Prior Weston Primary School and Children's Centre

Prior Weston Primary School

Dates of inspection: 25 th to 28 th April 2005

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Prior Weston Primary School

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

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Prior Weston 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. Prior Weston Primary School - 3

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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: 299

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 40 Bunhill Row London Postcode: EC1Y 8RX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 7253 2150 Fax number: 020 7251 3750

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr John Kenny

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This primary school is larger than other primary schools, with 299 pupils on roll. It was recently enlarged by absorbing the pupils from a nearby school that was closed. Consequently a very high proportion of pupils have joined the school at times other than normal. The school absorbed was in special measures. The socio-economic profile of the pupil intake covers a very wide spectrum, but is average overall. An above average proportion of pupils are entitled to claim a free school meal. Pupils come from a very wide range of ethnic backgrounds: 52 have English as an additional language and six are at an early stage of English language acquisition. This proportion is high. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above the national average percentage and five pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Special educational needs include pupils identified for profound and multiple learning difficulties, social, emotional and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

behavioural problems, speech or communication and multi-sensory impairment. Although attainment on entry to the reception covers a wide range, it is below average in comparison with the nationally expected level for children of this age. The school is housed on a temporary site until its full partnership with Richard Cloudesley Special School and Fortune Park Sure Start Children’s Centre is realised on a new site. The school benefits from EC1 New Deal, funding set aside to benefit the education, health services and employment for the community living within the EC1 postcode. Prior Weston Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20086 David Speakman Lead inspector English Information and communication technology Physical education Personal, social and health education and citizenship English as an additional language 9173 Sarah McDermott Lay inspector 32226 Teresa Quick Team inspector Mathematics Religious education Geography History Special educational needs 29988 Lynne Thorogood Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Art and design Design and technology Music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school. Pupils’ attainment on entry is below average and, because of good teaching, very high levels of inclusion, a good ethos and very good leadership and management, pupils achieve well and attain average standards in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), and above average in science. The school effectively meets the diverse learning needs of all pupils. It gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher, acting deputy headteacher and the governing body lead the school very well and set an extremely clear vision for its future. • Teaching is good, promotes effective learning and enables pupils to achieve well at all stages of the school. • Assessment procedures are good and used effectively in planning, but marking of pupils’ work does not consistently tell them how they can improve. • Teaching assistants are highly effective in what they do. They contribute very well to the good achievement of all pupils and to the very good support for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. • There is currently no leadership team to work effectively in close partnership with the headteacher, acting deputy headteacher and governors to represent all phases of the school in leadership and management. • The school sets high standards for pupils’ behaviour but the negative attitude of a few

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

pupils slows the pace of learning at times. • Late pupils interrupt the smooth start to the beginning of the school day. • The school is very committed to inclusion and ensures full and equal access for every pupil to all learning opportunities. • The curriculum is very well enriched with visits, visitors and special curriculum events.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Prior Weston was enlarged in September 2004 by taking in a large proportion of pupils from Moorfields Primary School, which had been closed at the end of the previous school year. It is therefore not possible to assess the improvement since the previous inspection, but the school has met the recommendations of all the key issues raised in the previous inspection report for Prior Weston, with the exception of the requirement to provide a daily act of collective worship. However, it is possible to judge that there has been a rapid development in the education provision offered by Prior Weston School since its enlargement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

There is no past National Curriculum test data which reflects the attainment of pupils now at Prior Weston. Achievement is good overall. Children start in the Foundation Stage with below average attainment and they achieve well, with most pupils meeting the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage and exceeding them in their personal, social and emotional development. By Year 2 attainment is average. By the end of Year 6, attainment remains average in English and mathematics and above average in science. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are as nationally expected at both Years 2 and 6. Achievement at all stages of the school is good. Pupils at all levels of attainment and with different learning needs achieve well. Last September there was a massive intake of pupils into all year groups from a school with academic standards that were reported to be poor. Since then, pupils’ achievement has been good to reach

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

average levels. Prior Weston Primary School - 7 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Pupils’ attitudes towards school and learning are good overall, but a few pupils display a negative attitude towards learning. This is reflected in the quality of behaviour in some lessons, which slows the pace of learning. Attendance is satisfactory but pupils’ punctuality is unsatisfactory and too many pupils arrive at school late, disrupting the smooth start to the school day.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good in all year groups. Teachers use a varied range of strategies to enable pupils with diverse learning needs to learn effectively and achieve well. Pupils are given a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn in lessons and are encouraged to do their very best. This gives pupils confidence in their approach to attempting new work. Although assessment of pupils’ achievement is good, marking of pupils’ work does not consistently inform pupils of how they might improve. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and manage this well. However, the negative attitude of some pupils sometimes gets in the way of effective learning. Teachers make sure they include all pupils in all learning activities and use group work to develop pupils’ collaborative learning skills well. Teaching assistants provide good support and are effective in their work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities and other opportunities to enrich the curriculum, particularly those linked with the arts. Teachers’ skills and experience meet the needs of the curriculum well and there are a good number of teaching assistants to support them. There are very beneficial links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The leadership of the headteacher, working closely with the acting deputy headteacher, is very good. Staff with leadership responsibility provide a good level of support. Governance of the school is very good. There is an extremely clear vision of the needs of the school. This has been instrumental in the rapid development since the school was enlarged two terms ago. With the exception of provision for a daily act of collective worship, statutory requirements are met fully.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have satisfactory views of the school. The majority of those at the meeting were positive about Prior Weston and those who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire expressed general satisfaction with the school’s provision and outcomes, but there are still some parents showing concern about the enlargement of the school. Pupils like being in school. They particularly like the good range of learning opportunities, which they find interesting.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve 1 are: • create a senior leadership team, which represents all phases of the school, to work in close collaboration with the headteacher in running the school; • improve the attitudes to learning of a minority of pupils so that there is less disruption in some lessons; • improve the marking of pupils’ work to inform them better of how they might improve; • improve the punctuality of late pupils;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

1 The areas for improvement have been recognised by the school and all are included in the school improvement plan. Prior Weston Primary School - 8 and to meet statutory requirements: • ensure that all acts of collective worship comply with statutory requirements. Prior Weston Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are average at the end of Year 6. Achievement is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s personal, social and emotional development is better than nationally expected by the end of reception. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well. • Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well both in developing English language skills and in other subjects. • Pupils have good investigative skills in science and standards are above average by Year 6. • Speaking skills for some pupils are not as good as those in other aspects of English.

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Commentary

1. There is no National Curriculum assessment data that accurately represents the achievement of the pupils currently in the enlarged Prior Weston School. This is because two former schools make up the pupil population. The enlargement of the school is recent, taking place at the beginning of the current academic year.

