Parwich Primary School

PARWICH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th and 9 th November 2004

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PARWICH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Parwich 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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PARWICH 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. Parwich Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 38

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Parwich Ashbourne Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01335 390245 Fax number:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Ms Linda Brown Date of previous inspection: 4 th May 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves a rural population of children from the village of Parwich and further afield; some children live on isolated farms. All of the children are of white British heritage and speak English as their first language. Attainment on entry varies considerably from year to year but overall is average. The school population has fallen from 55 at the time of the last inspection to 38 (to rise to 42) this year. The largest year group in the school is now seven and the smallest four. There are five pupils with special educational needs; 3 at school action, one at school action plus and one with a statement.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The pupils are taught in two classes by a headteacher, one full time and one part time teacher. Since the school was last inspected a new classroom has been added and the play area enhanced.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a healthy schools award; and received an achievement award in 2000.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

During the course of the inspection the death, following a short illness, of the school cook was announced. The news was received with great sadness by the whole school community. Parwich Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

11897 Christopher Parker Lead inspector Mathematics, Science, Information and communication technology, Art and design, Design and technology, Special educational needs, Personal, social and health education 14083 Andy Anderson Lay inspector 21858 John Pryor Team inspector English, Geography, History, Music, Religious education, Physical education, Foundation Stage

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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). Parwich Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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

This is a good and effective school . The teaching is consistently good and, as a result, the pupils achieve well. Leadership and management are good. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards in English and mathematics are above average • The parents hold the school in very high regard • Standards in art and design are high • The headteacher is enthusiastic and a good role model, and leads by example • Investigative science is not taught systematically enough in Years 3 to 6 • There is a strong commitment to meet the needs of each child • Assessment is used effectively in English and mathematics but is patchy in other areas • Though parents are kept well informed, annual reports do not give a clear enough picture of progress and achievement

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection, and has dealt successfully with the issues it raised. Homework is now well organised and curriculum information is provided for parents who are happy with current arrangements; child protection policies have been fully developed and staff are appropriately trained. Steps have been taken by the governors to evaluate spending decisions and further developments are planned to assess the impact of school improvement activities. Strong teaching remains a central feature of the good quality of education.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A C A mathematics E B E C science D D E C 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

Overall achievement is good . The youngest children do well and most are on course to reach the goals set for the end of the reception year. The number of pupils in each cohort is very small and, therefore, any conclusions drawn from an analysis of national test results must be viewed with very great caution. In addition, there is a great deal of variation in attainment on entry. In writing, Year 2 results in 2003 were in the top five per cent nationally and in reading and mathematics they were well above average. Year 6 results in 2003 in English were average and in mathematics they were well below average. The results in 2004 were low. Detailed analysis of each pupil’s annual test results provides a much more reliable picture of the pupils’ secure and improving achievement. It shows that current Year 6 pupils have made the expected progress in reading and are well exceeding expectations in writing and mathematics. Inspection evidence shows current standards to be above

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

average in English and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Parwich Primary School - 7 Standards in science are broadly average at the present time. Standards in art and design are high because the pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to work in different media, lessons are fun, the teaching motivates them and they are taught the techniques that enable them to achieve very well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities are very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes and behave very well. They concentrate well because they are set interesting and enjoyable activities which challenge them and stimulate a desire to learn. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural personal development is good. Children of all ages have very good relationships with each other and the adults who work in the school. Levels of attendance are very high and punctuality is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. The teaching is consistently good and caters well for the wide age ranges in each class. The teachers and teaching assistants work together very effectively. As a result the pupils are well motivated and concentrate on their work. Overall assessment is satisfactory. It is effective in English and mathematics but in other subjects the assessment of the pupils’ progress is patchy. The curriculum interests the pupils and engages them in purposeful activities. It is generally well planned but not enough account is taken of the systematic development of the pupils’ skills of scientific investigation from Years 3 to 6. The teachers make good use of interesting resources and enhance the curriculum with visits to places of interest and visitors who add an additional dimension to the pupils’ work. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and helps them to make good progress

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

towards the targets set for them. A new classroom has provided additional space and, as a result, accommodation is good overall.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides very effective pastoral care through very good support, advice and guidance. Every child has a very good and trusting relationship with one or more adults in the school and the pupils feel their views are listened to. Procedures to ensure the pupils work in a healthy and safe environment are very good. Homework arrangements are good and parents contribute very well to pupils’ learning at school and at home.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides the school with a clear direction and an enthusiasm which creates an atmosphere of productive learning. The very good ethos enables the pupils to learn in a positive and caring environment. Although the staff is small, it is an effective team and the good working relationships among the adults transmit very positive messages to the pupils. Monitoring of the school’s performance and the tracking of the pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is now used effectively plan for improvements.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The governors provide good support for the school. Through frequent visits and regular meetings the governors keep well informed and know how effectively the school is working. They are clear about the areas in which they wish to see improvements. There is a comprehensive school improvement plan but some aspects of curriculum improvement planning are not sharp enough to allow the impact of development activities to be fully evaluated.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parwich Primary School - 8 The pupils say they like school and the parents are highly satisfied with the work of the school and the progress the pupils are making. A few parents feel they are not given enough information about how their child is getting on. Inspectors agree that annual reports do not give a clear evaluation of each pupil’s progress or how they compare with the expectations for their age.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Extend assessment strategies to give a clear picture of each pupil’s progress in all subjects • Ensure the skills of scientific investigation are taught systematically • Improve annual written reports for parents Parwich Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Overall achievement is good. Standards in English and mathematics are above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils are achieving well in writing and mathematics • Standards in art and design are high

