The Glebe Primary School

THE GLEBE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 The Glebe Primary School - 2 - June 2005 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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THE GLEBE 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. The Glebe Primary School - 3 - June 2005

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 282

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pulford Road Norton Stockton-on-Tees Postcode: TS20 1QY

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01642 397354 Fax number: 01642 397354

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Linda Gibson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated on a private housing estate on the edge of the village of Norton. It is larger than most primary schools with 310 boys and girls aged between three and 11 years. The number on roll has declined slightly in recent years because of the falling birth rate in the area, and pupil mobility is low. A high percentage of the pupils who attend the school come from outside the school’s catchment area. When children leave the Foundation Stage to join Year 1 their attainment is broadly typical of children who are five. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is about the national average. The percentage of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register (11.3%) is below the national average. Of these, two pupils (0.4% approximately) have Statements of Special Educational Needs. There are 12 pupils on the school’s Gifted and Talented register. At the time of inspection there were no pupils in the school who spoke English as

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

an additional language. The school community is mainly from white European heritage, with less than three per cent of pupils from other ethnic groups. In the last year the school has received the Basic Skills Quality Mark Award. The Glebe Primary School - 4 - June 2005

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

24326 Moira Fitzpatrick Lead inspector English as an additional language English Geography History 19361 Keith Ross Lay inspector 23204 Christina Wojtak Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education 22113 Aileen King Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Music 30075 Mike Duggan Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). The Glebe Primary School - 5 - June 2005

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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 31

The Glebe Primary School - 6 - June 2005

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is, overall, a satisfactory school that provides a good quality of education for its pupils, most of whom achieve well. However, while there is good achievement in all other areas of the school, the school’s overall effectiveness is reduced because of the underachievement of a significant minority of pupils in English and science by Year 6. The good leadership of the acting headteacher has ensured that the school has continued to improve in the absence of the headteacher. The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development ensures that pupils’ personal development is very well promoted. The school is judged to give satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards are not high enough in English and science at the end of Year 6. • The school achieves high standards in English and mathematics in Years 1 and 2. • Standards in mathematics are above average throughout the school. • Standards in science are not high enough for some pupils. • Teaching and learning are good overall but the use of assessment information is not consistent and does not impact enough on the learning of pupils in all classes. • Subject co-ordinators have not had enough opportunity to evaluate standards and provision in their subjects this year. • There is good leadership from the acting headteacher who has continued to develop the school in difficult circumstances, ably supported by the Consultant Headteacher. • Pupils’ positive attitudes, very good behaviour and very good relationships create a very good climate for learning that is purposeful and secure. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Provision for children in the Foundation stage is good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Overall, the school has made satisfactory progress since it was last inspected. The issues raised then have almost all been tackled successfully, with the exception of provision for some higher attaining pupils. Despite a difficult year, resulting from the sudden illness and absence of the headteacher, the school has continued to develop. Both the senior management team and the governing body are now better placed to identify the school’s strengths and weaknesses and to devise strategies for dealing with the weaknesses. Given their improving knowledge of the school and understanding of their roles, the school is soundly placed to further improve.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English C C C E mathematics C C B C science D D C E 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. The Glebe Primary School - 7 - June 2005

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Pupils’ achievement by the end of Year 6 is satisfactory overall, but there is under-

achievement in English and science for some pupils. In Years 1 to 5, pupils’ achievement is good overall. The performance of Year 6 pupils in the National Curriculum tests in 2004 was about the average of most schools. Nevertheless, this represents some under-achievement for the pupils who took the tests and is well below the performance of schools that achieved the same high test score when these pupils were seven. The school’s low performance in English is due to the quality of assessment of some pupils in Year 6, which is not used well enough to provide the correct level of challenge them. The low result in science is related to provision in science overall that is now being tackled across the school. In the last five years, the school’s rate of improvement in these tests is below the national trend of improvement. Over the same time, the performance of boys has been better than that of girls. Results in tests this year, indicate some improvement in

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Pupils’ achievement by the end of Year 6 is satisfactory overall, but there is under-

pupils’ performance overall, but they remain below the average of similar schools in English and science. Standards in the current Year 6 are slightly better than those in the table above, with standards in mathematics well ahead of those in English and science. Pupils in Year 6 and in Year 2 reach the expected level for their age in ICT and in religious education. Standards in reading and writing for pupils in Year 2 are well above average. In mathematics, they are above average and in science they are average. Children in the Foundation Stage reach the goals set for their learning in all areas. In personal social and emotional development they exceed them and they achieve well.

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Pupils’ achievement by the end of Year 6 is satisfactory overall, but there is under-

Pupils’ behaviour is very good; their personal development is very good and so too is the provision for their spiritual moral, social and cultural development. All of these enhance pupils’ learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching is good overall, with a high percentage of very good teaching in Years 1 and 2. Strengths of teaching include good use of questions to develop thinking and to assess pupils’ learning, and good use of new technology to increase the pace of learning. Pupils are well involved in their learning through discussion and practical activities. Improvements are needed in the teaching of English in Year 6, and in science in most classes. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. In the infants and in most junior classes they are well used to plan the next steps in learning. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum and a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities to extend pupils’ learning. Care and support for pupils is good and the school has a good partnership with parents. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Accommodation and resources are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are both satisfactory and improving . Governance of the school is satisfactory, because the role of governors has improved in the last year. Governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold the school in high esteem. They value the way their children are cared for and that they are happy and well taught. Pupils enjoy school and value the opportunities they have to contribute to the school community and take responsibilities. The Glebe Primary School - 8 - June 2005

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in English for some pupils at the end of Year 6. • Raise standards in science across the school. • Improve teachers’ use of assessment. • Provide more opportunities for co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate standards and provision in their subjects so that action can be taken by senior managers to bring about improvement. The Glebe Primary School - 9 - June 2005

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are average for pupils in Year 6. In Year 2 they are above average . Overall, pupils’ achievement is good, but in Year 6 there is under-achievement in English and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in reading and writing in Year 2 and above average in mathematics, and pupils’ achieve well. • Standards are not high enough in English and science by Year 6. • Standards in mathematics are good throughout the school and pupils achieve well in the subject. • The achievement of different groups of pupils varies too much in science.

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Commentary

1. Children join the Foundation Stage with attainment that is typical for their age. They achieve well during their time in the Foundation Stage and reach the learning goals set in all areas of learning, and exceed them in personal, social and emotional development. The vast majority are well prepared for the challenges of the National Curriculum when they join Year 1.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 17.6 (16.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.9 (15.8) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 17.1 (17.3) 16.2 (16.3) There were 44 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Results in the National Curriculum tests in 2004 for pupils in Year 2 were well above the national average in reading and writing and above the national average in mathematics. In the teachers’ assessment in science pupils’ attainment was about average. Compared with schools in the same free-school-meals category, the pupils’ performance was well above average in reading, above average in mathematics and among the top five per cent of schools in writing. These high standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The performance of girls is slightly better than boys in reading and pupils’ performance is similar in the other subjects.

