St Mary Bourne Primary School

ST MARY BOURNE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th - 12 th January 2005

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ST MARY BOURNE PRIMARY 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 MARY BOURNE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 138 School address: School Lane St Mary Bourne Andover Hampshire Postcode: SP11 6AU Telephone number: (01264) 738 336 Fax number: (01264) 738 772 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs D Marsden

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the village of St Mary Bourne, in Hampshire. Pupils come from a wide area, the surrounding villages and also from Andover. The intake is both socially and academically mixed. The vast majority of pupils are White British and no pupil speaks English as an additional language; there are a very small percentage of extremely well integrated pupils from traveller families. With 138 pupils on roll, the school is much smaller than most primary schools. There are ten more boys than girls. Mobility is not a particular issue; many of the pupils who start school in Reception stay until Year 6. There are five classes, all with two year groups, apart from Year 6. Children enter Reception with attainment that is broadly average. However, with very small groups of children starting at the school, attainment of different year groups varies considerably. This has a significant impact on results that pupils achieve in the National Curriculum tests. The number of pupils

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

eligible for free school meals is below the national average. Around 21 per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is broadly average. There are 17 children with special educational needs in Years 1 to 6; of these, three have statements for their specific needs. The pupils’ needs relate to severe learning, speech and communication difficulties. The school provides a Family Learning programme for the parents, currently mathematics. It received the School Achievement Award and is due to complete the Healthy Schools Award later this term. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 18706 Mrs J Gill Lead inspector English Design and technology The Foundation Stage English as an additional language 13874 Mrs J Chesterfield Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6169 Dr M Bradshaw Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography Music Physical education Special educational needs 11976 Mrs H Toynbee Team inspector Science Art and design History Personal, social and health education Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal PPI 1 - 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Mary Bourne Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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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 - 15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

St Mary Bourne Primary School is a good school. A strong commitment to promoting high standards results in pupils reaching above average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6. The pupils achieve well and the teaching is good. The headteacher is an effective leader and manager and, with her staff, ensures that every child, regardless of ability, is fully included in all aspects of school life. The pupils enjoy coming to school and they behave well and learn effectively. The school gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average in English, mathematics, music and physical education. • The leadership of the headteacher and the governors is good. • The teaching is effective. The work of the teaching assistants very strongly contributes towards pupils’ academic and social achievements. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they receive good support from well-trained teaching assistants. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and care is good and promotes effective relationships, good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. • The partnership with parents is very good and strongly contributes to their children’s learning. • There are too few planned links between mathematics and the rest of the curriculum. • Marking does not always help pupils know how they can improve. • Teachers’ expectations for neat presentation are not high enough.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has improved well since the previous inspection in 1999. Areas of weakness have generally been tackled well, although marking of pupils’ work is still not rigorous enough. Standards have risen, particularly at the end of Year 2, and are above average in several subjects. The quality of teaching has improved and is now good throughout the school. This includes teaching of religious education, where teachers are now more knowledgeable than they were. Assessment procedures have improved, particularly in English and mathematics.

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All pupils achieve well throughout the school. Recent data confirms that the value the school adds to pupils’ achievement from Year 2 to the end of Year 6 is high. In the 2004 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, the pupils achieved average standards in St Mary Bourne Primary School - 5 reading, well above average in writing and above average in mathematics. In science, teacher assessment showed that pupils achieved average standards. In Year 6, standards in English were above the national average and average in mathematics and science. The school’s results vary from year to year because of the relatively small numbers in each year group. Inspection results indicate that pupils in the current Years 2 and 6 are achieving above average standards in English and mathematics and average standards in science. There are no significant differences in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils with special

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

educational needs achieve well because provision is good and work is well matched to their prior ability. Standards are above average in music and physical education because there is currently a greater emphasis on these subjects. In information and communication technology, standards are average. There was too little evidence to judge standards in art and design, design and technology, history and geography. Standards in religious education are as expected.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is good overall , although their moral and social development is very good. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and behave well. Attendance is very good.

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The overall quality of education provided by the school is good. The teaching is good

and contributes strongly towards the pupils’ achievements. The pupils learn well overall but do not get sufficient opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well, which helps them make good progress and integrate fully into school life. Data is analysed effectively from the national tests and the information used well in planning the work in English and mathematics. Assessment procedures are satisfactory but, owing to its inconsistent quality, the marking of the pupils’ work does not always help them to improve. The curriculum is satisfactory but, where subjects receive a strong focus, for example, music and physical education, standards are above average. Procedures for pastoral care are good. There are very effective partnerships with parents and good links with other schools and the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher has a clear vision and provides strong leadership and a commitment to raising standards in all aspects of the school’s work. Leadership and management of other key staff have been developed well and co-ordinators are empowered to develop their subjects, which has a positive impact on improving the pupils’ standards. Governance is good, and the governing body is very well led. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they offer very good support and challenge when necessary. They ensure that the school meets statutory requirements. Finances are well managed and the school evaluates its spending carefully.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Links with parents are very positive. The school is very open to parents’ views and effectively involves them in its work, which they greatly appreciate. The pupils’ response to the questionnaire showed they are happy with all aspects of the school. They enjoy coming to school and like their teachers. School Council is a successful forum where pupils voice their opinions about how the school can be improved and has been instrumental in making changes. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 6

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

• Increase the planned opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical skills in other subjects. • Ensure marking is accurate and helps pupils to understand what they need to do to improve. • Raise teachers’ expectations about the presentation of pupils’ work. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement for all pupils throughout the school is good . Standards have risen since the previous inspection. Children enter Reception with attainment that is broadly average. By the time they leave in Year 6, standards are above average in English, mathematics, science, music and physical education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in English, mathematics, music and physical education by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6. • Standards have risen at the end of Year 2; the trend for improvement is now above average. • Children in the Foundation Stage 1 achieve well in all areas of learning, which gives them a good start to their schooling. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs, which helps them make good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 16.4 (17.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.1 (16.8) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 17.1 (17.9) 16.2 (16.3) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1. In the 2004 National Curriculum tests, Year 2 pupils achieved average results in reading, well above average results in writing and above average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools 2 , achievement was below that expected in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. The reason why grades were lower in reading was because fewer pupils than expected gained the higher Level 3; however, this reflected the ability of the particular group of pupils as in previous years results had been much higher. However, reading was identified as a priority in the school improvement plan and standards have improved since. Teacher assessment in 2004 showed that pupils achieved average standards in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results English 27.7 (28.5) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 27.0 (24.8) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.4 (28.9) 28.6 (28.6) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1 Foundation Stage - includes children from three-years-old to the end of Reception. The curriculum is set out under six areas of learning which leads into the National Curriculum when children enter Year 1. 2 Year 2 comparison - schools with a similar percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 8 2. In the Year 6 2004 tests, standards were above average in English and average in mathematics and science when compared nationally and with pupils from similar schools 3 . These results were lower than in previous years because overall attainment of the 2004 cohort of pupils was not as high. Not as many pupils gained the higher Level 5 as is found nationally. However, the value the school added to pupils’ performance from Year 2 to Year 6 was above that expected. Pupils with special educational needs had good provision and achieved well; some achieved particularly well. This is evident from the low percentage of

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Main strengths and weaknesses

pupils gaining the lower Level 3 in all three subjects. Care should be taken when analysing the data as the school’s results are likely to vary from year to year because of the differences in ability normally associated with the relatively small numbers in each year group.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

3. Children enter the Reception with broadly average attainment. Standards on entry can vary considerably each year. Some of the present Reception children had limited skills in writing, drawing and cutting skills and found it difficult to share or co-operate with their class mates. However, since September, children have learnt effectively and made good progress. Children are achieving well and by the end of Reception, many are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) in all areas of learning. A few are likely to exceed the goals in some areas of learning, including reading, aspects of mathematical development and ICT. Virtually all have already reached the ELGs in personal, social and emotional development. This is because the staff have very high expectations of the way children approach their work, behave and become independent; children respond positively, behave well and learn effectively.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

4. Inspection evidence reveals that standards in Years 2 and 6 are above average in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics. Standards are average in science in both Years 2 and 6, although pupils’ handling of experimental and investigative work is unsatisfactory in Year 6. This is because pupils have not had sufficient practice in previous years. This is now being addressed in the present Year 6 class.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

5. All pupils throughout the school achieve well. This is because the school strongly promotes equality of opportunities. Effective organisation and deployment of teaching assistants in English and mathematics contribute towards teachers ensuring a good match of work to pupils’ ability. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans and, where relevant, on their statements of special educational needs. As a result, all pupils with special educational needs achieve well in English, mathematics and science by the end of Years 2 and 6. This is borne out by the low percentage of pupils who gain Level 1 at the end of Year 2 and Level 3 in Year 6. The school has identified that too few higher-attaining pupils achieved the higher Level 5 in the tests in 2004. A greater awareness and attention to challenge these pupils is taking place with positive

