Old Park Primary School

OLD PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 27 th May 2005

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OLD PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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OLD PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 436

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Old Park Road Wednesbury West Midlands Postcode: WS10 9LX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0121 5262669 Fax number: 0121 5262669

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr C Geens

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd – 26 th November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the north Wednesbury. With 182 boys and 189 girls who attend full-time, plus a further 65 children who attend the Nursery part-time, the school is above average in size. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. About 20 per cent are from a variety of other minority ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is higher than in most schools, and four per cent of pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The most common first languages of these pupils are Bengali, Panjabi and Urdu.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Nineteen per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is broadly average. Pupils’ special educational needs cover a wide spectrum. They mostly involve moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, or relate to speech and communication. Thirty per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is above average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Many pupils enter the school other than at the usual time of joining, in part because of an increase in the number of places available in the school. In the present Year 6, for example, fewer than half the pupils have been in the school throughout their primary education. Overall, children enter the Nursery with attainment below that expected for their age.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a number of awards. In 2004 it gained the Artsmark Gold award and a Charter for Sustainable Development for its work on the environment, both for the second time. It also has a Travel Plan award, the Healthy Schools Gold award, the Investors in People award and a Schools Achievement award. Initiatives in which the school is involved include the Leadership Development Strategy in Primary Schools, a National College of School Leadership Network Learning Partnership, and a Creative Partnership. The school is part of the Wednesbury Learning Community and is actively involved in partnerships with other schools. Old Park Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20782 Mrs A M Grainger Lead inspector English Art and design Music 13485 Mr P Widdowson Lay inspector 23385 Ms S Gerred Team inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage Science Religious education Physical education 16971 Mr R Hardaker Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Geography History Special educational needs English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 37

Old Park Primary School - 6 Old Park Primary School - 7

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Old Park Primary School provides a good education for its pupils and does many significant

things very well. Pupils’ overall achievement is good in relation to their starting points and capabilities because teaching and the curriculum are good. Standards in the present Year 6 are at the level expected nationally across most aspects of pupils’ school work. Pupils’ personal development is very good. The school is very well led and managed and provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

 Good teaching and a stimulating curriculum, which result in pupils achieving well.  The development of pupils as mature and sensible individuals who have very good attitudes to learning and behave very well.  The very effective teamwork of the headteacher, staff and governors.  Insufficient challenge and opportunities for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to develop their competence as writers.  Some inconsistencies in how well teaching is matched to the needs of all pupils, particularly those capable of higher attainment.  Very good care, guidance and support for pupils so that they feel valued and safe at school.  Very effective partnerships with parents, other schools and the community that support learning.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the school was last inspected in November 1998 is good. The many strengths found at that time have been maintained and built on further. The provision for pupils’ personal development has improved, and the curriculum and teaching have developed well. The care for pupils’ personal well-being, and the links with parents, other schools and the community are all stronger now. The standards attained by pupils in Year 6 have risen and the weaknesses found at the last inspection in the older pupils’ writing have been rectified. Nevertheless, further work is needed to raise standards in writing by the end of Year 2. The provision for design and technology has been improved, successfully eliminating another weakness found at the last inspection.

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. The school’s results for pupils at the end of Year 6 have improved at a better rate than nationally since the last inspection. In 2004, the results were well above the national average in English and mathematics and above the national average in science. Compared with the performance of other schools whose pupils had similar attainment at the end of Year 2, the results were well above average in all three subjects.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards are at the level expected nationally in the present Year 6, including in the key subjects of English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology (ICT), and religious education. They are also at the level expected in the aspects of other subjects for which sufficient evidence was gathered to make secure judgements. The difference between the standards now in English, mathematics and science and those indicated by the 2004 National Curriculum test results Old Park Primary School - 8 simply reflects natural variations in the ability of year groups of pupils. The overall achievement of pupils now in Years 3 to 6 is good.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils in Years 1 and 2 also achieve well in the key areas of reading, mathematics and ICT. The standards currently in Year 2 are at the level expected nationally in reading and mathematics. Although they are below the expected level in ICT, the pupils make good progress in this subject in relation to their starting points in Year 1. Pupils also do well in Years 1 and 2 in geography. In writing, science and religious education, standards are below the level expected nationally in Year 2 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Although pupils make acceptable progress overall in writing, they are not pushed on to do better and there is some underachievement in this key area. Speaking and listening skills are developed well throughout the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception Year in personal, social and emotional development and reach the expected standards in this area. Children also do well in the Nursery in communication, language and literacy, and also in mathematical development. This good start is built on satisfactorily in the Reception Year, although the standards in these areas are below the level expected in the Reception Year. All groups of pupils achieve equally well throughout the school, including those with special educational needs. Those who have English as an additional language do as well as others.

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

development, is very good overall. The school gives much attention to developing pupils as mature and considerate individuals who show very good awareness of the needs of others. The outcomes of this very effective provision are evident in pupils’ very good attitudes, behaviour and relationships, all of which contribute significantly to their good achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education, including the teaching provided by the school, is good. Lessons are well organised and their purpose is shared with the pupils so that they know what they are aiming to achieve. A stimulating range of learning opportunities is provided for pupils of all ages. Many very good additional activities, including clubs, visits out, and visitors to school, add enrichment to day-to-day lessons. Pupils benefit from working with artists and performers from a variety of cultural traditions.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Although there are many strengths, there are also areas requiring improvement. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not pushed on well enough to develop their competence as writers. As a result, they do not do as well in this area as they do in other strands of English. There are some missed opportunities for younger pupils to write in other subjects. There are also occasions when teaching and activities do not challenge all the pupils in the class, particularly those capable of higher attainment.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The very good care for pupils’ personal well-being and the very effective partnerships with parents provide further support for learning. The very strong links with other schools and the community increase the opportunities available to pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is very well led and managed. The headteacher provides very good leadership, and is very well supported by the staff and governors. Co-ordinators provide good leadership for their subjects. Governance is very good and all statutory requirements are met. Although the professional leaders and the governors have high aspirations for the school, the evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is not always sharp enough. Hence, the school has not identified well enough what needs to be done to rectify the weaknesses in the writing provision for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Neither has it identified that there are some inconsistencies on occasions in how well teaching meets the needs of all pupils. Old Park Primary School - 9

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils are very pleased with the school. Parents particularly value the care provided for their children as individuals. Pupils are very happy at school and rightly feel that their views matter.

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

 Provide younger pupils with sufficient challenge and opportunities to develop their competence as writers in English lessons and in other subjects.  Ensure that teaching is consistently matched to the needs of all pupils, including those capable of higher attainment. Old Park Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is below the level expected nationally and standards currently in Year 6 are at the level expected nationally.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils achieve well in most aspects of their school work in Years 3 to 6.  Achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 in speaking, listening, reading, mathematics, ICT and geography.  Pupils do not develop sufficient competence as writers by the end of Year 2.  Children are given a good start in the Nursery, and also do well in their personal, social and emotional development in the Reception Year.

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Commentary

1. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 were well above the national average in English and mathematics, and above the national average in science. Compared with the performance of other schools whose pupils had similar attainment at the end of Year 2, pupils’ results were well above average in all three areas. The 2004 results were very much better than those at the last inspection. The trend in the school’s results over the last five years has been above that found nationally.

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Commentary

2. The standards of school work of pupils currently in Year 6 are at the level expected nationally in English, mathematics and science. The difference between the present standards and those indicated by the 2004 test results simply reflects the natural variations in the ability of year groups of pupils. Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 3 to 6 and they make good progress in relation to their starting points and capabilities in all three of these important subjects.

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Commentary

3. The results of pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2004 were close to the national average in reading and mathematics, but below it in writing. Compared with the performance of other schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, pupils’ results were above average in reading and mathematics, and broadly average in writing. Teachers also assessed pupils’ performance in science as below the national average overall in 2004. The 2004 results were much the same as at the last inspection in reading and mathematics. The writing results were lower in 2004 in relation to the national picture than they had been at the last inspection. In most years since then the results have been persistently below, and often well below, the national average, with a lack of improvement until 2004.

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Commentary

4. The standards now in Year 2 are much the same as those shown by the 2004 test results, maintaining the improvement seen in 2004. They are at the level expected nationally in reading and mathematics, and pupils’ achievement is good in these areas. Pupils also do well in developing their speaking and listening skills, which is another important aspect of their work in English. However, pupils’ achievement is not consistently good in Years 1 and 2. In writing and science, achievement is satisfactory and standards are below the level expected nationally in Year 2. Although pupils make acceptable progress overall in writing in Years 1 and 2, they are not sufficiently challenged and pushed on to do better. This is a concern because weaknesses in the writing of younger pupils also restrict their work in other subjects, particularly in religious education.

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Commentary

5. Standards, in subjects other than English, mathematics and science, are similar to those found at the last inspection in the aspects of work seen, although they have improved in design and technology. Throughout Years 1 to 6 pupils achieve well in ICT and standards are at the level Old Park Primary School - 11 expected nationally in Year 6. Although the current standards are below the level expected in Year 2, pupils’ present rate of progress is good in this subject in Years 1 and 2. Religious education standards are at the level expected by the locally agreed syllabus when pupils reach Year 6, but they are lower than the expected standards in Year 2 and not as good as at the last inspection. Achievement is good in religious education in Years 3 to 6, and it is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

6. As at the last inspection, children get off to a good start in the Nursery in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Although this good beginning is built on satisfactorily in the Reception classes, standards remain below the level expected at the end of the Reception Year. Whilst many children reach the early learning goals in these areas, quite a number fall short of them. However, children achieve well in both the Nursery and Reception Year in their personal, social and emotional development. Almost all children reach the expected standards in this area, and a few exceed them.

