St Andrew's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, Totteridge

VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16 th – 19 th May 2005

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VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 3 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. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 209

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Green Totteridge London Postcode: N20 8NX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8445 6157 Fax number: n/a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R McDougall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is just outside the town centre of Totteridge in Barnet in North London. The school holds Church of England voluntary aided status. There are 209 pupils on roll with a slightly higher percentage of boys than girls. The school is about the same size as other primary schools. Pupil mobility is at a below average level. Most pupils are of white ethnic origin, although there is a percentage of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds, four of whom are at an early stage of learning and mastering English. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is broadly in line with the national average, and the percentage of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs also being average. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is very low, and well below the national average. Attainment when children start at the school covers the full ability range and while there is some variation from year-to-year, in general it is above

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

average. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 16493 Mr N Sherman Lead inspector Mathematics, art and design, design and technology, English as an additional language, personal, social and health education and citizenship. 32768 Mrs J Mansfield Lay inspector 31334 Mrs B Atcheson Team inspector Foundation Stage, science, physical education and music. 26232 Mr C Grove Team inspector English, information and communication technology, history, geography and special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS 34

St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education and is improving. Standards are high and achievement is good in mathematics and science, but need to be higher in information and communication technology. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good features. The leadership of the school is satisfactory, although there are shortcomings in management. It is a school that is now well aware of the areas that it needs to tackle to help pupils achieve better. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve well in mathematics and science but achievement in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory. • The acting headteacher has initiated a number of constructive initiatives that are moving the school forward following a period where too little educational development has taken place. • There is no clear, realistic and suitably costed improvement plan. • Children in the Foundation Stage do not get a good enough start to their education. • Most pupils work hard in lessons and there is a high level of racial harmony, • The curriculum is enhanced well by an interesting range of extra-curricular activities. • Attendance rates are very high. • A number of health and safety issues have been brought to the attention of the governors. • The use of assessment information is unsatisfactory. • The quality and range of the accommodation are poor.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Overall progress since the previous inspection has been too slow. However, the acting head with support from the local education authority is systematically addressing weaknesses in provision and improvement in recent months has been good. Although pupils have performed consistently very well in National Curriculum tests, historical shortcomings in the leadership and management of the school have curtailed developments in other areas of the school’s work. The school is now well placed to continue and improve.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English A* A* A A mathematics A* A* A* A* science A A A B Key: A* - very high; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 8 Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall . The end of Year 6 National Curriculum test results for 2004 indicated that pupils reached standards that were very high in mathematics and well above average in English and science. When compared with similar schools on the basis of prior attainment, results are very high in mathematics, well above average in English and above average in science. Inspection findings indicate that pupils reach standards that are well above the national average in mathematics and above average in English and science. Pupils achieve well in mathematics and science aided by the good teaching they receive. Achievement in English is satisfactory and not as strong as in mathematics as a result of some weaknesses in teaching. While improving, standards are below national expectations in information and communication technology and pupils are capable of a higher level of achievement in this subject. Standards and achievement in all other subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Inspection findings indicate that standards at the end of Year 2 are well above average in mathematics, and above average in English and science. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily and achievement in mathematics is good. Standards in all other inspected subjects are at an average level and achievement is generally satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children under-achieve in the Foundation Stage and their progress is held back by the shortcomings in provision. While they often reach standards that are in line with the Early Learning Goals for children of this age, given the good levels of ability they demonstrate when they start school, the children are capable of reaching far higher standards.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily. This reflects the recent improved provision. The high number of pupils who are higher-attaining achieve well and this high achievement is due to the highly effective and targeted teaching they receive in small withdrawal groups. Achievement by pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory overall . There are, however, strengths in their social and moral development. Restricted space limits the school’s scope to develop the pupils’ ability to work independently and follow their own lines of enquiry in their learning. Behaviour and attitudes are good. Attendance rates are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory overall, but there are shortcomings in provision for children in the Foundation Stage. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and there are strengths in how mathematics is taught. The monitoring of pupils with special educational needs is now secure. There are shortcomings in how the information from assessment is used and transferred into planning work that all pupils find challenging. The curriculum is satisfactory overall and complemented well by the learning opportunities beyond the school day. Although the school suffers from the restrictions imposed by being on common law St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 9 land, the quality, range, and décor of the school’s accommodation are poor. Pupils are well known to the staff as individuals but there are a number of health and safety issues that have been brought to the attention of the governing body and on which

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

the school is planning to take swift action. Links with parents are satisfactory, and the local community is used well to support pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is satisfactory , although there are shortcomings in how the school plans, financially supports and evaluates educational developments. The acting headteacher has provided the school with stability and the staff are committed to moving the school forward and to overcoming the lack of opportunities they have had to develop their role. The governors are supportive of the school and their understanding of how best to support the school in moving forward and holding it to account for the standards it reaches is improving as they work more closely with the headteacher.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very supportive in the day-to-day life of the school and the efforts of the Parent Teacher Association, for example, contribute much to the school and its finances. The inspection findings support some of the concerns expressed by parents about the quality of information they receive about the day-to-day life at the school and about certain issues concerning the building in relation to health and safety.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are happy at school and enjoy what the school provides for them. They value the scope they are given to have a say in the decisions that are made in the school that may affect them.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Devise and implement a clear improvement plan that provides a clear picture of and for the school’s development; • Implement effective strategies for measuring the success of teaching and learning; • Raise achievement in information and communication technology; • Build on recent developments to improve provision for children in the Foundation Stage; • Make greater use of assessment information in planning pupils’ learning and the school’s development; • Improve the overall appearance and physical development of the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Tackle the health and safety issues brought to the attention of the governors. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Children do not achieve well enough in the Foundation Stage. In Years 1 – 6, pupils achieve satisfactorily in English and well in mathematics and science. Pupils reach high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement in most other subjects is satisfactory , although that in information and communication technology, while improving is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are high in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. • Standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Pupils achieve well in mathematics and science by the time they leave the school. • Higher-attaining pupils achieve well in National Curriculum tests. • Children under-achieve in the Foundation Stage. • Although standards in information and communication technology are below expectations, achievement is improving.

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Commentary

1. Children do not achieve as well as they could in the Foundation Stage. Although improvements in provision are being made through the staff development programme initiated by the local education authority, children do not build on the good levels of attainment many demonstrate when they first enter the school. Although children achieve the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematical, physical, creative development as well as their general knowledge and understanding of the world, standards in their personal, social and emotional development are below expectations.

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 18.9 (18.6) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.5 (16.9) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 19.4 (20.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 11 2. The above table shows that in the 2004 National Curriculum tests, pupils reached standards that were very high in reading, and mathematics. In writing, standards were well above average. When compared with similar schools, standards were equally very high in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. Over four years, standards have been consistently high in reading, writing and mathematics. 3. Inspection findings indicate that pupils reach well above the national average in reading and above average standards in writing. In mathematics, standards are very high. In science, standards are above average. Pupils of all abilities in

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Key Stage 1

Years 1 and 2 generally achieve satisfactorily given their above average levels of ability on entry to the school, and achievement in mathematics is good. Standards in information and communication technology are below average and achievement is unsatisfactory. There is greater scope for better use to be made of computers to support pupils’ learning across different subjects of the curriculum. Standards in all other inspected subjects are average and pupils achieve satisfactorily. There is no significant evidence of differences in achievement between boys and girls in any subjects.

