Wroot Travis Charity Church of England Primary School

WROOT TRAVIS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Wroot Travis CE 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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WROOT TRAVIS CE 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. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 48

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Field Lane Wroot Doncaster South Yorkshire Postcode: DN9 2BN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01302 770251 Fax number: 01302 770251

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Rachel Robinson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Wroot Travis CE Primary School is a very small school serving the village of Wroot in North Lincolnshire. There are 43 children, (19 boys and 24 girls) aged between four and 11 on roll, whilst a further five, three and four year olds attend the part-time afternoon nursery at the school. All the children are from UK backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. The numbers attending the school have been rising with a growing number of children starting after the normal admission time. Although the numbers coming in later are small, the percentage increase in each year group is often significant; 25 to 33 per cent is not uncommon. At the time when they start school, the children’s level of development and their skills are generally around the average for their age in all respects. Currently there are two children with a statement of special needs and seven more on the special needs register, (21 per cent of the school’s roll) around the average for schools

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

in England. Seven per cent of the children are currently entitled to free school meals. This figure is below the average for English schools. This information, along with other census data, indicates that the area served by the school has social and economic circumstances that are around or slightly above average for the country. The school received a ‘School Achievement Award’ in 2002 and was awarded ‘Healthy Schools Status’ in 2003. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22229 Roger Brown Lead inspector Special educational needs English Science Information and communication technology Geography History Design and technology 9348 Mary Le Mage Lay inspector 2756 Mike Barron Team inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Art and design Music Physical education Personal, social and health education and citizenship Religious education

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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). Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school which provides a good quality of education. Standards are improving because of good teaching and learning and as a result pupils’ achievement is good. Leadership and management are good and the school provides satisfactory value for money. The school does well to overcome many of the restrictions imposed by the inadequacy of its accommodation.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The quality of relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils is excellent; these help to create the very good attitudes of pupils attending the school and their very good behaviour. • The inadequate nature of the accommodation limits the curriculum the pupils experience and restricts the school’s attempts to improve the quality of education that can be provided. • The school integrates all pupils, whatever their background, very successfully into all activities. • Assessment information is not yet used effectively. • The issue of insufficient management time for the headteacher identified at the time of the last inspection has not been resolved. • Very good links with parents enhance the quality of education provided.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made a satisfactory degree of improvement since the last inspection. Standards in English, mathematics and science are similar at the end of Year 6 and better now at the end of Year 2. The standard of reading of the younger pupils is now very good. The school has made substantial progress in improving the provision for information and communication technology (ICT). Teachers have much greater confidence in their use of the new technology and use it creatively to present interesting and thoughtful lessons. However, the issue of the headteacher’s teaching commitment has not been adequately addressed and she has insufficient time to carry out essential management work.

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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 A C C D mathematics C E* C E science C E* D E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average E* - in the lowest five percent nationally. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals; because pupils’ mobility is high, the usual comparison with schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2 is unreliable. NB: Year groups are very small and care needs to be taken when using this data to make comparisons with other schools or years.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The very small numbers in each year group means that the average level of children’s attainment when they start at school varies significantly from year to year. However, the overall level of attainment when children begin school is average. The achievement of children in the Reception Year is satisfactory. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 to 6 is good . The attainment of the current Year 2 pupils is good. Their standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average, and their standards in science are well above average. The attainment of the current Year 6 pupils is average in English and mathematics and above average in science. This is a good level of achievement given their prior levels of attainment. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in the school. The high quality of relationships allows them to be successfully Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 7 integrated into all the activities of the school and this achievement is one of the school’s strengths.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

By the time pupils are 11 years of age, standards in ICT and religious education meet the expectations for pupils of that age. There are no pupils from ethnic minority groups or homes where English is not the first language.

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

development is good . Pupils enjoy being at school and their attendance is good. They behave very well, and their very good attitudes have a positive impact on their learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. Teaching and learning are good and this is helping to raise standards. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum that meets statutory requirements despite the restrictions of the inadequate accommodation which restricts subjects such as physical education and constrains the school in its ability to provide a rich learning environment. All areas in the school have to be adapted for multiple uses. The barely adequate classrooms double up as an assembly space and dining room. There is no library, or any space for group work. The buildings are inadequate to meet the needs of a 21 st century school. Teachers and other staff know the pupils well and the school provides good care, guidance and support. The school has very good links with the parents, who support the school and their children’s learning well. The support of the community is good; local people value the school. Links with other schools including the secondary

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

school to which pupils transfer are satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is good; she has led the successful curriculum innovation for the younger pupils and is a very effective teacher. However, she has insufficient time for her management role. This criticism was raised at the last inspection when the previous headteacher was in charge. Staff work hard to manage this small school, but the systems and procedures they use are often cumbersome and unwieldy. Under the current pressures they have no time to evaluate and improve them. This means that that the effectiveness of management is limited, but is still satisfactory overall. The governing body carries out its duties satisfactorily and meets all its statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the school and the quality of education provided; they like the ethos and atmosphere in the school. They expressed no significant concerns through the pre-inspection questionnaires or at the parents’ meeting. Pupils are happy with the school, although some of the older pupils would like to have more of a say in their roles and responsibilities.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Seek ways to improve the accommodation. • Provide adequate management time for the headteacher. • Improve the use of assessment systems and procedures to inform the development of pupils’ progress and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

The achievement of pupils is good overall. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily and those in Years 1 to 6 achieve well. Standards by Year 6 are average in English and mathematics and above average in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading are improving throughout the school. • Standards in science have improved and are now well above average at the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. • Children in the early years achieve well in personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

1. The attainment of children when they begin school is broadly average. Children in the Reception Year are taught in a class with the Year 1 and 2 pupils each morning, but have a separate room they can use to follow the early years curriculum under the guidance of a qualified teaching assistant. Each afternoon they share this room with the children from the part-time nursery. Their language and literacy development along with their personal, social and emotional development are good; this is because of the good quality care and support they get from the adults and pupils in the school. Most achieve the expected goals in the other fours areas of the early years curriculum and their standards in these areas are satisfactory.

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Commentary

2. In the national tests of 2004, the standards attained by pupils in Year 2 were well above average in writing and outstanding in reading and science. Standards in mathematics were in line with those expected. These results showed a marked improvement from the trend of the previous years. A very significant proportion of the pupils achieved at higher than expected levels in reading and science and the standards in these subjects were well above those of similar schools.

