Shoreham Beach Primary School

Shoreham Beach Community First School

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 9 th June 2005

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Shoreham Beach Community First School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Shoreham Beach Community First 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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Shoreham Beach Community First 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. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: First School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 8 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 114

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Shingle Road Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex Postcode: BN43 5RH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01273 462888 Fax number: 01273 440258

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs K Haffenden

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 th October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. It is below the average size for this type of school. It mainly serves the local area, with families that represent a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds, but these are above average overall. Pupils’ attainment on entry covers the full range and is broadly average. The proportion of pupils leaving or joining the school during the course of the year is average. The school works hard to meet the needs of all children and their families by offering an education which has high standards, enhanced by enrichment opportunities which reflect the artistic nature of the community. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average, although within the lower numbers of pupils of the school, these pupils require significant support. Two pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need. Four classes have mixed age-groups so that capabilities and standards are closer together than in a one age

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

class range. The number of children identified as being eligible for free school meals is low but the true number is not known because the county no longer provides a cooked meals’ service. There is one pupil from a white minority ethnic group, who speaks English as an additional language and is at an early stage of language acquisition. There are no pupils in public care. The school gained a Schools Achievement Award in 2002 and Investor in People status in 2005. The school is involved in a Family Learning programme (art and ICT links) and community use of facilities (a dance school). Shoreham Beach Community First School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21090 Mr D Manuel Lead inspector Information and communication technology Citizenship Music Religious education Foundation Stage 1 English as an additional language 32768 Mrs J Manfield Lay inspector 24019 Mr K Parry Team inspector Mathematics Science Design and technology Physical education 33485 Mrs L Cooper Team inspector English Art and design Geography History Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

ALTECQ INSPECTIONS LTD 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

Shoreham Beach Community First School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school which gives very good value for money. Pupils achieve very well from average starting points. Standards by Year 2 are well above average in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics, science, information and communication technology (ICT) and art and design. Standards are above average in all other subjects inspected. These high standards are maintained in Year 3. The quality of teaching is very good and the school’s leadership, management and governance are very good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has high aspirations for the work of the school. • The quality of teaching is very good and there is a strong commitment to provide the best education for pupils. • Very good levels of self-review and evaluation have resulted in a very effective school. • Assessment procedures and the use of information are very good. • Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the school’s work and as a result, they display very good behaviour and have very good attitudes to learning. • Children receive a very good start to their schooling in reception. • The school provides very good levels of care, welfare and safety. • Community links are excellent and links with parents are very good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. The key issues from that time have been effectively dealt with. Standards in science are now higher, the presentation of pupils’ work is much improved and the school has agreed and implemented a whole-school approach to marking. In addition to these areas, there has been good improvement in the quality of teaching and learning. Standards in many subjects have risen since the previous inspection and the curriculum and its enrichment are also much improved. These improvements have developed as a result of the very thoughtful analysis, evaluation and target setting by all staff, led outstandingly well by the headteacher.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Reading C B A C Writing A B B C Mathematics B B A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve very well . The table above shows that results in the 2004 National Curriculum tests were well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. This represents very good achievement because pupils’ skills in these areas when they started school were at average levels. The inspection finds that current standards are well above average in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics, science, Shoreham Beach Community First School - 7 ICT and art and design and above average in all other subjects inspected. Children in the Foundation Stage (for pupils who are under the age of five) also achieve very well and all are likely to reach the goals expected of children by the end of reception, in all areas of learning, and a majority will have exceeded them. Boys and girls, pupils with special educational needs and the very small number who speak English as an additional language, achieve as well as other pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good . Behaviour is very good and pupils have very good attitudes to learning because all adults have high expectations, which pupils themselves adopt. By Year 3, pupils have developed very good levels of independence in their work. Attendance is above average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided by the school is very good . Teaching and learning are very good . Pupils learn very well because teachers have high expectations of them at all times, and make lessons stimulating so that pupils want to learn. Teachers make meaningful links between subjects and plan their lessons carefully to make sure that pupils understand what they are learning in each lesson and how it relates to previous work. Higher attaining pupils are regularly challenged to use their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. The curriculum is very good and good levels of interest and relevance are added by extra-curricular activities, guest speakers and visits. The care and welfare provided for pupils are very good. Links with the community are excellent and make significant contributions to pupils’ achievement and standards. Links with parents and other schools are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has high aspirations and a very clear understanding of the priorities for her school’s improvement. She is very well supported by her deputy, the senior management team and all staff and teaching assistants. The school has a very good management structure to ensure that decisions are fully considered and effectively enacted. Regular analysis, evaluation and target setting led by the headteacher and various staff, have resulted in the school’s good improvement. Governance is very good. Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school’s achievements and very effectively support and monitor the work of the school. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very positive views about the school and its work. They appreciate the very good start to their children’s education and value the school’s efforts in developing their help in their children’s learning. Those parents who returned the questionnaires were almost unanimous in their support of every section. All who attended the parents’ meeting were very supportive and appreciative of the school’s efforts and agreed that all members of the staff are very approachable. Pupils indicate that they like their school, they have to work hard and enjoy finding out new things in lessons.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no significant areas requiring improvement. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve very well . By Year 2 pupils’ attainment is well above average in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics, science, ICT and art and design and above average in all other subjects inspected. These high standards are maintained in Year 3.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good, building very well on their average starting points on entry to school. • Pupils benefit immensely from the high expectations of teachers.

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Commentary

1. Children in reception achieve very well across the wide range of early learning activities that they experience. They start school with skills that are broadly average overall. Records show that all children are likely to reach the goals expected of children by the end of reception, in all areas of learning with a majority likely to exceed these. This is very good achievement by the two-thirds of younger children who had only been in the school full-time for a term and a half, at the time of inspection.

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Commentary

2. In the 2004 national tests at the end of Year 2, the average point scores (where pupils’ attainment at all levels is taken into account - as in the table below) were well above the national average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. Compared with the results of similar schools (those with similar proportions of free school meals), these results were well above average in mathematics and average in reading and writing. However, these comparisons are not necessarily truly reflective of the results, as the exact number of pupils eligible is not known because the county no longer provides a cooked meals’ service. The trend of the school’s results over the past five years is well above the national trend.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.0 (16.9) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.7 (15.8) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 18.4 (17.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

3. Inspection evidence finds that by the end of Year 2, pupils’ standards in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics, science, ICT, and art and design are well above average and standards in all other subjects inspected are above average. These high standards are maintained in Year 3. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attainment and develop a real enthusiasm for learning in pupils. Boys and girls achieve equally highly and the very small proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups makes rapid progress in learning and gain confidence. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 9 4. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language achieve equally well because teachers set tasks and devise programmes that offer them the right level of challenge and support. For example, some need specific help in developing speaking and listening skills, and teachers and support

