Sheepscombe Primary School

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 9 th March 2005

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 63

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Far End Sheepscombe Stroud Gloucestershire Postcode: GL6 7RL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01452 813852 Fax number: 01452 813852

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Brian McCarthy

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Sheepscombe Primary is a much smaller than average sized village school that draws about half of its pupils from its local area but also attracts many pupils from a wide surrounding area. The school is very popular and has a long waiting list for places. There are 63 pupils on roll. Most are of white British extraction and all have English as their first language. There is, however, within this a wide cultural diversity. The socio-economic circumstances of the pupils are above average. There is a below average number of pupils taking free school meals. Children’s attainments on entry to the school in reception vary greatly from year to year but are above average overall. More than half of the pupils do not, however, enter the school at this stage. A large number of pupils who enter the school late do so because their parents have chosen either to educate them at home or to start their early education in an alternative system. Pupils enter the school from these backgrounds at all ages

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

up to and including Year 5. These pupils have the advantage of supportive backgrounds and good language skills but often lack formal educational attainments. The school also accepts some pupils who have had difficulty settling in other schools. There are seven pupils (11 per cent) with identified special educational needs, ranging from moderate learning or behavioural difficulties to some with complex difficulties. This is a below average percentage. One pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need. The school gained ‘Artsmark Gold’ award and was in receipt of a Department for Education achievement award, both in 2003. It has ‘Investor in People’ status. Sheepscombe Primary School - 4 The school has very limited accommodation with much of the outdoor space being on a steep slope. A small extension has been added very recently and was not yet in full use at the time of the inspection. Sheepscombe Primary School - 5

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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

18354 R Onions Lead inspector Mathematics Science Art and design Design and technology Music Religious education Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage 9334 J Mynett Lay inspector 4099 R Braithwaite Team inspector English Information and communication technology Geography History Physical education Provision for pupils with special educational needs Personal, social and health education and citizenship

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham 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 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). Sheepscombe Primary School - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Sheepscombe is an effective school that gives good value for money. It is held in high regard by parents. Pupils have good attitudes to school and behave well. Teaching is good. Pupils achieve well overall and most year groups attain well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. The school is satisfactorily led and managed, with the headteacher giving good leadership.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils reach high standards in speaking and listening, assisting the progress they make in other subjects. • Staff know and value each pupil as an individual and help each one to develop well personally. • Teachers work hard to provide activities that encourage pupils to become confident, independent learners. • Principled leadership by the headteacher and governors provides a shared vision for the school and its future development. • Achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory. • The curriculum is successfully enriched, including through very productive links with parents and the local community, to ensure that limitations caused by the size and geographical isolation of the school are compensated for well. • Marking and the use of assessment data are not used as well as they could be in informing pupils how they could improve their work or in ensuring that all pupils are fully challenged.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The monitoring of teaching and learning lacks a consistent strategy and approach.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Standards have been maintained in English and mathematics and improvements made in science. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour remain good. The care taken of pupils and the links with parents have improved. The school has fully addressed the issue raised in the last report about attendance, but has not fully addressed the monitoring of teaching and learning which remains an area of weakness.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Small year groups mean that standards fluctuate from year to year and trends in data are unreliable.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A* E A C mathematics A* B A A science A* C A C Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall. Children make good progress and achieve well during their reception year and are set to attain and some to exceed the national goals set for children of this age. In the 2004 national assessments, Year 2 standards were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. Current Year 2 pupils are achieving Sheepscombe Primary School - 8 well in reading but, because a minority could be doing better in writing and mathematics, their overall achievement is only satisfactory. Standards are above average because the school very successfully ensures that almost all Year 2 pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who enter the school late, attain the expected level (Level 2). Standards in Year 6 in 2004 compared nationally were high in English, mathematics and science. Standards in Year 6 are currently average in mathematics and science. They are

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

above average in English overall but standards in writing are average. As this group has a significant number of pupils with special educational needs, they have achieved well since Year 2. An emphasis on practical activity ensures that all pupils achieve well in science. Achievement in religious education is satisfactory and pupils attain expected standards. Achievement in ICT is unsatisfactory because, until very recently, very limited accommodation and resources have constrained progress. Throughout the school lower- attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, do well. Pupils who enter the school late are assisted to catch up with their peers rapidly. Higher-attaining pupils do well in Years 3 to 6, but some in Years 1 and 2 could achieve more.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development, attitudes and behaviour are good. They are interested in what they do and most work hard, particularly when working independently. They develop very good relationships with adults and other pupils. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school has a very harmonious, friendly ethos and adults provide a very good example for pupils to follow. Attendance is very good, being well above the national average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good overall, but they are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 because in writing and mathematics a small number of higher-attaining pupils are sometimes unsure of what is expected of them. Teachers manage classes well so that attention can be given to different age groups and to pupils with special educational needs. Teaching assistants are used well to assist with this. The attention paid to helping pupils to learn to work independently is successful, particularly in the oldest class, and ensures that pupils complete good amounts of work. Assessment is satisfactory overall, but marking is inconsistent and does not always direct pupils as to how to improve their work. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum which is enriched well by visits, visitors and extra activities. Resources and accommodation for ICT are unsatisfactory and are causing underachievement. Very good care is taken of pupils and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

links with parents and the local community are very good, playing a positive role in raising achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are satisfactory . The headteacher provides good leadership in creating a strong ethos which parents value highly and in which pupils achieve well and, in most year groups, attain high standards. Governance is good and governors are increasingly involved with the school and its continued improvement. They ensure that statutory duties are met. Leadership of key staff is satisfactory. Day-to- day school management is good but the overall management of the school is only satisfactory because some systems, such as the detailed tracking of pupils’ attainments and the monitoring of teaching and learning, are only satisfactory. There is good financial management.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Sheepscombe Primary School - 9 Parents are very positive about the school. They feel well informed and that their children do well. Pupils like school, in particular their friends and their teachers. They feel they learn a lot.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • improve attainment and achievement in information and communication technology; • improve the use of assessment to ensure that all pupils are properly challenged and know how to improve their work; • develop a coherent and consistent approach to monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning, including through the use of performance data. Sheepscombe Primary School - 10

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

STANDARDS ACHIEVED IN AREAS OF LEARNING, AND SUBJECTS

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils achieve well overall. Achievement is good in the reception year and in Years 3 to 6. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs do well. Because there are small year groups, standards naturally vary from year to year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do well in their reception year. • There is a particularly successful emphasis on the development of speaking and listening skills. • Older pupils’ ability to work independently assists them to achieve well. • A minority of pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not fully stretched so their achievement is only satisfactory. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who enter the school late achieve well.

