Pauntley Church of England Primary School

PAUNTLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th to 17 th November 2004

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PAUNTLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Pauntley 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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PAUNTLEY 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. Pauntley 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 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 51

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pool Hill Newent Gloucestershire Postcode: GL18 1LL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01531 820053 Fax number: 01531 820053

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Steve Morris

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th July 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves the immediate, sparsely populated area with several pupils coming from outside this traditional catchment area. The size of the school is very small in comparison with other primary schools. The socio-economic background of the area is above average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is similar to the national average. The pupils are of white British culture. Because the number of pupils in each year group is very small, statistical information is not reliable. In general, children enter the school with above average standards. There is a small number of pupils who join the school in Years 3 to 6. These pupils mainly have special educational needs. Each pupil represents a significant percentage in a year group. The number of pupils on the special educational needs register is above the national average. There are no pupils with statements of special educational needs. The school is involved in the Leadership Development

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Strategy In Primary Schools , the National College of School Leadership and the Comenius Project and was awarded the Schools Achievement Award in 2003. Pauntley Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22951 Glyn Gaskill Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Music Personal, social and health education and citizenship 11575 Catherine Fish Lay inspector 14997 Val Emery Team inspector English Religious education Physical education Foundation Stage 1 curriculum Special educational needs 28899 Graham Sims Team inspector Art and design History Design and technology Geography Modern foreign languages

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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 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).

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also include knowledge and understanding of the world; physical; and creative development. Pauntley Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects 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 school with a positive, family ethos which values all individuals. This is due to the good leadership by the headteacher, good overall management and very good partnerships with parents and the community. Pupils achieve well. This is because teaching and learning are good. Overall, standards of attainment are good. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Standards of attainment in the reception year and Years 1 and 2 are consistently good and, in Years 3 to 6, have improved and are now good. • All pupils are fully involved in what the school provides and make good progress. • The headteacher introduces practical strategies for raising standards which are effectively applied across the school. • Assessment procedures in English and mathematics help pupils make good progress. • Relatively new assessment procedures for the majority of subjects have the potential to raise standards, but have not been in place long enough to be influential. • Aspects of the school’s accommodation are unsatisfactory, as it limits several areas of the curriculum. • The school provides good enrichment of the curriculum, but the balance of pupils’ recorded work in several foundation subjects is lacking. • All staff work closely together and know pupils well which results in pupils’ full involvement in

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OVERALL EVALUATION

learning, their good behaviour, very positive attitudes and very good relationships in the school. • Links with the community and parents are very strong and the school benefits from working with other schools.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the school was last inspected, in July 1999, improvement has been good. Assessment and marking are now effective in raising standards. Standards have improved. There is a clear structure for the curriculum and good arrangements for its evaluation. Teaching has improved and is monitored satisfactorily.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Because each year group in the school has less than ten pupils, tables of national test data are not included in this report.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Across the school, the achievement of all pupils is good . By the end of the reception year, most children should reach all the expected learning goals and a significant number should exceed them in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. Inspection evidence found very good standards in English and mathematics for Year 2 and good standards for Year 6, where there has been a significant improvement in writing. In both Year 2 and Year 6, standards in science are good and in information and communication technology (ICT) and religious education, standards are average. The remainder of the curriculum was sampled and the indications are that standards are at least satisfactory. These findings are better than the last inspection. In the national tests in Year 2, standards have been high in recent years. There is a significant number of pupils joining the school

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

during Years 3 to 6, several of whom have special educational needs. This has a negative effect on school data which measures the progress of individual cohorts from the national tests at Year 2 to those at Year 6. Over the last few years, the school’s improvement in national test results for all core subjects in Year 6 has been above the national trend. Over this period, results in English and science have been close to the national average and above in mathematics. For several years, the performance at Year 2 has been above, and often well above, the national average. In 2004, results of the national tests for both Year 2 and Year 6 were well above average. Pauntley Primary School - 7 Pupils’ personal development is good . Their spiritual, social and cultural development is good and their social development is very good. Behaviour is good and attitudes are very good. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching and learning is good . Teaching in reception and Years 1 and 2 is consistently good. Teaching is good overall in Years 3 to 6 and at times very good in Years 5 and 6. A common approach to teaching has recently been introduced. This is being applied consistently and is having a positive effect on all pupils’ involvement in their learning and their achievement. Teaching assistants make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly those in the Foundation Stage or with special educational needs.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The use of assessment to raise standards is very good in English, good in mathematics and the Foundation Stage and satisfactory elsewhere. Many aspects of assessment have been improved recently, but the presentation of assessment data for use by staff is not easy to follow.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage and for activities in addition to lessons across the school is good. There is a lack of emphasis on pupils’ recorded work in a minority of subjects. Aspects of the curriculum are restricted by the limited accommodation.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Care and support are good, with pupils having an increasing influence on school life. Links with parents and the community are very good, ensuring the school’s continuing vitality. Provision has benefited from good links with other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher provides good leadership. Successful initiatives to raise standards have been introduced by the headteacher and implemented by all staff. The teaching staff work as a strong team. A systematic approach to looking at and developing different aspects of the work of the school has given a very good structure to their enthusiasms. Guided by the astute and energetic chairperson, the governing body has recently developed very secure systems for its work. Governance is satisfactory, but is well placed to have an increasing influence on the school’s development. Financial management and administration are very good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold the school in very high regard. They have concerns about the accommodation, which are well founded. A few concerns regarding communications and homework were not considered valid by the inspection team. The commitment and accessibility of staff, teaching and the new playing field are considered strengths, with which the inspection team agrees. Pupils enjoy school and are enthusiastic about what it offers. Their only grumbles involve the quality of accommodation. Pauntley Primary School - 8

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • continue to apply the recently introduced assessment systems and make assessment data easier to understand; • produce a better balance of pupils’ recorded work across the curriculum; • improve the quality of the accommodation so that the curriculum can be further developed. Pauntley Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Throughout the school, pupils’ achievement and standards of attainment are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is very good. • Across the school, pupils make good progress. • Pupils’ attainment is good in science at the end of Years 2 and 6. • Standards have improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

1. When children start in reception their attainment is broadly above average. They achieve well and by the end of the reception year many exceed expectations in communication, language and literacy, personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development and almost all reach the other early learning goals. This is much the same as was reported at the last inspection.