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Commentary

1. Attainment on entry varies widely from year to year but is broadly average. Most of the children have enjoyed some pre-school experience and settle well into school life initially on a part time basis and then full time in the term in which they are five. By the time the children leave the Foundation Stage and join Year 1 most have made good progress and reached the goals expected by the end of the reception year in all six areas of learning. This represents a good achievement.

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Commentary

2. The number of pupils in each cohort is very small and therefore the annual analysis of national test results must be viewed with great caution. In addition, there is a great deal of variation in attainment on entry, which is also a significant factor when considering the pupils’ achievements. The variation in cohorts is very well illustrated by the results in writing at the end of Year 2 which were average in 2000, well below average in 2001 and in the top five per cent nationally in 2002 and 2003. In 2002 and 2003 results in reading and mathematics were well above average. Inspection evidence shows current standards to be above average in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

3. At the end of Year 6 there are similar variations, for example in 2000 results in English were well below average and in 2001 they were well above average. In 2002 results in English were well above average and in mathematics they were above average. In 2003 results in English were average and in mathematics they were well below average. The results in 2004 were low. Comparisons with similar schools are as varied as national results but in 2003 results were well above average in English and average in mathematics at the end of Year 6. Currently standards in English and mathematics are above average.

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Commentary

4. An analysis of each pupil’s results showing the extent of the progress made between the tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 shows that the 2003 cohort made the expected progress over four years. In 2004 progress over the same period was not quite has high, but a detailed analysis of the progress made by the current Year 6 pupils shows they have made the expected progress in reading and are well exceeding expectations in writing and mathematics. The good new tracking systems allows the headteacher to monitor each pupil’s progress from year to year and this is helping to set consistently high expectations for the standards attained in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The good levels of achievement are the result of consistently good teaching. The pupils with special educational needs are well supported and making good progress towards the targets set for them. Tasks set by the teachers are carefully modified to

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Commentary

provide an appropriate level of challenge for pupils of all abilities.

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Commentary

5. Standards in science are broadly average. In Years 1 and 2 the pupils achieve well and their work shows good progress in the development of the skills of scientific investigation. However, in Years 3 to 6 there is no evidence that these skills are developed in a systematic manner and this may account for the trend of below average results in the science tests at the end of Year 6 in Parwich Primary School - 10 recent years. In addition, less consideration is given to monitoring the pupils’ progress in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

6. Standards in art and design are high because the pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to work in different media, lessons are fun, the teaching motivates them and they are taught the techniques that allow them to achieve very well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very positive attitudes and behave very well. The development of their personal qualities is good. The school has very high levels of attendance and punctuality is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very interested in school and the range of activities provided • Children of all ages have very good relationships with each other • The school stimulates a desire to learn in all pupils

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Commentary

7. All pupils are very happy to come to school and are very eager to learn. They are attentive, co-operative and collaborate well with each other. This has a positive impact on the standards they achieve. There are very good relationships throughout the school. Where they are offered opportunities to take on responsibilities, for example, acting as lunchtime helpers and playground “buddies”, the older pupils respond in a very mature manner.

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Commentary

8. The pupils behave very well in lessons. The headteacher actively promotes high expectations and is fully supported in this by all members of staff. Consequently, the school stimulates in pupils a real desire to learn. Teaching and non-teaching staff have high expectations of what constitutes good behaviour and consistently and fairly implement the school’s behaviour management procedures. Behaviour at breaks and lunchtimes, and as pupils move around the school is very good.

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Commentary

9. Overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. The children are developing a good understanding of the responsibilities of living together in a community and respecting each other’s feelings and values. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Very good use is made of the local area, for example visits and visitors, to develop pupils’ awareness of their own culture and traditions. Children are learning how to live their lives as part of a multicultural society.