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Commentary

1. All data concerning Sheepscombe Primary School has to be considered in the light of the very small year groups and the very high mobility amongst the school population. Because of these factors, trends in results are unreliable. As there were only nine pupils in Year 2 in 2004, a table showing their results is not included.

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Commentary

2. Those children who enter the school in the reception class do so with above average attainments overall. They have well-developed personal, social and language skills. Their attainments in more formal aspects of pre-reading and writing skills are, however, less highly developed. Children make good progress in the reception year and this year are set to attain, and some to exceed, the national goals for children of this age by the end of the year.

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3. Standards in Year 2 in 2004, when compared with schools nationally, were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, standards were above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. Because the school is successful in ensuring that pupils, including those who enter the school late, reach the expected level (Level 2), overall standards this year are set to be above average in all three aspects. Inspection evidence shows, however, that a small number of higher-attaining pupils in the current year Year 1 and 2 groups could be making more progress in writing and mathematics if they were more effectively challenged, so overall achievement for the group is only satisfactory. Achievement in reading is, however, good because pupils have daily opportunities to gain and practise skills.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Standards in: School results National results English 28.5 (25.0) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 30.0 (28.0) 27.0 (26.8) Sheepscombe Primary School - 11 science 30.0 (29.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. Pupils’ level of application and a capacity to work independently, which has been successfully fostered by staff, mean that older pupils complete good amounts of work and achieve well. Year 6 standards in the 2004 national tests were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. A quarter of this group had joined the school during Years 4 to 6 and, overall, the whole group had achieved well. Current achievement in mathematics, English and science is also good. Because this small year group has a significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs, their attainments are set to be average in mathematics and science. Standards in English are above average because speaking, listening and reading skills are developed well. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 are attaining well above average standards overall. The school places particular emphasis on the pupils’ ability to speak

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confidently and they are given numerous opportunities to do so. As a result, they are articulate and ready to put forward opinions on many subjects and standards in speaking and listening are above average throughout the school with many pupils in many year groups reaching high standards.

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5. Careful provision for pupils with special educational needs and those who enter the school late means that these pupils make good progress, with the latter group rapidly catching up with their peers. Higher-attaining pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6, but they are not always fully stretched in Years 1 and 2 so their achievement is only satisfactory.

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6. Achievement in science is good throughout the school. Attainment is well above average in Year 2 and is average in Year 6. The latter is due to the number of pupils with special educational needs in the group, so still represents good achievement. Good emphasis on investigational skills means that pupils learn scientific facts within a practical context, which assists them to understand what they have learned. Lack of space and resources in information and communication technology (ICT) means that pupils have not had sufficient access to teaching and practice in ICT and standards are below those expected in Years 3 to 6. Achievement is unsatisfactory for these pupils. This has been identified by the school and in order to address the situation, governors have spent a considerable amount of money on increasing the number of computers available and on the very recent addition of a room in which ICT resources

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are being assembled. Standards in ICT in Years 1 and 2 are average and achievement satisfactory. Pupils achieve in a satisfactory way in religious education and standards are at the expected level.

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Commentary

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND OTHER PERSONAL QUALITIES

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Commentary

The good provision for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development is reflected in their good attitudes, behaviour and relationships. Attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are well motivated and eager to learn. • There are warm, productive relationships between staff and pupils and amongst the pupils. Sheepscombe Primary School - 12 • Good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development contributes effectively to pupils’ personal development. • Attendance is higher than in other schools and punctuality is good.

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Commentary

7. Pupils are friendly, polite and generally show positive attitudes to school, joining in well with clubs and activities. They are very self-confident in a wide range of situations. Parents like the way that the school encourages children to become mature and independent. Pupils are enthusiastic about school. They like its size and that they ‘have lots of friends and play lots of games’ . The children in the reception class settle quickly into the routines of the classroom aided by the older pupils in the class. They learn to co-operate and play well with others and to concentrate well. These children are set to attain the national goals in personal, social and emotional development by the end of the year.

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8. The behaviour of the vast majority of pupils is very good both in lessons and around the school. They generally respond well to the rewards and are eager to collect stickers on their charts or cubes in the jar. They feel it motivates them and encourages them to work harder and behave well. Pupils report that although there is occasional teasing there is no bullying in the school. They are confident that if it arose it would be dealt with quickly. The overall good behaviour of pupils is reflected in no pupil having been excluded from the school and the success in integrating pupils who have had difficulties elsewhere. There are, however, a small number of pupils who sometimes demonstrate less good behaviour, particularly when they become impatient in whole- class sessions when a teacher aims easier work at pupils who are younger than themselves.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effectively promoted and enables pupils to become well-rounded individuals. Social development is good and harmony is a strong feature of this small school. Pupils work and play well together and co-operate well on whole-school productions or events. Constructive relationships forged between staff and pupils and between pupils promote a good working environment that contributes positively to pupils’ achievement. Pupils are encouraged to undertake responsibilities such as looking after playground equipment. Pupils who have been elected as representatives on the school council work hard to implement their ideas and effect changes in the school. Effective moral and spiritual development enables pupils to distinguish right from wrong, develop their own views and beliefs, and value and respect each other. Involvement in various local festivals and

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competitions helps to promote pupils’ awareness of their own culture. An effective series of exchange links and visitors, for example from India and Japan, has helped to raise pupils’ awareness of other cultures.

