St Lawrence CofE Aided Junior School, East Molesey

ST LAWRENCE C OF E (AIDED) JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th February - 2 nd March 2005

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ST LAWRENCE C OF E (AIDED) JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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 LAWRENCE C OF E (AIDED) JUNIOR 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 Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 7 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 303 School address: Church Road East Molesey Surrey Postcode: KT8 9DR Telephone number: (020) 89410846 Fax number: (020) 89417651 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Scott

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 th May 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Lawrence is a three-form entry Church of England voluntary aided junior mixed school. The school is larger than the average-sized primary school, with 303 full-time pupils, between the ages of seven and 11. Although boys outnumber significantly girls in Year 5, overall there is little difference in the number of boys and girls. The school is situated near the River Thames, about half a mile from Hampton Court Palace. It serves the three parishes in Molesey and most pupils live in rented or privately-owned accommodation in East and West Molesey. Pupils come from a broad spread of family backgrounds and employment but generally are from favourable socio-economic circumstances. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (approximately four per cent) is low compared to the national average. More than 90 per cent of the pupils are from white UK background, with no other ethnic group being represented in any significant proportions.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The percentage of pupils whose first language is not believed to be English (4.8 per cent) is higher than in most schools but currently there is only one pupil at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs (18 per cent) is close to the national average. Three pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. The attainment of pupils on entry is generally above that typically found nationally.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Following the retirement of the previous headteacher, the deputy headteacher was appointed as acting headteacher in September 2004. A new headteacher will take up her appointment in the Summer term 2005. The school has received a number of awards: Basic Skills Quality Mark (2002), School Curriculum Award (2002) and Schools Achievement Award (2003). Religious education and Collective Worship are covered by a separate Section 23 report. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 2 St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 3

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23744 Peter Howlett Lead inspector Mathematics Geography English as an additional language 9519 Sue Pritchard Lay inspector 21872 Lorna Brackstone Team inspector English French History Music Physical education 18370 Kevin Johnston Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 4

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 5

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OVERALL EVALUATION

St Lawrence is a sound school with many good features but with some important areas that require improvement. It provides pupils with a good curriculum and a very positive and supportive ethos underpinned by Christian values and beliefs. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and help ensure that standards are maintained above nationally-expected levels across the school. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards are above those typically found nationally in English, mathematics, art and design, music and physical education and well above expected levels in science by Year 6. • Pupils underachieve in ICT and more able pupils underachieve in writing. • The school provides very well for pupils’ personal development, and provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Pupils’ behaviour, relationships, attitudes to learning and attendance are very good. • The provision for extra-curricular and enrichment activities is very good. • The use made of assessment is unsatisfactory and does not help pupils to improve enough. • Procedures for consulting with parents are not as effective as they could be. • Measures used to evaluate how well the school is doing are not good enough.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection is broadly satisfactory. The school has made satisfactory progress in tackling the key issue on improving provision and standards in ICT, although more could be done to raise pupils’ achievement to attain even higher standards. The governing body has not yet successfully linked its financial decisions to their impact on standards. Nevertheless, results in the national tests in the end of Year 6 have generally kept pace with the national trend of improvement.

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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 B mathematics A B A B science A C A B 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 satisfactory. Achievement in English is satisfactory. Standards in reading are above those expected nationally, and in speaking they are well above. In writing, achievement is just satisfactory overall and standards are as expected nationally. However, more able pupils are underachieving and their results in the national tests are not matching those in reading. In mathematics, pupils achieve satisfactorily and standards are above nationally-expected levels. In science, pupils’ achievement is good and standards are well above nationally-expected levels. In ICT, standards are as expected nationally but pupils are underachieving. In physical education and music, pupils achieve well and St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 6 standards exceed national expectations. In history, achievement is satisfactory and standards are as expected nationally. From the analysis of pupils’ work, standards in art

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

and design are above expectations and those in geography are as expected. No judgement was made on standards in design and technology. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and achieve well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is good , as a result of the school’s very good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. St Lawrence is a very harmonious and happy school. Pupils behave very well, establish very good relationships with one another and have very good attitudes to learning. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory , with many positive features. Teaching was at least satisfactory in all but two lessons seen and better than that in over half the lessons. Most teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and foster a purposeful ethos for learning. Teachers plan lessons well but make insufficient use of assessment information to help pupils improve their work. The curriculum is good. It is broad and balanced and the school provides a good range of appropriate learning experiences and very good opportunities for pupils to participate in activities outside the school day. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The accommodation is good. The school has appropriate arrangements for pupils’ care and welfare and promotes co-operation between home and school in many ways. However, many parents feel that the school is not taking sufficient account of their views.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is soundly led and managed. The acting headteacher undertakes her interim leadership role effectively. She successfully maintains the school’s very good ethos, and has, together with staff, produced a useful school improvement plan that is helping to move the school forward. The interim senior management is responsive to change, but the school has not always kept pace with national developments, particularly in its use of assessment information and development of self-evaluation measures. Subject leaders do not evaluate standards and provision rigorously. The governing body ensures statutory requirements are met, with one minor exception. It manages the school’s finances well and prudently.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have satisfactory views of the school but want the school to consult and communicate with them more, for example about arrangements for homework and information on their children’s progress. Pupils enjoy school and feel that the school considers their views and ideas.

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

• Improve standards and achievement in writing and ICT. • Improve assessment procedures to provide pupils with better guidance and help in knowing exactly what they need to do to improve their work. • Strengthen measures to evaluate the school’s effectiveness. • Develop the school’s partnership with parents through better consultation. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 7

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And in order to meet requirements:

• Remedy the minor omission in the governors’ annual report to parents. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in subjects

Overall, pupils achieve as expected for their capabilities. In Year 6, standards are above nationally-expected levels in English and mathematics and well above nationally-expected levels in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in science and standards are well above those typically found nationally in Year 6. • Standards are above those expected nationally in English and mathematics overall and in art and design, physical education and music. • Pupils’ speaking skills are strong, but the achievement of more able pupils in writing is unsatisfactory. • Pupils’ achievement over time in ICT is unsatisfactory. • Results in the national tests in English, mathematics and science fluctuate from year to year, but are generally well above national averages. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and achieve well.

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Commentary

1. When pupils start school in Year 3, there is a wide spread of attainment. Current standards in Year 3 are above those normally found nationally in English and mathematics. Although the school does not analyse attainment on entry, information from the local education authority shows that results in the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 for the group of pupils starting in Year 3 are generally above the authority’s average.

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Commentary

2. The overall trend in national test results has broadly matched the national trend of improvement over the past five years. However, there has been considerable variation in results between years with results in mathematics and science dipping significantly in 2001 and 2003. The table below shows that results in the 2004 tests for Year 6 pupils were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Overall test averages for the past three years are well above the national picture in all three subjects.