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 29.8 (29.7) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 31.0 (30.3) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.6 (30.7) 28.6 (28.6) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

4. On the basis of the 2004 National Curriculum tests for Year 6 pupils, attainment was well above the national average in English, and science. In mathematics, standards were very high and in the top five per cent of schools in the country. When compared with similar schools on the basis of prior attainment, the school’s results were very high, in the top 5 per cent, in mathematics. In English the results were well above average and in science they were above average. The school’s rate of improvement is slightly below the national trend, although the standards that pupils have reached in the national tests have been very high over time. In three out of the last four years, for example, the results in mathematics have been in the top five per cent of schools in the country.

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Key Stage 2

5. Inspection findings indicate that standards are well above average overall in mathematics and English and above average in science. Achievement in mathematics and science is good. In English it is satisfactory. In English, pupils are capable, for example, of working at and producing more sustained pieces of writing and that may also include more creative use of information and communication technology. Standards in most other subjects are in line with national expectations. The exception is in information and communication technology where standards are below expectations. Achievement in information and communication technology is improving following the raft of St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 12 measures introduced by the school designed to improve the use of computers in pupils’ day-to-day learning.

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Key Stage 2

6. The inspection findings could find no marked difference between boys or girls, although the National Curriculum test results point to the girls performing slightly better over time in English and science. Pupils with special educational needs are achieving satisfactorily, and as well as other pupils. The few pupils who are receiving support to aid their use and fluency in English achieve satisfactorily.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to their learning. Behaviour is good and there is a high level of racial harmony among pupils. Attendance rates are well above average. Provision for pupils’ personal development is satisfactory overall with strengths evident in the provision made for their moral and social development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils work hard in lessons and are keen to do well. • Behaviour is good overall, but stronger in the upper part of the school. • There is a high level of racial harmony among pupils the school does not accept any form of harassment. • There is good provision for the pupils’ social and moral development. • Attendance rates are well above average.

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Commentary

7. The majority of pupils have good attitudes to their learning and work hard in lessons. They are keen to succeed and there is a high participation rate in the extra-curricular activities that the school provides. Pupils are curious about their learning and in lessons, the vast majority listen carefully to the teacher’s explanations and listen attentively to others when their classmates are asked to share their views in the class. There are instances, particularly in the lower part of the school, where pupils need be reminded that interrupting lessons punctures both their own and the learning of others.

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Commentary

8. Behaviour in the school is good. Pupils are well aware of the ground rules in place to assist the smooth movement around the school. Older pupils are mature and sensible when on the school playground helping to overcome the limitations of this. Of note is the very high level of racial harmony. Pupils from different ethnic groups are fully included in all that the school has to offer and their particular customs and festivals are celebrated at different times of the year. The school has firm procedures in place to ensure that any issues relating to bullying are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils are fully aware of what these are and know that matters in respect of any inappropriate behaviour are to be brought quickly to the attention of staff.

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Commentary

9. The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is satisfactory overall. Spiritual development is satisfactory and is promoted through whole-school St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 13 assemblies, which focus on such themes as ‘fairness’. On such occasions, pupils have opportunities to consider relevant aspects of the teachings of Jesus. Teachers and pupils speak prayers in a reverential way. The school has good links with St Andrew’s church. The vicar leads a school assembly on a weekly basis, and pupils visit the church on several celebrations each year. Provision for moral and social development is good. The school helps pupils to distinguish right from wrong, using moral principles discussed in assemblies. During the inspection, one pupil was especially commended for the initiative shown in raising money for a charity through a sponsored swim.

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Commentary

10. Social development is promoted through the School Council. Its members are drawn from all classes. They are given opportunities to offer comment on the organisation of the school, and their suggestions are often acted on. Work in personal, social and health education also benefits pupils’ development. On occasions, some teachers provide pupils with opportunities to discuss an aspect of their present learning through the use of ‘response partners’, though this approach to generating contributions to whole-class discussion is not used elsewhere in the school. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 6 had a good opportunity to learn about the impact of Martin Luther King, and pupils in Year 4 had the chance to investigate aspects of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. However, opportunities for cultural, including multi-cultural, learning are not as well developed as they

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Commentary

11. Attendance is very good. The school has good procedures to encourage attendance and is well supported by parents. Punctuality is also good . Most pupils arrive in time for school, although traffic congestion sometimes affects the punctuality of pupils who travel to school by car. The school works effectively with the Education Welfare Officer where absence or lateness persists or is unexplained. There have been no exclusions during the past academic year.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 3.7 School data: 0.2 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although it is unsatisfactory in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is satisfactory , and there is good provision for pupils’ learning beyond the formal curriculum. The range and use of assessment procedures are unsatisfactory St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 14 overall, but better in English, mathematics and science. Accommodation is poor . Resources are satisfactory overall. Care of the pupils is satisfactory overall, but the governors are aware of the shortcomings in this area. Links with parents are satisfactory and there are good links with the local community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory in Years 1 - 6, but unsatisfactory in the Foundation Stage. Assessment is unsatisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in mathematics and science in Years 3 - 6. • Those with special educational needs and English as an additional language are given good individual support in lessons. • While improving, historical shortcomings in the teaching of information and communication technology limits pupils’ achievement. • There are gaps in the teacher’s confidence and knowledge in planning and organising learning for children in the Foundation Stage. • The school has yet to develop a whole school approach to assessing pupils’ progress in all subjects of the curriculum. • The marking of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 15

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Commentary

12. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall in Years 1 - 6 and unsatisfactory for the children in the Foundation Stage. Too few robust procedures to monitor teaching and learning have been developed since the previous inspection. Consequently, teachers have limited opportunities to share good practice or develop a consistent approach to teaching.

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Commentary

13. While there is some satisfactory teaching in the Foundation Stage, the overall quality is unsatisfactory and accounts for the largest percentage of unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Consequently, the children do not build on the good skills many demonstrate when they commence their full time education and their achievement is unsatisfactory. Too little use is made of imaginative play to support the children in their learning. The planning of children’s learning is disorganised and the children are not always sufficiently clear on what they are expected to learn. As a result, their learning and attention in lessons drifts. Limitations in the school’s accommodation further restrict teaching as too few of the children have regular access to outside play that builds on what they are attempting to learn in the classroom. The school has put into place a robust plan to address these issues.

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Commentary

14. The most effective teaching is to be seen in mathematics. Not only is this good in day-to-day lessons, but the school makes good use of the skills and enthusiasm of the part-time teacher who teaches many of the pupils in small groups at different times of the year. These sessions are characterised by high challenge and work often consisting of open ended problems that pupils find highly interesting and motivating. Homework is used well to build on the pupils’ learning in these lessons. This highly effective teaching makes a powerful contribution to the pupils’ high level of interest in the subject and the high standards and levels of achievement.