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Commentary

10. Pupils are generally happy to come to school and are eager to learn. Attendance last year was well above the national average with no unauthorised absences. Most parents bring their children to school punctually in the mornings and lessons start on time.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.1 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Sheepscombe Primary School - 13

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is good overall. The curriculum is satisfactory, but there is good provision of enrichment activities. The school provides very good levels of care. Links with parents and with the community are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Overall teaching and learning are good. They are good in reception and in Years 3 to 6. In Years 1 and 2, they are satisfactory. The use of assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is calm, supportive teaching of the children in the reception year. • Skills of independent working and learning are taught and developed well. • Classes are managed so that pupils of different ages and levels of attainment can be given good levels of attention. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. • Teachers do not always make sufficiently clear what quality, level and extent of work they expect from different pupils. • Marking is not consistent in telling pupils how to improve their work. Sheepscombe Primary School - 14

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Commentary

11. Good teaching in the reception year enables children to settle into school life rapidly. Teamwork between teacher and teaching assistants ensures that these children can be given good amounts of adult support and this has a particular impact on their understanding of how to play and on their language development.

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Commentary

12. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ ability to work independently and this skill is fostered successfully throughout the school. This allows teachers to teach groups within the multi-age group classes and so meet their separate needs. Pupils with special educational needs and those who need to catch up because they have entered the school late are taught sensitively and well. Where teaching assistants are available, their time is used well in supporting individuals and groups. Lessons are well organised and are generally conducted in an atmosphere that allows pupils to concentrate well. When working independently, pupils conduct themselves sensibly and the good relationships successfully promoted by teachers mean that pupils want to do well. There are, however, a few occasions when some pupils become impatient when being taught as a whole class and become restless when work is not directly

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aimed at them. This can, on occasion, slow the learning of others.

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13. Teachers know pupils well and are sensitive to their individuality. This knowledge is used well in direct class or group teaching and teachers are skilled at aiming questions at pupils to assist either their deeper understanding or to sort out difficulties. There is, however, inconsistency in the clear identification of what is to be learned in a lesson and how much is expected of individual pupils. In some lessons, particularly those with older pupils, this is very clearly stated and very good quantities of work are completed in lessons and over time. In other lessons, expectations are much less clearly stated and younger pupils in Year 1 and 2, who are less able to challenge themselves, do not always do as much as they could. In some English lessons, for example, pupils were not told how much writing was expected as a minimum and some pupils completed only a sentence or two, thinking this was sufficient.

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Commentary

14. Teachers plan a variety of work for the pupils and make particularly good use of the local environment, such as when pupils’ understanding of the concept of ‘pilgrimage’ was developed through the experience of designing and undertaking a pilgrimage around Sheepscombe. Pupils enjoy lessons where there are practical activities planned and their learning is particularly good in this context. The curriculum in mathematics is dependent on a commercially produced scheme. In Years 1 and 2, the way the scheme is used is inhibiting the progress of some pupils because they are sometimes expected to work through workbooks before being given extension activities, when they are already sure of the concepts involved.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

15. Teachers have worked hard to develop the assessments they make of pupils and keep comprehensive records of their attainments. They use these to plan lessons that meet pupils’ needs overall although, as stated above, pupils are sometimes asked to complete unnecessary work and some are not fully challenged, particularly in Years 1 Sheepscombe Primary School - 15 and 2. Pupils are not yet sufficiently involved in the process of the assessment of their work and are not always sufficiently clear how they can improve it. They have long- term targets, but are less well informed on a day-to-day basis. Marking is conscientiously completed but is of variable quality with some not being sufficiently informative. Sheepscombe Primary School - 16 THE CURRICULUM

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Commentary

The curriculum is satisfactory and is enriched well. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good curriculum is provided for children in their reception year. • Limitations in accommodation and resources cause pupils to have insufficient opportunities to develop skills in ICT. • More use could be made of the links between subjects. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • There is a good range of extra activities that increase the richness of the pupils’ experiences. • Work in personal, social and health education helps pupils to develop well personally.

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Commentary

16. The school provides a suitably broad curriculum and all statutory requirements, including those for the teaching of religious education and for collective workshop, are met. The overall programme of work in personal, social and health education and citizenship, including sex and relationships education and drugs awareness, is good (see paragraph 73). The needs of children in the reception year are planned for well. There is a good balance of work and children are given opportunities to work indoors and out, with direct adult intervention and independently.

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Commentary

17. The school places a high priority on ensuring that pupils develop good literacy, numeracy and science skills and this successfully promotes good achievement. In Years 1 to 6, there is considerable concentration of time given to the teaching of English, mathematics and science, sometimes in very long lessons, which reduces the time for the teaching of other subjects and creates some lack of overall balance. Although pupils have opportunities to develop their literacy and numeracy through work in other subjects, more opportunities could be planned, thus making more use of the time available and creating better curriculum balance. The school is in the early stages of curriculum review and development and is working towards greater use of the local rural environment in order to enhance pupils’ learning. Some work already undertaken in the village has deepened pupils’ understanding in geography, history

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18. Pupils with special educational needs are provided for well and consequently make good progress and achieve well. In class, they are supported well by teachers and appropriately trained support staff. Parents are particularly well involved with the school in helping these pupils reaching their individual targets. A substantial grant by a local charity for those with special needs was a key factor in raising the necessary funding for the new extension. This has undoubtedly enhanced the provision for these pupils, who can now receive support, often one to one, in a calm and pleasant learning environment. This good provision is also extended to pupils who enter the school late and are in need of help in assisting them to catch up quickly.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of visitors to the school and by many educational trips, including two highly valued residential ones. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the visits they have made and what is learned in school is Sheepscombe Primary School - 17 deepened very effectively by this means. Staff and governors work hard to ensure that the isolated position of the school does not prevent pupils enjoying the full range of curricular opportunities. In physical education, good use is made of a local leisure centre for swimming, sport and gymnastics. Pupils are encouraged to take part in sporting functions at other schools. Additional specialist teaching, such as that of a visiting dance teacher, enhances pupils’ experience and promotes teachers’ skills. There is a good range of clubs, particularly for such a small school. During the inspection, pupils were seen making moon models for a science competition, taking

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Commentary

part in a recorder club and in several games activities. A large number of pupils take advantage of peripatetic music tuition.

