INSPECTION REPORT
PERCY SHURMER PRIMARY SCHOOL
Balsall Heath, Birmingham
LEA area: Birmingham
Unique reference number: 103367
Acting Headteacher: Ms L Chaeger
Reporting inspector: Mrs Christine Huard 27290
Dates of inspection: 16th - 19th September 2002
Inspection number: 246285
Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © Crown copyright 2002
This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.
Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: Infant and Junior
School category: Community
Age range of pupils: 3 - 11
Gender of pupils: Mixed
School address: Longmore Street Balsall Heath Birmingham
Postcode: B12 9ED
Telephone number: (0121) 440 3431
Fax number: (0121) 440 3896
Appropriate authority: The governing body
Name of chair of governors: Mr Kamal Fawaz
Date of previous inspection: November 2000
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 1 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM
Subject Aspect Team members responsibilities responsibilities 27290 Mrs C Huard Registered inspector Science How high are standards? Art and design The school's results and pupils' achievements How well is the school led and managed? 19644 Mr J Bayliss Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 7523 Mr T Canham Team inspector History How well are pupils taught? Physical education Educational inclusion 14848 Mr K Cassidy Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular Information and and other opportunities offered communication to pupils? technology 12594 Ms M Jeavons Team inspector Geography Special educational needs 22657 Mr M Madeley Team inspector English Religious education English as an additional language 27826 Mr A Parsons Team inspector Special support facility The work of the hearing impaired unit 7418 Mrs K Rollisson Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Design and technology
The inspection contractor was:
PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BR1 5RW
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:
The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division The Office for Standards in Education Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 2 REPORT CONTENTS
Page
PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8
Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school
PART B: COMMENTARY
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 9 - 12
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT? 13 - 14
HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 14 - 17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 17 - 19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS? 19 - 20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 20 - 23
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 23
THE WORK OF THE HEARING IMPAIRED UNIT 24 - 25
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 26 - 30
PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 31 - 47
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 3 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Percy Shurmer Primary School is situated close to the centre of Birmingham in the socially and economically deprived area of Sparkbrook. It is larger than most primary schools and the 312 pupils mostly attend from the local area. Twenty three of these pupils are hearing impaired and make up the Hearing Resource Base. The school is part of Highgate Small Education Action Zone. Children join the Nursery class when they are three and nearly all continue into the main school. When they join the school their attainment is very low, with the great majority of children having little or no English language skills. A relatively high percentage of pupils join the school during each year, also with little or no English. Overall there are more boys than girls, with the biggest imbalance in the Reception classes where there are nine more boys than girls. Nearly all of the pupils in the school are from ethnic minority groups with the largest proportion of pupils originating from Yemen. Other ethnic groups represented include Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African and Indian. For nearly all the pupils (94 per cent), English is an additional language. About a quarter of them are at a very early stage of learning English and comparatively few of the pupils speak English fluently. Main languages spoken are: Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali. Over half of the pupils are eligible for free school meals; this is well above the national average. Thirty one per cent of pupils (102) are on the school's register of pupils with special educational needs, which is above average. Twenty five pupils (nine per cent) have statements of special educational need; this is well above average. All but two of these statements relate to pupils with hearing impairment. Additional support is provided for pupils who have difficulties with speech, communication and learning. Additional support is also provided for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Some of this support is provided through the Excellence in Cities initiative.
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
Percy Shurmer is an effective school and pupils are taught in a sympathetic and caring environment. Although pupils are attaining standards that are below average overall, these have improved significantly in the last two years. The school received an achievement award recognising this from the Department of Education and Skills in 2002. Pupils work hard and have good attitudes towards their work and this has a positive impact on their achievements during lessons and over time. The school has very effective strategies to promote inclusion and equal opportunities and pupils achieve well whatever their prior attainment. They are prepared well for life in a culturally diverse society. Pupils in the hearing resource base are appropriately integrated into classroom activities on a regular basis. Teaching is consistently good throughout the school with a high proportion of very good teaching being observed in Year 6 enabling pupils to learn effectively. The acting headteacher's leadership and management are very good. She has a very clear vision for the future development of the school, which is shared by the senior management team, staff, governors and parents alike. The school provides sound value for money.
What the school does well The leadership and management provided by the acting headteacher and senior management team are very good. The quality of teaching is consistently good throughout the school, enabling all pupils to learn effectively. The pupils have good attitudes towards their work, they behave well and have established very good relationships with each other and the adults in the school. This has a positive impact on their learning. The school makes good provision for its pupils with special educational needs and in the hearing resource base. Children make good progress with developing their linguistic skills when they first enter the school in the Foundation Stage1 and Key Stage 1. The school has established particularly good relationships with the local community. The school cares for its pupils effectively through careful monitoring of their personal and academic development.
1 The Foundation Stage is made up of the Nursery and Reception classes. Key Stage 1 comprises Years 1 and 2.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 4 What could be improved Pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science at both key stages. Standards are below average in information and communication technology (ICT) and history. There is too little support for pupils who enter the school with limited English language skills in Key Stage 22. Attendance is below average and still too low. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
The school was last inspected in November 2000. Since then, it has significantly improved and either wholly or partially addressed the many issues identified then. The leadership and management of the school have improved considerably. It is much more rigorous and focused towards raising standards and the skills shown by the acting headteacher have been successful in driving the school forward in a positive way. This has resulted in significant improvements in standards overall and particularly in English and mathematics. The full National Curriculum is now covered. Teaching has improved and the actions taken to improve teachers’ knowledge, understanding and planning, for subjects in which they were less confident, have been successful in raising their levels of competence and thus the standards attained by the pupils. The weaknesses in ICT have mostly been remedied because better equipment has been installed and staff have received and are still receiving good quality training, closely matched to their needs which has raised their confidence. However, the subject has yet to be fully integrated across all subjects although a start has been made on this and is identified within the school improvement plan. The issues concerning child protection and the organisation of the school day have both been addressed appropriately. Pupils’ attendance is improving, although still below average. The school is working positively with parents to address this and its procedures for monitoring attendance and punctuality are rigorous and becoming more effective. Overall, the school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Although the school has experienced some staff movement which means that a number of teachers are on temporary or fixed term contracts, all staff show great commitment to the school and there is a good capacity for further improvement.
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.
Compared with Similar Performance in: All schools Key schools 1999 2000 2001 2001 Well above average A English E* E* E* E Above average B Mathematics E* E* E D Average C Below average D Science E* E* E* E Well below average E
Although the school achieved results in 2001 which were very low overall when compared to national standards, they represented a significant improvement over previous years. The school’s results in English and science were in the lowest five per cent nationally. However, in comparison with similar schools3 the results were well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. Results at the end of Year 6 have improved over time at a rate in excess of that shown nationally. The school set targets in English and mathematics for 2002 which were challenging and continued to build on the improvement shown in previous results. The school exceeded the target set in English and met that in mathematics. In both subjects, the school significantly improved the percentage of pupils achieving the higher level 5. The targets set for 2003 are higher than last years
2 Key Stage 2 comprises Years 3 to 6. 3 Similar schools comparisons are made between schools with a similar percentage pupils entitled to free school meals.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 5 and are appropriately challenging. If the quality of teaching and learning are maintained at the present level the school will be on course to achieve them.
Pupils in the Foundation Stage make good progress, particularly with developing their English language skills and, although they are still attaining a low level overall, have gained enough speech for communication by the time they join Year 1. However, early reading and writing skills are very limited. Mathematics skills are also limited because the language required is still, in many cases, beyond their capabilities. Overall, children will not meet the Early Learning Goals in any areas by the time they leave the Reception classes. Pupils in Key Stage 1 continue to make good progress but by the end of Year 2 their attainment is still well below average in English and below average in science and mathematics.
Standards in ICT are below average at the end of both Years 2 and 6, but pupils achieve appropriately given their prior attainment. Overall, standards in history are below those expected because pupils do not have the necessary reading and writing skills to enable their understanding and recording to be in sufficient depth. Standards in art and design and design and technology are above expected levels at the end of Year 6 and this represents very good improvement since the last inspection. In all other subjects, including religious education, standards are broadly in line with those expected at the end of Year 6. Overall, pupils are attaining well in relation to their standards when they first entered the school.
PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES
Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are eager to learn and concentrate well during lessons. Pupils are gaining more independence and learning how to work well together. Behaviour, in and out of Good. Pupils behave well in lessons, around the school and in the classrooms playground. Personal development and Good overall. Relationships between all members of the school relationships community are particularly harmonious. Pupils are learning how to make reasoned decisions, particularly in Year 6, but in some classes, pupils have too few opportunities to work independently. Attendance Unsatisfactory. Although this has improved it is still below average. Pupils are generally punctual and lessons start and finish on time.