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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 19.4 (14.6) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.2 (15.4) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.2 (16.6) 16.2 (16.3) There were five pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

3. Pupils’ standards in the current Year 2 are well above average in science and above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is ensuring that all pupils achieve well. This includes children with special educational needs who are supported very effectively and as a result their achievement is good. Pupils are confident readers and most of their writing is grammatically accurate. Standards in mathematics have improved this year because of an effective focus on raising standards. The very good standards in science arise from the knowledge and enthusiasm of the teacher and the effective teaching of the subject as part of the wider curriculum.

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

4. Standards in Year 2 are average in ICT, geography and religious education. There was no time during the inspection to see classes where art and design, design and technology, history, music and physical education were taught, so it is not possible to make a judgement about these subjects. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 9 5. Pupils in Year 6 achieved standards in the national tests of 2004 that were in line with the average in English, mathematics but below in science. In English and mathematics almost all the pupils achieved the expected levels, but only a small number achieved at the higher level. Pupils achieved slightly higher results in English than mathematics. All pupils got the expected level in the science assessments, but once again there was only limited success at the higher levels. The trend over the past few years appears to show results declining, but this trend is not a reliable indicator in relation to this school. The numbers in some of the year

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

groups have been very small, (as low as two pupils) and the low outcomes have been influenced by issues such as pupils with special educational needs and significant percentages (33 per cent) joining the school from other schools well after the normal starting point. There is little difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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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 27.0 (27.0) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 27.0 (21.0) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.0 (24.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were six pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

6. Standards in the current Year 6 are in line with the average in English and mathematics, but above in science. The school has invested considerable effort in raising standards and has had a significant degree of success. Individual pupils have made marked progress since the time they started at the school. When these pupils were in Year 2 they were attaining standards that were below average. To move them from below average to average demonstrates the school has added value to their education. This is most marked in science where the school has concentrated its efforts and made the greatest improvement. Pupils read accurately, and can explain their reasoning well when tackling number problems. In science they are confident when explaining cause and effect when talking about the investigations they have undertaken.

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

7. Pupils in Year 6 achieve average standards in ICT, geography, physical education and religious education. There was no time to see teaching in the other subjects, but from the significant range of good quality work seen, it is clear that standards in art and design, design and technology, history and music are in line with those expected.

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

8. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. The teachers and the teaching assistants responsible for supporting them ensure that their learning is closely linked to their individual targets and set them challenging work. They are given help when needed, but also given the freedom to be independent when this is appropriate. There is no discernible difference between the achievements of boys and girls.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This aspect continues to be a strength of the school. Their attendance is good and their punctuality very good. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships in the school are excellent and as a result pupils are happy and confident. • The staff have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and this is reflected in their very good manners and their caring attitudes to each other. • Levels of punctuality are very good, enabling the school day to start promptly. • Pupils are interested in school and take a full part in all the activities available to them. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 10

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ behaviour is very good, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils of all ages play well together, they are polite to adults and care for each other sensibly and thoughtfully. Minor instances of misbehaviour are dealt with quickly and effectively and there is no disruption to learning. Instances of bullying are very rare and effectively dealt with.

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Commentary

10. A notable feature of the school is the excellent relationship between all pupils. In an enjoyable physical education lesson, pupils of all abilities from across four year groups enjoyed developing their skills together whilst participating enthusiastically in team games. Pupils were mutually supportive, applauding when somebody did well, yet still competing to be the best themselves. The older and more skilful pupils did not complain when the younger ones were not adept enough to complete a task, but cheerfully gave sensible advice and laughed at themselves when they made mistakes. Pupils undertake tasks assigned to them diligently, whatever they might be. They have clear views about a range of school issues and have the confidence to express them clearly. Pupils would like to participate in many more activities than the school provides, but they recognise what has changed and improved in the last few

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Commentary

years and that there are limits to what can be done in a small school. Pupils with special needs are well supported in the school and as a result they integrate fully into school life and have good relationships with their peers.

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Commentary

11. The school’s provision for personal development is good. Pupils get good opportunities to celebrate their successes and to reflect on a range of issues that affect their lives and the wider world. The teachers encourage pupils to think about other people and in their answers to questions and discussions with each other they demonstrate a good understanding and respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. Pupils’ moral development is very good. The teachers’ high expectations of all pupils mean that they know the difference between right and wrong. The school very effectively reinforces these expectations through clear rules and the implementation of a system of rewards. These strong expectations are also reflected in the pupils’ good quality social development. The school is in the process of developing a ‘buddy’ system to reinforce and develop this aspect. Pupils already understand their

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Commentary

responsibilities, but the staff would like them to be more involved in caring and sharing and use their initiative rather than waiting to be told by an adult. Older pupils’ social development is fostered well through inter-school sports events, shared visits with other small schools and an annual shared residential visit. Pupils, parents, governors and the staff would all like more such activities but recognise the difficulty of doing this in a small and relatively isolated school. Pupils’ cultural development is good. Pupils are well aware of their own cultural traditions, and the school has worked hard to develop pupils’ awareness of the wider world and other cultural traditions. Good use is made of interactive whiteboard technology to illustrate how people live in different parts of the world and to compare this with the pupils’ own lives.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.5 School data 0.1 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. Attendance at the school is good. Pupils say that they enjoy school and this view is reinforced by parents. The school monitors attendance closely and is rigorous in its classification of unauthorised absence. Some of the absence is due to pupils taking holiday in term time and this is being closely monitored by the school. Punctuality at the school is very good, with many pupils walking or cycling to school. They arrive in good time, eager to begin their day at school. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 11

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Exclusions

13. There have been no exclusions from the school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is satisfactory and better in Years 1 and 2 where the new more creative approach is more effective. Pupils are well cared for. The school’s links with parents are good, as are those with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning are good. The use of assessment information, whilst satisfactory in the Foundation Stage, is not yet effective throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Whilst the quality of teaching is good overall, the level of challenge for different groups of pupils is inconsistent. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and this helps them to learn effectively. • Assessment is not used consistently to plan the next steps for pupils and inform them what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and as a result they make better than expected progress.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 17 observed lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 2 13 2 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

14. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school and work in pupils’ books indicates good teaching overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection and over four fifths of lessons featured good or better teaching. The quality of teaching of pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 was consistently good and some very good teaching was observed in lessons to Year 1 and Year 2 pupils.

