Whitchurch CofE Primary School

WHITCHURCH COFE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WHITCHURCH COFE 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. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 100

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whitchurch Ross-on-Wye Herefordshire Postcode: HR9 6DA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01600 890571 Fax number: 01600 890571

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr J G Lamb

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Whitchurch Church of England Primary School is near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. There are 100 pupils aged between 4 and 11 on roll, which is smaller than most primary schools. Pupils come from a variety of social backgrounds, but the school’s overall context is more favourable than schools generally. The number of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than normally expected is broadly average. A below average number of pupils are known to be entitled to free school meals. Nearly all pupils are of white British origins and none have a first language other than English . The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below average. Attainment on entry is generally above nationally expected levels. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

16408 Chris Rhodes Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Geography History English as an additional language 32655 John Bostock Lay inspector 15447 Christine Glenis Team inspector Foundation Stage English Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school . Standards in English and mathematics are above average and the quality of teaching and learning is good. Overall achievement is satisfactory. The school is led and managed effectively. The ethos is very strong. The school gives good value for money .

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The new headteacher has a very clear understanding of how the school can improve and has the skills and the determination needed to achieve it. She has already started to effect change. • The ethos is very strong. Pupils’ attendance is very good. Their attitudes to school are very positive and they behave very well. • Pupils are reaching above average standards in English and mathematics. • Teachers do not use the knowledge they have about pupils’ abilities effectively enough to identify and plan what they need to do to improve. • The links with parents, the village and local community, and with other schools are very strong. • The arrangements for co-ordinating several aspects of the curriculum are unsatisfactory. Some parts of the Foundation Stage curriculum are not securely in place.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Progress since the previous inspection in 1999 has been satisfactory overall. The school acted initially to address the key issues about assessment and subject management, but a rise in national expectations about the use of data about pupils’ attainment, two changes of headteacher, and reduced opportunities for co-ordinators to lead and manage their subjects, mean that progress has been satisfactory rather than good. Standards have improved in English and mathematics in Year 2, and have been sustained at above average levels in Year 6. Progress in Year 2 has improved.

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ overall achievement is satisfactory and has improved. The results in last year’s tests were well above average in English and science, and above average in mathematics. Attainment in English and science was above average in comparison with schools receiving pupils from similar backgrounds, and average in mathematics. In comparison with their prior attainment at the age of 7, the pupils made good progress in science, and satisfactory progress in English and mathematics.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The inspection found that standards in English and mathematics are currently above average in Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in science are above expected levels in Year 2 and in line with the national average in Year 6. Standards are close to expected levels in information and communication technology [ICT], geography and history at the ages of seven and 11. There was insufficient inspection evidence to make a judgement about standards in art and design, design and technology, music or physical education . All pupils are making at least satisfactory progress over time. Children in the reception class are on course to exceed the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development, for communication, language and literacy, and for mathematical development. They are on track to achieve the goals for knowledge and understanding of the world, and for physical and creative development by the end of the summer term. Good progress is

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

evident in classes where the teaching is stronger. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 7 Pupils’ personal qualities are very good . Attendance is very good. There have been no exclusions. Pupils arrive very punctually. They have very positive attitudes and their behaviour is very good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . The overall ethos in the school is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . The overall quality of teaching is good . Teachers are skilled in planning lessons that contain interesting and relevant activities that keep pupils engaged and working hard. Pupils’ work is marked and assessed on a regular basis, but not enough attention is given to setting work that matches their actual needs or makes them aware of the ways in which their work could be improved. The overall quality of learning is good. Pupils respond positively to the good teaching.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is enriched by the very good range of after-school activities and the many opportunities to take part in a range of sports. The level of accommodation and resources is good overall. The fenced outside area for the youngest children is too small for some of the physical activities they need to undertake, and events outside the school’s control have limited the ways computers can be used by larger groups. The level of care, and links with parents, the community and other schools, is very good. The school is aware that the use of the new systems for recording pupils’ individual progress to set targets for improvement are not sufficiently advanced.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good and are strengthening rapidly . The governing body is good and meets all statutory requirements. The new headteacher has a clear agenda for improvement and has already initiated several crucial changes for the better. The overall quality of management is only satisfactory, mainly because co-ordinators do not have the time or skills to carry out their roles in full. The school is without a deputy headteacher for this term.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils feel very positive about the school . Parents particularly value the easy access they have to staff. Pupils feel safe and respected.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve and increase pupils’ progress are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that standards of teaching are consistently high • Continue the development of the Foundation Stage curriculum • Embed the assessment procedures so that the outcomes are used to give pupils a deeper understanding of how they can improve • Use the appointment of new key staff as an opportunity to evaluate leadership and management skills, and to assign and carry out curriculum responsibilities more effectively Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Current standards in English and mathematics are above average in Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils make satisfactory progress over time, but their books indicate greater progress in the classes where the teaching is stronger, the marking makes it clear how they can improve, and there is a closer match between what they know and what they need to do next. Boys and girls from all backgrounds achieve similar standards. Standards have improved in Year 2 since the previous inspection and have been maintained at above average levels in Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have risen in Year 2 • Standards are above average in English and mathematics • Overall progress over time is satisfactory

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Commentary

1. The table below shows that standards in the national tests for pupils in Year 2 in the summer of 2004 were well above average in reading and writing, and above average in mathematics. Attainment compared well with similar schools in reading and writing but not in mathematics, which was below average. Care has to be taken when interpreting the statistics, as the number of pupils involved was very small. The 2004 results were an improvement over the previous year within a pattern of consistently above average attainment over a five-year period.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.7 (16.0) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.0 (14.5) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.8 (16.2) 16.2 (16.3) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. The second table shows that standards in Year 6 were well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Boys and girls achieved similar results, but girls did particularly well in science . Attainment compared well with similar schools in English and science. In comparison with their prior attainment at the age of seven, pupils made good progress in science, and satisfactory progress in mathematics and English. Progress rates have improved in comparison with four years earlier. The school set realistic but challenging targets for pupils to reach in the 2004 National Curriculum tests. These were exceeded in English and met in mathematics. The proportion of pupils gaining the higher Level 5 was well above average in both subjects. Results have been consistently above average for at least five years.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.7 (28.7) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 28.3 (27.0) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.3 (30.9) 28.6 (28.6) There were 18 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 9 3. Class 1 contains all the reception and some Year 1 pupils. The inspection found that most of the children who are in their ‘reception’ year are on course to exceed the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development, for communication, language and literacy, and for mathematical development. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Children are also on track to achieve the goals for knowledge and understanding of the world, and for physical and creative development . They have made satisfactory progress since starting school. There are far more boys than girls in the age group but the school’s very good

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Commentary

arrangements for ensuring that each child is valued as an individual ensures that all of them are treated equally and make appropriate progress.

