St Michael's CofE Primary School

AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th - 16 th June 2005

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AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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AIDED 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. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 302 School address: Granville Road Southfields London Postcode: SW18 5SQ Telephone number: 020 8874 7786 Fax number: 020 8870 2257 Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Pam Davies

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 11 th January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St. Michael’s is a larger than average Voluntary Aided Church of England primary school. It comes within the Southwark diocese and is situated in Southfields, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Most of the homes in the area are privately owned. The 302 boys and girls who attend are between the ages of 4 and 11 and are taught in 11 classes. Because there are often around 45 pupils in each year, classes sometimes contain two age groups. Pupils are set for literacy and numeracy in Years 5 and 6. The oldest classes also have the opportunity to learn French each week. The intake is culturally, ethnically and socially mixed. Pupils come from a variety of backgrounds and speak a wide variety of languages, but the predominant first language, after English, is Urdu. The percentage of pupils whose first language is believed not to be English is very high at over 30 per cent. Fifty-six pupils are at early stages of speaking English. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

free school meals is below the national average at about 7 per cent. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs, including statements, (15.8 per cent) is broadly in line with the national average. While pupil mobility is not high overall, it affects some year groups more than others. For example, of the current Year 6, only half have been in the school from Year 1 and one third have entered the school within the last two years, some of whom were at very early stages of learning English when they arrived at school. There are particularly high levels of pupils with special educational needs in some year groups, for example in the current Year 3. Standards of attainment on entry fluctuate slightly year-on-year but are broadly average overall. There have been significant changes to staffing since the previous inspection, including the head teacher, which are being used effectively to create a successful team. In the previous year, three of the five teachers in

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 were newly appointed to the school. The school is already involved in re-modelling of workforce and the Primary Schools Network Gifted and St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 4 Talented programme. It has been awarded the Basic skills Quality Mark, Healthy Schools, Investor in People, ASSRE Wandsworth award and the Bishop’s Certificate for Governance. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 16249 Mrs S. M. Barnes Lead inspector Foundation Stage curriculum Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communication technology (ICT) 32698 Mr S. Barker Lay inspector 22398 Mrs L. E. Wright Team inspector Science Personal, social, and health education and citizenship Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education 15023 Mr A. Haouas Team inspector English Modern foreign language English as an additional language Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There are many very good and several excellent features in this good school. Pupils from all groups achieve well as a result of the good teaching and learning. The leadership and management of the school are good overall and those of the headteacher very good. The ethos of the school is very good and pupils and parents are strongly supportive. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils’ achievement is good overall and often very good. • Provision in music is excellent and pupils achieve much higher standards than are expected for their ages. • The leadership of the headteacher is committed and clear sighted. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and these pupils make very good progress towards their learning targets as a result. • Provision for pupils’ care and welfare is excellent and teachers promote equality of opportunity for all pupils very well. • The curriculum is rich and exciting. Extra-curricular provision is very good and there is an excellent range of visits and visitors to make learning memorable. • Personal development of pupils is very good and, as a consequence, their behaviour and attitudes are very good. • The school has very good links with parents and the information it provides for them is

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OVERALL EVALUATION

very good overall. However, some statutory figures are not always provided for parents in the governors’ annual report and prospectus.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection. Senior teachers have greater opportunity to monitor teaching. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is now good. The school has continued to develop information and communication technology and standards have been raised. In addition, there is a strong and steady upward trend in performance in national tests at the end of Year 6.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A A* A A mathematics A A A A* science C B A A 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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Year 6 results

The pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. On the basis of the 2004 national test results at the end of Year 6, the pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Based on their prior attainment, the pupils achieved very well in English and science and their progress in mathematics was in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally. Inspection findings are that standards in English and mathematics are St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 8 well above national expectations at the end of Year 6 and that standards in science are above those expected. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well as they move through the school and achieve exceptionally well in music.

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Year 6 results

The national test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2004 show that the pupils’ attainment in reading and writing was in line with the national average. In mathematics, standards were well below average. Teacher assessments in science were broadly average. Compared with similar schools on the basis of eligibility for free school meals, standards were well below average in reading and writing and in the bottom 5 per cent of schools nationally in mathematics. In science, compared with similar schools standards were below average The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment is currently above national expectations in English, mathematics and science and that pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well due to the good support the school provides. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards their learning targets due to the very good provision the school makes for

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Year 6 results

In information and communication technology, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well in this subject. In history, standards are above the national expected level at the end of both key stages and the pupils’ achievement is good. In geography, standards are in line with those expected at Year 2 and above those expected at Year 6. Pupils’ achievement is good overall and very good in Years 3 to 6.

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Year 6 results

The children’s attainment when they join the reception classes is average overall. In some aspects, such as speaking skills and the ability to count, they attain above the expected standards when they first start school, but in other aspects, such as personal, social, emotional skills, they are below the expected level for their age. Achievement in the reception classes is good overall and very good in personal, social and emotional development. Most children attain beyond the expected level by the end of the reception year in personal, social and emotional development. In communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, standards are likely to be above those expected by the time they start in Year 1. In the other areas of development, standards are broadly in line with those expected, but with particular strengths in the musical aspect of creative development and in the use of computers in knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Year 6 results

Pupils’ behaviour is very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to work, listen carefully to their teachers and try hard to do their best. Attendance is very good and is well above the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall, and there are particular strengths in pupils’ social and moral development and in the way in which the school enables pupils to have a real voice in school life.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . There have been significant changes to teaching staff in recent years, particularly in Reception to Year 2. This has had a positive impact in creating a successful team. The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school and teachers are very good at setting high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and including pupils from all groups effectively. Assessment in the core subjects is very good, and very good use is made of the analysis of test data to set targets and to improve provision. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is good overall. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils is very good and is enriched very effectively by a very good variety of St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 9 additional activities and learning opportunities. There is an excellent range of visits and visitors, which makes the curriculum exciting for pupils. The curriculum for Foundation

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Stage children is good and fully meets their needs. The accommodation and resources are very good overall and the garden area is excellent. The school provides exceptional levels of care and very good support, advice and guidance for all pupils and actively seeks their views. The school’s partnership with parents and with other schools is very good and the school has established very good links with the local community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides very good leadership and management for the school and has a clear vision for further improvement. Staff are very hardworking, and the leadership role of subject co-ordinators is good and is continuing to develop. Governance is good. The governing body is supportive and well informed and effectively fulfils virtually all of its statutory duties. The school is very well managed on a daily basis and self-evaluation and its use to bring about improvement are very good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the school and are very supportive. They are provided with very good quality information about the school and about their children’s progress overall, although some statutory requirements are missed. Pupils are very happy and are regularly consulted so that their views can be taken into consideration.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no major key issues for the school to address due to the good, very good and excellent quality of provision. The most important thing the school should do to improve is to: • Ensure all statutory reporting requirements are met in the prospectus and in the governors’ annual report to parents. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The pupils’ achievement is good overall throughout the school. Standards in the core subjects are above average at Year 2 and in English and mathematics they are well above at Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well overall and very well in personal, social and emotional development. • Achievement in mathematics is now good throughout the school due to the high focus placed on it in the last year. • Pupils in Years 1 to 6 achieve particularly well in developing musical skills due the exceptional quality of teaching in the subject. • Pupils with English as an additional language make good gains in their learning and achieve well. • Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards their learning targets due to the very good provision for their needs.

