St Saviour CofE Primary School, Ringley

Ringley

Dates of inspection: 6 th - 9 th June 2005

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Ringley

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 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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Ringley

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 Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 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: 136

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Fold Road Stoneclough Radcliffe Manchester Lancashire Postcode: M26 1EU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01204 333437 Fax number: 01204 333436

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr S Kidd

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 th April 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Saint Saviour's Church of England School is situated in the village of Ringley, south-east of Bolton. The school is smaller than the average primary school found nationally. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. Attainment on entry to the reception class is above that expected of children this age. There is only one per cent from ethnic minority backgrounds. No pupil speaks English as an additional language. There are 10 per cent of pupils identified as having special educational needs. This is below the national average. No pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21217 Stafford Evans Lead inspector English Information and communication technology Citizenship Geography Physical education Special educational needs 11450 Lee Kuraishi Lay inspector 21020 Tess Galvin Team inspector Foundation Stage 1 Science Design and technology Music 35099 Steven Savory Team inspector Mathematics Art and design History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

ALTECQ INSPECTIONS LTD 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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).

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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 27

St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Saint Saviour's is a good school that gives good value for money . By the time pupils leave the school, they attain standards that are above the national average in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT). However, there is a dip by the end of Year 2 in the rate at which pupils progress in writing and mathematics. Teaching and learning are good. The leadership and management of the school are good. The provision for pupils' personal development is very good. This ensures that pupils leave the school with very good social skills.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school; • children make a good start to school in the Foundation Stage; • by the end of Year 2, standards are below the national average in writing; • higher attaining pupils in Year 2 underachieve in mathematics; • pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are very good; • the school provides a high level of care for all its pupils; • throughout the school, standards in geography are below national expectations.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection. Improvements have occurred at a good pace over the last two years. This means that the decline in standards in Years 3 to 6 has stopped, and standards have improved to a good level. The main reasons for this are the teaching of single age groups for English and mathematics lessons, and the teaching of English and mathematics by specialist teachers. Nearly all the key issues identified by the previous inspection have been successfully addressed. There has been very good improvement in English standards in Years 3 to 6, but improvement has been unsatisfactory in writing standards in Years 1 and 2. Throughout the school, standards in investigative and experimental science are higher. The unsatisfactory aspects of the leadership and management of the school have improved to good. The role of the governing body is now good. Multicultural education has improved.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

ICT now meets statutory requirements. The quality of accommodation has improved.

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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 C C C Mathematics A C B B Science B E 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

Standards achieved are good by the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6. By the end of the Foundation Stage, achievement is good. Children attain standards that are above national expectations for children this age. By the end of Year 2, inspection evidence indicates that pupils attain above average standards in reading, average standards in mathematics and science, but below average standards in writing. Pupils St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 7 achieve satisfactorily except in writing, which is unsatisfactory. More able pupils underachieve in mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards above average in English, mathematics and science. They achieve well. Throughout the school, standards in ICT are above national expectations, but below in geography. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their capabilities.

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Year 6 results

Pupils' personal development is very good. Provision for their spiritual, moral and social and cultural development is very good. The attendance rate is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory with good features . The teaching and learning are good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Procedures for assessing work are good in English, mathematics, science and ICT. Most teachers make good use of the assessment information to match work accurately to pupils' varying needs. This good practice is not widespread in the school, and on occasions is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and in some subjects throughout the school. All work is marked, but not to a consistently high standard throughout the school. Expectations of what teachers want pupils to learn are usually high except in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. Good use of skilled support staff ensures that pupils who need help in lessons receive it and therefore make good use of their time. Pupils identified as having special educational needs are taught well. Pupils say

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

that learning is fun and that lessons are interesting. One of the main reasons for this is that teachers are enthusiastic about their teaching and constantly encourage pupils to do their best. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour effectively.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Curriculum provision is good in the Foundation Stage, and satisfactory in the rest of the school. The school enhances pupils' learning through a very good range of extra-curricular activities. The care, guidance and support pupils receive are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is satisfactory, with good features. The headteacher leads the school competently. His vision for the development of the school is rightly rooted in raising academic standards and the quality of pupils' personal development. He has led the school through necessary changes, but during this period of change his relationships were adversely affected with some staff and some parents. With good governor, local headteacher and education authority support, relationships are more cordial and are beginning to be characterised by mutual respect. The management of the school is good. The school carries out its planning effectively and achievable priorities and targets are set. The school has good procedures for the evaluation of its work. The subject leaders for English, science, mathematics and the Foundation Stage manage their subjects well. ICT is

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

very well managed. The governance of the school is good, and they are well led by the chair of governors. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The great majority of parents are satisfied with the work of the school. A small minority expressed concerns about: the amount of information they receive about their children's progress, the induction arrangements in the Foundation Stage, and in the quality of the leadership and management of the school. The school provides satisfactory opportunities for parents to learn about their children's progress, and the school plans to make more improvements soon. The induction arrangements are designed to help working parents, and not to help settle the children into school in the best possible way. It is the inspectors' St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 8 judgement that the school is led and managed competently, and has the capacity to bring about further improvements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils think very highly of the school. They say they like school very much and that most lessons are interesting and fun. They are secure in the knowledge that they can approach an adult in the school if they need help. They feel safe and secure in school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • By the end of Year 2, raise standards for all pupils in writing, and for the more able pupils in mathematics. • Throughout the school, raise standards achieved in geography. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. Achievement is good in the Foundation Stage and Years 3 to 6, and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Years 3 to 6, standards in writing have risen very significantly over the last year. • By the end of the Foundation Stage, children attain standards above those expected for children this age. • Pupils underachieve in writing in Years 1 and 2. • More able pupils underachieve in mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Pupils achieve very well in ICT.

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Foundation Stage

1. Children enter the reception class with early learning skills that are broadly in line with those expected nationally for children this age, except in early writing and social skills, which are below the expected level. They achieve well and by the time they enter Year 1 most children achieve above nationally expected standards in all the areas of learning, except for physical development. This is in line with national expectations. The few dual heritage children, and children identified as having special educational needs achieve at the same rate as their classmates. The good standards reported at the time of the previous inspection have been maintained.