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Commentary

7. Where achievement is good in particular subjects and stages, this is as a direct result of good teaching and a stimulating curriculum. Good achievement is also supported by the pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour and the support provided by parents, for example in hearing their children read regularly at home. The care for pupils’ personal well-being also creates a climate supportive of learning and good achievement.

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Commentary

8. Throughout the school, all groups of pupils achieve equally well, although there are some occasions when the most capable pupils are not fully challenged. Pupils with special educational needs do as well as others in relation to their capabilities and starting points. They benefit particularly from the support and focused attention they receive when taught in small groups. Pupils for whom English is an additional language also do as well as others. Although there is a tendency for girls to do better than boys in the English tests in Years 2 and 6, there is no significant variation in how well they progress with their school work.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.7 (13.9) 15.8 (15.7) writing 13.9 (12.6) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.5 (15.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 48 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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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 29.2 (26.3) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 29.3 (27.0) 27.0 (26.8) science 29.7 (28.9) 28.6 (28.6) There were 64 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good, as is their personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The attendance rate is below the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Old Park Primary School - 12  Pupils enjoy school, have very good attitudes to learning, and behave well in lessons and around the school.  Relationships are very good among pupils and between pupils and adults.  Pupils respond very well to the very good opportunities to take on responsibility and show initiative.  Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance and punctuality are very good.  Although self-knowledge and spiritual awareness are developed well, assemblies sometimes make only a limited contribution to this area of personal development.

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Commentary

9. Almost all pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. In lessons, they listen carefully to instructions and explanations, settle down to work quickly and concentrate on the tasks they are given. They take an active part in lessons, are always willing to answer questions and enjoy discussion, which successfully develops their speaking and listening skills as well as contributing to their social development. Pupils’ very good attitudes in lessons make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of their learning.

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Commentary

10. Behaviour is very good in all year groups in lessons and around the school. Pupils are aware of the school’s high expectations of their behaviour and are involved in establishing class and school rules. Because of this involvement, they respect the codes of conduct in the classroom and in the playground. They understand the need for rules to create an orderly environment. Pupils are friendly and polite towards each other and all adults. They move around the school in an orderly manner, open doors for each other and for adults, always say “Good morning” and are extremely helpful.

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Commentary

11. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and with the adults in school. They respect the feelings and values of others. They share resources safely and sensibly in lessons, take turns and work together productively. They play well together. Playtimes are safe and pleasant social occasions, during which pupils are happy and enjoy a wide range of games and activities. All groups of pupils mix well together.

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Commentary

12. The school has very effective policies in place to prevent incidents of bullying and racism. As a result, bullying and racism are rare and any reports of incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils, parents and staff do not perceive bullying to be an issue within the school and this is an aspect of the school’s effectiveness that parents particularly value.

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Commentary

13. Pupils have very good opportunities to take on responsibility and show initiative. All pupils have individual classroom responsibilities and, in Year 6, pupils are given whole-school responsibilities. They respond well to their tasks, carrying them out diligently as, for example, they set up the morning snack bar, deliver fruit and milk to classrooms, help in the library or prepare the music for assembly. Responsibility as ‘Eco Wombles’ involves pupils in recycling projects and litter patrols. All Year 6 pupils are trained as peer mentors. Those who volunteer to take on the role of mentor are assigned to work with other classes to assist pupils who may need some help at playtimes. Some peer mentors are selected as playtime buddies, specifically to support the younger children on the playground. These responsibilities make a strong contribution to pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

14. Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is very good overall. Pupils fully understand the difference between right and wrong and are taught to value and respect the views of others. There is a very good programme of personal, social and health education within the curriculum, which raises a wide range of moral and social issues. Pupils are helped to empathise with others as they explore topics such as those concerning refugees and children who were evacuated from London during the Blitz.

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Commentary

15. Cultural development is promoted very well and is particularly well supported by visits to theatres, concert halls, art galleries and museums and through visitors who come into school Old Park Primary School - 13 to run art and music workshops. Pupils’ awareness of cultural diversity is developed very well and visitors to school have held workshops on Indian dance and African drumming. Pupils have also studied a village in India in geography. Local traditions are also studied through English country dancing classes. Work in history supports the development of the pupils’ understanding of British cultural heritage. 16. Spiritual awareness is promoted well overall, with a significant contribution made by activities with visiting artists and performers. A very good example of an activity that supported spiritual awareness was seen in the Reception Year when butterflies emerged from their pupae and

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Commentary

were released outside the classroom. This generated real excitement and a sense of wonder. Although assemblies contribute well to pupils’ moral and social development and explore important issues such as care for the environment, they are less effective in supporting spiritual development. On occasion, there is only a brief opportunity for personal reflection. Overall, the provision for pupils’ personal development has improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour have improved and there were no exclusions in the last school year.

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Attendance

Although attendance is below the national figure, as it was at the last inspection, it has improved significantly over the last year. This improvement is due to the school’s very thorough and effective monitoring of attendance and punctuality and to the systems put in place to reward good attendance. There are regular reminders to parents stressing the importance of good attendance and its direct link to learning.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.6 School data 0.8 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good. Teaching and the range of learning opportunities meet pupils’ needs well in most years and in most subjects. The level of care for pupils and the partnerships with parents, other schools and the community make a very significant contribution to how well pupils achieve.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, pupils’ learning and assessment are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Teaching and learning are good across most aspects of pupils’ school work in Years 3 to 6.  Teachers promote skills well in speaking, listening, reading, mathematics and ICT in Years 1 and 2.  Teaching gives children a strong start in the Nursery, and in personal, social and emotional development in the Reception Year.  Expectations of the standards pupils are capable of reaching in writing by the end of Year 2 are not high enough.  There are some inconsistencies in how well teaching is matched to the needs of all pupils, particularly those capable of higher attainment.  Marking does not always provide pupils with enough guidance on how to improve. Old Park Primary School - 14

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 52 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (2%) 6 (12%) 25 (48%) 19 (36%) 1 (2%) 0 0 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

17. The main strengths found in the teaching at the last inspection have been maintained and built on well. Teaching and learning continue to be good overall in English and mathematics in Years 3 to 6, in science in Years 4 to 6, and in the Nursery. They have improved and are now good in many other aspects of school work in these years, with some examples of very good and even excellent teaching. There has also been good development of the teaching and learning in some important areas in Years 1 and 2, but teaching and learning are not consistently good in these years.

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Commentary

18. Throughout the school, lessons are well organised. Pupils and activities are managed well and this results in very good attitudes and behaviour that contribute to the effectiveness of pupils’ learning. Teachers share the purpose of lessons with pupils, so that they know what they are aiming to achieve. Often, lessons are lively and interesting. For example, songs, rhymes and games engage children’s interest in the Nursery and develop their understanding of number.

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Commentary

19. Teachers are confident in using new technology, particularly computers and interactive whiteboards. This contributes effectively to pupils’ learning in mathematics and ICT in particular. Throughout the school, teachers develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills well. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss in pairs or to respond to questions in whole-class situations. Teachers’ questioning is often probing, developing understanding well. Discussion in pairs also successfully increases understanding of the subject matter of a lesson. Teachers ensure that reading skills are also built up systematically as pupils move through the school.

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Commentary

20. In mathematics and ICT, learning is consistently good across all strands of the subject from the start of Year 1 to the end of Year 6. The main reason for the effective learning is that teachers take good account of the full range of pupils’ differing needs. They vary activities well to build on and extend what the different groups of pupils know, understand and can do. In the large majority of lessons, in Years 3 to 6, work is also well matched to pupils’ needs across other subjects, including English and science.

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Commentary

21. In the Nursery, teaching ensures that children do well in communication, language and literacy, and also in mathematical development. Adults give good attention to the development of children’s basic skills, varying activities and altering the level of challenge according to their differing needs. The teaching in the Reception Year promotes learning satisfactorily, but does not always take enough account of all the children’s needs. In mathematical development, for example, there are occasions when the most capable children coast and are not pushed on to do better. However, good attention is paid to children’s needs in personal, social and emotional development in both the Nursery and Reception Year, raising standards in this area.

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Commentary

22. Expectations of the standards that all pupils are capable of attaining in writing by the end of Year 2 are not high enough. As a result, they do not do as well in this aspect of English as in speaking, listening and reading. This has a knock-on effect in some other aspects of pupils’ school work, for example in religious education in Years 1 to 3. The lack of opportunities for recording knowledge and understanding in lessons restricts the depth of understanding that the pupils are able to achieve. Similarly, in science, there are weaknesses in the handwriting and presentation that teachers do not do enough to correct in Years 2, 3 and 4. Old Park Primary School - 15 23. There are occasions in lessons across a variety of subjects when insufficient account is taken of the full range of pupils’ needs. Where this is the case, it is the most capable pupils who miss out the most, most frequently in Year 2 and in the Reception Year, and also at times in

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Commentary

other years. As at the last inspection, the main reason why teaching across subjects is sometimes satisfactory rather than good is that activities and the pace of lessons are not closely enough matched to all the pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

24. In all years, pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teachers and the well- deployed teaching assistants. For example, questioning, praise and encouragement are used effectively to motivate pupils and to keep them involved. Activities are particularly well matched to pupils’ needs when they are taught intensively in small groups. Pupils with English as an additional language are included well in lessons and learn as well as others as a result.

