Oldbury on Severn Church of England Primary School

Oldbury on Severn CE VC Primary School

Dates of inspection: 4 th to 6 th October 2004

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Oldbury on Severn CE VC Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 2 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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Oldbury on Severn CE VC 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. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4-11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 54

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Oldbury on Severn Thornbury Bristol Postcode: BS35 1QG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01454 414297 Fax number: 01454 414297

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Gazard

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th July1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Oldbury on Severn is a Church of England voluntary controlled primary school situated in the village of Oldbury near Thornbury in South Gloucestershire which caters for 54 pupils aged between four and eleven. The school was founded in 1854 to provide a Christian education for village children. About half of the current pupils are from out of the catchment area because the school has a good reputation. Parents and pupils appreciate and feel they benefit from the small class numbers. The school is much smaller than other primary schools nationally and has just three classes. The number of pupils entitled to free schools meals is well below the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs varies from year to year and is currently above the national average. Three pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need, which is also above the national average. Socio-economic circumstances of the area are favourable. An above average

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

number of pupils join the school between Year 1 and Year 6. The vast majority of the pupils are from white English speaking families.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has undergone considerable changes recently as there is a new acting headteacher, who has been in post since September 2004 and who was formerly the full-time Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 teacher at the school. Two new teachers joined the staff this September. The children’s attainment on entry to the school is similar to that of other four year olds nationally.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has received awards in recent years including Artsmark in 2003 and Charter Mark status in 2001. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 4 The school is currently under review as part of the South Gloucestershire consultation for reorganisation. Parents, governors and the local community are anxious to retain the status quo and have made considerable responses to the local education authority. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 25074 Joyce Cox Lead inspector English Science Religious education Design and technology Geography History Physical education Personal, social and health education and Citizenship 1329 Kevern Oliver Lay inspector 26945 Sylvia Gatehouse Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Music Provision for children in the Foundation Stage Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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). Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a good quality of education in a warm, friendly ethos and succeeds in including every pupil in all aspects of school life. Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. Teaching is good overall and some of it is very good. The acting headteacher and governing body provide good leadership. Management is satisfactory as most of the staff are very new to their roles and responsibilities. The school gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The acting headteacher and the governing body have a clear vision for future improvements. • As many of the staff, including the acting headteacher, are new to their roles, monitoring of the school’s work is at an early stage. • The quality of teaching and learning is good and support staff are very effective. • Standards are below average in information and communication technology (ICT) at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good and, as a result, pupils have good attitudes, enjoy their lessons and behave very well. • There is good provision for children in the Foundation Stage. • There are very good links with parents, the local community and other schools. • The school provides a very good programme of enrichment activities. • Junior pupils have had insufficient opportunities to use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in terms of effectively tackling the minor issues identified for improvement. The special educational needs policy has been successfully improved. Pupils’ individual progress in ICT is assessed and recorded effectively although, due to increased national expectations and resource shortages, standards in ICT are below average. Parents are very happy that their concerns are listened to and acted upon. Standards have risen at the end of Year 2. The trend in the school’s Year 2 national test results since 1999 has been above the national trend, indicating good achievement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Year 6 results All schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement overall is good . Four to seven year-olds achieve well, as do pupils with special educational needs because, of the good provision and teaching they receive. Year 2 pupils attained very high standards in national tests in 2003. Standards attained by Year 6 pupils in the 2003 national tests were below average in English and mathematics and well below average in science. Results in national tests at the end of Year 6 were much higher in 2004 Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 8 and have varied considerably since the last inspection. This is due in part to the very small size of the groups of pupils who took these tests, where the test results of one or two pupils have a considerable impact on the overall picture of performance in the school. In addition, many of the pupils have not been at the school for the whole of their primary education and the school has an above average number of pupils with special educational needs. However, since 1999,

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

the rate of improvement in Year 6 pupils’ attainment in national tests has been below average because of overuse of worksheets in many subjects which restricts pupils’ achievement. The new Year 5/6 teacher is successfully raising pupils’ attainment and achievement is now good.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The work seen during the inspection indicates that: • Reception children achieve well and are at least on course to meet the national expectations (the early learning goals) in all the areas of learning. • Year 2 pupils reach standards that are above average in English, mathematics and science. Their achievement is good. • Year 6 pupils attain average standards in English, mathematics and science, but their achievement in lessons is good. There are a high proportion of pupils in Year 6 who have some degree of special educational need. They achieve well because of the good support they receive from the teacher, teaching assistants and learning support workers.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The school makes very good provision overall for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. Their attitudes to their work are good. They enjoy their lessons and work hard. Pupils’ behaviour is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. There are very good relationships, teaching assistants and learning support workers are very effective and make a considerable contribution to pupils’ good achievement. Assessment is good and pupils’ progress can be clearly tracked from year to year. The curriculum is satisfactory overall . Junior pupils’ skills in ICT, literacy and numeracy are not used effectively in other subjects. Pupils have very good opportunities to become involved in extra- curricular activities. The school takes good care of its pupils and has very good links with parents.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher and the governing body provide good leadership. The acting headteacher has swiftly and successfully established a strong, cohesive team whose members are committed to school improvement. Management is satisfactory as most of the staff are new to their roles and have yet to play a full part in monitoring standards. School funds are targeted where they are most needed and the secretary monitors spending carefully. Governance is good. Governors are keen, supportive and carry out their responsibilities effectively. There are omissions in the prospectus and annual report to parents. The chair of the governing body is an experienced governor and makes a significant personal contribution to the life of the school and to the local community.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parental support for the school is very good. Parents are very positive about the progress that their children make and what the school has to offer, including a wide range of clubs. They like the family ethos and feel that they are made very welcome in school and that they are encouraged to play a full part in their children’s education. Pupils feel very happy at school. They like their teachers and enjoy their lessons. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 9

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • give greater emphasis to monitoring pupils’ achievements, particularly in the juniors; • raise standards in ICT and ensure there are sufficient resources to teach the full ICT curriculum; • ensure junior pupils use their developing skills in ICT, literacy and numeracy in all subjects;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • ensure that the governors’ annual report to parents and the prospectus contain all the necessary information. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 10

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED IN AREAS OF LEARNING AND SUBJECTS

Pupils’ achievement is good overall throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. Boys and girls do equally well. Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average in Year 2. Standards in English, mathematics and science are average in Year 6 and improving rapidly this term.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good in lessons in English, mathematics and science throughout the school. • Standards in ICT are below national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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Commentary

1. From an average starting point, reception children do well and meet the expected standards for their age in all the areas of learning. Children’s achievement is good because staff work effectively as a team. They know the children well and plan interesting activities which ensure children achieve well. Children find learning fun.

