Willingdon Primary School

WILLINGDON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Willingdon 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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WILLINGDON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Willingdon Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 463

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rapsons Road Willingdon Eastbourne East Sussex Postcode: BN20 9RJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01323 482619 Fax number: 01323 482619

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Alison Triggs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in Willingdon, a suburb in the north of Eastbourne. The school serves a mixed area of both well-established dwellings and some local authority housing. The percentage of pupils claiming free school meals is below the national average. The school is much larger than the average primary school, with 463 pupils organised into 14 single-aged classes. In addition there is an integrated Hearing Support Facility which currently has nine pupils who are members of one or other of the 14 classes. The great majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds, with small numbers of pupils from other backgrounds. Three pupils, all with serious hearing impairment, are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Pupil mobility is below the national average 1 .

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment on entry varies a lot from year to year in the actual proportions of pupils of higher ability on the one hand and of pupils who have special educational needs on the other. Overall, attainment on entry is below average, particularly in language and personal and social skills. The school has a good reputation for moving pupils off the register of special educational needs and is regularly oversubscribed. The overall proportion of pupils with special educational needs is broadly in line with the national average; the proportion with a statement of special educational need is above average, and well above average in some year groups, partly because of the presence of pupils with impaired hearing. As well as a wide range of moderate learning difficulties, the special educational needs in the school include social, emotional, behavioural, hearing, visual, autistic, physical, and speech or communication needs. The school gained an ActiveMark Gold in 2002 for

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

1 Mobility refers to pupils who join after the start of the Reception year or leave before the end of Year 6. Willingdon Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19623 Michael Cahill Lead inspector Mathematics Science Physical education 9334 Jenny Mynett Lay inspector 22831 Clive Lewis Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Design and technology Religious education 15600 Colin Richardson Team inspector Hearing Support Facility Special educational needs Information and communication technology Geography History 22778 Anne Shannon Team inspector English as an additional language English Music Personal, social and health education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Cambridge Education Associates

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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). Willingdon 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 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good, effective and improving school with many very good features. Leadership and management are very effectively raising pupils’ achievement through improving the quality of teaching and learning and through imaginative curriculum development. Standards are currently average and rising as these improvements work through the school. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The Foundation Stage provides children with a very good start to their full-time education. • The school is highly successful in promoting very good attitudes, behaviour and relationships. • A very stimulating and well-planned curriculum meets pupils’ needs very well; it is enhanced by an excellent range and quality of clubs, visits and visitors. • The school welcomes and values all pupils; it achieves great success in working with pupils from the Hearing Support Facility and in meeting pupils’ special educational needs. • The headteacher and other key staff provide strong and enthusiastic leadership directed towards raising the achievement of all pupils through continually improving the quality of education that the school provides. • The governing body provides very good support and challenge and helps maintain the very strong links with parents and the community that contribute a lot to the school’s success.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Throughout the school, pupils’ competence in information and communication technology (ICT) is well above expectations for their age as are the musical performance standards of pupils in Years 3 to 6 because of the very good opportunities provided in both of these subjects. • The overall quality of teaching is good, with a significant proportion of very good teaching, and is promoting good achievement; standards are rising rapidly as can be seen in Years 3 and 4. • The school provides a high level of support, care and guidance for all pupils, keeping very good track of their academic and personal progress so that improvement targets can be set.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in March 1999. What were then weaknesses, for example curriculum planning and using assessment to monitor pupils’ progress, are now strengths. The overall quality of teaching is much better and co-ordinators have been empowered to provide much more effective leadership of their subjects.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English C C D C Mathematics C C D D Science C B D C Key: A* - very high; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall . Most of the children in the Reception classes are on course to meet the national goals for early learning by the time that they enter Year 1 and many should exceed at least some of them. Their achievement is very good in personal, social and emotional development and is good in all of the other areas of learning. Standards in the Foundation Stage are average overall. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good, particularly for those who have special educational needs, including hearing impairment. National test results for pupils in Year 2 have improved in reading and writing since the last inspection but fallen slightly in mathematics. In 2004, results in reading, writing and mathematics were average, in science they were above average; overall they Willingdon Primary School - 7 were average. In the present Year 2, the attainment of pupils is currently average in reading,

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

writing, mathematics and science. Competence in ICT is well above average. Standards match national expectations in geography and music. It was not possible to inspect fully the other subjects of the National Curriculum. Attainment in religious education in Years 1 and 2 matches that anticipated in the locally agreed syllabus.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In 2004, national test results for Year 6 pupils were very slightly below average, in each of English, mathematics and science. Inspection evidence indicates that the standards attained by the present Year 6 pupils are in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science. Competence in ICT is well above average and in music standards are above average, with well above average standards of performance. Standards in design and technology and geography meet expectations. It is not possible to report fully on the other subjects of the National Curriculum, although examples of good work were seen in most. Standards in religious education are average. Overall achievement for these pupils is good.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are promoted very successfully. Attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good; pupils have very positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. Punctuality and attendance are good and improving.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good quality of education for all of its pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is good, with a significant proportion of very good lessons; no unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection. An important strength is the very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants that very effectively promotes the inclusion of all pupils. Assessment procedures are very good and enable the school to keep track of the progress of individual pupils and set appropriate targets for improvement. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage, and for pupils throughout the school, meets their needs very well, because of the strong emphasis on enjoyment and linking subjects together in learning themes throughout the school. The school provides very good support, advice and guidance for pupils and maintains a very strong partnership with their parents and with the local community. The school has good links with other schools and

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The leadership of the headteacher and other key staff is very good and sharply focused on raising the achievement of all pupils. Governance is very good; all statutory requirements are met. Very effective management ensures that the school runs smoothly and keeps its performance under close and critical review.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has established a very strong and enduring partnership with parents who hold the school in very high esteem. They particularly welcome the new developments in the curriculum and having opportunities to celebrate work in progress. Pupils like their school very much and appreciate the fact that they have a voice and opportunities to show initiative and take responsibility. They talk positively about their involvement in the healthy schools initiative and the setting up of the healthy tuck shop run by older pupils .

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no major areas for improvement. However, the school should: • continue to raise standards by spreading the best practice in teaching and learning to all classes, • provide a covered area so that there can be an all-year-round outdoor curriculum for children in the Reception classes. Willingdon Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is good and standards are average overall. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are building well on their earlier learning and overall standards are average. Current standards in Year 6 are average, an improvement on the previous year, while those in Year 4 are above average as improvements in practice and provision work through the junior years. Overall, achievement in Years 3 to 6 is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ competence in information and communication technology (ICT) throughout the school is well above average. • Very good provision enables pupils who have special educational needs, including those who have impaired hearing, to achieve well throughout the school. • Improvements in teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum planning are promoting better achievement and are raising standards.

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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 16.1 (16.1) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.8 (13.4) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.3 (16.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 60 pupils in the year group, 31 boys and 29 girls. 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

1. Over the six years since the last inspection, the school’s national test results for pupils in Year 2 have improved in reading and writing but fallen slightly in mathematics. They have remained, overall, close to the national average. In 2004, results in reading, writing and mathematics were average, in science they were above average; overall they were average. This represented satisfactory achievement in Years 1 and 2.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 26.5 (27.2) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 26.4 (27.2) 27.0 (26.8) Science 28.4 (29.7) 28.6 (28.6) There were 69 pupils in the year group, 34 boys and 35 girls. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

2. National test results in Year 6 have been generally average since the last inspection, but have improved in mathematics; the overall trend has been in line with the national picture. In 2004 results were very slightly below average, in each of English, mathematics and science. For some time, pupils in Years 3 and 4 have not built well enough on their attainment in Year 2, because of teaching that has on occasions been less than satisfactory and because of an over-reliance on worksheets and uncritical use of nationally-provided plans. In the last year Willingdon Primary School - 9 there have been big advances in this respect and these are already showing an impact in much improved achievement and standards in Year 3 and, particularly, Year 4. There are variations from year to year in the relative performance of boys and girls and at Year 6 boys have more often done better than girls than vice-versa. Overall, these variations are not

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

statistically significant in most years but the school has very good assessment procedures and is well aware of the issue and is taking appropriate steps, for example in the teaching of mathematics. Apart from this there are no significant differences in the achievement of any group of pupils, including that of the very small proportion from minority ethnic families.