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Main strengths and weaknesses

outcomes. More pupils are already working at higher levels. There are no significant differences between the performance of boys and girls.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6. Teachers promote cross-curricular links well in English. There are examples of mathematics being used in science and geography; however, from evidence in pupils’ work and displays, there is insufficient emphasis on developing mathematical skills across the curriculum. The use of ICT skills across the curriculum is well-planned and supports learning in English and mathematics. It is effective in helping pupils compose

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Main strengths and weaknesses

3 For Year 6 comparisons - similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 9 music, create wallpaper designs in art and design, and use the Internet to carry out research in geography and history.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

7. In art and design, design and technology, history and geography, a judgement cannot be made about standards, as too little evidence was available. In ICT, standards are average and in music and physical education, they are above those expected. This is due to an increased focus in these subjects, characterised by very good specialist teaching input into music and additional lessons in physical education. Standards in religious education have improved. At the time of the previous inspection, standards were below that expected in the Hampshire locally-agreed syllabus. Pupils now reach standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 that are in line with the expectations of the syllabus. This is because religious education has a higher profile in the school, is taught well and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good . Their attendance is very good . Punctuality is satisfactory . Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

• Pupils respond well in lessons and are very willing to take on responsibility. • Behaviour is good in class and around the school. • Attendance is well above the national average. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual development has improved significantly since the last inspection and is now good. • Pupils display very good responsibilities towards living in a community and are very aware of the right and wrong ways in which to behave. • Pupils are developing a good appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

8. Pupils are interested in their work and keen to learn. They listen attentively to their teachers and are happy to co-operate with their classmates on their tasks. Outside the classroom, they are eager to get to play their part in the life of the school. Older pupils are proud to be trusted to look after younger ones, whilst pupils of all ages are full of suggestions for how to improve things through the School Council.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

9. Children in the Foundation Stage have settled well to the daily routines of school. They are happy to come to school and enjoy the facilities on offer. Overall attainment on entry in personal, social and emotional development is broadly average. As a result of very good teaching and consistent behaviour management, children behave well, make good progress and achieve well. Consequently, the majority of the children have already reached the Early Learning Goals. Teachers are successful in helping children gain in independence and confidence, which helps them relate to staff and their peers well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

10. Pupils with special educational needs generally behave well and display positive attitudes to school. They respond well to the support of teachers and other adults in the classroom. They work well together in their groups, co-operating effectively, including with a pupil who has severe learning disabilities. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 10 11. Across the school, pupils have a clear sense of right and wrong and know how to behave. Outside in the playground, most remember to show consideration for others in their games, although occasionally some get so involved in their play that they forget to think about what is going on around them. There have been no exclusions in the past school year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

12. Pupils enjoy coming to school and do not want to miss out on what it has to offer them. Their parents value education and make sure that the children attend regularly. Pupils’ attendance is very good and above the national average. Some families, though, have difficulty getting their children to school in good time in the mornings.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

13. Provision for spiritual development has improved significantly since the last inspection and is now good. There is a wide range of planned opportunities for pupils to reflect on the world in which they live. Worthwhile assemblies with relevant themes allow pupils to consider issues that directly relate to them and to listen to music, sing and pray together in an atmosphere of sensitivity and trust. During the inspection, an overhead projector was used well to display beautiful photographs of winter scenes, the wonder of water and the deprivation due to lack of this in some parts of the world, and the hope of spring and a new beginning. Many of these images had a profound affect upon the children, who gasped at one or two pictures of outstanding merit. Pupils show empathy with those less fortunate and were much moved by the recent tsunami disaster, wanting to know what they could do to help.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

14. The pupils’ good relationships with others are shown in the very positive way that they treat each other. Class and school rules are closely followed and this makes the school a very orderly, pleasant place of learning. Classmates elect members to the School Council, which meets regularly. This is a successful forum where pupils voice their opinions about how the school can be improved. There is still scope to extend independent learning activities for these well-behaved and reliable pupils, such as carrying out research in the library or working in groups without the close direction of a teacher.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

15. There is a good programme of visitors, class trips and school events to provide pupils with a good understanding of their own and different cultures. Subjects such as history, religious education, art and music are used to convey and extend pupils’ knowledge of these particular aspects. The school recognises the need to provide pupils with an awareness of ethnic and cultural diversity in today’s British society, but finds this difficult, given its geographical location. It has welcomed a variety of visitors to the school to help make up for this shortfall.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.3 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

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year St Mary Bourne Primary School - 11 Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed-period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 135 0 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The quality of teaching and learning is good. Assessment is good in the Foundation Stage but satisfactory in Years 1 to 6. The curriculum and its enrichment through opportunities in sports and the arts are satisfactory. Accommodation and resources are good. All staff strongly contribute towards the positive ethos, meaning that pupils are well cared for. Links with parents are very good and links with the community and other schools are good.

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Teaching and learning

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning are good . Teaching has improved since the last inspection. There are significant strengths throughout the school. Procedures in assessment have improved and are now satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good quality of the teaching has a positive impact on the pupils’ achievements and on the standards they reach. • Effective monitoring of teaching and professional development is a factor in the better teaching. • Pupils with special educational needs receive good support from knowledgeable, well- trained teaching assistants and the special educational needs co-ordinator, which contributes to their achievements. • The very high quality of teaching assistants positively supports the achievements and inclusion of pupils in all aspects of the curriculum and school life. • Marking does not always help pupils know how they can improve and is sometimes inaccurate. • Teachers’ expectations for neat presentation are not high enough.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 32 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 8 (25%) 16 (50%) 8 (25%) 0 (0%) 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

16. There is a much higher percentage of good teaching since the last inspection. Teaching has improved particularly in Years 1 and 2, where it was not as strong as in other year groups. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed in the inspection. Effective strategies have been put into place to bring about improvement. The headteacher effectively monitors teaching and learning and has developed strong links between performance management and continuing professional development. She has empowered curriculum co-ordinators to manage subjects and monitor all St Mary Bourne Primary School - 12 aspects of teaching and learning. Weaknesses previously included a lack of teacher knowledge in religious education - teachers now teach the subject well, as evident in lessons observed. Teachers have good subject expertise in English and mathematics and use the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies well, which is contributing

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Commentary

towards higher standards. Pupils are taught to use their literacy skills well but the planned use of mathematics across the curriculum is underdeveloped. Information and communication technology (ICT), however, is planned well to enhance learning in other subjects; this is helping pupils develop a range of ICT skills.

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Commentary

17. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good with significant strengths, particularly in the teaching of personal, social and emotional development. There is very strong teamwork between the teacher and teaching assistants, who work effectively together to provide an interesting and enjoyable learning environment. Assessment procedures in the Foundation Stage are good. The teacher follows thorough procedures based on the recommended guidance for the six areas of learning. Information is collected initially from playgroups and induction meetings with parents. There is an effective range of assessment procedures based on detailed observations, carried out by the teacher and teaching assistant, photographs, tick sheets and staff noting significant achievements. These feed into the Foundation Stage Profile, which is updated at the end of each term.

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Commentary

18. The provision for the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. There is good implementation of the detailed individual education plans and statements of special educational need. Teachers carefully plan work to help these pupils make good progress and they benefit from the presence of very good teaching assistants. Good assessment procedures help to identify pupils’ needs early and their progress is carefully and successfully monitored. There is now greater challenge in the teaching of the average and higher-attaining pupils. The school is aware that it needs to raise the percentage of pupils gaining the higher levels in the National Curriculum tests. For example, in Year 6, average- and higher-attaining pupils are being challenged in the texts they read. They are expected to read regularly, comment on the style of the author and use deduction and inference to establish the meaning of the text; this is

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Commentary

19. The strengths noted in the previous inspection in behaviour management, positive relationships and effective support from teaching assistants have been maintained. Good relationships and an insistence on high standards of behaviour mean pupils have positive attitudes to learning, enjoy their lessons and behave well. Teachers’ expectations for positive attitudes towards learning are generally good but not always high enough in expecting pupils to present their work neatly and accurately. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well and contribute to ensuring that all pupils are fully included in all aspects of learning. The effective deployment of the teaching assistants, and the high quality of their work, make a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement, both academically and socially. This gives pupils opportunities to work in small ability groups and year groups which help pupils access the same learning

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Commentary

opportunities. A particularly good example was observed in a Year 4/5 science lesson when able pupils were challenged well in their work and less able pupils supported effectively. This meant that all pupils achieved well and made good gains in their learning. Twice a week, pupils are taught in year groups, which mean smaller classes. For example, well-trained teaching assistants taught Reception children, while the teacher taught the Year 1 pupils from the mixed-age class. Her high quality input twice a week ensures that these pupils learn effectively and build on the good progress that St Mary Bourne Primary School - 13 was made in Reception. This strategy has contributed towards the improvement over the last three years in standards at the end of Year 2 National Curriculum tests.