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Commentary

1. The school makes overall good provision for pupils of all abilities. Since the previous inspection, there has been a concerted effort to raise standards and to ensure that all pupils are fully challenged. The staff have also worked successfully to encourage the pupils to start to assess their own progress towards their targets and, as a result, pupils are confident learners who apply themselves well to their tasks. Throughout the school there are many good opportunities for the pupils to use cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology and this has a positive effect on the standards they attain in all subjects. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 11

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 29.1 (30.5) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 29.6 (29.2) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.5 (29.8) 28.6 (28.6) There were 49 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

2. On the basis of the 2004 national test results at the end of Year 6, the pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Based on their prior attainment the pupils have achieved very well in English and science and their progress in mathematics was in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally. Inspection findings are that standards in English and mathematics are well above national expectations at the end of Year 6 and that standards in science area above those expected. In information and communication technology, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations at the end of Year 6 and achievement is good. Achievement in history is good and in geography it is very good and standards in both these subjects are above those expected at Year 6. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well as they move through the school and exceptionally well in music. The teaching and learning in music is of outstanding quality and, as a result, pupils

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Key Stage 2

from all groups achieve far higher standards than are normally expected for their ages

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.7 (17.4) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.7 (15.7) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 15.0 (18.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 45 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 1

3. The national test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2004 show that the pupils’ attainment in reading and writing was in line with the national average. In mathematics, standards were well below average. Compared with similar schools on the basis of eligibility for free school meals, standards were well below average in reading and writing and in the bottom 5 per cent of schools nationally in mathematics. There are a number of factors which contributed to these disappointing results, including a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and some at early stages of acquiring English as an additional language in that year group. The school responded by focusing a great deal of extra support for these pupils, particularly in mathematics. The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment is currently above national expectations in English, mathematics and science and that pupils of all abilities make

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Key Stage 1

good progress and achieve well. In information and communication technology, pupils’ attainment is above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and pupils of all abilities achieve well in this subject. In history, standards are above the national expected level at the end of Year 2 and the pupils’ achievement is good. In geography, standards are in line with those expected at Year 2.

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Foundation Stage

St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 12 4. The children’s attainment when they join the reception classes is average overall. In some aspects, such as speaking skills and the ability to count, they attain above the expected standards when they first start school, but in other aspects, such as personal and social skills, they are below the expected level for their age. Achievement in the reception classes is good overall and very good in personal, social and emotional development. Most children attain beyond the expected level by the end of the reception year in personal, social and emotional development, in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. In the other areas of development, standards are broadly in line with those expected, but with particular strengths in the musical aspect of creative development and in the use of computers in knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Foundation Stage

5. The majority of pupils with English as an additional language achieve well against their prior attainment. They are effectively targeted and benefit from the good support provided. The efficient deployment of teaching assistants together with the good knowledge, skills and the purposeful leadership of the headteacher and senior managers make a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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Foundation Stage

6. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and as a result these pupils make very good progress towards their learning targets and achieve very well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour are very good . Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . The levels of attendance and punctuality are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and take full advantage of all it has to offer. • Pupils behave very well in all situations. • The school encourages its pupils to respect and care for each other. • Very good relationships within the school community encourage high levels of confidence and self-esteem in the pupils. • Attendance is well above the national average.

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Commentary

7. Pupils take a very lively interest in all aspects of school life. They have very good attitudes to work and participate wholeheartedly in clubs and other school events. They recognise that their teachers work hard to help them learn and that they are ‘very fair’. This is reflected in the very good relationships that exist between staff and pupils. As a consequence, pupils feel they are respected partners in school society and they develop high levels of self-esteem and confidence and a good knowledge of how the school works.

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Commentary

8. The school’s very good provision for the pupils’ social and moral development is reflected in high standards of behaviour, both at work and play. Very good behaviour is expected at all times and pupils of all ages are given full responsibility for their actions so that the school’s high expectations are rarely disappointed. Minor lapses are not tolerated and pupils’ responses show that they know they will be treated fairly. There have been no exclusions in the recent past. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 13 9. Pupils have a mature awareness of others and are very polite and courteous. The school is a happy and friendly place which fosters pupils’ social awareness very effectively. Teaching in many curriculum areas requires pupils to develop and practise their reasoning skills and to put forward their own opinions and theories confidently and articulately. They have a very clear idea of social justice and are committed to

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Commentary

helping people who do not enjoy the same rights as them. The school places a high priority on developing the social dimension and a very wide range of visits and visitors help the pupils to look beyond their own community and appreciate their part in a much more diverse one.

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Commentary

10. The development of spirituality is integral to school life. The actions of adults within the school community constantly and effectively illustrate the values of co-operation, care and responsibility, which is at the core of the school’s philosophy. Pupils are given opportunity and time to reflect on and talk about their feelings and thoughts. Assembly themes cover complex emotional concepts, such as love, and pupils give very thoughtful and deep responses, expressing the view that love is about trust, loyalty, sharing and being truthful. The school celebrates the diversity of cultures within the community as a natural part of school life and enjoys very close relationships and shared values with all ethnic groups so that relationships are harmonious and respectful.

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Commentary

11. Pupils with English as an additional language mix well with their peers whatever their background and are very keen to participate fully in activities and school events. They are highly motivated and very keen to learn. This contributes significantly to the progress they make.

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Commentary

12. Pupils are very keen to come to school and they want to learn. This is reflected in the school’s attendance figures which are well above national averages. The school promotes regular attendance well and has very effective procedures in place to monitor both attendance and punctuality.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.1 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.1 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good . The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Assessment is very good overall. The curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6 is very good overall and the school provides a very good range of additional learning opportunities and an exceptionally good range of visits and visitors. The curriculum for Foundation Stage children is good and fully meets their needs. The accommodation and resources are very good . The school provides exceptional levels of care and very good support, advice and guidance for all pupils and actively seeks their views. The school’s partnership with parents and with other schools and the community is very good .

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Assessment is very good . St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and, as a result, pupils pay good attention to what they are told and apply themselves to their work diligently. • The teaching of music to pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 is of an extraordinarily high standard. • Very good use is made of technology to make lessons interesting. • Teachers use assessment information very well so that support for individual need is very effective and levels of inclusion are very good. • Teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is good and for pupils with special educational needs it is very good and support assistants make a very positive contribution to lessons. • On the odd occasion, in otherwise satisfactory lessons, learning objectives are not shared with pupils and the pace slows.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6 (15%) 10 (26%) 16 (41%) 6 (15%) 1 (3%) 0 0

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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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Main strengths and weaknesses

13. The quality of teaching is good overall throughout the school. One of the main strengths of teaching is the consistency of teachers’ expectation for pupils’ behaviour and attitudes. Pupils are in no doubt what is expected of them because the expectation does not vary. Relationships are good and pupils are relaxed, but very well behaved and attentive. As a result, they concentrate fully on the instructions and explanations they are given and apply themselves to their work with diligence. Pupils are real partners in their own learning and are encouraged to assess their own progress towards the targets set for them. One of the ways teachers ensure pupils take a full part is in telling them the objectives for each lesson so that they know how it fits in with what they have already learned. In virtually all lessons this is clearly and succinctly done and has a very beneficial impact on pupils’ learning. In a very