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Commentary

10. The vast majority of parents agree that their children like school and that behaviour in the school is good. A very small number of parents expressed a concern about bullying. During the inspection there was no evidence of this and the school has a clear anti-bullying statement.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence Parwich Primary School - 11 School data 2.4 School data 0.1

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Attendance

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

The attendance rate at the school is very high in comparison with other schools.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. The pupils are consistently well taught, the curriculum is interesting and their care and welfare is catered for very well.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good and assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned and tasks carefully modified for different groups • The wide age range in each class is very well managed • Lessons are interesting and the pupils well motivated • The teachers and teaching assistants work together very effectively • The assessment of the pupils’ progress is effective in English and mathematics but in other subjects it is patchy

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Commentary

11. The teaching of the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage was good in all of the lessons seen. Accomplished teaching and the experienced and well trained support from the teaching assistant combine to provide the youngest children with a good range of activities and opportunities. The planning of work for the wide age range and spread of capabilities within the class is very well done and the lessons proceed at a good pace so that a good deal of learning takes place. The calm and purposeful atmosphere developed in the classroom also supports the rapid development and maintenance of self-confidence on the part of the children. This applies equally to the pupils in Years 1 and 2. The teacher’s careful selection of tasks ensures the pupils are challenged, notably in English, mathematics and science and consequently they make good progress and achieve well. The modification of tasks and the skilful use of common themes for

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Commentary

the Foundation Stage was well illustrated in an art lesson where the range of tasks varied from finger painting for the youngest children to accurate use of brushes for Year 2 pupils as they created pictures in the style of Seurat. Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. Parwich Primary School - 12 12. The teaching responsibilities are shared in Years 3 to 6 and organised with a degree of flexibility that periodically allows both teachers to work together and support small groups of pupils as a specific need arises. The headteacher is very enthusiastic and motivates and engages the pupils through well chosen questions. The use of computer presentations, for example, in art and design and science lessons helps to focus the learning as well interesting the pupils in the content and activities. Relationships are very good. This was very evident in a circle time sessions but is also a key feature of other lessons and allows learning to take place within a very positive environment.

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Commentary

13. The pupils apply themselves well. They concentrate on the tasks they are set and show a pride in the work they produce. Expectations are high and pupils do not have to be reminded of the quality of work that is expected because they are surrounded by displays of careful and well presented writing and art work. The older pupils respond particularly well to the teachers’ questions .

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Commentary

14. The assessment, recording and use of the information collected about the pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is good but in other subjects it is reliant on discussion and interaction with individual pupils. In some areas not enough assessment takes place to create a clear picture of how well each pupil is doing. Although, the pupils’ work is thoroughly marked, often with useful comments, there is no record giving an overview of the each pupil’s progress in some subjects.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is broad and interesting. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum interests the pupils and engages them in purposeful activities • Provision for special educational needs is good • The teachers make good use of interesting resources • Curriculum planning does not take sufficient account of scientific investigation

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Commentary

15. The school is currently developing its curriculum to maximise the potential links between subjects. At the present time links between history, geography and science are, for the most part, well planned. However, not enough account has been taken of the need to develop the pupils’ skills of scientific investigation systematically from Years 3 to 6. The links that have been exploited between English and other subjects are providing the pupils with purposeful and interesting opportunities to write and communicate in a wide range of contexts. Good links also exist between art and design and other subjects which contribute significantly to very good provision in this subject.

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Commentary

16. Visits and visitors provide the pupils with good opportunities to extend their knowledge of, for example, their own and other cultures. A local walk to the well dressing at Tissington helps the pupils to find out about their own culture and visits to a mosque in Derby extend their understanding of other cultures. The older pupils also take part in a residential visit with pupils from other small schools in the area. In addition, the curriculum is enriched by theatre visits and sporting opportunities, for example, to play tag rugby in a competition at the local secondary school. Parwich Primary School - 13 17. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Individual education plans have clear and precise targets and teaching assistants are particularly effective in their support of these pupils. Where necessary external agencies are involved and discussions indicate that the school responds well to advice and guidance given by behaviour support

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Commentary

18. The curriculum enables the pupils to achieve well. Recent developments are under review and their success is being monitored by the governing body as part of the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

19. Although the school does not have a hall, the addition of a new classroom provides generous space that is used very well. The playground is well laid out and there is a small grassed area close to the school that is used for games. In addition the school uses the village hall for physical education and playing fields within the village. The school has good resources. These are also of good quality and engage the pupils in their learning. Since the last inspection resources for ICT have improved significantly. Parwich Primary School - 14

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very effective pastoral care. The provision for support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is very good. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Every child has a very good and trusting relationship with one or more adults in the school • Procedures to ensure pupils work in a healthy and safe environment are very good • Induction arrangements for pupils are very good

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Commentary

20. The school has retained the very caring ethos reported at the time of the last inspection. The headteacher and his staff are very approachable, caring and fully committed to the welfare of the children in their charge. In this small school all staff know the pupils extremely well. Every child has a very good and trusting relationship with one or more adults in the school. Relationships between adults and children are firmly grounded in mutual respect.

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Commentary

21. The school’s child protection procedures are fully understood by all members of staff. The school’s arrangements for pastoral care, for example, first aid provision, are very good. Supervision at breaks and lunchtime is alert and vigilant and the standard of care is very high.