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Commentary

3. Pupils who are now in Year 2 reach similar standards to those described above and the achievement of all groups of pupils is good overall. This is because of consistently high quality teaching and close teamwork in Years 1 and 2. Pupils of all abilities are well challenged in lessons and their own enthusiasm for learning ensures they rise successfully to the challenges. Standards in science are lower than those in English and mathematics, because not enough pupils reach the higher level, though nearly all reach the expected level. In information and communication technology, pupils exceed the standard expected for their age and they achieve well. In religious The Glebe Primary School - 10 - June 2005 education pupils reach the standards expected by the locally agreed syllabus and their achievement is good.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results English 26.7 (27.5) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 28.3 (27.4) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.6 (28.2) 28.6 (28.6) There were 43 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Pupils now in Year 6 exceed the expectation in mathematics and their achievement in the subject is good because teaching is well planned to meet the different needs of pupils. In English and science, standards are average overall and this represents under-achievement for some pupils. In English, higher attaining pupils are not all reaching the level of which they are capable, nor are some lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs in literacy. This is because assessment is not being used effectively to judge what pupils need to learn next so the pace of learning is too slow for these pupils. In science, lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs do not make enough progress and too many do not reach the expected level. Standards in information and communication technology and religious education are in line with the expectation for age and pupils’

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Commentary

achievement in these subjects is satisfactory.

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Commentary

5. Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported to achieve as well as their peers in Years 1 and 2, and in Years 3 to 5. They are not achieving as well as other pupils in Year 6 in English and science. Pupils’ individual education plans are detailed, focus clearly on areas for improvement, and contain realistic but challenging targets. Pupils’ records show that they meet the targets set in their individual education plans.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school and learning are good . Behaviour is very good and pupils mature very well during their time in school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has successfully developed an ethos in which all pupils can flourish, relate very well to others and be respected. • Pupils’ confidence and self-esteem are high. • Pupils have a strong desire to learn and are very interested in their lessons. • Personal, social and moral developments are significant strengths. • Pupils need more opportunities to learn about the multi-cultural nature of society.

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Commentary

The Glebe Primary School - 11 - June 2005 6. The school has maintained the high standards found at the last inspection and parents and pupils appreciate these strengths of school life. Relationships are even more supportive and harmonious than they were then. Pupils exercise very good self- control, becoming self-assured and taking the time to listen to others. They take their range of responsibilities very seriously and carry them out to the best of their ability. A prime example is that of the playground friends who regularly give up their free time to ensure that the younger children are enjoying purposeful playtimes.

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Commentary

7. The great majority of pupils like school very much, feel secure and are most enthusiastic. They like to be fully involved and their interest in learning shines through from an early age. Children in the reception year are on target to exceed by a wide margin the Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development. This strong foundation shows the staff’s commitment to an ethos that accepts and respects every individual in the team. Pupils with behavioural problems are extremely well supported and many make remarkable progress in improving their behaviour and attitudes to learning. This is because staff remain patiently firm and encouraging. Pupils are left in no doubt about boundaries, and that they are valued for themselves. Pupils’ confidence is already high as they enter Year 1. Their view of themselves and others develops very well because adults praise, make time to listen and recognise

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Commentary

effort and achievement by giving rewards. This highly effective approach to behaviour management ensures that any incident involving potential bullying or racial harassment is investigated in detail. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

8. Staff develop and reinforce moral and social values very effectively by acting consistently and giving pupils space to make mistakes. As a result, pupils gain an understanding of feelings and emotions, learn to distinguish right from wrong and to understand the consequences of their actions. They become more self-aware and gain an understanding of the world and their own place in it. They develop sensitivity and use their own personal experiences to make connections with others. A well- planned assembly programme provides pupils with opportunities to reflect upon values such as trust, honesty and the importance of keeping promises. The high proportion of well-planned lessons also contributes to the pupils’ good spiritual development. The provision for pupils to learn about and celebrate all the cultural traditions of the multi-cultural society in which they live is not as strong as other aspects and is an area

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Commentary

9. The school’s policy for pupils with special educational needs is inclusive and they are considered an integral part of the school community. They are encouraged successfully to take part in all aspects of all subjects. As a result, they work purposefully, with real commitment, and display positive attitudes, exemplified well in a good Year 5 mathematics lesson.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2004 Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.7 School data 0.4 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 Glebe Primary School - 12 - June 2005 The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are good overall. The curriculum is satisfactory and so is the provision for extra-curricular activities, including out-of-school clubs, visits and visitors. There is a good level of care, support and guidance for pupils and links with parents are good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall and they are consistently well used in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 to 6, the use of assessment is variable.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a high proportion of very good teaching in the infant classes. • Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are consistently good. • Teachers make good use of questions to develop pupils’ thinking and assess their learning. • Teachers make good use of talk which encourages pupils to share ideas and build upon those of others. • Teaching in science is not as good as in other subjects. • The use of new technologies is making a significant impact on pupils’ learning as the pace of lessons increases. • Pupils’ independence is well developed through investigative tasks and through collaborative work. • Learning support assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. There is now a much higher proportion of good and very good teaching as a result of the professional development for both teachers and support assistants whose skills have been improved. The only weaknesses found in teaching are in science generally in the school, and in some aspects of English in Year 6.

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Commentary

11. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is consistently good. Shared planning and expectations by teachers and support staff ensures that children have the same expectations made of them and that they are well cared for and secure. A good range of activities is planned in all areas of learning so that children learn both with adult support and independently. They are encouraged to become independent from the earliest age and the opportunities they have to select and make decisions increases their confidence and raises their self-esteem.

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Commentary

12. In the infants (Years 1 and 2), there is a very high proportion of very good teaching, and pupils’ achieve very well because of the consistency of approach in this part of the school. All teachers have a very good understanding of how young children learn and are skilled at posing questions which develop pupils’ thinking. In English and mathematics lessons, teachers give plenty of opportunity for pupils to explain their answers and develop their reasoning. The teachers have created a climate where discussion is a natural part of learning and pupils are seen throughout lessons asking and telling each other about the work in hand. Teachers in the infants are skilled at assessing pupils’ learning by asking questions and allowing pupils to demonstrate what they know and can do. They make very good use of these assessments to The Glebe Primary School - 13 - June 2005 adjust their expectations and provide pupils with tasks that closely match their needs.

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Commentary

In a Year 1/ 2 mathematics lesson, all pupils learned at a rapid rate because of the teacher’s excellent response to the pace of their learning, which allowed her to constantly set fresh challenges for them. A strength of the learning in the infants is the way that pupils are expected to develop skills quickly so that they become independent in their learning. Year 1 pupils made rapid progress in the development of research skills because they were able to use their very good reading skills in the library to locate books on different topics. Because they were allowed to work at their own rate all pupils delighted in showing the teacher how quickly they could complete the tasks. In this and many of the lessons seen, it was clear that pupils regarded the challenges set as fun to be enjoyed and shared.

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Commentary

13. In the juniors (Years 3 to 6), teaching is good overall with some very good teaching seen in Years 3, 4 and 5. Strengths of teaching in this part of the school include the effective use of new technologies such as interactive whiteboards and power point presentations using computers. These increase the pace of pupils’ learning. Having this visual reinforcement of ideas makes learning more effective for all pupils, but especially for those who have weak literacy skills because their learning is consolidated by both seeing and hearing what is being taught. Teachers in the juniors make a point of involving pupils directly during whole class teaching sessions, so that pupils are seldom passive learners. Teachers devise tasks using whiteboards or talk partners to keep pupils engaged while moving their learning forward, and this too increases the pace of their learning.

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Commentary

14. Overall, teachers in the juniors have good subject knowledge which they use well to give clear explanations of new topics. They check pupils’ understanding regularly to ensure that their learning is progressing as planned, so that when pupils start independent work they are able to settle quickly to it. The exception to this is in Year 6 where brief explanations of the task in an English lesson failed to adequately prepare pupils and left some unclear about what was expected. The result was that time was lost, learning was not good and many pupils failed to take the task seriously.