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

staff often work with them in small groups, adapting prompts and support to ensure that pupils understand tasks and complete them successfully. Although quite small in number, the proportion of these pupils can be 10 per cent or more of the school’s test results in a given year group. The school has a register of gifted and talented pupils, who receive correct levels of challenge to extend their particular talents. Their achievement is also very good, as they are inspired to extend skills in their areas of strength.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour is very good and they have very good attitudes to learning. Pupils’ personal development is very good overall, including their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. Attendance and punctuality are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ very good attitudes to school contribute to their very good learning. • Very good relationships and harmony exist throughout the school

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour contribute very well to their progress and development. Pupils understand the school’s rules which they themselves have contributed to, and respond very well to the values consistently applied by teachers and all staff, who are very good role models. The school creates a stimulating working atmosphere, which promotes very good behaviour and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Pupils respond very well to various reward systems and show great pleasure when they or others are praised, particularly in celebration assemblies when receiving certificates from the headteacher. No incidents of bullying were seen during the inspection and pupils say they have no experience of any such incidents. There have been no incidents of racism.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs and the very small number from minority ethnic groups also have very good attitudes towards their learning and behave equally well in lessons and at playtimes. In response to very good teaching and high levels of individual support from teachers and teaching assistants, they develop an increasing desire to learn. They work collaboratively with other pupils and form friendships, regardless of their skills levels.

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Commentary

7. Teachers’ high expectations of pupils stimulate a desire to learn. Clear policies and very good relationships build pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and very good attitudes to learning. Pupils are keen to take responsibility and through the school and class councils play a meaningful role in school life. This enhances their social development. All pupils work very well independently and in groups, co-operating, sharing and valuing ideas. Behaviour is very good in lessons and at break-times and lunchtimes, and pupils benefit from the good range of resources made available to them. Pupils are encouraged, through all school activities, to care for and respect others and to work hard. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 10 8. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ self-knowledge and spiritual awareness. Time for pupils to reflect on their experiences is well established and this

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Commentary

enhances their self-awareness. There are often very special moments in the daily ‘special person’ choices and in assemblies when pupils share in, and celebrate each other’s achievements. Moral development is very good. Pupils understand right from wrong and show evidence of this in their daily actions around school. Pupils’ social development is very good. They take responsibility for themselves and for others. They are involved in making and upholding school rules and classroom rules. Pupils’ cultural development is very good. Pupils are very aware of their own culture and traditions and a good range of activities ensures that pupils’ multi-cultural understanding is successfully developed, particularly through religious education, art and design and music. Pupils are fully involved in the local community and are developing a very good understanding of different cultures and beliefs.

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Attendance

9. Attendance and punctuality are good. The latest published figures are in line with national statistics and most pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time. The school has good procedures for promoting attendance and punctuality and works effectively with the relevant agencies in cases of persistent absence or lateness. This is reflected in significant improvement over the two last terms, with attendance rising to above average levels by the end of the spring term 2005.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.4 School data: 0.1 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.

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Exclusions

There have been no exclusions in the past year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education provided by the school is very good . The quality of teaching and learning is very good . The school provides a very good curriculum, effectively enriched by visits and extra-curricular activities. The care and welfare given to pupils are very good . Links with the community are excellent , and links with parents and other schools are very good .

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good . Assessment is very good throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching strategies encourage pupils to be very productive. • Very good links between subjects make learning meaningful for pupils. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 11 • Lesson planning is very good and teachers provide challenging activities for pupils of all capabilities. • Very good procedures for checking how well pupils are doing help them to be very clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and has improved from the good levels judged in the previous inspection. The main reason for pupils’ very good learning is the high expectations that teachers have of pupils’ productivity and attitudes to tasks. A very good learning environment is established in every class as a result of the very good strategies that teachers and assistants use to motivate pupils. This is very evident when children start school in reception. The very good teaching of reception children, creates in them, an early love for learning and a desire to find things out. These qualities are maintained throughout other year groups.

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Commentary

11. Teachers’ planning for lessons is very thorough and includes clear objectives that build on previous knowledge and learning. These objectives are shared with pupils at the start of every lesson and pupils are keen to share their views and answer questions. Lessons are interesting and capture pupils’ attention at the start. An example of a well-chosen, interesting activity was seen in a Year 2/Year 3 class in design and technology. Good connections were made with literacy, mathematics and science as pupils discussed key vocabulary and began plans to make moving monsters. Teachers maintain an atmosphere of great enthusiasm throughout lessons. They frequently intervene to remind pupils of the main focus of the lesson, check their understanding and at the end provide helpful feedback on their work. Teachers use their assistants very well to provide correct levels of challenge and support relevant to

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Commentary

different needs and circumstances. Pupils with special educational needs particularly benefit from this support to help them achieve very well.

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Commentary

12. Literacy and numeracy lessons successfully develop very necessary skills in each subject and work is often linked to other subjects to make learning meaningful. Constant challenge is evident in lessons to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential. Very good strategies also encourage good levels of independence in meeting the lesson objectives. When appropriate, teachers organise pupils into small groups to encourage good quality discussion and the sharing of ideas. The school also places a strong emphasis on creative, practical and physical subjects and the very good knowledge of subjects by the teachers, has resulted in standards which are above or well above average in every subject.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

0 19 (56%) 15 (44%) 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

13. Staff have worked hard to develop very effective arrangements for assessing pupils’ progress and this is now one of the strongest features of teaching and learning. A particular strength is the way that arrangements are subject to continuing review in order to refine existing practice. Although a relatively recent initiative, pupils’ individual Shoreham Beach Community First School - 12 target cards are proving to be very effective in helping pupils understand how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Even younger pupils know what levels they have reached and how to reach the next level. Targets are shared and reviewed with parents and completed cards are used to celebrate pupils’ achievements. Teachers use a variety of strategies to check pupils’ understanding, including questioning, observing them at work and examining their completed work. Pupils are very well supported by teaching assistants in these activities. Teachers keep detailed

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

records of pupils’ progress in different subjects. They use this information very effectively to plan the next steps in learning and to challenge all pupils at a suitable level. Annual test results are analysed in detail in order to establish whether pupils are making sufficient progress.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good range of stimulating learning opportunities, which are enriched by a good variety of extra-curricular activities, visitors and visits that develop pupils’ learning and enjoyment of school. Accommodation and resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good links are made between subjects that help pupils consolidate their learning. • The local environment and community links are used effectively to provide good curricular and extra-curricular activities that enrich pupils’ learning experience. • The school has very good areas and equipment for ICT.

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Commentary

14. Curricular provision has improved since the previous inspection and is now very good. The timetable is balanced well with sufficient time for coverage of all subjects including religious education, sex and relationships education and drugs use and misuse. Provision for citizenship, personal, social and health education is given strong emphasis. Pupils under five years of age benefit from a very good range of opportunities that cover all the recommended areas of learning. The curriculum for Years 1 to 3, makes very good provision for pupils in classes with mixed ages through a two-year themed programme of study that ensures no repetition and provides very good links between subjects adding interest and meaning to pupils’ learning. Planning caters for differing capabilities through the deployment of teaching assistants who are well prepared for working with any pupils. Higher attaining pupils have access to more

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Commentary

challenging work that helps them achieve at a higher level. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, because of the school’s system of identifying pupils’ difficulties early, and putting support strategies into place.