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Commentary

2. Year 1 and 2 pupils continue to do well and reach above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. As the table below indicates, inspection judgements are similar to the school’s results in last year’s national tests for seven-year-olds. Pupils also do better in tests than those pupils in similar schools. Indeed, improvements in test results have been better than the national trend over the last five years. This is because the good teaching makes pupils’ learning meaningful and exciting and ensures that they work hard and achieve well. Results in national tests in 2004 were lower than in previous years as there was a high proportion of pupils with some degree of special educational need. These pupils achieved well in relation to their individual targets but did not reach the expected levels.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.7 (16.7) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 17.0 (14.7) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 19.6 (16.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 7 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. In Years 3 to 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are average. The good progress made in Years 1 and 2 has not been built upon fully and improvement has not kept pace with the national trend over the past few years. Recent test results echo this, as the following table illustrates. This is partly due to differences in cohorts because above average numbers of pupils enter the school between Years 3 and 6, often with some degree of special educational needs. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 11 4. There are small numbers of pupils taking the tests at age seven and eleven, but a scrutiny of Year 6 pupils’ work for 2003 to 2004 indicates that, whilst pupils achieved satisfactorily overall, they could have done better. This is because of the use of a surfeit of inappropriate worksheets in many subjects which restricted pupils’ overall attainment and achievement.

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Commentary

5. There is a new teacher in the Year 5/6 class who is clearly focused on raising pupils’ attainment and achievement. As a result of the good and often very good teaching the current Year 6 pupils receive, they are judged to be achieving well in lessons. In spite of these improvements, standards remain average overall in English, mathematics and science because almost half of the Year 6 pupils have special educational needs.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.3 (25.0) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.7 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.0 (27.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 9 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

6. Standards are below national expectations in ICT. This is due to the fact that the school has insufficient resources to teach the full curriculum. For instance, there are no sensory thermometers for junior pupils to use in science lessons. A scrutiny of last year’s work in ICT revealed that it has been confined mainly to word processing and there have been insufficient opportunities provided for pupils to practise their computer skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

7. Standards in religious education are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Infant pupils achieve well because of the good teaching they receive. Junior pupils’ achievement is satisfactory as in discussions pupils had limited knowledge and understanding of other world faiths.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory . Their punctuality and attitudes to school are good . Their behaviour and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils have positive attitudes to school life and learning. They are very well behaved. • The school is a very happy community, free from bullying and harassment. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to learn and develop. • Pupils have a very strong sense of right and wrong. They enjoy responsibility and are keen to contribute to all aspects of school life. • The school and parents work well together to ensure that pupils come to school and arrive on time. • There are limited opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures.

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Commentary

Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 12 8. Pupils really like coming to Oldbury. They know that their school is a great place in which to learn and play because it is a happy, kind and caring family. They feel that they have good teachers and helpers. They are keen to learn and their behaviour both inside and outside the classroom is very good. They help each other and lessons race along as they and their teachers and the support staff get on with the day-to-day business of learning and teaching.

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Commentary

9. Pupils enjoy responsibility and are keen to contribute to school life. They fetch and carry registers and help their teachers to prepare and tidy up classrooms. Older ones are proud to be ‘Buddies’ and ‘Knights of the Playground,’ where they help to look after infant pupils. They enjoy the roles they play in whole school assemblies.

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Commentary

10. Lunch is calm and well ordered. Playtimes are lively and well-organised occasions with pupils enjoying each other’s company and a wide range of games and activities. They look after each other by, for example, being supportively understanding of a pupil who has major behavioural problems. Older pupils keep a kindly eye on younger ones. Nothing that could be interpreted as roughness or bullying was seen or reported during the inspection. Year 6 pupils had difficulty recalling the last time that there had been any bullying. They did, however, confirm that if any problems arose they would be dealt with quickly and fairly. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs behave well and have very good attitudes towards their work because the school has a very positive and supportive ethos.

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Commentary

11. Pupils have a very good understanding of social and moral issues and they are well able to distinguish between right and wrong. They understand and support the ways in which the school encourages them to learn and behave. In religious education and assemblies given by the acting headteacher, for example, they get very good opportunities to reflect and explore their inner feelings. Pupils are very aware of their local and national cultural heritage but have only limited knowledge and understanding of other cultures. There have, for example, been no visits to places of worship other than Christian churches. The school is aware of this shortcoming and has plans to tackle it.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.5 School data: 0.4 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

12. The above figures were published in the autumn of 2003. The school’s own records show that during 2003-2004 attendance has improved to the point where it is now broadly satisfactory. This is a result of the school’s successful drive to reduce pupils’ absence. Parents, with very few exceptions, ensure that their children get to school on time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good . The curriculum is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in the Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 13 juniors. There are a very good number of extra-curricular activities. The school takes good care of its pupils and has very good links with parents, other schools and the local community.

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Teaching and learning

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All teachers plan very effectively for pupils of different abilities and ages in their classes. • Teaching assistants and learning support workers are highly skilled and provide very good support to teachers and pupils. • Teachers’ very good relationships and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour lead to calm atmospheres for learning. • Insufficient use is made of junior pupils’ ICT, literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

13. The teacher in the reception/Years 1 and 2 class is an experienced and very competent practitioner who skilfully achieves the difficult task of planning and managing two key stages within the same class. This is in addition to being the acting headteacher. She works very effectively with the support staff and her job-share partner to ensure that the reception children, who have only been at the school for three weeks, settle happily and confidently into school routines. Very good assessment procedures have been established to track the children’s progress in all the areas of learning, which clearly show that all children achieve well. Year 1 and 2 pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science because the teachers plan exciting and interesting lessons which cater precisely for pupils regardless of their varying ability.

