Newfield School

NEWFIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 28 th April 2005

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NEWFIELD SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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NEWFIELD 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. Newfield School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special School category: Community special Age range of pupils: 5-16 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 80

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Edge Lane Crosby Liverpool Postcode: L23 4TG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0151 934 2991 Fax number: 0151 932 9025

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Hurst

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Newfield School is a Community Special School located in Crosby, Liverpool and is maintained by Sefton Local Education Authority. There are 80 boys, aged five to 16, and no girls on roll in this mixed day school approved for 91 places. Two pupils are dual registered. Seventy-four pupils have statements of special educational needs and six pupils are undergoing statutory assessment. Seventy-nine of the pupils are experiencing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and one pupil has autistic spectrum disorder. One pupil is from a minority ethnic background and no pupils are in the early stages of learning to speak English. Six pupils are in public care. Fifty-six per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals and this is a very high proportion of the school population. The school was re-awarded Investors in People in 2003 and gained a Schools’ Achievement Award in 2000. The school was also awarded Beacon Status in September

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

2000. They gained Recognition of Quality Awards for Careers Education and Guidance and Work Experience in 2002. The school is currently involved in the Young Enterprise project, receives a Leadership Incentive Grant and participates in the Behaviour Improvement Project. The school has links with a large number of schools and provides outreach and support for pupils in mainstream schools. A significant building programme has recently been completed at the school and a large number of new staff have been appointed to the school during the past year. Newfield School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities Mr D Smith Lead inspector Science

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Information and communication technology Design and technology Geography History Physical education English as an additional language Mrs R Mothersdale Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Art and design Citizenship Religious education Special educational needs Mr G Pirt Team inspector English

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 0SR

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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). Newfield School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8

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 an effective school and it provides good value for money. Pupils’ achievement is good, as a result of good teaching. The governance of the school is very good and both the leadership and management are good. The very good teamwork in the school is a major aid to pupils’ achievement.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The governance of the school and leadership by the headteacher are very good. • The very good teamwork and, in particular, the very effective contribution of the teaching assistants. • The very good links with the community leading to the very effective enrichment of the curriculum. • The very good provision for music and art and design. • Very good links with other schools and very good provision of outreach and support. • There are weaknesses in the use of the school’s behaviour management systems. • The very good care, guidance and support provided for pupils and the very good opportunities for pupils to express their views. • The provision of information and communication technology (ICT) in other subjects is unsatisfactory.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good progress since the last inspection. The school’s systems for the recording of pupils’ absence are now effective. Omissions in the school prospectus have been rectified and the information provided by the school now meets statutory requirements. A substantial building project has recently been completed at the school and the suitability and quality of the accommodation is now very good. Pupils learn in a stimulating and attractive environment. The school has a suitable base for the teaching of resistant materials and this aspect of design and technology is now taught to pupils. Pupils’ achievement in religious education is satisfactory without the unsatisfactory achievement identified in the last report. Although limitations in the accommodation for physical education remain pupils now have the opportunity to play team games against other schools.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in relation to individual targets in: Pupils’ achievement at the end of: Subjects of the curriculum Personal and social education Year 2 Good Good Year 6 Good Good Year 9 Good Good Year 11 Good Good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils with additional special educational needs also achieve well. Pupils in public care achieve as well as their peers in the school. Pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science is good. Pupils achieve well in personal, social, health education and geography. Pupils achieve very well in art and design and music. Their achievement in ICT, religious education and design and technology is satisfactory. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements about standards or achievement in any other subjects. Newfield School - 5 The provision of pupils’ cultural development is very good, spiritual, moral and social development is good, making spiritual, moral, social and cultural development good, overall. As a result of this provision, pupils’ personal qualities including their attitudes and behaviour are good. The previous high incidence of fixed period exclusions has been

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

significantly reduced this year. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

are good. The quality of teaching and learning are good in English, mathematics, science, geography and in personal, social and health education. It is very good in art and design and music. It is satisfactory in ICT, religious education and design and technology. There is a very small amount of unsatisfactory teaching and learning, which happens when the management of pupils’ behaviour is not effective. The teaching assistants work very well as an important part of the staff team and support pupils’ learning very effectively. The use of assessment to inform teachers’ planning and the establishment of pupils’ individual targets are good. Subjects are taught to pupils in Years 7 and 8 by non-specialist teachers and this leads, at times, to satisfactory gains in pupils’ learning. The curriculum provision is good but the use of ICT in other subjects is unsatisfactory. The enrichment of the curriculum is

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The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

very good. The school’s accommodation is very good and the resources are good. Pupils are very well cared for and are provided with very good support and guidance. The school has very good systems in place to consult pupils and take their views into account. Good links have been established with parents and the school has developed very good links with other schools and the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The contribution of the governing body is very good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and the senior management team support her very well. The leadership of other key staff is good and the management of the school is good. The governors support and challenge the school leaders very well and ensure that all statutory requirements are met. It has been a challenge to manage the school through a period of change and, in particular, building work and the recruitment of a large number of new staff did unsettle the pupils but the very good teamwork helps to drive forward continual improvement. The school leaders are very good role models for other staff and pupils and help to create the good school ethos and commitment to inclusion. There is insufficient monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning by subject co-ordinators. The school uses the available data well to pinpoint areas

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

of pupils’ achievement that require additional support. Financial management is very good and the school has innovative plans in place to reduce the large amount of money that, for good reason, has been carried forward during the last financial year.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents are positive about the school. They are confident that their children achieve well and that they are kept well informed about their child’s progress. There is some uncertainty about pupils’ behaviour but in their view incidents are well managed. Parents are clear that teaching is good but some would like more homework to be set. Most parents are happy with the range of activities that are provided. They are very proud of the pupils’ artwork that is displayed around the school. Parents appreciate the very caring way that the school looks after their child. The majority of pupils like being at the school and, in their view, they are expected to do their best. Pupils are positive about teaching and the Newfield School - 6 assistance that they get with their learning. The pupils would like better sporting facilities and pupils in Year 10 and 11 would appreciate more homework.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Ensure that ICT is used more frequently to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. • Some members of staff need to be more confident and consistent in the use of the school’s behaviour management systems. Newfield School - 7

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ achievement is good. This is consistent across the school and pupils in public care achieve as well as their peers in the rest of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in art and design and in music. • Pupils achieve well in their personal targets. • Weaknesses in the achievement of pupils in some subjects.

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Commentary

1 The building programme and the instability created by the addition of a large number of new staff adversely affected pupils’ achievement. However, the staff team has remained very positive and pupils are again achieving well in most subjects. Pupils achieve very well in art and design due to the expertise and very high expectations of the teaching. The displays of pupils art work in the school reflect their very good ability to work confidently in a very wide range of media. Pupils’ skills and knowledge in art and design are extended by their research of the styles and techniques of other artists. Pupils take great pride in their work and pupils in Years 10 and 11 focus very clearly on the demands of their GCSE course and, as a result, achieve very well. Music also has very high status in the school and is promoted as a major success area for pupils. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make very good gains in their ability to maintain a beat. Year 6 pupils are very effectively challenged

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Commentary

and, as a result, their understanding of musical scales is extended. Pupils in Year 8 thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to use the steel pans and make very good gains in their ability to arrange a tune. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 have a very good foundation in the literacy of music and use terms, such as, “pitch” in the right context and achieve very well.

