St George's Church of England Primary School, Great Bromley

ST GEORGE’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16th – 19th May 2005

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ST GEORGE’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST GEORGE’S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St George’s C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 117

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brook Street Great Bromley Colchester Essex Postcode: CO7 7HX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01206 230305 Fax number: 01206 231437

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Neil Fortescue

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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 situated in Great Bromley, a small village on the outskirts of Colchester. The school has voluntary controlled status and very close links with the local church. There are currently one hundred and seventeen pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven. The socio-economic circumstances are favourable and very few pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all pupils are of white ethnicity and no pupil has English as an additional language. Eight pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register. This figure is below the national average. No pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. The school is very popular and is almost at full capacity. In the last year eight pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of admission and six pupils left the school other than at the usual point of transfer. The level of mobility is broadly average. The

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

children’s attainment when they start school is very different from year to year. The attainment of the current group of reception children is below average, especially in terms of their social skills. The school received an Achievement Award in 2002. St George’s C of E Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22361 Mrs M Gough Lead inspector Foundation Stage, English, religious education, art and design, history, geography, music, provision for pupils with special educational needs 15181 Mrs M Hackney Lay inspector 3529 Mr G Williams Team inspector Mathematics, science, information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education, personal, social and health education and citizenship

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St George’s C of E Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school. Pupils throughout the school achieve well overall. Standards in English are very good, and standards in mathematics, religious education and music are good. Teaching and learning are good, and pupils’ behaviour is very good. The headteacher provides very good leadership. The school gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The strong leadership of the headteacher ensures a continued commitment to raising standards. • Teachers cope very well with mixed age classes and match work closely to the needs of individual pupils. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Pupils are very well behaved and are keen learners. • The school provides a very good range of enrichment activities. • Links with parents are very good and there are very high levels of parental satisfaction. • Pupils’ skills of scientific investigation are under-developed. • The curriculum is good, but not enough use is made of the long morning sessions. • Very good use is made of data analysis to highlight areas of whole-school strength and weakness. • The school provides very good levels of pastoral care.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been very good improvement overall. The school has undergone an extensive programme of rebuilding and refurbishment that has had a very positive impact across many aspects of the school’s work. Teaching and assessment have improved well, and there have been very good improvements in terms of the levels of care, guidance and support the school provides. Strengths have been maintained and built upon. The leadership and management of the school have improved.

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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 B B D C Mathematics A C C B Science C B D C Key: A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good and standards overall are above average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

On the basis of the 2004 end of Key Stage 2 national test results, pupils’ attainment is below average in English and science and in line with the national average in mathematics. Based on their prior attainment, the pupils’ performance is average in English and science, indicating that the pupils made satisfactory progress between the end of Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2, and above average in mathematics. The results vary quite significantly from year to year depending on the natural ability of the cohort of pupils. In St George’s C of E Primary School - 7 2004, there were only ten pupils in the group, and a higher than usual percentage of pupils had special educational needs. In such a small group, where there had also been some mobility since the end of Key Stage 1, the performance of one individual pupil can significantly skew the overall picture.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

On the basis of the 2004 end of Key Stage 1 national test results, pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In reading and mathematics pupils’ attainment is average in comparison with similar schools, and in writing pupils’ attainment is well above average in comparison with similar schools. The 2004 teacher assessments for science show that pupils’ attainment is in line with the national average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment at the end of both key stages is well above national expectations in English, above national expectations in mathematics and music, and in line with national expectations in information and communication technology, science and the aspects of physical education observed during the inspection. In religious education, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 exceeds the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Taken overall, pupils achieve well from their different starting points. Their achievement in physical education in Key Stage 2, and science in both key stages is satisfactory. Discrepancies between the test results and the inspection findings reflect the variation in the natural ability of the groups of pupils year on year.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The children’s attainment when they start school is variable. The current group of reception children had poor social skills when they joined school. Reception children achieve well across all areas of learning, and very well in terms of their personal, social and emotional development. By the end of the reception year their attainment will be at the age expected level in all areas.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ have good attitudes and their behaviour is very good. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Their social, moral and cultural development is very good and their spiritual development is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education for all pupils. Teaching, learning and assessment are good throughout the school. The curriculum is good for all age groups, and is enriched by a very good range of additional learning opportunities. The accommodation is very good and resources are good. The school provides very good levels of care, support and guidance, and is very effective in the way in which it seeks pupils’ views about the school. The school has established a very good partnership with parents, and links with the community and other schools are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is highly committed to the school’s ongoing development and improvement. She enjoys the full and loyal support of a very effective governing body and hard-working and committed staff. The leadership of key staff is good overall. The governing body ensures that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities. St George’s C of E Primary School - 8

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the quality of education their children receive and with the warm and friendly atmosphere of the school. Pupils are happy to come to school and agree that their views are sought and acted upon.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Within the context of its many strengths, the most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• continue to focus on the development of investigative skills in science; • make more use of the long morning sessions. St George’s C of E Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is good . Standards are good overall, with strengths in English, mathematics and religious education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The reception children make very good gains in their learning in personal, social and emotional development from a low starting point. • Standards in English are well above national expectations at the end of both key stages reflecting the significant amount of effort the school has put into raising standards. • Although satisfactory, the attainment of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils in investigative science could be higher. • Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards their individual targets. • Very good analysis of test data pinpoints where standards need to be raised further.

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Commentary

1. Although the percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below average, these pupils are not evenly spread across the school, and their impact in terms of the test results is more significant in some years than in others. Within this small school, the impact of one or two pupils who do not attain the expected level in the national tests can skew the results quite dramatically. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good levels of support from the special educational needs co-ordinator, their teachers and support staff. As a result, they flourish and thrive, often making very good progress towards their own individual targets.

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Foundation Stage

2. The attainment of the reception children when they start school is very variable from year to year. The current reception group started with poor social skills, and overall their attainment was below the level expected for their age. The children make good progress and their achievement is good overall. In personal, social and emotional development the children’s achievement is very good, enabling most to attain the Early Learning Goals in this aspect of their learning by the end of the reception year, despite their low starting point. In communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development, the children are on course to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the reception year. Because of the staggered entry into the reception class, the youngest children do not have the same breadth of experience as the older

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Foundation Stage

children who have one full year in reception. Whilst these younger children achieve well, their attainment is often lower than that of the groups who start school earlier in the year. St George’s C of E Primary School - 10

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Key Stage 1

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average points score in 2004

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.1 (16.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 16.8 (13.7) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.3 (16.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 18 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 1

3. On the basis of the 2004 national test results, pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In reading and mathematics pupils’ attainment is average in comparison with similar schools, and in writing pupils’ attainment is well above average in comparison with similar schools. The 2004 teacher assessments for science show that pupils’ attainment is in line with the national average.