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Commentary

15. Special curricular event weeks enable pupils to work on extended projects. There is a strong emphasis on subject links with the creative arts, which pupils enjoy. The headteacher and co-ordinators regularly review and monitor the curriculum as part of the annual school self-review and development process, and decisive action is taken to improve provision. For example, this year the timetable was modified to allow for 15-minute daily phonics sessions to improve standards in spelling. Opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum are good. Activities available before and after school cover a good range of interests. The local community is used as a rich resource to support learning. Through the West Sussex Pupil Enrichment Programme, a quarter of all pupils this year participated in Saturday enrichment courses aimed at the more able and talented. Various other courses are encouraged by the school so that pupils with

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Commentary

Shoreham Beach Community First School - 13 special interests and talents are extended. Through these initiatives pupils’ learning and educational experiences are enhanced in many subjects.

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Commentary

16. Accommodation is good overall and very good for ICT, with two separate areas located for easy access by pupils in all classes. Buildings and grounds are safe, attractive and well maintained. The school is fully accessible for pupils with disabilities. Outdoor space includes separate covered areas for each of the lower school classes, which are used effectively to support pupils’ learning. The playground area includes wooden climbing apparatus and picnic tables, funded by the parent-teacher association, which are popular at lunchtimes. The beach garden provides an area for quiet play, and the pond area is used to enhance pupils’ learning in a range of curriculum subjects. Overall, the school’s resources to meet the demands of the curriculum are good and support all aspects of pupils’ learning. In art and design and ICT resources are very good.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good . Guidance and support for pupils is very good and their involvement in the school’s work and development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils love school and have very good relationships with teachers and other staff. • There are very good arrangements for pupils’ induction to school. • The school is very effective in building pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

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Commentary

17. The caring ethos of the school is a major strength, with the safety and well-being of all pupils an important focus for all members of staff. The very good quality of pastoral care is evident in all the relationships in the school, in staff knowledge of pupils’ needs and in the way the school promotes the best interests of all pupils. High standards have been maintained since the previous inspection and reflect parents’ positive views on the support given to their children. An ample number of staff are trained to administer first aid and all staff receive training in child protection procedures. The school caretaker and governors’ premises committee are fully involved in ensuring risk assessments and safety procedures are well implemented.

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Commentary

18. Teachers and other staff know their pupils very well. Relationships between them make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and well-being. Throughout the school, very effective assessment procedures are used to provide pupils with academic and personal guidance. Even the youngest pupils have clear targets, which they know and understand. Older pupils were able to explain to inspectors how their targets are set and their progress monitored. This very good guidance supports pupils’ learning and helps them to mature and develop personally as they move through the school.

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Commentary

19. Children starting school are well supported by a very good induction programme. There are several opportunities for children and parents to visit the school and become familiar with staff and surroundings before they start in reception. Staff also arrange home visits to all families and visit the local nursery, which many of the children attend. Parents’ views confirm that these arrangements help their children to settle well into school. Pupils throughout the school know that their views matter and Shoreham Beach Community First School - 14 this is an important factor in building their self-esteem. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils express their opinions and ideas thoughtfully and responsibly. They know that these will be taken seriously and contribute to school life. Class councils and a school council enable pupils to contribute to the work of the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very happy with all aspects of the school’s work. • The school is an integral part of the local community and links with local residents and businesses make an exceptional contribution to pupils’ learning experience. • Very good links with other schools enhance the range of learning opportunities for pupils and enable staff to share and extend their expertise.

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Commentary

20. Parents’ views expressed through the pre-inspection questionnaire and their meeting were very positive. They feel that their children settle well, like school and are making good progress. Many parents volunteer to help in class, and contribute their time and expertise to a variety of school events and activities. The parent-teacher association is a very active support group which raises much appreciated funds for the school. Inspection findings support parents’ views that the school values and continues to maintain its very good partnership with parents.

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Commentary

21. The school provides very good information about the curriculum, school activities and events. Pupils’ annual reports are informative, including information about academic progress and personal and social development. Written communication is supplemented with a range of events to help parents support their children’s learning. These include curriculum workshops and an ‘open week’, which enables parents to see how their children are taught and how they learn in class. Parents feel that teachers are very approachable and that their suggestions and concerns are taken into account. An annual questionnaire seeks parents’ views and termly consultations provide parents with formal opportunities to discuss their children’s progress.

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Commentary

22. It is evident that the school knows the local community very well and that pupils and residents benefit from highly productive links. Many residents have expertise in the arts, and visits from local artists, musicians and writers are used very effectively to enhance the curriculum. Pupils’ learning is enlivened through local events and festivals, such as ‘Beach Dreams’ and creating mosaic tiles for the community green. These opportunities involve working with local residents, church and business organisations. This helps to develop pupils’ awareness and understanding of citizenship. In discussion with inspectors, parents and other residents expressed extremely positive views about the school’s contribution to the community. They feel that, through its activities, the school plays a pivotal role in helping pupils and parents to get to know each other and form relationships, which then extend into the wider

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Commentary

community. The school has developed an impressive range of links with other local schools and works with a number of institutions on initial teacher training and work experience programmes. Pupils benefit from participating in joint sporting and arts Shoreham Beach Community First School - 15 events. Teachers are able to attend joint training with other schools, making a valuable contribution to increasing their knowledge and sharing expertise and best practice.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good . The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and other key staff, whose leadership is very good. Governance is also very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The excellent leadership and high aspirations of the headteacher provide a clear focus and direction for the work of the school. • The deputy headteacher and other key staff make very good contributions to the leadership and management of the school. • There is a strong and highly motivated team of teachers and support staff who work well together in a caring and supportive ethos. • Very good strategies for monitoring the school’s work are used effectively to improve the quality of education. • Governors provide very good levels of support and challenge for the school’s work.

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Commentary

23. The headteacher is an excellent leader. Her leadership is based on an exceptionally clear vision of what she wants for the school and very high aspirations for pupils’ academic and personal development. She consults widely with all members of the school community including staff, governors, parents and pupils and communicates her own ideas very clearly. This forms the basis of the school’s exemplary procedures for long-term school development planning. She works closely with colleagues, recognises their achievements and provides advice and support when needed. At the same time she acts promptly and rigorously to deal with areas of concern. Each of these factors has contributed to the good improvement since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

24. The deputy headteacher provides very good support for the headteacher and they work well together on strategic planning as well as day-to-day management. Together with other senior staff she makes a powerful contribution to the overall leadership and management of the school. All subject leaders are effective in helping to bring about improvements. For example, good and often very good subject leadership has resulted in better teaching and learning and standards that are above and well above average in all subjects.