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20. Staffing, accommodation and resources for learning are satisfactory except in ICT, where they are unsatisfactory. The school has ensured basic coverage of the ICT curriculum but the lack of a dedicated area for ICT means that teaching is made very difficult. Teachers teach groups of pupils the skills they need, a process which has been eased in Years 4, 5 and 6 by the recent acquisition of a computer-linked whiteboard but, because they have to wait for their turn to practise the skills they have been taught, pupils do not have enough opportunities to improve these and their achievement is unsatisfactory overall. Governors have sought to address this problem through the building of the new extension, which is too new to be fully in use.

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Commentary

Systems to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health, safety are very good. The support, advice and guidance that pupils receive about their achievements and personal development are satisfactory. The school involves pupils in its work and development well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a safe, caring and supportive environment where pupils grow into confident individuals. • Very good induction arrangements ensure that pupils settle into school quickly. • There are some weaknesses in the way the pupils are guided academically. • Pupils generally feel trusted and respected, and value the fact that they are given a voice.

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Commentary

21. Sheepscombe Primary is a very caring school and parents are very pleased that their children are well nurtured and supported. Arrangements for child protection and procedures relating to health, safety and security are carefully organised. Regular audits and risk assessments are conscientiously undertaken with the governors. The induction process into the school is well thought out and very effectively implemented, with good links being established with a large number of pre-school playgroups. Parents are very pleased by these arrangements and the way reception children are integrated into the school. Similarly, there is very effective induction for the pupils who join the school late, ensuring that these pupils catch up rapidly.

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Commentary

22. Assessment systems provide teachers with information about pupils’ attainments but these are not always being used well in providing pupils with academic guidance. Pupils have targets in some subject areas but they are not always sure how these relate to their everyday work. Pupils are not always fully aware of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Whilst there are no formal systems in Sheepscombe Primary School - 18 place to track pupils’ personal development, teachers know their classes very well and provide targeted support where needed. The school has effective systems in place offering support and guidance for those pupils with special educational needs and involves the various outside agencies as necessary.

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Commentary

23. Pupils are generally very happy and feel it is a very safe and secure school. They feel that staff know them well and most talk of having forged trusting relationships with adults. Opportunities to consult with pupils and to take their views into consideration are effectively developed, for example through the school council. School council representatives speak enthusiastically about the things that have been implemented arising from their discussions. For example, they have helped to define playground rules and create a new role-play area in Class 1. They feel that they are consulted and are involved in decision-making processes in the school.

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PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY

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Commentary

The partnership with parents and the local community is very good and links with other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents feel they are consulted and involved in their children’s learning. • Good ongoing access to teachers helps keep parents informed about their children’s progress. • The school is central to village life. • The very good links with cluster primary schools help promote curriculum development and enrichment opportunities for pupils. • Parents hold the school in high esteem.

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Commentary

24. The school has built very close links with parents and provides them with many opportunities to become involved in their children’s education. The termly parent governor meetings and parental questionnaires have helped this and the school follows up on any issues raised. Parents express a high level of satisfaction about the school and many travel long distances each day to bring their children to school. Information for parents is good. The parents find the headteacher and staff highly approachable. Curriculum information is shared with parents so they can see what is being covered and help their children at home. The annual reports to parents and consultation evenings keep parents apprised of their children’s progress and help identify and review targets over the course of a year.

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Commentary

25. The school is at the heart of the village and pupils are very involved in community activities. There are very close links with the local church with regular services and visits from the ministry team for school assemblies. The school effectively draws upon local visitors to enrich curriculum opportunities. Recent initiatives with the National Trust and discussions about developing a ‘rural curriculum’ draw upon the natural resources of the local environment. Local businesses help with fund-raising events and the school received a Young Enterprise award for community activities. A small number of parents offer valuable support to the school on a regular basis, helping out in the classroom or running clubs, and many others volunteer help for specific events. The Friends of Sheepscombe School is a very active group which runs a number of social and fund-raising activities each year that help raise significant funds.

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Commentary

Sheepscombe Primary School - 19 26. Links with other schools are good. The school is involved in a number of cluster groupings which help promote joint staff development activities, headteacher planning and collective bidding to access funds. The transition to secondary schools is difficult owing to the large number of schools involved. Parents are applying to a large number of schools across a wide area and there is no direct-linked secondary school. This causes some concerns and uncertainties for pupils and parents. The school seeks to minimise the difficulties and foster effective links with the different schools so that pupils’ progression to the next stage of education is accomplished as smoothly as possible.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher provides good leadership and there is good governance. The leadership of key staff is satisfactory, as is the overall management of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides the school with a clear direction and sets a good example for both staff and pupils. • Subject co-ordinators have insufficient time to monitor teaching and learning. • Performance data is not gathered together in a form that enables its detailed use. • Governors are interested and involved with the work of the school and its improvement. • Financial management is good. Sheepscombe Primary School - 20

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Commentary

27. The headteacher is strongly principled in his beliefs about the underlying ethos of the school and has ensured that these are mutually held beliefs which govern work in all classes. He has built a team of loyal and hardworking staff. He leads by example, particularly in teaching and in the care he shows towards the pupils, and is justifiably held in high regard by parents and the local community. This regard is shown in the popularity of the school. He is particularly firm in his vision for the future, including the further development of a curriculum making use of the rich local environment. He is very well aware of some of the limitations imposed by a very small school with limited accommodation and resources and is constantly looking at ways in which the education of pupils can be improved and extended.