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Commentary

4. Current standards in Year 2 are above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The current above average standards in Year 2 are an improvement on the previous inspection when, although many children started school with above average standards, they were at average levels at the end of Year 2. This had indicated unsatisfactory progress. Current standards are in line with national expectations for information communication technology [ICT], history and geography. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards in art and design, design and technology, music or physical education. Current standards in Y6 are above average in English and mathematics, average in science, and in line with national expectations for history and geography. Overall standards in ICT are close to national expectations. Pupils’ progress in ICT has been constrained by the relatively limited access they currently have to computers. Individual pupils are achieving at

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Commentary

higher levels. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards in art and design, design and technology, music or physical education.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Although they have individual identified needs, they frequently attain standards that are in line with those expected of all pupils nationally. They make good progress when working with an adult in lessons. The school does not identify gifted and talented pupils formally but seeks to meet their needs by giving all higher attaining pupils work at a greater level of challenge. Their progress is satisfactory overall but good in the lessons and classes where the teaching is stronger and they are set challenging work from the start. The number of pupils from non-white British backgrounds is very small. They make similar progress to all other pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils` attitudes and behaviour are very good. Provision for pupils` personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good overall. Attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils` very positive attitudes to learning enable them to get the best out of the teaching • The very good behaviour ensures that lessons proceed in an orderly way • Relationships between pupils, and with staff, are very good as a result of the school’s caring ethos and the positive examples set by teachers and other adults • Pupils’ multi-cultural understanding is the weakest area of their personal development

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Commentary

6. Teachers expect pupils to learn and have maintained the purposeful feeling in the school that was reported in the previous inspection. Pupils respond to staff very positively. They are keen to answer questions, to be involved in discussions and listen attentively. They concentrate, work hard and respect each other’s opinions and ideas. This has a direct and positive effect on the quality of their learning. Participation in extra-curricular sports and activities is good.

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Commentary

7. Very good behaviour is evident throughout the school. Boys and girls, including those with special educational needs, behave equally well. Teachers establish and maintain an atmosphere of quiet controlled behaviour through encouragement, praise and the occasional Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 10 quiet reminder. The policy is supported by a good structure of rewards and, where necessary, sanctions. Parents and pupils confirm that they find these just and appropriate. Pupils are orderly, quiet, and fidget-free during assemblies. Nearly all pupils behave very well in lessons although a few find difficulty in maintaining high standards when the teaching is less challenging. The staff support individual pupils who have behaviour difficulties very effectively. Play at break and lunch times is energetic and friendly. There is no evidence of bullying, racism or harassment. The parents confirm this. Pupils feel that any problems are

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Commentary

sorted out quickly and they value the ready access they have to an adult if they are at all worried.

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Commentary

8. Teachers help to create the school’s caring ethos, which values fairness and respect for one another, through their own conduct and good example. This results in a safe, happy and disciplined place in which to learn. Pupils respond by forming positive relationships with one another and with adults. They help each other with work, mix well and display care and compassion when others are upset. Older pupils ‘look out’ for younger ones at play. Teachers encourage responses from all pupils in lessons, support their participation in the many extra-curricular activities and praise their successes. Pupils respect staff, are confident when talking to them, and are polite and helpful to visitors.

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Commentary

9. Pupils` spiritual, moral social and cultural development is good overall. They are involved extensively in charity work, and are keenly supported by parents and the community. They take on responsibilities eagerly and have high moral principles about appropriate behaviour and caring attitudes - as shown by their Tsunami appeal charity work. However, their understanding of multi-cultural life in modern Britain is fragmentary. Displays around the school do not reflect enough of the multi-cultural nature of modern society and the teaching introduces relatively few opportunities for pupils to learn more. However, there are good links with schools in other wider cultural settings and the headteacher has started to develop these further to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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Attendance

Pupils make the most of the opportunities that the school provides for them to learn through their very good levels of attendance.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.6 School data 0.2 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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Exclusions

There have been no exclusions this year or last.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The curriculum is satisfactory. The overall level of accommodation and resources is good. The quality of care, and links with parents, the community and other schools, is very good.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching is stronger in the classes containing Year 2 and Year 6 pupils • Lessons are interesting and encourage good learning • Teachers do not make enough use of the information they have about pupils’ abilities when planning their lessons

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

10. The overall good standard of teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection, and has improved in the classes containing the younger pupils. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Teaching in English and mathematics is good, and lessons are planned thoroughly with careful attention to national guidance on teaching literacy and numeracy. Pupils respond purposefully and try to do their best. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher is relatively inexperienced with the age group, has only taken full responsibility for the mixed- aged reception-Year 1 class this term but is already making good progress.

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Commentary

11. Teachers know their pupils very well and work hard to make their lessons interesting and relevant. They make good use of new technologies especially the interactive whiteboards. Lessons start on time, and move forward at a brisk pace that keeps pupils alert and working hard. Relationships are almost always very good and pupils behave very well. Questions are used to make pupils think hard, and pupils welcome the many opportunities they have to discuss their work in pairs and to test out their conclusions with a friend. They learn well because they are keen to be successful and value suggestions for improvement. They make good progress when teachers create an atmosphere of purposeful learning and become enthralled by the lesson material. They then strive hard in their determination to complete their work to a good standard. Teaching is particularly strong in the classes containing Year 2

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Commentary

and Year 6 pupils because teachers have a very secure understanding of their subjects, giving the pupils confidence, and plan consistently challenging work.