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Commentary

25. Marking is undertaken regularly. There is much good marking that tells pupils what they are doing well and how they need to improve, but this is not the case in all classes. There are some classes in which marking in mathematics is restricted to ticks and crosses. Although marking often includes ticks and praise in science, it does not always give a clear enough indication to pupils of how they can improve. The school has effective procedures in place for assessment, which have undergone good development recently. Often, information from assessment is used well, particularly when teaching is most effective. There are occasions, however, when assessment information is not used fully to meet all pupils’ needs.

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Example of outstanding practice

An example of excellent teaching and learning in Year 3, illustrating outstanding provision in ICT for a group of higher attaining pupils. From the start of the lesson, pupils were excited by the challenge. They were to develop further their ‘dragon stories’ in one of three ways: as an audio presentation, on video, or through composition on screen. The audio group worked extremely well together, developing scripts to commit to tape. They were completely engrossed, being excellently supported by a teacher who knew just the right moment to intervene and when it was best to sit back. Much rich language was generated, ideas were shared and exchanged, and pupils confidently talked and listened. Preparing stories for a video presentation, others discussed and structured outline scenes to perform sequentially using improvised speech and action. Learning was rapid. Pupils quickly realised the opportunities and constraints in using the video camera to communicate. Under the excellent support of a

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Example of outstanding practice

teaching assistant there was a high level of co-operation. Others were engrossed developing stories on computer screens. Some worked in pairs, others individually, hardly looking up from their work. They displayed considerable confidence as they set their work out attractively, confidently making their own choices about details of presentation. Time passed quickly. Back on the carpet pupils took great delight in sharing experiences. All worked at a high level of intensity and purpose, rapidly developing confidence and skills in communication, and greatly developing socially through sharing and collaboration. Considerable learning had been packed into this short lesson. A key factor in its success was the outstanding quality of the teamwork of all staff.

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The curriculum

The quality and range of learning opportunities are good overall. Opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum are very good. The accommodation gives very good support to the curriculum and resources support it well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Good learning opportunities in many subjects support pupils in achieving well, particularly in Years 3 to 6.  Opportunities for writing do not sufficiently develop pupils’ competence in this area in Years 1 and 2.  There is very good enrichment of the curriculum through extra-curricular activities, visits out of school and visitors who talk to pupils.  Very good attention is given to pupils’ personal, social and health education. Old Park Primary School - 16  The learning opportunities in the Nursery ensure that children are given a good start.  There are aspects of the learning opportunities requiring improvement in the Reception Year and in science and religious education in Years 1 to 3.

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Commentary

26. In the Nursery and Reception classes, all children have access to a good and varied range of learning opportunities, which contribute significantly to their good achievement in personal, social and emotional development. There is an effective balance between the activities that children select for themselves from a range provided and the adult-directed activities. The curriculum in the Nursery combines with good teaching to ensure that children are given a good start in communication, language and literacy, and also in mathematical development.

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Commentary

27. In the Reception classes, there are aspects in need of improvement in the match of learning opportunities to children’s differing needs in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. For example, not enough use is made of the information gained from good assessment to consistently ensure that all groups of children are challenged well enough through the activities provided, particularly the children capable of higher attainment.

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Commentary

28. The curriculum meets pupils’ needs well overall in Years 1 to 6 in mathematics, ICT and geography. It is also good in Years 3 to 6 in English, and in Years 4 to 6 in science and religious education. There are also good features in most other subjects in Years 3 to 6. This is a significant factor in pupils’ good achievement in these years. Grouping of pupils into two classes in each year group based on their current attainment in mathematics helps teachers to meet their needs well. Effective opportunities are provided for speaking, listening and reading in English and in most other subjects in Years 1 to 6.

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Commentary

29. There are some shortcomings in the opportunities for writing in Years 1 and 2 in English and in some other subjects. Although activities promote understanding of the basics, such as the use of letter sounds for spelling, there is not enough focus on developing pupils’ competence in writing at length and sustaining ideas in writing. As a result, standards in writing at the end of Year 2 are not as high as in other strands of English, and there are examples of underachievement. The provision for writing has improved since the last inspection in Years 3 to 6, but further work is necessary in Years 1 and 2.

p.16

Commentary

30. Whilst pupils’ needs are met satisfactorily in Years 1 to 3 in science and religious education, there are areas requiring improvement in order to raise standards. In religious education, there are too few opportunities for pupils to consolidate and reflect on their knowledge and understanding about religion, through some form of written recording. The curriculum ensures that all pupils make a secure start in science in Year 1, but there is not enough challenge for the more capable pupils in Years 2 and 3, who are allowed to coast.

p.16

Commentary

31. Provision for ICT is good. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their ICT skills when working in the well-equipped computer room in specific timetabled lessons. The opportunities provided in this way are extended well through the use of classroom computers and laptops. All these factors combine to ensure that pupils achieve well throughout Years 1 to 6. The use of ICT is developing across the subjects, but its use to support pupils’ progress in other subjects is not fully and consistently established. For instance, it makes a particularly strong contribution to work in mathematics but it is not yet fully supporting learning in science.

p.16

Commentary

32. Good improvements have been made to the learning opportunities in design and technology, rectifying weaknesses found at the last inspection. Personal, social and health education is promoted very well. There is very effective attention to sex and relationships education and to developing pupils’ awareness of the dangers of drugs misuse and of how to stay safe.

p.16

Commentary

33. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Activities are usually adjusted in lessons and pupils particularly benefit from working in small groups. Teachers and Old Park Primary School - 17 teaching assistants work together well in most classes to match activities to the pupils’ short- term targets. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are also included well in all activities.

p.16

Commentary

34. There is very good enrichment of the curriculum. Pupils have very good opportunities to attend after-school clubs in an extensive range of areas. These clubs include some not found often in primary schools, such as film and media and ‘Bollywood’ dance. Music, drama, environment, gardening and computer clubs are offered as well as activities in a wide variety of sports. All of these clubs are well attended. They motivate and interest pupils and help to develop positive attitudes to school and to learning. Visits to places of interest, including residential visits, and a wealth of visitors, such as authors, dancers and artists, add an additional dimension to the curriculum. Homework is used satisfactorily to support pupils’ learning.

p.17

Commentary

35. The school has a good number of well-qualified staff to support the curriculum. The accommodation offers a very good range of facilities including an assembly hall and a separate dining room. Various additional rooms for study as well as a library, ICT room and community room support learning very well. External accommodation provides very good facilities for outdoor study and play, contributing in particular to the science and physical education curriculum. Throughout the school attractive displays celebrate pupils’ successes and support learning. Resources are good in most subjects, and are very good in ICT.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. The support, advice and guidance for pupils, particularly in pastoral care, are very good. The involvement of pupils in the school’s work through seeking, acting and valuing their views is also very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils have a very strong voice in the work and development of the school.  Pastoral care is very good, and pupils have very good and trusting relationships with the adults in school.  Marking does not always tell pupils what they are doing well and what they should do to improve.  The school provides a very safe and healthy environment for all pupils.  Arrangements for helping children to settle into school are very good.

p.17

Commentary

36. Pupils are given very good opportunities to be involved in the work and development of the school. The school council has representatives from each class and meets monthly to discuss ideas put forward through the suggestion boxes kept in each of the classrooms. The use of these suggestion boxes helps to ensure that all pupils have opportunities to give their views. Pupils’ ideas are listened to. The school council has been responsible, for example, for improving playground facilities and participating in anti-bullying campaigns. The council is given independence and organises fund-raising activities for charity and to raise money for itself, which enables it to finance some of its own projects. The council produces a newsletter to keep pupils and parents informed of what it is doing, and conducts surveys of pupils’ views. Pupils’ views are valued and respected and feed into the school improvement plan.

p.17

Commentary

37. Pupils have very good relationships with their teachers and all adults in the school. They are confident in approaching their teachers with any problems they may have. They know that the adults in school will listen and deal effectively with their concerns. There is mutual respect between pupils and adults in the school.

p.17

Commentary

38. There is very good support and guidance for pupils, particularly in relation to their personal development and pastoral care. Personal development is informally monitored but is Old Park Primary School - 18 specifically commented on in pupils’ annual reports and discussed with parents. Pupils are given individual academic targets for improvement at the parents’ consultation meeting with teachers in the autumn term, which pupils are also invited to attend. Pupils’ individual progress is monitored by colour coding, which makes it easy for pupils to understand where they are. Formal assessment and tracking of progress are used to establish group targets. However, marking does not always tell pupils enough about how they are doing and, in particular, what they need to do to improve. 39. The school provides a very safe and clean environment for all pupils and staff. All statutory policies are in place and there are regular health and safety inspections by the site manager

p.17

Commentary

and health and safety co-ordinator. A recent external audit gave the school a very good report for this aspect of its work. Child protection is very well monitored. All staff, including the lunchtime supervisors, are aware of the procedures to be followed if they have concerns and are trained in how to identify children who may be at risk.

p.18

Commentary

40. Anti-bullying and anti-racism policies and procedures are very effective. There are a number of staff trained in first aid and clear procedures are in place for dealing with accidents. The whole school, including staff, pupils, parents and governors, have worked hard to achieve the gold award for healthy schools and the next target is the platinum award.