p.20

Commentary

28. The headteacher carries a very heavy load as, alongside his role as headteacher, he teaches for over half of each week, as well as being involved in extra-curricular provision and in supervision at playtimes. This means that, although management of the school is satisfactory overall, some areas, for example the direct monitoring of teaching and learning, do not get as much attention as they should. As a result, some relative weaknesses have not been picked up as quickly as they should have been. Performance data is assiduously collected and analysed to identify overall areas of weakness, particularly in English and mathematics, but is not kept in a form which enables finer analysis of the relative performance of groups of pupils or which ensures the quick identification of any pupil who could be achieving more. The day-to-day management of the school by the administrator is very good and ensures the smooth

p.20

Commentary

29. The leadership and management of co-ordinators are satisfactory. Each teacher, including the headteacher, is responsible for more than one subject, with some carrying as many as four responsibilities. All staff are committed to the maintenance of high standards in English, mathematics and science and co-ordinators have led their subjects well enough to maintain good standards. Co-ordinators check pupils’ learning through looking at planning and completed work and track the progress of sample pupils in each year group to ensure that skills and knowledge are systematically developed. As at the time of the last inspection, where this was identified as a weakness, they have had few opportunities to observe others teaching and to offer guidance and support.

p.20

Commentary

30. The governors make a good contribution to shaping the direction of the school. They visit regularly and have a good understanding of the standards being attained, especially in core subjects. They identify strengths and a small number of weaknesses in the school and challenge the school management as part of a supportive role. They have been involved in establishing the priorities of the school improvement plan and, following a recent evaluation of their role, intend to play a fuller part in this. The governors share the staff’s commitment to full inclusion for all pupils and are very proud of the contributions the school makes to village life. Although they fulfil their statutory duties satisfactorily, their annual report to parents needs reorganising to ensure that all required information is easily accessible by parents.

p.20

Commentary

31. Financial planning to support educational priorities is good. The current stable roll with a lengthy waiting list enables the school to plan its spending securely for three years ahead. Day-to-day financial management of the school is very effective. The school has a good understanding of the use of best value principles, both financially and educationally. The large carry forward shown below was saved over several years to Sheepscombe Primary School - 21 pay for the new extension. It is now spent and the school has a very modest carry forward to take into next year. Governors were very active in establishing evaluation criteria when the new building extension was proposed, ensuring that they understood what benefits would result before committing financial resources. As standards are generally high and achievement good, the school gives good value for money. Sheepscombe Primary School - 22 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.20

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 216,337 Balance from previous year 28,165 Total expenditure 210,642 Balance carried forward to the next 33,860 Expenditure per pupil 3,510 Sheepscombe Primary School - 23

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the reception year is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-planned work provides the children with good opportunities to learn. • There is very positive teamwork between teacher and teaching assistants. • The children are very happy and settled in school. • Language development is highly valued and taught well.

p.23

Commentary

32. Children who enter the school in the reception year do so with above average attainments. They are taught alongside pupils in Year 1. Work is carefully planned for them ensuring that they have a good balance of activities, both directed and supported by adults and self-initiated. A small, very sloped area outside the classroom has been adapted well to allow access to outdoor play. Classroom accommodation is quite tight but is used well and the classroom is suitably resourced.

p.23

Commentary

33. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Teacher and teaching assistants work closely together to assess the stage of development of the children when they enter the school and to monitor progress. Good day-to-day systems ensure an in- depth knowledge of each child. Planning is also shared and this ensures that the adults who work in the class are aware of what is planned for, and expected of, the children. Good leadership and management have ensured that the good quality of the provision has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

34. Children enter the school with well-developed social skills. Good teaching in personal, social and emotional development ensures that they continue to achieve well in this aspect. A very calm atmosphere in the classroom, along with a patient, kindly approach, means that children are happy and settled and wanting to learn. High expectations of how they will work and play together are mostly met. Children are helped to become confident and independent and show good capacity to work and play independently as well as with adults. The children are almost all set to attain the national goals in this aspect by the end of the year and a significant number should exceed them.

p.23

Commentary

35. Communication, language and literacy are taught well and the children’s achievement is good. They have the advantage of coming into school with good verbal communication skills. The good level of language used by adults in the class and the respect that is shown for the contribution of the children further promote their language. Vocabulary is extended and children are taught to ask and answer questions thoughtfully. Early reading and writing skills are less well developed on entry. Very systematic teaching of skills such as phonics (the link between sounds and letters) assists the children to make good progress in both reading and writing. Daily practice reinforces and extends skills well and the children are set to meet, and some to exceed, the national goals by the end of the year. Sheepscombe Primary School - 24 36. Because of the way the class is timetabled, there was no opportunity to observe the

p.23

Commentary

teaching of mathematical development during the inspection. Books, observations and records show that the children can count up to at least 20, add small numbers together, name shapes and measure objects. Their achievement is good and most are set to attain the national goals by the end of the year.

p.24

Commentary

37. The children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is taught and promoted well. Achievement is good. During the inspection, children had opportunity to use their senses when looking at the various stages sheep’s wool goes through from fleece to jumper and to smell and touch herbs of various sorts. They showed an interest in all that was presented to them and examined things carefully, talking about what they were experiencing. They discussed the making of lavender bags and showed an understanding of the concept of ‘the past’ when the teacher talked about how these had been used by her grandmother. These school experiences, together with wide experiences from home, mean that their knowledge of the world is in excess of the national goals.

p.24

Commentary

38. Creative development is highly valued in the school and this ethos extends to the reception class where it is taught well. Children are given lots of opportunities to draw and paint and express themselves creatively. Imaginations are developed in the outdoor area and in the class ‘café’. During the inspection, the class was rehearsing a dance for a local dance festival and this activity brought together physical activity and creativity as children danced as spiders, crocodiles and elephants. Children are set to attain the national goals in their creative development. Observations of physical development were restricted to the observation of the dance lesson and to watching the children use pencils and glue during other activities. Although overall judgements are not possible, the children showed good skills, particularly in the dance session where they moved with very good control and imagination.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching ensures that, by Year 6, pupils are articulate, confident speakers. • Pupils are successfully taught to read and to enjoy reading. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not always challenged to write as well as they could. • Handwriting and the presentation of work are inconsistent. • Pupils are not given clear information as to how they could improve their work. • The co-ordinator has not had sufficient opportunity to check the quality of teaching and learning.