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Commentary

12. Teachers are conscious that they teach mixed-aged classes, and plan accordingly. Group work is always set at various levels of difficulty but sometimes it is different for each age group rather than being a tight match to pupils’ actual abilities. Teachers set clear objectives in their planning but these tend to be explained as ‘work to be done’ rather than as a challenge to be better at something or to gain new knowledge. This makes it harder for pupils to know what they have to do to improve. Work is marked conscientiously and written comments are helpful. Pupils do not have individual or group targets for improvement, and therefore do not know what they need to be trying to do better. The new headteacher is very aware of this shortcoming and has already started to put in place a more rigorous assessment and target system to increase pupils’ rates of progress. When lesson planning is not focused enough on

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Commentary

pupils’ different learning needs, the progress of pupils with special educational needs is more limited. Individual education plans are mainly a restatement of general literacy learning objectives rather than aimed at specific needs.

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Commentary

13. Teaching assistants are full and valued members of the staff team. They are well prepared by teaching staff, and have written guidance on what their particular role in the lesson will be. They are skilled at working with individual pupils and small groups, including those with special educational needs. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 12

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is satisfactory. Accommodation is good overall and resources are satisfactory. The outdoor area for the Foundation Stage is not big enough for activities that need a large space.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum for the different age groups in mixed-ages classes needs refining • The Foundation Stage curriculum is at a relatively early stage of development. It is too heavily weighted towards the National Curriculum and does not take sufficient account of the more flexible national guidelines for reception-aged children • The provision of clubs and other activities outside of the school day is very good • The opportunities to participate in competitive and team sports are very good

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Commentary

14. The curriculum is broad and balanced, and the school has maintained the quality of provision found at the time of the previous inspection. Despite past and current hardware difficulties that limit pupils’ access to computers, staff are now planning effectively for the use of ICT in most subjects. Teachers make good use of visitors to support the curriculum; for example, an older visitor spoke to Years 1 and 2 about going to the seaside in her childhood. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to learn from different perspectives by, for example, writing alternative fairy stories such as ‘Jackie and the Beanstalk’ in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

15. Work in subjects like history is planned on a two-year cycle so that pupils in mixed-aged classes do not repeat the same lessons in their second year. Work in pupils’ books indicates that staff do not always take sufficient account of the different year groups within the same class because the starting point, and the expectations of what pupils of different ages can or should be able to do, are the same for everyone irrespective of age or ability. Staff understand this shortfall, and there was improvement during the inspection. Provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory, and includes appropriate provision for making pupils aware of the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse.

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Commentary

16. All pupils have equal access to all subjects. Minor exceptions occur when pupils who are withdrawn for specialist music tuition are not given sufficient information about what they have missed when they return, or when pupils not participating in physical education lessons due to an injury have nothing provided for them to do. Even though the number of boys significantly outweighs the number of girls in some age groups, the girls have equal opportunities.

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Commentary

17. The Foundation Stage curriculum is at an early stage of development and some activities for children in their reception year are too weighted towards the National Curriculum. The emphasis on language, literacy and mathematics sometimes means that other areas of learning are not as fully developed. A minor issue from the previous inspection was the improvement of resources for physical development. The outdoor area has been considerably improved and resourced, but is still too small for developing physical skills that require a large space or for using large equipment. The teacher does not always have a teaching assistant with her which makes it difficult for her to organise the indoor and outdoor curriculum effectively as well as catering for the Year 1 pupils in the class.

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Commentary

18. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. Pupils are identified appropriately although the co-ordinator acknowledges that pupils identified as having special needs in this school would not be identified as such in other schools. No pupil has a statement of special need. Teachers meet pupils’ needs by planning class work at different levels of difficulty, occasionally supported by teaching assistants. When the planning is not targeted tightly enough, pupils do not always finish their work as it is too challenging or there is insufficient time. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 13 19. The school offers a very good and well attended range of after-school clubs run by staff and other adults. This is particularly commendable considering how few staff there are to lead so many clubs. Although a few parents and carers expressed concern at the pre-inspection meeting about the lack of competitive or team sport, the inspection found that provision is very

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Commentary

good and includes a wide range of sports such as swimming, rounders, and ‘kwik-cricket’.

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Commentary

20. The level of internal accommodation is good, and includes a hall that can be extended for a large audience. Resources are satisfactory overall. The school has the recommended number of computers, mainly laptops, but has had to locate them permanently in different classrooms which means that they cannot currently be moved together for teaching larger groups. Additional hardware is on order. There is a very large field for outdoor sports.

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils` care, welfare, and safety are very good. Provision for pupils` support, advice and guidance is satisfactory. The school takes satisfactory account of pupils` views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The effective provision for pupils’ care and welfare ensures that they feel well looked after • The systematic management of health and safety arrangements makes sure that pupils and staff are safe and secure • Staff are very caring, which encourages pupils to attempt difficult work without concern • The good arrangements for new pupils starting in the school means that they settle in quickly • Test results are not used enough to measure pupils’ progress or to help them to improve

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Commentary

21. The school makes thorough provision to ensure pupils’ care and welfare. All accidents are treated very seriously, are well documented and parents are advised immediately when necessary. A good example of this was the care taken following an incident of a badly bumped knee during the inspection. Parents consider that good care is taken of their children and that they enjoy school. Routine health and safety checks are managed effectively, equipment and facilities are kept in good order and the playground and field are well maintained. The new ‘Timber Trail’ is a good example of a challenging but safe facility. Risk assessments of the school’s premises are carried out thoroughly. Governors play an active role in reviewing the school’s arrangements. The school is an attractive, healthy and secure place in which to learn. The school has plans to deal with a number of minor issues discussed

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Commentary

22. Pupils are well cared for and have a trusting, secure and confident relationship with their class teachers and teaching assistants, so that nearly all pupils feel that they have a person to go to if necessary. Teachers are committed to the care for the feelings of their pupils as well as for their physical health. If pupils become upset they are quickly comforted by staff (and other pupils) and any incidents are managed well. A wasp in a class of younger pupils caused concern for some and the teaching assistant calmly and efficiently put it outside while reassuring pupils that they and the wasp would be all right. In this supportive climate pupils feel able to try new things without fear of embarrassment.