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Commentary

2 The focus on specialist vocabulary is consistent across the school and, consequently, pupils make very good gains in the accurate use of subject specific terms. In science, for example, pupils are able to recognise and name the equipment and processes that relate to their particular topic. This prepares them for their external accreditation and national tests and they achieve well.

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Commentary

3 The school uses thorough assessment systems and the available data is used to establish challenging individual targets for pupils. The achievement of individual and groups of pupils is tracked and this ensures that areas of under-achievement receive additional support and resources and, as a result, pupils of all abilities and backgrounds generally achieve well. For example, the school places a high priority on the development of pupils speaking and listening skills and, as a result, they achieve well. Parents and carers are confident that their child is achieving well in school and most pupils feel that they expected to try their best.

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Commentary

4 Pupils’ achievement is good, overall, but on occasions it is satisfactory and there is a very small percentage of unsatisfactory achievement. When pupils lose interest in their work particularly where there is a lack of challenge, behaviour management is inconsistent and a limited range of strategies is used their behaviour adversely impacts on their achievement. Pupils enjoy ICT but do not have sufficient opportunities to extend their skills by the use of ICT in other subjects and, as result, their achievement is satisfactory, overall. Newfield School - 8 In design and technology, where pupils achieve satisfactorily, pupils are enthusiastic about the opportunity to use the tools and equipment in the new resistant materials workshop. However, they are not as keen to complete high quality design work and this limits their achievement in this subject.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The provision of pupils’ cultural development is very good, spiritual, moral and social development is good, making spiritual, moral, social and cultural development good, overall. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Their attendance and punctuality are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils learn to take on responsibility through the school council. • Pupils’ cultural development through, in particular, the opportunities provided in art and design and music is very good. • Where pupils are challenged and enjoy their work, their behaviour and attitudes are good. • The behaviour of a few pupils is unacceptable at times.

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Commentary

5 Attendance is above the national level for schools of this type. The appointment of a learning mentor has been an effective development in helping the drive for good attendance and punctuality. A significant number of senior pupils, and nearly all of Year 10 and 11, come to school independently. As they are just as punctual as the rest of the school who arrive on school transport, this makes a good contribution to the development of their independence skills.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (86.5%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.7% School data 5.8% National data 11.2% National data 7.7% The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

6 Personal development is good and pupils frequently display a willingness to help others in class. For example, a Year 6 pupil carefully showed a pupil who had not at first wanted to take part in a lesson, what to do in the first steps of preparing a vegetable soup. They are willing to be positive about each other, as in a Year 7 religious education lesson when pupils identified good things about each other. Through the school council pupils take on responsibility and show initiative in the areas of fundraising and helping each other. In religious education, history and geography, pupils are made aware of the faiths and customs of other beliefs, for example, the role of women in the Native American Indian society. Teachers and parents feel that this is particularly important in a school where there are no girls and a limited range of faiths and cultures amongst the pupils. Assemblies are very good and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ moral and spiritual guidance.

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Attendance

Residential trips provide very good opportunities for pupils’ social development and the staff are planning to further extend this aspect of their provision. Opportunities for cultural development are very good and especially strong in music and art and design. Pupils’ musical aspirations and skills are strongly supported by a committed music department and pupils’ art is widely displayed and celebrated around the school. It is especially significant that in a predominantly mono-cultural school that there is such a strong emphasis on art and design and music from other cultures.

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Attendance

7 Members of staff are realistic in their acceptance of occasional outbursts of emotional and disruptive behaviour, amongst pupils. But they do not condone it, and the best behaviour is seen in Newfield School - 9 classes where pupils are faced with a consistent message on behavioural expectations. Where activities do not motivate pupils and behaviour management is inconsistent their behaviour is satisfactory and, on rare occasions, unsatisfactory. For the most part however, pupils are interested in what they are learning, try hard to complete their task on time and can ride out the occasional burst of disaffected behaviour that may preset itself when a fellow pupil is having difficulties. There are high expectations of how pupils should behave that are usually consistently emphasised and backed by rules, and rewards of stars or points. These are highly prized and debated with verve at the end of each lesson. There is a zero tolerance of any sort of bullying and harassment in school

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Attendance

but it is the area that most pupils consider a problem. It is for this reason that the learning mentor focuses on anti-bullying strategies and the deputy head, as the lead behaviour professional, maintains such a high profile around the school in managing behaviour. As a result, the school, in general, is a relaxed and generally calm place to be in and pupils’ attitudes to their work are good.

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Attendance

8 All staff are trained in approved techniques to de-escalate any challenging behaviour without the need for physical restraint. The school is conscientious on recording all physical contact between staff and pupils, but judges that only a few of these require significant physical restraint. However as a result of this policy, incidents of recorded restraints are still high and have not significantly reduced over the year. Playground behaviour is lively and vigorous, especially on the football pitches, and pupils are enthusiastic about their participation in lunchtime activities and after school drumming lessons. Pupils behave very well out in the community and are frequently praised for their politeness and consideration to others, as for example, when older pupils help out at a luncheon club.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 73 62 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 3 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

9 Fixed period exclusions have reduced significantly in the current school year and continue to decrease. They still, however, indicate a significant level of unacceptable aggression to staff and other pupils, both in the primary and secondary departments.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education, with strengths in the rich curriculum and the care taken of pupils. The only weaknesses in the quality of provision is that ICT is not used to support teaching and learning in some other subjects. Pupils benefit considerably from close links with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning are good and the use of assessment is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good subject expertise and very high expectations in some lessons. • The teaching assistants work very well as an important part of the staff team and support pupils’ learning very effectively. • The use of assessment to inform teachers’ planning and the establishment of pupils’ individual targets are good. Newfield School - 10 • Weaknesses in the subject knowledge of some teaching for pupils in Years 7 and 8. • The use of homework to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning is variable.

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Commentary

10 The quality of teaching and learning are consistently good across the year groups in the school with a very small percentage of unsatisfactory teaching. The unsatisfactory teaching happens when behaviour management is not effective and, as a result, pupils make unsatisfactory gains in their learning. However, significant proportion of the teaching challenges pupils very effectively, pupils’ behaviour is managed well and, as a result, in these lessons, their learning is very good or excellent. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good and sometimes excellent, in music and art and design. The teaching of art and design is informed by the very good subject expertise of the art co- ordinator. This confidence and enthusiasm for the subject helps to create activities that captivate pupils and, as a result, they achieve very well. Pupils’ achievement is celebrated and displays of their work helps to raise their confidence and makes an extremely valuable

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Commentary

contribution to the good ethos in school. In music lessons pupils are made fully aware of the staff’s very high expectations and they respond very well to this consistent approach. Teamwork is excellent and this provides an inspired model that teaches pupils to co- operate very well in groups.

