Whiteparish All Saints Church of England Primary School

SCHOOL

Inspection number: 268251 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 98

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Common Road Whiteparish Salisbury Wiltshire Postcode: SP5 2SU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01794 884420 Fax number: 01794 884420

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Paul Sorrell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Whiteparish All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a small rural school in the village of Whiteparish near Salisbury in Wiltshire. The school admits pupils from four to eleven years of age. Attainment on entry to the school is above average. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is very small and well below the national average. Their needs relate to speech and communication difficulties. Eleven per cent of pupils belong to ethnic groups other than white UK heritage and the number of pupils in each of the four other groups represented is very small. A very small number of pupils have English as an additional language. The socio- economic characteristics of the area are above average. The number of pupils arriving at or leaving the school at other than the normal times is above that found nationally. The school received

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

School Achievement awards in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

24805 Alison Cogher Lead inspector Foundation Stage English Art and design Geography Music Personal, social and health education and citizenship English as an additional language 9756 Kenneth Parsons Lay inspector 8864 Peter Clifton Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Design and technology History 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). Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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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 11

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school. It provides good value for money. Pupils achieve well and attain standards that are well above average. Very good teaching enables pupils to learn very well. Very effective leadership, management and governance ensure that the school is sharply focused on continuous improvement. Relationships in the school are very productive. Pupils have excellent attitudes towards their work and behave very well. Pupils receive high quality care and are supported very well by their parents. The school provides a very good learning environment, in which pupils flourish.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Under the excellent leadership of the headteacher the school is very well led and managed. • Very good governance supports the work of the school very well. • Pupils achieve well and attain standards that are well above average. • Very good teaching and the very good curriculum motivate pupils to learn. • Pupils’ excellent attitudes and their very good behaviour support their learning very well. • Assessment procedures are very good and teachers have a very good understanding of what pupils need to learn next. However, teachers do not share this information enough with pupils to enable them to take more responsibility for their own learning. • Pupils receive high quality care and support, and provision for their personal, spiritual and cultural development is very good. It is excellent for their moral and social development. • Parents and pupils hold the school in high regard and links with the community are very

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OVERALL EVALUATION

supportive of pupils’ learning. • More opportunities could be provided for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to explain through writing their ideas about scientific investigation.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection in February 1999 has been good. The issues raised at the last inspection have been addressed and further improvements have been secured in many aspects of the school’s work. High standards in English and mathematics have been maintained and standards in science have improved. The quality of teaching has improved, as has the overall quality of the curriculum. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved and new accommodation and resources have enhanced the learning environment.

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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* B A B Mathematics A* C A B Science A B A B Key: A* - in the top 5% of schools nationally; 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. NB Caution is needed in interpreting the results of national tests because of the very small number of pupils in each year group.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and most exceed the goals they are expected to reach in all areas of learning. The school sets challenging targets for each year group and pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well to attain standards that are above average overall, with strengths in reading and mathematics. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 continue to Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 7 achieve well to attain standards that are well above average. These high standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Although satisfactory, standards in investigative science in Years 1 and 2 could be improved further. There is no difference between the achievement of boys and girls, pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language or those who are very able.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities are very good, as is their spiritual and cultural development. Pupils’ moral and social development is excellent. Pupils’ attitudes are exemplary. They behave very well and are involved well in the work of the school. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching is very good. Pupils throughout the school learn very well. This is because teachers plan lessons that motivate and enthuse pupils and take account of the different ways in which pupils learn most effectively. Very productive relationships, pupils’ exemplary attitudes and good behaviour together with the very effective use of resources ensure that pupils are very productive in lessons. Teachers use assessment information very well to plan lessons with clear learning objectives that pupils understand and work very hard to achieve. However, pupils are not as clear about what they as individuals need to do next to improve, as teachers do not share the assessment information they have well enough with pupils to enable them to take more responsibility for their own learning. Pupils experience a very wide range of worthwhile learning experiences because the school

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

provides a very good curriculum and many additional activities both within and outside the school day. The school’s partnership with parents is very productive. Pupils receive high quality care and support and links with the community are very supportive of pupils’ learning. Links with other schools are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The excellent leadership of the headteacher ensures staff receive the support and guidance they need to carry out their roles very well. Governance is very strong and the school complies with statutory requirements. All staff and governors work very effectively as a team to keep the school sharply focused on continuous improvement.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents value the education their children receive and hold the school in very high regard. Pupils are extremely happy with their school. They consider learning to be fun and thoroughly enjoy the many activities they are able to experience both at school and on visits. Inspectors agree with parents’ and pupils’ very positive views of the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

In the context of this very successful school and reflecting its improvement plan the most important things the school should do to improve are: • Provide pupils with more information to enable them to understand what they need to do next to improve and to take more responsibility for their own learning. • Provide more opportunities for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to explain through writing their ideas about scientific investigation. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils throughout the school achieve well. Standards are above average overall at the end of Year 2 and well above average at the end of Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a consequence of very effective teaching. • Very good assessment information enables teachers to plan lessons that take pupils’ learning forward, although pupils are not as clear as they could be about what they need to learn in order to improve over time. • Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes and their very good behaviour promote high standards and good achievement. • Standards in speaking and listening are well above average throughout the school. • Standards in Year 2 are above average in writing and well above average in reading and mathematics. • Standards in Year 6 are well above average in English, mathematics and science. • The extensive programme of enrichment activities and the very good links made between subjects support the standards pupils attain. However, the links made between writing and science could be improved in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

1. Children start school with standards that are above those expected for their age in all six areas of learning. However, standards do vary from year to year and reflect the overall ability of the small number of children admitted. Children achieve well as a consequence of very good teaching and the very well planned curriculum, which motivates and enthuses them to learn. By the end of their Reception Year almost all children exceed the goals they are expected to reach in all six areas of learning and a few children are working very confidently at a level normally expected of Year 1 pupils. All children are very well prepared for their work in Year 1.

