Radwinter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 31 st January - 2 nd February 2005

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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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. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 5 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 86 School address: Water Lane Radwinter Saffron Walden Essex Postcode: CB10 2TX Telephone number: (01799) 599 248 Fax number: (01799) 599 028 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Bright

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is smaller than most schools and serves two villages and the surrounding area. Pupils come from favourable home backgrounds and attainment on entry to the school is above average in most years. Most pupils are of white-British origin and no pupils have English as an additional language. There are no pupils taking free school meals and the number of pupils identified as having special educational needs, including statements, is below average. Pupils with special educational needs have either emotional and behavioural difficulties or learning difficulties. These pupils are not evenly spread through the classes. The school is involved in a liaison project with a local secondary school. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 23609 Alison Cartlidge Lead inspector English Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education Special educational needs 1112 Peter Oldfield Lay inspector 23239 Mike Capper Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Information and communication technology French 28065 Alex Miller Team inspector Mathematics Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 13

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 25

Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School provides a good standard of education . Pupils achieve well and develop good attitudes and behaviour. Teaching, learning and leadership are good and management is satisfactory. The school provides sound value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), though there is insufficient challenge for more-able pupils in science. • There is good provision for children in the Reception Year, where teaching is always good or better. • The headteacher is very well respected, enthusiastic about the school, and provides good leadership. • Members of staff are very caring and support pupils’ personal development well. • Insufficient time is allowed for science, geography, history and physical education and as a result some topics are studied superficially. • Pupils are given too few opportunities to use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects. • Parents are very supportive of their children’s learning and there are very good links with other schools.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school remains as effective as at the time of the last inspection in April 1999, and issues raised at that time have mostly been addressed. Standards in English, mathematics and science have been successfully maintained and provision for children in the Reception Year has improved.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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OVERALL EVALUATION

English D A A B mathematics B A* A A science C A* A B Key: A* – very high; A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

National test results vary because the year groups are small and pupils with special educational needs are not spread evenly through the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Pupils’ achievement is good. Children’s attainment on starting school was above average in 2004. Children in the Reception Year achieve well and most are on target to exceed the expected levels in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. There is insufficient evidence to form a judgement on creative development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Standards of work seen during the inspection in Year 2, were above the nationally expected levels in mathematics, in line with them in reading and science and below them in writing. There are more pupils with special educational needs in the current Year 2 than is usual for the school. Whilst these pupils are supported well, many have particularly weak spelling. Results in the national assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2004 were in the top five per Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 5 cent nationally in reading, average in writing and well above average in mathematics when compared with all schools.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Pupils in the current Year 6 are working at the levels expected in science, above them in English and well above them in mathematics. Test results in mathematics and science were in the top five per cent nationally in 2003. Pupils’ achievement is good overall throughout Years 1 to 6. Those with special educational needs achieve well because they are supported effectively by their teachers and skilful teaching assistants. The needs of more-able pupils are usually met well, though not consistently in science.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations in ICT and they achieve well in this subject and in French. There is insufficient evidence to form judgements on attainment or achievement in other subjects.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their attitudes and behaviour, are good. Their

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also good overall. Provision for cultural development is less well developed because whilst older pupils learn to speak French, they have relatively few opportunities to learn about non-European cultures. Rates of attendance are well above the national average.

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The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are

good . Members of staff are very caring and manage behaviour well. They usually provide a variety of interesting learning tasks to engage the pupils’ interest. Assessment arrangements are satisfactory overall, though they are used more successfully in some classes and subjects than in others. The curriculum is satisfactory, with good opportunities for enrichment. However, limited time is allocated to the teaching of science and this has a negative influence on the extent to which more-able pupils in particular can develop investigative skills. The school has very good concern for pupils’ health, safety and welfare and satisfactory arrangements are made to provide academic support and guidance. There are good induction arrangements for children starting in the Reception class and very good links with parents and other schools. Links with the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall . The headteacher inspires other members of staff and pupils with his enthusiasm, and together with other key members of staff provides good leadership. Management is satisfactory because the school’s monitoring procedures are largely informal and do not identify all weaknesses. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and involved in all aspects of the school’s work. However, governors do not ensure that statutory requirements are met in full or challenge the school enough.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents have very positive views about the school’s work. Pupils are positive about their work and play.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • provide greater challenge in science investigations, especially for more-able pupils; Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 6 • increase the opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge and skills in science, geography, history and physical education and to use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to support learning in other subjects;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • ensure that the school brochure includes the required information on pupils’ rates of attendance. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well throughout the school. By the end of Year 2 their attainment is above national expectations in mathematics, in line with them in reading and science and below them in writing. By the end of Year 6, attainment is well above national expectations in mathematics, above them in English and in line with them in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Reception Year achieve well in personal, social and emotional development and in mathematical development. • Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well in English, mathematics, ICT and French. • Attainment in writing is below nationally expected levels in Year 2. • Pupils have good literacy, numeracy and ICT skills but do not use them enough to support learning in other subjects. • More-able pupils do not achieve well enough in science.

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Commentary

1. National test results vary because the year groups are small and pupils with special educational needs are not spread evenly through the school.