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Commentary

22. The governing body and headteacher take their health and safety responsibilities very seriously. All the required checks and inspections, including risk assessments, are regularly carried out and properly recorded. Consequently, children work and play in a safe and secure environment. However, a couple of minor potential safety concerns were brought to the attention of the headteacher during the inspection.

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Commentary

23. Teaching assistants provide very good support to teachers and pupils. Comprehensive tracking records for English and mathematics are very well used to inform support for individuals and groups of pupils. Children with special educational needs are particularly well supported. This has a positive impact on standards achieved and pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

24. Although there are few formal structures for pupils to put forward their views about the school, teachers regularly talk to children and encourage them to voice their opinions. The majority of children agree that teachers listen to their ideas.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents and other schools are good. Links with the community are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vast majority of parents hold the school in very high regard • Parents contribute very well to pupils’ learning at school and at home • Provision to parents of general information about the school is very good Parwich Primary School - 15 • Annual reports to parents do not give clear enough information about standards and progress

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Commentary

25. Links with parents are good and have been maintained since the last inspection. The vast majority of parents consistently express very positive views about all aspects of the school. During the inspection it was found that the headteacher and his staff were available to parents at the start and end of each school day and were very approachable and welcoming. There is very good support for home reading and homework. The parents association (PSA) is very well supported and raises considerable funds for the school.

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Commentary

26. The provision of general information about all aspects of school life is very good. The school prospectus is attractive and informative. The governors hold an annual meeting with parents and publish a comprehensive annual report. Parents are well informed about the curriculum and the topics that their children are studying. Parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) are kept very well informed and fully involved in their child’s education.

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Commentary

27. Parents are given a brief annual progress report. Not all reports include information about, for example, information communication technology (ICT) and personal and social development. Reports do not set formal targets for improvement. Parents are offered the opportunity to attend appropriate consultation evenings each year.

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Commentary

28. The school uses the local and wider community extremely well. Pupils are taken on a very good range of visits and are exposed to a wide range of community visitors, which enriches the curriculum and supports their personal development. Pupils are encouraged to raise funds for local, national and international charities. This increases their awareness of others less fortunate than themselves.

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Commentary

29. The school is fully involved in the local cluster of schools. There are good relationships with the main receiving secondary school, which ensures smooth transition to the next stage of their education.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership, management and governance are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides a very good role model • The governors provide good support for the school • Some aspects of curriculum improvement planning are not sharp enough

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Commentary

30. The headteacher continues to provide the school with a clear educational direction and an enthusiasm which creates an atmosphere of productive learning. The very good ethos, reported at the time of the last inspection, enables the pupils to learn in a positive and caring environment. Although the staff is small, it is an effective team and good working relationships are very evident, particularly between the teachers and their assistants. Parwich Primary School - 16 31. The headteacher provides a very good role model for teaching. Curriculum management is sensibly handled by the headteacher and the full time teacher. Current curriculum development activities are seeking to make effective links between subjects to provide the pupils with a more dynamic curriculum. There is a curriculum improvement plan which outlines key areas of this development. While this is linked to the school improvement plan,

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Commentary

some of the success criteria are not sufficiently focused to facilitate a sharp evaluation of the impact of these activities on the pupils’ achievements.

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Commentary

32. The governors have taken full control of the school improvement plan and have clear procedures for reviewing key areas of the school’s work. The governing body continues to carry out its responsibilities effectively and ensures that all statutory requirements are met. Steps have been taken to make sure the policy and provision for child protection now meet statutory requirements. The work of the governing body is now handled effectively through a committee structure which allows the governors to support the school and gain a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses through visits which focus on, for example, the provision for special educational needs. The governors ensure all statutory requirements are met in full.

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Commentary

33. Monitoring of the school’s performance is appropriately focused on the progress of individuals in English and mathematics because there are so few pupils in each cohort. The headteacher carries out lesson observations and provides the teachers with detailed written feedback. Where improvements are needed steps are taken, for example, by identifying additional training opportunities.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 197 906 Balance from previous year 22 502 Total expenditure 173 753 Balance carried forward to the next 24 153 Expenditure per pupil 3159 Parwich Primary School - 17

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for the Foundation Stage is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good. The planning and management of learning is very accomplished and results in good achievement • Observations and assessment of the children in the Foundation Stage is carefully recorded and used effectively • The children’s self-esteem and confidence is fostered very strongly • Accommodation is very generous and used effectively • The resources are very good

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Main strengths and weaknesses

35. The provision for the very small number of children in the Foundation Stage meets their needs well. Their day is a careful mix of work alongside the older pupils in the class and opportunities for more informal work and play either in their own area indoors or outside when the support staff are available. Children enter the reception class full time at the beginning of the term in which they will become five, and can attend part-time from the beginning of the term before that if their birthday falls in the spring or summer terms. Their attainment on entry varies widely from year to year but is broadly average. Most of the children have enjoyed their time in the local playgroup and the current group have levels of personal and social development appropriate to their age. Their language and literacy development is also what would be expected, though their listening skills are less well developed than other aspects of language and literacy initially. Most are

