St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Radcliffe

ST ANDREW’S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 28 th April 2005

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ST ANDREW’S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST ANDREW’S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 229

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Graves Street Radcliffe Manchester Lancashire Postcode: M26 4GE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0161 723 2426 Fax number: 0161 725 9675

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Ridgeon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 24 th January 2000

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School is an average sized primary school situated on the western outskirts of Bury, Lancashire. There are 207 boys and girls in the main school who are taught in seven classes, organised by age. In addition there is a nursery class with 44 children who attend part-time. The proportion of children in receipt of free school meals is lower than in most schools. The school has very few pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue and the proportion of pupils from ethnic groups is low. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is average compared with that usually found, but the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is below national figures. Mobility of pupils in and out of the school other than at the normal time of admission is below average. The attainment of most pupils on entry to the school has been declining in recent years and is now below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school received an achievement award in 2002. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1390 Mr A Markham Lead inspector Mathematics Art and design Physical education Personal, social and health education and citizenship English as an additional language 1112 Mr P Oldfield Lay inspector 30398 Mr C Scola Team inspector English Information and communication technology Design and technology Special educational needs 24895 Mrs K Hurt Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Geography History Music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 6 St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School is a very good school. The very strong leadership of the headteacher promotes a caring, supportive ethos and a determined commitment to meeting the individual needs of all the pupils. Teaching is very good and pupils achieve very well. Parents and pupils have very positive views of the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve very well reaching well above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. • Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and children make a very good start to their learning. • In Years 1 and 2 standards in reading, mathematics and science are above average, but standards in writing are below average. • The curriculum is very good with a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. • Very good attention is given to pupils’ personal development and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Links with parents are very good. • Target setting arrangements are not consistent and do not enable individual pupils to know exactly what they need to do to improve. • There is no secure outdoor area for the reception class.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection and all the issues have been addressed successfully. The curriculum is now well planned and provision for the foundation subjects is satisfactory. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is now very good. Improvements have been made to the accommodation. The school development plan takes account of all spending decisions and the budget is carefully managed. The quality of teaching has improved. Standards in mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 have improved, but standards in writing in Years 1 and 2 are not high enough.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English B C C C mathematics B C A A science B C A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is very good. The majority of children enter the nursery with below average skills and knowledge. They make good progress in the nursery and reception classes and reach expected levels in personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development, but many do not reach expected levels in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and physical development by the time they enter Year 1. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 8 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve very well. Over the last four years the performance in tests of pupils in Year 2 has been good overall. During this time results in mathematics have been consistently well above average and on one occasion in the top five per cent of schools, whilst performance in reading has been good. However, standards in writing have declined in the last two years. The current Year 2 pupils are attaining standards that are

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

above average in reading, mathematics and science, but standards in writing are below average and not high enough. Changes to the admissions policy have resulted in an overall lowering of the pupils’ skills in literacy on starting the school and this has had a detrimental effect on standards in writing. The school is taking action to improve the quality of pupils’ writing across all age groups, but the impact is less pronounced in these years. In the 2004 tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, results were well above the national average in mathematics and science and average in English. Whilst there has been an overall improvement in standards in mathematics and science over the last four years, standards in English have declined, reflecting the changes in pupil intake. However, the current group of Year 6 pupils are attaining well above average standards in all three subjects. Standards in information and

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

communication technology (ICT) are average by the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs are supported effectively; they make very good progress and achieve very well. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language also achieve very well and attain standards that are similar to their peers.

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The pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development, is very good. Pupils have very good attitudes to school, work enthusiastically in lessons and behave very well. Attendance is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is very good. Teaching is very good overall and there is some excellent teaching in Years 5 and 6. Teachers’ very good relationships with their pupils motivate pupils to work hard. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and plan lessons carefully to provide a demanding level of challenge for all pupils. The curriculum is very good. It is broad and balanced with a very good range of extra-curricular activities enriching opportunities for pupils. The curriculum for children in the reception classes is generally very good, but provision for physical development is limited because there is no designated outdoor play area. The school cares for pupils very well. Assessment procedures are very good and pupils’ progress in learning is carefully monitored in order to plan appropriate support and guidance. However, although targets are set for their progress in English, they are not used consistently in other subjects to allow the pupils to be fully aware of the next

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher presents a very positive role model, motivates staff well and has created a committed team approach within the school. She is a driving force behind the school’s very good commitment to inclusion and is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and senior staff. The governing body is supportive and fulfils its statutory responsibilities well. Governors are committed and enthusiastic and have a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 9 The parents are very pleased with the quality of education that their children receive and feel strongly that the staff expect their children to do their best and, as a result, they make very good progress. The pupils have very positive views about the school and enjoy taking on responsibility. They feel that the school council is very effective in enabling them to contribute to school life.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in writing in Years 1 and 2. • Ensure that pupils are set short-term individual targets for their learning in order that they are aware of how they might further improve. • Take action to provide a secure outdoor area for the reception class. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils make very good progress in their learning and by the end of Year 6 attain standards that are well above average. Pupils’ achievement is very good overall. There is no significant difference in the levels of achievement of different groups of pupils or of boys and girls.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enter the school with below average attainment and by the end of Year 2 attain standards that are above average in reading, mathematics and science. • Standards in writing in Years 1 and 2 are below average. • By the end of Year 6 standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science. • Pupils achieve well throughout the school and particularly well in Years 5 and 6. • Children in the nursery and reception class get a good start to their learning. • Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and achieve very well.

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Commentary

1. In the last four years the standards attained in national tests by pupils in Year 2 have been consistently well above average in mathematics, and on one occasion they were in the top five per cent of schools. Standards in reading during this period have been above or well above average. However, there has been a decline in the standards attained in writing overall. In 2004, pupils’ performance was below average. The group of pupils contained a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and this had a marked effect on results in writing. The pupils’ performance in tests in 2004 is shown in the table below.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.6 (16.6) 15.8 (15.7)

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Commentary

Mathematics 18.1 (17.4) 16.2 (16.3) There were 28 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Performance in national tests at Year 6 in English, mathematics and science has fluctuated over the last four years. Standards in mathematics and science have improved overall, but there has been a gradual decline in results in English. In 2004 performance improved and the standards attained were well above average in mathematics and science and average overall in English. The targets set for attainment at Level 4 in English and mathematics and Level 5 in mathematics were reached, but not the Level 5 target in English, although the number of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was good. The school has recognised that the decline in results in English is the consequence of the pupils’ lower skills in writing and has taken positive action to remedy this. In Years 3 to 6 good value is added to pupils’ learning as indicated by the well above average performance of the 2004 group of pupils St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 11

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Commentary

compared to their results in the tests at Year 2. Pupils’ performance in tests in 2004 is shown in the average points score table below. The table shows that pupils at the school do very well. For example, in mathematics, pupils nationally averaged 27.0 points, but at St Andrew’s they averaged 29.1 points. As pupils are expected on average to improve by one point a term, pupils were therefore two terms ahead of pupils nationally. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 12 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.6 (27.4) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 29.1 (27.0) 27.0 (26.8) Science 30.7 (29.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. The attainment of children on entry to the nursery class varies, but is below average overall, particularly in communication, language and literacy. Children make good progress in all areas of learning because of the good teaching and by the end of the reception year most children attain the standard expected in personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. However, standards in communication, language and literacy, mathematical developmental and physical development are below those expected.