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Commentary

3. Information produced by the local education authority shows that pupils generally perform satisfactorily in the national tests in Year 6 given their results in the national tests in Year 2. Nevertheless, the performance of the school over the last three years is quite mixed when compared to that of similar schools 1 . Results in the 2004 tests in English and mathematics were better than might be expected given pupils’ results in Year 2. In 2003 results in comparison to similar schools were as expected in English but well below those expected in maths and science. Whilst in 2002 results were well above those expected in all three tests. The school is unable to offer sufficient evidence to explain these fluctuating results, other than to point to high levels of staff mobility.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

1 Schools whose pupils attained similarly in the national tests at the end of Year 2. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 9 School results National results English 29.3 (28.6) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 29.3 (27.5) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.5 (29.3) 28.6 (28.6) There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. 4. Inspection findings are that pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall and that most pupils make at least satisfactory progress from the time they join the school. Standards of work seen during the inspection indicate that pupils maintain above nationally-expected standards as they move through the school. However, some inconsistencies in teaching and weaknesses in assessment procedures slow pupils’ achievement. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of the quality of support they receive. The school makes every effort to ensure their

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Commentary

progress. These pupils often make very good progress when taught in small groups. For example, some pupils who enter the school with statements of special educational needs are no longer on the school’s register by the time they leave at the end of Year 6. The achievement of more able pupils is satisfactory, except in writing, but teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and the tasks given in lessons do not always provide sufficient challenge. The achievement of the few pupils for whom English is an additional language is similar to that of other pupils. The one pupil at an early stage of English language acquisition has made satisfactory progress in English and has achieved well in his number work during his time at the school. No differences in the achievement of boys and girls were noted.

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Commentary

5. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in English and mathematics and standards overall are above those typically found nationally by Year 6 as they were at the last inspection. Standards in speaking are well above the national expectation and in listening and reading they are above those expected. However, although achievement in writing is just satisfactory overall, the achievement of more able pupils in writing is unsatisfactory and standards are as expected 2 . Teachers’ expectations are not high enough in terms of the content of pupils’ writing and the quality of their presentation. There is a good focus in lessons on teaching numeracy skills and standards in these skills and in other aspects of mathematics are above those expected nationally. The arrangements for teaching mathematics in Year 6 in three ability sets work well and help pupils’ achievement.

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Commentary

6. Pupils’ achievement in science is good because pupils attain very good levels of scientific understanding and standards are well above those typically found nationally by Year 6. Standards in ICT have improved since the last inspection and are as expected by Year 6. Pupils make satisfactory progress in lessons but their achievement is unsatisfactory over time, partly because improvements in ICT provision are only recent.

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Commentary

7. Pupils achieve well in physical education and standards exceed national expectations in dance, gymnastics, sport and swimming. They achieve well in music, and standards in singing and performance skills are above nationally-expected levels. Pupils’ achievement in history is satisfactory and standards are as expected nationally. From the analysis of pupils’ work, standards in art and design are above expectations and those in geography are as expected. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards in design and technology.

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Commentary

2 An analysis undertaken by the inspectors of the 2004 test results shows that the proportion of pupils attaining Level 5 was significantly higher in reading than in writing. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

There is very good provision for developing pupils’ personal qualities. Pupils behave very well, establish very good relationships and have very good attitudes to learning. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour have been maintained since the last inspection. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Pupils rarely miss a day’s schooling and are very punctual.

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Commentary

8. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school. They enjoy their lessons and form very good relationships with adults and the other pupils. The vast majority are thoughtful and polite in lessons and develop mature attitudes to work. A very few pupils demonstrate inappropriate attitudes, usually in response to lessons which are not sufficiently challenging. Pupils move sensibly around the school and are very well behaved and well mannered in the dining room. Pupils collaborate very well when solving problems and listen and respond well to the points of view of others. For example, there was a noticeable improvement in the quality of dance during a physical education lesson after pupils listened to other pupils’ evaluations of their performance.

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Commentary

9. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated very well in the life of the school. They show very good attitudes to work, because their efforts are valued by teachers. For example, in one lesson, a pupil successfully demonstrated to the whole class what had been learned. This recognition of achievement gave a boost to the pupil’s confidence and self-esteem. The few pupils from ethnic minority background show equally positive attitudes and are fully involved in the life of the school. No incidences of bullying or racial intolerance were observed.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 266 0 1 White – any other White background 9 0 0 Mixed- White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed- White and Asian 2 0 0 Mixed - any other mixed background 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British 8 0 0 Information not obtained 10 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Attendance

St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 11 10. Attendance levels are very good and are well above the national average. Pupils arrive in very good time and lessons start promptly. All but a very small minority of parents comply with the school’s request not to take family holidays during term time. The school is working towards full compliance in this respect. Parents know that regular attendance and good timekeeping play a very important role in helping their children adopt mature and responsible attitudes. Consequently, when pupils are absent from school, it is almost always for justifiable reasons.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 School data 0.1 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

11. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Links with the church help to support the very strong Christian ethos in the school. Pupils are encouraged to reflect sensitively on the uniqueness and creativity of the world around them, as well as how conflicting environmental issues may be resolved. In one lesson, pupils in Year 4 gave serious thought to the implication surrounding the pollution of fishing grounds and the call by some farmers for a cull of the badger population. Pupils explore and express more personal feelings during ‘circle time’ when the whole class share their thoughts honestly about the values and qualities which they recognise in others, and how to nurture positive relationships.

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Attendance

12. Pupils fully recognise the differences between right and wrong and respond very well to the school’s expectations with regard to honesty, reliability and self-control. Pupils show concern for one another and are conscientious about carrying out their various duties around the school. They show good social awareness and readily adapt their behaviour to different situations. Pupils are often commended on their behaviour by members of the public, following visits outside the school. Pupils’ generosity in raising funds for many charities and appeals is testimony to their growing awareness of the needs of others.

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Attendance

13. Provision for pupils’ cultural development has been improved since the last inspection. Pupils are keen to learn about other cultures and develop very good awareness of different cultures. Visiting artists and dancers, as well as a representative from the Hindu temple, bring added value to pupils’ learning about different faiths and cultures in lessons. There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about British cultures and traditions. The school’s close proximity to Hampton Court Palace is an advantage. Pupils also benefit from residential visits, visits to galleries and other places of interest. Traditional country dancing around the maypole also features in the school’s calendar. Harvest-time celebrations also give pupils the chance to reflect on and recognise the value of others in the community.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound education for its pupils. Teaching is satisfactory and the curriculum is good. However, assessment procedures are not good enough. The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents, the community and other schools and has sound arrangements for the care and welfare of pupils. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 12

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Weaknesses in assessment hinder pupils’ achievement.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is much good teaching, but inconsistencies in practice hold back higher achievement. • Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and high expectations of their behaviour, and ensure a purposeful ethos for learning in nearly all lessons. • Lessons are well planned and organised, but pupils’ learning in some lessons would be enhanced with brisker pace and higher teacher expectations. • The school monitors effectively the progress of pupils with special educational needs, but generally its procedures for checking pupils’ progress over time are not well developed.

