Other · Ofsted report
Wootton St Andrew's CofE Primary School
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118038
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Strengths
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- The leadership, vision and efforts to provide outstanding provision for the youngest children at the school have been extremely successful, resulting in children having an excellent start to their education, including their personal development. p.12
- The organisation of the Year 3 -6 class is outstanding and ensures the needs of the different age and ability groups are met exceptionally well. p.7
- The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is planned very well to provide learning experiences both outdoors and indoors which complement each other in an apparently seamless sequence of activities that promote very effective learning. p.12
- Children make very good progress from entry to the school and achieve very well because the quality of teaching is consistently very good. p.17
- Older pupils are very well motivated and very well behaved and, as a result, they are given much responsibility to work independently and with other pupils; this prepares them well for work in the secondary school. p.12
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Next steps
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- Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop skills in ICT and use them in other subjects. p.7
- Improve the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels in mathematics by the end of Year 2. p.7
- Involve pupils in the setting of their targets to improve standards. p.7
- Develop the resources and curriculum for PE. p.7
- Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 8 p.7
- The achievement of pupils is good, overall. p.8
- Achievement by children in the Foundation Unit is very good. p.8
- Pupils achieve well overall and those with special educational needs make very good progress. p.8
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- 24
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- Fairly hard
- Flesch 51, typical 45
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- 18 words
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Full report text
WOOTTON ST ANDREWS CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Wootton St Andrews CE VA 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.
p.1
WOOTTON ST ANDREWS CE VA 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. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 3
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 49
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: 6 High Street Wootton Ulceby Postcode: DN39 6SG
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Telephone number: 01469 588361 Fax number: 01469 588361
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs M Klinger
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 15 March 1999
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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
This is a very small village primary school. Nearly all pupils are of white ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. The school serves a socially and economically average area, with some pupils travelling from quite far afield and from outlying farms. Pupils’ attainment on entry is below average. Nearly a quarter of pupils (11) are on the list of those with special educational needs, which is an above average proportion. No pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Most of the pupils receiving additional help have specific learning difficulties or physical difficulties. The number of pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the usual times is much higher than average because many pupils have joined the school in the last four years. The school has tripled in size since the last inspection. The school received an Achievement Award in 2003 and a Healthy Schools Award in 2005. At the time of the
p.3
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
inspection, major building works to extend the accommodation were nearing completion. During the alterations, which have taken place over the past six months, there has been considerable disruption as pupils and staff have worked in temporary conditions. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 4
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
25431 Lesley Clark Lead inspector English Art and design Design and technology Geography History Music Physical education Special educational needs English as additional language
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
9327 Stuart Vincent Lay inspector 21024 Robert Robinson Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Foundation Stage
p.4
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Cambridge Education Associates Demeter House Station road Cambridge CB1 2RS
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
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). Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 5
p.4
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8
Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects
p.5
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities
p.5
QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10
Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community
p.5
PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 24
Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 6
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
This is a good school . The climate for learning is established very well. Standards of the present Year 2 and Year 6 are average overall. Pupils’ achievement is good. The quality of teaching is good. The school is led and managed well. The school provides good value for money. A barrier to learning this academic year has been the major disruptions caused by extensive building and refurbishment work resulting in frequent movements of classes. The headteacher and staff have ensured, skilfully and with much extra work, minimum disruption to pupils’ education. The building work is completed and refurbishment is in its final stage to provide enhanced provision for the pupils from the beginning of the next school year.
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The leadership of the headteacher and senior staff are very good. • There is very good care for pupils, resulting in very happy, polite and settled children. • Provision for children in the Foundation Unit is outstanding. • There is very good achievement by pupils with special educational needs because of the very good help they receive from teachers and teaching assistants. • Pupils’ personal development is very good, resulting in very positive attitudes to learning, very good behaviour and outstanding presentation of work in the Year 3-6 class. • There are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in information and communication technology (ICT) and use them in other subjects. • Too few pupils reach the higher levels in mathematics in Years 1 and 2. • Procedures for involving pupils in the setting of their targets for improvement are not fully
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OVERALL EVALUATION
developed. • Opportunities in physical education (PE) are limited.
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
Improvement is good since the last inspection in March 1999. Pupils’ achievement is now good. The issues identified at the last inspection have been addressed well. Curricular provision and hardware in ICT have improved but currently regular use of equipment and practice of skills has been severely curtailed because of building works. Financial management is now good. The provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved. The accommodation and resources have been considerably extended and updated. There has been excellent improvement to the provision for Nursery and Reception children. All statutory requirements are now met.
p.6
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A E A B Mathematics A E E E Science C E C E KEY: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.
p.6
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
Achievement is good, overall. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in their learning. Children in the Foundation Unit achieve very well and are likely to be above expected levels at the end of the Reception Year. Pupils’ achievement is good in reading and writing in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in mathematics; it is good in Years 3 to 6 in English, mathematics and science. Standards of the current group of pupils in Year 2 are average in reading, writing and mathematics with all pupils reaching expected national standards. In the present Year 6, standards are average in mathematics and science but below average in English. Half the pupils in this year Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 7 group have specific learning difficulties in English; these pupils have made very good progress in relation to their prior attainment to reach standards that are just below those expected nationally.
p.6
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
Caution must be taken when comparing year-on-year results because of differences in the composition of year groups in a very small school ; for example, in 2004 a very small group of girls took the national tests, including pupils with significant special educational needs, and year groups rarely exceed seven pupils. Results therefore fluctuate widely from year to year. No judgements could be made on standards or achievement in ICT and other subjects.
p.7
Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development, is very good. Their attitudes and behaviour are very good. Attendance is average.
p.7
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
The quality of education provided by the school is good and leads to pupils’ good progress over time.