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Commentary

15. Teachers’ use of assessment procedures varies from very good to unsatisfactory and is satisfactory overall. Where assessment is well used teachers provide tasks which are well matched to pupils’ learning needs so that pupils are able to tackle them independently, and feel proud of their achievement when they succeed. This is the case in all mathematics lessons, where teachers use good strategies to assess and develop pupils’ mathematical reasoning. Because of these strategies they know how to pinpoint the next stage of learning for different groups of pupils, and achievement in mathematics in good throughout the school as a result. Assessment in Year 6 is not well used to provide the correct level of challenge for pupils of different ability which has resulted in under-achievement for some groups of pupils. Teachers use a variety of methods to record pupils’ learning. Some make effective use of target setting to

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Commentary

help pupils improve, but there is not yet consistency of approach and the good practice seen in some classes has yet to be shared with all teachers to systematically raise standards across the school.

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Commentary

16. Teaching in science is not as good as in other subjects. One reason for this that the science curriculum and how it is taught is in need of review and improvement. Some teachers subject knowledge is weak and this too needs to improve. While the school has begun a process of improving science provision this year, it still does not have the resources to allow pupils to learn as well as they might through investigations. Finally, the organisation of science teaching in Years 3 and 4 does not appear to be effective The Glebe Primary School - 14 - June 2005 since teachers lose valuable teaching time managing the behaviour of pupils who are very well behaved in other lessons.

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Commentary

17. Pupils with special educational needs learn and achieve well due to overall good teaching, their own eagerness to succeed and effective support from teaching assistants. Telling examples during the inspection included the use of information and communication technology to enhance their knowledge and understanding of persuasive language in advertisements and use of artefacts in religious education. Teachers are involved fully with the special educational needs co-ordinator in drawing up individual education plans. During lessons all adults place great emphasis on language development. The role of learning support assistants as been developed this year through a programme of training. They now give good support to learning and pupils who work with them in lessons, lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, are encouraged to think for themselves and take responsibility for their learning. This represents another improvement to the provision

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Commentary

for teaching and learning since the last inspection.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

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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The curriculum

The planning and content of the curriculum are satisfactory overall which is similar to findings of the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The breadth of curricular opportunities in the Foundation Stage is good. • Provision for special educational needs is good. • Good provision for personal, social and health education. • The organisation of science teaching in Years 3 and 4 is hindering pupils’ achievement. • Accommodation and resources are good overall. • Equality of access for all pupils to all areas of the curriculum is good. • The daily mental mathematics sessions in the Years 3-6 age range have a positive impact on standards.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum is broad, balanced, relevant and planned satisfactorily, except in science where improvements are planned. The policies and schemes of work are detailed, with many offering opportunities for cross-curricular work and all statutory requirements are met. The school teaches religious education in accordance with the local education authority’s Agreed Syllabus and the provision for corporate acts of worship is satisfactory. A positive feature of the curriculum is the good impact which the daily mental mathematics sessions and fieldwork in history and geography are having on pupils’ learning. New arrangements for teaching science in Years 3 and 4 have been devised this year in order to help raise standards in the subject. These are now in need of evaluation. During inspection it was clear that the lengthy afternoon The Glebe Primary School - 15 - June 2005 session was not promoting good learning. Shortage of resources in the subject

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Commentary

means that teachers are not able to plan enough activities for pupils to learn well throughout the long session.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is carefully considered and well planned. It offers a good range of quality learning experiences for the children. Resources and accommodation are adequate. There are plans to develop resources for role-play. The building is a good size, but the layout means that reception children do not have easy access to the outdoor area, which restricts their opportunities to work and play outside independently.

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Commentary

20. Provision in special educational needs is good. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to all areas of the curriculum. Good planning and effective use of resources and personnel help pupils to work successfully towards the targets outlined in their individual education plans. Inclusion is good and is ensured in a policy dedicated to offering equal access to the curriculum and extra-curricular activities for all pupils. Since the last inspection there has been satisfactory improvement to the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.

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Commentary

21. The provision for personal, social and health education, use and misuse of drugs and sex education is good. Before the introduction of these programmes, parental permission is sought. Outside agencies, for example the school nurse, police, fire service and Crucial Crew, are involved extensively in these aspects of the pupils’ development. Provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory overall but has improved since the last inspection. Clubs now include football, ICT, dance, keep-fit and skipping.

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Commentary

22. Educational visits are valued greatly by the school and trips to such places as Kirkleatham Museum, Teesmouth Study Centre, Peat Rigg, and local churches contribute positively to the pupils’ social and person development, and improve team- building skills. In addition, interesting visitors such as drama groups, poets, artists and musicians add another dimension to the pupils’ education. These extra programmes increase their enthusiasm and enjoyment in learning. Good liaison between the Foundation Stage and primary department ensures that transition is smooth, while transfer arrangements to secondary schools are satisfactory.

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Commentary

23. The match of teachers to the curriculum is satisfactory overall and improving, as the practice of new teachers develops rapidly. The match of support staff to the curriculum is good and their input complements that of the teachers well, contributing positively to pupils’ learning. The accommodation, which is maintained well by the site manager and his staff, is good in the primary department and satisfactory in the Foundation Stage. Resources are adequate for all subjects except science, where more are needed to allow pupils to learn through investigation. The school is aware of this and funds have been ear-marked to replenish stocks in the coming year.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils' care, welfare, health and safety is good overall. The support and advice they receive are also good . The school involves pupils effectively in its decisions about improvements.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

The Glebe Primary School - 16 - June 2005 • Health and Safety procedures, including risk assessment, are very good and implemented effectively. • Good induction arrangements help the youngest children settle quickly into Nursery or Reception classes and make a good start to their education. • Pupils enjoy very good, trusting relationships with adults in school. • The school council ensures that pupils are well involved in the work of the school. • Staff formal training to provide for child protection is out of date.

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Commentary

24. The vast majority of parents have confidence in the school to take care of their children, and they are right to do so. The use of outside agencies and support partners complements this provision particularly well.

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Commentary

25. The school’s early identification system is effective in ensuring appropriate support and monitoring for pupils with special educational needs, whether physical, behavioural, emotional or intellectual. The school responds well to pupils’ requirements, as outlined in their education plans, and implements the Code of Practice fully. Special educational needs funding is used effectively.

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Commentary

26. There are very good procedures to identify and control health and safety risks to ensure that the premises, equipment and working practices are safe. Risk assessment, especially for trips and outside visits, is implemented effectively and procedures ensure that any concerns are identified early, properly recorded and that appropriate action is taken.

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Commentary

27. The school's child protection policy has recently been updated and satisfactory child protection arrangements are in place. The acting headteacher works hard to protect the well-being of pupils and is very effective in this role. However, not all staff have received up-to-date training in how to identify and react to child protection issues. There is a formally agreed restraint policy and all staff have clear guidelines. The arrangements for first-aid are good, there are sufficient First-Aiders, good records are kept of treatment, and parents are contacted if, for example, children bump their heads.

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Commentary

28. Parents are particularly pleased with the school's welcoming and well planned induction arrangements. These include 'taster' days, provision of a welcome pack and playground visits. These and other arrangements ensure that all children settle quickly and happily into school and make a good start in their education.

