Preston Grange Primary School

PRESTON GRANGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 – 15 September 2004

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PRESTON GRANGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Preston Grange Primary School - 2 - September 2004 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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PRESTON GRANGE 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. Preston Grange Primary School - 3 - September 2004

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 193

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chiltern Road Preston Grange North Shields Tyne and Wear Postcode: NE29 9QL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0191 200 6347 Fax number: 0191 200 1080

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Vaughan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 April 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves pupils from a wide area in Tynemouth and North Shields. At the time of inspection about 60 per cent of pupils came from outside the school’s catchment. The school is smaller than most primary schools, with 193 pupils aged five to 11 years. Children join the Reception class in the autumn term of the school year in which they are five. Their attainment when they join is above what is expected for children of this age. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (4%) is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average though the percentage of pupils with Statement of Special Educational need is about average. Most special needs are in literacy, those for Statemented children are for emotional and behavioural difficulties and speech impairment. The school’s population is predominantly white European heritage, though there

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

are three pupils who are at an early stage of learning English. While the school enjoys good support from parents to help pupils achieve well, it also suffers a financial disadvantage in some years when pupils leave at the end of Year 4 to join neighbouring middle schools. The school has close links with the local high schools and the school offers places for teacher training to one of the local universities. The school has a strong commitment to the performing arts and joins with other schools for large scale performances. In 2002 the school received an Achievement Award. Preston Grange Primary School - 4 - September 2004

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

24326 Mrs Moira Fitzpatrick Lead inspector English Geography History Religious education English as an additional language 19418 Mrs Alison Birch Lay inspector 30205 Miss Theresa Kenna Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Foundation stage 32298 Mr Alan Sergison Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Physical education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA

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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). Preston Grange Primary School - 5 - September 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

Preston Grange Primary School - 6 - September 2004

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school where pupils reach high standards and their achievement is good because the quality of educational provision is very good. The leadership of the school is very good, providing clear direction for the school’s development. There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development. Given all of these strong factors and the low spending per pupil the school is judged to provide very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• High standards and good achievement for all groups of pupils. • Very good teaching and learning, well supported by the work of teaching assistants. • Very good leadership from the headteacher, whose aims for the school are very well supported by teachers, parents and governors. • A very good curriculum, though planning to develop writing skills in other subjects and the time allocated to subjects in some classes could be better. • Very good provision in the Foundation Stage giving children a very good start to their learning, though facilities for outdoor learning could be improved. • Pupils have very good relationships and very good attitudes to learning, which together with their very good behaviour ensure that they learn well and make the most of their time in school. • Good leadership and management from key staff, however, further development of the role of co-ordinators is needed. • Some aspects of accommodation need attention to improve facilities for pupils.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The governors make a good contribution to the development of the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school is more effective than it was at the time of the last inspection mainly due to improvements in the overall leadership and management of the school. The headteacher has promoted teamwork very well, so that all staff are able to contribute well to the development of the school. This is now at a point where further development to the role of subject co- ordinators is needed to take full advantage of their skills and expertise. There has been very good improvement to the provision for pupils with special educational needs and this has helped the school’s drive to raise standards. Standards in the school have risen faster than the national trend since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has improved significantly and provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is now better than it was. Overall, improvement since the last inspection has been very good.

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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 A A Mathematics C A* A* A* Science A A A* A* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Preston Grange Primary School - 7 - September 2004 Pupils’ achievement is good overall. The school’s performance in the National Curriculum tests in 2003 was very high compared with that of similar schools, placing it in the top five per cent of school’s nationally. Pupils who sat these tests made very good progress from the results they achieved in national tests when they were in Year 2. Results for 2004 show a slight dip in the percentage of pupils achieving the higher grades, which reflects the lower proportion of higher attaining pupils in this group. Pupils now in Year 6 reach standards in English,

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

mathematics and science which are well above the national average. Pupils in Year 2 reach standards that are above the level expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. In the subjects inspected, pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reach above the expectation for their age in religious education, history, physical education and music and they reach the expected level in ICT. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and the majority are on course to exceed the expected level in the six areas of their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and the few pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported to achieve as well as other pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good because of the many opportunities they have to take responsibility and because of the school’s very good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Achievement is good for all pupils because they are very well taught and they bring very good attitudes and enthusiasm to their learning. Pupils’ behaviour in and out of class is very good and this enhances their learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching is very good throughout the school, with some excellent teaching seen. Strengths of teaching include: very good planning for learning which provides a good balance of activities for pupils; a high commitment to developing pupils’ independence and confidence, and teachers’ subject knowledge and their imaginative use of resources. Assessment of pupils’ learning is very good and is used well to plan appropriately for the learning needs of all pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very well planned. The amount of time spent on subjects differs from class to class and the school has plans to review this aspect of its provision. The curriculum is enriched with good links to other schools and the community to extend learning beyond the classroom and takes good account of pupils’ interests and strengths. Provision in the Reception class has been sustained at its previous high level and while outdoor provision has been improved this could be improved still further. Provision for out of school activities and clubs is very good. The school’s care for pupils is good and there is very good support for pupils’ learning through the monitoring and guidance they receive. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory, though there are a few aspects of accommodation that require upgrading.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good . The headteacher, key staff and governors monitor the work of the school effectively and respond promptly to any perceived weaknesses, such as the dip in reading performance in 2003. Governance of the school is good and governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Preston Grange Primary School - 8 - September 2004 Parents hold the school in very high esteem. They value the family atmosphere in the school and the fact that teachers know and care for their children so well. A few had concerns about bullying but inspectors found no evidence of this during inspection and pupils were confident that if bullying occurred their teachers would deal with it promptly and effectively. Pupils are proud of their school and very pleased with the role they are allowed to play in helping to improve it.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Review the time allocated to subjects and improve planning for writing in other subjects. • Extend the responsibilities of subject co-ordinators so they have a better knowledge of provision in their subjects. • Improve accommodation in those areas highlighted in the report.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are well above the national average in English, mathematics and science in Year 6 and above the national average in Year 2. Pupils’ achievement is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and the majority exceed the goals set for their learning by the time they join Year 1. • Pupils in Year 2 exceed the standard expected for their age in religious education, history, music and physical education. • By Year 6 a high proportion of pupils reach standards that are well above the expectation for their age in religious education, history, music and physical education. • Pupils achieve well because they are very well taught and bring high levels of enthusiasm and effort to their learning.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Foundation Stage join the school with attainment that is above the expectation for their age. The teacher’s very good assessment of children’s needs and her effective planning for activities ensures that provision for children’s learning is constantly adapted to meet their needs. This allows them to achieve well in all the recommended areas of learning. Very good support from the teaching assistant is another reason why children in Reception achieve well. By the end of Reception the majority are on course to exceed the targets set for them in the six areas of their learning.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.9 (17.3) 15.7 (15.8) Preston Grange Primary School - 9 - September 2004 writing 16.3 (15.3) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 18.8 (18.3) 16.3 (16.5) There were 28 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Results in the 2003 National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils were above the national average in reading, well above the national average in writing and very high in mathematics. When compared with the performance of schools in the same free school meals bracket, they were about the same as similar schools in reading, above in writing and well above similar schools in mathematics. In the teacher assessments in science in 2003, results were well above the national average. Girls’ performance in the tests is usually better than boys’. Since the last inspection the school’s performance in national tests has risen faster than the average rate of improvement. Results for 2004 show that every pupil in the cohort reached the expected level in all three subjects. There was a slight dip in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level in mathematics, which reflects the smaller number of higher attaining pupils in the current Year 3 class. Pupils

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Commentary

currently in Year 2 reach above average standards overall in reading, writing, mathematics and science because they are well taught and the support for pupils who have special educational needs is good.