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Commentary

23. Pupils’ views are taken into account through the regular ‘circle times’ when pupils sit in a circle to discuss items of a sensitive nature in an atmosphere of trust and respect. A suggestion by Year 6 led to the extension of materials used in guided reading sessions. ‘Class councils’ are part of a programme that will lead to the creation of a school council representing the views of all pupils in a more formal setting. The arrangements for children starting at the school are supportive and enable them to familiarise themselves with the classroom and building before they start. The village playgroup also makes frequent visits to the school, which smoothes the transfer into ‘big’ school. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 14 24. The school collects assessment data on a regular basis. The termly analyses of work samples are matched accurately to National Curriculum levels. However if pupils are absent,

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Commentary

they miss this sampling and their progress is not monitored for quite a while. Staff do not use the outcomes of their analyses effectively enough to set individual or group targets for pupils and are at an early stage of tracking pupils’ progress over time. The school is aware of the need to improve on this practice and is developing records on which actual progress can be seen at a glance. Staff are conscientious about their marking, which is regular, up-to-date and frequently detailed, but does not always indicate how pupils can improve. The individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are not evaluated consistently. The learning targets are frequently repeated on consecutive plans, indicating that the match between the targets and pupils’ actual needs are not always tight enough. There is no register of gifted and talented pupils and no specific learning targets for them to achieve. The school

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Partnership arrangements with parents and with the community are very good. Links with other schools and colleges are also very good. These arrangements make a positive contribution to pupils` learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils and the school benefit from the strong links with the village community and other schools. • Parents and the school work well together to develop pupils` learning.

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Commentary

25. The school is linked closely to the village, despite the busy dual carriageway that lies between them. Local clergy hold assemblies and support curriculum work in history and religious education. Pupils also visit the church to celebrate harvest. The school has a popular Christmas performance to which parents and the community are invited. The Parents and School Association is very active and organises many events that raise funds and develop the links between pupils, parents and the community. The money raised has been used to buy laptop computers and pay for the ‘Timber Trail’ in the school grounds. The community and parents also strongly support the school’s many charity activities. Pupils make use of the immediate locality for ‘investigations’ in their work, and go to York with another county school for the Year 5 and 6 residential visit. Day visits have included Hereford cathedral and theatre

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Commentary

and Bristol museum. Pupils have made a comparison between the village and the City of Hereford in geography lessons . There are various visitors to the school including people recounting their experience of life in World War 2. These activities help to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral and social awareness, their self-confidence and their responsibilities as members of a community.

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Commentary

26. There are several substantial and beneficial relationships with other schools. Teachers share professional development as members of a large cluster group of primary schools. The headteachers meet regularly to discuss current issues and pupils compete in sports such as football and netball. The school is also a member of a Beacon Schools partnership, involving schools as far away as Wolverhampton. Annual meetings between the older pupils have included technology work, multi-cultural dance and music, and an outdoor activities day. A particular strength of the school provision is the link with a local special school, which provides a valuable experience for pupils in both schools. Links with the high schools include support in ICT, design and technology and in science. The arrangements for transferring pupils to secondary education are handled thoroughly and sensitively.

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Commentary

27. Several parents assist in school by hearing reading and helping small groups, or by supporting educational visits. If volunteers are needed to help at school, such as setting up the ECO garden, a ‘posse of parents’ come forward. There are two very well attended parents’ Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 15 evenings a year when parents can discuss their children’s progress. The school has provided workshops and leaflets for parents about the teaching of literacy and numeracy so that they are better able to help their children at home. Parents are given statements of work being carried out each term so that they can help with visits or research work. Annual reports for parents include good information about the work pupils have carried out but are not sufficiently helpful with advice about how they can improve. Nearly all parents feel involved in their children’s development, well informed about activities and satisfied with the school’s provision.

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Commentary

The school has the confidence of all communities. Parents and carers are informed about the progress of pupils with special educational needs but are not usually involved in the evaluation and development of their individual education plans.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good, and standards have been maintained since the previous inspection despite two changes of headteacher.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new headteacher provides clear leadership and gives the school a strong sense of purpose • Governance is good. The governing body works closely with the school • Subject co-ordinators do not have the time or skills to carry out their roles in full

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Commentary

28. The quality of governance is good. The chair and key governors are very aware of the school’s current strengths and weaknesses, and carry out their statutory responsibilities effectively. They have a very good understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of the governing body and the headteacher. They monitor the school’s progress closely, but are not yet involved enough in aspects of its self-evaluation and the planning that follows the evaluation. The new headteacher is aware of this, and has already started to introduce improvements. She and the chair have a close and harmonious relationship based on trust and respect.

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Commentary

29. The headteacher is very new in post and currently has full-time responsibility for the Year 5/6 class. She knows the school well as the former deputy headteacher but was not then fully involved in all aspects of its management. She has used her brief period as headteacher to make a rigorous and perceptive assessment of what needs to be done to build on the school’s past and current successes and to improve the rates of pupil progress. She has the skills and capacity to achieve her aims. She has already initiated crucial improvements in the use of assessment information and test results. She has ambitious plans for the recruitment of new staff for next term, including the appointment of a new deputy headteacher.

p.15

Commentary

30. Co-ordinators do not have enough impact on standards in their subject areas. The headteacher is currently carrying far too many subject responsibilities but this will be resolved when additional staff are appointed for the new term. Co-ordinators work hard to maintain levels of resources, and to advise and support colleagues, but they currently do not have either the skills or opportunities to evaluate standards at first hand or influence the ways their subjects are taught and planned. Progress against this key issue from the previous inspection has not been sufficient.

p.15

Commentary

31. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs (SENCO) has very little time to monitor the quality of provision and the role needs further development. The linked governor for pupils with special educational needs often attends termly reviews. There are good links with external agencies, such as the speech and language therapist, who provide support or advice for staff and pupils. The school’s plan for enabling those with physical difficulties to access the school is securely in place. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 16 32. Although the outcomes of the National Curriculum and other assessments have been analysed by senior staff, the results had not been brought together in the past in a useful way so that individual pupil progress could be tracked systematically and teachers given a secure base for planning subsequent work. This is the main reason why pupils’ progress is satisfactory rather than good. The new headteacher is fully aware of the deficiency, and is

p.15

Commentary

putting new and straightforward systems into place to enable teachers to access data quickly, understand what it means, and use the information to set more effective and relevant targets for individual and group progress. It is too soon to see the effects of the new systems in current pupils’ work.

