcoal and are well guided through appropriate questioning. These children achieve well at this time, but for those children who are not engaged in these focused tasks, achievement is not as good because there is no direction to their play.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Some pupils make good progress and achieve well, but standards are below the levels expected. • Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are supported well. • Many pupils have limited vocabularies. • There are good strategies to help pupils to develop their reading skills. • The school is working hard to raise standards in writing. • Very strong teaching in some classes impacts very positively on pupils’ achievement. • The new literacy team is providing a clear lead for staff.

p.27

Commentary

Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Year 7 Standards of attainment Well below levels expected Well below levels expected Below levels expected Achievement Sound in Year1 Good in Year 2 Sound in Years 3 and 4 Good in Years 5 and 6 Sound Quality of teaching and learning Sound with good features Sound with good features Sound Quality of curriculum leadership Sound with good features Montgomery Combined School - 26 Other factors affecting achievement Many pupils have a limited vocabulary and poor speaking and listening skills Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.27

Commentary

Some pupils make good progress and achieve well, but standards are below the levels expected 63. In spite of the sound progress made by most pupils and the good progress made by pupils in some year groups, standards are below or well below the levels expected in all year groups. Standards have been below or well below average in Year 2 and 6 national tests for the last two years. Work seen during the inspection does not indicate any significant improvement this year, in spite of the school’s good efforts. This is because children are starting school with less developed skills, knowledge and understanding than in the past. Staffing difficulties and low morale in previous years have also taken their toll on pupils’ progress over time.

p.28

Commentary

Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are supported well 64. Staff provide well for those pupils who have particular difficulties in developing their language and literacy skills. Pupils identified with speech and language problems and those who find it hard to acquire new skills as quickly as others are supported well by teaching assistants. They work on suitably challenging tasks and often achieve well. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language are also supported effectively and the school has taken advantage of good advice from specialist in the local education authority. Consequently these pupils are settling into school well and are making good gains in their understanding of English.

p.28

Commentary

Many pupils have limited vocabularies 65. Many pupils begin school with limited speaking and listening skills. Throughout the school staff encourage pupils to extend their skills through a range of activities. These include question-and-answer sessions in lessons, opportunities to discuss with other pupils and opportunities to speak to the whole class. Staff are aware of the skills that pupils need to develop year-on-year, but currently there is no long-term planning framework to identify the development of these skills in work in different subjects. Sometimes teachers plan drama activities into their lessons, but again there is no overall planning guidance for work in this area. This means that opportunities to help pupils to move forward are sometimes lost. Most pupils speak with confidence, although it is apparent that many have a limited vocabulary and this makes sometimes makes it difficult for them to understand what they read or hear.

p.28

Commentary

There are good strategies to help pupils to develop their reading skills 66. Staff work hard to help pupils to develop strategies to tackle new words and more complex texts, while developing a love for books and enjoyment of reading. Consequently, pupils approach reading confidently and are clear about what they need to do to work out unfamiliar words. There are good systems in place, especially in Years 1 and 2, to ensure that pupils read to their parents or carers regularly. This helps pupils to make progress. Over the last two years the books have been reorganised so that pupils can find books at their reading level more easily. All teachers work with pupils on ‘guided reading’ activities, which are monitored carefully by the literacy team. Book areas in classrooms are generally well organised and inviting. Teachers share good quality books and stories with pupils and also develop pupils’ enjoyment of reading through book fairs and book weeks. The school library

p.28

Commentary

has been improved, with plans for much needed enhancement and extension. The Montgomery Combined School - 27 book stock is adequate overall and the literacy team is clear about the areas that need enhancing.

p.28

Commentary

The school is working hard to raise standards in writing 67. There has been a concerted effort this year to raise standards in writing. This is yet to have an impact on standards, although there have been significant improvements in the achievement of some pupils. The progress of the lower attaining group in Year 5 this year has been outstanding. Generally teachers set high expectations and, in most classes, make writing tasks interesting and to some purpose. Pupils’ work is valued and displayed well in some classes. Sometimes pupils make their own books, which they find enjoyable. Good attention is paid to helping pupils to improve their spelling and handwriting skills.