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Commentary

15. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children’s work is well planned. The teaching is most effective when reception and nursery children are given the opportunities to work as a separate group with adult support. Lessons are then well structured and the quality of teaching and learning is good with children making good progress. However, reception age children are integrated into a class with older pupils for long periods and this has a limiting effect on their achievement over time in, for example, their physical skills development. Procedures for assessing how well children in the Foundation Stage progress with their learning are satisfactory and are used to plan further work effectively.

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Commentary

16. As pupils progress through the school most make good progress in learning and this is reflected in their good achievements. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this effectively to stimulate pupils’ interests. Lessons move at a good pace and teachers make effective use of resources. They work well with teaching assistants who give good support to the pupils. Adults expect high standards of behaviour from pupils which means that lessons are not disrupted and learning is consistent. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 12 17. When the quality of teaching is very good it is stimulating and enjoyable with pupils working very hard and making better progress than expected. In a literacy lesson for Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, the teacher worked well with teaching assistants to ensure that an enthusiastic and thoughtful start to the lesson was built on by ensuring that all pupils were encouraged to take

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Commentary

an active part in the session. The lesson was very well structured and the teacher’s use of questioning and praise encouraged pupils to try very hard at identifying verbs in the story of ‘ The Rainbow Fish’ . She used the end of the lesson very well to reinforce learning. As a result the standard of pupils’ work was above that expected for their age groups.

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Commentary

18. However, in a number of other observed lessons, work was not always matched to pupils’ differing abilities and experience and this affected the achievement of a minority. For example, in a literacy session for Year 3 to Year 6 pupils focusing on persuasive writing, the outcomes varied significantly for the different age and ability groups. The objectives and tasks were very similar for all pupils; namely to design a flier using words and features from what they had already learned. As a result younger pupils worked in advance of their age and achieved well whilst older pupils were not sufficiently challenged and their achievement was only satisfactory.

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Commentary

19. The school’s procedures for using assessment data are in need of further development. The progress of individual pupils is monitored, but not as effectively as it could be. For instance, there is only a limited amount of recorded information on the rate of pupils’ progress from year to year and no diagnosis of any patterns of underachievement. This limits the school’s ability to respond to individual needs effectively. As a result, work in lessons is not always adequately matched to the different abilities of pupils and, at times, does not always offer an appropriate level of challenge, limiting pupils’ overall progress. The school has already recognised that it has work to do in this respect and is looking at this area to develop it alongside other members of the local network of schools that has recently been formed.

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Commentary

20. The marking of work is evident in pupils’ books, but the procedures are inconsistent. Sometimes marks are just a tick or congratulatory comment. The school’s policy is to mark all work in the presence of pupils whenever possible, but even the older pupils admit they cannot always remember what they have been told so it is not always helping pupils to improve.

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Commentary

21. Pupils with special educational needs get good support in all aspects of their work. Teachers and support staff are very aware of their needs and plan to meet these very effectively. The pupils are given sufficient freedom to gain an appropriate degree of independence, but are ably guided when it is more apt for them to be taught on an individual basis. Consequently, these pupils integrate well into the school and make better than expected progress.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory. Opportunities for extra-curricular activities in this small school are satisfactory, but limited. The accommodation and resources are unsatisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are good, but the school’s accommodation is poor. • Opportunities for enrichment outside the school day are limited. • The match of teachers and other staff to the curriculum is good. • More able pupils are sometimes not provided with suitable work to challenge and extend their learning.

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Commentary

22. The school has taken effective steps to improve those areas of the curriculum which were criticised by the previous inspection. The curriculum is now soundly balanced across all subjects and fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. There are now effective Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 13 schemes of work for all subjects and the concerns voiced by the previous inspection regarding weaknesses in the provision of ICT have been addressed well, although on some occasions, there are missed opportunities to use ICT to support other subject areas. Whilst there have been improvements in overall provision, the range of school based extra-curricular activities provided for pupils is still limited and remains an area for further development.

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Commentary

23. Even so, the school’s curriculum is now broad and suitably balanced in all subjects. Provision for younger pupils has been recently reviewed to ensure that it promotes integrated learning and provides good equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. The classrooms of these younger age groups are organised to make them interesting and attractive and to promote in pupils a desire to learn.

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Commentary

24. The Foundation Stage curriculum is well planned and effectively delivered when reception and nursery children are given the opportunities to work as a separate group with effective adult support.

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Commentary

25. An effective programme of study has been implemented to develop pupils’ personal, social and health education, which is integrated into different subject areas throughout the school. In addition, a school council and group time known as ‘circle time’ effectively support this aspect of the curriculum. Sex and relationships education, and alcohol and drugs misuse are also effectively included in this provision.

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Commentary

26. Pupils are well prepared for the later stages of the education. Teachers work effectively with each other and also with other adults to provide for the needs of pupils. Those who encounter difficulties in learning and who have special educational needs are well supported through the effective use of competent teaching assistants and this enables them to take a full and active part in lessons and achieve well.

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Commentary

27. The management of the curriculum in this small school is complex, especially in the class with the oldest pupils. With four year groups in the class, lessons in most subjects are divided into two levels with the older pupils getting more demanding work. However, it was evident from a scrutiny of work that the tasks given to pupils in some subjects, such as religious education, were very similar and did not take full account pupils’ different ages and abilities. This resulted in the achievement of more able pupils being limited as they were not challenged sufficiently.

