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- The ethos of the school is very positive, contributing very effectively to the quality of education that pupils receive, the very good relationships and the excellent ways in which the school ensures that all pupils are included in all activities. p.6
- The vast majority of pupils respond very well to these demands and enjoy being well behaved and the positive ethos that pervades the school. p.13
- This motivates the pupils very well so that they enjoy lessons and make good progress. p.14
- The simple but very effective use of a hand-held recording machine included all children very well by enabling them to repeat the cry: ‘Mouse! p.21
- All pupils, including those with additional special educational needs, make particularly good progress in developing speaking and listening skills through the very effective speaking and listening therapy programme. p.25
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- The most important things the school should do to improve are: St Luke’s Primary - 8 p.7
- Ensure that ICT is used to greater effect to support both teaching and learning within lessons. p.7
- Develop the skills of staff in the management of difficult or inappropriate behaviour and ensure that there is a consistent approach. p.7
- Ensure that the school implements its newly prepared plan concerning the monitoring of teaching by observation of lessons. p.7
- The achievement of pupils is good overall. p.9
- The achievement of the children in the nursery and reception classes is very good. p.9
- All children and pupils have learning difficulties that range from moderate to profound and multiple, and there is a large proportion who have ASD. p.9
- The excellence of inclusion means that pupils with PMLD and ASD achieve as well as others. p.9
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- Pages
- 38
- Words of findings
- 15,826
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
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- Hard
- Flesch 49, typical 45
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- 18 words
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- 8
- typical 5
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Full report text
ST LUKE’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Luke’s Primary - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.
p.1
ST LUKE’S 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 Luke’s Primary - 3
p.2
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: Special School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-11 yrs Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 105
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Grange Lane North Scunthorpe Postcode: DN16 1BN
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Telephone number: 01724 844560 Fax number: 01724 747740
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Cllr Mrs Frances Delaney
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: This is the first inspection.
p.3
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
St Luke’s Primary school is a day special school for pupils with moderate, severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties. Approximately a quarter of the pupils have autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). There are 79 boys and 26 girls on the school roll – this includes 17 part time children in the foundation group. There is the full time equivalent of 97 pupils in the school. Five pupils are of Asian or Asian British ethnicity, three pupils of other mixed ethnic background and the rest are White British. There are four pupils for whom English is an additional language. Seven pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission. The school has recently been subject to reorganisation and is newly established in a new building and has a new designation. Parents come from a wide range of socio- economic circumstances, which are average overall. The attainment levels of the children
p.3
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
and pupils are very low because of their learning difficulties. The school has achieved the FA Charter standard for schools and has also received an ‘Activemark’ Gold Award. The school has moved recently and now occupies a site which is in relative infancy and is still becoming established. It is situated on the south-eastern edge of the industrial area of Scunthorpe. St Luke’s Primary - 4
p.3
Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities
21061 Mr M G Whitehead Lead inspector Science, art and design, design and technology, music, physical education, English as an additional language. 32655 Mr J Bostock Lay inspector 8798 Mr D Maxwell Team inspector Foundation stage, mathematics. 28106 Ms M Majid Team inspector English, information and communication technology, citizenship, geography, history, religious education, special educational needs.
p.4
Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities
Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU
p.4
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 Luke’s Primary - 5
p.4
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9
Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects
p.5
STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities
p.5
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
p.5
OVERALL EVALUATION
St Luke’s Primary School is a good school in which all pupils receive a good standard of education. Teaching is good and in many cases very good, pupils learn well and receive a good standard of support and guidance from all staff. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and the school is well managed. The school provides good value for money . This is the first inspection of the school in its current form.
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
• The headteacher and senior management team provide very good leadership and the teamwork of the staff is excellent. • The quality of teaching throughout the school is good although information and communication technology (ICT) is not always used sufficiently to support teaching and learning. • Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is excellent. • The school has very positive relationships with other schools and provides a very good outreach service to schools within the community. • The highlights of the good curriculum are the MOVE programme and the provision for pupils with ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) and PMLD (profound and multiple learning difficulties). • The ethos of the school is very positive, contributing very effectively to the quality of education that pupils receive, the very good relationships and the excellent ways in which the school ensures that all pupils are included in all activities.
p.6
OVERALL EVALUATION
• Parents and pupils value the school very highly. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour become very good overall as they pass through the school but there is need for more development of staff’s skills in the management of behaviour in order to meet the increasing demands of a small number of pupils who have specific behavioural difficulties. • There is insufficient monitoring of teaching by co-ordinators to enable best practice to be shared by all.
p.6
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 Very good Year 6 good Very good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.
p.6
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
Pupils’ achievement is good overall. It is inappropriate to make any comparison of standards in subjects to national averages. However, achievement in English, mathematics and science is good across the school. Achievement in music, physical education and art and design is very good. Achievement in ICT is satisfactory. Achievement in the foundation stage is very good. St Luke’s Primary - 7 Pupils ’ personal qualities are very good . Teachers encourage pupils and consequently they largely behave very well. This allows lessons to proceed in an orderly and constructive manner. Pupils clearly enjoy coming to school and participate well in all activities. The attendance figures are below the national average but, taking account of the medical need of many of the pupils and the frequent visits to doctors and hospitals, attendance is good . Many pupils form good relationships with each other and, if they are able, they help each
p.6
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
other in class and around the school. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good overall, with strengths in moral and social development. There is a very small amount of inappropriate behaviour, which reflects the particular special needs of some pupils. This is a difficulty of which the school is fully aware, and it is working towards a resolution. QUALITY OF EDUCATION
p.7
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
The school provides a good quality of education for all its pupils. There is a very good ethos within the school and the procedures to ensure that all pupils are fully included are excellent. Teaching is good overall, often very good as in the nursery and reception, and occasionally excellent. This good quality of teaching enables pupils to learn consistently well regardless of their individual special needs. The teachers ensure that all experiences are totally inclusive for all pupils. The curriculum is good for pupils throughout the school. There are good enrichment opportunities and activities for pupils within and after the school day. Teachers and learning support assistants are sufficient in number, well qualified and very well matched to the curriculum. ICT is not used sufficiently to support teachers and help pupils during lessons. The accommodation is very good and resources are good . Relationships between pupils and staff are very good as a result of the school’s caring
p.7
STANDARDS ACHIEVED
ethos and the caring examples set by teachers. The school clearly identifies pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties and works effectively with them overall, though this is an area where there is still room for development. There are thorough and comprehensive arrangements for maintaining the care and welfare of pupils, which include the services of a wide range of medical professionals. Health and safety issues are reviewed regularly and there is systematic risk assessment, staff training and maintenance of equipment. Pupils’ opinions are valued by the school.
p.7
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
The leadership and management of the school are very good overall. The governance of the school is good as the governing body work effectively in support of the school. The headteacher and senior management provide very good leadership, which has resulted in the very successful opening of the new school. The school has established very good procedures to support and promote pupils’ personal and academic development. The leadership of subjects by co-ordinators is good overall, but the routine monitoring of teaching has yet to be fully implemented, even though it is planned for the future and does already take place in English. Leadership and management of the foundation stage are very good. The governing body ensure that all statutory requirements are met.
p.7
PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
Parents are very supportive of the school. Parents and pupils feel that the school is very good and the pupils clearly enjoy coming to school.
p.7
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
The most important things the school should do to improve are: St Luke’s Primary - 8 • Ensure that ICT is used to greater effect to support both teaching and learning within lessons. • Develop the skills of staff in the management of difficult or inappropriate behaviour and ensure that there is a consistent approach. • Ensure that the school implements its newly prepared plan concerning the monitoring of teaching by observation of lessons. St Luke’s Primary - 9
p.7
Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects
The achievement of pupils is good overall. The achievement of the children in the nursery and reception classes is very good. All children and pupils have learning difficulties that range from moderate to profound and multiple, and there is a large proportion who have ASD.
p.9
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The achievement of all pupils is good. • The excellence of inclusion means that pupils with PMLD and ASD achieve as well as others.
p.9
Commentary
1. When children join the foundation stage classes they have often very low levels of attainment and present very significant learning difficulties. Pupils who join the school in Years 1 to 6 also have low and sometimes very low attainment levels because of their special educational needs. In this report it would be inappropriate to make judgements concerning attainment by comparing with the national average. The focus of the report is therefore on the achievement and progress made by the children and pupils, taking account of their own abilities and their individual targets.
p.9
Commentary
2. The school is extremely effective in making sure that every pupil is fully involved in all appropriate activities. This is regardless of age, ability, gender or learning difficulty. Teachers and teaching assistants provide excellent levels of care for all pupils, which ensures that they are able to enjoy the full curriculum and all other activities in the school. It is because of this care and teaching that the children who join the nursery and reception classes become used to the routines and expectations very quickly and achieve very well. This forms a very secure foundation on which to build when they progress into the Year 1 class. The curriculum is broad, balanced and appropriate to the needs of the pupils and is presented in ways that are appealing to the pupils.