p.18

Commentary

41. Children coming into the Nursery have the opportunity to visit with their parents to familiarise themselves with routines and meet the other children. Parents can stay with their children until they have fully settled in, which helps the children to feel confident and get off to a good start. Most children coming into the Reception classes come from the Nursery, although arrangements to settle children into Reception are also effective. Very good arrangements ensure that pupils entering the school at a later stage are also helped to settle in very quickly. All the strengths found at the last inspection in the care for pupils have been maintained and built on well.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Partnerships with parents, other schools and the community are all very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The school provides very good information for parents about the school, the curriculum and pupils’ progress.  A very good range of courses for parents helps them to support their children’s learning.  Parents are very supportive of the school, and many assist with homework and learning in school.  The school works very closely with other schools to develop provision.

p.18

Commentary

42. The school provides very good information to parents about the curriculum, the school and pupils’ progress. Pupils’ annual reports give parents a clear and detailed picture of what their children are being taught in school and how well they are getting on. They contain areas for development and give clear information about what pupils need to do to improve. There are regular consultation meetings when parents discuss their children’s attainment and progress with teachers, which are very well attended. For the meeting in the autumn term, pupils are invited to be present and individual targets are set. Regular newsletters keep parents fully informed about activities in school.

p.18

Commentary

43. The school provides very good support for all parents on how they can help their children with learning. This begins in the Nursery class and goes through to Year 6. There are a number of very effective courses for parents, which have focused on improving pupils’ learning skills, helping to raise pupils’ self-esteem and basic computer skills. The school successfully organised a basic skills in English course for Bangladeshi mothers, which was attended by Old Park Primary School - 19 eight parents. The success of this course has gained the interest of parents in further courses and has helped involve these parents more fully in the life and work of the school. Another course for parents focused on the early years curriculum has led to a number of parents going on to become learning support assistants.

p.18

Commentary

44. Parents are very supportive of the school and the work it does. They value the quality of education provided for their children and are confident that their children are well supported and cared for. The Friends Association is very active and hold a number of social and fund- raising events. The funds raised have been used to buy a public address system, DVD players for classrooms and a digital camera, enhancing the educational facilities at the school.

p.19

Commentary

45. The school has very strong links with local schools, which support the development of teaching and learning and contribute to the quality of education provided. There have been a number of joint projects and initiatives through links with other local primary schools. The headteacher and staff share their expertise with other schools. Old Park Primary School is, for example, the co-ordinating school for joint development activities in a partnership with two other local schools. Pupils benefit from the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities with local secondary schools. These have included a ‘Bollywood’ film project and participation in athletics, design and technology and gymnastics. These links are particularly strong with Wood Green High School to which most pupils transfer.

p.19

Commentary

46. Links with the local community are very good. The gardening club works closely with the Black Horse Allotment Association and pupils have their own garden, where they grow a range of vegetables. Pupils have very good links with the residents of local sheltered housing. Residents are invited into school for harvest festival and Christmas productions and pupils also visit the residents where the choir and dance group perform. These links help pupils to develop socially through mixing with older people.

p.19

Commentary

47. Local businesses are very supportive of the school and its events, particularly the summer fair. The school also has very good links with the local library, art gallery and museum and pupils participate in the local music and arts festival. These links develop a strong sense of community and help develop good citizenship.

p.19

Commentary

48. There are a number of parents who regularly provide support in classrooms, particularly with reading. Many others help with outside visits and other activities in school. Many parents support their children with homework, particularly with reading and spelling and research on the Internet for topic work. This support reinforces and develops pupils’ learning in school.

p.19

Commentary

49. Transfer procedures to support pupils moving on to secondary school are very good. For the two main secondary schools to which pupils transfer, they include meetings between staff to discuss pupils’ academic attainment and pastoral needs, including special educational needs. There are cross-phase curriculum meetings and the head of Year 7 visits the school to meet the pupils. For all the secondary schools, pupils have an induction day when they meet their next teachers and familiarise themselves with school routines. These arrangements ensure a very smooth transition into secondary education. The partnerships with parents, other schools and the community have all developed well since the last inspection.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership is very good, including the leadership of the headteacher and other key staff. Management and governance are also very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The headteacher provides a very clear educational direction for the school.  Members of the senior management team have clearly defined responsibilities and work very well together. Old Park Primary School - 20  Governors work very effectively with the staff to develop the school.  There is very efficient day-to-day management.  Evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is not always sufficiently sharp and rigorous.

p.19

Commentary

50. A main reason why the school has improved well since its last inspection is that the headteacher and staff are outward looking and keen to develop the school’s effectiveness. They readily consider new developments in the theory of education, such as about how pupils learn, and apply them to their practice. There is a co-ordinated whole-school approach so that developments are implemented consistently and with a common purpose. The results are evident in the good overall quality of pupils’ learning. An example of this co-ordinated approach is the consistent and effective promotion of pupils’ speaking and listening skills as they move up through the school.

p.20

Commentary

51. The headteacher provides a very clear educational direction for the school and is very well supported in this by the staff and governors, as at the last inspection. This shared vision includes a focus on meeting the needs of pupils more widely than through the teaching and the curriculum alone. This is the reason why the pupils’ personal development, the care for their personal well-being, and the links with parents, other schools and the community all continue to evolve and develop at a good rate. The provision in all these areas has moved on well since the last inspection.

p.20

Commentary

52. Delegation is very effective. The deputy headteacher makes a very significant contribution to the work of the school, working closely with the headteacher. She has appropriately substantial responsibilities, which she carries out efficiently and effectively. These responsibilities include the leadership and management of English and the healthy schools initiative, taking an overview of the curriculum, and involvement in the promotion of good behaviour.

p.20

Commentary

53. The members of the good-sized senior management team all have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. These responsibilities mesh well together and cover all the major areas of the school’s work. For example, one member of the senior staff is successfully leading the developments in the school’s assessment procedures, whilst another is working to increase the involvement of the parents of the Bangladeshi pupils who have not been as well involved as others in the past. Leadership of all the main subjects in Years 1 to 6 is good, as is the leadership of the provision for children in the Nursery and Reception Year, and the provision for pupils with special educational needs.

p.20

Commentary

54. Governors have increased their involvement to a very good level. They have a good balance of formal and informal methods for finding out about the work of the school and for evaluating its effectiveness. They are very committed to ensuring that the school supports its pupils and give significant support to the headteacher and staff. They ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

p.20

Commentary

55. Although the professional leaders of the school and the governors have high aspirations for the school’s effectiveness, there is a shortcoming that prevents the school from moving on at a better pace. There are elements of the school’s self-evaluation that could be even sharper. For example, the school knows that the writing standards of the younger pupils need to be improved, but the provision has not been analysed rigorously enough to identify what specific action is now required. The shortcoming in the match of teaching to the more capable pupils’ needs that sometimes reduces teaching and learning to a satisfactory rather than a good level has not been recognised by the school.

p.20

Commentary

56. The school runs very smoothly on a day-to-day basis, with very good communication at all levels. Financial management is very good. The finance committee of the governing body meets regularly and is involved in setting the final budget. The budget is linked directly to the Old Park Primary School - 21 school improvement plan and the educational priorities of the school. The finance manager monitors spending very effectively. Day-to-day financial control is extremely efficient and thorough. The school is very effective in seeking value for money in all its purchases.

p.20

Commentary

57. There is careful financial planning for three years ahead. The present carry-forward on the budget, which appears significant, exists for a number of reasons. One reason is that funding is earmarked for the maintenance of staffing levels. The school is staffed for two classes in each year group and there is presently a shortfall in the number of pupils needed for this. The pupil numbers have not increased as predicted. Monies are also being retained for specific building projects. Furthermore, the carry-forward figure also includes funding that is held by the school but is also for use by two other schools for partnership activities.

p.21

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.21

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,396,059 Balance from previous year 167,332 Total expenditure 1,378,800 Balance carried forward to the next 184,591 Expenditure per pupil 3,486 Old Park Primary School - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The Nursery, which presently has 65 children attending part-time, admits children at the age of three. Children transfer to the Reception classes in the September of the school year in which they become five. Children’s attainment on entry varies slightly from year to year but is generally below the level expected of children of this age. The attainment on entry of the present Nursery and Reception classes was below average overall. Two children in the Nursery and 12 children in the Reception classes have special educational needs. Nine children in the Nursery and two children in the Reception classes have English as an additional language and are at early stages of learning English.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Provision is satisfactory overall. As at the last inspection, it is better in the Nursery than in the Reception Year. There are some good features in the provision of both the Nursery and Reception Year. In particular, a wide range of learning opportunities is provided and there is very good care for children’s well-being. There are also some areas for improvement, most significantly in challenging children who are capable of higher attainment in the Reception classes.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. The school has begun to develop and use the outside accommodation well. There are good procedures for checking and recording children’s progress. The information gained through assessment is used satisfactorily to guide children’s next steps of learning. The provision is well led and managed. Support staff are well deployed and make an effective contribution to the teaching and learning. The accommodation and resources give good support to the curriculum.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Children achieve well from below average starting points.  Behaviour is very good because adults set clear boundaries and have high expectations.  The purpose of some activities in Reception classes is not clear enough.  Very good care for children’s well-being results in children feeling safe and developing trusting relationships with adults.

p.22

Commentary

61. Almost all children are on course to reach the standards expected nationally by the end of the Reception Year. A few are likely to exceed these standards. Teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and Reception classes, and achievement is good as a result.