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Commentary

2. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and the very able, achieve equally well. The school is successful in meeting the targets set for pupils’ results in national tests in Years 2 and 6. Rigorous assessment procedures ensure that the progress being made by individual pupils is monitored very closely and challenging targets are set for individuals and groups of pupils. The school does not share this information as well as it could with pupils, so they are not always as clear as they might be about what they need to do to improve over time. However, pupils are very clear about what they are expected to learn in lessons and they work extremely hard to achieve the objectives set. Pupils behave very well in lessons and are enthusiastic and fully committed to making the most of every learning opportunity they are given. Teachers use a wide variety of

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Commentary

teaching methods to engage pupils’ interest and to enable those who learn in different ways to acquire knowledge and learn new skills quickly. Whole-class, group and partner discussions play a significant role in pupils’ very effective learning as they use subject-specific vocabulary, share ideas and clarify their own thinking. This very effective practice helps to secure pupils’ well above average speaking and listening skills. Pupils’ learning is given purpose by the very good links made between subjects and the many enrichment activities organised by the school. Being able to practise what they have learned in a variety of contexts is very supportive of pupils’ good achievement and the standards they attain. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 9 3. In 2004 pupils in Year 2 attained standards that were well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. These above and well above average standards

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Commentary

have been maintained since the last inspection. Standards in writing in Year 2 are above average overall as, although few pupils attain the higher Level 3 in national tests, over half are working within this level and they have a good knowledge and understanding of how to write for a range of purposes. They are very well prepared for their work in Year 3 and beyond. Links between subjects support pupils’ good achievement, as they are able to practise writing for a range of purposes. However, in Years 1 and 2 opportunities are missed in science for pupils to write explanations and record what they have observed. Pupils’ well above average standards in reading and mathematics reflect the very good teaching they receive and their own enthusiasm for learning.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.3 (17.3) 15.8 (15.7) writing 15.6 (15.5) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 18.2 (18.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 13 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

4. Fewer than ten Year 6 pupils were entered for national tests in 2004. Therefore the table of results is omitted and it is inappropriate to compare the school’s results with national averages as a basis for evaluating the school. However, school assessment information and pupils’ results in these tests indicate that by the end of Year 6 pupils achieved well to attain standards that were well above average in English, mathematics and science. A similar picture of standards and achievement is evident in the work of Year 6 pupils observed during the inspection. A few pupils demonstrate standards in English that are far above those expected and standards in science have improved since the last inspection. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make very good use of their literacy skills to record their work in investigative science and this contributes to the standards they attain in both science and writing.

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

5. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are above those expected at Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils achieve well and inspection evidence indicates that standards are rising as a consequence of improved provision, teaching and resources. This, together with improved standards in science and the maintenance of well above average standards in English and mathematics in Year 6, represents good improvement since the last inspection. This improvement has been secured as a result of very effective subject leadership and very strong teamwork that is focused on continual improvement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are excellent and their behaviour is very good. Their moral and social development is excellent; their spiritual and cultural development is very good. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school, have exceptionally positive attitudes and participate very well in everything the school has to offer. • Very high standards of behaviour contribute strongly to pupils’ learning. • There are excellent relationships between staff and pupils and amongst pupils themselves. • The school promotes a very clear set of values that make a very strong contribution to pupils’ moral and social development. • Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is addressed very well. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 10 Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 11

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Commentary

6. Pupils are polite and confident and are able to discuss their views in a very mature way. They get on exceptionally well with each other and with the adults of their school community. The headteacher has an extremely clear view, shared by all staff, of what the school aims to achieve for its pupils. This vision reflects the nature of relationships in the school and can be seen in the very constructive way in which all adults work with pupils. Staff help pupils to develop a strong set of values on which to base their social and moral judgements. Pupils themselves understand and strongly appreciate these values, as do their parents.

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Commentary

7. The school’s strong ethos is reflected in a very clear set of expectations and sense of right and wrong. Pupils throughout the school know how they are expected to behave and work very hard to meet the school’s high standards. Pupils’ exemplary attitudes reflect the very strong relationships between adults and pupils. All teachers treat pupils as individuals. Pupils respond very well to this and are very positive about attending school; they both like and respect their teachers. Year 6 pupils say they will be very sorry to leave the school but consider they have been very well prepared to move on to secondary education. All pupils use their time in school very well and this contributes significantly to their achievements. As pupils behave very well in lessons teachers do not need to spend time maintaining order and instead are able to concentrate on ensuring that pupils’ learning is very productive. Pupils get

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Commentary

on with their own work diligently when their teacher is engaged elsewhere in the classroom.

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Commentary

8. Pupils co-operate very well with each other when working and playing together. They share resources, work together constructively in pairs or small groups and listen to and respect each other’s opinions. For example, when learning French as part of the enrichment programme pupils had the confidence to try to speak the language in front of the class. Break times are sociable occasions where pupils behave very sensibly and with due regard for others. Bullying incidents are rare and dealt with very effectively if they do occur. No pupils have been excluded from the school for many years.

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Commentary

9. The extremely strong moral and social code promoted by the school helps pupils to consider and understand feelings and emotions, both in themselves and in others. Pupils look after each other, with older pupils taking very good care of the younger ones. The house system is used well to encourage pupils to work together across classes and age groups. Teamwork and celebrating success and achievement are strong features that support pupils’ moral and social development very well. Spirituality pervades the school and is supported very well by collective worship. For example, pupils explored the meaning of “pilgrimage” as they each took a stone to build a communal cairn and followed this ceremony with prayers and hymn singing in the open air. Every opportunity is taken to explore the spiritual element of pupils’ work in lessons. For example, when studying leaves and seeds in science pupils in Years 1

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Commentary

and 2 were encouraged to reflect on the wonder and beauty of nature. The school draws on examples from many cultures to broaden pupils’ experiences in support of their spiritual and cultural development. School resources and visits and visitors are used very effectively and provide pupils with many opportunities to consider their own beliefs and values and those of others. For example, a display recording the school’s “Music for a Summer Evening” performance held for parents and the community sits alongside displays recording Muslim and Jewish customs. A very high proportion of pupils are involved in music-making and drama. These experiences enable pupils to express their ideas and feelings whilst also providing them with the opportunity to learn new skills and work productively together. These experiences make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

10. Attendance for the last reported year was below the national average largely as a result of some pupils being taken on holiday by their parents during term time. However, the school does all it can to secure good attendance, and a scrutiny of school data indicates that it has been successful: attendance for the current year has improved, so that it is now in line with the national average. Pupils arrive punctually for school and are very keen to start their work. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 12

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 0.1 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Very good teaching, together with the very good curriculum and an extensive range of additional activities, ensures that pupils learn very well. Pupils receive very good quality care, guidance and support and their involvement in the work of the school is good. Links with parents and the community are very strong and the school works effectively with other schools. The ethos for learning at the school is very good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school. Assessment procedures are very effective, although pupils could be given more information about their own learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. • Pupils learn very well because teachers use a range of teaching methods that take full account of pupils’ different learning styles. • Teachers use assessment information very effectively to guide their planning, although they do not always share this information well enough with pupils. • Productive relationships and pupils’ excellent attitudes ensure that lessons are successful and pupils learn very well.