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Commentary

2. For seven-year-olds, inspection evidence found standards to well above average in mathematics and English and above average in science. Standards in writing for eleven-year- olds have improved and are good. Good standards have been maintained in English and mathematics. Standards in science have also improved since the last inspection and are now above average.

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Commentary

3. Across the school, standards in religious education and ICT continue to be average. The remaining subjects were sampled, with standards overall appearing to be at least satisfactory. This is an improvement as standards in history were below average at the last inspection.

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Commentary

4. The small numbers in each year group invalidate any statistical evaluation of published national test results. In addition, a significant number of pupils, often with special educational needs, start school during Years 3 to 6 which further makes cohort analysis not applicable. Analysis of individual pupils’ performance and observation of lessons shows that, across the school, pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

5. The good support given to pupils with special educational needs results in them making good progress and achieving well. One indication of this is the movement of pupils down and off the special educational needs register.

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Commentary

6. A table of national test results is not included in this report as the number of pupils in each year group is less than ten. A small number, but nonetheless a significant percentage, of pupils start at the school during Years 3 to 6. This contributes to the lack of validity in comparing cohort performance. The performance of individual cohorts of eleven-year-olds varies considerably from year to year. In recent years, the performance of eleven-year-olds in the national tests has been improving better than the national rate. English and science results have been close to the national average and in mathematics have been above. For several years, the performance of seven-year-olds in all core subjects has been above and often well above the national average. In 2004, results in the national tests were well above average for seven-year-olds and eleven-year-olds. Pauntley Primary School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to school. Their behaviour is good . Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is also good . Attendance and punctuality are both good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a strong sense of social responsibility and apply themselves very well to their work. • Very good relationships across the whole school make it a very happy and purposeful place to be. • Pupils enjoy learning. • The school has been successful in its attempts to improve the level of attendance. • Concerted and successful efforts have been made to raise pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Commentary

7. Pupils’ social development is very good. The small size of the school means all pupils get to known each other very well and, because they are encouraged to treat everyone with respect and concern, very good relationships quickly develop. In lessons, from the youngest upwards, pupils work well together. Break times show that the pupils play very well together across the whole age range. Pupils quickly learn to negotiate with others because they recognise the need for them all to get on together. This results in a friendly and constructive environment both in and out of the classroom. Behaviour is good, as a result of the pupils understanding what is required of them. There have been no exclusions from the school for many years. Bullying is not seen as a concern by either the pupils or parents because, if it occurs, it is very quickly and effectively tackled.

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Commentary

8. Personal development is promoted well. The children in the Foundation Stage are likely to exceed the goals set for them in their personal, social and emotional development. The pupils are curious about what goes on around them and enjoy practical activities. Collective worship plays an important part in developing the pupils’ spiritual development and they speak knowledgeably about God. They develop a sense of responsibility from an early age and are encouraged to use their initiative and problem-solving skills as they mature. The school has worked hard to develop the pupils’ cultural awareness which is now good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Their involvement in the Comenius Project means that links with schools in Europe have been developed. Links with a school in South Africa are beginning. Pupils are listened to and, by this example, they learn to listen to others. They are confident to discuss and talk about issues and concerns and this helps to

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Commentary

promote the good levels of tolerance and respect that permeate the school. Pupils with special educational needs want to work and are supported well in doing so by their teachers and by teaching assistants. They have very good relationships with all the adults who teach them and feel safe and secure. They are fully included in the life and events in the school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils come to school very eagerly and expect to have fun learning. Thus they have very good attitudes to their lessons and to the activities offered. In lessons, they are Pauntley Primary School - 11 interested in what they are learning, they work hard and respect others’ views. Many pupils continue working in their break time to add to the work they do in lessons. They really enjoy taking part in activities outside the classroom, such as clubs, educational visits and sports fixtures. They are proud to represent their school.

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Commentary

10. The school has worked hard with parents to improve the level of attendance. Parents have been requested not to take holidays during term times and many have responded positively. Parents are conscientious about letting the school know about absences; any not explained are quickly followed up. As a result, there are no unauthorised absences. Punctuality is good and so the school day and lessons start on time.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) 2003/2004

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching is good and the overall curriculum is satisfactory. Activities, additional to lessons, are good. Provision for care is good. Links with the local community and partnerships with parents are both very good. Links with other schools and colleges are good.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching is good and leads to good learning by pupils. The use of assessment and its effect on raising standards is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is consistently good in the infants’ class and very good at times in Years 5 and 6. • Assessment is good in the Foundation Stage and for English and mathematics. • The use of specialist teachers is effective in promoting good learning. • Teachers plan very carefully and follow a common approach. • Teaching assistants provide very valuable support for learning. • Recently introduced assessment procedures for the majority of subjects are well linked to promoting pupils’ progress but have not been in place long enough to have full effect.

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Commentary

11. Since the last inspection, good teaching has been maintained in the Foundation Stage and teaching has improved in the rest of the school. Very good teaching was seen in the Years 5 and 6 class. Pupils respond positively to teaching, with the quality of their learning corresponding to the quality of teaching. The Foundation Stage children are in the same class as Years 1 and 2 pupils. Years 3 to 6 pupils are often taught as two, age-related classes but also as one whole class. Pauntley Primary School - 12 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very Good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 2 7 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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Commentary

12. There is a clear, common strategy for teaching shared by staff. This promotes new learning well by providing a relevant variety of learning activities for pupils. Teachers are skilled in involving pupils of all ages and abilities in lessons. This very good inclusion of pupils is significantly enhanced by the close working between teachers and teaching assistants. In addition, the division of Years 3 to 6 pupils into two teaching groups promotes good, and at times very good, learning. The support of teaching assistants is not available all the time and there are occasions when all Years 3 to 6 pupils are taught together. This reduces the efficiency of teaching because of the wide range of ages in each class. In the case of Years 3 to 6 pupils, the limited classroom space, when they are all together, inhibits learning activities. This is a concern of several parents.