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Main strengths and weaknesses

familiar with numbers and quantities so that they quickly respond to the activities designed to enhance their mathematical development. By the time the children leave the Foundation Stage and join Year 1 most have made good progress and reached the goals expected by the end of the reception year in all six areas of learning. This represents a good achievement, while that in speaking and listening very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

36. The children are set tasks that match their current stage of development. Often they move off into the separate role play room, and where they can exercise a greater degree of choice. When the weather is suitable they go outside to develop physically, socially and personally through play activities using wheeled toys or with balls or other equipment. These activities are sometimes constrained by the availability of staff who also support the pupils in Year 1 and 2. Nevertheless, the planned opportunities are frequent and purposeful. As a result the children make good progress in their personal and in social development and achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

37. The class teacher and her assistant carefully model good and clear speaking whenever they talk with the children and work consistently to broaden their vocabulary. They have high expectations of the children’s work in language and literacy and, as a result, they make good progress. The regular reading sessions and the careful attention to this aspect of language and literacy work ensure that the children make good progress in reading skills. They speak with confidence in the circle time sessions that also include the pupils in Years 1 and 2. The older pupils support the younger ones very well. This is a well planned aspect of the teaching so that from this increased confidence flow good achievements in communication, language and literacy as well in personal development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

38. Well planned play activities with the involvement of the staff enables the children to develop their understanding of number well, as in matching plates to guests at an imaginary tea-party, or sharing the imaginary buns out between them. More directed work on number, such as counting Parwich Primary School - 18 on or backwards in ones, matching and naming shapes and discussing relationships ensures that their mathematical development is maintained and that they achieve that learning goal by the end of the Reception year. In this area of learning, as in others, a good range of short, well focussed activities is provided. Although there are limited opportunities for free choice, there is still plenty of variety and challenge so that the pupils achieve well in mathematical development .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

39. The children’s natural curiosity is used well to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. In work on colour and light they wondered at the designs they saw as they looked through kaleidoscopes. They also looked at the view of the classroom through different coloured acetate sheets and talked about what they could see. This work also supported their creative development as they went on to collect the brightly coloured autumn leaves from outside to identify and list the colours and to think how to mix them. They supported each other well in this work which led to a good level of achievement in understanding about colour. They learn about the local environment and also through talking with them they investigate the world their grandparents knew. The children are also included in visits and enjoy it when visitors come to the school. These extensions of their experience of the world around them and of art and music

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Main strengths and weaknesses

ensure that their knowledge and understanding of the world and their creativity are developed well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

40. The work for this group of children is well planned and managed effectively. Good records are made and kept of what they have achieved in the various activities planned for them, so that their progress can be checked and their levels of achievement monitored. There has been good development and improvement in this area of the school’s work since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good well planned teaching meets the needs of pupils well • Careful monitoring of the pupils’ progress informs the next stage of learning • Work is well presented with good standards of handwriting • Class teachers and the teaching assistants work together very effectively • Good use of English across the curriculum enhances achievements in writing

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Commentary

41. The pupils achieve well. Their progress through Years 1 to 6 is good and standards are currently above average in both Year 2 and Year 6.

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Commentary

42. The teaching of English is good overall and lessons are very well managed. The teachers use a good range of methods to motivate their pupils and maintain their interest. This leads to good levels of achievement, especially in reading which is particularly well taught in Years 1 and 2. A significant feature in the good quality teaching is the close and effective co-operation between the teachers and the teaching assistants.

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Commentary

43. The development of speaking and listening throughout the school is good as a result of the high expectations of all the teachers, who also carefully provide good models of Parwich Primary School - 19 conversation and encourage an adventurous use of words and phrases. This has a good effect on the quality of writing, for example in the poems about sports and pastimes. The use of literacy skills in longer pieces of writing associated with work based on history or geography topics produces writing of a good quality, some of it very imaginative and vivid. The association of other subjects with English, such as the link between the painting The Scream by Edvard Munch with accounts of Viking attacks on Lindisfarne produced both good quality paintings and good quality writing.

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Commentary

44. Lessons are well planned in both classes. Particular care is taken to ensure that the full range of ages and capabilities found in each class are well catered for. Good use is made of paired and small group activities where pupils are very successfully encouraged to help one another. This turns what might be perceived as a problem with a wide age range of ages in the classes into opportunities for good quality personal development and independence in learning. Teaching assistants are adept at enabling those pupils with special educational needs to achieve well. The very good management of lessons means that little or no time is used up in maintaining order, and learning continues at a good pace and achievement is good as a consequence.

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Commentary

45. The quality of handwriting in the school is good; it is taught well from the Foundation Stage onwards. This has a beneficial effect on the quality of the pupils’ presentation of work and the pride they take in it, which this leads to higher standards and improves the pupils’ sense of achievement.