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Key Stage 1

4. The inspection findings indicate that the current group of Year 2 pupils is on course to attain standards that are well above national expectations in reading and writing, above national expectations in mathematics, and in line with national expectations in science. Differences between the attainment of the current group of Year 2 pupils and the 2004 group are because of natural ability. Standards in English are higher than in other areas because of the tremendous effort the school has put into raising standards in this area. Although standards in science are satisfactory, they could be even higher. Pupils have a good scientific knowledge, but their investigative skills are under- developed. In English and mathematics pupils achieve well from their different starting points. In science pupils’ achievement is good in terms of their knowledge, and satisfactory in terms of their investigative skills.

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Key Stage 1

5. In information and communication technology the pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations and their achievement is good. In religious education, pupils’ attainment exceeds the level expected by the Locally Agreed Syllabus, and pupils achieve well. In music, standards are above national expectations and pupils’ achievement is good. In the narrow range of aspects seen in physical education during the inspection the pupils achieved well and attained the standards expected for their age.

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Key Stage 2

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average points score in 2004

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 26.4 (27.7) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.6 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.2 (29.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 10 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2

6. On the basis of the 2004 end of Key Stage 2 national test results, pupils’ attainment is below average in English and science and in line with the national average in mathematics. Based on their prior attainment, the pupils’ performance is average in St George’s C of E Primary School - 11 English and science, indicating that the pupils made satisfactory progress between the end of Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2, and above average in mathematics. The results vary quite significantly from year to year depending on the natural ability of the cohort of pupils. In 2004, there were only ten pupils in the group, and a higher than usual percentage of pupils had special educational needs. In such a small group, where there had also been some mobility since the end of Key Stage 1, the performance of one individual pupil can significantly skew the overall picture.

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Key Stage 2

7. The inspection findings indicate that standards in English are well above national expectations and that standards in mathematics are above national expectations. The pupils achieve well. In science, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations overall. The pupils’ knowledge is good, but their investigative skills are under- developed and could be better. The pupils achieve well in terms of their scientific knowledge and in their use of vocabulary to explain their ideas, and satisfactorily in terms of their ability to plan and carry out investigations. The current group of Year 6 pupils has had a lot of disruption due to pupil mobility, and more than half of the group has joined the school part way through Key Stage 2. As a result, the attainment of the group is not as high as the school had predicted at the end of Key Stage 1.

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Key Stage 2

8. In information and communication technology the pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations and their achievement is good. The school is doing well in addressing gaps in pupils’ attainment arising from past weaknesses the subject. In religious education, pupils’ attainment exceeds the level expected by the Locally Agreed Syllabus, and pupils achieve well. In music, standards are above national expectations and pupils’ achievement is good. In games and swimming, the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and their attainment is at the level expected for their age.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ have good attitudes and their behaviour is very good . Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory . The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Their social, moral and cultural development is very good and their spiritual development is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils behave very well and the school is a happy and orderly environment. • A significant number of families take holidays during term time and this adversely affects the rate of attendance. • Very good and trusting relationships help pupils to learn and develop their personal skills. • Pupils have very good personal and social skills and a very good understanding of the notion of cultural diversity. • Pupils make significant gains in maturity as they move through the school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils have a positive attitude towards school. They know the school routines well and are happy and settled. Pupils of all ages are friendly and polite and show pride in their surroundings and respect for others. The vast majority of pupils are enthusiastic and eager to contribute during lessons and to be involved in activities. Pupils have very good relationships with their teachers and learning support assistants and this helps them to gain in confidence and to want to learn. During lessons pupils listen very attentively and most concentrate well on their work. Pupils work very well together in St George’s C of E Primary School - 12 groups and with partners and they share resources sensibly and co-operatively. When pupils start school their social skills are often poorly developed. As they move through the school pupils become increasingly mature and independent.

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Commentary

10. The school has successfully maintained the high standards of behaviour described at the time of the last inspection. Parents are very satisfied with the very positive behaviour management policy and rewards system, and consider that pupils’ behaviour is a considerable strength of the school. Pupils clearly understand the school’s high expectations and respond positively, showing a very good sense of self- discipline and consideration for others. During assemblies and at lunchtime pupils’ behaviour is often exemplary, and they play very well together in the playground. Pupils are confident that bullying or harassment of any kind is not tolerated, and that the staff deals promptly and effectively with any occasional incidents. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Commentary

11. Since the last inspection there has been very good improvement in terms of the pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development which is now very good overall. Parents speak highly of the school’s encouragement for pupils to develop independence through responsibility. All pupils have ‘next steps’ target booklets which are used well to ensure that pupils know how well they are doing. The very good overall provision for personal, social and health education makes a very strong contribution to raising pupils’ awareness of a range of social and moral issues which affect the school and the wider community. Pupils show high levels of respect for the feelings of others and a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. Many pupils are proud of their role as monitors, representatives on the School Council and caring for younger children in the playground. Pupils undertake their

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Commentary

responsibilities confidently and willingly.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.9 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.1 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

12. Attendance is satisfactory and is broadly in line with the national average. The school works hard to improve attendance but some pupils continue to take holidays during term time. Good procedures are followed to monitor attendance and parents are reminded regularly of the impact on pupils’ progress. Most pupils arrive punctually in the morning and are keen to come to school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education for all pupils. Teaching, learning and assessment are good throughout the school. The curriculum is good and is enriched by a very good range of additional learning opportunities. The accommodation is very good and resources are good . The school provides very good levels of care, support and guidance, and is very effective in the way in which it seeks pupils’ views about the school. The school has established a very good partnership with parents, and links with the community and other schools are good . St George’s C of E Primary School - 13

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good throughout the school and have many very good features. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is good . In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assessment is very good in the core subjects and satisfactory in other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities are well matched to the needs of individual pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported. • Teachers have high expectations of academic achievement and behaviour to which the pupils respond well. • The teaching of music by a specialist teacher is very good. • Homework is used well to support and extend pupils’ learning. The homework books in Class 1 are excellent. • At times activities are over-directed and this constrains the pupils’ creativity. • Teachers and classroom assistants use praise and encouragement very well to motivate pupils. • Literacy and numeracy skills are very effectively promoted across the curriculum but there are missed opportunities for pupils to use computers to support their learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 25 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning are good and there has been good improvement since the last inspection. There have been some staff changes in recent years, but the teaching staff is now stable and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning and on whole- school development.