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Commentary

13. Throughout the school, relationships are very good and expectations of pupils are high. This leads to pupils applying themselves to their work in a sensible, independent and productive manner. There are a few occasions when more effective use could be made of time by giving pupils clearer guidance within which they make their own decisions. Teachers are skilled in making use of everyday and first-hand experiences to effectively involve pupils in their learning. Through teachers’ skilful questioning and the confidence they give to pupils to ask questions, pupils’ understanding is verified and moved forwards. This also promotes very good collaborative working between pupils. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. The employment of specialist teachers, for example in mathematics and music, significantly enriches pupils’ learning. The use of homework is satisfactory, but there

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Commentary

are times when tasks lack a specific purpose linked to pupils’ attainment. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Work is specially adapted for pupils by teachers and teaching assistants who provide valuable support.

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Commentary

14. In the Foundation Stage, assessment is used well to help children progress towards their early learning goals. In the remainder of the school, the use of assessment to raise standards is very effective in English, good in mathematics and satisfactory in the remainder of the curriculum. New systems have been recently introduced and have the potential to be effective in raising standards. In English, a particularly good feature is that pupils have a secure understanding of what is expected of them so that they can improve. Systems to promote this self-awareness are developing in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ use of self- assessment sheets in mathematics and science helps them to make progress. Outcomes of assessment positively influence teachers’ planning. This was not the case at the last inspection. Assessments of special educational needs pupils are regular and thorough. Assessment information is used well to set new, achievable targets which are regularly

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Commentary

reviewed. Review involves all adults who have the care of special educational needs pupils. Marking has improved since the last inspection and now gives satisfactory guidance to pupils. Assessment data contains very useful information, but needs better organisation to be used more efficiently by teachers in raising standards.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory and opportunities for enrichment are good . The provision of accommodation and resources is unsatisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes effective use of educational initiatives. Pauntley Primary School - 13 • The teaching of some aspects of the curriculum is restricted by the accommodation. • A good range of clubs and activities is offered. • Good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. • There is insufficient evidence of recorded work in some subjects.

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Commentary

15. Good improvement has been made in planning and resourcing the curriculum in both the Foundation Stage and across the school since the last inspection. The school has worked hard and now makes satisfactory use of national guidance to develop a common system to plan the curriculum. The outdoor play for children in the Foundation Stage has been improved well by acquiring a good range of wheeled vehicles and extending the outdoor play hard surfaces. However, there is still a lack of an easily accessible and secure outdoor learning area for these children. The breadth of the curriculum is good but the balance of pupils’ recorded work is not sufficient in geography, history and design and technology in Years 3 to 6. There are areas where teaching time could be used more efficiently. Planning includes satisfactory coverage of all subjects, but it is not possible to find sufficient written evidence of

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Commentary

coverage in these subjects. The school reviews the curriculum regularly and takes action to improve it. A weakness noted by the school was that writing needed improving and good action was taken to successfully raise standards. A better focus on the use of ICT was also identified. Seventeen laptops have been purchased and are used very well by older pupils. The availability and use of these laptops has raised standards in both ICT and writing.

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Commentary

16. The headteacher is very aware of new educational initiatives and involves herself well in understanding and applying new ideas through training staff. The Comenius Project adds a modern foreign language and a positive cultural dimension to the curriculum.

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Commentary

17. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and has improved since the last inspection. Learning support assistants are well trained to support pupils. Pupils are identified for extra support if the school feels that they are seen to be unlikely to attain the expected levels. Extra support is given in small groups and this has been very successful in accelerating progress for these pupils, helping them to achieve well.

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Commentary

18. Good additional learning opportunities are offered for all pupils. This very small school makes good use of parental and community offers of help to run clubs which cover a social spiritual group, sports, gardening, chess and music clubs. A particularly successful and popular club is the recently established ‘Internet Café’, which meets for three lunch times and one after- school session weekly. The thought and effort that the school puts into all this provision has a significant impact on pupils’ attitudes to learning and their overall achievement.

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Commentary

19. At the top of the ‘wish list’ for the school staff, parents and pupils is better accommodation, a view the team agrees with. Classrooms for the older pupils are cramped and make practical activities such as painting, science experiments or craft work very difficult. Some aspects of physical education can only take place if the weather is suitable because there is no hall. Good use is made of the school grounds and the internal space. The largest indoor space is the infants’ classroom. This is used for whole-school assemblies, but limits the involvement of pupils in drama. It also excludes many parents from whole-school events. The dramatic improvements to the field area and car parking facilities have done much to improve provision and safety. Children in the Foundation Stage lack easy access to a secure, outdoor learning area. Staffing is good overall, with beneficial arrangements to divide pupils in Years 3 to 6

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Commentary

into two groups for much of the week. The teaching assistants are experienced and well trained in supporting the pupils. Provision of large outdoor play equipment for the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Overall, resources for learning are satisfactory.

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Care, guidance and support

Pauntley Primary School - 14 The school has good provision and procedures to ensure the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils. It provides good quality guidance, support and advice. Pupils’ views are taken into account well .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff care greatly for all pupils and give then good support and advice. • The health, safety and welfare of pupils are given a high priority. • Children settle quickly and well into reception. • The newly introduced school council gives the pupils even more say in school life.

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Commentary

20. As a result of the very good relationships in school, pupils are confident that if they have any concerns there is always someone who will sort it out. The staff show high levels of concern and care for the pupils and go out of their way to ensure they are happy and safe. They use both their personal knowledge and the school’s assessment information well to ensure the pupils receive the support and guidance they need. Pupils with special educational needs are identified early on and receive the extra help they need to make sure they do as well as their peers. Any pupil experiencing difficulties with their behaviour is also well supported, with the involvement of outside agencies if needed.

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Commentary

21. The school works hard to provide the pupils with a safe environment in which to learn and play. The formal procedures covering health, safety and welfare are good, with a high level of priority given to child protection and risk assessment. All the required testing of appliances, alarms and equipment are carried out at the correct times and fire drills take place each term.