p.29

Commentary

Very strong teaching in some classes impacts very positively on pupils’ achievement 68. The quality of teaching varies from class to class and is generally very strong in Years 2, 5 and 6. In these year groups very good subject knowledge, enthusiasm and a very good focus on developing language and literacy skills raise pupils’ achievement. In other year groups the teaching is sound and ensures that pupils make steady progress. Generally, pupils are not clear about how well they are doing, or what they need to do to improve.

p.29

Commentary

The new literacy team is providing a clear lead for staff 69. Three teachers now share the responsibility for leading and managing work in English. This is a very new arrangement, but already the staff are providing a clear lead for colleagues and have a very good understanding of the strengths in this area and of what needs improving. The team has the potential to provide very good leadership, once it is more established.

p.29

Language and literacy across the curriculum

70. Pupils develop their language and literacy skills in other subjects, most particularly the humanities. Staff take care to plan for the development of these skills when they are preparing work in geography, history and RE.

p.29

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• By the end of Year 7, pupils reach levels that are much higher than national expectations. • Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve very well. • Teaching and learning are excellent. • The curriculum pupils follow is excellent. • Leadership and management are excellent.

p.29

COMMENTARY

Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Year 7 Standards of attainment There are no age-related national levels There are no age- related national levels Well above expected levels Achievement No lessons seen Very good Very good Quality of teaching and No lessons seen Excellent Excellent Montgomery Combined School - 28 learning Quality of curriculum leadership Excellent Excellent Excellent Other factors affecting achievement Pupils begin French in Year 1 Pupils are enthusiastic about speaking French Regular use of video conferencing Improvement since the last inspection Very good Very good Very good

p.29

COMMENTARY

By the end of Year 7, pupils reach levels that are much higher than national expectations 71. Pupils speak with confidence, in extended sentences, giving reasons for opinions. They pronounce words accurately, talk in pairs and respond appropriately to what others say. Pupils understand most of what they read, and they read fluently and with expression. They write extended pieces from memory about themselves as part of their bridging project for the school to which they will shortly transfer. The work of higher attaining pupils is accurate, with attention to details such as adjective and verb endings. Middle and lower attaining pupils make some errors of spelling and agreement, but all pupils express ideas in compound and complex sentences, using a variety of connectives. Although lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, find it hard to retain vocabulary from one lesson to another, they

p.30

COMMENTARY

Pupils of all abilities and ages achieve very well 72. Pupils are enthusiastic about speaking French, and in the years below Year 7 they learn social vocabulary which enables them to communicate with one another in French. They write first in simple, then in compound sentences, building up ideas and experimenting with new vocabulary in a familiar setting. This gives them a solid foundation on which to build in Year 7. Speaking and listening skills in Year 7 are significantly enhanced by opportunities to use video conferencing with a school in Britanny. Pupils speak French to native speakers and their speech has a definite purpose.

p.30

COMMENTARY

Teaching and learning are excellent 73. The teacher’s considerable expertise helps pupils of all abilities to learn very quickly. Every minute of every lesson is taken up with practising appropriate skills. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils learnt the days of the week by trying out pronunciation; repeating in unison while clapping and stamping to a rhythm; paying attention to lip formation; repeating words individually round the class, with gestures; and watching a video clip – all in 25 minutes. French is spoken as much as possible in a lesson, with pupils asked to confirm in English that they understand. As a result, speaking and listening skills are well above average. The teacher has very high expectations of how much pupils can achieve and how they should behave. This explains why pupils’ attitudes are very good and why they achieve as well as they do. Homework is a helpful extension to work in lessons and gives pupils the chance to reinforce what they have

p.30

COMMENTARY

learnt. Assessment is regular, well documented and referred to in consequent planning.

p.30

COMMENTARY

The curriculum pupils follow is excellent 74. Schemes of work are very well planned to cover all four attainment targets of the National Curriculum. Resources are used effectively to make lessons interesting and to cater for different learning styles. The school’s use of video conferencing, which has been recognised nationally, gives pupils an excellent opportunity to get to know French pupils of similar age by talking directly to them. This is furthered by annual residential visits to Brest, visits of French students to Exeter, and special curriculum days where French language and culture are centres of focus.