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Commentary

14. The teaching of basic skills of literacy and numeracy is good and teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to use these skills in their work in other subjects. In information and communication technology, whilst teachers make effective links with other subjects to provide a meaningful context for pupils’ learning in the information and communication technology suite, there are sometimes missed opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology to support their learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

15. Relationships amongst teachers and classroom assistants are very good. Classroom assistants are well briefed and so are able to play a key role in lessons, often working with lower-attaining pupils or those with special educational needs so that these pupils can take a full part in lessons. All adults are very effective in the way in which they use praise and encouragement to motivate pupils and to raise the self-esteem of those pupils who lack confidence. In the reception/Year 1 class especially, the classroom assistants play a pivotal role, enabling the teacher to work with different age groups in turn. St George’s C of E Primary School - 14 16. Teachers match activities well to the needs of individual pupils taking good account of the different ages of the pupils in the mixed age classes and their very different levels of ability. Teachers provide good levels of challenge for the highest attaining pupils so

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Commentary

that they are fully stretched. This is most evident in English, religious education and mathematics where the work of the most able pupils is of a very high standard. In the main teachers have a good subject knowledge and deliver lessons with good levels of confidence and enthusiasm. Teachers encourage the pupils to be independent and creative learners, but at times activities are over-directed by adults. This is sometimes the case in the reception class where the children do not always have enough access to free-choice play activities, and in science in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 where teachers are sometimes reluctant to give pupils the freedom they need to explore and investigate scientific ideas. The teaching of music throughout the school is very good, and pupils benefit from the expertise and enthusiasm of an experienced specialist teacher.

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Commentary

17. Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations to which the pupils respond positively. Behaviour is very well managed so that lessons run smoothly and all pupils have full and equal access to the curriculum. Lesson objectives are regularly shared with pupils at the start of lessons. Homework is used well to extend and support pupils’ learning. The homework books in Class 1 are excellent and provide a wide variety of interesting and stimulating practical and investigative tasks. Homework activities for this year group are always accompanied by clear instructions for parents so that they can give their children extra help and support if they wish to do so.

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Commentary

18. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher has a very good knowledge of the children and of their progress and attainment. Ongoing assessments feed into the daily planning so that lessons and activities build on what the children already know and can do. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 the systems for, and the use made of assessment are very good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, and satisfactory for the remaining subjects. The analysis of test data in the core subjects is particularly effective in identifying strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good overall. It is very effectively enriched by a very good range of extra- curricular activities, visits and visiting speakers. The accommodation is very good . Resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The school provides a very good range of additional activities for pupils of all ages. • The school has a very good programme for promoting the pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship. • Careful planning ensures that pupils who are in the same class for more than one year do not repeat work at the same level. • Not enough use is made of the long morning sessions and not enough time is given to science in some classes. • There have been significant improvements to the accommodation since the last inspection. St George’s C of E Primary School - 15

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is good for pupils of all ages and has improved well since the last inspection. A good rolling programme of topics ensures that pupils in mixed age classes do not repeat work. All subjects in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are taught on a regular basis, and good emphasis is placed on the teaching of literacy, numeracy, religious education and physical education. However, in the main, morning sessions are used for literacy and numeracy, and this organisation does not fully maximise this prime teaching and learning time. In some classes not enough time is given to science. The school meets statutory requirements in respect of teaching the National Curriculum subjects and religious education.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum for the reception children has been developed well since the last inspection and is now good. The children who are taught alongside the younger Year 1 pupils receive a good grounding in early reading, writing and number skills, and have a good variety of daily activities which stimulate their imaginations and help them to acquire a good range of key skills. At times there is a tendency for the children to be over-directed by adults, and they do not always have enough access to free-choice activities that they can explore by themselves.

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Commentary

21. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. All pupils on the special educational needs register have individual education plans, which contain clear targets and the next steps for their development. The special educational needs co- ordinator has gone to a great deal of trouble to make personalised target sheets for pupils, to encourage them to set their own targets. This very good practice ensures that pupils have a sense of ownership of their learning and a real desire to achieve the targets they have set. Work for pupils with special educational needs is well matched to their needs, and additional support from teachers and classroom assistants ensures their full integration into the life and work of the school.

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Commentary

22. The school has made very good progress since the last inspection in devising a programme for pupils’ personal, social and health education which is very good. The activities meet statutory requirements in respect of drug and sex education, and present a wide range of moral and social issues which demand a lot of thought from the pupils. Personal, social and health education is a regular feature of all classes.

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Commentary

23. The school provides a very wide and varied programme of enrichment activities that are popular with all age groups and which significantly enhance the pupils’ learning and their personal and social development. Pupils take part in a number of inter-school physical education events, and make regular visits to places of local interest. The school welcomes visitors who share their experiences and expertise with the pupils.

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Commentary

24. At the time of the last inspection, the accommodation was poor. After an extensive programme of rebuilding and refurbishment, the accommodation is now of a very good standard. The school has gained some new permanent classrooms, an attractive library, a computer suite and a large hall. It retains much of its attractive grounds, and pupils make extensive use of the environmental area. Resources are good and are used well by staff and pupils.

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes very good provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. Pupils receive very good advice and support based on monitoring. The school is very effective in the way in which it seeks and acts upon the views of the pupils. St George’s C of E Primary School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ health and safety are assured through close monitoring and very good procedures. • Pupils learn in a safe environment where they are happy and very well cared for. • The pupils’ personal development is very well monitored and recorded. • Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and are very well integrated into the life of the school. • Very good arrangements are made for pupils to contribute to the school’s overall development.

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Commentary

25. Since the last inspection the school has made very good improvements to its procedures to ensure the care, support and welfare of pupils. Parents speak highly of the level of pastoral care and academic guidance their children receive at school. Parents of children with special educational needs are very satisfied with the school’s provision and their children’s progress. All aspects of health and safety are very well monitored by the staff and governing body. Formal risk assessments are completed regularly. Child protection procedures are very good and include training for staff to ensure that all adults are aware of the school’s arrangements and responsibilities.