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Commentary

11 The members of the support staff are very well deployed and this helps to promote pupils’ achievement and personal development. The very good teamwork and positive ethos makes a major contribution to pupils’ good attitudes to their learning. The support staff help to provide consistent behaviour management and are respected by pupils. There are examples of very good support for specific subjects, for example, the quality of music teaching is boosted by the contribution of a teaching assistant who is also a fully qualified musician.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 55 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

3 (5 %) 12 (22 %) 27 (49 %) 12 (22 %) 1 (2 %) 0 0

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12 Staff and pupils are fully aware of the good assessment procedures and, as a result, they are used consistently to target and promote good achievement. The staff team are proactive in their evaluation of the school’s assessment procedures and this ensures that the full range of pupils’ abilities is catered for. There are good procedures in place to compile pupil profiles and these include discussions with parents and pupils. Marking takes place alongside the pupils to ensure that they are aware of their achievements. At the end of each topic, pupils complete a mini-test and fill in a self-evaluation sheet the results of which are used very well for forward planning. The good assessment systems also ensure that pupils with additional special educational needs, such as autistic spectrum disorders, are effectively challenged and achieve well. Teachers are thorough in the completion of assessment and recording for pupils in public care and, consequently, they achieve as well

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Commentary

as their peers in the rest of the school.

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Commentary

13 Teachers for pupils in Years 7 and 8 teach most of the curriculum. Consequently there are gaps in their specialist knowledge for specific subjects and this leads, at times, to pupils making satisfactory gains in their learning. This is particularly the case when a lack of subject expertise is combined with the inconsistent management of pupils’ behaviour. Newfield School - 11 However, despite this the quality of teaching and learning for pupils in Years 7 to 9 is still good, overall.

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Commentary

14 Homework is a satisfactory feature of the school’s provision. Homework is set but many pupils do not complete their tasks and this is not consistently followed up. Parents and carers are confident that the quality of teaching and learning is good but some would like their child to have more homework and on a regular basis. The pupils are also positive about teaching and the assistance that they get to support their learning but many pupils, particularly in Years 10 and 11, would like more homework.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good and enrichment opportunities are very good. Accommodation is very good and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good curriculum is effectively designed to meet the age range and special educational needs of pupils in the school. • The use ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. • The school provides a wealth of opportunities that very effectively enrich the curriculum. • Pupils learn in a purposeful and attractive environment. Newfield School - 12

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Commentary

15 The curriculum meets statutory requirements including provision for religious education. Procedures for monitoring curriculum planning are good and the recently introduced ‘peer monitoring’ is proving a valuable addition. In the primary department there is an emphasis on literacy, numeracy and personal, social and health education to ensure that pupils have the necessary basic knowledge to access the secondary curriculum. For the older pupils there is an appropriate range of external accreditation that is constantly under review and will be extended as the need arises. Pupils have opportunities for work experience and good support and guidance from the Connexions organisation from Year 9 onwards.

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Commentary

16 There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities to support and enhance the taught curriculum. Activities include visits to theatres, museums and art galleries, sporting events and field trips. The school organises speakers from many walks of life including the army, police, hospital workers and musicians. Older pupils are involved in a luncheon club at the local church and help at the Thornton Community Centre. Parents are pleased with the range of activities that the school provides and are very proud of the artwork that is displayed around the school. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the musical activities that are part of the school’s extra-curricular provision during the lunch break and after school. The development of the steel band and drumming workshops are very good examples of activities that boost pupils’ personal development and help to raise standards in music. Residential visits provide very good opportunities for pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

17 The accommodation is very good and extremely well looked after by the hard working caretaker. Pupils appreciate the pleasant surroundings, respecting and caring for the many interesting and attractive displays. Many pupils take a full and active part in sporting activities and would like the school to have better sports facilities. There are specialist rooms for science, art and design, music, design and technology, food and textile technology and two ICT suites. In addition there is a library, a medical room, a room for the learning mentor, a base for Connexions and an identified social area for the Years 10 and 11 pupils that helps to boost their personal development. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their ICT skills across the curriculum. This is partly due to lack of enough computers in the classrooms but also the lack of sufficient appropriate software.

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Care, guidance and support

The school ensures that the care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils are very good. Support and advice given to pupils and consultation and action taken upon their views are also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school looks after pupils very well and the appointment of the learning mentor supports this. • The school listens very carefully to pupil’s views and takes them into account to make good use of when important decisions on the future are to be made. • Induction arrangements for new pupils are well thought out and implemented.

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Commentary

18 Health and safety procedures are very well-organised and followed up conscientiously by the school health and safety representative to ensure that all assessments of risk and day-to-day procedures are completed. Child protection Newfield School - 13 procedures are equally well-organised, follow area child protection guidelines, and all staff are regularly updated in respect of new requirements. The named person for Looked After Children tracks pupils’ Personal Education Plans effectively. Permanent members of staff have all received training in positive physical intervention techniques and staff are sensitive to the impact of outside factors, such as, for example, family circumstances on the emotional and behavioural response of pupils. All members of staff know and care for pupils very well. At the start of the school day pupils are met and greeted by the deputy headteacher and other members of staff and spoken to on a personal level to assess

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Commentary

whether any extra support may be needed during the course of the school day. Family service and carefully planned seating arrangements at lunch, help pupils to be in groups where they have the opportunity to speak to an adult they trust in an informal and social setting. Medication procedures are also structured so that a pupil could come to the medical room for a personal discussion if they wish. The appointment of a learning mentor has had a positive impact on personal support, guidance and care offered to pupils. Her spotlight on reasons for absence, support for pupils going through emotional trauma, support and checking of poor attenders and pupils who are at risk of exclusion, and bringing pupils together to talk about bullying, confirms her importance to the welfare of pupils. As a result of these very well organised procedures, pupils learn to take responsibility for their care themselves and are looked after very well.

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Commentary

19 The school council meets every fortnight and represents the views of pupils across the school very well. Meetings are well conducted, busy and enjoyed by council members who are very aware of the weight of responsibility they bear in reporting back to the classes they represent. They have had a significant impact on the school, most immediately, in the decision and support they have given to the establishment of a school uniform and are currently debating whether ties should now be introduced for senior pupils, supporting the re-introduction of buddies in the playground and how to raise funds for friendship benches. Plus the important issue of the pupils’ request for new football goalposts. Pupils are consulted on a daily basis about their targets, by an annual questionnaire on whole-school issues, and where possible, in their annual review meetings. Decisions on making the next step in their education are guided by outside services such as the Connexions programme.

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Commentary

As a result, the academic achievements of pupils that are supported by good assessment procedures are also supported by very good procedures for their day-to-day support and guidance on a personal basis.

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Commentary

20 Arrangements for introducing new pupils into the school are carefully worked out. The school is very aware of the impact of bringing a new pupil, who may not have had time to adjust to the ethos of the school, will have on an established pupil grouping. Because of this, extra support is often needed as pupils may react by trying to abscond or react physically. The school has arrangements in place to cope with any eventualities it can foresee and parents are pleased with the school’s procedures for settling pupils in. Staff work hard to ensure that pupils in public care settle quickly into the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are good. Community links and links with other schools and colleges, especially those connected with the outreach service, are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils and staff in this and other schools benefit from the very good support provided by the Outreach programme. • Links with other schools and colleges are very good and these have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Newfield School - 14 • The local and wider community is very supportive of the school and this enriches the curriculum and contributes to wider partnerships. • The school has good links with parents and they have positive views about most aspects of the school.