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Commentary

4. The standards of pupils in English in the current Years 1 and 2 are variable. Standards in reading are above average, but pupils’ skills in speaking and listening and writing are below average. Action is being taken to develop pupils’ speaking skills in order to impact on the standard of pupils’ writing, but the school recognises that greater emphasis is still required. By Year 6, standards in English are well above those expected for pupils of this age. Pupils make particularly good progress in Years 5 and 6 and achieve very well because the teaching is of a high standard. Pupils’ reading skills are very well developed and they are knowledgeable of the work of a wide range of authors. Pupils’ writing is also of a very good standard and they produce interesting lengthy pieces of text both in literacy lessons and in other subjects.

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Commentary

5. In mathematics, current standards are above average in Years 1 and 2 and well above average by Year 6. Pupils have very secure numeracy skills and use these very well across the curriculum, particularly in Years 5 and 6. They use their knowledge and understanding of number confidently and manipulate numbers using multiplication and division easily when solving problems.

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Commentary

6. In science, standards are also above average in Years 1 and 2 and well above average by Year 6. Pupils understanding of fair testing is very well developed and they have a very good knowledge of a range of topics. A particularly positive factor in the high standards attained in science is the strong emphasis that teachers give to investigation skills.

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Commentary

7. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are average throughout Years 1 to 6. Pupils’ basic skills are developed satisfactorily, but they make limited use of ICT in other subjects. Whilst reasonable use is made of ICT to support work in English, this is not the case in mathematics and science, where opportunities are missed to use computers to create tables, charts and graphs.

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Commentary

8. It was only possible to sample aspects of other subjects during the inspection, but work on display and in pupils’ books indicates that standards are at least in line with those expected for pupils of this age in all other subjects. Examples of above average skills were seen in games lessons in physical education and pupils’ singing is very good. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 13 9. The school works hard to ensure that the differing needs of pupils are met. Good provision is made for the small number of gifted and talented pupils who have been identified and consequently they achieve very well. Teaching assistants are used very effectively to support pupils with special educational needs and, as a result, these pupils make very good progress and achieve very well. The very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds make similar progress to other pupils at the school. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 14

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal qualities, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good overall. Pupils develop very good attitudes and values and behave very well. Attendance is well above the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Behaviour is very good overall in and around the school. A few pupils in Year 1 do not always show very good attitudes. • Pupils are very happy at school and get on very well together. • Pupils develop very good confidence and self-esteem and generally take responsibility well. • There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Commentary

10. Relationships in the school are very good. Pupils are at the centre of all that the school provides and feel very much valued. This is a significant factor in the high levels of confidence and self-esteem showed by pupils and has a very good impact on learning. They feel happy and secure and consequently have very good attitudes and behave very well, although a few pupils in the Year 1 class are easily distracted. The well- displayed playground behaviour code allows all pupils to be very aware of the high expectations and as a consequence they behave very sensibly in the playground.

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Commentary

11. In the nursery and reception class, young children learn school routines quickly and their achievement in personal, social and emotional development is very good. Members of staff and older children lead by example and ensure a calm working atmosphere during the school day. Throughout the school, pupils happily help each other, this is evident at lunch and playtimes, when Year 6 pupils act as ‘Friends’ in order to help and assist infant pupils.

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Commentary

12. Pupils are given many opportunities to take responsibility. The very active school council gives them very good opportunities to express their opinions and suggestions. These activities help them to have a very good understanding of the responsibilities of living in a community.

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Commentary

13. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well embedded. The school has given very careful consideration to improving pupils’ cultural development, an area shown as being in need of improvement at the last inspection. Thoughtful assemblies and very good opportunities for prayer and reflection develop pupils’ spiritual awareness very well and help to create the positive caring ethos found throughout the school.

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Commentary

14. Pupils are very keen to come to school and most arrive very punctually. Rates of attendance are well above the national average. There are very good procedures to monitor attendance and the few absences are very well followed up.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.3 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 15 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching is very good and an enriched curriculum is provided. The school cares very well for the pupils and works very effectively with their parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good overall. The good systems for assessing pupils’ attainments and checking their achievements are used effectively.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well overall because teachers ensure that activities are very well planned and structured. • Teachers forge very good relationships and manage their pupils very well so that pupils show high levels of interest and work very hard in smoothly-run lessons. • Very good teamwork and well-deployed adult helpers provide very good support for pupils. • The school has good systems for checking on pupils' achievements but the information is not yet used as well in setting short-term individual targets for pupils. • Pupils’ progress is occasionally not as good as it might be when the pace of lessons is too slow.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 36 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

15. Teaching is very good overall and is particularly strong in the nursery and Years 5 and 6 where most lessons were judged to be very good or excellent. The consistency of its overall quality develops very effective learning and the consequent high levels of achievement that all groups of pupils reach by the time they leave the school. Teachers have very good levels of expertise so they are confident in their teaching. Their planning is very good, with well-structured activities that help pupils build their skills very well. Very clear explanations and lively lesson introductions, managed at a good pace, capture pupils’ interest and they work very hard. A strength of teaching throughout the school is the way teachers use questions that challenge pupils to think hard and deeply. In most lessons these skills generate lively discussions and ensure that pupils make rapid progress in their knowledge and understanding of topics.

