Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr T Leah Headteacher Brigstock Latham's Church of England Primary School Latham Street Brigstock Kettering Northamptonshire NN14 3HD

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Education (PSHE)

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 31 January to look at work in PSHE.

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Education (PSHE)

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of the subject, the visit had a particular focus on;

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Education (PSHE)

 how the PSHE curriculum meets the specific needs of pupils in your local area, and how progress is tracked and assessed; and  the contribution made by PSHE to the future economic well-being of your pupils.

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Education (PSHE)

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the 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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Education (PSHE)

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included interviews with you, the Foundation Stage co-ordinator, the PSHE co-ordinator, a group of older pupils and representatives from the school council, scrutiny of relevant documentation, analysis of pupils’ work and observation of two lessons and an achievement assembly.

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Education (PSHE)

The overall effectiveness of PSHE was judged to be good.

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Achievement in PSHE

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand the concept of a balanced diet and the importance of regular exercise.  They have a good awareness of environmental issues.  Children in the Foundation Stage understand what bullying is and how to get help if it happens. They express themselves confidently and are able to follow instructions.  Older pupils showed that they understand that racism is wrong.  Year 6 pupils are not sure about the changes that occur at puberty.  Year 6 pupils were unclear about citizenship elements such as voting for Members of Parliament.  The personal development of pupils is outstanding and behaviour is excellent. Pupils are friendly and articulate and treat each other with respect. They listen carefully to the views of others and reflect thoughtfully before giving their own.

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Quality of teaching and learning in PSHE

 Teachers place appropriate emphasis on active, experiential and discussion methods, as a result, pupils really enjoy their PSHE lessons.  The staff know all the pupils well and have warm, productive relationships with them. Teachers are excellent role models and exert good discipline and classroom management.  Effective use is made of classroom assistants and students to help with the smooth running of the lesson.  Tracking of progress in the Foundation Stage is done well, but in other year groups it is only done on an informal basis and the purpose and outcomes from lessons are not always clear.

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Quality of the curriculum

 The PSHE curriculum is enhanced by annual visits from the Life Education bus, local drama groups, residential trips, visiting speakers and extra-curricular clubs.  The achievement of Healthy School status has had a positive impact in raising the awareness of healthy lifestyles.  Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) materials are used effectively to support the teaching of PSHE.  The school council is successful in ensuring that every pupil feels valued and listened to and gives pupils an experience of active citizenship.  Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to be active. They have two hours of physical education on the timetable as well as many sports clubs and a very interesting playground which has many different games and activities.  The time for discrete lessons in PSHE is tight in Key Stage 2, and there are some gaps in coverage, for example sex and relationships education is not provided until Year 6. Pupils would like it to be earlier.

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Quality of the curriculum

Basic knowledge about the British political system is not taught.

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Leadership and management of PSHE

 You have created a relaxed, harmonious ethos in the school which encourages pupils’ self-esteem and confidence, and ensures that the staff work together as a supportive team.  Strong leadership and management are provided by the two co- ordinators who teach PSHE enthusiastically and make sure that it permeates the whole curriculum.  The school’s own evaluation of the quality of PSHE and teaching is very accurate.

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Subject issue: preparation for economic well-being

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Subject issue: preparation for economic well-being

 Pupils willingly take on a range of responsibilities across the school.  Key Stage 2 pupils have lessons on personal finance and take part in a job week. These activities could be extended further.

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Inclusion

 Efforts are made to include all pupils in PSHE lessons and to meet individual needs.  Pupils with weaker social skills are identified and given extra help in small groups.  The county’s behaviour support team is called on to support pupils with behavioural difficulties.  Pupils learn about other cultures and religions in PSHE and religious education lessons. There is scope for pupils to find out more about the diversity of modern British society.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 formalising the assessment system with clear learning objectives, outcomes and assessment tasks  improving the timing and coverage of sex and relationships education. I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop PSHE in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and will be published on the Ofsted website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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