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 W Enguell Headteacher St Luke’s Church of England Controlled Primary School Church Road Tiptree Colchester CO5 0SU

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social, and health education (PSHE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit on 8 July 2010 to look at work in PSHE.

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social, and health 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 without their consent.

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social, and health education (PSHE)

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

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social, and health education (PSHE)

The overall effectiveness of PSHE is outstanding.

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Achievement in PSHE

 Pupils have a good understanding about how to keep safe and healthy. They know the recommendation for five fruit and vegetables each day but are less clear about the reasons for this. They have a good understanding of the need for exercise to maintain physical health.  Pupils are making very good progress in learning how to stay safe. For example, they understand the importance of road safety and remind their parents about the rules, and they know how to keep safe when using the internet. Pupils are aware of the different sorts of bullying and they have practised resisting peer-group pressure using role-play.  Pupils have a secure understanding of the dangers and effects of drugs, including tobacco, but are less aware of the effects of alcohol. Older pupils know about the changes that occur at puberty and the importance of family relationships.  Pupils feel well-prepared for the next stage of education and were able to

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Achievement in PSHE

talk informatively about budgeting, fundraising and the work of the school council.  Personal development is outstanding. Pupils make outstanding progress from low starting points in the Reception class to being able to present their opinions articulately, reflect on their past experiences and learning and speculate about their futures in Year 6. They are very supportive and respectful of each other and staff.

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Quality of teaching of PSHE

The quality of teaching of PSHE is good.

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Quality of teaching of PSHE

 Lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives that are shared clearly with pupils. Planning meets the needs of different levels of ability and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included very well with the support of skilful teaching assistants.  Lessons are characterised by high expectations, productive relationships and excellent classroom management which result in outstanding behaviour.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and are confident in encouraging skills of empathy and reflection. They involve the pupils in an exciting range of activities, but, occasionally, tasks go on for too long and learning opportunities are missed.  Assessment is used well in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the end of key stage statements are used to assess progress across the rest of the school. However, no specific assessment tasks are built into units of work to test pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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Quality of the curriculum in PSHE

The quality of the PSHE curriculum is outstanding.

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Quality of the curriculum in PSHE

 The curriculum is innovative and creative. Much of the PSHE curriculum is covered by the use of drama-based inquiry and Philosophy for Children.  Excellent use is made of a wide range of trips and outside agencies and clubs to help make learning more interesting, relevant and enjoyable. This provides pupils with opportunities to practise their personal and social skills.  The Healthy School Award has had a positive impact both on healthy eating and the development of emotional education.  Links with parents are outstanding. The school runs parenting courses, sessions on internet safety and keeps parents very well informed with a ‘Health Matters’ newsletter.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PSHE

The leadership and management of PSHE are outstanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PSHE

 PSHE is a top priority in the school. Effective PSHE policies are in place and the subject is part of the school’s development and review cycle.  Training for staff is good in drama techniques and the use of circle time but no one has the PSHE certificate. The local authority has provided good levels of support which has been used very effectively.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 building assessment tasks into planning to ensure all pupils develop detailed knowledge and understanding.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop PSHE 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 under the URN for your school. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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