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Commentary

2. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported and as a consequence are achieving well overall in relation to their individual capabilities. Pupils are fully included in all lessons and the very good use of resources and specialist approaches has a very positive impact on their achievement. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well given their prior attainment. Their needs are accurately targeted and they benefit from the effective support provided. The efficient deployment of support staff and their good knowledge of the pupils, together with the commitment of senior managers to inclusion, make a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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Commentary

3. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and, starting from a below average baseline, most attain the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception in all areas of learning and exceed them in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

4. Attainment in listening, reading and writing is average. Although pupils have a satisfactory vocabulary, some, particularly older pupils, find difficulty in expressing themselves clearly in discussion or when reflecting on their work at the end of lessons, for example. Younger pupils are generally able to articulate their views satisfactorily and listen attentively to teachers and to each other. The majority of pupils develop effective strategies for reading unfamiliar words and use the context of the story to guess meaning of those they don’t know. They show satisfactory understanding of what they have read. The development of writing has been a focus of improvement and this is beginning to show in the quality and breadth of pupils’ writing.

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Commentary

5. Inspection evidence agrees with the school’s predictions for 2005, which indicate the number of pupils achieving the nationally expected levels will be average but fewer pupils than average are expected to attain the higher levels. There are signs of improved standards for younger pupils. Pupils are taught in groups, which enables teachers to focus on pupils’ learning needs. Consequently, pupils at all levels of Prior Weston Primary School - 10 attainment achieve well, showing a satisfactory understanding of the four rules of number and applying them well to problem solving. Children achieve well in science because of effective teaching, which focuses on a practical approach. Pupils find the approach interesting and it enables them to develop good experimental and investigative skills and achieve above average standards by Year 6.

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Commentary

6. Standards in religious education are in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Pupils are aware of the key customs and rituals associated with the main faiths they study and of the ways in which following a particular religion affect the lives of its followers. Pupils’ achievement in ICT is good and by Year 6 standards across a wide range of applications, such as newspaper style and multimedia presentations, are in line with the expected levels for pupils of this age.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are good and behaviour is satisfactory. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ attitudes to school and work and their generally good behaviour help to create an effective learning environment. • There is some unacceptable behaviour in Years 5 and 6. • Pupils have good relationships with adults based on mutual respect, co-operate well and support each other in lessons. • There is good provision for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development which helps to create a harmonious community. • Too many pupils are late and miss the beginning of lessons.

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Commentary

7. The majority of pupils show good attitudes towards learning and parents confirm that their children like coming to school. In the reception class and in Years 1-4 pupils listen carefully to teachers and set to work purposefully. They are keen and willing learners. After-school clubs are very popular and enthusiastically supported by the pupils. Pupils’ attitudes to school and to other pupils are good; they demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of all pupils and there are no evident barriers to the good relationships between pupils of different needs and backgrounds. The school successfully encourages pupils to take on responsibilities and a feeling of community is generated in day-to-day school life. Through the activities of the school council and playground committee, pupils contribute sensibly to the running of the school.

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Commentary

8. In most classes teachers and support staff build positive relationships with pupils and set high standards for their behaviour. Consequently pupils behave well because they like their teachers and want to please them. Pupils work together very well in pairs and groups, many showing good team-working skills. In a minority of lessons this is not so evident. Behaviour in Years 5 and 6 is satisfactory overall, but the disruptive conduct of a number of pupils spoils the positive picture and behaviour and attitudes of the older classes do not match those in the lower school. Parents are pleased with the quality of behaviour and agree that occasional minor bullying incidents and squabbles Prior Weston Primary School - 11 are promptly and effectively dealt with. There were no exclusions in the school year before the inspection.

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Commentary

9. The wide range of extra activities has a positive effect on pupils’ social and cultural development. By engaging in sporting activities, participating in visits and going on residential trips pupils learn a good deal about the community they live in, their own capabilities and about working with others. Events such as Black History month and learning about festivals from a range of faiths further promote cultural understanding. The inclusive nature of the school with its rich mix of ethnic backgrounds has a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes. Assemblies are calm occasions when pupils are encouraged to reflect on issues and explore their own feelings. This helps them to understand differences and to be sensitive to the problems and difficulties other people have. The school promotes pupils’ moral sense well. Teachers make pupils aware of right and wrong and their responsibilities to each other through a set of clear

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Commentary

rules which pupils understand. Teachers also use ‘circle time’ 2 effectively to help pupils deal with issues such as playground behaviour.

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Commentary

10. Over the last two terms the attendance of the pupils has improved gradually. It is now in line with the average for most primary schools. The office staff and school home liaison worker are working effectively and methodically to follow up families who find it difficult to get their children to school regularly. Most pupils are punctual for the start of the school day. However, a significant number of parents are lax at bringing their children on time and the start of lessons is often disrupted. Lessons held in the middle of the open plan entrance and library area are particularly badly disturbed as parents and pupils cross to the various classrooms. The unsatisfactory punctuality of late pupils is having a detrimental effect on their achievement. There is no statistical data that accurately represents attendance in the enlarged school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is good . Teaching is good . The curriculum is good and benefits from very good opportunities for enrichment. The school provides satisfactory levels of care, welfare, health and safety and very good support, advice and guidance for its pupils. It has satisfactory links with parents. Links with the community and with other schools are very good .

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in all year groups. Assessment procedures are good and used well in planning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A varied range of teaching strategies, including setting for literacy and numeracy, aid the learning of all pupils. • Teaching assistants are deployed effectively and make a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. • Teachers are committed to the inclusion of all pupils and are dedicated to ensuring that all pupils have the same chance to experience all learning opportunities. • Teachers insist on a high standard of behaviour and are usually effective in achieving this. However, the pace of learning is sometimes inhibited by the poor attitude of some pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

2 The provision of a discussion period called circle time provides a good opportunity for pupils to talk over issues that face them as part of everyday life. Prior Weston Primary School - 12 • Teachers encourage pupils to take an active role in learning and pupils respond very well to opportunities to work collaboratively. • Assessment procedures and their use in planning for effective teaching and learning are good but the marking of pupils’ work does not always sufficiently inform them how they can improve.

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Commentary

11. Comparison with the previous inspection is not appropriate because of the enlargement of Prior Weston. However, it is possible to judge that there has been very good development since the beginning of the current school year in establishing a consistent approach to teaching and learning across the school. Consequently the quality of teaching and learning is good at all stages of the school. Prior Weston Primary School - 13 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0 %) 12 (32 %) 21 (57 %) 4 (11 %) 0 (0 %) 0 (0 %) 0 (0 %) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. The use of grouping pupils by attainment for literacy and numeracy is effective in enabling teachers to focus closely on the learning needs of pupils of different prior attainment. Although pupils are grouped, teachers further recognise the range of learning needs within their groups and plan accordingly to meet the requirements of pupils at all levels of attainment effectively. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good throughout the school because of the focused specialist approach. Three specialist teachers and teaching assistants for pupils with special needs are led by the very good special educational needs co-ordinator and provide targeted support for the pupils in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 for both literacy and numeracy, enabling these pupils to achieve well against their targets. Teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is good. All pupils are fully included in all activities and

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Commentary

teachers are aware of their learning needs. Teaching assistants support these pupils well in the early stages of acquiring English language skills.