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

3. In 2004, the school failed to meet the targets agreed with the local education authority for the proportions of pupils achieving at the expected level (Level 4) in English and mathematics. The target for the pupils to attain a higher level was not met in English but was exceeded in mathematics. Targets for the present Year 6 are challenging but realistic; indications from the provisional results are that they will be exceeded in mathematics and narrowly missed in English.

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

4. Attainment on entry to the Reception classes is very mixed and varies a lot from year to year but is below average, overall, especially in language and social development. A small, but significant number of children are identified early as having significant learning or social needs; these may include children with statements of special educational need due to hearing impairment. The overall proportion of pupils with full statements of special educational need is well above the national average, with concentrations in some year groups; this has an adverse affect on national test results and comparisons between year groups. Teachers focus very effectively on improving children’s language and personal and social skills and by the time that they enter Year 1 most are on course to meet the national goals for early learning, with a significant proportion likely to exceed them in personal, social and emotional

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

development. Overall, achievement is good across the areas of learning.

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

5. The progress of pupils who have special educational needs is monitored rigorously. Analysis of data shows that most of them are achieving well and make good progress against their prior attainment, and particularly against their individual targets. This is reflected in the number of pupils on the register of special educational need being more than halved in the last three years. In many year groups attainment on entry was clearly below average and the school has been successful in improving achievement.

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

6. The achievement of pupils in the Hearing Support Facility (HSF) in English and mathematics is very good with most pupils achieving their Individual Education Programme (IEP) targets. Pupils enter the HSF whilst in the school’s Reception provision, with a few also transferring from other schools and other countries, and their attainment on entry is well below that expected nationally. Pupils make very good progress and, although their attainment is held back by language understanding and question comprehension in most subjects, by the time they leave the HSF several pupils are attaining at just below national expectations in mathematics and have improved their acquisition of language skills considerably. For example, one current Year 5 pupil is expected to attain national standards in English and another in mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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

7. In the present Year 2, the attainment of pupils is currently average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Competence in ICT is well above average. Standards match national expectations in geography and music. Attainment in religious education in Years 1 and 2 matches that anticipated in the locally agreed syllabus. It was not possible to inspect fully the other subjects of the National Curriculum. Overall, taking into consideration the 2004 national test results and current assessments, achievement throughout Years 1 and 2 is good for most pupils and this reflects the overall quality of teaching. Achievement is good for those who have special educational needs because of the additional support that they receive.

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

8. Standards in Year 6 are in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science. This represents an improvement on the school’s national test results for 2004 and these judgements are supported by this year’s provisional test results and by the school’s own very Willingdon Primary School - 10 good assessment data. Most Year 6 pupils are very confident and competent users of ICT. Standards in music are above the nationally expected level, with examples of very good standards in performance by some pupils. Standards in religious education, design and technology and geography meet expectations. It is not possible to report fully on the other subjects of the National Curriculum, although examples of good work were seen in most. Most pupils achieve well, overall, during their time in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. The school makes very good provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school fosters very positive attitudes; pupils are interested in school life and the many activities provided. • Pupils behave very well in and around school; working and playing well together helps promote a harmonious environment. • Pupils’ awareness of how to treat others and their respect for each other contribute to a happy and welcoming school. • The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development helps to develop their confidence and self-awareness.

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Commentary

9. The majority of pupils demonstrate very good attitudes to school. This is evident from the positive way they respond to opportunities for learning and social interaction. They like school and work well individually as well as in group situations. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the school and the way everybody is happy and makes friends. They particularly like the fact that ‘blind and deaf children can come to the school’; they ‘take care of them… and have the opportunity to learn to sign and read Braille’. Pupils’ contribution to the life of the school is reflected in their willingness to take initiative and responsibility. They are enthusiastic about the many clubs and extra-curricular activities. Music has a high profile in the school and many pupils play in various music groups or sing in the choir; others participate in sporting activities or the wide range of after-school clubs. The youngest children in the Reception class

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Commentary

demonstrate very positive attitudes and very good behaviour. They work well together, concentrating hard in lessons with their different tasks and activities, and are happy to share their toys and equipment and take turns. They are all on course to achieve their early learning goals in personal, social and emotional education by the end of the year and a significant number exceed them. The quality of relationships within the school is very good and reflects the respect pupils show to others’ feelings, values and beliefs. All of this impacts very positively on pupils’ learning and achievement.

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Commentary

10. The attitudes of pupils in the Hearing Support Facility (HSF) are very good. They enjoy their learning and have very good relationships with both teachers and teaching assistants. Staff effectively improve pupils’ self-confidence and esteem and stimulate in the pupils a desire to learn. Pupils respond very well to the caring ethos, they enjoy coming to school and feel secure. British Sign Language (BSL), sign-supported English and signed English are the main forms of communication, although some pupils have some aided hearing and reinforce their signing with attempts at speech. Pupils have very good relationships with their peers both in the specialist provision and in mainstream classes where very good inclusion is ensured through teachers and pupils learning the basics of BSL to enable them to communicate with the HSF pupils. There were numerous examples observed during the inspection of HSF pupils and of hearing peers having social ‘conversations’.

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Commentary

11. The school’s behaviour management system is well known and embedded into class and school routines. Teachers’ sensitive management of pupils, including the use of praise and Willingdon Primary School - 11 celebration of achievement, helps to reinforce the very good standards of behaviour in and around the school. Pupils respond very well to adults’ high expectations of them and very good classroom management. The recent curriculum changes have made lessons more interesting and relevant to them, which has resulted in a reduction in the number of pupils who can be disruptive and do not behave so well. There are no major concerns relating to bullying or harassment of any kind. The school is very effective in dealing with incidents of poor behaviour. The two pupils who were excluded from the school for short periods over the past year had demonstrated violence and totally unacceptable behaviour. These pupils are now

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Ethnic background of pupils

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 433 9 0 White – any other White background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils

Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils

Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 Parent / pupil preferred not to say 13 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Ethnic background of pupils

12. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is very good. Pupils' spirituality is developed particularly effectively through religious education and other lessons, assemblies and opportunities for prayer and reflection. The strong supportive ethos underpins school life and fosters care and self-esteem, enabling all pupils to integrate into the life of the school.

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Ethnic background of pupils

13. Provision for pupils' moral development is very good. The school has a strong moral code that sets boundaries for acceptable behaviour. Its framework of values enables pupils to distinguish between right and wrong and reflect on the consequences of their actions. Classroom activities and assembly themes often raise moral issues such as those concerned with caring for others and the environment, and pupils are very active in raising money for charities. Parents are extremely happy with the sound values and good moral standards that the school promotes.

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Ethnic background of pupils

14. Provision for pupils' social development is very good. The school fosters positive relationships and pupils are given many opportunities to enjoy each other’s company in extra-curricular activities or through the ‘celebration of learning’ evenings. Pupils work and play well together which helps to create a harmonious environment. The school provides opportunities for pupils to take initiatives and responsibilities through the team activities, school and class councils, playground buddies, acting as monitors, or looking after the younger pupils or those with hearing or visual impairments. All of this enables pupils to learn to become good citizens and contribute to the profile of the school in the community. Willingdon Primary School - 12 15. Provision for pupils' cultural development is very strong. Pupils have opportunities to develop an understanding and appreciation of their own cultural heritage through art, music, literature,

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Ethnic background of pupils

dance and learning signing or another language. Many pupils learn to play musical instruments and perform on a regular basis. The school has strong links with local churches and pupils visit theatres and museums and take part in local festivals. Pupils learn about different cultures, customs, festivals, dances and traditions through various topic weeks and by sponsoring a child in India. Although the school has few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, it is effective in seeking ways to raise pupils’ awareness and understanding of cultures other than their own.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.2 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