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Commentary

2. Children’s attainment on starting school is above average most years. All children in the current Reception Year achieve very well in personal, social and emotional development because the teacher and nursery nurse have a very good understanding of their personal needs and very high expectations. In this area of learning children are on target to exceed the expected levels by the end of the year. In mathematical development, most also achieve very well and are on target to exceed the expected level because the outdoor area is used very well to provide them with interesting practical activities. In communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development good teaching helps children to achieve well and again most are on target to exceed the expected levels. There is insufficient evidence to form judgements on attainment in creative development. No

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Commentary

children in this year group have been identified as having special educational needs.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 18.5 (18.5) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.7 (18.0) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 18.0 (19.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. National test results at the end of Year 2 in 2004 were in the top five per cent nationally in reading, were well above nationally expected levels in mathematics and in line with them in writing. Pupils’ attainment in the current Year 2 is above the nationally expected levels in Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 8 mathematics, in line with them in reading and science and below them in writing. There is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in this year group. The school has identified the need to improve pupils’ writing in Year 2, and new schemes of work are starting to have a good impact on the development of their spelling and handwriting.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results English 28.9 (29.5) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 30.0 (30.5) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.4 (31.5) 28.6 (28.6) There were 16 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. The school’s national test results at the end of Year 6 in 2004 were well above average in English, mathematics and science. Inspection evidence indicates that attainment in mathematics is also on target to be well above average in 2005, but attainment in English and science is lower in the current Year 6. There are more pupils with special educational needs in this year group. The school has identified the need to engage the interest of boys more successfully in English lessons, and a variety of strategies are proving to be successful, especially with boys in Year 4. In Years 4 to 6, pupils develop the use of varied vocabulary well, and make their writing interesting for the reader. However, a few boys in Years 5 and 6 do not always take enough care over their written work. Girls often perform better than boys in national tests at the end of Year 6, and when there are more boys than girls in a year group

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Commentary

it affects overall attainment. In science, limited opportunities for pupils to practise their investigative skills have a negative influence on how well more-able pupils, in particular, achieve.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ attainment in ICT exceeds national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6 and they achieve well. The school makes good use of the subject co-ordinator to teach most lessons that take place in the ICT suite. However, pupils make only limited use of their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to support learning in science, geography and history lessons. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make good progress in learning to speak French when taught by a specialist teacher as part of an initiative with a local secondary school. There is insufficient evidence to form judgements on attainment and achievement in other subjects.

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Commentary

6. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. They achieve well because work that meets their needs is planned, and well-trained teaching assistants provide good support during many lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values, behaviour and personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are all good. The level of attendance is very high and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s personal development is very well supported in the Foundation Stage. • Pupils show good attitudes to work, and younger children especially are very keen to learn. • Pupils are very willing to take on responsibilities. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 9 • Both relationships amongst the pupils and behaviour are good throughout the school. • The school effectively promotes pupils’ understanding of right and wrong, and the positive advantages of getting on well together.

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Commentary

7. Children in the Reception class have a good start in their school life and develop very good social skills and relationships. Members of staff have very high expectations of behaviour, and discussions are used very effectively to help children learn how to live with others. Interesting activities help children to develop very good attitudes towards learning and to behave very well. This has a good effect on the progress children make, so that their attainment is above the expected levels by the time they are Year 1 pupils.

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Commentary

8. Throughout Years 1 to 6 most pupils enjoy learning. They like school and enjoy playing with friends of all ages. Their good behaviour and attitudes have been maintained since the last inspection and strongly support a good work ethic and good achievement. Most pupils concentrate well in lessons. However, a few older boys find it difficult to concentrate and do not always try hard. Pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are given good support, minimising the impact of any antisocial behaviour on the learning of other pupils. They benefit from caring and patient members of staff and the strong relationships in the school. There have been no exclusions from the school in the last few years.

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Commentary

9. Pupils are very willing to take responsibility. Some have special roles as ‘buddies’, supporting lonely pupils at playtimes. Older pupils take on responsibilities such as being house captains. No bullying was observed during the inspection and, whilst some pupils play boisterously, most are happy with the way members of staff respond to any disagreements or upsets. The very active school council collects pupils’ opinions and wishes in a suggestion box. This system allows them to know that their opinions make a difference and helps them to feel secure and valued at school.

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Commentary

10. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Cultural development is satisfactory because opportunities for pupils to experience non-European cultures is limited due to the rural nature of the school. Assemblies allow pupils to reflect upon their own feelings and how they may affect others. For example, discussions on a recent natural disaster allowed pupils to draw a contrast with their own environment.

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Commentary

11. Pupils develop self-confidence and respond well to the good learning opportunities. Class rules ensure a common understanding of the way they should behave in class. The school plans carefully for pupils’ good social development: for example, through the duties they exercise in the school, such as the school council, through residential visits for older pupils and through participating in a range of clubs. Pupils demonstrate a clear sense of right and wrong in the way they behave at school and develop their relationships.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.3 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 10 12. Attendance is well above the national average. Most pupils are punctual, like coming to school and enjoy lessons. High rates of attendance have been maintained since the last inspection and have a positive influence on achievement and attainment.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good and assessment procedures are satisfactory. The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with good opportunities for enrichment. There are very good levels of health, care and safety provision and pupils’ academic progress is supported appropriately. There are very good links with parents and other schools, and good links with the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall. Assessment is satisfactory, with very good assessment procedures in the Reception Year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn well in the Reception Year and Year 1, where teaching by the teacher and nursery nurse is consistently good or better. • Good teaching in mathematics and English has a beneficial effect on pupils’ achievement. • Teaching assistants are used well in Years 2 to 6 to support pupils with special educational needs. • Specialist teachers support learning effectively in French, design and technology, music and ICT. • Teachers do not always expect enough of pupils in science, history and geography. • Teachers do not make enough use of ICT, literacy and numeracy to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. • There are variations in the quality of marking and day-to-day assessment from class to class, with the very best practice being seen in the Reception class.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 21 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

13. The quality of teaching and learning is good and similar to that found at the time of the last inspection. In the Reception and Year 1 class teaching is good, with examples of very good teaching. A skilled nursery nurse gives very good support to the teacher, and both members of staff use a good range of teaching methods and have a very good understanding of the needs of young children. Detailed planning ensures that differing needs are met well, with members of staff making very good use of the outdoor area to support learning. The classroom is well organised and there is a good balance between teacher-led and child-initiated learning. Lessons are well resourced and learning is made fun. Children respond well to the very high expectations of behaviour and independence, helping them to achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development. However, there are occasional missed

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Commentary

Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 11 opportunities to extend the learning of more-able children, especially in the development of writing skills.