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Commentary

13. Teachers use a range of strategies, including promoting collaborative group work, which help to make learning effective for all pupils because they value and make the most of the opportunities to work with other pupils. Much teaching focuses on pupils being active participants in their learning and on first hand experience, such as visits and visitors, to add interest and engage pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. This practice very effectively reflects the school’s policy of full inclusion for all pupils in all learning opportunities.

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Commentary

14. Teachers’ management of pupils is good and helps to create a calm and productive learning environment. Although all teachers are skilled in behaviour management strategies and consistent in their approach, the negative attitudes of a few pupils sometimes make this less effective and occasionally hinders other pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

15. The use of assessment procedures to inform planning in order for effective learning and teaching to take place is good and all teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of each individual pupil’s achievement. This is achieved through a dedicated and painstaking approach through which the headteacher and class teacher fully analyse the work of all pupils on a termly basis. The information is used very effectively to plan for the learning needs of each pupil and providing support where needed. The marking of pupils’ work is mainly supportive but does not yet sufficiently or consistently indicate where they might improve. The school recognises this area for development and has plans to implement a new marking policy.

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The curriculum

The quality of learning opportunities is good and there are very effective opportunities for enrichment. The quality and quantity of resources are good . Accommodation is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good quality and range of learning opportunities are very effectively enriched with visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities. Prior Weston Primary School - 14 • A good curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage gives them a good start to their education. • There are good links across subjects, particularly during topic focus weeks. • Good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship contributes well to the school’s good ethos. • Assemblies are not scheduled every day and the school does not fully comply with the requirement to provide a daily act of collective worship. • Good resources support the good quality of teaching and learning, particularly in ICT and physical education.

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Commentary

16. The school works hard to provide a good quality range of learning opportunities. It has effective curriculum planning and has worked out detailed schemes of work that ensure pupils develop and build on knowledge and skills within each subject. There is good provision for personal, social and health education, including sex education and citizenship. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. They benefit from a range of learning opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding across all recommended areas of learning, which gives them a positive start to their education.

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Commentary

17. Subject-focused weeks, such as ‘book week’ and ‘maths and science week’, in which several other subjects link with the main theme and widen pupils’ experience are effective in adding interest and variety to the curriculum and in creating meaningful links between subjects. For instance, in the maths and science week, some design and technology work was undertaken which required the practical application of mathematical and scientific knowledge. The teaching of French to pupils in Years 5 and 6 provides them with a good basis for language learning in their secondary school and raises their cultural awareness well.

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Commentary

18. A good range of worthwhile visits is planned for each class each year. The visits link with the teaching that takes place in school and, together with visits from outside speakers, enhance provision and promote effective learning. Residential visits promote independence and self-confidence in the junior classes. A good range of extra-curricular activities is offered to pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding in a wide variety of subjects. These include sports, drama, musical activities and art. All after-school activities are popular and well attended. The development of links with the most popular local secondary schools helps to prepare pupils for secondary education and eases the transfer at age 11.

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Commentary

19. Provision for special educational needs is very good. The school has a strong policy of inclusion, which is reflected in practice. All pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all aspects of the school curriculum. Setting in Years 1-6 in literacy and numeracy gives opportunities for high quality support for learning for pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

20. The headteacher and governors recognise the shortcomings of the accommodation and are doing all they can to make the most of their temporary site. Improvements have been made with the installation of ramps between the different playground levels and the refurbishment of the toilets. The central part of the school has been upgraded to an interesting and welcoming entrance area. However, it is difficult to learn effectively in some of the open plan classrooms, not only because of poor acoustics but also because of noise intruding from other lessons and activities. The rooms for Prior Weston Primary School - 15 small group lessons are unsuitable because they are too confined and do not entirely suit the learning needs of pupils with special educational needs. Outside there are stimulating places for the pupils to play, but the playground is cramped and needs very careful management to ensure safe conditions are maintained. The headteacher

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Commentary

and administrative staff have an eye-catching ’blue pod’ near the front entrance which makes them accessible to parents, visitors and pupils.

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Commentary

21. The school has good resources to enhance the pupils’ learning. The school’s inclusion in the ‘EC1 New Deal’ project means money for school equipment is readily available and the curriculum leaders are choosing resources wisely for the pupils’ improved learning. Of particular note is the very good range of computers and interactive whiteboards for ICT. Although the teaching of sport is hampered by the lack of outside space, the school has made a sensible decision to build up a very good stock of physical education equipment.

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Commentary

22. The school is very good at providing a wide range of experiences for the pupils beyond the normal school curriculum. It makes very good use of its valuable position in London to increase the pupils’ exposure to the arts and theatre. The pupils’ musical appreciation benefits tremendously from the links with the London Symphony Orchestra. The school is very adept at extending pupils’ knowledge across a whole range of subjects by linking learning to a theme. For example, the school’s work with the Royal Ballet on ‘The Snow Queen’ not only enlivened dance and English, but also was successfully brought into mathematics and science. The extra funding from the ‘EC1 New Deal’ has provided the school with the wherewithal to broaden the curriculum into themed weeks successfully, to invite interesting visitors and to extend the range of after-school clubs. This is particularly important for those pupils who

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Commentary

would not otherwise have the chance of such inspiring experiences. The pupils look forward to their time in school and enjoy their learning because of the stimulating activities and outings on offer.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is satisfactory . The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is very good . The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good pastoral care and tracking of pupils’ personal development enable teachers to know their pupils very well. • There are many good opportunities for pupils to air their views and influence how the school is run. • The site is safe and secure. • There is insufficient rigour in recording accidents and the administration of medicine.

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Commentary

23. The school is particularly good at giving just the right support and guidance to each pupil. Communication amongst all the staff is very good, so ensuring that concerns about any pupil are quickly picked up and dealt with. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have made a special point in getting to know the large intake of new pupils, including regularly visiting them in their former school last year. The school works with a good range of external organisations to provide guidance and advice to Prior Weston Primary School - 16 pupils and their families. Good support is provided by the school home liaison officer in helping vulnerable families and encouraging improved attendance. Children who are looked after by adults other than their parents are given good support to achieve as well as their peers. Effective academic assessment systems tie in well with the tracking of the pupils’ personal development to enable the teachers to give tailored

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Commentary

support to each and every pupil. The whole ethos of the school is welcoming and inclusive. Pupils feel comfortable and at ease with school life and all feel they can turn to a school adult should they be sad or worried.

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Commentary

24. There are an above average number of pupils receiving support for their diverse needs. Pupils who start in the school are identified early for support. A number of pupils who recently joined the school due to the enlargement of the school are in receipt of special help.

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Commentary

25. Pupils know that their views and ideas are valued. The regular slot for pupils to meet their representatives on the school council and playground committee gives them a good chance to influence school life. Although there have been no recent formal surveys of pupils, pupils are relaxed with the school staff and feel able to put forward their suggestions informally. Weekly ’circle times’ provide a good chance for pupils to share ideas and air concerns. One of the best times for the headteacher to get to know her pupils and to find out their likes and dislikes is when she shares lunch with them in the dining hall. Pupils are well involved in taking charge of their own learning because they are encouraged to review how they are doing against their targets regularly.