16. The level of attendance last year was in line with the national average but has improved over the past year with the authorised absence rate dropping to 4.1 per cent. The level of unauthorised absences has increased over the past year to 0.7 per cent but this is due mainly to sickness and one pupil who rarely attends school. Absences also reflect parents taking holidays in term-time. This is a result of parents who work in the tourist industry not being able to take holidays in school holiday time. The school has effective systems in place to monitor and promote attendance and there are effective links with the education welfare officer who follows up incidents of long-term absences. Punctuality is good and most pupils are brought to school on time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education for all its pupils. Teaching and learning are good, with a significant proportion of very good lessons; assessment procedures are very good. Curricular provision is very good overall and there are excellent opportunities for enrichment. The school provides very good support, advice and guidance for pupils and maintains a very good partnership with their parents. There are good links with other schools and colleges and very good links with the local community.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good, with a significant proportion of very good teaching in some year groups. Assessment is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lesson planning is good, catering for all abilities and needs, and teachers and pupils are usually clear about what is to be learned and how. • There is very good team work between teachers and other adults; all insist on high standards of behaviour and pupils develop good work habits and very good attitudes to their learning. • Very good relationships and well-established routines promote a pleasant and purposeful working atmosphere in classrooms. • There are very good assessment procedures and the marking of work is thorough and sharply focused on improvement. • Teachers make very good use of ICT resources to promote learning across the curriculum. Willingdon Primary School - 13 Willingdon Primary School - 14

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 55 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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

17. The quality of teaching and learning in the lessons observed in the Foundation Stage was never less than good; in over 40 per cent of lessons it was very good. In Years 1 and 2, teaching was good or better in more than three-quarters of the lessons observed. In Years 3 to 6, teaching was at least good in more than 90 per cent of lessons with more than one-third being very good. There was no teaching that was less than satisfactory. The overall quality of teaching has been greatly improved since the previous inspection, not least because of systematic focused monitoring and support by the headteacher and other key staff. A few inconsistencies remain in the extent and clarity with which teachers share learning intentions with pupils and help them to reflect on what they have learned and be involved in setting targets for improvement. The quality of teaching of English, including the skills of literacy, and

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Commentary

of mathematics, including numeracy, is good. The teaching of other subjects is good with examples of very good practice.

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Commentary

18. Teachers’ planning for pupils who have special educational needs shows good use of assessment data. Lessons are generally planned so that there is a good match of task to learning need, providing good opportunities for pupils to experience success. Teaching assistants provide very good support particularly for the lower-attaining pupils. Pupils’ progress against their individual targets is assessed daily by teaching assistants.

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Commentary

19. Teaching and learning in the Hearing Support Facility (HSF) are overall very good. The teacher in the HSF, who is also the teacher-in-charge, is very experienced in working with pupils with hearing impairments and knows the individual pupils very well. This is shown in the way that questions are adapted to individual learning needs and the general good rapport between teacher and pupils which motivates pupils’ learning. Lessons are well planned and tasks differentiated to meet individual needs. Consequently pupils are making very good progress although this is occasionally hindered by disruptive behaviour and attitudes. Teaching assistants in the Facility provide very good support for their pupils both in withdrawal sessions and in mainstream lessons where they work very well as a team with the teachers advising them on teaching strategies for particular HSF pupils and signing the teacher’s

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Commentary

speech. Both the teacher-in-charge and teaching assistants from the HSF, when supporting their pupils in mainstream lessons, were observed to encourage them to ask questions by making the pupils aware that help is available to communicate the question, or answer, if required. This support is very effective and essential to the pupils’ inclusion.

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Commentary

20. Because lessons are planned well and learning is made interesting, pupils apply themselves well to their work and develop very good attitudes as young learners. They are greatly helped in this because teachers and other adults have established simple routines, based on courtesy and common sense, so that pupils know what is expected of them. Relationships are very good and so learning generally happens in a relaxed but focused setting and pupils achieve success. When they are encouraged to reflect on their learning, either at the end of the lesson or at the end of the day, this make a valuable contribution to their understanding of how they learn and what they need to do to improve. The very good marking observed in many books also makes a very important contribution to pupils’ improvement, not least for those of higher attainment. Willingdon Primary School - 15 21. The school, following the active and informed leadership of the assessment co-ordinator, has

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Commentary

developed very good systems for tracking the progress of individual pupils. In the best practice observed, assessment in lessons is closely related to clear learning intentions that are shared with pupils in language that they understand. When teachers allocate sufficient time for using the final part of lessons to check and consolidate pupils’ learning, this is good preparation for the next stage.

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Commentary

22. There were many good examples of the school’s ICT resources being used effectively in lessons, for example when the teacher and pupils in Year 2 used the interactive whiteboard to identify numbers on a number line.

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum provides very good learning opportunities for all pupils. The curriculum is enriched by excellent provision for clubs and visits. Staffing and resources are good and accommodation is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides an exceptionally wide variety of activities to enhance learning. • Provision for special educational needs, including the Hearing Support Facility, is very good. • Curriculum development and innovation are excellent. • Opportunities in Years 3 to 6 for making music are outstanding. • The school gives high priority to ensuring all pupils have equal access to the whole curriculum.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum opportunities provided for children in the Foundation Stage and for pupils throughout the school are very good. The National Curriculum and religious education are covered in full and there is a very good programme of personal, social and health education, including drugs awareness and sex education. The new and more integrated curriculum, introduced this year, has been very carefully thought out and is based on the skills pupils need to master in each subject. These skills form the basis of assessing pupils’ progress and attainment and detailed tracking and records are kept of each pupil. Links are now very strong between subjects as the curriculum is theme-based with the whole school learning through the same theme at any given time. Parents report that there is much more discussion at home among their children and that they learn from one another. Pupils are also enjoying

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Commentary

this approach to learning. Care is taken that all subjects are represented for the nationally- recommended time. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

24. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established and taught in distinct lessons. Reading skills are taught through well-planned guided reading sessions and writing skills are supported and extended through links with other subjects. For example, when learning about the Egyptians, pupils use the knowledge they have gained to practise writing skills. All writing is now for a purpose that is clear to pupils and interwoven with all subjects. ICT resources are used very well to support learning and to present work. For example, Year 4 pupils used the Internet to research aspects of London and then created leaflets about the city. There is extra provision in literacy for pupils who experience difficulties with their reading and writing skills.

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Commentary

25. There are excellent opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum through visits and visitors and a full range of excellent clubs run at lunchtime and at the end of the school day. Visits are always arranged specifically to enhance pupils’ learning. Visits to places of interest include theatre and museum visits. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to go on a residential visit and this year a large group went to the Pestalozzi Village and experienced raft building, archery and abseiling. This is an important part of their personal and social education. Music features prominently in the curriculum and the pupils’ singing and playing musical instruments during collective acts of worship heightens the spiritual dimension. There are many after-school Willingdon Primary School - 16 music clubs for the pupils to attend, including six rock bands as well as the more usual choir and recorders. The range of clubs includes art, sports, computer, signing, dance and card-

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Commentary

26. Teachers work hard to make learning stimulating for pupils. There are very good links with the local secondary school that support the learning of older pupils in science activities; these and other activities constitute good extra provision for more able pupils. Music and performing arts have high priority and there is a well-resourced music room which is in constant use.

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Commentary

27. Induction arrangements ensure that pupils settle quickly into the Reception class and Year 1 classes. Similarly, pupils are well prepared for transfer to the senior school through a programme of exchange visits of staff.

p.16

Commentary

28. Educational inclusion is very good. The school works hard to ensure that all pupils, including the very few for whom English is an additional language, have access to the full curriculum. The curriculum for pupils who have special educational needs is very good. Pupils’ individual targets are set by their class teacher and teaching assistants effectively implement programmes which specifically focus on individual pupils showing areas of concern. In particular the use of specialist teaching has improved the achievements in literacy of pupils with specific learning difficulties. Curriculum provision for the hearing impaired pupils is very good. Based upon a developing system of assessment, and delivered by experienced and dedicated staff, pupils are provided with an appropriate curriculum that is carefully structured and meets their individual needs very well. For example, in lessons where the attainment

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Commentary

level of HSF pupils is too low for them to benefit from class teaching they are withdrawn to cover similar learning objectives but at lower levels by the teacher in charge and the teaching assistants. The degree of withdrawal is reviewed termly. Very effective deaf awareness and basic signing lessons are provided for mainstream staff and pupils to facilitate HSF pupils’ inclusion into the mainstream curriculum. As one outcome of this, the school has a signing choir who recently entered into a ‘Music for Youth’ competition.