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Commentary

16. Teachers use a wide range of strategies like role-play that bring topics to life and ensure that pupils remember them well. This very good use of drama effectively helped pupils in Year 2 remember important facts and appreciate the impact of the Great Fire of London. However, in some lessons the use of unchallenging worksheets and time- consuming activities, like cutting, sticking and colouring, add little to pupils’ skills, particularly in writing. More could be done to grasp opportunities that enable pupils to use their ICT skills in work in other subjects. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 16 17. Teachers have very good relations with pupils and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They are consistent and fair in the way they handle pupils and use the school’s rewards system and praise very effectively. Pupils’ behaviour is consequently very good overall, although on the rare occasions where the pace of lessons is slow

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Commentary

they become restless and lose interest and concentration. Teachers are interested in what pupils have to say, so they feel valued and confident in contributing to discussions. This was particularly evident in the mature way that pupils in Year 5 discussed bird droppings and various types of seed dispersal with no silliness. Pupils are good at organising themselves when asked to work in groups. In Years 2 and 6 pupils quickly organised who would take responsibility for what and worked as a good team in science investigations.

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Commentary

18. Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants work together very well. Teaching assistants have good relationships with pupils and support them very well individually or in groups so that they can make good progress and achieve well. The encouragement and opportunities given to all pupils are very good and result in standards, which are well above average. Great care is taken in sharing information and consequently teaching assistants know what is expected of them and support the pupils very well. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Lesson plans ensure that pupils have good opportunities through carefully modified tasks to work towards their targets. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make very good progress, often reaching the levels expected for their age by the time they leave the school.

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Commentary

19. The school has good, well-established systems for assessing pupils’ attainments and checking their progress over time. These ensure that teachers have good knowledge of what pupils can and cannot do. Information is used to group pupils and to identify areas of weakness that need to be boosted and to set group targets. The school is currently working on its approach to target setting after its recent introduction. There are examples where it is being used effectively, such as in English in Years 3 to 6 and in the nursery where children set their own personal targets for improvement. However, this practice is not firmly embedded throughout the school and is not used consistently enough in setting short-term, individual targets for pupils so they know exactly what they have to do to improve.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good. It is broad and balanced with a very good range of extra- curricular opportunities. A strong element is the emphasis given to pupils’ personal development. Accommodation is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils are offered a wide range of activities that supports all curriculum areas. • Pupils have very good opportunities to take part in a range of activities outside the school day. • Visits into the local community and further afield enrich many subjects. • Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported. • There are ample opportunities to promote pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship. • Provision for the Foundation Stage is very good but the lack of a specific outdoor area for reception children limits some aspects of their learning. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 17

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Commentary

20. The school provides a well-planned curriculum that includes all subjects of the National Curriculum. In addition, older pupils have the opportunity to learn French. Very effective links are created between all subjects with a very good emphasis on promoting literacy, numeracy and science. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Resources and provision in ICT have also improved, but the school recognises that there are areas of the ICT curriculum, such as the use of digital cameras and multi-media programs, that need further development.

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Commentary

21. A very wide range of interesting and exciting opportunities enriches the curriculum. A strong emphasis is given to sporting activities and the school is very successful in various local matches and competitions in football, netball and swimming. The school also organises many events and visits that enrich the curriculum such as theatre groups performing Shakespearian plays, and visits that support the history curriculum such as to Lyme Park to study Tudor Life. A residential visit for pupils in Year 6 develops pupils’ self-esteem when participating in a challenging range of outdoor activities. The cultural development of pupils has also improved since the previous inspection. Visits to various places of worship, participating in a multi-cultural week, and learning first hand from visitors from other countries develops the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other cultures very effectively.

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Commentary

22. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The support they receive is carefully targeted and they are well taught, both in class and, where appropriate, in withdrawal sessions. Teaching assistants, who work very closely with the teachers, have a very positive impact on the pupils’ education. Provision for the few pupils with English as an additional language is very well considered and successful in supporting and encouraging them.

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Commentary

23. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is very good. There is a very strong emphasis on developing the pupils’ personal and social skills, which permeates through the whole school. All teachers follow a well-structured programme that focuses on keeping safe and developing a healthy life style. There is also a very good emphasis on developing the pupils’ concept and understanding of citizenship. The school council is well established and takes an active role in the school’s management.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is very good overall, although provision for physical development is limited by the lack of a designated outdoor area for reception children. A wide range of exciting, practical and very well structured experiences generates high levels of interest and excitement in learning. Children do particularly well in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world because of the provision of very good resources that extend nature into the classroom.

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Commentary

25. The accommodation has been improved since the last inspection. Two new classrooms have been built and there is now a designated computer suite. However, the classrooms for Years 5 and 6 are rather small, although the teachers do well to overcome this difficulty. The school has drawn up plans to improve this situation when funds permit.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very good quality care, support and guidance for pupils overall. The school seeks the views of pupils and takes account of them. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 18

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very good relationships with their teachers and support staff. • Members of staff ensure that pupils work in a very safe environment where levels of care are very good. • Pupils are not consistently set individual short-term academic targets in order that they are aware of how they might further improve. • Pupils are given very good opportunities to make their views known. • There are very good induction procedures for all children joining the school.

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Commentary

26. The very good provision for the care of pupils at the last inspection has been maintained. Everyone in the school community works together to ensure that pupils are secure and well cared for. Relationships are very good and teachers and other adults in the school know the needs of all pupils very well and are able to provide very good personal support. As a result pupils are very confident in turning to their teachers and other staff when they are upset or need help. The school has a very high regard for health and safety matters and procedures are carefully followed. This means that pupils feel very secure and can concentrate upon their learning. However, academic support is less well developed. Although pupils are set individual targets in English, this is not common in other subjects and consequently pupils are not provided with an understanding of how they can improve. Nevertheless, pupils generally feel very well

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Commentary

27. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to express their views about school life generally and to take on responsibility. The active school council has considered ideas and opinions, some of which have been happily adopted by the school, for example changes to the lunch menu. The school council meets often, sometimes alone, to encourage views to be expressed.

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Commentary

28. Induction arrangements are very good. There is a very good liaison between the school and home. The induction arrangements for young children are very well organised. Both parents and children are invited to become involved in class activities. This not only helps the children settle into school quickly but also provides parents with a greater understanding of what is taught. Older pupils joining the school meet teachers and new classmates and are given one of the many volunteer pupils in the class as a ‘friend’ to guide and settle them into school routines. This very careful induction to school routines is part of the success of the school in providing a very high standard of care and support for all pupils, which is a significant strength of the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Very strong links with parents and the local community contribute strongly to pupils’ learning. Links with other schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a very good partnership between home and school. • The quality of information to parents is very good. • The Parent Teacher Association raises significant funds for the school which has a very positive impact on the education facilities. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 19 • The school works very closely with the local community. • There are very effective links with other local schools.

