Setting

Ofsted survey inspection programme – Design and Technology

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 30 June 2009 to look at work in Design and Technology (D&T).

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – Design and Technology

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 – Design and Technology

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

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Design and Technology

The overall effectiveness of D&T was judged to be good.

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Achievement and standards

Achievement and standards overall are satisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

 Pupils enter with standards below national expectations. They make good progress in D&T and by the end of Year 6 achieve standards which are in line with national expectations.  There are no differences between the performance and attitudes of boys and girls to D&T. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because their needs are met effectively in D&T.  Pupils’ personal development is good and this enables them to work maturely in groups and pairs. They are taught and trusted to use equipment such as glue guns safely. Pupils said they like this responsibility. 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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Achievement and standards

Ms C Eshmade Headteacher Canewdon Endowed C of E Primary School Anchor Lane Canewdon Rochford SS4 3PA

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Quality of teaching and learning of D&T

The quality of teaching and learning overall is good.

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Quality of teaching and learning of D&T

 Teachers’ good subject knowledge ensures that lessons are well planned. Success criteria are clearly explained and pupils are encouraged to work independently.  Progress in lessons is good. Teachers use a judicious mix of long and short tasks. This keeps pupils engaged and eager to learn: for example making Samuel Pepys’ money purse allowed pupils to build on their prior learning and develop a new skill of plaiting. They also had something to take home at the end of the lesson. Teaching assistants are used effectively to help pupils stay on task to complete their work.  Pupils enjoy D&T and are very proud of their work. They work with great enthusiasm and confidence, applying what they have learnt in other topics to their new activity. Work is well presented and made. Pupils said they liked being able to make their own products. Written work is skilfully integrated into the designing and making activity so

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Quality of teaching and learning of D&T

that pupils did not feel it is too onerous.  Assessment information is analysed well to show pupils the level they are working at. However, there is no overall tracking of this information to give all teachers a clear picture of pupils’ performance over the year. Consequently, sometimes higher attaining pupils are not challenged sufficiently.

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Quality of the D&T curriculum

 The school has selected schemes of work which suit its pupils well. Teachers’ detailed knowledge of these, coupled with their understanding of pupils’ needs, allows them to adapt plans to ensure a wide range of skills and knowledge are taught effectively. Thus, progression across both key stages is good.  Good long term planning encourages teachers to be flexible and together with strong cross curricular links enables staff to maximise the time available for D&T.

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Leadership and management of D&T

Leadership and management of the subject are good.

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Leadership and management of D&T

 You and the deputy head value D&T and appreciate how it is used to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. You support the co-ordinator effectively.  The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She has an appropriate vision for the subject based on a detailed understanding of schemes of work, the strengths of staff and pupils’ needs. This is clearly reflected in the D&T improvement plan.  The school has made very effective use of professional development to develop assessment and is in a strong position to further develop pupil tracking systems.  Health and safety procedures are in place and are regularly updated.

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of D&T to pupils and parents and carers

 The school has a wide range of strategies to inform parents and carers about D&T and further developments are planned.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 ensuring assessment tracking enables teachers to identify pupils who would benefit from greater challenge to raise attainment in D&T.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop D&T in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

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

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