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Commentary

20. Assessment is now satisfactory overall and has improved since the previous inspection, although the collection of National Curriculum assessment information is good in English and mathematics, and analysed well. The school has addressed the weaknesses from the last inspection and has an assessment policy and systems to record pupils’ progress in each subject. The headteacher gathers tracking data for all pupils and is exploring a computerised system where all staff will have ready access to all data. At the time of the previous inspection, some teachers were considered more effective in using marking to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding of their work than others. This is still the case, the quality of marking does not always help pupils move forward in their learning, and in addition, some marking is inaccurate.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory . Accommodation and resources are good .

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The curriculum

• Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • There is good equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. • Provision for religious education has improved and is now good. • Provision for personal, social and health education is good. • Accommodation and resources, such as books and equipment (with the exception of ICT), are good. • The organisation of ICT equipment does not support focused teaching and learning of computer skills to a large group of pupils all at the same time.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum meets statutory requirements, including those for religious education and collective worship, and is satisfactory overall. This is an improvement over the previous inspection, when teaching and learning in religious education were unsatisfactory and a key issue. The school has worked hard to improve the provision for religious education and this is now good. In recent years, the school has concentrated on improving behaviour and on raising standards in English and Mathematics, and it has been successful in its efforts. Overall planning for all subjects is now secure and cross-curricular links are well thought through, making the curriculum more interesting and relevant for pupils. In both the infants and juniors, the curriculum is planned so that pupils in mixed-age classes are taught English and mathematics with their year group counterparts on at least two occasions each week. This allows pupils to bond as a year group and secures a consistent coverage in these

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Commentary

subjects. For Years 1 and 2, other areas of the curriculum are planned through a three-year rolling programme and, for the older pupils, through a two-year planning cycle. This careful planning is effective in ensuring that all pupils cover the same programmes of study by the end of their time in the school. The curriculum for children in Reception is satisfactory; it is generally planned around the recommended areas of learning. Arrangements to incorporate planning to include the outside area are at an early stage but developing well. Satisfactory arrangements are in place to enable children in Reception make a smooth transition to the National Curriculum. The overall satisfactory quality of the curriculum, and links with secondary schools to which most St Mary Bourne Primary School - 14 pupils transfer, prepare them effectively for the next stage in their education. Links with the secondary school in the nearby town are particularly effective and include

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Commentary

teachers from that school giving taster language lessons to Year 6 pupils here. Money provided by a national bank has been used well to promote joint activities attended by Year 5 pupils. In this way, pupils from a variety of local primary schools get to know each other before they start secondary education.

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Commentary

22. Provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good and has improved since the previous inspection, when there was no formal programme. The programme is based on weekly formal lessons with many aspects being reinforced or raised within other subject areas. The assembly programme also promotes many features of PSHE. The co-ordinator ensures that appropriate aspects of sex education, drug misuse, keeping safe and healthy living are covered through the PSHE and, where appropriate, science programmes.

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Commentary

23. Curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school ensures that all these pupils are included in all aspects of the curriculum by providing well-informed and effective support and carefully written individual education plans. ICT is used effectively to support the progress of these pupils, including those with symptoms of dyslexia.

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Commentary

24. Opportunities for enrichment are overall satisfactory. There is a good range of after- school clubs for older pupils. These include activities of a sporting nature, such as football, rugby and netball, and opportunities for participation in the arts through art and music clubs. In addition, there are first aid, cycling proficiency and gardening activities during the year and a homework club enables pupils to extend their formal academic studies. Pupils visit a range of historical sites, such as Danebury Hill, and studies in the environmentally rich locality enhance their work in both history and geography. Pupils in Year 4 take part in a residential visit to an environmental centre in the New Forest and Year 5/6 pupils have the opportunity of going to an activity centre in Dorset. Involvement in most of these clubs and activities is for older pupils only and the range in which younger children can become involved is limited.

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Commentary

25. Due to its geographical situation, it is difficult for the school to widen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different religions and cultures through visits. It works hard and effectively to bring in visitors who can make up this shortfall and these include Indian dancers, African drummers and theatre companies. The local vicar is a regular visitor and pupils visit the village church and study the building. Weeks or days designated to the study of art and design, science, physical education, music, and design and technology have taken place within recent times. These are good opportunities for parents and people in the community to take part in, and add their expertise to these school activities, and for pupils of all ages to work together and benefit from this input. A county-based music teacher, who is also a parent, is brought in to enhance the provision in music. The good standards observed in music during the inspection show

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Commentary

the effectiveness of this support. 26. An innovative practice has been the introduction of extra physical education lessons for all classes. This enables pupils to make good progress and attain well in this subject. Displays across the school demonstrate the strong links that are made between many subjects and the importance of literacy and PSHE is evident in this work.

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Commentary

27. The school is well staffed, with a good number of teachers, so that class sizes are relatively small throughout the school. There is a good mix of experienced and more St Mary Bourne Primary School - 15 recently trained teachers, who work together well as a team. The number of teaching assistants is good. These are very effectively deployed and classes benefit from their very good support in many lessons.

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Commentary

28. The school has been imaginatively enlarged and is now housed in generous and comfortable accommodation for staff and pupils. Classrooms are light and airy and there are specialist rooms for the library, music and small group sessions. The hall is big enough for assemblies to take place with the whole school present and for pupils to use physical education equipment in a spacious environment. Outside, there are generous grassed areas and hard surfaced play areas and these support both the physical education programme and the need for space in which to spend lunch and play times. The school recognises the fact that the environmental area is neglected and its redevelopment is on the new deputy head’s action plan.

p.17

Commentary

29. Resources throughout the school are plentiful and well cared for. The music room is well supplied with a variety of instruments and, when appropriate, many of these are put to good use in classrooms. The library includes an ample stock of books and additional items for particular topic areas are borrowed through the county library service. The school is building up its own stock of artefacts but, again, many of these are borrowed from county collections. Items from the Hampshire wardrobe are borrowed to bring historical periods to life. Learning is well supported, and made more interesting, by the good quality and availability of resources. Whilst the number of computers in school is satisfactory, the organisation of these does not support focused teaching and learning of computer skills to a large group of pupils all at the same time.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

Attention given to pupils’ care and welfare is good . Support and guidance based on monitoring are good . Involvement of all pupils in the life of the school is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures for pastoral care are good. • Pupils with special educational needs have very good support and guidance. • Well-organised induction helps children settle quickly. • Pupils have good opportunities to do their bit for the school.

p.17

Commentary

30. The school has an efficient approach to care and welfare which ensures that pupils are well looked after. The site and buildings are well cleaned and maintained and regularly inspected for problems. Child protection arrangements are good and new requirements for this have been effectively adopted. Relationships between pupils and staff at all levels are good, and this means that pupils feel happy and secure at school. The care and support pupils receive is good. Those with special educational needs, including pupils with behavioural or emotional difficulties, are particularly well supported and guided. Support and advice is also sought and followed from outside agencies such as Educational Psychology and Health Services.

p.17

Commentary

31. Since the last inspection, the school has developed closer links with its feeder playgroups, and made its induction programme much more comprehensive. Parents value the range and scope of the meetings and visits now provided, and their children quickly feel at home in their new surroundings as a result. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 16 32. The headteacher has introduced some innovative ways of helping pupils to take pride in and feel responsible for their school. Pupils have contributed to the school’s behaviour policy and have written school rules. They have also been involved in health and safety inspections. The car park has been fenced off as a result of their suggestions. More traditional methods of involving pupils, such as the School Council and the mentoring system, also work well. Pupils are enthusiastic about what they can achieve and take their roles seriously.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are very good . Links with the community and with other schools are good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between staff and parents are very good. • Information for parents is of a high quality. • The school is very well supported by parents and the community.