p.7
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
The quality of teaching and learning is good . The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is good overall in English, mathematics and science. The organisation of the Year 3 -6 class is outstanding and ensures the needs of the different age and ability groups are met exceptionally well. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Unit are very good. No judgements were made on the quality of teaching in other subjects. Literacy skills are developed and used well across the curriculum. The use of numeracy in other subjects is satisfactory. The use of ICT in other subjects, however, is underdeveloped. The assessment and recording of pupils’ progress are good. The curriculum is satisfactory and provides a broad education for pupils in all subjects. The accommodation and resources are good. Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. The school provides pupils with very good support, advice and guidance and involves them
p.7
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
well in its work and development. The partnership with parents is established very well and there are good links with the community and other local schools.
p.7
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and she is assisted very well by subject leaders. Management is good. The governance of the school is good. All statutory requirements are met.
p.7
PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
Parents are very satisfied with the education the school provides for their children. Pupils are very positive about the school. Neither parents nor pupils have any significant concerns.
p.7
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop skills in ICT and use them in other subjects. • Improve the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels in mathematics by the end of Year 2. • Involve pupils in the setting of their targets to improve standards. • Develop the resources and curriculum for PE. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 8
p.7
Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects
The achievement of pupils is good, overall. Standards are average in Years 2 and 6.
p.8
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Achievement by children in the Foundation Unit is very good. • Pupils achieve well overall and those with special educational needs make very good progress. • Too few pupils reach the higher levels in mathematics at the end of Year 2.
p.8
Commentary
1. The attainment on entry of the small number of children who join the Foundation Unit varies from year to year but is generally below average, particularly in communication, language and literacy. By the end of the Reception Year, overall standards are above average. Children achieve very well because of very good teaching, excellent resources and exciting activities that stimulate them to learn through discovery. In addition, the very good ratio of adults to children means that they all receive a great deal of individual attention, which helps them to make fast progress.
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Commentary
2. Standards are in line with those expected nationally at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics for the current group of pupils. The very small numbers of pupils who have taken the national tests make year-to-year comparisons statistically unreliable. In 2004, for example, standards were average in reading, and below average in writing and mathematics. However, the performance of pupils by the end of Year 2 over the three-year period 2002–04 was above average in reading and writing and well above average in mathematics. Standards in mathematics, however, in 2004 and in the current Year 2, do not reflect this. While this can be explained in part by the particular group of pupils, standards dropped in 2004 from very high in 2003 following changes of teaching staff. This has been identified by the school and very good support from the subject leader has ensured that all pupils reach nationally expected levels,
p.8
Commentary
though none have exceeded them in the past two years. Achievement, therefore, in mathematics is satisfactory overall by the end of Year 2. Achievement in reading and writing is good. All pupils in the current Year 2 read and write at the nationally expected level, and higher attainers are given suitably challenging tasks to develop their skills in literacy. The high level of adult support given to reading helps to ensure that pupils make good progress and the concentration on basic writing skills gives pupils a good grounding in writing legibly and accurately.
p.8
Commentary
3. Standards are average in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 for the current group of pupils in this year group and below average overall in English. This is due to the particular group of pupils, half of whom have specific learning difficulties in English. These pupils achieve very well to attain close to average standards despite their barriers to learning. In the national tests in English, mathematics and science, taken at the end of Year 6, standards vary considerably because of very small groups of pupils. They range from well above to well below average owing to the composition of different year groups. In the 2004 national tests, for example, standards were well above average in English, well below average in mathematics and below average in science. Over the period 2002–04, standards at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science have been close to the national median for pupils’ ages.
p.8
Commentary
Even these results, though, have to be treated with considerable caution; for example, in 2004, the results were based on the performance of three girls, one of whom had special educational needs, and fewer than 20 pupils in the three years in total. The picture is further complicated Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 9 by the high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, almost all of whom are in the junior class, and the number of pupils joining the class from other schools, a third during their final academic year and 67 per cent overall in the current Year 6 group. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because of the very good assistance they receive from members of staff and the inclusive ethos of the school.
p.8
Commentary
4. Achievement overall is good and boys and girls do equally well during their time in school. The school’s results have not been included as fewer than 11 pupils took the national tests in 2002– 04. The trend in the school’s results is below the national trend at the end of Year 2 and in line with it at the end of Year 6. The school’s demanding targets set for the proportion of pupils to reach the level expected of their age and above in English and mathematics have largely been met because of good teaching and pupils’ very good attitudes to learning. It was not possible to make a judgment on standards in ICT or other subjects.
p.9
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos)
Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is very good.
p.9
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour help them to achieve well. • The warm and friendly relationship between adults and pupils is a strength of the school. • The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
p.9
Commentary
5. Pupils are very positive about school and they behave very well. In their questionnaires they say they like being at school, enjoy learning new things in lessons and find them interesting and fun. They are unanimous that their schoolmates are friendly. In lessons they show very positive attitudes to learning. The youngest pupils quickly learn to persevere and to complete tasks; they eagerly select work to do. They work hard both independently and with their teachers. As they grow older they take more responsibility for their own learning, take the initiative and get on with their work; they purposeful, even when chatting amongst themselves. They are very happy to express their points of view and contribute well to all aspects of their lessons. The oldest pupils are mature and work in a relaxed atmosphere with their teacher; they enjoy his good-humoured approach and work hard consistently. Pupils behave equally
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Commentary
well at playtimes. There is a friendly family atmosphere with older children playing with younger, with a good range of play equipment, as well as sitting quietly relaxing and talking among themselves. There have been no exclusions for many years. Parents believe their children behave well and this is confirmed by the inspection.
