Setting

Mr R Morris Headteacher St Stephen’s RC Primary School Chappell Road Droylsden Manchester M43 7NA

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – design and technology

Thank you for your hospitality and co operation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 14 May 2007 to look at work in design and technology.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – design and technology

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half- term.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – design and technology

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with staff and pupils, scrutiny of relevant documentation, analysis of pupils’ work and observation of lessons.

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Design and technology

Provision for design and technology is satisfactory with some good features.

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Achievements and Standards

Standards are average in the Foundation stage and at the ends of Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ achievement compared with prior attainment is satisfactory.

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Achievements and Standards

 Pupils achieve soundly as they investigate problems and formulate designs for their solution. Designing is supported in the major projects by carefully sequenced teaching. Within the well controlled boundaries of each project, pupils have adequate opportunity to make decisions and formulate proposals to solve problems.  The quality of making is satisfactory throughout the school within the reasonable range of craft materials provided and techniques taught. Pupils find it difficult to achieve the highest standards of making, however due to Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk limitations in the sophistication of the materials, components and techniques provided.  Progress is steady throughout the school except that in Year 6, much of the design and technology work is left until the external tests have been completed in May.  Pupils enjoy the subject very much, especially the practical activity and the

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Achievements and Standards

opportunities to develop their own ideas.

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Quality of teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are generally sound with some strong features.

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Quality of teaching and learning

 Across the school the subject knowledge of teachers varies from satisfactory to good. Much of this has been developed internally within the school as staff have co-operated, with the strong support of the subject co-ordinator, to develop a well balanced scheme of work and a sound range of projects and resources. There has been little externally provided training though this could be of considerate benefit were the school to aim to improve further the D&T provision.  In general terms, the quality of teaching and professionalism of staff are good.  Planning over the long term is sound and, together with effective medium and short term planning, it provides a solid basis for the school’s coverage of D&T.  Effective teaching methods have been developed to help pupils to evaluate products and to solve problems when designing.  Assessment is carried out but the reporting to parents does not yet give them

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Quality of teaching and learning

a clear view of the National Curriculum levels at which their children are working.

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Quality of Curriculum

The quality of the D&T curriculum is sound and it continues to develop.

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Quality of Curriculum

 The school has diligently deployed the scheme of work produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and this has ensured a good, balanced coverage of the major focus areas of D&T and satisfactory depth.  D&T is well represented within the school’s full curriculum and adequate planning time has been made available to enable teachers to secure the subjects within their respective class timetables.  The school is developing a “skills-based” curriculum in collaboration with other schools and is aiming to secure within it a rigorous coverage of the National Curriculum programme of study for D&T.

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Quality of leadership and management

The quality of leadership and management in D&T is good.

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Quality of leadership and management

 Self evaluation is thorough, accurate and based on concrete evidence.  The curriculum is very well managed and there is a good balance and good coverage in design and technology.  D&T is presented successfully to pupils as a creative, enjoyable and practical subject.  Teaching assistants are well deployed to promote the progress of pupils.

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Inclusion

D&T is taught in a very inclusive way, and pupils are given adequate access to the subject.

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Inclusion

Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included :

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Inclusion

 when developing D&T’s contribution to your skills-based curriculum, consider areas in which more advanced technology can be used in projects  when developing the skills-based curriculum, ensure that the technological skills and knowledge are covered progressively and with the rigour required by the National Curriculum Programme of Study  sharpen the coverage of standards being attained by pupils when reporting to parents.

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Inclusion

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop design and technology in the school.

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Inclusion

A copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and will be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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