p.16

Commentary

33. The school is managed and organised efficiently on a day-to-day basis. Office staff carry out their management functions in a friendly and well-organised way. Parents report that they are welcomed and treated with courtesy when they visit or telephone the school. The headteacher is introducing a supportive programme that releases teachers during the working day so that they can mark books and plan and prepare their lessons. Plans for school improvement are currently set out in a number of documents. The governing body has a very clear statement of the school’s main priorities, which they use as the basis of their monitoring of the school’s progress. Other development plans are in a variety of forms. The summary of the plans in the form of a table is a useful way to keep staff involved and informed. The criteria for measuring success are too vague and do not refer enough to the effects the

p.16

Commentary

improvements should have on pupils. The new headteacher is revising the planning process to create a single coherent plan and involve staff and governors at an earlier point.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 349734 Balance from previous year 30671 Total expenditure 359331 Balance carried forward to the next 21074 Expenditure per pupil 3593.31

p.16

Financial information

34. Financial management is good. The carry forward into the current year was slightly above recommended levels but is planned as a contingency against a possible shortfall in the school roll in the new school year, and for continuing purchases to rebuild the school’s stock of computers. The governing body applies the ‘best value’ principles of challenge, comparison, consultation and competition rigorously. The school continues to give good value for money. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children are admitted to the reception class each September. The class also contains some Year 1 pupils. Parents and carers are very positive about the way the children are welcomed into the school. Staff have good relationships with them and their families. There are suitable links with the local pre-school setting from which most of the children transfer. Staff do not assess children’s attainment on entry to the school in a systematic way which makes it harder for them to plan the curriculum effectively. Assessment procedures used during the term are good for personal, social and emotional development, satisfactory for communication, language, literacy, and for mathematical development, but need further development in the other areas of learning.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The teacher does not always have the support of a teaching assistant which limits her ability to provide an appropriate indoor and outdoor curriculum. Staff work well as a team when teaching assistants are available. When the planning is targeted at the different learning needs of the two year groups in the class, staff work very well to support children’s learning. On some occasions the planning and the timetable relate more closely to the National Curriculum for Year 1 pupils rather than to the curriculum guidelines for reception children in the Foundation Stage. Some work is too challenging for the younger children or does not allow for the necessary informal exploration and practical activities that would increase their understanding.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Teaching is good overall. The teacher has clear expectations of behaviour and the children respond well. She works closely with the children to support their learning and frequently makes good use of the interactive whiteboard and computer when teaching the whole class. Children are developing very good attitudes to school, to each other and to the staff. Inspection evidence indicates that the attainment of children on entry to the reception class is above the levels expected at this age in personal, social, emotional, language, literacy and mathematical development and in line with expected levels in the other areas of learning.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The teacher has recently taken full-time responsibility for the class and for co-ordinating the Foundation Stage. She is keen and committed to make the necessary improvements to the curriculum, and to the effective leadership and management of the Foundation Stage.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The previous report identified that a lack of large equipment and toys for outside use limited opportunities for children’s physical development. The school has made improvements to the outdoor area but it is still too small for physical activities that require a large space. There is still a need to improve the range of large equipment.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good. The school has maintained the quality of provision found at the time of the previous inspection.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have very good attitudes to their work on most occasions • They form good relationships with adults and enjoy coming to school • There are missed opportunities for developing aspects of the curriculum

p.17

Commentary

35. Children make satisfactory progress and are likely to exceed the nationally expected standards by the end of the reception year. Staff emphasise the importance of children’s personal and social development. However, there are missed opportunities for them to develop independence. Occasionally staff do too much for them such as clearing away the Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 18 outdoor resources rather than encouraging the children to do it themselves. They do not always plan sufficient time for activities such as ‘snack time’ where children can develop good social skills. Behaviour is very good. Children work and play together harmoniously, share resources well and, when given the opportunity, can choose activities independently. The children usually try hard even when the activities are too challenging or they are tired.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children are likely to exceed the early learning goals • There are frequent opportunities for early writing activities • There is occasionally an over-emphasis on this area of learning at the cost of other areas

p.18

Commentary

36. Children enter the reception class with good language and literacy skills and make satisfactory progress. They are likely to exceed the nationally expected standards when they enter Year 1. Attainment is higher than at the time of the previous inspection. Their listening and speaking skills are good. They usually listen attentively to staff and other children and can do so for quite long periods of time. They answer questions confidently and most speak with understanding in role-play and group work.

p.18

Commentary

37. Children are very familiar with stories such as ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, can join in repeated parts of a story and are learning to vary their voices according to the character. They show good skills when reading in groups or individually. They handle books well, turn pages appropriately and can discuss the illustrations. They listen with enjoyment to stories and make relevant comments about the themes. They are learning to recognise initial sounds. Individual children can read captions that support the teaching of letter sounds.

p.18

Commentary

38. Staff provide good opportunities for children to write independently indoors and outdoors. They show confidence in their ability and many attempt to write simple sentences and words independently and do this well. However their books show that a significant amount of their work is based on copying or completing worksheets when they are capable of more independent work. They form letters well for their age.

p.18

Commentary

39. The curriculum is targeted more frequently at the Year 1 pupils in the class rather than at the relevant early learning goals for reception children. The time allocated to language and literacy is occasionally too long and limits the time for other areas of learning. For example, on one day, the children participated in a literacy hour, had a group or individual reading session, worked on letter sounds and then practised letter formation. While these are all relevant activities, the opportunity for other learning was reduced.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children are likely to exceed the expected standards • The teacher provides some very challenging activities for children • Planning is more focused on the learning needs of children in mathematical development Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

40. Children’s attainment is above expected standards. They make satisfactory progress so that almost all are likely to exceed the early learning goals. A minority of children are working at levels well above the expected goals; for example, two boys were able to add mentally numbers to 20. Several others were learning to use a number line to add to 20. In this lesson the teaching assistant was used more effectively because the planning ensured that learning was well matched to children’s needs. Overall attainment is higher now in mathematical development than at the time of the previous inspection.