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Commentary

29. Staffing and resources match the needs of the curriculum well. The recent creation of a Key Stage 2 library, a music room, and an ICT suite (although a little small for whole classes) has enhanced the teaching of the curriculum. However, the lack of a covered area means that teachers in the Foundation Stage are unable to provide a continuous outdoor curriculum.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

Pupils receive very good support, advice and guidance. Systems to care for pupils and ensure their health, safety and security are very good. Opportunities to consult with pupils and involve them in decision-making processes are very well developed.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a safe, caring and encouraging environment where pupils can grow into happy confident individuals. • Procedures for ensuring the welfare, health and safety of pupils, including child protection, are very good. • The guidance systems based on monitoring pupils’ academic and personal development are very well developed and enable pupils to evaluate their progress and know what to do to improve. • The induction arrangements are very good and ensure pupils settle into school easily. • The consultation process with pupils ensures they are given a voice and are involved in decision- making processes in the school. Willingdon Primary School - 17

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Commentary

30. The school continues to offer a very strong ethos of care and consideration for others, which permeates through the whole school community and has a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. There are very good child protection procedures. The school demonstrates a positive approach to heath, safety and security within the school, and the governors undertake their responsibilities conscientiously. The many support staff and midday supervisors are well focused on pupil care and support and there are appropriate numbers of staff trained in first aid. The school is a happy, harmonious and well-organised community, providing a very caring environment for all its pupils. Each pupil is valued and respected in the school and feels secure and able to turn to any adult if they have a problem or concern. This has a positive impact on their confidence and self-esteem and is reflected in their levels of

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Commentary

attainment and progress. Parents are very pleased that their children are well nurtured and supported. They speak very positively about the kind and caring teachers and support staff and the way they treat pupils fairly.

p.17

Commentary

31. Support and guidance for pupils in the Hearing Support Facility are very good. The school is committed to the principle of inclusion and the inclusion arrangements are very effective in promoting the pupils’ social development and academic learning. All HSF pupils have a very good and trusting relationship with staff in general but HSF staff in particular. Pupils appreciate working alongside mainstream peers knowing that they have the support of HSF staff if required.

p.17

Commentary

32. Very good induction arrangements help the youngest pupils begin their school life happily and confidently. Staff readily make themselves available to parents and carers, who say they feel confident to approach all staff if they have any concerns or questions. Parents value the good links with the local playgroups and the sensitive introductions and caring staff which help ease their children into school. The transition through the school is well developed which helps ensure that pupils’ progression is accomplished as smoothly as possible.

p.17

Commentary

33. Teachers know their pupils very well, and very effectively promote their academic and personal development, using tracking systems well to plan future activities. The learning walls and learning books are innovative and are used very effectively by pupils to record their achievements and what they have learnt. Pupils know their current targets for learning and check their own progress. The school collaborates with outside support agencies as necessary and offers a high level of care through a counsellor. Pupils who have special educational needs receive good guidance and support. The special educational needs co- ordinator (SENCo) has introduced a behaviour tracking sheet which works well for monitoring behaviour. Additionally, vulnerable pupils are able to use the special educational needs room during school breaks. The teaching assistants provide very good support for all age groups. They are patient and supportive of pupils with special educational needs and those in the

p.17

Commentary

HSF. Their sensitive help and encouragement contribute to pupils’ growing confidence and self-esteem and this has a positive impact on their good achievement and progress.

p.17

Commentary

34. The class and school councils are a very good system for involving pupils in the life and work of the school. They give pupils a voice and opportunities to show initiative and take responsibility. Pupils talk positively about their involvement in the healthy schools initiative and the setting up of the healthy tuck shop run by older pupils . The personal development programme enables all pupils to share concerns and voice their opinions, and they are secure in the knowledge that they can trust all staff to help if they have difficulties. The school’s approach sets an atmosphere in which pupils know that their ideas are welcomed and valued.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established a very strong and enduring partnership with parents who hold the school in high esteem. The school has forged very strong links with the local community and churches. Links with partner schools and colleges are good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

Willingdon Primary School - 18 • The school has developed a very strong supportive parent body and actively consults with them. • Most parents are very positive about the school and hold it in high regard. • The very good links with the local community and churches help enrich the curriculum and provide widening opportunities for pupils’ learning. • The very good links with the local secondary school help promote curriculum development and enrichment opportunities for pupils. • Parents offer valuable assistance to the school through the parent-teacher association.

p.18

Commentary

35. The school’s partnership with parents is very good. Responses to parents’ questionnaires indicate a high level of support for the school, and this is also reflected in the fact that the school is oversubscribed. Parents are very pleased with teachers’ high expectations of their children, who like the school and are achieving well. Most parents find the school approachable and feel it is well led and managed. The inspection team found substantial evidence to support parents’ positive views. A few parents expressed concerns about behaviour and bullying. Pupils do not feel this is a problem and the inspection team judge the school has appropriate systems in place to deal with any incidents that may occur.

p.18

Commentary

36. The school is highly successful in establishing effective links with parents. Parents feel welcome and are encouraged to play an important part in their children’s learning at home. There is huge parental support for celebration evenings, sports days, concerts or other special events. A large number of parents volunteer to help out in the school on a regular basis, which contributes very effectively to pupils’ learning experiences. Parents help in the classroom with group work, listen to pupils read or help out on trips. The parent-teacher association is run by an active group of parents who organise a large number of successful social and fund-raising activities each year, which raise substantial funds for the school. Parents appreciate that they can approach individual teachers or the headteacher through her ‘surgery’ times and any issues or concerns are resolved promptly with care and consideration.

p.18

Commentary

37. Partnership with parents of pupils who have special educational needs is very good. The school operates an ‘open house’ provision for parents having concerns. Many parents of pupils who have special educational needs who attended the pre-inspection parents’ evening voiced their satisfaction with the very good provision. Partnership between the Hearing Support Facility (HSF) and parents is very good. The HSF is funding signing sessions for some parents to enable them to communicate at home. There is a very effective video- conferencing link with hearing impaired pupils in Jersey which not only establishes friendship links but also is used to provide both sets of pupils with opportunities to consolidate and extend their signing skills.

p.18

Commentary

38. The web-site and regular newsletters keeps parents fully informed of forthcoming activities and events. Curriculum information is regularly shared with parents so they can see what is going on. The annual reports inform parents about their children’s academic performance and personal development. However, whilst they broadly state what pupils have been doing, they are not always evaluative and helpful for parents. Parents’ views are sought via annual surveys and through regular formal and informal meetings. Parents are currently being consulted about how to make the annual reports more ‘parent friendly’.

p.18

Commentary

39. The school has fostered very strong links with the wider community, churches and local businesses. The school is a focal point for village activities with community groups using the school’s facilities. Visitors and visits to places in the local area are linked to curriculum areas and participation in local festivals helps enrich pupils’ learning opportunities. Local shops and businesses help sponsor events, provide prizes for raffles and fund-raising events or talk to pupils about their organisation. Pupils have been involved in challenges run by the ‘Young Engineers’ and participated in the Eastbourne youth radio event. Willingdon Primary School - 19 40. Links with partner institutions are good. The school is very successful in its sporting competitions with other primary schools. The partnership with Willingdon Community School is particularly strong and helps to enhance curriculum activities, promote opportunities for

p.18

Commentary

enrichment activities, including art projects and sporting events for pupils, and provides work placements for students. The transition arrangements to secondary school are sensitively organised to ensure that pupils’ move to this next stage of education is as smooth as possible. The school has developed wider partnerships with local universities and overseas institutions and offers work experience opportunities for Swiss students. This also helps widen pupils’ experience of different cultures.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The quality of governance is very good. The leadership of the headteacher and other key staff is very good. The effectiveness of management overall is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The excellent sense of purpose and clarity of vision of the headteacher inspire colleagues. • The outstanding leadership of the curriculum and teaching by the headteacher is rapidly raising standards. • The very good governance of the school contributes greatly to its success. • The very good commitment to inclusion and equality and concern for the needs of individuals promote the good achievement of pupils.

p.19

Commentary

41. The governing body ensures all statutory duties are fulfilled appropriately and challenges and supports senior managers very well. Governors have a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and act very effectively as a ‘critical friend’ to the headteacher. In so doing, they are playing an important role in helping to shape the vision and direction of the school.