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Commentary

3. Pupils in Year 2 exceed the level expected for their age in history, music and physical education. This is because of the very good planning for their learning and their own enthusiasm which helps them learn at a good rate. Their very good listening skills are another factor which helps pupils retain their learning and so make quick connections with new learning. In religious education, pupils exceed the expectations of the local syllabus because of the very broad curriculum which is enhanced with visiting specialists and visits to places of religious interest. Pupils reach the expected level in information and communication technology and have better access to computers than they had at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 29.9 (29.1) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 30.7 (30.3) 26.8 (26.7) Science 31.9 (30.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Pupils in Year 6 reach well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. This is because of the consistently high quality teaching they have received as they moved through the school as well as the contribution made to their overall achievement by their enthusiastic attitudes to learning and their capacity for hard work. Their basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well developed, and while pupils apply these effectively to other areas of learning whenever they have the opportunity, this is not sufficiently planned for in all subjects. In science, they work rapidly on investigations, sharing ideas and confidently predicting and hypothesising. In the other subjects inspected, pupils reach standards above the expectation for their age in history, physical education and music. This is the result of their own enthusiasm, coupled with very good teaching which makes high demands of them. Pupils rise willingly to the challenges set in

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Commentary

all of their learning and are always eager to tackle new work, so that in each of these Preston Grange Primary School - 10 - September 2004 subjects they are able to make good progress and achieve well. In religious education, pupils exceed the expectations of the local syllabus because they have had such a wealth of first hand experience of Christianity and other faiths through visits and the many practical activities they enjoy. Standards in information and communication technology are at about the expected level for their age and are improving as the school becomes better equipped with new technologies such as interactive whiteboards. In all classes learning is underpinned by personal research into various topics that pupils have done in their own time. By the time pupils are in Year 6 their achievement has been well supported by the work they do at home.

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Commentary

5. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress because their learning difficulties are well assessed and good provision is made for their learning. Pupils with special educational needs who sat the tests in 2003 and 2004 made better than expected progress from Year 2 to Year 6 and exceeded the targets set for them. Pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported to achieve as well as other pupils and they too exceed the targets set for them and reach at least the expected level for their age by the time they leave the school.

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Commentary

6. The school sets challenging targets for pupils in the national tests that are based on very good knowledge of their current learning. The targets for this year are slightly lower than last year, reflecting a lower proportion of higher attaining pupils in the present Year 6 class. Nevertheless, results are likely to be well above the national average, given the skill and determination of the class teacher and the commitment of pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities are developed very well. The pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. Their behaviour in lessons and at playtimes is very good . The promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Attendance is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The warmth of relationships between pupils, adults and parents creates a very good learning environment. • The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development and encourages them to enjoy learning. • There are high expectations of conduct. • Pupil’s opinions are valued and there are many opportunities for them to undertake responsibilities. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Very good support from parents to ensure that their children attend school and arrive punctually. • High expectations of parents match the enhanced learning of their children.

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Commentary

7. This school is very effective because relationships at all levels are very good. Pupils are polite and not afraid to ask pertinent questions. In lessons, in response to the teachers’ high expectations and very good management, pupils listen to their teachers carefully and concentrate on the tasks they are given. The very good relationships between all members of the school community ensure that all are valued for their contribution to this Preston Grange Primary School - 11 - September 2004 very close community. The quality of relationships, together with the absence of any form of oppressive behaviour make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

8. The school places great emphasis on pupils’ personal development. This underpins all of its work. As a result, pupils readily accept responsibility when asked to do so. They respect each other and the adults in the school. The essence of the school is to make learning fun. As a result, pupils show pleasure in their own and others’ achievements. They know what is expected of them and they respond very well. The school provides a wide range of rich cultural experiences through religious education lessons and high quality arts and sports activities.

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Commentary

9. The teaching staff have a quiet and engaging manner which strongly affects pupils’ behaviour in a very positive way. All staff and pupils are involved in considering, and establishing the high expectations of conduct throughout the school This ensures that through ownership, these expectations are fulfilled.

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Commentary

10. Pupils say that their opinions are valued, and through the school council they are committed to improving the school for all involved there. For example, pupils help to run the ‘Healthy eating’ tuck shop. They have raised funds which have helped to improve the school grounds, and introduced a ‘Bus stop’ in the playground manned by council members to which any pupils can go with their worries and concerns.

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Commentary

11. The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Class discussions, together with imaginative assembly themes, are used effectively to promote an understanding of the difference between right and wrong. Circle Times enable pupils to explore their own worries or concerns and to learn to respect other people’s values. Pupils learn to socialise and work together very well because teachers plan many practical activities for them. They work collaboratively, for example, on science projects and in music lessons. They enjoy the after-school clubs and the many opportunities to meet and talk to visitors during the school day. The school teaches pupils to appreciate their own cultural traditions very well. It does this through interesting topics in geography and history, and through art and design, and music. Visits to places of local interest, such as Beamish museum, successfully support this work. The school also

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Commentary

provides a wide variety of opportunities for pupils to learn about the diversities and richness of other cultures. Visitors teach the pupils about traditions other than their own. A strength of this provision is the way in which pupils learn about a range of religious festivals and study major world religions in their religious education lessons. The use of a good range of artefacts greatly enhances pupils’ understanding and awareness of other peoples’ ways of life.

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Commentary

12. Children in the Foundation Stage are encouraged to become independent very effectively. They learn that it is important to take turns and share and though some find this hard they generally manage very well. The children develop very good relationships with all the staff and demonstrate good levels of perseverance with their learning, even when they find their tasks hard. The approach taken to involving children in managing resources and equipment for themselves is very good. Most children are expected to exceed the early learning goals in the area of personal, social and emotional development by the end of the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

13. The school has maintained the good level of attendance since the last inspection. Pupils are good at attending school punctually, enabling lessons to start on time. Preston Grange Primary School - 12 - September 2004 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

There was one exclusion in the last school year. This was effective as the behaviour of the pupil has improved dramatically.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 151 1 0 White – any other White background 5 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education for its pupils. The school provides a very good curriculum for all pupils. There is a good level of care for pupils, support and guidance for learning are very good and links with parents are very good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is very good . Procedures for the assessment of pupils’ learning are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ planning and subject knowledge are very good and ensure that learning is interesting and challenging. • Teachers’ high expectations and the very good relationships they form with pupils. • The ability of pupils to co-operate and learn from each other. • The range and balance of learning activities. • Teachers’ use of assessment provides the right level of challenge match work to pupils’ needs. • Teachers’ questioning skills and the opportunities they provide for pupils to learn through talk extend pupils’ thinking well. • Teachers do not plan enough writing opportunities for pupils in all subjects. Preston Grange Primary School - 13 - September 2004

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Commentary

14. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and is a great strength of the school. There is now a much higher proportion of good and very good teaching and there is no unsatisfactory teaching. These improvements are due mainly to improvements in the curriculum and assessment procedures as well as the use that teachers make of assessment to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils in their classes. Improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs have also supported better teaching and learning for these pupils since the last inspection.

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Commentary

15. In the Foundation Stage, children settle quickly to the demands of learning because of the very clear routines that are established when they start school. The quality of teaching is consistently very good. The teacher has a quiet and engaging manner, enabling her to form very good relationships with the children, which in turn ensures that they want to learn. She provides a very rich variety of well planned activities, which stimulate learning across all six areas of learning. Both the teacher and classroom assistant interact very effectively with the children, which promotes their learning well and contributes very positively to the good progress they are making. The very thorough tracking of children’s learning enables the teacher to plan activities which challenge each child appropriately, building well on their enthusiasm for learning.