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Commentary

11. Throughout the school the quality of teaching is very good. This is reflected in pupils’ extremely positive views about their lessons. Pupils say they have to work hard but that lessons are fun and they learn a lot of new things. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection as a result of rigorous monitoring that has secured improvements in the methods used and the links made between subjects. Teamwork is a very significant factor in the success of lessons as teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to enable all pupils to achieve their potential.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 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

12. Teachers use assessment information very well to plan lessons that have clear learning objectives based securely on what pupils have already learned. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and make very effective use of questioning to challenge and clarify pupils’ thinking and to gauge their understanding. Pupils review their own learning at the end of lessons and teachers take account of this when planning future lessons. This, together with evidence from pupils’ work and the results of tests, provides a very clear picture of the progress being made by all pupils. Teachers use this information to set targets for pupils that are realistic but challenging. Pupils understand what they are Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 13 expected to learn in lessons and how what they have learned in previous lessons will help them to succeed. However, teachers do not provide pupils with enough information about

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Commentary

what they need to learn over time to achieve their targets. Pupils’ attitudes are excellent and they work extremely hard in lessons but are not given sufficient opportunity to take responsibility for their learning.

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Commentary

13. Teachers plan lessons that take account of how pupils learn most effectively. Discussion, role-play and practical activities are all regular features of lessons. Lessons move at a brisk pace and are well structured to provide a very good balance between whole-class, group and individual work. The consequence of these strategies is that pupils are very motivated and enthusiastic about their learning and work very hard.

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Commentary

14. Relationships among pupils and between pupils and staff are very productive. Pupils are very confident that they will be provided with the support and challenge they need to learn very well. Teachers plan lessons that take account of pupils’ different abilities, and activities are varied to ensure that pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is nurtured. This motivation to learn is supported further by the links made between subjects and the wide range of enrichment activities that give pupils’ learning a real purpose. Pupils develop into confident young people who make the most of every learning opportunity the school provides.

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum is very good. Opportunities provided for enrichment of the curriculum through clubs, visits and special events are very good overall. The school’s accommodation and resources support learning well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils very well. • Learning is enhanced because links between subjects are exploited very effectively. • Visits to places outside the school and visitors coming into the school support a culture that promotes learning through enjoyment. • Opportunities to take part in extra-curricular sport and arts activities are excellent. • Good improvements have been made to accommodation and resources since the last inspection.

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Commentary

15. The curriculum provides a very broad range of activities that meet all statutory requirements and the needs of pupils very well. Very good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship, including drugs and sex education, and pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are very good. These strengths contribute very effectively to ensuring that pupils are very well prepared for their next stage of learning. Although the number of pupils with special educational needs in the school is extremely small, the provision made for them is very good. Pupils with English as an additional language are also very well provided for and receive the support they need to learn very well. Very good teaching, the planning of lessons that pupils find motivating and the rich variety of extra-curricular activities ensure that the needs of pupils with particular talents are met very well. Good improvement has been

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Commentary

secured in the quality of the curriculum since the last inspection.

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Commentary

16. The richness and diversity of the curriculum are evident both in lessons and through the high quality displays around the school. Pupils’ work is celebrated and illustrates the broad range of teaching approaches used to ensure that all pupils achieve their potential. Drama is frequently used very well to support learning. Central to the success of the curriculum are the very strong links between subjects that make learning fun and relevant to pupils. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 studying World War II considered the similarities and differences in foods available at the time of the war and now. They weighed out typical food rations for a person for one week, converting imperial units to metric. They cooked a cheese Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 14 pudding following a recipe used at the time that they had found when researching the war using the Internet and they discussed the nutritional value of the food.

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Commentary

17. The curriculum is enhanced very well through the wide range of visits to places outside the school and visitors coming into the school. The opportunities provided for pupils to participate in both sport and the arts are exceptional. Pupils throughout the school are very enthusiastic about the clubs and other activities offered and comment on their high quality and how they have helped their learning. For example, a visit to Southampton University to support learning in science enthused pupils in Years 5 and 6 about how technology is likely to change our lives in the future. Sporting and drama clubs are very well attended and individual tuition is used very well to develop pupils’ musical skills. Musicians from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra enabled pupils in Years 3 to 6 to take part in a mini-opera performed with other schools as part of the Salisbury Festival. Their expertise during rehearsals was extremely effective and

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Commentary

helped pupils to achieve a very high quality of singing. Pupils are also provided with the opportunity to learn other languages such as French.

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Commentary

18. There have been good improvements in the accommodation and resources since the last inspection. The hall has been enlarged and is now large enough for pupils to be taught physical education and to enjoy activities such as dance and drama. The school is well maintained and very clean. The new ICT room and outdoor play area for the Foundation Stage are both well used to support pupils’ learning. Teaching resources have been significantly improved and the addition of interactive whiteboards and extra computers has provided more opportunities for learning in all curriculum areas and helped develop pupils’ ICT skills. There are a good number of well-qualified teachers and support staff.

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Care, guidance and support

There are very effective arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. The school provides students with very good support, advice and guidance. Pupils’ involvement in the school’s work and development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very productive relationships with their pupils and know them very well. • The school treats pupils’ personal development as a high priority and provides them with very well-informed personal advice and guidance. • Induction arrangements for pupils entering the school are very good. • Child protection and health and safety procedures are effective. • The active class councils involve pupils well in school developments. • Better use could be made of assessment information to involve pupils in their own learning.

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Commentary

19. Parents consider that the school cares for their children very well and, as a result, they are happy and enjoy coming to school. Governors and the headteacher are active in ensuring that the school provides a safe learning environment for all pupils. Good health and safety procedures are in place, including risk assessments, and first aid provision is very well managed. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding child protection and the school has the facility to ensure that pupils get additional support when they need it.

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Commentary

20. Teachers and non-teaching staff know pupils very well and are very sensitive to their individual needs. The school’s very positive ethos emphasises the worth of each individual and staff are effective in promoting this in all aspects of the school’s work. There are very supportive relationships, based on mutual trust and respect, between staff and pupils. Pupils feel that their teachers treat them very well as individuals and care about them. Teachers provide well-informed guidance to pupils and are able to support them very effectively when they are having problems. Pupils are confident that there is a trusted adult they can go to with Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 15 problems they may have and that their teachers will willingly give extra time to ensure that they overcome difficulties with their work. Pupils with special educational needs are provided with well-targeted support, as are pupils with English as an additional language. There are

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Commentary

effective procedures for providing advice and guidance to pupils as they progress through the school. Few formal records regarding pupils’ personal development are kept but, as pupils are so well known to staff, any problems are dealt with quickly. The school has very good assessment procedures to monitor pupils’ academic progress but could do more to share the resulting information with pupils. Given their maturity, pupils could be encouraged to be more involved in and take more responsibility for their learning.

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Commentary

21. Very effective induction arrangements and support for children entering the school ensure that they settle quickly and happily. For example, children from the pre-school situated on the school site spend many half-days in the summer term working and playing in the school classroom alongside the Reception children. Hence, when they start school in the following autumn term they are already very familiar with the school environment and daily routines. This provision meets their needs very well and ensures that they have a very productive start to school life.