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Commentary

14. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. More than half of lessons observed were at least good and nearly one in five were very good. Two lessons were unsatisfactory. These figures are not quite as good as those at the last inspection. There has been considerable movement of teaching staff in the last few years. As a consequence, there are some inconsistencies in practice that are barriers to higher achievement. Nevertheless, the school benefits in the main from hardworking and enthusiastic teachers who are keen to improve their teaching skills. Teaching is good in science, music and physical education. Teaching in English and mathematics is satisfactory.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 7 (18%) 15 (38%) 15 (38%) 2 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

15. There is a good ethos for learning in nearly all lessons. Teachers have good rapport with their pupils and promote very positive relationships. They have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and manage their learning well. Pupils respond well to their teachers and are keen to give their answers, engage in discussions and explain their work. They apply themselves well to tasks, working equally well in pairs, groups or on their own. However, in the unsatisfactory lessons, the management of pupils’ behaviour was weak and teachers’ expectations too low, so pupils did not move on sufficiently in their learning. These lessons were very much the exception as, elsewhere harmonious relationships and very positive attitudes ensure a purposeful working atmosphere.

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Commentary

16. Teachers plan and organise lessons well, using a common planning framework that promotes good consistency in the structure and organisation of pupils’ learning and builds appropriately on their prior learning. For example, there has been an improvement since the last inspection on the balance of the time within lessons between the input from teachers on introductions and explanations, and opportunities given to pupils to complete tasks. Teachers are consistent in making learning intentions of the lesson explicit to pupils so that pupils have a clear focus to their St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 13 learning. However, they are not consistent in using them with pupils as a basis for checking the success of the lesson. Planning helps teachers make some effective links between subjects, making pupils’ learning more meaningful. However, although planning formats enable teachers to identify opportunities for linking learning with ICT,

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Commentary

in many lessons teachers miss opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning with such opportunities.

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Commentary

17. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. They are normally taught in small groups within the classroom, though there is some more specific help when pupils are withdrawn to work in smaller groups. When this happens, pupils are given very good support. Teaching assistants work very skilfully with pupils. Group sessions are very well focused and there is sufficient challenge to help pupils sustain interest and make progress. Individual plans for pupils are used very well to guide each stage of learning. In Year 6, pupils are taught in three ability groups for mathematics and these arrangements are effective in promoting pupils’ achievement.

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Commentary

18. Teachers generally have a good grasp of their subjects but their expertise in teaching ICT is variable. They show a sound range of teaching skills with effective questioning, clear explanations and demonstrations and sound use of resources. They make good use of teaching assistants and other support to help pupils with their learning. However, the level of additional support is less than that typically found nationally.

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Commentary

19. There are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching which account for the variation in the quality of learning and achievement. As well as the good features above, the most effective teaching and learning occur when the pace of the lesson is brisk, the activities challenging and matched closely to pupils’ level of attainment and when pupils are highly motivated to achieve well and with enjoyment. However, teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and some lessons proceed at too slow a pace. In some lessons, teachers do not provide the more able pupils with different work to extend their learning. Expectations of the presentation of work are variable. Some teachers promote good standards of presentation while others accept slapdash and untidy work.

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Commentary

20. There are some useful and effective practices in assessment, but overall assessment systems in the school are unsatisfactory and their use in raising pupil achievement is not good enough. Teachers use appropriate means to check pupils’ understanding during lessons and the gains they have made at the end of lessons when they help pupils recall and consolidate their learning. However, pupils are often uncertain as to what they need to do to achieve higher standards. This is because the setting of targets for improvement is insufficiently focused on individual learning needs and teachers’ use of them to inform pupils on how they should improve is inconsistent. In addition, teachers’ marking, although conscientiously undertaken, provides insufficient guidance to pupils as to how to improve their work.

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Commentary

21. Assessment procedures for pupils with special educational needs are effective. Detailed assessment records are kept, the results of which are carefully analysed to detect any fluctuations in progress. Those who work with pupils on a daily basis keep written diaries so that academic progress can be monitored, and targets changed when necessary.

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Commentary

22. In English and mathematics, the school uses a range of regular assessments, including standardised tests and national optional tests at the end of each year. However, whilst it carries out a series of assessments soon after pupils join the school St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 14 in Year 3, the school’s systems for tracking pupils’ progress against national benchmarks are flawed because the school does not have an accurate picture of pupils’ attainment on entry in order to tell how much progress pupils make as they move through the school. In science and ICT, there are no whole-school systems to record the progress of the pupils as they move through the school. The school has begun to develop self-assessment opportunities for pupils and some formal assessments in other subject areas, but these are at an early stage of implementation.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good range of appropriate learning experiences for its pupils. Opportunities for pupils to participate in activities outside the school day are very good. The quality of the accommodation is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well planned, but there are insufficient links between ICT and other subjects. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The programme for personal, social and health education is good. • The provision for extra-curricular and enrichment activities is very good. • The ICT suite is not used sufficiently well to promote pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

23. The school provides a good curriculum that meets statutory requirements. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when statutory requirements for ICT were not met. The curriculum is enhanced across the school because French is taught in addition to the statutory subjects. Pupils’ learning has also been enriched by extended visits of overseas teachers from France. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The school prepares pupils satisfactorily for the next stage of their education. Relevant academic and pastoral information is passed on to the secondary schools.

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Commentary

24. Arrangements for planning work are good. Subject policy documents set out the rationale and aims for each subject, and teachers use National Strategy documents, nationally recommended schemes of work and other published schemes to ensure that all pupils progress in their learning successfully. A common planning framework ensures good consistency in learning experiences across the different age groups. Teachers make some good links between subjects which help make pupils’ learning meaningful. For example, art and design and English are often successfully linked to other subjects. However, insufficient links are made between ICT and other subjects.

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Commentary

25. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils’ individual educational plans are carefully tailored to their needs. Parents, teachers and teaching assistants contribute to the plans to ensure the best way forward. Teachers generally ensure that pupils are fully included in lessons by planning tasks which are well matched to different abilities. This was skilfully done in a science lesson when pupils learned the same scientific concept, but recording was made more meaningful for some through the use of a more simple format. Provision for gifted and talented pupils and those for whom English is an additional language is satisfactory. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 15 26. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ learning outside the school day through a variety of after-school clubs. Sporting, musical and games clubs are very well attended and contribute effectively to pupils’ attainment in those areas. The

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Commentary

school promotes participation in sport and the arts very well. Pupils take part in sporting events with other schools, including both nearby secondary school partnerships. Pupils’ learning in music is enriched by a wide variety of visiting instrumental teachers.

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Commentary

27. The match of teachers to meet the needs of the curriculum is satisfactory but there are a limited number of teaching assistants for a school of this size. The accommodation is good overall. Although there is no medical room, the school benefits from a number of small specialist teaching areas. External facilities are good, with a large grassed playing field and adequate playgrounds. Buildings are in a good state of repair and teachers work hard to maintain attractive and stimulating displays of pupils’ work, particularly in art and design, which enables them to be proud of their achievements. Learning resources are satisfactory overall, but good in English and physical education. The centrally-positioned library is well stocked with books, and structured use of this facility effectively encourages pupils to enjoy reading. Whilst the new computer suite is an attractive addition to the school, it is left empty for a considerable

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Commentary

number of sessions during the school day and this means that it is not used sufficiently well to promote learning.