p.9
Commentary
3. The overall good teaching that pupils receive ensures that the pupils achieve well in most subjects and achieve very well in some, such as music, physical education and art and design. Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve equally as well as other pupils and there is support given to these pupils as they develop skill in communication in English as well as their native language. The teachers are successful in motivating the pupils well and it is clear that the pupils enjoy learning.
p.9
Commentary
4. The standard national tests are inappropriate for these pupils and the school has, quite rightly, chosen to carry out their own assessment of pupils’ progress using modified national ‘P’ scales as their benchmark. Achievement is satisfactory in ICT. Achievement in English, mathematics science and religious education is good. The school’s Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) programme is very effective and contributes greatly to the inclusive nature of the school.
p.9
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities
St Luke’s Primary - 10 Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour are very good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall . Attendance is good.
p.10
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and participate well in activities. • Good attendance enables pupils to benefit well from teaching. • The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal development - although cultural development is the least well developed area. • Those pupils who are sufficiently aware of others form good relationships.
p.10
Commentary
5. Pupils arrive at school happy, enthusiastic and ready to settle down to their activities. They are often keen to be involved, concentrate and contribute in lessons, co-operate in team activities and work hard individually. During the inspection they enjoyed working with students from a local college of further education and learned about their eating patterns and which were the healthier options. These positive attitudes enable them to benefit well from lessons.
p.10
Commentary
6. The most able pupils begin to take responsibility, helping not only themselves but also others, by carrying messages to and from their classrooms to the office. Often these concern the needs of the class, for example, more biscuits for the morning break time. In these situations the office staff work extremely well with the teachers and pupils in encouraging communication by spoken word and by signing.
p.10
Commentary
7. Although attendance is below national average levels, many pupils have appointments that necessitate their being away from school. During the spring term the figures improved to match those nationally. Pupils are keen to attend and most of them look forward to coming to school. The school has good arrangements to advise parents about the importance of attendance and procedures to follow where this is not possible. Unexpected absence is carefully checked and good use is made of the Education Welfare Service on the rare occasions when it is necessary.
p.10
Commentary
Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2003 – 2004 (%)
p.10
Commentary
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.4 School data 0.1 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
p.10
Commentary
8. There were no exclusions last year and this year only one pupil has been excluded (justifiably) as a last resort for two very short periods.
p.10
Commentary
9. The school develops pupils‘ knowledge about social, moral, and spiritual matters very well. Spirituality is particularly well developed in religious education and personal, social and health education. Pupils feel comfortable in their immediate school community and progressively acquire social skills as they move through the school. They meet wider social groups through a well-structured programme of visits and also from visitors to the school. There are many stimuli about moral issues and pupils are frequently gently, but firmly, reminded about rules of behaviour, and treating people St Luke’s Primary - 11 with care and “niceness”. Pupils have a clear understanding about right and wrong. Several churches are visited to enrich pupils‘ spiritual knowledge and clergy hold assemblies. During a Year 4-5 music lesson the teacher leading the session was extremely successful in engaging all pupils as they sang from the ‘St Luke’s School
p.10
Commentary
Song Book’. This was indeed an awesome experience for them. Pupils’ cultural awareness is broadened by the opportunities they have to listen to music and play percussion instruments from different regions of the world. Whilst satisfactory, the school recognises the need to further develop pupils‘ awareness of life in a multicultural society, and culture in general.
p.11
Commentary
10. The school council has recently started and is beginning to provide a useful outlet for pupils‘ ideas and opinions, which many of them are keen to have recognised. Discussions have led to requests for more lunchtime games and changed lunchtime arrangements, and the school has responded to these. Several charities benefit from pupils‘ efforts and opportunities to show responsibility are also taken up enthusiastically.
p.11
Commentary
11. Pupils behave very well in lessons and at play. There are a few pupils who could control their behaviour better but fail to meet the high standards of behaviour expected by teachers. There is no evidence of bullying or racist behaviour although a small number of pupils do “wind up” others. Teachers and teaching assistants are continually alert for any issues and very quickly sort them out. Parents are very pleased with the school’s control of these risks.
p.11
Commentary
12. Those pupils who are sufficiently aware of their surroundings form good relationships with other pupils. They chat amicably while painting and share the brushes and pots well. They play energetically in teams, supporting each other’s efforts and trying their best for the group.
p.11
QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL
St Luke’s Primary School provides a good standard of education for all pupils and children. The good teaching enables all pupils to make good progress and achieve well. The school provides a good curriculum for its pupils and the quality of care and welfare is excellent. There are also very good links with parents, the community and other schools and colleges.
p.11
Teaching and learning
The quality of teaching is good overall. Teaching in the foundation stage is very good. Pupils learn well and assessment procedures are good.
p.11
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Teachers and teaching assistants have a very good understanding of the subjects they teach. • The promotion of equality of opportunity in class is excellent. • Teachers and their assistants are very skilled in encouraging and engaging the pupils in the lessons. • The provision for pupils with additional special educational needs is very good. St Luke’s Primary - 12 • There is very great insistence on high standards of behaviour; however, the difficulties presented by a small number of pupils with particular needs are not managed as effectively as they could be.
p.11
Commentary
13. Pupils learn well in lessons because the teachers are very secure in the knowledge of the subjects they teach. Teachers have a very good understanding of the individual needs of the pupils, which helps them to make sure that the questions they ask and the demands they make are appropriate. The work is sufficiently challenging to motivate pupils well and yet not so difficult that it would demoralise them. Very good teaching was seen in music when a group of pupils with severe ASD responded very well to the guitar playing and singing of the teacher. Although several pupils had great difficulty in verbalising their responses, the few words that they sang and their squeals of delight were a clear indication of their understanding and the very good achievement being made. The quality of teaching in the foundation stage is also very good and the children settle very quickly into a routine that enables them to learn very well.
p.12
Commentary
14. The promotion of equality of opportunity is a major strength of the school. This is illustrated through the MOVE programme. This is very effective as it enables non- ambulant pupils to move around the classrooms, corridors and play areas. Pupils have tailor-made ‘pacers’ which give them mobility and allow them to move around the room at will and investigate materials and displays around the school. This is also very effective in increasing self-confidence and some independence. As a result of the MOVE programme, all pupils are able to access all parts of the building. Both ambulant and non-ambulant pupils can make their own way to lunch or to the playground, with the teacher’s permission of course. This also gives pupils the opportunity to make choices about where to go and who they wish to be near. Some pupils in their pacers make wrong choices about where to go and they are corrected by the staff, just like
p.12
Commentary
any other pupil. The inclusion of all pupils does not only apply to movement and access to different areas of the school, but also to access to all areas of study and subjects of the curriculum. Regardless of age, aptitude, ability or difficulty, pupils are treated, valued and respected equally.
p.12
Commentary
15. There are four pupils for whom English is an additional language and who are at an early stage of language acquisition. The needs of these pupils are met equally as well as other pupils within the school. Adults form the Bilingual Support Service assist, when necessary, to help pupils and parents to understand the new learning situations. This is another of the ways in which the school ensures that all pupils are fully included in lessons.
p.12
Commentary
16. In all lessons teachers and teaching assistants work very well together and in support of the pupils. They work in harmony and provide a great deal of encouragement for all pupils. Some pupils have great difficulty with the finer movement of their hands, for example, when producing a papier maché model or working with clay. In these situations, as elsewhere, teachers and teaching assistants show infinite patience and understanding. During one science lesson the teacher and teaching assistant worked very effectively with the pupils to create a questionnaire concerning caring for pets. Pupils’ responses were skilfully rearranged into appropriate questions to ask a member of the public when she visited with her dog.
p.12
Commentary
17. The provision for pupils with additional special educational needs is very good and is a strength of the school. The school follows the provisions on the statements and these St Luke’s Primary - 13 are reviewed in accordance with statutory requirements, with targets being reviewed and new ones set. There are classes for pupils with ASD and PMLD and the curriculum is geared so that they can achieve as well as possible in relation to the needs. Both areas are extremely well managed by the two assistant headteachers. Although no pupils have a statement for emotional and behavioural difficulties, the school recognises that there are pupils with specific behavioural problems and has organised an afternoon activity group to support their progress. This is beginning to have a positive effect upon their behaviour.
p.12
Commentary
18. The teacher of pupils with ASD has provided an extremely well organised and impressive environment where these pupils have an opportunity to make progress. Very good care and support is given both by the teacher and the teaching assistants. The pupils, whose difficulties are too severe to be taught successfully in their generic class, have a structured timetable using symbols as a main form of imparting information and enabling communication. The teacher makes impressive efforts to enable these pupils to be part of normal social activities and through consultation with parents, there is a highly successful and very well organised weekly shopping trip to a local supermarket. Pupils are given the opportunity to join the other classes when appropriate, for example, for music and assemblies, lunchtimes and outside play.
p.13
Commentary
19. Pupils with PMLD have a safe and high quality environment where they are encouraged to achieve as much as possible. The staff aim to maintain a constant overview of progress, to keep abreast of current research and to liaise with external agencies and parents. Considerable importance is placed on pupils achieving some independence by improved mobility and the school uses the MOVE programme very successfully. Pupils also are helped with their social and communication skills and there is a very good programme of ICT to support cause and effect learning. Pupils also benefit from regular use of the studio, where they experience a multi-sensory programme where they take part in a journey into space, experiencing sounds, smells, movement, music and tactile objects. The care and support of these pupils is very good.