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Commentary

26. The school has good health and safety systems to ensure the pupils are free from harm while in the school’s charge. The site is secure and assessed regularly for potential risks. Teachers organise outings into London very carefully, ensuring that they have plenty of adult help and that pupils behave well so trips are safe and free from hazards. There are a good number of staff with first aid certificates. Minor accidents are dealt with effectively, but the recording of incidents is not rigorous enough to enable the school to check back on individual welfare or to track trends. The school is careful to obtain the permission of parents when medicines need to be given in school time. However, the lack of a medicine log means that it is difficult to recall times and amounts given should accurate information be needed later. Staff are well up to date on child protection procedures and training.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents. Links with the local community and with other schools and colleges are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very committed to involving all parents in the life of the school and in their children’s learning and is putting much time and energy into achieving this. • A significant number of parents are still concerned about the enlargement of Prior Weston and are not yet looking forward positively enough to the new venture. • The school makes very good use of its participation in local and national projects to extend the curriculum and provide additional resources. • The school is very outward looking and collaborates very productively with a wide range of schools to benefit the pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

Prior Weston Primary School - 17 27. The recent enlargement of Prior Weston to take in pupils from Moorfields has caused a considerable amount of anxiety amongst the parents. The grievances of the parents have come to the fore in the significant amount of negative responses in the parental questionnaires. The inspection team judges that most of the concerns are unjustified. The governors were very proactive in holding regular meetings with the parents before the enlargement in order to pave the way for a smooth move. However, many parents are not sufficiently responsive to the very good work being done by the headteacher and governors to involve them in school life.

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Commentary

28. The school provides very good information to parents on school events and what their children are being taught. The high attendance for activities in the topic weeks and the termly parent-teacher consultations is a positive sign that home-school relations are improving. The headteacher is aware that the school now has parents from a wider social and economic background, so is working to attract them into school in different ways. The introduction of the school home liaison worker and the link to the family learning programmes and support services are successful in including parents more in school life by providing a raft of useful advice and guidance. Overall parents receive satisfactory information on how their children are progressing, mainly from the face-to- face meetings with their children’s teachers. The written annual reports are not sufficiently consistent in giving a clear message on progress made in each subject

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Commentary

over the year. The school is open, welcoming and quick to follow parental concerns. As the two schools settle in together formal consultation of the parents has been put on hold. However, the views of parents have been taken on board with the homework policy, which is now an effective compromise between the views of those parents who expect regular consolidation of class work and those who expect none.

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Commentary

29. Very well established links exist between the school and the local special school with a movement of pupils between the schools. Very good links also exist with the support agencies.

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Commentary

30. The school makes the most of its location at the heart of London to enliven the pupils’ learning. Trips to theatres, concert halls, museums and art galleries are all routine events in the pupils’ school life. Good links with City businesses means that there is a constant source of volunteers to hear readers. The involvement in EC1 New Deal is providing welcome funding for a wide range of educational provision from staff training to funding for special visitors, after-school clubs and playground development. A close link with the Islington People’s Rights Group offers a useful service to those families who need advice with domestic and social issues. The vibrancy of the local area is very much reflected in the families who attend Prior Weston.

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Commentary

31. The close working with Fortune Park Early Years Centre and Richard Cloudesley Special School is a very good foundation for the future incorporation of the three schools on the same new site in two years’ time. Pupils visit each other regularly and learn to get on with younger pupils and those who are mentally and physically disabled. The school also has productive relationships with nearby primary schools to share in professional development. There are links with a wide range of secondary schools, enabling pupils to be given satisfactory support as they move on to the next stage of education.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership is very good. The headteacher and the acting deputy headteacher together provide very good leadership and the support of the subject leaders is good . Management Prior Weston Primary School - 18 systems are effective. Governance is very good. Statutory requirements are fully met with the exception of the provision of a daily act of collective worship .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s excellent inspirational vision for the school’s future is shared by all staff and governors and the leadership sets its sights unswervingly on continuous improvement. • The commitment to inclusion and meeting the needs of all pupils and adults is very good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed very well. • There is currently no leadership team to represent all phases of the school. • The governing body plays a dynamic and influential role in the life and development of the school. • Financial management is very good and financial resources are used very effectively to enhance the quality of education provided by the school.

p.18

Commentary

32. The headteacher is high profile and extremely effective. Her high personal standards are reflected in her work and she sets her sights unswervingly on continuous improvement. She is a very good role model for the staff, pupils and parents and is highly regarded by governors, staff, parents and pupils. She has an excellent knowledge about all aspects of school life and has evaluated accurately the main strengths and weaknesses of the school. Plans are in place and action is being taken towards further improvement. The commitment of the leadership to inclusion and meeting the needs of all pupils is very good. The acting deputy headteacher, who is the inclusion manager and special educational needs co-ordinator, works very effectively with the headteacher in leading and managing the school. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed very well, ensuring that all pupils are valued and are fully involved in all activities.

p.18

Commentary

33. The headteacher is carrying an excessive workload. There is currently no leadership team to work effectively in close partnership with the headteacher and the acting deputy headteacher and to represent all phases of the school in leadership and management. However, in the last year there has evolved a shared ethos of striving for high quality across the whole school team. This first year of the much-enlarged school is one of evaluation and, despite this approach, a rapid development has taken place during this year. Subject leadership is good and subject leaders are committed to raising provision and standards in their subjects. They monitor curriculum planning and pupils’ work. The headteacher and class teachers monitor pupils’ work each term to enable them to know the achievement of each pupil and to ensure that pupils reach the predicted levels of attainment. In this way pupils’ individual evidence files are

p.18

Commentary

produced and used effectively to support good achievement.

p.18

Commentary

34. The leadership of provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school is very successful in the way in which it identifies pupils with difficulties at an early stage of their learning so that additional support can be swiftly provided. Induction for new staff is good and they are supported effectively so that their approach is consistent with that of more established teachers.

p.18

Commentary

35. The leadership of the governors is very good. They play a dynamic and influential role in the life and development of the school. They have been instrumental in the development of the temporary buildings to provide the best environment possible for Prior Weston Primary School - 19 pupils and staff to work. A special committee of governors has been established to enable them to be pro-active with making plans for the eventual move into The Golden Lane Campus, whilst enabling the governors and leadership team to focus closely on the pupils currently in school. The monitoring role of the governors is well developed. The governors are regular visitors to the school and these aspects of their work provide them with a clear overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, which they act upon effectively in these early stages of development. There is an effective management plan and a close working partnership between the governors

p.18

Commentary

and the headteacher. Systems are in place for governors and the headteacher to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of policies and to ensure that agreed policy is fully reflected in practice. Governors are fully involved in the strategic development of the school. However, assemblies are not timetabled every day and, whilst pupils are given good opportunities in assemblies to reflect on moral issues and listen to Christian stories, the assemblies do not include an act of collective worship.