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Main strengths and weaknesses

small minority of lessons this is not the case, however.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

14. The teaching of music to all the classes from Year 1 to Year 6 is of an exemplary standard. This is due to the commitment and high personal musical skills of the co- ordinator. Lessons are interesting, dramatic and exciting and draw the very best from pupils in application and learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

15. Teachers work to ensure that all lessons are made interesting and very good use is made of interactive whiteboards to bring explanations and instructions to life for pupils. In addition, teachers make good use of sound systems in each class so that all pupils, including those with temporary hearing impairments, due to colds and so forth, can hear all the teacher says with clarity. As a result, there is little chance of pupils mis- hearing instructions, explanations or pronunciations. The pace of lessons is usually at least good, due to the effective use of this technology, and occasionally very good. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 15 16. Teachers take great care to use the accurate assessments very well when planning lessons. In this way they ensure that the work matches the requirements of all pupils well. This is particularly the case with pupils with special educational needs who are

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Main strengths and weaknesses

supported very effectively, both in lessons and in separate small group sessions. As with the rest of their peers, this support is based upon good lesson planning which stems from high quality assessment. Classroom assistants and learning support assistants are well informed and support groups, such as pupils with special educational needs, well. Pupils who are potentially higher attaining are provided with good levels of challenge and respond with developing confidence in their learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

17. The overall quality of support for pupils with English as an additional language is good and has improved substantially since the last inspection. Again, this is because assessment is used effectively to analyse pupils’ needs and build carefully on their prior learning. Pupils in the early stages of acquiring English are effectively targeted and often benefit from one to one support. In the majority of lessons seen, teachers carefully identify opportunities for developing pupils’ language skills and put special emphasis on developing their vocabulary. In the best lessons seen, pupils are carefully targeted for help by classroom assistants and strategies for support are carefully identified to maximise pupils’ learning. In many instances, whole class teaching is effectively used to model the skills that pupils are going to practise and apply in group work. The emphasis placed on speaking and listening across the

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Main strengths and weaknesses

curriculum helps all pupils, particularly those for whom English is an additional language, and is often reflected in their willingness to have a go and respond with confidence. Effective use is also made of pupils talking in pairs with teachers modelling the language to be used and revisiting these skills when pupils are invited to present their work to their peers. Where support is less effective, this is due to strategies for support not being explicit in planning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

18. Assessment of pupils in the Foundation Stage is good. Careful observations are made and each child‘s progress is monitored regularly so that activities are matched to individual need, enabling children to learn successfully. Throughout the rest of the school, very regular assessments in English, mathematics and science give teachers an accurate picture of how well the class, and individuals within it, are doing. This enables them to change their curriculum and teaching plans according to identified need and to provide work that offers both interest and challenge. Teachers regularly set targets for the next levels to be reached and these are reviewed frequently. This wealth of information gives school managers an accurate picture of standards and attainment across the school. Older pupils have a very clear idea of levels they are working towards, how well they are doing and what they need to do to make even

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Main strengths and weaknesses

better progress. This extends to some aspects of their personal development. In all other subjects apart from physical education, regular monitoring by subject leaders enables them to maintain a reliable overview of standards and strengths and areas for development in their subject so that all teachers have an accurate idea of standards, achievement and further teaching points for their own classes.

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The curriculum

The very good quality curriculum is planned to meet pupils’ needs in a highly effective way. The school provides a very good range of activities and opportunities that enrich the statutory curriculum. The accommodation and resources are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 16 • The curriculum is inclusive and provides good access for all pupils irrespective of their ability or background. • There is very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. • The school prepares pupils very effectively for their later stages of education. • The accommodation is maintained to a high standard and the garden area is an excellent resource for learning.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is broad, balanced and carefully and imaginatively planned to meet pupils’ needs. All subjects meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and a very effective programme for the development of personal skills and social responsibility is planned and delivered through a number of subjects. One of the distinctive features of the curriculum is the careful and effective way in which it meets the interests, aptitudes and particular needs of pupils from different groups. It gives effective emphasis to the use and development of speaking and listening skills as a tool for learning in other subjects. The overall quality of the curriculum and its impact have been maintained and in some aspects effectively extended since the last inspection.

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Commentary

20. All pupils, whatever their background, have very good access to the curriculum, including activities organised outside the school day. Boys and girls participate on an equal footing in most activities on offer. Pupils with English as an additional language, those with special educational needs or from different ethnic backgrounds are fully involved in all activities and, in the majority of cases, their teachers support them well in their learning. The school has a positive inclusive ethos and robust procedures for monitoring pupils’ access to all the activities provided.

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Commentary

21. The school provides a very effective programme for the promotion of pupils’ personal and social development. Clear emphasis is given to healthy living and fitness as well as the emotional well being of pupils. The school boasts the biggest walking bus in London. It meets statutory requirements with regard to sex and drugs education and draws effectively on outside sources like the police for its drugs education and provides for an effective and successful junior citizenship programme for Year 5.

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Commentary

22. Pupils in the school are very effectively prepared when they transfer to the next phase of education. Transition units are used to maintain continuity in literacy and numeracy with Year 7 and challenges in mathematics and science are provided to familiarise pupils with the new contexts they will experience. Exchanges of staff are organised and emphasis is given to the changing expectations to prepare pupils. Older pupils who have already transferred to secondary school are invited to speak to pupils in Year 6. There is clear emphasis on induction for younger pupils through ‘buddying’ and a ‘move up day’. Pupils' maturity is enhanced through the residential journey, which is effectively used to develop pupils' sense of responsibility and independence.

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Commentary

23. The school offers pupils an impressive range of activities and experiences to extend their learning and personal development both during and after the school day. Music plays a central part in the life of the school and enriches other areas of the curriculum considerably. A very large number of pupils learn to play a musical instrument and very many sing in the choirs, developing their confidence through performance. Sports activities give pupils good opportunities to develop their physical skills as well as providing many with chances to compete with other schools. Other clubs add to the rich diversity of opportunities open to pupils to improve their skills and learn new things. An excellent range of visitors to the school and many visits to places of St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 17 interest, both locally and further away, support the curriculum very effectively and

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Commentary

contribute to the pupils’ very good cultural development and social and personal skills.

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Commentary

24. Opportunities are carefully planned and harnessed in a number of subjects especially through visits to enhance pupils’ learning. These enable pupils who speak English as an additional language to experience first hand some of the key concepts within the topics studied. The school’s ethos is to include everyone in all activities on offer and at the same time respond to the distinctive cultural backgrounds of pupils from a different ethnic background. The school caters well for pupils who are Muslims, with all pupils enabled to learn about other faiths, and uses special events like ’Black history month’ to inspire pupils through the use of positive images of black people.