p.24

Commentary

Sheepscombe Primary School - 25 39. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well overall. In national tests in 2004, standards at the end of Year 2 were well above average in reading and writing when compared with all schools nationally and above standards found in similar schools. At the end of Year 6, standards were well above the national average and in line with those in similar schools. Current standards in Year 2 and in Year 6 are above average. This is particularly commendable, as over half of the pupils started school late with little formal education. Standards and achievement are broadly similar to those found at the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

40. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well above average throughout the school and all achieve well in this aspect. Teachers plan good opportunities to encourage pupils’ speaking and most are very self-confident and articulate. Pupils also achieve well in learning to read. Reading skills are generally above average, with a significant number of pupils attaining well above average standards. Pupils in Year 1 delighted in reading animal conversations with a wide variety of expressive voices and noises. During the inspection, all pupils in the oldest class read short extracts from their current book fluently. Pupils happily discuss their favourite authors and books, and are well supported in their reading at home.

p.25

Commentary

41. Writing is the weakest area of English in the school because the quality of writing is inconsistent. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 in writing is only satisfactory because some pupils are not sufficiently clearly challenged to write as well as they could. They are unsure of what is expected of them and could sometimes write more than they do. This prevents them from reaching the standards of which they are capable. Older pupils, however, achieve well overall and produce pieces of writing that show imagination and adventurous use of vocabulary. Although pupils’ spelling is good throughout the school, handwriting and presentation are very variable in quality.

p.25

Commentary

42. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Speaking, listening and reading are well taught throughout the school. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and use good open-ended questions to successfully promote speaking. Vocabulary is systematically developed. Because productive relationships are fostered and because teachers plan activities that motivate pupils, they are attentive and lively in whole-class sessions and settle quickly to work. Pupils work well together and become confident independent learners. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because their needs are well catered for by well-informed teaching assistants as well as the teachers. Teaching and learning of writing are only satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 because some pupils are not sufficiently challenged.

p.25

Commentary

43. Teachers make many ongoing assessments of pupils’ work and use the knowledge gained to set long-term targets for improvement. Marking, however, is inconsistent. Work is marked, but guidance from teachers varies considerably. It is often consists simply of praise and much less often offers comment on how the work can be improved.

p.25

Commentary

44. The leadership of English is good. The co-ordinator leads planning carefully and has ensured that standards are maintained. The management of English is satisfactory. The co-ordinator monitors planning and pupils’ work but has insufficient opportunities to see what is happening in other classrooms and to offer advice or support. The use of data, whilst satisfactory, is not sufficiently detailed to check that each pupil is making maximum progress.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Sheepscombe Primary School - 26 45. Teachers promote pupils’ speaking and reading skills well in all subjects. Although pupils are given opportunities to write for different purposes in subjects such as science and history this is not consistently planned in all subjects and some opportunities are missed to assist pupils to make the link between skills taught in literacy lessons and their use in everyday writing.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vast majority of pupils make good progress over their time in the school. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who enter the school late do well. • Some younger, higher-attaining pupils could be achieving better. • By Year 6, most pupils handle numbers confidently and competently. • Marking does not consistently help pupils know how to improve their work. • The co-ordinator has not had sufficient opportunity to check the quality of teaching and learning.

p.26

Commentary

46. Overall, achievement in mathematics is good. Standards in Years 3, 4 and 5 are well above average. In the 2004 national tests, Year 6 pupils gained well above national average standards and had made well above average progress. Because there are a significant number of pupils in the current Year 6 group of seven pupils with special educational needs, standards are set to be average. This represents good progress for this group since Year 2.

p.26

Commentary

47. In the 2004 national assessments, Year 2 pupils attained above average standards. Current standards in Year 2 are above average. Because teachers are very good at helping those who enter the school late make rapid progress (four of the nine Year 2 pupils have spent less than a year in the school) and because lower-attaining pupils are well supported, an above average number of Year 2 pupils are set to attain the expected level (Level 2). There are, however, a small number of higher-attaining pupils who could be doing better and thus their overall achievement is only satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are good overall, but satisfactory for pupils in Years 1 and 2 because a small number of pupils are not fully challenged. There are many good aspects of teaching in all year groups. Throughout the school, pupils get good grounding in basic skills, especially in number, and by Year 6 operate confidently both mentally and on paper. Pupils with special educational needs and those who join the school late are effectively taught through activities that meet their needs well and through the good support of teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers manage the complexities of teaching different year groups in one class effectively through the careful planning of what will be done in lessons. Direct teaching is good in all year groups and teachers organise classes well so that they can spend time with the different groups in the class. Pupils are expected to apply themselves diligently when

p.26

Commentary

they work independently and they mostly concentrate well and complete good quantities of work. Sheepscombe Primary School - 27 49. Much of the work in mathematics is planned through the use of a commercially produced scheme. There are occasions, especially for the younger pupils, when this limits the progress some make because it does not give them sufficient practice in recording work for themselves. Although higher-attaining pupils are given extra challenges, they often have to work through the same activities as others before they reach these. This does not make the best use of time.

p.26

Commentary

50. Teachers make careful assessments of their pupils and keep detailed records of what they can do. They use these appropriately when planning lessons but could make better use of the information to focus more closely their expectations for each pupil. Marking is not always used as well as it could be to show pupils ways of developing their work.

p.27

Commentary

51. There has been satisfactory leadership and management of mathematics. The co- ordinator has made use of assessment data to identify particular areas of weakness for individuals and groups of pupils and has taken good action to improve these. The effect of this can be seen in the maintenance of good standards since the time of the last inspection. Data is not yet used to track the progress of pupils to ensure that any underachievement can be spotted quickly.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

52. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to use their mathematics in other subjects, for example in presenting results of investigations in science and in measuring in design and technology. Although useful, this work is not yet systematically planned to link with ongoing work in mathematics lessons and so is not exploited to its full potential.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A practical approach to science assists pupils to develop good investigational skills. • Because pupils enjoy lessons in science, they remember what they have done. • Particularly effective support helps pupils who enter the school late to catch up with their peers. • Marking does not always show pupils how to improve their work. • The coordinator has not had sufficient opportunity to check the effectiveness of teaching and learning in science.

p.27

Commentary

53. Pupils achieve well in science throughout the school. In 2004 standards in the national tests and assessments were well above average in both Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in Year 2 continue to be well above average. Those in Year 6 are currently average because the year group has a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Standards in Years 3, 4 and 5 are well above expectations. The school is particularly effective in raising the attainment of pupils who have entered the school late and of lower-attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs.

p.27

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good. Most work in science is done through practical activity, which pupils enjoy. This means that they work hard and do well. The practical Sheepscombe Primary School - 28 emphasis ensures that scientific facts are taught and learned in a way that increases their relevance and helps pupils to understand and remember them. Pupils are systematically taught the skills of investigation so that by Year 2 they understand the need for fair testing and, with help, can devise and undertake an investigation, keeping all but one variable constant. Older pupils understand the significance of this in making deductions about what the investigation shows. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this well to encourage pupils to think deeply about what they are doing. Pupils are taught to discuss their work using very good levels of scientific language. They are taught to record what they have done and found out

p.27

Commentary

clearly and accurately, using their mathematical knowledge to show data graphically. Although many present their work neatly, this is not always the case.

p.28

Commentary

55. Teachers assess pupils’ work regularly and keep detailed records of their attainment. Marking is conscientiously completed, but does not always give pupils sufficient direction as to the quality of their work and how to improve it.

p.28

Commentary

56. Leadership in science is good. The co-ordinator has a clear view of how science should be taught and has promoted the development of investigational skills well. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, with results in national assessments rising pleasingly. The management of the subject is, however, only satisfactory because, although pupils’ work has been suitably checked and staff discussions held to ensure a consistency in assessments, there has been insufficient direct checking of teaching and learning in lessons. Data is not yet kept in a form that allows the co-ordinator to track the progress of individuals and groups.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop their skills in ICT because of inadequate accommodation and resources. • When they have opportunities to use computers, pupils work hard and enjoy what they do. • The use of ICT across the curriculum is very restricted.

p.28

Commentary

57. Standards in ICT at the end of Year 2 are average and standards at the end of Year 6 are below those expected nationally. Standards have dropped since the last inspection. This is because the development of skills and knowledge in the subject has been hampered by the lack of suitable accommodation and resources for teaching and learning. Although pupils have opportunities to learn skills in ICT lessons, many of them have to wait several days to ‘have their turn’ to follow up a newly taught skill. Smaller numbers of pupils in the Year 1 and 2 classes mean that the problems have a less significant effect on these pupils and their achievement is satisfactory. The achievement of the older age groups of all abilities is unsatisfactory. The school plans to use the new extension for teaching ICT but this has only just been finished and it is still lacking the necessary computers. Sheepscombe Primary School - 29

p.28

Commentary

58. Whilst satisfactory teaching and learning were observed in one short ICT lesson, over time the impact of teaching on learning is unsatisfactory because pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to use their skills. Teachers encourage pupils to use their computers at home for research, but not all pupils have access to a computer. Consequently, while some pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 are competent in using their ICT skills, others are struggling. Pupils are enthusiastic about using ICT and would like more opportunities to do so. When given opportunity, they are self-confident and independent, with the higher-attaining pupils being prepared to support others.

p.29

Commentary

59. Teachers work hard to ensure that all areas of the ICT curriculum are covered over time, but the resource deficiencies mean that some aspects are visited too infrequently. The school has identified control as an area for development, but other areas, such as the presentation and interpretation of information, also need more time allocated to them.

p.29

Commentary

60. The deficiencies in accommodation and resources and unsatisfactory achievement indicate ineffective leadership and management in ICT. The school management is, however, in no doubt that ICT is an urgent priority for development and the improvements in accommodation are already complete. The co-ordinator has had few opportunities to monitor teaching and learning across the school directly, but satisfactory assessment procedures have been introduced. These are identifying the progress of individual pupils, although this information has yet to indicate to pupils themselves where and how they can improve.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

61. The use of ICT across the curriculum is a similar picture to that of the subject overall. Pupils occasionally use ICT to gain or research information, as in their work on the Egyptians, and occasionally in word processing stories. These opportunities, though, are limited and ICT is not used systematically to support other subjects.

p.29

HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in full and is reported below. History and geography were sampled. No lessons were observed in either subject; pupils’ books and teachers’ planning were scrutinised and discussions held with Year 2 and Year 6 pupils.

p.29

HUMANITIES

62. Work was seen in history which showed that pupils throughout the school are achieving in at least a satisfactory way and attaining standards at least in line with those expected nationally. A particularly positive aspect of the history curriculum is the visits made by pupils to places connected with their work. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 said that they had had enjoyed their visit to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester and they showed a good knowledge of the Romans. They were able to discuss similarities and differences between the way they themselves live and the way of life of people in the past. Their visit had made what they had learned much more ‘real’ and ensured greater understanding. Although largely an activity designed to support learning in religious education, the opportunity to dress up as pilgrims visiting Gloucester Cathedral had deepened Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils’ ability to empathise with people in the

p.29

HUMANITIES

63. In geography, evidence on display and discussions show that pupils have covered the required curriculum. Studies are often very appropriately linked with pupils’ own Sheepscombe Primary School - 30 experience. In Years 1 and 2, they have looked at their immediate environment such as the playground and the ‘back garden’ and thought about ways in which these areas could be improved. Older pupils have compared life in an Indian village with life in Sheepscombe and gained cultural as well as geographical understanding through this work. Pupils talked enthusiastically about a visiting teacher from the Punjab who taught them Indian dances as well as talking about aspects of life in India.