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Commentary
6. Relationships between adults and pupils and amongst pupils are very positive. Adults are very good role models and have very high expectations. Pupils respond very well. They are polite to adults, respectful and relaxed in their company. Among themselves they also respect the views and opinions of their peers and listen to what they say. They particularly enjoy working together in pairs or groups and do so sensibly. They move around the school in an orderly way and are polite to adults and classmates alike. The school is very successfully promoting an ethos of trust and respect at all times. Pupils work in an environment that is free from oppressive behaviour such as bullying or racism. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 10 7. The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual development. Respect for others and for themselves is promoted well through assemblies, which are acknowledged to be a special
p.9
Commentary
time, different from lessons. Through their religious education they study the faith, beliefs and ceremonies of different people; they write their own prayers. In literacy they think and write about “What if I were…”, putting themselves in other times and situations.
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Commentary
8. Moral and social development is promoted very well. High expectations of pupils in these respects are rewarded very well. The behaviour code and Playground Charter clearly demonstrate what is expected. A moral theme is often introduced in lessons. For example, in the Year 1/2 class, pupils were asked to answer a moral question drawn out of a well-known children’s story. They are well aware that others around the world are sometimes less fortunate than themselves and are happy to raise funds to help them. Pupils are given responsibilities around the school, including acting as school counsellors; all pupils are expected to contribute to school life. Their range of experience is extended by educational visits with other schools, including a residential visit. Lessons are planned to give pupils opportunities for more co-operative work as they grow older. By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6, they are ‘well-rounded’ socially and have a clear understanding of
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Commentary
9. The school’s provision for cultural development is also very good. Studies include work in the local community and with other schools. Music is a particular strength of the school; pupils write poetry; they study other countries and cultures in history and geography. The school has worked particularly hard to ensure pupils have a good understanding of the multi-cultural nature of society, outside of their own community. Good links have been made with a school further afield which has pupils from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. It has been agreed that e-mails and photographs will be exchanged and visits are to take place. The school also runs a multi-cultural week, when children enjoy music, dance, literature and food from around the world. The last multi-cultural week included the cultures of China, Africa, Mexico amongst others and was greatly enjoyed by all. The new hall will make future similar events much more
p.10
Attendance
Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)
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Attendance
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.4 School data 0.5 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.
p.10
QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL
The quality of education provided by the school is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Assessment is good. The curriculum is satisfactorily broad and balanced. Standards of care, welfare, health and safety are very good and pupils are given very good support, advice and guidance. Pupils’ views are sought and acted upon well. Partnership with parents is very good and links with other schools are well established. Links with the community are good.
p.10
Teaching and learning
The quality of teaching and learning is good. The assessment of pupils’ work is good. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 11
p.10
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children learn very well in the Foundation Unit because they are very well taught. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught very well and make very good progress as a result. • The way different ages and abilities are catered for in the Year 3-6 class is outstanding. • The extensive building works have restricted the teaching and learning of skills in ICT. • The procedures for involving pupils in setting their targets for improvement are not fully developed.
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Commentary
10. The quality of teaching is good overall. Inspection judgements agree with the school’s self- evaluation. Teaching and learning are consistently very good in the Foundation Unit and good with very good features in Years 3-6. It was not possible to see the full range of teaching in Years 1 and 2 because of timetabling arrangements. The teaching seen in the Year 1/2 class was sound with some good features, reflecting the inexperience of part-time teaching staff and the recent upheavals caused by extensive building works. Understandably, the teaching has not yet adjusted to the opportunities offered by the considerably enlarged classroom to enable pupils to work more independently at suitably challenging tasks without intensive adult support
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Commentary
11. The following table indicates the range of teaching in the small sample of lessons seen.
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Commentary
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 10 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.
p.11
Commentary
12. The overall quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, with a higher proportion of teaching that is good or better. The very good teaching in the Foundation Unit is distinguished by very good engagement of children by adults in a seamless patter of talk and an abundance of free-choice activities, so that children learn almost without realising it.
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Commentary
13. The teaching seen in the Year 1/2 class was sound with some good features in the English teaching. The teaching of reading is good and some of the teaching of writing is very imaginative. Too few opportunities have been taken to teach skills in ICT, even allowing for the disruptions caused by the new building works. Pupils are given a good grounding in the basic skills of literacy and satisfactory grounding in numeracy; they have ample practice to consolidate what they have learnt. This enables all pupils in Year 2 to reach nationally expected levels but not necessarily to exceed them. The teaching, while clearly distinguishing between the two year groups in the class, does not make sufficient provision for the different ability groups in mathematics to learn more flexibly by, for example, enabling higher-attaining Year 1 pupils to do similar work to average attainers in Year 2. Similarly, questioning in the
p.11
Commentary
lessons seen did not target individuals sufficiently well so as to extend their learning. However, pupils learn at a sound rate because lessons are carefully planned and they are keen to learn. The teaching has good strategies to engage pupils’ interest, and relationships between adults and pupils are warm and friendly.
p.11
Commentary
14. Teaching and learning are good overall in English, mathematics and science in Years 3-6. Very good features include the very good provision for pupils with special educational needs to learn basic skills. This enabled those with specific learning difficulties to attain standards that fell not too far short of those expected nationally in reading and writing at the end of Year 6. Individual education plans are used exceptionally well to push pupils’ learning on and continuous assessment of these pupils’ daily progress is thorough and very helpful. The Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 12 teacher’s subject knowledge is very good and the organisation of the very wide range of age and ability groups in the class is outstanding. Encouragement of all pupils combined with very effective strategies to maintain concentration leads to very good behaviour and pupils’ strong motivation to learn. The good-humoured approach and the considerable agility with which
p.11
Commentary
other subjects are incorporated into the teaching help pupils to learn well; for instance, they enjoyed the challenge of remembering different facts such as the length of the river Nile.