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Commentary

22. There is a good introduction programme into reception and this helps the children to settle quickly. A series of home visits, time spent in school and a gradual building up to full-time attendance provide a smooth introduction. The transfer between classes is almost seamless. Special attention is paid to any pupil starting at a different time to normal, including a home visit by the head teacher if it is felt this will ease the process for pupils and parents.

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Commentary

23. Although the school has always listened to what its pupils have to say, the recent introduction of a school council for pupils in Years 3 to 6 has set this on a formal footing. It also gives the pupils a good opportunity to develop their understanding of citizenship. A request from the council that lunch time should start promptly is being taken seriously by staff, but the solution is in the hands of the pupils to clear up more quickly. Pupils throughout the school are involved in setting and reviewing their targets and talk about them knowledgeably.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents. It also has very good links with the community. Its partnership with other schools is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are highly complimentary of the school and play a keen part in its development. • The school is very well supported by the local community. • Good contact with the local secondary school helps pupils to settle in smoothly when they move on.

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Commentary

Pauntley Primary School - 15 24. The involvement of the parents in the work of the school is an important part of its success. The openness and availability of staff help to ensure that any queries or concerns are tackled immediately and effectively. In the main, parents are very pleased with what the school offers their children and work with it to further the opportunities available. The ‘Friends’, for example, have raised money to provide books for the Year 3 to 6 library. The small number of concerns raised by parents centre around the accommodation, homework and information provided by the school. The inspection team agrees that the accommodation is unsatisfactory, but finds the use of homework is satisfactory. General information provided is of good quality and the new website is an interesting innovation for those parents who have Internet access. The school has deliberated about annual reports and, in response to requests from some parents,

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Commentary

they are now word-processed. The level of detail provided through them is very good. In all subjects, parents are provided with information about what their children know, understand and can do as well as targets to help them improve. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved and informed about their children’s reviews and targets for development. When asked what they most like about the school, parents identified the new playing field, the school’s approachability, the staff’s dedication and the arrangements for teaching. The team agrees with all these positive comments.

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Commentary

25. The school is at the heart of the local community. The village is very supportive of it and the events held there. Local people make the work of the school easier by looking after the newly acquired field and the school alarms if they go off during the night. Further, very welcome support includes helping run after-school activities, such as football, country dancing and rugby, and using their expertise, for example in music, art and craft, to extend the pupils’ learning and interest.

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Commentary

26. Through working closely with Newent Community College, especially in art and design, pupils become familiar with the secondary school site and some of the staff. This helps the move into Year 7 be a smooth one. Parents say the pupils are very confident within themselves and so they cope well. The headteacher is involved with the local and more distant schools which helps develop provision to the benefit of the pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher provides good leadership. The overall effectiveness of the school’s management is good . Governance is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher brings new ideas to improve provision. • There is a common spirit to provide the best for pupils. • The chair of the governing body provides dynamic leadership. • Financial management is very good. • Governors are starting to have a satisfactory influence on strategic planning and gaining first-hand knowledge of the curriculum and assessment. • The formal school improvement plan does not provide strategies which are easy to follow, but documents derived from it are very straight forward and constructive.

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Commentary

27. The headteacher provides good, caring leadership. She draws on her involvement with other schools, locally, nationally and in other parts of the world, to introduce thoughtful improvement to provision in the school. A strength lies in the way staff collectively absorb these changes and parents have the opportunity to understand them. There is a realistic Pauntley Primary School - 16 philosophy to the running of a small school. This involves well-founded trust in the abilities of adults who work in the school and finding expertise where it is not readily available. This has been effectively applied in the use of specialist teachers and involvement in the Comenius Project . In addition, the main teaching staff are collectively involved in shaping the development of the curriculum and assessment and their effect on standards. A relatively recent system, known as ‘cumar’ gives a very good structure to organise this work. The

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Commentary

structure gives a clear agenda for reviewing specific parts of provision with dates given well in advance of particular meetings and identifies the person leading the review. In addition, the governors are starting to be involved in this way of working. This has the potential to give governors a better influence on the strategic development of the school. Leadership and management of special educational needs are good. There are regular meetings between the special educational needs co-ordinator, teachers and teaching assistants, so that pupils’ progress is followed closely and leads to planned work which promotes good achievement.

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Commentary

28. The school is very self-critical and is constantly looking for ways to improve provision. Staff development is effective in promoting both the professional development of staff and the development of the school. The direct observation of lessons has improved since the last inspection and is having a positive effect on standards, particularly in literacy. The formal school improvement plan is a cumbersome document and is not easy to follow. This has been made much easier to follow by the headteacher producing summaries of different aspects of development. These give a clear indication of intention for easy use by governors and staff. The ‘cumar’ programme is one such very useful clarification. The headteacher produces drafts of the school improvement plan, school prospectus and the governors’ annual report for discussion and final approval by governors. Under the purposeful leadership of the chair of

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Commentary

governors, recent restructuring of the organisation of the governors has put them in a healthy position to carry out their role more fully. Governors are very supportive of the school. They are well informed about developments in the school, through the headteacher’s reports to them. All statutory requirements are met. Governance is satisfactory and improving.

