Ropley CofE Primary School

ROPLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13th – 15th September 2004

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ROPLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 –11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 176

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Ropley Alresford Hampshire Postcode: SO24 0DS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01962 772381 Fax number: 01962 772520

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr A Bonner

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the rural village of Ropley near to the city of Winchester. Pupils come from a wide area. The school has voluntary controlled status and caters for pupils between the ages of four and eleven. There are currently 176 pupils on roll, and because the school is very popular, most year groups are over-subscribed. Almost all pupils are of white ethnicity, and no pupil has English as an additional language. Twenty nine pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register. This represents 16 percent of the school population and is below average. Three pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Mobility levels are average, and in the past year, eleven pupils have left other than at the usual time of transfer and seven pupils have joined the school. The percentage of pupils in receipt of free school meals is very low in comparison to the national average and is typically below 5 percent. The children’s attainment when they join the Reception class

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

spans the full ability range and is average overall. Ropley Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22361 Mrs M Gough Lead inspector Science, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, music, physical education, English as an additional language, personal, social and health education and citizenship 9352 Mr M Weaver Lay inspector 17543 Mr R Coupe Team inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, religious education 22657 Mr M Madeley Team inspector English, geography, history, special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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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 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Ropley Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school that has many very good features. By the time pupils leave school at the age of eleven, they attain standards that are well above average in English and mathematics, and in science their achievement is very high. Teaching is good throughout the school and pupils respond very readily and have a real thirst for learning. Leadership and management are good overall, and the leadership of the headteacher is very good. The school gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Over the last two years the headteacher has moved the school forward at a very rapid pace. • By the time pupils leave school, standards are well above the expected level in English and mathematics, and very high in science. • Teachers are very effective in the way in which they promote cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. • Teaching is good overall, and learning support assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. • The curriculum is imaginative and innovative, but in some classes lessons are too long, reducing the time available for other subjects, and leading to lapses in the pupils’ concentration. • Assessment is good and the information is used well to inform the next stage of planning. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and show very high levels of independence. • The school provides very good levels of care, guidance and support, and all staff are

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

vigilant of the children in their care. • The school’s partnership with parents is very strong, and parents are very supportive of the school and its work. • The governing body plays a good role in leading and managing the school and has very good relationships with the staff and pupils.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Following the last inspection there was a dip in some important aspects of the school’s work. Over the past two years there has been very good improvement, and as a result, the quality of teaching and learning has improved and standards in the core subjects are now very good by the time pupils leave school at the age of eleven. The school has a very clear knowledge of its strengths and areas for development, and is securely placed to continue with the next stage of its development.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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Year 6 results

Science A* B A A 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. Ropley Primary School - 7 The pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. On the basis of the 2003 end of Key Stage 2 national test results, the pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Based on their prior attainment the pupils have achieved very well in mathematics and science, and their progress in English is exceptionally good. The 2004 test results paint a very similar picture and indicate that standards in science have risen still further. They confirm the inspection findings that standards in English and mathematics are well above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2, and that standards in science are very high indeed. Key Stage 2 pupils achieve well as they move

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Year 6 results

through the school in the core subjects, and are particularly skilled in the way in which they use cross curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology to support their work in other subjects.

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Year 6 results

The 2003 Key Stage 1 national test results show that the pupils’ attainment in reading is well above the national average, and that their attainment in writing and mathematics is above the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the pupils’ performance is well above average in reading and average in writing and mathematics. The teacher assessments for science show that pupils’ attainment is above the national average. The 2004 test results are very similar to those for 2003, although the pupils’ attainment was slightly higher in writing and slightly lower in reading. This difference is not significant. The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment is above national expectations in English, mathematics and science and that pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well.

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Year 6 results

In religious education, pupils’ attainment is in line with the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus at the end of both key stages, and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. In information and communication technology, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, and well above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well in this subject. In physical education and geography, standards are at the national expected level at the end of both key stages, and the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Year 6 results

The children’s attainment when they join the Reception class is average. The Reception children achieve well and most attain beyond the expected level by the end of the Reception year in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional development and creative development. In physical development, the children’s attainment is at the expected level for their age.

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Year 6 results

Pupils of all ages have very positive attitudes to work and set about their activities with high levels of enthusiasm. Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall, although at times in Key Stage 1, pupils become over-excited, and demand a great deal of adult attention. Attendance is very good, and is well above the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall, and there are particular strengths in pupils’ social and moral development, and in the way in which the school enables pupils to mature year by year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school, and teachers are highly successful in enabling the pupils to become independent learners who have very good problem-solving and thinking skills. Assessment in the core subjects is very good, and very good use is made of the analysis of test data to set targets and to highlight strengths and weaknesses in the provision. Assessment in the foundation subjects and in the Foundation Stage is good overall. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils is good overall, and it is very well enriched by a very good variety of Ropley Primary School - 8 additional activities and learning opportunities. The curriculum for Foundation Stage children is good and fully meets their needs. The accommodation is satisfactory. Although it has some very good features, such as the swimming pool and the music room, some classrooms

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

are small and the use of the library for computer sessions reduces its accessibility for library work. Resources are good. The school provides very good levels of care, support and guidance for all pupils, and actively seeks the pupils’ views. The school’s partnership with parents and with other schools is very good, and the school has established good links with the local community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides very good leadership and management for the school and has led the school forward rapidly over the last two years. Staff are very committed to raising standards, and the leadership role of subject co-ordinators is good, and is continuing to develop. The governing body is supportive and well informed, and effectively fulfils its statutory duties. The school is very well managed on a daily basis, and the strategic management of the school is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the school and are very supportive. They are treated as genuine partners in the education of their children and appreciate the warm welcome they receive when they visit the school. Pupils are very happy and speak highly of all of the staff and the headteacher. They are regularly consulted so that their views can be taken into consideration.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• ensure that within the school day there is a good balance of activities, and that lessons are not too long, especially in Key Stage 1 where the pupils tire more easily. Ropley Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

The achievement of pupils of all ages and abilities is good throughout the school. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards are well above national expectations in the core subjects, and in information and communication technology.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English, mathematics and information and communication technology are well above national expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Standards in science are especially high. • Pupils have very good skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology which they use very effectively to support their work across the curriculum. • The school places very good emphasis on the pupils learning through first-hand experience and as a result their investigative and problem-solving skills are very well developed. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good, and higher attaining pupils are well challenged.

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Commentary

1. The school makes good provision for pupils of all abilities, and additional targeted support for those pupils with special educational needs enables them to make good progress towards their individual targets. Over the last two years, under the guidance of the new headteacher, there has been a concerted effort to raise standards and to ensure that higher attaining pupils are fully challenged. The staff have also worked hard and very successfully to encourage the pupils to think for themselves, and to make use of their prior knowledge and experience when faced with new problems or tasks. As a result of the focus and emphasis placed on the pupils learning through first-hand experience, the pupils’ investigative skills, especially in mathematics and science, are finely honed, and pupils are confident and independent learners. Throughout the school there are many very good opportunities for the pupils to use

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Commentary

cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. Basic skills of reading, writing and number are very secure enabling pupils to access all areas of the curriculum.