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COMMENTARY

Leadership and management are excellent Montgomery Combined School - 29 75. The school recognises the importance of French by making provision as early as Year 1. In this Year and Years 3 to 5, pupils study a little French each week. This is increased in Year 6, then doubled in Year 7. Despite the fairly limited time allocated to the subject, pupils do extremely well. This is the result of the excellent organisation of the subject. The teacher in charge is an outstanding role model and her enthusiasm has spread to other staff. Thus, during the day, teachers use French in their time with pupils, for example, at registrations or to end the day. With the development of video conferencing and a new primary school French curriculum, the improvement since the last inspection is very good.

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MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are below the expected levels in Years 2, 6 and 7, pupils are making good progress overall. • Inconsistencies in teaching and learning mean that pupils achieve well in some classes and not so well in others. • There is a clear focus on developing pupils’ numeracy skills. • Leadership and management of mathematics are good. • There are good systems for tracking pupils’ progress but pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Year 7 Standards of attainment Below the expected level Below the expected level Below the expected level Achievement Good in Years 2, 5 and 6 and satisfactory in other years Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory overall with some good features Quality of curriculum leadership Good Other factors affecting achievement Some inconsistencies in teaching. Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

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Commentary

Although standards are below the expected levels in Years 2, 6 and 7, pupils are making good progress overall 76. Standards have dipped in the last two years and in the 2004 national tests, results were average in Year 2 and well below average in Year 6. The school’s predictions indicate that results this year are likely to be below average in both Year 2 and Year 6. This reflects the inspection evidence, which shows that pupils in Years 2, 6 and 7 are working below the levels expected for their ages. This marks a rise in standards in Year 6 this year.

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Commentary

77. The school has accurately identified a number of reasons for this dip and is working to address them. Most pupils enter the school with very weak mathematical skills and although progress is patchy across the school, it is sound overall. More rapid gains are often limited by pupils’ weak literacy skills, particularly when asked to explain their reasoning and strategies for calculations.

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Commentary

Inconsistencies in teaching and learning mean that pupils achieve well in some classes and not so well in others Montgomery Combined School - 30 78. In the lessons seen the quality of teaching and learning ranged from satisfactory to very good and this explains why pupils achieve well in Years 2, 5 and 6 and not so well in others. Overall, achievement is satisfactory for all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs, those for whom English is an additional language and more able pupils. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls and the school is working hard to deal with the challenge of ensuring that all pupils become fully involved in their learning.

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Commentary

There is a clear focus on developing pupils’ numeracy skills 79. Teaching is satisfactory overall with some good features, including a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ numeracy skills. Teachers make good use of the National Numeracy Strategy to ensure that pupils’ knowledge and understanding build progressively as they move through the school. In the most effective lessons the strengths included:

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Commentary

• high expectations leading to challenging tasks for all pupils; • a range of strategies taking account of pupils’ different ways of learning; • interesting and well-matched tasks for pupils of all abilities, including within the setting arrangements; and • ensuring pupils are aware of exactly what they are expected to learn, frequent reminders to re-focus their attention and precise questioning to check their understanding.

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Commentary

These are the areas that need to be improved where teaching is satisfactory. Teachers are not always creative about the use of the plenary or review phase of the lesson in order to sustain pupils’ interest and motivation.

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Commentary

There are good systems for tracking pupils’ progress but pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve 80. There are effective procedures for checking how well pupils are doing as they move through the school. Day-to-day assessment, including teachers’ marking and pupils’ involvement in self-assessment, is not so well developed. Although some good examples were seen in Years 2 and 6 in most classes pupils are not given sufficient guidance about exactly what they need to do in order to move from one level to the next.