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Commentary

29. The very strong partnership with parents stated in the last report has been maintained. Parents are very appreciative of the very good channels of communication which exist, and the way that the school responds to their suggestions and concerns. Parents are given very good information about the curriculum and there are very good opportunities for them to discuss their children’s work and progress. They like the style of the pupils’ comprehensive end-of-year reports, and the school brochure and governing body’s annual report give very good information about the life and work of the school. The school consults parents about issues, for example about the home- school agreements in the parents’ pack. The headteacher has a very high profile and greets many parents in the playground and entrance. This means minor concerns are dealt with very speedily.

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Commentary

30. The school values the support of parents highly. The parents association provides a good programme of social and fund-raising events and has raised large sums to fully support the work and life of the school. The school is fortunate to have a ‘Joint Action Committee’ of governors and Church representatives who have effectively guided the work to improve the buildings. The link with the church community is very strong including a Sunday school being held at the premises and the local vicar leading weekly assemblies.

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Commentary

31. The school has very well developed links with other local schools and with the playgroup on site. A supportive cluster of schools work well together, the headteacher having a key role in this partnership. Very well developed links with a number of secondary schools allow a smooth transition of transfer for older pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher leads the school very well and has developed a very effective team with a strong commitment to meeting the needs of all the pupils. Governance of the school is good. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 20 Main strengths and weaknesses

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The headteacher gives a strong educational direction to the school and presents a very good role model to staff. • The deputy headteacher and other senior managers support the headteacher very well. • Well-organised management systems ensure the school runs smoothly. • There is a strong commitment to inclusion, promotion of equality and concern for the needs of individuals. • Governors are very committed and fulfil their responsibilities well. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • Financial management is very good.

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Commentary

32. The headteacher leads the school very well. She is highly regarded by staff, governors, parents and pupils alike. Her very clear vision for the future development of the school and hard work and determined approach to improving its work present an excellent role model for staff. She is committed to raising standards further, but is equally dedicated to providing an enriched curriculum and ensuring that the personal and social skills of all pupils are fully enhanced. The deputy headteacher and senior staff share her commitment to high achievement and give her very strong support. Relationships in the school are very good. There is a very good team approach throughout all staff with a commitment to providing for the needs of all pupils to ensure equality of opportunity and high quality education. Similarly, pupils care well for each other and there is a very positive ethos throughout the school. The headteacher and

p.20

Commentary

staff have successfully created an enthusiasm for learning in pupils and they consequently achieve very well.

p.20

Commentary

33. The school is very well managed. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school are rigorous and the information gathered is used effectively to plan action to further improve provision. Performance management is used very well. Teachers benefit from regular review of their performance and work hard to achieve the objectives that they are set. The quality of teaching has improved as a result. This has had a significant impact on standards in English, mathematics and science, whilst addressing the areas identified in the last report to improve provision in other subjects. There is a close link between the objectives set for teachers and the priorities in the school development plan. The plan clearly identifies priorities for attention and action to be taken, and progress is closely monitored and evaluated. Assessment procedures are good and pupils’ learning is closely monitored. This ensures that pupils’ progress is

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Commentary

tracked throughout their time in the school. However, whilst the procedures effectively support the setting of short-term individual targets for pupils in English, the use of targets is not developed throughout the school in other subjects. New members of staff are inducted well and given very good support both by the person delegated with that responsibility and by the rest of the staff. The particular skills and abilities of staff are employed effectively and a good start has been made to the requirement to remodel the workload of the workforce.

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Commentary

34. Leadership and management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs are very good. There is a clear vision of equality and inclusion for the pupils concerned, which is shared by governors, staff, parents and the other pupils. The co- ordinator has put in place very good systems of monitoring and recording pupils’ progress and this makes her particularly effective in supporting other teachers. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 21 35. Governance is good and has improved since the last inspection. Governors now fulfil their role as ‘critical friends’ of the school well. They have an enthusiastic and committed approach to supporting and challenging the school and carry out their statutory duties well. Governors are involved well in the strategic development of the school because of the detailed knowledge they have of its strengths and weaknesses.

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Commentary

36. Finances are very carefully managed and spending is closely linked to priorities in the school development plan that accurately reflects the educational needs of the pupils. The committees of the governing body work smoothly and their work is co-ordinated effectively to ensure that finances are used to good effect in achieving the best possible value for the school. For example, this principle is being applied well to plans to improve the accommodation in the school. Financial arrangements are well organised and the budget is closely monitored. The few minor weaknesses from the recent auditor’s report have been addressed.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 569484 Balance from previous year 2763 Total expenditure 548317 Balance carried forward to the next 23930 Expenditure per pupil 2229 St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Teaching, learning and children’s achievements are better than previously. Children get off to a very good start in the nursery where effective use of information about children’s attainments forms the basis of very good teaching. Good teaching in the reception class means that children continue to make good progress. Children with special educational needs are very well catered for and make very good progress. In both classes, teaching assistants make a very good contribution to the strong and successful teamwork because they know exactly what to do.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Standards are lower than they were at the last inspection, particularly in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and physical development where children are unlikely to securely reach the goals set for their age. This is due to changes in the school’s admission policy that have resulted in a decline in the overall attainments of children on entry to the nursery. The number of children who have limited speech, language, personal and social skills on entry has risen in recent years. The children currently in the nursery do not follow this trend and their attainments are clearly higher, sometimes exceeding the attainments expected for their age. However, many of these children move on to reception classes in schools nearer their homes. Recently this movement has lowered the overall attainment of children entering the reception class.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children respond very well to adults’ high expectations of behaviour. • Very good relationships and routines mean that children settle quickly and confidently into school life. • Staff know the children well and encourage independence as well as skills of sharing and co- operation.

p.22

Commentary

39. Very good teaching and learning in this area mean that children achieve very well. High expectations of behaviour are consistently reinforced by the very effective use of the rewards system in both classes. Children behave very well because adults praise and encourage them. They are encouraged to set their own targets such as helping to tidy up or listening carefully to their teacher. They proudly wear the badges they earn for good behaviour, like sitting sensibly. Children feel valued and confident, and want to please staff because of the very good relationships in both classes. Staff make sure that children understand the routines and they soon learn to organise themselves and their activities independently. This results in even the youngest children organising their own snacks and very carefully pouring their own juice from a jug. Children develop very good skills in co-operating when playing together because they know it is

p.22

Commentary

important to play and share fairly. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 23