p.12
Commentary
15. Assessment of pupils’ work is good. Work is marked conscientiously and when comments are made they are evaluative and helpful. Teachers go through work carefully with individuals, aided by the very good ratio of adults to children. The next stage is to involve pupils in both setting targets and checking whether they have reached them so as to help them to see what they need to do to improve their work. The school is aware that this aspect is unsatisfactory and has suitable plans in place to involve pupils more fully in checking their own and each other’s work.
p.12
The curriculum
The school provides a sound curriculum overall which is enriched appropriately: the curriculum is good in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory in the rest of the school. Accommodation and resources are good, overall.
p.12
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The accommodation and resources in the Foundation Unit are excellent. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The very good ratio of staff to pupils assists pupils’ learning well. • The building works have adversely affected the provision for ICT. • With the completion of the building works, the school is well placed to improve opportunities for pupils in ICT and PE. • The lack of a suitable field limits opportunities for pupils in PE.
p.12
Commentary
16. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is planned very well to provide learning experiences both outdoors and indoors which complement each other in an apparently seamless sequence of activities that promote very effective learning. The accommodation and resources in the Foundation Unit are excellent. The leadership, vision and efforts to provide outstanding provision for the youngest children at the school have been extremely successful, resulting in children having an excellent start to their education, including their personal development. The children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.
p.12
Commentary
17. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school’s positive commitment to inclusion ensures pupils’ various needs are met very well by staff. The school liaises very closely with external support services to ensure that pupils with specific learning difficulties get the specialist support they need. The school makes very thorough provision for these pupils to follow individual programmes of work for a short time each day, ensuring they make very good progress.
p.12
Commentary
18. Pupils benefit greatly from the very good number of teachers and teaching assistants. Class sizes are small and in most lessons teachers are assisted by other capable staff and voluntary helpers. This benefits pupils’ learning by providing a high level of interactions between adults and pupils to hasten their progress. Older pupils are very well motivated and very well behaved and, as a result, they are given much responsibility to work independently and with other pupils; this prepares them well for work in the secondary school. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 13 19. During this academic year, the turmoil of changes of working areas for class groups has been handled very well by the school; however, the opportunities to use computers and to apply ICT in other subjects has been severely curtailed, especially in Years 1 and 2.
p.12
Commentary
20. The extensions and the refurbishment of the school are now almost completed to provide good accommodation which is much better than that normally found in similar sized small schools. The school is now well placed to provide a much broader curriculum in ICT and in PE; however, the school does not have access to a suitable field to develop further athletic and sporting activities. The school is aware of this and is actively working with the local community to find suitable provision.
p.13
Care, guidance and support
Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. Provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is very good. The involvement of pupils in school life through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.
p.13
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Arrangements for pupils’ care and welfare are very effective. • Pupils are known very well as individuals and they receive very good support at all times. • Pupils have good opportunities to express their views and see them acted upon.
p.13
Commentary
21. Procedures for health, safety and welfare are very well planned and managed by the headteacher. During the recent period when building work has been carried out, specific additional risk assessments have been done to ensure complete safety. The very good management of health and safety ensures that both pupils and staff work in a safe and secure environment. Procedures for child protection are also very well organised. Staff understand the importance of reporting concerns to the headteacher and there are confidential procedures followed and records maintained, should this be necessary. Pastoral care is dealt with every week in staff meetings. The school has just won the Healthy Schools Award, which requires that the school teaches pupils about healthy lifestyles, food, benefits of exercise and avoidance of drugs and alcohol. All of these elements are covered in the curriculum for personal, social
p.13
Commentary
and health education, as well as cycling proficiency and other aspects of personal safety.
p.13
Commentary
22. Every child is known individually by every adult in the school. In their questionnaires the pupils said unanimously that they are happy to talk to an adult if they have any concerns or worries. This very secure relationship is the foundation from which pupils are very well supported as they progress through school. There are good procedures to check the progress pupils are making in their academic work and if necessary, when progress is not as good as it might be, additional support is given, as well as specific additional support for pupils with special educational needs. A high proportion of children join this school from schools elsewhere. In these cases there are routines to assess the child’s needs and to help them to settle quickly into the school. Just occasionally, individual children may need help with their behaviour, or with attendance, or to deal with family difficulties. In a small school such as this, where there
p.13
Commentary
are very good links between school and home, problems are dealt with on an individual basis by the teachers, parents and pupil working together.
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Commentary
23. Pupils’ views are important. The school gives pupils good opportunities to make them known and acts upon them wherever possible. The school council is well established and counsellors are expected to seek out their classmates’ views. A notable outcome was the development of the Playground Charter to ensure everyone enjoyed breaks happily in their own way. The school involves pupils in other ways too. For example, pupils also complete their own annual questionnaire at the same time as their parents and there are many comments made about Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 14 what they have enjoyed as well as what they would like to see changed. The headteacher tries to respond accordingly. At the beginning of the year pupils state their wishes for clubs and after-school activities and, just recently, pupils have all contributed to decisions about the layout of their new classrooms and the new developments. Most importantly, the very good
p.13
Commentary
relationship between adults and pupils and the small classes encourage every child to speak freely and have a point of view. In their questionnaires, pupils strongly believe that their teachers are fair and always ready to listen to their ideas.
p.14
Partnership with parents, other schools and the community
The school’s links with parents are very good and parents have very positive views of the school. The school’s links with the community are good. The effectiveness of links with other schools is good.
p.14
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Parents are kept very well informed about school life and their children’s progress. • Parents have very positive views of the school. They support it and help their children learn well. • The school is an important part of the local community. • The school has helpful links with other schools in the area, benefiting both pupils and staff.