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Care, guidance and support

There are satisfactory arrangements for the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils. Pupils have access to sound advice and guidance and good account is taken of their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel relaxed and confident about sharing their thoughts and feelings in all situations in school. • Support for pupils’ personal development is good but insufficient use is made of assessment information to help pupils to see how to improve their work. • Good attention is paid to ensuring the school premises and equipment are secure and properly maintained but these risk assessments do not extend to the welfare arrangements and practices.

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Commentary

28. Pupils know they matter as individuals within the school community. They are clear that teachers listen to their ideas and feel confident that there is someone to turn to for help if they have a problem. They value the introduction of a school council where they have a direct influence on management decisions and enjoy the element of analysing and reasoning that council discussions generate. Parents feel their children are happy and cared for. Inspectors agree. The support for pupils’ personal development and relationships with others is good. Pupils can, if they wish, share their worries and work out solutions to them with the support of a trained counsellor who visits the school each week.

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Commentary

29. Accurate record-keeping by the school caretaker shows health and safety checks of the site and equipment to be regular and thorough. However, much of the first aid training for staff took place a while ago and covered only the basic first aid skills. An accident and injury record book is kept but not in the format now required by the Data St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 16 Protection Act. That aside, staff deal effortlessly and sensitively with pupils’ minor injuries and know exactly what to do in the event of a more serious wound. Some staff have had additional training to assist pupils with specific medical needs. This enables all pupils to take a full part in all school activities. However, there is no dedicated room set aside for attending to pupils’ welfare needs. Sick or injured pupils often sit in the reception area where they can be seen by the staff but these arrangements are

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Commentary

unsuitable as there is a lack of privacy and furniture and fittings cannot easily be washed down or disinfected.

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Commentary

30. The school has satisfactory procedures in place to deal with child protection issues. Staff are mindful of their responsibilities towards children at risk. They listen closely to what children say and are careful to report any concerns they may have to the acting headteacher. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need receive their full entitlement. Individual educational plans are reviewed regularly and annual reviews of pupils’ statements are carried out promptly. Governors are satisfied that the school is doing all that it can to make the school building accessible to people with physical disabilities.

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Commentary

31. Good use is made of class discussion times and videos to reinforce the message to pupils that racial intolerance, bullying and abuse are not acceptable under any circumstances. Pupils confirm that they would not hesitate to report any instances of this kind, confident that they would be promptly dealt with in the first instance by any adult in school.

p.18

Commentary

32. The support given to pupils, based on the monitoring of their work, is satisfactory. Pupils are coaxed and encouraged to try hard and to get on with their work but are not given individualised academic targets with guidance on how to achieve them. This is because teachers do not make the best use of all the information they have to give pupils a clear picture of what they have to do to improve and what they could be doing better.

p.18

Commentary

33. There are sound arrangements in place to help pupils settle into school. Pupils joining during the academic year are paired with another who acts as their ‘buddy’ and helps them get to know their way around. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting had no concerns about the way their children were introduced to the school.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents. Links with the community and other schools are also satisfactory.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school successfully promotes co-operation between home and school. • Parents’ involvement in the decision-making processes in school is underdeveloped. • The contribution made to the school by the parent-teacher association is very good. • Links with churches and charities contribute to the school’s very positive ethos.

p.18

Commentary

34. Parents firmly support the principle that responsibility for children’s education is a shared commitment between home and school. The support they give to the attendance and behaviour policies bears testimony to this. However, there is a strong St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 17 feeling amongst many that the school is not taking sufficient account of their views. Parents want the school to consult and communicate with them more, particularly about homework and their children’s progress. Inspectors agree that the school could make better use of the views of parents to judge whether it is meeting its aim of involving them as fully as possible in their children’s learning.

p.18

Commentary

35. Reporting to parents on pupils’ achievements, though satisfactory, is not sufficiently focused on how well pupils are doing. It is hard for parents to gauge just how much progress their children make over time and whether it is good enough, given the child’s age and capabilities. This is because the language used in reports is not always parent-friendly and often describes the topics covered rather than how much progress the pupil has made. In response to parents’ requests, the school plans to adopt a more personalised style of reporting but has yet to refer the planned new format to them for comment. Newsletters give sufficient information on day-to-day events but rarely champion the views of parents or pupils in a way that would add ‘flavour’ to the event reporting. This is an example of where the school misses opportunities of tapping into valuable sources of information about the effectiveness

p.19

Commentary

36. Information about the curriculum is good. For example, teaching plans for each year group for the term are on display. Parents make good use of this information to work with their children at home. For example, families made private visits to the British Museum after spotting that their children would be studying the Egyptians as part of their history curriculum. The prospectus and governors report contain most of the information parents must by law receive from the school with the exception of an update on the progress made since the school was last inspected. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in the process of their learning. They are quickly alerted when there is cause for concern. Very good liaison between school and home means that parents can keep track of children’s learning and contribute to it by helping at home.

p.19

Commentary

37. There is a structured approach to children joining the school that most parents and pupils feel comfortable with. Fundraising in school is supported very well through a range of activities that foster a family and community spirit. Good links are maintained with members of church communities and charity officials who cultivate the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils through talks in assemblies and visits to places of worship. The school works closely with further education colleges to provide curriculum training for students, who in turn give general assistance in a number of classes. Joint staff meetings, exchange visits and shared project work within a cluster group of local infant and secondary schools help pupils transfer confidently from one school setting to the next.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school and its governance are satisfactory. The interim senior management team has put in place a useful improvement plan, but the school has not always kept pace with national developments.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a very positive and supportive ethos underpinned by Christian values. • The acting headteacher fulfils her interim role effectively and gives clear leadership. • The school’s finances are managed well. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 18 • Management of provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The school does not make enough use of performance data to help raise pupil achievement or as a measure to judge its effectiveness. • Although subject leaders provide sound management, they have insufficient opportunities to monitor classroom practice.

p.19

Commentary

38. Following the retirement of the headteacher at the beginning of this academic year, the governing body appointed the deputy headteacher to the interim leadership of the school, pending the appointment of a new headteacher. Other internal appointments give additional management responsibilities to other staff to support her. As a short term measure, these arrangements have proved effective. 39. An experienced manager, the acting headteacher maintains clear direction for the school. She has a clear understanding of her role and vision for the interim period, striking the right balance between maintaining the status quo and seeking to bring about further improvements. She has continued to ensure an orderly school which is well run on a day-to-day basis. Routines and practices throughout the school day are well established, and operate smoothly and efficiently. She has maintained a broad and balanced curriculum and the very positive ethos in the school that fosters pupils’

p.20

Commentary

personal development and well-being effectively.

p.20

Commentary

40. The acting headteacher has the confidence of parents and staff. Parents find the school to be more approachable and responsive to their concerns. A good sense of teamwork has developed within the school. The interim senior management work well in partnership and staff work well together, despite high staff mobility. About half the teaching staff establishment has changed over the last few years, but the school, through its very good links with a local teacher training institution, has been successful in making appropriate appointments. There is now a good balance of experienced and relatively inexperienced staff. Staff are appropriately supported by sound procedures for assessing their training needs and appropriate procedures for performance management. The support for newly-qualified teachers is enabling them to develop successfully as effective teachers.