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Commentary

21 Outreach provision is very clearly structured and emphasises the importance of the contract between parents, pupils and education providers. Individual programmes for pupils are very carefully planned and scrutinized. Partnership schools spoken to and visited in the course of the inspection emphasised the value to their own staff and pupils who may be working with challenging or emotionally troubled pupils. They have access to the school’s advice, for example, by way of a phone call, informal chat or dedicated meeting, for a suggested course of action for behaviour management ideas. As a result, these schools consider that the inclusion programme has supported an improvement in standards in their own schools as well as a productive exchange of ideas. 22 Through Outreach and work-related learning programmes, pupils can sample a wide range of courses at local colleges. Close links to over forty schools in the area,

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Commentary

provides opportunities for pupils to engage with mainstream pupils at primary and secondary level. This provides pupils with role models from a different educational setting and keeps open the link back into mainstream education. The school is very forward looking in its provision for pupils when they leave school. Through the partnership with Connexions and the Education Business Partnership, links to possible college or alternative curriculum provision are arranged some time before a pupil leaves school. Despite the extensive rebuild, the school frequently needs to access specialist facilities in other schools. For example, making use of the swimming pool at a local secondary school for Year 5 and 6 pupils, some of whom have made very good progress from being non swimmers to confident swimmers within this school year. As a result, these very good links offer pupils very good opportunities to access specialist courses and specialist facilities in other

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Commentary

schools, and to share their celebrations and performances with them.

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Commentary

23 Community facilities, such as local shops and business are used regularly as a learning environment for pupils. The value of the school to the community has been emphasised by pupils who help at a luncheon club for pensioners in a neighbouring church and forthcoming events involving the community, for example, in a fashion show. Visiting musicians, artists and theatre groups bring new experiences for the pupils into the school, for example two professional actors re-interpreted excerpts of the Shakespeare Play Macbeth to Year 9 pupils. A coach from a local football club visits on a regular basis to support lunchtime activities. Outside support agencies and professional bodies in the community offer the school a wide range of expertise and opportunities for work experience placements in the community, both for pupils and teacher placements in local businesses. Overall, community links are very good and this makes a very positive contribution to pupils’

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Commentary

24 Where it is possible, the school is keen to bring parents into school to discuss any concerns they have or to discuss ways of managing their children’s behaviour. Many parents speak to the learning mentor or Outreach co-ordinators on a daily basis, and there are weekly, or even daily written reports for pupils in the primary department of the school. Parents are encouraged to come into school and welcomed as valuable allies in creating strategies to move pupils forward in their inclusion, re-integration, behaviour and attendance. Information is detailed and clear and the school and parents are generally happy with the reports they receive about their children’s progress. The number of parents attending concerts and performances is increasing, as the improvements in the school building has meant that there is now a hall big enough for performers and parents to be in Newfield School - 15 together. Additionally, the profile of parents in school has been raised by the formation of

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Commentary

the Friends United for Newfield which is leading to a greater parental involvement in fund raising and social events in the school. As a result, the school has good links with its parents and is seen by them as approachable and supportive.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and the leadership of other key staff is good. The governance of the school is very good and the management is good. The school provides good value for money. The school effectively manages aids and barriers to learning.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has very high aspirations for the school. • The governing body support and challenge the senior managers very well. • There are weaknesses in the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning by some subject co-ordinators. • The senior managers are very good role models and create effective teams.

p.17

Commentary

25 The school has been through a period of significant change including a building programme and the appointment of a significant number of new staff. It has been a particular challenge to lead the school through these changes and the staff, very ably led by the headteacher, has worked hard to minimise the negative impact of this instability on the pupils. The headteacher has a very clear focus on providing high quality and effective provision for pupils. The two deputy headteachers provide very good support to the headteacher and make a significant contribution to the leadership of the school.

p.17

Commentary

26 The vision for the school is translated into a very good school improvement plan and the formulation of the plan is based on widespread consultation. The headteacher recognises that the plan could be improved by the development of more incisive success criteria. The school was re-awarded the Investors in People Award in 2003 and also have a range of other awards that reflect the good leadership and management of the school. The school is committed to seeking and acting on the views of pupils and parents. It is the opinion of pupils and parents that the school is well led and managed.

p.17

Commentary

27 The governing body has a very good range of expertise and make a very good contribution to the positive ethos in the school. They question the senior managers in an open and constructive manner and this helps to promote continual development. The governing body make a significant contribution to innovations in the school and, for example, they helped to shape the new build. They know the school well and, in particular, the chair of governors spends a considerable amount of time in school and is very well known by the staff and pupils. He very effectively monitors aspects of the school’s provision including the recording log for physical interventions. The governing body ensures that all statutory requirements are met, including performance management and the effective promotion of a racial equality in the school. The office staff work hard to ensure that day-to-day financial management is very good. The governors are kept well

p.17

Commentary

informed about the school’s expenditure and place a very high priority on gaining value for money.

p.17

Financial information

Newfield School - 16 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income £902,126 Balance from previous year £123,291 Total expenditure £914,414 Balance carried forward to the next £111,003 Expenditure per pupil £13,980

p.18

Financial information

28 The school has a significant carry forward and this is due to projected costs for resources following the new build. However, a substantial element of these costs have been met by the Local Education Authority and the school now has plans to use the available finance to boost resources, for example, to improve provision for ICT across the curriculum. The Outreach provision is funded from within the school budget and this very well managed provision is highly valued by mainstream schools.

p.18

Financial information

29 Management of the school is good, rather than very good, as some of the subject co-ordinators are in the early stages of fulfilling their role. A number of staff has recently been appointed to the management of certain subjects and do not monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subject across the school. This particularly impacts where subjects are taught by non-specialist teachers to pupils in Years 7 and 8 and, as a result, this contributes to some satisfactory achievement. Also the leadership of ICT has not ensured that ICT is taught across the curriculum. However, a very good team spirit is evident at all levels in the school and is a major aid to pupils’ achievement. This helps to drive forward continual improvement developing a good school ethos and commitment to inclusion. The staff team are supportive of each other on a formal and informal basis. For example, performance management systems are well established and teachers’ targets are

p.18

Financial information

clearly linked to their effective continuing professional development and the school improvement plan. Therefore, despite the influx of a significant number of new staff during the last few months, the school has maintained a positive atmosphere. School policies are very thorough and provide a very good framework for the work of the school. Induction systems are good but some members of staff are still not confident in the use of the school’s behaviour management systems and this contributes to the satisfactory achievement of some pupils and a small amount of unsatisfactory achievement.

p.18

Work related learning

The provision in work-related learning is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good links with the education business partnership which provides very good work placements and a mentoring service for pupils in Year 10 and 11 to help them learn about work. • Good liaison with the Connexions service contributes to a coherent scheme of careers education to prepare pupils for work. • There are weaknesses in the planning for work-related learning in other subjects.

p.18

Commentary

30 Close links to the organisers of the local Connexions service and Sefton compact programme gives the work-related learning co-ordinator good local knowledge of the Newfield School - 17 opportunities available for pupils. As a result, the school can offer pupils a varied and fulfilling provision that meets statutory requirements.