Pupils with special educational needs, both within school and in the hearing resource base, thoroughly enjoy school and develop very positive attitudes to learning.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6 Reception
Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
Teaching is good or better in three quarters of lessons and some very good and excellent teaching was observed particularly in Year 6; there was no unsatisfactory teaching. The consistency of good teaching throughout the school is the main reason why pupils are making good progress with their learning. Teaching in English and mathematics is good and enables pupils to learn effectively. The good teaching of literacy ensures that reading skills are taught well and pupils learn to blend letters to make words, however, some pupils still have problems in understanding the texts they read and have poor long term recall. This is one reason why results in national tests are not as high as class work would suggest, as pupils have difficulty in interpreting the papers without support. In numeracy, pupils
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 6 are taught calculation skills well and pupils make good progress in applying their skills to solve mathematical problems. The teaching of investigative skills in science is good and pupils are developing more independence in planning and carrying out their own experiments.
Pupils with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment are well catered for and they learn effectively. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is also good overall and very good for those in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. In all classes, teachers plan and organise their lessons well with good attention being paid to the needs of higher attaining pupils. These pupils receive a good degree of challenge in their work and, where appropriate, work with pupils from an older class. Teachers engage pupils’ interest well in lessons and they learn effectively because of teachers’ skilful questioning techniques and clear explanations which ensure they understand new ideas and concepts.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Aspect Comment The quality and range of the Good. This is much improved from the last inspection and there is curriculum good provision for all subjects. There is a suitable balance of subjects with an emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy. The curriculum is enriched by a variety of activities outside lesson times and a range of visitors to the school who share their expertise with pupils. Provision for pupils with Good. The individual education plans for these pupils contain the special educational needs necessary detail and appropriate targets. They help teachers to plan work that takes account of individual needs. Good teamwork between teachers and learning support assistants ensures that pupils receive effective guidance and make good progress. Provision for pupils with Good overall. Suitable work is planned and the school ensures that English as an additional these pupils are included in all aspects of school life. The additional language support provided for younger pupils is of high quality and enables them to participate fully in school activities quickly. In Key Stage 2 lack of funding means that the same level of support is not available and pupils new to the school take longer to learn essential language skills. Provision for pupils’ personal, Provision for pupils’ personal development is good overall. Sound including spiritual, moral, opportunities are planned for pupils’ spiritual development. The good social and cultural provision for social development is effective in helping pupils to play development and work together constructively. Provision for moral development is very good. Pupils are taught right from wrong and are very aware of issues affecting the lives of others. Provision for cultural development is also very good and the cultural diversity in the school is appropriately recognised and celebrated. How well the school cares for The school cares very well for its pupils and has successful its pupils procedures for promoting good behaviour. The effective monitoring of academic progress and personal development helps teachers to plan for individual needs.
The school has very positive relationships with parents and the local community and this co-operation has been a significant factor in helping to raise parents’ understanding of school issues.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 7 HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
Aspect Comment Leadership and management The acting headteacher provides very good leadership and she is by the headteacher and other supported effectively by senior managers. Developments in literacy, key staff numeracy and ICT have been particularly well managed. All staff are committed to raising standards and this has enabled the inconsistencies in teaching identified at the previous inspection to be fully addressed. How well the governors fulfil Governors have a very clear understanding of the priorities that will their responsibilities help the school to improve further. However, they do not always fully acknowledge the strengths of the school alongside the areas for development. They take an active part in planning developments and are very supportive. The governing body ensures the school meets its statutory duties. The school’s evaluation of its The school rigorously evaluates its own performance and sets performance challenging targets for improvement. The monitoring of teaching and systems for staff development are good. They have been used well to rectify weaknesses identified in the last inspection, for example to improve the provision and teaching for ICT. The strategic use of Finance has been used well to support the school’s priorities for resources improvement. Good financial control has helped greatly to reduce a past overspend on the budget. Educational and financial decisions are carefully considered to ensure that the school provides best value.
Accommodation is good and there are sufficient teachers, although many of these are on long term supply contracts. The good provision of learning support staff, in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, enhances pupils’ learning particularly for those pupils with English as an additional language. The new computer suite has helped to raise standards in information technology. Overall, learning resources are sound although some of the reading books used are out of date and rather uninspiring.
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved Children like school. No major concerns were raised by parents. The standards are improving. The school is well managed and led. The teaching is good. Children are expected to work hard. The headteacher and staff are approachable. Behaviour is good. Children are helped to become mature and responsible.
Only a very small percentage of parents responded to the questionnaire and attended the parents’ meeting. However, some parents spoke openly to inspectors in the playground during the inspection and without exception were very supportive of the school. Inspectors agree with the positive views of parents. Standards are undoubtedly improving although there is still some way to go before they will meet national requirements.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 8 PART B: COMMENTARY
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
1. Children enter the nursery with attainment which is very low in nearly all aspects of early learning. In particular, the great majority of pupils have little or no understanding of English. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. However, by the age of five, most pupils’ attainment is still much lower than expected in all areas and most pupils will not meet the expected Early Learning Goals4 by the time they join Year 1.
2. Pupils’ results in the 2001 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 were very low when compared to the level expected (level 2 and above) in reading and in the lowest five per cent nationally, well below the national average in writing and below average in mathematics. They were well below average in teacher assessments in science. Results at the higher level (Level 3) were well below average in reading, mathematics and science, but close to the average in writing. When compared with those of similar schools, the results are well below average in reading, below average in writing but above average in mathematics. The results show an overall improvement since 1999 although they are prone to fluctuation, because an influx of new pupils’ with little or no English into Year 2 in the months before the tests can have an adverse effect on results in reading and writing, although this is not quite so pronounced in mathematics where computational skills predominate and there is less dependence on linguistic skills. In 2002 results fell, for the reason outlined above. Nearly all the pupils who took the test spoke English as an additional language and a quarter of the pupils in Year 2 had entered the school, mostly with little or no English, during the year. However, although pupils are attaining at a well below average level they have made good progress in relation to the very low levels at which they entered the school.
3. At the end of Year 6 pupils’ results (level 4 and above) in the 2001 National Curriculum tests were very low in English and science and in the bottom five per cent nationally. In mathematics the results were well below average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level 5 was also well below the national average in all three subjects. Compared with similar schools, results were well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. However, these results do not show the whole picture. Over the past two years there has been a trend of improvement in the school - in excess of that shown nationally - with results in tests showing particular improvement in 2001, leading to an achievement award from the Department for Education and Skills. The results of tests in 2002 show further improvements in mathematics and English with targets set being met, and, in the case of English, exceeded. In addition the percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 rose considerably. In science results fell slightly. On examination of the papers the school found that this was due to the pupils misinterpreting the meaning of some questions. The school is already taking action to rectify this by concentrating more on the required terminology, through appropriate whole class and group activities.
4. The inspection findings are that, overall, pupils attainments are generally well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. However, their achievement is generally good, when their previous attainment is taken into account. A trend of improvement has been established in the school and the targets set for 2003 are higher and more challenging than those set for 2002. It is early in the year to predict results, but, if the quality of teaching and learning remains as it was at the time of the inspection, there is no reason to suppose the targets will not be met.
5. The school makes detailed analysis of the results of National Curriculum and optional end-of-year tests. They use this analysis and information appropriately for grouping pupils and predicting future trends. In addition it is used to set targets in each core subject for each pupil to achieve by the end of the year and at the end of Year 6. This gives a very clear picture against which to measure the progress of each pupil. The analysis undertaken to show the relative performance of
4 Early Learning Goals are the standards set for children to attain in six areas of learning by the time they are five. These are: personal, social and emotional development, language, literacy and communication, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 9 boys and girls generally shows that girls are outperforming boys – but not to any significant degree. The inspection found no particular pattern emerging which gave rise to any concern. In addition, performance is also analysed by ethnic group. This shows that in general, Yemeni Arab pupils attain at a lower level than other ethnic groups. The main reason is that their levels of fluency in English are low and in many cases English is not spoken or read at home. Many have arrived in England only comparatively recently, indeed during the inspection there were many new pupils in the school who could speak no English at all. The school is involved with the Highgate Education Action Zone and other local community initiatives aimed at improving the attainment and inclusion of these pupils and their families. It is having some success with this through the provision of appropriate groups and workshops to make families more familiar with the language and expectations of school.
6. In English overall standards are well below average throughout Years 1 to 6. Oral skills are developing well and the pupils have appropriate opportunities at school to practice and develop these skills. However, for many pupils school is the only place where they speak English, as other languages are spoken at home. Standards in reading are well below average throughout the school although pupils of all abilities respond positively to reading. At the start of Year 1, the average attaining pupils begin to use some of the skills they have learned to work out unknown words but only have a limited knowledge of simple sounds. In addition, some pupils are confused when working on their own and read words from right to left instead of left to right. Higher attaining pupils work more confidently and have a better understanding of a wider range of sounds. By the time they reach Year 6, higher attaining pupils read with expression and can talk confidently about their favourite books. Average and lower attaining pupils still experience difficulties with reading and understanding complex vocabulary and subject terminology.