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Commentary

16. Elsewhere in the school, the quality of teachers’ planning is very high in all classes. Teachers make good use of their assessments of pupils’ learning to plan activities that will interest and motivate pupils. This increases pupils’ confidence so that they work with enthusiasm and always at a brisk pace. In English and mathematics lessons, teachers provide a high level of challenge to all pupils and ensure that they are well prepared to tackle their tasks through carefully staged teaching and direct support for those who need it. They take care to adapt the level of challenge to match the different learning needs of their pupils, so that they are guaranteed success in every lesson. The result is that in almost all English and mathematics lessons seen the quality of teaching and learning was very good. A slight weakness in some subjects is teachers’ lack of planning for writing. Because this opportunity to present pupils with activities to hone their writing skills is not

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Commentary

seized regularly, these skill do not develop as fully as they might by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

17. Pupils in all classes benefit from a range of activities that give them opportunities for independent work and for collaboration with peers. These strategies again add greatly to pupils’ confidence and enthusiasm. In most lessons seen, teachers achieved a very good balance of teacher led learning with pupils learning through activity and from each other. This was particularly successful in high quality history lessons in Year 4 and Year 5 where pupils were introduced to a topic through clear explanation and description by the class teacher. This was followed in both lessons by challenging activities in which pupils became history detectives and explored different kinds of evidence to deduce information or to ask further questions. Pupils’ response in both classes was highly focused and enthusiastic. They worked with great concentration and shared ideas freely which helped them to come rapidly to conclusions and raise questions about the

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Commentary

18. Teachers in all classes are adept at developing pupils’ skills. In a very good dance lesson in Year 1 pupils learned first to follow the teacher’s clear demonstrations and then adapt their movements to their own ideas as they became more confident. In science Preston Grange Primary School - 14 - September 2004 lessons, teachers place considerable emphasis on pupils planning and carrying out investigations. Through these activities pupils develop the capacity to reason and to make connections. Because they are given so much responsibility for their learning they develop very good observational skills that they use to arrive at accurate predictions about what is happening. In a Year 6 science lesson, pupils learned at an excellent rate because the teacher encouraged the flow of ideas with sharp questioning to develop their thinking.

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Commentary

19. Teachers form very good relationships with their pupils and these help pupils to learn at a very good rate because they want to please their teachers. Pupils listen closely during whole class teaching sessions and are eager to contribute to discussion. Teachers are skilled at leading discussion and the use of talk for learning makes a very good contribution to the rate at which pupils grasp and develop new ideas. The level of discussion is high because pupils have the confidence to explore ideas and build upon the suggestions of others. Because pupils are keen to please their teachers they work hard throughout lessons and are well praised by their teachers for their efforts. This fosters the very good relationships and makes pupils even more eager to work well.

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Commentary

20. Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported to achieve as well as others in their class. Teachers have good knowledge of their needs from the careful assessment they make of their learning and they use this to plan activities that allow pupils to work on the same topic as others but at a lower level. Teaching assistants give good support to pupils’ learning through skilled questioning, good use of resources and by convincing pupils that they can tackle work on their own. Because of these strategies, pupils gain in confidence and make at least good progress in their learning each lesson. The few pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported, initially by the local education authority specialist, but then increasingly by the support of teachers and their peers. The emphasis that teachers place on learning through talk is of great benefit to these pupils whose vocabulary and understanding rapidly improve as a result.

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Commentary

21. Pupils’ strong enthusiasm for learning, together with their very good relationships with each other, make an enormous contribution to their overall progress. From a very early age they are encouraged to share their learning and to support each other in class. They work very well together in pairs and in small groups and are eager to listen to, as well as contribute ideas. This helps to generate and sustain the very good working environment that is found in every class in the school, and to give pupils in all groups a genuine love of learning and confidence in their own ability to succeed.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good range of learning opportunities for pupils. Provision for the enrichment of the curriculum is very good . The school’s accommodation and resources to support teaching and learning are satisfactory. Preston Grange Primary School - 15 - September 2004

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a broad and varied curriculum which enables pupils to achieve well. • The quality of teachers’ planning is very good. • Good use is made of visiting experts and specialists to support learning. • There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities to enhance pupils’ learning experiences. • The overall use of curriculum time is in need of review.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils well. In the Foundation Stage (Reception class), there is a very good balance between activities directed by the teacher, those selected by the teacher to provide opportunities for exploration and those chosen by the children. All the required areas of learning are linked together effectively to make good use of time. There is very good emphasis on communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. Pupils throughout the school are keen to learn because work is carefully planned to be interesting and stimulating. The statutory requirements are fully met. However, as the school has already identified, the overall use of curriculum time would benefit from review because time allocations to subjects are not consistent across the school. For example, different classes spend different amounts of time on English and mathematics.

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Commentary

23. Curriculum planning is based on the national frameworks for literacy and numeracy and national guidelines are used appropriately in other subjects. Pupils are supported and challenged to achieve well and teachers’ planning makes links between subjects to enhance learning. However, teachers do not routinely plan writing activities into other subjects and this misses the opportunity to promote pupils’ literacy skills fully. Appropriate opportunities are taken to offer pupils first hand learning experiences through visits to local places of interest such as the Roman Fort at Segedunum, Wallsend, St Mary’s Lighthouse, Beamish Museum and Bede’s World. These opportunities are extended in the residential visit to Powburn for older pupils. In addition, younger pupils take advantage of opportunities for learning in the local environment, as in their study of local houses and homes.

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Commentary

24. This is an inclusive school that provides very good opportunity and access for all pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational need has improved since the time of the last inspection and is now good. A clear system for the identification of pupils in need is now in place and parents are appropriately involved both in setting targets and in the review of their children’s progress. Individual Education Plans for these pupils are drawn up by class teachers in consultation with the special educational needs co-ordinator. They identify appropriate areas for development. There is sound liaison with local secondary schools to smooth the transition of pupils who have special educational needs to the next stage of their education. Additional support for these pupils is good overall. Gifted and talented pupils are identified and teachers differentiate provision for these pupils in their lesson planning. Local secondary schools also offer additional tuition for identified pupils

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Commentary

in mathematics and science and gifted writers are able to join a writing club. Preston Grange Primary School - 16 - September 2004 25. A very good range of extra-curricular activities enhances pupils’ learning. Pupils express their enjoyment of these clubs and actively support them. The After-School Care group also enhances provision in this area.

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Commentary

26. Visitors are invited to school to talk and work with the pupils. For example, during the inspection a mother visited school with her baby to support work in science. Parents from an ethnic minority background come to talk to pupils about different religions and customs. On occasion, when pupils are studying people who help us, the local crossing attendant or school nurse might visit. Very good use is made of links with local secondary schools, who provide specialist teaching and coaching, for example in sport, science and mathematics. These and other appropriate link activities, support the effective transition of pupils to the next stage of their education. Older pupils also have the opportunity to study French in timetabled sessions. Visiting peripatetic music staff make a significant contribution to the learning experiences of pupils. Pupils have a variety of opportunities to perform in class assemblies and larger scale school

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Commentary

productions. Representatives from local churches help pupils become aware of the needs of others and encourage caring attitudes. These enrichment activities make significant and positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. 27. In addition, acts of worship enhance provision, as seen in the very good class assembly led by Year 5 pupils which celebrated the Maori culture of New Zealand. Here, relationships and co-operation were strengths, as were pupils’ behaviour and response. The school is currently preparing for the Healthy School Award. Provision for sex and relationships education and drugs and alcohol education is appropriately met with the support of outside agencies.