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Commentary

28. The school is well resourced for teaching all aspects of the National Curriculum. However, the school’s accommodation is unsatisfactory and represents a barrier to learning, especially in subjects such as physical education. For example: • There is no school hall and no space that is not in constant use. Classrooms have to be used as an area for school assembly, for aspects of physical education and also as a makeshift dining room. Pupils’ desks and chairs have to be moved to accommodate these different activities and this takes time away from teaching. • The Foundation Stage outside area, although improved from the time of the last inspection, has no area for children to play on a safe surface and is not securely fenced off from the rest of the school field. • All the classrooms are small for the number of children they have to accommodate and space is further restricted by lack of storage space in the school and the need for the

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Commentary

rooms to cope with multiple uses. • The headteacher does not have a separate study and has to share the staffroom or use a classroom when working on school business. All these issues were current at the time of the last inspection, but since then the number of children in the school has increased by over 60 per cent and the staff numbers have also risen. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 14

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Care, guidance and support

The steps taken by the school to ensure the care, welfare and safety of its pupils are good, as is the involvement of pupils in the development of the school. The level of support, advice and guidance provided to pupils is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of relationships between adults and pupils is very good, adding to the pupils’ self- confidence and trust in staff and enabling them to develop well. • Records of Achievement do not support pupils’ learning. • The arrangements for pupils joining the nursery are very sensitive to the needs of the child. • Support from the local community for pupils’ safety and welfare is good.

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Commentary

29. Throughout the school pupils are almost unanimous in saying there is at least one adult in the school in whom they feel they can confide. This is a clear indication of the very good relationships evident between pupils and adults throughout the school. Adults are patient, kind and very supportive which means pupils feel very secure and willing to contribute ideas in lessons. This has a very positive effect on pupils’ feelings of self-worth, their attitudes to their learning, and school life in general. The school works hard to seek and take account of the views of its pupils, in a largely informal way. All adults in the school listen to pupils, valuing and supporting their ideas wherever possible. There is a school council which meets regularly, but its work is largely adult directed at present. They have been involved in developing a travel plan for the school, choosing outdoor playground equipment and markings

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Commentary

30. The school ensures that all statutory checks are undertaken and is rigorous in its assessment of risk. All incidents and accidents are recorded thoroughly and parents are fully informed. Child protection arrangements are in place and all adults working in the school are aware of them. However, although staff have an awareness of the school’s child protection procedures, they have had no recent direct training about child protection and this needs to be addressed.

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Commentary

31. Throughout the school, Records of Achievement are kept for every pupil. They contain examples of pupils’ work and review statements when targets have been discussed and agreed between teacher, parent and pupil. However, the work contains no description of what makes it worthy of inclusion and work in different subject areas and targets are intermingled in what, at times, appears to be a random fashion. This means that these records can not be used by pupils to see the progress they have made. It also means that the review statements can not be readily referred to as a focus for pupils’ efforts.

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Commentary

32. Pupils joining the nursery at the school can do so at a rate that is appropriate for them. At no point does the school dictate the number of sessions any individual child should attend. Staff work with parents to ensure that the amount of time spent in the nursery is right for the child and the parent and this is good preparation for beginning full time schooling. The accommodation has limitations for the youngest pupils in the school. Although the outdoor play area is a good, recent addition, it is not readily accessible from the classroom and is not securely bounded from the outdoor areas available to the rest of the school. In addition, it has no soft play surface which is useable in all weathers.

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Commentary

33. The local community are very aware of the school in their midst and show concern for the welfare of its pupils in several ways. They notice children walking to school and hurry them on their way if they appear to be sidetracked, work as lunchtime staff, and stand in as cleaning staff if the need arises and allow them to leave their bicycles in private drives near the school as the school has no provision for storing cycles at present. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established very good links with parents. It has good links with the local community and satisfactory links with other schools and colleges.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school values the views of parents and responds positively to them. • The quality of information for parents is good and encourages parents to be involved in children’s learning. • The school has good links with the local community, which enhance the learning opportunities for pupils. • Inadequacies in the accommodation limit the involvement of parents in regular events in the school.

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Commentary

34. All parents who expressed a view during the inspection process are supportive of the school. They find it very open and approachable and feel valued. These views are endorsed by the inspection. The school values parents’ views and actively works to discover them. In response to a small number of parents who are concerned about ‘bullying’ in general, although not specific to this school, ‘Buddy Training’ is being introduced to the school. The school will always meet a parent’s request to come in for any reason affecting a child’s progress or well-being, or for more general support. Because of the very small nature of the school these meetings may have to be by appointment. All children joining the nursery are visited in their homes and parents can accompany their child in nursery until they feel confident to leave them. Parents’ views form an important part of this initial meeting before

p.15

Commentary

they join the nursery and thereafter, parents have the opportunity to contribute further at termly reviews.

p.15

Commentary

35. Parents are kept well informed about day-to-day events at school via regular newsletters. In addition, they receive a termly newsletter giving information about what their children will be taught in the coming term. These contain enough information to enable parents to talk to their children meaningfully about their time in school. Parents frequently respond to these newsletters by spontaneously bringing relevant items into school to support and enhance the learning of the pupils. A small number of parents run a Parents, Staff and Friends Association which organises fund-raising and social events for the school. They are very well supported by the whole school community and raise significant funds for the school which have been used recently to buy reading books and subsidise visits. Each term, the school has an afternoon when parents come into school and discuss their children’s progress with their class

p.15

Commentary

teachers. They also involve their children in reviewing their targets and setting new ones. These meetings are recorded by the three people involved and form part of the pupil’s Record of Achievement. Although few parents help in school on a regular basis, parents support learning in many ways. Due to inadequacies in the accommodation there is no opportunity for parents to attend regular celebration assemblies in the school.

p.15

Commentary

36. The school is situated in a very rural community and there are very limited opportunities for the school to engage with business or industry, to enhance learning for pupils. However, links with the local church community and the wider diocese enhance the experiences of pupils. Good links with sports clubs have enabled the pupils to benefit from professional coaching in football and basketball. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 16

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is good. Governance of the school is satisfactory.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Too little time is allocated to management and some of the systems and procedures in place are cumbersome and inefficient. • The leadership of the headteacher has created a supportive staff team. She is a very effective teacher and has improved the curriculum for the younger pupils and the standards they achieve.

p.16

Commentary

37. The strong and effective leadership of the headteacher has brought about a number of important changes and improvements to the school whilst maintaining the strengths that existed before. The school has maintained a very positive ethos and a climate where relationships are excellent. Most pupils, whatever their background, achieve well. Staff, pupils, parents and governors are motivated by her commitment and drive. The headteacher is a very effective teacher and has recently introduced a new livelier and more interesting curriculum for the younger pupils. The standards of attainment of the younger pupils have risen and this improvement is now beginning to have an impact in the standards of work seen in Years 3 and 4. However, the commitment and hard work she has invested in the school has a downside. Too little time is allocated to improving the management systems and procedures to support the decision making process. Consequently, there is a lack of clear

p.16

Commentary

evidence about what is effective in the school and what needs to be changed and improved.