7. By the end of Year 2, writing skills are in line with the average for the higher attaining pupils, but the writing of lower attaining pupils is well below average. Pupils are taught correct letter formation from an early stage but find it difficult to construct their words using sounds so that some words are unrecognisable. By the end of Year 6 pupils use planning effectively to gather ideas and structure their writing. They write in a number of styles and for a range of purposes. Spelling has improved, particularly at Key Stage 2, because pupils are reminded to use word banks and dictionaries to check it. The presentation and handwriting skills of nearly all pupils are neat and it is clear that pupils take pride in their work.
8. In mathematics, pupils’ attainment is below average throughout the school. In Years 1 and 2 pupils’ mental calculation is not yet well developed and some are not yet confident in simple computation. The few higher attaining pupils can recall simple addition facts. In Years 3 to 6, pupils consolidate and extend their numeracy skills and their mental calculations are developing well overall. By Year 6, pupils’ linguistic skills have developed so that they are better able to understand explanations. For example, this enables higher attaining pupils to have a clear understanding of place value to six digits, and also of decimal notation. All pupils are beginning to use their skills to solve problems, although this is largely dependent on their understanding of the language used.
9. Attainment in science is below average at the end of Years 2 and 6. Younger pupils record what they have learned in pictorial form and higher attaining pupils have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding by recording what they know in words. Pupils build well on their prior learning as they move through Key Stage 2, particularly in Year 6. Their understanding of scientific terminology is improving and, as in mathematics, this enables them to gain a better grasp of explanations. They are given good opportunities to plan a task, carry it out and to record their results independently, with the result that learning is more secure.
10. Standards in information and communication technology are below expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils throughout the school are now taught regularly in the new computer suite and are gaining more expertise in basic skills. By the time they are seven most pupils can use a mouse, although keyboard skills are not developed as well as they might be. They have limited experience of handling data or control technology. At Key Stage 2, many pupils have used the Internet to search for information. Year 6, are familiar with word processing and they are gaining competence with editing procedures such as copy, cut and paste. Pupils have some experience of simple data handling, such as producing graphs. Equipment has been purchased for them to become familiar with sensory technology, but has not yet been used. ICT has yet to be fully
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 10 integrated across the curriculum although this is planned for in the school improvement plan. Standards in history are also below average. This is because pupils’ general knowledge of English history is, not unnaturally, weak and they have insufficient language skills to understand the inferred meaning of the texts they use.
11. In religious education, pupils achieve what is expected in the agreed syllabus by end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils are gaining a good understanding of the basic principles of different faiths.
12. Pupils’ attainment in design and technology is above expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection and pupils show a good understanding of all elements of the designing and making process. In art, pupils reach average standards by the end of Year 2, but above average standards by the end of Year 6. This, again, is an improvement since the last inspection and pupils have the opportunity to work with a variety of media and make good progress in learning a range of new skills and techniques. In geography, music and physical education, pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations at the end of both key stages.
13. Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress because they receive good, well targeted support. Individual education plans give good information for class teachers and targets are short term, achievable and regularly reviewed. Support assistants are aware of what they are and work with class teachers to ensure they are planned for and taught to in lessons. Pupils who are part of the hearing resource base also make good progress overall. They are integrated into class lessons where appropriate and always receive good support. They also receive some discrete teaching within the hearing resource base and the combination of the two methods is successful in ensuring their integration within the school and achieving success with the whole school curriculum.
14. Pupils who are identified as gifted and talented are also well provided for and make good progress. Where it is appropriate they work at a higher level – often with pupils from a higher age group. In some cases pupils have been transferred to a higher class permanently. They are appropriately challenged in their work and their progress is carefully tracked and monitored.
15. Pupils with English as an additional language [EAL] and who are supported by specialist teachers make very good progress through Foundation Stage and good progress through the rest of the school. They start school with no English and quickly learn some basic words. Their teachers help them understand what is happening in the classroom often by using the language of the home. Their understanding of English improves rapidly. However, when pupils enter the school in Key Stage 2 with no English the support they initially receive is more limited, because of the concentration – quite rightly – further down the school. This means that integration takes longer to achieve and progress is slower than it is in Key Stage 1.
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
16. The generally positive situation found at the time of the previous inspection has improved and been further developed. Pupils’ attitudes to school and their behaviour are consistently good overall. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils respond to the opportunities to show initiative and take responsibility in the expected way. Attendance, though improving, remains below that of similar schools nationally and it therefore continues to be unsatisfactory though better than when last inspected.
17. Children entering the nursery have few social skills and are hampered by their lack of understanding of English. However, because of the very good support by bilingual support assistants they settle happily and quickly learn the need to share equipment and play well together. Those who are supported by specialist teachers, enjoy the help they receive. They find great comfort in some one else knowing their home language and this helps them to focus on learning. They always try their best and are kept at the task by the attentions of the support staff.
18. Pupils’ good attitudes to school have a positive impact on how well they achieve. There is a constructive atmosphere in most classrooms with pupils being keen to learn. They are very keen to come to school and show an above average level of interest in whatever they are doing. The very large majority of pupils display enthusiasm in lessons. Even when teaching is less
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 11 stimulating, the majority of the pupils do not take advantage but continue to involve themselves in the lesson, listening carefully to the teacher and trying to do their best. In lessons the pupils enjoy taking part in question and answer sessions, during which they are happy to take turns without inappropriate shouting out. The pupils gain in confidence as they progress through their school life. They relate easily with adults, although never in a disrespectful way. Their readiness to open doors for each other and adults and to say please and thank you without prompting is noticeable. Year 6 pupils display very mature attitudes, readily talking of the way in which everyone gets on with each other and the importance of looking after each other. They enjoy conversations with each other and adults and listen with interest to what is being said, for example when reading to inspectors or when pupils discussed with inspectors their views of the school and the part they play in its activities.
19. There is an ethos of good behaviour in and around the school that enables effective learning to take place. Parents are very happy with the level of behaviour in and around the school. Year 6 pupils tell of how behaviour has improved since the previous inspection. ‘It used to be quite bad but now it’s good’. Throughout the school the pupils are polite, friendly and well behaved. All pupils, even the youngest children new to the school, respond well to the high standards of behaviour expected. Boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds get on well with each other, showing respect for the feelings of others. Break times are pleasant social occasions when the pupils behave well, playing together without any sign of bullying or other anti-social behaviour. There is some boisterous behaviour but no more than that to be expected when pupils are given the opportunity to let off steam away from the constraints of the classroom. Pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, in the playground, when moving about the school and when eating their lunch, is consistently good. Very little inappropriate behaviour was observed during the inspection. Nothing was seen to suggest that when misbehaviour occurs it is oppressive, or that there is vindictive bullying or sexism within the school. When unsatisfactory behaviour does occur, the school adopts a rigorous but sensitive approach that recognises the impact such behaviour by a very small number of pupils can have on the majority. As a consequence there were 19 fixed term exclusions during the last school year. Though high, the number is less than at the time of the previous inspection and the trend in recent years has been downward as pupils understand and accept the school’s expectations of them.
20. There is equality for all within the school and as a result harmonious relationships exist throughout the school community. Pupils of all ages respond appropriately to the school’s provision for their personal development. Though somewhat limited for the youngest pupils, but appropriate for their age, the school provides opportunities to assume responsibilities that steadily increase throughout their school life. When given the chance to be responsible or display initiative, for example, when getting out or putting away equipment in the hall, the pupils happily volunteer, undertaking the activities diligently and with enthusiasm. Those chosen to be peer mediators, as part of the school’s participation in the Excellence in Cities Programme and those involved in the Year 6 Forum, take their responsibilities very seriously, making a positive contribution the school’s strategies for supporting its pupils. Relationships are very good, both among pupils and between pupils and adults. The pupils show respect for the values and beliefs of others and this is apparent in the way they relate to each other, both in lessons and elsewhere.