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Commentary

25. The accommodation is very good. It is bright and attractive and maintained to a high standard. As such it has a very positive impact on the way pupils feel about themselves and contributes greatly to their self-esteem. Displays of work and information are of a high quality and make all halls, corridors and classrooms pleasant places to work. However, there is no disabled access to some parts of the school. The garden area is an excellent facility and has a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual and social development as well as contributing to their knowledge in science and their physical development. Resources are very good and contribute effectively to the progress pupils make. This is particularly the case with the interactive whiteboards and hearing loop systems in each class. There is a good match of teachers to the needs of the curriculum and a very good proportion of highly trained and efficient

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Care, guidance and support

Procedures to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are excellent. The school provides very good support, advice and guidance for pupils and the steps taken to involve pupils in the work and development of their school are also very good .

p.17

Care, guidance and support

• The school has excellent procedures to ensure pupils learn in a healthy and safe environment. • The strength of relationships between staff and pupils underpins the school’s ethos of care. • All pupils consistently receive very good advice on how to improve their learning and personal development. • Pupils know they have a very strong voice in shaping their school.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

26. The school places a very high value on promoting healthy lifestyles for all pupils and consistently strives to ensure they make healthy choices. A health and fitness week, participation in the Healthy School’s initiative and the walking bus scheme all reinforce the school’s commitment to very effective health promotion. The school’s excellent health and safety, risk assessment and child protection procedures ensure that all pupils and staff learn and work in a very secure and safe environment. Regular training is undertaken and procedures are highly effective and very well communicated to all staff and volunteers.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

27. The strength of relationships between teachers, support staff and pupils ensures that all pupils feel happy, secure, valued and well cared for at all times. Pupils are very St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 18 confident that there is always an adult on hand to talk to if they have any concerns. They know that all adults care about their well-being and show this through genuine interest in their lives both in and out of school. Pupils with special educational needs are very well cared for. Staff consistently demonstrate that they know pupils exceptionally well and form close bonds which support both their learning and personal development. Comprehensive induction procedures for children entering the reception class ensure that all pupils start school happy and with confidence and the secure knowledge that a friendly face will greet them.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

28. Pupils consistently receive good advice and guidance. Individual targets and pupil record sheets are discussed regularly and all pupils know what they must do next to improve their learning. All pupils have a personal development target each term, which builds on core school aims and ensures that social, moral, spiritual and cultural development are given high priority alongside academic progress.

p.18

Care, guidance and support

29. The school has a number of initiatives to ensure that pupils have a voice in their school. The school council is very effective at ensuring that pupils’ views are regularly sought by the school and are highly valued and in many instances acted upon. Pupils can cite with confidence how their views have been represented at the school council and have led to changes in school practices and procedures. The school participated in a national ’Anti Bullying Week’ which led to a review of school policies. All pupils’ views were canvassed and they know that their ideas have influenced the school’s new policy and classroom rules.

p.18

Care, guidance and support

30. The school has effective induction procedures for pupils with English as an additional language so that they are settled quickly and are fully integrated. Effective support is also provided for pupils’ social development as they are placed with ’buddies’ and this clearly contributes to the progress they make. The school’s monitoring procedures are effectively used to focus on pupils’ individual needs. The assessment procedures used by the school and the approach to tracking pupils’ progress are very effective and have a positive impact on their achievement.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

• The school works in close partnership with parents to support pupils’ learning. • Links with the community make a very effective contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development. • Partnerships with secondary schools ensure a smooth transition for pupils. • Reports to parents do not consistently provide effective guidance on how pupils should improve their leaning. • Documentation for parents does not meet all statutory requirements.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

31. The school works very closely with parents to ensure that their children’s learning is central to the partnership. Many parents help at school by regularly visiting classes to assist teachers with art, sewing and sports and others visit the school to enrich the curriculum by sharing with pupils the skills and expertise of their professions. Recently St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 19 a parent who works as an actor ran a Shakespeare workshop in the school. Parents operate a rota for helping with the walking bus and the school benefits from a very active parent teacher association.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

32. Parents receive very comprehensive information on curriculum issues and are given very good advice on how to support their children’s learning at home. Because the school attracts pupils from a wide number of nursery and pre-school providers, great efforts are made to provide parents of reception children with high quality, relevant information about the curriculum, child development and school routines.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

33. The school keeps parents very well informed, through regular newsletters, on all aspects of school life, from visits and sporting events to charity updates and aspects of healthy lifestyles. Progress reports to parents provide very detailed information on personal development, what has been studied and what their children can do, but there is a lack of consistency between year groups in providing pupils and parents with guidance on the steps pupils need to take next to improve their learning. However, some figures which are required are missing from the annual report to parents and the prospectus.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

34. Links with the local and wider community make a sustained and significant contribution to both pupils’ personal development and to the curriculum. Pupils’ learning is significantly enriched by the links the school has forged and the well thought through partnerships sustain the school’s work in ensuring pupils’ personal development and sporting achievement.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

35. The school has a consistent record of generosity to a range of charities. These links make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ personal development and to the school’s overall ethos.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

36. The school has forged highly effective links with local secondary schools. Close liaison between teachers and their counterparts in the secondary school have secured access to modern foreign language teaching, ICT support, highly effective sporting links and a range of taster days for Year 5 and 6 pupils in science and ICT. The school’s special needs coordinator has worked hard to establish effective links with nursery schools to ensure smooth transition for pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides very good leadership and management for the school. The leadership role of subject co-ordinators is good . The governing body is effective and very supportive.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school and has a very clear vision for the next stages of its development. • The governing body is very supportive and has a very good understanding of what the school does well. • Overall, co-ordinators provide good leadership for their subjects and their monitoring role is developing well. • The school is very strongly committed to the principles of inclusion and is very successful in meeting the needs of all pupils. • Leadership and management of provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good and, for pupils with special educational needs, it is very good. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 20

p.19

Commentary

37. The headteacher’s leadership is characterised by the very clear grasp she has of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and the strong sense of determination to achieve even higher standards in all aspects of the school’s work. The deputy head supports the head very effectively in monitoring standards and focusing additional resources where they are most effective. Both the headteacher and deputy have succeeded in fostering a strong team spirit and a determination to improve amongst the staff, many of whom are relatively new to the school.

p.20

Commentary

38. The headteacher has provided very good leadership in developing well-managed systems for assessment and self-evaluation, the results of which are fed effectively into whole-school planning. She has taken a firm lead in monitoring the school’s work at all levels and performance management systems are firmly embedded for all staff. Co-ordinators provide good leadership and management for their subjects and their monitoring role is developing well. In some cases, such as in mathematics, science and music, the leadership is very good and has led to significant improvements in recent times. In other subjects, while leadership is good, the monitoring of classroom practice is not yet fully developed. This is an area that the school has identified as a focus for improvement in its development planning. The leadership of special educational needs is very good and the special educational needs co-ordinator

p.20

Commentary

conscientiously supports staff and pupils to very good effect.

p.20

Commentary

39. The governing body is effective. Governors provide good support for the school and fulfil their responsibilities well. They have a very good knowledge of the strengths of the school and can effectively identify the necessary areas for improvement. Statutory requirements are virtually all met, with the exception of some information in the governors’ annual report to parents and the prospectus. The governing body has a good range of appropriate committees which meet regularly to review progress towards the agreed targets in the school improvement plan and to plan the next stage of the school’s development. The governing body is fully committed to inclusion and is very effective in ensuring that pupils enjoy equal access to all aspects of school life. Performance management is very good and staff development is closely linked, both to the needs of individual staff and also to the needs of the school. The school has

p.20

Commentary

very good systems for the induction of new staff, ensuring that they quickly settle into the routines of the school and that school policies are consistently implemented. This has ensured the stability of the largely new staff. This is particularly the case in behaviour management, where all adults respond to pupils in the same manner at all times and this contributes very positively to the calm and inclusive ethos of the school.