p.22

Commentary

62. Adults have high expectations of children’s behaviour and set clear boundaries so that children quickly learn what is expected of them. In the Nursery, well-established routines help children to gain confidence and grow in independence. These routines are built on well in the Reception classes and, as a result, children settle to most tasks enthusiastically, with increasing concentration.

p.22

Commentary

63. Adults treat children with respect and kindness and provide good examples for children in their behaviour towards others. Children are nurtured well in small ‘family’ groups. This very good care for children leads to the development of trusting relationships, and ensures that children feel secure and confident to seek help when required. The warm and caring atmosphere is Old Park Primary School - 23 particularly beneficial for children with special educational needs and those at an early stage of learning English. It helps them to achieve as well as others.

p.22

Commentary

64. Teachers provide a good range of learning opportunities that helps children to develop their personal and social skills well. There is a good balance between adult-led activities and those that children choose for themselves from a range provided. Role-play areas give children good opportunities to play together. In the Reception classes, planning does not always sufficiently identify the purpose of some activities or the roles of adults in supporting children. This occasionally results in children moving from one activity to another without sufficient clarity of purpose. When this happens, they do not achieve as well as they should. However, when there is good adult involvement, learning is good.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Children in the Nursery achieve well and good teaching starts to raise standards.  In Reception classes, children’s confidence in speaking and listening is developed well through paired activities.  The most capable children are not always well enough challenged in reading and writing in the Reception classes.

p.23

Commentary

65. Teaching raises standards in the Nursery and this good progress is built on satisfactorily in Reception classes. Children’s achievement is satisfactory overall. Even so, standards are below the level expected at this age overall. Although many children are on course to reach the standards expected nationally at the end of the Reception Year, a significant minority are unlikely to meet them.

p.23

Commentary

66. In the Nursery, adults take every opportunity to engage children in conversation to develop their speech and extend their vocabulary. They demonstrate language and writing well so that children begin to associate letters with sounds and to use simple statements and questions. Adults share books effectively with children individually and at group story time. In this way, they stimulate an interest and enthusiasm for books. Children learn to turn the pages correctly and enjoy telling a story from the pictures.

p.23

Commentary

67. In the Reception classes, familiar stories are used satisfactorily to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. They are also used to draw their attention to initial letter sounds and familiar vocabulary, such as the names of the days of the week. Teachers provide numerous, good opportunities for children to talk and work with a partner to share their ideas. This not only helps develop speaking and listening skills but also contributes well to the children’s social and spiritual development. It is particularly helpful to children who are less confident in expressing themselves.

p.23

Commentary

68. Children have satisfactory opportunities to practise writing in a range of imaginative contexts, such as in the role-play vet’s surgery. The teaching of writing in adult-led formal situations adequately supports the development of writing for different purposes. As a result, almost all children write their names on their own and a small number of the most capable children write words and simple sentences independently. However, there are times when teaching is at the same level for all children. This means that the children who are capable of higher standards do not consistently achieve as well as they should in reading and writing. Old Park Primary School - 24

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Children achieve well in the Nursery because teaching is well matched to their differing needs.  There are good procedures for keeping a check on children’s progress.  Information from assessment is not always used well enough in the Reception classes.

p.24

Commentary

69. All groups of children achieve well in the Nursery as a result of good teaching and this starts to raise standards. Standards are maintained in the Reception classes and all groups of children make adequate progress as a result of satisfactory teaching and learning. Although many children are on course to reach the expected standards at the end of the Reception Year, quite a number are unlikely to meet them and standards overall are still below those expected nationally.

p.24

Commentary

70. In the Nursery, good links are made between familiar stories and number activities. Adults use songs, rhymes, puppets and toys to play games with numbers. These activities make learning fun and result, for example, in children counting confidently to five. Children are grouped in ways that ensure that those capable of higher attainment are pushed on well and those who need support receive it. The teacher and support staff take every opportunity to develop counting skills, for example when giving out snacks and during registration time so that numbers in everyday situations become meaningful.

p.24

Commentary

71. A good range of practical activities covers all strands of mathematics, including number, shapes and measures in the Reception classes. Children enjoy the practical activities that often follow on from class or ‘family’ group work and these satisfactorily reinforce learning, for example in naming two-dimensional shapes. Teachers have good procedures for checking and recording children’s attainment and progress. Whilst the information gained from these procedures is used satisfactorily overall, it is not always used well enough to match teaching to the needs of the most capable and some ‘average’ children. The result is that sometimes children are held back because the work is too easy for them. This is a main reason why few children exceed the nationally expected standards.

p.24

OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING

72. Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development, and creative development was sampled. Not enough evidence was gathered to make secure overall judgements on the quality of provision in each of these areas.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. A broad range of appropriate experiences is provided both indoors and outside that develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the world in both the Nursery and Reception classes. For example, children use their senses to learn about living things. In the Nursery they plant flowers, water them and observe their growth in the garden. Reception children are fascinated as they observe at first hand the life cycle of butterflies. Good teaching was seen in a lesson when the butterflies were released one by one into the wild. Such an amazing and exciting activity contributed well, not only to children’s knowledge and understanding of the natural world but also to their spiritual development. However, not all lessons in the Reception Year are as well planned and organised. Old Park Primary School - 25 74. ICT skills are satisfactorily developed as children use computers to play games and to support

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

their learning, such as in drawing, counting and exploring sentences. They are learning to use a digital camera.

p.25

Physical development

75. The evidence indicates that outdoor activities help children to achieve well. In the activities seen, children in the Reception Year showed the skills expected for their age. Recent, good improvements to the outdoor accommodation mean that children in the Nursery and Reception classes now have regular, daily access to secure grassed and paved areas, which provide well for climbing, balancing and activities involving other large movements. In addition to this, Reception children have one physical education lesson each week in the hall as well as short, daily opportunities to join in with dance activities.

p.25

Physical development

76. A good range of activities ensures that children frequently use a broad range of equipment, such as jigsaws, large and small models, construction materials and simple tools. All adults sensitively support and encourage the children so that they work carefully and safely, and develop the control of equipment and hand-eye co-ordination expected for their age. Children move confidently in and around the classrooms and outside area. They show the expected levels of independence in personal hygiene and in putting on and removing coats and shoes.

p.25

Creative development

77. Ample experiences develop children’s competence in using paint and other materials to make pictures. Children achieve satisfactorily when exploring a range of techniques and materials, in paintings, drawings and collage. The role-play areas in the classrooms and outside are used well to promote play and to encourage children to act out imaginary situations. In a music lesson in which teaching and learning were good, children in the Reception Year explored the sounds made by different percussion instruments and enjoyed accompanying a familiar song.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils make good progress throughout Years 1 to 6 in speaking, listening and reading.  Pupils develop their writing skills well in Years 3 to 6.  Writing opportunities for pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not challenging enough.  The vast majority of lessons are well organised and interesting, and their purpose is clearly explained to pupils.  There are some inconsistencies in how well teaching meets the needs of all pupils, particularly the more capable ones.

p.25

Commentary

78. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 were well above the national average. They were also well above average when compared with the performance of other schools whose pupils had attained similarly at the end of Year 2. These results are much better than at the last inspection, and are also significantly better than in all the intervening years. The most marked improvement has been in writing.

p.25

Commentary

79. The standard of school work of pupils now in Year 6 is at the level expected nationally. The difference between the current standards and those indicated by the 2004 test results is simply a reflection of natural variations in the ability of year groups of pupils. All groups of Old Park Primary School - 26 pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well in Years 3 to 6 in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Pupils for whom English is an additional language also do as well as others.

p.25

Commentary

80. Pupils in Year 6 speak clearly and confidently and often give extended responses to questions, although they do not often engage in debate. They listen carefully to others, read with the expected accuracy for their age, and write at reasonable length for a good range of purposes. Nevertheless, there are some weaknesses in aspects of writing such as punctuation and the organisation of writing into paragraphs, and not all pupils consistently join their handwriting. Pupils enjoy the range of texts they read in school, which are suitably challenging.

p.26

Commentary

81. In the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 in 2004, pupils’ results were close to the national average in reading, but below this level in writing. Compared with the performance of other schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the results were above average in reading, and broadly average in writing. The reading results were much the same as at the last inspection and better than in recent years. However, the writing results were a bit lower in 2004 than at the last inspection, having been broadly in line with the national average at that time. Even so, both the reading and writing results improved in 2004, after a downward trend in recent years.

p.26

Commentary

82. The improvement seen in the end of Year 2 standards in 2004 has been sustained, although further work is necessary to raise the writing standards. The standards of school work of pupils now in Year 2 are at the level expected nationally in speaking, listening and reading, but are below this level in writing. Pupils’ achievement is good overall in Years 1 and 2 in speaking, listening and reading, but it is no better than satisfactory in writing. As in Years 3 to 6, the rate of achievement of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language is the same as that of other pupils.

p.26

Commentary

83. Pupils do well throughout the school in speaking and listening because of the good emphasis given to these areas in many lessons. There are many opportunities for pupils to talk in pairs during lessons and to answer questions in front of the class. Reading skills are promoted well in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are introduced to a range of different types of texts. The basics of letter sounds and blends of sounds are taught accurately. As a result, pupils not only develop confidence in reading but also become willing to ‘have a go’ at spelling words as they sound. The good teaching of reading in Years 1 and 2 is built on well in Years 3 to 6.