21. The school’s level of attendance is unsatisfactory. It has been consistently below the national average in recent years although there has been an improvement since the time of the previous inspection, particularly in the past year as the school’s revised monitoring arrangements have an impact. The school’s attendance levels, when compared with schools nationally, suffer as a result of a large number of pupils taking extended visits to family homelands. Whilst being sensitive to the importance attached to these visits by many parents and recognising that the experience can be valuable, the school is very aware of the negative impact that absence can have on the attainment of the pupils that are involved. If allowance is made for extended absence the underlying level of attendance for the majority of pupils is good with no evidence of truancy. Punctuality is good for the majority of pupils. When lateness does occur it is generally of a minor nature and not disruptive to lessons.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 12 HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
22. The overall quality of teaching observed was good and ranged from excellent to satisfactory. Eighty lessons were observed during the inspection. Of these, two were excellent, 17 very good, 41 good and 20 satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. The overall quality of teaching and learning has improved significantly since the last inspection, when four per cent of lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory and the teaching found to be of variable quality in Key Stage 2. The good teaching is now spread across the school and it is this consistency that has had a positive impact on pupils' learning and been instrumental in raising overall standards. Teaching is equally good for pupils with special educational needs, hearing-impaired pupils, those who speak English as an additional language and for gifted and talented pupils.
23. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall. The teachers provide the children with good quality learning experiences and have high expectations for children’s learning. Planning ensures balanced development in each of the six areas of learning, although there is naturally an emphasis on the development of English and communication skills. Teachers take good account of the children’s prior attainment when planning so that tasks set match their needs. Activities are well structured and ensure the consolidation and development of skills. The teachers ensure that they provide challenging work in a stimulating environment. Lessons include a rich variety of tasks and very effective use is made of support staff, who are well prepared and who provide unobtrusive and useful help.
24. In Key Stages 1 and 2, all the main elements of teaching are of good quality and some are very good. The teachers' knowledge and understanding of the curriculum is good, an improvement since the previous inspection when there were shortcomings in teachers’ knowledge and understanding of art and design and ICT. Appropriate training has ensured their confidence and competence in teaching these subjects has improved significantly and is borne out by the improved standards in pupils’ learning and attainment. Teachers plan their work very thoroughly, so that lessons proceed smoothly and at a good pace. The tasks and learning elements presented to pupils are within their capabilities but provide a good challenge. Teachers work very hard and effectively in the teaching of basic skills such as letter sounds and counting in Key Stage 1 and handwriting and multiplication in Key Stage 2. However, some teachers do not always use grammatically correct English when speaking to the pupils and in a few cases there are mistakes in their own spelling. In a school where there is such a high percentage of pupils learning English for the first time it is imperative that all staff speak and write correctly.
25. Teachers properly expect their pupils to succeed and are determined that they shall. They have a sharp focus throughout their lessons on what they want pupils to learn and this is reflected in their planning, which generally includes different activities to meet the needs of different groups. For example, in a numeracy lesson on making numbers more than or less than a given number, the teacher involved every pupil by asking questions that challenged each at their own level and then set them to work on similar tasks with material suited to their capability and their grasp of English. When they all came together at the end, she asked them to tell her what they had learnt, thus effectively reinforcing their learning.
26. The teachers are particularly good at managing pupils, including those who find it difficult to settle down or in other ways present behaviour problems. They use a judicious mix of good humour and warmth along with a firm and businesslike approach, with consistent use of the school's behaviour policy and most emphasise and reward positive behaviour, with good results.
27. Time and resources are generally well used. Lessons almost always proceed at a good pace and the activities for pupils are relevant and appropriate, with little time lost in distributing work, moving children and so on. On the few occasions when the pace of a lesson slows, pupils tend to lose interest and a few misbehave. Classroom assistants are usually well employed, but occasionally they sit passively when they could be better employed. Some are very skilled in questioning pupils and seeing ways to move their learning on.
28. Teachers have good assessment procedures for the core subjects and assess pupils' progress and learning needs effectively. Marking is generally of good quality, often with helpful suggestions as to how work might be improved in the future, or how it might be taken forward. Teachers keep
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 13 clear and useful records and know their pupils well. Homework is usually appropriately used to support work being carried out in class and is very well used for the older pupils.
29. Teamwork amongst teachers is a strength. They support each other well and show consistency in their implementation and support of school policy in important aspects such as educational inclusion, behaviour and attendance, almost without exception.
30. The school has successfully implemented both the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. To raise standards in literacy and numeracy, the school groups the pupils throughout Key Stage 2 by prior attainment, allowing teachers to focus their teaching in the classrooms where, as a consequence of the grouping, there is a narrower range of attainment. In literacy the quality of teaching is very good across the school and basic skills such as letter sounds and grammar are well taught. This is enabling pupils to make good progress in their acquisition of literacy skills, although there is still much to do for pupils to reach average standards. The teaching of numeracy is good and monitoring and assessment of work is of a high standard, being based on the painstaking collection and organisation of a wide range of detailed information. A strong emphasis is placed on getting pupils to understand and use mathematical language, which is so important in a school where so many pupils speak English as an additional language to their own. The good teaching ensures pupils make good progress in their understanding of mathematics and their ability to make use of it.
31. Teaching in information and communication technology is an area of considerable improvement since the last inspection, when weaknesses made the subject a key issue for development. Teachers now have very effective subject knowledge, which they use well in their planning to build pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding in a structured way.
32. The other curriculum subjects are also well taught, with the result that pupils achieve well even if their limited knowledge of the English language does not permit them to attain as well as their peers elsewhere. A minor shortcoming is some dependence by teachers on worksheets, which limit the use of language by pupils and give them less opportunity to develop their skills of presentation.
33. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. Well-qualified and experienced support staff provide good support which meets the particular needs of individuals or small groups. Work is well planned, based on careful assessment of achievement and well matched to individual education plans and the demands of the curriculum. Targets are clearly identified within the plans and also the means by which they may be attained. This enables the pupils to learn very effectively and make good gains in their learning.
34. Hearing impaired pupils are taught well and their teachers have a good knowledge of their particular needs. Where appropriate they are integrated into whole class teaching, but their teachers make informed decisions as to when it is more beneficial for them to be taught within the base. Higher attaining pupils have been identified and receive teaching which meets their particular needs, often being taught with pupils in a higher class where this is appropriate.
35. Specialist staff for pupils with English as an additional language enable them to make good progress because they provide positive support occasionally in the home language of the pupils. They also invest time in shared planning with the class teacher, which means that their pupils are doing broadly similar work to the rest of the class. This is important because it helps raise pupils’ self- esteem. They have a good range of pictorial and tactile resources available to support learning but these are not used sufficiently well. Teachers should not do the work for the pupil. Occasional failure is a positive learning experience for pupils.
HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?
36. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good, well planned and structured, taking full account of the need to meet the requirements of the Early Learning Goals and very successfully meets the needs of all the children. There is strong emphasis on the skills of speaking and listening, which is a proper strategy in a school where there are so many children who have special educational
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 14 needs, limited experience of the English language, or who have English as an additional language. However, this positive emphasis on language skills does not detract from the breadth and balance of the rest of the curriculum and in fact it enhances the ability of the children to benefit more fully from the richness and variety of what is offered. All pupils, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, receive full access to the curriculum and benefit from what it offers. The requirements of the Code of Practice for those pupils with special educational are met in full. By the time the children enter the school from the Reception classes they have been offered a wide range of experiences, which prepare them well for the future.
37. The quality and range of the curriculum is also good for the pupils in Years 1 to 6. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught, offering a wide range of rich learning opportunities and the time allocated to each subject is now appropriate. However, some lessons are too long for some younger pupils, particularly during afternoon sessions. The curriculum has improved since the last inspection, when it was found that the requirements for ICT were not fully met leading to significant gaps in the experiences and skills of many pupils. This situation has been successfully addressed with the provision of new equipment and improved teaching skills. All the pupils have access to the whole curriculum. For example, for pupils in the hearing resource base this includes provision for signing and the awareness of teachers to speak clearly. There are appropriate opportunities provided for the development of the pupils’ personal and social development.
38. The curricular provision pupils in both key stages continues to reflect the school’s priorities for improving standards in English, mathematics and science. The National Literacy and the National Numeracy Strategies have been implemented successfully. The emphasis on continued improvement in oral and written competence, is helping to raise standards. The school also uses the appropriate national and local curricular guidance, to provide a sound basis for the teachers to plan their work in the other subjects. The curricular planning and monitoring systems are good overall and very good in English, mathematics and science. The overall quality of planning is generally good and is used effectively to target key learning objectives for groups and individual pupils.
39. The school ensures that it makes at least adequate provision for the needs of all its pupils. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs, for those with hearing impairment, and for the pupils with English as an additional language, is good. The teachers plan the work well, and frequently collaboratively, to ensure that opportunities are afforded in lessons for all the pupils to make progress. The learning support assistants provide positive help in encouraging pupils, especially in literacy and numeracy lessons, and this helps them make sound progress, in line with their individual capabilities. The pupils have appropriate access to all curricular activities. The school is very effective in providing equality of opportunity for all groups of pupils. There is a clear and thorough policy document and code of practice for equal opportunities, which underpins the school's determination to eliminate any racial discrimination through positive steps.