p.19

Commentary

36. The school is very effectively managed. Systems for performance management are in place. Financial management is very good and financial resources are used very effectively to enhance the quality of education provided by the school. Through their monitoring of spending patterns, the governors have gained a very good understanding of the financial management of the school. Best value principles are applied very well. There is regular consultation between the pupils and parents enabling their views to be taken into account.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 04 to March 05

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,202,716 Balance from previous year 9,106 Total expenditure 1,194,540 Balance carried forward to the next year 17,282 Expenditure per pupil 4,509 Prior Weston Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Children enter the reception class with levels of attainment that are below average overall. A range of motivating and challenging activities across all areas of learning offers both structure and choice and enables children to achieve well. Progress is monitored and recorded regularly and this helps teachers to plan for future learning and development. Consistently good teaching promotes good progress. The curriculum promotes the Early Learning Goals successfully and, because of this, the majority of children are on target to meet the expected levels in all areas of learning and, in their personal, social and emotional development, they are likely to exceed them.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Relationships between children and adults in the reception classes are good and based on warmth and trust, which contributes much to children’s personal and social development. Good links with the range of pre-school settings and visits to school in the term before admission ease entry to school. Parents are made to feel very welcome and this in turn helps children feel secure in the new environment. Provision is well managed by the teachers and good teamwork between all staff and volunteers results in a positive atmosphere for learning.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-established daily routines and very high teacher expectations result in children developing confidence and behaving well. • Frequent opportunities for children to work in pairs or groups promote a mature approach to co-operation and negotiation. • Children develop independence and a sense of responsibility because they have many opportunities to make choices. • Children are reaching higher standards than expected for their age.

p.20

Commentary

39. As a result of very good teaching and effective support, children settle readily into school. They come into their class willingly in the mornings and, because of well- structured routines and high teacher expectations they behave well and settle quickly to an activity or for registration. They rapidly gain confidence and learn to take turns and share equipment, treating resources carefully and correctly. Because of regular adult-supported group activities, children’s skills of working together develop very well and many show a mature approach to co-operation and negotiation when working without supervision. There are frequent opportunities for children to make choices about what they would like to do and the resources they would prefer to use, and this promotes self-confidence and independence. Some children show a very well developed sense of responsibility and care for others as they adapt their play so pupils

p.20

Commentary

with specific special educational needs, for example, are fully included. Most children in the reception classes are likely to enter Year 1 with levels of development in this area that exceed expectations. Prior Weston Primary School - 21

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults provide very good role models of precise and clear diction, promoting enhanced speaking skills for all children, including those using English as an additional language. • Good adult questioning helps to develop listening and speaking skills. • Drama and adult-led role play could be used more for the promotion of speaking skills. • Good teaching of important basic skills, including letter sounds, results in good achievement in reading and writing.

p.21

Commentary

40. Children’s skills in speaking and listening develop well. They enjoy listening to stories and are increasingly able to re-tell them accurately. They listen to questions and instructions and respond appropriately, the most able using complete and complex sentences. The well-structured speech and clear diction of their teachers ensure that children with less well-developed speech and those using English as an additional language make good progress. When children are involved in activities, adults frequently question them and engage them in discussions to develop their use of language and their ideas. However, drama work and adult-led role play are not used extensively to promote language development further. Children visit the library every week, learn how to handle books correctly and many start the early stages of the school’s reading scheme. All make good progress in learning letter sounds because of

p.21

Commentary

regular structured teaching, including building words from sounds and finding rhymes for familiar words. Children respond well to language activities because teachers make this learning fun. Most children use what they have learned in their own writing, successfully working out the spelling of new words. The most able children achieve good standards across their language and literacy development; they write two or three simple sentences legibly and then read them aloud to the class. All write their names and form letters correctly. The majority of children are likely to meet, and some will exceed, the expected levels at the end of the reception year.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Children’s mathematical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good because children are provided with many practical activities to support their mathematical understanding. • The use of printed worksheets does not always support independent recording. • Good assessment results in teachers planning activities that are well matched to children’s needs and which challenge them.

p.21

Commentary

41. Most children make good progress as a result of good and sometimes very good teaching. Practical work, such as building and construction activity, helps children develop knowledge of shape and size. They quickly build up their knowledge of numbers by joining in with number rhymes and songs. All children count up to 10, the Prior Weston Primary School - 22 more able going on to 20 or even 100. Teachers carefully evaluate children’s progress and plan activities that will enable them to develop further. The most able are encouraged to identify odd and even numbers and do so correctly. The use of printed worksheets helps the less able to record what they know in mathematics well, but results in the more able having too few opportunities to record their work independently. Practical materials effectively promote the development of addition and subtraction skills for those who are ready to progress to this level. All children

p.21

Commentary

recognise numbers on a number line and order them correctly. They write or copy numbers on their worksheets and count and match items and shapes. Because of this good progress, the majority of children are on target to meet the expected levels by the time they reach Year 1.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good progress is promoted by provision of a wide and varied range of activities. • Good adult modelling of skills and techniques supports good development of children’s skills.

p.22

Commentary

42. Children make good progress and by the time they leave the reception class they are likely to meet expected levels. Teaching is good and children are given a wide range of activities and investigations to support their learning. They develop confidence in using computers because teachers provide interesting programs that match children’s needs well. They control the mouse well and use it to create pictures and to ‘drag and drop’ items on the screen. Children develop designing and making skills well through making structures with construction kits and recycled materials. Adults give good support, modelling the use of tools and equipment such as scissors. Photographic evidence shows children learn effectively about other cultures and faiths as they celebrate festivals and events from around the world.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use of available resources ensures that children have a satisfactory range of experience of physical education and play. • There are limited facilities for outdoor play. • Adult demonstration of techniques ensures that children make good progress in developing manipulative skills.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teaching is good, so children make good progress in this area despite limited facilities for outdoor play at the present time. The majority are likely to reach the expected standard for their age by the time they enter Year 1. Teachers take every opportunity to use the larger outdoor play areas so that children can run, skip, climb and ride wheeled vehicles for some time each day but the smaller equipment in the small Prior Weston Primary School - 23 dedicated Foundation Stage play area is insufficient to promote the expected level in this aspect of their physical development. They have regular sessions in the school hall where they use climbing apparatus and develop co-ordination and balance. Skills in using small tools such as pencils and scissors develop well because adults demonstrate techniques such as how to hold a pencil or use a ruler to draw a line, and children develop and practise these skills correctly.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision of a good range of materials and encouraging free choice promote the development of creative skills and independence.

p.23

Commentary

44. As a result of good teaching, children learn well, make good progress in this area and by the end of reception are likely to meet the expected levels. They use paint confidently to produce pictures and patterns and make models with clay, which they show off proudly. Teachers provide a good range of materials for picture and model making and children are encouraged to choose for themselves the colours and textures they like, promoting independence. Children sing many songs from memory, adding actions and clapping in rhythm at the appropriate points. Singing is tuneful and enthusiastic. They enjoy dressing up in the role-play corner, which becomes a kitchen, police station or hospital, and organise their play independently.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Setting of pupils helps teachers focus teaching and learning and enables all pupils to achieve well. • Pupils’ speaking skills are not as good as their other language and literacy skills. • Leadership and management are good and the subject leader sets his sights firmly on continuous improvement. • Assessment is used well to provide pupils with work well matched to their learning needs, but marking of their work does not sufficiently inform how they can improve.