p.20

Commentary

40. The deployment of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) has been judiciously used to train staff and develop resources. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is managed and led well, with the headteacher being very proactive in accessing resources from the local authority. The information from assessment is used well to determine where intervention is needed. Since the last inspection, the school has made good progress in sharpening its focus on raising these pupils’ achievement.

p.20

Commentary

41. The school is very well managed and daily routines are very well established so that the school runs smoothly. Financial systems are good and the principles of best value are firmly embedded. The strategic plan for the school’s future development is good St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 21 and highlights the most important next steps to raise standards still further. Good measures are in place to measure the cost-effectiveness of spending decisions, such as the implementation of the workload agreement, and income and expenditure are closely aligned. The school gives good value for money.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,081,967 Balance from previous year 40,538 Total expenditure 991,376 Balance carried forward to the next 68,129 Expenditure per pupil 3,250

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the reception classes in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Children start in reception in the September following their fourth birthday. They come from a wide range of different early years settings. Standards on entry are broadly average overall. Children are above expected levels in speaking skills, but in line with those expected in other aspects of communication, language and literacy. In mathematical development, they are above expected levels in counting skills but in other areas, such as early calculating and knowledge of shape and space, they are in line with those expected. In creative development, physical development and knowledge and understanding of the world, they are in line with the levels expected for their age. Standards in personal, social and emotional development are below those expected when children start school. During their time in reception, children make good overall progress, due to the good quality of teaching and learning. Achievement

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

is good overall and very good in personal and social development. The quality of leadership and management is good. There have been some changes to staff since the previous inspection and this new team is already functioning efficiently.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good and have resulted in clear schemes of work and good levels of consistency in teaching practice between the two classes. Assessment is good and the information gained is used well to match work to each child’s specific needs. Resources and accommodation are good overall. The good provision noted by the previous inspection has been effectively maintained.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and establish clear rules. • Teachers provide very good opportunities for children to learn classroom routines and to start to take responsibility for decisions and actions. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 22 • Relationships are good.

p.21

Commentary

44. Teaching in this aspect of the curriculum for young children is very good. All staff who work in the two reception classes share a common set of high expectations for the behaviour of the children in their care. Rules are clear, fair and consistent. As a result, children quickly know exactly what is expected of them and how they should behave and learning is very good. Children come into class happily and settle to tasks with good humour. They learn to express their needs in appropriate ways, such as putting up their hand when they want to contribute to discussions. Their achievement in this aspect of learning is very good. They make very good progress in developing confidence and self-esteem. Standards are above those expected by the time they move into Year 1.

p.22

Commentary

45. Teachers plan well to allow children good opportunities to make choices and to consider what others think. They are developing confidence and the ability to stand up for their own rights, for example that they should be given time to sit down at the computer before the timer is turned over to time their go. Relationships in the classes are good. Teachers and nursery nurses gently remind children of the school’s expectations. As a result, boys and girls from all groups make very good progress in learning that their views are important, but that so are the views of others. They learn to cope well with their own personal needs and to pay due regard to health issues, such as washing hands and putting on coats, jumpers or sun-hats, depending on the weather, before venturing outside.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

• Children enjoy listening to stories and learning to look at books. • Staff place good emphasis on developing children’s reading habits.

p.22

Commentary

46. The quality of teaching and learning in this aspect of the curriculum is good. Teachers carefully choose books and themes for the work they set that will appeal to boys and girls. For example, current work is based upon Handa’s Surprise , about different exotic fruit. Children can retell stories in the correct sequence and enjoy joining in with parts of the story as different animals help themselves to the fruit from Handa’s basket. They are given good opportunities to look at books and do so with quiet concentration. They enjoy library sessions, when they can choose what books to look at and can justify their choices. They know that some books are fiction and some non- fiction, but cannot always explain which is which.

p.22

Commentary

47. Teachers give pupils regular good opportunities to develop their vocabulary and to learn different words. As a result, pupils make good progress in their development of vocabulary and knowledge of grammar. Children’s speaking and listening skills are above average overall when they start school but, although some confidently speak out in large group situations, such as in front of the class, others are at early stages of St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 23 speaking in English. While a significant proportion of children interact confidently with others and speak well, some answer in single words and sentences.

p.22

Commentary

48. Children are given good opportunities to use pencils and pens to write. They have good opportunities to develop hand and eye co-ordination in tracing and colouring activities. Higher attaining children are starting to form some recognisable letters in their written work. Overall, children are likely to exceed the goals expected of their age by the time they transfer into Year 1 and their achievement is good.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers regularly make good use of incidental opportunities for children to learn to count. • Computers are used well to enhance the opportunities children are given.

p.23

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are good and teachers provide children with good opportunities to reinforce counting skills and to develop mathematical vocabulary, such as when taking the register. Children learn to apply developing mathematical skills in other ways, for example sorting items such as fruit by type and size . When counting, children learn to correspond the numbers they say with the items they are counting with suitable skill. Teachers make good opportunities for children to use simple computer programs to reinforce mathematical skills, such as solving simple mathematical problems. They start to teach children about time, for example giving two minutes warning before the class comes together so that children learn about different lengths of time. Good opportunities are given to learn about money, such as when playing at shopping. Children are likely to exceed the goals expected of them by the

p.23

Commentary

time they move into Year 1 and their achievement is good.

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 very good opportunities to learn to use computers. • Teachers link work well to developing children’s vocabulary. • Good opportunities are given to children to learn about the world they live in.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. Teaching and learning are good overall and children make good gains in their learning. Their achievement is good overall. They are likely to attain the goals expected by the time they transfer into Year 1 in most aspects of this area of learning and to exceed them in their confidence and knowledge in using computers. The children get daily opportunity to use the computers situated in the classrooms as well as working in the suite. This ensures they all get a very good chance to learn some of the things computers can do, such as writing the different letters of the alphabet and St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 24 providing information. All staff take good care to ensure that children learn the correct terminology when using computers.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. Teachers provide children with a good range of different experiences to learn about the world in which they live and to develop their vocabulary to talk about it. When talking about Handa’s Surprise, the children looked at a range of fruit. Some children had a good knowledge of the names of a range of exotic fruit, such as recognising passion fruit. They felt the skin and smelled the flesh and talked about the fruit they liked best. Others confused fruits such as guavas and lemons. Teachers pay good attention to developing children’s vocabulary in work linked to communication, language and literacy. For example, when looking at fruit, the teacher took great care to help develop children’s observational skills, carefully noting the names of the fruit and describing the shapes and textures they found.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to learn to climb and balance. • Teachers ensure that frequent opportunities are given for children to learn to grasp and manipulate small objects.

p.24

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning in this area of the curriculum are satisfactory. Teachers ensure that all children have regular opportunities to practise their developing physical skills in the classroom, hall and in the reception outdoor area, although this is mainly during planned session times. When working outside, children learn to move forwards, backwards and sideways with care, avoiding obstacles and other children. They learn to climb and balance on the climbing frame, jumping off low objects and landing appropriately. They learn to translate skills effectively to riding tricycles and balancing on low stilts.