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Foundation Stage

2. The children’s attainment when they join the Reception class is very varied because of the wide range of pre-school settings from which the children come. Overall, the children’s attainment on entry is average. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most children attain the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional development and creative development. In these areas of learning their overall attainment is above the expected level. In physical development, the children’s attainment is at the expected level for their age. Taken overall the children’s achievement is good. The school is particularly effective in the way in which it quickly identifies children who may have special educational needs, enabling additional support to be targeted at a very early stage in the children’s education.

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Key Stage 1

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average points score in 2003

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results

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Key Stage 1

Mathematics 17.3 (17.3) 16.3 (16.5) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 1

3. Based on the 2003 end of Key Stage 1 national test results, the pupils’ attainment in reading is well above the national average, and their attainment in writing and mathematics is above the national average. The teacher assessments show that pupils’ attainment in science is well above the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the pupils’ performance in reading is well above average and their performance in writing and mathematics is average.

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Key Stage 1

4. The 2004 test results and teacher assessments paint a very similar picture to the 2003 results, although the average points score for reading is marginally lower than in 2003, and the average points score for writing is marginally higher. Although there is little difference between the performance of boys and girls in most aspects of the tests, the reading tests show that the girls regularly attain higher levels than the boys. The school is well aware of this situation, and has taken a variety of steps to further improve the standard of the boys’ reading, although it is too early yet to see the full impact of the strategies they have introduced.

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Key Stage 1

5. The inspection findings closely mirror the test results and teacher assessments for 2003 and show that pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is above national expectations and that their attainment in science is well above national expectations. In information and communication technology, the pupils’ attainment is above national expectations, and they have a wide breadth of experience. Pupils of all abilities achieve well in the core subjects and in information and communication technology. In geography and physical education, the pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations, and they achieve satisfactorily in these subjects. In religious education, the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, and they attain the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus.

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Key Stage 2

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average points score in 2003

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results

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Key Stage 2

Science 30.4 (29.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Ropley Primary School - 11 6. The 2003 end of Key Stage 2 test results show that the pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Based on their prior attainment, the pupils’ performance is very high in English, and well above average in mathematics and science. The 2004 test results are very similar to the 2003 results, with the exception of science, where the average points score is even higher than it was in 2003. Although the standards in English, mathematics and science have been relatively high over the last few years, there has been an overall improvement in the past two years which is not always evident from the test results. The school is now much more successful in meeting the needs of the higher attaining pupils, and the percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 in the tests is increasing year on year.

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Key Stage 2

Because some year groups contain a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than others, this improvement is not always evident from an analysis of the overall grades.

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Key Stage 2

7. The inspection findings show that the pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is well above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2 and that their attainment in science is exceptionally high. The pupils are very skilled and methodical in the way in which they plan and carry out investigative work, and the way in which they use their existing knowledge in a variety of new learning contexts. In information and communication technology, the pupils’ attainment is well above national expectations, partly because of very good teaching in the upper part of the key stage, and partly because of the very rich range of curricular opportunities with which they are provided. In the core subjects and information and communication technology, pupils of all abilities achieve well. In religious education, the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and their attainment is in line with the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. In

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Key Stage 2

geography and physical education, the pupils’ attainment is at the nationally expected level, and their achievement is satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Throughout the school pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall. Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Their moral and social development is very good, their spiritual development is good and their cultural development is satisfactory. Attendance is very good overall

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and are enthusiastic, particularly in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils demonstrate increasing levels of maturity and independence as they progress through the school. • Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good overall, and pupils are confident about approaching any adult for support or advice. • Pupils’ behaviour is very well managed, and as a result is very good overall. • Occasionally in Key Stage 1 the pupils’ behaviour sometimes falls below the expected level when lessons are overlong. • The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • The pupils’ awareness of living in a multi-cultural society is under-developed. • Attendance is very good and is well above the national average.

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Commentary

8. The many good features identified in the last report have been maintained and strengthened. Children in the Foundation Stage settle quickly to their work, fully Ropley Primary School - 12 understand the routines and expectations of them and develop very positive attitudes and behaviour. They readily undertake roles of responsibility such as clearing away at the end of lessons. They are attentive in lessons, offer ideas and fully participate in the activities provided. The effective support they receive enables them to develop their social and emotional skills very well and exceed the goals expected of them by the time they enter Year 1.

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Commentary

9. Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 enjoy school very much, and respond very well to their teachers’ high expectations. Pupils’ attitudes to work are positively developed as they move through school, resulting in very good relationships at all levels. Pupils are polite and enthusiastic, and respond well to questions and instructions. They work hard to do their best and are very effective when they work together on shared tasks. Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall, although in Key Stage 1, where pupils sometimes lack self-discipline, there are occasions when behaviour deteriorates, especially when lessons are overlong and pupils start to lose interest. Pupils and parents are pleased with the standard of behaviour in the school and agree that there is very little inappropriate behaviour. Occasional incidents are dealt with very quickly. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ social and moral development is very well promoted through the wide range of daily activities, including extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils of all ages show a very good awareness of the need to treat others with respect and kindness and have a very well developed sense of morality. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is developed well through activities such as literacy, religious education and acts of collective worship, where pupils are given the opportunity to reflect on their own lives and achievements and those of others. The attractive grounds provide many areas where the pupils can sit quietly and appreciate the natural beauty of their surroundings. Although the pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory, and the school has firm plans to extend the pupils’ experience still further, the pupils’ understanding and knowledge of other cultures is under-developed.

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Commentary

11. The school’s rate of attendance is very good and is well above the national average. Pupils generally arrive at school on time, but occasionally, through no fault of their own, the pupils who travel by bus are late. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance have improved and they are now very good.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good . The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Assessment is good overall. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils is good overall, and the school provides a very good range of additional learning opportunities. The curriculum for Foundation Stage children is good and fully meets their needs. The accommodation is satisfactory and resources are good . The school provides Ropley Primary School - 13 very good levels of care, support and guidance for all pupils, and actively seeks the pupils’ views. The school’s partnership with parents and with other schools is very good , and the school has established good links with the local community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Assessment is good overall. It is very good in the core subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Cross curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are very well promoted, and teachers make good links between the different subjects. • Teachers are very effective in the way in which they promote pupils’ thinking skills and in the way in which they encourage the pupils to become confident and independent learners. • Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good, and behaviour is very well managed. • Teachers use information and communication technology well to enhance their teaching and to enrich the pupils’ learning. • Very good use is made of learning support assistants to work with individual pupils and groups of pupils • Teachers’ planning is good and effectively builds on what has gone before. • Assessment information is used very well in the core subjects to identify whole school strengths and weaknesses and to plan the next stage of pupils’ learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good opportunities to evaluate their learning in some classes. • At times lessons are too long and pupils start to tire and to lose concentration.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 33 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

4 (12) 19 (58) 10 (30) 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.

