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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Mrs A King Headteacher Great Steeping Primary School Great Steeping Spilsby Lincolnshire PE23 5PT

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education (PE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 17 March 2009 to look at work in PE.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education (PE)

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 (PE)

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 (PE)

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

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Physical Education (PE)

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

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Achievement and standards

 Pupils are making good progress in PE. Children start school with physical skills that are fairly typical for their age. Progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage is good and last year’s Foundation Stage profile showed that all children were working at or above the expected level. Reception children have good opportunities to engage in a range of activities to help them develop their fine and gross motor skills.  Recent improvements in provision have had a positive impact on achievement. Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are currently making good progress. In the lessons observed, standards for Year 2 pupils were broadly average; in Year 6 several pupils are beginning to attain above average standards. The subject leader acknowledges that pupils’ attainment in athletics and games is stronger than in gymnastics and dance. Standards in swimming are above average with almost all Year 6 pupils able to swim at least 25 metres before they leave the school. The

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Achievement and standards

school’s records show that progress in swimming is good.  Pupils’ achievement in PE and sport is being aided well by good teaching and their involvement in a broad range of multi-skill activities. Their involvement in purposeful play at break times, in clubs and in local competitions is also contributing.

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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

 Two lessons were observed during the inspection. Both were taught by the subject leader for PE. The lessons were organised well and resources were used effectively to support pupils’ learning. Each lesson had a suitable structure and pupils were fully engaged throughout. All four strands of the National Curriculum programme for PE were included, although pupils in Year 6 were more involved in evaluating their own and others’ performances than those in Year 2. The teaching assistant worked effectively alongside the teacher helping to keep pupils engaged, although her contribution towards teaching and assessment was more limited.  The teacher’s subject knowledge was very good. He gave good demonstrations to pupils and clearly explained what he wished them to aim for in their responses. He observed pupils well to assess their performances before making helpful coaching points to aid improvement. Additional challenges were organised for able pupils at the end of the

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Quality of teaching and learning of PE

group activities but more emphasis could have been placed on matching tasks precisely to the learning needs of less able pupils.  The subject leader acknowledges that assessment in PE requires strengthening. Currently, apart from in the Early Years Foundation Stage and swimming, there are no formal assessments of pupils’ work in PE and attainment and progress are not recorded or tracked as pupils move through the school. Reports written for parents on their children’s progress are very brief and in some cases comments are repeated across different year groups. They do not give parents an indication of their child’s relative attainment in PE.

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Quality of the curriculum

 This is another aspect of provision that has improved recently. Pupils have two hours of timetabled PE each week. All areas of learning are included in the curriculum, although the school plans to devote more time to outdoor and adventurous activities in the future. The subject leader is introducing a new and more comprehensive scheme of work, which will help provide more continuity in the curriculum and a detailed planning model for staff. There are also many good opportunities for pupils to engage in physical activities at break times and in after-school clubs. The Year 1/2 class has started daily ‘Activate’ sessions this term. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 enjoyed a three-day residential visit in which they took part in several problem-solving, water-based activities and adventurous pursuits. All children in Key Stages 1 and 2 swim for at least half a term in each year.  The move towards a more creative curriculum and linking learning across

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Quality of the curriculum

subjects, including in PE, is a positive development. Teachers are beginning to plan learning activities that enable pupils to use a range of skills in a thematic learning topic. Keeping pupils active in purposeful play outside of their lesson time is also contributing well to their physical and personal development. The after school sports club, tennis coaching and the Tae Kwon Do club supplement the curriculum well. Pupils also enjoy taking part in competitions against local schools and are proud of their success in this year’s cross country races. Provision for pupils who are talented at sport and for those who may need additional support to aid their coordination require further development.

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Leadership and management of PE

The quality of leadership and management is good.

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Leadership and management of PE

 The subject leader is strongly committed to improving provision in PE and sport. He has introduced several new initiatives in the last two years which have been appreciated by pupils. He has made good use of the school’s involvement in the local sports partnership to provide professional development courses for staff. Attendance at the primary link teacher training has also strengthened his subject knowledge and management skills. An audit of provision has informed the action plan for PE and the subject leader has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in his subject. The development of the multi-skills learning programme and the introduction of an-up-to-date scheme of work are also contributing well to improved provision. Currently too little is time allocated for monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision in PE through lesson observations and checking on pupils’ attainment and

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Leadership and management of PE

progress.  Accommodation and resources are good. Indoor and outdoor facilities are used well to involve pupils in a full range of physical activities. A good range of PE equipment gained through the sports partnership is also used well by pupils in lessons and at break times. The outdoor learning space provided for Reception children is developing well and helping to promote positive outcomes in their physical development.

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Matters, particularly being healthy

 Pupils’ involvement in PE and sport is making a significant contribution to their overall good personal development and well-being. Pupils have very positive attitudes to PE and they show this in their enthusiasm, very good behaviour and perseverance in lessons. They talk confidently about why they enjoy physical activities and acknowledge the improvements that have been made in provision in the last two years. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 displayed an impressive determination and cooperative approach in their lesson. They had a very good appreciation of how to work energetically and safely. Pupils interviewed were able to talk about why PE and keeping fit are important contributors to leading a healthy lifestyle. They also knew about other factors, such as eating a balanced diet and hydration. Pupils in Year 6 have been selected and trained to lead play activities at break times; this has enabled them to take responsibility and develop their

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Matters, particularly being healthy

leadership skills. The subject leader has displayed posters illustrating the ten outcomes of high quality PE to guide pupils towards what they should be aiming for in their personal performances.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 establish a workable system of assessing, recording and reporting pupils’ attainment and progress in PE  make effective use of the time available for the subject leader through the sports partnership to strengthen monitoring and evaluation in PE, in particular checking on the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ achievement  consider providing more dedicated provision for pupils who have talents in PE and sport and those who may need additional support with their coordination and physical development.

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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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