p.16

Commentary

38. Since the last inspection, over six years ago, little has been done to address the key issue relating to leadership and management at that time. The previous inspection identified too little management time for the headteacher as a barrier to improvement. Although the present headteacher has been given an extra half day away from teaching her class, she still teaches for seven tenths of each week. The impact of the extra time has been diminished by increasing roles and responsibilities and a significantly larger school to manage. There has been an increase in pupil numbers of over 60 per cent with extra staff and staff hours to manage.

p.16

Commentary

39. The school improvement plan identifies and prioritises the most pressing issues, but this process arises from the headteacher’s instinctive grasp of what is needed to make the school more effective. There are neither the effective systems in place to analyse what is working, nor the time to reflect upon the impact of any changes. Space in the school is now at such a premium that every decision to improve one aspect of the school tends to diminish the school’s work in another area. For the next two terms the school has decided to split Years 3 and 4 away from Years 5 and 6 for two mornings to allow a better focus on the older pupils. This means that Years 3 and 4 will have to work in the nursery/reception area, a compromise that has an impact on every person in the school. Presently, there is no system in place to give an accurate audit of the consequences of this decision or allow the school to make an

p.16

Commentary

40. The teacher of Years 3 to 6 shoulders a great deal of the leadership and management role with the headteacher and they work together effectively. She has been particularly important in developing the use of ICT in the school. This area received the strongest criticism at the time of the last inspection, but is an aspect which is now at least satisfactory with some good elements. The leadership and complex management of the curriculum in this small school are good at many levels; continuity and progress are strong, but the systems to evaluate its effectiveness and assess the next steps are cumbersome and time consuming to little effect.

p.16

Commentary

41. The governing body is involved in the school at many levels, and despite many recent changes to the make up of the governors and a period when it was unable to fill all the Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 17 governor positions the outlook is now positive. The governing body fulfils all its statutory duties, and through the involvement of key members ensures that it both acts as a support to the headteacher and at times as a critical friend. Governors are encouraged to find out what is happening at first hand and this is beginning to enable them to come to more informed decisions about the adequacy of the staffing arrangements and the standards in the school. The governors still need better access to objective data that will allow them to have a stronger basis for their decision making if they are to continue to foster and develop the school further.

p.16

Commentary

42. The financial management of the school is sound. The governors are kept fully informed about the level of spending by the school’s finance officers. The school assiduously applies the principle of value for money to its expenditure to get the most from its limited funds. This year, the school has a budget surplus of almost ten per cent of its budget. This has been planned to pay for the extra teaching commitment for the older pupils. However, there is no process for alternative options to be objectively evaluated and analysed. For instance, the headteacher has built in time for the other teaching staff to have the statutory planning and preparation time, but has not allocated time to herself for this purpose despite her major teaching commitment. Given her success as a class teacher and in roles such as special needs co-ordinator, at one level this looks a sensible decision. However, given the paramount

p.17

Commentary

need to sustain the headteacher in her successful work and the need for her to manage the school more objectively the decision appears less rational and too short-term in its consequences. Overall, with the evident success of the school offset against the relatively high cost per pupil, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 205,762 Balance from previous year 9,810 Total expenditure 195,141 Balance carried forward to the next 20,431

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Expenditure per pupil 4,248 Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 18

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attitudes to learning are very good. • The accommodation is well below expected standards. • The co-ordinator leads and manages the Foundation Stage well.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because of good teaching. • Supportive relationships enable children to feel confident and happy. • Attitudes to learning are very good.

p.18

Commentary

43. The quality of teaching is an important factor in the good progress nursery and reception children make in their personal, social and emotional development. Adults work effectively with the children and always expect high standards of behaviour. The co-ordinator has ensured that the Foundation Stage classroom itself is a warm, welcoming learning environment. The children relate to each other well. They are given responsibility for their own actions and are encouraged to work independently. Conversely, in periods in lessons when children under five mix with Year 1 and Year 2, they are sometimes overshadowed by older pupils and this has an effect on their overall achievement in this area of learning. However, there is every indication that most children will attain the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year.

p.18

Commentary

44. However, when nursery and reception children are isolated from older pupils it is evident that they are able to talk to each other in pairs and as a group about activities they engage in. They play well together and take turns to speak and listen during discussions. Adults respect the children and value their contributions. They encourage them to express themselves in appropriate ways and listen carefully to their replies and in several observed lessons praise was used effectively to encourage children and to build up their confidence. Children maintained their concentration well because the tasks were interesting and well matched to their needs and adults in the class supported them well.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons promote the development of language and literacy well, especially speaking and listening. • Good opportunities are provided for children to develop early writing skills. • Adults help children to make good progress in learning. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

45. The quality of teaching of communication, language and literacy is good. There is a friendly and supportive atmosphere in the Foundation Stage classroom which children react to well; adults have very positive expectations about what children can achieve. Children are encouraged to extend their speaking, listening and communication skills through a wide range of activities and, even though they are often mixed with older pupils in the beginning of lessons, they work as a single-stage group in their own classroom for a majority of lesson time. This allows children to follow the Foundation Stage curriculum and has a positive effect on their learning. As a result achievement is good overall. There is every indication that most children will attain the expectations for their age in developing communication, language and literacy skills by the end of the Reception Year. At least one child will exceed these.

p.19

Commentary

46. Most children communicate well for their age. They are able to explain what they have been doing in the lesson to the rest of the class and nearly all do so clearly and with confidence. Adults interact well with children on an individual basis, extending their vocabulary and building their confidence and self-esteem. It was evident during one observed lesson about ‘A Trip to the Seaside’ that adults were careful to involve all children in discussions, especially those who were less forthcoming, and that the level of vocabulary used by most children was good.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are used well to enhance learning.

p.19

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching and learning of the Foundation Stage children is good when they are taught as a separate group. When this is the case children’s achievement is good because they relate to others in their age group well and enjoy learning. When children in the Reception Year are integrated with older pupils for parts of lessons their achievement is satisfactory. There is every indication that a majority of children will attain the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year. This represents satisfactory achievement overall.