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Commentary

22. Although there is no school council, class councils are well established and valued by pupils as a means of contributing to school developments. Pupils are keen to make suggestions and consider that their views and ideas are listened to and acted upon. For example, pupils have been actively involved in deciding what kind of playground equipment should be bought.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with its parents, very good connections with the local community and good links with other schools in the area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive of the school and appreciate the education and care it provides for their children. • The school is an important and integral part of the village. • Parents receive good information from the school. • The school provides good support for Year 6 pupils to help them achieve a smooth transfer to their secondary schools.

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Commentary

23. The school is held in very high regard by parents and the community it serves. This is reflected in its popularity and the fact that pupil numbers have grown significantly since the last inspection. Parents feel very comfortable about approaching staff with a question or complaint and consider the school works hard to seek their views. Parents are asked to complete questionnaires and to comment on specific points relating to the school’s work. They are confident that their ideas and views are taken into account when decisions are being made about future developments. Parents think they are well informed about how their child is getting on and are very satisfied with the quality of the communication from the school. Inspectors agree with the positive views expressed by parents.

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Commentary

24. Information provided for parents is good. The school holds two formal meetings a year when parents are able to discuss their children’s progress with teachers. These meetings are arranged with parents’ convenience in mind and a very high proportion of parents attend. Pupils take home a folder at the end of every week that contains information for parents including informative newsletters. Teachers provide parents with information about the curriculum being taught each term and include ideas on how parents can support their children’s learning at home. The annual reports on pupils’ progress are well written and provide a good account of their achievements and curriculum coverage, together with a Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 16 section dedicated to evaluating their personal development. The governors’ annual report and the prospectus are both well-produced documents that provide good quality information for

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Commentary

25. Parents support their children’s learning very well. They provide their children with encouragement, hear them read at home and support them with their homework tasks. For example, parents of pupils in Years 3 and 4 provided very good support to enable pupils to complete a detailed research project on countries around the world. The school has a very strong parent-teacher association which is exceptionally active in organising social and fund raising events. The members have succeeded in raising significant funds for the school in recent years that have provided essential support for school developments.

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Commentary

26. Parents feel welcome in school. They and other village residents consider the school to be at the heart of the local community. These very strong links are reflected in the considerable contribution made by the community to the school’s fundraising activities. Conversely, the school is actively involved in community events and works closely with other local groups to explore issues such as road safety. Links with the church are very strong and reflect the school’s Church of England affiliation.

p.16

Commentary

27. There are exceptionally close links with the local pre-school, helped considerably by the fact that the school has found space to accommodate the pre-school on its site. These links ensure that children make a very positive start in Reception. The school works hard to liaise effectively with the large number of secondary schools pupils transfer to. The school provides good advice to parents and pupils to support their decisions about which secondary school to transfer to, including advice on whether or not children should take the eleven-plus examination in order to gain a place at one of the local grammar schools. Effective arrangements are made to enable pupils to visit their new school.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and school governance is very good. Other key staff provide very good leadership and the school is very well managed.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides excellent leadership of the curriculum and teaching. • Governors are very supportive and know the strengths and weaknesses of the school very well. • School improvement planning is very effective. • Opportunities for professional development are excellent. • Financial decisions are very well matched to school improvement priorities.

p.16

Commentary

28. Under the excellent leadership of the headteacher the school has secured good improvement since the last inspection. High standards have been maintained in some subjects and standards in other subjects have improved. The headteacher is reflective and innovative and finds ways of overcoming difficulties that might otherwise hinder improvement. Inexperienced staff receive very high quality support from both the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Rigorous monitoring procedures are in place to support improvements in teaching and all teachers have the opportunity to reflect on their own practice through constructive feedback and by visiting other lessons. As a result of this monitoring and support, the quality of teaching has improved and is very good overall. In addition, the curriculum is very well developed to provide pupils with interesting and motivating learning opportunities that enable

p.16

Commentary

them all to achieve well. The headteacher values highly every member of staff who works in Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 17 the school. This, together with the outstanding support provided, has been central to the development of a highly motivated and committed team who work very effectively together.

p.16

Commentary

29. The governors are very well informed about all aspects of the school’s work and have a very good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. They are closely involved in all key decisions and their very effective monitoring procedures ensure that they make decisions based on high quality information. Governors play a significant role in planning for school improvement. Led by the headteacher they have built up very constructive working relationships with all staff. Consequently they are able to challenge the school yet remain very supportive. Governors ensure that the school complies with all statutory requirements.

p.17

Commentary

30. The school employs a wide range of strategies to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness. The results of this work are drawn together to produce a comprehensive school improvement plan that clearly identifies what the school needs to do next to improve. The final plan is produced following extensive consultation with both staff and governors. Consequently staff and governors have a shared vision for the school: they work very hard together to implement change and address the issues identified for improvement. The school has the confidence to maintain a strong focus on a specific area until improvement is secured. Aspects identified for improvement during the inspection reflect those already identified by the school.

p.17

Commentary

31. The headteacher and governors are very strongly committed to developing the skills of all staff working in the school. Recently, staff undertook training on developing strategies for speaking and listening and these have been successfully implemented in the school and have resulted in improved learning in many subjects. Newly qualified teachers have received very good training and feel exceptionally well supported. These extremely effective systems of support in the school have ensured that the quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. The subject leadership and management skills of inexperienced staff are developed very effectively through a stepped approach to taking on full responsibility. Staff meetings are organised to provide all teachers with the opportunity during the year to lead on aspects under discussion and this supports the development of their leadership skills very

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 278,320 Balance from previous year 21,873 Total expenditure 290,880 Balance carried forward to the next 9,313

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

32. The school’s finances are very well managed and the day-to-day running of the school is smooth and very efficient. The finance committee monitors spending within the school very regularly to ensure that the budget is on track and money is being used effectively to support pupils’ learning. The funding available is carefully targeted on the school’s priorities and the impact of spending decisions on the quality of education provided is monitored carefully. For example, the school has recently purchased interactive whiteboards for classrooms, and their positive contribution to pupils’ educational experiences is already evident in improved standards, teaching and the breadth of the curriculum. Given pupils’ personal development, their achievement, the standards they attain and the quality of education provided, the school gives good value for money. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good. The number of children who start in the Reception class each year is small and, although standards on entry vary from year to year, they are above average overall. Very good leadership, management and teaching together with the very good curriculum ensure that children achieve well and almost all exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of their Reception Year in all areas of learning. Children of high ability and those with English as an additional language achieve equally well from their individual starting points. Assessment information is used very well to plan activities that take account of children’s abilities, their interests and the different ways in which they learn most effectively. Teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of what children can achieve and provide them with very good support. Consequently children develop very positive attitudes to their work and are strongly