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Commentary

46. In both classes the marking of English is carefully done and usually provides pupils with good ideas of how they can improve. The recording and use of assessment to plan future work for particular groups of pupils is good. The analysis of test results is carefully carried out and the analysis of individual pupil’s performances is used well to modify the activities provided for the pupils.

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Commentary

47. The resources for English are good and there is a ready supply of books of all types which are used well by the pupils. Computers are used regularly in English lessons and the pupils become adept at word-processing and desktop publishing early in the school.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. Very good links are made with other subjects. Opportunities for writing in, for example, in history and geography extend and enhance the pupils’ literacy skills. A good example is the writing of newspaper articles about the Armada. Links with other aspects of the curriculum, such as personal, social and health education, provide opportunities to write about the dangers of smoking, but opportunities are less evident in religious education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are currently above average • The pupils are being appropriately challenged and, as a result, are achieving well

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Commentary

Parwich Primary School - 20 49. The results of national tests have fluctuated from below to well above average at the end of Year 2 and from above average to well below average at the end of Year 6 in the last few years. These fluctuations are due to the very small cohorts tested each year and the varying attainment on entry. Lesson observation, scrutiny of the pupils’ completed work and analysis of annual test results show they are currently making good progress and achieving well. This is well illustrated by the fact that the pupils in the present Year 6 have made on average four years progress in the last three years.

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Commentary

50. The teachers combine lively mental warm-up activities, good direct teaching, appropriately challenging tasks, good support for all groups and plenary sessions where they assess how well the pupils have learned to make sure they achieve well. In Years 1 and 2 the pupils made good progress in a lesson in which they were counting on and back and identifying pattern in numbers to one hundred. Scrutiny of their work shows their skills and knowledge are developing at a good rate and they are achieving well. In Year 3 to 6, the pupils were given quite demanding mental problems to solve at the start of the lesson which are modified for different ages and abilities. The older pupils, for example, rose to the challenge to trebling 271. The teacher used the opportunity to discuss the range of strategies the pupils had used. In this lesson a small number of pupils with special educational needs were well supported by the teaching assistant and consequently they

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Commentary

achieved well in the tasks that were set for them. The teacher set a range of tasks which required the pupils to order fractions well matched to the pupils’ ages and abilities. Consequently, they achieved well.

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Commentary

51. The teaching is good overall. The teachers are knowledgeable and confident in their delivery of mathematics. They plan thoroughly, structure lessons very well, manage the work of different year groups effectively and assess and record the pupils’ progress. Information technology is used well to enhance learning through software that is matched to the tasks the pupils are undertaking. In one very good lesson in Years 3 to 6, software was used very effectively by the teacher to illustrate the comparative value of different fractional parts.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

52. The pupils make adequate use of their mathematical skills in a range of subjects. In design and technology, for example, the pupils have measured with a good degree of accuracy to plan and make working models of trains.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of science is good • The planning for experimental and investigative science is not systematic enough in Years 3 to 6

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Commentary

Parwich Primary School - 21 53. Two science lessons were observed and a sample of the pupils’ work was scrutinised. Standards are broadly average overall. In both of the lessons seen, the teaching was good and pupils were making good progress and achieving well.

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Commentary

54. In Years 1 and 2 the pupils are learning about light and colour. They talked confidently about sources of light. The teacher captured the pupils’ interest by demonstrating how the colours of the rainbow are formed. The pupils worked very enthusiastically with the teacher to undertake an experiment with chromatography and were very surprised when the inks broke down into their constituent colours. The teacher then set the pupils tasks to experiment further that were well matched to their ages. This lesson was very well managed so that the pupils’ interest was fully engaged and they learned a good deal from both the teacher’s demonstrations and their experiments.

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Commentary

55. A scrutiny of work from last year supports the view that standards are average at the end of Year 2; most pupils are attaining the expected level and a few are exceeding it. It also shows that pupils are involved in an appropriate amount of investigative work in Years 1 and 2 and that their skills develop well. For example, at the start of the year some pupils were recording their work in pictures and simple phrases but by the end of the year most were recording investigations identifying how they would make the test fair, what resources they would need and what they wanted to find out. However, there was no past work available in Years 3 to 6 to ascertain how the pupils’ investigative skills are built on and developed further. A scrutiny of the school’s long term curriculum plans revealed that this aspect of the science curriculum is currently not given a sufficiently high profile and this may

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Commentary

account for the trend of below average results in national tests in science at the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

56. In the one lesson seen in Years 3 to 6 the pupils achieved well and learned about the classification of animals. The tasks were interesting and challenging and carefully modified for the different groups of pupils in the class. The pupils displayed good knowledge and used their scientific vocabulary well. The provision for pupils with special educational needs was good, thereby enabling them to play a full part in the lesson and make steady progress. The resources were easily accessible and used well to support learning. The teacher’s use of a computer presentation illustrated very well the classes and orders of the animal kingdom aided the pupils’ learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils acquire good levels of skill