p.18

Commentary

33. The headteacher and her staff are readily accessible to parents at the beginning and end of each day and are very welcoming if parents want to talk to them. Parents really appreciate this approachability because they feel that their queries can be swiftly dealt with before they become concerns. Parents feel too that their ideas are listened to and acted upon. The school is very open to parents’ views, using questionnaires regularly to find out parents’ opinions on specific topics, and promoting the use of a suggestion box for general comments. As a result of recent input from parents, for example, guidelines for pupils’ snacks have been established, and curriculum information from each class teacher presented in a standard format.

p.18

Commentary

34. Effective links are established with parents before children start in the Reception class. Children have good opportunities to visit their classroom before they start at school. Induction meetings for parents are held to inform them about routines. As a result of these positive early links, children in the Foundation Stage settle quickly to the daily routines and enjoy the happy, caring atmosphere at this early stage in their education.

p.18

Commentary

35. Reports to parents on their children’s progress are very good indeed. They give an honest picture of how well pupils are doing for their age, which is helpful for parents, and set out practical targets for improvement, which parents can understand and work on with their children. Other information for parents is plentiful and useful. Regular newsletters, termly curriculum letters, the prospectus and the governors’ annual report all keep parents up to date with everything that is going on. The school makes the most of modern technology to keep parents informed, with newsletters available by email, and other documents posted on the website.

p.18

Commentary

36. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are given regular opportunities to be involved in the discussions about their child’s progress and their individual education plans. Useful information is sent home so that parents know how they may help their child make progress related to the specific targets identified.

p.18

Commentary

37. Parents work hard to support the school and their children’s education. Many are able to assist in practical terms, as governors, friends or helpers on a regular basis, for example, on the computers, or for special events such as the arts week. Members of the community also work hard on behalf of the school, either fundraising or hearing St Mary Bourne Primary School - 17 reading or opening up their premises for visits. Pupils get a great deal from going to see the blacksmith at work, for example, or from exploring the local watercress farms. The school fosters these links and makes sure that those who help know how much they are appreciated. Close liaison with other small schools in the area means that the disadvantages of being small can be overcome. The school teams up with others to run residential trips, for example, and extension classes for the more able, so that a wider range of opportunities can be offered to its pupils.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good . The leadership of the headteacher is good , the leadership of other key staff is satisfactory and the overall effectiveness of management is good . The governance of the school is good .

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The headteacher has helped to improve teaching and pupils’ standards; she has a clear vision of the next stages of improvement. • The management of special educational needs is very good. • Governance is good, and the governing body is very well led. • Finances are well managed and the school evaluates its spending carefully.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

38. The headteacher provides strong leadership and a commitment to raising standards in all aspects of the school’s work, which has contributed to the good improvement since the last inspection. The detailed school improvement plan is an effective document to help bring about further improvement, and is supported well by the various subject action plans. Good management has empowered co-ordinators to develop their subjects and the headteacher’s decision to devolve fully subject responsibility to members of staff following her appointment has had a positive effect. At a time of change, this has led to satisfactory but improving contributions to the leadership and management of the school by other members of staff. The decision to appoint an additional deputy headteacher during a period of transition is helping to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities. The new deputy headteacher’s role is beginning to

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

be developed. There is a good understanding and clear plan to help further improvement in mathematics, an area identified in the school improvement plan, and for ICT.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

39. Good use is made of the school’s self-evaluation to assess where it is and what needs to be done. The headteacher’s careful analysis and regular monitoring by her and by co-ordinators have resulted in improved teaching. Similarly, the monitoring of performance data has helped to identify the most important areas to improve. There is increasing understanding of what action now needs to be taken to ensure the improvements are maintained and built upon further.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

40. The management of special educational needs is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) has well organised procedures for monitoring special educational needs provision and pupils’ progress. The SENCO, working well with outside agencies, has introduced the early assessment of the potential needs of individual pupils, and this has had a positive effect on ensuring the good progress of pupils and has contributed to the decline in the overall number of pupils having special educational needs within the school. Good links are established with parents and this St Mary Bourne Primary School - 18 contributes to pupils’ good progress. The commitment staff show to the needs of pupils contributes strongly to the good ethos of the school. Teaching assistants, including those who work with individual pupils, make a very good contribution to involving special educational needs pupils and ensuring their good progress. Although

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

at an early stage, the introduction of support for pupils with personal and emotional difficulties is having a positive effect. The SENCO is in regular liaison with the special educational needs governor.

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

41. Governance is good. The governing body is very well led with well-established procedures. The chair of governors gives the headteacher very good support. Governors maintain good links with the school and are well informed by the headteacher and other staff about developments and standards in the school. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and make a positive contribution to supporting staff. They challenge when necessary, and it was at their insistence that mathematics remained as a target on the school improvement plan. The governors ensure that the school meets statutory requirements.

p.20

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 414,769 Balance from previous year 12,818 Total expenditure 414,072 Balance carried forward to the next year 13,515 Expenditure per pupil 2,979

p.20

Financial information

42. The school implements best value principles well. The budget is carefully monitored and the impact of spending evaluated. Governors anticipate the impact of the changing numbers of pupils on roll and plan to ensure the school continues to meet the needs of its pupils well, within its budget. The decision to employ two deputy headteachers for two terms so that effective transfer of responsibilities could be achieved was carefully considered. The significant weaknesses identified in the audit report of 2001 have been fully dealt with. The school’s funds are used well and helped to ensure that pupils have made good progress. The school currently provides good value for money. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 19

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage has improved since the previous inspection. Children enter the school with attainment that is broadly average. However, with small groups of children joining the Reception/Year 1 class, standards are very different each year. Some of the present group of children had limited skills in using pencils and scissors on entry, which meant their writing and drawing skills were underdeveloped. In addition, some found it difficult to share or co-operate with their class mates. Twenty-one children started school in September. They have settled into school routines well because induction is good and children visit the school and get to know the staff on several occasions. No child at present speaks English as an additional language. Those with special educational needs or in need of extra help to access the curriculum are very effectively included in all aspects of the curriculum through sensitive support. The co-ordinator is managing the provision effectively

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

leading new initiatives and working with enthusiasm. Activities are varied and made interesting and fun by the teacher. There is a newly-extended outside play area for the children, which is being developed well, with a range of planned activities being effectively incorporated into the daily planning. Children achieve well and by the end of Reception many are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals, with a few exceeding the goals in some areas of learning, including aspects of communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and information and communication technology. Virtually all have reached already the Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development. This is because there is very effective teamwork between the teacher and teaching assistant, who adopt a consistent approach. They have very high expectations of the way children approach their work, behave and become independent: children respond

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

positively, behave well and learn effectively.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good because staff have very high expectations with regard to good behaviour and positive attitudes towards work and play. • Children are strongly encouraged to be independent. • All children are very skilfully included in all aspects of the curriculum.

p.21

Commentary

St Mary Bourne Primary School - 20 43. Teaching and learning are very good. This helps children achieve well, which leads to above average standards in personal, social and emotional development. The very effective work in this area of learning strongly contributes to the children’s good behaviour and positive attitudes to their learning. A sense of community is promoted when children and staff join together for snack time, children are developing their social skills well and enjoying sharing food and ‘chatting’ to one another. Staff are very aware of the needs of all the children and all are very skilfully and sensitively included in all aspects of the curriculum, for example, ensuring that work and activities are carefully matched to children’s ability. Consequently, most children have already achieved the Early Learning Goals. Most children have settled well to all aspects of class routines. They enjoy learning and through a good combination of teacher-

p.22

Commentary

directed and child-selected activities gain in confidence and the ability to concentrate on their tasks. All are showing increasing independence and most manage to get changed for physical education and outside play with the minimum amount of help. Good opportunities are given to the children to help them to co-operate with one another, for example, they very sensibly discuss their work and ideas or clear up the classroom.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and lessons are fun; consequently, children learn effectively. • Children are encouraged to listen attentively and verbalise their thoughts with their classmates and adults. • There are good opportunities to learn the basic skills of writing and reading – children enjoy joining in with stories and make particularly good progress in reading.

p.22

Commentary

44. Teaching and learning are good for all children, including those with special educational needs. Children achieve well so by the end of Reception, most are likely to reach the Early Learning Goals in reading and speaking and listening. However, fewer are likely to achieve the goals in writing activities. Children love listening to stories. They joined in enthusiastically with parts of the text and listened avidly to the teacher reading The Gingerbread Man. Skilful questioning by the teacher established that the children could recall events in the story well and had a good understanding of the sequence of events. Children know about the features of books, the cover, title, the role of the illustrator and the author. Speaking and listening skills are promoted well as children are encouraged to discuss aspects of the story with a partner.