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

motivated to learn. Teachers use resources very well to plan a wide variety of stimulating learning experiences that capture children’s imagination and allow them to practise their skills in a range of practical, structured play activities. As a result of this very good provision, children are prepared very well for their work in Year 1. Good improvement has taken place since the last inspection with the provision of a secure outdoor space and large wheeled toys to support the development of children’s physical skills. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are sharply focused on ensuring that children have the opportunity to learn to the very best of their ability. To this end the quality of the provision is constantly monitored and evaluated and aspects that are identified for improvement are promptly addressed.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults manage children very well and have high expectations of their behaviour. • Very good relationships and high quality play opportunities ensure that children’s confidence and self-esteem develop very well. • Children work and play together constructively. • Children’s independence is supported very well by the organisation of the classroom and outdoor area.

p.18

Commentary

33. Very good induction procedures and links with the local pre-school group ensure that children settle very quickly into the school. All children achieve well and almost all exceed the expected goals by the end of their Reception Year. This area of learning is very well planned and integrated into all other areas of learning. Teaching is very good and all adults manage children very well in a consistent way so that children learn quickly what behaviour is and is not acceptable. Adults also provide very good role models for children and treat them with courtesy and respect. As a result, children develop very good relationships with each other and the skills they need to work and play together constructively by taking turns and sharing. Children are involved in developing their own learning environment; for example, they help to create role-play areas. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and

p.18

Commentary

develop good levels of independence. For example, as a result of the way the classroom is organised, children are able to select their own equipment and they are given regular opportunities to make choices about which activities they will be involved in. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 19

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s speaking and listening skills develop very well. • The wide variety of teaching methods used capture children’s imagination. • Poems and stories are used well to stimulate children’s interest in reading and writing.

p.19

Commentary

34. As a result of very good teaching, all children achieve well and almost all exceed the expected goals by the end of their Reception Year. The provision ensures that children with English as an additional language quickly develop the vocabulary and understanding they need to learn well in this and all other areas of learning. Children of high ability are equally well supported and work confidently at a level normally expected of Year 1 pupils. Children have many opportunities for discussion and conversation and this ensures that they develop into confident communicators who use a wide vocabulary. They also listen attentively to adults and each other. Stimulating activities and the variety of teaching methods used motivate children to learn. For example, children wrote descriptions of the “Bong Tree” from the “The Owl and the Pussycat” after the teacher, in role as the owl, asked for their assistance.

p.19

Commentary

Children are confident writers. They recognise letters and the sounds they make and know how to write them correctly. They have many opportunities to practise their writing in play activities and most spell a good number of simple words correctly and make very good attempts at spelling more complex words. Children choose to make their own books and a few are able to write short stories based on traditional tales they are familiar with. Children enjoy reading and most are able to read simple texts with understanding. Children with a particular talent for reading are supported through the provision of appropriately challenging texts.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults use questioning very well to extend children’s learning. • There is a very good emphasis on practical activities. • Children learn and use mathematical vocabulary very confidently.

p.19

Commentary

35. Very good teaching ensures that children achieve well. Almost all children exceed the expected goals by the end of Reception and a few work very confidently at a level normally expected of Year 1 pupils. The emphasis on learning through practical activities ensures that children learn to count and order numbers accurately and complete simple addition and subtraction calculations. Central to these activities are opportunities for discussion with adults about their work. Adults make very effective use of questioning to challenge children to think through and talk about their work. As a result, children become very confident in their understanding of mathematical processes and their use of mathematical vocabulary. Games and role-play activities provide children with very good opportunities to practise and extend their knowledge and skills. For example, they improve their understanding of addition and

p.19

Commentary

subtraction while paying for items and receiving change in the role-play shop. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 20

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s learning is supported very well through practical activities, visits and the good use made of the local environment. • Children confidently ask questions and use their senses to explore their world. • Very effective links are made to other areas of learning.

p.20

Commentary

36. Children achieve well and almost all exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of their Reception Year. Very good planning and teaching ensure that children learn very well because their natural curiosity is supported and they are encouraged to explore their world and to make decisions based on what they know. For example, they closely observed and explored the textures of a range of materials when deciding what the bark of the palm tree in the tropical island role-play area should feel like. Having made their choices they decided on the best way of sticking the materials to the trunk. Visits to places such as the Toy Museum make a very good contribution to children’s understanding of how things change over time. By exploring the village around their school children develop a good understanding of features within their local environment that they like or dislike. Children’s speaking and listening skills

p.20

Commentary

are supported very well as adults actively encourage children to ask questions and give reasons for their ideas and what they observe. For example, when exploring what materials and objects might float or sink, children suggested that, although a paper boat might float initially, it was likely to sink eventually as it became soggy after taking up water. Children use ICT well to support their learning in, for example, mathematics, spelling and writing.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching ensures children develop good control over their bodies. • Children become engrossed in activities and, as a result, their learning is very good.

p.20

Commentary

37. Almost all children exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of their Reception Year. They learn very well as a consequence of very good planning and teaching. Children find activities interesting and sustain their effort and concentration. They work hard to improve their skills and achieve well. Throughout the day children have access to tools and equipment that help them to gain control over their small muscles. For example, in the writing area they use scissors, pencils, printing blocks and staplers with a good level of control. Adults challenge children to improve their skills whilst also providing sufficient support to ensure that their motivation to succeed is not lost. When working in the outdoor area children show good control over large wheeled toys and at playtimes they throw and catch balls with increasing accuracy when supported by adults and older pupils. Children are well co-ordinated and have

p.20

Commentary

a good awareness of space and those around them. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 21

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many opportunities are provided for children to express and communicate their ideas and feelings. • Very good links are made to other areas of learning. • Activities are very well matched to children’s interests and so stimulate their imagination.

p.21

Commentary

38. Very good teaching that includes the active involvement of adults in children’s imaginative play ensures that children learn very well. Almost all children exceed the expected goals by the end of their Reception Year. They achieve well because a wide variety of activities are planned that appeal to children and that encourage them to be creative. For example, they helped to design their role-play area by adding textured bark to palm trees on the tropical island. Adults make a significant contribution to children’s learning through role-play as they help them to use their imagination and communicate their ideas and feelings. When playing on the train in the outdoor area children took on the role of holidaymakers and talked enthusiastically about where they were going and what they would see when they got there. Links to other areas of learning are very good and include many opportunities for children to

p.21

Commentary

develop, for example, their speaking and listening skills, their mathematical understanding and their knowledge of animal habitats. Children thoroughly enjoy musical activities and are able to copy clapped sound patterns. They are developing a good understanding of rhythm and play a range of simple percussion instruments confidently and creatively.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 6. • All pupils achieve well because teaching is very good and pupils are motivated to learn. • Pupils enjoy their lessons and have excellent attitudes to their work. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good. • Pupils know what they are expected to achieve in lessons but are less clear about what they need to do to improve over time. • Pupils use their literacy skills very well overall to support their learning in other subjects but more use could be made of writing in Years 1 and 2 to support pupils’ learning in science.