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Commentary

25. The headteacher leads by example and is an excellent role model. She is held in very high regard by parents, pupils, staff and governors. This has enabled her to build and motivate a strong and dedicated team in which relationships are built on trust and respect in line with the school’s aims. The headteacher gets the best from all staff by actively promoting their professional development to help them meet the challenging but clearly defined demands of their particular roles. Considerable thought is given to the deployment and workload of staff and responsibilities are delegated to take full advantage of individual strengths. Performance management is well established and used very effectively to promote whole-school development and individual training needs. Morale is high and all staff share a strong team commitment. As a result, everyone is determined that all pupils should flourish. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 16

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Commentary

26. There are very thorough arrangements for monitoring the school’s work in order to improve the quality of education. The school makes very good use of national, local and school data to check how well pupils are doing. Comparisons are made to ensure they are making enough progress and the achievements of different groups and classes within the school are carefully scrutinised. This very thorough process of self- review enables the school to deal systematically with each priority as it is identified and fed into the school development plan. It has resulted in a school where there are considerable strengths in most areas of its work and where all groups of pupils achieve highly.

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Commentary

27. The school is very well served by the governing body. Governors regularly monitor and evaluate the work of the school to ensure that the best education possible is being provided for pupils. The governors’ finance committee, responsible for monitoring expenditure, receives regular information to ensure that the budget is closely monitored and prudently managed. Governors meet all their statutory obligations and have ensured that the issues identified for improvement at the time of the previous inspection have been fully addressed.

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Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 431,416 Balance from previous year 19,827 Total expenditure 397,012 Balance carried forward to the next 34,404 Expenditure per pupil 3,784

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Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

28. The school’s development plan is agreed, costed and finalised after close consultation between headteacher, staff and governors, and reflects the correct priorities for the school’s development. It links closely with co-ordinators action plans for their respective subjects. Planned priorities are agreed after very thoughtful consideration and discussion by all staff.

p.16

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

29. Arrangements for the administration of the budget and the school’s day-to-day finances are very good. The knowledgeable bursar works closely with the headteacher and governors to ensure that all are well briefed on the school’s current financial situation. The school makes very good use of best value principles, seeking to secure contracts only after careful negotiation with those tendering to supply services. Taking into account the very good provision, very good leadership and management, very good achievement and high standards, the school provides very good value for money. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

30. Children in reception make very good progress in their all round personal development and their approach to learning. Teachers place a high priority on an inclusive approach because of the wide range of attainment on entry. Children achieve very well, particularly in their self-esteem and their personal and creative skills. This is particularly evident in the high proportion of younger children who had only been in the school full-time for a term and a half at the time of the inspection. All children are likely to reach the goals that children are expected to reach by the end of reception and a majority are likely to exceed them. Teaching and learning are very good overall. The very good progress that children make is due to the very good teaching and the very good use of teaching assistants and other adult helpers. These strategies inspire in the children, a real love for leaning and the desire to find things out. Children’s

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

individual needs are clearly identified and progress is monitored very well. The leadership and management of reception are very good and ensure clear communication between staff by means of very effective teamwork. Very good links are established between families and their children prior to their starting school and continue throughout their time in the school.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults successfully encourage independence, self-esteem and very good relationships. • A very good range of activities enables pupils to work collaboratively, but also develop thoughtful personal choice.

p.17

Commentary

31. Personal development is promoted very well. Achievement is very good and standards are above average, with all children likely to reach the goals that children are expected to reach by the end of reception and many will exceed them. Two thirds of the children had only been full-time at the school for a term and a half. Teachers and assistants place a high priority on helping children to settle happily and quickly. Every effort is made to help children understand school routines and to form very good relationships with adults and each other. Children are encouraged to become curious, develop their independent learning skills and use different equipment from the very good range provided. These successful strategies prepare children very well for moving into Year 1. Children enjoy their activities and learn and play together very well. Teaching and learning are very good. Very good attention is given to the importance of listening and

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Commentary

the expectations of good behaviour. The school day begins with great anticipation as the teacher selects the special person of the day and other children are invited to make comments about the qualities of that particular child. Learning tasks are then discussed in detail to ensure that children understand what is expected of them. The clear routines enable children to feel secure and create a desire to learn.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Shoreham Beach Community First School - 18 Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children develop their literacy skills well in a wide range of contexts. • A strong focus aids the development of good speaking and listening skills.

p.18

Commentary

32. Teaching and learning are very good. Standards are above average with all children likely to achieve the goals that children are expected to reach by the end of reception and a majority will exceed these. Achievement is good overall. Children are encouraged to learn and say initial sounds and identify the use of key words on cards and in stories. In role-play situations, such as the ‘The Vet’s Clinic’, they communicate well with each other and adults in the various roles of doctor, nurse and visitor. Children are confident to speak to each other and adults in the classroom in a range of learning situations. A very good example of this was observed when children were learning about the ‘ Feeding of the Five Thousand.’ Selected children repeated key phrases from the story to enact the parts played by Jesus and other characters. Children are effectively engaged in guided reading sessions and enjoy discussing their

p.18

Commentary

favourite parts of stories. They also enjoy opportunities to listen to stories on tape recorders either individually or in small groups. Writing skills of children are successfully developed. Children use their knowledge of letter sounds well to write simple words and labels and begin to form simple sentences to match pictures and events in a story. They write recognisable words with their letters formed sufficiently accurately to be understood.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well in response to challenging but sensitive teaching. • Songs, rhymes and other activities are used well to enhance learning.

p.18

Commentary

33. Children achieve well and standards are above average. All children are likely to reach the expected goals by the time they leave reception with a majority likely to exceed them. Teaching and learning are good. Children are encouraged to learn and recognise numbers to 20 and teachers and assistants are very sensitive when correcting mistakes and acknowledging correct answers to increase children’s confidence and self-esteem. Well-organised activities help children reinforce knowledge of numbers and counting. Questions and prompts are used well, including extending the thinking of higher attaining children. A good range of mathematical activities is available during play activities to improve children’s knowledge and understanding of measure and shapes, such as a shapes treasure hunt, using computer programs and construction kits to create and name two- and three- dimensional shapes. Songs and rhymes are used well to extend and reinforce

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good . Shoreham Beach Community First School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good links are made in weekly themes to promote this area of learning. • Children respond very well to the good range of stimulating activities.

p.19

Commentary

34. Children achieve very well and standards are above average. All children are likely to reach the expected goals by the time they leave reception and most are likely to exceed them. The quality of teaching and learning in this area of learning is very good and results in the very good achievement of children, given that two-thirds of them had only been full-time for a term and a half at the time of the inspection. Teachers’ planning of stimulating activities helps children to gain a very good appreciation and understanding of the world around them. Good examples were observed when children learnt the names of a range of adult animals and their young. Children develop very good early enquiry skills and technological skills using computers to learn about a range of topics, involving language, number and illustrations. They demonstrate good progress in controlling Roamer floor models by estimating distances and directions of turn and creating sequences of instructions. Children are

p.19

Commentary

encouraged to learn about the past and the area around them and make visits in the local area to improve their learning. Very good links are made with religious education to learn about Bible stories and how they emphasise important values such as helping others and friendships.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy participating in a good range of indoor and outdoor activities. • Children make good progress in developing basic skills.