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Commentary

26. The headteacher has developed a very good system of record keeping to monitor the pupils’ personal development. Teachers and learning support assistants know pupils very well, and information is shared regularly about pupils’ progress and personal achievements. Records are used very well to ensure that pupils and parents receive well informed advice and guidance to support pupils’ targets and development. The individual ‘next steps’ booklets are very good and provide pupils with a structured approach to target setting, which they understand. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported through very attractively presented individual education plans and targets. Learning support assistants work very well with pupils during lessons to ensure that all are included in the full range of activities. Induction arrangements are very good. The school works closely with parents and the village

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Commentary

playgroup to ensure a smooth transition for children into the reception class. Pupils joining the school at different times are welcomed and receive a high level of care and support to help them to settle quickly.

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Commentary

27. There are very good arrangements to involve pupils in the school’s development and to ensure that they have a strong voice which is heard and acted upon. The School Council and the class councils have a high profile in the school and pupils are positively encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions for improvements. The School Council is well organised by pupils who take a leading role with the help of a learning support assistant. Pupils value the fact that many of their suggestions for additional resources and activities have now been adopted by the school. Opportunities for responsibility make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal and social development and effectively raise their self-esteem and confidence.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents. Links with the community and with other schools are good . St George’s C of E Primary School - 17

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works very closely with parents and encourages a strong partnership. • Parents are very supportive and hold the school in high regard. • Parents’ views are sought and valued in the development of the school’s work. • Regular communication provides parents with a good amount of information about activities and pupils’ progress. • Links with the community and other schools support pupils’ personal development and enrich the curriculum.

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Commentary

28. Since the last inspection the school has continued to maintain its very strong partnership with parents. Parents are very supportive and appreciative of the quality of education provided and the welcome they receive in the school. They speak highly of the headteacher and feel that the school is approachable and helpful. Parents value the regular opportunity for informal contact with teachers and the fact that the school seeks and values their views. A group of parents helps regularly with extra-curricular activities, special topics, educational visits and listening to reading. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is very supportive and organises regular fund-raising activities and social events. These are very well attended by parents and the local community and provide the school with a range of additional resources to support teaching and learning.

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Commentary

29. The quality of information for parents is good and keeps them well informed about events and pupils’ achievements. Parents are very satisfied with the regular newsletters, curriculum information and guidance on helping their children at home. Consultation evenings are well attended and the school ensures that parents have regular formal and informal opportunities to discuss their children’s progress and any concerns. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in assessment and reviews and well informed about individual education plans and target setting. The annual reports are satisfactory and provide parents with clear information about what has been taught and pupils’ progress and achievements.

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Commentary

30. The school has good links with the community which help to enrich the curriculum and pupils’ experience and personal development. Through the school’s links with the Cheshire Homes, pupils benefit from the opportunity to meet residents and to take part in musical performances. The strong links with the church effectively support the curriculum and topics in assemblies. A range of visitors from the local community come into the school to talk to pupils about such topics as Judaism, recycling and wartime memories.

p.17

Commentary

31. There are good links with other schools through the local cluster group which make a strong contribution to the quality of education provided. The school works closely in partnership with other small primary schools and the secondary school with regular staff meetings and sharing of information, resources and good practice. Pupils benefit from taking part in joint activities such as sports and music. The provision for physical education and science for older pupils is enriched by the support of specialist teaching provided by the secondary school. St George’s C of E Primary School - 18

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good . The governing body is very effective . The leadership and management of key staff are good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides a very clear lead for the school’s development and paces change very well. • Governors are very supportive and knowledgeable and have made a good start to developing their monitoring role. • The school has a very strong policy of inclusion. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well managed. • Finances are very well managed and monitored, and spending is closely linked to planned educational development.

p.18

Commentary

32. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. The school has undergone an extensive rebuilding programme which has had a significant and positive impact on the standard of accommodation. There has been a continued and focused thrust on raising standards further, improving aspects of provision, and maintaining some of the very good features described in the last report. The school continues to be very inclusive and caters very well for pupils with special educational needs. There are very high levels of parental satisfaction, and all those involved with the school appreciate its warm friendly atmosphere and its distinctive Christian ethos.

p.18

Commentary

33. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school, and sets a very high standard for other staff. She has excellent inter-personal skills, and communicates very effectively so that staff, parents and pupils are very clear about her intentions and expectations. The headteacher has built up a very strong team of staff, all of whom are highly committed to the continued improvement and development of the school. There is a very strong team spirit, and teachers and support staff work very closely to maximise their strengths and to share expertise and experience. Priorities for whole- school development are clearly articulated in the School Development Plan, and planned targets are set within a realistic timescale so that change can be well paced, monitored and evaluated.

p.18

Commentary

34. Co-ordinators are in place for key aspects of the school’s work. They fulfil their roles well, following an agreed rolling programme for monitoring so that their workload is not over burdensome. Very good opportunities for staff to share monitoring activities, such as the scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, make efficient use of their time, and lead to staff having a good whole-school overview. The management of special educational needs is very good, and reviews are held regularly so that parents and pupils can be fully consulted about the drawing up of new targets.

p.18

Commentary

35. The governing body is very good and ensures that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities. Governors share a wide range of knowledge, experience and expertise which they use well to enable them to fulfil their role. Governors provide both a sounding board for the headteacher, and also act as a ‘critical friend’, engaging her and staff in debate about new initiatives or proposed change. The governing body’s monitoring role is well developed, and governors have begun to extend their remit to include classroom observations as well as discussions with staff and pupils, and review of documentation. St George’s C of E Primary School - 19 36. The school makes very good use of the funding that is available and spending and income are closely aligned. Good but informal measures are in place for measuring the cost-effectiveness of major spending decisions, and the school seeks best value when making substantial purchases. The finances are very closely monitored by the

p.18

Commentary

Resources Committee, which receives regular and timely information about the budget.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 456 188 Balance from previous year 40 465 Total expenditure 461 579 Balance carried forward to the next 35 074

p.19

Commentary

Expenditure per pupil 3 945 St George’s C of E Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children of all abilities get a good start to their education and achieve well in relation to their different starting points. • Adults are very effective in the way in which they support the personal, social and emotional development of the children. • The teacher provides a very caring and supportive learning environment for the reception children and as a result they settle in quickly and are secure and confident learners. • Good use is made of assessment information to plan work that matches the needs of individual children. • The basic skills of reading, writing and number are very well taught. • Teaching assistants make a good contribution to the children’s learning. • There are not always enough free-choice play activities and at times there is too much adult direction. • The outside play area provides a good extension to the classroom and is well used.