p.18

Commentary

31 In Year 10, pupils attend local colleges for taster sessions. In conjunction with the Connexions service and police, pupils can, for example, access Health and Leisure centres in the area they live, giving them the opportunity to learn how to make good use of fitness opportunities and alert them to careers in leisure services. Links with business mentors, organised by the education business partnership, offer pupils relevant and realistic advice on, for example, presenting themselves for job interviews and selecting an appropriate career that is suited to their abilities. This leads on to a carousel of work-related experiences in the community, for instance, in an office based environment, engineering, and computer work and motor vehicle maintenance. Pupils are awarded certificates at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral if they keep up their attendance on contracted placements and as a result, the attendance of a number of pupils in Year 10 has improved in school as

p.19

Commentary

well as on the placements school. For example, a pupil has been found an evening and weekend activity by the Connexions adviser that he can only attend if he behaves and attends school properly.

p.19

Commentary

32 Careers education is an integral part of the personal and social education programme from Year 7 to Year 9, but collaboration with the Connexions adviser only starts in Year 9 at the transition review. Through discussions and consideration of their own interests and growing appreciation of what jobs entail, pupils gain a realistic understanding of the world of work and the opportunities available to them. A number of pupils are attending alternative curriculum courses arranged between the school and provision to support pupils who are at risk of exclusion or who have poor attendance at school. The school has recently introduced a commercially produced scheme to support the work- related programme. Relevant accreditation for work-related learning is part of their ASDAN courses. The activities, for example, taking part in environmental projects, helping out at a community centre in a local church or going on an outward bound course, prepares the

p.19

Commentary

pupils very well for their future options on leaving school. These include college placements, and attending mainstream schools for special modules, for example, drama classes. Careers education and guidance is an integral part of the school’s work-related programme. The practical nature of the college courses, the good support during work experience, and the good quality help and advice from the Connexions service, combines to prepare pupils well for the next phase in their education or for employment. The school recognises the need to further develop the inclusion of work-related learning in other subjects. Newfield School - 18

p.19

ENGLISH AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

33 Only one Spanish lesson was seen during the inspection and therefore it was not possible to form reliable judgements about provision or standards. A specialist teacher from another local school comes in for part of the week to teach Spanish to pupils in Years 6 to 9. These lessons help enrich the curriculum and pupils say that they enjoy the work because it is interesting. In the lesson seen, careful planning ensured that pupils were highly motivated and behaved well. Though it is a popular subject, there is no opportunity for pupils to follow it to higher levels or accreditation after Year 9.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The management of the subject is very good. • Pupils achieve well in speaking and listening and reading but there is insufficient use of ICT. • There is very good teamwork and high expectations. • Teaching is good for pupils in all parts of the school.

p.20

Commentary

34 Pupils enter the school with a wide range of experience in studying English. They attain at different levels and there are often areas of weakness in their knowledge due to missed schooling. Pupils' achievement overall is good throughout the school. They achieve best in speaking and listening and reading because of the school's strong emphasis on communication skills. Improvements since the last inspection have been satisfactory. Pupils' achievement across the school remains good in speaking and listening and reading. This is largely due to the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy for pupils up to Year 6. There is a better emphasis on writing, particularly for the older pupils in this part of the school. Pupils make good progress from Year 7 to Year 11 and a majority of the pupils achieve close to national expectations.

p.20

Commentary

35 Teachers encourage pupils to become more purposeful and the youngest pupils are able to order sentences and understand some of the elements of how words are built up with sounds. They can recall what they have read together in the shared reading session. As a result, more pupils are able to write down what they want to say. Some higher attaining pupils in Year 7 are able to sequence sentences. Pupils in Years 4 to 7 develop very good speaking and listening skills as they construct arguments to persuade others of their point of view. They start to develop writing skills at higher levels as they develop pieces of work on persuasive writing or develop work covering the use of adverbs.

p.20

Commentary

36 Overall, teaching and learning are good and have improved since the previous inspection. Good lesson planning guides all staff in maintaining the direction of the lessons and helping to ensure that pupils achieve what the teacher wants them to learn. There is very good teamwork between teachers and support staff. This helps a Year 7 group to achieve very well when the teaching assistant helps with both learning tasks and behaviour. The pace of lessons and challenge for pupils are good and activities meet individual needs very well. For instance, when a teacher drew Year 4 pupils into a discussion about protest so that all were able to present their Newfield School - 19 viewpoints. Where lessons are successful teachers have high expectation that pupils will participate. This was evident in a lesson for Year 9 pupils where they were undertaking descriptive writing and the teacher gave clear guidelines about what was expected and the time available. In a

p.20

Commentary

lesson about adjectives, pupils in Year 5 were very well managed so that their exciting descriptions did not get out of hand. The high expectations of good behaviour contribute well to the overall good progress made by pupils.

p.21

Commentary

37 The curriculum content is good with that for pupils up to Year 6 it is appropriately based on the National Literacy Strategy. The content for pupils from Years 7 to 9 is based on the genre of novels and a system of key objectives to guide learning. For the oldest pupils there is a syllabus based on the accreditation being offered. This is effective in providing a well structured and balance content. However, there are not sufficient opportunities for pupils to use ICT for research and completion of writing tasks throughout the subject.

p.21

Commentary

38 Assessment and recording of pupils’ work is good overall and reports include clear stages that pupils have achieved showing the good progress they are making. The school uses good systems to monitor this progress including the use of nationally recognised ‘P’ scales to demonstrate progress for those not achieving National Curriculum levels. Other nationally recognised tests and tasks are used as well as reading tests. The results of assessments are analysed by the subject leaders. The primary and secondary subject leaders manage the subject very well. Lessons are observed, targets are set and pupils’ achievements are analysed. The data is used to inform developments in the subject. For example, a perceived fall in results for pupils in last year’s Year 9 national tests resulted in the introduction of specialist advice and modifications to the curriculum.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

39 There is very good use of specialist vocabulary in subjects across the school. This is particularly the case in subjects such as mathematics where there are high expectations for Year 7 pupils to use terminology such as hexagon and quadrilateral accurately. The specific use of correct terms in science is well planned for and this contributes to pupils’ success at higher levels. There is also good use in other subjects where dictionaries are often used, for instance when Year 6 pupils were asked to find the meaning of ‘suffering’. In music they are challenged very effectively to use a wide vocabulary to describe emotions when listening to and appraising music.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Clear planning and high expectations. • The skilled classroom assistants work closely with the teaching staff supporting pupils’ learning and behaviour. • The curriculum is well planned and managed. • There are good assessment procedures.