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Commentary

15. Where teaching is good in other subjects, it is characterised by the good rapport that many of the staff have established with the pupils. The pupils respond by producing work that reflects their interest and ability. Most lessons are introduced well and pupils are clear about what they are expected to achieve by the end of a session. Less successful lessons are characterised by lack of pace and pupils are not given sufficient reminders about the amount of time they have left to complete their work. Plenary sessions, where pupils are reconvened by the teacher to explore what they may have learned or found difficult are not always used enough by teachers to enable the pupils to share their learning with others or give the teacher a sufficiently clear idea of how successful their teaching has been.

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Commentary

16. Overall teaching is satisfactory. Teachers work very hard to overcome the impact that restrictions in teaching space present. Practical subjects are still suitably planned for and pupils are able to use a range of suitable resources in art and design or design and technology. The staff work hard to overcome the limitations of the outside space for physical education by making make good use of the amenities in the local area such as the local cricket ground to boost provision. Although the teaching of information and communication technology St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 16 is improving, limitations historically in what the school has provided in terms of resources in lessons has limited the pupils’ overall achievement in this subject.

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Commentary

17. Pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Many pupils are curious and interested in what they are asked to learn and they work hard to solve the problems they are set. Many receive good support from their parents in terms of completing homework, reading or in tackling research tasks that they are set and are further contributory factors to the satisfactory level of achievement.

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Commentary

18. The learning of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language is sometimes well supported in classrooms by the co- ordinator for special educational needs and another specialist teacher. These teachers know pupils’ individual education plans and support pupils accordingly. Where pupils are withdrawn from their classrooms for specialist support, for instance for one-to-one help with reading, they are well taught using a good range of effective techniques.

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Commentary

19. The school has a satisfactory range of procedures to monitor and track the pupils’ academic progress in English, mathematics and science as they move through the school. However, too little use is made of the information gained to make sure that work is planned systematically and builds on what the pupils already know. In some classes too much of the work is pitched at the whole class rather than taking into account the needs and particular abilities of the pupils. In addition, there is no whole school approach to tracking the pupils’ progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science making it difficult as a result to get a clear idea of pupils’ academic progress in all subjects. Further shortcomings in assessment lie in how teachers mark pupils’ work. The quality of this is unsatisfactory overall and does not give pupils clear guidance on what they have achieved or on how they could improve their

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 33 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 3 (9) 9 (27) 16 (48) 5 (15) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum for pupils in Years 1 - 6. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory . Curriculum enrichment and provision for extra-curricular activities are good . Accommodation is poor and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum in the Foundation Stage does not cover the full range of activities. • The arrangements for enhancing pupils’ personal, social and health education are good. • An interesting range of extra-curricular activities enriches the curriculum. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 17 • The quality and range of the accommodation is poor.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage does not plan to take national guidance into account and is unsatisfactory overall. The school is aware of the need to improve the curriculum and is working closely with the local education authority in this respect

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Commentary

21. The curriculum for pupils in Years 1 - 6 is satisfactory overall and meets statutory requirements. The themes that the pupils study are often covered in sufficient depth, and all subjects are allocated an adequate amount of time. However, teachers do not always plan for and capitalise on the opportunities that arise to enhance pupils’ competencies in information and communication technology in different subjects of the curriculum. Improvement overall in curricular provision has been satisfactory since the last inspection. The school places due emphasis on promoting pupils’ learning of literacy and numeracy skills both within subjects in their own right and through other subjects.

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Commentary

22. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. It is taught as a discrete subject and also runs through other subjects. Visitors provide expertise on areas such as sex and drugs education and pupils gain a good insight into these aspects as they move through the school. The school provides a varied programme of experiences to enrich the curriculum and benefit all pupils. These contribute very effectively to pupils’ educational and personal development. Pupils benefit from an extensive range of visits and visitors, including a residential trip for Year 6. Provision for the arts and sport is good and inspection evidence supports parents’ views that the school provides a good range of additional activities, which their children enjoy.

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Commentary

23. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the curriculum and are sometimes taught by specialist teachers either alongside other pupils or separately. The support and teaching provided by these members of staff are good. The provision of learning support assistants in the school is restricted to Year 1 and Year 2, and to a small number of hours per week, so that their effectiveness is limited. The special educational needs room does not afford adequate space for small-group work for pupils with special educational needs, but provision in terms of the resources for pupils is good.

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Commentary

24. After a period where it was not always the case, pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans which are now of a good standard and reflect well the needs of the pupils concerned. These plans are regularly reviewed by the co-ordinator for special educational needs, in conjunction with teaching staff and pupils’ parents. The individual education plans include short- term curriculum or behavioural targets, which are well detailed, and also the strategies to be adopted to support these pupils. Where necessary, there is effective liaison with external agencies, such as the range of specialist services offered by the local education authority. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 18 25. The quality of the accommodation is poor. Although the school suffers severely from the historical and legal difficulties as a result of being built on common ground, the overall décor is nonetheless dull and unattractive and in need of

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Commentary

considerable attention. Classrooms are small and although teachers have learned to teach within these limits, crowded classrooms particularly impact on the provision in the Foundation Stage and in subjects such as art and design and design and technology. There is no library to encourage pupils’ study and research skills and nor is there an information and communication technology suite, although the school has invested heavily in laptop provision to overcome this limitation. The school is working hard to overcome these difficulties.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is satisfactory . Pupils receive satisfactory guidance and support and have good opportunities to contribute their views. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 19

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very good relationships with teachers and other staff. • Induction arrangements for pupils starting in Reception are unsatisfactory. • There are some health and safety issues that need to be tackled.

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Commentary

26. This is a caring school where staff know their pupils well. The full-time welfare assistant plays a significant role in ensuring pupils’ welfare and pastoral support. There are good procedures in place and several members of staff are trained in first-aid should the need arise. Staff are conscientious in administering and recording medication and aware of the needs of children with potentially serious conditions such as asthma and food allergies. Child protection procedures are satisfactory.

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Commentary

27. The school has achieved the Healthy Schools Award and the personal, social and health education programme ensures that pupils have a good understanding of the value of pursuing a safe and healthy lifestyle. Regular health and safety checks of school premises are carried out by school staff and governors. During the inspection a number of health and safety issues were raised by inspectors and the school immediately agreed to conduct further risk assessments of the areas of possible concern.

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Commentary

28. There are very good relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils feel that teachers and other school staff are friendly and approachable. They say they are confident that should they have any concerns or problems staff will listen and provide high quality advice and support. The monitoring of pupils’ personal development is satisfactory in that the staff know the strengths and weaknesses of pupils both academically and from a personal point of view. There is a need, however, to sharpen the use that is made of assessment information in ensuring that the work that is set for pupils is a fair reflection of what they are able to achieve yet at the same time pushes them to a still higher level of performance.

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Commentary

29. Parents’ responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire express the views that their children are treated fairly and encouraged to do their best as well as becoming suitably independent as they move through the school. Inspectors agree that by the time pupils leave the school they are mature, confident and prepared for the transition to secondary education. However, a significant number of parents express concerns at the arrangements for children starting in Reception. Inspection findings confirm that current induction procedures are not satisfactory. The school is already aware of this and new arrangements are to be introduced from September 2005.