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.4 (17.5) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.1 (14.5) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 17.2 (16.8) 16.2 (16.3) There were 17 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

2. By the end of Year 2, Pupils achieve well in relation to their capabilities in reading and ICT. They achieve satisfactorily in all other subjects except writing, in which achievement is unsatisfactory. Also, in mathematics, more able pupils achieve unsatisfactorily. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are above average in reading, average in mathematics and below average in writing. Standards are similar to those of the 2004 national tests, except mathematics standards are lower because of the underachievement of the more able pupils. Standards in ICT are above national expectations. They are below national expectations in geography, and in line with national expectations in other subjects.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 (27.4) 26.9 (26.8) St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 10 Mathematics 27.9 (26.6) 27.0 (26.8) Science 30.9 (27.4) 28.6 (28.6) There were 14 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

3. Inspection evidence indicates that, by the end of Year 6, standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils achieve well in relation to their capabilities, and make good progress in lessons. The trend over time is below the national trend. However, the decline in standards has stopped, and there has been an upward trend over the last two years. This trend is set to continue because pupils in Years 3 to 5 are on course to attain standards well above the national average by the end of Year 6. The main reasons for this are the teaching of single age groups for English and mathematics lessons, and the teaching of English and mathematics by specialist teachers.

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

4. In ICT, pupils achieve very well, and attain standards above national expectations. Standards in all other subjects are in line with national expectations, except for geography. Standards achieved in geography are below national expectations, and achievement is unsatisfactory.

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

5. Standards achieved by boys and girls vary from year to year. However, this is not significant as there is no discernible trend and is accounted for by the gender imbalance within many year groups. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is not significantly different from that of their classmates. They make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. They make good progress in lessons because they are taught well and teachers are very aware of pupils' individual needs. They also receive good skilled support from teaching assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' personal development is very good . They have very good attitudes to learning. They enjoy coming to school and their behaviour is very good . Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . The rate of attendance is well above average and punctuality is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships are very good and pupils support each other well in their learning. • Provision is very good for pupils' moral and social development and good for their spiritual and cultural development. • Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning improve steadily as they move through the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6. Pupils are kind to each other and listen well to the views of their friends. They are keen to show their reliability when given jobs to do. Pupils behave very well at playtimes and in assemblies. They move around the school sensibly and help to tidy the equipment away at the end of lessons and playtimes. They have regular opportunities to work with a partner or a group in lessons, which helps them to develop very good relationships and social skills. In Years 3 to 6, most pupils display very good attitudes to their work and enthusiasm in lessons. They are respectful and polite to adults. These very good standards are not always so evident in lessons in Years 1 to 2. Incidents of bullying, racism or other harassment are rare. There have been no exclusions for several years. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem in the school. They enjoy coming to school very much and they find learning interesting. Parents say

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Main strengths and weaknesses

that the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 11 7. Staff's very caring and considerate attitudes towards pupils underpin the school’s very good provision for pupils’ social and moral development. Pupils clearly know and understand the school and classroom rules because staff involve pupils in setting them. There is good provision for social development at lunchtimes. There are a variety of small games and equipment for pupils to play with and good supervision from support assistants. As a result, boys and girls and the very few pupils from different cultural backgrounds enjoy playing together as friends. There is an effective school council and its members are responsible for making decisions about the life of the school, such as introducing recycling bins. All pupils are keen to participate in the wide range of after-school clubs that the school offers. Many pupils also learn to play

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Main strengths and weaknesses

musical instruments in lessons taken by visiting specialists.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

8. There has been good improvement in the provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development in the last few years. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual awareness effectively through collective worship and the opportunities that staff give pupils to discuss their ideas and reflect upon their work in lessons. The school has strong links with the local church. A variety of visitors take collective worship, including the local vicar. Pupils’ cultural understanding and their knowledge and appreciation of different cultures is now good. It is developed successfully through subjects such as art and design, geography, history and religious education. Festivals of other world faiths are celebrated as well as Christian festivals and pupils have visited a mosque and a Hindu temple. Therefore, pupils learn about what has shaped and influenced the multicultural society in which they live. The school welcomes visiting artists and a poet to further

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Main strengths and weaknesses

pupils’ knowledge of the wider community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

9. Children join the reception class with early social skills, which are below the expected level, but by the time they leave the class their achievement is very good. Therefore, most children reach above the nationally expected standard in personal, social and emotional development. Staff are very caring, supportive and encouraging. They ask children to reflect upon their work, use their initiative and work independently. Staff give children many opportunities to work together in groups. Therefore, children’s confidence and social skills improve considerably and their behaviour is good.

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Attendance

10. Attendance is very good . It has remained well above the national average since the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy coming to school, they settle down quickly and all lessons start promptly. There are no unauthorised absences.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.0 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 satisfactory , with good features. Teaching and learning are good , and assessment procedures satisfactory . Curriculum provision is satisfactory . The St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 12 school provides a very good level of care for its pupils. Links with parents and the community are good , and satisfactory with other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lesson planning and organisation are good. • Teachers encourage pupils to want to learn. • Teachers use a good range of teaching methods and this leads to a good level of interest from pupils. • There is good use of ICT to help pupils learn. • Teachers have high expectations and make good use of assessment to plan pupils' work in Years 3 to 6. • In writing and mathematics in Years 1 and 2, teachers do not always have high enough expectations or match work accurately enough to pupils' varying needs.

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Commentary

11. Lessons are well planned and teachers make clear what they want pupils to learn by sharing it with the pupils at the start of lessons. In Years 3 to 6, good assessment procedures are used to good effect by teachers. This means that work is matched to pupils' needs and what they need to learn next. Throughout the school, a variety of good teaching approaches and classroom organisation is used to suit what pupils are expected to learn in the lesson. There is usually a good and balanced use of explanation, discussion and practical activity. As a result, the learning for most pupils is enjoyable as well as effective. The pace in most lessons is brisk and purposeful, and pupils produce a lot of work. The teachers succeed in raising pupils' self-esteem through good use of praise and encouragement. Pupils' contributions are valued. The resulting very good relationships provide the cornerstone for the teachers'

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Commentary

management of pupils' behaviour. Pupils respond by behaving very well in lessons and doing a lot of good work.