p.22

Commentary

45. Good teaching of letter sounds help children learn individual sounds and simple words. Children are encouraged to use word banks, which helped them write simple sentences about The Gingerbread Man. From the scrutiny of work, it is evident that there is a wide range of literacy skills and a few children are not likely to achieve the goals by the end of Reception in writing. Nevertheless, these children have still made good progress from a low starting point. Higher-attaining and average children are beginning to form their letters appropriately and write simple sentences.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

St Mary Bourne Primary School - 21 Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good use of both the indoor and outdoor environments contributes well to effective learning. • There is effective promotion of mathematical vocabulary through a good range of practical activities.

p.23

Commentary

46. By the end of Reception, many children are likely to reach the Early Learning Goals in mathematical development. Teaching and learning are good, which helps children achieve well. There are good opportunities for children to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts both in the classroom and the outside area. Numbers 1-10 and beyond for the higher attainers were reinforced skilfully through a wide range of activities matched well to children’s needs. This included the teaching assistant working with children in the outside play area, hiding plastic bears around the area. Children had great fun going on a Bear Hunt to find the bears; they were given a bag to put in as many bears that they could find of their colour. Good discussion took place, how many bears have you found, who has the most, who has the lea st? Higher attainers were challenged to carry out simple addition with the bears. Practical tasks

p.23

Commentary

such as this contribute towards children gaining correct mathematical vocabulary. In the classroom, the teacher challenges the children to communicate their thinking and asked how they arrived at an answer. She teaches basic skills well and extends their mathematical vocabulary. Children are asked to count the number of dolls in the garden and the dolls house. This activity effectively leads to formal recording for the higher attainers.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to learn from direct experience. • Children enjoy using computers and are learning ICT skills quickly.

p.23

Commentary

47. Teaching is good, which helps children achieve well. This means that by the end of Reception, many, including those with special educational needs, will have achieved the early learning goals, particularly in ICT. Children enjoy using the computers; they are confident and work well together. They control the mouse well, select the next program and drag icons across the screen to match numbers against objects. Graphic programs with a range of tools are used well to create pictures. From lessons, scrutiny of work and photographic evidence, it is clear that children have good opportunities to learn from direct experience. Children stood quietly and listened carefully to a range of sounds in the classroom and outside. They responded confidently and with good articulation that they had heard birds, cars and the wind outside and, in the entrance hall, - doors shutting and talking in the hall. Children are showing a positive interest in

p.23

Commentary

the world in which they live. Links with the community are good. They enhance St Mary Bourne Primary School - 22 children’s’ knowledge of the work of the police and the postman through visits from the local policeman and watched the postman collect letters that they had written, in his van.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have a good range of opportunities in the classrooms and the hall for all aspects of physical development. • The newly-extended outside area is providing children with an increased range of physical activities.

p.24

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are good, which helps children achieve well in this area of learning. Most are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception, which indicates good progress as some had limited skills in drawing and writing when they started in September. Fine motor skills are developing well during a range of activities. Children are using pencils, paintbrushes, glue spreaders and scissors with increasing control and developing their dexterity through building models with construction materials.

p.24

Commentary

49. There is a newly-extended outside area which is providing a better range of activities for the children. There is a good mixture of planned activities and a chance to play with other children on vehicles, which they steer with increasing accuracy and a good awareness of others. They enjoy physical education lessons in the hall and behave well because the teacher has high expectations of good behaviour and has due regard to health and safety. There is good attention to appropriate warming-up exercise and attention to changes in the body following exercise. They know they have to warm up their muscles and are encouraged to feel their heart and judge whether they have warmed up sufficiently. Children travel around the hall and across mats in a variety of ways, some showing good creativity in their choice of movements. The teaching assistant is deployed well to observe the development of children’s’ skills.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Specialist teaching in music significantly contributes to children’s’ good achievement. • Children are encouraged to use a good range of media and explore pattern, colour and shape.

p.24

Commentary

50. Teaching is generally good in this area of learning, but very good when the music specialist teaches music to the children. Children achieve well and most are likely to reach, if not exceed, the Early Learning Goals in music, by the end of Reception. Children are building up a good repertoire of songs and rhymes and gaining skills in St Mary Bourne Primary School - 23 using instruments in their music lessons. Children join in with enthusiasm when singing the Hello song and keep a steady beat through a variety of actions in the Teddy song. Children quickly learn new actions and respond well to the stop and start signals. Many of them already know how to hold the instruments appropriately and play them in time with the keyboard. Great fun was had when the children joined in with their teachers singing and carrying out the actions in the Teddy Bear Rock ‘n Roll. Following a discussion about hot and cold environments, children picked out orange,

p.24

Commentary

red and yellow colours to paint a volcano. Interesting sequential patterns are created to form a collar for Wilbur the cat. This work incorporated mathematical understanding of pattern as well as the use of different textures and media.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and reach standards above the national average and above those achieved by pupils in similar schools. • The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good. • Pupils use their literacy skills in other subjects well. • Marking does not always help pupils know how they can improve. • Standards of presentation are not good enough.

p.25

Commentary

51. Pupils’ achievement in English is good throughout the school. Inspection findings show that the current pupils in Years 2 and 6 are attaining above average standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Improvement has been good. Since 2000, the results in the National Curriculum tests have gradually risen in reading and writing at the end of Year 2. They have been above average or well above average since 2001. There was a slight dip in reading in the 2004 tests, which reflected the ability range of those pupils. Standards attained by Year 6 pupils were well above average from 2001 to 2003; results dipped in 2004 but were still above average. When compared to pupils’ prior attainment in the Year 2 tests, these pupils achieved particularly well. However, fewer than expected gained the higher Level 5 but a significant percentage gained the expected Level 4, and few the lower Level 3. From

p.25

Commentary

inspection evidence, it is likely that more Year 6 pupils will gain the higher level in the 2005 tests; this is due to effective strategies having been put into place following analysis of the 2004 tests. All pupils throughout the school make good progress and those with special educational needs often make particularly good progress, which is reflected in the low percentage of pupils that failed to achieve the expected level in both Years 2 and 6.

p.25

Commentary

52. Standards in speaking and listening are above average throughout the school. In lessons and assemblies, pupils listen attentively; they are articulate and speak with confidence. Teachers have good questioning skills which help to draw out answers from individual pupils, as in an assembly about winter. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils worked together to devise questions to ask their teacher, which they did with confidence. They framed their questions about characters in a Chinese story with good attention to appropriate sentence structure. By Year 6, all pupils are working at St Mary Bourne Primary School - 24 the expected level, with a good proportion at the higher level. Pupils are learning about presenting arguments and how they present information to the class. Pupils are confident; they maintain the interest of the class and describe their hobbies clearly, with considerable detail. Questions are formulated well, in the context of the

p.25

Commentary

discussion and effectively building on to points already raised.

p.26

Commentary

53. Pupils achieve well in reading, which means standards are above average throughout the school. Teachers promote reading well and build on the good start that children make in Reception. Pupils enjoy reading, on their own or in class lessons; younger pupils join in reading class texts with great enthusiasm. Year 2 pupils, including lower- attaining pupils, have good knowledge about books. They understand the use of the contents, index and glossary and employ appropriate alphabetical knowledge to locate words in a dictionary. They use a range of strategies to help them read unfamiliar words and quickly recognise rhyming words in poems. By Year 6, pupils are confident, expressive readers. During an assembly, older pupils read out well-known poems about winter by Ogden Nash, with fluency and good expression. Year 6 pupils are reading a wide range of books, and more able pupils are challenged well and read

p.26

Commentary

texts by authors such as Charles Dickens and Michael Morpurgo. All pupils are expected to describe the style of authors and state their reading preferences, through discussion and book reviews. This was an area of weakness, but has now improved well. Pupils’ progress is monitored effectively through individual reading records and group guided-reading sheets. Good links have been established with parents through regular communication about pupils’ progress in the reading records. This contributes to pupils’ good achievement in reading.

p.26

Commentary

54. Improving writing has been a whole-school priority. Strategies have included increasing the expertise of teachers for the teaching of writing and giving pupils targets for improving grammar and spelling. These strategies are having a positive impact. In Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve well in writing and standards are above the national average. This is because a very high proportion is working at least at the expected level. Good teaching of basic skills is contributing to raising standards. Although many pupils are improving their handwriting during specific sessions, they do not always transfer their skills into their English lessons or into other subjects, as noted in the scrutiny of work, where some work was untidy and poorly presented. In addition, a few older pupils use a mixture of print and joined script in their work. In Year 6, pupils are developing complex sentences well and use vocabulary to capture

p.26

Commentary

the interest of the reader. Throughout the school, writing is used well for different purposes, such as interviews, lists, reports, instructions and stories.