p.19

Commentary

42. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. She has a very clear sense of purpose and high aspirations for the school and, in a short period as headteacher, has been very successful in managing what amounts to a complete change in curriculum and planning. She has been particularly successful in creating an effective team who work together very well and inspire, motivate and support fellow staff and pupils. The Foundation Stage classes are very well managed and the leadership and the commitment of the senior management team and ‘core-subject’ leaders are very good, overall. The senior management team constantly monitor performance data, review emerging patterns and take effective action. The headteacher and all staff have a very clear commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity for all pupils and provide very good role models for pupils.

p.19

Commentary

43. Leadership and management of the provision for special educational needs are good. The very experienced special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) has both a good overview and vision for the provision. Data from assessment systems is effectively used to track individual pupils’ progress and highlight areas of concern. The SENCo also provides very effective line management of teaching assistants and liaises well with the teacher responsible for special educational needs in Year 1 and Year 2, who acts as an effective first point of contact for teachers in those years who have pupils causing concern. Leadership and management of the Hearing Support Facility (HSF) are very good. The teacher in charge has formed very effective teams with the HSF teaching assistants and with mainstream staff. Vision for the further development of the provision includes providing hearing impaired adults to act as role models for the pupils and to provide more deaf awareness sessions.

p.19

Commentary

Willingdon Primary School - 20 44. Systems for the monitoring of pupils’ achievement are well established and policies for behaviour, planning and assessment are reflected clearly and consistently across the work of the whole school. Although they have recently been largely focused on the core subjects of English and mathematics, the systems for monitoring performance data, reviewing patterns and taking action are very good and well established throughout the curriculum. The school’s staff performance management systems are well managed and have clearly been effective in providing support and in bringing about improvement. Inspection findings confirm that essential management functions are covered very well by the school’s secretary and bursar and are not unduly bureaucratic, allowing teachers to get on with their job of teaching the pupils. Very well-organised and well-monitored accounting systems help the school achieve

p.20

Commentary

its key educational priorities. The governing body is well aware of the “best value” principles of challenge, comparison, consultation and competition and diligently applies these principles in decision-making when planning for improvement. The school gives good value for money.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,141,663 Balance from previous year 32,403 Total expenditure 1,152,952 Balance carried forward to the next 21,114

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Expenditure per pupil 2,500 Willingdon Primary School - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Children’s overall attainment on entry is below expectations, largely in the key areas of speaking skills and personal and social skills. In addition, a small but significant number of children have been identified at a very early stage as having significant special learning or social needs. However, due to very good teaching and very good support children make good progress and, by the end of the Reception year, overall attainment has improved considerably and is in line with national expectations overall. It is not possible to judge overall improvement since the last inspection because the curriculum has been changed.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. Children enter the school part-time in the term before they are five and full-time in the term in which they are five. Consequently, at the time of the inspection, at the end of the school year, the two classes of Reception children contained a number of children who had attended school full-time for three terms and other, younger, “summer-born” children who had attended school full-time for less than a term.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Teaching in the Foundation Stage ranges between good and very good and is very good overall. Teaching is characterised by very good planning, very good support and a very strong focus on developing children’s personal and social skills and their communication skills. All adults - teachers and support staff - work very well together as a team to set high expectations for the children and to provide a very good and imaginative curriculum which meets children’s needs very well. Staffing levels are good and all children are supported very well. As a result of very good relationships, the children’s personal skills rapidly improve.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator provides very good leadership, managing change and improvements skilfully through very good procedures for planning, monitoring and assessment. Informal assessments of progress and achievement are constantly being made by all staff and are used very well to plan work at the correct level for all children, including those with significant learning or social needs.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. The Reception classes are attractively decorated and are stimulating places to learn, and there is spacious, secure, well-utilised outdoor accommodation. However, there is currently no covered area that would allow the staff team to provide and plan a continuous “outdoor curriculum” throughout the year.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. There are very good induction arrangements for children starting the school. The Reception teachers visit children in their pre-school settings prior to them starting school and the children attend school for a number of visits before joining the classes. At the start of each day, staff meet parents and carers arriving with their children and this system ensures very effective links with parents. It allows informal discussions between staff and parents to take place, as well as providing parents with an insight into the work that goes on in the Reception classes and into how best they can help their child to learn. A significant strength of the Foundation Stage is the excellent inclusion of pupils with significant hearing impairments. Willingdon Primary School - 22

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good relationships between children and adults and the clear routines create a highly effective learning environment in which children feel secure and make very good progress. • Planning is very good and involves the whole Reception team. • There is very good inclusion of children with severe hearing impairment who are fully included in activities and this inclusive ethos extends to the children, who ‘sign’ enthusiastically.

p.22

Commentary

51. This area of learning receives a particularly high profile when children start in the Reception classes. Due to very good teaching, the very good relationships and a very well-planned and well-ordered environment into which children quickly settle and feel secure, most children make rapid progress in developing their personal and social skills; overall achievement for many is very good. Children demonstrate appropriate levels of confidence and independence when they tackle new learning, and learn to make choices and decisions about their work. They are able to work together as a group, and understand the need to listen to the contributions of others, to take turns, and to share resources. Because teachers are highly skilled in knowing how young children learn effectively, they plan a very good range of activities, which lead to sustained interest and concentration from the children and a developing desire to learn. Because of this many children exceed the early learning goals,

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Every opportunity is seized upon, by all Reception staff, to enhance children’s communication skills. • The very good planning and assessment procedures.

p.22

Commentary

52. In all activities there are very good opportunities for the children to develop their language skills, which, for a significant minority, are below average when they start school. Due to the high quality of provision, children of all abilities, including those with a hearing impairment, achieve well, and attainment is in line with expected levels by the time they leave the Reception class. Staff provide challenging and stimulating activities that are well matched to the needs of all pupils; the overall quality of teaching is very good. The sharing of books, listening to stories, playing games and singing rhymes are meticulously planned so that children learn letter sounds and a few simple words, and skilled teaching ensures their learning is fun and highly effective. Very good focused support is given by teachers and support staff to help the children improve the way they form letters and staff explore words

p.22

Commentary

and sentences from stories in a stimulating way, keeping children engrossed in their learning. There is very good promotion of early writing skills and children are encouraged to write in a variety of contexts. Willingdon Primary School - 23

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching places a very high emphasis on learning through practical activities. • Planning for mathematical development is very good.

p.23

Commentary

53. The high quality teaching of practical activities helps children to achieve well. Mathematical skills are extended well across all areas of learning and the Reception staff are constantly reinforcing number concepts and vocabulary - during registration, when lining up to go out to play or to go home, during story-time and during singing activities, for example. Teachers plan work very carefully in order both to support less able, younger children and to ‘extend’ more able children. For example, in one mathematics focus lesson, the teacher had provided a “maths challenge group” of eight children with more difficult work, a challenge to which they responded very well. Most children are well on course to meet the early learning goals in this area.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching provides children with a very good range of opportunities to learn about the world around them. • Planning and teaching are very good and promote good achievement.

p.23

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are very good and help to ensure that all children achieve well. Children are provided with a wealth of opportunities to learn about their world. For example, during the inspection, children were confidently using a digital microscope to look at slides of mini-beasts and were demonstrating their skills enthusiastically – “Look, I can take a photograph of my finger.” – causing their digit to appear on the computer screen. Due to this very good provision, almost all pupils will have attained the expected levels by the end of the Reception year and a significant proportion will be working confidently within the Year 1 programmes of study. The imaginative play areas, both indoors and outdoors, are changed regularly to keep interest levels high and computers are used regularly to support learning.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good quality of teaching and planning promote good achievement. • The very good relationships help children to gain confidence.

p.23

Commentary

55. Children achieve well, and by the time they leave the Reception class, the majority of children are likely to have attained the early learning goals for physical development. Their skills in handling pencils, scissors, brushes and other tools are in line with expected levels. When Willingdon Primary School - 24 preparing for a hall ‘gym’ activity, most pupils were able to undress and dress independently. Once in the hall, most moved freely, with pleasure and confidence, moving with good co- ordination and imagination as they went on their Bear Hunt.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very effective teaching of direct skills is combined with very good opportunities for children to learn through play. • Children are provided with an exciting range of activities that enriches their learning.