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Commentary

28. There is a good match of teachers and support staff to the curriculum. The support staff are well qualified, well respected by the pupils and integral to the learning process. Staff are hard working and enthusiastic. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. One class is currently situated in a demountable classroom. The school is currently reviewing this situation with a view to incorporating the class into the main school building where a classroom is available, which would improve provision for the pupils in the class. The outdoor area for Reception pupils represents an improvement since the last inspection, but is too small and not easily accessible for outdoor learning for children in the Foundation Stage. The premises are very well cared for, sparklingly clean and well maintained overall. However, some toilets are in need of refurbishment and sections of the hard play areas require re-surfacing. The school has extensive playing fields that

p.16

Commentary

support physical education and other aspects of the curriculum well. Resources overall are satisfactory and whilst there have been improvements in ICT resources, these still require further improvement.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care and welfare is good . The school provides very good support, advice and guidance for pupils based on very thorough monitoring of their attainment, behaviour and personal development. The school is very good at seeking, valuing and acting on pupils’ views.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

• Teachers know their pupils very well, quickly noticing any difficulties or talents they have. Preston Grange Primary School - 17 - September 2004 • The monitoring of pupils’ achievements, personal development and behaviour is very good. • Induction arrangements for pupils are very good. • The school is very good at seeking, valuing and acting on pupils’ views, especially through the school council. • There are issues with the condition of the toilets and the uneven surface of the playground.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

29. Since the last inspection there has been an improvement in how the school cares for, guides and supports its pupils. This has had a significant impact on the raising of educational standards.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

30. The school employs effective child protection procedures. The school has forged good links with a number of welfare agencies to support pupils with special educational needs and others who have medical needs. There are a few health and safety issues relating to the poor condition of some toilets and the uneven surface of the playground.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

31. The teachers know their pupils very well, quickly noticing any difficulties or talents they have. Bearing in mind that the teachers had only taught their pupils for little over a week at the time of the inspection, they have built a very good rapport with them. This has enabled the pupils, especially the new intake, to quickly feel secure in their learning so that they are already achieving well. There is enthusiastic support from parents whose children have special educational needs, as the staff have helped these pupils to make good progress.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

32. The school provides very good support, advice and guidance for pupils as they progress through school, based on thorough and rigorous monitoring of their learning. All the teachers are very good at motivating pupils to want to learn and encouraging them to work independently, even from a young age. This is most evident in the teaching of mathematics, science, religious education and history. This has a significant impact on the high standards achieved. The school is very successful at recognising the needs of individual pupils, such as those who require extra support and those who are talented or gifted. It then successfully provides targeted teaching to meet their needs. The school is very good at acknowledging pupils’ achievements through its rewards schemes. These range from awarding house points, stickers and medals to bronze, silver, gold and platinum certificates. The pupils are so proud to get these rewards that they strive to

p.17

Care, guidance and support

behave well and put in the extra effort required.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

33. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are well informed about the provision made for their children. They are invited to regular reviews of their children’s progress and are given good advice on how to support their children at home. This strong partnership is a factor in the good achievement of pupils who have special educational needs.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

34. The induction arrangements for pupils starting school are very good. The parents interviewed, including one whose children have English as a second language, praised the Young Friends Club that introduces the children into school over six weeks prior to them starting school. This system enables children to settle quickly, and enables them to progress well. Preston Grange Primary School - 18 - September 2004 35. The school is very good at seeking, valuing and acting on pupils’ views, especially through the school council. The members of the council are a very active group who take their responsibilities seriously. For example, they started a Healthy Food tuck shop, and purchased a digital camera and games for playtime from the proceeds. They are keen to improve healthy eating through better school meals. They have initiated the Bus Stop scheme in the playground, which involves older pupils being available to act as buddies

p.17

Care, guidance and support

to other pupils who need someone to listen to them. In addition to the school’s regular newsletters they decided to have their own Grange Gossip news, and they organise fund- raising events, recycling schemes and the planting of the courtyard area.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The links the school has with the parents are very good . The links with the other local schools and the local community are good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive of the school. • The headteacher and teachers are readily available to discuss concerns with parents. • Parents give good support with their children’s learning. • Parents are kept very well informed about the curriculum being taught to their children and about their children’s standards and progress. • Good links with pyramid of local schools. • Good links with the local community and businesses through planned activities that relate to the curriculum.

p.18

Commentary

36. Since the last inspection the partnerships between the school, parents and the community have improved. The parents are very supportive of the school and are very positive about the work of the staff in motivating their children in their learning, enabling them to achieve very well. All the parents interviewed during the inspection considered that the headteacher and teachers are readily available to discuss concerns they may have. The school responds well to parents concerns and their suggestions for improvements in the school.

p.18

Commentary

37. Parents consider that they have good communication with the school through the regular newsletters, parents’ evenings and the courses the school runs to that enhance their knowledge in the teaching of the literacy and numeracy strategies. This has aided parents in supporting their children well at home. Parents are kept very well informed about the curriculum being taught to their children and about their children’s progress through discussions with the teachers and through the annual reports, which now reflect each child’s individuality. The Parents, Teachers and Friends Association successfully raises funds for the school, for instance for refurbishing the hall and computer suite. They also provide each pupil who is transferring to secondary school with a pen as a reminder of their time at Preston Grange School.

p.18

Commentary

38. There is a close liaison with other primary schools and the local secondary school. Hence, the majority of pupils are confident to make the transfer to the secondary school. There are good links with the local community and businesses through planned activities that are relevant to the curriculum being taught. Examples include support from Renault, Preston Grange Primary School - 19 - September 2004 a local building society and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute or educating the pupils on road and water safety, visits to the Evening Chronicle newspaper, working with Northumbria University on a design and technology and problem solving challenges. There are also a number of concerts and performances performed by local groups. The elderly residents in the area are given the proceeds from the Harvest Festival and also given Christmas cards, which are made by the pupils.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good overall. Management by key staff is good. Governance of the school is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership for the development of the school. • The headteacher’s very good promotion of teamwork has created a shared vision which has allowed the school to make very good improvement since the last inspection. • Overall, subject leaders provide good leadership and management for their subjects; the Foundation Stage leader provides very good leadership and management for the curriculum in Reception. • The governors provide good support and challenge to help the school to improve.

p.19

Commentary

39. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. Her clear vision for what the school should be is shared well with all staff, parents and governors, who give full support to her ambitions for the children. Since the last inspection the headteacher has led change on many fronts, leading to very good improvement overall. The curriculum has been developed well; the provision for and the teaching of information and communication technology have improved and so has the quality of teaching and learning in the school overall. Standards have risen faster than the national trend and pupils’ behaviour and personal development have improved significantly, reflecting the school’s very high commitment to raising standards in all of its work.

p.19

Commentary

40. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and the high standards found at the last inspection have been maintained. The leadership and management of other key staff are good. They are expert in their subject knowledge and give good support to each other. The strong team spirit within the school means that ideas and suggestions are quickly adopted and put into practice. Subject co-ordinators have good knowledge of some of the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects through formal monitoring procedures and informal discussions with colleagues. Effective systems for assessing pupils’ attainment enable them to track standards in the subject. However, co-ordinators do not have the same depth of knowledge about the quality of curriculum provision in every class, because the monitoring of teachers’ short term planning and teaching and learning are not currently part of their responsibilities. This is

p.19

Commentary

a weakness which restricts the sharing of good practice and the co-ordinators’ ability to identify and support fully the strengths and weaknesses in provision in each class.

p.19

Commentary

41. The management of special educational needs provision is good. This marks a very good improvement since the last inspection and reflects the headteacher’s commitment to ensuring all pupils have the opportunity and support to do their best. The co-ordinator Preston Grange Primary School - 20 - September 2004 is conscientious and well-informed. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is well organised and effective and communication between staff is good. Teachers play a full role in identifying and planning for pupils who have special educational needs and are well supported by the expertise of the special needs co-ordinator. This is reflected in their teaching and pupils achieve well as a result.