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Commentary

30. Pupils have good opportunities to contribute their views. They feel that the School Council is a positive way to discuss improvements and they value the scope they are given to have a say in the day-to-day life of the school. A good example of the council’s effectiveness is the ‘Friendship Bench’ in the playground. Each year, pupils in all year groups are involved in setting their St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 20 own class rules. This allows pupils to share their ideas and opinions, and also helps to ensure that the rules are known and understood by all.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Partnerships with parents and other schools are satisfactory . Links with the community are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is taking clear and effective action to promote good relationships with parents. • Pupils’ learning experiences are suitably enhanced through strong links with the local community and a good range of outside visits and school visitors. • Information provided to parents about the school and progress is not regular and informative. • The school does not systematically seek, value and act upon parents’ views.

p.20

Commentary

31. Parents’ views expressed through the pre-inspection questionnaire and meeting are generally positive about the school. Almost all parents feel that their child likes school and is making good progress. Parents are involved and support the school in a number of ways. This includes regular class helpers and volunteers for school trips and the swimming rota. There is also an extremely active and vibrant Parent Teacher Association, which raises much appreciated funds for school equipment such as laptop computers.

p.20

Commentary

32. A significant minority of parents expressed concerns about information provided about their child’s work and progress and how parents can help at home. They feel the school is not approachable if they have concerns, and that their views are not sufficiently sought or acted upon. There are parent consultation evenings in the autumn and spring terms. In the summer term, pupils’ annual reports are issued and there is an opportunity for parents to discuss the reports with class teachers and to look at their child’s work. Parents receive a termly curriculum statement showing what their children will learn each term. However, the school does not supplement these events with sufficiently regular or informative written information for parents. Newsletters are only issued at the start of each term. The school prospectus is out of date. Reports do not include the chance for parents or the pupils to add comments of their own. The acting

p.20

Commentary

headteacher, however, had already acknowledged these shortcomings and has put into place some of the building blocks needed to turn this situation around. The school values its partnership with parents and acknowledges that improvements are needed. During the inspection, parents expressed the view that there had already been a number of positive changes under the current head.

p.20

Commentary

33. The school participates with other local primary schools to broaden pupils’ learning experience through joint events such as netball and football tournaments. Links with other schools in the local authority network provide staff with opportunities to share experience and knowledge. Developing links St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 21 with local colleges are bringing expertise to pupils and staff, including support for information and communication technology, and music tuition for older pupils.

p.20

Commentary

34. Links with the local and wider community are a strength of the school and benefit both pupils and residents. Local businesses provide support which enhances the curriculum, such as talks on healthy eating and pizza making. Visits draw upon local resources, such as a walk on ‘The Green’ for younger pupils and regular trips to the parish church. Trips further afield, including a residential trip for older pupils, contribute well to pupils’ learning. The school hall is regularly used for a range of clubs and provides a venue for local residents to hold functions at weekends. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 22

p.21

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher provides the school with clear leadership. The management of key staff is satisfactory . The governance of the school is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Since her appointment to the post, the acting head has provided the school with much stability following a period where morale in the school was low. • There is a strong commitment by staff to tackle identified shortcomings. • Monitoring procedures have been put into place but are at an early stage of development for them to be fully effective. • There is no clear and prioritised school improvement plan that outlines priorities for improvement and is supported by realistic financial planning. • The governing body have yet to develop robust procedures that would give it a clear idea of what areas of the school need improvement and how best they could support this process.

p.22

Commentary

35. The deputy headteacher has taken on the role of acting headteacher from January 2005. Since then, she has worked hard to develop an atmosphere of trust and a collegiate style of management within the school. It is currently being satisfactorily led and the acting headteacher has provided much stability following a period where school morale was low. However, historical weaknesses in the management of the school have limited school progress in a number of ways. By developing a stronger team spirit, these shortcomings are being turned around. Through working closely with the local education authority, for example, the school is implementing a programme of development in the Foundation Stage.

p.22

Commentary

36. The acting headteacher has successfully galvanised the staff’s strong commitment to the school and improved teamwork is to be seen as a result. Key staff and co-ordinators now play a more involved and active part in moving the school forward and a firm foundation is being laid to help overcome the generally slow pace of improvement since the previous inspection. Too little development has taken place, for example, in strengthening the part that co- ordinators play in directly monitoring teaching and learning and a culture where critical and open evaluation of the school’s provision is undertaken is only just starting to evolve.

p.22

Commentary

37. Governors make a satisfactory contribution to shaping the direction of the school, and fulfil their statutory duties. They support the senior managers of the school. Until recently, they have been dependent on the advice of the headteacher, but are now challenging the school to a greater degree, for instance over the school’s National Curriculum results in writing. Governors know the strengths of the school, and notably the high standards of pupils, but are only just beginning to understand its weaknesses and their effects, for example the very high staffing costs or the underdevelopment of information St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 23 and communication technology as a school subject and the impact that this has had on pupils’ achievement in the subject.

p.22

Commentary

38. The leadership and management of the co-ordinator for special educational needs are good and the school demonstrates a clear commitment to inclusion. The co-ordinator has a good overview of the role, has the full range of organisational and teaching responsibilities, and provides good liaison with the special educational needs governor. The quality of the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs is good, as are arrangements for producing and reviewing the plans. Further innovations are being introduced such as a nurture group for Reception pupils and a social skills group for pupils of varying ages, which are having positive effects.

p.23

Commentary

39. There are however, a number of weaknesses in the school’s management. The school improvement plan, which the acting headteacher is in the process of putting into place, effectively identifies significant current weaknesses in the school, including the curriculum in the Foundation Stage. However, the improvement plan is unsatisfactory overall because it does not always follow through on identified difficulties. Similarly, although information and communication technology across the curriculum is seen as an issue requiring attention, other aspects, which are not identified as weak, are given higher priority. Too much of the financial planning in the school is based on historical precedent rather than on the school’s identified needs. There is nothing within the plan, for example, that indicates how the budget is to be used to improve the general décor. The school’s finances are not tuned sufficiently to achieve its

p.23

Commentary

educational priorities. Salary costs represent a very high proportion of the school’s income, which has led to insufficient funding for other aspects of the school, including the resourcing for the information and communication technology curriculum. However, the school recognises the need to establish firm principles where the principles of getting the best value for incurred expenditure are more firmly embedded into the school’s managerial arrangements.

p.23

Commentary

40. The performance management of teaching staff is now satisfactory, following a period where the acting head has worked closely with teachers with the intention of setting teachers challenging targets which are appropriate for the development of the whole school. The continuing professional development of teachers has rightly focused on issues such as planning and self-evaluation. Opportunities for teachers to inform one another about the outcomes of the courses they have attended have improved and are helping to establish a climate where school review and evaluation are seen as the norm rather than the exception.

p.23

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.23

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 672 729 Balance from previous year 27 650 St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 24 Total expenditure 670 240 Balance carried forward to the next 30 139

p.23

Financial information

Expenditure per pupil 3 206 St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 25

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching does not always ensure that the children are enthused by what they are asked to learn. • Children are keen and willing to learn, but these levels of enthusiasm are not sufficiently capitalised upon. • Links with parents are improving. • The accommodation is limiting and restricts children’s learning in a number of key areas. • The school is working well with the local education authority to tackle identified shortcomings.