p.21

Commentary

40 Pupils’ good achievement in mathematics, identified in the last inspection, has been maintained. Since the last inspection the school has introduced the National Numeracy Strategy and now provides the older pupils with the opportunity to gain nationally accredited certificates including GCSE. These improvements have had a positive effect on pupils’ enthusiasm for mathematics. Teaching is good overall and some lessons are taught very well. Lessons are clearly planned and the work to be covered in each lesson is shared with the pupils so that everyone knows what they are expected to learn. Newfield School - 20 41 The subject is well led and managed and the curriculum has been well developed to meet pupils’ special educational needs. The younger pupils begin to understand and use numbers in differing ways including the value of coins and telling the time. By Year 6 the majority are confident using numbers up to and above 100, are able to recognise and use

p.21

Commentary

different units of measurement, can identify two-dimensional shapes and know the eight points of the compass. In Years 7 to 9, pupils are effectively taught to build on and extend the work done in the primary department. Challenging teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in learning about symmetry, how to measure the area of triangles and other regular shapes and recognise the different types of angles. They can represent information in pie charts and bar graphs and know how to plot co-ordinates. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 follow appropriate externally accredited courses. They develop their ability to solve problems, for example, in one lesson they investigated how to measure temperature change that involved negative as well as positive numbers. Some of the pupils find the work challenging and have difficulty staying ‘on-task’ but the very good teamwork, the knowledge and understanding of every individual’s needs and the calm but firm approach of

p.22

Commentary

staff ensures that work is covered and pupils achieve well. Unfortunately, due to insufficient computers in the classrooms and lack of appropriate software ICT is not used on a regular basis in mathematics.

p.22

Commentary

42 Assessment procedures are clear and well used. As far as possible work is marked with the pupil which allows the time for pupils to understand why they have made any mistakes and how to improve. The very good use of questioning in lessons to make sure everyone is taking a full part in each lesson provides the teacher with further evidence of pupils’ particular strengths or weaknesses. At the end of each area of work there is a short test and the pupil’s own written self-evaluation of their achievements. These results are recorded, used for planning and provide the teacher with information about the progress of individual pupils or the need to revisited any module.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

43 Pupils’ numeracy skills are well promoted across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils put their mathematical skills to good use in subjects such as science and design and technology where they are required to measure accurately and record their results as graphs or tables. In music, pupils use counting skills when keeping a beat. They also extend their mathematical knowledge when writing musical notation. Mathematics is used in citizenship and during personal, health and social education lessons for discussions such as the effect of speeding, the quantity of alcohol that is considered safe or when talking about the use of money.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides pupils with good opportunities to learn through experimenting and investigation and this helps to promote very good teamwork. • The good subject expertise that informs teaching for pupils in Years 9 to 11. • The high priority placed on the accurate use of key scientific words. • Some weaknesses in teachers’ subject expertise and behaviour management skills, contributes to satisfactory achievement by some pupils in Years 7 and 8.

p.22

Commentary

Newfield School - 21 44 The quality of teaching and learning are good. Pupils are provided with a stimulating range of practical work and this effectively promotes good gains in their learning. A good range of stimulating activities effectively motivates pupils in Years 1 and 2 and, as a result, they make good gains in their ability to identify common features and differences between animals and humans. Year 5 pupils have been effectively taught to understand the components of a simple electrical circuit. A well-planned practical lesson extended pupils’ ability to investigate electrical circuits and the well-chosen activities helped pupils to make good gains in their understanding of positive and negative terminals.

p.23

Commentary

45 Pupils in Years 9 to 11 are taught by a confident subject specialist who leads and manages the subject well. This is reflected in pupils’ good achievement in their national tests at the end of Year 9. Also, the planning and preparation for practical work is very good and the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. Year 9 pupils were provided with a skilled demonstration and, as a result, made good- gains in their ability to wire basic electrical components. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 follow an appropriate GCSE course. In a lesson observed, enthusiastic teaching effectively challenged Year 10 pupils and, as a result, they produced good designs for a model of a hydroelectric generator. The pupils responded well to the use of the design and technology room for the making of the model and they thoroughly enjoyed their practical work. Pupils discussed the requirements for their external accreditation in a mature and sensible manner. The good ethos is evident

p.23

Commentary

in the way that pupils are able to work in pairs or groups and share equipment during their investigative work. Pupils respond well to the high priority placed on health and safety and also help to tidy away the equipment at the end of an experiment. Assessment systems are good and pupils are becoming skilled at self-evaluation at the end of units and are, therefore, developing a good understanding of how to improve their work.

p.23

Commentary

46 The members of staff know pupils well and have formed good trusting relationships with them. This helps to establish a positive and purposeful atmosphere in most lessons and consequently pupils have good attitudes to their learning and achieve well. Staff work hard to ensure that all pupils have equal access to the range of activities and pupils, including those in public care, achieve well. The consistent use of key words is a strong feature of teaching. Pupils in Year 2 are effectively taught to use basic scientific language to sort different features. They are challenged to use terms such as “criteria” and this helps to extend their learning. The use of terms linked to electrical circuits is consistently reinforced for pupils in Year 5 and, consequently, they can confidently identify and name items such as “terminal”. Year 7 pupils use terms related to change of state in the right context and with increasing accuracy. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are focussed on the

p.23

Commentary

literacy of science and in their study of fossil fuels gain a good understanding of challenging technical terms, for example, “geothermic”. Following a practical investigation of the reaction of metals with acids, Year 10 pupils were able to use terms such as, “soluble” correctly.

p.23

Commentary

47 Specific ICT resources for the teaching of the subject are limited. Also, in many of the lessons, planning and teaching do not include ICT as a resource to develop pupils’ learning. For example, the opportunity was lost for Year 5 pupils to extend their understanding of circuits by the use of stimulating software. Where ICT is used effectively Year 10 pupils produce an informative graph comparing the resistance of different conductors and achieve well.

p.23

Commentary

48 The teaching of the subject for pupils in Years 7 and 8 is carried out by non- specialist teachers and their lack of confidence in the subject contributes to some pupils making satisfactory gains in their learning. Also some members of staff are new and it takes time to form relationships with pupils. Consequently their behaviour management is, Newfield School - 22 at times, inconsistent making the teaching of practical work, in particular, difficult and pupils are disruptive. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 lost interest in a theory lesson based on the study of aerosols and, as a result, their learning was satisfactory rather than the good gains in learning that they make when effectively motivated.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• High expectations and planning that challenges individual pupils to achieve well in some lessons. • Very good discrete resources for the teaching of ICT. • The use of ICT in other subjects is unsatisfactory.

p.24

Commentary

49 Though the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory, overall, some lessons are taught well. Pupils in Year 5 were provided with clear instructions, were managed consistently and consequently they made good gains in their ability to create their own pictures using a good range of ICT skills. These pupils are able to produce, organise and amend their ideas using ICT and this is good achievement. Relationships were good and this gave pupils the confidence to ask for help when they needed it. Year 7 pupils were focussed and followed clear instructions that were displayed on the electronic whiteboard. Pupils increased the detail of their power presentations using a good variation of font sizes and an attractive range of colours. The school has recently introduced a revised range of external accreditation for pupils and this now provides effective challenge for the range of pupils in the school. Year 10 pupils responded well to the good expertise of the teacher

p.24

Commentary

and consequently increased their ability to insert a hyperlink into their PowerPoint presentation. The introduction to the lesson was clear, relationships were very good and, as a result, pupils listened very carefully and were enthusiastic learners. Weaknesses in the planning for pupils in Year 6 contributed to the variable gains they made in the production of a title page for their PowerPoint presentation. Pupils were able to produce text and enter it but due to insufficient challenge for individual pupils’ their achievement was satisfactory.