p.19

Commentary

42. The governors play a full part in the development of the school. They are well informed about the work of the school through the headteacher’s reports, presentations by senior managers and subject leaders, as well as through their own visits to the school. The monitoring of standards is thorough and the special educational needs governor has regular contact with the co-ordinator to allow her to keep the rest of the governing body informed of the effectiveness of this provision. The governing body ensures that all statutory requirements are met and that the school’s inclusion policies are well implemented and monitored. Governors fully share the headteacher’s ambitions for high quality provision, high standards in pupils’ work and that a strong, caring ethos is maintained. They work hard to achieve these aims within a tight budget. The school’s finances are very well managed and members of the school’s finance committee ensue

p.20

Commentary

that best value principles are well applied to the school’s spending and its use of resources.

p.20

Commentary

43. The day to day running of the school is very efficiently managed. The school secretary plays a significant role in this. She is responsible for monitoring spending and informing the headteacher and governors of this. She manages all finances in the school efficiently and plays a key role in establishing good relations with parents.

p.20

Commentary

44. The school benefits from good parental support, which helps pupils with their learning at home. The very positive attitudes that all pupils bring to their learning is another aid to their achievement, which helps the school achieve high standards. Set against this are the constraints imposed on the school by its difficult financial situation. Funding for the school is low and this position is exacerbated in some years by pupil mobility at the end of Year 4, when some leave to join neighbouring middle schools. The presence in the locality of two distinct systems of educational provision, presents a constant threat to the security of numbers in the school as some parents move their children to secure education in a school which provides education up to eighteen. The impact of this on the school is to leave little money for learning resources or to improve the environment. The level of learning support in the school is also reduced because of budget constraints.

p.20

Commentary

Despite these difficulties, teachers work very well with the resources they have to provide a high quality learning experience for pupils, even to the extent of re-decorating classrooms to ensure a good quality learning environment.

p.20

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.20

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 483,925 Balance from previous year 29,443 Total expenditure 502,654 Balance carried forward to the next 12,438 Expenditure per pupil 2,604 Preston Grange Primary School - 21 - September 2004

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Reception class is very good .

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Children start school in the autumn term of the school year in which they are five. The overall attainment of the children when they join the school is above what is usually expected for children of this age, particularly in the area of personal, social and emotional development. With good achievement, the majority are on course to exceed the goals set for all six areas of their learning by the time they leave Reception. Judgements about the proportion likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals set for children of this age are based on the achievements of pupils in Year 1.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. The Reception class provides a very stable and caring environment and the quality of teaching and learning is very good. The children are encouraged to enjoy learning and to take part in a wide range of lively practical activities which support their progress very effectively in all areas. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are also very effectively supported and have full access to the curriculum. As soon as children begin their schooling they are assessed against the nationally recommended targets. This results in effective planning by the teacher and teaching assistant, with work specifically aimed at the needs of individual children. The teacher has very good links with parents. There are good procedures to help children to settle into school. Since the previous inspection, provision has remained very good, leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good and provision is still

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Use of the outside area for learning is very limited due to its inappropriate location and size. There is a good range of apparatus and equipment, which stimulates activity and enhances children’s learning across the curriculum. Whenever possible this is used well to promote learning independently and through directed activity.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Regular routines are quickly established. • Good classroom organisation develops social interaction. • All staff show a consistent approach when supporting children.

p.21

Commentary

48. Classroom routines are quickly being established and are helping these young children to work in various groups, to take turns and share. As a result children are growing in confidence and developing positive attitudes to their work. Many already understand classroom rules and routines and their behaviour is very good. Lining up for lunch is accomplished in a sensible and careful way. Preston Grange Primary School - 22 - September 2004 49. The classroom has been carefully organised to enable children to select what they do from a planned range of activities and work independently using the available equipment. Children already make choices sensibly and most work confidently in the various areas of the classroom. They concentrate for appropriate periods, at times sitting quietly or working as part of the whole class. Most children willingly share the resources available and take appropriate responsibility for putting away what they have used.

p.21

Commentary

50. The teachers and the teaching assistant give very clear ideas of what is expected of the children including the difference between right and wrong. Children are enabled to become independent very effectively. There are clear routines for children, selecting and working in the different areas of the room or with particular pieces of equipment. Children have already understood and act on these routines very well. The approach taken to involving children in managing resources and equipment for themselves is very good and already they are able to clear things away quickly and tidily when required.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Communication is developed very well. • Children are encouraged to enjoy speaking and listening. • Writing is made relevant.

p.22

Commentary

51. Children grow in confidence in speaking to adults and to other children. Many can initiate conversation in their play. They enjoy listening to stories and sharing a book with an adult. A small number of children know some letter sounds and can draw the letters. By the time they leave Reception most children exceed the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning.

p.22

Commentary

52. The teacher models speaking and listening skills very well by listening carefully to what the children say, interacting with them as they work and at times, in joining in with their activities and play. This has a very positive impact on the progress children make. Some children already enjoy conversation and are beginning to take turns in speaking and listening, particularly with adults. Children answer questions posed by their teacher and are helped to express their ideas. Teaching and learning are very good.

p.22

Commentary

53. Children understand that writing is used to communicate and at times they enjoy working at the writing tables, making books and lists. They also have opportunities to write during their role-play. The staff work with small groups of children giving them very individually focused help For example, the teacher gave support and help to a group writing their own story about the baby owls. This good organisational strategy has a beneficial effect upon the way the children learn.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good. Preston Grange Primary School - 23 - September 2004

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Every opportunity is taken to develop children’s counting skills. • Mathematical concepts are made relevant to children’s experiences.

p.23

Commentary

54. Children are making appropriate progress in developing their awareness and understanding of mathematics. They enjoy counting and many can count accurately to 10, some beyond. The teacher makes good use of number rhymes to reinforce children’s counting. Children count as they sort objects as they play. In one very good lesson observed, great interest was taken in counting how many footprints the ‘ Troll ‘ had left, and all managed to rearrange them in the correct order. Children matched coats, hats and bowls to the Three Billy Goats according to their size using the appropriate vocabulary such as smaller and bigger than. By the time they leave Reception most children exceed the expected levels in this area of learning.

p.23

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are very good. The teacher organises the classroom very effectively to enable her to meet the mathematical needs of all children. Careful, flexible planning ensures that children are provided with a good balance of short periods of direct teaching, intensive work with the teacher or classroom assistant in small groups. Mathematical learning opportunities are planned into the range of activities that children choose for themselves.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of visitors and a wide range of materials to promote learning. • Computers are used well. • Teaching and learning are very good.

p.23

Commentary

56. Good use of a range of materials successfully promotes children’s interest and learning. They take great interest in looking at photographs of themselves as babies. During a visit to the class by a mum with a baby, children discussed how the baby might change before her next visit to them. A group of children led by the classroom assistant were then delighted as they bathed the Home corner dolls, while others with the teachers help order pictures of a baby’s development. Children are able to join materials together using sticky tape or glue. At times they work with intense concentration on their tasks paying attention to small details. This was seen as the children made their owls.

p.23

Commentary

57. Children use the computers with confidence, using the mouse to identify and move items on the computer screen and pointing to illustrations. Various programs are used well to promote the children’s understanding in this area of learning. Children are on course to exceed the expected levels in this area of their learning. Preston Grange Primary School - 24 - September 2004

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

58. Insufficient opportunities for observation mean that judgements cannot be made about provision, standards, teaching and learning. However, analysis of documentation and photographic evidence show that accommodation and resources for physical development are good.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

59. Insufficient opportunities for observation mean that judgements cannot be made about provision, standards, teaching and learning. However, analysis of documentation and photographic evidence show that accommodation and resources for creative development are very good .