p.13
Commentary
20. Throughout the school and at all times there is insistence on high standards of behaviour. The vast majority of pupils respond very well to these demands and enjoy being well behaved and the positive ethos that pervades the school. When pupils arrive at school they enter the school with a smile on their face and a polite greeting on their lips. Some pupils who are unable to speak will use simple signing to say hello to staff and visitors. The school has detailed procedures for the assessment of pupils’ achievement and these are based on the national ‘P’ scales, which in some cases have been modified to meet the individual needs of pupils with PMLD. These are used effectively to monitor the achievement and progress that pupils make and also to guide the lesson planning for the future. These procedures ensure that pupils learn well, each at his or her own pace, and enjoy the process. There are, however, some pupils
p.13
Commentary
who present significant emotional and behavioural difficulties and there are times when the management of this inappropriate behaviour is not as effective as it could be. This is an area where there is room for professional development for the staff to give them the skills to manage this behaviour more effectively.
p.13
Commentary
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 56 lessons
p.13
Commentary
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 3 (5%) 22 (39%) 29 (52%) 2 (4%) nil nil nil St Luke’s Primary - 14 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.
p.13
The curriculum
The curriculum is good for pupils throughout the school. There are good enrichment opportunities and activities for pupils within and after the school day. Teachers are well qualified and very well matched to the curriculum. The accommodation is very good. Resources are good.
p.14
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The implementation of the MOVE programme for pupils with severe mobility problems has been very effective. • The curriculum is very well adapted for pupils with ASD and PMLD. • Subjects are very well matched to the abilities and interests of the pupils. • Lunchtime activities are very well planned by the senior teaching assistant to ensure pupils are safe and have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities. • The staff are well matched to the curriculum and the contribution of the teaching assistants is very good. • The new accommodation is very good and the specialist teaching resources have a positive effect on learning. • The personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) curriculum is very good and contributes significantly to the personal development of the pupils.
p.14
Commentary
21. The school is very inclusive and welcomes pupils with a wide range of difficulties and disabilities, providing them with equal access to the full range of activities. The curriculum offered is good and has been improved by updated subject planning. Very good use is being made of the national literacy and numeracy strategies, and planning, resources and teaching methods are very well adapted to the age and particular needs of these pupils. Consequently, pupils benefit from a broad range of activities enlivened by good teaching. This motivates the pupils very well so that they enjoy lessons and make good progress. All staff work very effectively as a team and ensure that the curriculum is continually developing to meet the needs of the pupils. An example is the programmes of work for pupils with additional special educational needs and in particular the implementation of the MOVE programme for pupils with severe mobility
p.14
Commentary
problems. This helps pupils to acquire increased independence in sitting, standing, and walking so they may experience, learn and gain more mobility, better health, and enhanced personal dignity. The curriculum has a very good emphasis on the development of language skills, which is effectively improving the pupils’ ability to communicate.
p.14
Commentary
22. The curriculum is enriched by very good opportunities at lunchtimes to take part in various sporting activities. These activities are very well organised by the senior teaching assistant and pupils are aware of what is available from the notice board in the hall. The school is one of the few special schools to have achieved the Activemark Gold Award and is working towards the Healthy Schools Award. There is a limited number of clubs after school, as these are complicated by home-school transport problems and therefore not all pupils are able to take part. There is also a range of visits related to all subjects in the curriculum to enrich the experience of pupils. For St Luke’s Primary - 15 example, pupils have visited a specialist sports college to take part in sports activities. There are visits from performers to enrich the music curriculum; for example, the pupils have experienced playing Indonesian instruments.
p.14
Commentary
23. The curriculum prepares pupils effectively for secondary education. A transition plan is formulated in the Year 5 and 6 annual reviews, bridging some subjects. Pupils visit the secondary school in the second half of the summer term. In addition, teachers have planning meetings with teachers from the secondary provision.
p.15
Commentary
24. Within the overall curriculum, PSHCE makes a very strong contribution to pupils’ health and maturity. A programme of drugs and sex education, together with good opportunities to act as members of the school community, contributes to the improving confidence displayed by pupils. There is an appropriate religious education curriculum and regular assemblies support this.
p.15
Commentary
25. The school is adequately staffed overall, but there are fewer teachers than recommended in government guidelines. There is a good match between the skills that staff possess and their areas of responsibility within the school. Curriculum leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects and the support from teaching assistants is impressive, especially that of the senior teaching assistant. There is a good number of teaching assistants. These are well used within the curriculum. This means that pupils are taught by staff who know their subjects and can work effectively alongside their colleagues in developing work. Resources are good overall and very good in PE. Resources in ICT are satisfactory, but there is a need for more computers to fulfil the requirements of the curriculum areas such as art and some older computers are too slow. ICT is also restricted by the lack of a computer suite, although the development
p.15
Commentary
of work using interactive whiteboards is beginning to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. The accommodation is very good. It is safe, attractive and well designed for the needs of the pupils. Classrooms are spacious with useful quiet rooms attached. There are spacious areas for PE and dining, but the severe acoustic problems in both of the halls need to be addressed.
p.15
Care, guidance and support
The school takes exceptionally good care of the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. It provides pupils with good support, advice and guidance and takes good account of their views.
p.15
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Staff are extremely caring. • There are comprehensive provisions to ensure pupils‘ care and welfare. • The school’s thorough management of health and safety arrangements means that pupils and staff are safe. • The school responds well to pupils‘ opinions and ideas. • Relationships between pupils and staff are very good. St Luke’s Primary - 16
p.15
Commentary
26. The staff are devoted to the children. They caringly nurture the pupils‘ physical and emotional well-being, resulting in pupils trusting them when they have “issues”. Pupils easily turn to them when upset. The time of daily arrival and settling into school is carried out sensitively in a friendly, gentle, and respectful way. There were innumerable examples of this care during the inspection, especially following strenuous work in PE when pupils are encouraged to lay down calmly and quietly for a period of rest and adjustment. Pupils are treated fairly, but firmly, and clear boundaries are quickly established and held to. Pupils and staff clearly respect one another. Parents feel very satisfied that the school takes good care of their children.
p.16
Commentary
27. The school has robust arrangements to ensure that the care and welfare of pupils are well managed. Healthy food and special diets are provided. Child protection and handling arrangements are thought through and performed extremely well. Wide- ranging use is made of supporting professional medical services. For example, there are routine visits from a support teacher for visually impaired pupils, and visits from an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, speech and language therapists, a support teacher for hearing impaired pupils, a community nurse (Learning Disability) and a consultant paediatrician took place during the inspection. Staff have had recent training and updates in restrictive physical intervention and the staff responsible for first-aid have their training updated regularly and applied their knowledge appropriately to incidents that occurred during the inspection. All accidents and incidents are handled
p.16
Commentary
sensitively and appropriately - and reports and necessary administration procedures followed. Many people manage play at breaks and many interesting games are available.
p.16
Commentary
28. There are systematic arrangements for ensuring the safety of pupils and staff. The building is new and is still being “fine tuned” in terms of facilities. Maintenance of equipment and routine checks are carried out methodically. There are very good processes (such as detailed facility risk assessments) to ensure problems are identified and dealt with. Experienced staff lead the various trips and conduct comprehensive risk assessment procedures. Many staff and parents support them.
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Commentary
29. Pupils‘ ideas and opinions are discussed in the school council, which is still in a developing stage. Members are elected, representing classes in Years 3 to 6 only at this stage, and discuss topics relevant to pupils. Suggestions and decisions are fed back to all pupils through class and whole school assemblies. A teacher and a teaching assistant facilitate proceedings. In some lessons pupils are able to choose what to do next – especially as a form of reward where they eagerly look forward to some activities. There are also many ad-hoc discussions between staff and pupils, which inform the school of pupils‘ thoughts.
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Commentary
30. Relationships between pupils and staff are very good and a reflection of the school’s caring ethos and the very caring examples set by teachers and support staff.
p.16
Partnership with parents, other schools and the community
Partnership arrangements with parents are very good. Links with the community are very good, as are links with other schools . St Luke’s Primary - 17
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• There is a very strong and well-regarded outreach service to other schools. • Good use is made of links with the community to support pupils’ learning. • There are very careful arrangements for the transfer of pupils to secondary schools. • Parental support for the school is strong, which benefits pupils’ learning. • The school and pupils benefit from its involvement with other local schools.
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Commentary
31. The school works closely with many other local schools in response to their requests for help. Some pupils share their time between the schools and others are supported in their own schools by liaison between the teachers. These other schools have high regard for the responsiveness and professionalism of the support given. Further expansion of this activity is planned for next year.