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Commentary

14. In Years 2 to 6 the teaching of literacy and numeracy is good, helping pupils to learn well. Weaknesses in writing in Year 2 have been identified, and systems are in place to help support these pupils. This good teaching is a key factor in the good achievement of pupils in English and mathematics, with differing needs being met well and teachers working hard to make learning fun. Teachers have good expectations and plan activities that involve and motivate pupils well, ensuring that there is a good pace to learning in most lessons. Their expectations of presentation and pupils’ accuracy in writing are generally good, although a few pupils in Years 5 and 6, especially boys, do not respond well to these expectations and do not always produce their best work.

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Commentary

15. Teachers in Years 2 to 6 are well organised and successful at managing behaviour. They have high expectations and there are clear routines in place to help pupils understand what is expected of them. As a result there is a purposeful working atmosphere in most lessons, with pupils fully engaged in their learning. Teachers plan interesting homework activities, with parents supporting the school well in preparing older pupils for end-of-year tests. However, teachers do not always expect enough of pupils in science, history and geography and restricted lesson time also limits progress. In these subjects there is very little difference between the work covered by pupils of differing age or ability, especially in their recorded work. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to use their literacy, numeracy or ICT skills to support their learning across the curriculum and this has a negative impact on achievement, as

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Commentary

there are missed opportunities to practise and consolidate skills.

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Commentary

16. Well-trained teaching assistants give good support to pupils. The school has effective systems for keeping teaching assistants fully informed about what they are expected to do and they give good support, especially when working with pupils with special educational needs. Pupils with statements of special educational need are managed sensitively in lessons, with teaching assistants working hard to ensure that they are included in as many activities as possible without disturbing the learning of others.

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Commentary

17. The headteacher makes good use teachers’ specific skills to support pupils’ learning. In French, music, design and technology and ICT many lessons are taken by subject specialists, who have particularly good subject knowledge. This has a good impact on pupils’ achievement, because subjects are taught confidently and specific skills are introduced effectively.

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Commentary

18. Assessment is satisfactory overall. In the Reception class there are very good procedures. Regular observations of children are made whilst they are working and these show clearly how well children are achieving. Statutory assessments are maintained throughout the year and are analysed carefully to identify areas for development for both individuals and groups. Since the last inspection the school has established a wide range of assessment procedures for recording learning over time in Years 1 to 6. However, due to limited monitoring of teaching and learning, marking varies in quality. Other than in English, few teachers write comments to help pupils understand how they can improve, and individual target setting is underdeveloped. There is some good practice, with teachers involving pupils in identifying what they want to improve, but this is not consistent across the school, and consequently not all

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Commentary

pupils understand how they can improve, especially in science where more-able pupils do not make enough progress in developing investigative skills. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 12

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory, with good opportunities for enrichment. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall.

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The curriculum

• Literacy and numeracy are emphasised well, though opportunities are sometimes missed to develop these and ICT skills in other subject areas. • The time allocated to science, history, geography and physical education is insufficient in some classes and impedes progress. • The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Enrichment of the curriculum is good, including the range of extra-curricular activities. • The grounds are used well for physical education but the hall is too small.

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The curriculum

19. As at the time of the last inspection, the school has a satisfactory curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education. Literacy and numeracy are emphasised well and there is good planning for these lessons, helping pupils to achieve well. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in science, geography and history. Opportunities are also missed to develop ICT skills when pupils are not working in the ICT suite. The time given to science, geography, history and physical education is below recommended guidelines and this leads to skills being underdeveloped and some superficial work. There is a good curriculum to support pupils’ personal, social and health education, including teaching about sex, relationships and the dangers of drugs. A new healthy eating scheme is further developing learning in this aspect

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The curriculum

20. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage has improved since the time of the last inspection and is now good. They have access to a good, well-resourced area for their outdoor learning and this is having a positive impact on their progress.

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The curriculum

21. The good provision for pupils with special educational needs has been maintained successfully since the time of the last inspection. Members of staff and teaching assistants provide sensitive support in lessons and the progress of these pupils is monitored closely through the review of their detailed individual education plans, helping them to make good progress.

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The curriculum

22. The school provides a good programme of curriculum enrichment. A liaison project with a local secondary school provides pupils in Years 5 and 6 with lessons in French, preparing them well for the next stage of their education. Visitors to the school and visits to places of interest provide good additional opportunities for pupils’ learning. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, including sporting, musical and art sessions. Members of staff give generously of their time to provide these clubs, and a good number of girls and boys participate enthusiastically.

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The curriculum

23. Accommodation is satisfactory overall, with good use being made of the extensive grounds. However, the hall is rather small and restricts some physical education lessons, particularly for older pupils. The school has satisfactory resources overall. However, the library has only a limited range of books, and shorter children have difficulties reaching some of the shelving. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 13 Teachers use ICT equipment well in mathematics to motivate children and keep learning visual and interesting.

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Care, guidance and support

The school emphasises pupils’ care and welfare very well. It provides satisfactory support, advice and guidance for pupils, and involves them very well by seeking their views about its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a very high regard for pupils’ welfare, health and safety. • The school has very good systems in place for taking account of the views of pupils. • Pupils know whom to speak to should they have problems or concerns at school.

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Commentary

24. The school has built upon the good care, welfare, health and safety found at the time of the last inspection, and these are now very good. This is because there are very good procedures in place to treat minor injuries, with appropriately trained first aiders and regular risk assessments undertaken to provide very good support for pupils at school and during visits. The headteacher, who is the responsible officer for child protection matters, discharges these responsibilities very well and keeps all members of staff fully aware of changes and requirements.