p.23

Commentary

45. At the beginning of the current academic year, there was a massive intake of pupils into all year groups from a school with reported standards in English that were well below average. In addition the proportion of pupils with English as an additional language increased significantly. Some were at the early stages of learning English and a few had little or no English at all. This meant that the profile of the school changed significantly and, in the short time since then, the school has managed to raise standards in English to average at the end of both Years 2 and 6. In these Prior Weston Primary School - 24 circumstances, pupils have achieved well to reach these levels of attainment. This is the result of good teaching for pupils at all ages and levels of attainment.

p.23

Commentary

46. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support and achieve well against the language and literacy targets in their individual education plans. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good. These pupils are progressing well in acquiring English language skills and once they have achieved these skills they achieve well in English generally.

p.24

Commentary

47. Teachers give pupils good opportunities to listen to other pupils and adults in the school. Younger pupils particularly do this well. Standards of speaking, particularly for older pupils, are not as good. When speaking in more formal situations, such as when addressing the class to make their views known for the school council or playground committee meetings, they do not always use spoken English which is easily understood or followed. Pupils have a good understanding of the specialist vocabulary they need for subjects like design and technology, science and mathematics but they do not easily express themselves when answering the teachers’ well directed questions, for example.

p.24

Commentary

48. The satisfactory standards that pupils attain in reading are evident from the confident way they read. Teachers give pupils many opportunities to read, both as a whole class or individually so that they develop fluency and, by the time they are in Year 6, they recognise most words and read with levels of expression appropriate to their age to engage the listeners’ attention. Younger pupils particularly enjoy reading their own work.

p.24

Commentary

49. The pupils’ attainment in writing is average. Pupils are presented with a wide range of opportunities to write for different purposes and using diverse styles. Pupils respond well to these tasks and their writing in Year 6 shows that they write effectively, using appropriate styles for different purposes. Instructional writing in science, for example, is correctly ordered and easy to follow. Their writing includes creative fictional writing, factual writing or re-telling stories in their own words. Average and lower attaining pupils have the same writing opportunities as higher attaining pupils and most use paragraph structure well, but do not use adventurous vocabulary to good effect. They spell accurately and increasingly add details that make their writing lively.

p.24

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and plan a good range of effectively managed opportunities for pupils to learn English language skills, which are meaningfully delivered to support the good achievement pupils make. Teachers manage the pupils very well and encourage them to do their best. As a result, pupils have good attitudes to work and their behaviour is good in lessons. They work hard and this has a positive effect on their learning. Planning is good and teachers ensure that pupils have opportunities to practise a good balance of speaking and listening, reading and writing skills. The pupils’ work is marked regularly but teachers do not always comment sufficiently on its quality in a way that helps pupils to improve or helps them know how well they are doing.

p.24

Commentary

51. The leadership and management in English are good. The co-ordinator has a good and realistic assessment of the current situation and what needs to be done to maintain improvement. So far he has already ensured that staff are equipped to give pupils a good range of opportunities to achieve well and there are good plans for further development. Prior Weston Primary School - 25

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. A good range of planned opportunities is given to pupils to write in appropriate styles in other subjects, including history, geography and science. At all ages, pupils are provided with a secure understanding of vocabulary that is specific to different subjects. This supports their learning well, both in English and in other subjects. However, when some older pupils speak to the rest of the group, it is not always easy to follow what they are trying to say. As in English, speaking skills are the weakest aspect of language across the curriculum.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well throughout the school and standards by Year 6 are in line with national expectations. • Teachers build on what pupils already know and understand but they do not always use marking as effectively as they could. • Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported to make good progress. • Procedures for assessment are very thorough. • Good leadership and management are effective in supporting rising standards.

p.25

Commentary

53. Due to the recent change, comparison with the outcomes of the previous inspection report is inappropriate. However, the school has met the requirement of the previous Prior Weston report to raise standards in mathematics. School predictions for the outcomes of the 2005 National Curriculum tests in mathematics indicate the number of pupils achieving the nationally expected levels will be average but fewer pupils than average are expected to achieve the higher levels. Inspection evidence supports this assessment. When the pupils entered the school in September 2004 each year group took in a high proportion of pupils from a school with reported low standards.

p.25

Commentary

54. There are signs of improved standards lower down the school. Inspection findings show that pupils enter school with levels of attainment below national expectations in mathematics. At the end of Year 2 attainment is in line with expectations and this level of attainment continues through Years 3-6 so that by Year 6 attainment is average. Pupils with special educational needs and lower attaining pupils make good progress and achieve well. They are taught daily in small set groups and often with the additional support of trained teaching assistants. Pupils of all ages develop a satisfactory understanding of numeracy and apply this well to problem solving.

p.25

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching and learning is good and leads to good achievement. During the inspection, the quality of teaching and learning ranged from satisfactory to very good with most teaching being good. Pupils are taught in set groups with work well matched to the pupils’ needs. In most lessons the lesson objectives are shared with the pupils at the start of the lesson so that they know what is expected of them. Where teaching is at its best, teachers have a positive approach and use ongoing assessment very well to build on pupils’ previous learning and to move pupils forward. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour to which most pupils respond very well, in particular to the vibrant teaching observed. As a result most lessons move at a good Prior Weston Primary School - 26 pace. There are good examples of challenging questions that move the pupils to the next stage of development quickly.

p.25

Commentary

56. Teachers spend their time developing skills and improving pupils’ knowledge so that pupils are motivated in their learning. Work is usually set at a level that challenges pupils and moves them on, ensuring their good achievement. In these circumstance pupils are achieving well to achieve average standards. Pupils enjoy their lessons in mathematics, in particular problem solving. They are able to work independently, with a partner and in groups. There is no marking policy and marking to develop learning is inconsistent across the school. Whilst marking is positive, it does not always develop learning sufficiently. Otherwise procedures for assessment are very thorough and carefully recorded.

p.26

Commentary

57. The leadership and management are good. The subject is effectively led and managed by an enthusiastic subject leader. Planning is monitored and pupils’ work books are regularly scrutinised, ensuring delivery of the curriculum and supporting the raising of standards. However, monitoring of teaching and learning through classroom observations is being developed.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. Pupils’ mathematical skills are well developed throughout the other subjects. In science pupils record work using a range of charts and diagrams. There is a themed science and mathematics week 3 organised to encourage pupils’ enjoyment and understanding in mathematics and its connection with other subjects. Understanding of number helps pupils’ work in other subjects, such as in geography where pupils develop a good understanding of temperatures in different parts of the world and a sense of time develops well in history.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching supported by good subject leadership helps pupils to achieve well. • Practical work and investigative activities help pupils of all abilities to understand scientific ideas. • A themed maths and science week enhances curriculum provision and helps pupils relate their learning in science very well to activities in everyday life. • ICT supports learning in some lessons, but there is further potential for computers to be used in science work.