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Commentary

29. Children soon develop a good and trusting relationship with at least one member of staff and know there is always someone they can confide in if they are worried or hurt. This has a significant impact on how secure pupils feel and adds to their sense of confidence and wellbeing.

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Commentary

30. Staff give good attention to pupils' views. The new school council has been introduced carefully so that pupils have a good grasp of its purpose. The whole process of forming a school council was linked to the curriculum through personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons. Members of the council are particularly proud of the rosettes presented to them by the Mayor of Stockton. Pupils now realise The Glebe Primary School - 17 - June 2005 they have a route to influence what is actually happening in school. The good quality of this aspect of the school’s provision has been maintained since the last inspection.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents, the community and other local schools are good and make a positive contribution to pupils' development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents now have more positive views of the school than at the time of the last inspection. • The quality of information provided for parents is good. • The involvement of parents overall in helping their children at school and at home is good. • An active and supportive Friends of Glebe Association (FOG) raises funds that benefit the school. • There are good links with the community that benefit pupils' learning.

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Commentary

31. The school has established good, worthwhile links with parents and this makes a positive contribution to pupils' learning. The majority of parents express very positive views about the school and are generally very satisfied with all aspects of the school's provision. They feel that teaching is good, and that children are well cared for and are making good progress.

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Commentary

32. The statutory information for parents is good and reflects the ethos and character of the school. The school has improved the quality of information to parents. They now receive regular and informative newsletters and, together with a termly diary, are kept well informed about everyday life in school. Parents also receive termly information about the work their children will be doing in each subject. This gives them an opportunity to support their children's learning in a practical way. Children's annual reports provide good information about their progress overall and targets for improvement are clearly linked to weaker areas of performance.

p.17

Commentary

33. Parents' commitment to their children's education and enjoyment of school life has a positive impact on pupils' personal and intellectual development. A small but significant number of parents regularly help in classes and there is plenty of help on trips and outside visits. The school values this support. A high percentage of pupils' homework is returned and this, together with the quality of pupils' home project work, shows a good involvement of parents in their children's learning.

p.17

Commentary

34. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are informed regularly about their children’s learning and are involved fully in the target-setting and review process. Outside agencies’ expertise is sought where further guidance and support is deemed necessary.

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Commentary

35. A hard working and enthusiastic Friends of Glebe Association organises a range of social and fund-raising events that are well supported by parents and provide additional resources. The Glebe Primary School - 18 - June 2005 36. Links with the local church and community, educational visits and visitors to school add another important dimension to pupils' learning as well as enhancing their social and personal development. For example, the links with several local environmental groups and the police liaison office helps with the delivery of the personal, social and health education curriculum improve learning for pupils.

p.17

Commentary

37. The school encourages the community to use the school facilities productively, for example, use of the ICT suite by the Learn Direct group to facilitate learning for adults in the local community. There is also a pre-school kindergarten group on site and this encourages children who live outside the catchment area to join the Glebe school.

p.18

Commentary

38. The school is active in further developing its good links with both the community and other schools. Of particular merit is the 'Moving Up Moving On' programme that is literacy based and ensures work commenced in Year 6 is continued into Year 7 of the secondary school. This programme effectively enhances the school's curriculum provision and contributes positively to pupils' transfer arrangements and their smooth settling in at their next school.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher provides good leadership for improving the school. The governors make a satisfactory contribution to the development of the school.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the acting headteacher in setting the correct priorities for improvement. • There is good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage and of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs. • The consultant headteacher has provided very good support for the school, ensuring it has continued to develop in the current year. • Improvements to the role of subject co-ordinators are helping the school to identify strengths and weaknesses but these need to develop further.

p.18

Commentary

39. The (acting) headteacher has provided good leadership for the school since the start of the school year. At the start of the year, the school was unexpectedly without its headteacher through illness. The assistant headteacher was placed in charge of the school and became acting deputy headteacher, supported by a consultant headteacher, who attended the school for two days each week. The acting headteacher acted quickly, enlisting the support of external agencies, including local education authority advisers, to identify strategies to improve standards in writing and science and the school’s use of assessment for learning. With the able support of the Consultant Headteacher, she was able to develop her own knowledge of assessment procedures and data analysis so that she had a better understanding of the issues facing the school. Staff morale, which was weakened by the unexpected absence of the headteacher, has been very well restored. Teachers and support staff are very

p.18

Commentary

supportive of the priorities that the school has set and are committed to following the lead of the acting headteacher. A significant strength of the acting headteacher is her ability to promote effective teamwork. This has been very well developed since the The Glebe Primary School - 19 - June 2005 start of the year and has allowed staff to share good practice and give each other support. By involving the senior management team in decision-making and the formulation of plans to raise standards, the acting headteacher has developed their knowledge and skills very well in this time. All members of the senior management team can point to improvements in their skills and knowledge for their roles as a result of this. New initiatives have been managed effectively for the benefit of children’s learning and the school has received its first national award - the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

p.18

Commentary

40. Subject co-ordinators have had no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning directly because of the constraints imposed by the absence of the headteacher. Overall, subject leadership and management is satisfactory. Subject co-ordinators have a sound knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in their subjects but do not have as clear a picture of standards and the quality of teaching as is usually seen. The school recognises that the role of co-ordinator needs to develop and has this as priority in the current improvement plan. The acting headteacher has organised the senior management team, so that they share information about the school with colleagues in their teams, and this has improved staff understanding of how priorities are decided and the importance of all staff supporting change to bring about improvement. This practice has strengthened teamwork and support for the school’s aims. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is good and

p.19

Commentary

41. The overall management for the provision of pupils with special educational needs is good. The special needs co-ordinator, the teachers, support staff and acting headteacher work well as a team. The systems in place for early identification, support, analysis of tests and monitoring of pupils’ progress is good. The resources, which include ramps and lifts, are good and are used effectively. The issue raised about the progress of pupils with special educational needs in relation to funding in the local education authority’s latest school audit has been addressed successfully.

p.19

Commentary

42. The acting headteacher has made the professional development of learning support staff a priority this year, with the result that they are far more skilled than at the last inspection and now make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The school has good induction procedures for staff who are new to the school. Through careful mentoring and supportive teamwork teachers and support staff are quickly integrated and adopt the school’s high expectations for pupils. Because of this, teaching in the school is almost consistently good or better. The induction of the teacher to replace the acting deputy headteacher in Year at the start of term has been excellent. Within a very short time he has adopted the rigour and very high standards found in this part of the school. Staff development is well promoted through the school’s involvement in local and national initiatives and the acting headteacher’s determination to find the best

p.19

Commentary

advice and support to help the school improve.

p.19

Commentary

43. Members of the governing body have been very well supported by the Consultant Headteacher this year, to develop their understanding of the role and responsibilities of a school governor. At the start of the year they did not have enough knowledge about standards in the school to understand the need for urgent action about standards in Year 6. This is because, in the recent past, they have not been directly involved in monitoring standards and provision in the school. Since the start of the school year they have improved their committee structure and recognise that it has increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the governing body. All governors now have a link with subject co-ordinators and they have a planned schedule of monitoring The Glebe Primary School - 20 - June 2005 visits. Through training and their programme of monitoring they now have a sound knowledge of the school’s strengths, but are not so clear about its weaknesses yet.