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Commentary

12. In Years 1 and 2, teachers do not provide enough time for pupils to practise writing. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to write extended pieces of work in English. Also, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to write in other subjects. In writing and mathematics, their expectations of what pupils are to achieve are not high enough because teachers are unclear what pupils need to do to reach a higher level. Throughout the school, assessment procedures are unsatisfactory in geography, history, music and physical education compared with other subjects.

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Commentary

13. Marking of pupils' work is satisfactory. There are examples of very good quality marking by teachers. In the best marking, teachers emphasise what pupils need to do to improve their work. Teachers use information from their marking to help set targets for the next piece of work. These pupils make good progress and are well motivated to learn. In some marking, pupils are given very little idea of how well they are doing or how they can improve their work.

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Commentary

14. Resources are used effectively to help pupils learn. For example, teachers make good use of ICT to help pupils learn in other subjects. There is good planned access to the computer suite for groups of pupils to complete work that enhances their learning. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 13 Also, teachers use computer-controlled whiteboards to introduce new skills to pupils in a wide range of subjects. This highly motivates pupils to want to learn and holds their attention well. Teachers plan the use of teaching assistants well. The assistants help pupils by providing good support, ideas and motivation so that during lessons pupils work hard and complete a lot of work.

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Commentary

15. Teachers usually have high expectations and a good knowledge of the subjects they teach. The most successful have an infectious enthusiasm. The good and better lessons catch and hold the pupils' interest. As a result, pupils work hard and make at least good progress in lessons. A good policy for homework is implemented satisfactorily by most teachers, but there are unsatisfactory inconsistencies in its use by some teachers.

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Commentary

16. There is early identification of special educational need, which enables teachers to address any possible issues. There are good quality individual education plans. Targets are clear and measurable. Individual education plans are linked particularly well to the English aspect of the National Curriculum. Teachers are aware of the needs of all their pupils. In lessons, pupils with special educational needs get good support, both from teachers and support assistants. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 14 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 6 15 7 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

Curriculum provision is satisfactory . Extra-curricular provision is very good . Resources and accommodation are good .

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The curriculum

Main strengths and weaknesses • The curriculum in English, mathematics, science and ICT is good. • Extra-curricular provision has improved very significantly. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • In geography, the curriculum is not covered in sufficient detail. • Planned development of literacy skills across the curriculum is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

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The curriculum

17. A well-thought-out overall curriculum plan provides the basis for teachers' planning. The curriculum plan also ensures that all statutory requirements are met. The school has successfully improved the curriculum provision of ICT since the previous Inspection. This is now good across the school, and meets statutory requirements. Provision in mathematics, English and science is good. This is also an improvement since the previous inspection when it was satisfactory. In science, pupils have good opportunities to learn through a balance of experimentation and factual work. In English in Years 3 to 6, the curriculum ensures that there are plenty of opportunities for pupils to write in the subject itself as well as in many other subjects that the pupils do.

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The curriculum

18. As part of the caring ethos, the school's provision for personal, social and health education is good. It also prepares pupils well for citizenship. Personal, social and health education is taught well across the school in cross-curricular lessons, such as science, religious education and English. The teaching is supported well by a scheme of work recommended by the local education authority. The weakness in curriculum provision is in geography. This is because the planned curriculum is not covered in sufficient depth to extend pupils' learning to a level of which they are capable. Also, in Years 1 and 2, the planning for the development of literacy skills across the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

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The curriculum

19. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils with difficulties are supported by individual education plans written by the teachers with support from the special educational needs co-ordinator. Support for these pupils is good. The school also makes good provision for pupils on their gifted and talented register. A gifted mathematician in Year 4 is well provided for by having his mathematics lessons in Year 5 with some very able pupils. Throughout the school, the staff work hard and effectively to ensure that all groups of pupils are fully included in the experiences the school offers. Staff encourage girls and boys to take part in all activities. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 15 20. The school has recently introduced a variety of curriculum innovations that have been successful in raising pupil enjoyment and achievement. A recent change to small, single year group classes for mathematics and English for Years 4, 5 and 6 has been

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The curriculum

particularly successful. The school has funded a specialist gymnastics coach for the oldest pupils, specialist music teachers, who teach most of the pupils a musical instrument, and artists in residence.

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The curriculum

21. Extra-curricular provision, which was unsatisfactory at the last Inspection, is now very good. There are twelve extra-curricular clubs, many of them attended by over half of the pupils of the school. These clubs cover a very good range of activities including French, computers and basketball. The school’s transfer systems for pupils going to secondary school are satisfactory, as are the school’s relationships with the pre- school settings. Links with secondary schools are being developed by the deputy headteacher. The biggest constraint is the fact that pupils transfer to at least five different schools, some outside the authority.

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The curriculum

22. The school’s accommodation is good, with good use made of the space available. There has been very good improvements since the previous inspection. Resources are good with effective use made of additional funding for additional teaching time and support staff.

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Care, guidance and support

This is a caring and inclusive school, where all pupils feel happy and safe. Procedures for pupils’ welfare and safety are very good . The school actively seeks and values pupils’ views of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The trusting relationships throughout the school ensure that all pupils receive very good pastoral care. • There are very good procedures to monitor health and safety.

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Commentary

23. The school is a happy and friendly community where pupils of different social backgrounds are treated very well. The school has very good child protection procedures, which ensures that vulnerable pupils are cared for well. The school council, with representatives from all year groups, meets regularly to discuss issues, and pupils comment that their suggestions are acted upon. Health and safety arrangements are very good. The governing body ensure that regular risk assessments are carried out, and the school immediately addresses any health and safety concerns. There are sufficient numbers of qualified adults to deal with first aid matters.