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Commentary

29. Financial management and administration are very good. The budget is carefully considered against priorities for improvement. A vigilant eye is kept on future funding arrangements and the school has been pro-active in securing funding for small schools. The school and community have been successful in raising funds for recent significant improvements to accommodation and learning resources. The local education authority has approved a small planned budget deficit for the current financial year which the governors are confident will not present a long-term problem. The school provides good value for money.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 199,185 Balance from previous year 2,843 Total expenditure 200,743 Balance carried forward to the next 1,285 Expenditure per pupil 3,650 Pauntley Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The reception children are well integrated into the class they share with Years 1 and 2 pupils. • Adults are skilled in helping children. • Lack of a hall and suitable outdoor learning area limits children’s physical development. • Resources for outdoor physical play have been improved. • Children’s achievements are well recorded. • There is limited scope for children to make independent choices of activities.

p.17

Commentary

30. At the time of the inspection, there were four children who were full time and one part-time child in reception. The children are taught with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils and they work very well with these pupils. Children are confident and happy as a result of very good relationships with all adults and good pre-school experience at a playgroup or nursery. Standards when they enter the reception class are broadly above average. By the end of the reception year, almost all have reached the early learning goals in all areas of learning and many are exceeding them in communication, language and literacy, personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. The wide range of ages in the infant class restricts the guidance given to children but this is generally managed

p.17

Commentary

well. The curriculum is good and covers all areas of learning. The teacher and teaching assistant work very well together to support the reception children and ensure that they have challenging relevant activities. Although there are times when the reception children benefit from working alongside older pupils, their learning is better when they work with the teacher or teaching assistant for group or independent activities.

p.17

Commentary

31. The good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage have improved and there has been good improvement in the overall provision since the last inspection. Children now have opportunities to use a good range of wheeled vehicles and the area for outdoor play provision has been extended. Great care is taken to assess children’s attainment on entry and to track their progress through well-kept records and a final assessment before entry to Year 1. Work is planned to match individual children and this helps to ensure all children achieve as well as they can.

p.17

Commentary

32. In the area of personal, social and emotional development, the children’s achievement and the teaching and learning are good. They reach above average levels by the time they enter Year 1. Older Year 1 and 2 pupils set a good example through their own good behaviour and the reception children copy this. The children show good levels of confidence when they tackle work, but there are limited chances to make choices and work independently. Children have a good understanding of the need to listen to the contributions of others and to take turns and share resources. The reception children are confident and happy learners, good listeners and are already able to work well together collaboratively in small groups in their work and play.

p.17

Commentary

33. The children’s achievement is good in communication, language and literacy as a result of the good teaching and learning. Almost all children are well into the National Curriculum by the end of their reception year. There is a structured approach to reading and writing and speaking and listening, which is well led and directed by adults. Very good coverage of the skills of writing, handwriting and reading means that children acquire their skills quickly and Pauntley Primary School - 18 systematically. They read very regularly to both adults at home and school and their whole word vocabulary is built up progressively. Speaking and listening skills are taught both formally and informally. Sessions where children talk in small groups and to the whole class are regular and they are taught to listen politely to others. The promotion of writing skills is taught well through regular opportunities to write for a variety of purposes linked to other

p.17

Commentary

areas of the curriculum as well as literacy lessons. However, there is a lack of opportunities for children to write freely in structured play situations.

p.18

Commentary

34. In their mathematical development, the children’s achievement and the quality of the teaching and learning are good. By the end of the reception year, almost all children are above average and well into the National Curriculum. They are able to cope with complex money sums and know what coins to use to make specific purchases. The children’s learning is well supported by good use of practical apparatus. The teacher uses the time well at the start of all sessions to reinforce number work for different ages of pupils. They count the number of children as they come in from play and sit down on the carpet and this develops into more challenging, quick recall of numbers such as half of a number. There are additional opportunities for sand and water play available.

p.18

Commentary

35. The children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is secure by the time they transfer to Year 1 and they have reached the required goals. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and children are mainly taught with Year 1 pupils. At these times, activities are adapted for the younger children after the initial input and they achieve satisfactorily. Children have opportunities to find things out for themselves and contribute to whole-class sessions as well as group practical work. They contribute to building graphs of identified foods by taste, and in small group work, identify foods by smell. They are interested in the world around them and on a walk round the school they identify likes and dislikes and justify why. They have good knowledge of stories from the Bible, such as the Christmas story and the Hungry Crowd and join in the Christian celebrations of Harvest, Christmas and Easter.

p.18

Commentary

36. In terms of physical development , the children reach the goals required. The teaching and learning are satisfactory, enabling children’s achievement to be also satisfactory. The school has no hall and this limits physical activities. They have regular opportunities to use the wheeled vehicles in the outdoor play area, and work with Years 1 and 2 pupils in physical education lessons. This restricts children’s own choice as there is no easily accessible, secure outdoor learning area and the teaching assistant is part time. The teacher adapts activities well to interest the younger children by linking work successfully with other areas of the curriculum. Children recall the story of ‘Handa’, and practise at balancing quoits and paper plates on their heads while walking along. This helps to excite and interest them. When children are using pencils and jigsaws, their control and co-ordination are good for their age.

p.18

Commentary

37. Role-play and art activities are a regular feature of the curriculum for the creative area of learning. Children reach the required goals and their achievement is satisfactory. It was not possible to make a judgement about teaching and learning as none was observed. The current role-play area is a ‘World Café’ and this area is changed regularly to link with class topics. Formerly, it has been a church, castle or veterinary surgery. A good range of well- organised dressing-up clothes are on offer in the classroom. Work on the walls is evidence of computer art work, collage and paint. A puppet theatre with a range of puppets is also on offer. Pauntley Primary School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Writing is taught thoroughly and well. • Extra support for pupils has had a dramatic effect in raising standards in Years 5 and 6. • The provision of laptops has enthused pupils and enhanced their writing. • Personal targets for pupils are having a positive effect on raising standards. • Lack of a hall limits drama activities.

p.19

Commentary

38. Standards have improved at the end of Year 2 since the last inspection. Inspection judgements are that standards at the end of Year 2 are well above average. At the end of Year 6, they are above average and have remained the same. All pupils achieve well in all areas of the subject throughout the school. Pupils start school with above average standards and they are well above average by the end of Year 2. This good achievement continues through Years 3 to 6. The Year 2 national tests produce consistently better results than in Year 6 as the population is more stable. The school attracts pupils, often with special educational needs, into Years 3 to 6 which affects overall standards. Results of national tests for Year 2 pupils are consistently high. Year 6 national tests results have been average or below, but in 2004, improved greatly to the same high levels as the Year 2 pupils. The school has worked hard at improving writing and this has been a strong contributory factor to raising

p.19

Commentary

standards. Expectations for the current Year 6 are not as high because of their lower previous attainment.

p.19

Commentary

39. A focus for the school has been to look at the recent lower attainment of boys’ than that of girls, particularly in writing. This has been carefully examined by the school with the conclusion that boys and girls are now equally well supported and achieve equally well. Inspection evidence agrees with this.