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Commentary

Leadership and management of mathematics are good 81. Mathematics is led and managed jointly by the deputy headteacher and a leading mathematics teacher. This is an effective partnership and they share a clear overview of the subject. Annual test results are very carefully analysed and a good range of other strategies is used to monitor provision and standards. These activities are not yet targeted closely to ensure greater consistency in the quality of teaching and learning.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

82. Teachers make good use of opportunities as they crop up for pupils to use mathematics in other subjects. For example, in Year 1 they measured the growth of plants in science, in Year 3 they used ICT to construct graphs and pie charts, and pupils dealt with a wide range of data in Year 6 when considering the Global Village.

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SCIENCE

Montgomery Combined School - 31 Provision in science is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection. • There are inconsistencies in the teaching between classes and year groups. • Good emphasis is placed on developing investigative and observational skills through practical activities. • Pupils do not have a clear enough view of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. • The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well but has little opportunity to work alongside colleagues or to observe teaching and learning.

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Commentary

Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Year 7 Standards of attainment At expected level Below expected level Below expected level Achievement Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory Quality of teaching and learning Satisfactory with a number of strengths Satisfactory with a number of strengths Satisfactory with a number of strengths Quality of curriculum leadership Good Good Good Other factors affecting achievement Good emphasis on practical activities and developing pupils’ recording skills Increasing use made of ICT Analysis of pupils’ written work Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

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Commentary

Standards have improved since the last inspection and pupils make steady progress 83. Following the last inspection, standards in Year 6 rose to average then dipped, mostly due to staff changes and pupils entering the school with less developed skills. Last year, standards in Year 6 were below average, an improvement on the position at the time of the last inspection. Assessment records suggest similar results this year. In 2004, their teachers assessed Year 2 pupils as attaining average standards. This is likely to be the same this year. Pupils transferring into the school in Year 4 slow the progress in this year group and behaviour in one Year 4 class has a negative impact on learning. Pupils make steady progress over time. Year 7 pupils are working at just below the level expected for their age. All pupils, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, achieve equally well

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Commentary

and there is no difference in the standard of work seen between boys and girls.

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Commentary

84. Pupils often have difficulty using previous learning to explain new situations or recording in a recognised format. The school has identified this and limited literacy skills as possible factors affecting pupils’ achievement. A focus on practical activities and the writing frames seen in Years 4 and 6 reduce reliance on literacy skills.

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Commentary

There are inconsistencies in the teaching between classes and year groups 85. Work in lessons and pupils’ books show variations and inconsistencies in teaching between classes. Teaching and learning vary between satisfactory and very good and are satisfactory overall. Stronger teaching is generally consistently found in Years 2, 5 and 6, where there is more rapid progress. It was also evident in some other classes. Quality of work is very variable and different teaching approaches and expectations Montgomery Combined School - 32 are evident. In some classes, pupils have copied from the board, in others they record their own work. More successful lessons include good revision of previous learning, clear explanation of tasks, a good level of challenge and different approaches to the same activity for different ability groups. Some teachers make good use of secure subject knowledge to develop the year group plan.

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Commentary

Good emphasis is placed on developing investigative and observational skills through practical activities 86. Teachers introduce, develop and reinforce subject vocabulary through practical activities. The development of pupils’ investigative and observational skills has become a central feature of the curriculum. ‘Hands-on’ sessions capture and promote pupils’ enthusiasm. Increasing use is made of ICT. For example, good use was seen of a simulation in Year 3 allowing pupils to explore shadows. In a number of lessons interactive boards were used well to display information and illustrate teaching points. Recently purchased software, sensors and data logging devices will extend the use of ICT further.

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Commentary

Pupils do not have a clear enough view of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve 87. Assessment procedures are being refined and improved but are not yet consistently applied. Although assessment is satisfactory overall, pupils have few opportunities to consider what they already know, understand and can do, how this compares with others or how to improve. Marking is very variable, often not indicating how well pupils are doing or how to improve.