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Commentary
32. The school makes good use of its contacts with the community to add to pupils‘ learning in subjects and to support their personal development. A structured range of visits (at least one per class per half term) focus on subjects such as history at nearby country houses, religious education at churches, geography at the seaside, as well as sport and adventure activities. Trips to local shops help to develop social skills. Visitors to the school bring music skills and performances - some with an international “flavour”. There are Christmas carols and Christingle services which are open to families and friends.
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Commentary
33. Transfer of pupils to secondary schools is handled very sensitively. Pupils make several visits to the new schools to familiarise themselves with the building and its procedures, as well as some lessons. Teachers and teaching assistants from both schools swap teaching duties briefly to allow the secondary school staff to learn about their new charges in detail by observing them in lessons. Comprehensive details of the assessments and tracking and personal records of pupils are handed over and discussed.
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Commentary
34. Parents appreciate the commitment that the staff show to working with their children. The school operates a genuine “open door” policy for parents who are welcome anytime (during the inspection several parents came in with questions or to watch or help their children). They comment very favourably about the school, praising its work with their children, and they generally feel well informed by communications about the life of the school although some would welcome more information about their child’s progress. Newsletters are informative and frequent. The school supports parents well and is developing appropriate homework resources to help them in their work with their children. Courses have helped parents with Makaton skills and parents are also given information to help them appreciate and extend the MOVE programme into their homes. Some parents help in school and the movement activities educational visits
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Commentary
could not function properly without the support of parents. The Friends of St Luke’s association is very successful in fund raising for equipment such as the new multi- surface mobility trail.
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Commentary
35. The school has strong relationships with local schools through a “cluster” group of primary and secondary schools. Headteachers and subject co-ordinators share experience and discuss learning standards as well as emerging issues. St Luke’s Primary - 18
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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management are very good overall. The leadership of the headteacher and other senior staff is very good. The effectiveness of management is good. Governance is good.
p.18
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The headteacher and senior staff have a very good vision and sense of purpose for the school which are demonstrated by the high quality facilities of the new school building. • There are very good evaluation procedures and senior staff take positive action to make improvements. • The school’s commitment to inclusion is excellent and this is reflected in procedures and practice. • Most subject leaders do not have opportunities to observe lessons, although this is planned.
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Commentary
36. The headteacher and senior staff have established the school in its new buildings successfully because they give a strong lead and have a very clear vision for the quality of provision for the children. The excellent commitment to including all children in the life and work of the school is at the heart of the approach and is promoted by all members of staff. As a result, the level of care for pupils is very good and has a strong impact on their achievements. The headteacher has also accepted leadership responsibility for two aspects of local authority work: specialist services for children with ASD and for children with additional needs aged 0 to 5 years. Both of these demand time and are adding considerably to his responsibilities but the benefits that they offer of wider experience than in his own school are having a positive impact on his decisions.
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Commentary
37. The headteacher and senior staff have established several areas of high quality in the short time since the move to the new building through their very good leadership. The teacher responsible for the PMLD provision, for example, ensures that pupils receive quality targeted support. The school runs as an orderly community because the senior members of staff have an excellent approach to staff support and teamwork. In the foundation stage for example, all members of staff work together as a strong team for the benefit of the children. Across the school all members of staff promote pupils’ learning and good behaviour. There are a small number of occasions when inappropriate behaviour of a very small minority of pupils could be managed more effectively.
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Commentary
38. The senior management team provides very strong direction and oversight of provision. The arrangement to include the senior teaching assistant in the team adds considerable strength by ensuring that they respond to the needs of all members of staff. Procedures for performance management are very good and the headteacher initiates any action required to make improvements. The headteacher has established good procedures for him to monitor teaching and learning and uses these observations very well to confirm strengths and to identify areas for improvement. The school’s St Luke’s Primary - 19 development plan acts as a good management tool for current priorities. Subject action plans have targets to complete in sections on schemes of work, which are being addressed systematically. Subject leaders are allocated appropriate time to check lesson planning and pupils’ work as well as to review policies and documentation.
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Commentary
However, most subject leaders have not had time this year to observe lessons and pupils’ progress because of budget restrictions. A budget has been allocated from September in relation to a review of the workforce and to increase subject leaders’ time allocation.
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Commentary
39. Members of the governing body are highly committed to making the best provision possible for the children. They have good procedures to take an interest in a subject and to visit the school, although there is no formally set out schedule. Governors use their observations and discussion with subject leaders to report back to the governing body and to inform their decisions. For example, planning has been approved for a high quality design for a specialised area to improve provision for the children with high mobility needs. They also ensure that the curriculum meets statutory requirements, that procedures for children with special educational needs follow the Code of Practice and that statutory requirements generally are met. They have good procedures to check for health and safety matters. Governors are also involved in the planning stages of the school improvement plan so that they contribute to agreeing priorities
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Commentary
and discuss progress during their monitoring visits.
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Commentary
40. Financial planning is good. The governors plan their spending priorities well by relating them to provision which promotes pupils’ achievement. The governing body sets an appropriate budget and takes good account of the principles of obtaining best value. The recent move to the new school building means that they have had limited opportunity to monitor the impact of their financial decisions. The members of the school office staff are very efficient in dealing with financial procedures and administration.
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Commentary
Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005
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Commentary
Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1 124 075 Balance from previous year 13 706 Total expenditure 1 137 219 Balance carried forward to the next 562 Expenditure per pupil 12 635 St Luke’s Primary - 20
p.19
AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
41. Provision in the foundation stage is very good and children achieve very well. Within these classes there are pupils with a very wide range of learning difficulties from moderate to profound as well as ASD. All members of staff ensure that they and all the children are fully included in all activities; both the emphasis given to integration and its practice are very good. The teachers and support staff work as a strong team. The deployment of the support staff is excellent and they sensitively and perceptively interact with the children. Curriculum planning is very good. Focused activities are planned each day to provide rich experiences for the children so that all areas of learning are covered effectively during the course of a week. These activities are supplemented by opportunities for free choice where children are encouraged to express their own interests and develop some independence. The intensive
p.20
AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
programme of individual tasks matched exactly to the children’s individual levels of attainment is a very good feature in the provision. Daily and longer term planning is very good and integral to the very good assessment procedures. The teachers and classroom assistants are highly observant of the children and they record an evaluation of the children’s responses after each activity. These accumulate over the weeks to form a very good profile of achievement. The records generate a very good basis of evidence for reviewing progress and setting fresh targets for children’s individual education plans. These targets are matched closely to the targets in children’s Statements of Special Educational Need.
p.20
AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
42. Children enter the nursery from the age of three years, usually at the start of the autumn and spring terms. The very carefully planned routines and the emphasis on promoting children’s personal and social development are very effective in helping children to understand the expectations and become ready to learn. The orderly and settled way in which children behave during snack times and lunch times provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of the approach. All aspects of leadership and management are very good because staff have very good insights into the children’s needs and provide strong direction to meet them. As a result, children achieve very well.
p.20
PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.
p.20
Main strengths and weaknesses
• All members of staff provide very good role models and treat the children with care and respect. • Children achieve very well because provision is very good. • Well-established routines help the children to take responsibility and become independent. • Children enjoy the carefully chosen activities and are helped to form relationships with others.
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Commentary
St Luke’s Primary - 21 43. Children make very good progress in their personal development because all members of staff set high expectations for their behaviour and experiences. Relationships are warm and encouraging, and staff treat all children with respect, giving individual time to each child and delighting in any sign of understanding and response. As a result, children learn to listen to others, take part in shared activities and become aware of others. Most children have good behaviour, for example, learning to concentrate and sit quietly during group sessions, but on occasions several children require carefully planned strategies to help them recover from a bout of challenging behaviour. The very good daily routines, such as greeting each child at the start of the day with a welcoming song, help the children to feel secure. Children know the pattern of the day through the good use of picture symbols. Snack and drink times are quiet and settled
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Commentary
times where children take turns and make choices, although some opportunities to stimulate talk or receptive language are missed. They learn to handle resources carefully, for example, turning the pages of a book. Children enjoy the stimulating setting of a class restaurant to join in imaginative play and take on the role of preparing food and drinks. The quality of teaching and learning is very good so that the children achieve very well in relation to their targets.
p.21
COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.
p.21
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children achieve very well in their language and communication skills because the quality of teaching and learning is very good. • Classroom organisation and activities support children’s language development very well. • Adults usually emphasise meaning and language experience well during activities.
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Commentary
44. Activities are planned very well to emphasise key words and aspects of language development. In the reception class, for example, at the start of the day children are helped to know the sequence of days of the week and what the weather is like, matched to symbols. Their learning is enhanced significantly by the way all adults sign frequently to reinforce the spoken word. In a lively lesson exploring what is inside objects, the class teacher and assistants combined signing with repeating key words well to bring out the meaning of such actions as pulling open a crisp packet or recognising a melon. Children with PMLD used their senses of smell and taste, for example, to learn about a melon and were helped to feel the texture of the seeds inside. The teachers and all adults usually pay very good attention to children’s receptive and expressive language by repeating key words in the context of relevant
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Commentary
activities. As a result, children match colours or pictures correctly, for example, without the verbal skills to say the words themselves. On a few occasions opportunities for talk and to encourage children to respond are missed.