p.20

Commentary

37. The reception children are taught alongside the younger Year 1 pupils. Their entry into school is staggered and as a result, some children have a full year in the reception class, whilst the youngest children have only one term on a full-time basis. The school’s data show that the attainment of the reception children varies year on year. The attainment of the current reception children when they started school was below the expected level overall. Some of the children started with poor social skills, and the development of personal, social and emotional development has rightly been an ongoing focus for this group of children.

p.20

Commentary

38. Whilst all children achieve well, the breadth of experience of the older reception children is significantly wider than that of the youngest children. By the end of the reception year, the children are on course to attain the expected levels in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development.

p.20

Commentary

39. Teaching is good overall. The teaching of basic skills of reading, writing and number, and the teaching of personal, social and emotional development, are very good. Classroom assistants are used well to support the children’s learning, but at times, because there is a generous number of adults in the classroom, the children’s learning is over-directed. The teacher provides a good range of stimulating activities that are appropriately planned around the key areas of learning for this age group. However, whilst children are given good levels of choice within the range of planned activities, there are not always enough free-choice play activities on offer. Relationships between adults and children are very good and help to create a very positive learning environment where children feel secure and confident. Assessment is used well to track the children’s ongoing progress and to ensure that activities are well matched to

p.20

Commentary

the children’s levels of ability. St George’s C of E Primary School - 21 40. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator provides good leadership and management and is thoughtful and reflective when considering the next steps to take to improve the provision still further. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The outside play area has been well developed and is used well as an extension of the main classroom. Links with parents are very good, and they are appreciative of the support and good quality information they receive prior to their children starting school.

p.20

Commentary

41. The children’s achievement in personal, social and emotional development is very good, enabling them to attain the nationally expected level by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teaching is very good and focuses well on helping the children to become increasingly more mature and independent in their learning. Relationships between the adults and children in the reception class are very good, and the children are happy, and enthusiastic about their learning. Although a small number of children demonstrate good learning skills, many have difficulty in maintaining concentration, and lack perseverance when they encounter a problem. The teacher and teaching assistants provide very good role models for the children and show extreme patience and sensitivity when working with the very youngest and most immature children. Very good use is made of games and other shared activities to help the children to learn

p.21

Commentary

how to take turns and how to work co-operatively with others.

p.21

Commentary

42. In communication, language and literacy the children achieve well and by the end of the Foundation Stage their attainment is in line with the nationally expected level. Teaching is very good and children receive a very good grounding in basic skills of reading and writing that prepares them well for their transfer to Year 1. The children are keen to listen to stories and rhymes, and higher-attainers show good levels of competence when reading from their individual reading books. Letter formation is systematically developed and many of the children are keen writers. There is a good balance of writing activities, including those that are set by the teacher, and free- choice activities linked to the role play area, which is currently a ‘garden centre’. Speaking and listening skills are fostered well throughout the day, and the children listen well to one another and are keen to share their ideas.

p.21

Commentary

43. The children’s attainment in terms of their mathematical development is at the expected level by the end of the reception year. Children of all abilities achieve well. Teaching and learning are good overall. The teaching of basic skills of number is very good, but there are not always enough supplementary play activities to enable the children to consolidate and extend their learning through experience and investigation. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most children count confidently up to and sometimes well beyond ten. They make simple calculations, and use number lines and other apparatus well to solve number problems. Most children have a secure mathematical vocabulary which they use well to explain their ideas. The children make comparisons of size, and have a satisfactory knowledge of the properties of simple two-dimensional shapes.

p.21

Commentary

44. In terms of their knowledge and understanding of the world the children’s attainment is at the level expected for their age at the end of the reception year. Children of all abilities achieve well and make good gains in their knowledge. Teaching is good and places good emphasis on the children finding things out for themselves. The children show satisfactory levels of enquiry and observation and have a secure sense of their own place within the school and the wider environment. Most children have an emerging understanding of the past and talk about past events in their own lives. Religious education is taught on a weekly basis and there is a regular multi- cultural focus that helps the children to gain a wider perspective of the world. The children have regular access to computers and use them to produce simple pictures and pieces of short text. The children have good opportunities to make constructions

p.21

Commentary

St George’s C of E Primary School - 22 from a range of materials of different sizes, and higher-attainers talk knowledgably about why structures such as towers need a firm base.

p.22

Commentary

45. The children’s physical development is at the age expected level by the end of the reception year and children achieve well. Teaching and learning are good, and the children benefit from the good example set by the older Year 1 pupils in formal lessons. Most children have satisfactory control of their bodies as they move around the play area and classroom. They show satisfactory levels of hand to eye co- ordination as they throw and catch balls. Most of the children have good control of objects such as pencils and scissors.

p.22

Commentary

46. The children’s attainment in creative development is at the age expected level by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children of all abilities make satisfactory progress. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The children have access to a suitably broad range of learning experiences, and systematically acquire a good range of skills. However, some activities are over-directed, and the children do not have enough ongoing access to free-choice art and craft activities during the course of the day. In music, the children show a satisfactory sense of rhythm as they play different instruments and some children can keep a steady beat well.

p.22

Main strength and weaknesses

• Teachers are very effective in the way in which they challenge the higher-attaining pupils. • Very good support for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make very good progress. • Homework is used well to extend and support pupils’ learning. • The additional input of a part-time teacher has had a positive impact on the pupils’ progress. • Very good analysis of test data is used very well to inform whole-school development. • Pupils make very good use of language and literacy skills in their work in other areas. • Pupils work extremely hard and produce very good amounts of neat and accurate written work.

p.22

Commentary

47. The 2004 national test results show that pupils’ attainment in reading and writing is well above the national average. In comparison with similar schools the pupils’ performance is average in reading and well above average in writing. On the basis of the 2004 end of Key Stage 2 national test results, pupils’ attainment is below the national average. The pupils’ performance based on their prior attainment is average, suggesting that this group of pupils made satisfactory progress between the end of Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2. Typically, the test results for both key stages are very variable year on year because the groups of pupils are small, and the natural ability of the groups varies quite markedly from year to year. The 2004 Key Stage 2 group contained a higher than usual percentage of pupils with special educational St George’s C of E Primary School - 23 needs who did not attain the nationally expected level in the national tests, despite

p.22

Commentary

making very good progress from their individual starting points.