p.19

Commentary

40. Standards in reading are well above average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Reading records are of good quality and work challenges and interests pupils. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and are enthusiastic readers. They read regularly at home and at school and use their reading skills widely in other areas of the curriculum. Book reviews are undertaken and shared with other pupils as a recommendation to read a book which has been enjoyed.

p.19

Commentary

41. Standards in writing repeat those in reading. Writing is taught thoroughly and well. Pupils throughout the school write in a good range of styles and for different purposes. They learn joined handwriting from an early age. Spelling has a high priority and is regularly learned and checked. Teachers’ marking is helpful and supportive, giving good detail of areas for improvement. As pupils progress through the school, writing skills build progressively. Pupils learn to take notes and write accounts from notes in Years 3 and 4. In Years 5 and 6, a particularly good emphasis on exploring ways of making better story openings focuses pupils well on the use of language for good effect. The recent acquisition of laptops has enthused pupils to write widely and illustrate their work. Regular withdrawal and support for special educational needs pupils has had a dramatic effect on raising the standards of older pupils.

p.19

Commentary

There is evidence of pupils moving up a National Curriculum level in one year and achieving very well. Pauntley Primary School - 20 42. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are above average throughout the school. Pupils have ample opportunities to speak in paired, group and whole-class activities. Their opinions are sought and valued and this contributes well to lessons and pupils’ learning. Pupils are open and friendly, talking clearly and confidently to each other and adults. Pupils’ involvement in drama is limited as there is no school hall.

p.19

Commentary

43. The teaching and learning are good throughout the school. The very best teaching is in Years 5 and 6. It is characterised by a good pace and a well thought out variety of tasks. Pupils have good knowledge of what they are learning and why, because the teacher has made it very clear and the teaching is closely related to class targets which are well known to pupils. There is a high level of challenge and pupils are involved in evaluating their learning at the end of lessons. There are a few occasions when learning activities are over directed and do not involve pupils sufficiently in a variety of independent tasks. The use of assessment in English is very good.

p.20

Commentary

44. The leadership and management of the subject are good and areas for improvement are identified and acted upon. Writing has been targeted as an area for improvement and has been addressed well. Support from the local education authority is bought in and a well thought out approach to developing writing skills has been established. The co-ordinator has high aspirations for all pupils. Group and personal writing targets for older pupils are well established and pupils know them and understand what they have to do to improve. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

45. Pupils make good use of their language and literacy skills in other subjects. Across the school, literacy skills are promoted well in science and ICT. In Years 1 and 2, there is good written work covering many subjects. A lack of recorded work in design and technology, geography and history in Years 3 to 6 is compensated for by very good coverage of the development of speaking and listening skills. Pupils’ opinions are sought and valued and pupils are very confident in substantiating their views.

p.20

Spanish and French

46. Until two years ago, a permanent member of staff taught pupils French. In order to continue provision, the school became involved with the Comenius Project. This resulted in the deployment of foreign teaching assistants from Romania and Switzerland, who have taught pupils the rudiments of French. A new assistant from Spain arrived two weeks before the inspection. Her main brief is to teach pupils elements of the Spanish language and culture. The assistant has organised an effective teaching programme for Years 3 to 6 pupils which has produced a positive response. In particular, there is very good learning by Years 3 and 4 pupils. Pupils in Year 6 spoke with enthusiasm of learning about life in Switzerland and are looking forward to learning some Spanish. Exchange visits with pupils in France and a visit to Romania by one teacher and two pupils have broadened the cultural horizons of all pupils and have had a particular impact on those who visited France and Romania.

p.20

Spanish and French

The presence of foreign assistants and the activities that have been generated through involvement with the Comenius Project are having a beneficial impact on pupils’ education. Pupils leave the school with an enthusiasm to learn a foreign language.

p.20

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good . Pauntley Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are very good at the end of Year 2 and good at the end of Year 6. • Mathematics is taught using interesting and practical contexts. • The abilities and attainment of pupils are well known to teachers and support staff. • All pupils are given effective guidance on how to better understand their mathematics. • The rapid recall of number facts is not as good as it could be in Years 5 and 6.

p.21

Commentary

47. Inspection evidence found standards of attainment to be well above average at the end of Year 2. The achievement of this group of pupils has been good as they started Year 1 with above average attainment. Over the last few years, results of the national tests for seven- year-olds have been well above average. Current standards of attainment at the end of Year 6 are above average and pupils’ achievement is good. Results of the national tests for eleven-year-olds have been above average over recent years. Because numbers in each year are very small and a significant percentage of pupils join the school during Years 3 to 6, a detailed analysis of national test results is not valid. Over the last three years, boys have generally performed less well than girls in the national tests. Inspection evidence found boys achieved as well as girls.

p.21

Commentary

48. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 produce a vast amount of recorded work in their mathematics. This work is not repetitive and is set in interesting and relevant situations, for example dividing a number of pieces of fruit into fractions. Another positive feature is the way these pupils routinely ‘think mathematics’ for a short time at daily registration. This reinforces what they learn in lessons. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 apply their mathematics very well in practical contexts, such as calculating the volume of paint needed to cover a particular area. Several pupils show a detailed knowledge of the geometry of the circle. However, the quick recall of multiplication facts is lacking among Year 5 and 6 pupils and the school is working to improve this.

p.21

Commentary

49. The quality of teaching and learning is good. There is a common approach to lesson planning which give pupils security in their learning. Teachers and teaching assistants work very closely together. This partnership results in very effective support for individual pupils and small groups, particularly those with special educational needs. The needs of different age groups and abilities in each class are very well met with new ideas or by reinforcing ones previously met. This is because teachers have good subject knowledge and teaching assistants are skilled in their work. Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils very well which contributes significantly to progress. Assessment is used well to promote higher standards and marking points the way for improvement. Pupils appreciate this provision and respond positively. Pupils are becoming more familiar with their individual targets for learning

p.21

Commentary

which is an additional support for their improvement.