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Commentary
45. Story times offer a wide variety of opportunities for language which are exploited well. Many children recognise that pictures convey meaning. The simple but very effective use of a hand-held recording machine included all children very well by enabling them to repeat the cry: ‘Mouse! Mouse!’ showing great excitement and interest. The wide St Luke’s Primary - 22 range of free-choice activities, such as talking about and exploring how playdough behaves and how oats stick to it, are selected carefully to match children’s stages of language development.
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Commentary
46. The curriculum leader of the foundation stage has established an excellent arrangement which integrates the nursery and reception children whilst identifying focused time for each child in language or mathematical development. The development from real objects to pictures to symbols is managed very carefully. When they are ready, children are helped to recognise pictures of a fork, spoon, hat, toothbrush, an egg and sweets, for example, and the children knew what we do with most of them. Some children are introduced to early mark making and are helped to write over letters of their name. They have developing skills to make a curvy or zig-zag line in anticipation of letter shapes. There is a very good emphasis on the use of picture exchange cards to convey meaning. Displays in the foundation stage, and indeed throughout the school, use the cards well to annotate displays and activities. Teachers and classroom assistants are very observant of the children and note any
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Commentary
response with pleasure and praise. The closely observed language sessions are recorded carefully to provide a very good cumulative record of the children’s achievements that is used well to inform further planning and teaching.
p.22
MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Provision in mathematical development is very good.
p.22
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children achieve very well through the impact of well-chosen activities and very good teaching. • Careful assessments ensure activities are matched closely to children’s targets. • There is scope to bring out mathematical ideas more from some activities.
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Commentary
47. The teachers and classroom assistants very carefully choose activities which are based on close observations of the children and link with their targets. Free-choice activities have links across most areas of learning. Children played with a sand-tray which also had dry pasta, for example, and noticed how the pasta pieces were too big to drain through the colander. They had good early experiences of solid shape through moulding playdough, pushing into it with their fingers to see how holes are made and getting an early idea of volume. Several activities involve early matching and counting, such as placing round or square sweets into round or square outlines. Children become familiar with the number sequence by singing songs which involve counting, for example, and the class stories help children to gain a sense of time passing as events follow on.
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Commentary
48. The same excellent arrangement for children to have focused individual time with an adult for language also applies to mathematics. Several reception children know the names circle, triangle and square. Some children have the skills to count to four or five but are not fully consistent. These regular focused times have a very good impact on the children’s achievement. Teachers are very organised by having carefully chosen resources and activities which build solid experience and understanding. The teaching St Luke’s Primary - 23 is very good and very good attention is paid to the differing aspects of mathematics, although the mathematical ideas inherent in some activities are not always emphasised, such as how lines make the inside and outside of a chosen shape.
p.22
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.
p.23
Main strengths and weaknesses
• The teachers plan a wide range of interesting activities which promote children’s knowledge. • Children achieve very well because all adults engage with them in their learning. • Good classroom routines help the children to know the daily arrangements which affect their lives.
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Commentary
49. The teachers and classroom assistants have established effective routines which help the children to know what they will do during the day. These are supported by the adults’ high expectations that the children learn to take part in group activities and the discipline of some ‘work’ time. Several children recognise the picture exchange cards which show what they will do through good, repeated reinforcement. A very good range of free-choice and focused activities promotes children’s knowledge in this area. A few children know several colours: orange, red, blue and pink, for example. The teacher and assistants engage strongly with the children by modelling how to hold some materials, such as sieving sand and pasta mixed together, so that they have good tactile experience. Children know the expectations placed on them at snack times and have learnt to sit quietly and make choices.
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Commentary
50. In a lively lesson with the reception children, the teacher presented children with a wide selection of items, such as a lemon, eggs, toothpaste, cereals and crisps. There was a very good emphasis on language, and the smell or feel of each one. Children with PMLD were helped to handle and taste items such as a melon and baked beans. The very good problem-solving approach challenged the children to open these items independently, although the teacher was careful to crack open the egg herself. The children were very interested and a few met the challenge by extending their usual level of skill, for example, to open the packet of crisps. All the children were fully included and discreet help enabled all children to experience success. The task also helped children’s personal development as they took an interest in what the other children were doing, such as peeling an orange or looking inside a pea-pod, although
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Commentary
some opportunities to emphasise language were missed. Previous work shows that children have experienced the force needed to pull magnets apart; built a snowman and made a face; looked at flowers and herbs; and created a coloured picture on a computer. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall in this area and the activities provide strong, relevant stimulation. Teachers and assistants assess children continuously and record progress after each session. The teachers ensure there is a very good selection of resources, which include electronic recorders with touch switches for children to operate.
p.23
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
St Luke’s Primary - 24 Provision in physical development is very good.
p.24
Main strengths and weaknesses
• All adults provide a high level of care for the children. • The children achieve very well because teachers give strong stimuli for all aspects of physical development. • Teachers manage activities very well to provide many opportunities for children to improve their skills and coordination.
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Commentary
51. Teachers plan a very good range of activities which provide daily opportunities for children to use and explore everyday resources. These stimulate children to hold items carefully and improve their physical skills and coordination. For example, children are learning to hold pencils and felt pens correctly in order to colour ice-cream pictures or to trace over the letters of their names. They worked out how to grip a crisp packet in order to pull it open. Several children turn pictures and shapes around to orient them correctly. Children with PMLD were helped to operate an electronic switch by pressing on it. The very good classroom ethos reflects the inclusive management and the adults’ emphasis on direct sensory experiences. This positive approach enhances children’s social and spiritual experiences as they explore items together. Children are given very good opportunities to develop their gross physical skills. Nursery children,
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Commentary
for example, are learning to step onto a low platform whilst keeping their balance, and to walk along a beam.
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Commentary
52. Reception children enjoyed the open space and challenge of the adventure playground, learning to climb up a rope ladder and sit safely to go down the slide. The teachers and classroom assistants are alert for the children’s safety but at the same time encourage them to explore new situations and extend their skills. The children love the sense of space and freedom in the school hall and adventure playground and improve the control of their legs and bodies as they run freely and climb. The quality of teaching and learning is very good in this area since teachers give careful attention to children’s physical skills during free-choice as well as specific activities.
p.24
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Provision in creative development is good.
p.24
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Children are given good opportunities to explore the effects of colour and light. • Teachers and assistants help children to make creative links with other areas of learning.
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Commentary
53. The teachers plan a range of stimulating activities to encourage children’s creative expression. In a lively lesson in the nursery, the teacher played music for the planet Mars by Holst, quietly at first then gradually louder to show contrast. The children responded excitedly and showed an early understanding of loud and soft music. St Luke’s Primary - 25 Opportunities to shake bottles with sugar, rice, pasta and so on reinforced the ideas as children listened to the different sounds. A suitable selection of musical instruments was available for children to try during free choice activities. In reception, children joined in singing ‘Five little ducks went swimming one day’, enjoying the repeating pattern of words. Several children know the actions for familiar songs and join in eagerly.
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Commentary
54. Teachers and assistants encourage the children to observe colour, light, texture and form in many of the activities planned for other areas. For example, children saw the seeds inside a melon, the segments of an orange and the patterns and shapes on mats. Children’s previous work includes some green and blue mixed paint with bold brush strokes; ICT touch-screen pictures with swirls of colours; and using a rubber stamp to create prints. The teachers and assistants help the children to appreciate the beauty and design in fruits and flowers, indicating good attention to stimulating the children’s creative development and spiritual experience. Teaching and learning are good in this area and children achieve well as a result. This area of learning enjoys a lower profile than the others in the foundation stage and therefore, whilst provision is good, it is not yet very good.
p.25
Main strengths and weaknesses
• All pupils, including those with additional special educational needs, make particularly good progress in developing speaking and listening skills through the very effective speaking and listening therapy programme. • Teaching is good with very good support from teaching assistants. • The co-ordinator manages the subject well. • Teachers plan lessons well and make sure that teaching objectives are well linked to targets in pupils’ individual education plans. • The school is making effective use of the National Literacy Strategy. • Pupils have good opportunities to develop their literacy skills in the different subjects of the curriculum. • Opportunities are missed to use ICT to enrich literacy skills.
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Commentary
55. Pupils of all abilities and ages and those with additional special needs achieve well because teaching and learning are good. There is an effective scheme of work for English, which ensures continuity between the age groups and makes very good provision for different abilities. Pupils are introduced to a range of texts, which improves language development. They are encouraged to look at emotions and feelings and to join in discussions about the characters in the stories and to consider why they behave in particular ways. Very good use is made of the National Literacy Strategy by all staff to ensure there is an effective range of short, focused activities to help pupils to learn. Pupils with ASD and PMLD have one-to-one English sessions and make very good progress. English lessons are very carefully planned to ensure that pupils have very good opportunities to practise and extend their skills in reading,
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Commentary
St Luke’s Primary - 26 writing and speaking and listening. As a result, throughout the school, pupils achieve well.