p.26

Commentary

55. The overall quality of teaching is good, with very good teaching observed in Year 1. Pupils achieved very well and learnt about traditional stories through sharing the story of ‘ The Three Little Pigs’ and enjoyed taking part in role play. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which enables them to teach key skills effectively. Teaching assistants are deployed very effectively to support pupils, often the lower-attaining pupils, which strongly contributes to pupils’ good achievement. Planning is good and incorporates ICT well. A spelling programme was used well in a Year 4/5 lesson, which helped pupils learn about ‘ough’ words. Websites were effectively used for Year 3/4 pupils to increase their knowledge about whales, which supported their work on the ‘ Whale Story’. Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to school because teachers have good classroom management skills. Expectations are generally high

p.26

Commentary

but teachers do not expect pupils to present their work neatly enough. Teachers use questioning well to assess pupils’ knowledge and the targets are being shared with pupils to help them know what it is that they need to learn next. However, the use of St Mary Bourne Primary School - 25 marking is inconsistent throughout the school; teachers sometimes make comments about work, but these comments are rarely responded to or errors corrected.

p.26

Commentary

56. As a new co-ordinator has recently taken over the leadership and management of English, no firm judgement can be made regarding the impact of his role. However, it is clear that he has made a good start and from the analysis of the 2004 National tests, has implemented effective strategies to support pupils with the structure of their writing. This has already brought about improvements, together with more rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher. In addition, pupils are taught in year groups twice a week, which not only ensures equality of opportunity for pupils but groups are smaller and teaching is matched well to pupils’ prior attainment. This is working particularly well in Year 1, where imaginative and lively teaching is building effectively on the good progress children make in Reception. This is strongly contributing to the rise in standards at the end of Year 2.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

57. Good cross-curricular links are planned in other subjects to develop pupils’ literacy skills. There are good opportunities to write in a variety of styles and for different purposes. For example, in religious education, Year 5 pupils describe, in good detail, the picture Mystic Nativity by Botticelli. Year 2 pupils use their word processing skills to record information from the story of Katie Morag in geography, and use an appropriate format for writing postcards home. Instructions are written out appropriately and followed in design and technology in several classes, making toast in Year 2 and moving toys in Year 6.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards achieved are usually either similar to or above the national average. • The quality of teaching is good. • The leadership and management of the subject are good. • Marking does not always help pupils know how they can improve. • The use of mathematics across the curriculum is not developed systematically.

p.27

Commentary

58. The school’s results vary from year to year because of the relatively small numbers in each year group. Results in National Curriculum tests in Year 2 have been consistently above average over the past three years, and have improved since the previous inspection. All but a few pupils reached the expected standards and about a third exceeded them. The good progress by all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is evident in these results and this trend is continuing, as the pupils currently in Year 2 are performing at above the expected standard. They are achieving well. Year 2 pupils confidently add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers. They mentally double numbers correctly and apply their knowledge to money problems. They know the properties of flat and solid shapes. Standards attained by Year 6 pupils over the past few years have fluctuated, but results indicate at least satisfactory, and

p.27

Commentary

often good, progress. In the 2004 tests, most pupils reached the expected standards St Mary Bourne Primary School - 26 and a quarter exceeded them. Pupils with special educational needs achieved well. Current Year 6 pupils are already performing at above average levels and their achievement is good. By Year 6, pupils correctly use numbers to two decimal places, tackle problems with confidence and use ICT well to support their learning. They use negative numbers correctly when plotting co-ordinates. The weakness identified in graph work is still evident, with some older junior pupils not using sensible scales or correctly labelling the axes when drawing graphs.

p.27

Commentary

59. As a result of good teaching, pupils make good progress during their time in school. The overall quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Teachers manage lessons well, have high expectations of their pupils’ behaviour and give clear explanations. In the best lessons, good use is made of imaginary situations to involve young children, such as having to consider how to double the meal required or the hat size of the giant’s son. Teachers have good subject knowledge and make good use of ICT, practical work and problem solving. Teachers and support staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs are helped to achieve well, but more able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently or sufficient work expected from them. Marking is very inconsistent, errors are not always noted and corrected, inaccuracies, such as the drawing of the hands on a clock face, are not drawn to the attention of the child

p.28

Commentary

and, as a result, pupils do not always know what they have to do to improve. Pupils’ progress in mathematics is aided by their good attitudes and behaviour. Resources are shared well and pupils support each other; this was very evident when a boy, who has severe learning disabilities, and a girl were working together. However, not enough care is taken with the presentation of work so that accurate completion of problems can be difficult.

p.28

Commentary

60. The subject leader is well informed, and is making an effective contribution to the subject’s improvement. She serves as a very good role model in her own teaching. She monitors national and school assessment data carefully and has identified pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. This has led to an understanding that pupils’ use of graphs is a particular weakness which requires attention. She has observed colleagues’ lessons, advised on future developments and kept governors well informed.

p.28

Commentary

61. Collection of end-of-year formal assessment information is good, and information analysed well, but the school recognises that there is a lack of consistency in the school’s day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress, including the recording of information obtained. Further work is being done to ensure that pupils themselves know what they have to do to improve and that there is clear recognition and recording of their progress; ICT programs have been purchased to support this work.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. There is recognition that the consistent and organised use of mathematics across the curriculum is underdeveloped. Some use of mathematics is evident in geography and science, but this is not planned carefully enough to link closely with other work being undertaken in mathematics. In geography, although some pupils examined data from different African countries, they did not compare this with information from the United Kingdom or other countries. In science, some examples are evident of collecting and displaying data from experiments, but these are not extensive enough and there are few opportunities for pupils to interpret information from graphs.

p.28

SCIENCE

St Mary Bourne Primary School - 27 Provision in science is good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good throughout the school. • Overall achievement is good across the school. • Improved scheme of work now in place and planning good. • Pupils’ handling of experimental and investigative work is unsatisfactory in Year 6. • Insistence on good presentation and teachers’ marking is inconsistent.

p.29

Commentary

63. Overall standards, both at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, are in line with the nationally expected levels for pupils of these ages. Over the years, there have been variations in attainment in the end of Year 6 national tests, but the trend shows standards in line with national averages. Since the last report, standards have improved at the end of Year 2. Standards have fallen in Year 6, due to this being a different group of pupils and one which has faced disruption because of staffing problems outside the control of the school. Due to good teaching, pupils in this year group are now on track to make good progress and achieve well by the end of the year.

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Commentary

64. Children start school with only an average scientific understanding. Due to the good opportunities they are offered, all pupils make good progress and achieve well. They build on new facts and acquire a high interest in the subject as they progress through the school. Pupils with special educational needs are given very good support by their teachers and by teaching assistants. This allows all children to achieve well in relation to their different abilities. The achievement of boys is slightly better than that for girls.

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Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection and is now at least good throughout the school. It is particularly good in the youngest class where very good organisation of adult help and a flair for gaining pupils’ interest and enthusiasm are proving very successful in stimulating learning. In one such lesson observed, groups of pupils listened very sensibly and silently for sounds in different locations around the school and displayed good speaking skills when talking about what they had heard. In a good Year 2 lesson on sound, pupils used musical instruments very sensibly to ascertain how they could be used to make a noise and then to put them into appropriate sets.

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Commentary

66. During the inspection, there was an emphasis on investigative and experimental work in all classes. In all such lessons, good prior thought and organisation ensures that the correct resources are readily available. Teaching assistants and other adult helpers are well informed about how they can support groups of pupils. Planning takes account of the needs of pupils of different abilities. In both the Year 3/4 and Year 4/5 classes, pupils carried out their experiments with great care and excitement, making predictions before starting and building up a good scientific vocabulary during the lesson. In the older of these classes, pupils were allowed to choose their own equipment, which increased their independence and control over their investigation. They worked in congenial groups, boys and girls together, co-operating well and concentrating on the task in hand. In both classrooms, pupils showed real delight at

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Commentary

their results. In Year 3/4, these were that water temperature in a container of tap water does not feel the same when your hands have previously been in ice-cold or hot water and, in Year 4/5, that condensation occurs when water vapour in the air meets a cold St Mary Bourne Primary School - 28 surface. Following these practical experiments, pupils had a deeper knowledge and understanding of the scientific reactions involved.

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Commentary

67. Many Year 6 pupils in their work on filtering soil did not show the same understanding of how to conduct an experiment. After a good introduction and demonstration by their teacher, many behaved in an unscientific manner with little regard to fair testing procedures, the appropriate use of equipment and care for classroom facilities. However, when interviewing representative Year 6 pupils the following day, all were able to explain what had gone wrong and how improvements could be made and so, in fact, a good learning experience had taken place. Talking to these pupils elicited the information that they had had very limited recent past experience of experimental and investigative work but are enjoying their weekly science lessons with their present teacher and found these fun.