p.23

Commentary

48. The inspection findings paint a very positive picture of attainment and reflect the tremendous effort the school has made over recent years to improve standards further. Standards for the current Year 2 and Year 6 groups are well above national expectations. These groups are very different in terms of their natural ability, and both have made good progress. Achievement is good overall. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and achieve very well because of the very good levels of additional support they receive. Teachers are very effective in the way in which they challenge higher-attaining pupils, enabling them to achieve their potential.

p.23

Commentary

49. Standards of speaking and listening are high throughout the school. Pupils of all ages use a wide vocabulary well to express their ideas and opinions and listen very carefully to the views of others. In both key stages, writing is imaginative, well structured and accurate in terms of grammar and punctuation. Higher-attainers in Year 6 show very good skills of note-taking and plan and organise their written work carefully. Reading is taught very well, and teachers do their best to promote reading as a pleasurable activity. A good range of books has been purchased to stimulate the interest of the boys, who historically did not attain as well as the girls in this aspect of the English curriculum. The introduction of THRASS in the lower part of the school is having a positive impact on both reading and spelling.

p.23

Commentary

50. Teaching and learning are good and have some very good features. Lessons are well prepared and teachers make good use of a range of resources to stimulate learning. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils and use praise and encouragement very well to motivate the pupils and to enhance their confidence. Teaching assistants are used very well to work with pupils who have special educational needs, and this additional input significantly enhances the rate of progress of these pupils. Pupils throughout the school work extremely hard and have very positive attitudes. They take pride in the presentation of their written work which is neat and well organised. Pupils’ work is regularly marked, and targets are shared with pupils to help them to see the next steps they need to take in order to bring about further improvement. Homework is used well to extend pupils’ classwork and to provide them with opportunities to practise

p.23

Commentary

51. The subject is well led and managed. Very good analysis of test data highlights areas for whole-school development, and the involvement of all staff in regular moderation exercises means that teacher assessments are accurate. The overall provision has improved well since the last inspection. There is now an attractive library, and a computer suite which pupils use to good effect to support their work in English. A part- time teacher supports the Year 5/Year 6 class and this additional input has had a positive impact on the overall achievement of this group of pupils. A generous amount of time is given to the teaching of English. This reduces the amount of time that is available for other subjects.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. Pupils make very good use of their language and literacy skills to support their work across the curriculum. Speaking and listening skills are promoted across all areas. Pupils are often encouraged to carry out research to support their work in geography and history. In science and religious education, pupils have many very good opportunities to write in a wide range of styles. St George’s C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to solve problems and to use and apply their mathematical skills in other subjects. • Standards in number work are particularly high throughout the school. • The additional input of a part-time teacher has had a positive impact on the pupils’ progress. • Very good support for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make very good progress towards their individual targets. • Good use is made of teaching assistants to work with small groups of pupils, although at times pupils are over-directed. • Homework is used well to extend pupils’ learning. • Very good use is made of data analysis to highlight relative strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. • The enthusiastic co-ordinator sets a very good model for other staff through the high standard of her own teaching.

p.24

Commentary

53. The 2004 end of Key Stage 1 national test results show that pupils’ attainment is well above the national average and average in comparison with similar schools. On the basis of the end of Key Stage 2 national test results, the pupils’ attainment is in line with the national average. Based on their prior attainment the pupils’ performance is above average indicating that the pupils have made good progress between the end of Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2.

p.24

Commentary

54. The inspection findings show that pupils’ attainment is above national expectations at the end of both key stages. The groups of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are very different in terms of the spread of natural ability, and all pupils achieve well. Very good additional support for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make very good progress towards their individual targets. The additional support of a part-time teacher in the Year 5/Year 6 class has had a very positive impact on the pupils’ attainment and achievement. For much of the time pupils are taught in separate year groups for mathematics, enabling the teachers to match work very closely to the pupils’ individual needs.

p.24

Commentary

55. Throughout the school pupils show a real interest in their number work, and have very good levels of mental agility. They have a very secure grasp of place value and recognise patterns in number that help them to check the reasonableness of their answers and to make speedy calculations. The pupils’ mathematical skills are enhanced by their very good literacy skills which enable them to quickly get to the heart of complex word problems. Pupils’ knowledge of two- and three-dimensional shapes is good and from an early age pupils are encouraged to make estimates and to take accurate measurements. Pupils confidently construct graphs and charts to record data, and older pupils show a good understanding of probability.

p.24

Commentary

56. Teaching and learning are good, and some very good teaching was seen during the inspection. Good use is made of targets so that the pupils know what is expected of them, and what they are aiming to improve. Tasks are well matched to pupils’ abilities so that all pupils are appropriately challenged. Teaching assistants are used well to St George’s C of E Primary School - 25 work with different groups of pupils, and they are skilled in raising the self-esteem of lower-attaining pupils who sometimes lack confidence. Pupils are encouraged to solve problems and they approach new learning with enthusiasm. However, at times tasks are over-directed by adults and this constrains the pupils’ creativity. Homework is used well to extend the pupils’ learning. The homework for Class 1 pupils is exceptionally good and involves parents very well in their children’s learning. Pupils have very positive attitudes to mathematics, and because of the very positive ethos that teachers

p.24

Commentary

create, are not afraid of taking risks and making mistakes. Pupils make satisfactory use of information and communication technology to support their learning in mathematics.

p.25

Commentary

57. The subject is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has done much to raise standards in mathematics in the short time since her appointment and has a clear idea of the next steps that need to be taken to raise standards still further. She sets a very good example for staff through her own classroom practice. Assessment is very good, and the results of data analysis are used very well to inform planning and whole-school development. In this small school all staff share in the moderating of pupils’ work, and monitoring of classroom practice is linked to the current priorities of the School Development Plan. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. Numeracy skills are taught well in all classes and are promoted effectively across the curriculum. Very good use is made of numeracy skills in science where pupils have the opportunity to take and record measurements and to organise their findings in charts and graphs. Tasks in the information and communication technology suite are often well linked to mathematics.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a good knowledge but their investigative skills are under-developed in both key stages. • Not enough time is allocated to science. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning in science • Teaching assistants are used well to support the learning of lower-attaining pupils. • Teachers make very good use of the school grounds as a learning resource. • Pupils make very good use of literacy and numeracy skills to support their work in science. • The school makes very good use of assessment information to highlight areas for whole-school development.