p.26

Commentary

59. Work seen during the inspection showed that standards in Year 2 are average and in Year 6 above average. Children achieve well in science because of successful teaching. Throughout the school, most work is approached through practical investigations which pupils find interesting. The achievement of less able pupils is not too restricted by weakness in literacy because pupils are given a range of ways to record what they have discovered, such as by drawing or on carefully structured, simple worksheets. Most pupils in Year 2 show they know about simple circuits by

p.26

Commentary

3 A school week in which much of pupils’ work is focused on mathematics and science and the links between these and other subjects. Prior Weston Primary School - 27 producing correctly labelled diagrams and describing experiments they have conducted to work out how to make a bulb light up. Younger pupils demonstrate their knowledge of the human body by attaching correct labels to diagrams. They are interested in science and say they enjoy their science lessons.

p.26

Commentary

60. The quality of teaching and learning in science is good throughout the school. This sustains pupils’ enthusiasm as they progress through the school. Skilful teaching ensures that pupils working on the properties of liquids and solids in Year 3, for example, learn how to form sensible hypotheses, to be checked by experimentation later. Teachers’ very good choice of interactive whiteboard resources help learning so that that pupils develop a good understanding of new work, such as complex ideas on pulse and heart rates in a Year 5 lesson. In discussion, pupils in Year 6 demonstrate a good knowledge of scientific process, a good understanding of how to devise a fair test and an understanding of how to select appropriate equipment to carry out an investigation. A strong emphasis on learning by doing is evident in the recorded work resulting from the very successful ‘Maths and Science Week’ which enhances

p.27

Commentary

61. Good leadership and management are helping to maintain good standards. The subject leader has promoted investigative science well as a teaching strategy and this is having a positive impact on standards. The co-ordinator has an allocation of time in which to support colleagues, collect and analyse a range of work samples and assess progress to identify gaps in learning. This is effective in promoting improvement. Resources for teaching science are good and ICT features in some lessons. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 use the Internet to search for information, but there is limited evidence of pupils using computer-based methods to record and analyse the results of their investigations.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are still average by Years 2 and 6, there are signs that they are improving. • Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunity to practise new skills. • The curriculum is well focused on the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge, with good links to other subject areas. • The leadership and management are very good and committed to improving further both standards and resources.

p.27

Commentary

62. When the school moved into these premises at the beginning of this academic year, resources for ICT were insufficient to meet the school’s needs and provision was therefore unsatisfactory. The subject leader has worked very effectively and with determination and now resources are good and enable pupils to achieve well and attain satisfactory standards. As a result, there are signs of improving standards. Achievement is good as a result of the development and improvement of teachers’ skills in teaching ICT, led by the subject leader. Prior Weston Primary School - 28 63. It was not possible to see many lessons, but those that were seen, combined with information in teachers’ planning and discussions with staff, show that standards are in line with those expected for pupils in Years 2 and 6. The school timetable provides each class with an ‘in-suite’ session, or work with the set of laptops sufficient for a

p.27

Commentary

whole class, giving them the opportunity to develop and practise skills. However, during the inspection pupils did not follow up this work in class as often as they might and this is an area for development.

p.28

Commentary

64. Pupils work hard and achieve well in their learning. They know how to use the wide range of computer resources and other equipment well, such as using the Internet to research information in subjects other than ICT and to produce newspaper-style published work. In Years 3 and 4 the use of ICT goes beyond using computers. Assuming the role of marketing managers, pupils use multimedia presentations and a good range of recording equipment, including video, to record their advertisements. From the youngest to the oldest, pupils show secure basic computer operating skills. They open, work and exit a good range of programs. By Year 5, pupils understand and work with more advanced programs to enter data into spreadsheets.

p.28

Commentary

65. Teachers have good knowledge of the revised curriculum and the quality of teaching and resulting learning is good overall. Lessons are planned carefully and focused upon the development of pupils’ learning and increasing their knowledge of a range of programs. Pupils are learning effectively the skills of accessing different programs and understanding how computers can be used to support all work both in and out of school. In the suite, teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and pupils rise to these expectations. As a result, pupils work hard and produce good amounts of work within the carefully structured sessions. Teachers are good at asking questions that guide learning well. Pupils listen carefully to instructions, concentrate and work independently as well as collaboratively.

p.28

Commentary

66. Leadership and management of ICT are very good. Since the beginning of this academic year, improvement has been rapid, both in the development of resources and in improving teacher knowledge and understanding and confidence. The subject leader has worked hard to ensure that resources are up to date and staff trained to use them. The scheme of work and policy have been fully established and the curriculum meets all statutory requirements. The next stage is to formalise the cross- curricular links between ICT and other National Curriculum subjects, but the subject leader has this well in hand.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. ICT has begun to be linked well to other subjects of the curriculum, although in an informal way. Skills, knowledge and understanding are promoted effectively. Lessons give pupils good opportunities to see how computers can support their learning in a range of different subjects, researching different periods in history, practising for national examinations and presenting data from mathematics and science in graph and chart form. Standards of ICT in other subjects are satisfactory.

p.28

HUMANITIES

68. Geography was not inspected in depth and therefore no judgement can be made about the provision in the subject. No lessons were seen, but the sampling of pupils’ work and discussions with staff and pupils indicate that teaching time for geography meets National Curriculum requirements. The pupils’ learning is enriched by a very Prior Weston Primary School - 29 good range of extra-curricular visits and activities. Very good use is made of the local area as a learning resource. The residential farm visit provides a very good geographical learning experience. Good use is made of cross-curricular links with numeracy, literacy and history.

p.28

HUMANITIES

69. History was not inspected in depth and therefore no judgements can be made about the provision. However, the limited teaching seen, the sampling of pupils’ work and discussions with staff indicate that history is taught through a practical approach, with pupils having the opportunity to learn from studying and discussing artefacts and develop good research skills. Learning is also enriched by a very good range of visits, which are planned to enhance each topic studied - very good use is made of the local area and museums. Good cross-curricular links are made with numeracy, literacy, art and religious education to further add interest.

p.29

Religious education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides an interesting range of learning opportunities, which interest pupils and engage their attention. • Younger pupils’ knowledge of faiths other than Christianity is limited. • An enthusiastic subject leader has established good systems to monitor pupils’ standards and achievement.

p.29

Commentary

70. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 that are in line with the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and achievement is satisfactory. Due to the recent changes in the school, no comparison can be made with outcomes of the last inspection.

p.29

Commentary

71. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a relatively secure knowledge and understanding of aspects of Christianity, but there is limited evidence of their knowledge of other world faiths. Using New Testament stories told by Jesus teachers illustrate how Christianity influences moral aspects of their own lives. By the end of Year 6 pupils have developed a greater knowledge of Christianity and the other faiths they have studied. Some high quality written work was seen on the celebrations of differing faiths, including Diwali, Ramadan and Hanukkah and the Christian preparation for Christmas.