p.26

Commentary

84. Although the basics of writing are developed satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2, not enough is done to challenge pupils to write at length, or to sustain and develop ideas in writing. There is little development of skills in story writing, for example, or exploration of use of language to describe a character or set a scene. Handwriting standards are not good enough. The result is that not all pupils are doing as well as they should in this key area, and there are examples of pupils underachieving.

p.26

Commentary

85. The overall quality of teaching is good throughout Years 1 to 6, although it is satisfactory rather than good in writing in Years 1 and 2. Teachers organise lessons well and ensure that pupils with special educational needs are given support to cover the same work as others. Appropriate attention is paid to the needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language.

p.26

Commentary

86. Teachers tell pupils the purpose of the activities, so that they know what they are aiming to achieve. Pupils are managed well, so that they have positive attitudes to learning and behaviour is generally very good. Often, lessons are lively and interesting. Most marking is thorough and helpful, but there are occasions when insufficient guidance is given to help pupils to improve.

p.26

Commentary

87. There are some occasions when not enough account is taken of the full range of pupils’ needs and not enough challenge is provided for the more capable pupils in the class. This happens when the work is the same for all pupils. Sometimes the pace is slowed as the more capable Old Park Primary School - 27 pupils wait until everyone is ready to move on together. The writing activities in Years 1 and 2 are not challenging enough for all pupils. Expectations of the amount and quality of writing are not sufficiently high. As a result, pupils have not moved on as well in writing as in other aspects of English by the time they reach the end of Year 2.

p.26

Commentary

88. The leadership and management of English are good overall, although there is not a sharp and determined enough focus on improving the writing standards of the younger pupils. The school knows that the writing needs improvement but has not sufficiently analysed provision to identify what needs to be done. Nevertheless, there has been good development of the writing provision in Years 3 to 6 since the last inspection. Good attention has been given to increasing pupils’ confidence in speaking and listening, and consistent and effective strategies are in place for this across the school.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

89. Pupils’ skills in speaking, listening and reading are developed well through other subjects and give good support to learning across the curriculum. Writing skills are also used effectively in Years 3 to 6 to help pupils to make progress in other subjects. However, in Years 1 and 2 there are some missed opportunities for writing in other subjects. Furthermore, there are examples of some pupils’ limited writing skills restricting their progress in subjects such as religious education.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils make consistently good progress as they move up from Year 1 to Year 6.  Teachers plan lessons very thoroughly, and provide interesting work that is appropriate for the learning needs of all pupils.  ICT is used effectively to support learning.  There are some inconsistencies in the quality of marking.  Pupils enjoy mathematics and work hard to complete their tasks.

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Commentary

90. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 were well above the national average, and the results of Year 2 pupils were close to the national average. The Year 6 results were also well above average when compared with the performance of other schools whose pupils had attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Compared with the results of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, pupils’ performance at the end of Year 2 was above average.

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Commentary

91. The Year 6 results in 2004 were much higher than at the last inspection. Those of Year 2 pupils were much the same as at the last inspection. In both Year 2 and Year 6, the 2004 results showed significant improvement on those of recent years. The overall trend at Year 6 has been upwards since the last inspection. In Year 2 in 2004 the results represented a significant turnaround after several years of being below, and even well below, the national average.

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Commentary

92. The improvement shown by the test results is maintained in the standards of the present Year 2. Standards are at the level expected nationally across all strands of mathematics, except in shape, space and measures, in which they are slightly above average. Standards in the present Year 6 are at the level expected nationally across all the areas of mathematics. The difference between the standards in Year 6 presently, and those indicated by the 2004 test results, is simply a reflection of the natural variations found in the ability of year groups. The Old Park Primary School - 28 achievement of pupils now in Years 1 to 6 is good in relation to their starting points and capabilities.

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Commentary

93. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good, with some very good features. Lessons are interesting, well paced to keep pupils on their toes, and very well planned. Pupils in each year are taught in two separate groups, with pupils placed in the groups according to their current level of mathematical attainment. This makes it easier for teachers to prepare tasks appropriate to pupils’ needs. Nevertheless, teachers still take great care to match activities matched to the needs of all pupils in their groups. Such care makes a significant contribution to the good learning of all pupils.

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Commentary

94. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported, often by well-deployed teaching assistants. This support helps them to progress at the same rate as other pupils in relation to their starting points. Pupils with English as an additional language also make good progress as a result of the effective support they receive when necessary from teachers and other adults in classrooms. The level of challenge is good for the more capable pupils, moving them on well.

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Commentary

95. Teachers’ confident and effective use of new technology, including interactive whiteboards and computers, does much to support pupils in understanding mathematical ideas. For example, when teaching shape and symmetry in Years 4 and 5, teachers project large visual images on screen and manipulate these in ways that help pupils to gain a better understanding of some difficult concepts. Pupils follow up this demonstration on the laptop computers to deepen their understanding further.

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Commentary

96. Teachers make good use assessment strategies, such as questioning, to identify how well pupils know and understand the work covered. Questions are directed not only at those pupils who put their hands up to volunteer answers. Often, questioning is used to probe and challenge pupils’ thinking. In this way, teachers are able to put right pupils’ mathematical misconceptions. Teachers generally keep pupils well informed about the progress they make. All teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, and the best marking tells pupils about how well they are doing and, where appropriate, how they can further improve their work and understanding. However, this good practice is not consistent throughout the school. Some marking is limited to simple ticks and crosses, which give little indication of how to put things right for pupils who make mistakes.

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Commentary

97. When appropriate, pupils are encouraged to discuss their work and ideas with each other. If pupils are struggling to understand a mathematical concept, this often helps them to come to a better understanding. Pupils in all classes work well both together and individually. When given tasks to do they start them immediately and usually keep their heads down until they are completed. As a result of the good level of interest they generate, teachers spend their time teaching, not controlling pupils.

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Commentary

98. The leadership and management of mathematics are good. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection. Standards are higher, teaching has improved in Years 1 and 2, assessment procedures have been strengthened and the subject is better resourced. There are now good procedures in place for checking on pupils’ progress and for setting realistic targets for them to aim for. There are good procedures for checking the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics, including the sampling of pupils’ books and lesson observations.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

99. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good, supporting learning not only in mathematics but also deepening knowledge and understanding in other subjects. For example, pupils use charts and diagrams for recording in science, and make good use of grids, co-ordinates and understanding of rotational geometry when map reading in geography. In design and technology pupils regularly measure when designing and making products. All Old Park Primary School - 29 these experiences, and many others, help give breadth to the mathematics curriculum and ensure that pupils learn well. Old Park Primary School - 30

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 4 to 6 because teaching and the curriculum meet their needs well.  Work is not always challenging enough for the more capable pupils in Years 2 and 3.  Marking is inconsistent and does not always guide pupils to improvement.  The co-ordinator has recognised some of the main areas in which the subject needs development.

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Commentary

100. The results of Year 6 pupils in the 2004 National Curriculum tests were above the national average. Compared with the performance of other schools whose pupils had similar attainment at the end of Year 2, pupils’ results were well above average. The 2004 results are significantly better than at the last inspection. Teachers assessed pupils’ performance in science at the end of Year 2 in 2004 as below the national average overall. Although the percentage at the expected level for most Year 2 pupils was close to the national average, the proportion at the higher level was below it.

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Commentary

101. Standards presently in Year 6 are at the level expected nationally. The difference between the present standards and those indicated by the tests in 2004 is largely a reflection of the natural variations in the ability of year groups. Pupils in Year 6 have the expected depth of knowledge and understanding in all the aspects of science required by the National Curriculum, including in most aspects of practical and investigative work. A small proportion of pupils are working above the level expected for their age in these areas. The school work of pupils currently in Year 2 is below the level expected nationally across all strands of the subject, and overall standards now are much the same as those shown by the 2004 assessments.

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Commentary

102. All groups of pupils, including the most capable ones and those who have special educational needs, achieve well overall in Years 4 to 6. In Years 1 to 3, pupils make satisfactory progress in relation to their starting points, but there are occasions when the most capable pupils are not challenged well enough. Pupils for whom English is an additional language do as well as others in their year groups.

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Commentary

103. Teaching, learning and the curriculum are good overall in Years 4 to 6, and they are satisfactory in Years 1 to 3. There are inconsistencies in the quality of provision across year groups, and to a lesser extent within year groups, as at the last inspection. Almost all teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and, as a result, pupils show good levels of concentration and have very good attitudes to their work. Pupils’ very good attitudes contribute to the effectiveness of their learning. In many lessons, teachers ask challenging questions to deepen pupils’ understanding.

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Commentary

104. Pupils make a secure start in Year 1. However, once they reach a particular level in Year 2, the highest attaining pupils are not consistently pushed on well enough, although good support is usually provided for those who are lower attaining or who have special educational needs. Teaching in Year 3 is satisfactory but, as in Year 2, there are occasions when higher attaining pupils coast because teaching does not challenge them to work consistently at higher levels.

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Commentary

105. Teaching and learning are better in Years 4 to 6 than in other years because work is more consistently matched to pupils’ differing needs. In a Year 4 lesson taught by the co-ordinator, very good subject knowledge of electricity was shared expertly with pupils. Stimulating and interesting activities moved learning forward at a very good pace. As a result, all groups of Old Park Primary School - 31 pupils made very good progress in their knowledge and understanding of conductors and insulators.