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Commentary

25. Members of staff monitor the personal development of all pupils, especially those with special educational needs, very well. The co-ordinator and the headteacher ensure that the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good by maintaining contact with support agencies. Attendance is monitored carefully. Assessment procedures have improved since the time of the last inspection and are now satisfactory. All parents who completed the pre-inspection questionnaire agree that their children are encouraged to become mature and independent at school.

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Commentary

26. The strong relationships throughout the school and the very good support of all members of staff enable pupils to feel happy and secure and to achieve well. Pupils know whom to see if they need support or advice, and all members of staff are caring and understand pupils’ personal needs very well.

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Commentary

27. Pupils have very good opportunities to share their views with each other and members of staff. There are good opportunities for pupils in Years 4 to 6 to discuss their ideas during lessons, and the very active school council has debated ideas and opinions left for them by pupils and teachers for the benefit of the school community. This opportunity reflects the importance the school places upon pupils’ views and its willingness to respond to them. Pupils with special educational needs take part in their reviews and complete questionnaires about their strengths and weaknesses.

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Commentary

28. The procedures to help the youngest children settle into school life are good. Parents are given an informative leaflet so that they are made fully aware of school routines before their children start in the Reception class.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 14 The school has a very good partnership with parents and with other schools. There are good links with the local community.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

• The school has good procedures in place to keep parents well informed. • There are very good links with other schools, especially with the local secondary school. • Parents are very positive about the school and provide very good support. • Good links with the local community and the church support learning well.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

29. The school has improved its partnership with parents since the time of the last inspection, and links with parents and other schools are now very good. The school provides parents with good information about the life and work of the school and is very responsive to any concerns raised. As a result of this close relationship, parents are very positive about supporting the school’s work. They especially like the friendly members of staff and the ‘hands on’ approach of the headteacher.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

30. The very good partnership with parents benefits pupils’ learning. The school sends home regular newsletters and curriculum details and most parents are keen to support their children with homework. Parents feel very comfortable about approaching the school, knowing that their views are welcome. The school provides good formal opportunities for parents to meet teachers to discuss their children’s progress. These occasions are very well attended. The very close links between home and school contribute well to pupils’ achievement.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

31. The very strong Parent Teacher Association has given very good financial support to the school. It has provided new computers and other items to support learning as well as providing a good programme of social and fund raising events for parents and members of staff. It works well in partnership with other local organisations for the benefit of the school and community.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

32. The partnership with other schools is well established, particularly the very strong links with the local secondary school. Primary schools in the area benefit from specialist teaching in French for older pupils. This project ensures that pupils in the feeder schools follow the same curriculum and have a head start in learning a modern foreign language. There are other projects that support pupils’ transfer at the end of Year 6, such as an end-of-year literacy project started at primary school and completed at the secondary school. Visits from new teachers and a visit for pupils to the secondary school also help pupils to feel confident and welcomed.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

33. There are many opportunities for pupils to become involved in the community. For example, the school choir sings at a Christmas lunch for senior citizens and strong links have been maintained with the local church.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher and other key staff is good and management and governance are satisfactory. Governors do not meet statutory requirements in full. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 15 Main strengths and weaknesses

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The headteacher provides good leadership and his enthusiasm motivates all members of staff. • There are clear plans for school development. • The leadership and management of pupils with special educational needs are good. • Procedures for monitoring teaching and learning are mostly informal and lack rigour. • Governors are well organised and supportive, though they do not provide enough challenge. • Statutory requirements are not met fully.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

34. The experienced headteacher is passionate about the school and is very successful in inspiring members of staff and pupils. There is a strong educational direction to school development, and changes in provision are made in response to weaknesses identified in pupils’ attainment in national tests. The headteacher has a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of different members of staff and provides them with good training and challenges to improve their own professional development. Co-ordinators are good leaders and have clear plans for developing their own subjects. All members of staff provide good role models for the pupils. They are hard-working and friendly, and treat pupils with respect and fairness. Good leadership has been maintained since the time of the last inspection and there has been an improvement in the way responsibilities are allocated.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

35. The school is keen to welcome pupils with differing, and sometimes very challenging, needs and provides good support for them. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs manages provision well. She has a good understanding of pupils’ different requirements. She works closely with the other teachers and the teaching assistants to ensure that pupils receive the support they need to achieve well. The necessary advice and guidance are sought from external agencies, and parents and pupils are kept well informed and involved. The governor responsible for special educational needs has a good awareness of provision in the school.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

36. Management is satisfactory. The school runs smoothly and the headteacher has a realistic understanding of strengths and weaknesses in provision based on an honest self-evaluation. He is heavily involved in teaching and monitors the work of his colleagues informally. Procedures for performance management are followed appropriately. However, as at the time of the last inspection, some members of staff with responsibilities have only limited opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in other classes, and as a result they have an incomplete picture of provision in the subjects they manage. The school has a computer- based system for tracking pupils’ progress and setting targets for the end of Year 6. This system is satisfactory and being developed to show progress from year to year. The school has not monitored the time allocated to subjects in each class and this has resulted in insufficient time being allowed for science, geography, history and science in some classes.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

37. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body is supportive and strongly committed to maintaining standards. As at the time of the last inspection, the experienced chair of governors is very involved in the life of the school and has a realistic view of strengths and weaknesses. However, governors do not challenge the school enough, ensure that the curriculum is balanced, or ensure that statutory requirements are being met in the information provided in the school brochure on attendance. The monitoring of spending and financial planning is rigorous, though the school has been running with a large contingency fund in recent years. Part of this is being used to maintain staffing levels due to dropping pupil numbers and to contribute to an Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 16 extension to the hall. The school ensures that best-value principles are observed and provides satisfactory value for money.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 312,191 Balance from previous year 60,377 Total expenditure 328,163 Balance carried forward to the next year 44,405 Expenditure per pupil 3,529 Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 17