p.19

Commentary

35. Children’s physical development is promoted well and achievement is good. Standards are above average with all children likely to reach the goals that children are expected to reach by the end of reception, with a majority exceeding these. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The indoor and outdoor areas are used well to promote a wide range of early skills, notably the control and co-ordination of a range of equipment. Within these activities, children are also encouraged to develop their spontaneous play and their personal and communication skills. They use tricycles and cars to ride round the marked area with controlled speed and steering. Specific physical education lessons take place in the hall and outside, to develop children’s physical skills further, such as using a range of small equipment including small balls and bats. Children are also engaged in interesting tasks, planned to

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Commentary

develop finer control skills, such as drawing, painting and cutting and sticking paper to enhance their work. These experiences contribute significantly to the good progress made later in the development of children’s creative and manipulative skills.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good . Shoreham Beach Community First School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy participating in a very good range of indoor and outdoor activities. • Children make very good progress in developing basic skills.

p.20

Commentary

36. Children achieve very well and standards are above average. All children will reach the expected goals in this area of learning by the time they leave reception with many exceeding them. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and encourages very good achievement for the two-thirds of children who have only been full-time for a term and a half at the time of inspection. The role-play areas, both indoors and outdoors, make very good contributions to children’s creative development. Very stimulating activities encourage children to use many of their senses and respond in different ways. They learn songs by heart, sing together very well and clap rhythms. The good resources that teachers provide strongly encourage a developing awareness of patterns, shape, colour and textures around them. Children developed these skills very well when mixing different colour tones to prepare paintings and a

p.20

Commentary

collage of animals in a jungle, in the style of Henri Rousseau. Many opportunities are provided to develop children’s manipulative skills and enable them to share thoughts in creative and role-play activities. These include painting, colouring, stitching, cutting and sticking and making models with building kits. These activities help to improve children’s creative skills and result in very good achievement. Reception children use sketch-books very well to plan and develop their creative ideas, such as recording what they saw on their visit to Chichester Cathedral.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Higher attaining pupils are effectively challenged to achieve high standards. • The quality of handwriting and presentation and marking is very good. • New initiatives are helping to improve pupils’ literacy skills still further. • Links made between literacy and other subjects are very good.

p.20

Commentary

37. Pupils achieve very well and by the end of Year 2, standards are well above average in reading, speaking and listening and above average in writing with fluctuations from year-to-year, often due to the proportion of lower attaining pupils. In Year 3, pupils continue to achieve very well and maintain their high standards. This is similar to judgements made at the time of the previous inspection. Early indications for 2005 show standards at the end of Year 2 to be at least above average in reading and writing.

p.20

Commentary

38. Pupils read with real enthusiasm for a range of purposes. They talk confidently about their reading preferences. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 explain how to find non-fiction reference books using the school’s cataloguing system and are very good at finding information using contents and index pages. Reading is used as a starting point for much work in other subjects, including research using the Internet or CD-Rom. A very Shoreham Beach Community First School - 21 good example was seen where a story was used as a stimulus for future design and technology work on constructing a moving monster and created much excitement in anticipation of the task.

p.20

Commentary

39. Pupils write in a range of styles with a good understanding of the purpose of writing, including writing in character, such as Jack in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Handwriting is mostly fluent and joined in Years 2 and 3 and presentation is very good. Higher attaining pupils make very good progress in writing and talented pupils are encouraged through enrichment programmes, such as the writers’ club course, to extend their skills to edited and published work that is excellent. Very good examples of marking were seen that fed back to pupils with next steps for improvement. The quality of speaking and listening is high across the school, exemplified in the frequent collaborative work and the very good quality discussion that occurs in whole-class teaching sessions. Sessions are timetabled with a speaking and listening focus that might involve, for example, practising the skill of asking questions. Many opportunities

p.21

Commentary

are taken for pupils to engage in role-play including the acting out of narrated stories seen in reception and assembly. Visitors, including a theatre group and poet, help to promote pupils’ learning very well.

p.21

Commentary

40. Teaching and learning are very good. Teachers’ planning takes into account the different ways pupils learn and lessons are very well paced and taught to sustain their interest and focus. Activities are well matched for pupils of different capabilities to apply their skills, so learning is very good overall by all pupils, including the higher attainers and those with special educational needs. The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject very well. New initiatives are continuing to improve standards. These include the introduction of timetabled daily phonic sessions to improve spelling and an effective system of individual target setting.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

41. A strength of the subject lies in the many relevant opportunities across the curriculum that are given for pupils to consolidate their literacy skills. As well as reading for research and topic work, visits and visitors are used to stimulate imaginative writing, role-play, drama and discussion that help pupils apply and constantly improve their literacy skills.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in response to stimulating challenges. • Very good teaching places a strong emphasis on the development of numeracy skills. • There are very good systems for checking pupils’ progress and they are given very clear guidance about how to improve their work. • Leadership and management of mathematics are very good.

p.21

Commentary

Shoreham Beach Community First School - 22 42. All pupils achieve very well, and by Year 2 standards are well above average. As a result of very thorough and systematic teaching throughout the school, pupils make very good gains year-on-year. The high standards are maintained in Year 3 and pupils continue to achieve very well making further improvements in their mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. These are improvements on the judgments made at the time of the previous inspection when standards were above average.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teachers are alert to the needs of different groups of pupils. They work hard to ensure there is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls by designing activities and tasks that inspire both genders. Within the mixed-age classes, they ensure that while higher attaining pupils are suitably extended, less confident pupils receive targeted help and guidance. Teaching assistants are well-briefed and provide teachers and pupils with very good support. Teachers are careful to balance very clear explanations and instructions with practical hands-on experiences and opportunities to observe. Consequently all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve equally well.

p.22

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers make very good use of the National Numeracy Strategy to plan lessons that provide challenge, continuity of approach and the structured development of skills and understanding. They introduce pupils to different methods of calculation and encourage them to explore and discuss the methods used by others. New skills are always reinforced by employing them in practical situations. As a result, pupils grow in confidence as they move through the school improving their very good understanding of number, shape and measure as well as data handling. All lessons begin with a brisk oral session to sharpen pupils’ mental skills. In the most successful lessons major strengths included very skilful questioning. This was particularly effective when teachers identified the key questions in their plans. This is a strategy that could be used more widely. Teachers make very

p.22

Commentary

good use of their interactive boards as teaching tools. As a result, pupils are very enthusiastic learners and greatly enjoy their mathematics lessons.

p.22

Commentary

45. There are very good arrangements for assessment that provide teachers with detailed information about their pupils and enable them to track their progress from reception to Year 3. They make very good use of this information to provide pupils with constructive feedback designed to help them improve and to plan their next steps in learning. These arrangements are continually being refined. For example, individual target cards are now being used very effectively to involve pupils in assessing their own progress.