p.19

Commentary

48. Adults work effectively together to plan a range of practical activities to promote mathematical understanding. Children are encouraged to have a go at working out problems and always praised for their efforts. As a result they make satisfactory progress and work at the levels expected for their age. Most are able to count above ten and recognise the numerals of 1 to 9. Nearly all know the names of different shapes and are able to sort objects using a range of criteria including ‘larger/smaller’, ‘more/less’. They create simple patterns using different objects and are able to solve well-matched practical problems with different levels of adult help. Practical activities such as these prepare the way for future learning and are appropriate for this stage of development, ensuring that children sustain interest and work at appropriately challenging levels.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attitudes to learning are very good. • A range of interesting activities promotes learning well in this area. • Adults work well to support learning. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 20

p.19

Commentary

49. Children are provided with a wide range of activities in order to build up their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They learn about, for example, the dangers of fire, the seashore and the importance of the harvest to everyday life. They have structured opportunities to explore at first hand the environment in which they live and are provided with well-planned practical activities which appeal to them and are aimed at developing their investigative skills and understanding. They draw and study mini-beasts such as woodlice and snails and their work on caterpillars is linked well to developing their language and literacy skills. As a result children enjoy learning and display a growing curiosity about the world around them.

p.20

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and adults work well to ensure that children have good opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them as they progress through the Foundation Stage. In some areas of learning, such as ICT, children display developing confidence. Reception year children have good access to computers. Nearly all are able to use a keyboard and a mouse independently when using programs to enhance their learning and most are able to discuss their work.

p.20

Commentary

51. There is every indication that a majority of pupils will attain the early learning goals in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world by the end of the Reception Year.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

52. It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision in this area of learning as only one combined lesson with Year 2, Year 1 and reception children was observed during the inspection. Whilst the quality of teaching in this outdoor session was satisfactory it was evident that opportunities for children to develop all aspects of their physical development were hampered by the fact that the school has no hall and therefore no facilities for indoor lessons to improve children’s physical development. However, during classroom sessions children displayed evidence of growing co-ordination and control when safely handling tools such as pencils and scissors and of being able to use a range of small and large equipment effectively. Standards were in line with those expected for this age group in the limited number of observed activities.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are encouraged to use their imaginations when engaging in creative activities. • The range of resources is limited. • Attitudes to learning are very good.

p.20

Commentary

53. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and children really enjoy their work because tasks are often structured to be quite stimulating and are sufficiently matched to their experiences and abilities. Creative experiences are built into lessons and provide children with opportunities to explore - for example, colour and texture - and use their imaginations when creating music or when engaged in role play. The majority of children are on course to attain the expectations in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 21 54. Pretend play areas in the Foundation Stage classroom are stimulating and inviting and allow children to express themselves. Whilst adults provide the initial stimulus and encouragement, children are encouraged to use their imaginations and are often left to their own devices and play well individually or in a small group.

p.20

Commentary

55. In one lesson observed children used creative ideas to build a spaceship. They took turns when they pretended to have a picnic although their inventiveness was limited. One child took charge and the others co-operated well and followed instructions but were unsure of how to develop their ideas. The equipment they used was of good quality but the range was restricted and this affected their achievement, which was satisfactory.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy reading and are enthusiastic about books. • Good planned opportunities for writing across a range of subjects have helped to improve pupils’ writing skills. • The restricted accommodation confines older pupils to the classroom and limits their opportunities to work in small groups or develop independent study skills.

p.21

Commentary

56. The very small groups of pupils in each year make comparisons with other schools and between year groups within the school problematic. Standards are above average at age seven and average at age 11. All pupils, including boys, girls and those with special educational needs, achieve well. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when attainment was in line throughout the school.

p.21

Commentary

57. Standards in speaking and listening are above average at the end of Year 2 and average at the end of Year 6. Children start school with communication skills that are broadly average for their age. Pupils listen well to adults and to each other; this is a direct result of the excellent relationships that exist in the school and also of the positive discipline practice that is used throughout the school. Older pupils recognise that the constraints of the present accommodation limit their opportunities to practise and perform drama or presentations to an audience, and although their teacher gives them good opportunities for discussion during lessons and uses them to present information in assembly, they are still shy before an audience.

p.21

Commentary

58. Standards in reading are above average at the end of Year 2, and well above for a high proportion of pupils. Standards are average at the end of Year 6. Basic reading skills are taught effectively. The school is in the process of extending the range of reading materials available and encourages regular reading practice in home and at school. Most parents support this well and realise the benefits to their children of regular practice with an adult. All children are positive about reading and they like books. This has a positive impact on learning in all subjects. The lack of a library space and the lack of space for parental volunteers or support staff to read with individuals outside the classrooms is another limiting factor of the poor accommodation. The teachers work hard to overcome this barrier; parental volunteers work in the classrooms despite the constraints of the space and benefit from watching and

p.21

Commentary

emulating the teachers. Pupils with special needs are fully integrated into all lessons and sensitive support ensures that they achieve well despite their difficulties. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 22 59. Standards in writing are above average at the end of Year 2 and average at the end of Year 6. Raising standards in writing has been identified as a continuing area of improvement in the school development plan. Staff have extended the range of writing activities; work now extends across a growing range of genres and subjects. Some work is carried out in draft form, edited and then presented as an improved finished piece. The quality of work seen in an extensive sample of writing across all age groups was good. Pupils’ progress is good; there are clear developments in the complexity of the grammar they use and a growing refinement in the presentation of ideas and methods. Spelling is usually accurate or

p.21

Commentary

phonetically correct and the quality of handwriting is improving.

p.22

Commentary

60. Teaching and learning across the school are good. Staff manage the complexity of planning for several year groups in one class very effectively. They teach to allow pupils to work at different levels within the same subject matter. Work progresses at a good pace and teachers have clear expectations of all pupils. The time constraints and limits of concentration that apply to the younger pupils have to be extended to the older ones as there is nowhere for them to go and develop what they are doing either with support or independently. In the marking of work teachers rarely specifically indicate what the pupils need to do to improve it, although all pupils do have general targets in the subject.