40. The curriculum is enriched for hearing-impaired pupils by their integration into the main school in the afternoons and for normally-hearing pupils by their visits to the hearing resource base. Similarly, there are visits to and from a local special school when pupils work together. In these ways, the school is taking good measures to include pupils with special educational needs. Accessibility for wheelchair users will be increased by the provision of a ramp at the end of this year.
41. The school responds vigorously to obstacles to pupils' learning identified by careful assessment and analysis, with appropriate modification of curriculum provision. For example, under- achievement by Yemeni-Arabic pupils is being targeted through the employment of Arabic speakers, with good results. Learning mentors are helping disaffected pupils and those reluctant to participate in activities to make better progress. Gifted and talented pupils are equally well supported through, for example, setting and working with a higher year group if appropriate.
42. The school has a suitable policy and effective programmes, for the teaching of health education, sex education and for bringing to the pupils, in an informed manner, the dangers associated with smoking and the misuse of drugs. All these aspects are offered within the context of a very caring school, where the development of and high quality of individual care and inter-personal
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 15 relationships are seen as very important. In consequence, the quality of the provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education is good.
43. The richness and diversity of the school’s culture is deliberately celebrated through careful provision of appropriate resources, sensitive portrayal of family life and the use of a range of bilingual resources. Festival assemblies are held to value all faith and cultural groups. Circle time is similarly used to support diversity and achieve greater tolerance. In addition the school has established good relationships with the leadership of the central mosque which has led to a greater understanding of issues concerning home and school.
44. The opportunities provided for pupils to take part in a range of activities outside formal lessons have improved since the time of the previous inspection. At that time they were judged to be satisfactory. They are now very good with a wide range of activities offering enjoyment for the pupils as well as contributing positively to their learning and personal development. The activities, many of which take place at lunchtime, include a range of educational visits, dance, choir and sports as well as a drama club and lots of opportunities for skill development during informal play activities at lunchtime. In addition residential visits make a major contribution to the development of pupils’ co-operative and social skills. No evidence was found to support the views of a small number of parents who feel that there are too few opportunities for activities outside lessons.
45. There is a constructive relationship with partner institutions with the school benefiting from its association with partner schools and other educational establishments. It is benefiting from the good support it receives as part of an Education Action Zone and its links with its partner Beacon school both of which have contributed to raising the confidence with which both teachers and pupils use computers.
46. The school’s links with the community, particularly locally, have developed since the previous inspection and they were very good then. They are now excellent. It is to the credit of all involved, especially the headteacher who has worked hard to reach out into the community and the community leaders who have responded so positively, that such effective links have developed recently. The example of the school and the local Mosque working together to ensure that Muslim children can complete their homework whilst also receiving training in their own faith demonstrates what can be achieved if all are committed to working together to meet the pupils’ needs. The school is an integral part of the local community, both looking out to the community and bringing it into school. Parent partnerships and learning mentors, promoted by the school’s involvement in local community education initiatives, make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. These links make a significant contribution to pupils’ academic, personal and social development.
47. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good with some very good features. Because of this provision the school is a calm and orderly place where pupils are valued and work hard to improve. Provision has improved overall since the last inspection but pupils’ spiritual development is still not as strong a feature as the other elements.
48. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is sound but shows little improvement since the last inspection mainly because the school has emphasised the driving upwards of academic standards as its main priority. The school has yet to come to terms fully with developing pupils’ spirituality. It is improving in religious education (RE) lessons. Questions like ‘What does God mean to you?’ and ‘How does it feel to be a Muslim?’ are discussed, reflected upon and answered with great sincerity by pupils. In Year 6 English there were opportunities for the top set pupils to reflect on the life and work of ‘Mother Maria’ and in art pupils have good opportunities to reflect upon the work of great artists but overall this aspect remains less well developed than the others. It is not yet built into teachers’ planning as an integral part of the curriculum.
49. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. This aspect has been consolidated and improved since the last inspection. The staff are ‘as one’ in promoting the schools’ rules and behaviour management strategies. This broad consistency is vital and has proved very effective in making both the inside and the outside of the school calm places. General rules are very well known by all pupils and some, for instance those in Years 2 and 6, have had the opportunity to negotiate class rules with their teacher. The rules are regularly and consistently reinforced by teachers through their own example, during general teaching and through discussion time with younger pupils. For instance, a Year 3 teacher pointed out that two classes were watching the RE
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 16 video together because ‘we all had to share’ and a Year 6 teacher reminded pupils that ‘in this class you are proud of yourself and what you can do’ in order to maintain pupils’ high standard of work.
50. The provision for social development is good. Pupils are encouraged to get along with each other through purposeful stories in assembly and very good support from mentors and lunchtime assistants who play with the pupils at play and lunchtimes. The good range of residential visits greatly help pupils to learn to cooperate with each other. In lessons, group and pair work isn’t as well developed as it could be. There are some positive and effective examples of ‘talking pairs’ in English lessons and this could be usefully extended to other lessons. Pupils in last year’s Year 6 worked very effectively in groups when they produced their radio programmes. Independence skills are not yet promoted consistently throughout the school although some opportunities exist for pupils in Year 6 to plan and take responsibility for their own learning, for example, when planning a science investigation.
51. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. The school has improved this aspect by extending its contacts with community organisations, both locally and in Greater Birmingham. It has added to the comprehensive list of visits and visitors who have greatly enhanced the experiences the pupils receive through the curriculum. Whether it be visits from and training by the Royal Ballet, quality links with drama companies including the ‘in-house’ Language Alive, study of the major world religions, tuition in Indian drumming, or a good quality study programme about the local community, this school provides nearly everything any pupil might need to be fully aware of the rich cultural heritage of this country’s diverse population.
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
52. Percy Shurmer is a very caring school that is very successful in looking after its pupils. This is recognised and appreciated by parents. The school’s provision for the welfare, health and safety of its pupils is very good displaying sensitivity to the religious and cultural differences that make the school such an appealing place to be a part of. The quality of education provided by the school is enhanced by the support it provides for its pupils.
53. The arrangements for children joining the school are carefully and sensitively managed. Teachers make home visits prior to children joining the nursery, which provides them with much useful information and which enables the children and parents to get to know the teacher in more informal surroundings. For pupils joining the school at a later stage there is a good induction programme which quickly assesses whether the pupil has any particular need requiring support.
54. The school has made some necessary improvements since the inspection in November 2000. At that time, although there were many strengths in the way in which the school looked after the pupils in its care, the arrangements for child protection were unsatisfactory and the required training had not been undertaken. This matter has been addressed successfully and no weaknesses now exist in the school’s provision. Child protection arrangements are now good. They meet statutory requirements. All members of staff understand their duty to be aware of the need to be attentive and they undertake this responsibility conscientiously and well.
55. Although it is early in the school year teachers and support staff are getting to know their pupils and are responding sensitively and positively to pupils’ individual needs. There is a supportive atmosphere within the school, especially for the youngest children and those in the Hearing Resource Base. Led by the caring headteacher all members of the school community work together to provide an environment in which all pupils, whatever their personal circumstances, feel well cared for and secure. Pupils are sensitive to the needs of each other. Relationships amongst all members of the school community are very good. The pupils are happy at school and confidently turn to adults when they want help or advice knowing that their needs will meet with a positive and supportive response.
56. Midday supervisory staff, including learning mentors who provide very effective support, generally relate well to the pupils although instances were observed of some supervisors dealing with pupils by raising their voices unnecessarily. This falls below the very high standards set elsewhere. Overall, however, there is good support during lunchtimes which has a positive effect on behaviour
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 17 and safety. First-aid and fire safety arrangements are good and the school provides a safe and supportive environment in classrooms and public areas. The school’s procedures for dealing with minor accidents are secure. As a result of the regular rigorous risk assessments that are performed to ensure the safety of the school community no health and safety hazards were observed during the inspection.
57. In response to a recognition that attendance levels were unsatisfactory when inspected in November 2000 the school strengthened and improved its procedures for monitoring and improving attendance and these are now good. The school has been successful in improving its attendance rate although it is still below average. There is close monitoring of individual attendance performance and it is not for want of trying that the school has been unable to raise overall attendance levels further than has been the case so far. Records of attendance are properly maintained and comply with statutory requirements. Registration procedures are efficient and there is rigorous recording of lateness. There is good liaison with the school’s Education Social Worker and there are good procedures for contacting parents in the case of unexpected absence. There is no evidence of truancy.