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Commentary

14. Teaching and learning are good in the Year 3/4 class and in the Year 5/6 class. Most teachers and support staff are very new to their roles and responsibilities, but they have quickly developed into a highly effective workforce which is very committed to raising standards and accelerating pupils’ achievement. In a very short space of time they have established very good relationships. These very good relationships between teachers and pupils have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. There is an ethos where teachers expect pupils to get down to work quickly and this means that no time is wasted and pupils get a good deal of work done. Pupils know exactly what is expected of them because teachers make clear the learning intention of the lesson and how long they have to complete their work. Pupils concentrate well during lesson introductions so the teacher can introduce new ideas quickly and assess whether or not pupils understand.

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Commentary

15. Teachers’ planning is detailed and clearly indicates what all pupils will be learning. Work is skilfully matched to pupils’ various ages and ability levels, which ensures good achievement. For instance in Year 5/6 literacy lessons, lower-attaining pupils are provided with useful prompts to help them identify the main features of a piece of report writing, whilst higher- attaining pupils were expected to have remembered the main features from previous learning.

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Commentary

16. Teachers expect their pupils to be successful so their comments about work or behaviour concentrate on the positive aspects rather than any negatives. This raises pupils’ confidence and self-esteem, helps to get the most out of them and makes them better learners. Teachers trust pupils to work well together so that when opportunities arise for Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 14 investigative or collaborative work they can allow them important time to discuss their ideas with others.

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Commentary

17. The vast majority of parents at the parents’ meeting and those who returned their questionnaires quite rightly considered that teaching is good. Teaching assistants and learning support workers provide invaluable support in lessons. They are very well qualified as two of them are trained teachers who prefer to work as support staff. They competently assist teachers in planning and organising their classes and are particularly skilled at supporting the above average number of pupils with special educational needs. Teachers take into account the requirements of pupils with special educational needs and plan their lessons accordingly. They deploy their assistants very effectively to support pupils both with their work and with their response and behaviour. For instance, in whole class discussions pupils are drawn into the activity and encouraged to make a contribution. Pupils make a valuable contribution to their own individual education plans,

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Commentary

assessing how well they have done towards reaching their targets.

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Commentary

18. The most significant areas for improvement are the way in which teachers use pupils’ developing literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in lessons. A close scrutiny of pupils’ work from 2003 to 2004 revealed an overuse of worksheets in the junior classes, which restricts pupils’ writing skills. However, this was not the case during the inspection as very few worksheets were used. Very little evidence was found of pupils using mathematics as part of their learning in other subjects. Unfortunately, the use of computers and other forms of ICT by pupils during the inspection was limited. It is clear from a scrutiny of books that pupils are adept at word processing, but rarely use data handling or control programs.

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Commentary

19. The quality of assessment is good. The co-ordinator has worked hard to devise an effective tracking system to follow pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science throughout the school. It clearly identifies any pupil who has not made the expected progress so that swift intervention strategies can be put into place. Marking of pupils’ work is now mainly thorough, although a scrutiny of last year’s Year 6 work revealed unsatisfactory marking with very few detailed comments about how pupils could improve their work making tracking of achievement difficult. Pupils have begun to evaluate their own efforts, reflecting on how difficult or easy they found the tasks. Younger pupils benefit considerably from ‘conferencing’ sessions with adults where they learn to evaluate their own strengths and to identify which areas they need to work at to improve their work. This helps teachers to identify the right level of work in lessons and recognise specific

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Commentary

patterns of learning. The assessment information also ensures accuracy in setting targets for pupils to achieve in future.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 15 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 3 10 2 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 15 The overall quality of the curriculum is satisfactory . The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for information and communication technology is unsatisfactory. • The quality of the curriculum is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. • Between Years 3 and 6 parts of mathematics and ICT are not included regularly enough. • The curriculum has not been monitored rigorously enough in recent years. • Links between subjects are not always made.

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Commentary

20. The school meets statutory requirements in all subjects apart from ICT where a shortage of resources prevents pupils from experiencing the full curriculum. All parts of the curriculum are made accessible to all pupils, including those with special educational needs. In the reception/Years 1 and 2 class, pupils are taught a good balance of subjects. However, between Years 3 and 6 in mathematics and in information and communication technology, some parts of the curriculum are not given as much emphasis as others. The school is aware of these gaps and is taking immediate steps through new action plans for each subject and staff training. Some parts of the information and communication technology curriculum are not being offered because the school lacks the required software, for example to implement modelling, data handling and control technology.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum has not received a thorough review for some time. This is because subject leaders have not had regular opportunities to monitor its effectiveness on a formal basis. However, recent substantial staff changes under the leadership of a new acting headteacher have resulted in a complete rethink with regard to the development of the curriculum. All co-ordinators have already drawn up clear, prioritised and costed action plans in a concerted effort to restore the necessary rigour into what is taught.

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Commentary

22. A strength of the curriculum is the way the school seeks to enrich it by providing very good opportunities for pupils’ learning to be expanded through visits, visitors, events, festivals and celebrations. The school is a focal point in its community and has strong links with the local church. These links generate an exciting vibrancy in the curriculum as pupils prepare performances in music and dance and decorate the church and their school with three-dimensional models, flower arrangements and art displays. Special days and weeks devoted to particular areas of the curriculum effectively enhance pupils’ learning and bring it to life. Pupils with special educational needs follow the same work as others in their age group and are fully included in all activities such as swimming, visits and using the computer suite.

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Commentary

23. The school recognises that links between subjects are limited and that skills learned in one subject are not always transferred to learning in another. Due to the recent highly effective distribution of subject responsibilities, the school is now in a good position to improve its curriculum planning so that links between subjects are consciously secured.