p.24

Commentary

50 The specialist ICT bases are very good provision and this helps to promote pupils’ positive attitudes to the subject. There is a primary and secondary base and pupils respect the resources. However, the computers and software in other classes contribute to the unsatisfactory use of ICT across the curriculum. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory as it is going through a period of transition as the current co- ordinator is managing the subject on a temporary basis. This has also impacted on the limited use of ICT in some subjects.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

51 The school has identified the need to improve the provision of ICT across the school. ICT resources are limited in some subjects, such as science and design and technology. Also, the use of ICT in art and design is limited by a lack of software. Where it is used effectively pupils have a positive attitude to ICT and this extends their learning. The expertise and confidence of the staff to use ICT is developing.

p.24

HUMANITIES

Newfield School - 23 52 In history , insufficient work was seen to form reliable judgements about provision or standards. The work was sampled by talking with pupils, looking at their work and observing one lesson. Attractive displays in classrooms and around the school indicate that pupils study a number of periods and cultures from the distant and more recent past. In the lesson seen pupils’ opinions and answers showed that they understood how the past can be represented and interpreted in different ways. Pupils were keen to find out more about the role of women in North American Indian culture and to discuss how the nomadic lifestyle of this group of people meant that their tepees had to be easily moved from one settlement to another.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good opportunities provided for practical learning. • The very good contribution of teaching assistants. • The good use of subject vocabulary. • Loss of learning time for a small number of pupils.

p.25

Commentary

53 The quality of teaching and learning is good, overall, and pupils achieve well. It is very good for pupils in Years 3 to 9 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Year 6 pupils responded very positively to a very well prepared visit to the local shopping precinct. The quality of teaching and learning was very good and pupils achieved very well. The teacher explained the purposes of the traffic enquiry very clearly to pupils and they asked well- informed questions about local traffic issues to members of the public. Pupils collected the data and recorded the information accurately and were aware of the part the information played in their topic. The staff team worked very well together and their confident management of pupils’ behaviour ensured that pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were excellent. Excellent use was made of models for pupils in Year 7 to build examples of distinct settlement patterns. Also, the skilled change of activity when pupils were moved on

p.25

Commentary

to identify Ordnance Survey symbols ensured that pupils remained engaged, no time was lost and, as a result, the quality of teaching and learning was excellent. Again the deployment of the teaching assistants was very good and, in particular, they very effectively linked the work on settlements with aspects of the design and technology curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

54 The leadership and management of the subject are good. There is an effective emphasis on pupils using correct geographical terms and, as a result, they use the appropriate language with increasing accuracy in the right context. A skilled emphasis on the literacy development of pupils in Years 1 and 2 helps them to make good progress when describing, for example, the similarities and differences in the weather in this country and in Finland. Pupils in Year 6 were able to use appropriate language very well when they asked questions to members of the public about the impact of motor vehicles on the environment. Year 7 pupils make excellent gains in their understanding of terms such as “linear” and “dispersed” and they said that they were very proud of their achievement. Pupils in Year 9 are able to describe the main features of National Parks and use terms such as “recreation” and “tertiary” confidently. They have good insight into the positive and

p.25

Commentary

negative impact of tourism and this is good achievement. Newfield School - 24 55 The school has strategies in place that effectively manage pupils’ range of special educational needs as they progress through the school. However, many of the pupils in Years 1 and 2 are new to the school and this is compounded by the additional special educational needs of some pupils. Consequently these pupils are easily distracted and, despite the very good planning and range of activities, they disengaged from learning for part of the time and their achievement was satisfactory.

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planned curriculum is good. • In the taught curriculum there is an over-emphasis on Christianity and this results in an imbalance with the other major religions. • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development and citizenship.

p.26

Commentary

56 The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has planned a curriculum that is based on the Locally Agreed Syllabus and identifies all the required areas of study. The subject is taught by the co-ordinator in the primary classes. This provides continuity and consistency that is more difficult to achieve in Years 7 to 11 where there are four different teachers.

p.26

Commentary

57 No lessons were seen with the youngest pupils but the evidence from the samples of work seen is that they study the early life of Jesus and particularly enjoy making a model of a typical house from his time. As they get older pupils learn about the significance of the Bible stories to their own lives and the meaning of symbolism in the Christian Faith supported by visits to the local Anglican Church. They are introduced to the basic facts about Judaism and Hinduism and one class have visited a Hindu Temple. Pupils have a brief introduction to other major religions but without the depth of learning attached to Christianity. In Years 7 to 9, through the very good relationships, teamwork and well- planned lessons the pupils are able to discuss issues such as suffering and understand the significance, to Catholics, of a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 have been studying for the Christian Theology Trust examination but this has now finished so the

p.26

Commentary

school intends to look towards other external accreditation.

p.26

Commentary

58 The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and, as a result, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, overall. However in some lessons pupils respond well and make good progress when the pace is good, activities are varied and especially when there is a practical element such as model building. They become restless and show signs of boredom and disinterest when any task goes on too long and when there is a preponderance of teacher talk. In most lessons, however, the pupils behave well because of the very good support, for both learning and behaviour, provided by the classroom assistants as well as the knowledge and understanding every teacher has of individual needs and problems.

p.26

Commentary

59 The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social and moral education. Throughout the school, opportunities are taken to relate learning in religious education to pupils’ own experiences and lives and the responsibility we must take over our Newfield School - 25 actions. For example, in a Year 9 lesson, man-made suffering on a global scale such as 9/11 or bullying at school level.

p.26

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good provision for food technology. • The range of planned practical activities is good. • There are weaknesses in the provision for pupils’ design work.

p.27

Commentary

60 The quality of teaching and learning in food technology is good but it is satisfactory in design and technology, overall and therefore pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The school has very good accommodation and resources for the teaching of food technology. The very good teaching base is enhanced by a range of displays that, for example, emphasise the importance of following safety rules in the subject and the healthy value of a balanced diet. The teacher has good subject expertise and this helps to inform effective planning that provides pupils with a good range of stimulating activities. Year 6 pupils were effectively taught to cut vegetables to a specific size and handled knives safely. A member of the support staff was effectively deployed and helped pupils overcome any initial lack of confidence in their ability to chop vegetables and, as a result, they achieved well. Pupils’ mathematical skills were effectively developed, for example, they accurately measured

p.27

Commentary

specific volumes of liquid. Consistent management of behaviour, whereby staff provided pupils with clear boundaries and focused on hygiene and safety resulted in Year 10 pupils behaving very well and respecting the rules of the lesson.

p.27

Commentary

61 The co-ordinator for resistant materials teaches a large number of subjects to secondary-aged pupils and has been retrained to teach pupils about resistant materials. His very broad subject responsibilities limit the teacher’s opportunity to develop the subject and, consequently, leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Provision for resistant materials is in the early stages of development but progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory and the subject now meets statutory requirements. The specialist teaching room has a good range of equipment and pupils are keen to take part in practical activities. For example, pupils in Year 7 quickly learned to use a saw after the teacher demonstrated techniques for using basic tools. Only one pupil returned his design homework and therefore an opportunity for pupils to create their own design for a pull along toy was lost. Pupils are reluctant to produce detailed and accurate design work and limited

p.27

Commentary

access to ICT to extend their design skills adds to this weakness in design and technology. Where ICT was used for design work it failed to grasp pupils’ attention and they preferred to play rather than follow instructions and, as a result, the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory.