p.25

Commentary

59. The 2004 end of Key Stage 1 teacher assessments show that pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with the national average. Pupils’ attainment on the basis of the end of Key Stage 2 national test results is below the national average. The pupils’ performance on the basis of their prior attainment is average suggesting that the pupils made satisfactory progress between the end of Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2. St George’s C of E Primary School - 26 60. The inspection findings show that standards are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Overall pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The picture of attainment and achievement across the school is mixed. Whilst pupils have a good scientific knowledge, and demonstrate a ready recall of facts, their investigative skills are not as good as they could be given the pupils’ overall ability. The school has identified the need for the further development of investigative skills, and staff have

p.25

Commentary

made good improvements over the last year. However, the new initiatives have not been in place long enough to have their maximum impact on standards or on pupils’ progress. In both key stages, pupils use literacy and numeracy skills to very good effect to support their work in science. Pupils make satisfactory use of information and communication technology to enhance their learning.

p.26

Commentary

61. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and some good teaching was seen during the inspection. Teachers use question and answer sessions well to probe pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding. Lower-attaining pupils are well supported by teaching assistants so that they can take a full part in all activities. Teachers model the use of scientific vocabulary well and encourage pupils to explain their ideas clearly. At times teachers over-direct the pupils in their practical work, reducing the opportunities for the pupils to find things out for themselves. Teachers often make good use of resources to bring the pupils’ learning to life and to illustrate new teaching points. Homework is used well to support and extend pupils’ learning. Pupils take an active part in lessons and show good levels of enthusiasm. They are very co-operative and work very effectively in partners and small groups.

p.26

Commentary

62. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory overall. The co- ordinator has made a good start in her role, and has identified the need for pupils to take part in more open-ended investigations, and for more time to be allocated to the subject. However, because of long-term illness, there has a been a temporary delay in implementing some of the actions for improvement that she has identified. Assessment is good overall, and the school makes very good use of test data to highlight areas of relative strength and weakness in teaching and learning. Pupils have good opportunities to make visits to places of scientific interest, and make very good use of the school grounds for environmental work. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good, but recent, improvements have not yet had time to impact on the overall standards pupils attain. • Pupils of all ages and abilities are now making good progress but there are gaps in their learning arising from past weaknesses. • The co-ordinator provides a good lead for the subject and has a clear plan of action for the school’s continued development. • Pupils are very well behaved in the computer suite and show high levels of enthusiasm for the subject. • Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported so that they can take a full part in all activities. • There are missed opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology to support their learning across the curriculum. St George’s C of E Primary School - 27

p.26

Commentary

63. Pupils’ attainment is at the nationally expected level at the end of both key stages. Pupils of all ages and abilities are now achieving well, although there are some gaps in the learning of Key Stage 2 pupils arising from past weaknesses. After an extensive programme of rebuilding, the school now has a very good computer suite which comfortably accommodates a full class. This is used on a regular basis by all classes and is having a very positive impact on the pupils’ learning, and is rapidly accelerating their progress.

p.27

Commentary

64. Pupils’ word-processing skills are well developed throughout the school, and pupils confidently move around the keyboard. Key Stage 2 pupils make good use of a wide variety of features such as the ‘spell-check’ facility, and competently change the style and position of text. From an early age pupils are encouraged to import pictures from different applications, and Year 2 pupils are competent in illustrating poems and stories in this way. Key Stage 1 pupils make good use of computers for simulation. For example, during the inspection they put together the main components of a steam train and watched the final model move. All pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how computers can be used to organise and retrieve data, and older Key Stage 2 pupils have satisfactory knowledge of how to compile a spreadsheet. Control technology is the relatively weaker aspect of pupils’ learning, but the school is aware of this, and has

p.27

Commentary

firm plans to enhance pupils’ learning in this area. Pupils make good use of computers for research, and in mathematics, and have a good application of the wider role of information and communication technology in the world of work and leisure.

p.27

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers make good use of the computer suite for class lessons which are well organised and prepared. Teaching assistants play an important role in supporting lower-attaining pupils so that they can learn with confidence. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good levels of support. Teachers make good links with other subjects in that they often set up information and communication technology tasks that have a subject focus. For example, during the inspection, research skills in information and communication technology were linked to an ongoing history topic for Year 6 pupils. Pupils’ behaviour is very good and they work very well together on shared projects. They show very good levels of interest in their work, and are keen to settle down to the given tasks.

p.27

Commentary

66. The subject is well led and managed, but the recent improvements in the overall provision are not yet having their full impact on the standards pupils attain. Staff have been involved in a good programme of training which has improved their levels of confidence in the subject, and further training is planned for the next academic year. Assessment is satisfactory, but the co-ordinator has identified that there is more work to be done in this area to refine the systems for tracking pupils’ progress and attainment as they move through the school. The use of a part-time technician to keep the computer suite fully operational is effective. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is satisfactory overall. Good links are forged with other subjects in terms of the work that the pupils carry out in the computer suite. As a result, much of the pupils’ learning in information and communication technology has a good and meaningful context. However, there are missed opportunities for pupils to use computers on a daily basis as a tool for learning. St George’s C of E Primary School - 28

p.27

HUMANITIES

68. The inspection focused on religious education . Neither geography nor history were main foci of the inspection. No lessons were seen in either of these subjects and no judgements can be made about the overall provision, standards, achievement, teaching or learning. The curriculum is satisfactory, although only a limited amount of time is given to each subject because of the relatively large amount of time that is devoted to literacy and numeracy. A very good range of visits and visiting speakers enhances the statutory curriculum, and good use is made of the school grounds and the local area as a learning resource. The leadership and management of geography and history are satisfactory.

p.28

Religious education

The provision for religious education is very good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is very good and is very effectively enhanced by a wide range of visits and visiting speakers. • Pupils show very high levels of respect for the religious beliefs of others. • There are significant strengths in the way in which pupils make links between the world faiths they study, picking out similarities and differences. • There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. • The subject makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Resources are good and are used well to bring pupils’ learning to life.

p.28

Commentary

69. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well from their different starting points. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in the overall provision, and standards are much higher than they were. The curriculum is very good and has a very positive impact on the standards pupils attain and the progress they make.

p.28

Commentary

70. Pupils of all ages have a very secure knowledge of a range of world faiths including Christianity, Hinduism and Judaism. They are especially knowledgeable about the special books of different faiths, and the key leaders. Pupils are keen to find out more, and listen avidly to religious stories and accounts. They make very good links between the key tenets, customs and traditions of the main faiths they study, drawing out similarities and differences between practices and places of worship. Pupils have a good understanding of the impact of religion on the lives of its followers. Pupils show very high levels of respect for the beliefs of others, and handle artefacts with care and sensitivity.