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Commentary

106. In Year 6, pupils have been grouped into two classes since January 2004 based on their knowledge and understanding of science. This organisation of the classes is proving effective in challenging and meeting the needs of all groups of pupils. Throughout Years 1 to 6, work is marked regularly but there is inconsistency in how well marking is used to guide pupils’ learning. Often ticks and praise are given without sufficiently clear advice to pupils about how they might improve.

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Commentary

107. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to write to record their work in science. However, the extent to which untidy presentation and poorly formed handwriting are allowed to pass without comment, particularly in Years 2, 3 and 4, means that pupils’ skills in writing are not developed as well as they could be through science. There is good use and development of mathematical skills, for instance as pupils record the outcomes of their investigations in tables and graphs. Adequate use is made of computers for producing graphs, recording investigations and using data. Pupils’ schoolwork is enriched through environmental and gardening activities in the school grounds and the school allotment.

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Commentary

108. Science is well led and managed overall and the provision ensures that the older pupils achieve well. The co-ordinator provides a good example for others in her teaching. The checking of teaching and the curriculum through lesson observations and work sampling has highlighted where there are strengths and, to some extent, where improvement is needed. For example, the co-ordinator has recognised the need to continue to develop pupils’ independence in devising and carrying out scientific investigations. However, further development of the co-ordinator’s role, particularly to ensure more rigorous checking of teaching and learning, is essential to take the school forward and to eradicate the inconsistencies in provision across the year groups. The school has maintained the strengths in provision for the older pupils found at the last inspection and the standards pupils reach in Year 6 have been raised.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils make good progress as they move up from Year 1 to Year 6, and achieve well.  Teaching is good overall, with some instances of very good and even excellent teaching.  Good leadership and management are effective in developing the quality of provision.  Resources to support learning through ICT have improved recently and are very good.  ICT is not yet fully established in all subjects.

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Commentary

109. In Year 6 standards are at the nationally expected level across all strands of ICT, but are below this level in Year 2. The pupils now in Year 2 started Year 1 with low levels of skill and they have made good progress to the point at which they are presently. Overall, all groups of pupils throughout Years 1 to 6 achieve well, including those with special educational needs. Pupils who have English as an additional language do as well as others.

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Commentary

110. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good and has improved since the last inspection, with some instances of very good teaching in Year 6 and excellent teaching in Year 3. What distinguishes this very effective teaching is the way in which it builds very well on pupils’ previous learning and takes full account of the range of pupils’ differing needs. As a result of teaching matched well to need, pupils make rapid gains in their ICT competence. By Year 6, for example, pupils are developing a range of skills in multi-media presentations. Old Park Primary School - 32 111. As a result of effective training, all staff are confident users of new technology including computers and other computer-assisted teaching aids, such as interactive whiteboards. Interactive whiteboards are used well to support the provision of clear step-by-step instruction as new skills are taught. For example, in mathematics, they are used effectively to give pupils

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Commentary

visual explanations of concepts that some pupils find difficult to grasp.

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Commentary

112. A significant factor in the good learning in ICT is the high level of engagement of pupils. Pupils are very enthusiastic learners. They work very well in pairs helping one another, and also individually. Pupils with special educational needs progress well as a result of good support from well-deployed teaching assistants and often as a result of help from other pupils. In the computer room, pupils often benefit from a good level of adult support. Teachers, support staff and a technician are often on hand to give the necessary help and advice.

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Commentary

113. The subject is led and managed well. The co-ordinator makes a good contribution to the training and expertise of staff, as well as developing the curriculum. A management team that includes the school’s financial manager and the ICT technician supports her effectively. Together, this group has a clear vision for the further development of the subject, including increasing the use of ICT across all subjects of the curriculum. The school has very good resources for ICT and is continually improving them to support links with other subjects and develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Opportunities for pupils to practise their skills in the computer club using the school’s facilities further enhance their learning. Governors are also strongly committed to the development of ICT. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in the ICT provision.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

114. ICT is used well to support pupils’ learning in most other subjects, and most significantly in mathematics. For example, pupils in Year 2 learn how to program a robotic toy by giving it the required commands so that it moves according to their wishes. They learn how to use mathematical grids to help them decide what instructions to program into the toy. In geography, Year 6 use the Internet to search for materials to incorporate in multi-media presentations about France, using the computer both to create and to present their work. The quality of these presentations is good. However, ICT is not used fully to support learning in all subjects. Although there are instances of ICT being used satisfactorily in science, there are missed opportunities for its use in this subject. There are also examples of the use of ICT in art and design and music, although it is not fully established in these subjects.

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History

115. Provision in history was sampled through an analysis of a sample of pupils’ recorded work and a scrutiny of teachers’ planning. Not enough evidence was gathered to make a secure overall judgement on the quality of provision.

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History

116. The evidence indicates that pupils do well in Years 3 to 6. In the aspects of history for which sufficient evidence was gathered, pupils are working at the level expected for their age when they reach Year 6. There is a good plan of work in history, and this is implemented well.

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History

117. A good range of activities, including visits, enhances the day-to-day lessons in history, and makes learning more relevant. When studying the Tudors in Year 5, for example, pupils are taken to a Tudor house. Good connections are sometimes made between history and other subjects. Year 3 and 4 pupils use mapping skills developed in geography, for instance, when learning about Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Old Park Primary School - 33 118. Most pupils use literacy skills well in Years 3 to 6 in history, writing in a variety of ways. For example, pupils in Year 4 make attractive workbooks about Ancient Egypt. They use reference books for researching facts, study and draw maps, and use mathematical knowledge to construct a time line showing the main events of the period. Year 5 pupils write interesting diaries imagining themselves to be Anne Boleyn during her time of trouble. Year 6 pupils make

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History

notes as they research from books and the Internet, selecting and combining information from a range of sources.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Pupils make good progress and achieve well in Years 1 to 6.  Teachers use resources very well to bring geography to life, and teach mapping skills particularly well.  Learning in geography makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.  Too few opportunities are provided for pupils to write about their understanding of environmental issues.  Pupils work hard and enjoy lessons.

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Commentary

119. Standards are at the level expected nationally in Years 2 and 6 across all the strands of geography. Pupils achieve well throughout Years 1 to 6. Year 6 pupils have secure mapping skills because this aspect of geography is particularly well taught as they move up through the school. They successfully use these skills to locate countries and to identify rivers and land formations. They have built up a good knowledge of France, some of which comes from their own independent research. They make competent use of books and the Internet to find information, and use their literacy skills well to record their new knowledge in booklets.

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Commentary

120. Pupils are introduced to maps and mapping in Year 1. Teachers start by using pupils’ own experience and knowledge of their immediate environment to develop skills in drawing maps and simple plans. Pupils’ knowledge is extended well as a simple plan, including a basic key with clear symbols, is introduced. Through the use of this plan, pupils are also taught about routing and direction. Year 2 pupils continue to develop their mapping skills and by the end of the year they attain standards that are at the level expected for their age. This strong focus on mapping skills in the work with younger pupils provides a sound basis for development in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

121. The good start in Years 1 and 2 is built on well as pupils learn about places further afield in Years 3 to 6. They study life and conditions in India, for example, comparing and contrasting life in a town with that in a village. They also learn to compare and contrast features of places closer to home, for instance those found in Wednesbury and Bewdley. Most pupils do this with the expected confidence for their age. Pupils in Year 4 studying the weather successfully use mathematical skills to take and record readings related to aspects of the weather. They are taught how to interpret weather symbols used on weather maps.

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Commentary

122. Through learning about places close to home and further afield, such as India, pupils’ work in geography makes a good contribution to their cultural development. Pupils have some opportunities to consider environmental issues, which contributes satisfactorily to their awareness of citizenship. However, this aspect of geography is not covered as thoroughly as other aspects and does not form a significant feature of pupils’ recorded work. In Year 2, for example, there is not enough focus in pupils’ recorded work on learning about ways in which people affect the environment. In Years 5 and 6, pupils do not have enough opportunities to write about their own views on environmental change. Old Park Primary School - 34 123. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers use resources very well to make lessons interesting. For example, in a Year 3 lesson, good use was made of a classroom display to help pupils to recall geographical features seen during a recent visit to

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Commentary

Bewdley. In Year 6, the use of laptop computers in the classroom makes a significant contribution to learning, extending the opportunities for research using the Internet. In a Year 6 lesson, the projection of a short video clip about France helped gain pupils’ interest at the start of a lesson. The projection of a large map of France and the surrounding countries also helped the teacher to quickly assess pupils’ knowledge of the locations of the countries surrounding France. Pupils respond well to lively and interesting teaching, working enthusiastically and enjoying their lessons.

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Commentary

124. The outcomes seen in pupils’ work and the improvements in standards and achievement since the last inspection show that the subject is well led and managed. Geography is presented in a lively and interesting way that engages pupils.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Teaching and the curriculum ensure that pupils make good progress and achieve well in Years 4 to 6.  There is not enough recording of work in Years 1 to 3.  In Years 4 to 6, work is recorded in interesting and creative ways that develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding well.

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Commentary

125. The standard of pupils’ work in Year 6 is at the level expected by the locally agreed syllabus, as it was at the last inspection. Overall achievement is good in Years 4 to 6. Although standards in Year 2 are not as high as at the last inspection, and are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 in relation to their starting points and achieve satisfactorily. Achievement is also satisfactory in Year 3.