p.19

Commentary

41. The teacher's planning in this area of learning caters more effectively for the different age ranges within the class. This results in a range of activities which meet but also challenge the children’s different learning needs. However some children were not ready to use a number line or to add numbers to 10 and there was little opportunity for them to explore their understanding of numbers and addition through structured and independent play activities. These play activities took place after the formal recorded work rather than at an earlier stage. Books indicate that children’s past written work has been based too much on completing numeracy worksheets.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

42. There was insufficient inspection evidence for a judgement about provision in knowledge and understanding of the world. The teacher’s plans, work in books and displays indicate that children are given an appropriate range of experiences and are likely to meet the early learning goals. Children have learned about growth of plants and flowers, the difference between non-living and living things, and about people who help us. The work mainly consists of simple drawings and writing that show a limited variety of experience. Children use the laptop computers confidently.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

43. There was insufficient inspection evidence for an overall judgement about provision in physical development. The teacher’s planning, work in books and on display indicate that there are many opportunities for children to learn to handle small tools such as pencils, crayons and, to a lesser extent, paintbrushes and scissors. There are too few opportunities for children to develop the skills of running, climbing and moving in different ways in a large space indoors and outdoors, or to use large scale construction resources. In the one lesson observed children were learning to move appropriately as butterflies, bears and rain. They responded to instructions attentively but there were too few opportunities to explore and create movements for themselves. Planning for the outdoor curriculum is improving. When other classes use the paved outdoor area it is unavailable for the Foundation Stage.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are some good large scale displays to which the children have contributed • There are good links with other areas of learning

p.19

Commentary

44. Indications are that the children are in line to achieve the early learning goals. There is an appropriate range of activities which enable children to develop their creative skills. In one music lesson, staff used a computer program and interactive whiteboard to stimulate the children to play tuned and untuned percussion to make the different sounds of a storm. The accompanying music was also used in the dance lesson which linked these activities effectively. Children participate appropriately in action songs such as ‘Seven Little Ducks’. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 20 45. Children have experience of using colour, texture and shape and are learning skills such as printing to create a large display of the ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’ or using basic collage techniques when making flowers and plate pictures. Some have made simple card dinosaurs using paper fasteners so that the limbs are movable. There are limited opportunities for outdoor role-play

p.19

Commentary

and none indoors. The outdoor ‘shop’ encourages children to use their imagination and knowledge of the real world to act shopkeepers and customers. This they do well. Staff reinforce children’s knowledge of stories by acting them out with large puppets.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in listening, reading and writing throughout the school • The quality of teaching is good overall • Pupils’ library and reference skills, and standards of presentation, are not strong enough

p.20

Commentary

46. Standards in speaking are in line with national expectations but staff do not encourage pupils enough to develop their speaking skills to the standard of other aspects of English. Teachers use speech effectively themselves to explore pupils’ understanding and to encourage them to think more deeply through questioning, but some do not encourage pupils to articulate clearly or use a wider oral vocabulary when answering. The reverse is true in the better taught lessons. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 asked searching questions of the teaching assistant acting as a character in a story so that they had a deeper understanding of how the ‘monster’ felt. They selected their words very carefully when preparing to interview a visitor to the school.

p.20

Commentary

47. Standards in listening are above expected levels throughout the school. Pupils generally listen attentively to staff and other pupils. This is an improvement in Years 1 and 2 since the previous inspection. Pupils are used to listening to each other when discussing lesson themes. During the inspection it was noticeable how quickly and purposefully pupils responded to the many opportunities for discussion, and how carefully the older pupils listened to and respected the views of others in the group.

p.20

Commentary

48. Standards in reading are above the national average. Overall progress is satisfactory. There has been an improvement in reading skills in Year 2 since the previous inspection. Almost all pupils are accurate readers and understand the content of their texts. Lower attaining pupils are not always fluent even when accurate and some average attaining pupils do not read with enough expression. Higher attaining pupils in Years 2 and 6 are very good readers, showing good recall of earlier reading and a good understanding of the text. They discuss their books confidently. Pupils’ use of library and reference skills is undeveloped, even among higher attainers in Year 6. The libraries are small and are not really organised to develop library skills. The reading resources for Year 1 and Year 2 have improved since previous inspection. Group reading sessions are purposeful and in Year 5 and Year 6 include access to

p.20

Commentary

magazines, newspapers, and freedom to access approved websites. Home-school reading diaries in Year 2 indicate good support from families.

p.20

Commentary

49. Standards in writing are above average by the end of Years 2 and 6 and progress is satisfactory. This is an improvement in Year 2 since the previous inspection. There was good progress in lessons during the inspection when, for example, in a Year 1 and Year 2 class pupils achieved considerable success in writing because the oral preparation had significantly increased their understanding of a challenging idea- writing in the first person. There are examples throughout the school of pupils producing very good extended writing. Work in Year Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 21 2 books indicates that pupils have completed an appropriate range of writing activities over time and can generally spell and punctuate correctly. Most write in a joined style in pen. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ books include a wide range of writing and frequent opportunities to improve their skills.

p.20

Commentary

50. The overall quality of teaching is good. Teachers work hard and prepare their lessons thoroughly. They enable pupils to learn difficult concepts and attempt challenging activities with skill. Staff place a strong emphasis on the development of reading and writing. This has meant that high standards have been maintained in Years 3 to 6 and have improved in Years 1 and 2. Where teaching assistants are available, they work effectively alongside teachers and contribute positively to pupils’ learning especially when working with pupils who have special educational needs. Although individual pupils usually present their work well, the overall standard of handwriting and layout is frequently untidy even when other aspects of the work are very strong.

p.21

Commentary

51. Teachers are conscientious about marking. It is up-to-date and frequently detailed, but does not always indicate how pupils could improve. The procedures for termly assessments of work are satisfactory but teachers do not yet make full use of assessment information to plan for pupils’ learning needs. Progress over time is difficult to track when work is undated. A scrutiny of work indicates that progress is not consistent when pupils who write well or very well are then given basic word or sentence level work which adds little to their skills. The planning of similar work for both age groups in the same class does not encourage good progress for the younger pupils.