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching nurtures children’s speaking and listening skills effectively. • Children show a keen interest in reading and basic skills develop well. • There are good opportunities for writing in both classes that successfully stimulate children’s writing skills. • Sometimes children’s progress is slowed when the activities in the reception class are either too hard or too easy for children of different abilities.

p.23

Commentary

40. Children achieve well in this area and make good progress from sometimes low starting points. However, in spite of good teaching, children in the reception class are unlikely to securely reach the goals set for their age by the end of the reception year, particularly in writing. There is a very good emphasis on developing children’s speaking and listening in both classes. Teachers make sure that children listen when others are speaking and this helps them remember the ambitious new vocabulary that staff introduce. For example, children in the nursery discussed the lifecycle of a butterfly very knowledgeably, using words like ‘pupa’ and ‘cocoon’ to explain the different stages. Children enjoy listening to stories and sharing books because they catch the enthusiasm generated by the reader well. There is a good emphasis on developing the basic skills so that children recognise the sounds that letters make and

p.23

Commentary

use them when reading and spelling new words. Writing corners provide ample opportunities for writing in both classes. These are used most effectively in the nursery where the good systems for assessing children’s attainments are used most effectively. Staff know what children can already do and intervene with suggestions and questions that challenge children to further improve their writing skills. Words and letters displayed near the writing corner support children well as they learn to write independently. Children in this class sometimes exceed the standards expected for their age due to very good teaching. In the reception class children’s progress is sometimes slowed when activities do not take enough account of their existing skills. Reading books that are too difficult, an over-emphasis on cutting and sticking activities and too little intervention by adults occasionally hamper the potentially good

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching means that children develop good counting skills. • Practical activities engage children’s interest well, but sometimes opportunities to extend children’s mathematical language are missed. • Children with special educational needs do well because their activities are carefully adapted and staff provide very good support St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 24

p.23

Commentary

41. Mathematical activities are very well planned and structured with fun activities that children enjoy as they successfully build their skills. Counting activities linked to their investigations of frogs and flowers provide a good spur in the nursery where children join in enthusiastically. Their mathematical skills are sometimes above those expected for their age. The teacher’s challenging questions help them make very good progress in counting on from different numbers and adding one and two more. Teachers in both classes are interested in what children have to say, fostering their curiosity very well so they confidently ask ‘why?’ and other questions. Because staff transmit their own enthusiasm so well in lively, well-managed introductions, children are very keen to learn. This enables children in the reception class to develop a sound awareness of ordering numbers that later helps them sequence a set of pictures and create a wheel

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Commentary

to illustrate the stages of a flower’s growth. Their skills in counting on in twos and fives were effectively developed by the teacher’s good use of a doll, which captured children’s interest so that they quickly saw when she missed a number as she counted. 42. Whilst children enjoy and concentrate well on these kinds of practical activities, teachers do not always challenge the more able children as well as they might, particularly when cutting and sticking is time consuming. In spite of good teaching, learning and achievement in this area, children in the reception class still find it hard to explain using mathematical language, and their recording skills are relatively underdeveloped. More could be done to intervene as children work at the activities to provide the extra repetition and practice they clearly need in developing their mathematical language and recording skills. Very good support from knowledgeable

p.24

Commentary

staff and carefully adapted activities ensure that children with special educational needs achieve very well. Particularly good use of large-scale resources and physical activities using the playground ensure that these children do very well in the reception class.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is an exciting range of activities through which children develop good knowledge and understanding and observational skills.

p.24

Commentary

43. Children achieve very well and are on course to reach the expected levels of attainment due to very good teaching in this area. This area of learning is a strength in both classes where staff are particularly good at bringing nature into the classroom environment. Children show high levels of interest and curiosity in the impressive collection of tadpoles, caterpillars and plants on display in each classroom. The nursery newsletter generates a good partnership with parents and carers who sometimes provide extra resources like a collection of woodlice that fascinate children. Staff use an imaginative range of teaching strategies, like role-play, very effectively so that children have a very good knowledge of the stages of growth and life-cycles of plants and creatures. For example, children in the nursery enjoyed watching as others took on the roles of eggs, acting out their development as they hatched into

p.24

Commentary

caterpillars. High expectations by the teacher in introducing and using the right technical language mean children are ambitious in their use of words in their own St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 25 explanations. Very good questioning and use of resources in activities like making a cocoon give them a deep understanding of its features and how it sticks to a plant. Very good use of a walk in the area around the school prompted children in the reception class to draw simple maps and identify the different types of building and features they had noticed. Occasionally, children in the reception class find it hard to explain what they clearly know. This has rightly been identified as an area for development by the school.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Outdoor play in the nursery is well planned so that children can explore space imaginatively. • The lack of a designated outdoor area limits opportunities for physical development for children in the reception class.

p.25

Commentary

44. Children get off to a good start in their physical development in the nursery. Facilities for outdoor play are good and used imaginatively. Teaching is good and activities are well planned and supervised with the result that children achieve well. Children learn to ride wheeled toys and to climb with confidence and good control. Very good teaching in sessions in the school hall develops the children’s skills in gymnastics well. Children balance, jump and land confidently when travelling on equipment. However, in spite of sound teaching, children’s achievements slow in the reception class where there is no designated and secure outdoor area. Staff make good use of the playground, but the large space has severe limitations. Because of this, staff tend to over-direct activities with lengthy explanations and instructions that slow the pace of learning in aspects like developing control of balls and beanbags and other small equipment. This means that

p.25

Commentary

children do not securely reach the goals for their age in their physical development. In both classes, there are good opportunities that enable children to develop sound skills in handling tools like scissors and paintbrushes.