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Commentary

126. Teaching and the curriculum are good in Years 4 to 6, and are better than at the last inspection. As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, learn and achieve well. In Years 1 to 3, teaching and learning are satisfactory rather than good, as at the last inspection. Teachers in all years have a secure knowledge and understanding of world faiths and plan work so that pupils increase their knowledge of Christianity and other faiths as they move up through the school. As a result, pupils gain insight into the similarities and differences in how, for example, followers of different faiths worship and the importance of their sacred texts. They develop good respect and tolerance for the values and beliefs of others. The good teaching in Years 4 to 6 supports pupils in increasing their knowledge and understanding at a good rate.

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Commentary

127. In Years 4 to 6, teaching is well matched to the needs of all pupils so that learning is promoted well. In a lesson in which teaching and learning were very good in Year 5, the teacher used a quotation from the Bible skilfully as a basis for exploring a range of moral dilemmas. Role-play activities involving very good challenge for all pupils led to very effective learning and made a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development.

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Commentary

128. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils in Years 4 to 6 to present and record their knowledge and understanding in a variety of interesting and creative ways. These not only consolidate pupils’ learning in religious education, but also contribute to the development of skills in other subjects such as English and art and design. In Year 4, for instance, there are some good examples of pupils working together to make their own attractively presented Old Park Primary School - 35 books about different religions. Similarly, in Years 5 and 6, good use is made of illustrations, cards and diagrams, as well as longer pieces of writing, to develop pupils’ understanding effectively.

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Commentary

129. In Years 1 to 3, there are two few opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding by recording their work. This is a significant factor in preventing pupils from achieving higher standards. It results in missed opportunities for pupils to reflect on what they have learnt as well as preventing the development of writing skills through work in religious education. The lack of variation in activities to meet the pupils’ differing needs in Years 1 and 2, and in particular to challenge the more capable pupils, is a further factor that prevents standards from being higher by the end of Year 2.

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Commentary

130. Visits to a local church and visits from representatives of different religions provide satisfactory enrichment of the curriculum. Such experiences help pupils to gain first-hand knowledge about religious customs and celebrations, which add to their enjoyment and bring learning to life. However, there are few opportunities for pupils to visit places of worship of faiths other than Christianity and this restricts further learning.

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Commentary

131. The leadership and management of religious education are good. The co-ordinator, who took over responsibility only at the start of last term, has worked hard to check all pupils’ books and to monitor teachers’ planning. She has correctly identified the main strengths and weaknesses in provision. She has noted the areas in which improvements are needed, and this provides a basis for development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

132. Provision in the creative, aesthetic, practical and physical subjects was sampled through observation of lessons and an analysis of pupils’ recorded work and teachers’ planning. Discussions were held with the co-ordinators for the arts, design and technology, and music. Not enough evidence was gathered to make secure overall judgements on the quality of provision in each subject.

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Art and design

133. In the work seen, pupils are achieving satisfactorily in relation to their capabilities and starting points, as they did at the last inspection. There are examples of pupils working at the level expected for their age in several year groups, although work in Year 2 on sketching buildings is of a lower level. In Year 1, pupils attain the standard expected at this age in making collages to represent their favourite outdoor places. They successfully use man-made and natural objects to represent the colours, textures and smells of places. Year 6 pupils do well in a mask-making project, using a variety of materials to decorate their masks. They have an adequate basic awareness of perspective.

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Art and design

134. The evidence indicates that pupils are given a satisfactory range of experiences in art and design lessons as they move up through the school. Teaching is secure and accurate and helps pupils to develop skills in a variety of materials. However, there is not always enough challenge in the activities and support provided to push the more capable pupils on to higher levels of attainment.

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Art and design

135. The opportunities in day-to-day lessons are enhanced very well through projects that involve pupils in working with artists and exploring the art of a variety of cultural traditions. The outcomes of these projects are displayed around the school, contributing to the attractiveness of the environment and celebrating pupils’ successes. There are examples of ICT being used to support learning in art and design, but it is not well established.

p.35

Art and design

136. The arts co-ordinator does much to ensure that projects involving artists contribute not only to learning in art and design but also support work in other subjects. She is very enthusiastic Old Park Primary School - 36 about the school’s involvement in a creative partnership and manages this aspect of the school’s work well. The checking of how well activities in art and design lessons meets pupils’ needs is satisfactory and involves monitoring of planning and analysis of sketchbooks and displays.

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Design and technology

137. The standard of pupils’ work in design and technology is at the level expected nationally in Year 6 across all strands of the subject. Examples of completed projects indicate that pupils make good progress as they move up from Year 1 to Year 6. This effective progress results from the implementation of a good plan for the design and technology curriculum and meaningful links with other subjects.

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Design and technology

138. Year 1 pupils get a good grounding in the subject. Their curiosity is aroused as they study a building site and explore some of the materials that are used for building houses. They learn the rudiments of design as they design their own ‘dream houses’. Skills are effectively taught as pupils learn to fix materials in a range of ways and successfully learn to make moving joints using paper fasteners. They begin to understand the importance of fitness for purpose in making.

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Design and technology

139. This good start is built on well in Year 2. Pupils continue to extend their designing and making skills. They draw on their understanding of materials and their properties gained in science as, for example, they test materials to decide which are most suitable for making a ‘dream coat’ for Joseph. They also design and make toy cars, evaluating both their designs and their finished cars according to given criteria.

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Design and technology

140. Throughout Years 3 to 6 pupils continue to learn well. In Year 3, for example, pupils use their writing skills for a purpose when they write down their own evaluations of their designs. In designing and making model fairground rides, they successfully produce designs, which include labelled plans. They also make their own choices of suitable materials to use. Their scientific knowledge is applied well when incorporating an electric motor into the design to be used as a drive mechanism.

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Design and technology

141. Since the last inspection, good improvements have been made. At that time, pupils did not sufficiently develop their design skills and did not evaluate their work well enough. The evidence shows that these weaknesses have been rectified. Teachers are more confident teaching design and technology and their subject knowledge has improved. Standards have risen as a result.

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Music

142. Singing standards are good in Years 3 to 6, and better than at the last inspection. Pupils sing very tunefully and in harmony, maintaining pitch and varying volume well. They have developed a good repertoire of songs and know the importance of practising to improve the quality of their singing. Year 6 pupils have the expected skills for their age in composition and understanding of how to record their compositions on paper using symbols. Year 1 pupils’ awareness of high and low sounds is as expected at this age. However, pupils in Year 2 work at a lower level than expected when using musical instruments to make sounds representing the weather.

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Music

143. The co-ordinator teaches singing well to pupils throughout Years 1 to 6, and provides a good example for others in her teaching of music. She has developed the provision for singing well since the last inspection. Examples of good teaching in Years 1 and 6 were also seen. The lessons in these year groups were well organised, with activities pitched at the right level for all the pupils in the class. Although achievement was satisfactory in a Year 2 lesson, there was a lack of challenge for the most capable pupils in particular. This was because all the pupils Old Park Primary School - 37 were required to work on activities at the same level and to move at the same pace through the lesson.

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Music

144. A range of additional activities provides very good enrichment of day-to-day lessons. Tuition is provided free of charge to pupils wishing to learn to play an instrument. The school has invested in equipment for extra-curricular activities, such as the hand-bell club. There is good use of visiting musicians to increase pupils’ awareness, in particular of music from a variety of cultures. There is some satisfactory use of ICT to support learning but this aspect is not fully established. Old Park Primary School - 38

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Physical education

145. The evidence of teachers’ planning indicates that the school covers the National Curriculum requirements well. Throughout the year, pupils have opportunities to engage in fitness activities, gymnastics, dance and athletics and, in addition, swimming, from Year 3 to Year 6.

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Physical education

146. A good swimming lesson was observed in Year 5 taken by three instructors at the leisure centre. The lesson was well organised and time was used effectively. The teaching was appropriately challenging for pupils who were divided into three groups based on their competence and confidence in swimming. Pupils enjoyed the lesson, worked hard and reached standards in line with national expectations.

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Physical education

147. Fitness sessions were also observed in Year 1 and Year 5. Adults made the lessons interesting and varied, beginning and ending with appropriate warm-up and cool-down exercises. Pupils had to work hard and enjoyed themselves while exerting a good deal of physical effort.

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Physical education

148. Extra-curricular enrichment of day-to-day lessons is very good. At different times of the year, it includes football, dance, table tennis, gymnastics, cycling, fun and fitness and cross-country training. Activities are well attended and make a very good contribution to pupils’ personal and social development.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

149. Provision in this area was sampled. The evidence indicates that pupils’ development in this area is promoted very well. The school sees pupils’ personal development as an important part of its work. The very good personal care for pupils, which is also given a high priority, gives very effective support for their personal development.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

150. The school pays very good attention to helping pupils to develop a safe and healthy life-style, and has gained a gold standard in the Healthy Schools scheme. It supports pupils very effectively in gaining confidence and developing very good relationships. There are carefully planned opportunities for pupils to develop awareness of sex and relationships education, and also learn of the dangers of drugs misuse and about personal safety.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

151. Pupils’ involvement with the school council provides a good opportunity for them to experience aspects of democracy at first hand and to feel valued as school citizens. Citizenship and a sense of responsibility are further developed through the opportunities for older pupils to work with others as ‘buddies’ or as ‘peer mentors’ and to look after the school environment as ‘Eco Wombles’. Old Park Primary School - 39

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (Ethos) 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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