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Commentary
24. Before children start in the Foundation Stage class, the family is visited at home. Parents receive a very good booklet explaining the routines and curriculum and the children too have a booklet to complete with their parents, to introduce themselves to their new teachers. Once in school, each child has a progress booklet to show, very clearly, when they have achieved steps in the areas of learning. This goes home regularly, so that parents can see and share their children’s progress. When children move to Year 1, their parents receive a similar booklet, the ‘Parents’ Handbook’, to explain the different routines and curriculum which then apply. Each term, parents have a formal meeting with teachers to discuss their child’s progress and to see how they can help them learn, and at the end of the academic year they receive a good quality written report. Throughout the year, parents receive many letters and newsletters about
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Commentary
the events of school life, including the themes and topics being studied in each class each term. There is also a web site which shows all school documentation, letters, themes of study, and so on. All of these very well-organised lines of communication are, nevertheless, backed up by a willingness to talk informally to parents at the start and end of each day. In their questionnaires, parents overwhelmingly say that the school is very approachable and welcoming at all times.
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Commentary
25. Parents are very pleased with the way the school is run and the quality of education it provides for their children. The questionnaires show strong support for all aspects of the school’s work and do not raise any concerns of any kind. Similarly, at the meeting with parents prior to the inspection, parents gave many examples of why they held the school in such high regard. This very positive relationship with parents means they support the school well and play their part in helping their children to learn. Social events at the school, the church and the village hall, are all very well attended and the new school hall will make such events more easily managed in the future. Parents willingly help with visits, transport their children to events at other schools, and help regularly with tasks in the school and classroom. They know their views are valued and they complete a questionnaire at the end of each year to say what has been good and
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Commentary
what might have been better. They are invited to put forward ideas to the school improvement plan. Parents give their children good support at home. They approve of the homework policy and do their best to support it; they ensure their children attend regularly and are pleased to talk to teachers about progress as the year unfolds. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 15 26. The school and the church are important parts of local life. The church is used regularly by the school for services throughout the year and to support the curriculum as a learning resource. The minister is a regular visitor in school as a governor and leads assemblies with staff and pupils and the church organist, also a governor, regularly assists with hymn practices. The school also supports the church. There are various fund-raising events for the benefit of the church and other charities, most of which take place in the village and therefore enhance the
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Commentary
feeling of community. For example, it has become the tradition that the pupils officially open the Christmas Fair at the village hall by singing carols. The school also hosts an early-learning group of mothers and very young children. The school also uses businesses further afield to support the curriculum. Pupils visit a local powerstation, a quarry and the airport, and these and others often make financial donations to the school.
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Commentary
27. Good links with other schools benefit both staff and pupils. The headteacher and staff are active members of the local ‘small schools cluster’, where they can share skills, training, discuss new initiatives in education, as well as socialise. It is particularly important to do so, as the trials and tribulations of a small school are quite different to those encountered in larger ones. The local education authority recognises this and gives every support to these contacts. More widely, there are regular meetings with the larger schools, including the secondary school to which most pupils will eventually move. Pupils also benefit from these wider contacts. They often share events and activities which would be impossible otherwise, because of such small numbers of pupils. For example, pupils are currently joining others for rugby coaching at a nearby village school. They also get together for social events, such as a general knowledge
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Commentary
and spelling quiz, and so that pupils in Year 4 can go on a residential trip together each summer. All of these activities have the added benefit that, by the time they move on to secondary school, pupils will already know many more people than they might otherwise.
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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management are good. Leadership of the headteacher and key staff is very good. The management of the school is good. Governance is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The governing body has a clear vision of its role and duties and carries them out well. • The leadership of the headteacher and key staff has moved the school forward considerably since the last inspection. • The school is well managed on a day-to-day basis and has clear strategies for future development.
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Commentary
28. The school has a well-organised and effective governing body, which is very well led. The governors have a very clear view of the role of the school, which they see as serving the needs of the local community in partnership with the village church. The school has a very positive ethos, which includes, as a high priority, the care for the individual needs of all pupils and staff and the setting of an agenda of continual improvement. Since the last inspection the governing body has ensured the viability of the school by increasing the number of pupils and by refurbishing and extending the school buildings. Governors have a good understanding of both the strengths and weaknesses of the school through their discussions, through the visits which many make to see the school at work, and through the close working relationship with the headteacher and staff. They contribute fully to setting the direction of the school and the
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Commentary
development of the school improvement plan. Governors attend many courses to keep their knowledge up to date and they use their personal expertise to good effect. For example, governors have been able to use expertise to support the building developments and ensure the health and safety of the school and they contribute musical support and help with aspects Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 16 of personal, social and citizenship education. Relationships between governors and staff are very good and they successfully achieve the necessary balance between giving positive support and being a ‘critical friend’. All statutory requirements are met.
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Commentary
29. At the time of the last inspection, the school had gone through a period of frequent changes of leadership. Since her appointment the headteacher has worked very well with the governing body to set an agenda to stabilise the school and work towards improvement. The number of pupils has tripled and the school buildings have been extended accordingly to cope with this. Strategic planning has focused on improvement of standards and ensuring the viability of the school for the future. The need to develop the Foundation Stage of the school was recognised and this is now a very strong feature. There is a stable staff, which shares the same commitment to improving standards and to developing their own professional expertise. The headteacher and senior teacher work very well together and provide very good role models to both staff and pupils. There is clear evidence that all staff work together well as a team and
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Commentary
have the same vision for the future. They are committed to ensuring every pupil has every opportunity to achieve their best.
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Commentary
30. The school is well organised and functions smoothly on a day-to-day basis. There is a good understanding of how well the school is doing. There are effective systems to see how well pupils are learning and to track their progress; teaching standards are monitored; there is good leadership and development of the subjects of the National Curriculum within the time constraints in a small school. The school compares its own standards to those locally and nationally, so that strengths and weaknesses are understood and reflected in the priorities set out in the school improvement plan. Performance management targets for staff and the headteacher are well established and also reflect current priorities. Staff are well deployed and work together as a team. The budget is monitored and managed well and there is a good understanding of how finances will affect the school in the immediate future. For example,
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Commentary
whilst the building extensions improve the potential for teaching, learning and community use, there is a cost in additional running expenses which will have to be found. The principles of ‘best value’ are well understood and the staff work hard to ensure that, in spite of high operating costs, the school provides good value in the quality of education provided.