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

60. Children enjoy a good range of well-planned art and craft and role-play experiences to stimulate their imagination. They concentrate well on these, making pictures and models with a variety of materials and paint. They are beginning to relate well to each other and share in imaginative ideas to create stories and events. They build models from Lego, and enjoy playing the part of doctors, nurses and patients in the hospital role-play area.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach high standards in the subject and their achievement is good. • The quality of teaching is very good overall. • The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management for the subject. • Planning for the teaching of reading skills is not consistent and this is a weakness. • There is very good promotion of speaking and listening; these skills are used well to share ideas and increase the rate of learning for pupils. • Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported to achieve as well as other pupils. • Pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported to become fluent in their use of English.

p.24

Commentary

61. By the end of Year 2 pupils reach standards that are above the expectation for their age and by Year 6 standards are well above the expectation. All pupils achieve well. Since the last inspection there have been very good improvements to the quality of teaching, to the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and the few pupils who join the school with English as an additional language. As a result, the high standards found at the last inspection have been maintained in the infants and standards have risen significantly by the end of Year 6. Preston Grange Primary School - 25 - September 2004 62. The vast majority of pupils in Year 2 are able to read simple words unaided and most can spell common words correctly. Handwriting is developing well and, except for a few pupils who have special educational needs, pupils’ written work is legible. Higher attaining pupils’ work is well presented. There are more pupils with special educational

p.24

Commentary

needs than usual in the current Year 2 class, but these are well supported by the learning support assistant and the special needs co-ordinator so they make good progress. Overall, standards are best in speaking and listening, because all pupils are encouraged to join in and add to the ideas of others by listening carefully. This practice is particularly beneficial to pupils who have English as an additional language, whose vocabulary is well developed through listening to their peers in class discussion. These pupils are also well supported by the local authority specialist who gives in-class support and advises teachers on their planning for these pupils.

p.25

Commentary

63. Standards are high in all aspects of the subject in Years 3 to 6. Pupils speak confidently and clearly, because teachers give them frequent opportunities to discuss and give presentations to each in other in groups and as a class. Year 5 pupils demonstrated their very good speaking skills in an extended assembly about life in New Zealand, when they held their audience spellbound with their storytelling. Pupils read well, with good understanding, though there is little evidence of a strong reading culture or challenging texts for higher ability pupils. Pupils of all abilities are well supported to develop good writing skills. The strength in writing lies in pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. While they are able to adapt their writing for different purposes, overall pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects. This was especially true of the work of Year 6 pupils, who seldom write at length in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

64. Teaching in the subject is very good overall. All teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan for the different needs of pupils in their classes. They ensure that pupils who have special educational need undertake similar work to other pupils but at a simpler level. The high quality, detailed planning for whole class teaching and group tasks is a key factor in the very good learning that takes place in most lessons. Very well managed discussion, drawing on pupils’ previous learning and allowing them to develop their thinking through talk, makes learning memorable and prepares pupils well for their written tasks. Nearly all teachers plan a very good balance of learning activities for their pupils, which keep them well motivated and working at a good pace. Pupils enjoy the high levels of challenge and know that their teacher will have set these so that they can succeed. The confidence of pupils in tackling their independent work is testimony to

p.25

Commentary

teachers’ very good knowledge of their learning needs.

p.25

Commentary

65. Teachers plan for pupils to use computers in a number of ways to support learning in the subject. For instance, some pupils work at related tasks on the computer instead of in their books to improve their keyboard skills or allow them to concentrate on the ideas they are learning. Others work on specific programs to improve their spelling or grammar and all have the opportunity to use the computer to present their completed work for classroom display. This marks an improvement in the use of ICT in the subject since the last inspection. Teachers’ planning for reading is inconsistent. While all teachers set aside specific time for reading for the whole class, this is not always planned with the same rigour as other aspects of the subject.

p.25

Commentary

66. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and management for the development of the subject. She has expert knowledge which she use well to identify weaknesses in pupils’ performance when she analyses test results. In the last school Preston Grange Primary School - 26 - September 2004 year, her analysis of Year 2 test results led to changes to the reading programme and further requests for support from parents in listening to children read at home. While she has a good overview of standards in the subject, she does not have enough opportunity to monitor what is being taught in each class and has not been able to identify gaps in teachers’ planning. This is a weakness that needs to be addressed if the co-ordinator is to have a full picture of provision in the subject so that she can support continued improvement.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

In all lessons pupils are provided with opportunities for discussion to help them clarify their understanding and to develop ideas. This strategy is used to good effect in science and mathematics lessons, where pupils explain their predictions and calculation to each other. In history and religious education lessons, pupils discuss photographs and artefacts to gain a better grasp of the past or other cultures. In Years 3 to 6, pupils are encouraged to read for research into topics they study, though reading for information was not a strong feature of the lessons seen during inspection. Planning for writing across the curriculum is a weakness because while pupils in all classes have good writing skills, these are not fully developed by writing for different purposes in other subjects of the curriculum.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment in national tests at the end of Year 6 are well above the levels expected. • There is good teaching overall, with a good percentage of very good teaching which challenges pupils well. • Teachers know their pupils well and provide appropriate activities that meet their needs so all pupils make good progress. • Teachers have high expectations and as a result, pupils develop very good attitudes to learning. • Leadership of the subject by the co-ordinator is good. However, there is no opportunity for the formal monitoring of teaching and learning.

p.26

Commentary

67. Standards in Year 2 are above the national average and in Year 6 are well above the national average, with the majority of pupils close to the expected level and a good proportion working towards the higher level in each age group. Throughout the school pupils’ achievement is good. This picture is an improvement on standards since the time of the last inspection.

p.26

Commentary

68. Teaching overall is good, with a good percentage of very good teaching seen during inspection. Teachers’ planning is very detailed and takes account of the differing needs of all pupils. All teachers have very good subject knowledge. A good balance is struck between practising and consolidating basic numeracy skills. Pupils display confidence as a result and apply their knowledge in problem solving and practical activities. This, together with good additional adult support when available, ensures that all pupils, Preston Grange Primary School - 27 - September 2004 including those with special educational needs, English as an additional language and higher attainers, achieve well.

p.26

Commentary

69. Teachers have very successfully developed the use of the National Numeracy Strategy in their teaching. They use questioning techniques effectively to support pupils’ learning. For example, in a very good Year 5 lesson, sharp questioning developed pupils’ ability to use the grid method in multiplication and to check answers by establishing estimates. In another very good lesson, in Year 4, careful questioning ensured pupils consolidated and developed measuring skills, with a specific focus on the need for accuracy. Lessons have good pace and children are enthusiastic about the subject. During the inspection good use was made of ICT to develop mathematical skills and to increase enthusiasm for mathematics.

p.27

Commentary

70. Whilst teachers conscientiously mark pupils’ work, they do not consistently identify what pupils need to do to improve. Assessment procedures are in place to track pupils’ progress although teachers use different methods in their target setting depending on the age of the children they teach. On occasion, mathematics lessons can be too long. The school is aware of this and is planning to review the use of curriculum time. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 do not have sufficient opportunities to formally record their mathematics work in their books. The presentation of work in some classes is not of a high enough standard.

p.27

Commentary

71. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader has an understanding of strengths and weaknesses but has not had the opportunity to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in lessons. Monitoring of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work has taken place and this has allowed the school to identify areas of good practice and where improvements are needed.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

Pupils have opportunities to use and apply numeracy skills in other subjects and this consolidates their learning well. This is evident in science and geography lessons in particular and in history and design and technology lessons. A good example of this is the work of pupils when they design and produce models of Tudor houses in Year 5.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision is now better then at the time of the last inspection and pupils achieve very well. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • The subject is very well managed. • The curriculum is very good.