p.19

Commentary

However, they are able to contribute more effectively to the strategic development of the school. They ensure that all statutory requirements are met and that finances are soundly managed. Some of the governors are still unaware of the huge role imposed upon the acting deputy headteacher in leading the school while teaching her class for most of the week. This, perhaps, explains why she has been remunerated as a deputy headteacher rather than a headteacher for the period she has been in post. Overall, the school makes satisfactory use of the funds available to it and gives satisfactory value for money.

p.20

Commentary

44. The school makes the most of a number of aids to learning. These include the children’s enthusiasm for learning, which the school fosters through interesting activities and very good relationships. The support that parents give to children’s learning is also a significant aid which the acting headteacher has done much to further improve in the current year. Barriers to learning are mainly confined to the uncertainty that surrounded the school at the start of the year, when the absence of the headteacher left staff feeling vulnerable. However, the acting headteacher worked very hard to maintain high standards in her class while learning to lead and manage the school until the return of the headteacher. The acting headteacher, together with the consultant headteacher, skilfully managed changes while keeping the school on track with improvements. Except at the end of Year 6, where there has been a

p.20

Commentary

continued decline in standards in English and science, the good standards that are representative of the school have been maintained and the barriers overcome.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 738,718 Balance from previous year 59,982 Total expenditure 707,665 Balance carried forward to the next 31,053 Expenditure per pupil 2,476 The Glebe Primary School - 21 - June 2005

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage of learning is good. The children first attend the Nursery usually after their third birthday, on a part-time basis. They spend between five or six terms in the Nursery, then transfer to the Reception class, before they become five. The children join the school with average levels of attainment overall, and make good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. They have a good start to their education and are helped to settle into school life. Parents and carers receive regular information about what the children are learning. The ‘Chatters Matters’ project has benefited the home school links. There are plans to develop this project further to include the Nursery with ‘Splatt’, an initiative to provide resources for children to use at home.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. The staff are well aware of the curriculum for young children and how they learn best through play and developing their language. The staff work well together as a team, teaching assistants provide good levels of support and participate effectively with the children in their work and play. The children identified as having special educational needs are offered good levels of support and make good progress alongside their classmates. Assessment procedures are good; the staff make comprehensive notes of children’s learning and progress, and record these systematically.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Leadership and management are good, there is good teamwork, staff provide good role models for the children. The good quality of provision has been maintained since the last inspection and progress is satisfactory.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children behave very well. • Relationships are very secure, which creates an atmosphere conducive to the development of personal skills. • Independence is well-promoted, especially in the nursery, which enhances self-esteem and confidence.

p.21

Commentary

48. When the children come into the Nursery they have skills in personal development which are appropriate for their age. The good range of activities and the positive approach of staff means they settle quickly and are keen to learn and share their ideas. The children know the routines well, and tackle daily tasks and new experiences with enthusiasm. The children in the Foundation Stage achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development. This is because teaching and learning are very good, the staff provide good role models and relationships are very good. The staff treat the children with very high levels of respect and independence is well-promoted. These combine to develop the children’s self-confidence and self- esteem very well. Behaviour is very good. Children are helpful, considerate of others The Glebe Primary School - 22 - June 2005 and respond very well to the range of learning experiences they have. There are good

p.21

Commentary

induction procedures to ensure children settle quickly in school and they are learning to share fairly and take turns, negotiating with each other as they play. The children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enriched effectively as they learn about understanding and tolerance. Encouragement and praise are given frequently as children work and play, help each other and tidy up when they are ready to move on to another activity. Progress since the previous inspection is good. Most pupils will exceed the expectations of the Early Learning Goals by the time they join Year 1.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s skills in literacy are developing well because teaching has a positive impact on what the children learn. • Children’s skills in writing independently are emerging well. • Some children in Reception still find it difficult to form letters correctly.

p.22

Commentary

49. Achievement in communication, language and literacy is good. Most children are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception and several will exceed these. Teaching and learning are good. There is a good focus on language in all activities and the staff are skilled at questioning the children to encourage them to develop their answers and explain themselves clearly. In the Nursery, planned activities and incidental opportunities are used well to develop skills in communication and to enhance the children’s speaking and listening skills. All adults in both year groups provide good role-models for the children to follow in the way they speak to each other and the children. Children’s learning about the sounds letters make in words and their use of this knowledge to write simple words and sentences is especially well-promoted, particularly in the Nursery. By the summer term in the

p.22

Commentary

reception year, the children have more formal sessions in literacy, which prepares them well for Year 1. They have good practise in reading and deciphering print which helps to develop their skills in writing, although some children in Reception still find difficulty in forming letters correctly. Opportunities to reinforce learning are used very well, for example a trip to Saltburn for Nursery children was used very well to recognise simple words to describe the children’s experiences and what they observed. Books are shared with the children regularly, for example, as part of the 'five a day' programme. This is particularly good in Reception. Progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make good progress in learning about numbers. • Skills in making repeating patterns are developing well. The Glebe Primary School - 23 - June 2005 • Teaching and learning are good, because staff remind the children to consider what they have learned. • Skills in forming numerals correctly are still developing for some children.

p.22

Commentary

50. The children achieve well in this area of learning and by the time they finish the Reception year, they are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals. Several will exceed them. They have a good range of worthwhile activities and the staff plan interesting practical work to promote the children’s mathematical understanding. Good use is made of incidental opportunities when the children are working or at play to reinforce mathematical ideas. For example, in Reception the children count the number of ingredients in a cake recipe. In the Nursery there was a very effective session with children becoming aware of how to record pictorially on a graph, and count the number of children who enjoyed certain activities. All groups of children in both year groups make good progress because teaching and learning are good, with good expectations of what the children can achieve. Recording of numerals is

p.23

Commentary

developing well, although some children still find difficulty in forming numerals correctly. The children gain knowledge about weight and capacity from practical work with water and sand. They can count the number of shapes they have used when making construction models or identify shapes such as a circle when making a collage with sequins. Progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

p.23

Commentary

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is developing well. • The programme of activities supports learning well. • Using computers from the Nursery onwards supports the children’s learning well.

p.23

Commentary

51. The children achieve well because the teaching is good and there is a good programme of activities to support their learning. By the end of Reception they will reach the goals set for their learning in this area. Knowledge and understanding of the world is well promoted in the curriculum. The children are developing good understanding of the environment because they have a wide variety of opportunities to explore, investigate and consider what they observe. For example, the topic on living things is used effectively to develop the children’s ideas about how things grow and how to care for the environment. They use magnifiers to look closely at models of small insects and examine seaweed, shells and driftwood and this helps children to develop good observational skills. The children enjoy working with sand, water and soil to develop their ideas about floating, sinking and the texture of natural substances.

p.23

Commentary

The children use computers frequently and the Reception children also use the computer suite. As a result, their skills are developing well and they have a good knowledge of how to use the mouse to control the movement of the cursor on screen. Support staff offer the children good assistance to use technology to support their learning. Progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory. The Glebe Primary School - 24 - June 2005 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

p.23

Commentary

Provision in physical development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good skills in hand control are being developed. • Children can move with increasing co-ordination and control. • Children’s hand and eye co-ordination is developing well. • The outdoor area is not easily accessible from the Reception classes.

p.24

Commentary

52. Children’s progress in physical development is good and they achieve well because teaching and learning are good. Lessons to develop games skills are effective in promoting the children’s co-ordination. Hand control is developing well because the children have a good range of activities to practise their skills in handling pencils, crayons and felt pens. They use these and small implements such as spades, brushes and scissors properly. There is a good outdoor area for the Nursery children, which provides good facilities for the children to explore space, run around, climb, balance and slide on the climbing frame. Sessions are well-planned to offer a good variety of activities. There is an outdoor space for the Reception children, but this is not adjacent to either of the two classes and means the children do not have easy access to the area. However, the staff ensure the children use the school hall

p.24

Commentary

regularly for physical development and games sessions. By the end of Reception, the majority of children will reach the Early Learning Goals for physical development. Progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.24