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Commentary

The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well but has little opportunity to work alongside colleagues or observe teaching and learning 88. The conscientious co-ordinator has used her own time to review pupils’ written work, to identify strengths and weaknesses and feedback to colleagues. Staff training and a clear action plan have helped move the subject forward. Resources have been improved and national guidance is augmented by a commercial scheme. As an early years teacher the co-ordinator has limited opportunity to informally monitor work in the older classes. Limited funds have meant she has not been able to work alongside colleagues. The planned portfolio of work marked against National Curriculum criteria should help to clearly exemplify expectations.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good improvement since the last inspection in resources, staff confidence and expertise. • Good teaching and learning that enable pupils to achieve well. • Good leadership and management of the subject and clear agenda for improvement. • Increasing use being made of ICT to enhance learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Year 7 Standards of attainment Expected level Expected level Expected level Achievement Good Good Good Montgomery Combined School - 33 Quality of teaching and learning Good Good Good Quality of curriculum leadership Good Good Good Other factors affecting achievement Improvement in resources, staff confidence and expertise The ICT technician Increasing use of ICT in other subjects Improvement since the last inspection Good

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Commentary

Good improvement since the last inspection in resources, staff confidence and expertise 89. The school is well resourced and well placed to move forward. It has extended the ICT suite, created three additional computer clusters, provided laptops for teachers’ use, installed a wireless network and six interactive boards and improved software. The skilful intervention of the ICT technician means problems are quickly resolved, expertise developed and the system regularly updated. Teachers are positive about using ICT in lessons and confidently use it for planning and preparing work. Good use has been made of staff training to support this.

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Commentary

Good teaching and learning that enables pupils to achieve well 90. All the expected strands of the subject are taught. Most work seen shows pupils working at least at the level expected for their age and a few going beyond this. By Year 2 pupils are able to assemble, correct and move text, create and colour pictures and control a floor robot. Year 6 pupils create control sequences, explore computer models and combine text and graphics in slide presentations. By Year 7 pupils are creating and linking the pages for their own website. Pupils proudly demonstrated their skills and eagerly persevered with tasks despite the high temperatures experienced in the suite during the inspection.

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Commentary

91. Teachers make good use of class interactive boards or the suite’s digital projector to introduce tasks and rapidly demonstrate techniques. They build well on previous work and use interesting approaches to stimulate learning. Pupils have opportunities to work independently and at their own pace, which ensures all abilities achieve well, as when Year 3 pupils individually explored a shadow simulation and considered its benefits. Intervention by teachers, well-briefed teaching assistants or the highly expert ICT technician supports pupils of all abilities well. No difference was seen in the performance of boys or girls and all groups, including pupils with English as an additional language or special educational needs, achieve equally well.

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Commentary

Good leadership and management of the subject and clear agenda for improvement 92. The recently appointed co-ordinator has already made a good contribution to the development of the subject. Software and resources have been improved, with plans for further developments when funds permit. The subject action plan has been revised and provides a clear agenda for improvement. There are plans to use subject funds to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and work alongside colleagues. The revised assessment arrangements should provide a clearer picture of what pupils know, understand and can do and allow pupils to contribute.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

93. ICT is used regularly to support or introduce work in other subjects, addressing the concerns of the last inspection. A video link with a French partner school was used very well in Year 7 to provide a unique opportunity for language development. Pupils regularly access computers for research, to complete and present work and extend their learning in other subjects. Recent software purchases are extending the scope of this. New resources will allow greater use of monitoring and control in science and Montgomery Combined School - 34 design and technology. Teachers increasingly use the interactive boards to display information and demonstrate teaching points. There are plans to increase these when funds permit and review and increase the ICT links in long-term plans for each subject.

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HUMANITIES

Work was sampled in geography, history and religious education

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HUMANITIES

94. In geography , work in pupils’ books in Years 1 and 2 indicates that they have studied appropriate elements of geography. In the lessons seen in Years 4 to 7, teaching was good overall and pupils achieved well. They experience an appropriately balanced geography curriculum that reflects the local environment and comparisons with contrasting locations. They have clearly enjoyed learning about life in India and were keen to talk about what they had found out. Curricular links to art and religious education are planned well and have had a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. One year group was studying the local environment, and how it could be improved. The pupils had sensible, practical ideas on how the school environment could be improved, and gave very good reasons for the building of a swimming pool! Speaking and listening skills were being well developed in the lesson observed as the pupils

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HUMANITIES

were required to communicate their reasoning to the rest of the class. This resulted in well-focused dialogue. Progress in learning is evident, with the older pupils conversant with appropriate geographical terms and using maps effectively to identify different features. In the lessons seen, standards were broadly in line with the levels expected.