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Commentary

24. Parents are very happy that their children form caring relationships with adults at an early stage and this enables them to feel safe and to develop confidence. All adults in the school know pupils well and respond to their needs very well. Progress in English, mathematics, science, ICT and the Foundation Stage is assessed regularly and pupils receive sound advice on how to improve. Pre-school visits are arranged for new parents and their children to meet with teachers. However, some parents feel the arrangements for settling pupils in the school are unsatisfactory. The inspection team St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 16 noted that the admission for young children joining the reception class is not staggered and this causes some children stress at the beginning of the term.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most parents have a good level of confidence in the school. • The school is approachable and parents receive good quality information about their children’s work. • The school works closely with other schools and the community.

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Commentary

25. The school values their partnership with parents and the majority of parents think well of the school. However, the parents’ questionnaires indicate that a number of parents have concerns about the information they receive on their children's progress, and about how the school is led and managed. The inspection team judges that on the first point provision is satisfactory and improving, and on the second that the school is led and managed competently.

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Commentary

26. The school holds three consultation evenings each year for parents to discuss their child’s progress, with well over 90 per cent of the parents reported to attend these meetings. However, pupils' work is not made available at these evenings for parents to view. The school has agreed to address this concern. Parents receive thorough written reports in the summer term. Those parents who talked with the inspectors confirmed that they have easy access to the teachers, and that the school operates an open door policy to discuss any concern on a daily basis. There is a booklet, ‘Your Child’ for each class that gives parents good information about the topics to be covered each term. Inspectors talked to many parents who expressed confidence in the school, apart from one parent who felt that her child did not receive adequate help. However, there is evidence that the school provides support for the child in excess of

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Commentary

27. The school works hard to involve parents in the life of the school. The school invites parents to help in the classroom but none were observed in the school during the inspection. The school held a meeting about school dinners, which was poorly attended. Parents help on school trips and arrange social functions, such as school disco, to raise money for school funds. Parents regularly help their children with homework. The school seeks parents’ views informally and acts upon any suggestions. These arrangements are mostly effective, and sometimes parents are sent questionnaires about specific topics, such as homework. The response to the homework questionnaire was over 80 per cent.

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Commentary

28. The school makes good use of local community resources to support pupils learning. They visit Clifton Community Park, the local garden centre, and they travel far afield to historic places to enhance learning. Pupils visit the local church regularly, and the vicar is a regular visitor to the school. Small numbers of donations are made by local businesses. The school is used for community clubs, such Brownies and Cubs. There St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 17 is a before- and after- school club in the school hall catering for the children of working parents. Satisfactory working arrangements with local schools are in place.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

There is good leadership and management. The leadership of the headteacher is satisfactory and his management good . The governance of the school is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is committed to improving standards. • The headteacher has not always dealt sensitively with the changes that were needed in order to raise standards. • There has been significant progress in the last two years in addressing the key issues from the previous inspection. • The headteacher does not consistently maintain a clear focus on the main priorities for development. • There is good leadership and management of some subjects. • The governing body is well informed and supportive of the school. • The school’s finances are managed very efficiently.

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Commentary

29. The leadership of the headteacher, and key staff, is satisfactory with good features. The headteacher leads the school competently. His vision for the development of the school is rightly grounded in the raising of academic standards and the provision for pupils’ personal development. The senior management team has only recently been established, and the leadership it provides is satisfactory. The headteacher provides effective leadership and management for mathematics, and there is also good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage, English, science and ICT. The headteacher, supported by staff from the local education authority, and subject co- ordinators checks and reviews effectively the quality of teaching. Staff make it a priority to value all pupils and ensure that they are included in all the activities that the school offers. This means that the ethos of the school is very good.

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Commentary

30. The school had made little progress in remedying the key issues reported at the time of the previous inspection before the new headteacher was appointed, such as systems for monitoring and evaluating standards and educational provision. Many of the required policies and procedures were not in place, such as weekly lesson planning and individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. Most of the key issues have now been successfully rectified. Moreover, many of the changes that the headteacher implemented were needed in order to arrest the decline in standards that was evident in the school’s performance in national tests in 2003. He has also made the school more viable by putting in place strategies to increase pupil numbers. The resulting increase in income has been used effectively to fund an extra teacher in order to teach pupils in Years 3 to 6 in single year groups for literacy and

p.17

Commentary

numeracy. This contributes positively to the standards achieved.

p.17

Commentary

31. During the period of many changes, the headteacher’s leadership failed to inspire and motivate all the staff. As a result, working relationships with teachers became strained. On the other hand, some teachers were very strongly resistant to the changes and this sometimes slowed the implementation of initiatives. The headteacher has good working relationships with support staff but relationships between the headteacher and some teachers remain fragile. The headteacher has received considerable support St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 18 from a local education authority headteacher as part of the Primary Leadership Programme because of the problems within the school. Inspectors agree with the key teachers who feel that the staff are now in a position to move forward together in order to improve the school further.

p.17

Commentary

32. The management of the school is good. Day-to-day management and organisation by the headteacher are efficient. There are good arrangements for staff performance management and remodelling the workforce, and very good support is given to staff training. School development planning is good. The current school improvement plan is a good document that gives a clear overview of the school’s main priorities for improvement, which are rightly identified to raise standards. It is costed accurately, and the initiatives in the plan drive budgetary decisions. However, the priorities are not always followed through to best effect because the headteacher’s focus on them is sometimes diverted. This occurs when the wide range of additional specialist advice from outside the school is implemented without enough reflection on its usefulness. Therefore, there have been some good improvements, such as English standards in Year 6, but also some unsatisfactory ones, such as the failure to improve

p.18

Commentary

33. Very good improvement has been made in the governance of the school since the time of the previous inspection when it was reported to be unsatisfactory. The local education authority has had considerable input into developing the governors’ understanding of their role. Governors are now fully involved in the school’s strategic planning process and carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively. They challenge the school, particularly the headteacher, on professional matters. The chair of governors has a very strong commitment to the school. He has been pivotal in supporting and maintaining staff relationships. Governors have a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, the standards achieved and of performance management. Some governors visit the school regularly to monitor specific subjects.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 392,667 Balance from previous year 22,36