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Commentary

68. There is limited evidence of numeracy being used well in support of scientific studies. In one Year 3/4 lesson observed, there was planned use of a thermometer and pupils knew about the work of Celsius, building up a knowledge of famous scientists over the centuries. Some results are displayed in tables and graphs but labelling to show what these represent is sometimes missing and defeats the object. In the Year 2 lesson on sound, a useful discussion led to pupils understanding about the need to overlap some of their sets of instruments if these could be played in several ways. Literacy is used appropriately, both for recording purposes and to write creative stories about aspects of scientific work such as the water cycle. Pupils display good speaking and listening skills during discussions. There are appropriate links with personal, social and health education, through aspects of sex education and healthy eating and living.

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Commentary

There is little evidence in past work of ICT being used to record data collection. ICT is used adequately in support of topics being studied and, in their work on condensation; pupils were able to watch a related video on a computer. Due to various problems, the environmental area in the school grounds is in a neglected state, but its redevelopment is in the new deputy head’s action plan.

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Commentary

69. Since the last inspection, the co-ordinator and her colleagues have worked hard to bring about a good improvement in planning and the assessment process. A detailed scheme of work now underpins teaching and learning throughout the school and this ensures that all pupils follow the same programmes of study as they move through the school. Assessment has improved and end of topic tests have been introduced. Together with teacher assessment at the end of Year 2, and the use of optional SATs, results are used satisfactorily to track year group and individual pupil progress and achievement. Analysis of this information leads to steps being taken to improve teaching and learning in areas where there is a perceived weakness. Teachers’ marking is used inconsistently throughout the school and often only gives praise. Where written suggestions are made about how to improve their work, pupils very seldom respond to these and teachers do not follow up to see what has been

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Commentary

extended or corrected. The presentation of pupils’ work is often untidy and this shortcoming is not sufficiently addressed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of ICT to support learning across the curriculum. • Subject leadership is good. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 29 • Pupils do not have enough opportunity to practise their skills.

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Commentary

70. At the time of the last inspection, standards were satisfactory, although excessive attention was given to word processing. Improvement since the time of the last inspection has been satisfactory. Standards are as expected in Year 2 and Year 6 and the pupils achieve satisfactorily. The school continues to meet the full requirements for the subject. This is despite a significant increase in expectations compared with those at the time of the previous inspection. Teachers are more confident and greater use is made of ICT throughout the school.

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Commentary

71. There are adequate computers in the school and each classroom has access to a number of computers, but there is no suite available for a large number of pupils to be taught at the same time. The co-ordinator has produced a detailed action plan to overcome this difficulty; the purchase of a ‘suite of laptop computers’ that can be moved from class to class. It is hoped to purchase or lease this equipment once funding is secure. The pattern of teaching ICT is that teachers often give an introductory lesson on a topic to the whole class and pupils subsequently work on the theme developed. The current arrangements limit the amount of time that pupils have to practise their ICT skills, although good use is made of ICT to support work across the curriculum. It was not possible to observe sufficient ICT lessons to make a judgement about the quality of teaching.

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Commentary

72. By Year 2, pupils’ standards of work are in line with those expected. They use computers to enter text, and to modify font style, size and colour. They understand the link between the mouse, the screen pointer and different icons, and use these and the keyboard to complete mathematical problems. They know the function of the important keys of the keyboard, but many pupils are slow at finding letters or numbers, and some are uncertain with their control of the mouse. Satisfactory progress continues in the juniors, so that, by Year 6, pupils’ work reflects the standards expected and they achieve satisfactorily. They use a paint program and the copy and paste instructions to create good quality ‘wallpaper designs’ based on the work of William Morris. They use spreadsheets effectively to examine mathematical problems, use the Internet to carry out research about African countries and understand the features of multimedia

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Commentary

73. Good leadership by the co-ordinator has helped to ensure continuing progress in quite difficult circumstances, with the purchase of extensive software to support learning across the curriculum. She leads by example and has helped to ensure greater use of ICT by all staff. A good analysis of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses has resulted in a detailed three-year action plan for improvement. Assessment is organised satisfactorily.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. Well-planned use of ICT occurs in virtually all subjects, and the use of word processing, which was excessive previously, has been reduced. In art and design, young pupils use painting and drawing programs to create pictures. Pupils in Years 4 to 6 produced good artwork based on the wallpaper designs of William Morris. Regular use is made of ICT to support learning in mathematics, with the use of programs linked to class work and which aid the assessment of pupils’ success in completing the problems. Year 6 pupils made good use of ICT to explore the relationship between field area and the length of sides, when the perimeter is kept constant. Suitable use is made of word processing to produce labels, stories and poems. Often care is taken to St Mary Bourne Primary School - 30 use ICT to improve the visual presentation of this work. Regular use is made of the Internet to carry out research in subjects such as geography, history and science. ICT

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

has been used to help pupils when composing music.

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HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in full but geography and history were sampled because they were not a major focus during the inspection. It is not therefore possible to make detailed judgements about provision, standards or the quality of teaching.

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HUMANITIES

75. It was not possible to observe any lessons in geography . Very little work was available. Pupils in Year 2 had studied aspects of Katie Morag’s life on a Scottish island, and compared this with features of their own area. Pupils in Year 6 were beginning to find out about aspects of life in Africa. Effective use of the Internet enabled them to find out a range of interesting facts about a range of African countries, but this information was not used to make comparisons with life in Britain. The planned work was designed to introduce pupils to cultural aspects, such as African art, stories and masks. Plans indicate that the curriculum meets requirements.

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HUMANITIES

76. Only one lesson was seen in history . Analysis of pupils’ work indicates that their attainment is similar to that expected. Much of the work for pupils of all abilities is similar and not enough thought is given to how to extend the challenge for more able children. Pupils’ work on display and in their books shows satisfactory links with other areas of the curriculum, particularly literacy and art and design. There is some evidence of appropriate computer programs being used for individual research purposes. As part of pupils’ study of the Celts, a visit to Danebury Hill Fort had been an exciting experience. A current classroom display about Ancient Egypt includes a stimulating range of pictures, books and artefacts, all of which effectively set the scene for the next topic.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and by the end of Years 2 and 6, their attainment is in line with that expected. • Teaching of religious education is good. • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal and cultural development. • Good links with other subjects, particularly literacy and art and design. • Assessment is still underdeveloped.

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Commentary

77. At the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are in line with those expected in the Hampshire Agreed Syllabus. Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Since the last inspection, good improvements have been made. There is now sufficient curriculum time allocated to the subject, a scheme of work has been completed and planning builds on pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. A formal system of assessment is still not in place, but the new co-ordinator plans to attend an external course to help her formulate something suitable. Religious education now has a much higher focus in the school and most classrooms have displays related to current work. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 31 It is evident from lesson observations and the scrutiny of work that artefacts are used well to stimulate pupils’ interest in many aspects of this subject.

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Commentary

78. Teaching in the subject is good and is effectively contributing to pupils’ good achievement. There are good links with English, as teachers use drama, discussion and interesting ways of recording facts which engage the pupils and result in them enjoying the subject. This helps pupils with special educational needs to access the subject well. They receive very good support from teaching assistants when they need to record or discuss their work. Teachers use a variety of strategies in lessons to stimulate all pupils’ interest. In one effective Year 2 lesson, the teacher led a good discussion about what pupils thought Christ looked like, used a good range of pictures of religious paintings of his life (in one of these Jesus and Mary were portrayed as Black) and dressed up one of the pupils in the style of a boy in Jesus’ time. This provided a good reinforcement of pupils’ prior learning and extended their knowledge

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Commentary

of the different views people had about Jesus. In one very successful Year 4/5 lesson, the teacher used a “treasure chest” of her favourite possessions to bring home the point that such things are not always materially valuable but that most are precious mementoes that money cannot buy. This scenario was used well to suggest that there are links between what people value and how they live their lives. In a similar session in Year 6, the teacher usefully extended the lesson to encompass information about what a Sikh boy values because of his religious beliefs.

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Commentary

79. Pupils are gaining a good knowledge and understanding of Christianity, including Bible stories from the old and new testaments, and its special celebrations. In Year 2, there is evidence of work on the use of candles as an important symbol when celebrating birthdays or special times such as Easter, Advent and Christmas. Pupils in this age group acquire a good understanding of Judaism and the importance of symbols and artefacts, such as Hanukkah candles, in this faith. In addition to Christianity, the pupils in the older classes study Islam and Hinduism. In displays, there is evidence of the dramatisation of the story of Sita and Rama, of clay divas being made and of Mendhi patterns being drawn. Religious education makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development, including their understanding of beliefs and values in their own and others’ cultures.