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Commentary

24. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory. The school makes good use of its outdoor environment in teaching science, physical education and providing opportunities for personal and social development. Staff are effectively deployed to make best use of skills and expertise. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 16

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Care, guidance and support

The school has good arrangements for looking after pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Its monitoring of pupils’ achievements and personal development is very good . There are good arrangements for involving pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

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Care, guidance and support

Main strengths and weaknesses • The school monitors pupils’ learning and progress very well and successfully uses the information to help them reach their full potential. • Governors and all staff pay good, close attention to the care and welfare of each and every pupil. • The school values pupils’ ideas and opinions and makes sure that they ’have their say’. • There are very good arrangements for bringing new pupils into school.

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Commentary

25. Oldbury is justifiably proud of its long-held reputation as a family-centred school which takes very good care of all its pupils, paying particular attention to their welfare. Basic health and safety arrangements, which currently are being reviewed, include good first aid provision and regular safety checks of the whole site. The acting headteacher is the person responsible for child protection arrangements. All other staff are properly briefed.

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Commentary

26. Teachers and support staff use a very good combination of formal and informal methods to monitor and support pupils’ achievements and personal development. As a result, they really know their pupils’ academic and personal strengths and weaknesses and provide the help which pupils need in order to make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported and involved in school because they receive good support from well- qualified teaching assistants and the special educational needs co-ordinator. Pupils who need specific help such as speech therapy receive regular support in school that is shared with teaching assistants so continuing practice of exercises can be included on a daily basis.

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Commentary

27. The acting headteacher, staff and governors value pupils’ judgements about all aspects of school life. They use the school council and day-to-day informal contact to gather information and, where appropriate, act upon it. Recent minor, but nevertheless important, changes in lunchtime procedures are a good example of the school’s approach to ‘pupil power’ in action.

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Commentary

28. There are very good arrangements for introducing new pupils, parents and carers to school life. These include very good links with local pre-school groups, home and school visits, briefing and taster sessions, older pupils acting as ‘Buddies’ and careful attention to pupils’ particular needs. Pupils, whatever their age, arriving during the school year are given similar very good support.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents, the community and other schools and colleges are all very good .

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Main strengths and weaknesses • Parents are very supportive of the school and believe that it is providing their children with a very high standard of education. • There are very good formal arrangements for keeping parents informed of their children’s progress. • The ’open door’ policy ensures that there is very good informal communication between the school and parents. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 17 • The Friends Association makes a significant social and financial contribution to the school. • Pupils’ learning and social development benefit from the number and variety of ways in which Oldbury is involved with other schools, the village and wider communities. • Pupils are very well prepared for their transfer to secondary schools. • The prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents do not contain all the required information.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

29. Parents are delighted with Oldbury School. They are confident that it helps their children to learn, grow up, and play in a caring and family-centred environment. They have confidence in the acting headteacher and all the other staff’s ability ‘to deliver.’ Many choose to travel long distances so that their children can benefit from the Oldbury experience.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

30. The formal arrangements for keeping parents informed of their children’s progress are very good. There are termly meetings which are very well attended and a comprehensive annual report which includes targets for improvement. Regular newsletters and formal documents such as the prospectus and governors’ annual report help to keep parents in touch with what is happening in school. However, current editions of the last two of these, although well produced, omit some of the required information.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

31. The school operates an ‘open door’ policy with the acting headteacher making herself available to parents whenever she possibly can. Parents and teachers ‘merge and weave’ at the beginning and end of the school day. Friendly, informal communication is the norm. Parents almost without exception feel that they are well informed. The school has very good procedures that keep parents of pupils with special educational needs well informed about their children’s progress and achievement. Parents contribute to the regular reviews and are invited to discuss the targets that their children’s individual education plans contain.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

32. The family-centred nature of Oldbury is such that parents’ ideas and suggestions constantly and informally ‘trickle’ into school. There is no regular, formal survey of parents’ views. However, when the occasion demands it, as for example in the proposals to stop swimming lessons, governors are fully prepared to seek out and act upon parents’ views and wishes about what is best for their children.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

33. Parents are supportive and make a very good contribution to their children’s education. They listen to them read and encourage homework. Some provide general help in and around school. Others run after-school clubs. There is ‘sell-out’ attendance at school productions and events. The very successful Friends Association, through its fundraising and social events, contributes considerably to the quality of school life and resources.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

34. The school is at the heart of village life and makes a very good contribution to, and benefits from, the church and the local and wider communities. The village and wider community sponsor school activities. Pupils delight, for example, in entertaining the older members of the community. 35. There are very good links with several specialist secondary schools which directly benefit pupils’ learning in, for example, science, mathematics and the arts. A comprehensive programme of visits and advice sessions for pupils and parents ensures that all the Year 6 pupils are well prepared for their move to secondary school. Everyone’s needs and anxieties are attended to.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 18 Leadership and management are satisfactory. The leadership of the recently appointed acting headteacher is good . The governance of the school is good. The management of the school is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new acting headteacher has made a good start and is clearly focused on raising standards. • New staff have been appointed and there is a strong spirit of comradeship. • Support staff are well qualified and very well deployed. • There is a close liaison between the governing body and the school. • The co-ordinators have not yet had time to put their plans into action. • The current school improvement plan lacks sufficient focus as a management tool.

p.18

Commentary

36. In the space of a month, the newly appointed acting headteacher has moved swiftly to establish a happy, caring atmosphere and has successfully maintained the equilibrium of this school. New staff have settled very well and there is a distinct air of teamwork that includes everyone who works with and for the school, including governors, the secretary, the kitchen and cleaning staff. Highly qualified support staff make a significant contribution to the school, putting their diverse skills to very good use.

p.18

Commentary

37. The governors are very supportive and closely involved in the life and work of the school. They regard the school as being at the heart of the community and show genuine care and interest in all it does. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are ready to face up to the challenges that lie ahead. Their monitoring of what goes on in the school is informal, but frequent. They attend concerts and services as well as visiting classes during lessons and talking to pupils about their work. They welcome staff to their meetings and through the special needs governor are well informed about this aspect of the school’s life. Each has adopted a subject area to watch over. They have a presentation about and make effective contributions towards the school development plan. Governors have not been receiving regular financial information. The secretary is rectifying this situation.