p.20

Commentary

41. Whilst not seeking any substantial shifts in direction, the acting headteacher and staff have put together a useful school development plan for the school. It is an improvement on the previous plan because planned actions and their intended outcomes are made clear, although these are not always clearly linked to standards and achievement. The plan is for one year only which is sensible given the circumstances and is helping the school move forward in a number of appropriate areas.

p.20

Commentary

42. The school has a sound management structure with appropriate delegation of responsibilities. The effectiveness of other managers is generally satisfactory. The curriculum is managed well and subject areas are soundly managed. Provision for special educational needs is managed well. Although the co-ordinator is relatively new to the post, there is very strong support from the previous co-ordinator who has very good expertise in this area.

p.20

Commentary

43. Improvement since the last inspection is mixed. Standards of attainment have been maintained. The curriculum for ICT now meets statutory requirements and pupils’ achievement in ICT has improved. However, whilst the current management is responsive to change, the school has not always kept pace with national developments. Consequently, there are a number of management shortcomings that St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 19 await the attention of the new headteacher. The school is at an early stage of developing self-evaluation and value-added measures. The school does not have an accurate baseline upon which to measure achievement against National Curriculum levels because it does not undertake an analysis of pupils’ test results taken when they were in Year 2. It is also at an early stage of using ICT to collate assessment information. Its paper-based systems enable some monitoring of pupil progress but

p.20

Commentary

are not sufficiently effective as a means of tracking and analysing pupil data so as to inform target-setting and to identify potential underachievement. The current management has begun to take steps to remedy this. Although subject leaders undertake some appropriate monitoring activities, an effective system for checking teaching and learning to identify specific shortcomings and inconsistencies in practice is not fully in place.

p.21

Commentary

44. The governing body makes a sound contribution to the work of the school and operates effectively through its committees and meets requirements. Some decision- making powers are delegated to appropriate committees but the major decisions are rightly made by the full governing body. Governors are very supportive of the school, but until recently they have had insufficient involvement in shaping the educational direction of the school because their contribution to school improvement planning was minimal. However, governors now work more closely with the acting headteacher in planning and making decisions about the future direction of the school and have begun to take a stronger lead in helping to shape future priorities and challenging the management.

p.21

Commentary

45. Many aspects of financial management are strong. The governing body makes a very effective contribution towards financial decision-making and the school’s finances are managed prudently. The school bursar provides good support, ensuring governors have the required information and maintaining effective day-to-day financial administration. The budget is managed well because governors keep a careful check on finances and expenditure and current financial planning takes good account of longer-term trends. For example, budget plans seek to ensure three classes per year group, despite fluctuating numbers. This partly explains the current large budget surplus in the table below. In addition, the school has a long-term building project with capital funding earmarked for further phased improvements to its accommodation.

p.21

Commentary

46. The school has a clear understanding of the principles of best value. The governing body has produced a useful statement to help guide actions that seek to apply these principles. Whilst it does apply them satisfactorily when taking financial decisions, it has not undertaken all the proposals outlined and has not yet tackled the issue from the last inspection on linking the impact of its financial decisions on pupil attainment. Nevertheless, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.21

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 810,442 Balance from previous year 102,903 Total expenditure 736,435 Balance carried forward to the next year 78,455 Expenditure per pupil 2,548 St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 20

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking are well above those typically found nationally and in reading they are above nationally-expected levels. • There are weaknesses in pupils’ writing and the achievement of more able pupils is not good enough. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Literacy lessons are linked well to other curriculum areas but ICT skills are not used sufficiently well to support pupils’ learning. • There is insufficient evaluation of standards and provision. • The use of assessment does not help pupils to improve enough. • The school is well resourced with books and the library has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.22

Commentary

47. Overall standards by Year 6 are above those found nationally and this is a similar picture to the findings at the time of the last inspection. The three-year average in national test results to 2004 was well above the national average as was the outcome of the most recent national tests. Results for the 2004 were above those for similar schools, with more than half the year group achieving above the expected Level 4. That particular group of Year 6 pupils were considered particularly able by the school and the slight decline reflects the difference in the current standards at age 11.

p.22

Commentary

48. In relation to their prior attainment, pupils achieve satisfactorily. No differences in the achievement of boys and girls or those for whom English is an additional language were noted. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because they are supported very effectively and provided with good programmes to help them in their learning. Although the more capable pupils in Year 6 are timetabled for specialist sessions, these are not sufficiently challenging to promote their learning effectively.

p.22

Commentary

49. Pupils start Year 3 with standards in speaking well above the national expectation and they listen competently when teachers make learning interesting. Achievement through the school is satisfactory and standards remain well above the national expectation by the time they leave school. Teachers provide good opportunities for speaking skills to develop and pupils are encouraged to participate fully in these sessions. For example, teachers use good questioning skills to motivate the pupils and they are frequently asked to discuss ideas with a partner. Good use is made of debates and discussions to promote speaking and listening skills across the curriculum. However, occasionally, when teaching is less than satisfactory, the pupils do not listen carefully and when not checked by the teacher, the quality of learning falters and pupils do not gain sufficiently from these sessions. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 21

p.22

Commentary

50. Throughout the school, reading standards are above nationally-expected levels. In relation to prior attainment, achievement is satisfactory. Pupils are good readers and talk enthusiastically about the interesting stories they have enjoyed. They benefit from the high quality range of books provided in the classrooms and the well-stocked and centrally located library, which is confidently used by all pupils on a regular basis to research information. Pupils are encouraged to read, both in school and at home, and notebooks are shared effectively between parents and teachers. Most reading sessions in school are organised well and teachers use them efficiently to develop the pupils’ reasoning and thinking skills. However, occasionally, these sessions are not so effective when the teachers do not proactively involve themselves with the pupils.

p.23

Commentary

51. Standards in writing are as expected nationally. Pupils in Year 3 write confidently in sentences, using punctuation accurately. More capable pupils use speech marks to make their writing interesting and use verbs and adjectives well. By Year 6, the most capable pupils write using a wide range of styles such as in narrative, journalistic and creative modes. Most write well-balanced reports, such as when they argue against the case for fox hunting or the wearing of school uniform. However, teacher expectations are not high enough and the content of the writing lacks depth and sparkle. Handwriting is not fluent and legible and presentation skills are weak. For instance, few pupils join their letters correctly and many do not distinguish sufficiently well enough between lower and upper case letters. Teachers do not check this when they mark books and this is unsatisfactory. Consequently, the achievement of more

p.23

Commentary

able pupils in writing is unsatisfactory and that of other pupils just satisfactory. This is confirmed by an analysis of 2004 results which shows that a significant number of pupils who achieved the higher Level 5 in reading failed to reach this level in writing.