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The school has maintained the good provision for children in the Reception Year that was found at the time of the last inspection. When they start school, children’s attainment is above average most years and they achieve well, making good or very good progress in all areas of learning.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

As at the time of the last inspection, teaching and learning are good overall, with the needs of children being met effectively. The key features of teaching are:

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• A skilled nursery nurse gives very good support to the teacher; both members of staff have a very good understanding of the needs of young children, using a good range of teaching methods. • The classroom is well organised and there is a good balance between teacher-led and child- initiated learning. • Lessons are well resourced and learning is made fun. • Members of staff have very high expectations of behaviour and encourage and engage children with differing needs. • There are occasional missed opportunities to extend the learning of more-able children, especially in the development of writing skills.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The teacher is a good leader and there have been many improvements over the last two years. These have been carefully planned and monitored. As a result of these developments there is now a good curriculum, and the well-resourced outdoor area is used well to support children’s learning.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Assessment procedures are very good. Detailed assessments are made when children first start school, and this information is used very effectively to identify what children need to learn next. Regular observations of children are made whilst they are working and these show clearly how well they are achieving. Statutory assessments are maintained throughout the year and analysed carefully to identify areas for development for both individuals and groups and to set targets for improvement.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

There are good links with parents and effective induction procedures. The teacher makes visits to the local pre-school group and children are given good opportunities to experience school before they start formally. This helps to make for a smooth and happy move to the Reception class.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Members of staff take very good account of children’s individual needs.

p.19

Commentary

38. Children’s achievement is very good in this area of learning and all are on target to exceed the expectations of the ‘early learning goals’ by the end of the Reception Year. They enjoy talking to visitors and work together well in small groups, supporting each Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 18 other effectively and celebrating each other’s success happily. Children respond well to the very high expectations of the teacher and nursery nurse.

p.19

Commentary

39. Teaching and learning are very good. Members of staff have a very good knowledge of the social and educational needs of individual children and give them many opportunities to talk together. These times are used effectively to encourage children to think about things that affect them and to talk about the needs of others. Good displays of photographs help children to learn that everyone is different. Children are beginning to understand that there are different beliefs and they enjoy talking about life in other countries.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well, but there are some missed opportunities to extend the writing skills of more-able children. • The quality of teaching is good, with an exciting range of activities that make learning purposeful.

p.20

Commentary

40. Good teaching in this area of learning means that children make good progress and most are on target to exceed the expectations of the ‘early learning goals’ by the end of the Reception Year.

p.20

Commentary

41. Children are confident readers and skills are being taught effectively. There is a very strong emphasis on learning being fun, and a teaching strategy that involves regular daily practice of letter sounds and spellings has a good impact on learning. Children are given good opportunities to read to an adult in a small group. This helps members of staff to meet individual needs well.

p.20

Commentary

42. Children develop very positive attitudes towards writing and are given many opportunities to improve their skills. Good use is made of the outdoor area to support learning. For example, children were encouraged to write ‘vets’ reports’ after going on an animal hunt around the playground. Activities such as this help to make writing purposeful and consequently children become willing and confident writers. Children are very enthusiastic and always happy to record their ideas on paper, often using recognisable words or letters. Members of staff generally have high expectations and encourage children to attempt to write words for themselves. However, there are occasions when not enough is expected of the more-able children in the year group and there are some missed opportunities to encourage them to write more.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well. • Learning is made fun, with very good use being made of the outdoor area to support learning. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 19

p.20

COMMENTARY

43. Children’s achievement is very good and most are on target to exceed the expectations of the ‘early learning goals’ by the end of the Reception Year. Counting skills improve at a very good rate and children become confident about counting beyond 10 and adding small numbers together.

p.21

COMMENTARY

44. Teaching and learning are good. A strength of teaching is that learning is made fun, with mathematical concepts being taught in a practical way that ensures that children are well motivated and interested. There is a very good curriculum, with the outdoor area being used very well to make learning purposeful. This has a very good impact on children’s achievement. When working outside, very good use is made of resources to practise a range of counting skills. For example, bikes are numbered and children are encouraged to match and identify numbers. In a good lesson taken by the nursery nurse different coins were hidden in the sand trays and children searched for them and then sorted them. This helped them to develop quickly an understanding that not all coins have the same value.

p.21

COMMENTARY

45. Good use is made of rhymes and songs to develop number skills. However, some lessons are overlong and children are sometimes expected to sit for too long at the start or end. When this happens they lose concentration and the pace of learning slows.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching and a practical curriculum meet the needs of all children well.

p.21

Commentary

46. Children’s achievement is good and most are on target to exceed the expectations of the ‘early learning goals’ by the end of the Reception Year. Learning is well supported by good teaching and an exciting and stimulating curriculum that includes a good range of practical activities, with good links made between the different areas of learning. Much of the work during the inspection was based on the theme of ‘bread’. Children worked together to make their own bread, and tasted bread from different countries. They measured while they were making the bread and wrote or made marks on paper as they recorded which sort they liked most. Members of staff supported children well in these activities. There was a good pace to learning, although some of the groups were too large and not all children were fully involved at all times.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in physical education lessons introduces children to a range of skills. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 20 • Children get good opportunities to work outside.

p.21

Commentary

47. Provision for physical development has improved since the time of the last inspection because of the development of a well-resourced and effectively used outdoor area. Children are now achieving well and most are on target to exceed the expected levels by the end of the Reception Year.