p.22

Commentary

61. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory and the school’s targets in the subject were met or exceeded. However, the co-ordinator has too little time to manage this subject along with all other responsibilities. Pupils’ work, planning and the teaching are monitored and reviewed, but there is no in-depth analysis of what worked well or what needs to be done to raise standards further. There is recognition that more effective use of assessment data is needed, but no indication of the possible solutions. Much time and effort are spent creating targets for all pupils, but there is no systematic system to make this process easier to manage and more accurate. The difficulties arise not because of lack of commitment or effort, but because of a lack of time and space in which to carry out the work that is needed.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. Pupils have good opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects, including science, history, geography and religious education. Reading is used effectively in all aspects of the pupils’ work, although pupils have limited opportunities to use their library skills to research new information other than in the classroom. Speaking and listening skills are used thoughtfully to encourage pupils to discuss what they know and understand about different situations. They do this effectively and older pupils in particular are good at contrasting their own experiences with those from other countries.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good overall. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in all year groups. • Attitudes to learning are very good. • Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 make good progress in learning. • Assessment information is not used consistently to plan work for pupils. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 23

p.22

Commentary

63. The standard of work seen during this inspection was average in Year 6 and above average in Year 2. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is good. The achievement of older pupils is good as their starting point was below average. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well throughout the school because of the consistently good support they receive from both teachers and teaching assistants.

p.23

Commentary

64. The curriculum is broad and balanced and covers all relevant aspects of mathematics. However, a majority of work is task based and opportunities for pupils to develop an investigative approach to learning are more limited. Even so, pupils have developed very good attitudes to the subject and this was evident in lessons, when pupils were usually keen and eager to learn. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was consistently good. Teachers structured lessons well and used teaching assistants effectively to support learning. The level of questioning in both mixed age classes was often adjusted to keep pupils interested and introductions were used effectively to recap previous learning and to prepare pupils well for the introduction of new topic areas.

p.23

Commentary

65. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory and the co-ordinator has a sound understanding of the strengths of provision and of most of the areas requiring further development. However, the school’s present systems for tracking the achievement of individual pupils are very limited, especially in Years 3 to 6. As a result, the performance of pupils is not monitored effectively and there is little recorded information of quality about how individual pupils could improve or how patterns of underachievement could be improved in order to raise standards. One result of this lack of clear assessment information about pupils’ development in mathematics is that work in lessons is sometimes not matched to pupils’ different abilities or experiences and, as stated previously, this tends to limit pupils’ achievement and progress. Resources for teaching mathematics are good and cover all areas of learning associated with the National Curriculum.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

66. The use of mathematics and numeracy across the curriculum is good. Subjects such as art and design and technology are used well to support the practical use of mathematical skills. ICT is also used effectively to further develop this area of learning.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well across the school because the teaching is good. • ICT is used well by staff and pupils to explore ideas and explain what they are doing. • It is difficult for teachers to focus on investigations and the practical application of scientific ideas because of the cramped conditions in the classrooms. However, teachers do make good use of the school’s outdoor environment whenever possible.

p.23

Commentary

67. The standards achieved are well above average at the end of Year 2 and above average for the current Year 6. This reflects similar standards at the time of the last inspection. An increased focus on teaching and learning in science during the current year has improved the standards for the current Year 6. The level of achievement for all pupils, including those with special needs, is good. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 24 68. ICT is used well by the teachers to bring a range of experiences to the pupils. In a well- prepared lesson for pupils in Years 3 to 6 on food chains the teacher introduced the ideas to them with a recorded song and a range of good quality images on the interactive whiteboard. Good reference was made to earlier work and a number of pupils demonstrated their understanding of the concept by moving the images on the board into order. By skilful questioning the teacher made good use of the pupils’ prior knowledge to get them to predict

p.23

Commentary

the sequence of developments. The follow up tasks were graded according to ability and proved quite challenging for some of the older pupils. The limited space in the classroom makes it very difficult to conduct practical experiments. This leads to the older pupils lacking the confidence to pose questions for themselves, or to independently devise experiments and select equipment that they can then use to test their understanding.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning throughout the school are good. In a good quality lesson in Year 1 and 2 the teacher developed work arising from the topic on the seashore. Good questioning and accurate use of praise encouraged full participation. The lesson progressed at a good pace. Pupils were very interested in what they were discovering and very effectively applied their understanding from earlier work to new information. Pupils’ discussions were lively, thoughtful and involved.

p.24

Commentary

70. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory. The staff, having recognised that the results at the end of Year 6 were not good enough last year, have invested extra time and effort into improving the outcomes for this year. This has proved worthwhile, but sustaining this is difficult. To teach the subject across four year groups as is required in the oldest class and still provide sufficient challenge for the oldest and most able while maintaining the interest of the youngest pupils is hard. The curriculum is planned to ensure that work is covered in a two year cycle and that the cycle for Years 3 and 4 has to match that of Years 5 and 6. Such complex arrangements are difficult to manage and time consuming to monitor without a system to support the teachers in their work.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

71. No direct teaching was observed, so no overall judgement on provision is possible. Evidence from observations of pupils working with ICT equipment, interviews with them and scrutiny and analysis of their work allowed the following conclusions. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are broadly average. A few individual pupils in most year groups exceed expectations is some aspects of the curriculum. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress and achievement. This is a significant improvement since the time of the last inspection when work in the subject was considered to be unsatisfactory.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

72. It was not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching and learning because no subject lessons were seen. Evidence from teachers’ planning and from the work of pupils shows that the subject is now taught as part of the whole curriculum and supports learning other subjects effectively. Pupils’ files of work and their assessment booklets show that they are developing the expected skills and understanding. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 show clear progression in skills as their word processing becomes more sophisticated and they move from simple graphing tasks in Year 3 to using spreadsheets in Year 6 to carry out calculations and answer ‘what if?’ questions on their topics.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

73. Subject leadership is satisfactory. The plans accurately identify areas for development and the subject remains a priority for development. The school is using materials provided by the local authority to monitor the work of the pupils and these accurately assess what they have done, but provide no information about what pupils need to do to develop further. The school has a basic range of resources to meet the curriculum needs and a slightly better than average ratio of computers to pupils. Good use is made of the interactive whiteboard to enhance the teaching and learning of the older pupils. Video and still pictures are used to

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

make aspects of teaching more relevant and pupils are encouraged to take an active part in Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 25 lessons, by demonstrating their thinking to the whole class through the manipulation of the work on the screen.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. Pupils make good use of technology to enhance their work in a variety of subjects. For instance, in English some of the older pupils redraft, edit and improve their writing. In mathematics and science pupils draw graphs to show the outcomes of investigations. Older pupils are using remote sensors to take readings in science work. Younger pupils confidently use draw programs to illustrate aspects of their work.

p.25

HUMANITIES

75. No lessons were seen in history. Evidence was taken from analysis of pupils’ saved work, discussions with them, displays and discussions with staff.

p.25

HUMANITIES

76. No judgement can be made on the provision in history as no lessons were seen. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ files show that the subject is taught regularly. Pupils are making at least appropriate progress in all year groups. History is combined with other topics in Years 1 and 2. Older pupils recently studied the Second World War. During their work they interviewed residents from the village who had lived through the war. They wrote about the experiences of people who had lived through it and related the difference to that of their own lives very effectively. Pupils have positive attitudes to the subject.