p.24

Commentary

56. Staff plan a wide range of stimulating adult-led and independent activities. As a result of this very good teaching and high levels of support, the children achieve well with most attaining the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. They are taught, for example, the skills needed to mix paint, and they learn how to use scissors and glue. Children also enjoy good opportunities for making music and join older pupils for performances, for example in the evening concert held during the inspection. There is a very good range of opportunities for imaginative play in classroom areas although provision for the ‘outdoor curriculum’ is less well-developed due to the lack of a covered area in which to set out and arrange activities semi-permanently.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are good and have promoted imaginative development of the English curriculum. • Very effective support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and they achieve well. • Teaching and learning promote good achievement and assessment procedures are very good.

p.24

Commentary

57. Pupils enter the Reception classes with below average literacy skills and by the end of Year 6 achievement is good and pupils are attaining in line with the national average. The school’s national test results in 2004 for Year 2 pupils were average in comparison with other schools, with most pupils attaining the nationally expected level; and more than expected gaining the higher level. Test results are better than they were at the time of the last inspection; provisional results for 2005 confirm this. In Year 6, the school’s results in 2004 were very slightly below average when compared with all schools nationally and average when compared with other schools whose pupils had recorded similar results in their Year 2 tests. Provisional test results for 2005 suggest that there has been an improvement compared with last year.

p.24

Commentary

58. Throughout the school, staff work hard to ensure that pupils have many opportunities to develop their skills of speaking and listening in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils are attentive and listen well in class. Many lessons include a time for pupils to discuss work with a partner or a time for a whole-class discussion. This builds confidence and as a result most pupils are Willingdon Primary School - 25 articulate speakers by the end of Year 6. This is evident in their ability to ask and answer questions and in the quality of discussion. They talk expressively about their work and things which interest them, with each other and with adults. Some Year 6 pupils recently showed their speaking skills to a wider audience when they successfully presented an hour’s radio programme on a local radio station.

p.24

Commentary

59. Standards in reading are similar to national averages by the end of Years 2 and 6. The guided reading session, where a small group of pupils work with the teacher studying the same text, while other groups have specific work to improve their reading skills, has been very well implemented across the school. Occasionally, there is a whole-class focus where the teacher models reading with expression. This was seen to great effect in a Year 3 lesson when the teacher was modelling both monotonous reading and expressive reading. This was a fun activity; pupils learnt well and consequently improved their own reading. The teachers are keeping good records that track the individual’s progress. The home/school reading diary is used effectively as a means to monitor the contribution which reading at home has to the progress pupils make. The new library in the junior school is an attractive place for both

p.25

Commentary

60. Attainment in writing by the end of Years 2 and 6 is similar to the national average. This year the curriculum has been organised so that writing is taught through all subjects. Skills are taught and then put into practice in other subjects so that pupils are always writing for a purpose. Pupils are given appropriate experiences before embarking on the written activity. For example, letter-writing skills were being taught in Year 5 and the pupils’ task was to write to the chair of governors about improvements they wished to see in the school environment. They went into the school grounds and took photographs of areas they wanted to see improved, discussed what they would like to see done and then returned to the classroom to plan their letters. Monitoring of pupils’ work shows that improvement in writing, particularly among the boys, is beginning to happen. This is confirmed by the provisional national test

p.25

Commentary

results in English. Nearly twice as many pupils gained the higher level than in the previous year. Overall, improvement has been good since the last inspection, and literacy is being effectively taught across the curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

61. ICT is used well to further develop pupils’ literacy skills. Pupils listen to stories on CD ROM, use programs to reinforce spelling skills and use word-processing packages to present their work. Pupils have Internet access to use in research.

p.25

Commentary

62. Teaching during the inspection was good overall with some very good teaching observed. In order to raise boys’ standards in writing, the teaching of English has recently been the focus of intensive development in the school. The structure of the literacy hour is no longer followed. Instead, a programme of work that the school feels is more suitable to the needs of the pupils has been put in place. Reading is taught in specific group reading lessons. Writing skills are taught for a purpose and delivered through other subjects so that pupils can understand the need for the different skills. Marking is consistent across the school. It shows the pupils how well they have achieved the task and what needs to be done to improve. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are given clear well- focused targets that help them to improve. They are well supported in lessons by experienced

p.25

Commentary

teaching assistants. This raises their achievement very well. The subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the study of well-chosen texts and through visits and visitors, such as a local poet, that enhance the English curriculum. Overall, achievement for most pupils, including those of higher ability, is good.

p.25

Commentary

63. At the time of the previous inspection, the role of co-ordinator was not developed sufficiently. There has been very good improvement in this respect. The co-ordinator, who has an overview of the whole school, has used the available data to identify where there are weaknesses in teaching and learning. His monitoring of all aspects of the subject is thorough. Planning for English in the school’s new curriculum has been thorough and extensive. Assessment is now very good and every aspect of the subject is assessed and recorded for Willingdon Primary School - 26 each pupil. The tracking of pupils’ progress enables teachers to make informed judgements about each pupil’s learning.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

64. The development and use of literacy skills in other subjects are very good. The new curriculum ensures that literacy skills are reinforced in all areas of the curriculum. Speaking and listening skills are used well in all subjects and particularly in lessons such as personal, social and health education. Reading and writing skills are developed in subjects such as history and geography where pupils are given research projects and in science where investigations are carefully recorded.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good subject leadership is promoting improvements in provision and standards. • The overall quality of teaching is good; as a result pupils achieve well and develop good attitudes to the subject. • The growing use of practical methods is promoting good improvement throughout the school; in Years 3 and 4 standards are above average. • There is too little planned use of mathematics in other subjects.

p.26

Commentary

65. The school’s national test results in 2004 for Year 2 pupils were average in comparison with other schools, with most pupils attaining the nationally expected level; and more than expected gaining the higher level. Test results are better than they were at the time of the last inspection; provisional results for 2005 confirm this. In Year 6, the school’s results in 2004 were slightly below average when compared with all schools nationally and were below average when compared with other schools whose pupils had recorded similar results in their Year 2 tests. Provisional test results for 2005 suggest that there has been an improvement compared with last year, continuing the overall trend since the last inspection.

p.26

Commentary

66. Scrutiny of the work of pupils in Year 2 indicates average overall attainment. There is a strong emphasis on number work and pupils of all abilities achieve well in this aspect; pupils generally take care with the presentation of their work and write numerals correctly. During the inspection, practically-based work and a good level of adult support enabled pupils in Year 2 to make good gains in their understanding of grouping in fives, counting on in fives, and of place value.

p.26

Commentary

67. Scrutiny of the work of the current Year 6 pupils and evidence from lesson observations indicate that standards are currently in line with national expectations. During the inspection, more able Year 6 pupils demonstrated good mental arithmetic skills and made good gains in their algebraic skills as they solved simple equations. Work in the books of Year 6 pupils shows a good level of accuracy in calculation with some evidence of pupils applying their skill, for example to calculating areas and perimeters. These pupils are making up successfully on ground lost in earlier years due to staffing difficulties and over-reliance on worksheets. Their overall achievement during the time they have been at the school is good.

p.26

Commentary

68. The work of pupils in Year 4 and lesson observations indicate a strong emphasis on teaching for understanding and on marking that promotes improvement. There was good use of the school’s ICT resources to teach the use of the protractor and pupils achieved very well in this lesson; more able pupils benefited from extension work based on the program. Standards in the middle years of the school are now above average as improvements work through the Willingdon Primary School - 27 school. Pupils throughout the school enjoy mathematics and use their literacy skills very well in explaining their methods, especially with respect to mental calculation.

p.26

Commentary

69. Overall, the quality of teaching is good and planning effectively meets the needs of pupils of different abilities, including those for whom English is an additional language, leading to good achievement. Where appropriate, pupils with a hearing loss are taught separately either individually or in very small groups. During the inspection it was observed that this enabled them to achieve very well in the same content as the rest of the group. Year 6 pupils who show a particular aptitude for mathematics benefit from working with pupils of their age from other primary schools at fortnightly meetings hosted by the local secondary school.