p.18

Commentary

38. The management of the school is satisfactory. The school improvement plan is out of date and is not robust enough to guide the school in its determination to raise standards in pupils’ achievement and in improving the curriculum. In the past, costings were not included against headings and the evaluations were not specific enough. The acting headteacher has not yet had time to draw up a new development plan, although subject leaders have all constructed good individual action plans that clearly outline the priorities for their subjects. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator, who is also the acting headteacher, provides good leadership and management as she has a good understanding of the needs of young children and ensures that they have a happy and stimulating start to their school life. The leadership and management of special educational needs are satisfactory. The new special educational needs co-ordinator has

p.18

Commentary

just taken up her responsibilities. She has already efficiently organised all the required documentation and is well aware of the demands of the post. She plays an important part in the school, working in class alongside pupils with special educational needs to help them make good progress by keeping them on task. The day-to-day routines are efficiently managed so the school runs very smoothly; the school secretary provides a Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 19 very warm and friendly welcome to all parents, visitors and pupils. Resources are well organised, the school is very clean and the grounds are well kept.

p.18

Commentary

39. The main aids to improvement are the leadership qualities of the new acting headteacher, the strengths of her staff and the whole-hearted commitment of the governing body to their school. The capacity to succeed is high. The main barriers to improvement are the local authority’s impending decisions with regard to reorganisation that give rise to anxiety and uncertainty and a limited budget that means the headteacher has a heavy teaching commitment.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 200,878 Balance from previous year 2,035 Total expenditure 195,954 Balance carried forward to the next 4,924 Expenditure per pupil 4,354 Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are good and ensure children achieve well. • Children enjoy exciting and lively activities planned to meet their needs. • All staff work closely together to provide a positive, friendly atmosphere. • Assessment procedures are very good and used very well.

p.20

Commentary

40. Children start school at the beginning of the year in which they become five. At the time of the inspection, the seven reception children had only been in school for three weeks, joining a class of Year 1 and 2 pupils. There are very good arrangements to ease their transition from playgroup to school life. The Foundation Stage is well led and managed by the acting headteacher who is passionate about providing imaginative experiences entirely suited to children of this age. There is very close liaison between all the staff, including the special educational needs co-ordinator. Consequently, there is a distinctly happy and caring atmosphere where all children, including those with special educational needs, are encouraged to do their very best. Attainment on entry is broadly average, although some children are heavily dependent on adult support at this early stage. Assessment procedures are very good and used very well so that children’s needs are

p.20

Commentary

met as closely as possible, resulting in good progress and achievement. The teacher’s marking of children’s work is often outstanding, including challenges and expectations such as ‘Well done! Next time I will look for full stops and commas in your writing’. The majority of children are on course to reach the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the beginning of Year 1. Higher-attaining children are on course to exceed the expected standards, especially in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and personal, social and emotional development. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall in all six areas of learning. There are often excellent features in teaching, such as devising enticing activities to engage children’s interest and the very effective deployment of support staff. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory. There are plans to develop

p.20

Commentary

the outside play area as the present accommodation is not readily available. Improvement since the last inspection is good because assessment systems are now very good and used very well. The new part-time teacher provides good teaching and the new special educational needs co-ordinator is actively engaged in supporting children when needed.

p.20

Commentary

41. Children have many good opportunities to improve their personal, social and emotional development during the course of the school day. They make good progress and achieve well because the quality of teaching and support is good. By providing a caring and friendly atmosphere, the teachers and their assistants ensure that children feel valued and cared for. They help children to understand right from wrong and encourage them to behave sensitively and with tolerance. Consequently, children happily work and Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 21 play together, behaving very well. They have very good attitudes towards each other, show respect towards adults and handle resources carefully. They have positive attitudes towards their work and play, rapidly developing personal qualities of perseverance and concentration.

p.20

Commentary

42. Children make good progress and achieve well in developing their communication, language and literacy skills because of good teaching and very good assessment systems that ensure children’s needs are met as closely as possible. They enjoy handling books and listening to stories and some recognise individual letters and their own names. They are being introduced to the sounds of letters such as ‘s’ through games that are both engaging and fun. Children have frequent opportunities during the day to develop their speaking and listening skills, although some are better at speaking than at listening. From looking at last year’s work, it is clear that children make rapid progress in writing, including the correct use of capital letters, full stops, commas and speech marks.

p.21

Commentary

43. Good teaching and support by teaching assistants result in good progress and achievement in mathematical development. Children count accurately up to 10 and are beginning to add on one more to a given number. There are very few worksheets so children are becoming adept at setting out their own work. For instance, they make good use of their writing skills when labelling objects ‘longer than’ or ‘smaller than’. Higher- attaining children neatly record their findings in writing when counting accurately. All children have exciting opportunities to explore many aspects of mathematics, including shape and measure, through practical activities using a good range of resources. They record their work in their own way, using diagrams and drawings as well as numerals and mathematical symbols.

p.21

Commentary

44. Children have a good range of enticing opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They make good progress and achieve well because the quality of teaching and support is good. Visits to local places such as castles and museums, and visitors to school, enrich children’s knowledge of the world beyond school and home. For instance, Reverend Primrose shows children his special vestments and children write enthusiastically about attending Harvest and Christmas services in the church. Children enjoy using computers and are acquiring the skills of clicking and dragging, using the mouse with increasing accuracy. Children observe seeds sprouting and make good use of their mathematical skills when measuring the heights of flowers. They listen carefully to the school nurse, the community policeman and the firemen, gaining an understanding of the jobs that people do to help keep everyone

p.21

Commentary

safe and well. There are good links with writing, mathematics and art.

p.21

Commentary

45. The teacher’s planning shows that children’s creative development includes regular lessons in dance in the school hall and opportunities for role play in class and the nearby outdoor play area. Children enjoy stories and respond enthusiastically to texts because the teacher and her assistant read expressively and engage their participation through carefully aimed questioning. There were no opportunities during the inspection to observe any direct teaching and learning in art and music. However, looking at photographs and reading children’s work from last year indicate that this area of learning is rich in events and festivals that stimulate children’s creative development in exciting and meaningful ways. For instance, all children take part in the annual Christmas production written especially for the school by the acting headteacher.