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Commentary

12. Teaching is good throughout the school, and there has been very good improvement since the last inspection when a significant proportion of teaching was unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of the Reception children is good. Very good emphasis is placed on the development of personal, social and emotional skills enabling the children to quickly settle into the routines of the school. Activities are thoughtful and often exciting for the children. They are well paced so that the children do not lose concentration, and there is a good balance of activities that the children choose themselves and whole-group sessions that are led by an adult. All of the adults who work in the Reception class have consistently high expectations of behaviour, and are firm but very pleasant when dealing with the children. Staff are very effective in the way in which they promote independent learning skills, and in the way in which they give the children confidence in their learning, and develop their self-esteem. Ropley Primary School - 14 14. The teaching in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is good overall

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Commentary

and has many strengths. Teachers plan very thoroughly so that the pupils’ learning is systematically advanced. Very good use is made of assessment information so that the needs of the pupils, especially in the mixed age Key Stage 2 classes, can be fully met. Pupils with special educational needs are given good levels of additional support, and higher attaining pupils are well challenged so that they achieve their potential. Often at the start of lessons teachers recap on previous work, using open-ended questions very well to probe the pupils’ thinking and to enable them to clarify their ideas. Resources are used very well to enliven teaching, and teachers confidently use a range of information and communication technology to support their teaching. Cross- curricular skills of information and communication technology, literacy and numeracy are very effectively promoted across the curriculum, and as a result, pupils’ learning is

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Commentary

15. Throughout the school, teachers are very well supported by a strong team of well qualified and experienced learning support assistants. The practice of matching learning support assistants to individual classes is very effective, and pupils benefit from the consistency of working with the same adults. Where the best practice is seen, learning support assistants are very unobtrusive and sensitive as they offer help to individual pupils and groups of pupils, or make ongoing assessments about the pupils’ learning or contribution to lessons. Occasionally learning support assistants over-direct pupils and this constrains the pupils’ creativity and independence.

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Commentary

16. In all classes relationships between pupils and adults are very good. Teachers and learning support assistants manage pupils’ behaviour very well, and are consistent and firm in their approach. Teachers very successfully encourage the pupils to develop independent learning skills and to use and apply their existing knowledge and experience to new situations. They expect the pupils to think for themselves, and to be imaginative and original in their work. The pupils respond very well to these high expectations and rise to the challenges they are given with high levels of enthusiasm and confidence.

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Commentary

17. In most classes, teachers provide good opportunities for the pupils to evaluate the extent of their own learning. However, this good practice is not consistent throughout the school. Where teachers are committed to the notion of pupils assessing their own learning, very good strategies are employed to enable the pupils to see how they can improve their learning, and to note where they are especially effective. For example, in science in Key Stage 2, very detailed comments on the pupils’ work, and regular opportunities for the pupils to discuss them with their teacher, lead to the pupils becoming very focused and clear about what they must do next. In practical lessons pupils often have the chance to share their learning with others, and to evaluate their own work and that of their classmates in a critical but friendly way.

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Commentary

18. Assessment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is very good and enables teachers to effectively plan the next stage of the pupils’ learning and to match work carefully to the needs of individual pupils. Very good analysis of test data leads to the perceptive identification of whole-school strengths and weaknesses and effectively informs curriculum planning. In the foundation subjects, assessment is developing well, and teachers keep good ongoing records of the pupils’ achievement and attainment. The assessment of Year 2 pupils is especially useful and clearly identifies what the pupils can or can not do, and feeds directly into short-term curriculum planning. In the Reception class, staff maintain the new Foundation Profiles well, and use ongoing assessments to carefully monitor and track the children’s progress and attainment. Ropley Primary School - 15

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good . The school provides a very good range of activities and opportunities that enrich the statutory curriculum. The accommodation is satisfactory overall, and the quality and range of resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils has many innovative features, but in some classes, there is not enough variety in terms of the range of daily activities that are provided. • Very good emphasis is placed on the pupils learning through practical experience, and the teaching of ‘thinking skills’ is an integral part of the whole-school curriculum. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. It is very good in the Foundation Stage. • The school very successfully enriches the pupils’ learning through a wide range of visits, visiting speakers and additional activities. • The swimming pool, music area and extensive grounds have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. • The small size of the hall limits the pupils’ progress in gymnastics and dance. The use of the library for the teaching of some information and communication technology activities reduces its effectiveness as a study area.

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Commentary

19. Since the last inspection there has been very good improvement in terms of the development of the curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils. Statutory requirements are now fully met, and there have been some innovative developments such as the teaching of ‘thinking skills’, and the very effective promotion of cross- curricular links and skills. Overall the curriculum is broad and balanced. However, on a daily basis, there is sometimes not enough variety in terms of the range of activities that are provided or the range of subjects covered. For example, in some classes a typical daily timetable might consist of literacy, numeracy and one other subject. On days such as these where there is not enough variety of tasks, pupils’ learning is less effective, especially in Key Stage 1 where pupils tire more easily and start to lose concentration. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage children is good, and there is a

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Commentary

good balance of activities that are directed by an adult, and structured play activities that the children choose themselves.

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Commentary

20. The school provides a good personal, social and health education programme which covers issues such as hygiene, sex education and the misuse of drugs. Very good use is made of the expertise of outside agencies to support the programme and to provide advice for staff. Circle Time is a regular feature in all classes, and these sessions are used very effectively to deal with a wide range of planned and incidental issues.

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Commentary

21. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall, and very good provision is made for those children in the Reception class who have special educational needs. Pupils’ needs are assessed well, and very good individual education plans show the pupils’ targets, and enable their progress to be carefully monitored. Learning support assistants are well trained and are experienced in providing help to individual pupils and small groups.

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Commentary

22. The school is very effective in the way in which it enriches the statutory curriculum. Pupils are keen to learn to play orchestral instruments, and the choir and recorder Ropley Primary School - 16 groups are very well attended. The school uses authors and theatre visits very well to develop the pupils’ vocabulary and experience and these sessions have helped to raise standards in writing. Teachers make good use of visits to places of educational interest to promote pupils’ learning. Annual residential visits for both Year 4 and Year 6 pupils promote their personal and social development particularly well. The school frequently offers pupils opportunities to develop their drama skills by taking part in class assemblies and large scale, high quality school productions. Pupils enthusiastically attend sports clubs and take part in team games against other schools.

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Commentary

23. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. The school has developed the grounds very well, and pupils benefit from a dedicated music area, food technology area and swimming pool, all of which are used regularly. However, the hall is very small and this impacts adversely on the attainment and achievement of the Key Stage 2 pupils in gymnastics and dance. Although the school has an attractive library, it is also used regularly as a teaching area for information and communication technology. This dual usage restricts the opportunities for pupils to use the library for research or independent study. The school has a good range of resources which are well ordered, well maintained and easily accessible.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very good levels of care, support and guidance for all pupils. Systems for ensuring the pupils’ health and safety are very good . The school has very good systems for seeking the views of the pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff have a very good knowledge of the pupils in their care, enabling them to support all pupils very well, and to ensure that pupils do their best. • Child protection and health and safety procedures are very good. • Induction arrangements are effective. • The school takes very effective steps to seek the pupils’ views and frequently acts on the findings. • Support for pupils with special educational needs is good overall, but pupils do not have enough input into their individual targets.