Commentary

Provision in creative development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s creativity is developing well. • A good variety of creative experiences are provided. • Children have good access to a range of materials and media, and they can select these in their creative work. • Role-play is being developed and there are plans to provide more resources to support this work.

p.24

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning are good and the children achieve well. Most children are well on the way to attaining the Early Learning Goals in creative development. The children’s creative work is valued and well displayed. Their ideas are being developed effectively because they have good experiences and can make their own decisions about how they are to complete art work. They self-select the materials they want to use and craft their own unique art work, for example using collage. Three-dimensional work is also well promoted, the youngest children use recycled materials to create their own designs. Reception children design and make models. For example, during the inspection they were making models of gardens. The teaching assistant had given The Glebe Primary School - 25 - June 2005 them ideas from her design, which the children were then able to use and develop. Singing and music-making occur regularly. The children participate well in learning

p.24

Commentary

new songs. For example, during the inspection some of the Reception children were learning ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’ in French. They used musical instruments enthusiastically to accompany their music making, sometimes dancing in time to the beat. Areas are set aside for imaginative play providing opportunities for role-play, dressing up and creating scenarios. Progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.25

ENGLISH

Provision in English is satisfactory overall.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision in Years 1 and 2 is very good, pupils achieve very well and reach high standards. • Provision in Years 3, 4 and 5 is good and pupils achieve well. • There is under-achievement in Year 6 because pupils’ needs are not sharply assessed and teaching does not match the range of needs in the class.

p.25

Commentary

54. By Year 2, standards are well above the national average and pupils of all abilities achieve very well. This continues the trend of very high standards seen over the last five years in this part of the school.

p.25

Commentary

55. Standards by Year 6 are in line with the national average. This represents insufficient progress for a significant proportion of pupils, whose results in tests when they were seven placed them well above average. These standards reflect the downward trend seen in recent years in Year 6. Standards are lower than expected because too few pupils have been recognised as having the potential to reach the higher level and have not been sufficiently challenged in the current year. Besides this, there is a group of lower attaining pupils whose learning has not been staged well enough for them to make the necessary progress to reach the level expected for their age. In other classes in the juniors, pupils are maintaining the high standards they reached in Year 2 and their achievement is good.

p.25

Commentary

56. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is very good. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and a very good understanding of how young children learn. Lessons are well planned to give a good balance of speaking and listening, reading and writing. Teachers use games well to set challenges that children see as fun and are keen to join in. All teachers in the infants make very good use of pupils’ good speaking skills to help them develop ideas and explain their learning. During lessons, teachers make very good use of assessment through careful questioning of pupils and by using simple strategies such as show of hands to see how pupils’ The Glebe Primary School - 26 - June 2005 learning is progressing. Pupils who have special educational needs are very well supported both by class teachers and learning support assistants who ensure that they achieve as well as others in the class. Pupils are confident in their acquisition of

p.25

Commentary

communication skills and relish opportunities to write about real events such as their visit to Kirkleatham Hall Museum.

p.26

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning In the juniors ranges from good to satisfactory and is good overall. Teachers’ planning is mostly detailed and thorough, though evidence in the books of Year 6 pupils suggests that not enough account is taken of the different learning needs of pupils, because lower attaining pupils’ work is not always completed in the time allowed and too often pupils of widely different abilities are set the same tasks. In other classes pupils of different abilities are well supported by teachers’ planning and the tasks set, to achieve well. In these classes, lessons are well prepared to give pupils a good start to learning through well-structured direct teaching. Teachers make good use of interactive white boards and computers to increase the pace of learning and allow pupils to see as well as hear what it is they are learning. The result is that all pupils, including those who have special educational

p.26

Commentary

needs, make good progress when working independently because they have been well prepared. In the lesson seen in Year 6, the pupils were given little preparation for their writing tasks, were not all clear about what was expected and, as a result, made only satisfactory progress overall. The quality of marking varies, with some good practice seen that has not been picked up and shared with all teachers for the benefit of pupils’ learning. There is a need to review marking and formulate a policy that will allow all teachers to use marking to set targets and comment on pupils’ progress towards them. The quality of presentation of pupils’ work varies in the juniors and, in Year 6, pupils’ untidy work is in stark contrast to that seen in the other classes.

p.26

Commentary

58. The subject co-ordinator has worked with the local authority this year to raise standards in the subject. There have been some effective initiatives introduced to the school which have improved the quality of teaching and learning in many classes. The co-ordinator needs to be more rigorous in evaluating the work of colleagues to identify and share good practice arising from these, so that pupils in every class benefit. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

59. In order to raise standards in Year 6 the school might consider the following:

p.26

Commentary

• Set challenging targets for all Year 6 pupils in reading and writing based on the results of their tests in Year 5. • Monitor pupils’ progress towards these targets and evaluate each half term. • Monitor the quality of pupils’ presentation and their progress through book scrutiny and reading records.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Teachers make good use of pupils’ good literacy skills in other subjects. Pupils’ good reading skills are used to advantage in nearly all lessons, as pupils are expected to read for instruction or information. Pupils’ speaking skills are very well promoted by lively and sustained discussion in most lessons, where pupils confidently discuss ideas, explain their reasoning or describe what they have found out. Writing activities are planned in other subjects to allow pupils to practice and extend their skills as they write about visits and topics in history, geography and religious education. For example, Year 5 pupils, writing as The Glebe Primary School - 27 - June 2005 war correspondents, wrote some moving pieces for their history topic about the impact of war.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6. • Teaching and learning are good overall, which makes pupils enthusiastic and highly motivated. • Pupils employ mental strategies well. • Only a small percentage of pupils are reaching the higher than expected level 2 at the end of Year 2. • There is good attention given to problem-solving throughout the school. • There is limited knowledge and understanding of data-handling by the end of Year 6.

p.27

Commentary

60. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are above the national average, which is similar to the last inspection. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls, although boys have out-performed girls significantly in past years. During the past five years the results of the Year 6 National Curriculum tests have fluctuated from in line to above the national average. Since 2002 the trend has been steadily upwards to reach the current standards.

p.27

Commentary

61. The overall good and frequently very good teaching, together with the good contribution from support staff, has a good effect on pupils’ progress. This, combined with their own high motivation and willingness to succeed, ensures that all pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs. Learning is enhanced further by the consistent use of problem solving within lessons. A pleasing feature is the regular high quality, quick-fire mental and oral questioning which engages and develops the pupils’ thinking processes. Pupils are routinely required to discuss their methods of calculation and to justify their answers. For example, in a good Year 4 lesson, pupils were required to explain strategies used while dividing two-digit numbers by ten.

p.27

Commentary

62. The daily fifteen minute mental mathematics session in the Year 3 to 6 classes contributes positively to the good standards. An analysis of pupils’ past and present work reveals a strong and effective emphasis on the four rules of number. The percentage of pupils who reach the expected level 2 by the end of Year 2 is high, but low for those reaching the higher level 3. By the end of Year 6, a significant minority of pupils has limited knowledge and understanding of data handling. Overall, the level of challenge throughout the school is good. Nearly all pupils enjoy lessons, especially when problem solving is involved, seen to good effect in a Year 6 lesson where pupils used two-step function machines.