p.23

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, although lessons observed ranged from very good to unsatisfactory. Where teaching is good, relationships between teachers and pupils are positive and expectations of behaviour are clear. Most lessons are well planned and the learning intention is clearly identified and shared with the pupils. A good range of different teaching strategies are used and these include working as a whole class, in pairs or individually. Teaching is effective when a good pace is maintained and the work set meets the differing needs of the pupils. It is less than satisfactory when relationships are tense between pupils and their teacher, behaviour management and expectations of work are weak, activities are inappropriate and poor use is made of teaching assistants. Teachers do not always have high enough expectations in their marking and this has a negative impact

p.23

Commentary

on the pupils’ learning. Although pupils have identified targets for improvement, their use to inform pupils on how they should improve is inconsistent through the school.

p.23

Commentary

53. Leadership is satisfactory, with the subject leader regularly motivating staff through training sessions. Management is also satisfactory. Although her allocated budget is minimal, the subject leader creatively maintains good levels of books by using the profits gained from book fairs and clubs. She also oversees the role of the part-time librarian and manages the library well. However, although the subject leader looks at pupils’ work and considers teachers’ planning, she has not had any time allocated for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. This means that her knowledge of standards and teaching through the school is limited and makes self- evaluation difficult. Consequently, the information gained from assessments cannot be monitored effectively nor can their findings be analysed.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 22 54. This is good. Teachers use literacy sessions well to promote other areas within the curriculum. For instance, history topics are used to encourage creative writing and letter-writing skills and geography to write factual accounts and develop their research skills. This was evident when pupils were pretending to be Roman soldiers writing home from their station on Hadrian’s Wall. There is also good use of literacy skills in art and design and design and technology to describe how they have made their models and paintings.

p.24

Modern foreign languages

55. The school provides regular opportunities for all pupils in Years 4 to 6 to learn French from a specialist teacher. It was not possible to observe teaching during the inspection but the evidence available demonstrates that pupils have an appropriate range of activities.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above nationally-expected levels. • Setting arrangements in Year 6 have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. • The subject is well led, but there is insufficient evaluation of standards and provision. • Weaknesses in assessment procedures slow pupils’ achievement.

p.24

Commentary

56. Standards are above nationally-expected levels by Year 6, as they were at the previous inspection. Pupils’ numeracy skills are developed well and by Year 6, pupils have a good grasp of operations with decimals, percentages and fractions and can complete written calculations accurately. They can use a variety of mental and written strategies to solve problems and use appropriate mathematical language to explain their methods. Their mental arithmetic skills are good and their understanding of data, shape and measures is above expected levels.

p.24

Commentary

57. Results in the 2004 national tests in Year 6 were well above the national average, with more than half the pupils achieving above the expected Level 4. The overall average in test results over the past three years was well above the national average. However, although the trend in results has generally matched the national trend of improvement, there has been considerable variation between years. For example, in 2004, results were well above those for similar schools, but pupils’ achievement in the 2003 tests was well below those expected, given their Year 2 test results.

p.24

Commentary

58. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. Most pupils make at least satisfactory gains in their learning given their starting points. Standards are above those typically found nationally when pupils join the school in Year 3 and standards of work seen during the inspection indicate that these are being maintained. The achievement of lower-attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs is good because they are well supported. Higher-attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged but overall make satisfactory progress. The few pupils from St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 23 ethnic minority backgrounds are fully included and make similar progress to other pupils of similar capabilities. The one pupil at an early stage of English language acquisition has made good progress in numeracy in the time he has been at the school. No differences in the performance of boys and girls were noted. In Year 6, pupils are taught in three ability groups

p.24

Commentary

and these arrangements are effective in promoting pupils’ achievement. However, some inconsistencies in teaching and the use of assessment slow down pupils’ achievement.

p.25

Commentary

59. Teaching is satisfactory. Lesson planning is good and teachers make consistent use of a common planning framework. There is a clear focus to pupils’ learning because teachers are consistent in making lesson objectives explicit, so that pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils, have high expectations of behaviour and promote a positive ethos for learning. Pupils respond very positively to their teachers, applying themselves diligently to set tasks. However, the effectiveness of pupils’ learning in lessons varies and the effectiveness of lessons ranges from satisfactory to very good. In the best lessons, teaching is brisk and work set is matched to pupils’ different levels of understanding, challenging the most and least able appropriately. However, this does always happen and in some lessons, the pace of learning is somewhat slow or there is

p.25

Commentary

insufficient planning of work for pupils of different capabilities. This impacts on the learning of more able pupils in particular.

p.25

Commentary

60. There are satisfactory aspects in the school’s assessment arrangements, but there are also shortcomings. Teachers use mini-whiteboards effectively during lessons to check on pupils’ understanding and gains in learning. A system to encourage pupils to evaluate their own achievement has been introduced and is used effectively in some, but not all, classes. A range of regular assessments enable teachers to monitors pupils’ progress and plan work that builds upon their prior attainment satisfactorily. However, systems for assessing, recording and tracking pupils’ performance in terms of National Curriculum levels are underdeveloped. There is not a consistent approach to setting individual learning targets to help pupils focus on areas where they need to improve. Whilst teachers are conscientious in marking pupils’ work, they do not always indicate to pupils how they might further improve and their learning is held

p.25

Commentary

61. Leadership of the subject is good. The co-ordinator shows clear vision for the development of the subject. She has identified appropriate priorities that have been translated into improvements in provision, in planning, assessment and in-service training. Management is satisfactory. Although the co-ordinator has had some limited opportunities for monitoring teaching and learning, these arrangements are insufficient for rigorously identifying shortcomings or inconsistencies in practice. The school has begun to look at ways of making better use of performance data but its analysis and use of performance data is not good enough in raising achievement.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. This is satisfactory. There are sound opportunities for reinforcing and using mathematics in different subjects, such as science and geography.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above nationally-expected levels. • Pupils achieve well because teaching is good overall, and sometimes very good. • Pupils have very good attitudes and work hard. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 24 • Assessment information is not used well enough to monitor pupils’ achievement and set targets for improvement. • Literacy skills are promoted well but opportunities for pupils to apply their ICT skills are more limited.

p.25

Commentary

63. Standards of attainment in science have been maintained and built upon since the previous inspection, when they were judged to be above national expectations. In the most recent national tests, results were well above national averages and inspection evidence indicates that pupils in the current Year 6 are likely to perform to similar standards.

p.26

Commentary

64. Pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Results in the national tests in 2004 were above the average for similar schools. This can be accounted for by the strength of the teaching, particularly in Year 6, and the well-planned curriculum. There is very good depth to learning in different topics, which is supported by effective opportunities for practical science enquiry. As a result, pupils achieve very good levels of scientific understanding. Pupils’ achievement is underpinned by very good attitudes to learning. They are interested and enthusiastic learners who enjoy the challenges of working out, for example, how micro-organisms grow or how forces act upon different objects. There is no difference between the achievement of girls and boys.