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Total expenditure 376,368 Balance carried forward to the next 38,66

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

34. There is very good management of the school’s finances. The headteacher has very successfully sought a wide range of additional funding that has been used to improve the accommodation, resources and standards achieved. The headteacher simplified the budgetary information for governors and this has made it easier for them to access the information. The school administrator very effectively supports the smooth running of the school each day and the management of its finances. The school seeks to ensure that the services it receives are provided at the best value. The balance carried forward last year was 9 per cent and that was above average. This was used to fund additional teaching assistants who are used effectively to support pupils’ learning and implement the work force agreement. The expenditure per pupil is below average. The school provides good value for money. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 19

p.18

Particular barriers to raising achievement and their impact

35. The rapid rate of change required to bring about improvements posed a problem for the school. However, the strong commitment and care of staff towards the pupils meant that their achievement was positively and not adversely affected. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.20

Commentary

36. Children enter the reception class with early learning skills that are in line with those expected nationally for children this age, except in early writing and social skills, which are below the expected level. Children achieve well and by the time they enter Year 1, and most children achieve standards that are above the early learning goals 2 in all the areas of learning, except for physical development. This is in line with the early learning goals. The few dual heritage children, and children identified as having special educational needs achieve at the same rate as their classmates. The good standards reported at the time of the previous inspection have been maintained.

p.20

Commentary

37. Children’s learning and progress have improved rapidly since this term. This is because the quality of teaching and learning are good. During the inspection, teaching was never less than good and sometimes it was very good. A significant strength in the teaching is that staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of children’s needs, which is based upon careful observations of children’s learning. They use the information effectively to plan work at suitable levels for children of differing attainment and to track the progress they make. Therefore, children’s learning is at least good because they constantly build securely on what they already know. The teacher and support assistant work successfully together, and this helps make the quality of teaching and learning consistent.

p.20

Commentary

38. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good because of the co-ordinator’s very considerable teaching expertise and knowledge of the curriculum. The arrangements for settling children into school are unsatisfactory because children attend school full-time from the start of the academic year. The arrangement is not flexible enough to meet the needs of all children.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good relationships between staff and children. • Children respect their own heritage and appreciate the rich diversity of other cultures.

p.20

Commentary

39. This area of children’s development is given a high priority in all areas of the curriculum. Teaching is very good and children achieve very well. They are on target to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Staff are very caring and supportive. They use lots of praise and encouragement, which raises children’s confidence so their social skills improve considerably. Staff give children a

p.20

Commentary

2 Early Learning Goals are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 21 lot of opportunities to choose activities for themselves, and this promotes independent learning well. Consequently, children persevere and their concentration is good. Daily routines and simple rules are very well established so that children know what is expected of them. Children respond positively to the school’s values and their behaviour is good. They take turns, share equipment and work sensibly together as friends. They listen with interest to their classmates and show respect for their ideas.

p.20

Commentary

Children also learn respect for cultures other than their own because staff successfully promote this throughout the whole curriculum. Children learn about the traditions, food, dress and languages in countries beyond Britain.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Reading and writing skills are taught very well. • Good use is made of imaginative role-play to promote speaking and listening skills.

p.21

Commentary

40. Teaching is very good and children achieve very well. Therefore, many children are on target to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve so they challenge them through effective questioning and marking. Staff teach the specific subject vocabulary very well, and successful strategies that help children to read and write with greater confidence and independence. As a result, children use their good knowledge of the letters of the alphabet and their sounds to spell and write simple words and sentences correctly. They identify speech marks, the contents and the index in a book, and read with increasing accuracy a good number of words. Staff encourage children to extend their speaking and listening skills across all areas of the curriculum as well as through stories and discussions in literacy sessions. Role-play areas are well organised and

p.21

Commentary

supported by adults to extend children’s vocabulary and learning. Therefore, children speak in sentences with increasing vocabulary.

p.21

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan a wide range of interesting practical activities, which support learning well.

p.21

Commentary

41. Teaching is good and children of all abilities achieve well, so many children exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. The teacher provides good challenges for children through a variety of interesting experiences, which make learning fun. Good use is made of tabletop games and games in the school hall to reinforce and successfully extend children’s mathematical skills as well as the social skills of initiative and co-operation. Most children have good counting skills. They count and order numbers accurately from zero to ten, and higher attaining children to 20 and beyond. They carry out simple mental and written calculations to five. They St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 22 name two- and three-dimensional shapes correctly and understand some of their properties.

p.21

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff extend children’s learning successfully through practical activities that are used across the whole curriculum.

p.22

Commentary

42. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Therefore, they are on target to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Children identify sources of light and learn about how shadows are formed. They make shadow puppets, and experience what it is like to have limited vision when they go on a Trust Walk. Children plant seeds and have a good knowledge of what they need for healthy growth. Staff enrich children’s learning through a visit to the local garden centre. Staff use the garden centre role-play area in the classroom to develop the children's everyday and scientific vocabulary well. Children operate the mouse and a variety of computer programs competently.

p.22

Physical development

Provision in physical development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff make good use of the outdoor area to reinforce children’s physical skills. • Resources for outdoor play are unsatisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teaching is good and children achieve well. Children are on target to reach the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Staff provide a variety of good activities to develop children’s co-ordination and control of tools and equipment. The outdoor play area is used each day to promote children’s physical skills effectively, and their learning across the whole curriculum. Physical education lessons also take place in the school hall. Children throw balls and quoits and travel on different body parts with satisfactory control and good awareness of space. There are no wheeled toys or large equipment. The indoor accommodation has improved considerably with the building of a new classroom. However, there has been very slow improvement in the outdoor facilities since the time of the previous inspection until recently. The school has plans to make the required improvements at the end of this term.