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HUMANITIES

95. No history lessons were observed, but work in pupils’ books indicates that they have studied an appropriate range of history topics and made progress in knowledge, understanding and skills. As in geography, links with other subjects have been made, where appropriate, to enrich learning. Work in geography and history is ‘blocked’, so that pupils work on two geography and two history projects each year, except in Year 7, where they work on three. This ensures good coverage of the National Curriculum. This year, as a consequence of a limited budget, the subject leaders for history and geography have not had the opportunity to observe work in classes. This has made it difficult for them to monitor standards because not all work is recorded in books.

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HUMANITIES

96. In religious education , there are some clear strengths in the planning of work. These include:

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HUMANITIES

• Work which helps pupils to understand the distinctive features of religious traditions. • Good links with other subjects through topic work. • Flexible timetabling. • The use of visits and visitors to bring learning alive.

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HUMANITIES

97. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn about other religions. They learn about symbolism in Hinduism, Judaism and Islam and develop awareness of the unique characteristics of these religions. Pupils are also gaining an appropriate understanding of Christianity. In Years 1 and 2, pupils know about the main Christian events and related Bible stories. Older pupils in Years 3 to 7 have opportunities to explore these events in more detail and further their understanding by asking questions and sharing opinions. Montgomery Combined School - 35 98. In one very good lesson seen, pupils explore how artists portray religious belief. This particular lesson focused on the Christian perspective, but planning shows this to be part of a series of lessons which will also focus on other religions. In this lesson, Year 6 pupils achieved well and enjoyed examining the different ways Jesus is portrayed. Good resources stimulated discussion and pupils made good use of their knowledge

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HUMANITIES

about Christianity and Bible stories to make sense of some of the pictures. Pupils responded well in small groups to challenging questions and discussions, but some were reluctant to contribute in larger group settings and this affected their learning.

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HUMANITIES

99. Good use is made of visits to develop pupils’ understanding of the traditions associated with religion. In Years 1 and 2, for example, pupils planned their questions carefully in preparation for their church visit. As a result, they learnt about its features, and the symbols that represent Christianity. In Year 4, pupils compared their visits to three churches and start to understand the significance of religious symbols and how the may differ.

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HUMANITIES

100. The school’s approach to topic planning allows for good links with other subjects. For example, as part of their personal, social and health education (PSHE) work, pupils examine the different experiences of people from around the world. They learnt about the importance of religious traditions and how this affects everyday life. In humanities, pupils explore other places, its climate, lifestyle and also look at religious beliefs.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

101. Only three lessons were seen in art and design . A range of work and displays also provided evidence about standards and teaching in this subject. It is clear that pupils are developing their skills in using a range of media. In the work seen, standards were broadly in line with the levels expected, with some examples of work of high quality in both Years 2 and 7. Staff expertise in these two year groups clearly has a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement. The school is fortunate in having a designated art room, which is large enough for small group work. A good arrangement with the local secondary school means that clay work can be fired in their kiln. Two after school clubs provide further opportunities for pupils to develop their skills. At the moment there is not a subject leader and the headteacher is ‘caretaking’ the subject on a temporary basis.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

102. Only two lessons of design and technology were seen during the inspection. In the Year 2 and 5 lessons seen pupils were working at the level expected for their age on well-chosen activities. Planning for the subject is based on national guidance and adapted by the school. It is used well by teachers to plan the year group lessons. Good links are often made to other subjects such as science, mathematics and literacy.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

103. Pupils’ work shows that the design process is being developed and the steps in the process recorded in increasing detail as pupils progress from year to year. They are taught to examine examples of products, discuss and develop ideas, then design and make their own. For example, Year 2 pupils used construction kits and preformed parts to create winding mechanisms for ‘ Amphibby Anne’s ’ broken well. Teachers place good emphasis on planning designs, evaluating finished work and considering possible improvements. They carefully introduce pupils to a range of materials and Montgomery Combined School - 36 techniques and the skills necessary to work with these. Good attention is paid to the safe use of tools and equipment and the development of subject terminology. Pupils in Year 5 carefully shaped and precisely assembled cams and followers and explained the different attributes of snail, oval and off-centre cams, for example. Expectations

