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 S Hyde Headteacher Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Pilling Lane Preesall Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire FY6 0HH

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 25 June 2008 to look at work in physical education (PE).

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of the subject, the visit had a particular focus on assessing the PE contribution to the outcomes of Every Child Matters particularly being healthy.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education

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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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education

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

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education

The overall effectiveness of physical education was judged to be good.

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Achievement and standards

 Pupils achieve well in PE. The school’s assessment records show that by the time they leave the Foundation Stage, most children have developed physical skills which match those expected nationally. Pupils make good progress as they move through the school. In Year 6, many pupils are achieving above average standards; achievement is particularly good in games and gymnastics activities. Almost all pupils enter secondary school able to swim 25 metres.  Pupils’ skills and achievements in PE are enhanced appreciably by their involvement in an excellent range of extra-curricular sport. In lessons and in clubs, pupils are encouraged to aim for high quality responses, practise their skills thoroughly and discuss how they might improve their performances. Teachers’ high expectations and their belief that PE is a key subject in the curriculum are contributing positively to pupils’ good achievements.  Pupils who have specific talents in sport are recognised and encouraged to

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Achievement and standards

extend their skills in team competitions and local clubs. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well in lessons and encouraged to join specific activities organised by the schools sports partnership. The school regularly reports pupils’ achievements in assemblies and makes a point of celebrating pupils’ personal sporting successes at all levels of ability.

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Quality of teaching and learning of PE

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Quality of teaching and learning of PE

 The good progress made by pupils in PE reflects the good teaching they receive. All lessons observed during the inspection were good. Pupils were managed very well and teachers’ high expectations were met in pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes. Pupils were actively engaged throughout and suitable emphasis was placed on practising and evaluating key skills. Teachers display secure subject knowledge and their planning clearly identifies the expected learning outcomes. We discussed some points that would make the lessons even stronger, such as using pupils’ demonstrations to share high quality performances, and increasing the level of challenge for higher ability pupils.  Teachers use their observations and open questions to assess pupils’ skills and understanding. Some staff have begun to record their assessments of the progress pupils are making towards meeting the intended learning outcomes. Teachers write end-of-year reports for parents on pupils’ work

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Quality of teaching and learning of PE

in PE and we discussed how these might be improved by including more detail on achievement. We also discussed how teachers might make effective use of information and communication technology (ICT) to model particular skills or to record pupils’ responses for discussion and evaluation.

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Quality of the curriculum

 Most pupils have two hours timetabled PE in a good curriculum. The school’s curriculum map illustrates which areas of learning are taught in each year group, in each term, and includes swimming provision and outdoor and adventurous activities in Years 5 and 6. Too little time appears to be allocated for dance activities in Years 4 and 6. The introduction of the local authority’s revised scheme of work for PE has strengthened continuity and progression. Subject specialist teaching also contributes well to the overall quality of teaching and strengthens curriculum provision. Accommodation and resources are mostly good but the school acknowledges that opportunities for spontaneous outdoor learning for Reception pupils are limited.  Pupils benefit from taking part in an outstanding extra-curricular programme. This includes a wide range of sports activities which are much appreciated by pupils. Participation in club activities is high and noticeably

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Quality of the curriculum

so in gymnastics, with over sixty pupils attending four separate clubs. Boys and girls have many opportunities to represent the school in competitions and tournaments. Pupils also have the chance to organise and take part in intra-school competitions, house matches and a sports day. There are good links established with local community sports clubs. PE and sport receive a high profile in displays and photographs around the school.

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Leadership and management

 Leadership and management of PE are good and set to improve further when the subject leader becomes fully established in the role. Very good support from you and the commitment and enthusiasm shown by many staff have made PE a key subject in the school.  The subject leader is enthusiastic, well-organised and committed to improving provision further. She has used the primary link teacher training well to strengthen her management skills. Staff have also benefited from sports partnership training programmes and from the support of the local school sport coordinator. Teachers are making good use of the revised scheme of work introduced by the subject leader and some are trialling new approaches to assessment. Subject specialist teaching is deployed effectively to maintain high quality provision in all year groups.  The subject leader has led the school’s work on achieving the healthy schools accreditation and this has helped her gain a good understanding

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Leadership and management

of any improvements required in provision. She appreciates that greater emphasis is now required on monitoring and evaluating work in PE and on keeping a check on pupils’ attainment and progress. We discussed how more link teacher time could be used for observing lessons and for talking to pupils, and the benefits of setting up a system for tracking progress across the key stages.

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Matters particularly being healthy

 All pupils enjoy taking part in PE and sport and this contributes significantly to their very good personal development. In lessons, pupils have very positive attitudes and behave well. They participate enthusiastically and many show good levels of skill and fitness. Pupils are able to talk about the impact exercise has on their bodies and why they warm up at the start of lessons. They know that keeping fit contributes to a healthy lifestyle and that eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep and drinking water regularly are also important contributors.  Older pupils appreciate how their emotional well-being is enhanced by their engagement in sport. Those interviewed spoke perceptively about how it improved their confidence, team skills, self-discipline and adaptability. There are many opportunities for older pupils to take responsibility and show leadership through managing play activities for

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Matters particularly being healthy

younger children and acting as team captains. Pupils are proud to talk about their own personal accomplishments and the school’s many sporting achievements.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 establishing a suitable system for assessing, recording and reporting pupils’ attainment and progress in PE  investigating ways in which ICT can be used in PE lessons for modelling and for assessment and evaluation  extending the role of the subject leader in monitoring and evaluation to include observing lessons and keeping a closer check on standards and achievement.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop physical education 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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