p.24

Commentary

53. In class, teachers provide many good opportunities for children to learn to manipulate small objects and develop hand and eye co-ordination. They colour, write and draw, use scissors and other simple tools and play with small construction toys. For example, all children made clay models of pigs following their visit to the farm. They learn about the need to keep healthy and recognising the importance of healthy eating. For example, they make healthy sandwiches and collages of favourite healthy meals. All of these activities benefit them and they make steady progress towards attaining the expected goals for their age by the time they transfer into Year 1. Achievement is satisfactory.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 25 • Children have very good, regular opportunities to learn to sing and play simple instruments. • Teachers provide suitable daily opportunities for children to act out different roles. • Work is linked well to literacy work.

p.25

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good overall and children are provided with a good range of suitable opportunities to use their imaginations and to make things. They are given particularly good opportunities to develop skills and confidence in music. As a result, they make steady, good progress in their learning. Achievement is good and they are likely to attain the early learning goals for their age by the time they transfer into Year 1. In music they are likely to attain competence well above that expected for their ages. The teaching of music is undertaken by a specialist who has high levels of expertise and a good knowledge of how to make learning interesting. She enters into the spirit of the lesson wholeheartedly, dancing and singing, and most children are completely entranced. They join in acting out different roles. For example, children act out the stories of the Three Little Pigs or Goldilocks and provide a

p.25

Commentary

musical accompaniment to the tale. Children have good opportunities to play with dough and paint to express themselves using a range of media, for example making farm animals, painting portraits of friends and landscapes following their trip to the farm.

p.25

Commentary

55. Teachers make the most of opportunities to use imaginative play to develop children’s skills in other areas, developing children’s vocabulary, reading and writing skills by linking topics to books chosen for story, for example, so that vocabulary can be repeated. This is linked well to developing children’s skills in their literacy work.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are very carefully and effectively planned and this leads to effective acquisition of key skills, including good handwriting and reading skills. • Speaking and listening are well promoted in the subject and across the curriculum. • Very thorough assessment procedures and tracking of pupils’ progress impact positively on pupils’ achievement. • The curriculum in English is highly enriched and widens pupils’ experience through drama and contact with authors.

p.25

Commentary

56. Overall, standards in English are above expected levels in Year 2 and well above expectations in Year 6. This is a good improvement on the latest test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2004, when results were average in both reading and writing. Standards in tests in 2004 for pupils in Year 6 were well above average and indicated that they had made very good progress since Year 2. The majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, achieve well by the time they leave school. Effective intervention strategies, such as additional literacy support and booster classes, are being used well to raise pupils’ achievement. The St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 26 support given to pupils in the early stages of learning to speak English is good. Overall achievement is good because teaching is often of high quality. There is very thorough

p.25

Commentary

monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress to ensure that they are doing as well as they can and the quality of leadership and management of the subject is good.

p.26

Commentary

57. Most pupils speak confidently and express themselves clearly. They listen attentively, both to their teachers and to each other. Opportunities to develop these skills are effectively used across many subjects and enable pupils to practise and hone their skills, for instance when they discuss their ideas in pairs in literacy and history lessons. Pupils respond spontaneously and carry out these exchanges as a matter of routine. They collaborate well whenever they are given the opportunity and respond well to each other’s efforts. Pupils achieve well because listening and speaking are effectively promoted through partner talk, skilful questioning and very good provision for drama as an extra-curricular activity.

p.26

Commentary

58. Pupils read well. They read aloud confidently and the majority acquire good expression rapidly. This is because reading is effectively managed with many opportunities for silent and guided reading. Reading is well supported by many volunteers. Reading is enhanced by celebratory events like book week and international book day, which are used to galvanise pupils’ love for reading and the many opportunities to work with visiting authors.

p.26

Commentary

59. Pupils’ progress in writing is very good by the time they are in Year 6 and pupils make consistent progress throughout the school. This is largely due to the effective planning where writing skills are demonstrated by teachers, rehearsed during the week with pupils drawing on what they have learned and built upon steadily. Spelling and handwriting are practised regularly and are well taught.

p.26

Commentary

60. Teaching and learning are good overall and, during the week of inspection, often very good. Planning of lessons is very thorough and detailed with clear objectives that are used to focus learning and assess pupils’ achievements at the end of lessons. A distinctive strength of teaching is the use of partners to enable pupils to brainstorm ideas and promote speaking and listening skills. In the best teaching, pupils are suitably challenged with interventions effectively used to ensure that they have fully grasped the purpose of the activity. Good use is often made of the interactive whiteboards and this helps all pupils and particularly those at early stages of fluency in English. Pupils’ work is carefully and constructively marked with clear comments on strengths and guidance on how they could improve their work. Where teaching was occasionally less effective, this was mainly due to the teacher not making the learning

p.26

Commentary

purpose clear to pupils and enabling them to use what they have learned in the introduction effectively in group work. Information and communication technology is used well to promote reading, writing and research skills.

p.26

Commentary

61. Both subject leaders have a very good knowledge of the subject and use their skills well, leading by example. They have a clear overview of the subject and have used the analysis of assessment and monitoring effectively to identify areas for development. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted well in most subjects and this has a clear impact on pupils’ achievement. All teachers use other subjects well to focus on specific vocabulary. Discussion St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 27 and the use of talk is a common feature of many lessons. Opportunities for pupils to work in pairs or groups are well promoted and pupils respond to these in a very positive way.

p.26

French

63. French is taught to Years 5 and 6 for half an hour a week. Only one lesson was seen and therefore it is not possible to make a judgement about provision. In the lesson seen, pupils showed a good grasp of vocabulary and were able to greet and respond spontaneously to the inspector when asked for their names. Good emphasis is given to developing pupils’ oral skills.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers use interactive whiteboards well to help them explain work to pupils. • All adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and, as a result, levels of pupils’ concentration are high. • Very good use is made of booster groups and classes to ensure all pupils achieve their best. • Co-ordinators are very pro-active in analysing strengths and weaknesses and putting in place systems to raise standards. • Classroom support assistants are well trained and deployed and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning, especially those with special educational needs. • Assessment systems work very well and pupils have a good knowledge of their targets and what they need to do to improve further.

p.27

Commentary

64. Results in national tests for pupils at the end of Year 2 have fluctuated in the last three years, largely as a result of variations between cohorts. In 2004, results were well below those attained nationally and, when compared with similar schools, they were in the lowest 5 per cent. However, there was a particularly high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and many pupils at early stages of speaking English as an additional language in that class. Since that time, the school has introduced a variety of supportive measures, including booster classes. In addition there have been significant changes to teaching staff for pupils in Years 1 and 2.

p.27

Commentary

65. In test results for pupils in Year 6, results have been consistently very good for several years, despite high proportions of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language in some cohorts. In 2004, results were well above those attained nationally and in the top 5 per cent nationally compared with the results they achieved when they were in Year 2.