p.21

Commentary

39. Standards on entry vary from year to year and reflect the overall ability of each of the small year groups in the school. The number of pupils in the school has grown since the last inspection, with many arriving in Years 3 to 6. Despite these factors, well above average standards have been consistently maintained in Year 6. Although more variable from year to year, above average standards in Year 2 have also been secured. All pupils, including the very able, those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, achieve well. There is no difference between the achievement of boys and girls. The achievement of pupils and the standards they attain are a result of very good teaching,

p.21

Commentary

the school’s focus on writing, the high profile given to developing speaking and listening skills Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 22 and the links made between English and other subjects of the curriculum together with pupils’ enthusiasm and the extremely positive attitude with which they tackle their work.

p.21

Commentary

40. Throughout the school pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well above average. Whole- class and partner discussions, role-play and drama are an integral part of lessons in all subjects and provide pupils with excellent opportunities to extend their vocabularies and talk for a range of purposes. The consequence of these varied opportunities is that pupils achieve well and enjoy conversing with adults and each other. By Year 6 pupils are very confident, articulate speakers, who organise their thoughts quickly and present their ideas in a clear and coherent way. Pupils throughout the school are very good listeners and take turns to speak and make relevant contributions when it is their time to do so. Adults provide excellent role models for pupils as they listen carefully, value what pupils have to say and engage them in conversation and discussions in lessons. Pupils’ skills in speaking and listening support their

p.22

Commentary

personal development very well as they are able to resolve issues and consider the thoughts and ideas of others through debate and discussion.

p.22

Commentary

41. Standards in reading are well above average overall in Year 2 and Year 6. A few pupils in each year group read at a very high level for their age. Pupils achieve well because they are able to select from a very wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts, and the skills of reading are taught very well. Consequently pupils are motivated and consider reading to be an enjoyable activity. Pupils receive very good support from their parents at home. All these factors contribute to the standards pupils attain. By the time they are in Year 6 pupils are very clear about the sort of books they enjoy reading most and read with fluency and expression. They give detailed recounts of the books they are reading and their analysis of the text goes beyond the literal, as they are able to infer and deduce reasons for events. Pupils make very good use of non-fiction books to gather information to support their learning in other subjects.

p.22

Commentary

42. Standards in writing are above average in Year 2 and well above average in Year 6. The school has focused on improving writing and this has ensured that pupils of all abilities throughout the school achieve well. Pupils understand that there are different forms of writing depending on its purpose and they organise it well. For example, pupils in Year 2 understand how to structure a story and in Year 6 pupils recount events as they would be presented in a newspaper report. The quality of pupils’ writing reflects their very good reading and speaking skills. Pupils engage the reader by using an increasingly varied vocabulary that adds interest to their work. Pupils enjoy writing and are very productive in lessons. They present their work very well and spell and use punctuation accurately.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and plan lessons that are very well structured and that motivate and enthuse pupils to learn. Very effective teaching methods that include drama, role-play, discussion and debate enable pupils who learn in different ways to succeed. Pupils fully understand the objective of each lesson and are involved in reviewing their learning at the end of each lesson. Teachers use this and other assessment information to check what pupils have learned and to guide the planning of future lessons. Pupils are very clear about what they have learned in lessons. However, teachers do not use the assessment information they have to provide pupils with clear guidance about what they need to do next to improve over a longer period of time. Pupils of all abilities work very hard and achieve well because they are supported and challenged very well by teachers and teaching assistants.

p.22

Commentary

Pupils’ excellent attitudes and very good behaviour reflect the quality of teaching they experience and the enthusiasm they have for learning.

p.22

Commentary

44. The subject is very well led and managed. Rigorous monitoring systems provide the information needed to guide developments in the subject. Very prompt action is taken to make improvements and their impact is fully evaluated. A very clear vision has been established and all staff work very effectively as a team to ensure that the goals set for improvement are achieved. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 23 45. Overall, pupils use their literacy skills very well to support their learning in other subjects. Opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills are fully integrated into all lessons and reading is a regular feature of pupils’ work in other subjects. The links made between subjects give pupils’ written work real purpose. For example, pupils in Year 2 write explanations of historical events and in Year 6 pupils produce tourist information leaflets as part of their work in geography. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 use their writing skills very well to support their learning in science. However, opportunities are missed for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to support their understanding of investigative science through writing explanations and recording their observations.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• High standards have been maintained since the last inspection. • Pupils apply their mathematical skills very well. • Pupils learn very well because teaching is very good. • Pupils have excellent attitudes and behave very well • Better use could be made of assessment information to improve pupils’ knowledge of their own learning.

p.23

Commentary

46. Standards in Year 2 are well above average. In Year 6, standards are also well above average, with over half of the pupils achieving the higher Level 5 in national tests. Pupils across the school have very good basic skills and they use these confidently in their work in other subjects. Pupils in Year 6 use a very good range of strategies to calculate mentally and have a very good understanding of place value. Pupils confidently solve problems that require more than one calculation. Despite variations in the overall ability of year groups the school has succeeded in maintaining high standards since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

47. Pupils throughout the school achieve well. The very few pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language achieve as well as other pupils. Lesson planning takes good account of the needs of higher-attaining pupils and they too achieve well. Pupils’ work shows that they make good progress as they move through the school and they are highly productive. Pupils find lessons both challenging and fun and this, together with the quality of their recorded work, reflects their extremely good attitudes to the subject.

p.23

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are very good overall. Teachers use their very good subject knowledge to ensure that information and explanations given to the pupils are clear. Teachers enable pupils to draw upon their previous learning and constantly check their understanding through the very effective use of questioning. In addition, pupils are often required to explain their work. This strategy not only helps pupils to clarify their mathematical thinking but also supports the development of their speaking and listening skills. Pupils are very articulate and use mathematical vocabulary confidently to explain their reasoning. Pupils’ excellent attitudes and their very good behaviour in lessons reflect the very good quality of teachers’ planning and the stimulating range of activities provided. Electronic whiteboards are used well to support learning and the pupils’ use of these in lessons has also improved their

p.23

Commentary

ICT skills. The progress of individual pupils is carefully tracked through marking of pupils’ work, by analysing pupils’ results in tests and by questioning in lessons. Teachers have a good knowledge of individual pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and use this

p.23

Commentary

information to guide the planning of lessons. Pupils can identify how much they have learnt Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 24 during lessons. However, teachers do not provide pupils with enough information to enable them to be clear about their own learning and what they need to do next to improve.

p.23

Commentary

49. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. Very effective monitoring procedures have secured improvements in teaching and in assessment procedures. Aspects for improvement are clearly identified and all staff work very effectively as a team to address the issues raised. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

50. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good. For example, in Year 2 pupils use their knowledge of co-ordinates and direction of turn when entering instructions into a programmable floor robot. In history pupils in Years 3 and 4 confidently converted weight measures from imperial to metric units when studying rationing of food in World War II. Throughout the school pupils use their mathematical skills to measure and record results during science investigative work.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A large proportion of Year 6 pupils reach high standards. • Pupils make very good use of their speaking and listening skills to support their learning. • Enrichment of the subject through visits supports pupils’ learning very well. • The subject is very well led and managed. • In Years 1 and 2 pupils make limited use of their writing skills to support their understanding in science.

p.24

Commentary

51. Standards are average in Year 2. Although all pupils reach the expected level, none attain the higher Level 3 in all aspects of the science curriculum. This is because their skills in investigative and experimental science are not as well developed as their knowledge and understanding of scientific facts and processes. By Year 6 standards are well above average, with over two-thirds of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in national tests. However, overall, pupils achieve well throughout the school. Pupils in Year 6 have exceptionally good knowledge and understanding of life and living processes and use scientific terminology accurately during discussion. For example, in a discussion about animal groups, pupils identified key characteristics such as those with exoskeletons. In Years 3 to 6, investigation is integrated well into all aspects of the science curriculum and pupils use their writing skills very

p.24

Commentary

well to record their work. In Years 1 and 2 pupils make limited use of writing to record their work and explain their ideas and so opportunities are missed for pupils to develop their scientific knowledge and understanding.

p.24

Commentary

52. Teaching is very good overall. In Years 3 to 6 pupils make particularly rapid progress partly because of the emphasis given to learning through investigation. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and plan a good variety of activities to motivate pupils to learn. Teachers provide pupils with vocabulary lists and encourage them to talk about their work to ensure that they use and understand scientific vocabulary. In a lesson observed in Years 5 and 6 very effective use was made of ICT to help pupils understand how animals and plants can be sorted into different groups according to similar features. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 25 53. Pupils’ experience of science is enriched considerably by the very effective use of visits and visitors. During the inspection pupils in Years 5 and 6 visited Southampton University to take part in a science morning. Pupils returned bubbling with information about how water can be

p.24

Commentary

used to degrade plastics. This sort of activity gives science a high profile and pupils’ enthusiasm for the subject is supported very well as they are keen to learn more.

p.25

Commentary

54. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. Assessment data is analysed and aspects of the provision requiring improvement are identified and tackled quickly. The progress pupils make is carefully tracked through a very good record keeping system. Teaching is monitored regularly and teachers plan jointly to ensure that all pupils’ needs are being met. Although pupils have a good understanding of the general level of their work, they are not very clear about what they need to do next to improve. Standards have risen since the last inspection and improvement overall has been good.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving rapidly. • Interactive whiteboards are used very effectively to teach ICT skills. • Pupils’ very good independent learning skills ensure that time in lessons is used well. • Resources have improved significantly since the last inspection. • Aspects of control technology are underdeveloped.

p.25

Commentary

55. Standards are above average in Year 2 and in Year 6. The recent improvement in resources and accommodation provides good opportunities for pupils to improve their skills and, as a consequence, standards are improving rapidly. In Year 6, there is currently some unevenness in attainment across different aspects of the subject because the new scheme of work has been in place for less than one year. For example, control technology, although satisfactory, is a relatively weaker area of pupils’ understanding. Pupils across the school have good basic skills and are developing confidence in using computers to support their learning. Use of the Internet is well established and pupils explore a range of sites when seeking information to extend their learning in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

56. Teaching is good and pupils’ learning is good as it is given relevance through the links made to other subjects. In a Year 2 lesson pupils made good progress in developing their mathematical understanding of position and direction as they generated a series of instructions to programme a floor robot to move in a particular way. In Year 6 pupils’ scientific understanding of how to sort animals and plants by their characteristics was supported very well through the effective use of a computer program and an interactive whiteboard. Teachers are very skilled at asking well-targeted questions to help pupils to explain their thinking. When working in a group pupils work independently without any fuss and demonstrate an extremely sensible and mature attitude towards their learning. Discussions with Year 5 and 6 pupils confirm the significant improvement in ICT resources over the last two terms and their own

p.25

Commentary

consequent rapid progress in skills and understanding.

p.25

Commentary

57. The ICT suite is used well to enable pupils to practise the skills they learn in the classroom. Although the pupils are not always directly taught in the suite, they learn well when using it because of their exemplary attitudes, very good behaviour and the clarity of the teaching that has taken place in the classroom. Pupils help each other and are keen to complete the tasks they are set. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 26 58. Leadership and management of the subject are good. There is a good action plan in place, which has been implemented well and has led to improved standards in the subject. Improvements to resources and the accommodation have been systematically planned and the introduction of the scheme of work has been well thought through. All these aspects have ensured that improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

59. The use of ICT in other curriculum areas is satisfactory overall and improving as pupils gain confidence and teachers identify aspects of pupils’ learning in other subjects that can be supported through the use of computers. The Internet is used well in many subjects to research information.

p.26

HUMANITIES

60. Religious education is subject to a separate inspection by the Diocese of Salisbury 1 . Geography and history were sampled.

p.26

HUMANITIES

61. In geography pupils in Year 2 are able to identify aspects in the local area that they like or dislike and can locate where they live on a map of the United Kingdom. Pupils in Year 4 use a range of resources such as maps and aerial photographs to locate features of the landscape and plan routes from the school to local towns. Through their study of the world’s weather patterns they learn about the environmental conditions found in areas such as the polar and equatorial regions. Effective use is made of homework projects to stimulate pupils’ interest and extend their understanding of similarities and differences in world geography and the cultures of countries. Year 6 pupils confidently completed surveys to identify problems and suggested possible solutions to issues such as parking in their village. Geography makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils use their

p.26

HUMANITIES

literacy skills well in geography when, for example, they produce tourist leaflets to publicise places of interest such as Salisbury Cathedral. The very good quality presentation of pupils’ work reflects their extremely positive attitudes. Visits and the effective use of resources make a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.26

HUMANITIES

62. History is linked very well to other subjects of the curriculum. For example, while studying World War II good links to literacy, numeracy and ICT helped pupils in Years 3 and 4 to understand what it was like to live as an evacuee during a time of food rationing. The strongly practical approach to learning enables the pupils to recognise clear similarities and differences between life today and times in the past. Lessons are well planned and displays are used effectively to engage pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for the subject. Visits and visitors are used well to extend and enrich pupils’ learning in history.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63. Design and technology was inspected and is reported on in full below. Art and design, music and physical education were sampled.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. Displays throughout the school are of very good quality and show that pupils have the opportunity to develop skills in a range of techniques in art and design . The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the value placed on their work and the celebration of their achievements. Pupils use a wide range of media and collage materials to explore ideas and add interest to their work. Good use is made of the local environment and the work of famous artists as starting points for their work. Year 2 pupils explore tone and colour using charcoal and pastels to produce observational drawings of natural objects. In Year 6 pupils study the still-life paintings of Cezanne before