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Commentary
Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005
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Commentary
Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 190,707 Balance from previous year 5,545 Total expenditure 189,694 Balance carried forward to the next 6,558 Expenditure per pupil 1,023 Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 17
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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
The provision in the Foundation Stage is outstanding.
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Main strengths and weakness
• The leadership of the Foundation Unit is very good. • The accommodation and resources are excellent. • Children achieve very well and exceed average standards by the end of the Reception Year because of very good teaching. • The ratio of teachers to pupils is very good and this enables teachers to have ample time to push on children’s learning at a fast pace.
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Commentary
31. It was not possible to report in full on any of the areas of learning individually because only six girls were of Reception age and one boy of Nursery age; however, all areas of learning were sampled. Children make very good progress from entry to the school and achieve very well because the quality of teaching is consistently very good. Standards overall are above average. The leadership of the Foundation Unit is very good. Systems to monitor children’s progress are very good and reports to parents at the end of the Reception Year are very informative. The accommodation and resources are excellent. The Foundation Unit is an exciting and stimulating learning environment. Outstanding improvements have been made since the last inspection.
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
32. In personal, social and emotional development, in the lessons seen, the quality of teaching was very good. Children entered school happily with their parents. Staff are very welcoming to both parents and children. The children settle into work quickly and confidently. Children register their attendance independently, as well as change their reading book themselves. They discuss their ‘news’ willingly and they listen carefully to the teacher and teaching assistant as well as to other children. The children demonstrate very good relationships with members of staff and other children. They maintain concentration very well and work hard and with enjoyment. The behaviour and attitudes to work of the children was very good in all lessons seen.
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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
33. In communication, language and literacy, the quality of teaching seen was very good. The teaching challenged children at all levels of attainment very well to spell words relating to aspects of the role play ‘camp site’. A higher attainer worked hard to write and spell ‘picnic’ correctly. Most children could spell ‘bin’ using letter sounds. All older pupils can write their names correctly and neatly, although a lower-attaining pupil put a capital letter at the start and end of her name. Most children know that a capital letter is used at the beginning of a word or at the start of a name. They are keen to write and work hard to improve the presentation of their work. Children read well and with enjoyment. Lower attainers use picture clues well and know most initial sound of words; this helped a child to read ‘Fire!’ Most children know words such as ‘wanted’ as well as characters in reading scheme books. They are able to work out
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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
words such as ‘grab’ using letter sounds. Higher attainers are very interested in the text and pictures and read unfamiliar words confidently. These children can read by ‘sight’ words such Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 18 as ‘quiet’. The very good staff-child ratio enables plenty of interaction between staff and pupils and this in turn enables the teacher to meet the needs of all children very well. High standards of relationships between staff and children and amongst children benefit learning immensely.
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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
34. In mathematical development, the quality of teaching seen was very good. A very good range of exciting activities develops children’s numeracy skills very well. Children persevered to order extremely well presented numbers cards from one to twenty. The teacher used a train set and small dolls to introduce a demanding investigation: the children listened to an interesting story about a train journey and how many people joined or left the train. The children were challenged to decide which operation was involved if, for example, there were ten people on the train and two got off. The children then recorded the equation 10 - 2 = 8. The numbers were written correctly and neatly. In a role-play situation the teaching assistant worked with children in the ‘camp site office’ to encourage the recognition of coins. A lower attainer selected a 20p coin to pay for an ice cream in the outdoor area. The range of enjoyable activities in the
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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
role-play areas within the classroom and in the outdoor area encouraged children to select their own learning opportunities and to make very good progress.
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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
35. In knowledge and understanding of the world, no lessons were seen. Teachers encourage children to appreciate the need for a healthy diet and children are aware that ‘carrots are good for you’ and ‘it is not a good idea to put fish and chips in a picnic hampers especially if you have got a dog!’ Educational visits are used very well to develop children’s understanding of the world around them and the past; for example, on a visit to a local activity centre park, children used a ‘posser’ to assist in the washing of clothes and used an iron warmed on a fire. They enjoyed a picnic in the grounds as well as playing on playground equipment.
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
36. It was not possible to see any lessons in physical development; however, the outdoor area is very well equipped with a very good range of equipment, which children used throughout the day. Opportunities are provided for children to use and develop skills in the safe use of tools; for example, when they made picnic hampers. The children skilfully manipulate the mouse when working on the computer. Older children presently have regular physical education lessons in the village hall. Younger children, as well as older ones, enjoy riding tricycles in the outdoor area.
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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
37. No lessons were seen in creative development. However, the excellent range of resources accessible for children’s use provides very good opportunities for them to use a wide range of media to assist learning across the curriculum; for example, they made picnic hampers using a wide range of recycled materials, which they decorated creatively with, for instance, foil, tissue paper and textile materials. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 19
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. • There are many very good features to the teaching of reading and writing. • Opportunities are missed to involve pupils in setting targets and checking their work.
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Commentary
38. Standards are in line with those expected nationally at the end of Year 2 and below those expected at the end of Year 6 for the group of pupils currently in these year groups. Almost half the Year 6 group has specific difficulties in English; they achieve very well, though they just fall short of the level expected of their age. Overall, standards vary widely each year from very low to well above average because of the composition of very small year groups. In the national tests in 2004, for example, standards in English were above average. Overall achievement is good; pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and higher attainers fulfil their potential.