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of resources when providing activities that present imaginative opportunities for role-play. • On some occasions staff do not intervene enough to spur children on in developing their creativity.

p.25

Commentary

45. Most children are on course to reach the goals for their age by the time they leave the reception year. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. There are well-resourced areas in both classes where children can act out parts in their play activities. In the ‘veterinary surgery’ in the reception class children act as receptionists or vets, using the x-ray machine and equipment like bandages to treat a range of pets. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 26 This adds much to their knowledge and understanding of the different jobs people do, as well as enabling them to be imaginative and creative in their play. Occasionally they lose interest and their play stagnates when they run out of new ideas. This noticeably improves when staff join them and prompt them to extend their play with questions and suggestions. Children’s creative work enhances both teaching areas and they proudly show their flower paintings, patterns and other works of art. Sometimes their work

p.25

Commentary

lacks sufficient detail and they are not as creative as they might be when staff are not around to encourage them.

p.26

ENGLISH

• Teaching of English is very good across the school and is particularly strong in Years 5 and 6. • Achievement in reading is very good across the school. • Standards in writing are below average in Years 1 and 2. • Literacy is used well to support other areas of the curriculum. • Very strong subject leadership has quickly and effectively identified what the school needs to do to raise standards further.

p.26

Commentary

46. Pupils enter the school with skills that are below average overall, particularly in writing. In Years 1 and 2 there is a larger than usual proportion of low attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Pupils in these years make good progress because of the effective teaching and are currently attaining standards in reading that are above average, but standards in writing are below average. Throughout Years 3 to 6 pupils make very good progress, particularly in Years 5 and 6, and by Year 6 standards are well above average in reading and writing. This represents very good achievement.

p.26

Commentary

47. Reading is taught very well across the school. Reading resources have recently been increased and improved. There is now a much wider variety of reading books that appeal to all pupils and these are well used by teachers to improve reading skills. An attractive and well-resourced library is well used by all pupils. Paired reading supports and motivates pupils. Older pupils regularly work with younger pupils at break-times to help them improve their reading. Reading homework is very well organised and done by the vast majority of pupils. Parents have received training from the school to help them support their children’s reading at home and this is very effective. Well-trained teaching assistants give very good support in reading to all pupils, but especially to those who have special educational needs. Teachers know their pupils well and set challenging targets, especially in Years 5 and 6. Older pupils are encouraged to read

p.26

Commentary

and understand a wide variety of stimulating texts that are appropriate to their level. The work of a wide variety of children’s authors is shared and discussed and is made more meaningful by the visits of real authors and poets to talk about their work.

p.26

Commentary

48. The teaching of writing is very good overall and has recently improved because of the many initiatives the school has taken to raise standards in writing. Standards are rising, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Writing skills are developed and consolidated very St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 27 effectively through other subjects in the curriculum, particularly in history and science where imaginative teaching uses diaries, presentation of arguments and explanatory texts to develop the pupils’ ability to target a particular audience and adapt the style appropriately. This particularly benefits higher attaining pupils who, as a result, achieve at the higher levels. Throughout the school, teachers generally plan work well to take account of the pupils’ abilities and there is very good use of skilled and effective teaching assistants to support the learning of less able pupils in small groups. However, the achievement of higher attainers is a relative weakness in Years 1 and 2

p.26

Commentary

where an overuse of worksheets sometimes limits the creativity of the more capable pupils.

p.27

Commentary

49. Because of their very good behaviour and attitudes, and the very good relationships that exist across the school, the vast majority of pupils listen very well to their teachers and one another. However, speaking skills are below average in Years 1 and 2. This often slows the pace of lessons where pupils sometimes struggle to express themselves while the teacher and the class wait patiently for the answer. Because this has been identified as an issue, teachers, especially in Years 3 to 6, make effective use of partner work in speaking and listening. They also use role-play and drama very effectively. However, the school recognises that there is still a need for a much greater emphasis on this aspect of English to be taught systematically across the school in order to raise standards in speaking and listening, which will lead on to more fluent and articulate writing.

p.27

Commentary

50. Leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator has a very high level of personal expertise, which she uses to inspire and support her colleagues. Although she has only recently taken on the leadership of the subject, she has quickly identified areas where an emphasis will be beneficial and has already enabled teachers to raise their skills through carefully planned training and support. The school recognises, for example, that the recent initiative to involve pupils much more in their own target setting, requires putting in place securely across the whole school, to be fully effective. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

51. Literacy skills are used very well across the curriculum. Much of the pupils’ extended writing practice is carried out in other curriculum areas, especially in history. Science and design and technology lessons also provide a good context for writing and are frequently used for writing plans, instructions and results of experiments and evaluations. Effective use is made of ICT. Displays of pupils’ written work are enhanced through the use of skilled word processing and their research skills are developed by the use of the Internet. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 28

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good progress through the school and achieve very well. • Teachers generate a very good climate for learning so that pupils enjoy mathematics and their attitudes to the subject are very good. • The curriculum is very well planned with a strong emphasis on the development of numeracy skills. • Very effective use of support staff enables pupils with special educational needs to make very good progress. • Assessment arrangements are very good but information is not used consistently across the school to set individual short-term targets for pupils. • The subject is very well led and managed.

p.28

Commentary

52. Pupils begin Year 1 with below average abilities and make very good progress throughout the school. By the end of Year 2 they attain standards that are above average and by the end of Year 6 standards are well above average. Higher attaining pupils are suitably challenged and many achieve standards that exceed the expectation for their age. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because of the very good support they are given in lessons. All pupils have good number skills and become adept at solving problems because teachers encourage them to be versatile and thoughtful in their calculations.

p.28

Commentary

53. A significant factor in the pupils achieving so well is the high quality of the teaching and the effective support given to pupils by teaching assistants. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and work is challenging. The pupils’ desire to learn and do well is fostered by the very good relationships in classrooms. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and their explanations are clear and interesting. Mental activity sessions are lively and fast moving so that pupils enjoy the challenge of rapidly responding to questions. Good attention is given to practical problem solving and pupils are positively encouraged to explore different approaches to solving problems and to explain their working out. Good use is made of interactive whiteboards in a number of lessons, which results in pupils participating with a high level of interest. As a result pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to the subject are very good. This impacts

p.28

Commentary

very positively on learning and achievement.

p.28

Commentary

54. The curriculum is very well planned. Teachers work closely together to ensure that pupils cover the whole curriculum thoroughly and that they build firmly on their skills year on year. Close attention is given to developing pupils’ skills in number and applying these to real life problems. Formal assessment procedures are very good and enable pupils’ attainment to be recorded and individual performance to be tracked. An analysis of pupils’ performance in tests is used for identifying gaps in learning in the various aspects of mathematics. The information derived from the analysis of pupils’ attainment is used well to plan intervention for those pupils not achieving as well as expected. However, information is not used consistently to set individual short-term targets for pupils in order that they know how they can improve. This is being piloted in Year 6, but is not yet established in other years.

p.28

Commentary

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 29 55. Subject leadership and management are very good. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the subject are very well organised. The co-ordinator has observed lessons, monitored planning and scrutinised pupils’ work. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 30

p.29

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Mathematics is developed well across the curriculum. Teachers are constantly looking for opportunities where skills learnt in mathematics can be used in other subjects. For example, pupils gather information carefully and use their number skills well to calculate results and then represent information clearly in science. Accurate measurements are an integral part of work in design and technology. In art and design pupils investigate shape in their work based on the art of Kandinsky.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well, particularly in Years 5 and 6, because teaching is very good overall. • Pupils develop good investigational skills and high levels of scientific interest due to the strong and effective emphasis teachers place on this aspect. • Occasionally teachers direct activities too closely, limiting pupils’ independence. • Very good leadership has ensured that teachers have very good levels of expertise and effective systems for assessing pupils’ attainments and progress.