p.21

Commentary

50. Leadership and management are good. Improvements to provision are discussed and clarified with all teachers and their impact is collectively considered. This has led to recent, significant improvements to assessment and teaching which are having a positive effect on standards. The appointment of a part-time specialist mathematics teacher for Years 5 and 6 has had a marked impact upon standards and the curriculum. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

51. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good and is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Older pupils are involved in mapping the school grounds. This involves measurement of angles with instruments they have made themselves. This brings relevance to their mathematics and supports learning in geography and design and technology. As part of history, pupils analyse data they collect regarding games they play compared with those Pauntley Primary School - 22 played by their parents when they were children. In science, pupils present data in different tabular and graphical forms.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is stimulating use of the everyday application of science. • Pupils make good progress and have a good knowledge of science. • There are good first-hand experiences to make science relevant to pupils. • Pupils have a good understanding of fair testing. • There is a lack of pupils raising their own questions to find answers by ’fair testing‘.

p.22

Commentary

52. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6, inspection evidence found standards are above average and achievement is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Because there is a very small number in each year group and pupils join the school during Years 3 to 6, there are significant restrictions on the analysis of data of the national tests. Over the last three years, the performance of eleven-year-olds in the national tests has been close to the national average, but varies widely from year to year. Teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 give results which are well above average. Pupils are competent in presenting data in a good range of tabular and graphical formats from an early age. The youngest pupils are keen to make sure any tests they are involved in are ’fair’. Older pupils make correct use of technical terms, such as ’variables’, in their investigative work. Pupils follow a given question

p.22

Commentary

to investigate rather than taking the opportunity to raise their own questions and find answers by structured practical work. Pupils relate their science to ’real life’ applications very well. This is particularly good with the oldest pupils.

p.22

Commentary

53. Overall, teaching and learning are good. There is very good teaching in Years 5 and 6. There are very trusting relationships between pupils and teachers which result in very positive attitudes to learning and high standards of behaviour. Younger pupils become fully and sensibly involved in smelling different foods and the oldest pupils offer their opinions willingly. Through a common teaching approach which is applied consistently, all pupils are fully involved in learning. A very good example of this was seen in a Years 5 and 6 lesson when the teacher’s skilful organisation, prompting and questioning resulted in every pupil making a thoughtful contribution to the lesson. This contributes well to pupils’ speaking, listening and social skills. Relevance and interest are brought to learning through use of the school grounds, educational visits and the use of products used in the home. Satisfactory use is now

p.22

Commentary

made of marking and assessment, particularly in teachers’ planning, both of which were issues for improvement at the last inspection. Pupils are becoming more familiar with what they are expected to learn through their use of self-assessment sheets. The cramped classroom space for Years 3 to 6 makes practical work difficult.

p.22

Commentary

54. Leadership and management are good. There has been positive action to improve learning resources, particularly in the use of ICT, which is having an increasingly positive effect on learning. The review and development of the subject is well structured and effectively involves all staff. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

There is no judgement on overall provision as it was not possible to observe any teaching.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

Pauntley Primary School - 23 • The recent introduction of laptops for older pupils has been very successful. • Pupils of all ages work confidently with computers. • Access to reliable computers for Years 1 and 2 is limited.

p.23

Commentary

55. At the end of Year 2, standards are average and achievement is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 2 are familiar with the use of on-screen buttons and menus. The computers they use do not always work and the school has to wait a long time to get them put right. At the end of Year 6, standards are average, but achievement is good. Since the purchase of laptops, the interest and involvement of older pupils has become very good. The time taken for pupils to get through the work set has been dramatically reduced. At present the work they do with the laptops is limited to word processing, email, Internet research and the use of Clip Art. Control work in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory with the use of a programmable floor robot but this aspect of control does not sufficiently become extended for older pupils in Years 5 and 6.

p.23

Commentary

56. The curriculum for ICT makes satisfactory use of national guidelines which has put right a weakness from the previous inspection. The use of assessment to help pupils make progress is satisfactory, with recent improvements being introduced across the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The purchase and management of the new laptops have been planned for very well and provide great potential to raise standards within the subject and across the curriculum. This is having a positive impact on the achievement of older pupils. There have been good improvements made since the last inspection.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory. The use of computer work to stimulate learning in literacy is good. Programs are used to produce graphs in mathematics and science. Devices to sense temperature have been used in science experiments. There is little evidence of ICT being used in other areas such as art and design and music. There is a great potential for the use of ICT to influence learning in more National Curriculum subjects in Years 3 to 6 since the enthusiastic uptake of the new laptops.

p.23

HUMANITIES

58. There was not enough evidence available to make an overall judgement on provision or teaching in geography and history . No lessons were observed. Pupils’ previous written work and curriculum planning were looked at and discussions took place with pupils and staff.

p.23

HUMANITIES

59. Whilst the teachers’ termly plans indicate that all units of the nationally recommended schemes of work are taught on a three-yearly cycle in Years 1 and 2 and a four-yearly cycle in Years 3 to 6, the amount of written work pupils produce is limited in both subjects. This is largely because insufficient time is allocated to them. There have been improvements, however, in the teaching of history since the last inspection, when there was little opportunity for pupils to learn through investigating a range of artefacts and much of the work involved the completion of unchallenging worksheets. Pupils now have to put greater thought into their recorded work, some of which presents good opportunities for the development of pupils’ literacy skills.

p.23

HUMANITIES

60. Pupils’ work is generally of a satisfactory quality, but there is little of it. Pupils have a clearer understanding of what has been taught in history than they do in geography. Pupils in Year 6, for example, recalled various aspects from their studies of the Vikings, Romans and Victorians, but were less clear about the geographical skills they had acquired. They are currently involved in producing maps of different scales and different times of their school and grounds. This project brings together many areas Pauntley Primary School - 24 of the curriculum and gives realism to pupils’ learning. The school provides good opportunities to develop historical understanding, such as visits to the Victorian museum in Newent, the visit of a local historian and the examination of documents from the school’s own archives. Pupils in Year 2 talk about what their school building used to be like and the experience of pupils in Victorian times. They compare how

p.23

HUMANITIES

food was cooked in the past and present.