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Commentary
56. The school places great emphasis on developing communication skills and as a result pupils make very good progress in speaking and listening. There is dedicated time every day for language development and these speech and language therapy sessions are very effective. Consequently, although many pupils have no spoken language or are reluctant to communicate when they start school, they soon begin to join in class discussions. Symbol and picture cards are used well to help pupils who are beginning to communicate. By Year 2, more able pupils are learning to communicate needs and ideas very well through words, signs and gestures. Through skilled teaching by teachers and support staff, pupils in Year 6 are able to relay information and news to and from home and to take a message to the office or to other classes, using signing if necessary. They are encouraged to speak in sentences and a pupil in a very good
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Commentary
language session was able to say carefully “I would like to go to Legoland”. Pupils with ASD make very good progress during individual sessions. Pupils with PMLD respond enthusiastically to the “good morning” song and use communication devices effectively.
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Commentary
57. Pupils have many opportunities to read, both as individuals and in whole-class shared reading sessions. Particularly good use is made of big books during literacy sessions. For example, in a very good lesson, pupils in Year 1 were able to join in simple repetitive words and anticipated what would come next with excitement. Pupils are supported well by teachers and support staff and they enjoy the individual reading sessions. Staff place a particular emphasis on ensuring the pupils understand what they have read. Effective records are kept to show what pupils have read and the progress they are making. Pupils need to have more access to the library so that they have a wider variety of reading experiences.
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Commentary
58. Pupils make good progress in writing. Pupils in Year 1 are beginning to form some letters correctly and those who are less able learn how to trace over their names. In Year 2, pupils work hard at their writing and pre-writing skills and more able pupils can write their names independently and write simple sentences with support. As their skills develop, pupils in Year 6 can spell two-letter words and know all the letter sounds. With support, they can write a simple sentence using capital letters and full stops. Their exercise books show a consistent improvement in the formation of letters and their writing is well spaced and of an even size. Pupils practise writing by copy typing onto the computer and one pupil in Year 2 was able to identify that he must put a full stop at the end of his sentence.
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Commentary
59. Teaching is good overall and teachers’ planning is very good. They have very good relationships with the pupils, who trust them and want to learn. They have a good knowledge and understanding of teaching approaches that are effective with all pupils. The support of teaching assistants is very good and often excellent. Teachers make good use of symbol timetables to signal changes of activity, to help pupils to feel secure. With older pupils such as those in Year 6, teachers use strategies to help pupils to empathise and understand how the characters in books they are studying might feel. Teachers need to ensure that they make effective use of the good range of software available to support learning. There is good assessment and recording of what pupils have achieved in English. Records are regularly updated, individual literacy targets are reviewed regularly and new targets are set. The school also uses ‘P’ level
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Commentary
assessments so that it can track the progress of groups of pupils over time. St Luke’s Primary - 27 60. The co-ordinator manages the subject well and has a clear view of subject development. He ensures that staff work together as a team and communicate regularly. He has established the effective use of the National Literacy Strategy throughout the school. He regularly observes teaching and checks planning and pupils’ work to ensure that there is consistent progress and that good standards are maintained.
p.26
Language and literacy across the curriculum
61. Because the school emphasises the importance of developing the pupils’ communication skills and staff have had access to suitable training, provision for developing speaking and listening is very good in all subjects. They ensure pupils develop their speaking and listening skills through very good questioning and reinforcement of key words.
p.27
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Pupils achieve well in mathematics through good teaching and reinforcement of skills. • Pupils have good attitudes and behaviour and work hard to do well.
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Commentary
62. Pupils achieve well by Years 2 and 6 in mathematics because interesting tasks provide continual reinforcement and teachers and assistants give good support. In Years 1 and 2 the teachers ensure pupils are ready to listen, establishing attention and including all pupils well through good relationships. They often use songs well to make helpful links with counting. In Year 1 pupils are learning to count accurately, for example, the number of dots on a ladybird, and well-chosen tasks provide good practical experience. In Year 2, the pupils responded with great delight to the idea of a ‘naughty number stick’ muddling up his numbers as the teacher focused on counting. Most pupils placed a number in the correct place on the stick and counted correctly to ten. In general, group activities are matched carefully to the pupils’ attainments; one group, for example, added the spots on dominoes and recorded most sums correctly. At the
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Commentary
start of the final plenary discussion pupils quickly recognised that the naughty stick had muddled up his numbers - one pupil was confident as she put them all back correctly. Pupils demonstrate good achievement by Year 2 by performing simple additions correctly and in their growing confidence with number.
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Commentary
63. Pupils continue to achieve well by Year 6 through generally good classroom management and carefully chosen activities. In a Years 4 and 5 lesson, for example, tasks were matched very well to pupils’ prior attainment. The higher attaining pupils were challenged well and performed simple multiplication correctly, using cubes to represent the process. In a Year 5 lesson the higher attaining pupils were also challenged well to put several numbers in order, which they did successfully. Other pupils were supported carefully in finding the larger or smaller of two numbers, showing some understanding but not yet consistent with the value of the tens digit. By Year 6, pupils are more confident with number values and calculations, for example, counting in tens from 5 or from 1 to 55 or 51, and recording subtractions. The teacher St Luke’s Primary - 28 of pupils in Year 6 used a good selection of ICT mathematics programs that were
p.27
Commentary
designed for pupils with learning difficulties to help reinforce their number skills. One pupil was successful in using cursor keys to direct a ‘man’ along a path to the correct numeral. Pupils’ previous work indicates there is a strong emphasis on number and pupils’ numeracy skills and that other areas of the mathematics curriculum could receive a little more direct attention.
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Commentary
64. In general, pupils have good attitudes towards their work in mathematics and try hard to succeed. This aids their achievement, although a few pupils require considerable support to sustain concentration. Similarly, most pupils have good behaviour. The quality of teaching is good and all pupils are included very well in the activities. Teachers’ planning is good and they prepare well-chosen tasks which are matched well to pupils’ targets in their education plans, although a few tasks are not sufficiently resourced to help pupils set out the steps practically. On-going assessment is good and teachers keep careful records which track pupils’ progress. Teachers and assistants have positive relationships with the pupils and are very encouraging in their approach, giving lots of praise and recognition. The subject leader gives good leadership and management. She has worked extremely hard to produce very well
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Commentary
structured curriculum documents with supporting ideas matched to each level. The related assessment system is comprehensive, providing very good procedures to track pupils’ progress. The subject leader and the governor with an interest in mathematics have a good arrangement to meet regularly and discuss progress.
p.28
Mathematics across the curriculum
65. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to apply mathematics across the curriculum. Pupils collect information in science and record their information in a table of results. They use measurements in their design and technology products and use simple spatial ideas in their work in art and design. Pupils are able to use mathematics in some ICT work. Mathematical ideas support pupils’ work in music through the regular rhythms and some elaborate patterns, for example to match the phrase ‘Christopher clock’ which was rehearsed for a performance. Children in the PMLD class are challenged by the excellent problem-solving approach to improve mobility to work out solutions for things they want to do, for example how to steer their walker through a doorway to gain access to the outside.
p.28
Main strengths and weaknesses
• Lessons are very well planned. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils. • Teaching assistants work very well in support of pupils and teachers. • Equality of opportunity is paramount.
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Commentary
66. Lessons are very well planned for pupils in all years. Teachers are fully aware of the individual strengths and weaknesses of the pupils and make sure that the lesson content is appropriate to all. The involvement of each pupil and the support that is St Luke’s Primary - 29 needed are clearly documented within the lesson planning. The learning programmes for pupils are closely linked to the national curriculum and although the levels of attainment are low, achievement amongst pupils is consistently good.
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Commentary
67. Pupils learn well because teaching is good and the teachers have high expectations of the pupils. Subject-specific language is promoted and proper procedures of investigation are followed. For example, pupils in Year 6 carried out an experiment to investigate conditions required for successful germination. They used runner bean seeds and set them in a variety of conditions, including: compost with water; compost without water; water without compost; compost; compost water and no light. They were then excited by the developing evidence and learned to make careful observations of the outcomes of their experiment. Teachers’ high expectations were rewarded by positive and informed comments by the pupils.
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Commentary
68. Throughout all lessons, teaching assistants work well in support of the teacher and the pupils. Their roles are often defined within the lesson planning – especially when a pupil requires individual support for most of the lesson. Teaching assistants help to make the lesson accessible to the pupils by using other forms of communication, including signing when it is needed, to make a point more clearly understood.
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Commentary
69. The commitment of the staff to meeting the individual needs of the pupils and ensuring that all pupils take a full part in all activities within the lessons ensures that there is total inclusion. In one science lesson, one pupil who was allergic to dogs was given the privilege of taking the photographs through the window whilst the rest of the class were able to meet the dog and his owner in the garden outside the classroom. He was supported and encouraged by the teaching assistant. In this way, his contribution to the lesson was of vital importance. Pupils learned about looking after pets at home and the proper diet for a dog.