p.27

Commentary

72. At the time of the last inspection the school was criticised because progress in Years 5 and 6 was inconsistent. Since then there has been a greater emphasis on improving Preston Grange Primary School - 28 - September 2004 teaching and learning in these years, and pupils achievement is now much better. This improvement has raised standards considerably. By the end of Year 2 standards are high, with a significant number of pupils achieving Level 3. This achievement improves so that by the end of Year 6 standards are very high in comparison with the expectation for pupils of this age. A substantial majority of pupils achieve above the expected level by the time they leave the school. This represents very good achievement.

p.27

Commentary

73. The quality of teaching and of learning is very good. Teachers plan their lessons carefully bearing in mind the different abilities of their pupils. There is a commendable emphasis on pupils planning and carrying out investigations. For instance, in a Year 4 lesson, pupils were challenged to test a circuit in order to discover the difference between ‘conductors’ and ‘insulators’ - and to devise a method of recording their results. This very successful lesson resulted in all fully understanding the differences. Teachers deploy resources with great care and make sure they are readily available in lessons. Teachers are very clear about precisely what it is they want their pupils to learn and challenge pupils’ thinking very effectively. Thus in an excellent Year 6 lesson, pupils used the resources and their knowledge and understanding to make predictions and test them in order to reach a set of conclusions. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional

p.28

Commentary

language are catered for well. They are offered very good support from the very capable support assistants. This ensures they achieve equally as well as their peers. Procedures to assess pupils’ progress are developing well, and they enable teachers to modify the work in response to individual understanding and achievement.

p.28

Commentary

74. The subject is very well managed and the curriculum is very good. The subject co- ordinator is very enthusiastic and keen to continue raising standards. She has rewritten the scheme of work and ensured that the quality of the curriculum is now very good. In planning, greater emphasis is placed on the importance of consistent investigative methods across all areas of scientific understanding. Thus pupils are enabled to progressively develop their skills and knowledge from year to year. While there is a very commendable emphasis on building excitement into the curriculum and in emphasising the importance of pupils learning through practical activity and using the correct subject vocabulary, there is not enough opportunity for pupils to use their writing skills to record their learning in all classes. The school is working hard developing the curriculum to improve the use of mathematics and ICT in science and a good start has been made.

p.28

Commentary

This was seen in the use of digital microscopes, in Year 3 to make close observations of rocks, and in Year 6 to observe salt dissolving in water.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have good subject knowledge and use resources well to support teaching and learning. • The quality of teaching is good overall and this ensures all pupils make good progress. • There has been improvement in levels of staff expertise and confidence in the subject. • Subject leadership is very good and is having an impact on raising standards.

p.28

Commentary

Preston Grange Primary School - 29 - September 2004 75. Evidence shows that pupils achieve well in ICT. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards are in line with national expectations. This is an improvement since the time of the last inspection. This improvement in standards and in the progress pupils make is due to the improvement in teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence in the delivery of the subject.

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Commentary

76. Teaching is good overall and on occasion very good. Lessons have good pace and pupils are able to develop basic skills quickly and are enthusiastic about the subject. For example, in a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils developed their skill in using spreadsheets well. They were able to input data and learned how to devise formulae to interrogate and interpret this. They used appropriate vocabulary in this activity. In another good lesson seen in Year 2, pupils worked well with a partner to alter font type, size and colour for emphasis and effect. Teacher’s detailed questioning and guidance and support ensured all pupils made good progress.

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Commentary

77. The school has a satisfactory range of ICT resources and has plans to improve these further. Resources include a room with a suite of computers. This is timetabled for use by all classes both to develop ICT skills and to enhance pupils’ experiences of other subjects. Each classroom has a computer and a digital microscope is available. So too is a digital camera, the purchase of which was funded by the School Council. Three interactive whiteboards have also been purchased although they had not been installed at the time of the inspection.

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Commentary

78. The co-ordinator has provided very good leadership for the subject and managed the development of the curriculum well. A levelled portfolio of pupils’ work illustrates standards achieved. For example, pupils in Year 2 amend and record work and share ideas in different forms including text, while pupils in Year 3 use ICT to generate, develop, organise and present their work.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

Teachers plan well for the use of computers in other subjects and this is having an impact on raising standards as pupils become more aware of how their learning in other subjects can be supported by ICT activities. In English lessons pupils have opportunities to re-draft their work as well as decide on different presentation formats. They use specific programs to improve their spelling and grammar when needed. In music, pupils in Year 2 can access the Music Box program to support their learning, whilst in RE they have access to Expresso to support their study of other religions. Pupils in Year 6 use spreadsheets to support work in mathematics, searching and interpreting information on databases. In art and history they are able to undertake internet research to explore topics such as Ancient Egypt in more depth. They also have opportunity to develop multi-media presentations. Digital microscopes are used in

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HUMANITIES

No lessons were seen in geography so no judgement is made about the overall quality of provision. Samples of work from last year show that curriculum coverage is good and that teachers seize opportunities to use firsthand experiences to teach pupils about the physical environment, for example the building of a new nursery on an adjoining site. Fieldwork forms an integral part of the work for each class so that pupils learn about physical formations such as coastlines and rivers from practical activities. In Year 6, pupils attend a residential study Preston Grange Primary School - 30 - September 2004 centre in Northumberland where they undertake a variety of fieldwork activities linking geography and science. As with history, teachers could make more of the opportunities presented by these activities to promote pupils’ writing skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good and sometimes it is excellent. • Pupils are enthusiastic and work very well together to promote each other’s learning. • There are not enough opportunities for pupils to write about the subject in all classes.

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Commentary

79. Standards are above the expectation for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6, which is an improvement since the last inspection. In Year 1 and 2 pupils learn about change over time by comparing objects such as toys, schools and transport, building well on the work begun in the Reception class where children consider how they have changed since birth. By Year 2, pupils are developing good skills of enquiry and ask pertinent questions about how the Great Fire of London began. They show very good factual recall because the teaching has been well planned and is very effective. By providing pupils with good resources and plenty of opportunity for talk, teachers in the infants ensure that their pupils make connections between ideas and understand where our knowledge of the past comes from.

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Commentary

80. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 are given very good opportunities to learn about the past through detective work. In these classes teachers place great emphasis on pupils developing ideas and hypotheses about the past by looking at evidence and considering the possible explanations. In an excellent lesson about the Viking ship found at Sutton Hoo, Year 4 pupils avidly examined photographs of artefacts found on the ship. They collaborated very well with a partner to devise plausible explanations of what the objects might be. Higher attaining pupils quickly realised that they could make several suggestions which might all be plausible but that more evidence was needed to confirm which was true. In Year 5, a similar activity about Henry VIII’s options to produce a male heir stimulated very good discussion as pupils drew on their knowledge of the era and their own moral values to come up with suggestions. In both of these lessons the quality

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Commentary

of teaching and learning was at least very good, combining the teachers’ very high expectations with the pupils’ great enthusiasm. Pupils in both groups achieved very well, developing a thorough understanding of the topics they had studied.

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Commentary

81. Work samples and the co-ordinator’s file of pupils’ work shows good coverage of the curriculum, a variety of visits and many practical activities linked to art and drama. However, the opportunities for writing for different purposes are not planned in teachers’ medium term plans, with the result that much of the very good stimulus for writing presented by such lively learning is not used to promote pupils’ writing skills.

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Commentary

82. The subject is very well led by an enthusiastic and highly skilled teacher. She provides an excellent role model in the quality of her own teaching and is able to give support and advice to colleagues should they need it. She has developed the curriculum well since Preston Grange Primary School - 31 - September 2004 the last inspection and now is at a point where planned opportunities to evaluate the quality of the provision in each class would help her determine areas for further improvement. Overall, there has been very good improvement since the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is rich and stimulating. • Pupils learn well through practical activities, though teachers could make more use of the subject to promote pupils’ literacy skills. • Teaching and learning are very good. • The subject co-ordinator provides very good leadership for the subject.