p.30

Commentary

57. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now above average in Year 2 and well above average by Year 6. Most pupils in Year 2 comfortably reach the levels expected for their age, and a significant number exceed them. Standards in Year 6 are significantly boosted by the very high percentage, over half the pupils, who are on course to reach the higher Level 5. This is a similar picture to last year when two thirds of pupils reached the higher levels in national tests. This represents very good achievement overall.

p.30

Commentary

58. Pupils develop a good knowledge and understanding of science topics due to very good teaching, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Teachers cover topics thoroughly with clear explanations, well-planned activities and very effective discussions. Their questions challenge pupils to think hard, to link knowledge in different aspects of the subject and to question why things happen. Pupils work very hard in response to teachers’ high expectations of behaviour and lively rapport. Lessons move at a fast pace ensuring that pupils concentrate and behave very well. Teachers are well aware of the different abilities in their class. For example, in Year 2 the most able pupils developed a very good appreciation of how to ensure a fair test when set this as an extra challenge as they investigated the best surface for teddy’s slide. Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is very challenging. Effective use of role-play in Year 5, where the

p.30

Commentary

teacher blocked out the light by standing close to a pupil, crystallised for pupils the impact of overcrowding on growing plants. Her skilled questioning led one pupil to use her knowledge of cherries and suggest that their seeds would be easily dispersed because animals were attracted by their “bright colour, juicy taste and were easy to eat”.

p.30

Commentary

59. Pupils have very good levels of interest and confidence because there is a very strong emphasis on teaching science through investigations and their skills are well established. For example, pupils rose very well to the challenge set by their teacher in an excellent lesson in Year 6. They organised their groups and shared ideas about St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 31 what would be the best way to separate a mixture of sand, salt and iron filings so that each material could be returned to the right place. They very quickly realised the different properties of each and organised a series of separation methods using their knowledge of processes like magnetism, filtration and dissolving. Sometimes, when teachers direct activities like investigations too closely or prescribe the format of reports too much, for instance with worksheets, pupils do not make as much progress as they might. This hampers them in developing and using their initiative in deciding

p.30

Commentary

how to run their experiments and record their findings.

p.31

Commentary

60. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. The experienced co- ordinator recently left to take up a new post and the headteacher has taken on the role temporarily. The subject is very well placed, however, because teachers have benefited from strong leadership and support that has ensured they have very good levels of expertise and confidence in teaching science. The effective and well- established systems for assessing pupils’ attainments and checking on their progress mean that the school has a very good overview of standards and where developments are needed. There are currently too few opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills when organising and reporting the findings of their investigations. The school has already identified this, however, and action is planned.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Very effective guidance is in place to support the non-specialist teacher. • There has been a great input of new resources. • In-service training has raised the skills and confidence of teachers. • There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use ICT in some subjects. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good.

p.31

Commentary

61. Throughout the school, standards in ICT are average compared to those expected nationally. All pupils make good progress and achieve well because of a very well planned and organised curriculum, which takes account of national guidance, and increasingly skilled teaching.

p.31

Commentary

62. By Year 2 pupils’ show reasonable skills in controlling the mouse and knowledge of the keyboard when using programs to support their work in mathematics. They change the font and embolden and highlight text in their work in literacy. They confidently use a drawing program to create their own designs in the style of Mondrian, using tools such as on-screen brushes and rubbers to achieve the desired effect.

p.31

Commentary

63. In Years 3 to 6 pupils’ word-processing skills are generally good and they draft and redraft their written work well. However, not enough use is made of spreadsheets to gather and manipulate data and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use control technology. Reasonable use is made of the Internet to search for information.

p.31

Commentary

64. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection. Resources are now good and the skilled expertise of some teachers has been shared across the school so that all teachers are now much more confident in teaching ICT. They use a St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 32 well-structured scheme to ensure there is a good development of skills as pupils progress through the school.

p.31

Commentary

65. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and manages the subject well. She has provided many opportunities for training. There is very effective subject guidance and procedures to monitor pupils’ progress are being developed. Both hardware and software have greatly improved. The co-ordinator is also developing very useful links with local high schools to provide opportunities for pupils to benefit from specialist teaching.

p.32

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. Throughout the school, presentations of pupils’ work in literacy are enhanced by the use of ICT, but there is insufficient use in subjects such as mathematics and science. The Internet is used well to support personal research work in history and geography. Across the school pupils use word processing well and produce attractive high quality work, particularly in poetry. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 33

p.32

HUMANITIES

67. Only one lesson was seen in geography and no lessons were observed in history. It is therefore not possible to judge the quality of provision. Inspectors had discussions with pupils, and looked at teachers’ planning and samples of pupils’ current work.

p.33

HUMANITIES

68. In the one geography lesson seen, teaching was satisfactory. The evidence from pupils’ work on display and in their books shows that pupils have very good attitudes to the subject and present their work neatly and carefully. Throughout the school pupils cover a suitable range of topics and by Year 6 standards are around average for pupils of this age and achievement is good. Pupils in Year 1 develop a reasonable understanding of the area in which they live and draw maps showing their route to school using suitable notation for pupils of this age. Pupils in Year 4 have a good understanding of life in India and compare it to their own experiences of life in England. Year 6 pupils have a sound understanding of the features of rivers and the water cycle and make good use of atlases.

p.33

HUMANITIES

69. In history , pupils’ work is well presented and shows that they have very good attitudes to the subject. Work on display and in pupils’ books indicates that the subject receives good attention and that standards are at least average throughout the school. Evidence indicates that the subject is taught with enthusiasm and pupils’ interest is stimulated well. The effective use of written tasks in some classes challenges pupils to think hard about the facts they learn. Year 2 pupils’ writing of a postcard from Scutari to home and a diary of a nurse challenges them to reflect what life was like for Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. This deepens their appreciation of life in the past, and they show good interpretation skills. Pupils in Year 3 show a good knowledge of Roman times in their accounts of the Roman invasion of Britain seen from the perspective of a soldier. The standard of pupils’ written work in Years 5 and 6 is very

p.33

HUMANITIES

good. Year 6 pupils’ writing about their lives in the role of a poor merchant in Tudor times shows good use of research skills and effectively develops links with literacy. Displays are of good quality and show that history has a high profile in the school. The curriculum is enriched through visits that bring history ‘alive’ for pupils. There are also many visitors to the school. These experiences and the emphasis on historical enquiry skills enhance pupils’ learning and contribute effectively to their social, moral and cultural development. Pupils research their topics on the Internet and record some of their work using their word-processing skills.