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Commentary

24. The school has successfully maintained and further strengthened the very good levels of care, support and guidance described in the last report. The headteacher, staff and Governing Body are vigilant in ensuring that pupils who are in any way vulnerable are identified so that they can be given the additional support they need.

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Commentary

25. Teachers and learning support assistants work very closely and effectively to support and guide pupils, and make good use of assessment information to target additional classroom support. Very good relationships between the school and the seven pre- school settings from which the Reception children transfer ensure that the youngest children in the school quickly settle into the new routines. Adults have a very good knowledge of the pupils and their families, and respond very quickly to concerns that arise either from parents or the pupils themselves. Pupils interviewed across the year groups say that they feel very comfortable in approaching staff with any concerns or problems that they might have, and are confident that appropriate action will be taken. Ropley Primary School - 17 26. Child protection procedures are firmly in place as reported at the last inspection. Confidential records are stored securely and good links have been established with a

p.16

Commentary

range of external agencies. Health and safety procedures and systems are very comprehensive, and the governor who has responsibility for this aspect of the school’s work is extremely vigilant in terms of ensuring the pupils’ well-being. Risk assessments are very effective and the school takes effective measures to ensure the care of its pupils on day and residential visits.

p.17

Commentary

27. Very effective systems are in place for seeking the pupils’ views, both formally and informally, and the school is prompt to act upon good suggestions. For example, the outcomes of a recent survey indicated that pupils did not like geography. Further consultation resulted in the school developing a more interesting geography curriculum that includes more visits to a range of places of interest. Pupils are very appreciative of the way in which the school takes their views into consideration.

p.17

Commentary

28. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good, and very good support is provided for the pupils who have Statements of Special Educational Needs. Individual education plans are individual and realistic, and are discussed with pupils and parents. However, pupils do not always have enough input into their individual targets.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents and other schools in the area. Links with the community are good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive of the school and value the education it offers. • The information provided to parents is of very good quality, especially the annual reports of pupils’ progress. • The effective links with the community have a positive impact on pupils’ learning and on their personal development. • Very good links have been established with local schools and colleges which have a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. • Parents of pupils with special educational needs do not have enough opportunity to set targets in their children’s individual education plans.

p.17

Commentary

29. The school’s partnerships with parents, the community, other schools and colleges have improved well since the last inspection.

p.17

Commentary

30. Parents value the school highly and they speak positively about the many strengths of the school’s provision and the improvements that have taken place in recent years. An overwhelming proportion of parents report that their children enjoy school, make good progress in all aspects of their learning and that teaching is of good quality. The inspection team fully endorses the parents’ views. The parents are very supportive of the school and its work and the Parent/Friends’ Association, the ‘FROGS’, provides very good levels of financial support.

p.17

Commentary

31. The school regularly provides a very good range of very good quality information to parents, including the prospectus and annual governors’ report. Pupils’ progress reports are of very good quality and give clear judgements about their progress and attainment. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are invited to regular Ropley Primary School - 18 meetings to review their children’s progress, but do not have enough opportunities to contribute their own ideas about how they are going to support their children’s learning at home.

p.17

Commentary

32. Effective links with the community help to positively promote the pupils’ personal development. Good links have been established with the local church, and the church building is used regularly to support pupils’ learning in religious education. Good links are being developed through a local business to develop the Reception children’s greater understanding of science in practical applications. Open days and school fairs are very well supported by parents and members of the local community.

p.18

Commentary

33. Links with other schools and colleges are very good. Regular ‘cluster group’ meetings are held with the six other schools, including the secondary school to which most pupils transfer. Pupils use these links well in information and communication technology when they ‘e-mail’ information to pupils in other schools. Student teachers and further education students are welcomed on work placement, and the school is currently involved in supporting a student who is on a graduate training programme.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides very good leadership and management for the school. The leadership role of subject co-ordinators is good . The governing body is effective and very supportive.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school and has a very clear vision for the next stage of its development which is shared by staff and governors. • The governing body is very supportive and has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. • Co-ordinators provide good leadership for their subjects, and their monitoring role is developing well. • The school is very strongly committed to the principles of inclusion, and is very successful in meeting the needs of all pupils. • There are excellent procedures for the welcoming and induction of new staff. • There is strong commitment to the continued professional development of staff, and staff training is closely linked to the priorities in the School Improvement Plan. • Although governors are regular visitors to school they rarely make written evaluations of their monitoring activities.

p.18

Commentary

34. The headteacher was appointed two years ago, and since that time she has been very effective in the way in which she has refocused the school, brought about staff changes, and improved many aspects of the school’s provision. Her leadership is very good, and is characterised by a very clear vision for how the school can continue to move forwards. The school has in the past year appointed a new deputy who complements the headteacher very well. Both the headteacher and deputy headteacher set very high standards through their own practice, and have equally high expectations of the rest of the staff. The way in which the headteacher has managed change over the last two years has been excellent, and she has succeeded in fostering a very strong team spirit amongst the staff, and a real drive and commitment to raising standards still further across all aspects of the school’s work. Ropley Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

35. The headteacher has provided a very good steer to the school’s work in terms of developing well managed systems for assessment and whole-school curriculum planning, and she uses her time very productively to ensure that agreed targets for whole-school development are met. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have taken a firm lead in monitoring the school’s work and performance management systems are firmly embedded for all staff. The monitoring of lessons and pupils’ work by the headteacher and deputy is good, and pointers for improvement lead to ongoing development in terms of the quality of teaching and learning. Co-ordinators provide good leadership and management for their subjects, and their monitoring role is developing well, although their monitoring of classroom practice is not always sufficiently rigorous or analytical. The leadership of special educational needs is good, and the special educational needs co-ordinator conscientiously supports staff and

p.19

Commentary

36. The governing body is effective. Governors provide very good support for the school and fulfil their responsibilities well. The governing body has a good range of appropriate committees which meet regularly to review progress towards the agreed targets in the School Improvement Plan and to plan the next stage of the school’s development. Co-ordinators keep the governing body very well informed through action plans which highlight the main strengths and weaknesses in their subject areas. The governing body is fully committed to the notion of inclusion, and is very effective in ensuring that pupils enjoy equal access to all aspects of school life. Performance management is effective and staff development is closely linked to the needs of individual staff and the needs of the school. The school has excellent systems for the induction of new staff, ensuring that they quickly settle into the routines of the school

p.19

Commentary

and that school policies are consistently implemented.

p.19

Commentary

37. The school is well managed, and daily routines are very well established so that the school runs smoothly. Financial systems are good and the principles of best value are firmly embedded. The strategic plan for the school’s future development is good, and the headteacher, staff and governing body are accurate in their evaluation of the school’s strengths and relative weaknesses. Good measures are in place to measure the cost-effectiveness of spending decisions, such as the generous ratio of support staff to the number of classes and pupils on roll, and income and expenditure are closely aligned. The school gives good value for money.