p.27

Commentary

63. Common strengths of teaching include careful planning, accurate match of work to pupils’ needs, good questioning techniques which extend their thinking, and continuous assessment to look for gaps or gains in knowledge and understanding. This, together with the input of well-briefed teaching assistants, ensures that learning The Glebe Primary School - 28 - June 2005 for all pupils is rapid. As a result, pupils are very well behaved in lessons and display very good attitudes. Marking is thorough in nearly all classes, with many good examples of clear guidance showing pupils how to improve. This practice, however, is not used consistently in Year 6. The management of the very small number of disinterested pupils is effective and teachers are polite but firm in not accepting behaviour which might slow learning.

p.27

Commentary

64. The subject is led and managed satisfactorily. Tests are analysed in detail, and weaknesses diagnosed are dealt with successfully in the next phase of planning. The assessment, recording, target-setting and tracking systems are sound overall. Monitoring includes a review of the teachers’ planning and whole-school levelling of pupils’ work. No recent lesson observations have been carried out by the subject co- ordinator because of the constraints on staffing in the school this year. There has been some observation of teaching and learning by the acting headteacher. Resources are adequate, used well and easily accessible to teachers and pupils.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

Pupils use mathematics well to support work in other subjects. The most notable examples include graphs and tables to record work in science, measurement of length and angles in design and technology, and grid references in geography.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 have declined since the last inspection, but are now beginning to rise. • There are insufficient pupils attaining the higher levels. • There is good achievement in the Year 1 and Year 1/2 classes. • The curriculum is not planned to enable pupils to achieve well. • Teaching and assessment linked to the tracking of pupils’ progress are under- developed.

p.28

Commentary

65. The decline in standards by the end of Year 6 dropped to a particularly low point in 2002 and has not yet recovered. Although there has been some improvement, the subject lacks a strong rigorous drive to raise standards. Inspection evidence shows that standards are in line with those expected for most pupils, but there are too few pupils working at higher than expected levels in Year 2 and Year 6, as well as too many pupils not reaching the expected level 4, in Year 6. This indicates underachievement for a significant minority, which can be explained in Year 2 by the staffing changes and a higher than usual proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The situation in the junior classes is due to a combination of factors. Current curriculum planning is not providing pupils with enough opportunities to consolidate their understanding through revisiting topics as they progress through the school. The

p.28

Commentary

school has identified that many pupils have difficulty in recalling learning from previous years but has not yet re-arranged the curriculum so that pupils return to topics more frequently. There are insufficient opportunities for the development of scientific The Glebe Primary School - 29 - June 2005 vocabulary, which is not secure by the end of Year 6. Emphasis on using correct vocabulary is not strong in the upper junior class.

p.28

Commentary

66. In the current term, the school has adopted a new strategy for teaching in Years 3 and 4, which it intends to evaluate towards the end of the term. The lessons, which run for 90 minutes, are too long for the planned activities, which are not well supported by good resources for investigative work. Satisfactory learning is achieved because of the skill and commitment of the three teachers involved. Although subject knowledge is strong now in the school, due to recent teaching appointments, the curriculum as a whole is not planned to develop investigation skills at different levels. Throughout the school, the planned curriculum does not allow more able pupils to take control of their own investigations. Although, by Year 6, standards are in line with national expectations in scientific knowledge they are below average in enquiry skills.

p.29

Commentary

67. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Evidence in pupils’ books shows that the quality of teaching and learning is too variable between classes. There is good coverage of the science units of work in Years 1 and 5, but in Years 3, 4 and 6 planning does not take sufficient account of how the development of practical skills will build on previous learning or how activities will be extended. Marking does not consistently promote improvement in science because teachers’ comments tend not to refer to the main purposes of the lesson. There is some improvement in the use of information and communication technology where skills are developing, with occasional independent use for recording and handling data.

p.29

Commentary

68. Achievement in science is good in the Year 1 and Year 1/2 classes, because pupils are actively encouraged to learn independently. Achievement is satisfactory throughout the rest of the school. This is because pupils’ progress is not tracked carefully and linked to planned activities. Teachers provide good guidance and oral feedback to pupils as they work but this is not reflected in the quality of marking in some classes, which is largely congratulatory and does not guide improvement. The capacity for improvement in Year 2 is strong with the addition of a new teacher who has a strong science background. Already the quality of learning in the Year 2 classroom is good and more able pupils are developing their skills independently. This was evident in a good lesson focusing on the melting of ice where the development of appropriate scientific language was a definite strength. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge drew out cause and effect reasoning from the pupils in a

p.29

Commentary

remarkable way. Questioning and praise were used very effectively to promote exploration and the involvement of all pupils. Pupils have not developed the skills needed for raising questions and deciding how they might answer them, but in this lesson showed very good understanding of fair testing.

p.29

Commentary

69. Overall leadership and management are satisfactory, because monitoring procedures have been put on hold due to the absence of the headteacher in the current year. In recent years, the coordinator has not had the opportunity to implement necessary changes. For example, key decisions relating to the curriculum were made by others, which had an impact on standards. He has introduced an improved assessment system but has had no opportunity to monitor its impact. Tests results are analysed but areas of relative weakness have not been acted upon effectively. Since the last inspection the school has made unsatisfactory improvement in provision, which is reflected in the declining standards.

p.29

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The Glebe Primary School - 30 - June 2005 Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards exceed the levels expected by the end of Year 2 and achievement is good, because of consistently effective teaching. • Major investment has brought resources up to nationally recommended levels, and there is good provision for pupils with a visual impairment. • Assessment is not fully developed. • Technical support is timely and effective, and linked to learning support. • Newly appointed staff have strengthened the skill base of the staff team. • Teachers’ use of information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects is not yet consistently effective throughout the school.

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Commentary

70. Improvement has been good in the infant classes since the last inspection because teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They expect pupils to take responsibility for their own learning and set activities that are very closely matched to pupils’ individual levels of ability. As a result, pupils’ confidence and competence is high because they are encouraged to take risks and take responsibility for their own learning. Teachers are consistently good at developing pupils’ skills in a carefully structured way. For example, in a very good lesson on control, a class showed confidence and skill in planning and giving instructions to make programmable toys follow more and more complicated routes. Not only did pupils increase their geographical knowledge of the local area, they discovered new thinking about space and direction for themselves. This lesson also exemplified effective methods for

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Commentary

prompting pupils to support and challenge each other as they work together on tasks. The support given to pupils with special educational needs enabled them to achieve well.

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Commentary

71. Almost all classrooms have interactive white boards. Teachers’ skilful use of these resources raises the quality of learning because of the extra clarity, pace and visual impact that they bring. Already, several teachers use them as an interactive teaching tool and the pupils’ role is becoming much more active. Good software resources are in place to support learning in all branches of information and communication technology and in key skills across the curriculum. Throughout the school, staff confidence is strengthened by the high quality of the technical support that insures against technical error or breakdown. The technical assistant also assists pupils to learn, providing both continuity and expertise. The capacity for further improvement is strong, because of increased staff expertise and confidence in the subject.