p.29

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Interesting lessons ensure that most pupils have a very good attitude to their learning and listen well to their teachers and classmates. However, a minority of pupils in the upper school exhibited behaviour that hindered the learning of the other pupils. Teachers make good use of pupils’ experiences and others listened attentively as a pupil from Year 4 spoke to them about her Islamic beliefs and showed them artefacts linked to her faith. The whole group showed very good respect for others’ beliefs. Generally pupils relate very well to their teachers and to each other.

p.29

Commentary

73. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader is enthusiastic with a good knowledge of the religious education curriculum. Monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons has not taken place, but monitoring of the curriculum and the levelling of a piece of work from every pupil has been done. A good Prior Weston Primary School - 30 portfolio of pupils’ work has been produced to ensure that new teachers and parents can see the breadth of the curriculum and the standards that are expected of pupils of differing abilities. There are good links with the local Church of England church, with the vicar visiting the school. Resources are at least satisfactory. The books in the library include books on Christianity and other faiths. Religious education has good links with other subjects including history, art and literacy. To support literacy, pupils’ speaking and listening, reading and writing are developed together with their

p.29

Commentary

vocabulary. Some good empathetic writing was seen. Prior Weston Primary School - 31

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Due to timetable arrangements only one lesson was observed in music , so it is not possible to make an overall judgement on provision or the quality of teaching and learning. Evidence about the quality of the curriculum and standards was obtained from planning documents, records, displayed evidence and discussions. Regular assessment of pupils’ development in music is undertaken and records indicate that they achieve standards which are in line with expectations for their age. The curriculum offers a good range of musical experience to all pupils. The specialist music teacher has very good subject knowledge and pupils benefit from her good modelling of singing and music-making. Pupils in an infant class showed enthusiasm for their lesson and demonstrated a good sense of rhythm and beat as they moved to music before settling down to listen, learn new songs and sing well-known ones tunefully and with expression. Pupils in the older classes have the opportunity to join

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

the school choir and those who are interested learn to play the recorder.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. The school has links with the London Symphony Orchestra, which provide pupils with many opportunities for music-making and appreciation, which enrich the curriculum. For instance, pupils have been given the opportunity to play the gamelan, an Indonesian percussion instrument. They have made visits to the rehearsal rooms of the orchestra, when they were given opportunities to play instruments and learn about them from professional musicians. All pupils have attended a concert and worked on a music-focused topic. Musicians visit the school, bringing instruments and playing for the pupils and parents. Pupils know the names of instruments of the orchestra and the ways the different groups contribute to performances. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and keen to develop music further throughout the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Two lessons were seen in physical education. Both of these were athletics lessons in which pupils developed javelin throwing skills. In both lessons the quality of teaching and learning was good and the teachers showed a good knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn physical skills and their own personal skills in physical education were used well to demonstrate and provide good role models and examples of good practice . Organisational skills were good and teachers ensured that all pupils had the opportunity to practise and improve skills, based on their constructive evaluation of performance as the lessons progress. Due to limited space, all teachers seen paid good attention to the health and safety of pupils. Because of the limited area of observation it is not possible to judge the overall quality of provision and standards. A discussion was held with the subject leader and the parents

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

expressed their views at the meeting held before the inspection. The subject leader is keen and is carefully overseeing the development of the range of activities provided through the curriculum and the furthering of staff expertise in the wider range of sports provided. Resources are good and support the teaching of a wide range of learning experiences. There is a good quantity of ‘child friendly’ javelins, for example, which enable pupils to practise and develop throwing skills indoors and in safety. Parents expressed concern about the lack of opportunities for sport. There are no competitive sports teams at present, but the school does its best to provide a good balance of learning opportunities that meet the requirements of the National Curriculum for physical education within the limitations created by the accommodation.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. In art and design and design and technology judgements are based on observation of three lessons, two of which combined the teaching of art and design and design and technology, analysis of work on the walls and photographic evidence in portfolios. Prior Weston Primary School - 32 78. Teachers plan an interesting range of activities in art and design and standards at the ages of 7 and 11 are at the expected levels. Pupils’ artistic skills and knowledge are effectively developed through studying the work of famous artists such as Van Gogh and regularly working in a variety of styles, colours and patterns, using a range of media and techniques such as watercolour and poster paint, fabric and paper collage and printing. Effective use of other media such as photography and computer- generated design is evident from work samples and provides pupils with current knowledge of art and design. Teachers make effective use of London’s art galleries as

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

a resource and regular visits are made to the national collections to support pupils’ good levels of appreciating art. An after-school art class provides curriculum enrichment for the most able artists and an art club is also available for those other pupils who simply enjoy art. Both these extra-curricular activities are well attended.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. A good range of work in design and technology is evident from the many displays around the school. Standards are in line with expectations for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils in the infant classes have experienced a good range of design and technology activities, including printing textiles and planning and making simple constructions using balsa wood. In the older classes there is evidence of pupils learning and using precise techniques, such as in the construction of a jinx frame. The display of animal head models and model aircraft in a Year 5 and 6 classroom shows the variety of skills and techniques pupils have learned well. Pupils’ work is often linked with work in other subjects, such as in the construction of Macbeth’s castle, with a working drawbridge and decorated and furnished room-sets, to link with work in English. Displays indicate that provision in design and technology fully meets

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

requirements and work includes the design brief, pupils’ preparatory plans and evaluative comments, showing a sound understanding of the design/make/review process. Links with other subjects are good and include a visiting craftsman who contributed well to provision during maths and science week, offering lessons in paper engineering to pupils of all ages.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. In lessons observed in both subjects, good teaching enabled pupils to learn and refine skills of making and develop competence and confidence in handling equipment and materials. Teachers demonstrate and explain correct methods and effective techniques, such as in a lesson where Years 1 and 2 pupils were shown how to make a pinch pot with clay, to replicate a Roman pot they had seen in their history lesson. They produced pots of good quality, which they were proud of. Older pupils watched the teacher’s demonstration of colour blending before embarking on painting portraits and another group was attentive as the teacher demonstrated how to use a saw safely to cut balsa wood. Evaluation of their own and others’ work helps pupils to understand how they can improve their pieces further.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. Both subjects benefit from being led by enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinators. They regularly assess pupils’ development and maintain portfolios of examples to assist other teachers’ assessment of pupils’ progress. Resources are good and well maintained.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

This area of the curriculum was sampled.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

82. Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is regularly timetabled and is planned using a set scheme of work. Education for sex and relationships is provided for pupils within this programme of study. Provision in this Prior Weston Primary School - 33 subject is enriched well through the school’s effective links with external support agencies, including the City of London Police who run a comprehensive course to raise pupils’ awareness of the use and misuses of drugs and other substances. There is a wide range of opportunities to raise pupils’ awareness of citizenship, including working with a partner special school, working with the school council and with the playground committee, through which all pupils have a voice. Pupils’ personal development is monitored very well and there are good structures in place to take account of all pupils’ needs. Prior Weston Primary School - 34

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 8 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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