p.22

Commentary

46. The joint co-ordinators are highly skilled teachers. They provide very good subject leadership and management and make a significant contribution to the overall leadership and management of the school. Their comprehensive programme of self- review and carefully considered programme of development, are key factors in the improvements seen in standards, teaching, assessment arrangements and subject leadership since the previous inspection.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

47. Pupils are provided with a very good range of opportunities to use mathematics as part of their work in other subjects. These include collecting, recording and analysing data in science and geography as well as developing accurate measuring skills in Shoreham Beach Community First School - 23 design and technology. The use of ICT to support teaching and learning in mathematics is developing very well.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well throughout the school due to improvements in provision. • Very good teaching focuses on developing pupils’ investigative and observational skills and the use of correct terminology. • Good use is made of resources and ICT to support pupils’ learning. • Leadership and management of science are very good.

p.23

Commentary

48. At the time of the previous inspection science was identified as a particular weakness and the school has worked very hard to deal with this key issue. There have been significant improvements in teaching, the provision for higher attaining pupils, leadership and planning. Provision is now very good and ensures that pupils achieve very well throughout the school and attain standards that are well above average in Year 2. These high standards are maintained in Year 3 as pupils extend their scientific knowledge, understanding and enquiry skills. These standards are now comparable with those in English and mathematics.

p.23

Commentary

49. All groups of pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs, achieve equally well and there is no evidence of differences between the performance of boys and girls. Pupils develop a very good level of scientific knowledge as they move through the school as a result of very well planned and structured teaching. Older pupils successfully apply previous learning very well to new situations.

p.23

Commentary

50. The science curriculum is rich and very well balanced. It is enhanced by use of the local area and well planned practical tasks that are regular features of pupils’ learning. These tasks are used very effectively to develop pupils’ observational skills as, for example, when pupils in Years 2 and 3 tested the hardness of a variety of rocks following a recent visit to the beach. Pupils’ work shows that they are taught to predict outcomes, record measurements with increasing accuracy and begin to reach conclusions about their findings. Teachers carefully introduce new vocabulary and encourage its use, as seen in Year 1, when pupils considered change and growth in humans and animals. Pupils collaborate very effectively in these practical activities, sharing ideas and learning from each other. Higher attaining pupils in particular would benefit even further from more planned opportunities to develop as independent

p.23

Commentary

51. Teaching and learning were judged to be satisfactory at the previous inspection. They are now very good. Lessons are planned thoroughly and take account of the needs of different capabilities and ages within the mixed-age classes. Teachers’ very good knowledge of the subject is evident in their careful explanations that prepare pupils well for tasks and in the skilful questioning to extend pupils’ thinking. In each of the lessons seen, pupils quickly became engrossed in their work and totally involved in discussions about their findings. Teachers make very good use of resources to Shoreham Beach Community First School - 24 support pupils’ learning, including a good range of ICT applications, such as the interactive boards and digital cameras. These are helping to make ICT an integral part of teaching and learning.

p.23

Commentary

52. There have been considerable improvements in leadership and management. The co- ordinator now provides very good leadership and this has been a major factor in the much better provision for the subject. She examines teachers’ planning and regularly observes teaching and learning in all classes. She analyses results and scrutinises pupils’ work making effective use of the very good procedures for assessing and recording their progress. As a result, she has a firm grasp of standards across the school and gains a clear overview of the subject. Information is used effectively to formulate an action plan that identifies clearly any areas for further development.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well due to the strong focus on the subject. • Teachers’ very good knowledge and use of the subject stimulate pupils’ interest and extend their skills. • A good range of resources is used well to support learning. • Very good links are made with other subjects to make learning very meaningful.

p.24

Commentary

53. Pupils achieve very well and standards are well above average by the end of Year 2. These high standards are maintained in Year 3 as pupils use a good range of opportunities to extend their learning still further in links with other subjects. This represents good improvement from the time of the previous inspection, when standards were judged to be above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 3. All pupils, including higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, are supported and challenged very effectively at their respective levels of need and all achieve equally well. Since the previous inspection, the school has improved the range, quantity and quality of resources, creating a second computer suite and installing interactive whiteboards in the classrooms.

p.24

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are very good. Teachers own very good subject knowledge provides good levels of support and challenge in a range of very good links with other subjects. Demonstrations given at the start of lessons are easy for all to follow because teachers are confident in their understanding of software and involve pupils in discussions about how to complete tasks. Pupils’ learning in all strands of the subject improves as a result of the stimulating activities planned in the subject. Pupils work together well, individually, and in mixed-ability pairings, to share ideas and make things happen. They are very well supported in most follow-up sessions in small groups by a very skilled teaching assistant. In a very good session in Year 3, a survey had been carried out to gather information about a wide range of facts about pupils in the class. Pupils then used the search facility to analyse key information and realised

p.24

Commentary

how important it was to word questions carefully. Pupils then produced good quality column and pie-graphs to show their findings.

p.24

Commentary

55. In addition to using the computer suites and classroom computers, pupils have regular access to a good range of resources, including Roamer floor models, digital cameras, Shoreham Beach Community First School - 25 tape recorders, and the Internet to gather information under supervision. Pupils enjoy all lessons immensely and make very good progress in increasing their knowledge, skills and understanding.

p.24

Commentary

56. Leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator has created a stimulating learning environment in the school and ensures that all teachers are confident with the equipment. Interactive whiteboards are used to very good effect in classrooms. Regular detailed assessment takes place to track pupils’ progress and the information is used very effectively to plan the next steps in learning.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57. Pupils develop their ICT skills very well in links with other subjects. In mathematics, pupils in Year 1 use a programmable floor robot when investigating measurement and direction. Pupils in Year 2 design Islamic prayer mats in links with religious education and art and design. In literacy, pupils use the keyboard when word-processing to assemble text and add graphics to enhance their presentations. Digital cameras and the Internet are used particularly well to enhance work in science, history and geography.

p.25

History

58. Work was only sampled in history, as no lessons were seen and insufficient evidence was available to make a firm judgement on provision, teaching or standards. However, an analysis of pupils’ work and displays show that pupils are achieving well and the school is meeting statutory requirements. Work shows progression in the understanding of time periods, comparing modern times with people and events in the past and explaining how and why certain events happen. Visits, visitors and theme days, such as Fire of London day, enhance pupil’s enjoyment and understanding. The subject is well resourced with books, artefacts, CD-ROM, website lists and videos.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Skills are taught well and pupils are given relevant opportunities to use them. • The local environment is used well as a source for geographical fieldwork.

p.25

Commentary

59. All pupils achieve well and attain standards that are above average by Year 2. These good standards are maintained in Year 3 as pupils make further good progress in their learning. Standards have improved since the previous inspection when they were judged to be average.