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Commentary
39. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, on balance, in Years 1 and 2, with some good features. Pupils achieve well for they are very well motivated. The skills of reading are well taught and the very good ratio of adults to children means that pupils receive intensive individual help. They learn effectively and begin to understand how to talk about the storyline and characters and to express their views about what they read. The range of ability across the two age groups is very wide. Lower attainers, for example, sound out words with little or no attention to punctuation, whereas higher attainers read with a fair degree of fluency, though occasionally they mar the sense by not pausing at full stops. The good teaching and good resources ensure that higher attainers have ample opportunities to progress in their reading at a faster rate. Pupils have reasonable opportunities to speak and to listen to each other;
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Commentary
standards are average. Standards in writing are a good average, with all pupils writing competently at the level expected of their age. The main strength in teaching is the teaching of basic skills, so that pupils learn to write accurately and use an expected range of punctuation. While lessons themselves have an imaginative flair, scrutiny of work suggests that pupils have fewer opportunities to write independently both for themselves and others in a wide range of forms and styles.
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Commentary
40. Teaching and learning are very good in the Year 3-6 class. Reading and writing are very well taught and there is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs to learn. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and their book reviews are thorough and judgemental. Higher attainers talk readily about poetry and what they prefer to read and why. Techniques such as skim-reading or scanning for information are very well taught and pupils are given many opportunities to use them. An outstanding feature is the teacher’s organisation, which is reflected in pupils’ extremely good presentation of their written work. A simple contents page, for example, to pupils’ writing folders, entitled ‘I can write for different purposes’, alerts pupils to the very wide range of writing they have undertaken, including writing as a group, eye-witness accounts, instructions and research into an author’s life. In lessons, words and their many
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Commentary
associations are brought alive for pupils as the teaching teases out pupils’ responses, so that, for example, the scientific explanation of ‘moonlight’ contributes to their poetic awareness as well as a grammatical understanding of compound words. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 20 41. In both classes, pleasant and open relationships between adults and pupils help pupils to learn effectively as they do not hesitate to ask if they are uncertain. Pupils chatter away quite happily in the Year 1/2 class and in the Year 3-6 class pupils clearly find their teacher’s very good subject knowledge fascinating. Marking of pupils’ work is thorough but opportunities are missed to involve pupils in setting targets for improvement and checking their progress towards them. The onus, therefore, is more on the teacher than the pupil. The subject is very well led and managed, with a thoroughness that is praiseworthy given the time constraints on staff in a
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Commentary
very small school, ensuring good improvement since the last inspection.
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Language and literacy across the curriculum
42. Pupils are given good opportunities to practise their writing skills in a wide range of subjects and to read and extract information from different sources. In Years 1 and 2, pupils write about The Great Fire of London, for example, and in Years 3 to 6, pupils’ work in other subjects such as geography shows a lively awareness of a range of issues which they express well on paper. They have many occasions to speak and to listen in lessons, contributing well to discussions.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils’ achievement is good overall. • The quality of teaching is good and sometimes better in Years 3 to 6. • In Years 1 and 2 the planning of work does not challenge higher attainers sufficiently. • The leadership of the subject co-ordinator is very good. • Increasingly, teachers are planning opportunities to apply and to practise numeracy skills in other subjects.
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Commentary
43. The performance of pupils by the end of Year 6, over the three-year period 2002 to 2004, was in line with the national median. Standards this year are likely to be similar. Standards by the end of Year 2 were well above the national median over the 2002 to 2004 period; however, this year standards are average with no pupils reaching the higher level (Level 3). Standards declined in 2004 from very high in 2003 following changes of teaching staff. This has been identified by the very capable subject co-ordinator, who has provided support for the teaching in Years 1 and 2. The co-ordinator has a very good grasp and understanding of the subject and provides a very good role model in the quality of his teaching. Improvement since the last inspection is good, as the quality of teaching has improved in Years 3 to 6 and pupils are now making good progress.
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Commentary
44. The quality of teaching and learning is good, overall. The teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good and sometimes very good, though satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good, which has a positive impact on their learning throughout the school. In the best teaching, for example, in Years 3 to 6, the teaching was very well organised. Learning was planned to meet the needs of all pupils very well, including extension work for higher attainers, such as challenging problem-solving activities. Tasks built very well on previous learning; for example, older pupils consolidated and extended their understanding of square and triangular numbers. The teaching assistant was used well and together with the teacher provided good help for pupils at all levels of attainment to gain a better understanding of place value. The pupils were very well motivated and worked very hard with the teacher and when working
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Commentary
independently or with a partner. Relationships between pupils and staff and amongst pupils were very good and this assisted pupils’ learning very well. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 21 45. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is satisfactory; however, recently too few pupils have reached the higher level expected of their age (Level 3). In the lesson seen planning was detailed for both Year 1 and Year 2; however, the work for each year group was not linked sufficiently, which resulted in each year group working at different aspects of the curriculum, so reducing the efficiency of the teaching. Questioning of individuals at the beginning of the lesson was insufficient; however, the pupils had plenty of practice to develop their skills because the pace of the lesson was fast. The work expected of higher attainers was insufficient to challenge them to reach their potential.
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Mathematics across the curriculum
46. The use of mathematics in other subjects is satisfactory. Teachers are increasingly planning to use mathematics in other subjects; however, this is at an early stage of development. Some good practice was seen; for example, pupils in Year 6 produced graphs to convert Egyptian pounds to pounds sterling as part of a combined geography and history topic about Egypt.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils’ achievement over time is good. • The quality of teaching is good. • Literacy skills are used and developed well. • The subject is led and managed well.