p.27

Commentary

66. Currently, standards are above those expected in Year 2 and well above those expected in Year 6. Achievement is good at both key stages for boys and girls from all groups. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards their learning targets. This good progress in learning is due to the good overall quality of teaching throughout the school. Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and response and pupils are in no doubt how to behave. As a St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 28 consequence, relationships are good and pupils pay attention to what they are told. They remain on task and concentrate well. The achievements at Year 6 are particularly noteworthy in view of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in that cohort and the high proportion of pupils who arrived since the reception class.

p.27

Commentary

67. Teachers make good use of resources to help make lessons interesting and clear. For example, interactive whiteboards are used in a variety of ways to help explain work or for pupils themselves to explain their working to the rest of the class. The pace of most lessons is good as a result.

p.28

Commentary

68. The leadership and management of the subject are very good and have led to the good level of improvement in standards in Year 2 and the maintenance of high standards in Year 6. These have been achieved by careful analysis of teaching, learning and standards throughout the school and the introduction of well-managed booster classes. These strategies are combined with the effective deployment of knowledgeable classroom support and learning support staff so that pupils, such as those with special educational needs or those with English as an additional language, who need closer support, receive it. Improvement is good. There has been a good return to the high standards noted by the previous inspection at the end of Year 2 and good improvement at Year 6 so that standards are now very good.

p.28

Commentary

69. Assessment is very good and is used very well to monitor progress and to adapt lesson planning to meet the needs of individuals and groups effectively. A positive feature of assessment is in pupils’ own involvement in the evaluation of their work. As a result they know what their targets are for the next stage of their learning and what they have to do to achieve them.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

70. Mathematics is used effectively across the curriculum to support work in other subjects, for example to produce graphs and tables in work linked to geography and to present findings and analyse results of experiments in science. This contributes to the good progress pupils make in learning to measure and record.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment information is used very well to provide effective support for all groups of pupils. • Teaching encourages pupils to think through their own science ideas and theories. • Teaching assistants provide very good support for those pupils needing extra help. • The use of interactive whiteboards promotes good quality learning in very interesting ways. • Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work is not high enough in some classes.

p.28

Commentary

St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 29 71. Pupils’ achievement throughout Years 1 to 6 is consistently good. Most enter Year 1 at the expected level in understanding early science concepts, but pupils at the early stages of English acquisition find it difficult to express their ideas clearly. The science co-ordinators correctly identified the need to provide extra support for pupils with English as an additional language and this is now a priority in the science action plan. All teachers pay good attention to introducing science vocabulary clearly, using hearing loops to clarify pronunciation and interactive whiteboards to illustrate technical words. This approach is paying dividends and pupils at early stages of English acquisition achieve very well. In Years 1 and 2, the use of interactive science stories, sometimes in another language with English sub-titles, is particularly effective in

p.29

Commentary

72. In Years 1 and 2, standards are above the national average, both at the expected and higher level. This is an improvement on the latest national test results in 2004. In Years 3 to 6, standards are also above the national average at the expected level and match it at the higher level. This marks a slight drop from the previous year’s national test results when pupils achieved well above average results, with a significantly smaller cohort. However, only half the current Year 6 pupils have been in the school from Year 1, one third of them have entered the school within the last two years and one sixth of them are at a very early stage of fluency in English.

p.29

Commentary

73. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. A significant strength is the way in which lessons are planned to give pupils plenty of time to think through their own science ideas, predictions and hypotheses and discuss them within a group, arguing their theories. This is instrumental in helping pupils to become successful learners with a good idea of how their science thinking is developing. It also gives pupils of all abilities chances to extend their thinking at their own pace and to learn from each other. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ written work reflects this approach giving them opportunities to extend their ideas through the recording of their investigations. At Key Stage 2, more formulaic recording does not give this chance in some classes, so that pupils cannot look back to review their own progress. Pupils enjoy learning and say that the introduction of interactive whiteboards enables them to have a much

p.29

Commentary

clearer idea of more abstract concepts, such as the solar system. This is particularly beneficial in promoting higher standards for more able pupils. Although much of the work is presented neatly in most classes, not all teachers emphasise their expectations and work is sometimes untidy and difficult to read.

p.29

Commentary

74. Very good subject leadership and management have resulted in very good assessment systems. These enable teachers to track each child’s progress against their targets very closely and take action quickly as need is identified. Pupils know how well they are doing in relation to their targets and what they need to do to achieve them. In this, they are very well supported by teaching assistants so that pupils of all abilities work co-operatively and beneficially together. Improvement since the last inspection is good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are very good and have a positive effect on pupils’ learning in this and other subjects. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 30 • Teachers have good knowledge and confident understanding in the subject and insist on high standards of behaviour from all pupils. • Pupils have very good attitudes and listen well. • Good use is made of interactive whiteboards to demonstrate skills and provide information. • Some pupils’ typing skills, whilst in line with expectations for their age, do not match their other capabilities in the subject.

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Commentary

75. Throughout the school pupils from all groups achieve well and standards are above those expected for their ages at Year 2 and Year 6. There has been a good level of improvement since the previous inspection, when standards were judged to be in line with those expected at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. In part this is due to the very good resources that the school has. Not only is the computer suite well equipped and used well for all classes, each classroom also is well provided for in terms of computers and interactive whiteboards. Teachers use these resources well and make the most of opportunities to use whiteboards to demonstrate new skills to pupils or for pupils themselves to explain their working, for example in mathematics, to the rest of the class.

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Commentary

76. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and response. Routines are regular and rules are consistently applied. As a result, pupils know exactly what is expected of them and little time is wasted. They listen carefully to the instructions they are given and try their hardest to do their best. Relationships between pupils and with adults are good and, when pupils are given opportunities to work together or to discuss what they think, they do so with very positive attitudes.

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Commentary

77. Overall the skills and knowledge pupils acquire are at a higher level than expected for their ages and the pace of learning is high. However, although pupils’ typing skills are at least in line with those of most pupils of their age, they do not match their more advanced skills in other areas as these skills are not yet taught systematically throughout the school. Because of this their speed, for example in research, does not always match their mental agility.

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Commentary

78. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Assessment is good and pupils are involved effectively in assessing their own progress. Co-ordinators are committed and hardworking and have a good idea of strengths and weaknesses throughout the school. They provide good support for colleagues and there is a positive attitude to further training of all staff. Their monitoring role is developing well although, as yet, they have not had the opportunity to monitor teaching in all classes.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79. ICT is used very effectively throughout the school to support work in other subjects. For example, pupils’ work in geography is enhanced by the research they undertake using computers. Similarly the presentations on the Isle of Wight, which they undertake before their visit, are used very effectively to learn new skills, such as learning to create hyperlinks in their documents. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 31 80. The interactive whiteboards in each class have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning overall as demonstrations by teachers are clear and lessons proceed at a pace which would not be possible by other means. The sound enhancement, hearing loop systems in each class ensure that all pupils, including those with temporary hearing difficulties, hear clearly what is said to them. This not only ensures little time is lost repeating instructions, for example, but also has a positive impact on pupils’

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

acquisition of new vocabulary as they hear clearly what their teacher says.

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HUMANITIES

• Teachers have good subject knowledge in both subjects and use it well to impact on pupils’ learning. • Pupils in Year 6 achieve very well in geography. • The subjects are well led and used effectively to enhance the development of literacy skills.