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Commentary
70. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator ensures that the subject is planned carefully to meet the needs of the pupils and complies with statutory requirements. Resources are satisfactory and good use is made of digital cameras to record observations.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The school has built up a good range of specific software for all subjects. • The studio is a good and developing resource and is used very well. • ICT is used very well for pupils with PMLD. • The digital camera is used effectively by both staff and pupils. • There has been no audit of the use of ICT in other subjects to ensure that ICT is used whenever possible to enhance learning. • The school has no technical support to support the network and ensure all computers are in working order. • There is a need for a programme of assessment based on the new programme of work.
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Commentary
St Luke’s Primary - 30 71. Achievement in ICT is satisfactory. The subject is taught through cross-curricular links in Years 1 and 2 and in small groups and individually as a discrete subject in Years 3 to 6. Pupils have termly targets, which are assessed regularly.
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Commentary
72. By Year 2, more able pupils can operate simple computer programs using a touch screen and a mouse. They are able to use a keyboard to select the letters for their own names. Most pupils can respond to simple instructions to control a device and are able to operate some devices independently. Less able pupils know that certain actions produce predictable results, for example, using a switch to activate the tape recorder. They can operate simple programs using touch screen and a mouse.
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Commentary
73. By Year 6, pupils have experienced using the digital camera and downloading photographs onto the computer. They are increasingly confident in controlling a number of devices. For example, during a good ICT lesson, pupils in Years 4 and 5 were able to recognise that everyday devices respond to instructions. They were able to identify that a tape recorder needs a tape rather than a CD and one pupil was able to demonstrate how to put the tape into the tape recorder and rewind it. He was also able to plug the microphone into the tape recorder. Pupils were able to record a description of their favourite things in the park and take digital photographs, which the teacher’s assistant will put into a presentation. Pupils enjoy the experience of exploring the Internet with help and their keyboard skills are improving as they learn to use full stops and capital letters. However, teachers do not always ensure that pupils have the
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Commentary
opportunity to use the computers for themselves rather than the teacher entering text and images on their behalf.
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Commentary
74. Pupils with PMLD have a high quality programme of work relevant to their special educational needs. They have access to a wide range of battery operated switch controlled toys and are encouraged to use the touch screen to track images. Their progress is recorded effectively. During the very good lesson seen, pupils were highly motivated when using the quiet room with the ultraviolet light turned on. One pupil made very good progress in relating the action of pressing the screen with the resulting picture and sounds. They make very good use of the “studio” with its multi-media projector.
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Commentary
75. Teaching of ICT is effective and reflects the enthusiasm of all staff to improve their own computer skills. Staff make good use of communication aids but the provision of these aids needs to be extended so they can be used at every appropriate opportunity. Staff ensure that the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development as they learn how to share a computer and learn to take turns.
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Commentary
76. Leadership and management of ICT are satisfactory and there are clear plans for further development. The co-ordinator has developed the software effectively and has now purchased a new scheme of work, which should improve the provision throughout the school. She has not yet had the opportunity to monitor teaching and planning, but ensures that staff have the appropriate training and support when necessary. The subject is well planned with a scheme of work that covers all areas. The plans give detailed learning objectives, plus useful support for staff on how to find out information on such skills as making a PowerPoint presentation and downloading music and sound effects. The co-ordinator plans to improve assessment in line with the new schemes of work. All pupils have yearly achievement reports, and these show satisfactory progress. The subject is a priority in the school development plan. Resources for ICT
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Commentary
are satisfactory. There is no ICT suite, but each classroom has one up-to-date St Luke’s Primary - 31 computer and a laptop and all are connected to the network. However, the school has no technical support to address problems that arise and as a result, too much staff time is spent on technical difficulties and ordering consumables. There are two interactive whiteboards and the training for staff has begun. The “studio” is a valuable resource, which is enjoyed by all pupils.
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Information and communication technology across the curriculum
77. The use of ICT in other subjects is satisfactory overall and there are some examples of very effective use. In a very good English lesson, one pupil was able to copy a sentence onto the computer and use the backspace for corrections and the shift key for capitals. Very good use is made of ICT to record information for the Norwich Union Shine Awards and pupils enjoyed entering the results of their sports activities into a spreadsheet with the help of a teaching assistant. In mathematics, pupils use a simple program to identify numbers, where they are able to use the cursor keys and space bar appropriately. At present, there is no audit by other subject co-ordinators of the use of ICT in their curriculum areas. This is an area for development.
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HUMANITIES
History and geography were sampled. Religious education was reported in full.
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HUMANITIES
78. There is detailed planning for most units in history and geography , with individualised targets. Work is adapted for pupils with ASD and PMLD. Younger pupils learn to recognise some distinctions between the past and present in people’s lives and can identify pictures of themselves as babies. They look at seaside holidays and spend a whole day at the seaside, experiencing sand, sea, different food and amusements at first hand. They compare this with holidays in the past. Less able pupils have the sensory experience of listening to tapes of waves, feeling seashells and tasting candyfloss. Pupils have looked at toys brought in from the museum and know that things change over time. Older pupils have looked at invasions and have undertaken a Roman case study. They have looked at clothes from Tudor times and compared them with clothes from today. There are some effective displays in classrooms of Henry VIII
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HUMANITIES
and his wives. Pupils have been on a number of visits, including a Victorian schoolroom and laundry, and Gainsborough Hall.
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HUMANITIES
79. In geography , younger pupils go around the school to see where people work. They visit the kitchen to see how lunch is prepared and watch the office staff typing and using the photocopier. They use a digital camera to take photos of the classroom and identify various positions within the school, beginning to develop an awareness of direction. Older pupils have investigated the countryside and the local areas, identifying main features. They make visits to Cleethorpes to observe the coastline and its environment. They have also visited Hull as an example of a big city and, with help, describe a range of physical and human features of a city. Pupils have studied a variety of maps. Pupils with PMLD and autism are supported well with sensory activities and objects of reference.
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HUMANITIES
80. Pupils’ records show steady progress. The subject co-ordinator scrutinises teachers’ plans and pupils’ work. The leadership of both history and geography is very good and enthusiastic and the management is good, but constrained by the lack of available time for direct monitoring of the teaching. This is an issue of which the school is fully aware, and there are plans to address this in the future. St Luke’s Primary - 32
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Religious education
Provision for religious education is good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Teaching promotes pupils’ spiritual and moral development very well and they have the opportunity to listen to stories from other cultures. • The very good links with the local churches and temples are used well to widen pupils’ experiences and they benefit from visiting these places of worship. • The new co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has realistic plans for developing the subject. • There are insufficient resources and artefacts related to different faiths. • Opportunities are missed to use ICT and the Internet to enrich the curriculum.
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Commentary
81. All the pupils achieve well. The scheme of work is based on the North Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus and lessons are very well planned with clear aims for what pupils should learn. All pupils are fully included in the lessons, because teachers ensure that there are experiences that will suit all abilities. As a result, pupils are interested and enthusiastic and enjoy the subject. The school would benefit from more religious artefacts and objects of reference, although good use was made of such items brought to the school by a church visitor.
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Commentary
82. Teaching is good; staff are positive about the subject and show enthusiasm and good subject knowledge. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn to listen to and follow religious stories and to identify actions as being right or wrong. By Year 2, more able pupils are beginning to understand that other people have needs and can communicate feelings about what is special to them. For example, pupils in Year 2 made good progress as they identified each day in the Christian account of the creation how God made the world.
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Commentary
83. Pupils in Year 6 have made a book on “Special Places” that shows beautiful scenery, and have said why it is special: “It is near water and it looks nice in the sunset”. They have looked at the church as a special place and had a visitor from the local church. During a good lesson, pupils in Years 3 to 6 were enthusiastic about a visit they had made to a Sikh temple and could identify the word “Gudwara”. One pupil was able to say that he “went to a house of God” and remembered that sharing food was important. He explained that they had to wash their hands, wear bandannas and take off their shoes and socks. Pupils made basic comparisons between the lives of John Wesley and Mohammed. Pupils with additional special educational needs take part in assemblies and have objects of reference to help them share religious experiences.
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Commentary
84. Co-ordination of the subject is good overall. The new co-ordinator has plans to revise the scheme of work in line with the launch of the new North Lincolnshire syllabus. She has a good insight into the subject and knows where improvements are needed. At the moment there is no time available to allow the co-coordinator to observe the teaching in other classes.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
St Luke’s Primary - 33 Design and technology was sampled. Art and design, music and physical education are reported in full.
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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS
85. In design and technology , it is clear that pupils follow a programme that is closely allied to the National Curriculum. Pupils have the opportunity to work with building blocks and simple construction kits. They have made a model of a roundabout and a swing following a visit to the local park. Pupils also work with textiles and produce ‘talking pictures’ inspired by Spike Milligan’s ‘Ning, Nang, Nong’ song, showing where the cows go ‘bong’, the trees go ‘ping’ and the monkeys all say ‘boo!’ Resources are satisfactory and the accommodation is good.
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Art and design
Provision in art and design is very good .
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The subject is well managed and the work is carefully planned to appeal to the pupils. • Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together. • The quality of teaching is very good and pupils achieve very well.