p.26

Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Some very good teaching, crucially in Year 6, ensures that pupils’ skills receive a timely boost towards their good levels of achievement. Relationships in lessons are very good. There is very good rapport between teacher and pupils. Pupils know that their ideas are valued and are more willing to contribute to lessons. Teachers are careful to include the more reticent pupils and those who have additional learning needs by questioning and allowing them time to explain their ideas. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and use resources well to make sure all pupils are engaged in learning. Some good examples were seen where the teacher provided a good selection of materials and torches, which meant that all Year 3 pupils could experiment with the translucence of different materials simultaneously. In another lesson, ample resources enabled smaller groups to work

p.26

Commentary

together, and this generated some good discussion about forces of gravity and friction. Most lessons have good pace and sufficient challenge to help pupils sustain their interest. Literacy skills are promoted well. Pupils in Year 6, for example, were required to write thoughtfully about what happened when sugar was mixed with live yeast, why it happened, and what they thought would happen next. The use of ICT does not feature strongly enough in science lessons, and this limits opportunities for pupils to develop fully their science enquiry skills.

p.26

Commentary

66. Teachers’ ongoing assessment in lessons is sound. They question pupils effectively to check their grasp of previous learning and make good use of time at the end of lessons to consolidate their learning. Systems for tracking individual pupils’ achievement over time, however, are not so secure. Although there is some assessment data, it is not sufficiently co-ordinated to set challenging targets, particularly for those capable of higher achievement. Pupils’ work is marked satisfactorily. The best practice is where teachers challenge pupils’ thinking by indicating how work can be improved, but this is not consistent across the school. Occasionally, the lack of use of assessment information is evident in the level of St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 25 challenge provided in the lesson. Pupils’ capabilities are sometimes underestimated so they do not achieve as well as they should.

p.26

Commentary

67. Leadership and management are satisfactory, but there is good capacity for improvement with the recent appointment of the subject leader. Resources are being enhanced and there is a strong commitment to build on the strengths already in place. The school recognises the need to monitor pupils’ performance more rigorously.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and provision have improved since the previous inspection. • Pupils’ achievement over time is unsatisfactory because improvements in provision are only recent. • The subject is well led. • There is insufficient use of ICT to support pupils’ learning in other subjects.

p.27

Commentary

68. The school has made considerable headway in improving provision for ICT since the previous inspection. As a result, standards have risen and by Year 6 are broadly in line with national expectations.

p.27

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching and learning has improved, through in-service training. National Curriculum requirements are now fully met. The capacity for ICT development within the school has been boosted by the opening of the ICT suite. However, this valuable ICT resource is under-used because opportunities to use the suite to support pupils’ learning in other subjects are not always identified in advance in teachers’ planning. For example, in an otherwise effective history lesson, pupils in pairs undertook research on the Internet, using the one classroom computer while those in the ICT suite remained unused.

p.27

Commentary

70. In lessons, pupils make expected progress and achieve satisfactorily, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. However, achievement has been slow over time because the subject has not, until recently, been well enough resourced to keep pace with new developments. A significant number of pupils display good levels of competence, especially in word- processing, because they are able to practise at home, but the school has not built well enough on those skills which some pupils already possess. Good use of national guidance for the subject enables the school to plan appropriately for other areas of the ICT curriculum, such as control technology and the use of spreadsheets to model real- life problem-solving.

p.27

Commentary

71. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, but varies with the level of teachers’ subject knowledge. In one very good lesson, for example, the teacher’s skilful use of the interactive whiteboard and the challenging pace and expectations of the pupils resulted in very good achievement. Pupils built simulated models to demonstrate how sensors and modules can be linked to produce a specific output. They then planned how lights, television and even temperatures could be controlled in a bedroom, by applying the principles they had learned earlier. One pupil St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 26 demonstrated to the class how to control the devices so that a fan was activated when the bedroom reached a given temperature. This quality of learning is the exception, however. Most lessons are planned well and taught competently. Whilst pupils learn new skills, the pace of learning is more moderate because teachers are not yet fully

p.27

Commentary

confident with the subject. The pace of learning is also inhibited because pupils’ keyboard skills are not well developed, making routine word-processing tasks more laborious. As one pupil remarked, “I prefer to write by hand because it is quicker”. Pupils are beginning to learn how to use a wider range of technology. Some ideas for artwork were generated through the use of a digital camera, and in a history lesson, pupils operated a video camera to record presentations given by others.

p.28

Commentary

72. Leadership of the subject is good. The subject leader has raised the profile of the subject and has steered the school through a period of good improvement. Teachers are supported well, with some in-service training linked to the school’s performance management. There has been a thorough audit of ICT provision, resulting in a clear plan for continued improvement. The school is aware of the need to improve teachers’ skills further in order to increase the pace of learning. The school has introduced a useful system by which pupils record their own achievements, but has yet to establish an effective whole-school approach that tracks pupil achievement against National Curriculum expectations.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

73. This is an area for improvement. Although ICT is planned to support pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy, it does not happen enough and pupils do not apply their skills sufficiently in other subjects.

p.28

HUMANITIES

Religious education is covered in a Section 23 report. Geography was sampled because no lessons were seen. In history, five lessons were seen so it is reported upon in full.

p.28

Geography

74. Geography was not a focus in this inspection. The subject is normally taught in blocks of time, generally alternating with history. Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils receive a satisfactory geography curriculum, covering a sound range of themes and skills. Standards are as expected by the end of Year 6. Pupils’ use of ICT to support their learning is underdeveloped. There are sound links with numeracy, and good opportunities are provided for writing. A range of visits enhances learning.

p.28

History

Provision in history is satisfactory . St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 27

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes good use of local historical places of interest to enhance pupils’ learning. • Teachers make too much use of uninteresting worksheets and their expectations of the quality of written work are too low. • The subject leader is a good role model for other staff.

p.29

Commentary

75. Standards meet national expectations and this is a similar picture to the findings of the last inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve satisfactorily.

p.29

Commentary

76. Pupils have sound historical knowledge and understanding for their ages. Year 3 pupils study Ancient Egypt and have an appropriate understanding of everyday life during these times. Pupils in Year 4 satisfactorily learn about Roman Britain and recall key events from this period in history, such as Boudicca’s revolt. Year 5 pupils make very good use of nearby Hampton Court and a good range of primary resources to study life in Tudor England. In Year 6, the pupils learn about the Victorian period and confidently discuss the similarities and differences between schools now and then.

p.29

Commentary

77. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. However, lessons observed ranged from very good to unsatisfactory. Features of the successful teaching seen were high expectations of work and behaviour, effective exposition, interesting activities and good use of stimulating resources. For instance, in a very good lesson, the teacher took on the role of a Victorian schoolteacher. Not only was the teacher dressed appropriately, she required the pupils to carry out tasks such as writing on slates and chanting times tables. Suitable punishments were administered to pupils who ‘fiddled with their fingers’ , did not sit up straight or arrived late for lessons. The pupils responded very positively to this role-play session and clearly enjoyed it, while learning about the similarities and differences of a Victorian classroom to that of their own. Conversely, teaching in one lesson was unsatisfactory because too much time

p.29

Commentary

was spent managing behaviour and pupils were not sufficiently interested or motivated by the low level content of the session.

p.29

Commentary

78. Evidence from sampling work indicates that teachers give the pupils too many unchallenging worksheets, which fail to stimulate and move pupils on in their learning. Whilst history is used well in literacy sessions as a starting point for writing, teacher expectations of the quality of work achieved is too low and this has a negative impact on learning, particularly for the more capable who do not write in sufficient detail. 79. The subject leader is a good role model for other staff and effectively engages pupils in their learning. Management of the subject is satisfactory. The subject leader ensures that the good level of resources is well-maintained. She samples pupils’ work and teachers’ planning across the school but has not, as yet, had an opportunity to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations. The subject leader is fully aware that procedures to track and monitor pupil progress

p.29

Commentary

are not as consistent as she would like them to be.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

A total of five lessons were observed within this curriculum area. As no lessons were seen in art and design and design and technology and two lessons were seen in music, these St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 28 subjects were sampled. Three lessons were seen in physical education which is reported upon in full.

p.29

Art and design

80. An analysis of pupils’ work indicates that standards are better than those typically seen nationally by Year 6. No judgement was made at the time of the last inspection, so it is not possible to make a comparison. Pupils use their sketchbooks well to practise drawing and painting techniques, and to plan the development of ideas. Their books also contain some reflective and evaluative writing which contribute well to pupils’ spiritual development.