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Commentary

81. Pupils enter the school with average standards in history and geography. By Year 6, attainment is above expectations in both subjects and pupils achieve well in history and very well in geography.

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Commentary

82. Pupils learn geographical skills and the skills of historical enquiry well. The curriculum is being developed to include more investigative work. Teachers build on the pupils’ prior knowledge and use teaching strategies which often catch the pupils’ imagination. For example, many pupils were completely absorbed as they watched an animated film from the Internet about Samuel Pepys and pupils in Year 5 displayed very good knowledge of river features.

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Commentary

83. The quality of teaching and learning seen was good overall. Lessons follow the units in national guidelines, with detailed joint planning taking place between the teachers in each year group to ensure all pupils share similar learning experiences. Teachers prepare activities that enable pupils to apply newly learned skills, often in a practical way with good use of the electronic board. Pupils respond to the challenges given with enthusiasm and good effort. In all lessons seen and in written work, good attention is given to subject vocabulary and good access is provided for pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. This was clearly demonstrated in a Year 6 lesson on coastal features. Both subjects are used well to promote literacy, for instance in history when pupils use the topic to produce newspapers. Much of the written work seen is of a high quality.

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Commentary

84. There is good leadership and management of both subjects, which help ensure consistently good standards. The subject leader has a good overview of both subjects by monitoring planning, displays and work on trips. However, no lessons were observed. Staff all share good practice as they work in teams. Assessment is being developed and there is ongoing evaluation of teaching and learning. There has been a good level of improvement since the previous inspection. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 32

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. Provision in music is reported in full below. Due to the priority of inspection foci and limited time, work in art and design, design and technology and physical education were not inspected in sufficient depth to make judgements on provision.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• High levels of expertise in teaching promote a joy of learning and in performing music. • An excellent programme of instrumental tuition enriches an excellent curriculum to produce a high level of creativity.

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Commentary

86. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ excellent achievement enables them to attain standards that are above national expectations. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievement is also excellent so that standards of attainment are well above those expected nationally. The key factor in these results is the excellent teaching, enthusiasm and energy of the specialist music teacher, whose love of music is caught by the pupils so that they, too, quickly become musicians. The teacher’s outstanding singing voice and expert instrument-playing inspire pupils to give of their best at all times. They regard making music as a joyful business, but one where they must think and work hard in order to meet the teacher’s and their own high expectations.

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Commentary

87. Pupils in Year 1 have a good understanding of the term ‘pitch’ and use it in their experimental interpretation of bird song, accompanied by other pupils on xylophones and keyboards. The resulting performance is very impressive in the quality of sound produced. Pupils in Year 5 have a very good understanding of a very wide range of highly technical music vocabulary and use it correctly in discussion. They demonstrate an excellent grasp of rhythm and pulse in two part movement, singing in ostinato and legato forms, achieving a remarkable musical ‘cross over’ between the two groups as they cross over physically while singing. They transfer this technique really effectively and accurately to scat/ostinato and to jazz/razzmatazz without rehearsal. In this they use very sophisticated and advanced musical forms with apparent ease, confidence and great musicality. They change the harmony line of their own complex

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Commentary

compositions, co-operating very well and carrying on high level musical discussions. Singing across the school is beautiful and older pupils are happy to sing solo, which they do with great aplomb!

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Commentary

88. The school’s strong ethos of music-making is further strengthened by a very full programme of instrument tuition. Here, teaching is excellent also and pupils develop confidence and enjoyment in playing individually or as an ensemble. Their enthusiasm is reflected in the excellent quality and range of genres of productions, including black music to celebrate black history week and church services to celebrate Christian festivals. The excellent curriculum ranges across dance and religious education, history and geography and the development of speaking skills as well as making a strong contribution to the development of the pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 33 89. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to continue the pupils’ music education should she be absent. To this end she has introduced a very well-structured music scheme to

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Commentary

support teachers in teaching their own classes. She has planned training for her colleagues to enhance their expertise and confidence in teaching music. The leadership and management are very good. Standards in provision have been maintained at the same very high standards since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

90. In art and design , the limited amount of work on display around the school shows that standards match expectations at Year 2 and are above expectations at Year 6. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are encouraged to explore mood, movement, texture and light using a good variety of media. The finished work shows much thought and effort and media are used subtly to produce works of beauty and interest. Photographic evidence shows that both two and three-dimensional art is used regularly to celebrate school events and festivals. The subject is well organised by the co-ordinator and leadership and management are satisfactory. The art club makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ art and design skills. There is a good quality scheme of work in place to promote skills development throughout the school. The school does not have an annotated portfolio of collected pupils’ work to give teachers and pupils an

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Commentary

overview of standards and achievement in art and design or to celebrate the quality of the work.

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Commentary

91. Design and technology is taught regularly throughout the school, giving all pupils full access to a broad curriculum. The limited amount of work available shows standards that match expectations at both key stages. In a lesson seen in Year 2, teaching was satisfactory with good features, but there was a lack of opportunity for pupils to develop their own imaginative ideas, thereby limiting achievement. The use of pre-cut-out and hole-punched glove puppet shapes further limits opportunities for the development of younger pupils’ cutting skills. Older pupils’ designs for a slipper are satisfactorily detailed in the planning. Pupils’ evaluations of their work at the design phase show a good level of reflection on ideas and expectations and clear determination to succeed. The co-ordinator’s monitoring enables her to give clearly- focused support to her colleagues and produce an effective plan to further develop the

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Commentary

92. In the one physical education lesson seen, good teaching helped older pupils to achieve well in a new area of developing their athletics skills. The school’s involvement in the School Sport Co-ordinator Education and Training programme is developing leadership of the subject well, so that the co-ordinator is becoming skilled and confident in leading staff training sessions in order raise the profile of the subject throughout the school. The very good range of extra-curricular activities available promotes pupils’ physical and social skills effectively. A full programme of sporting fixtures with other schools widens pupils’ social contacts beneficially. Pupils make good progress in swimming, with over four-fifths of them achieving 25 metres by the end of Year 4.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

93. Insufficient evidence was gathered to make an overall judgement about the school’s provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship. Planning links this aspect very effectively with other subjects. The very comprehensive approach to leadership and management of this curriculum area reflects the school’s very high commitment to the personal development of all pupils. The school council, comprising representatives from Years 3 to 6, gives the older pupils a voice in decision-making. Younger pupils are confident that they, too, have a part in this and St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 34 know that they can leave a note for the head expressing ideas or concerns and there will always be a response.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

94. Younger pupils gain very good awareness of their increasing responsibilities as they get older. Very good quality experiences are planned for older pupils to develop awareness of growing up and their changing physical and emotional states so that they leave the school with positive images of themselves. Pupils’ emotional intelligence is developed explicitly through ‘talking circles’, which help them to make decisions. In the one lesson seen, in Year 2, the pupils had a good awareness of ‘Stranger Danger’ and of what keeping safe means. This session was handled sensitively by the teacher so that the children retained their confidence and were not frightened. As holders of a local education authority Healthy School Award, pupils have very good awareness of how their bodies work and what they need to do to stay healthy, backed up by very good quality healthy choice in school lunches. St. Michael’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - 35

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 1 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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