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Commentary

57. During the inspection no lessons were taught in which ICT was the focus for learning but lessons were seen in which it was supporting learning in other subjects. Inspectors looked at a sample of the pupils’ work across the curriculum and talked to some of the Year 6 pupils about their use of ICT. These pupils demonstrated a good range of skills and clearly explained how they used icons to build a series of instructions for a programmable vehicle fitted with sensors. Their completed work also contains presentations containing text and Parwich Primary School - 22 images, one of which was used explain some of their work in design and technology to parents. Overall, their work contains good examples that show standards to be in line with those expected by the end of Year 6. They can securely communicate their ideas by generating, organising, editing and presenting text and adding images. By the end of Year

p.21

Commentary

2 the pupils are adept at using a word processor to, for example, to create labels. They also use a painting program creatively to support learning in art and design. The striking work displayed in the classroom on ‘my rainforest’ and shape and colour are just two examples.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

58. The school makes effective use of ICT to support learning in subjects such as mathematics and history. For example, software linked to the mathematics work provides enhancement and extension to the challenges set for pupils in Year 5 when they are ordering fractions. They also use painting programs to create work in art to very good effect.

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HUMANITIES

59. Geography and history, along with science, are the foundations of the revised form of curriculum planning, very recently adopted by the school. It is arranged around themes or topics to which these and other areas of the curriculum contribute. This is intended to provide a stronger motivation for the pupils to learn because of an inbuilt interest linking the various studies. This new venture initially appears to provide good motivation for the pupils to learn. Teachers and pupils clearly enjoy this way of working but it is too soon to make judgements about its impact on achievement.

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HUMANITIES

60. One geography lesson was observed in Years 3 to 6. No history lessons were observed. The quality of teaching was very good. The pupils were challenged to think carefully in pairs to interpret evidence from a series of objects and photographs, to discover to which country in Africa they applied and then to make informed judgements about the geography of that country. This was a good exercise in developing geographical skills and the pupils rose well to the challenge and clearly enjoyed the work. They demonstrated a good level of knowledge about Africa and gained more knowledge about Kenya. This represented good achievement which was confirmed by the scrutiny of books in both classes. The resources used were up-to-date and gave a particular relevance to the study because of the personal context set by the teacher. The lesson was conducted at a good pace and the pupils were all engaged throughout.

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HUMANITIES

62. Scrutiny of the pupils’ work shows that in history the standards of knowledge and the use of skills are good and pupils are achieving well. For example, the pupils in Years 3 to 6 wrote imaginatively about life at sea and the Spanish Armada. Good use was made of computers in the production of “contemporary” newspaper accounts of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. A very imaginative link between history and art was the linking of the painting of The Scream by Edvard Munch with accounts of a Viking raid on Lindisfarne. This section of history also included an interesting use of Viking place names to map the areas of Viking domination. This made good use of the pupils’ geographical skills. In a study of the 1960’s, music of the time was used effectively to add depth to the study and good use was also made of the memories of older members of the community. The school has useful links with the local Historical Society. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 study a range of historical

p.22

HUMANITIES

characters and topics such as Florence Nightingale, Guy Fawkes, and the Great Fire of London. They also use first hand experiences to look at the lives their grandparents lived, developing a sense of the past. Parwich Primary School - 23 63. During the inspection one religious education lessons was observed; the lesson planned for Years 3 to 6 was abandoned as the pupils were too late back from a swimming lesson. This is a regular occurrence during the times of the year when the class has to travel to the swimming pool. The impact of lost time on the amount and quality of work in religious education is evident in the scrutiny of the pupils’ books.

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Religious education

Provision for religious education overall is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good quality, leading to good achievement • A good range of resources supports the subject • Work on religions other than Christianity is enhanced by interesting visits and visitors to the school.

p.23

Commentary

64. The standards of knowledge about religions attained by pupils by the end of Year 2 exceeds expectations, they have a good understanding of Hindu worship and recognise the names and attributes of the major Hindu deities such as Ganesha, Shiva and Vishnu. They also have a good understanding of elements of Christianity and of a number of stories from the Bible. The pupils are also able to relate what they learn about the religions that people practise to aspects of their own experience or observations, and they achieve well. Although pupils make progress in understanding about religions from Years 3 to 6, the range of work undertaken is narrower than would be expected and the quantity produced is less than that of the younger pupils, so that their achievement overall is only satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

65. The whole school planning, using the most recent version of the locally agreed syllabus of religious education as a basis, is effective in ensuring the cover of the topics required. Other support resources are also used for more detailed planning. However, religious education is not included in the recent changes in curriculum planning involving geography, history and science. The development of understanding religions is managed by the progressive nature of the programme of study. A systematic assessment and recording of the pupils’ progress in religious education is not undertaken, though the marking of work is satisfactorily done.