p.22

Commentary

48. Children have good physical skills for their age. They ride tricycles with good control and in physical education they throw and catch accurately. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are organised effectively to take account of differing needs and there is a good pace to learning. Members of staff have high expectations of what children should achieve and give them good opportunities to practise and consolidate new skills.

p.22

Commentary

49. There is a good curriculum, with children’s learning being enhanced by the effective use of an outdoor area. Members of staff plan carefully for when children are working outside, supporting the development of children’s physical skills successfully through a good range of activities. Children are given good opportunities to work at their own pace and consequently quickly improve their physical skills.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

50. This was not a focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on the quality of provision. There are good displays that show that children use a wide range of techniques to produce interesting and attractive artwork. Children talk confidently about things they have made.

p.22

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well, though spelling is weak in Year 2. • Teachers’ marking and individual targets help pupils understand how well they have achieved and what they need to do to improve further. • A few older pupils, especially boys, do not always present their work well. • The subject is led well, but management is satisfactory because monitoring of teaching is limited and lessons are too long.

p.22

COMMENTARY

51. Test results vary depending on the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in each year group. There are more pupils with special educational needs in the current Years 2 and 6 than in other year groups. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 21 52. Pupils’ attainment in the current Year 2 is on target to be in line with the nationally expected levels in reading. Most pupils are keen to read and enjoy talking about the characters and stories in their books. Members of staff provide good support to develop pupils’ fluency and knowledge of different letter sounds. Most parents support their children well by hearing them read for homework. Attainment in writing is below average because several pupils lack independence and have weak spelling. Weaknesses in handwriting and spelling have been identified correctly by the school, and new schemes of work and regular practice are having a

p.22

COMMENTARY

good impact on pupils’ handwriting in Years 2 and 3, and on the spelling of younger pupils in the Reception and Year 1 class. Over the last three years, attainment in the Year 2 national assessments has been very high in reading, and well above average in writing. Whilst pupils in the current Year 2 continue to make the good progress noted at the time of the last inspection, attainment is much lower this year because of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the small proportion of more-able pupils.

p.23

COMMENTARY

53. In Year 6, pupils are on target to exceed the nationally expected levels in English, though attainment is not as high as it was at the time of the last inspection or in the 2004 national tests, when it was well above average. The current Year 6 has more pupils with special educational needs and fewer pupils working consistently at the higher level (Level 5). When reading, all pupils use good expression and they know how to find information in reference books. They achieve well and are good at using a wide range of interesting vocabulary in their writing, though a few boys in particular do not always take enough care with the presentation of their work. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teachers and teaching assistants, enabling them to achieve well. Most individual education plans show clear targets to help pupils to improve.

p.23

COMMENTARY

54. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are good overall and they achieve well. By the end of Year 6 most pupils speak clearly and confidently. Teachers provide them with good opportunities to share ideas with others. Throughout the school most pupils listen well to each other and members of staff.

p.23

COMMENTARY

55. Teaching, learning and assessment are good, and there was an example of very good teaching by the subject co-ordinator. In this very good lesson in Year 4, tasks were very carefully structured so that pupils developed a thorough understanding of the importance of story settings by discussing extracts from books with each other and answering key questions posed by the teacher. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and have been successful in increasing the range of strategies used to maintain their interest, especially that of the boys, who do not perform as well as girls in national tests. The greater use of discussion groups in Years 4 to 6 prepares pupils well for their written tasks and provides purposeful opportunities to extend their speaking and listening skills. Good teaching has been maintained successfully since the time of the last inspection.

p.23

COMMENTARY

56. There are rigorous procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress, and national test information is used well to identify weaknesses in provision. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and show them what they need to do to improve. Pupils have a good knowledge of their individual targets and these are clearly displayed in their books. However, time is not used effectively because English lessons are longer than the nationally recommended time, and towards the ends of lessons boys in particular lose concentration. The additional time allocated to English limits the study of other subjects. Resources are satisfactory overall, though there is only a limited range of books in the school library and some shelves are too high for shorter children. Pupils have limited opportunity to use ICT to support their learning.

p.23

COMMENTARY

57. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and has identified key areas for development correctly. New initiatives for improving spelling, handwriting, speaking and listening are having a positive influence on learning. Management of the subject is satisfactory. Whilst national test results are analysed and samples of work are shared in staff meetings, teaching and learning have not been monitored recently and the co-ordinator does not have a thorough understanding of attainment in Year 2. Good provision in the subject has been maintained successfully since the time of the last inspection. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 22

p.23

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

58. Satisfactory opportunities are provided for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects. They enjoy researching information about history topics, using books and computers. However, opportunities for independent writing, do not always challenge more-able pupils sufficiently, especially in science, geography and history.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching helps pupils to learn well. • Pupils develop good attitudes towards learning a new language.

p.24

Commentary

59. The school teaches French to pupils in Years 5 and 6 as part of a project with other local primary schools and the local secondary school. This project is having a good impact on learning, and all pupils show good skills for their ages. They are keen to learn a second language and they achieve well, developing new skills quickly and benefiting from the good teaching of the specialist teacher. The teacher has good subject knowledge and there is a good pace to learning. Learning is made fun and activities are purposeful and motivating. Although the emphasis is on spoken French, there are also good opportunities for pupils to learn how to write and spell some basic French vocabulary. The teacher plans a wide range of activities for each lesson which interest the pupils. As a result, pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a good vocabulary and respond accurately to different questions; for example, talking about their name, home

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are high in most years and pupils achieve well. • The quality of teaching is good, though some mental mathematics sessions do not meet the needs of all pupils. • The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject.