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Commentary

83. Work samples and photographic evidence show that pupils have good opportunities to learn about and from a wide range of faiths and cultural traditions. The curriculum meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and good links are made with the personal and social curriculum that the school provides. These links reinforce pupils’ understanding of cultural traditions and allow them to make connections between religious belief and how people live their lives. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils’ show a better than expected knowledge and understanding of religious matters. Their knowledge of major world faiths is good and they have a good understanding of symbol, ritual and religious festivals because of the many practical activities they have enjoyed. All pupils achieve well and pupils who have special educational needs and English as an additional language are particularly well supported by the practical activities and talk that

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Commentary

84. Teaching is very good. It is lively, well planned and fires pupils with enthusiasm for the subject. Pupils in Year 2 demonstrated very good knowledge of Islam from the previous week’s lesson when a visiting teacher brought in artefacts to enrich their learning. They were able to name special places for Muslims and recalled that their place of worship was a mosque. They learned at a rapid rate about the significance of the Q’ran, the prayer mat and Muslim headwear, because of their own interest and the teacher’s very good questions and explanations. Two Muslim children were able to make a significant contribution in this lesson, adding colour and detail to the learning of others. In a very good Year 4 lesson, pupils’ learning was of a very high quality because of the teacher’s skill in explaining about the life of Nelson Mandela. They had very good opportunities to consider and discuss the scale of the sacrifice he made because of his beliefs. Pupils of

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Commentary

all abilities produced moving accounts of his feelings when he was sent to jail and when he was released because they had been so well prepared for the task. In Year 6, pupils enjoyed learning about Buddha’s life and were thrilled to make a clay model of the Buddha to display in their classroom. Teachers make good use of display to deepen pupils’ knowledge of unfamiliar artefacts and traditions and this enhances their awareness of the diverse culture of the country in which they live. Well planned and much Preston Grange Primary School - 32 - September 2004 enjoyed ‘festival days’ occur throughout the school year so that pupils have a good understanding of religious festivals such as Eid, Chinese New Year and Holi.

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Commentary

85. The subject is very well led by the co-ordinator, whose enthusiasm has contributed to a much expanded curriculum since the last inspection. Detailed schemes of work for all classes, which are supported with a wealth of suggestions for activities, help teachers plan well for progression in pupils’ learning. The limited use of writing in the subject is a relative weakness. Nevertheless, there has been very good improvement in the subject since the last inspection.

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Art and design

86. Two art and design lessons were seen during the inspection so too little evidence is available to make overall judgements about provision. However, in work seen standards were good. Year 1 pupils successfully mixed blue, yellow and white paint to make many shades of green with which to paint their frogs. During this lesson pupils listened well to their teacher and to each other. Their achievement was good. Pupils in Year 4 worked very well, experimenting with pencil sketches, presenting them in a cubist style. Pupils demonstrated good use and understanding of sketching and shading techniques as they completed their compositions.

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Art and design

87. Work displayed around the school shows good use of colour, different materials and design techniques. Particularly good displays of water colour landscapes, and sunset collages demonstrated clear appreciation of different techniques. All indications are that standards of work have improved since the time of the last inspection.

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Design and technology

88. No lessons in design and technology were seen during the inspection, therefore insufficient evidence is available to make overall judgements about provision. However, following discussion with the co-ordinator and scrutiny of photographic evidence, provision is judged to be satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when progress by the end of Year 6 was judged to be unsatisfactory.

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Design and technology

89. Photographic evidence shows good use of different materials and designs for different purposes, all of which clearly show a development of skills. All designs are clearly investigated, designed, planned, made and evaluated.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A knowledgeable subject co-ordinator who knows the strengths and areas for development. • Pupils have very positive attitudes towards music and they enjoy singing and performing. • A new structured scheme of work is in place to support teachers in delivery of the subject. Preston Grange Primary School - 33 - September 2004 • The co-ordinator has not had an opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching and learning or to work alongside colleagues to support provision.

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Commentary

90. Standards in music are above the national expectation by the time pupils leave Year 6. This is broadly in line with standards at the time of last inspection. The quality of teaching and learning observed was good and on occasion very good and ensures that all pupils achieve well. Teachers take great care in the planning for lessons and have high expectations of pupils, which contributes to the positive attitudes that they display. The school makes very good use of peripatetic music staff, who support with tuition in violin, brass and woodwind. In a very successful Year 4 lesson, the skill and talent of a visiting musician ensured pupils made very good progress in their understanding of music from the Caribbean. In a very successful Year 5 class assembly, pupils explored and performed music from the Maori culture. This was very well received by a large audience of parents, pupils and staff. These two examples contributed in a significant way to

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Commentary

pupils’ multi-cultural experience. Pupils have a range of opportunities to participate in productions and also on occasion to visit other venues to perform, as for example in a Christingle service in a local church.

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Commentary

91. Leadership of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator attends network support meetings and leads staff development sessions in school. Although planning has been monitored, there has been no opportunity for formal lesson observation or to work alongside colleagues. Overall, resources are adequate to support provision and whilst there is evidence of some use of ICT to support delivery of the subject, this is not consistent across the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in physical education are above the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. • A good range of weekly curricular and extra-curricular activities and learning opportunities are offered to pupils. • Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and pupils have very good attitudes to the subject. • The co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor provision in the subject.

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Commentary

92. Standards are above the national expectations for pupils by the time they leave the school. Achievement is good across the school. Pupils respond enthusiastically and have positive attitudes to the subject. They develop a good sense of team spirit and fair- play that is a central feature of the ethos of the school. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers plan thoroughly for lessons and have very good subject knowledge and high expectations in all areas, including safety issues. The good use of pupil demonstrations in a Year 3 lesson seen increased pupils’ confidence and improved Preston Grange Primary School - 34 - September 2004 their personal skill levels. In a very good Year 1 dance lesson, the class teacher and support assistant provided very good role models in performance.

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Commentary

93. Physical education is very well led and managed by an enthusiastic co-ordinator. The school is currently awaiting the outcome of its application for the Active Mark Award. Staff have good opportunities to attend a range of training events to develop knowledge and skills. This has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and standards. Very good links with a local secondary school with Sports College status ensures pupils have access to a wide range of physical education activities and to qualified subject coaches. During the year pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 have the opportunity to learn to swim and the majority of pupils reach the expected level by the time they leave the school. The subject co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching and learning across the school.

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Commentary

94. Resources for the subject are sound. Equipment is generally well organised and good use is made of the Top Sport initiative to enhance provision. The school has a large spacious hall and outdoor playing surfaces. In addition it has an extensive and well- maintained grassed playing field. These are put to good use and support teaching and learning well.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

No lessons were seen in personal and social education during the inspection, however planning shows that the curriculum for this is well established and developing further under the leadership of the recently appointed co-ordinator. The school places high value on developing pupils’ knowledge of themselves and their responsibilities for the world in which they live. Discussion with pupils confirmed that the opportunities provided represent a wide range of topics that are covered in some depth, especially as pupils get older. In circle time as well as in personal, social and health education lessons pupils have many opportunities to discuss issues that concern them. There are also opportunities to discuss aspects of citizenship and responsibilities within the community. Representatives from the police, fire-service, Christian and other faiths bring a wider perspective to pupils’ understanding about personal safety and

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Pupils who are members of the school council have opportunities to negotiate and represent the views of others. They are proud of the part they play in improving the school and have made significant changes since the council was formed. For example, they have raised money for games for playtime and lunchtime; bought a digital camera for use by pupils in their lessons; set up a healthy tuck shop and are currently seeking views about the school dinners with a view to improving the healthy eating choices. This last initiative helps them have an input to the school’s efforts to gain the Healthy Schools Award. Preston Grange Primary School - 35 - September 2004

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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