p.21

Commentary

52. The new headteacher has taken on the role of leading and managing the subject for this term alongside many other responsibilities. She does not have enough time to carry out the role as thoroughly as she would want. However the planned changes in staff at the end of the term, and the agreed reduction in her teaching commitment, are likely to improve the situation.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. Pupils’ good listening, reading and writing skills extend their learning in all subjects. Pupils, especially in older classes, discuss their work maturely and welcome the views of others. Science diagrams are labelled neatly, and younger pupils described historical events like the Great Fire of London in vivid terms using a good range of interesting vocabulary.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 • Some teachers do not make enough use of their knowledge of the pupils to set group work that matches their ability • Pupils use and apply mathematics effectively in practical situations

p.21

Commentary

54. Standards are above average in Year 2 and 6. Standards have risen in Year 2 since the previous inspection and have been maintained at above average levels in Year 6. The rate of progress between starting the National Curriculum in Year 1 and pupils’ first formal assessments at the age of seven has improved since the previous inspection and is now satisfactory. Year 6 pupils make satisfactory progress overall in comparison with their attainment at the age of seven. Pupils’ books indicate good progress in Years 5 and 6 and satisfactory progress in Year 3 and Year 4. Boys and girls do equally well. Pupils with special educational needs make appropriate progress. Progress is often good when they work closely Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 22 with an adult or the work has a clear practical base. The standard of presentation in most classes is satisfactory rather than good. Pupils have a tendency to scribble out incorrect

p.21

Commentary

answers rather than use the recommended single line to cross out work that needs revision.

p.22

Commentary

55. The overall quality of quality of teaching and learning is good, and has improved since the previous inspection. Most lessons are prepared carefully and teachers have a good understanding of mathematics. This gives pupils confidence in themselves. Pupils’ exercise books show suitable variations in the level of challenge given to pupils of differing abilities when working with numbers. The books indicate that other work is not so structured and higher attaining pupils tend to be expected to get further through the same exercises as the rest of the class, rather than being set more challenging work from the start.

p.22

Commentary

56. The school has an effective approach to mathematical problem solving, with a strong emphasis on discussion. During the inspection, Year 5 and 6 pupils made very good progress in a lesson about the use of information in tables and charts because the teaching was consistently challenging and the ‘real’ nature of the task captured their imagination. Creative use was made of ICT, both by the teacher through her use of the interactive whiteboard to teach about data collection and by the pupils who researched actual holiday prices on the Internet. Lower attaining pupils made good progress in a Year 2 lesson because their task was visual and practical, and they were not held back through difficulties in reading or writing.

p.22

Commentary

57. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed but the co-ordinator does not have enough information about the quality of teaching and learning. This makes it harder for her to spread good practice or work with colleagues to raise standards. She recognises that insufficient use is made of assessment. Teachers’ formal assessments of pupils’ standards are accurate, but the information from this and other formalised tests is not used fully enough to set mathematical targets for improvement. This limits pupils’ progress.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. There are good links between numeracy and other curriculum subjects. During the inspection Year 2 pupils used their understanding of measurement to estimate and then measure the lengths of their mini-beasts to the nearest millimetre. Their history books contain pictures of the Great Fire of London set out in the correct chronological order and they can measure distance on a map accurately. Older pupils use their mathematical knowledge in science to record facts as graphs and to measure accurately in design and technology. During the inspection they used mathematical terms correctly in a discussion about water irrigation in geography.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expected levels in Year 2 • The teaching is good. Good use is made of ICT • The subject is well led.

p.22

Commentary

59. Standards are above expected levels in Year 2, an improvement since the previous inspection, and are in line in Year 6. Current standards in Year 6 are not as high as at the time of the previous inspection, but in such a small group of pupils this is not particularly significant because an appropriate proportion of pupils are on course to achieve the higher Level 5. Pupils have an accurate factual knowledge and have carried out a wide range of scientific investigations. Their books indicate that progress over time is generally satisfactory. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 23 Some classes tend to be set the same written tasks, which limits the opportunities for higher attaining pupils to think and work at higher levels. Pupils with special educational needs make appropriate progress in their understanding of scientific facts, and gain a lot from working on investigations in mixed groups.

p.22

Commentary

60. The quality of teaching and learning is good. During the inspection the focus in three of the classes was on life processes, and good teaching was seen about the effects of light and water on plants, and in finding and classifying mini-beasts found in the school grounds. Pupils have a natural curiosity and enjoyed the practical nature of the investigations. Year 2 pupils turned to reference books unprompted because they wanted to find out more. They treated even the smallest insects with respect, adding leaves to their specimen trays for the creatures’ comfort. Older pupils were concerned about the dramatic ill effects on plants deprived of light. Good use was made of technical equipment in all classes, including microscopes, digital cameras, and the interactive whiteboard for displays of photographs taken at earlier points in their investigations. The high quality of learning was particularly noticeable in these lessons

p.23

Commentary

and resulted from the teachers’ expert knowledge, clear explanations and the pupils’ total engagement in the activities.

p.23

Commentary

61. The subject is well led and managed by an enthusiastic co-ordinator. She has introduced a new scheme of work that places a greater emphasis on scientific investigation. She liaises closely with the high school to ensure that the skills taught in the primary school create the basis for further work in Year 7. She recognises that not enough emphasis has been put on assessment so that group work can be matched more closely to pupils’ actual levels of understanding, and has planned to correct this.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the existing stock of laptop computers • Very good use is made of digital projectors, cameras and interactive whiteboards • Individual older pupils have a very good understanding of the many uses for ICT • The current opportunities for class teaching of ICT skills are limited

p.23

Commentary

62. Year 2 and Year 6 pupils achieve standards that are close to nationally expected levels. Pupils in Year 2 know how to enter text into a word processing program, can correct on screen and save their finished work. They use class computers effectively to search for information. The relatively small number of computers available for class teaching limits their progress in gaining and using ICT skills. They do well to make satisfactory progress.

p.23

Commentary

63. Year 6 pupils make regular and effective use of their classroom laptops. They have a good grasp of the basic word processing, and can enter and present text in a variety of interesting ways. Recent work in history about the Egyptians has been completed as colourful individual ‘PowerPoint’ presentations demonstrating considerable ICT expertise. Individual higher attaining pupils have well-practised Internet search skills and, when asked by an inspector, were able to check the day’s weather in Glasgow, compare the size of African and Indian elephants’ ears and calculate the currency exchange rate for New Zealand.