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 502 257 Balance from previous year 36 783 Total expenditure 508 335 Balance carried forward to the next 30 705

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Expenditure per pupil 2 905 Ropley Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for children in the Foundation stage is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good, and the teacher and support staff form a very effective team. • The strong and positive ethos for learning is encouraged through the very good relationships between adults and children. • The school provides a good, well-balanced and exciting curriculum for the Reception children. • The staff are effective in the way in which they gather and use information about the children’s progress and attainment • The provision for children with special educational needs is very good. • Links with parents are very good, and as a result, the children settle in very quickly. • The children have only limited access to large climbing equipment.

p.20

Commentary

38. The school has one Reception class. The children’s attainment when they start school is average overall, but there is a wide span of ability within the current Reception group. Children of all abilities achieve well. By the end of the Reception year their overall attainment is above the expected level in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development, and at the expected level in physical development.

p.20

Commentary

39. The quality of teaching and learning is good in all areas of learning, and adults effectively extend the higher attaining children and provide very good support for those who have difficulties with aspects of their learning. Work is well planned so that there is a good balance between directed activities and those that the children choose for themselves. Statutory requirements are met in respect of the teaching of religious education. Activities are often interesting and exciting, and adults make very good use of resources to bring the children’s learning to life, and to capture their attention. Very good relationships between the teacher and the support staff create a purposeful and friendly ethos to which the children respond very well. The provision for children with special educational needs is very good enabling these children to participate fully in all activities and to make very good progress towards their individual targets.

p.20

Commentary

40. Adults make good use of assessment information to monitor and track the children’s progress and attainment and to plan the next stage of their learning. Very good links have been established with parents who are given very good information about how their children are settling in to school, and the progress they are making. The Reception teacher, although new to her post, leads her team well. Accommodation is good and while resources are plentiful and of good quality, there is limited access to large outdoor climbing apparatus. The school works well with its feeder pre-school nurseries to make the transition to Reception as smooth as possible. The school has successfully maintained the good quality of provision identified at the time of the last inspection. Ropley Primary School - 21 41. By the end of the Reception year, the children’s attainment in personal, social and emotional development is above the expected level with most children attaining the

p.20

Commentary

Early Learning Goals and a number exceeding them. Children of all abilities achieve well and benefit from taking part in a wide range of exciting opportunities that help them to learn how to share, take turns, and to work co-operatively with others. The children are well motivated, and most respond very well to the high expectations of the teacher and support staff. They demonstrate good levels of concentration and enthusiasm, and quickly become more independent in selecting activities and resources, and in matters of personal hygiene. Through the range of daily activities, and lessons such as religious education, the children learn to consider the feelings of others, and by the end of the Reception year start to show empathy for those less fortunate than themselves.

p.21

Commentary

42. The children’s attainment in communication, language and literacy is above the expected level by the end of the Reception year, and the children’s speaking skills are especially well developed. The children achieve well, and respond enthusiastically to the wide range of activities that are provided for them. Basic skills of reading and writing are taught well, but in an exciting way so that the children are keen to learn. Books are freely available for the children to select and class stories are a regular, enjoyable activity. Very good use is made of role play areas to help the children to develop their speaking skills in an imaginative way, and to promote their social development. Language activities are often linked to the ongoing topic, and this provides a good context for the children’s learning.

p.21

Commentary

43. Children achieve well in their mathematical development , and by the end of the Reception year, most attain the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. Throughout the day the children have many good opportunities to practise counting up to and, in some cases, beyond ten. Very good use is made of incidental opportunities for developing mathematical language such as when the children are baking cakes and weigh the ingredients talking about ‘more or less than’ or ‘heavier and lighter than’. Adults make good use of a range of well-chosen computer programs to consolidate the children’s learning of number, shape and space, and the notion of time is reinforced regularly as the teacher draws the children’s attention to the sequence of the daily routines, and discusses the days of the week.

p.21

Commentary

44. In the area of knowledge and understanding of the world, the children’s attainment is above the expected level by the end of the Reception year, and the children achieve well. Displayed photographs provide a very good opportunity for the children to understand and talk about growth and development, and to comment on how they have changed since infancy. Because of good adult led discussion, the children gain much from activities such as baking where they consider the effect of mixing various ingredients together, and observe the effect of baking. The school grounds are a very good resource, and are used very well to provide opportunity for the children to observe mini beasts and their habitats, weather, and natural changes in the environment. The regular use of the computers and programmable toys ensures that the children’s mouse control and elementary programming skills are well developed. Well-planned visits, for example, to the seaside or to the bear factory, provide

p.21

Commentary

additional good opportunities for learning, and successfully extend the children’s knowledge of the world in which they live.

p.21

Commentary

45. By the end of the Reception year, the children’s attainment in physical development is at the expected level. Children of all abilities achieve satisfactorily in terms of their gross and fine motor skills. The teacher is thoughtful in the way in which physical activities are planned, and makes good use of the small hall, and the small secure outside play area. Although the children have some access to the climbing equipment Ropley Primary School - 22 on the adventure playground, they do not have daily opportunities to climb and balance on large equipment, and this prevents them from achieving higher standards in this area of their learning. Fine motor skills are well-developed through the regular use of a wide range of equipment such as cutters, rollers, brushes and pencils, and most children show good levels of control as they manipulate scissors, pencils and other small tools.

p.21

Commentary

46. By the end of the Reception year, the children’s attainment in terms of their creative development is good. The children achieve well and make significant gains in their knowledge as they learn how to mix colours, and use different tools to achieve a wide range of different effects. The children paint good, well-proportioned self-portraits, and confidently use media such as chalk, pastels, crayons and paint to produce work of good quality. Teaching is good, and is highly effective in encouraging the children to be creative and independent as they select their own materials and other resources. The children enjoy making music together, and as they play the instruments they have chosen, learn about the different sounds that can be produced. They enjoy singing short songs and jingles and are particularly enthusiastic when they perform action songs.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good use of literacy skills in their work in other subjects. • Strong leadership and management have led to a very good improvement in standards. • Pupils generally have very positive attitudes to their work, but some find it difficult to concentrate when lessons are very long. • Pupils make very good use of information and communication technology to support their learning. • Support staff are used well to help groups of pupils and individual pupils. • The reading of older pupils is not monitored closely enough. • Pupils do not always take enough care with the presentation of their written work.

p.22

Commentary

47. On the basis of the 2003 Key Stage 1 national tests, pupils’ attainment in reading is well above the national average, and well above average in comparison with similar schools. In writing, their attainment is above the national average, and average in comparison with similar schools. The 2003 end of Key Stage 2 test results show that standards are well above the national average, and very high on the basis of their prior attainment. The test results for 2004 show a similar picture as the 2003 results, although in Key Stage 1, the results for writing are slightly higher than those for reading. Over the last few years there has been a very good trend of improvement in the standards pupils attain. This improvement is not always evident from the test results, as the groups entered for the tests are small, and vary in terms of their natural ability from year to year. Ropley Primary School - 23 48. The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 is above

p.22

Commentary

national expectations, and at the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment is well above national expectations. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well from their different starting points and achieve the standards of which they are capable. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are strong in all age groups, and the pupils are confident, articulate speakers who use subject specific vocabulary well to explain their ideas. Reading skills are well developed by teachers, and parents provide very good additional support for younger pupils. Pupils speak authoritatively about the books that they have read, and know which authors they like and why. Older pupils read quite regularly but the type of book they choose is not monitored closely enough to ensure that they are reading a sufficiently wide range of books. Pupils throughout the school quickly master joined writing, but they do not always take enough care over the presentation of their written

p.23

Commentary

work. Written work is often imaginative and takes good account of the audience for which it is intended.