p.21

Commentary

46. During the inspection there were no timetabled lessons in physical development . Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 22 However, photographs and other evidence clearly show that children have weekly opportunities for climbing, jumping and balancing on a very good range of large apparatus at the local leisure centre. Children’s dexterity is well provided for in class through the use of manipulative apparatus such as interlocking construction toys and jigsaws. They are encouraged to handle a range of equipment such as modelling material, crayons, pencils, chalk and scissors and they are adept at using the computer mouse with increasing accuracy. They make good progress and achieve well because the quality of teaching and support is good. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 23 SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading and writing are above average by the end of Year 2. • Infant pupils use phonic skills well to work out new words when reading. • Opportunities for junior pupils to write in different genres have been too limited. • There are not enough opportunities for junior pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

47. The standards seen during the inspection were above average overall by the end of Year 2 and average by the end of Year 6. In national tests in 2003 for pupils aged seven, standards were very high in reading and well above average in writing. The unvalidated test results for 2004 are slightly lower than the 2003 results and attainment is average rather than above average. This is because many of the pupils taking the test had some degree of special educational needs. Very small numbers of pupils take the tests each year, making statistical analysis somewhat difficult. However, the trend in pupils’ results has been above the national trend, indicating good achievement from an average starting point in reception.

p.23

Commentary

48. Year 6 pupils’ scores in national tests in English in 2003 were below the national average and the pupils’ rate of improvement in tests since 1999 has been below the national trend, indicating a drop in achievement from the above average trend at Key Stage 1. The unvalidated test results for 2004 show an improvement on the 2003 results with over three- quarters of the pupils attaining the expected Level 4. Work sampling of Year 6 work from 2003 to 2004 reveals few opportunities for pupils to write in different genres, which is an area for improvement. The new Year 5/6 teacher is determined to raise pupils’ attainment and achievement and all junior pupils demonstrated good achievement in literacy lessons.

p.23

Commentary

49. Achievement in speaking and listening is satisfactory overall for pupils by the age of seven and eleven and the majority of pupils reach the expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. They listen carefully when others are speaking, although some pupils’ responses are quite brief. Higher-attaining junior pupils discuss their learning maturely and sensibly with a good awareness of speaking and listening conventions. Teachers and support staff work hard to ensure that pupils understand specific words in texts and most encourage pupils to respond to questions in full sentences. Some teachers encourage pupils to discuss their learning together which promotes effective speaking and listening skills, but this is not consistent practice throughout the school.

p.23

Commentary

50. Pupils do better in reading than writing. Higher-attaining pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reach above average standards in reading and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. Pupils are enthusiastic about books and older pupils know how to skim and scan texts for information. Some pupils with special educational needs read competently, but their comprehension skills are weaker and they find it hard Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 24 to use inference and deduction to see beyond the facts in their stories. Year 2 pupils enjoy reading and are skilled at using letter sounds to deduce new vocabulary.

p.23

Commentary

51. Writing is identified as requiring improvement by the school, particularly in the juniors. A scrutiny of Year 6 pupils’ work for 2003 to 2004 reveals very limited opportunities for pupils to write in a variety of different ways, such as poetry, persuasive or letter writing. Standards were average and achievement was satisfactory. However, examination of teachers’ current planning shows that the school is working hard to address this deficit. Planning is very detailed and clearly meets the different learning needs within the classes. Handwriting is reasonably neat and well formed, particularly in the infants.

p.24

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning were good in the lessons seen. Teaching assistants and learning support workers provide very good support in literacy lessons, particularly for pupils with special educational needs as they ensure that pupils understand the task and explain any unfamiliar vocabulary, rephrasing information when necessary. Planning is very detailed and clear and simplified learning objectives are shared with the pupils so they know exactly what they are going to learn. Expectations for work and behaviour are high as Year 5/6 pupils are asked to ‘Sit up straight, no slouching and listen carefully’.

p.24

Commentary

53. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. She has monitored literacy lessons and has studied test results to identify areas for improvement. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in terms of tracking pupils’ progress and in maintaining high standards in reading and writing at the end of Year 2.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. The use of language and literacy across the curriculum is good in the infants and unsatisfactory in the juniors. Infant pupils are encouraged to record their work in their own words and very few worksheets are used. However, a scrutiny of last year’s work in the juniors reveals an overuse of inappropriate worksheets in many subjects, where pupils merely have to fill in a single word. This practice does not further their literacy skills. In fact, it hinders achievement. The current junior teachers are very aware of this and have begun to plan good opportunities for pupils to practise their skills in subjects such as religious education and science.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 have not been high enough for some time but are picking up rapidly this term. • There is a new co-ordinator who has successfully focused on raising the standard of teaching, which has recently improved. • Pupils have very good attitudes towards mathematics. • There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology. • Some areas of the curriculum have not been planned for with sufficient consistency. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

55. Standards in mathematics by the end of Year 2 are consistently above average. Pupils make good progress and achieve well because of good teaching and support. However, standards in Year 6 are generally average, although new teaching is already having an impact on progress and achievement in lessons. The scrutiny of past work indicates that pupils in Years 5 and 6 make only satisfactory progress over time and achievement is no more than satisfactory. Far too many worksheets stifle extension work, especially for the high-attaining pupils.

p.25

Commentary

56. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils currently in Years 2, 4 and 6 make very good progress and achieve very well due to very good teaching that is challenging and fast paced. All teachers make the aims of the lesson clear, establish a strong sense of purpose and plan work very well to match pupils’ needs. Consequently, pupils have very good attitudes and work hard to complete their tasks, eager to embark on extension activities. Well-qualified support staff sensitively help and encourage pupils, including those with special educational needs, so that they make good progress and achieve well. Pupils are being encouraged to record their work for themselves, showing their methods of working out. They have good opportunities to develop organisational skills and take pride in presenting their work clearly and neatly.