p.23

Commentary

64. No formal teaching of ICT skills was observed during the inspection. Each class has a small number of laptops and the teaching seen was largely individual. All pupils have the same number of opportunities to use a computer. Girls and boys work well together. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 24 65. The subject is well led and conscientiously managed. The co-ordinator is now implementing plans for the development of the subject, including the creation of a multi-media room and an increased stock of computers so that pupils can be taught ICT skills in larger groups.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. Pupils use a wide range of technology to deepen their understanding in lessons. Two classes used the digital projector during the inspection to display photographs of plants taken in differing conditions over a period of a month. They were able to compare growth rates and draw scientific conclusions about the effects of light and water. Effective use was made of an electronic microscope to observe how celery absorbs water. The Internet and electronically stored reference materials are used extensively as a resource in history, geography and science lessons. Completed written work is sometimes displayed in electronic form using pupils’ word processing skills. Staff make good use of the potential of the new interactive whiteboards as a focal point for their teaching in all aspects of the school curriculum.

p.24

HUMANITIES

67. As only one geography and one history lesson were sampled during the inspection, it is not possible to make overall judgements about the quality of teaching and learning, or the overall provision. The quality of teaching in the two lessons was good or better. Evidence was gathered from an examination of pupils’ past and present work, the sample lessons, by talking to pupils in Years 2 and Year 6, by looking at their books and work on display.

p.24

HUMANITIES

68. In history , the Year 2 pupils recalled the events of the Great Fire of London in some detail, and sat enthralled while a retired former teacher recalled her visits to the seaside as a child. Their questions demonstrated a good understanding of the difference between ‘now’ and ‘then’, and how all things evolve over time. Year 6 pupils had obviously enjoyed learning about the Egyptians, and were understandably proud of their PowerPoint presentations of the results of their individual researches. Higher attaining pupils had a very good idea of historical chronology and placed key periods of the earth’s history in the correct order. They understood that different nations looked at the same historical events from alternative perspectives. Their factual knowledge indicated secure teaching in past lessons. They had a good understanding of how we learn from the past through a range of evidence, giving examples from artefacts

p.24

HUMANITIES

and buildings to be seen in their own local community. Standards in both classes were in line with expected levels.

p.24

HUMANITIES

69. In geography , standards are in line with national expectations. Year 2 pupils have a sound understanding of the basic geography of the British Isles, and can locate their own community on a map. They have carried out extensive and accurate work on plans and simple maps, and can explain how a plan of the school drawn on a piece of paper relates to the physical location around them. Year 6 pupils have studied the water cycle. Higher attaining pupils have a sound understanding of Britain’s physical position within Europe, understand how mountains are formed and the results of shifts in the world’s tectonic plates.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. Only two lessons in physical education, one in design and technology, and none in art and design or music were observed during the inspection. Despite helpful discussions with staff and a scrutiny of displays, there is insufficient evidence to make overall judgements about standards and progress in these subjects. 71. In art and design , standards in displays in Year 2 and Year 6 are broadly in line with national expectations. Displays are attractive but there is insufficient pupils’ work to give full value to their efforts. Staff make good links between art and other subjects such as the work of Years 1/2 on minibeasts and snails where the pupils’ scientific accuracy was underpinned by their accurate observational drawings. There is less work on display in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2. The evidence of the use of work of famous artists is limited, although there are Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 25

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

examples of the influence of Van Gogh on pupils’ work, which is of a good standard, in Years 1 and 2. The dragon artwork in Years 3 and 4 is also good. The co-ordinator’s role is too restricted. She has no time to manage the subject and is unable to monitor standards or the quality of provision. Themed activities such as sculpture take place using visiting specialists.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. One lesson in Years 5 and 6 was observed in design and technology. Standards were in line with expected levels. Pupils discussed how to make shelters, and talked about the techniques needed for reinforcing structures to improve their stability and load-bearing capacity. The teacher used the interactive whiteboard effectively to show a range of structures such as pylons to illustrate how structures bear loads safely. Pupils experimented using materials such as card and lollipop sticks and recorded their findings carefully. This enjoyable lesson was well planned and resourced. The teacher gave clear explanations and kept learning at a good pace. The teacher and teaching assistant encouraged discussion through good questioning skills and assessing the work constructively. In the same class, there was evidence of links with geography where pupils discussed how to transport water. The co-ordinator is aware that the leadership of the subject needs to be strengthened.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. In music , pupils sang tunefully in assemblies. The co-ordinator would like to encourage more composing and enjoyment of music across the curriculum. Pupils have heard and participated in African music through events organised with a cluster of local schools. Staff have had been recent training from a consultant.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. In physical education , standards in games skills in Years1 and 2 and Years 3 and 4 match national expectations. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were learning bat and ball skills. The aim was to put them into group and team games but their individual skills were not secure enough for these more advanced activities because pupils are still learning to throw, aim and return the ball accurately. Some of the plastic bats were not strong enough for pupils to hit tennis balls effectively and this reduced their opportunities to develop their skills. Most pupils in Years 3 and 4 are able to aim and hit a target, throw and catch balls accurately. Teaching was good in this session where the teacher and teaching assistant gave good support to the group activities, the lesson was well organised and good guidance was given to encourage fair play and improve skills. The curriculum has been reviewed and a new scheme of work will be

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

implemented in September. The school is using its participation in the School Sports Co- ordinator Scheme to develop its provision and the quality of leadership and management.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

75. Pupils’ personal development is given a high priority. Pupils are frequently given opportunities to discuss ideas and matters of importance in class, group or paired discussions. The school has a programme of ‘circle times’, when sensitive issues can be discussed in an atmosphere of trust. Collaborative work and positive relationships are features of most lessons. Pupils are made fully aware of social and moral issues appropriate to their ages and levels of understanding, and are encouraged through such projects as the fruit scheme to eat healthily. The class councils give pupils a chance to express their views but the school has yet to develop a school council that would give them a more practical introduction to the idea of citizenship. Whitchurch CofE Primary School - 26

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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