p.29

HUMANITIES

64. Studies in history and geography link well with the school’s aim to produce pupils who can work independently. Alongside their work in school, pupils have, for example, undertaken an individual study of an aspect of the life of Ancient Egyptians. This involved considerable independent study and many pupils showed themselves very capable of doing this well. The resultant work is often of good standard and shows good achievement. In this way, both geography and history make a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

p.30

HUMANITIES

65. There are some good links between work in history and geography and other subjects, for example with literacy when pupils write in their own words what they have found out through their research in books and the Internet. Links with design and technology were evident when pupils produced models of the pyramids and papyrus boats as part of their history topic work.

p.30

HUMANITIES

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Practical activities and visits help to enthuse as well as inform pupils. • Pupils show good respect for the values and belief of others. • Pupils’ knowledge of other faiths is not as wide as it could be. • There has been little direct checking of teaching and learning in religious education.

p.30

Commentary

66. Two lessons were observed in religious education. This, together with scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6, shows standards to be at the expected level overall, as they were at the time of the last inspection. Good teaching and learning were observed during the inspection, but the impact of teaching and learning over time is only satisfactory. The range and depth of pupils’ knowledge show that they have achieved in only a satisfactory way. Younger pupils have suitable knowledge of some Christian stories and traditions. They are less knowledgeable about other faiths. This is in part because they are only just beginning a unit on Judaism. It is also because long gaps between teaching about other faiths mean that pupils have either forgotten what they have done or, being new to the school, have not had opportunity to learn about this.

p.30

Commentary

67. Older pupils have a wider knowledge base. They have good knowledge of Christian beliefs and traditions and of the aspects of Judaism that they have learned about recently. Their knowledge of other faiths, however, is not as wide and they found difficulty in discussing how the faiths they have studied are similar and how they differ. Pupils show respect for the traditions and beliefs of others and understand that they need to learn about other faiths so that they can live in a multicultural society and Sheepscombe Primary School - 31 respect the way of life of others. In the lessons seen, teachers provided very good examples of this respect.

p.30

Commentary

68. Much of the teaching has been of a practical nature and this has been enjoyed by the pupils and the information gained remembered well. Younger pupils, for example, talked about their visit to the local church, naming parts of the church and talking about their functions well. Older pupils had gained greatly from a ’pilgrimage’ to Gloucester Cathedral and had been able to translate the experience into the planning of a pilgrimage around Sheepscombe. Knowledge of Islam had been increased by the week-long visit to the school by an Indian lady. All pupils benefit greatly from the weekly visits from a ‘ministry team’ who enact Bible stories for them.

p.31

Commentary

69. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Provision is regularly reviewed but there has been little direct checking of teaching and learning. The co- ordinator has ensured that pupils have good practical experiences in the subject and that visits are an ongoing part of provision. The curriculum is, however, only satisfactory because it does not allow pupils to build a wide knowledge base systematically, particularly about faiths other than Christianity.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Physical education and art and design were sampled. One lesson was observed in art and design and two in physical education. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ art and design work were examined. Music and design and technology were not inspected.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. The importance placed on the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge in art and design is illustrated by the award of a national ‘Artsmark Gold’ award last year. The curriculum is broad and varied and pupils have had opportunities to work with artists using a wide range of media. The work seen during the inspection was of good quality, with some being outstanding. In the good lesson seen, the teacher provided a good balance of direct teaching for some pupils about technical aspects of what they were doing and room for pupils to work independently and creatively. Pupils worked with enjoyment and concentration. By the end of the lesson, they had constructed prototype chairs for a character of their choice. They followed their designs well, adapting them as necessary. Where possible, the teacher gave good support and advice to the pupils but was hampered in doing this by the need to supervise the

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

safety of some using saws to cut wood. Work in art and design clearly plays a very positive part in the cultural development of pupils and in assisting them to develop confidence and individuality.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. Provision in physical education has been significantly extended since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well in the aspects seen during the inspection. Because pupils have regular opportunities to go to the local leisure centre, standards in swimming are above average throughout the school. In the two lessons observed during the inspection, pupils in Years 2 and 3 were attaining standards above the national expectation in the development of hockey skills and pupils in Year 1 were attaining dance standards above the national expectation when preparing with a specialist dance teacher for a dance festival. No lessons were observed in gymnastics, but the scheme of work clearly plans for this, again through the regular use of the leisure centre facilities. Sheepscombe Primary School - 32 72. Even though the school has only a small sloping playground and no area suitable for physical education indoors, the co-ordinator is constantly seeking ways in which all

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pupils can be given sufficient opportunities to develop their skills. Strenuous efforts are made to provide a wide and challenging curriculum. Pupils have a good number of opportunities for taking part in extra-curricular competitions with local cluster schools in netball, rounders, athletics, cross country and soccer and have occasionally won trophies for their efforts. Older pupils are supported regularly by the headteacher in games activities on the playground at lunchtime. Teachers encourage pupils to enjoy activities in lessons, which they clearly do, although some can become over-exuberant and noisy at times. The use of specialist teachers enhances learning in areas such as dance and swimming.

p.32

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

73. The school’s general ethos supports pupils’ personal, social and health education well. Pupils’ personal development is held to be of high importance and aspects of this, such as independence and the ability to discuss and debate, are integrated into the work of every class in every lesson. There are also timetabled opportunities for class discussions (circle time). The school uses a commercially available scheme to promote understanding of citizenship and the school council provides pupils with a clear demonstration of citizenship in the context of their own lives. Pupils are encouraged to see themselves as world citizens when they raise money for various charities. Aspects of personal development such as sex and relationships education and drugs awareness are properly addressed. Sheepscombe Primary School - 33

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.33