58. The measures that are in place for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and eliminating oppressive behaviour are good. The school’s policies are well focused on the need to promote good behaviour and there is good definition of rewards and sanctions. The school has clear procedures that are consistently implemented to encourage good behaviour. At their heart is recognition of the importance of being sensitive to the needs of the pupils as individuals. School rules are clear with constant reinforcement through school assemblies and in the classroom. Encouraging and praising good behaviour is emphasised. The procedures, that are well understood and accepted by almost all the pupils, are effective and allow the pupils to take advantage of the opportunities for learning presented to them in an environment in which there is an absence of oppressive behaviour, bullying, sexism or racism.
59. The school’s arrangements for promoting and monitoring pupils’ personal development remain satisfactory as they were previously. The monitoring of the pupils’ progress appropriately begins in the Foundation Stage and helps track their individual progress from this early stage. A range of strategies include a personal, social and health education programme, a caring ethos, community involvement, Circle Time, involvement in charitable activities and the involvement of parents. Formal monitoring, including teacher records and summaries in the pupils’ annual reports, is satisfactory. Individual personal files and achievement folders provide useful supporting evidence. Informal arrangements for supporting pupils’ personal development, which benefit from teachers’ knowledge of pupils as individuals, are good. The procedures for monitoring and supporting the pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. Elsewhere in the school the teachers keep class records, which help to establish a basis for personal support and guidance. This includes individual support as necessary for those pupils with special educational needs, those for whom English is a second language and those pupils with hearing impairment.
60. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good and pupils’ progress is carefully tracked and monitored. Pupils are included in all school activities and their contributions are valued which raises self-esteem. Pupils with English as an additional language are identified early using a good bank of tests and the skills of the bilingual assistants. Support is targeted quite well in the youngest classes and the results of assessment inform teachers’ planning. Good links exist with the full range of services for pupils with hearing impairment and secondary transfer is well managed. Some joint work between the Resource Base and a speech and language therapist that encourages early communication skills both at home and at school has helped the youngest children make a positive start to school.
61. The procedures for assessing pupils on entry to school, identifying those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, are good. Assessment in the Foundation Stage against the achievement of the Early Learning Goals, is very effective. Throughout the school there are very good arrangements for the assessing and monitoring of pupils’ attainment and progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Good arrangements are evident elsewhere, such as in ICT, while in other subjects arrangements are satisfactory. A good feature of the schools’ assessment programme is the manner in which the findings are used to help set individual targets for the pupils, supporting their academic progress, and also the ways in which the information is used effectively to help in the creation of sets and
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 18 groups for teaching purposes. The whole-staff participation in this target setting, is a strong characteristic of the school’s approach, as it results in a shared awareness of the pupils’ individual capabilities, together with an understanding of their learning needs, and supports the teachers’ planning of the curriculum.
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
62. At the time of the previous inspection a positive partnership with parents was reported. This has been maintained and further developed.
63. The small number of parents that responded to the parents’ questionnaire, those that attended the pre-inspection meeting and those who met with inspectors during the inspection, have very positive views about the school which they think is a very good one. Parents’ views are more positive now than when inspected previously, though they were good at that time. A very high level of satisfaction was expressed about all aspects of the school’s provision for their children. Parents are very comfortable approaching the school when they need information or when they have concerns. They are unanimous that their children like school, they are well informed about progress, their children are challenged by the school’s high expectations of them, the school works closely with them and their children are helped to become mature individuals. No negative views were expressed by a significant proportion of parents although a very small number have concerns about the school’s homework policy and the range of extra-curricular activities. Inspection evidence confirms the positive views of parents and there is no evidence that homework is inappropriate and there is no weakness in the provision of extra-curricular activities, judged to be very good.
64. The school recognises the importance of good relationships with parents and is working hard to promote its partnership with them. This begins when children start school in the nursery. The introduction of home visits by school staff cements relationships very effectively ensuring that the start to school life for the very youngest children is smooth and enjoyable for all involved.
65. Parents are made to feel welcome and there is much encouragement for parents to play a full part in the education of their children. Many parents and other helpers respond positively and participate in the work of the school in a number of ways. These include taking part in the local community education Parent Partnership Project, helping directly in school. Home school links are supported by a home-school agreement that provides for commitment by all to the improvement of standards. Parental support for school assemblies and attendance at parents’ evenings, to discuss their children’s progress, is very good.
66. The quality of information provided formally by the school is good, as it was when the school was inspected previously. School and class newsletters, curriculum information and a variety of liaison activities held throughout the year keep parents well informed about school activities. The headteacher makes herself available at any time to meet with parents and teachers are happy to meet with them informally before or after school, or by appointment to ensure availability due to teaching commitments.
67. The school prospectus is a well-organised, very comprehensive, user-friendly document that gives parents all necessary information in a straightforward non-patronising way. The use of illustration, such as clock faces for times, makes much of the information very accessible to those parents who have difficulty reading English. The Governors’ Annual Report to Parents suffers in comparison. It is a somewhat bland document although the information it provides is appropriate. Opportunities are missed to properly celebrate the school successes. Taken together the documents are of good quality although there is a weakness in the information given to parents about the school’s policy for supporting pupils with special needs and how the school meets the needs of its teachers for professional training, but these are far outweighed by the strengths elsewhere.
68. Parents are provided with regular opportunities, both formal and informal, to be told of their child’s progress throughout the year and annually through a written report. Whilst there is some variation from teacher to teacher the quality of reports is good overall, with some very good practice in reporting the progress made by the youngest children in the school, although so much information
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 19 is provided in a relatively small space that some reports are a little difficult to read, especially for those parents whose grasp of English is not secure. Statutory reporting requirements are met. The reports provide parents with information on what their child has done and can do and for English, mathematics and science how this compares with that expected for their age. Elsewhere in the reports there is less information about how attainment compares with that expected. Teachers report on effort, providing a useful guide to pupils’ personal development. A general comments section is well used by teachers to record personal development.
69. The parents of pupils’ with special educational needs are kept fully informed of their children’s progress. They are invited to reviews of their individual education plans and are always welcome to discuss any problems with teachers
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
70. The leadership and management of the school were identified as being major weaknesses at the time of the last inspection. Since then significant improvements have been made and the quality of both the leadership and management of the school is very good overall.
71. The acting headteacher has been in post for nearly two years. The stability and vision that she has provided has been the major contributing factor to the great improvements seen in the quality of teaching and learning and hence the raising of standards, particularly in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. She has acted positively and effectively to address the issues identified. Her dedication and commitment as well as her perception and clear vision for the school have been instrumental in inspiring the newly constructed senior management team, as well as the subject managers, to adopt the necessary changes enthusiastically. This has resulted in a whole team approach to school improvement.
72. The work of the senior management team has been an essential part of the process. They have worked well together instigating and implementing a programme of rigorous monitoring – of lessons and pupils’ work – analysis and assessment in order to move the school forward. This has been successful because of the constructive and sympathetic way it has been handled and gained the full support of the teaching staff. The subject managers, without exception, are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They have received training to enable them to be more effective in their roles and have undertaken monitoring of their subjects, providing useful and constructive feedback to all members of staff. They monitor planning, pupils work and teaching of the subject highly effectively.
73. The governing body fulfils its statutory requirements and in general has a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. A particular strength is that it draws representatives from all sections of the local community and thus a wide range of views is expressed. It is clear that much healthy and knowledgeable discussion takes place about the way forward for the school. Governors work together well through a well organised committee structure and have a good scheme of delegated duties. They are instrumental in shaping the direction of the school and wisely listen to and accept the advice provided by the local education authority, particularly in the matter of appointing a permanent headteacher.
74. Whilst the governors show a very good knowledge of the school’s weaknesses and quite rightly see the first priority as raising standards still further, they do not, universally, show an appreciation of the school’ strengths. Some do not sufficiently acknowledge and recognise the commitment and dedication of the acting headteacher, generally affording credit to the advisory service and headteacher who have been providing support. Whilst this support has been invaluable, both the advisor and support headteacher are the first to admit to the strengths of the leadership now within the school. In addition the fact that an acting deputy headteacher has not been appointed to support the acting headteacher is a weakness. The governors have relied on the goodwill and dedication of a senior member of staff to fulfil this role without awarding the recognition and title the work demands.
75. The school has an effective performance management strategy and this is well implemented. The teaching staff support it and find it helpful having whole school, team and individual targets to work towards. Although the targets are, of necessity, dictated to a certain extent by the requirements of
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 20 the post-Ofsted action plan, the consultative process has been well managed and staff appreciate the opportunity to be consulted about whole school and personal aspirations.
76. The major targets for the school, in the school improvement plan, are based on the issues identified at the time of the last inspection. They are highly appropriate and the school has taken effective action and made very good progress towards meeting them. However, there has been less than two years since the last inspection. Because of this time constraint not all targets have yet been fully met. For example, although there have been significant improvements in the provision and teaching for ICT, there are still issues regarding the full implementation of the subject across the whole curriculum. All staff are well aware of the improvements still to be made and without exception show a high commitment and dedication to achieving these.