p.22

Creative development

Provision in creative development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good development of children’s musical skills. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 23

p.22

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. Children exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. The very good musical expertise of the teaching assistant is used effectively to extend children’s learning. Children sing tunefully a variety of songs and identify a variety of instruments, such as Tibetan bells and maracas. They talk about tempo (pace), roll balls and move around quickly and slowly to extend their understanding. Children use the computer-controlled whiteboard to sort a variety of instruments by the way they are played. They design and make simple percussion instruments. Children use a variety of materials and draw and paint to good effect.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Throughout the school, pupils achieve well in reading, speaking and listening. • In Years 3 to 6, pupils achieve well in writing. • Pupils' achievement in writing by the end of Year 2 is unsatisfactory. • Teachers have high expectations and make good use of assessment to plan pupils' work in Years 3 to 6. • By the end of Year 2, in writing, teachers do not have high enough expectations or match work accurately enough to pupils' varying needs. • The subject leader manages the subject well.

p.23

Commentary

45. Inspection evidence indicates that standards attained by the end of Year 2 are above average in speaking, listening and reading, but below average in writing. This is a similar picture to the results of the 2004 national tests. The only difference is that reading standards are marginally lower, with 4 per cent fewer pupils attaining the nationally expected level. Writing standards show no sign of improvement. In comparison with similar schools, pupils attain standards in reading that are above the national average, but well below average in writing. Standards in reading are similar to those at the time of the previous inspection, with speaking and listening standards higher, but writing standards that are significantly lower.

p.23

Commentary

46. By the end of Year 6, standards attained are above average. Standards are higher than those in the national tests in 2003 and 2004. In comparison with similar schools, standards are above average. This is an improvement on the 2004 results, which were average. It is a very significant improvement on the 2003 result of well below average. Standards are significantly higher than they were at the time of the previous inspection when they were below average.

p.23

Commentary

47. Standards achieved by boys and girls vary from year to year, but without any discernible pattern. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress in reading. They make good progress in writing in Years 3 to 6, but unsatisfactory achievement at the end of Year 2. In reading throughout the school, and in writing in Years 3 to 6, teachers give them suitable work, and good additional support from teaching assistants. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 24 48. Standards in speaking and listening are above average by the end of Years 2 and 6, and pupils achieve well. Most pupils speak confidently and have a good vocabulary for describing their ideas and experiences. They listen carefully to their teachers and to other pupils when they speak. Staff teach the correct subject vocabulary well in English and other subjects. They also help pupils to extend their vocabulary by

p.23

Commentary

planning time effectively for them to discuss their ideas in pairs during introductions to lessons.

p.24

Commentary

49. In Years 3 to 6, pupils write confidently, structure their writing clearly and punctuate it correctly. Standards of spelling are good. Pupils choose words carefully to create a particular effect. Teachers teach the basic skills of writing very well. They have high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve. This means that nearly half the pupils in the current Year 6 are on course to attain a level higher than that expected of pupils this age. Also, standards in Years 3 to 5 mean that pupils are likely to attain standards that are well above average by the time they are in Year 6. Throughout Years 3 to 6, very secure subject knowledge and a good understanding of what pupils know, can do and understand underpin the teaching of writing. The quality of marking is good. This ensures that pupils and teachers know what needs to be done to improve work. Teachers make good use of ICT for pupils to word-process their writing.

p.24

Commentary

50. In Years 1 and 2, teachers do not provide enough time for pupils to practise writing. The main weaknesses in the teaching of writing are: • expectations of what pupils are to achieve are not high enough because teachers are unclear what pupils need to do to reach a higher level; • pupils are not given enough opportunities to write extended pieces of work in English; • teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to write in other subjects.

p.24

Commentary

51. Throughout the school, pupils enjoy reading and most pupils have competent research skills for finding information from books because this is taught well. Many higher attaining pupils read accurately and with understanding, fluency and expression. The basic skills of reading are taught well, and pupils have plenty of opportunities to practise reading in school. At home, their parents give them very good support. This has a very positive effect on standards achieved.

p.24

Commentary

52. There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection. This improvement has taken place over the last two years. The leadership and management of the subject are good and have brought about very good improvements in Years 3 to 6 over the last two years. The subject leader has overseen a significant rise in writing standards and an improvement in the teaching and learning. The headteacher's decision to organise the pupils into single year groups for English has had a very positive impact on standards. There is regular and rigorous monitoring of pupils' work, teaching and learning. Weaknesses are identified and remedied effectively. However, its impact has not been as great in Years 1 and 2. The co-ordinator is a very good role model for staff and pupils because of her high quality teaching skills.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. In Years 3 to 6, teachers provide a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop their language and literacy skills in other subjects. Pupils' good standards of writing are reflected in their recorded work in other subjects. There are good examples in St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 25 history, science and ICT. Teachers also use pupils' reading skills well to research information in subjects. In Years 1 and 2, development of language and literacy skills across the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress, and standards are above national expectations. • Standards are satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2, but achievement is unsatisfactory for the most able pupils.

p.25

Commentary

54. Pupils in Year 6 have reached standards above national expectations and are on the cusp of achieving well above average. This is an improvement on the 2004 national test result, particularly for the most able pupils. Pupils achieve well in relation to similar schools. Year 5 pupils are on course to achieve well above the national average by the end of Year 6. By the end of Year 2, although standards are in line with the national average, achievement is unsatisfactory because there is significant underachievement by the more able pupils. Standards are lower than the 2004 results and those reported on at the time of the previous inspection. Throughout the school, there is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

p.25

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6, with well-planned lessons catering for all pupils and their differing abilities. Good teaching uses stimulating and imaginative ways of presenting learning through games, challenges and ICT. Questioning is good and the lessons are effectively paced, which ensures that pupils are given a good balance of reinforcement and challenge. Teachers make good use of ICT to stimulate pupils’ learning. Recently purchased interactive whiteboards are also used to focus pupils’ interest. An emphasis on pupils’ ability to use estimation in Years 5 and 6 allowed the pupils to solve problems, and assess their own learning very effectively. In a Year 6 lesson, during a quick-fire mental mathematics activity, some of the pupils realised they could use estimation to guess the answers quickly and accurately from the alternatives on offer.