p.25

Commentary

41. Many if not all of the children have had some pre-school experience prior to entering full time education. When they first enter the Foundation Stage, their attainment is above the national average. There is one reception class. Children start school in September. Summer and spring born children attend part time until January when they commence full time. The children are happy and confident and are keen to work. While there are some satisfactory aspects of how the provision in the Foundation Stage is organised, the quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory overall, and as a result, children do not achieve as well as they could. There are shortcomings in the curriculum, assessment and the overall quality and range of accommodation which is not suited to the children’s physical and academic needs, which also holds back the children’s progress. The children often reach standards that are in line with

p.25

Commentary

the Early Learning Goals for children of this age, but given the good levels of ability they demonstrate when they start school, the children are capable of reaching far higher standards. The school is aware of the need to improve provision in the Foundation Stage and is currently working alongside and seeking the advice from the local education authority.

p.25

Commentary

42. The size of the classroom and a lack of outdoor provision limit opportunities for children to learn through working on a larger, more active scale. Under the direction of the acting headteacher, arrangements for the induction of children are beginning to improve and form a sound basis for effective relationships with parents. The leadership and management of the co-ordinator are unsatisfactory and the overall pace of improvement since the previous inspection has been too slow.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 26 Provision in personal, social and emotional development is unsatisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and areas for improvement

• Adults provide effective role models of caring and considerate behaviour. • Children are not given enough choice in their activities to help them learn to play and become more independent.

p.26

Commentary

43. Children are happy in school and join in activities willingly. They sit willingly during carpet sessions and very much enjoy listening to stories that they are read. They try very hard to tidy up after activities, but when doing so noise levels in the classroom can rise. Overall teaching, while acknowledging and attempting to provide the children with effective opportunities to work co- operatively together, is unsatisfactory. There is a lack of planned experiences and activities to develop increasing co-operation in games and lessons to enable children to become more involved and confident in learning. Children are not given sufficient scope to explore and discover things for themselves and levels of independence are too low. Children’s attainment on entry to school is above average and this, together with the effective role models for caring behaviour provided by staff, ensures that all children are in line to achieve the

p.26

Commentary

Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. However, given this good level of prior attainment, their achievement is too low.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is unsatisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most adults model speaking skills well. • There is a lack of well organised and exciting activities to motivate children and help to develop and extend their skills.

p.26

Commentary

44. Children enter the school with attainment levels that are above the average expected for their age. While many of the children are on course to reach the expected levels for children of this age, they underachieve. Teaching is not effective enough in moving the children on in their early understanding of literacy. By the time they are due to enter Year 1, they speak clearly, audibly and with control. However, few of them understand the need to listen effectively and co-operative with one another. The children are given some scope to learn and develop their speaking and listening skills through imaginative structured play, but these sessions often break down because of the lack of adult input to guide the children. In writing, children demonstrate good control when holding a pencil and many of them are able to construct simple words and phrases that are understandable. However, there is an over reliance on printed work sheets

p.26

Commentary

and a lack of meaningful activities to consolidate children’s learning of writing St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 27 effectively. Low standards of work are accepted and do not reflect what the children are truly capable of achieving.

p.26

Commentary

45. A strength in the children’s early literacy development lies in the progress made in terms of their reading. Children read their reading books with ease and enjoy listening and interpreting stories. They are supported well by parents who often provide them with more challenging material than that provided by the school. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 28

p.27

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is unsatisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and areas for improvement

• There is very little evidence of teaching any key skills beyond counting. • Activities are narrow and uninteresting.

p.28

Commentary

46. By the time they are due to enter Year 1, children write numbers to 20 quickly and easily. They order the numbers correctly and know the term zero. They have a suitable understanding of money appreciating that some coins have more of a value than others. They know the names and properties of two- dimensional shapes and can use these to form a mathematical pattern. Their mathematical experience beyond number is limited, however. Too much of their work is too haphazardly recorded in amongst other areas of learning and shows too little evidence of progress over the course of the year. Children have little experience of sand and water play, while evident in the classroom is not used systematically by the teacher to help build on what the children already know about capacity. As a result, teaching is unsatisfactory. By the end of the first year at the school, most children will reach the goals expected. However, given

p.28

Commentary

their good levels of enthusiasm and interest in mathematics, they underachieve.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is unsatisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A lack of organisation and planning means that children are not sure about the focus for their learning • Low expectations means that children are not reaching the standards that they are capable of. • Provision is enriched with cookery sessions taken by voluntary helpers.

p.28

Commentary

47. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory because activities and experiences are not structured sufficiently or with sufficient imagination to enable children to achieve to the level of which they are capable. Children’s learning is not promoted effectively through planned activities that are challenging and achievable. Children enjoy taking part in cookery but a lack of planned guidance from the teacher means that opportunities for children to look at similarities, differences, patterns and change are missed. Children exploring mirrors and playing with various toys do not have enough input from the teacher to increase their skills, knowledge and understanding. Children are competent in their use of the computer, using the mouse confidently to move St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 29 between different elements of the program that they are using. They understand well the functions of the mouse, printer or keyboard and they can

p.28

Commentary

work at the computer without too much assistance from an adult. Children have a very basic understanding of different religions other than Christianity. By the end of the year most children will reach goals expected, although they are capable of reaching higher standards.

p.29

Physical development

Provision in physical development is unsatisfactory .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The lack of outdoor provision does not give the children the opportunity to learn through working on a larger, more active scale. • Unrealistic expectations do not structure the development of children’s physical skills well enough.

p.29

Commentary

48. Children enter the school with standards that are above those expected but lack the opportunity to extend their skills as there are no large wheeled toys or apparatus for children to travel over, through or to balance upon. When working in the hall children lack the opportunity to experiment or put together simple sequences of movement in response to a given list of instructions or a piece of music. Teaching, which is not fully effective, does not always take into account the precise levels of ability to enable activities to be devised that match their level of maturity. For example, during one lesson seen during the inspection, the children sat and watched the teacher’s demonstration and attempted to undertake activities that require levels of co-ordination beyond their capabilities. These including the balancing of a ball on their knee and flipping it up onto their toe. The children show good levels of concentration and control and all children

p.29

Commentary

are in line to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1.

p.29

Creative development

Provision in creative development is unsatisfactory .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s ability to discover, explore and express their creativity is not supported by well-planned experiences and opportunities. • Children’s drawing shows a good level of co-ordination.

p.29

Commentary

49. Children have the opportunity to work with a musician but activities are not planned with sufficient imagination to encourage children to develop in confidence and improve their own creativity. There is too much emphasis placed on sitting and listening rather than taking part in a creative and St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 30 imaginative way. A significant number of boys take the opportunity to misbehave and this affects the learning of other children. Children have well- developed drawing skills for their age. They show a competent use of sticks and cotton wool when making a puppet but a lack of guidance and expectation means that children underachieve and although most children will reach the goals expected by the time they reach Year 1, they are capable of reaching higher standards St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 31 SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils attain standards that are well above average at the end of Year 6, and well above average or better at the end of Year 2. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not challenged highly enough to present their work with sufficient care and attention. • In the best teaching, the involvement of pupils leads to effective learning and pupils producing work that is of a high quality. • Lesson planning and the marking of pupils’ work could be improved and in its current format does not provide pupils with sufficient guidance for improvement. • The management of English is not yet having sufficient impact in improving the quality of teaching.