p.25

Commentary

57. There is little evidence in pupils’ previous work to show that they have had enough opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of shape, space, measure and data handling. Nor have they made sufficient use of their computer skills to extend their work in mathematics, for instance in applying their knowledge of angles and distance to the programming of robots.

p.25

Commentary

58. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The newly appointed co- ordinator has not had time to have an impact on standards, but she is passionate about her subject and has already drawn up a clear action plan. Its main focus is on raising standards by the end of Year 6. She is also determined to ensure that all areas of learning are covered, having analysed recent national test results to identify where pupils performed less well. Her weekly maths club is very popular, providing pupils in Years 5 and 6 with opportunities to conduct investigations that enable them to put their mathematical skills to good use.

p.25

Commentary

59. Since the last inspection, standards by the end of Year 6 have fluctuated considerably year on year due to the number of special educational needs pupils and the high number of pupils moving into the school in each cohort. Some of these pupils require much support in mathematics to boost their knowledge and understanding, as well as their self- confidence. Consequently, the overall improvement in mathematics since the last inspection is satisfactory.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. The use of mathematics in other subjects in Years 3 to 6 is unsatisfactory. Very little evidence was found in pupils’ work from last year of numeracy being used enough to illuminate work in subjects such as science or design and technology. Satisfactory use of numeracy occurs in Years 1 and 2, for instance when cooking or measuring the height of flowers. In junior classes, there are new displays involving number lines showing historical facts and children’s birthdays. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Work is planned effectively for different ages and abilities. • There is a good focus on investigation skills throughout the school. • Too many worksheets are used by junior pupils to record their work, which restricts their literacy skills.

p.26

Commentary

61. Standards attained by the current Year 2 are above average and average in Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is good in lessons. Work sampling reveals that pupils’ achievement over time has been only satisfactory. No significant difference is noted between the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their ability because of the high quality support they receive in lessons. In the Year 2 2003 teacher assessments all the pupils attained the expected Level 2, with over half of the pupils attaining the higher Level 3, representing good achievement. Assessment results were lower in 2004 as many of the pupils had some degree of special educational needs. In national tests in 2003 Year 6 pupils attained very low results and science results have been slowly declining since 1999. Very small numbers of pupils take the tests each year which makes statistical analysis somewhat difficult.

p.26

Commentary

However, the unvalidated test results for 2004 show a considerable improvement, with results being in line with the national average. A scrutiny of Year 6 pupils’ work in science for 2003 to 2004 revealed very little recorded work, making it very difficult to judge achievement over time.

p.26

Commentary

62. The quality of teaching is good and, as a result, pupils’ current achievement and learning are good throughout the school. Teachers in all classes teach science with a high proportion of practical and investigative activities, which have a clear focus in teachers’ detailed planning. As a result, pupils are developing a good understanding of living things, materials, forces and light and sound. They are learning to predict what might happen when they investigate and to explain why things happen in their results. Teachers’ planning is very detailed and succeeds in matching work precisely to cater for pupils of different ages and abilities within their classes.

p.26

Commentary

63. Teaching assistants and learning support workers provide very good support for pupils with special educational needs. They are skilled at keeping pupils with special educational needs interested and motivated by asking and clarifying questions to make them think. As a result, these pupils achieve well in their science work. Teachers work hard to make sure the correct scientific vocabulary is used in lessons and that pupils understand what the words mean and put them into context, which accelerates pupils’ learning. However, work sampling revealed a surfeit of worksheets, particularly in the juniors, which restricts pupils’ ability to practise their literacy skills.

p.26

Commentary

64. The co-ordinator, who has only been in post since September 2004, provides satisfactory leadership and management. She has wasted no time in writing a good action plan which is clearly focused on raising pupils’ attainment and achievement in Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 27 science. It has not been possible to observe teaching and learning in the past, but this is planned as a future development.

p.26

Commentary

65. A shortage of ICT resources in science means that pupils do not have access to sensory thermometers, which hinders their access to the full curriculum. The good outdoor facilities are used very effectively in science lessons. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school does not have enough resources to fulfil the requirements of the curriculum. • Information and communication technology is not used to promote learning well in other subjects. • Until recently, the co-ordinator has not had opportunities to fulfil her role effectively. • Pupils enjoy using computers and behave well.

p.27

Commentary

66. The school has established a computer suite and all classes have timetabled access to it. All pupils have access to computers, including those with special educational needs. Only one lesson in the suite was timetabled during the inspection which involved teaching science through information and communication technology. There is evidence that pupils are approaching satisfactory standards in word processing by the end of Years 2 and 6. For example, Year 3 and 4 pupils change font size, colour and shape and move captions and sentences around the screen. They import graphics and use software that enables them to create their own pictures. Pupils in Year 2 write whole sentences correctly using capital letters and full stops. By Year 6, pupils edit their work using the keyboard facilities properly to delete or insert text.

p.27

Commentary

67. However, there is no evidence of the other strands of the curriculum for information and communication technology such as modelling, data handling or control technology because the school lacks the software and other resources to enable these to be taught. One interactive whiteboard is in place although there have been maintenance problems and the system is unreliable. The school awaits the imminent delivery of interactive whiteboards for all classes. Staff training has been planned in their use.

p.27

Commentary

68. Only one lesson was timetabled in the suite during the inspection. Teaching and learning based on work sampling and the limited use of computers in classes would appear to be unsatisfactory. Although in that lesson there was a clear link between science and information technology, in general links with other subjects are unsatisfactory. Furthermore, looking at work over the previous year confirms that skills are not being systematically taught. Manageable assessment systems are newly in place, but they are not always used consistently to record individual progress.

p.27

Commentary

69. The leadership and management of information and communication technology are satisfactory. However, until recently not enough opportunities have been available for the co-ordinator to fulfil the requirements of her role in monitoring her subject. The issues raised at the time of the last inspection have not been fully addressed and therefore Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 28 improvement since then is unsatisfactory. However, provision has improved considerably since September 2004 and the co-ordinator has produced a detailed action plan. The school has identified improvements in ICT as a priority in its self-evaluation.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. Limited use was seen of information and communication technology in lessons during the inspection. Pupils say they use computers sometimes to complete writing tasks in English and to develop their mathematical skills. Sampling their exercise books across all subjects confirms that this is the case. However, the use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory overall.