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Commentary
47. Standards by the end of Year 6, over a three-year period, have been close to the national median. Standards of the present group of pupils in Year 6 are in line with the national average. Standards by the end of Year 2 in 2004 were average overall as all pupils achieved the level expected of their age but none achieved the higher level (Level 3). No judgement was made on the present standards in Year 2 as no teaching was seen, although examination of pupils’ work indicates that standards are about average and progress over time is satisfactory. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress during their time in the school. Improvement since the last inspection is good.
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Commentary
48. The quality of teaching and learning is good in Years 3 to 6. No teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2. In a good lesson in Years 3 to 6, the teaching was planned well to challenge pupils to devise an experiment to show the link between the surface area of water and evaporation. Very good links were made with previous work in geography about the construction of reservoirs. Good questioning drew out pupils’ understanding of the water cycle and its relevance to the investigation. Pupils were very keen to contribute their views; for example, a higher-attaining pupil considered that a reservoir should be deep and have minimum surface area to assist land conservation as well as to reduce evaporation. Relationships between adults and pupils were very good and pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to work were of a high order.
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Commentary
49. Examination of pupils’ work shows pupils are taught well and they experience a broad curriculum with a strong emphasis on investigative work. Literacy skills are developed and applied well; in particular, the presentation of work is very good. High quality sketches and diagrams enhance the presentation of work. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 22 50. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject co-ordinator has a good understanding of the improvements needed and a clear vision for the future development. He provides a good role model in the quality of his teaching. He monitors pupils’ learning effectively, especially considering the number of other key subjects that he manages.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
51. No judgements could be made on standards, provision for the subject or the quality of teaching, as no teaching was seen owing to the arrangement of the timetable. The hardware has been improved since the last inspection. Teachers plan lessons in line with the national guidance. The recent refurbishment and extension of the school has resulted in pupils not having sufficient practice and teaching of ICT skills, especially in Years 1 and 2. Older pupils have limited opportunities to develop skills in multimedia presentations, to enhance their understanding and to apply control technology in other subjects. The curriculum co-ordinator is aware that the present Year 6 has not had the learning opportunities available for previous years because of the building works.
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Information and communication technology across the curriculum
52. Limited use is made of the subject to improve pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Examination of pupils’ work in other subjects provides too few examples of ICT being used to assist learning, particularly in Years 1 and 2. During the inspection pupils were rarely seen using computers; this is unsatisfactory.
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HUMANITIES
53. Geography and history were sampled as no lessons were seen. All statutory requirements are met.
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HUMANITIES
54. In geography , pupils cover a wide range of work. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 show good knowledge of the local area, comparing busy and quiet places. They gain a good understanding of a totally different way of life in a country such as Mexico. In Years 3 to 6, pupils build on their previous experiences through studying local physical landscapes and places in India and the Arctic. They carry out individual research; for example, they studied the language of the Inuits. A higher attainer commented: ‘As you can see this is a complicated language to read, maybe even hard to learn.’ Pupils are encouraged to provide their views on life in different countries; one pupil concluded, ‘There is no future for young people in a small Indian village.’ The presentation of pupils’ work is outstanding.
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HUMANITIES
55. In history , a good range of work is taught with very well planned links with art and design. Pupils have ample opportunities to carry out individual research and local links with places of historical importance are fully exploited. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 look at similarities and differences between the past and the present. They make telling observations; for example, about Florence Nightingale’s work. In Years 3 to 6, pupils asked searching questions of two survivors of the Second World War and learnt some fascinating details as a result. ICT skills were used effectively to record and present a record of the interview.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
56. Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled. Statutory requirements are met.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
57. In art and design , examination of pupils’ work indicates lively, high quality work from all year groups. The organisation of teaching by a specialist is very effective. Good use of ICT and a wide range of media in virtual, two- and three-dimensional forms enhance pupils’ artistic understanding. When producing abstract pictures inspired by jazz, pupils were quick to reflect Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 23 emotional changes in the music in the tones and hues they used in their paintings in the style of Kandinsky. Final pieces of artwork are very accomplished and are often extremely well translated on to the computer to reflect similar energy and vibrant colours, as in their repeated patterns following a study of wallpaper designs by William Morris.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
58. In design and technology , pupils cover a wide range of work, including gaining a better understanding of healthy lifestyles: for example, when analysing different jam tarts, older pupils commented ‘These are a bit too fattening; they have less protein but more fibre, which is good.’ They were intrigued to discover that the ingredients in the tart they made were ‘a lot simpler and tasted better’. Much of the work in design and technology is linked to other subjects such as science and art and design.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
59. In music , part of one lesson was seen in the Year 1/2 class. Teaching was good and the pupils were engrossed. Different abilities were catered for well and there was a magical moment when pupils gasped as one with special educational needs succeeded in creating an eerie sound of thunder using a specialist instrument for that purpose. Pupils showed a good understanding of the different types of sounds they could create using a range of instruments. Most have a good sense of rhythm and were able to clap complicated rhythms, echoing their teacher’s lead. Pupils of all ages sing accurately and tunefully and older pupils demonstrated a fine sense of pitch and tempo when they gave an energetic rendering of some well known street songs as part of a musical project.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
60. In physical education , pupils have limited opportunities to develop the full range of skills because of previously severely restricted indoor and outdoor facilities; however, all pupils have two lessons a week in the playground and in community areas and learn basic skills in hockey and football, for instance. The almost completed hall will enhance provision greatly. In Years 3 to 6, pupils have an eight-week course of swimming lessons each year. By the end of Year 6 most pupils can swim at least 25 metres and many can swim significantly further.
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP
61. This area of the curriculum was sampled. Statutory requirements are met in regard to the school’s provision for sex and relationships education and drugs education. Pupils have regular weekly lessons which cover a wide range of topics including healthy living and moral choices. They talk openly and readily about matters of personal and national importance. Wootton St Andrews CE VA Primary School - 24
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).
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