p.25

Commentary

60. In lessons on mapping skills, Year 1 pupils talked knowledgeably about their work, using technical vocabulary. Older pupils in Years 2 and 3 are increasingly able to compare other places to their own environment and understand how places like their Shoreham Beach Community First School - 26 local beach have evolved. A new system is being developed to improve assessment in geography and will be ready to trial in autumn 2005.

p.25

Commentary

61. Geography topics are taught well as part of wider themes and link well to other subjects. Opportunities are planned for pupils to apply acquired knowledge and skills in practical ways, giving meaning to their learning. One example of this was seen in Year 1, where the theme of ‘Farms and Food’ effectively linked literacy, research using a CD-Rom and digital photography for taking aerial views of objects. These activities prepared pupils very well for their farm visit in the near future and links will also include science, when growing plants and art work when sketching. The local area is used effectively as a resource for geographical investigation, demonstrated through traffic surveys, walks to investigate types of homes and visits to the local beach to support work on erosion. A local feature, Widewater Lagoon, offers pupils an opportunity to study aspects of conservation.

p.26

Commentary

62. Subject leadership and management are good. Changes have been made to the geography programme of learning to introduce Barnaby Bear as the instrument for finding out about and comparing other places. Families take bears with them on holiday and pupils report back to their class and sometimes to the whole school in assemblies, on the different features and characteristics of different areas visited. Pupils have responded with great enthusiasm and more bears have had to be bought to satisfy the demand to book a bear to take on holiday to satisfy pupils’ desire to learn more.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality multi-faith work is a strong feature of the teaching in religious education. • Good use is made of resources and visits to stimulate pupils’ learning. • Pupils’ spiritual development benefits from the many good opportunities they have to reflect and think about issues that are raised.

p.26

Commentary

63. Pupils’ achievement in religious education is good, enabling them to reach above average standards by the end of Year 2. In Year 3 pupils continue to achieve well as they gain a greater understanding of different religions and their impact upon people’s lives. This is an improvement from the time of the previous inspection, when standards were judged to be average. The school has successfully continued to seek improvement since that time. Pupils of all capabilities, including those with special educational needs, make equally good progress.

p.26

Commentary

64. Teaching and learning are good. The teaching is sometimes inspirational, ensuring that pupils make relevant links between aspects of faiths. Pupils are taught to become aware that different faiths have similarities and differences when they compare Christianity with the Muslim faith. Pupils learn how people of these religions have sought to explain the creation of the world. The different celebrations and festivals are discussed with great interest. In this way, teachers help pupils understand that people have differing views such as the importance of the cross to Christians and the five pillars of Islam to Muslims. They recognise features of special religious artefacts and of religious life and practice after visiting different local churches, including Chichester Shoreham Beach Community First School - 27 Cathedral. Pupils also carry out research into aspects of other faiths from a range of sources. Pupils’ learning is good. In their recorded work they effectively retell religious

p.26

Commentary

stories and learn about different values and commitments, including identifying aspects of their own experience and feelings that are important to them such as helping others and friendships. Pupils discover how people from the past, such as St Richard, made a great difference to others’ lives by helping them. They appreciate that people celebrate different occasions for particular reasons. They respond sensitively to this information, which helps them learn from religion as well as about religion and this enriches their spiritual and moral development greatly.

p.27

Commentary

65. Leadership and management of the subject are good because the curriculum is planned in an inclusive way, which enables pupils to learn and understand different world faiths, including Christianity. The curriculum is broad and balanced and well supported by an interesting range of resources and artefacts. This enables pupils to learn and achieve well. The subject is carefully monitored to ensure a good overview of teaching and learning in order to find out where success is achieved and where improvements can be made.

p.27

Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very confident and greatly enjoy producing creative activities. • Pupils are provided with a very wide range of learning styles, media and materials. • The teaching of skills and techniques is strongly emphasised. • Very good links are made between art, other subjects and the wider community.

p.27

Commentary

66. Achievement in art and design is very good and the quality of the vibrant artwork on display and in portfolios shows that standards are well above average by the end of Year 2. Pupils in Year 3 continue to achieve very well and make further improvements in their knowledge and creative skills. Pupils speak with great confidence about their work and how they have developed it, referring to known artists and styles, often using good technical vocabulary. They are encouraged to share ideas and difficulties, and to speak about differences and similarities in each other’s work, enabling them to adapt and improve their work successfully.

p.27

Commentary

67. Teaching and learning are very good. Very good teaching in lessons observed included direct teaching of skills and techniques in embroidery and collage, so pupils show corresponding very good progress in learning and produce effective art and craft work. Activities include extended projects inspired by the work of Georgia O’Keefe and cubist artists respectively. These projects represent some of the rich variety of pupils’ artistic experience, for example, textile design, batik and dyeing, stitching, layering techniques for collage, and selecting complementary and contrasting textures and colours. Progression for teaching of skills and techniques is clearly set out for teachers and is evident in pupils’ work. Many art activities are preceded by research using books and ICT resources, giving pupils a very good starting point for their work. There Shoreham Beach Community First School - 28 are some very good examples of sketchbooks being used for exploring ideas,

p.27

Commentary

experimenting with techniques, early design concepts and free artistic expression.

p.28

Commentary

68. Art and design is effectively linked to other areas of the curriculum and helps pupils consolidate and broaden their understanding. The local seaside environment and materials are used very effectively to produce artwork and sculpture. The study of Hinduism is an example of how pupils learn about other cultures and religion through art. Very good textile work was also linked to the story of Joseph, and stained glass work in felt tip on acetate resulted from a visit to Chichester Cathedral.

p.28

Commentary

69. The subject is very well led and managed by the co-ordinator, who chairs the local Adur Arts committee and is instrumental in the school’s participation in the festival events, extending pupils’ involvement with the community. The co-ordinator works closely with an art specialist on the staff to review the school’s own scheme of work so that pupils remain stimulated and enthusiastic about art. A detailed progression of a skills chart helps teachers assess the achievement of pupils and plan next steps for development.

p.28

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well due to the teaching of specific skills. • Good teaching ensures that skills are extended as pupils move through the school. • Pupils follow a rich and varied programme with good links to other subjects. • The subject is well led and managed.

p.28

Commentary

70. Standards have been successfully maintained since the previous inspection at above average levels in Year 2 and Year 3. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well as a result of good teaching and a strong emphasis on the basic skills of the subject. For example, the design process is developed progressively across the classes with carefully constructed examples, which provide helpful guidance for pupils to focus on recording their ideas, observations and evaluations.

p.28

Commentary

71. National guidance documents are used well by teachers to ensure that each of the two units of study each year is covered in depth. Pupils are provided with good experiences of different materials, tools and techniques including food technology. They have a good understanding of the key elements of design and technology as a discrete subject with strong evidence also of beneficial links with other subjects. For example in Year 1, food technology units link closely with learning in science, and in Shoreham Beach Community First School - 29 Years 2 and 3 pupils use their very good art techniques to make and decorate Joseph’s coat of many colours. Special themed events, such as the workshop sessions based on the theme of the seaside, provide valuable experiences that enrich the whole curriculum as well as promoting the specific skills of design and technology.

