Setting

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

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Mrs J Woods Headteacher St Michael’s CE Primary School Leigh Road Atherton Manchester M60 0PA

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Ofsted 2007-08 subject survey inspection programme: citizenship

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 04 July 2008 to look at work in citizenship.

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Ofsted 2007-08 subject survey inspection programme: citizenship

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 2007-08 subject survey inspection programme: citizenship

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 four lessons.

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Ofsted 2007-08 subject survey inspection programme: citizenship

The overall effectiveness of citizenship was judged to be outstanding.

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Achievement and standards

Achievement and standards are outstanding.

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Achievement and standards

 Pupils have a very good understanding of many aspects of the citizenship curriculum and are well prepared to play their part as citizens of the future.  Pupils make excellent progress in citizenship.  Pupils work together with enthusiasm and develop good skills in discussion and debate.  Older pupils make an outstanding contribution to the school community by acting as playground leaders, peer mentors and assisting the teachers in many different ways. Pupils comment that their jobs as peer mentors and play leaders have made them more confident.  The School Council is an effective voice for all pupils. Council members discuss their achievements with enthusiasm and say that they know their views are listened to and acted upon.  The ECO rangers group leads the school’s drive to improve on the silver award they have already achieved and so reach Green Flag status. They manage several initiatives such as litter-picking, the

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Achievement and standards

collection of food waste for composting, the patrolling of a local street which they have ‘adopted’ and growing their own fruit and vegetables. They also find time to publish a newsletter about their activities.  Pupils use information and communication technology (ICT) well for research and presentation. Some of their booklets, illustrated with digital photographs are impressive.  Pupils take part in many local and national initiatives. Currently, they are working with other schools on an arts project to produce a permanent display at the local railway station. On the day of the survey inspection the school was hosting a public speaking ‘showcase’ for other primary schools.

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Quality of teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good with some outstanding features.

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Quality of teaching and learning

 Planning is exemplary. Personal, social, health and citizenship aims underpin all lesson and activity planning. Planning is flexible so that lessons can be used to discuss issues in the media and matters of current debate. For example, during the visit pupils in Year 6 were engaged in a well-argued debate about how the nation cares for older people.  Lessons are stimulating and challenging so that pupils are fully engaged and interested in their learning.  Many visits and visitors extend learning well beyond the classroom.  Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are able take a full and active part and achieve well because of the extra support they receive.  There is a very strong emphasis on discussion and debate and pupils are regularly given opportunities to reflect on what they have learned and evaluate it.  Relationships are excellent. Praise and encouragement ensures that pupils are confident to express their views and feel very much involved

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Quality of teaching and learning

in their own learning.  Assessment is good. The school is developing a tracking system to follow pupils’ progress in PSHE and citizenship across their entire time in school.

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Quality of the curriculum

 The promotion of good citizenship is at the heart of the work of the school.  Inviting and stimulating displays celebrate the work of the pupils and teachers.  Cross-curricular work is outstanding, a shining example being the schools’ regular themed weeks in which pupils follow a special timetable for a week in each term. The themes this year have been ‘Take a walk under my sky’, ‘Growth and change’ and ‘Recycle and renew.’  The school has received several certificates for its excellent focus on work-related learning including work in public services. Many visitors come to school to talk about their work and the pupils go on a wide range of visits. Among many other activities this term, the Royal Marines visited school, two local magistrates talked to older pupils and the ECO rangers visited an exhibition devoted to recycling and sustainability at Aintree race course.  The curriculum is planned to ensure that pupils learn about their own

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Quality of the curriculum

and others’ cultures. Pupils recently enjoyed a talk given by a Muslim couple about Islam and wrote glowing accounts about what they had learned and understood.  The school has excellent links with the local church and tries to ensure that Christian values are evident in all its work.  Because of the many roles and responsibilities which exist for them pupils feel valued and develop a strong sense of responsibility. There is an excellent emphasis on ensuring pupils evaluate their learning experiences and this is evident in discussion, when they are clearly able to identify what benefit they have gained from acting as peer mentors, for example.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of citizenship are outstanding.

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Leadership and management

 The school rigorously monitors the effectiveness of its provision for pupils’ personal, social, emotional, health and citizenship development.  Pupils and parents are frequently consulted as part of the self- evaluation process and the school is constantly striving for improvement.  Subject leadership is very strong. The subject leader’s current development plan correctly identifies assessment as an area which can be improved and strengthened.  This is a fully inclusive school where all pupils have the same excellent opportunities. One pupil writing about participating in a play written during a themed week on ‘Reflections’ wrote, ‘it felt good even if you didn’t have a big part because you had to help write it.’.

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Leadership and management

There are no areas for improvement because the school has a very accurate knowledge of its strengths and effective plans to make any improvements deemed necessary.

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Leadership and management

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop citizenship in the school.

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Leadership and management

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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