p.24

Commentary

60. National test results in recent years show that pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is consistently well above average. Overall, high standards have been maintained since the time of the last inspection. Inspection evidence indicates that, in the current Year 2, attainment is above the nationally expected levels, though not as high as in previous years. A smaller proportion of pupils is working towards the expected level (Level 2) and a much smaller proportion towards the higher level (Level 3). In the current Year 6 there is only a small proportion consistently working at the Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 23 higher level (Level 5). These variations occur as the school only has a small number of pupils taking the tests each year. In the current Year 2 and Year 6 there is a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than in previous years.

p.24

Commentary

61. Across the school all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well in mathematics and make good progress. Teachers track this progress through their own assessments and nationally published tests. Pupils in Year 4 are developing good self-assessment skills, because the teacher explains what they are to learn in each lesson and gives them a clear understanding of what they need to do to achieve. He allows good opportunities within the lesson for pupils to judge their own progress. Across the school the development of mental strategies, problem-solving and investigative work is emphasised well, helping pupils to gain independence and positive attitudes towards learning. For example, higher-attaining pupils in Year 3 worked independently on a task using money, and pupils in Year 4 worked co- operatively when planning a route using co-ordinates.

p.25

Commentary

62. Good teaching and learning have been maintained since the time of the last inspection. Teachers make good use of ICT to make their teaching more visual and increase pupils’ motivation and concentration. They set appropriate tasks during the main part of the lesson based on pupils’ prior attainment. However, not all ability levels are catered for during ‘whole-class’ teaching sessions when pupils take part in a mental mathematics activity. At these times teachers do not always vary their questioning to challenge more-able pupils sufficiently or ensure that less-able pupils are able to participate. Some teachers overcome this by using more open-ended questions in which a variety of answers are acceptable, such as when pupils in Years 2 and 3 calculated totals of goods at the shop. Teaching assistants have a good impact on the progress of pupils with special educational needs. Two of the reasons

p.25

Commentary

that teaching and achievement are good are that teachers are enthusiastic about the subject and a whole-school approach has been developed in the delivery of the mathematics curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

63. As at the time of the last inspection, the leadership and management of the subject are good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is supported well by good school guidelines in aspects of mathematical development. These have been developed through the hard work of the headteacher and the mathematics co-ordinator. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about mathematics and has been developing her leadership and management role well, by observing the lessons of other teachers and providing constructive feedback.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

64. There are some opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills in other aspects of the curriculum. For example, more-able pupils in Year 6 calculate distances in geography, and accurate measuring is required in some aspects of design and technology. However, these opportunities are too few.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• National test results at the end of Year 6 were very good in 2004. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 24 • Pupils have a secure understanding of basic scientific concepts, but their investigative skills are not sufficiently developed. • Recorded work is often the same for all pupils in a class, whatever their prior attainment or age and not enough use is made of ICT to help pupils learn. • Parents support the school well in helping with revision for tests at the end of Year 6. • Not enough time is allocated to the subject.

p.25

Commentary

65. Progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory. Pupils’ attainment varies from year to year due to the small numbers of pupils in each year group. In 2004, teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 showed that attainment was broadly average, though the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level (Level 3) was well below the national average. The current Year 2 is working at broadly similar levels, again with few pupils on target to achieve Level 3.

p.26

Commentary

66. Test results at the end of Year 6 in 2004 showed that attainment was well above the average for all schools and above the average for similar schools. This high level of attainment is not reflected in the work of the current Year 6, which has a greater proportion of pupils with special educational needs. In this year group, attainment is in line with nationally expected levels, with fewer pupils on target to reach the higher level (Level 5) than in 2004.

p.26

Commentary

67. Achievement, including that of pupils with special educational needs, is satisfactory. Good coverage of the required units of study means that pupils generally have a secure knowledge of basic concepts. In lessons and in their recorded work older pupils show a good understanding of how heat can be insulated and how different electrical circuits will affect the brightness of a bulb. However, pupils’ investigative skills are less well developed because this aspect of the curriculum is not given sufficient emphasis in the curriculum. Older pupils have only a rudimentary understanding of scientific prediction and of the need for fair testing, and find it difficult to organise an investigation without adult support. Achievement is also adversely affected by the time allowed for teaching the subject, which is only one hour per week in some classes.

p.26

Commentary

68. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection. In this lesson in Year 6, where teaching and learning were satisfactory, the teacher had planned an interesting task that gave pupils good opportunities to devise an investigation. The lesson was well resourced and good use was made of a whole-class introduction to help pupils to understand what they were expected to do. The teacher worked hard to encourage the pupils to think like scientists, but some did not respond well. Several boys lacked motivation and worked very slowly. Many pupils found it hard to organise the investigation and the teacher did not make effective use of a review of learning at the end of the lesson to challenge their thinking. This was a missed opportunity to improve the investigative skills of pupils by talking about what had happened.

p.26

Commentary

69. A scrutiny of pupils’ work across the school shows that, as at the time of the last inspection, there is not always enough challenge for more-able pupils. There is little variation in the work produced by pupils of differing ability levels or ages, with expectations often being too low for the more able. These pupils do not always make enough progress, especially in the development of scientific skills. Teachers do not plan enough opportunities for them to devise their own experiments or to extend their Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 25 understanding of skills such as fair testing. Very little use is made of ICT to support learning.

p.26

Commentary

70. Homework is used well with older pupils to support learning. Pupils work through revision books before taking national tests at the end of Year 6 to ensure that previous learning is secure. Parents support their children well with this revision, helping to ensure that test results are generally good.

p.27

Commentary

71. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall. There are sound procedures for assessing progress at the end of each topic, with tests used effectively to show pupils’ knowledge. However, there are no assessment procedures for the investigative aspect of science, and pupils have only a limited understanding of how they can improve because marking only rarely indicates the strengths and weaknesses in their work.