p.23

Commentary

66. In the school’s curriculum planning religious education is closely associated with collective worship, though the aims of the two activities are different. However this association does give the pupils an opportunity to reflect on the effects of religious beliefs upon people’s lives. The quality of work has been maintained since the previous inspection, but not throughout the school.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. Two art and design lessons were observed during the inspection and range of the pupils’ work was scrutinised. One physical education lesson was seen but no lessons in design and technology or music were taught during the period of the inspection. Parwich Primary School - 24 68. There is insufficient evidence of design and technology to make a judgement about the quality of the provision or the standards the pupils achieve. However, the older pupils have created a very informative presentation showing the range of skills, tools and materials they used to make models of trains and carriages, some of which were powered by motors. The presentation shows the pupils have good cutting and joining skills and created finished products of good quality.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. The pupils were heard singing in one act of collective worship, which was satisfactory. Recently, a new scheme for teaching music has been purchased and adopted as a result of a review of the curriculum. New instruments have been purchased and the quality of resources for music is now good. The younger pupils made good use of the instruments to make music for the dance in the physical education lesson that was observed.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. In the one physical education lesson observed, the pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieved well. The older pupils take swimming lessons once a week for half of the school year. The school receives support for physical education in the form of training from the local sports college. Pupils also participate in events sponsored by the local cluster of primary schools. This enables them to meet with a larger number of their peers and be involved sports and games with pupils of their own age.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. The programme of physical education is well planned to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. Problems associated with a lack of school hall and playing field are overcome effectively through the shared use of village resources. The hard play area in the playground is marked out for competitive games and used well. Through its well planned programme for physical education and games, its links with other schools in competitions and other events, the school goes a very long way to ensuring that the pupils are not disadvantaged by being in a small school with very small year groups.

p.24

Art and design

Provision for art and design is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching is very good. • Standards are high • The curriculum is very varied and interesting

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Commentary

72. The high standard and quality of the pupils’ work is very evident in the extensive displays in the classrooms, the dining room and corridors. There is a very good range and variety of work showing the pupils’ use of pencil, crayon, textile, paint, collage and clay and their ability to use colour, texture and tone. In Years 1 and 2 the teacher has used the work of artists as diverse as Arcimboldo, Degas and Nell Whatmore to stimulate and motivate the pupils. The work of Nell Whatmore and Kandinsky has been used very effectively to promote the use of colour. The pupils’ depiction of the Degas’ Little Dancer shows very good observation and the ability to recreate a sense of movement. In the lesson seen in Years 1 and 2 the teacher introduced the children to pointillism and, in particular the work of George Seurat. Using a print of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte the Parwich Primary School - 25

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Commentary

teacher brought the painting to life for the pupils by discussing what the characters were doing and thinking. This provided a good opportunity for speaking and listening to which the pupils responded well. The tasks set for the pupils were carefully modified; the youngest pupils created finger paintings of trees; Year 1 pupils looked closely at the boats on the Seine before creating pictures from coloured dots whilst the Year 2 pupils used paint brushes to produce their versions of characters in the pictures. All of the pupils did well in a lesson that extended both their knowledge and their skills.

p.25

Commentary

73. In Years 3 to 6 much of the work is linked to other areas of the curriculum. One very good example is the illustrations in the style of those that originally accompanied the Rev W. Audry stories of Thomas the Tank engine. The artwork accompanies the pupils’ stories. The illustration show the considerable care the pupils take but also the skills they develop, for example, in the use of perspective. Careful observation of movement is also reflected in their work on sporting actions. The use of the work of artist is also well developed with the older pupils. One very good example is the work of Japanese artist Hokusai which has been used very effectively to encourage pupils to work in limited range of colours; again this work is linked with interesting writing. In an excellent lesson on African rock art the teacher use a computer presentation to engage the pupils’ interest. Very good questioning made

p.25

Commentary

the pupils think about cultural and environmental factors that influenced these paintings. Highly motivated by the teacher’s enthusiasm the pupils planned and created their own paintings in this style on textile background they had prepared earlier.

p.25

Commentary

74. The key factor in the high standards achieved by the pupils is the imaginative and engaging teaching in both classes.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

75. The school has a good programme of personal, social and health education . During the inspection two sessions of circle time were observed. Both had the theme of friendships. The younger pupils listened carefully to the views of others and shared their ideas for demonstrating friendship very sensitively. They were able to do this because of the positive and motivating interventions by the teacher. The very good relationships between the teachers and the pupils were also evident amongst the older pupils. In this session the teacher used a series of short activities to involve and engage all of the pupils before an open forum which explored the assertion: ‘ We can’t all be best friends, but its good if we can be friendly to everyone’. The pupils responded well and made mature contributions to the discussion.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

76. The school has received two healthy schools awards, most recently to promote healthy eating. There are also good examples of work on display that show how the older pupils have become aware of the dangers of smoking. In discussion, they talk assuredly about why they would avoid smoking and their work, most notably in the form of posters, transmits the message. One example makes the point very clearly; ‘Love your Lungs’. Parwich Primary School - 26

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.26