p.31

Commentary

50. In the National Curriculum tests in English at the end of Year 6, results in 2004 were well above average, and well above average in comparison with how well pupils performed when they were in Year 2. The percentage of pupils who attained the higher Level 5, which was well above average, accounts for the very high standards. In recent years, girls’ attainment has been better than that of boys, and very high. Over the last four years, results have been consistently well above average or better. The 2004 National Curriculum test results for pupils in Year 2 showed that standards in reading were very high, and in writing they were well above average. In comparison with similar schools, reading standards were again very high and writing standards were above average.

p.31

Commentary

51. The findings of the inspection are that standards in English are well above average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 and very much reflect the most recent end of Key Stage test results. Given the good skills many children demonstrate when they enter the school, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve satisfactorily. Those with particular learning needs such as learning to use spoken and written English also achieve satisfactorily. Although National Curriculum test data points to girls outperforming the boys, inspection evidence could find no difference in achievement between the boys and girls.

p.31

Commentary

52. In their written work, pupils by the end of Year 2 use correct punctuation and spell very well, and the content of their work shows the ability to sequence the events of a story to hold the interest and attention of the reader. However, the quality of their handwriting and the presentation of their work could be improved. Too many of the pupils do not form letters in a sufficiently controlled way, and they make too little progress in using joined handwriting. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ handwriting is neat and well-formed, and the standards of presentation are very good and pupils have a clear understanding of the impact St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 32 that presentation of work may well have on those that read it. Standards of spelling and of punctuation are very good. The quality of the content of pupils’ writing is good, and pupils have produced a considerable volume of work in a

p.31

Commentary

range of different styles and formats during the course of the year.

p.32

Commentary

53. The achievement of pupils is satisfactory overall in speaking and listening, across the school, but pupils are not achieving as well as they might, given their well-developed speaking and listening skills. This is because they do not have sufficient opportunities to use talk and reason at any length. When teachers question pupils, they too often ask only for factual recall and only rarely give pupils opportunities to make good use of their effective speaking and reasoning skills. Achievement in reading is satisfactory. Many pupils in Years 1 - 6 are confident readers and enjoy what they are given to read. Reading features prominently in many pupils’ experiences at home and the good support many of the pupils receive at home contributes significantly to the overall reading achievement of the pupils.

p.32

Commentary

54. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory with some good features. Teachers demonstrate good personal knowledge and understanding of English and are enthusiastic about the subject. This has a good effect on the pupils, many of whom work hard in literacy lessons and understand the importance of literacy in their day-to-day lives. In effective lessons, the pace of learning is good helping to keep the pupils interested in the tasks they are set. However, teachers’ planning does not always include sufficiently clear objectives, and work set is not well matched to pupils of different levels of attainment. The level of challenge that teachers set for pupils is variable across the school. The assessment of pupils’ work is not used well enough in planning pupils’ subsequent learning and is unsatisfactory overall. Teachers do not emphasise the criteria for good work, and their marking does not clarify what pupils could

p.32

Commentary

do to improve the quality of their work.

p.32

Commentary

55. Too little use is made of classroom computers to support the pupils’ literacy development. This is inconsistent, and not always effective. Given the high levels of enthusiasm pupils demonstrate when using computers and the ready access many of them have to computers at home, there is greater potential to make greater use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ literacy development.

p.32

Commentary

56. The leadership of English is satisfactory, but the management of the subject is unsatisfactory. The test results of pupils are analysed, but there is no evidence that the outcomes of the analysis, are used well for example to guide teachers as to how they might improve the standards of boys by comparison with those of girls. Because of lack of space, the school has no library of its own, which is a weakness, but makes some use of the local Library Service. Some of the book stock in the school is also out of date. Overall improvement since the previous inspection has been too slow. Although pupils’ performance in National Curriculum tests has been well above average or very high, ways by how the school effectively monitors the impact of teaching on learning until recently have not been developed sufficiently. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 33

p.32

Language and literacy across the curriculum

57. Pupils have sufficient opportunities to use their developing literacy skills elsewhere in the curriculum. For example, in a history lesson, pupils in Year 4 read and investigated a range of sources about the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. In Year 5, pupils used their good writing skills in a design and technology lesson to plan and record the ingredients, equipment and techniques for making a picnic sandwich successfully. But in many lessons, teachers could plan for greater participation by pupils in oral work because of their strong speaking and listening skills. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 34

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils leave the school reaching very high standards in mathematics. • Good teaching promotes a healthy interest by the pupils in the subject. • Good use is made of additional staff to support learning in small groups. • In Years 1 and 2 there is an overuse of commercial worksheets that limits some aspects of the pupils’ learning. • Marking of pupils’ work is not effective enough. • The school has yet to develop robust procedures to enable teaching to be evaluated for its impact on learning.

p.34

Commentary

58. The most recent National Curriculum test results for pupils at the end of Year 2 indicate that pupils reached standards that were very high and in the top five per cent of schools in the country. When compared with similar schools, standards were equally very high. The National Curriculum test results for pupils in Year 6 indicate that pupils reached standards that were in the top five per cent of schools in the country. When these results are measured up with those reached by the pupils when they were in Year 2, they show that standards were again very high. Pupils have consistently reached similarly high standards over time.

p.34

Commentary

59. Inspection findings show that pupils reach standards that are well above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language achieve well. Of note is the progress made by higher-attaining pupils who achieve particularly well. This is due in part to the high quality teaching they receive when taught in small withdrawal groups.

p.34

Commentary

60. One of the key skills many pupils demonstrate is the ability to solve problems mentally. Many pupils in all year groups have good mental agility skills and solve problems involving number very confidently. They have a good understanding of the relationship between the four rules of number and confidently apply this knowledge in carrying out addition, subtraction multiplication and division calculations with some degree of ease and confidence. Older pupils thoroughly enjoy solving problems that include the basic principles of a Fibonacci number. Pupils have an equally good understanding of the relationship between shape, space and measure. A weaker aspect of their learning is that not enough opportunities are currently being provided for pupils to put their understanding of how to explore, handle manipulate data into practice by making full and more creative use of mathematical computer software. In Years 3 - 6, good opportunities are

p.34

Commentary

provided for the pupils to undertake demanding and investigative tasks, boosting their understanding of the importance that mathematics plays in their daily lives. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 35 61. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. The most effective teaching is when pupils are taught in small withdrawal groups. This effective teaching is characterised by high challenge and work set for pupils that is stimulating and relevant. In whole class lessons, pupils enjoy opening sessions when they are given short challenging tasks that flex their mathematical skills. These are usually followed by work that challenges the pupils to use different strategies in solving a problem and to work effectively with others to come to an agreed consensus. In some classes, pupils are encouraged to share what they have learned with others, boosting the learning of the class in general.