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Commentary

70. The co-ordinator is based in Year 2 and took up the post at the start of this school year. She has a clear sense of what is working well and what can be further improved, such as the transition between Years 2 and 3. She benefits from the support of the deputy headteacher who works mainly in Years 3 to 6. Between them they are moving the school on from a culture of over-reliance on worksheets and slavish adherence to nationally-produced plans. Overall leadership and management are good. There has been good improvement in provision and in national test results since the last inspection.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

71. There are some examples of pupils using their mathematical skills in other subjects, for example, graphical work in science and measurement and estimation in design and technology. Overall, however, mathematics does not have a high enough profile in the themes through which much of the rest of the curriculum is taught and so pupils have too few opportunities to apply the mathematics they are learning in other contexts. This is partly because the organisation of mathematics teaching in most year groups, whilst having obvious benefits in most respects, means that class teachers do not teach the whole of their class for mathematics and so cannot easily make the links that might otherwise be possible.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improved opportunities for investigative and practical work make a good contribution to raising standards. • Links with other subjects support pupils’ achievement well. • The co-ordinators provide very good leadership and support for colleagues.

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Commentary

72. In the school’s national tests and assessments in 2004, almost all Year 2 pupils achieved the national expectation and an above average proportion exceeded this. Overall, results in Year 2 were above the national average and above those of similar schools. Results for pupils in Year 6 fell in 2004 to just below the national average having been in line or above it in previous years. The results were average when compared with similar schools. Results are similar to those at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

73. Standards seen during the inspection were average in Year 2 and Year 6; in Year 4 they were above average, reflecting the way in which pupils are now building well on their Year 2 achievements. Scrutiny of work completed before the inspection shows that pupils in Year 2 are having good early opportunities for investigative work, for example with ice melting, and are writing full accounts of their findings; achievement has been good and standards are securely in line with national expectations. By Year 4 there is evident improvement in both investigative and recording skills, and the quality of marking contributes greatly to this. Pupils Willingdon Primary School - 28 review their investigations and suggest how their design could be improved, for example by increasing the size of the sample of femur lengths.

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Commentary

74. The school’s records show that pupils in Year 6 did not experience as good a provision in Years 3 and 4 as their successors enjoy and their attainment is broadly average; provisional national test results confirm this. Achievement has been good, overall, as pupils have made up lost ground. There is good use of concept maps and self-assessment, and good examples of pupils planning, carrying out and reporting experiments. Good marking includes extra challenge and points to further improvement. As in other year groups, pupils’ literacy skills are used and developed in a well-planned way.

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Commentary

75. Teaching, learning and assessment are all good. A lesson with Year 5 pupils illustrated several aspects of best practice, including use of ICT to present the photographs that pupils had taken of flowers in the school grounds and diagrams of the parts of a flower to focus on the names of the different parts. This was very well complemented by a practical task in which each pupil dissected a flower and re-created it as a labelled display. Achievement was good and pupils showed above average knowledge; their success owed a lot to their teacher’s very good subject knowledge, planning and organisation.

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Commentary

76. Subject links, for example with design and technology, when pupils make clay models of mini- beasts, enhance pupils’ learning and achievement in science. Science teaching is well- planned and often integrated in one of the themes through which the school organises the curriculum. The co-ordinator has very effectively promoted improvement in the amount and quality of practical and investigative work and in the planned development of reporting skills. Leadership and management are very good. There is generally a good level of extra adult support for pupils who need it and so pupils with a hearing impairment, those who have other special educational needs, and the few for whom English is an additional language are fully involved in lessons and achieve well. Improvement since the last inspection has been good, particularly in the quality of teaching and in standards, most noticeably in Years 3 to 5.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above national expectations, representing good improvement in provision since the previous inspection. • Teachers have very good subject knowledge and their planning ensures that all pupils achieve very well. • Technical support is very good in helping teachers when organising and preparing their ICT work. • The subject is very well led and managed. • Very good links between ICT and other subjects provide very good opportunities for developing and using skills; as a result, pupils are very competent users of ICT.

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Commentary

77. Pupils’ skills and knowledge are above national expectations overall with above average standards of attainment in Year 2 and Year 6. The school has worked hard and effectively to improve resources since the previous inspection. This has resulted in the new computer suite, the installation of interactive whiteboards and each teaching area having modern computers all linked together. Additionally, teachers are now more confident and competent users of ICT. As a result, pupils are making very good progress in improving their knowledge, skills and understanding progressively each year; they are very competent in using their skills in other subject areas. Willingdon Primary School - 29 78. Pupils are confident, enthusiastic and well motivated when using computers and other ICT resources. Very good teaching and resources ensure that all pupils work well both individually and, more usually, in pairs. By the end of Year 2 pupils are able to change the font size, type

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Commentary

and colour of text, program a floor device to draw given shapes and are becoming confident users of the Internet to research information and to cut and paste images. In Year 6 pupils show very good knowledge and understanding of ICT skills such as using PowerPoint to produce a presentation on William Shakespeare, using spreadsheets to produce data bases and graphs, writing control programs and using the Internet to search for required information.

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Commentary

79. The overall quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is very good. Teachers ensure that pupils gain skills and apply them in well-planned, purposeful and independent tasks. Objectives and expected outcomes are shared with pupils so that they know what they are about to learn and are aware of the teacher’s expectation and of the criteria for success. Relationships between pupils and teachers are usually very good. Teachers make very good use of their knowledge of pupils’ abilities, both in ensuring that set tasks are appropriate to individual pupils and in using questioning to direct learning. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support from teaching assistants and, consequently, achieve as well as their peers.

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Commentary

80. In their teaching, teachers are very well supported by a full-time technician who ensures that required computer programs are available and who efficiently and effectively resolves technical problems that could interrupt lessons.

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Commentary

81. The two co-ordinators have a very good understanding of standards throughout the school and provide very good support to colleagues in their ICT teaching and planning. This is reflected in the school being awarded the National Association for Advisors in Computer Education (NAACE) kite mark for teaching, assessment and planning. Although accommodation has improved, the computer suite itself is cramped and too small for the large class sizes, particularly for the older pupils.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. The use of ICT to support subject teaching and learning is very good. The computer suite is very well used. Activities are very well linked to other subjects and to support, and consolidate pupils’ classroom learning particularly in the humanities and in English. In classrooms the computers are very effectively used by teachers to reinforce and consolidate lesson outcomes.

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HUMANITIES

83. Only one lesson of history was observed and so it is not possible to make a firm overall judgement on the quality of provision, teaching or standards in this subject. Samples of pupils’ work and subject displays were scrutinised, teachers’ planning inspected and discussions held with the subject co-ordinator and pupils. These indicate that standards are at least at expected levels by Year 2 and Year 6. The main reason for this is the very good links between subjects that the recently-introduced integrated curriculum provides, making learning interesting, relevant and accessible. For example pupils' study of the Tudors offered them opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills through role play of period Tudor characters.

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HUMANITIES

84. In a very good Year 5 lesson, pupils enjoyed earning how to interpret the 1851 census data to compile family trees because of the teacher’s clarity in presenting the learning objectives, her very good relationships with pupils and the skilled use of direct questioning to guide learning. Willingdon Primary School - 30 85. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. Plans of what is to be taught from year to year are based upon the whole-school approach to a thematic curriculum which is skills-based. Assessment data is being built up to enable teachers to track pupils’ progress. ICT, including subject-specific CD ROMs, is used well to support learning in the subject.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and pupils achieve well. • Leadership and management are good and have promoted the new skills-based, curriculum, through which pupils’ geographical enquiry skills are developed, well.

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Commentary

86. Standards in geography are at expected levels by Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils enjoy their learning and a scrutiny of their work and displays of work show that they are making good progress over time.

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Commentary

87. The recently-adopted integrated curriculum is used very well by teachers to provide their pupils with an interesting and motivating approach to acquiring the knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject. For example, in their study of ancient Egypt, pupils not only learnt about the Egyptian dynasties but also about the geographical location of Egypt and its features such as rivers and deserts.

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Commentary

88. In the two lessons observed, based upon the current theme of ‘Our Locality’, pupils enjoyed looking at local features. In a very good Year 5 lesson, pupils used a computer graphics program to produce maps of local areas. Very good lesson planning ensured that tasks were matched very well to ability so that most pupils achieved very well and clearly enjoyed the challenge that the tasks presented to their skills in ICT. In a very good Year 3 lesson, led by an enthusiastic teacher, pupils compared the features of a town and village using the computer program My World , while others learnt about contour lines by using modroc to build up the contour lines on the model of a local area based on a map.