p.28

History and geography

71. These subjects were sampled because no lessons were seen in either subject and there was insufficient evidence to make a judgment about provision overall. Pupils’ work in both subjects in exercise books and on display was analysed. Standards in history and geography by the ages of seven and eleven are in line with national expectations and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Coverage of the curriculum in each subject is satisfactory, although work sampling revealed that insufficient use is made of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills and ICT in both subjects in the junior classes.

p.28

Religious education

The provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good in the infants and younger pupils achieve well. • There are not enough chances for junior pupils to use their own words when writing about events. • Older pupils have a limited knowledge and understanding of other world faiths.

p.28

Commentary

72. Attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is in line with that expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ achievement is good in the infant class and satisfactory in the junior classes. Year 1 and 2 pupils learn about special places and why churches and cathedrals are special to Christians. Year 3 to Year 6 pupils explore the story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ and learn to relate its meaning to modern day life.

p.28

Commentary

73. Teaching and learning are good in the Year 1/2 class. Infant pupils learn that religious education lessons are special times as the teacher lights a candle and plays calm music as they arrive in from the playground. They respond well to this calm atmosphere and very sensibly consider ‘special places’ and what makes them special. Pupils share resources amicably and pupils with special educational needs are skilfully supported by learning support workers so that they can take a full part in lessons. Drama is used effectively in a Year 3 to 6 lesson where pupils devise their own scenarios to explain the message of the ‘Good Samaritan’. This is quite a hard concept for some pupils but with effective support from teachers they achieve satisfactorily. Learning was adapted very skilfully in this Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 29 lesson to ensure that pupils with special educational needs achieved well. Very little use

p.28

Commentary

of the Internet to research religious education topics was evident and in discussions Year 6 pupils displayed a very superficial knowledge of other world faiths such as Judaism. A scrutiny of pupils’ work in religious education for 2003 to 2004 indicates an overuse of worksheets in the juniors, which restricts pupils’ literacy skills.

p.29

Commentary

74. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership and management. She has a clear vision of strengths and areas to improve. The constraints of a small school and being acting headteacher as well as literacy co-ordinator make monitoring of religious education teaching and learning difficult. Members of the local community provide very good support to the subject as they regularly participate in acts of collective worship. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the last inspection.

p.29

Art and design

75. During the period of the inspection only one lesson in art was timetabled so it is not possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching and learning or overall provision. However, the displays around the school at this very early stage in the school year indicate the enjoyment that art gives to pupils, for instance in portraying themselves, their friends and their houses. Pupils have opportunities to use paint, pastels, pencil and chalk in close observational work. They learn about the work of artists from other times and cultures such as Miro and use cut paper shapes to interpret movement in his style. The school has been successful in achieving the Artsmark and pupils’ work is celebrated in framed collections around the school to inspire others.

p.29

Art and design

76. The leadership and management of the subject are only satisfactory because the co- ordinator has not been given time to monitor the subject due to budget constraints.

p.29

Design and technology

77. No lessons were planned during the inspection, so it is not possible to make secure judgements about the school’s provision. A scrutiny of examples of pupils’ work indicates that they are gaining a satisfactory experience of a range of materials and techniques. No planning books were in evidence and there were very few examples of pupils evaluating their designs and finished work.

p.29

Design and technology

78. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Monitoring of teaching and learning is at an early stage.

p.29

Music

79. During the inspection no music lessons were timetabled so judgements cannot be made about the quality of teaching and learning or provision. However, looking at photographs, programmes and children’s work shows that music is a strong feature in the school’s links with its community and the local church, on occasions like Christmas, Harvest, the Leavers’ Service and the celebration of the school’s 150th anniversary. A good feature of the school’s provision for music is the deployment of staff to maximise their skills, for example in teaching the violin and the recorder. Singing in assembly is suitably controlled, reflecting the meaning of the words, and pupils are given interesting Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 30 information about the composer of the week, for instance Gustav Holst, as they listen to Venus from his suite The Planets . The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory.

p.29

Physical education

80. No lessons in physical education were observed during the inspection, so it is not possible to make secure judgements about provision. It is clear that the school works hard to overcome the limitations of its small hall by taking all the pupils to a weekly gymnastics session at a nearby leisure centre. From looking at planning and discussions with staff and pupils, it is evident that all strands are taught during the school year. All pupils go swimming each week and there are very good opportunities for pupils to enrich their experience through a wide selection of extra-curricular activities. Physical education makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ personal and social education. Facilities for outdoor games are good. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory, as is the improvement since the last inspection.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and Citizenship is very good .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very good at raising pupils’ self esteem and confidence. • Pupils have many good opportunities to take on responsibility.

p.30

Commentary

81. The school places considerable emphasis on pupils’ personal development. It is extremely good at making the most of pupils’ well-developed social and personal skills when they start school and developing those even further. Throughout the school there are frequent opportunities for pupils to grow in confidence, to be motivated in their learning and to succeed in all they do. During the school day, there are many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, which they do with great eagerness.

p.30

Commentary

82. The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and the consequences are that the pupils respect each other and they play and work together in harmony. Older pupils enjoy being ‘buddies’ to the reception children, helping them to settle happily and confidently into school. ‘Knights of the playground’ ensure that breaks and lunchtimes are happy and harmonious. There is a good programme for drugs and sex and relationships education firmly in place. The school is about to embark on the ‘safer routes to school’ initiative and ensures that pupils are very aware of recycling issues. Waste paper is collected for recycling and the gardening club has its own composter to recycle food waste.

p.30

Commentary

83. Many new developments such as the ‘buddy’ support at lunchtimes and the establishment of a school council are improving provision. The outcomes of the provision are positive, as seen in pupils’ good attitudes and very good relationships. These are positive features in helping to raise attainment and achievement. Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 31

p.30

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.31

Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.31

Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.31

Inspection judgement Grade

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 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 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

p.31

Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.31

Inspection judgement Grade

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Oldbury on Severn CE Primary School - 32

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