p.24

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Stories from the Bible are covered well. • The subject is made relevant to modern life. • Writing is used to good effect in Years 1 and 2.

p.24

Commentary

61. Standards are at the expected levels of the locally agreed syllabus throughout the school. Boys and girls achieve satisfactorily, overall. A good balance of planning across the school between the studies of Christianity, Judaism and Islam helps pupils to build steadily on previous learning. A good focus on stories from the Bible means that pupils in Years 1 and 2 have good knowledge of Jesus as a healer. Pupils’ written work supports their literacy development well. In Year 6, pupils recall the Creation story, David and Goliath and the Good Samaritan. A good balance is maintained between knowledge of religion and what it means in our lives. These two elements are linked well with themes such as ‘Helping hands at school’ and reflection on ‘Thanking God for our harvest’. The very good relationships between pupils, teachers and teaching assistants and between the pupils themselves mean that pupils of all

p.24

Commentary

levels of attainment are confident in sharing their ideas.

p.24

Commentary

62. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6. No teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2. Work in Years 3 to 6 concerned a theme of prayer. Various styles of prayers are recognised by pupils as prayers of praise, thanksgiving, intercession and forgiveness and most are able to recognise and write in these forms. The teacher made good opportunities for pupils to work independently in groups to organise and write a prayer of their group choice. This promoted a good level of discussion amongst pupils.

p.24

Commentary

63. The subject is not currently a key priority for school improvement. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory and have ensured that standards and achievement have been maintained since the last inspection. The visits from local clergy contribute well to pupils’ learning. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. Subjects in this area were sampled and consequently no judgement is made on provision. No lessons in art and design or design and technology were taught during the inspection. One lesson was seen in each of physical education and music with whole-school singing also being observed. Work presented by the school was examined and discussions took place with pupils from Year 2 and Year 6. Provision for these practical and physical subjects is limited by the lack of a hall and cramped classroom space in Years 3 to 6. Pauntley Primary School - 25 65. In art and design , the teacher’s timetable and work on display in the classroom indicate that pupils in Years 1 and 2 receive regular opportunities to produce artwork. There are indications, however, that skills are not developed systematically, but standards are broadly average. Opportunities to develop skills in art and design appear less regularly in Years 3 to

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

6, and there is very little artwork on display or in evidence in pupils’ books. However, the school’s provision is enhanced by good links with the local secondary school, a specialist arts college. Pupils, for example, have been able to use the secondary school’s facilities to produce coiled-clay pots, which have been finished to a good standard. Neither the pupils in Year 2 nor those in Year 6 could recall the names or characteristics of any famous artists they had studied in the past, and their knowledge and understanding of this aspect of the curriculum for art and design are below the levels expected.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 occasionally have good opportunities to develop understanding of the essential processes of designing, making and evaluating products in design and technology . In connection with their topic on ‘food’, for example, pupils have designed and made fridge magnets in the shape of pieces of fruit to a satisfactory standard. However, the teacher’s planning for this subject does not indicate how essential skills in this subject are developed and consolidated in a systematic way. Discussions with pupils and evidence of their work indicate that the outline planning for design and technology in Years 3 to 6 is not always followed. However, a good feature of the provision in Years 3 to 6 is the collaboration with three other European schools as part of the school’s involvement with the Comenius Project. The schools have agreed to focus work in design and technology on projects which will help pupils in the other schools to understand something of the culture of

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

their respective countries. Pupils at Pauntley, for example, have designed and made some traditional games, such as nine-cubed puzzles and small jigsaws, which have helped them to develop skills in designing, making and evaluating products. The puzzles have been made to a good standard, indicating that the pupils have taken care in making them.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. The one lesson observed in music involved Years 5 and 6 pupils and teaching was good. The part-time teacher skilfully introduced pupils to a wide range of musical instruments and musical styles from South America. Pupils made good comparisons with the instruments and styles of other cultures they had studied. In their responses to the teacher’s relevant questioning, they used several correct technical terms, often without any prompting. In their performance, they made very good progress in improvising rhythms within the time signature. An earlier lesson with Years 3 and 4 pupils ended with a performance of music, representing animals, using different instruments and rhythms. Both of the performances were of good quality. Pupils know about good posture and watching the conductor, but these aspects were not consistently applied. Opportunities for pupils to evaluate their performance were not taken up. Singing in whole-school sessions is satisfactory. A volunteer regularly takes

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

these sessions and gives pupils a very good grounding in warming-up exercises, diction and posture. The part-time teacher and the volunteer are both music specialists and are an asset to the school. Music makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ social and cultural development.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. One lesson was seen in physical education for the class of reception children and Years 1 and 2 pupils. The teacher successfully linked a creative theme to physical aspects. The story of Handa was being studied and pupils used quoits, paper plates and bean bags for a balancing exercise. Pupils emulated Handa, carrying objects on their heads and the young pupils were well motivated by using this well-known story as a link. The school lacks a hall of Pauntley Primary School - 26 its own, which inhibits physical activities. It has good outdoor grassed provision now which is a great improvement since the last inspection. All pupils in Years 3 to 6 visit the swimming baths frequently which leads to all Year 6 pupils meeting National Curriculum requirements in swimming.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

69. Personal, social and health education appears in several areas of the school’s provision. There were no lessons observed in personal, social and health education as a subject. In the Foundation Stage, children’s personal, social and emotional development is good. Much personal, social and health education is covered in whole-school assemblies. Health education features well in the provision for science. Pupils of all ages are familiar with healthy lifestyles. Specialist input, such as from the school nurse and the police, makes a positive contribution to pupils’ understanding of their own welfare and physical development. The newly formed school council for Years 3 to 6 pupils is extending pupils’ social education and understanding of aspects of citizenship. The general climate of the school promotes pupils’ personal and social education very well. Pupils are very familiar with the school’s high

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

expectations for their conduct which are simply and effectively summarised in well-known guidance known as the ‘ABC’ of the school. The school links with local and international schools make positive contributions to pupils’ social education and citizenship. Pauntley Primary School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

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 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27