Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr R Cockle Acting Headteacher Wick C of E Primary School Church Road Wick Bristol BS30 5PD

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Ofsted 2009-10 subject survey inspection programme: geography

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 12 January 2010 to look at work in geography.

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Ofsted 2009-10 subject survey inspection programme: geography

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of the subject, the visit focused on how effectively geography teaching and the curriculum promote community cohesion.

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Ofsted 2009-10 subject survey inspection programme: geography

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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Ofsted 2009-10 subject survey inspection programme: geography

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with staff and pupils; scrutiny of relevant documentation; analysis of data; analysis of pupils’ work; and observation of two lessons.

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Ofsted 2009-10 subject survey inspection programme: geography

The overall effectiveness of geography is satisfactory.

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Achievement in geography

Achievement in geography is satisfactory.

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Achievement in geography

 Pupils make satisfactory progress. From starting points that are typical for four-year-olds, pupils achieve standards of geography that are broadly average by the end of Key Stage 2. However, more pupils are capable of reaching the higher level 5.  Pupils have a clear understanding of their local community and environmental issues affecting their lives. They are developing an understanding of more sophisticated issues, such as global climate change and social inequalities due to poverty.  Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different countries and continents are satisfactory and improving. They know about important similarities and differences within the countries they have studied and how these affect the people who live there. For example, they knew from their study of India the reasons why the weather in the Himalayas was significantly different to that nearer the coast and how this affected what people wore

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Achievement in geography

and the jobs that they did.  Pupils behave well and this contributes to their learning and progress. Through discussion and collaboration in lessons they work well and independently on geographical tasks set by teachers.

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Quality of teaching of geography

The quality of geography teaching is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching of geography

 Teachers use a range of teaching styles and techniques to engage most pupils in geography tasks during lessons. They are particularly good at challenging pupils’ pre-conceived ideas about places and they effectively and sensitively tackle misconceptions.  Teachers have good geographical knowledge and they are confident when explaining geographical concepts to the pupils. Questioning is strong and challenges pupils appropriately.  Teachers use prepared resources and information and communication technology well to enhance learning. In one lesson, the teacher used the Google Earth programme to effectively challenge pupils to re-consider their impression about the weather and climate in a country they assumed was always hot.  Resources are linked to the current curriculum and are generally in good condition and used well.  Evidence from pupils’ workbooks shows that they often complete the same task in geography regardless of ability or previous understanding.

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Quality of teaching of geography

Assessment information has just started to be collected but is not used by teachers currently to plan future lessons.  All work is marked regularly. However, comments do not routinely provide pupils with guidance on how to improve. Consequently, pupils do not accurately know how well they are doing in geography.

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Quality of the curriculum in geography

The quality of the curriculum in geography is satisfactory.

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Quality of the curriculum in geography

 The current curriculum has rightly been identified by the school as outdated and plans are in place to change the structure and themes this year to better meet the needs and interests of the pupils.  The present schemes of work meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but do not offer enough depth of geographical knowledge and understanding to pupils.  Teachers’ good subject knowledge alongside educational trips and the use of visitors enhance the curriculum so that it meets pupils’ needs satisfactorily.  Good partnerships exist between the school and a local environmental group to provide pupils with direct experiences of river and water- management work. Pupils also benefit from strong links with other professional agencies, such as the police and a local MP, to encourage pupils to walk to school and cut carbon emissions.  Currently, fieldwork skills are not planned for systematically and the

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Quality of the curriculum in geography

progression of skills, knowledge and understanding linked to fieldwork is limited.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in geography

The effectiveness of leadership and management in geography is satisfactory.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in geography

 Subject leaders are grouped in teams effectively to share expertise and information. Monitoring procedures are undertaken regularly and these inform the broadly accurate action plans.  Teachers’ planning and pupils’ workbooks are analysed regularly to inform the coordinator and to develop better practice in the teaching of geography. Observation of lessons is less well established.  Assessment in geography is in its early stages and the school is developing plans to ensure it is more manageable and has greater impact.  Assessment data are now collated to provide the school with a clearer picture about standards in geography. Currently this information is not used by teachers or senior leaders to influence future developments and learning.  The professional associations are not currently used by the school to significantly enhance the provision in geography, although a few useful publications were available to pupils in the school library.

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Subject issue

The effectiveness of geography teaching and the curriculum in promoting community cohesion is satisfactory.

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Subject issue

 The school is a welcoming and inclusive community with a good emphasis on care. Pupils support each other well around the school and in the geography lessons observed.  The school is aware of community-cohesion requirements and links to geography are made in the policy. An action plan and policy has been produced but this has not yet been evaluated.  Good links exist with local organisations to develop pupils’ understanding of issues in their community. National and international links exist but the school has rightly identified in its action plan that more can be done to develop community cohesion at these levels.  The school challenges cultural stereotypes well in geography lessons and pupils demonstrate considered and mature attitudes with regards to diversity and understanding different ways of living.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 ensuring teachers’ planning accurately matches the needs of all pupils through differentiated activities  developing the new geography curriculum to meet the needs and interests of the pupils  systematically and logically developing pupils’ geographical knowledge, understanding and skills through regular and well-planned fieldwork opportunities.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

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 the next institutional inspection.

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