p.27

Commentary

72. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is newly appointed, but has already undertaken a useful evaluation of provision across the school. This has helped to identify some key areas for improvement. There is a good awareness of the need to ensure that differing needs are met more effectively and to provide greater opportunity for pupils to develop the skills of scientific investigation and enquiry.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils develop good basic skills. • Good leadership has ensured good improvement since the last inspection. • There are missed opportunities for pupils to use their skills in subjects such as science, history and geography.

p.27

Commentary

73. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, and pupils’ attainment is now above nationally expected levels by the end of Years 2 and 6. Under the good leadership of the co-ordinator there have been important developments. The confidence of teachers has improved through the provision of training. The good curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that a breadth of activities is taught in lessons. As a result, pupils gain good skills in a wide range of activities and have a clear understanding of the different uses of ICT. For example, they show confidence when word-processing their writing, produce paintings and plans using art programs and make moving pictures or presentations using multi-media. There is a well- attended ICT club which gives pupils good opportunities to try out different ideas and to practise skills introduced in lessons.

p.27

Commentary

74. Teaching and learning are good, enabling all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to achieve well throughout the school. The subject co-ordinator takes most lessons. She has good subject knowledge and introduces new skills effectively, making learning purposeful by clearly linking ICT and other subjects. Consequently, pupils work hard, become engaged in their work quickly and show good attitudes towards learning. Lessons in the ICT suite are well organised and teaching assistants give good support to less-able pupils. The teacher is aware of pupils who bring good skills from home and strives to ensure that they are Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 26 challenged in lessons. Nonetheless, there are occasions when the needs of the more-able pupils are not fully met when they do easier work suited to other pupils. Teaching and learning have improved since the time of the last inspection.

p.27

Commentary

75. Resources are satisfactory. A well-equipped ICT suite is used effectively to teach specific skills, but is too small for a whole class to work at the same time and is frequently used as a teaching area for other subjects.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

76. Good links are made between different subjects when pupils are working in the ICT suite. However, although every classroom has one or two computers, these were not used frequently during the inspection. A lack of curriculum time for science, history and geography limits the use made of ICT skills to support learning in these subjects.

p.28

HUMANITIES

77. This area of the curriculum was not a focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form an overall judgement on standards and provision.

p.28

HUMANITIES

78. One history lesson was observed during the inspection and a scrutiny of pupil’s work, teachers’ planning and other school documentation undertaken. Teaching in the one lesson observed in Year 4 was satisfactory. Pupils showed good attitudes and interest when exploring the question ‘How did the ancient Egyptians mummify the dead?’ In Years 2 and 3, pupils have completed ‘what I already know’ and ‘what I want to find out’ sections for their work on the topic of ancient Egyptians. This approach is successful in giving the teacher information on their current attainment. However, a scrutiny of timetables and pupils’ work across the school shows that insufficient time is allowed for geography and history, resulting in the underdevelopment of skills and some superficial work. Written work is not planned consistently to meet pupils’ differing needs and they often complete the same or similar tasks limiting the progress of the more-able pupils in particular.

p.28

HUMANITIES

79. A good feature of the curriculum is the range of visits and of visitors to the school. These include a biannual residential visit to Yorkshire and visits to local museums and houses. Members of staff are currently developing a useful document to support the development of historical and geographical skills through the school.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

This area of the curriculum was not a focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form judgements on provision, teaching and learning in these subjects.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. In a satisfactory art and design lesson in Years 5 and 6 clear instructions were given and pupils demonstrated good sketching skills. However, some boys were inattentive and lacked independence when joining two pieces of clay to make slab pots. Displays of paintings from the art club show work of a high standard. Throughout the school good use is made of sketchbooks to develop skills. Pupils are especially good at using space and colour.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. In a good design and technology lesson in Year 2 the teacher provided a good balance between teaching new skills and vocabulary and allowing pupils to try out their own ideas. In both art and design and design and technology, opportunities for Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 27 pupils to evaluate their work are missed. Pupils have suitable opportunities for using ICT to support learning. For example, pupils in Year 4 used an art package to design duvet covers and curtains for fairy tale characters. The subjects make a good contribution to learning in other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils made attractive pop-up books as part of a topic in history.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. Two lessons were observed in physical education . In a satisfactory dance lesson in Year 4, pupils worked together well, but a lack of space in the small hall limited the range of movements they could make. In the good swimming lesson for pupils in Years 2 to 4 the enthusiastic teacher provided clear instructions and encouraged pupils to improve. As a result, pupils gained confidence and tried hard. Good staffing levels during swimming lessons enable pupils with special educational needs to be included fully. The extensive school grounds are used well to provide a good range of sports clubs. Girls and boys have good opportunities to take part in competitive games with other schools of a similar size. However, a survey of older pupils and a scrutiny of class timetables show that pupils have too few physical education lessons at some times of the year, especially in Years 5 and 6.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. No music lessons were on the time-table during the inspection. Pupils demonstrated good singing during hymn practice, when they learnt new songs quickly. A successful choir is well attended by girls and boys.

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

84. This area of the curriculum was not a focus for the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to form judgements on provision. The co-ordinator has satisfactory plans for the development of the subject. A suitable scheme of work supports teachers in their lesson planning, and members of staff give pupils good opportunities to share their views at different times during the school day. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, sex and relationships education and learning about the dangers of drugs are emphasised, ensuring that pupils develop good values and leave school well prepared for the next stage of their education. Throughout the school members of staff are good role models who treat all pupils and each other with care and respect. Older pupils follow this example and carry out their many responsibilities very sensibly. There is a ‘buddy’ system to support lonely pupils at playtimes, and pupils are involved in raising

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

funds for various charities. Radwinter Church of England Aided Primary School - 28

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 4 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.30