p.25

Commentary

56. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory, but expectations of what more able pupils are to attain are not always sufficiently high for them to make at least satisfactory progress. This is reflected in this year’s national test results for Year 2 pupils.

p.25

Commentary

57. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. This is because they are well supported by teaching assistants and receive practical aids to help support their learning. Teaching and learning in Years 5 and 6 has been very effectively supported through the use of specialist teaching in smaller, single year groups. This has positively affected standards achieved.

p.25

Commentary

58. Pupils respond well to good teaching and are enthusiastic learners. They enjoy solving problems, persevere and work hard. They are productive and take pride in the presentation of their work. Homework is satisfactory with work reinforcing the pupils’ learning at school. Homework not only consolidates pupils’ learning, but the school rightly recognises it as part of the pupils’ preparation for secondary school. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 26 59. The subject leadership and management are good. The subject leader monitors teaching, learning and standards thoroughly. He has identified key priorities for improving standards and has overseen significant improvement in achievement for the most able pupils by the time they leave school. Pupils’ progress is effectively tracked. By raising expectations in matching work to differing pupils’ needs, progress has been good. These strategies have not been embedded in Years 1 and 2 and progress is

p.25

Commentary

unsatisfactory for the most able pupils. The subject leader has identified this as a priority for improvement.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. There are some good examples of mathematics being used across the curriculum. For example, in ICT, science and aspects of personal, social and health education graphical representation and interpretation are used well. However, this good practice is not widespread throughout the school.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong emphasis on investigative work. • Teachers do not always modify the work to meet pupils’ needs.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

61. Inspection findings indicate that pupils reach standards that are above average by Year 6 and average by Year 2. Most pupils make good progress. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. Compared with schools nationally, and those similar to Saint Saviour, standards have declined in the last few years and were well below average in 2003. The decline was reversed in 2004 because the new headteacher implemented improvements in lesson planning and subject co-ordination. As a result, standards improved to be well above average in Year 6 and above average in Year 2. Standards are lower this year because the overall ability of the current pupils is lower than the pupils who took the tests in 2004.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

62. Teaching is good. Teachers make lessons interesting because they make good use of investigative and practical activities to introduce pupils to new knowledge and factual information. However, older pupils do not have the opportunity to devise their own investigations. The curriculum is planned effectively to provide good learning in all aspects of the subject. Teachers use the good range of resources at their disposal effectively, including computer-controlled whiteboards. This stimulates pupils’ interest so they are keen to learn and concentrate well. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning improve from good to very good as they move through the school because teachers’ expertise in managing pupils’ behaviour increases. These positive attitudes together with the good use of lesson time means that pupils produce a good amount of work in most year groups.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. All teachers plan the work so that it is challenging for the more able and average attaining pupils. There is a good assessment system, which provides information about standards and progress. However, teachers do not use the information to adapt St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 27 the work to the needs of the lower attaining pupils, including pupils with special educational needs. These pupils need, and are given, adult support to complete the same level of work as their classmates. Therefore, they do not always make as much progress as they could in science or in personal qualities such as initiative and independence. Although there is a school policy for marking, teachers do not implement it consistently. Therefore, pupils are not always provided with sufficient guidance about how to improve their work. In Years 3 to 6 there is good use of pupils’ literacy skills to promote pupils’ learning but pupils’ literacy skills are underused in

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

Years 1 to 2. Computers are used well to support pupils’ learning in science.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. Good leadership and management have brought about good improvements in the subject since the time of the previous inspection. Standards have improved in Years 1 and 2 and there has been good improvement in investigative work in Years 3 to 6. Also, the co-ordinator now monitors the quality of the standards of teaching and learning in order to review trends. She implements an action plan to ensure that standards are maintained.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave the school. • There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection. • Teachers have very good subject knowledge. • There is good use of a skilled teaching assistant to support pupils' learning. • The leadership and management are very good. • Teachers make very good use of ICT across the curriculum.

p.27

Commentary

65. Pupils' attainment in all aspects of ICT is above national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils of all abilities make very good progress and achieve very well by the time they leave the school. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Standards are significantly higher than at the time of the previous inspection, when they were in line with national expectations but failed to meet statutory requirements because not all areas of the subject were taught. This represents very good improvement. This is due to a number of reasons. A considerable investment in time and money has included staff training and a new computer suite. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Very good use is made of a skilled teaching assistant who helps support pupils' learning very effectively. There is also good use made of a skilled technician. The co-ordinator leads and

p.27

Commentary

manages the subject very successfully and has clear plans for the subject's continued development, together with the ability, support and commitment to implement it successfully.

p.27

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning are very good. Teachers build on pupils' previous learning very effectively because there are good systems for checking and recording what pupils know, can do and understand. Teachers use this information well to plan pupils' work. Very secure subject knowledge underpins the teaching. This means that the teachers give clear instructions and the pupils know exactly what they have to do to improve their work. Teachers use correct terms for the subject. They circulate around the class St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 28 to support and monitor pupils' work. They are then in a position to identify errors quickly or offer to help when pupils are hesitant. Good, firm, yet friendly management of pupils results in very good behaviour and no interruption in the pupils' learning. Pupils are very interested, concentrate very well and follow instructions promptly because of the very good teaching. They show very good motivation by the work they

p.27

Commentary

are given. This extends pupils' computing skills and builds their confidence in the subject. The use of national guidance as the basis for planning lessons ensures that requirements are met for teaching all aspects of the subject.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Teachers make good use of ICT to help pupils learn in other subjects. Computers are used in English and as a result pupils reach a good standard in word-processing skills. In geography, Year 6 pupils completed good work on the Lake District, and presented it using a multi-media presentation. Year 5 pupils used an art package and Internet research skills to produce good quality pictures. Year 3 pupils use a database program very well in mathematics to create graphs of their favourite sports. Year 2 pupils use a program to create a representation of their home. Throughout the school, pupils use the Internet to research information for subjects such as history.