77. The school has a competent and dedicated staff. It has suffered difficulties with recruitment and there has been some turbulence in the last two years. Nearly one third of the staff are on temporary or fixed term contracts. This is not currently having a direct impact on the standards being attained, but it does mean there is some uncertainty as to the stability of the teaching staff in the future. The school has attracted good calibre, long term supply staff who show a similar commitment and dedication to the school as the permanent staff. This is largely attributable to the whole school shared ethos, which is positive, caring and dedicated to providing the best possible personal and academic education for the pupils. Staff new to the school receive a good induction programme and there is a useful staff handbook which deals with more practical routines and issues. Some new staff are not fully aware of some of the complicated contextual issues, concerning cultural traditions which sometimes affect pupils’ progress, as they are not mentioned in the staff handbook. This should be addressed.
78. The school has a high number of support staff who are employed in a number of roles – in the hearing support unit, as support for pupils with English as an additional language, or special needs assistants. They provide high quality and useful support but are mainly concentrated in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 where the need is greatest. However, this means that there is limited support for pupils in Key Stage 2. This has a particular impact in two areas. When pupils work in the ICT suite there is too little support and pupils do not always make as much progress as they might. In addition when pupils are admitted to the school with little or no English, although some extra support is provided it is not of the concentrated variety which would provide them with instant ‘survival’ skills which would enable them to integrate into their class and the school more quickly.
79. The school building provides a good standard of spacious accommodation and all areas are used well to teach the National Curriculum. The two storey building houses two spacious halls used mainly for physical education, school assemblies and meals. It is modern, bright and welcoming with many attractive displays, which celebrate pupils' work. The accommodation includes a large, purpose built unit for children in the Foundation Stage, comprising three good-sized classrooms. A safe and suitable outdoor play area is adjacent to this unit. This is put to very good use and contributes positively to the development of the children. Additional features of the school are the community room for parents which houses the Play and Stay project for mothers and pre-school children, and the hearing resource base. Both make a major contribution to the welfare and education of the children. The ICT suite is a new important teaching resource that has had a direct impact on the development of pupils' computer skills. A recent project involved the pupils in successfully redesigning one of the three playgrounds. This is now well equipped for games and sports and includes permanent picnic tables. This playground is very close to the main road, however, and traffic noise is a nuisance, particularly during games lessons when pupils and teachers find it difficult to be heard. The rear playground slopes and is unsuitable for some ball games. An enclosed courtyard containing a pond and a varied range of trees, flowers and bushes is an attractive feature but is underused.
80. The school has a sound range of resources overall. The main Key Stage 2 library is an attractive feature, which is generally well equipped and an inviting place in which to work. There is a small selection of books and magazines in the pupils' home languages. The small Key Stage 1 library uses a simplified classification system. Although it is in an attractive setting, the quality and quantity of books are somewhat limited. Class libraries are generally not inviting and do not make reading a feature. This is a missed opportunity to encourage children to enjoy reading attractive books. There have been considerable improvements in the provision of computers and software
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 21 and further additions are planned. There are satisfactory resources for all other subjects and for special educational needs. Resources in the hearing resource base are good.
81. Funding for the school is considerably higher than those for primary schools nationally, even after allowance for the costs associated with the hearing resource base. However, the school has very good procedures for ensuring that the financial resources available to it are used to support pupils’ learning efficiently. The school’s arrangements have improved considerably since the previous inspection. The conscientious and well-informed chair of the school’s finance committee works closely with the headteacher and other members of the governing body to ensure that within the school there is a secure grasp of the school’s financial situation, so that it can manage its budget efficiently. In this it is aided by the support provided by the local authority and, more particularly, the advice provided by the financial consultants that the school has engaged to make sure that there are no weaknesses in the way in which it conducts its financial affairs. The use of consultants is cost effective and a good example of how the school has recognised the need for support and has taken appropriate action.
82. The headteacher and governors are committed to providing as high a standard of education as possible and their financial planning is solidly based on ensuring that the school’s educational provision is sustainable and that, as far as is possible, its educational targets are met. Planned financial reserves, the amount of money that the school expects to carry forward into the next financial year, are somewhat higher than is typical for primary schools nationally. However, the school has only recently recovered form a difficult situation involving a significant overspend. There is now prudent contingency planning to ensure that it is able to respond to changing circumstances without disruption to planned strategies. The school is committed to continue to focus on raising standards by maintaining staffing levels and continuing to improve learning resources and the school environment.
83. The school benefits from a number of local initiatives, such as its involvement in the local Education Action Zone and in the Excellence in Cities initiative, but also supplements the standard specific grants it receives from its own resources to ensure that there is effective raising of the attainment of those who receive extra support to address special learning, behaviour, language or social needs. These monies are well used to promote effective learning for those involved. The grant which helps fund the specialist teachers of EAL and the service they provide is used well to help these pupils learn. The school has had to make hard decisions about where support is best provided. Currently this is with the youngest children and the pupils of Years 1 and 2. The school will need to review the effectiveness of this decision towards the end of the year because pupils in Years 3 to 6 are getting minimal support. The school subsidises this service from general funding already and will have to find even more money next year when their grant is cut by nearly half.
84. Effective use is made of new technology. The new computer suite is widely and effectively used by all pupils. Senior staff use appropriate programs to track pupils’ progress and make an analysis of the school’s progress in national and standardised tests, identifying areas for development and thus raising standards.
85. The school’s administration arrangements and the day-to-day control of its finances, are good. Clerical staff are conscientious, undertaking their duties efficiently. The school office works smoothly and effectively. Effective use is made of the information available from the school’s computerised management system and there are financial and administrative procedures in place that allow the Senior Administrator to make a positive contribution to the financial control and monitoring of school activities. The school’s most recent audit visit, in November 2001, found few issues and all but one of its recommendations have been appropriately addressed. The outstanding matter relates to the treatment of monies received for educational trips which the school prefers to keep in a separate account through its school fund rather than, as suggested, putting the money through the main school account. Governors are reviewing the situation.
86. In judging the school’s performance good use is made by members of the governing body, ably supported by the headteacher, of the four principles of compare, challenge, consult and compete, to plan and implement the work of the school. Governors are aware of trends in performance and are making effective comparisons with how school standards compare with those expected although rather too much emphasis is placed by some members on the weaknesses rather than properly recognising the positive improvements in performance that are being made. Guided by
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 22 the headteacher, there is a good appreciation of the need to challenge what is being done in the school to assess the impact on learning. A wide variety of statistical information is used to monitor the quality of learning and identify priorities for development that are fed into the school’s improvement plan and subsequently into budget priorities. All elements of the school’s spending are evaluated to ensure that the most economic and effective quality of education and support is provided for the pupils in its charge. Good procedures are in place for ensuring that best financial value is obtained when purchasing products or services and there are some good consultation procedures with governors making use of a variety of information from parents, staff and the pupils.
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
87. Significant improvements have been made at Percy Shurmer School over the last two years. However, to build upon these further the headteacher, staff and governors should:
(i) raise standards in English, mathematics, science and history by: improving pupils’ reading and comprehension skills so that they can correctly interpret and understand the texts they are using; taking steps to improve and increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of technical vocabulary; and ensuring that teachers use grammatically correct written and spoken English in all lessons.
(paragraphs: 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 24, 115-125, 127, 133, 136-142, 144-151, 173, 175, 178)
(ii) raise standards in ICT by: making better and more practical use of skills acquired by utilising them more fully in the classroom; and developing the use of ICT across all subjects of the curriculum,5
(paragraphs: 10, 76, 78, 128, 151, 155, 171, 180, 202)
(iii) improve the integration of pupils who are new to the school and for whom English is an additional language, particularly in Key Stage 2, by: ensuring there is adequate support available to familiarise them with the necessary basic language and school routines; and ensuring staff are familiar with relevant contextual information which may affect pupils’ learning.
(paragraphs: 10, 15, 77, 78, 119)
(iv) improve levels of attendance by: continuing to work with parents and the local community in order to raise understanding of the link between regular attendance and effective learning.
(paragraphs: 21, 57)
Minor issues
In addition to the above, the governors, headteacher and staff should consider the following minor issue.
(v) Promote pupils’ independence skills by providing more opportunities for them to work in pairs or small groups.
(paragraph: 50)
5 Developing the use of ICT has already been identified as an area for development in the school’s development plan
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 23 The work of the hearing resource base
88. The school has a 26 place Resource Base for hearing-impaired pupils and it draws in pupils from a wide area within Birmingham. It is well staffed by qualified teachers of the deaf and specialist teaching assistants. Oral teaching is the basis of all lessons but staff use signing to support spoken language and the balance between signing and language varies according to the needs and previous history of each pupil. Signing also supports whole school activities such as assembly.