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

and challenge increase as pupils progress through the school. Year 6 pupils had carefully measured and assembled motorised buggies and Year 7 had explored the rigidity and strength of structures. Opportunities for food technology are more limited. Increasing use is made of ICT and by Year 7, pupils design and create parts.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

104. No music was observed in Years 1 and 2. In the lessons seen in Years 3, 5 and 7, the quality of teaching ranged from good to unsatisfactory. Pupils were observed to listen well to music and respond appropriately to the mood. They used their imaginations well, and were confident in expressing their ideas. A developing understanding of musical terminology is evident. Older pupils respond appropriately to musical notation and maintain rhythm and tempo when playing together. Skills in singing are developing. Pupils sing in tune with clear diction. They maintain their parts when singing in simple rounds. In the unsatisfactory lesson, poor preparation and a lack of clarity in instructions meant that pupils did not move forward in their learning. Extra- curricular music opportunities enable pupils to learn different instruments and to perform together to a high standard, as witnessed one lunchtime. The school uses a

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

published planning framework to plan work, which is linked to national guidance. There is also a designated music room, which is used well. This year the subject leader has had limited opportunity to observe lessons.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

105. In physical education , dance was observed in Years 1 and 7 and games in Year 6. Teaching and learning were good in the dance lessons, with pupils being given good opportunities to plan, perform and evaluate their performances. The activities and music were well chosen and teachers used their subject knowledge effectively to demonstrate and suggest how pupils might refine their routines. As a result, pupils achieved well and were keen to improve the fluency and precision of their movements. In Year 6 teaching was satisfactory. The warm-up phase of the lesson was a strength but the teacher did not make the best use of the remaining time and good range of equipment to ensure that all pupils were actively involved throughout the lesson. Pupils were very enthusiastic, thoroughly enjoyed their cricket and showed very good attitudes and sporting behaviour.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

106. Discussions with teachers and examination of their plans show that the curriculum is planned to include all the expected strands of the subject. Swimming is taught in Year 5 and most pupils achieve or exceed the expected 25 metres. The co-ordinator has only recently taken on the post and has improved the resources as a result of a fund- raising activity. She is about to take on the role of primary link teacher which will provide valuable opportunities to extend her own expertise and to promote the subject within the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

This area of the curriculum was sampled.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

107. The inspection sampled work in PSHE and citizenship and one lesson was observed. All pupils benefit from a well-planned curriculum that includes health and safety and drugs education. A sex education program is part of the scheme and meets statutory Montgomery Combined School - 37 requirements. PSHE is now taught as a weekly timetabled subject and pupils talk enthusiastically about their work at these times.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

108. Although there is insufficient evidence to judge teaching and learning, the impact of teaching is evident in the good attitudes and behaviour of most pupils throughout the school. In the Year 5 lesson seen teaching was very good and pupils developed their understanding of ‘ social justice and moral obligation’ . They contributed to group and paired discussion, but some were reluctant to join in at whole-class times and this affected the quality of discussion at this time. Throughout school class rules are clearly displayed and are regularly reviewed in lessons. This is contributing well to the good standards of behaviour seen in lessons and at playtimes.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

109. This subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ moral and social development. For example, as part of their topic ‘Global Village’, Year 6 pupils are developing an awareness of the different social issues facing people from around the world. They make comparisons with their own lives and learn to respect differences. Pupils learn about the effects of natural disasters on people’s lives by fund raising for charities.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

110. Pupils experience a good range of responsibilities, which contribute well to their understanding of citizenship. There are peer mentors, buddies, prefects and a successful school council. Pupils say they feel proud of their responsibilities, and school council members feel they have made a difference. Montgomery Combined School - 38

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 3 Attendance 4 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 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 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 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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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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