p.28

History

68. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement of overall provision in history. The one lesson observed in a Year 3/4 class was good with pupils attaining above national expectations whilst exploring the reliability of historical sources. The pupils responded well to stimulating and humorous teaching, enjoying the challenge of being ‘history detectives’. The teacher’s subject knowledge was good, which helped pupils to make good progress because of the good accurate information she provided for the pupils.

p.28

History

69. The scrutiny of pupils' work showed that standards are good in Years 3 and 4. The pupils are productive and show a good historical understanding of their work. Work is well-presented and marking challenges the pupils to develop their historical skills. In the rest of the school, standards are in line with national expectations with appropriate time and emphasis given to the teaching of history. Presentation is mostly satisfactory. However, marking provides insufficient guidance for pupils on how to improve their understanding. A good programme of trips to such places as Chester Deva Roman Centre and the Stockport Air Raid Shelter enhances pupils' learning. There is little evidence of any assessment of pupils’ skills within history. This is unsatisfactory as it means that planning and teaching are insufficiently well informed to ensure that all pupils make good progress within this subject by the time they leave the school.

p.28

Geography

70. In geography, only one lesson was observed, but pupils' books and displays were examined. Pupils' written work and displayed work are both of a standard below national expectations. This is because topics are not covered in sufficient detail. There is a sound curriculum in place and opportunities for fieldwork. However, there is an unsatisfactory amount of time spent on map work. The amount of recorded work is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6 and poor in Years 1 and 2. The teaching in the lesson observed was satisfactory, but not enough time was provided for pupils to develop St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 29 their geographical skills. There was good provision for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Opportunities for the development of pupils' literacy skills are unsatisfactory. This is in sharp contrast to the good opportunities in other subjects. The very recently appointed co-ordinator for the subject has had too little time to

p.28

Geography

influence provision or standards. Previously, teachers' planning was monitored, but not teaching, learning or standards. Therefore, weaknesses in provision and standards were not identified, and thus were left not corrected. This means that the leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory.

p.29

Art and design

71. Standards are in line with national expectations. Timetabling shows that adequate time is given to art and design. The school follows nationally recommended planning guidelines and so meet statutory requirements for the subject.

p.29

Art and design

72. Pupils use a satisfactory range of techniques, materials and processes to produce satisfactory work. However, sketchbooks show that pupils have insufficient guidance on how to improve or opportunities to explore their own ideas. Good practice in Years 3 and 4 was evident in a display of computerised designs in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Pupils explained how they had modified their designs and appraised their work and the work of other pupils effectively.

p.29

Art and design

73. Work by the end of Year 2 is satisfactory with aspects that are good. A display of weaving in Year 1 showed the pupils had enjoyed using a varied range of materials to produce colourful and unusual pieces of work. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils were given a wide range of materials and painting implements to design and create a seascape. They were shown many examples of different work and techniques to stimulate exciting designs. The pupils concentrated hard in an effort to produce good work. They were, however, given insufficient opportunities to evaluate their work and the work of others.

p.29

Art and design

74. The introduction of an art club a year ago, which 90 per cent of pupils from Years 3 to 6 have attended, and the work of local artists in school, have raised the standards and profile of art and design in the school. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory.

p.29

Music

75. Insufficient teaching was seen to form a secure judgement on overall provision and on standards in Years 1 to 2. Nevertheless, inspection evidence from discussion and observations indicates that there is a satisfactory curriculum in place. The curriculum co-ordinator has implemented a commercial scheme of work, which supports all teachers in their planning for continuity in the development of skills across the school. The curriculum is enhanced for many pupils by opportunities to learn the guitar, recorder and violin.

p.29

Music

76. Standards observed in the Year 5/6 class are in line with national expectations. Pupils competently played the accompaniment to The Skye Boat Song and identified the repeated melodic phrases in the song. They created additional effects with percussion instruments, which enhanced their performances. Inspectors listened to pupils in Years 3 to 6 singing in collective worship. Pupils sang clearly with careful diction and awareness of rhythm. There is St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 30 no assessment system for teachers to check and review standards and achievement in the subject.

p.29

Design and technology

77. Insufficient teaching was seen to form a secure judgement on overall provision or standards in design and technology. Work was sampled through examining displays around the school and folders containing samples of pupils’ work. These show that a satisfactory curriculum is in place. Pupils produce suitable designs, evaluate and modify the products they make. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by the way that some teachers link the work to other subjects, such as science. This was evident when a Year 1 lesson was observed. Pupils used tools and paper fasteners safely to make a teddy bear puppet with moving parts. Effective questioning by the teacher resulted in pupils improving their designs. Pupils explained what a pivot was and how lever and sliding mechanisms worked. There is no assessment system for teachers to check and review standards and achievement in the subject.

p.30

Physical education

78. No lessons were observed. Teachers' planning indicates that pupils cover all the required areas of work in physical education including swimming. Pupils enjoy the subject and benefit from a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

79. No lessons were seen during the inspection and so it is not possible to make a judgement on provision. Personal development is at the heart of the curriculum and is closely bound up with the school’s religious foundation. Close links with the church and parish promote a strong sense of community. Personal, social and health education is generally closely linked to the religious education curriculum and appropriately taught in religious education lessons. Outside agencies, like the school nurse and representatives of the emergency services, make valuable contributions in providing sex education or raising pupils’ awareness of drug and alcohol abuse as well as promoting positive attitudes towards the local community. Healthy life styles including diet are promoted through the science curriculum. The school has recently joined the Healthy Schools Project. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve very well

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

and are in line to exceed expected standards by the end of the reception year.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. Particular emphasis is given to promoting the sense of belonging to the school community and the fostering of supportive relationships is central to all teaching and learning. A sense of responsibility for the environment is clearly reflected in the school’s involvement with recycling initiatives. Opportunities to engage in the democratic process involve all pupils voting for their own representatives on the school council. The council has carried forward several initiatives, and has influenced the life of the school. In ICT, pupils in Year 5 increased their understanding of the democratic process by producing 'election pamphlets'. St Saviour C of E Primary School, Ringley - 31

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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 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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