p.23

Commentary

49. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Where teaching is at its best, teachers use their good knowledge of the subject to make well-planned lessons lively and interesting for the pupils. Higher attaining pupils are well challenged, enabling them to achieve high standards in their work. Good use is made of learning support assistants to work with groups of pupils who need additional support, but teachers do not always make enough use of support staff for assessing pupils’ responses during the whole- class parts of the literacy lesson. In the main, lessons are well paced, but at times, lessons are overlong, especially for the Key Stage 1 pupils, and as a result they start to lose concentration. Pupils generally have very positive attitudes to their work, and are very conscientious in completing their homework tasks. Pupils of all ages have a very good understanding of how to be a good learner and a growing awareness as

p.23

Commentary

they move through the school of how they can improve their work further. Teachers in both key stages provide very good opportunities for the pupils to use information and communication technology to edit and draft their work.

p.23

Commentary

50. Good leadership and management have led to significant improvements in standards since the last inspection. Data has been very carefully analysed and the information has been used well to highlight areas for whole-school development. The programme to improve pupils’ writing skills across the school has already produced confident authors and poets, and the school has recognised, and is continuing to explore the reasons why Key Stage 1 girls often attain higher results in reading tests than the boys. The co-ordinator has made a good start in monitoring teaching and learning, but the monitoring reports are not always sufficiently rigorous. The school has an attractive library, but it is used quite often for the teaching of information and communication technology to small groups, and this limits its use as a book area.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

51. Pupils use their language and literacy skills very well in other subjects. Very good opportunities are provided for the pupils to speak to one another in whole-class discussions, and pupils are encouraged to listen attentively to their classmates and teachers. Ropley Primary School - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good, and the needs of pupils of different abilities are well met. • Pupils throughout the school have well developed thinking skills which they use to good effect when solving problems. • The pupils’ mathematical development is effectively extended across other subjects of the curriculum. • The good quality of subject leadership has led to good improvement in standards over recent years. • Good use is made of assessment to identify the next stage of pupils’ learning and to highlight areas for whole-school development. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to mathematics and are keen to tackle new learning. • Occasionally lessons are too long and pupils start to lose interest.

p.24

Commentary

52. On the basis of the 2003 end of Key Stage 1 national test results, pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above the national average, and average in comparison with similar schools. The 2003 test results for Key Stage 2 pupils show that standards at the end of Year 6 are well above the national average, and that the pupils’ performance is well above average on the basis of their prior attainment. The 2004 results are very similar to the 2003 results. There has been very good improvement in standards over recent years, with more pupils in both key stages working at the higher levels, and in areas such as investigative mathematics which are not readily measured by the national tests.

p.24

Commentary

53. The inspection findings show that pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is above national expectations and that their attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is well above national expectations. Pupils of all abilities achieve well throughout the school, especially in terms of their investigative skills which are very well developed in both key stages. The school has worked hard to encourage pupils to think for themselves, and as a result, pupils of all ages tackle new learning with very high levels of confidence and enthusiasm. Number skills are well taught, and higher attaining pupils in both key stages effectively manipulate large numbers when making mental and paper calculations. Pupils have a good and secure grasp of aspects such as shape, space and measure, and use information and communication technology very competently to produce graphs, charts and spreadsheets.

p.24

Commentary

54. Overall the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers use assessment information well to match work closely to the needs of individual pupils, enabling pupils of all abilities to make good progress and to achieve well. Teachers set challenging work and where teaching is at its best, activities are exciting and stimulating. Most lessons are well paced, but in some classes lessons are too long, and pupils start to lose interest and concentration. A particular strength of teaching is the very good use teachers make of learning support assistants, who are very skilled in supporting pupils in an unobtrusive and sensitive way. Homework is used to good effect to extend pupils’ learning, and the quality of marking is often helpful. Pupils throughout the school have Ropley Primary School - 25 very positive attitudes to mathematics, and work very well in pairs and small groups, sharing information and pooling ideas.

p.24

Commentary

55. The subject is well led and managed, and the co-ordinator has a very clear idea of how to continue to move the subject forward. The subject leader has a good overview of the standards across the school, and has made a good start in monitoring classroom practice through the observation of lessons and the sampling of pupils’ work. Very good use is made of the analysis of test data to highlight whole-school areas for development and to measure and track the pupils’ progress and attainment.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Teachers provide a very good range of cross-curricular activities which enable pupils to practise their mathematical skills, and to use and apply their knowledge and understanding in new and meaningful contexts.

p.25

SCIENCE

The provision for science is very good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well overall, especially in terms of developing their investigative skills and their ability to work independently. • Pupils of all ages make use of a wide scientific vocabulary to explain their ideas. • Teachers provide a very good range of exciting learning opportunities and place very good emphasis on the pupils learning through first-hand experience. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to science, and by the end of Key Stage 2 show very good levels of method in their working. • The subject is well led and managed and very good use is made of assessment information to identify whole-school strengths and areas for development. • Pupils make very good use of cross-curricular skills of information and communication technology, literacy and numeracy to support their learning in science. • Learning support assistants provide very good support in practical lessons.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although lessons are often well paced, at times they are too long, and younger pupils especially start to tire and lose their concentration.

p.25

Commentary

57. The 2003 national tests results show that pupils’ attainment in science is well above the national average, and well above average based on their prior attainment. The school’s 2004 results show that standards are even higher than in 2003, with more pupils attaining the higher Level 5. The 2003 teacher assessments for Key Stage 1 pupils show that standards are well above average, and the 2004 results paint a very similar picture. Trends over time show that standards in science have always been high but that there has been a recent further improvement, especially in Key Stage 2.

p.25

Commentary

58. The inspection findings confirm that standards are well above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, and that they are very high at the end of Key Stage 2 where a significant number of pupils demonstrate exceptionally high levels of skills and knowledge. Pupils of all abilities achieve well, especially in terms of their investigative skills, which are highly developed across all age groups. By the time they leave school at the age of eleven, pupils have a very secure scientific knowledge, and use a wide Ropley Primary School - 26 range of scientific vocabulary well to explain their ideas and to clarify their thinking. They approach problems with very good levels of confidence, and work methodically, choosing their own methods of working, and selecting appropriate apparatus and equipment. Pupils of all ages record their findings in a wide variety of ways, through graphs and charts, reports, lists and letters, and make very good use of information

p.25

Commentary

and communication technology to produce power-point presentations or to capture their work using digital cameras.