p.34

Commentary

Increasing use is made of information and communication technology to enhance learning. For example, in one lesson seen during the inspection, pupils in Year 4 boosted their learning of the language of shape by exploring the potential of the computer language of ‘Logo’. However, there is potential to make fuller use of information and communication technology to fully stretch the pupils. In Years 1 and 2, while there is some good teaching, there is an over-use of commercially produced worksheets. As a result, pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to follow their own lines of mathematical enquiry.

p.35

Commentary

62. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Recent measures introduced by the acting head have enabled the co-ordinator to get a grasp on how well pupils are taught in classes other than their own. However, these procedures are very new and at too early a stage of development to fully evaluate. What is effective however, is the school’s decision to deploy one of the additional teachers in the school to provide additional support in small groups across the school for precision teaching. Good use is made of the skills and expertise of the teacher concerned by ensuring that she has the chance to teach pupils of all abilities in all year groups at some point of the academic year. This arrangement contributes well to the very high standards pupils reach in National Curriculum tests.

p.35

Mathematics across the curriculum

63. The school makes satisfactory use of other subjects to support the progress pupils make in numeracy. Some good examples of pupils’ mathematical skills being developed and suitably enhanced in subjects are to be seen in science and design and technology. However, while there are instances when pupils make some creative use of information and communication technology, there are examples when pupils’ data handling work in books is scrappy and not particularly neat and where the use of computers would possibly produce work of a higher quality.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 36 • Pupils achieve well overall and attain standards that are above the national average by the time they leave the school. • Pupils benefit from the knowledge and understanding of a science specialist. • There is good teaching to be seen in Years 3 - 6 that supports pupils’ learning well. • Visits such as those to the Royal Institute have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. • The marking of pupils’ work is not effective. • The role of the subject leader has yet to be developed.

p.36

Commentary

64. Pupils enter Year 1 with standards in line with national expectations. Teachers’ assessment of Year 2 pupils in 2004 judges the standards in science to be very high. When compared with similar schools, standards were well above average. Results in National Curriculum tests in 2004 for Year 6 pupils show that standards were well above the national average. When compared with similar schools based on prior attainment, standards were above average. Over a three-year period, standards in science have been well above the national average by the end of Year 6.

p.36

Commentary

65. Inspection findings indicate that standards are in line with those expected nationally at the end of Year 2 and above those expected nationally at the end of Year 6. The difference between inspection findings and National Curriculum results in Year 2 is attributable to the standards pupils reach in their investigation work which are not as high as the standards reached in terms of the pupils’ general knowledge and understanding of different scientific themes. Pupils’ achievement throughout Years 1 - 2 is satisfactory. It is good throughout Years 3 - 6 where teaching is often good and promotes pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different scientific concepts, ideas and vocabulary. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well due to good support.

p.36

Commentary

66. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall but there is some variation from class to class, which does influence the achievement of pupils and their learning. In Years 1 - 2, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. There are missed opportunities to develop scientific skills such as questioning and there is sometimes an imbalance between the amount of direct teaching and the amount of scope given to pupils to follow their own lines of scientific enquiry. The questioning skills of the teachers are not always sufficiently honed to successfully structure learning. In Years 3 - 6, the quality of teaching and learning is good with some very good teaching in Year 6. Classes where there are pupils with special educational needs benefit from the specialist knowledge of the special educational needs co-ordinator, who is a science specialist. When team teaching with the class teacher her well framed questions have a

p.36

Commentary

significant impact on pupils’ achievement particularly in the field of scientific enquiry. In Year 4, the quality of teaching and learning had been enhanced by the inspirational impact of their visit to the Royal Institute, which had had a significant impact on the teaching and learning of scientific skills. Overall, there is good coverage of the curriculum for science. Marking is not always consistent. Some work remains unchecked and at times does not indicate how St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 37 pupils might improve. Relationships are good and pupils enjoy their learning in the subject.

p.36

Commentary

67. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory, although the management of the subject is unsatisfactory as the role of co-ordinator, particularly in terms of effectively monitoring teaching and learning has yet to be developed. The co- ordinator has a sound subject knowledge and she supports her colleagues well in terms of ideas for lessons. She is aware of what aspects of provision need boosting to raise standards still further.

p.37

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory .

p.37

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There have been shortcomings in subject provision over time. • Pupils are not achieving as well as they could because they have had insufficient opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in using a full range of applications. • Teaching has not developed pupils’ skills in the subject. • Increasingly effective use is being of computers to support learning in other subjects. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 38

p.37

Commentary

68. The achievement of pupils is unsatisfactory overall and standards are below expectations by the time pupils leave the school and at Year 2. This is because across the school pupils have had too few opportunities to experience all aspects of the subject, and because overall provision in the subject has not kept pace with developments seen nationally. Pupils have had limited opportunities to gain systematic knowledge and skills in such applications as multi-media presentations, use of e-mail, graphics programs or control technology and their word-processing skills could be better.

p.38

Commentary

69. However, the picture of provision is improving the recent measures introduced by the co-ordinator, that include boosting the number of laptops to overcome limitations in the school’s resources, are starting to raise achievement. Pupils are gaining more experience in using spreadsheets, including formulae and they are starting to show that they are conversant with downloading material from the Internet, and made competent use of an information and communication technology program in a science lesson about the pitch and volume of sounds.

p.38

Commentary

70. While slowly improving, teaching and learning in the subject over time have been unsatisfactory. The scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that there has been a lack of development in pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. Until the current academic year, when the school bought a set of fifteen laptops, teachers had insufficient access to computers to help them support the pupils to acquire expected levels of knowledge and skills. In the two lessons of information and communication technology teaching seen during the inspection, quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory. Teachers showed at least satisfactory knowledge, and as a result explained new work effectively. Where questioning by the teacher was effective, a good interchange with pupils took place, leading to good learning. Time is not always used well and this is especially important since the restricted number of laptop computers means that pupils have to work

p.38

Commentary

in pairs in class. The assessment of pupils is also unsatisfactory. Marking is unsatisfactory and in some classes, pupils’ recorded work is not marked at all.

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Commentary

71. The leadership of information and communication technology is satisfactory, but the management of the subject is unsatisfactory. There have been shortcomings in the development of, and planning for information and communication technology since the last inspection, resulting in resources that have been severely restricted until the present school year. The pace of improvement since the last inspection has been unsatisfactory. With the purchase of a bank of laptop computers, opportunities to teach the subject have begun to improve, although resourcing continues to set limits to pupils’ access and consequently the development of their skills. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic to develop the subject further. The role includes the expectation that teachers’ planning will be checked periodically, but does not yet encompass budgetary responsibility or the effective checking of teaching or the scrutiny of pupils’ work.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 39 72. The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is satisfactory. For instance, pupils in Year 5 had good opportunities in a science lesson to use a computer program to explore ways to vary the pitch and volume of musical instruments. Similarly, pupils in Year 4 made use of information and communication technology in learning about aspects of geometrical shapes. In general, the school has made better use of information and communication technology to teach numeracy than has been the case in literacy.

