Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 0207 421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs D Hughes Headteacher Westlea Primary School Winslow Crescent Westlea Estate Seaham County Durham SR7 8JU

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Education (PSHE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 08 June 2009 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 economic well-being.

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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 and staff involved in PSHE, scrutiny of relevant documentation, discussion with a group of Year 6 pupils, and observation of six lessons and an assembly.

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Education (PSHE)

The overall effectiveness of PSHE was judged to be good with outstanding features.

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Achievement in PSHE

 Pupils have a good knowledge of what is meant by a balanced diet. They know the five fruit and vegetables a day message and enjoy their fruit in school.  Pupils understand the importance of exercise in keeping physically healthy, and most participate in the wide range of activities provided by the school.  They have good levels of knowledge and understanding about bullying, including cyber and racist bullying, and pupils know how to keep themselves safe.  Pupils’ knowledge and understanding about the dangers of drug misuse and the changes that take place at puberty are less well developed.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage know how to listen to stories, take turns and share their toys.  Personal development is good. Pupils have good relationships with each other and adults. They are confident to approach members of staff if they have a problem.  Pupils have positive attitudes and enjoy their PSHE lessons. They are

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Achievement in PSHE

keen to participate and express their opinions but what they say is not always clear and audible.

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Quality of teaching and learning of PSHE

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Quality of teaching and learning of PSHE

 Lessons were generally well planned with effective use of information and communication technology.  Teachers act as good role-models for pupils. Behaviour management is good with effective use of praise and encouragement.  Teachers used a range of well-thought through games and activities to engage pupils in their learning.  Occasionally, learning opportunities were missed when teachers avoided challenging issues raised by pupils such as dealing with bereavement and divorce.  Tracking of pupils’ progress in PSHE is done informally by annotating planning and programmes of study. However, pupils are involved in evaluating what they have achieved and reports to parents are detailed and based on the knowledge, understanding and skills pupils have acquired.

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Quality of the curriculum

 There are no schemes of work in place, but planning follows the programmes of study and good use is made of social and emotional (SEAL) materials.  The work on gaining the healthy schools award has had a positive impact on healthy eating and encouraging all pupils to be more physically active.  The work of the school council in improving facilities in the playground and canvassing the opinions of other pupils provides a valuable opportunity for pupils to put their PSHE skills into practice.  Provision in PSHE for vulnerable pupils is outstanding. In the nurture group and the Listening Matters group, learning mentors are very successful in helping vulnerable pupils make progress in their personal and social skills.  Very effective use is made of external agencies, assemblies and a range of enrichment activities which contribute well to learning in PSHE. For example, the eco school work has taught pupils the value of

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Quality of the curriculum

recycling, and the school has a garden where pupils enjoy growing their own food.

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Leadership and management of PSHE

Leadership and management of PSHE are good.

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Leadership and management of PSHE

 PSHE is a high priority in the school. Staff have created a safe family environment for PSHE where every pupil is valued and treated as an individual. These priorities are made explicit in the outstanding display work around the school much of which reinforces PSHE themes.  Leadership and management are coherent because the PSHE co- ordinator also coordinates science and the work on Healthy Schools. The coordinator has had some training and supports other teachers well.  There are currently insufficient opportunities for the subject leader to monitor PSHE lessons across the school, although the self-evaluation of PSHE is accurate.

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Subject issue: economic well-being

The development of pupils’ economic well-being is satisfactory.

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Subject issue: economic well-being

 Older pupils have many opportunities to take responsibility across the school as, for example, buddies, peer mediators and leading the school council and eco work.  There are some good enterprise activities, such as pupils producing their own animated film in Year 5 and pupils in Year 6 printing their own newspaper, but work in the curriculum on economic understanding and personal finance is underdeveloped.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 introducing a more formal system of lesson observation for PSHE  encouraging pupils to express themselves more clearly and audibly in lessons and assemblies.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

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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