p.26

Commentary

59. Teaching is good throughout the school, and is very good in the upper part of Key Stage 2 where lessons are taken by a specialist teacher. Teachers are very effective in the way in which they develop pupils’ thinking skills. They provide many very good opportunities for the pupils to solve problems, to make predictions based on their prior knowledge, and to engage in practical activities. Teachers have very high expectations of what the pupils can and should achieve and cater well for all ability groups. Pupils approach their work with high levels of enthusiasm and interest, and teachers are skilled in harnessing the pupils’ natural curiosity, and in encouraging them to make close observations, and to talk about their findings. Lessons are usually very well paced, but there are times when individual sessions are too long, especially for the youngest pupils who start to lose concentration. Teachers make regular and accurate

p.26

Commentary

assessments of the pupils’ progress and attainment, and use this information well when planning the next stage of their learning. Marking is often good, and in the upper part of Key Stage 2 is very good in terms of showing pupils clearly how they can improve their work further. Learning support assistants provide very good levels of additional support, especially in practical sessions where they work closely with small groups who need extra help.

p.26

Commentary

60. The subject is well led and managed, and the co-ordinator has a clear understanding of what needs to be done to maintain the current high standards. The co-ordinator has carried out a comprehensive programme of monitoring and has made a clear evaluation of the whole-school strengths and areas for development. There has been good overall improvement since the last inspection, and very good improvement in terms of developing the pupils’ investigative skills.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The quality of provision for information and communication technology is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Cross curricular skills of information and communication technology are very well developed across the school, and especially in the upper part of Key Stage 2. • By the time pupils leave school at the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is well above national expectations. • Teachers have good levels of expertise and use information and communication technology well to enhance their teaching. • All elements of the curriculum are systematically covered and revisited on a regular basis enabling good levels of continuity and progression in the pupils’ learning. • Very good use is made of residential visits, and visits to local venues, to enhance and enrich the pupils’ experience of information and communication technology. • The very experienced and knowledgeable co-ordinator provides a very good steer to the school’s work. • The regular use of the computer suite in the library as a small group teaching area

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

restricts the use of the library for study groups and research. Ropley Primary School - 27

p.26

Commentary

61. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is well above national expectations. As they move through the school, pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress and achieve well. They benefit from good teaching and from the many very good opportunities for them to use information and communication technology to support their learning in other subjects. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in terms of the overall provision, and in terms of the standards pupils attain.

p.27

Commentary

62. Pupils’ word-processing skills are well established from an early age, and pupils have a good understanding of how computers can assist with the drafting and editing processes. Although Key Stage 1 pupils sometimes have slow keyboard skills, they confidently locate the command keys they need, and use short cuts on the tool bar when they want to move text from place to place. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils very expertly combine text with graphics and sound, and produce lively presentations using programs such as ‘power point’. Year 6 pupils have produced interactive books for young Key Stage 1 pupils which in addition to testing their information and communication technology skills, have significantly enhanced their understanding of writing for different audiences. Throughout the school, good emphasis is placed on the pupils developing their knowledge of control technology, and this aspect of the

p.27

Commentary

curriculum is well taught, taking the higher attaining pupils in all year groups to their limit as they learn how to write and test simple programs. Pupils of all ages and abilities use computers regularly to support their work in mathematics, and are confident about producing a variety of different charts and graphs, and in Key Stage 2 use databases and spreadsheets effectively to present and interrogate information. Pupils use digital cameras regularly to record their work, and Key Stage 2 pupils have good experience of using sensors for recording changes in temperature, light and sound.

p.27

Commentary

63. The teaching of information and communication technology is good throughout the school. It is especially good in the upper part of Key Stage 2 where the pupils benefit from the considerable expertise of the co-ordinator. In all classes, teachers set a very good example to pupils as they use information and communication technology themselves to enhance their teaching. Teachers are very well supported by one of the learning support assistants who works with small groups in the computer suite. Teachers use open-ended tasks well to develop the pupils’ thinking skills, and to enable them to achieve their full potential. Class teaching focuses well on the skills pupils will need to complete their group tasks, and instructions are clear so that pupils know exactly what is expected of them. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and are keen to work on the computers or to use the digital camera. They show very

p.27

Commentary

high levels of independence and work co-operatively with partners on shared tasks. Assessment information is used well to plan the next stage of pupils’ learning.

p.27

Commentary

64. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership for the subject and has been very effective since her appointment in developing the curriculum so that pupils have a wide breadth of experience, and so that there are good levels of continuity and progression in their learning. The school provides very good additional learning opportunities for the pupils which enhance the school’s own provision and extend the pupils’ learning. The school has appropriate plans in place for the upgrading of some of the older computers. Although the combination of the computer suite and the library create a good research base for the pupils, the regular use of this area for small group sessions restricts its use as a library and study area. Ropley Primary School - 28

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

65. By the time pupils leave school at the age of eleven, the vast majority make very good use of information and communication technology to support their learning in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils very much see information and communication technology as a vehicle for learning, and confidently use computers and digital cameras to record their work in a variety of different ways. They make good use of the Internet for research, and Year 6 pupils regularly make power-point presentations using links, sound and moving images to make their presentations more interesting.

p.28

HUMANITIES

The inspection focused on religious education and geography . In history , not enough evidence was collected to make firm judgements about the quality of provision or the standards pupils attain.

p.28

Religious education

The overall provision for religious education is satisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Visits and visiting speakers have a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. • There are sometimes long gaps between blocked units of work and as a result pupils forget some aspects of their learning. • Key Stage 2 pupils do not make enough written records of the work they have covered. • Good use is made of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning.

p.28

Commentary

66. The pupils’ attainment is in line with the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

67. In both key stages, pupils have a secure knowledge of Christianity, one of the three main world faiths they study during their time in school. Key Stage 1 pupils confidently recall Bible stories, and abler pupils are beginning to see how the intrinsic message of these stories might apply to their own lives. Key Stage 2 pupils begin to see how important features of Christianity are represented through symbols. Pupils’ learning is significantly enhanced when they have first-hand experience of religious celebrations, such as when they visited the local church to participate in mock weddings and Christenings. Although pupils study the faiths of Judaism and Hinduism, they often have difficulty in recalling their learning, and in some year groups in Key Stage 2, the pupils’ learning is patchy. In Key Stage 2 especially, pupils have few written records of the topics they have studied, and as a result, they have no point of reference when

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Commentary

they want to refresh their memories. Throughout the school pupils show high levels of respect for the beliefs and faiths of others, and show good levels of interest when discussing aspects of different faiths.

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Commentary

68. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, and some good lessons were seen during the inspection. Lessons are well prepared and presented in an Ropley Primary School - 29 interesting way, but in the main, teachers do not put enough emphasis on the pupils making records of what they have learned. Teaching is significantly enhanced when teachers use visits or the input of visiting speakers to enliven the pupils’ learning. Teachers take good account of the mix of age and abilities within their classes and plan work that effectively meets the pupils’ needs. Pupils have positive attitudes to work and are keen to take part in discussions. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to use information and communication technology to support and extend their learning in religious education.