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Art and design

81. Pupils’ achievement is good. Their learning is enhanced by a curriculum enriched by visits to art galleries and by good use of the local area. For example, pupils in Year 3 visit the gardens at Hampton Court Palace to do first-hand observational drawings of the daffodils. Good work also results from visits by artists who bring a multicultural aspect to creativity. An Indian puppet-maker stimulated pupils’ imaginations as well as their sewing skills to make the colourful Indian costumes for the puppets. Pupils also benefited from a workshop led by an aboriginal artist who taught them some traditional skills and designs. Art is often successfully linked to other subjects. Most notable is the work linked to history, when some good displays, including work with clay, capture the life and times of Romans and Tudors. There are meaningful links with literature also, as seen in some exciting paintings depicting traditional stories and tales about

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Art and design

Mowzer the Cat. The work of well-known artists is another source of inspiration for pupils. Year 4 pupils explored Paul Klee’s use of shape, whilst the work of Escher led to interesting work on tessellated shapes in Year 6.

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Art and design

82. The subject is led and managed satisfactorily. The subject leader is developing systems whereby progress and standards can be more closely monitored. There has already been a whole-school assessment of pupils’ observational drawing skills, which are now to be tracked year by year.

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Design and technology

83. There was little evidence of pupils’ work to be seen in design and technology during the inspection because the subject is not currently timetabled. Nevertheless, photographic evidence and discussion with the acting headteacher indicates that pupils gain the expected range of experiences as the school follows national guidance. There has been some exciting work on structures which resulted in a freestanding model of the Eiffel Tower. The design and manufacture of Year 5’s pizza boxes is soon to culminate in a visit to a local pizza parlour where the pupils can test their skills by making the real thing.

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Music

84. Standards are above national expectations and pupils achieve well. No judgement was made at the time of the last inspection so it is not possible to make a comparison. By Year 6, many pupils have good performance skills due to their additional instrumental lessons with specialist teachers. They play together in time and keep to their own parts extremely well. Standards in singing, as demonstrated in assembly, are good overall. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 29 85. Teaching is good, partly because the recently-introduced commercial scheme of work gives good support for non-specialist teaching in class lessons and this is having a positive impact on teachers’ planning. For example, a teacher who was not a music specialist was able to teach well because she felt confident using this scheme. She was provided with a lesson plan, resources and helpful suggestions to promote the development of the pupils’ knowledge and skills. This teacher had high expectations of

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Music

behaviour and promoted a positive learning environment. In another good lesson taught by the music specialist, the pupils had real success in their learning because a culture of mutual respect had been established. This enabled them to perform to a good standard using percussion, vocals and dance movements. The pupils were then encouraged to review the each other’s work, which was done sensitively and maturely.

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Music

86. The subject leader is a talented musician who leads by good example. Management of music is satisfactory. The subject leader carefully monitors teachers’ planning and ensures that the resources are kept at a good level. However, he has yet to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school.

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Music

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and standards are above nationally-expected levels. • Teaching and learning are good. • The very good range of extra-curricular activities has a good impact on standards.

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Commentary

87. Standards exceed national expectations in dance, gymnastics, sport and swimming, and pupil achievement is good. No overall judgement was made at the time of the last inspection but in the lessons seen, pupils performed at an appropriate level, therefore this represents a good improvement. It is evident that the wide range of activities provided outside the normal school day not only enhances the curriculum but also promotes these good standards.

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Commentary

88. Teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and ensure that pupils understand the importance of warm-up activities and any health and safety issues. They are skilful in their use of time and this enhances the pace of the lesson and the quality of learning for the pupils. Teachers are encouraging and provide lots of positive praise to motivate the pupils. Consequently, pupils respond enthusiastically and work well together in groups. For example, in a very good dance lesson, it was noted that boys and girls collaborated very well together in their groups and did not feel inhibited in any way.

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Commentary

89. Lessons are well planned and this enables the pupils to develop their skills systematically. This was evident in an indoor games lesson where the pupils were developing bat and ball skills. The teacher stressed the importance of holding a tennis racket properly and modelled the technique to help them in their learning. Lessons are effectively organised and good use is made of a range of strategies, such as working individually, in pairs, and in groups. Teachers have high expectations and regularly identify good practice. This is demonstrated to the rest of the class who respond with St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 30 enthusiasm and purpose. For instance, in a dance session, pupils displayed their dance routines and then sensibly accepted suggestions from their classmates.

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Commentary

90. The co-ordinator provides good, well-qualified leadership. She sets a high standard of teaching and is particularly active in promoting pupils’ participation in sport and activities beyond the school day. Subject management is satisfactory. Tournaments and inter-school competitions are regularly organised and the good level of resources are well maintained. However, the subject leader does not have an overview of standards and the quality of teaching in the school because she has not had any opportunities to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching through the school. She is also aware that procedures for tracking pupils’ progress could be sharper and more consistent between year groups. The school identifies talented pupils and their learning is enhanced by some specialist provision.

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Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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Commentary

Two lessons were observed, lesson planning scrutinised and discussions held with pupils in this curricular area. From the information available, it is clear that the school plans well for pupils’ personal, social and health education. All classes have opportunities for quiet discussions during lessons, known as ‘circle time’, and these help pupils to think about social and moral issues, as well as practise their speaking and listening skills. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 enjoy the experience of residential trips, which gives them opportunities to enhance their team-building skills and social education. These skills are also well supported by the wide range of sporting activities that are on offer both within school and with local schools. In addition to these activities, pupils benefit from learning about healthy eating, keeping fit, drug misuse, anti-racism and sex education.

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Commentary

The pupils are prepared well for citizenship through their current affairs sessions. The school also has a democratically elected school council that helps in decision-making and puts forward the views of pupils. This has a positive impact on the pupils’ understanding of citizenship. Year 5 pupils have the chance to debate global issues at county-arranged conferences at an Earth Summit meeting, whilst Year 6 pupils take part in a Kingston University Model United Nations Conference. All these opportunities have a positive impact on the pupils’ understanding of citizenship. St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 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 4 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 St Lawrence C of E (Aided) Junior School - 32 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4 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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