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attitudes towards learning are very good. • The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good. • Pupils only have limited opportunities to visit places of interest.

p.25

Commentary

77. It was only possible to observe only one lesson during the inspection; evidence from this, from informal discussions with pupils and from an analysis of available work indicate that the achievement of pupils, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory throughout the school. Standards in both Year 6 and Year 2 are similar to those reported by the previous inspection and are in line with the expectations of the local agreed syllabus. The curriculum is satisfactory and pupils in all year groups have regular opportunities to enhance their understanding of their own faith and also that of other faiths and cultures.

p.25

Commentary

78. Younger pupils learn about special people and things. They are taught about stories from the Bible and also of the importance of celebrations such as Divali to other cultures and religious traditions. Older pupils study not only Christianity but also aspects of Islam and learn about the importance of the Koran and the Hajj to Muslims. The vicar visits the school on a regular basis and pupils enjoy visiting the local church. However, opportunities for pupils to visit the places of worship of other religions are more limited and this has an effect on their understanding of the importance of these places to other faiths.

p.25

Commentary

79. The quality of teaching of religious education is satisfactory and this is reflected in the standard of pupils’ recorded work over time. However, the quality of teaching in the only lesson observed during the inspection was good. The teacher had a good knowledge and understanding of religious education and used it effectively. The class had recently visited the local church and the teacher ensured that pupils consolidated their knowledge and Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 26 understanding of both the church and the role played by the vicar by allowing pupils to recap their experiences and by explaining the importance and significance of, for example, the font and the altar. The lesson was well structured and the teacher made imaginative use of resources to make learning both interesting and meaningful. As a result, pupils really enjoyed learning and made good progress in developing their understanding of the importance of

p.25

Commentary

places of worship. Achievement was good overall.

p.26

Commentary

80. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory. Resources for teaching religious education are also satisfactory and links between religious education and other curriculum areas, such as mathematics and design and technology, are good.

p.26

Geography

Provision in geography is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good cross-curricular links between geography and other subjects such as English, mathematics and science. • ICT is used effectively to enliven lessons and make them interesting and relevant to the pupils.

p.26

Commentary

81. Standards are broadly average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils’ achievements, including those of pupils with special needs, are satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

82. The quality of teaching and learning in the two lessons seen was good and teaching overall is satisfactory. Teachers put a lot of effort into making the subject as interesting and relevant as possible. In a lesson for pupils in Years 3 to 6 the teacher used a video of life in India and still photographs from the video as the introduction to the lesson. In the discussion that followed she projected pictures of similar events from the pupils’ own lives and village by way of contrast. This allowed the pupils to make good, accurate comparisons between the two countries. In a lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2 the teacher used ICT to draw the rock pools at the seaside to explain how the creatures in them had to adapt to the tides. In both lessons the quality of learning was enhanced by the pupils’ involvement and interest in the work the teachers had created.

p.26

Commentary

83. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory. The current system of monitoring and assessment is cumbersome and gives little information that the teachers do not already know from their day- to-day teaching. The school is currently researching more meaningful systems for assessment and recording.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. No lessons were seen in art and design, design and technology and music, so no overall judgements can be made on the provision. However, a scrutiny of school planning, discussions with staff, pupils and parents, assemblies, links in other lessons, and saved work in books and on display contribute to the comments below.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. In art and design samples of work on display and in pupils’ art books give firm evidence that all areas of the relevant national curriculum programme of study are covered. Displays around the school are colourful and interesting and cross-curricular links between art and design and other subjects, such as history and multicultural education, are evident. The school is well resourced to teach all aspects of the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. In design and technology the saved work of pupils makes it clear that all aspects of the subject are covered. Younger pupils carry out a lot of work with food technology as a part of Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 27 their wider topic. They record the outcomes of their work enthusiastically. Older pupils have evidence in their work of carrying out a design – make – evaluate sequence effectively, for instance in creating a piece of packaging. There are good links with science in work where they create their own musical instruments.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. A scrutiny of planning and other documentation for music confirmed that the requirements of the National Curriculum are taught in sufficient depth. Resources are satisfactory and are used effectively to enhance learning. Links between music and other curriculum areas, such as ICT, are satisfactory and continuing to develop.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. Only two lessons in physical education were observed during the period of the inspection; both focused on outdoor games activities. It is not therefore possible to make a firm judgement about provision or standards. From a scrutiny of school documentation it is evident that all strands of physical education are planned to be taught during the school year. However, whilst the subject is well resourced, opportunities for pupils to fully develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in this area of learning are very limited as the school has no suitable indoor accommodation for teaching important aspects of physical education. This has an adverse effect on pupils’ learning and achievement.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

89. There were no lessons on the subject seen during the inspection, so no judgements on the quality of provision can be made. A combination of specific lessons and cross-curricular activities cover all aspects of the recommended curriculum. The school council gives pupils a voice in some aspects of the school’s development and assemblies are used on occasion to consult with the whole school. Every pupil is involved in drawing up the rules for behaviour. In the latest project, the school is developing a buddy system to allow pupils to take even more responsibility for each other’s welfare. The school received a Healthy Schools Award in 2003 and this has had a positive influence on developing a culture of consultation, on such issues as the organisation of the play spaces and the addition of physical education equipment that can be used during play times. As part of the school’s work on developing

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

healthy lifestyles, the dangers of smoking, drugs and alcohol are all dealt with. The governors have an agreed policy for sex education. Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 28

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 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 4

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Wroot Travis CE Primary School - 29

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