p.28

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning are good overall. In lessons, teachers use their very secure knowledge of the subject to provide clear explanations and to encourage the use of correct terminology such as ‘input and output’ and ‘pneumatic’. In a very good lesson, the teacher provided pupils with very good opportunities to examine a variety of products such as a bicycle pump, recorder and wind chimes as they explored the movement of air. This led to high levels of interest among pupils as they enthusiastically gained new knowledge in readiness for constructing their own moving monsters. They were keen to share ideas and used labelled diagrams to record them carefully. Teachers’ high expectations are seen in the good quality finish that pupils apply to their models and other work.

p.29

Commentary

73. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator provides good support for colleagues. Her regular reviews and prompt action to deal with priorities ensure that provision and standards are maintained at a good level. There are good arrangements for checking and recording pupils’ progress. They are manageable and therefore used consistently by all staff. A good range of resources is used well to support learning.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in a wide range of musical skills. • Teachers plan challenging and relevant activities in lessons. • Pupils are encouraged to learn to play instruments and do so keenly.

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Commentary

74. Pupils achieve well and by the end of Year 2 and Year 3, standards are above average. This is an improvement from the time of the previous inspection when standards were average. Pupils with special educational needs also enjoy the subject greatly and make good progress. Boys and girls achieve equally well and with the same high levels of interest. Pupils of all ages sing tunefully, expressively and with enjoyment in lessons and in assemblies. Pupils maintain the beat, tempo and pitch of songs very well because teachers inspire and support them very well. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 30 75. Teaching and learning are good overall. Activities are well planned to interest and engage pupils, for example, when a range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments were used very well by pupils in Years 2 and 3 to produce different sounds representing a busy shopping supermarket. Pupils improvised very creatively

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Commentary

to compose phrases representing the different layers of sound, including conversation, different machines and even customer announcements. They performed with good control and rhythmic accuracy reflecting the high levels of confidence that pupils develop and the good learning and achievement that is evident. From Year 1, pupils learn to sing a range of songs tunefully and in unison and develop more advanced skills as they progress through the school. In one singing lesson observed, pupils made good progress because the teaching was challenging and enthusiastic. Pupils sang in two parts, maintaining their own part very well, sustaining very good levels of concentration throughout the lesson. In Year 3, many pupils learn to play recorders and make good progress in developing their individual performing skills. Pupils in Years 2 and 3 attend an after school Samba music club and play tuned and untuned percussion instruments well with good variations in structure and dynamics.

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Commentary

76. The subject is led and managed well by the enthusiastic co-ordinator. A good range of activities, based on national guidance, is recommended and builds up pupils’ skills in a progressive way. The subject is greatly enhanced by good resources, which are used effectively to extend pupils’ skills and enjoyment. Regular performances are put on for parents in school, the most impressive being the summer concert. Senior citizens are also invited to the school to provide further opportunities for children to perform to a wider audience.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are highly motivated and as a result, achieve well and enjoy their lessons. • The co-ordinator provides enthusiastic and knowledgeable leadership.

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Commentary

77. Lessons were observed in games and gymnastics in Years 2 and 3 and in dance in Year 1. Standards attained in these sessions were above average and this is an improvement since the previous inspection when standards were judged to be average. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieved well. This was often as a result of good support by teaching assistants who helped by coaching and encouraging particular pupils as well as assisting with behaviour management where necessary. Boys and girls responded with great enthusiasm and there was no difference in the standards they attained. Teachers managed this enthusiasm very well and channelled it into successful learning.

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Commentary

78. A well-balanced curriculum provides a good variety of experiences for pupils including well-attended extra-curricular activities. Teachers make good use of the recently introduced scheme of work to ensure that basic skills are developed year-on-year. As a result, older pupils in particular, show good levels of control and co-ordination and good awareness of space as they move around the hall and playground. However, on a few occasions, their ability to learn from each other is not as highly developed as it Shoreham Beach Community First School - 31 could be, as they are not always given enough opportunities to talk about and evaluate their own and each other’s work.

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Commentary

79. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. Teachers establish very clear routines to ensure a safe learning environment, as when pupils worked well together to set up the large apparatus in a gymnastics lesson. The teacher’s high expectations were evident in her good strategies to help pupils refine their movements. Her very good subject expertise enabled her to maintain a brisk pace and to provide constructive feedback to help pupils improve their balances and sequences. Teachers are very good role models and pupils take full advantage of their guidance and demonstrations. In a games lesson, this led to good gains by all pupils in bouncing, dribbling and striking large and small balls. They followed instructions closely and practised hard to improve their techniques.

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Commentary

80. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and provides good leadership and management. This is evident in the support provided for colleagues when introducing and trialling the new planning framework. It is also to be seen in her positive response to teachers’ views on assessment by modifying existing arrangements to ensure they provide the sort of specific information about pupils’ progress that teachers need. Resources are good and used well to support pupils’ learning.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school promotes these areas very well and pupils mature very well as a result. • Teachers and other adults provide very good role models. • Pupils make very good contributions to the life of the school.

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Commentary

81. Pupils achieve very well and by the end of Year 2 standards are well above those normally seen. Year 3 pupils continue to achieve very well as they further develop their skills. In and about the school, it is evident that relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good. Teachers and teaching assistants provide very good role models and work very hard to develop pupils’ skills during their time in the school. The planned programme for pupils’ personal, social, health education and citizenship meets statutory requirements, and has a very positive impact on pupils’ personal and social development. From the time they start in reception, young children are given regular and very good opportunities to gain self-esteem and self-confidence. Pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 are encouraged and supported very well to further develop responsible behaviour, both in the classroom and beyond it. Pupils are encouraged to

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Commentary

learn what it means to be helpful, considerate and mature members of their school community.

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Commentary

82. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. The school attaches great importance to pupils’ personal development. Teachers deal very sensitively with issues such as feelings and emotions, attitudes towards others and personal safety. Many of these are dealt with effectively in specific group discussions in class, and also in subjects such as science and religious education. Well-planned sessions have a significant impact on pupils’ spiritual and moral development as well. Good links are Shoreham Beach Community First School - 32 made with key local services and are used very well to build confidence in pupils and their families.

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Commentary

83. Leadership and management of the subject are very good and positive steps are taken to ensure that pupils are included in the decisions made. Pupils are very interested in the life of the school and enjoy taking responsibility. Each class has its own class council to discuss matters relevant to them. Each class also elects representatives to the school council, to discuss matters of wider concern. Pupils enjoy being involved in the development of the school and have some clear ideas about what they would like to see improved. They have recently discussed such matters as the appointment of beach garden wardens to supervise this popular quiet area in the school grounds. All of these elements help to promote the very calm, caring and supportive atmosphere of the school and encourage pupils to become responsible citizens in the future. Shoreham Beach Community First School - 33

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 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 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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