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Commentary
86. The subject is well managed and there is very detailed planning for all the classes. The programmes of study are based on the QCA units and in all cases have been modified to make them appropriate to the special needs of the pupils. There is a great emphasis on the reinforcement of language and literacy through the teaching. Pupils learn key words during lessons as they investigate properties of different materials. One lesson observed involved a Year 5 class. In this lesson, pupils were encouraged to take responsibility for arranging items in an interesting manner to be photographed and drawn by them as a still life. Excellent use was made of ICT to record their work and support their learning. Pupils used a digital camera independently and then, with some guidance from the teacher, downloaded the pictures and sent them via the school’s local area network to be printed in colour in the school office. With excitement and
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Commentary
anticipation they went, in turn, to the office to collect the evidence of their hard work.
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Commentary
87. Throughout art and design lessons teachers and teaching assistants work very closely together. Sometimes the groups are split and a teaching assistant takes responsibility for a small group of pupils, whilst at other times the teaching assistant gives support to individual pupils. The close and harmonious working of teachers and assistants has a very positive impact on the achievement made by the pupils. There are times when the support is clearly planned and documented and others when the support is spontaneous. Whatever the case, the teachers and assistants are very successful in engaging pupils in work and ensuring success.
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Commentary
88. Teaching is very good. Teachers have very good lesson plans and follow a very well planned curriculum. Their enthusiasm and skill in working with pupils with special needs are clearly evident in the atmosphere within the classrooms. Pupils enjoy learning and are successful in producing very impressive pieces of work in both two and three dimensions. They work with paint and paper and digital photography, and model with media such as papier maché, clay, twigs and modroc. The teachers are very calm and patient as they work sensitively with pupils and help them to produce St Luke’s Primary - 34 their very best work. There is always a very positive atmosphere in the art lessons as pupils are busy and take responsibility for their own work and for the tidying up at the end of the lesson wherever possible.
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Commentary
89. The accommodation is very good. There is a purpose built art room complete with separate kiln room and there is a good selection of resources available for the pupils.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The curriculum is very good and carefully matched to the needs of the pupils. • The quality of teaching is very good and pupils learn very well. • Music is used very effectively as a vehicle for communication.
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Commentary
90. The school’s curriculum in music has been devised to meet the wide range of ability amongst the pupils. The teachers ensure that the lessons are enjoyable and that all classes work on the same programmes of study, each at an appropriate level. The co- ordinator has produced the St Luke’s Primary School Song Book, which contains songs that have been learned by the different classes. This book is used by all classes and gives them a common repertoire, which enables groups to work together when necessary. In some cases the most able pupils learn the words and sing along with the teacher; sometimes they make up their own versions to entertain the rest of the class.
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Commentary
91. Teaching is very good overall and the teaching assistants work closely with teachers and encourage pupils to take part. Achievement in music is very good. Sometimes pupils sing, sometimes they sign and sometimes they move to the rhythm of the music. In whatever way they are able, the pupils take part in the music sessions. Pupils learn quickly and remember a wide range of different songs. One Year 4-5 class made its own recording of a percussion composition using a wide range of tuned and untuned instruments. Pupils matched the instruments to the story line of the piece, which included thunder, rain, lightning and wind. The outcome was very impressive. Pupils behaved very well and achievement was very good as they completed the composition then finished the lesson by singing songs to a guitar played by the teaching assistant.
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Commentary
92. Many of the pupils have severe communication difficulties and ASD. For these pupils verbal communication is extremely limited. Teachers make excellent use of music as a channel of communication to express different moods, likes and dislikes. In one lesson observed, the teacher used his considerable skills to motivate the pupils very well. He played songs that required a single word input from the pupils, which they thoroughly enjoyed. He changed the tempo to suit the preferences of different pupils. To engage the attention of one pupil the teacher sang a complete song to a well-known tune using only the pupil’s name. In these sessions the teaching assistants worked very closely with individual pupils to make sure that they all contributed to the lesson and enjoyed it.
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Commentary
93. Music plays an important part in the cultural development of the pupils as they use a large African drum to beat out different rhythms. They also use a variety of genuine instruments from different parts of the world. St Luke’s Primary - 35 94. The management of the subject is good and continually developing. The co-ordinator works closely with other teachers but does not have the opportunity to observe others teaching the subject. The leadership of the subject is very good and the co-ordinator motivates other staff and the pupils very effectively.
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Physical education
Provision in physical education is very good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• Teaching is very good and pupils learn very well. • Teachers are very successful in ensuring the all pupils benefit greatly from the physical education programmes. • The MOVE programme complements the physical education and both are co-ordinated extremely well. • There is a wide range of physical activities promoted by the school.
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Commentary
95. The teaching is very good throughout the school and promotes pupils’ very good achievement. Pupils in all year groups benefit greatly from the physical education lessons and other opportunities available during the week. Lessons are very well planned and take full account of the very special needs and difficulties of the pupils. The subject is very successful in fulfilling its aim to maximise learning through experience and movement.
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Commentary
96. The teachers and teaching assistants have a very good knowledge and understanding of the pupils and make sure that they participate fully in activities that are appropriate and challenging. The demands are very carefully matched to the physical abilities of the pupils and the teaching assistants make sure that pupils succeed and enjoy their lessons. The teachers are skilled in modifying their demands to meet the strengths and weaknesses of the pupils in order to make experiences positive.
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Commentary
97. The MOVE programme is a vital part of the whole school curriculum, which brings physical education into every part of the school and every lesson. Pupils who have mobility problems use pacers to enable independent movement around the building. This increased independence enables pupils to move around as they wish without being dependent upon an adult. This broadens pupils’ experiences and allows them the freedom to make choices about where they want to go during lessons and at break times.
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Commentary
98. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to take part in physical activities during break times and out of school hours. There is an excellent display of photographs showing the pupils’ involvement in inter-school sports and a Boccia festival. The school has achieved the FA Charter standard for schools and has also received an ‘Activemark’ Gold Award.
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Commentary
99. The co-ordination is excellent and the MOVE co-ordinator has been accredited as a MOVE consultant and has worked in this capacity across the country and abroad. The physical education and development of pupils is a major focus across the whole St Luke’s Primary - 36 school. The PE co-ordinator has completed a recognised course in leadership of the subject as part of her professional development.
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP
The provision for personal and social education and citizenship is very good.
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Main strengths and weaknesses
• The quality of teaching is consistently good with excellent features. • Pupils’ social development and achievement are good and they gain independence skills. • There is need for more resources and a greater use of ICT to support teaching and learning.
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Commentary
100. Personal and social education and citizenship makes a very good contribution to pupils’ moral and social development. The aim is to help the pupils to achieve as much independence as possible and to develop knowledge of how to live a healthy lifestyle, keep themselves safe and experience sex and relationships education. The school uses all available opportunities for learning, both in lessons and at other times during the school day. All staff are very aware of the importance of promoting pupils’ personal development and because they know the pupils so well, are skilled at creating opportunities for pupils to develop and extend their personal skills. Pupils have targets for development on their individual education plans and there is a strong emphasis on helping them to achieve these. Younger pupils learn to take part in co-operative play and to take turns. They are able to follow classroom routines well, tidy up after play
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Commentary
and put equipment into the right place. They are encouraged to be independent and more able pupils will fetch cups, pour their own drinks and hand out biscuits at break times.
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Commentary
101. Older pupils become increasingly independent and participate in familiar group tasks. They learn about dangers in the environment and are helped to be able to give their own names and addresses. The provision for sex education and drugs awareness meet statutory requirements. There is very good support for pupils with additional special educational needs. For example, pupils with ASD have a weekly session in the community to help them to learn how to behave appropriately in a social environment. The physical and social development of pupils with PMLD is considerably enhanced by the MOVE programme. For example, through a pacer, one pupil with PMLD was enabled to make the choice to seek out a friend. Another pupil was able to visit the sensory garden on his own.
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Commentary
102. Good teaching and very good support promote the development of social and self-help skills very well and pupils are taught to be as independent as possible. They also achieve well in learning how to get on with each other and consider their feelings and those of others. During a good Year 6 lesson, pupils were able to discuss their feelings when the teacher “role played” refusing to share with them. One pupil said “it isn’t nice”, another said he felt “sad”, while another pupil said with conviction “you must share, it is important.” Pupils in Year 5 made good progress in learning about healthy food and the need for exercise. St Luke’s Primary - 37 103. The school has taken on a range of initiatives such as the school council and the healthy school award scheme, and this supports pupils’ development very well. The leadership and management of the subject are very good and the co-ordinator has a clear view of the subject and areas for development. She has developed a good quality
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Commentary
programme of work throughout the school. At this time, there is a need for more resources for health education and for the use of ICT to enrich learning.
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Commentary
104. The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject very well and ensures that units have the required elements of citizenship within them. There are opportunities for the pupils to get out into the community; for example, a unit on the world of drugs will include a visit to a local chemist. Pupils are encouraged to look after the school environment. The school has recently started a school council and pupils were able to choose together the colours for their new football kit and to discuss playground activities. The pupils are very enthusiastic and are looking forward to the next meeting. St Luke’s Primary - 38
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection n/a Value for money provided by the school 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3
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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS
Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 2 Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 3 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 1 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 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 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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