p.27

Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good. Newfield School - 26

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinator has developed and manages a very good curriculum. • The use of ICT is under-developed. • Pupils achieve very well because teaching is very good and sometimes excellent.

p.28

Commentary

62 The very good provision identified in the previous inspection has been maintained and built on. Although only one lesson was seen in the primary department and no lessons in Years 7, 8 or 9 the very high quality work on display around the school and in the pupils’ workbooks shows the extent and high quality of their work. All pupils draw a self-portrait at the end of each year that, over time, provides clear evidence of their developing artistic skills and techniques. This is the result of the very good curriculum and the very good teaching. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 build on the skills developed in the earlier classes studying for GCSE examinations and achieve very well. The use of ICT for producing artwork as well as for research is not well-developed due to insufficient appropriate resources.

p.28

Commentary

63 Pupils enjoy art and design and use colour, textiles, ceramics and recycled materials in imaginative ways because lessons are very well planned, teaching is very good and they are expected to develop their own ideas and research the styles and techniques of professional artists for themselves.

p.28

Commentary

64 The subject is very well led and managed. Teaching by the art co-ordinator is very good and sometimes excellent. Her knowledge and understanding of the subject and the strengths and weaknesses of the individual pupils results in everyone achieving to the best of their ability. The pupils know they are valued, gain confidence in their own skills, work to attain the teacher’s very high expectations and are proud of their achievement. For example, the two Year 11 boys were keen to walk round the school to show the work they have on display as well as sharing their personal portfolios. Art and design is a strength of the school that has been recognised outside the school in the broader community. They have won several competitions and currently the senior pupils are working with a local artist in designing sculptures to be used on the local beach for the enjoyment and benefit of the public.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Music is very well taught by a specialist team. • The curriculum is very broad and includes very good multi-cultural elements. • There are very good opportunities for pupils to learn and appreciate music outside of music lessons. • Pupils’ attitudes to music are very good and they achieve very well but their successes are not always recognised by accredited courses.

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Commentary

65 Pupils enter the school with levels of musical skill below average in most cases. Pupils’ achievement in music is very good. When they start school, few pupils have the knowledge or skills expected for their age. However, very good teaching and a stimulating Newfield School - 27 and exciting curriculum ensure that they achieve very well. In all years, music constitutes an important part of pupils’ learning. The youngest pupils in the school make excellent progress as they learn to maintain a beat using a ball to throw to each other on the pulse of the music. Pupils in Year 6 demonstrate how well they have learned as they stated that a five-note scale is pentatonic while one pupil recognised that a song is in 4/4 time. Year 8 pupils working with a well-qualified steel pan tutor started to arrange a tune using the different tones of the pans. When the oldest pupils in the school are listening and

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Commentary

appraising they talk with confidence and use terms such as ‘pitch’ and ‘crescendo’ in their discussions.

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Commentary

66 Teaching is often excellent. There are very good relationships with the pupils and very high expectations of them participating to the highest level both musically and behaviourally. Pupils are clear about what they have to do in lessons. Planning is very detailed and very well delivered. There is very good support from the teaching assistant who is also a fully qualified musician. This allows very good group work to take place. The excellent teamwork contributes to the overall success of the subject. Lessons have clear structure and very good pace. They build well on previous learning. For example, in an excellent lesson for the youngest pupils the teacher had them explore the pulse of the music and compare it with a piece with no beat. Pupils' learning is, therefore, very good with a very high level of enthusiastic participation in lessons. The teacher works well with a variety of visitors to offer pupils a rich musical experience. The school steel band has a

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Commentary

very enthusiastic membership. There is a range of other musical opportunities in which pupils can participate at lunchtime and after school such as a drumming workshop. Other opportunities for pupils to participate in instrumental work occur throughout the day.

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Commentary

67 Pupils’ responses to music are very good, inspired by the very good schemes of work that are in place that draw on musical experiences from many countries in many styles. However, there are limited opportunities to have their obvious successes recognised through accreditation. Assessment in lessons is very good. The accommodation is very good as are resources although greater provision of ICT facilities would be beneficial. The very good leadership and management of the subject have led to the maintenance of the very high standards since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

68 It was not possible to see enough of physical education to make judgements about provision or standards and the subject was sampled by talking with pupils and observing a small number of lessons. Many of the pupils are keen footballers and they enjoy the specialist coaching provided by a coach from a local football club. A number of teachers are currently undertaking further training in order to improve the quality of teaching of sports, such as cricket. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 have swimming lessons, which they say are good fun. In these lessons, teachers ensure that pupils work hard to increase their stamina and refine their performance. A key feature of lessons is the emphasis given to health and safety. This was evident when pupils in Years 7 and 8 were taught the correct technique for putting a shot. Pupils say that they enjoy physical education lessons and playing sports.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

69 Only two citizenship lessons were seen during the inspection and it is therefore not possible to make a firm overall judgement on provision and achievement in the subject. The subject is in the early stages of development. However, pupils’ work and the co- ordinator’s plans show that the school is covering all the areas required by the National Curriculum and provides cross-curricular links with personal, social and health education. Newfield School - 28 Topics include rights and responsibilities, a healthy and safe lifestyle, relationships, global issues and current affairs. The lessons seen were well planned and involved the pupils thinking about the imminent general election. However in a lesson, the management of pupils’ behaviour was inconsistent and, as a result, some pupils were unwilling to listen, take part in discussion or stay on task. In another lesson pupils in Years 7 and 8 enjoyed

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

discussing the importance of fair elections in a democratic society.

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Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social and health education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• An appropriate curriculum is being developed that follows the National Curriculum and underpins the ethos of the school. • The quality of teaching and support is good and consequently pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

70 The planned curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs of the pupils. It provides a continuous and systematic approach to emotional and physical development and knowledge of the community. As pupils get older they develop an awareness of themselves and the needs of others. Through good teaching, teamwork and the very supportive atmosphere created in the classrooms they learn about the relevance to themselves of a healthy lifestyle, the need to care for others and their responsibilities in looking after the world around us. The good relationships between pupils and staff helps to build up pupils’ confidence and self-esteem so they become able to discuss sensitive issues such as alcohol and drug misuse, sex education and relationships education and the need to deal with their own feelings and emotions.

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Commentary

71 Lessons are well-planned, taught at a good pace and include an interesting variety of activities that help to keep pupils focused on the tasks and therefore able to achieve well. Through good questioning techniques and very good knowledge of individual strengths and weaknesses teachers make it possible for everyone to take an active part in class discussions. Pupils particularly enjoy practical activities, for example, bandaging each other in a lesson on ‘first aid’.

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Commentary

72 The provision is good and good leadership and management provides a clear focus for the future development of the subject. The two newly appointed co-ordinators are working well together to implement the curriculum and introduce appropriate external accreditation for the senior pupils. Newfield School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 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 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 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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