p.33

HUMANITIES

70. Leadership and management of both subjects are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to observe teaching, but she monitors teachers’ planning and this has given her a reasonable understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the subjects. Timetabling arrangements show that the subjects are now given due attention and teachers’ planning has improved as a result of the clear guidance which has been produced. These are improvements since the last inspection.

p.33

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. Three lessons were observed in physical education and one lesson was seen in art and design. No lessons were seen in design and technology or music. Each of these four subjects was sampled.

p.33

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. There is plenty of evidence around the school to show that art and design makes a very good contribution to the ethos of the school. Work on display shows that good attention is given to the subject and pupils’ skills are progressively developed St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 34 throughout the school. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a wide range of techniques and media including pencils, crayons, paint and fabric. Their observational and design skills develop satisfactorily over the two years. These skills continue to be developed progressively through Years 3 to 6 and by the end of Year 6 pupils’ artwork is of a good quality and indicates that standards are above average and pupils’ achievement is good.

p.33

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. Teachers make good use of the work of famous artists. In a Year 6 lesson, the teacher made good use of prints of Lowry’s work to develop pupils’ observation skills. His clear explanations and comments successfully focused pupils’ attention on the main features of the work. Pupils enjoyed the task and made effective use of pastels to produce work showing good use of colour, shade and tone. Similarly, in a lesson with Year 2, again based on the work of Lowry, pupils used charcoal very effectively to produce their pictures of matchstick men and dogs and cats.

p.34

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Work in art and design is often successfully linked with other subjects. For example, in their work in science, Year 5 pupils have produced very detailed, high quality sketches of flowers, showing very good use of line, tone and shade. In history, the paintings of pupils in Year 2 show good use of colour to graphically depict the Fire of London. Good use is made of ICT; for example, the pictures of houses created by pupils in Year 1 using the Dazzle program are bright and colourful.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The two co-ordinators have a clear view of areas for development and there are plans to further develop the skills of staff in workshops run by the local authority adviser.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. In design and technology , evidence indicates that pupils learn well and that their skills in designing, making and evaluating their work are good. Teachers’ planning and discussions with the subject co-ordinator and pupils indicate that the curriculum is well planned. Good use is made of national guidance and pupils cover a wide range of topics. They have very good attitudes, enjoy the subject, and show a reasonable understanding of the designing and making process. Good links are made with other subjects such as literacy when pupils design and make various food packaging. The pupils also speak enthusiastically about the food technology work they have covered and about designing and testing bridges to support their work in science.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. In music , the standard of singing observed in assemblies and hymn practices, when good use is made of taped music, was above average. Pupils sing tunefully and expressively. At times the sensitive way pupils interpret the lyrics can be very moving. The school choir, which is open to all pupils, has taken part successfully in local musical productions. Pupils have access to specialist music tuition in a range of instruments. There is no music specialist on the staff, but teachers plan their work using a commercial scheme to ensure that pupils have satisfactory opportunities in music. The co-ordinator is a non-specialist but firmly committed to good music provision and she promotes the subject well.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In physical education in the three lessons observed teaching was very good and there was a clear indication that standards are above those expected for pupils of primary school age. Teachers have a very good understanding of the subject and lessons are interesting and fast moving so that pupils are made to work hard and put a great deal of effort into their activities. Due emphasis is given to ensuring that pupils warm up at the start of the lesson and cool down at the end. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 participated enthusiastically in a hockey session and showed above average skills St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 35 when controlling a ball to dribble through an obstacle course. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 showed great enthusiasm when throwing and catching a ball with their partner in a lesson focusing on cricket skills. The teacher’s good modelling of the correct way to throw and catch the ball and his enthusiasm for the subject resulted in pupils showing

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

very good skills. In a Year 5 gymnastics lesson, pupils showed very good control when creating sequences of balances and jumps. The teacher gave close attention to safety, and the importance of head position and landing on feet together, when carrying out a star jump. Her demonstration so impressed the pupils that they burst into spontaneous applause at her efforts. Pupils were consequently highly motivated to improve their own performance. In all the lessons observed pupils showed great enthusiasm for the subject and their achievement was very good.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Planning shows that all elements of National Curriculum physical education are taught. Involvement in the Bury Primary Schools Sports Initiative and good use of coaches from the local leisure centre successfully develops pupils’ skills in rugby, football and athletics. The school’s teams in football, cricket, netball, rounders, swimming and athletics are very successful in competitive games with local schools. A gymnastics club for Year 5 pupils is well attended and a range of outdoor activities is covered in a residential visit for pupils in Years 5 and 6. By the time they leave the school virtually all pupils are able to swim the nationally expected 25 metres.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. The subject is led and managed well. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and works hard to develop the skills and confidence of other staff in order to improve provision for pupils. His very good awareness of the areas for development is reflected in the well- drafted action plan, which he is implementing successfully.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

81. This area was sampled, as no lessons were seen and so no overall judgement can be made on teaching or provision. However, it is obvious from other evidence that this aspect of learning is a central feature of the work of the school and is taught very well. The ethos of the school promotes pupils’ personal development, their respect for each other and their social development very well. All staff are good role models for this aspect of pupils’ learning. Teachers develop very good relationships with pupils and lessons are orderly, with pupils showing very good attitudes to their learning. Pupils benefit from regular lessons dedicated to their personal, social and health education, during which they are given the opportunity to discuss their feelings and examine specific issues to develop their understanding of right and wrong. Circle time 1 sessions enable pupils to examine relationships and develop their awareness of the needs of

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

others. Careful attention is given to developing pupils’ awareness of the value of a good diet, sex and drugs education and personal health and safety. Pupils are given opportunities to express their views, and this develops their confidence and sense of responsibility. The members of the school council take their responsibilities very seriously and make positive suggestions about how to improve the school. These views are given close attention by the school and pupils are consequently developing a good awareness of the democratic process. Throughout the school pupils are given a range of responsibilities and older pupils show a caring approach for younger pupils. Pupils collect for a number of charities.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

1 A time when pupils sit together in a circle and discuss issues and concerns. St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 36

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (Ethos) 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 37 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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