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

1 Because Whiteparish All Saints Primary School is a voluntary aided school the inspection of religious education and collective worship is carried out under Section 23 of the Schools Inspection Act 1996 (Denominational Education) by the inspector approved by the diocese and appointed by the governing body. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 27 designing and painting their own still-life pictures. They make good use of sketchbooks to refine their initial ideas and evaluate their final pictures describing what they hoped to achieve and how well they think they have succeeded. They also evaluate the work of others and their honest yet sensitively worded observations are a very good reflection of the extremely positive attitudes and very high quality relationships evident in the school. Good planning and links made to other subjects add depth and purpose to pupils’ experiences in art and design and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

ensure that their skills and knowledge develop well as they move through the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. Music plays an important part in the life of the school and is highly valued by staff, pupils and parents. Good progress has been made since the last inspection. Professional development for teachers and the use of visiting music specialists ensure that the curriculum is planned effectively to meet the needs of all pupils. A large number of pupils receive instrumental tuition and learn to play instruments such as the violin, flute, guitar, clarinet and saxophone. Pupils work hard and thoroughly enjoy their instrumental lessons and so reach a good standard. They regularly accompany pupils’ singing in assemblies and perform for parents and the community. Pupils thoroughly enjoy singing and by Year 6 reach a very good standard in this aspect of music. Their achievements in this area are supported very well by enrichment opportunities such as the drama after school club and working with members of

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to create and perform a mini-opera. Music makes a very valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It also supports their personal development very well as pupils’ confidence and self-esteem are raised through their performances and by finding they have a talent for music. Very effective links to other subjects provide a meaningful context for pupils’ work. For example, to complement their work on “The Tempest” in English, pupils in Year 6 devised musical compositions to reflect the characters’ personalities and how they feel as events in the play unfold. Pupils’ extremely well developed social skills enabled them to discuss, debate and agree a shared vision of how their composition would be constructed and would sound.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Planning for physical education ensures that pupils have the opportunity to experience an exceptional range of activities both in school time and in after-school clubs. For example, a large number of pupils attend the after-school tennis club, and during school time pupils learn judo. Pupils benefit from being taught by qualified coaches for both of these activities. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the range of sporting activities that are provided and after-school clubs are very well attended. The school’s large well-maintained field and the “play trail” are used well during playtimes and are a good resource for the teaching of physical education. Pupils have access to sporting equipment such as racquets and balls during playtimes. Many pupils choose to use these resources and enjoy practising their skills as they play. Residential visits enable pupils to engage in outdoor and adventure activities, and the school

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

regularly competes against other schools in a range of sports. Links to other subjects are pursued well; for example, pupils studying World War II learn popular dances from that time. Good improvement has been secured since the last inspection as the school hall has been extended to provide a space large enough for whole-class teaching.

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Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils generate a good range of different design ideas. • Teaching is good and pupils’ very positive attitudes and behaviour ensure that time in lessons is used well. • Good links are forged with other areas of the curriculum. • Although satisfactory, pupils’ making skills could be improved. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 28

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Commentary

67. Overall, pupils in Years 2 and 6 achieve well and reach expected standards. Their achievement is good in some aspects of the subject because teachers plan a broad range of activities and pupils use their imagination well to generate good design ideas. Pupils evaluate their work carefully and develop a good understanding of the constraints of designing products for a purpose. However, pupils’ making skills, although satisfactory, could be improved.

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Commentary

68. The quality of teaching is good overall. In Year 2, pupils used their own carefully drawn plans of tropical flowers to make models. They had good ideas about how to make their flower stable and able to stand up on its own. Group work is well managed and pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour ensure that time in lessons is not wasted. Pupils select from a good range of resources and share each other’s ideas effectively. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 designed and built models of Anderson Shelters and cooked cheese pudding using a World War II recipe to support their learning in history. Teachers plan effectively to ensure that pupils learn a good range of making skills, although the emphasis on the end product does not always fully support the mastering of specific making skills. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 develop a good appreciation of how the purpose of a product may constrain its design. This is a consequence

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Commentary

of effective teaching including focused questioning from teachers that effectively guides pupils to think about the practicality of their designs and the materials they choose to make them from. For example, pupils modified their designs of a shelter for a desert island after sharing, through discussion, ideas about the weather conditions it would have to withstand.

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Commentary

69. The subject is well led and managed. Weaknesses in resources identified in the last inspection have been addressed. The strong links made with other subjects, particularly history and literacy, make the subject relevant for pupils who enjoy the practical nature of the subject. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school successfully fosters excellent relationships and respect for others. • Pupils are extremely confident and highly motivated. • Pupils understand their responsibilities as members of a community and relish the opportunities they have to make a positive contribution to it.

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Commentary

70. Pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship is a very high priority for the school. Staff provide extremely good role models for pupils with the aim of helping them to develop into confident, tolerant and responsible people who are able to make the most of their own lives and also to make a positive contribution to society. Provision is made through specific lessons, through other subjects and by teachers pursuing opportunities as they arise in lessons and around the school at other times. The school’s expectations in this area of its work are underpinned very strongly by the Christian values it promotes. Relationships, among pupils and between pupils and adults, are extremely good and allow pupils to grow personally and academically in an atmosphere where they feel valued, respected and trusted.

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Commentary

71. The consequence of this very effective provision is that pupils’ self-esteem and personal confidence are very high and this is reflected in their excellent attitudes and the enthusiasm with which they involve themselves in all the activities provided by the school. Pupils consider that they receive extremely good information and are very well prepared to deal with personal, social, health and citizenship issues as they arise in their lives. For example, in an excellent lesson in Year 5 and 6 pupils discussed in a very mature way how easy it is to judge people Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 29 by their appearance and how this can often lead to a wrong judgement. During their discussions pupils considered the feelings and emotions of others and devised strategies to avoid coming to conclusions about people based on their looks alone. Pupils rise to the challenges set by their teachers, secure in the knowledge that they will be very well supported

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Commentary

72. From the time they start at school in the Reception class pupils are encouraged to make a positive contribution to the school and wider community. This is reflected in the way pupils of all ages care for each other and become actively involved in village events and those further afield. Pupils of all ages play constructively together at playtimes and large numbers of pupils are involved in drama and musical performances held in the local church and at larger venues in Salisbury. They understand how their behaviour and efforts at these times make a positive contribution to their community. Pupils are very aware that compared to others in the world they lead very fortunate lives, and they are very keen to contribute to the world community through their charity work such as raising funds for “Seeds for Africa”. Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 30

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The overall effectiveness of the school 2

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 2

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

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The leadership and management of the school 2

The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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The leadership and management of the school 2

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); Whiteparish All Saints C of E Aided Primary School - 31 poor (6); very poor (7).

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