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Commentary

89. Assessment is detailed and helps to ensure the progressive development of pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator is very experienced and enthusiastic and makes an essential contribution to raising achievement. When geography is the focus for a theme, such as the present ‘My Locality’, the effectiveness on pupils’ learning is reviewed and assessed to further develop the integrated curriculum approach. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection, particular in the organisation of the curriculum and in assessment.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership by the two subject co-ordinators is promoting improvements in provision and standards.

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Commentary

90. Three religious education lessons were observed and several whole-school assemblies were attended. In addition, Year 6 pupils were interviewed. This evidence, in conjunction with a scrutiny of pupils’ books, demonstrates clearly that in the present Years 2 and 6, standards are in line with the expectations of the locally-agreed syllabus for religious education. Willingdon Primary School - 31 Standards are improving, particularly in Years 3 to 5, with good achievement for all groups of pupils, as the benefits of recent improvements in the organisation of the subject work through.

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Commentary

91. The school follows the locally agreed syllabus for religious education, which recommends that, each year, pupils study an aspect of Christianity as well as Judaism in the infants and Islam in the juniors. The scrutiny of the work undertaken by pupils during the previous school year indicates that throughout the school they complete a good range of work designed to develop their knowledge and understanding in the main attainment targets of the agreed syllabus. Teaching in the lessons observed ranged from good to satisfactory and is good overall. Where teaching was good, for example, in a Year 6 lesson about how the community could contribute to fairness in the world, the teacher’s good relationships with pupils and the way she clearly valued their contributions led to pupils offering their own ideas confidently and making good progress as a result. Lessons are well planned and well resourced and teachers

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Commentary

demonstrate a good level of subject knowledge.

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Commentary

92. Regular whole-school assemblies make a significant and positive contribution to pupils’ understanding of the Christian religion and of wider social and moral issues. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The two subject co-ordinators have produced a skills-based scheme of work for the subject, based on the requirements of the agreed syllabus and to a lesser extent on government-recommended schemes of work. This provides very good support and guidance for non-specialist class teachers. Resources are good and are well-utilised.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. Only one art and design lesson was observed during the inspection and this provided insufficient evidence on which to make secure judgements on standards or on the quality of teaching, learning or achievement in the subject. However, a scrutiny of the work on display around the school demonstrates that pupils throughout the school undertake an appropriate range of work in two- and three-dimensions in a variety of materials, using a range of techniques. At the time of the inspection, the school did not have a co-ordinator for art and design.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Physical education was not a focus of the inspection and there is insufficient evidence to make overall judgements on provision for the subject, teaching or standards. However, it is clear that the subject has a high profile in the school and this was recognised by the award of ActiveMark Gold. There are a large number of after-school and lunchtime clubs, including football for boys and girls, netball, rugby, badminton, basketball, cricket, dance, trampolining and swimming. Most pupils achieve the national expectation of swimming 25 metres unaided by the time that they leave the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. Pupils have good opportunities for taking part in competitive sport and do so with success. The school’s facilities include extensive fields, a swimming pool and two halls. Resources are good and pupils benefit from working with physical education students from the local initial teacher training college.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. The co-ordinator leads a strong team of enthusiasts and the school organises Keep Fit weeks that very effectively promote healthy lifestyles. Opportunities are open to all pupils. In the lesson observed where Year 5 pupils were being taught how to bowl in the Sussex game of stool ball, pupils with severe hearing losses were fully included and achieved well, as did the rest of the class. Willingdon Primary School - 32

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Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• No significant strengths or weaknesses were identified.

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Commentary

97. Although no lessons were observed in the infant classes, four lessons were observed in the juniors. These observations confirmed that standards are improving as pupils move through the school, with some above average work seen, for example in Year 4. Standards by the end of Year 6, however, remain in line with national expectations, with overall achievement being good. Overall improvement since the last inspection is good.

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Commentary

98. The quality of teaching ranged between very good and satisfactory and was good overall in the junior classes. Where teaching was very good, in the final lesson of a series, Year 4 pupils were evaluating their products. The teacher’s very good planning – which involved elements of art and design and science as well as the key focus of design and technology, – her very good subject knowledge and very high expectations led to a high level of motivation and very good progress for pupils. A scrutiny of the work on display around the school, and of design studies in pupils’ folders and in portfolios of work kept by the subject co-ordinator, indicates that standards in design and technology are at least satisfactory; pupils throughout the school undertake an appropriate range of ‘design and make’ activities.

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Commentary

99. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The scheme of work for design and technology is based on government-recommended schemes of work, adapted by the subject co-ordinator to ensure very clear skills progression as pupils move through the school. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers instil a love of music in the pupils. • There are many after-school music clubs for the pupils to join. • Pupils have the opportunity to perform for their parents several times during the year. • Some pupils reach very high standards in performance.

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Commentary

100. Music plays a very important role in the life of the school. Every pupil in Years 3 to 6 has the opportunity to play a musical instrument during the music lesson and over a third of the pupils have individual tuition on instruments ranging from electric guitar to ‘cello. Consequently the love of performing music is very strong throughout the school. Pupils are very enthusiastic about their music and this is due to the two musicians who teach the pupils in Years 3 to 6. One has been teaching the pupils for two years and it is in this short space of time that he has injected so much enthusiasm for performance and given the school so much to be proud of. The other musician, who presently supports in lessons, is to take over the teaching of the younger pupils in September. Many of these younger pupils already belong to some of the music clubs which are open to all pupils. The overall standard by the age of seven is what is

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Commentary

expected at this age and by the age of eleven it is above; standards are rising rapidly. Leadership and management are good and there has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection. Willingdon Primary School - 33 101. The music clubs are an extension of the provision for music and give excellent support to the learning. There is a waiting list to belong to one of the six rock bands the school currently has. The choir has over fifty members and there are several other ensembles that meet during the week. An outstanding feature of the music provision is the teaching of playing all types of drums. Several of the older pupils have reached an excellent standard of performance, very much better than is expected of this age. Pupils are taught to read notation and to be aware of how the different parts fit. This was seen in a Year 5 lesson where every pupil was taking part. They were practising the ‘Star Wars’ theme and during the short

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Commentary

session improved their performance considerably. The teachers were vigilant and gave individual help when it was needed so that very good progress was made. In this lesson pupils from the Hearing Support Facility were present and they were fully included playing keyboard and xylophone. They were given support when needed by the music teacher and took a full part in the lesson. The overall quality of teaching is good and pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

102. Pupils sing well in assemblies. They enjoy singing the hymns and sing tunefully and rhythmically. All songs are signed which is a notable accomplishment of all the pupils. The culmination of all the hard work teachers (including the peripatetic teachers) and pupils have been putting into the learning was a music concert held during the inspection. Pupils from Reception to Year 6 took part. In a concert that lasted for nearly two hours, parents were entertained by the choir, brass ensembles, violins, guitars, piano and keyboard, rock bands and drums. Although much of the music had been arranged by teachers, there were many items that had been written by the performers themselves. The standard that some of these young people achieved was at times remarkable. It is not surprising that some of the groups are getting a reputation for fine playing in the area and are asked to perform at other venues.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

103. Personal, social and health education has a high priority within the school and supports its ethos that every child matters; provision is very good. The school uses the East Sussex programme of work and is currently one of ten schools in the authority leading the piloting of the SEAL. (Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning) programme. The school has developed a policy for PSHE and written a detailed programme of work which covers drugs awareness and sex education at an appropriate level for the pupils’ ages.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

104. As well as being taught through specific lessons, PSHE is woven into other areas of the curriculum, such as assembly themes, and into science and physical education lessons. In a similar way a concern for developing a sense of global citizenship among the pupils permeates all aspects of the life and work of the school. The school council is well established and has given a sense of responsibility to the pupils, who see some of their ideas and suggestions being implemented. The subject leaders have developed a good range of visits from members of the community such as ‘The Rubbish Bus’ which visited during the inspection as part of the current theme on the environment. Staff have received training for teaching the subject and parents are involved in the topics of healthy life styles and keeping people safe. The school is working towards gaining the silver award for healthy eating as part of the healthy schools initiative.

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 3

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 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 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 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 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 2

The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Willingdon Primary School - 35 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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