Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs J Boardman Headteacher Lowercroft Primary School Ashington Drive Bury Lancashire BL8 2TS

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and communication technology (ICT)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit on 4 March 2010 to look at work in ICT.

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and communication technology (ICT)

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of the subject, the visit had a particular focus on the use of ICT to support learning in other subjects.

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and communication technology (ICT)

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.

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and communication technology (ICT)

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

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and communication technology (ICT)

The overall effectiveness of ICT is outstanding.

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Achievement in ICT

 Pupils enter the school with ICT levels of attainment which are broadly in line with the national average. By the time the pupils leave in Year 6, their levels of attainment are well above average and they have made outstanding progress.  All pupils are supported extremely well in lessons by well-qualified and enthusiastic members of staff, and parent helpers. This support, which is well targeted, allows pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make the same outstanding progress as their peers.  Pupils’ behaviour when they use ICT is exceptional. They take turns, help each other, and support each other’s learning. They treat the equipment with respect and enjoy using it. As one Year 2 pupil said: ‘it’s really good’.  Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe when using new technologies. They are confident about how to protect themselves.

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Quality of teaching in ICT

The quality of teaching in ICT is good with outstanding features.

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Quality of teaching in ICT

 All members of staff and parent helpers have very good ICT knowledge. This is used to plan lessons in which all the pupils develop their ICT skills and capabilities very well.  The pace of lessons is excellent. Pupils are encouraged to work quickly but also to review their work and make sure it meets the criteria set. The use of ICT in lessons encourages the pupils to become independent and make their own decisions about how they are going to work.  The whole-school monitoring of pupils’ achievement and attainment in ICT is outstanding. Monitoring sheets are broken down into the strands of the ICT National Curriculum and show the progress the pupils are making in each strand and in ICT overall.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

The quality of the curriculum in ICT is outstanding.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

 The curriculum plans for ICT ensure that all pupils receive their entitlement to the statutory ICT National Curriculum. The plans are innovative and are based around projects which interest and engage the pupils. Effective strategies are in place in the curriculum to ensure that more able pupils are challenged to achieve the higher levels, while pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT

The effectiveness of the leadership and management in ICT is outstanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT

 The self-evaluation of ICT in the school is exceptionally perceptive. Strengths and weaknesses are known and plans are in place, and monitored regularly, to ensure that the pupils receive the best possible ICT education. Staff training is extremely effective and has ensured that all members of staff are confident users of new technologies and are able to teach all aspects of the ICT National Curriculum well.  Links with parents with regard to e-safety are strong. The e-safety evening was much appreciated by parents and had a positive impact on the way that parents are able to support their children at home.

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The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects

The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is outstanding.

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The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects

 ICT is used in all lessons to support learning. In particular, the use of ICT to support the development of the pupils’ literacy skills is outstanding. Pupils use digital recorders, cameras and headphones to extend their speaking and listening skills.  In PE, pupils use ICT to record and then evaluate their work. This enables them to see what they have done well and what they need to do to improve.  The use of ICT is embedded across the school and in all subjects. This means that all the pupils have become confident with using new technologies. This confidence is also enabling them to become independent in their use of ICT.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 implementing all the areas for development as highlighted on the school’s development plan. I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop ICT in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As I explained previously, 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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