p.28

Commentary

71. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers prepare their lessons very well, using artefacts and other resources imaginatively to capture and maintain the pupils’ interest and attention. Pupils’ learning is significantly enhanced by visits to the local church and by the input of visiting speakers. During the inspection Year 5/Year 6 pupils benefited from the excellent input of a member of the Jewish faith who generously shared her beliefs and experiences with the pupils, inviting questions and providing thought provoking answers. Teaching assistants work closely with lower-attaining pupils in St George’s C of E Primary School - 29 lessons so that they can take a full and active part in all activities. Tasks are well differentiated so that higher-attaining pupils are fully challenged in their thinking. Teachers are very effective in promoting literacy skills, and make some good and meaningful links between religious education and other subjects, especially personal,

p.28

Commentary

social and health education. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning which impact well on their overall progress and attainment. They are very respectful of the views and beliefs of others.

p.29

Commentary

72. The subject is well led and managed and has a high profile in the school. All classes spend a good amount of time on religious education every week, and the curriculum is very good, ensuring very good levels of continuity and progression in the pupils’ learning as they move through the school. The subject makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and encourages them to celebrate difference and to take an interest in the beliefs, traditions and customs of others.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. The inspection focused on music and physical education. Not enough evidence was collected to make firm judgements about the provision, standards, achievement, teaching and learning in art and design and design and technology . The available evidence shows that both of these subjects are taught on a regular basis in all classes. However, because of the large amount of time that is dedicated to literacy and numeracy, they only receive a limited amount of curriculum time. Pupils’ work is attractively displayed in corridors and classrooms, and shows that pupils acquire a range of appropriate skills as they move through the school. The subjects are satisfactorily led and managed. Neither is a current focus for whole-school development.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils benefit from the very good teaching and high levels of expertise of the part- time specialist teacher. • Although pupils are very well behaved, older Key Stage 2 pupils are difficult to motivate. • The curriculum is very good and ensures very good levels of continuity in the pupils’ learning as they move through school. • The pupils’ learning is enhanced by a very good range of additional experiences.

p.29

Commentary

74. Pupils’ attainment is above the nationally expected level at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils throughout the school make good progress and achieve well. They benefit from a very well planned curriculum that ensures that lessons build progressively on what the pupils already know and can do. Good support for pupils with special educational needs enables them to take a full and active part in all activities.

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Commentary

75. Pupils take part in a wide range of activities that effectively enhance their knowledge and skills across all areas of the music curriculum. Pupils are confident performers St George’s C of E Primary School - 30 who are keen to give solo performances, and who willingly take part in class and group activities. Pupils have a good knowledge of the notion of composition, and make music using voices, body sounds and a range of percussion instruments. They understand the purpose of notation, and record their compositions graphically and pictorially so that they can be reproduced at a later date. Pupils critically appraise their own performances and those of others. They listen carefully, picking out key instruments and sounds. Pupils of all ages make good use of a wide musical vocabulary to explain their ideas.

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Commentary

76. Teaching and learning are very good and the pupils benefit from the considerable expertise of the part-time music specialist. Lessons are exciting, challenging and stimulating, and Key Stage 1 and younger Key Stage 2 pupils respond enthusiastically. However, despite the best attempts of the teacher, the older Key Stage 2 pupils are difficult to motivate. Lessons contain a good mix of composing, performing, listening and appraising activities, and although some lessons are overlong, pupils’ attention is well maintained. The teacher makes very good use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning. During the inspection a video camera was used to very good effect so that the pupils could critically evaluate their performance and find ways of making improvements. Pupils’ behaviour is very good throughout the school, and pupils work very well together on shared projects. They are supportive of

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Commentary

one another, and sensitive when making their appraisals of the performance of others.

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Commentary

77. The subject is well led and managed and there has been good improvement since the last inspection. Assessment is satisfactory, but does not always provide enough clear information about the individual progress and attainment of pupils. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities that significantly enhance the pupils’ learning and personal and social development.

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Physical education

The provision for physical education is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There have been very good improvements to the accommodation since the last inspection that have impacted positively on the overall quality of provision. • Pupils have very good opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities. • Pupils behave very well and demonstrate a healthy competitive attitude in games activities.

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Commentary

78. Three lessons were seen during the inspection. All of these lessons were games activities. In this aspect of the physical education curriculum, pupils’ attainment is above the nationally expected level by the end of Key Stage 1, and at the nationally expected level in Key Stage 2. Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1 and make good progress. In the lesson seen in Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievement was satisfactory.

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Commentary

79. In games, Key Stage 1 pupils show good levels of hand to eye co-ordination when they pass balls. They throw and catch over a suitable distance with good levels of accuracy. Pupils listen well to their teachers’ suggestions so that they can improve their performance. In Key Stage 2, pupils show a growing awareness of how to field and attack and their skills of handling balls are satisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils can swim the recommended twenty five metres. Pupils throughout the St George’s C of E Primary School - 31 school have a good understanding of the impact of exercise on their hearts and bodies.

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Commentary

80. Teaching and learning are good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, teachers are effective in giving pupils pointers for improvement. They make good use of teacher and pupil demonstration to illustrate important teaching points and provide good levels of challenge. Key Stage 1 pupils are encouraged to evaluate their own work and that of others. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ learning is not always advanced at a sufficiently rapid rate. Throughout the school pupils show good levels of sportsmanship and a good awareness of the need to follow the rules of the game.

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Commentary

81. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. A good amount of time is given to physical education and pupils’ learning is very effectively enhanced by a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils enjoy taking part in inter-school tournaments and enjoy the competitive element these opportunities provide. Overall there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. The improvement in terms of the building has been very good and has had a very positive impact in terms of the range of activities that can now be provided for all pupils.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

82. Not enough evidence was collected to make secure judgements about the standards pupils attain in this area of learning, or the quality of teaching and learning. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that the provision for this area of the curriculum is very good. Pupils cover a very wide range of topics during their time in school, which they explore in depth. Older Key Stage 2 pupils show very high levels of maturity as they consider far-reaching moral and social dilemmas. Pupils in both key stages make very good use of literacy skills to support their learning. The promotion of pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship has a strong focus throughout the school, and pupils of all ages make a very good contribution to the life and work of the school. They are keen to take responsibility, and older pupils show very good levels of independence. St George’s C of E Primary School - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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