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Commentary

72. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator, strongly supported by the school’s effective technical teaching assistant, has in the past worked hard to secure best value from this investment. Other school priorities and issues have hindered development and the school lacks a cohesive system for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress. This has led to a mismatch of activities to different capabilities in some junior classes where standards are at the levels expected, and achievement is satisfactory. Very occasionally, tasks set for pupils with special educational needs lack interest, but there are good examples of technological resources were being used to enhance learning, such as laptops and enlarging machines for visually impaired pupils. Some of the aims in the school improvement The Glebe Primary School - 31 - June 2005 action plan which relate to the raising of standards, however, are not sufficiently

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Commentary

specific or measurable. Nevertheless, improvement since the last inspection has been good.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

This is an improving area of provision. The coordinator has done much to promote teacher knowledge and expertise by providing opportunities for staff to evaluate relevant interactive web sites and to insist that planning identifies the use of ICT. Work in the extra-curricular club also promotes the wider uses of pupils’ growing skills and, in most lessons, teachers’ use of the interactive white boards demonstrates wider uses in different contexts. However, apart from interactive whiteboards, too little use is made of computers on a regular basis in classrooms.

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Religious education

Provision in Religious education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching, learning and achievement are good overall. • Religious education contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Pupils learn about everyday life from religion. • Religious education helps pupils to recognise the need for rules regarding harmonious living. • Resources are used well to support pupils’ learning. • Opportunities to develop pupils’ responses are sometimes missed. • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to visit faith centres other than the Christian ones.

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Commentary

73. Standards at the end of Year 2 and 6 are in line with the expectations of the local education authority’s Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, which is similar to the judgement of the last inspection. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils’ learning, including those with special educational needs, is good. All pupils achieve well as a result of overall good teaching, effective use of resources and the children’s good attitudes. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Positive feature are the regular educational visits to the local Christian churches, which reinforce pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of ritual and symbolism. Less well catered for are opportunities to visit places of worship of other faiths.

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Commentary

74. The pupils acquire a good factual base from the topics that they study about the importance of community, respect, helping and sharing. Therefore, as well as learning about religion, they learn from it. Examples throughout their work include, comparing personal and family experiences to events in the parable of the Prodigal Son, using Harvest Festival to focus on hunger and poverty in other countries, and seeing the The Glebe Primary School - 32 - June 2005 connection between the Sikh, Guru Nanak’s life-style and advice with their own acceptance of tolerance, kindness and respect for others.

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Commentary

75. Pupils’ attitudes are generally very good during lessons due to the teachers’ high expectations of behaviour, and discussions are handled sensitively. This was exemplified well in a very good Year 3/4 lesson in which pupils associated feelings and emotions with different types of buildings (e.g. church, hospital, home, school). During such discussions the pupils respond very well, listen carefully while others speak and respect their views. Pupils are motivated well through effective questioning, challenging but attainable tasks and the good use of technical vocabulary and resources, seen to good effect in a Year 3/4 lesson. Occasionally, during group work, opportunities to develop pupils’ responses and ideas are missed, as noted in one lesson where pupils studied Hebrew lettering in relation to Judaism.

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Commentary

76. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has developed a well-balanced and relevant curriculum, which ensures that all the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus are met and that quality resources are available. Her overview of teaching, learning and standards is good, mostly through the evaluation of teachers’ planning. She is well aware of what is required to raise the subject’s profile higher, especially more rigorous assessment and more regular lesson observations. Progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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Commentary

77. Geography was sampled during the inspection and no overall judgement is made about provision. In the infants, pupils learn about the seaside and how a seaside town is different from where they live. There is good emphasis on pupils learning through fieldwork and visits. They learn to draw maps of local sites and recognise different types of houses and buildings. By Year 6 pupils have a sound knowledge of map work and use coordinates to good effect in locating mountains on world maps. They know about the water cycle and the development of rivers. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory and there has been satisfactory improvement to the curriculum since the last inspection. A simple system of recording pupils’ learning allows teachers to build on pupils’ prior learning when planning new work.

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Commentary

78. History was sampled during the inspection and no judgement is made about overall provision. From Year 1 pupils learn about change over time and how major events have affected peoples’ lives. In the infants, pupils learn about famous people such as Grace Darling and use their knowledge and good writing skills to write clear recounts of the events that made her famous. They learn about the seaside in the past and Year 1 pupils made very good use of a visit to a local museum to write about the artefacts they saw there. In discussion they can explain how differently people dressed and how amusements have changed overtime. When pupils in Year 3/4 learn about the Anglo Saxons they make very good use of the local burial site and the artefacts that were found there to build a picture of life in Anglo Saxon times. They are fired with enthusiasm to discover what the body and possessions of an Anglo

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Commentary

Saxon woman will tell them about the past. By the time pupils are in Years 5 and 6 they research topics independently and produce some good quality studies of the Ancient Greeks. Year 6 pupils produced a newspaper based on Greek myths which gave pupils of all abilities an opportunity to contribute. Co-ordination of the subject is sound and there has been satisfactory progress in the curriculum and in assessment procedures since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The Glebe Primary School - 33 - June 2005 79. Art and design and music were sampled during the inspection. There are no judgements on provision or standards. Art and design is taught following national guidelines, work in pupils' art books indicates that a good range of techniques are taught and some work is of good quality. This is particularly so in Year 1/2, as pupils produce good quality work, using collage, pencils and charcoal to represent their interpretation of natural objects. Work in Year 5 on still life shows care and is well presented. However, although pupils in Year 6 use art books for their work, their presentation is not good and work lacks detail. In music in Year 1 / 2, the lesson was well taught with good planning for the initial session. There was a recently initiated plan of several lessons over the inspection week, which meant pupils had a lengthy music session nearly everyday. This is quite intense for young pupils and does not

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

give sufficient opportunity for them to practise and refine their skills over time.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. One lesson was seen in design and technology . It is, therefore, not possible to make a judgement about overall provision. An analysis of pupils’ work on display indicates that standards have been maintained since the last inspection and are at least in line with those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. In the lesson seen, pupils in Year 4 achieved well because the quality of teaching and learning was good, and focused effectively on all aspects of the subject. Pupils’ learning is enriched and engaged through strengthened links to business, which has enabled pupils to grapple with real-life problems of design. An excellent example is when pupils in Year 5 design a container for an orange squeezer, manufactured by an Italian designer. Pupils in Year 6 spoke enthusiastically about their current textile project, making individual sections of a quilt for the Nursery children. There are similar examples of

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

innovative approaches to the curriculum in the infant classes. Although the monitoring of the subject was effective in the past, it has not taken place this year due to other priorities.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. No judgement can be made about provision in physical education because no lessons were seen. The subject has not been a high priority for the school in recent years, although there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Improvements include:

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

• the majority of the pupils achieve their 25 metre swimming badge by the end of Year 6. • a manageable assessment system has been introduced. • the curriculum is enriched by the wide range of equipment available for playground games and basketball, and football skills coaching.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The school places good emphasis on provision in personal, social, health education and citizenship education (PSHCE). The curriculum is planned to include teaching in these areas and the introduction and development of the school council has been a focus for PSHCE lessons in the current year, to ensure the involvement of all pupils. Teachers are careful to link learning in other subjects to these aspects of pupils’ development and draw on pupils’ learning to reinforce and extend their understanding of issues that affect their lives. Representatives from the wider community bring a wider perspective to pupils’ understanding. Through the planned curriculum, pupils learn about the harmful effects of some drugs and medicines. The school nurse plays a role in sex education for older pupils as well as issues surrounding their maturation. The Glebe Primary School - 34 - June 2005 The Glebe Primary School - 35 - June 2005

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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Inspection judgement Grade

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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