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Commentary

80. In addition to good links to literacy, and to extending speaking and listening skills well through discussion, throughout the school there is a strong emphasis on displaying pupils’ work based on aspects of religious education. These displays are an attractive reminder of work covered and help reinforce pupils’ knowledge and understanding of what they have learnt. Sketchbooks in art are used well to draft pictures of the Nativity and the Reincarnation in the style of famous painters such as Botticelli. There is very limited evidence of ICT being used either for research or recording purposes. Assemblies are used well to extend aspects of religious education and, in addition, pupils have first-hand experience of reflection and prayer.

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Commentary

81. There is a very new, enthusiastic co-ordinator for the subject. She is obviously taking over from someone who has been influential in raising the profile of religious education within the school and bringing about good improvements. Whilst there is a suitable emphasis given to Christianity, the curriculum covers other world religions appropriately. Planning shows that the requirements of the recommended guidance from the locally agreed syllabus are met. There are effective links with the local church and vicar, who leads assemblies on a regular basis, and these contribute towards the good links that the school has with the local community. Visits to the church significantly contribute towards pupils’ understanding of the customs, festivals and St Mary Bourne Primary School - 32 symbolism of Christianity. Due to its geographical situation, it is difficult for the school to arrange visits to other places of worship in larger urban areas, but a representative

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Commentary

of the Jewish faith has been welcomed into the school. The school recognises the need, wherever possible, to extend such visits to people of other faiths.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Music and physical education were inspected in full. However, art and design and design and technology were sampled and not a major focus during this inspection. It is therefore not possible to make detailed judgements about provision or standards of teaching in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. Only two lessons were seen in art and design . Scrutiny of pupils’ work on display indicates that in both Years 2 and 6 standards are similar to that expected and that art and design is used extensively to illustrate other areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ art contributes to making classrooms bright and stimulating places, but does not focus enough upon the development of skills and techniques from one year to the next to make it good. Pupils are learning about well- known people in the art world. Sketchbooks are used well to draft ideas, and to suggest colourings, for wallpaper designs in the style of William Morris. Pupils look very carefully at characters and symbols in pictures of the Nativity by such well-known artists as Botticelli and make sketches for their own work based on these. In Year 6, pupils are introduced to different art programs as a precursor to making Pop Art pictures in the style of Andy Warhol, but

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

otherwise the use of ICT is limited. Artwork is used appropriately to reinforce pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different cultures and religions. An Art Week provided a valuable platform for good parental and community involvement in the work of the school. Pieces produced during this week demonstrate the real potential of some of the pupils and show that many children are not being sufficiently challenged in normal lesson activities.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Evidence indicates that a satisfactory range of activities is provided in design and technology and the subject receives due attention. The subject was sampled and was not a major focus during this inspection, as no teaching was observed. From evidence available, standards of pupils’ work appear to be in line with that expected in Years 2 and 6. Planning follows national guidelines and the school’s own scheme, which meets curriculum requirements. There are good links with literacy. For example, Year 2 pupils filled in questionnaires to find out about the family’s preferences for toast. In Year 6, pupils clearly described the design process for making moving toys. They used a range of appropriate techniques, including the use of cams and cogs to produce movement. When models had been completed, work was evaluated and improvements stated.

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Music

• Teaching is good and pupils make good progress and achieve well. • Pupils in the orchestra perform at a high standard. • Good use is made of the expertise of staff.

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Commentary

St Mary Bourne Primary School - 33 84. Pupils sang tunefully and enthusiastically during assemblies, showing very good enjoyment. Assemblies were also used well to encourage pupils to listen to music, such as an extract from Vivaldi’s ‘ Four Seasons. ’ The very good musical expertise of teachers ensures pupils’ good achievement and progress, and high standards. In Year 1, pupils sing well in music lessons and when singing a ‘doubling song’ in mathematics. They keep a steady beat through a variety of actions and when using different percussion instruments. In Years 4 and 5, pupils play different parts of their music well, skilfully fitting rhythmic patterns together. They understand technical terms, such as ostinato. In Year 6, pupils confidently play different chords, maintaining rhythm, and understand how chords played on guitar and piano differ. Pupils in all classes are very supportive of each other and very keen to volunteer to perform.

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Commentary

Music makes a good contribution to cultural development, such as work on Indonesian music and the gamalan. Gifted pupils make a good contribution to class lessons and assemblies, and playing regularly to a high standard in the orchestra extends their skills. The very good teaching by the music specialist has a very positive effect and no chance is missed to extend pupils’ understanding of music, including during orchestra sessions, such as exploring the distinction between ‘tied’ and ‘slurred’ notes. The expertise of other members of staff contributes well to the development of music and the fact that two teachers play regularly in the orchestra sets a good role model for pupils in the school. Standards of attainment and the quality of teaching have improved since the previous inspection .

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Physical education

Provision in physical education (PE) is good .

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Physical education

• Teaching is good, and standards are above those expected. • Pupils have access to a good curriculum.

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Physical education

85. It was possible to observe three PE lessons, covering the areas of gymnastics, dance and games. Standards are above average. Teaching is good; pupils make good progress and achieve well. The strengths previously reported have been maintained and more time is now devoted to physical education. This additional time is making a good contribution to improving standards. Lessons are well planned and pupils are kept active throughout the sessions. There is a good focus on developing skills and well-targeted support to help pupils improve. In a lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, the teacher helped pupils to achieve good poise and balance when completing a range of gymnastic movement on mats. In a very good lesson for pupils in Years 4 and 5, the teacher’s challenge and high expectations ensured all pupils performed dance to a high standard. A particularly successful session, when pupils worked in pairs, enabled them to teach each other the dance movements they had developed;

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Physical education

this resulted in thoughtful evaluations of each other’s performance. This lesson also made good links to the science topic of electricity and energy. Good pace and the effective use of subject expertise helped Year 6 pupils to develop ball control skills and tactical awareness to a good level. Pupils enjoy their PE sessions; they behave well and have positive attitudes. The co-ordinator has made a good start to improving the subject by ensuring there is a clear structure to the curriculum and progression in the development of pupils’ skills. Two residential trips make a positive contribution to St Mary Bourne Primary School - 34 developing pupils’ outdoor and adventurous pursuits. Pupils learnt about, including a translation of the words, and performed the New Zealand Maori ‘ Haka’ .

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

Provision in personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good .

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

• PSHE is integral to much of the school’s teaching. • The co-ordinator (the headteacher) has led the development of PSHE in the school very well, which has resulted in good progress. • The School Council makes a positive contribution to the life of the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

86. The school provides well for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Since the last inspection, the curriculum provision has been enhanced and teaching is good. The co-ordinator, who leads the subject very well, has developed a detailed programme of work. Through this, pupils are provided with regular, timetabled opportunities to explore a range of social and moral questions. The headteacher teaches many of these lessons herself and, by doing so, has increased the effectiveness of the programme still further. Other issues are raised in assemblies and, informally, when particular problems arise.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

87. The school has high expectations of its pupils’ behaviour and respect for others in the community. Classroom and other observations show that the pupils thoroughly understand these expectations. Pupils develop their social skills during visits, particularly those of a residential nature, linked to many curriculum areas. They are courteous and polite to visitors to the school. Year 6 pupils have taken part in locally organised peer mentoring activities and are responsible for looking after individual Reception children. This system works particularly well at lunchtime, with pupils of both age groups sitting happily together.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

88. Pupils enjoy many and different PSHE experiences through the wider curriculum. For example, the school’s programme includes sex education and drug abuse. The established science curriculum supports the importance of healthy living, including eating the right sort of food and the need for exercise. The success of the school’s approach to safety is evident in several prominent displays that feature PSHE. These include one on cycling proficiency activities and another, based on a talk by the local policeman, about keeping safe in different situations.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

89. Class rules are displayed and these enable pupils to develop their own awareness of the need for rules in any harmonious society. The present School Council consists of representatives from Years 4 to 6. It meets regularly with the headteacher and has been instrumental in getting something done, amongst other things, about unsatisfactory toilets and the erection of safety fencing around the car park area. An awareness of citizenship is developed as members from each year group are elected, consult peers and feedback on outcomes. In addition, older pupils have taken part in a citizenship day organised by the police, fire service and army, and this has raised their awareness still further in preparation for the years ahead. St Mary Bourne Primary School - 35 St Mary Bourne Primary School - 36

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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