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HUMANITIES

73. Religious education was not inspected during the inspection due to the school’s aided status, as the relevant church authorities inspect this subject. History and geography were sampled. Evaluation of the pupils’ work and the planning by teachers indicates that these subjects have sufficient status on the curriculum and pupils undertake an exploration of different historical and geographical topics. Discussions with the pupils indicate they have some good knowledge and learning. Pupils are often enthused by the history and geography work they undertake and respond well to the personal research tasks they are often set by teachers. The local area is used well to stimulate the pupils’ learning in both subjects and visitors from the community often come to the school to talk, for example about what life was like when they were children. Teachers make satisfactory links with other subjects to broaden the pupils’

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HUMANITIES

learning, although more could be achieved in terms of links with information and communication technology. The school has yet to devise clear and effective ways to assess pupils’ progress in both subjects as they move through the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. The inspection centred on the teaching of art and design and physical education as a number of concerns were raised by parents on the provision for these subjects due to the limitations in the school’s accommodation. No teaching of design and technology was seen. However, work undertaken by the pupils indicates that they follow and explore particular themes and topics that gives them a suitable understanding of the principles of design and technology and the part that it plays in their daily lives. No teaching of music was seen during the inspection. The pupils do, however, benefit from the provision that the school makes as a result of employing a specialist teacher for just over a day a week who teaches music to each of the classes. In addition, many of the pupils receive peripatetic music tuition provided by the local education authority and some of the pupils learn to play a wide variety of musical instruments as a result.

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Art and design

Provision in art and design is satisfactory . St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 40

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of the local area to stimulate the pupils’ interest in art and design. • Some pupils have a fine eye for detail when drawing. • Insufficient use is made of new technologies to broaden pupils’ learning. • Pupils have a weak understanding of the importance of using sketchbooks for preparatory work. • The role of the co-ordinator in terms of monitoring teaching and learning and developing assessment in the subject is under-developed. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 41

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Commentary

75. By the end of both key stages, pupils reach standards that are in line with expectations, which is in line with the judgements made at the time of the school’s previous inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, achieve satisfactorily. Teachers are effective in ensuring that the pupils have opportunities to explore all aspects of the art curriculum despite the limitations in the accommodation.

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Commentary

76. A real strength in the pupils’ attainment is in their capacity to draw. These skills are taught well in Years 1 and 2 and pupils are provided with interesting stimuli in order to develop these skills. The use of a range of natural and man made objects enthuses the pupils and develops their early understanding of concepts such as line, shade and tone. These skills continue to be developed as they move through Years 3 – 6. By the time they leave the school, pupils are able to capture quite well the detail of an object that they may observe. Across the school, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the work of different artists and the styles and techniques that they use in their work. Older pupils are able to explain, for example, why Edward Munch used dark colours in his famous picture, ‘The Scream’ knowing that by doing so, they helped to capture the emotion the picture evokes. As they move through the school, pupils make

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Commentary

satisfactory progress in their understanding of how art and design can be generated using a range of media such as clay, fabric and three-dimensional objects. However, pupils’ understanding of how new technologies can be used to produce art work is weak.

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Commentary

77. Throughout the school, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Strengths within teaching lie in how teachers make use of different subjects to promote learning in art. In one Year 3 art and design lesson seen during the inspection, for example, pupils had to construct a clay pot in the style of Anglo Saxons. By using only twigs to embellish their work, pupils learnt how the Saxons were able to produce their work. Equally good use is made of the local area to stimulate pupils’ learning. The history of buildings in the local area is used well in this respect and pupils are provided with frequent opportunities to visit and explore the work in the galleries of London. These strengths in teaching are balanced with weaker features. These include the use that is made of sketchbooks to stimulate learning. While pupils have these, in practice they are only used intermittently. As a result, pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to develop

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Commentary

their understanding of how sketchbooks are an important part of the art and design process and how they could be used to produce work of high quality.

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Commentary

78. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator provides good support to her colleagues and art and design has a sufficiently high status within the school. However, too few procedures have been developed since the previous inspection in terms of monitoring the impact of teaching and learning. In addition, the school has yet to develop a clear whole school system where pupils’ progress in the subject is regularly monitored. As a result, the management of the subject is unsatisfactory.

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Physical education

St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 42 Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The physical education curriculum is enriched very well by clubs and sporting activities. • The school strives hard to overcome the limitations of the school’s grounds. • The managing role of the co-ordinator is under-developed as are arrangements to monitor and assess pupils’ progress in the subject.

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Commentary

79. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards in line with national expectations in the aspects of physical education observed during the inspection. These were in games. As gymnastics and provision in swimming were not evaluated during the inspection, it is not possible to make judgements on the standards pupils reach in these areas. However, pupils do have regular opportunities to take part in swimming lessons and discussions with the co-ordinator and the pupils themselves point to pupils being proficient swimmers and undertaking activities that necessitate pupils successfully learning the principles of life saving. Achievement by all pupils is satisfactory, but good in games.

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Commentary

80. Very good links have been established with the local cricket club and professional bodies to support the teaching of physical education, and to enrich the curriculum through a very good range of extra activities. For example, pupils benefit from the high quality professional skills of a cricket coach. Pupils take part in football and netball tournaments and leagues. There is a ‘Kwik’ Cricket tournament. Pupils take part in local athletics competitions, ‘Jump Rope for Heart’, as well as hockey and pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a swimming gala. All these add to the opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and to pursue physical activities outside of the school day.

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Commentary

81. It was only feasible to observe games lessons during the inspection. Some of these sessions were taken by a cricket coach it is not possible to make a judgement on the overall quality of teaching and learning. However, the sessions demonstrated that pupils were keen to learn and very much enjoy the work and tasks they are set. Lessons can be pacy, but at the same time lesson observations revealed that teachers do not always use opportunities to explain to pupils the effect of exercise on their body or give pupils the opportunity to watch each other and constructively evaluate each other’s performance, so as to improve the quality of their work. The lessons observed in Year 6, indicated that pupils are on course to achieve well in the session. Pupils’ skills improved in direct relation to the very good teaching skills of the cricket coach. All pupils were very involved and really enjoyed their learning.

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Commentary

82. Leadership in the subject is satisfactory and the school and the co-ordinator work hard to overcome the limitations forced upon them due to the constrictive nature of the building and the lack of a school field. However, the management of the subject is unsatisfactory as the role of co-ordinator has yet to be St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 43 developed. The co-ordinator has not had the training or the time to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in order to improve standards across the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

83. Few lessons in personal, social and health education and citizenship were seen during the inspection. As a result, no overall judgement can be made on provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship. However, the school has a well developed programme for this area of the curriculum that all pupils follow during the course of an academic year. The pupils explore themes such as healthy lifestyles, keeping safe, feelings and relationships as well as exploring a programme of work designed to extend their understanding of drugs. The subject is taught both discretely and in other subject areas such as science and religious education. The provision is complimented well by further initiatives that the school has devised. These include a ‘Hobbies Day’ or a ‘Fun Run’ and an ‘International Food Day.’ The pupils and their parents participate well in these activities and contribute well to the pupils’

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

understanding of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle as well as working effectively with others. St Andrew’s CE Voluntary Aided Primary School - 44

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 2 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 6 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 5

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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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