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Commentary

69. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. The co-ordinator has only very recently taken up the role, and is still getting an overview of the subject. Whilst a good amount of work has been done in terms of developing long-term planning throughout the school so that pupils’ learning advances from year to year, not enough has been done in terms of monitoring how the subject is taught. Consequently, it is the practice in some classes for teachers to ‘block’ the teaching of religious education, leaving long gaps in between the various topics. This organisation of time hinders pupils’ learning as they have often forgotten much of their previous learning by the time they start the next blocked unit of work. The school has quickly implemented the new Locally Agreed Syllabus, and this provides a good guide for teachers. Assessment is satisfactory, especially in Key Stage 1 where teachers clearly identify what the pupils know and can

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Geography

Provision for geography is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Over the past year, the school has made good progress in developing the geography curriculum in response to negative views about geography from the pupils. • Good emphasis is placed on pupils learning through exploration and research. • Pupils make good use of skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in their geography work. • Some Key Stage 1 lessons are too long and this leads to pupils losing interest and concentration. • The subject is well led and managed, although the recent improvements have not had time to impact fully on the standards pupils attain.

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Commentary

70. The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is in line with national expectations. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Commentary

71. In Key Stage 1, pupils understand differences between holiday locations. They use the terms ‘rural’, ‘urban’ and ‘seaside’ correctly to describe places they know. In Key Stage 2, pupils have a good knowledge of geographical vocabulary and use it well to describe the climate and features of a Caribbean island, although they are less secure when explaining the position of Winchester in relation to other cities in Great Britain. Pupils throughout the school have a good understanding of how natural disasters occur, and an appreciation of some of the moral issues arising from urban development, for example. Through the journeys of ‘Barnaby Bear’, pupils enjoy learning about places that fellow pupils have visited on their holidays, and the location of the ‘Barnaby Bear’ book in the corridor ensures that it is easily accessible to pupils throughout the school. Ropley Primary School - 30 72. Teaching and learning are good overall, but this has not been the case until recently,

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Commentary

and the impact of the current good teaching and learning is only just beginning to be evident in terms of the standards pupils attain and their achievement. Teaching is most effective in Key Stage 2 where pupils use their research and computer skills well to support their learning. Although the pupils take part in a good range of exciting activities in Key Stage 1, there are times when lessons are too long and demanding with the result that pupils start to lose their concentration. Pupils generally have positive attitudes to the subject, and are pleased with the way in which the school responded to their views about geography in a recent survey, and increased the amount of practical work.

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Commentary

73. The leadership and management of geography are good, and the overall provision for the subject has improved considerably since the last inspection. As a result, the pupils’ attainment and achievement are starting to improve rapidly along with their ability to work sensibly in small groups and to research projects. The curriculum is very carefully planned and delivered in a way that allows pupils to use their literacy and computer skills fully, and to make good links between geography and other subjects. Very good use is made of visits to places of local interest, and to places further afield.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology and music were not main foci for the inspection and not enough evidence was collected in these subjects to make firm judgements about the quality of provision, or the quality of teaching and learning. However, general discussion with pupils, and the scrutiny of displayed work indicates that pupils experience a broad curriculum, and attain appropriate standards for their age. During the inspection, physical education was being taught in both key stages, and this was a main inspection focus.

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Physical education

The provision for physical education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinators are working hard to raise the profile of physical education in the school and provide enthusiastic leadership for the subject. • The school offers a good range of additional learning opportunities outside the school day, although not all are free. • Good use is made of outside expertise to enhance the pupils’ learning. • Although the school has a swimming pool and good outside facilities, the hall is too small to be used safely by Key Stage 2 classes for dance and gymnastics.

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Commentary

74. Within the limited range of activities observed during the inspection, pupils’ attainment is at the expected level at the end of both key stages, and the achievement of pupils of all ages is satisfactory. Pupils of all ages achieve well in swimming, and benefit from the regular access through the summer months to the school’s own swimming pool.

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Commentary

75. As pupils move through the school they become increasingly more co-ordinated when playing games and in dance. They work well together in pairs, and, where they are given the opportunity, try hard to evaluate their own learning so that they can improve their performance. In games, the pupils’ passing and defending skills are at the Ropley Primary School - 31 expected level for their age, and higher attaining pupils show good skills of ‘marking’ opponents and a good ability to ‘dodge’ defenders. Pupils throughout the school have a well developed sense of fair play, and a secure appreciation of the need for regular exercise in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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Commentary

76. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, and some good teaching was seen during the inspection. Teachers effectively teach pupils new skills and provide time for them to practise and master them. Lessons are well planned and paced, and contain a good variety of different tasks. Good emphasis is placed on the notion of pupils ’warming up’ and ‘cooling down’, and pupils’ social development is very well promoted as pupils take part in team games. Teachers often use demonstration well to highlight new teaching points, and make good use of pupil demonstration to build pupils’ self-esteem. Pupils generally have very positive attitudes to physical education, and work well together in pairs and small groups.

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Commentary

77. The subject is well led and managed by two co-ordinators, one of whom has only recently joined the school. The co-ordinators are currently following an extended course to enable them to more effectively fulfil their co-ordinating role, and to help raise the profile of physical education in the school. They are taking a good lead in improving the quality of teaching and learning through a range of strategies such as team teaching, and the use of outside coaches for some activities. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, and Key Stage 2 residential visits enhance the pupils’ knowledge of outdoor adventurous activities. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in some aspects of the provision, but the small size of the hall makes it very difficult for the school to provide adequately for Key Stage 2 dance and gymnastics.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The provision for personal, social and health education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a good programme for personal, social and health education which is taught in all classes. • Very good relationships between pupils and teachers create a very supportive learning environment where pupils are not afraid to share their ideas, feelings and concerns. • Teaching is good, and lessons are carefully planned and prepared. • Very good use is made of incidental opportunities to support pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

78. The pupils’ attainment is above the expected level for their age at the end of both key stages. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well.

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Commentary

79. The school provides a good programme of personal, social and health education and citizenship and this aspect of its work has a high priority. Lessons focus on a good and wide range of important issues that are well matched to the pupils’ levels of maturity. Very good relationships between pupils and adults ensure that pupils feel confident about sharing and exploring their ideas and concerns, knowing that their views will be valued, and treated with sensitivity. Pupils are keen to enter into discussion, and take a full and active part in lessons. They have a very good appreciation of how they can be Ropley Primary School - 32 better citizens. There are many planned occasions for pupils to learn about the dangers of drugs and other substances through visits from the police and fire service. Sex education is taught to all classes through science, and Year 6 pupils take part in an additional programme of work so that they are well prepared for their transfer to

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Commentary

80. The teaching of personal, social and health education and citizenship is good, and teachers throughout the school prepare lessons well so that they are well focused and move at a good pace. Teachers are skilful in drawing out the pupils’ own ideas, and introduce difficult topics with good levels of sensitivity. Teachers respond well to the pupils’ suggestions and comments, and often share their own feelings or experiences. Teachers make good use of stories as a starting point in lessons, and these capture the pupils’ interest and focus their thinking. In addition to the formal programme of lessons, teachers and support staff use incidental opportunities that arise during the course of the day very effectively to promote pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

81. This aspect of the school’s work is well led and managed by the deputy headteacher who has the brief for making pupils aware of their roles, rights and responsibilities within the school and the wider community. In addition to lessons and other structured activities, the school has a School Council which takes a very active part in bringing about school improvement, and in making pupils aware of their responsibilities within the school community. There has been very good improvement in this aspect of the school’s work since the last inspection. Ropley Primary School - 33

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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 2 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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