89. The attainment of hearing-impaired pupils is generally below the national average, but in line with the targets set for them by staff in the Resource Base in their individual education plans. In reception pupils learn to count out loud to six and to relate their counting to fingers in the air, pegs on a line and the number symbols themselves. In their work on communication, language and literacy the same pupils learn to identify fruit by its shape and feel and they learn new words and signs together. With careful support they start to articulate simple sentences and learn that they need to look carefully at speakers’ faces to pick up all the clues that they can about language. The pupils have benefited from the home school programme that the school developed with a speech and language therapist, but all the pupils are still unlikely to reach the early learning goals for these areas of learning by the time they leave reception.
90. In Years 1 and 2 pupils work together in numeracy lessons to reach joint decisions about which is the best non-standard measure to use and clap in time reinforce number sequences up to 20. By the end of Year 3 pupils are secure on the four basic operations with number and in Years 4 to 6 develop their confidence further, using partitioning and solving mathematics problems presented in words rather than figures. In literacy in Years 1 and 2 pupils show greater confidence in speaking and listening and do look very carefully at speakers so as to access all possible sources of meaning. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 put words in order using initial letters and even have an idea about the relative distances between letters as they occur within the alphabet. In Years 5 and 6 pupils have a great deal more that they want to say and one or two have ideas about emphasising historical understanding in their writing about the evacuation. Pupils work hard in all lessons and make progress because of this. Although progress is uneven between different year groups this is related to factors in the nature of the additional learning difficulties that some pupils have as well as to factors in their personal history before joining Percy Shurmer School. In all of the classes in the Resource Base pupils behave very well and show very positive attitudes towards learning so that they are quick to pick up on ‘accidental’ slips that teachers make.
91. The Resource Base continues to give pupils in the school the high quality support noted in the previous inspection report. Although the acoustic qualities in the rooms now dedicated to the Base are much better than before, the room used by the youngest pupils is too small and it is unable to meet all the demands of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The plans to improve and extend that provision before the end of the year are timely. The maintenance of the pupils’ hearing aids has improved since the last inspection because there are now weekly checks on both the aids and the ear moulds. Class teachers in mainstream now use aids consistently in class and that is a further improvement. Information and communication technology is now planned into the curriculum also and, in the one room without access to the school’s own network, a free-standing personal computer was available.
92. Teaching within the Resource Base is never less than satisfactory and in the overwhelming majority of lessons it is good with some very good features. All the members of staff use a consistent approach with the pupils and they understand and support one another very well in reinforcing key ideas and vocabulary. They have high expectations of the pupils and value and reinforce good signing as well as clear speaking and attentive looking. They work hard to include all the pupils by giving them every opportunity to participate in lessons. Good teaching emphasises the need to think and reflect before trying to answer and it keeps the learning objectives to the fore so that pupils know what it is that they are doing and why. Satisfactory teaching is marked by a loss of pace as the lesson develops and some lack of appreciation about the pupils’ need for a change of style or approach. In the great majority of lessons however teachers and teaching assistants managed their classes very well and have complimentary skills that overcome such difficulties. The work of all staff acting to support pupils in mainstream lessons is equally sensitive and based on a clear understanding of the respective
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 24 roles of the different adults in the class. Relationships within the Resource Base are very good and members of staff identify strongly with the needs of the pupils. In lessons where hearing- impaired pupils are integrated into class lessons or where hearing pupils, who need extra support, come to the Resource Base relationships are also very good.
93. Good links exist with the full range of services for pupils with hearing impairment and secondary transfer is well managed. Links with advisory teachers working within the Local Education Authority and links with the parents of hearing-impaired pupils have improved since the Resource Base developed a promotional video to advertise the Resource Base. Some joint work between the Resource Base and a speech and language therapist that encourages early communication skills both at home and at school seems to have helped the youngest children to make a positive start to school and is helping to develop the relationship with parents still further.
94. The management of the Resource Base is based upon a clear sense of mission and purpose and there is a clear appreciation of how to get the best out of staff and pupils alike. Record keeping is clear, comprehensive and detailed and the outcomes of the monitoring of teaching are followed up appropriately. Checks are also made to ensure that modifications are made to mainstream class lessons that will enable hearing-impaired pupils to be included to the full. There is a strong sense of teamwork within the Resource Base and staff, sensitive to the intrusion caused by their own presence in other teachers’ lessons, encourage mainstream staff to join them in the Resource Base whenever they can.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 25 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of lessons observed 80
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor
Number 2 17 41 20 0 0 0
Percentage 3 21 51 25 0 0 0
The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6
Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 38 266
Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 166
FTE means full-time equivalent.
Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6
Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4 25
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5 97
English as an additional language No of pupils
Number of pupils with English as an additional language 235
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 29
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18
Attendance
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence
% %
School data 5.1 School data 4.0
National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5
Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 26 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 22 17 39
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
Boys 11 12 22
Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 Girls 13 12 16 and above Total 24 24 38
School 62 (63) 62 (63) 97 (78) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Boys 11 22 14
Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 Girls 12 15 11 and above Total 23 37 25
School 59 (66) 95 (78) 64 (41) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 21 15 36
National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science
Boys 7 10 11
Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 Girls 8 7 11 and above Total 15 17 22
School 42 (24) 47 (27) 61 (41) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Boys 6 10 10
Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 Girls 6 7 7 and above Total 12 17 17
School 33 (11) 47 (19) 47 (35) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 27 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils Number of Number of on roll fixed period permanent exclusions exclusions
White – British 12 0 0
White – Irish 4 0 0
White – any other White background 1 0 0
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 23 5 0
Mixed – White and Black African 0 0 0
Mixed – White and Asian 6 0 0
Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0
Asian or Asian British – Indian 11 0 0
Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 69 4 0
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 28 0 0
Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0
Black or Black British – Caribbean 20 7 0
Black or Black British – African 11 0 0
Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0
Chinese 0 0 0
Any other ethnic group 73 3 0
No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0
The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.
Teachers and classes Financial information
Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.5 Financial year 2001/2002
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.6
Average class size 22.16 £
Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,108,198
Total number of education support staff 12.3 Total expenditure 1,105,547
Total aggregate hours worked per week 343 Expenditure per pupil 3598
Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -27569
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 30082
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 38
Total number of education support staff 3
Total aggregate hours worked per week 75
Number of pupils per FTE adult 9.5
FTE means full-time equivalent.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 28 Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5
Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 3
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0
FTE means full-time equivalent.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 29 Results of the survey of parents and carers
Questionnaire return rate
Number of questionnaires sent out 304
Number of questionnaires returned 14
Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly Tend to Tend to Strongly Don’t agree agree disagree disagree know
My child likes school. 79 21 0 0 0
My child is making good progress in school. 57 36 0 0 0
Behaviour in the school is good. 71 21 7 0 0
My child gets the right amount of work to do at 43 43 0 14 0 home.
The teaching is good. 57 36 0 0 7
I am kept well informed about how my child is 71 29 0 0 0 getting on. I would feel comfortable about approaching the 64 36 0 0 0 school with questions or a problem. The school expects my child to work hard and 71 29 0 0 0 achieve his or her best.
The school works closely with parents. 64 36 0 0 0
The school is well led and managed. 50 43 0 0 7
The school is helping my child become mature 57 43 0 0 0 and responsible. The school provides an interesting range of 50 29 7 0 14 activities outside lessons.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 30 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
95. The Foundation Stage is housed in a self-contained unit comprising three classes. Because the inspection took place at the beginning of the second week of the school year, the nursery children had spent at most, nine days in school with several children experiencing their first school day during the inspection. Parents attended with their children in most cases, spending time in the nursery or withdrawing to the school's community room as appropriate. A Play and Stay scheme and carefully planned home visits operate prior to admission and help to ease the transition from home to school for children. Children in the reception class were also adjusting to a new class with a newly appointed teacher.
96. The strengths noted in the Foundation Stage at the last inspection have been sustained and built upon. There have been further developments in planning to take full account of the national recommendations for children in the Foundation Stage. The assessment and monitoring of children's progress in working towards the early learning goals is now of a high standard and ensures that teaching is focused accurately on the needs of every child in each area of learning.
97. Many children are from non-English speaking homes and begin nursery with very little understanding of English. Skills in speaking and listening, mathematics, personal independence and physical co-ordination are poorly developed. This is confirmed by initial assessments conducted with these young children. Most pupils will not meet the early learning goals in the six areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception class but make good progress towards them. This significant progress in personal social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development at the end of the Foundation Stage is the result of good teaching. Children with special educational needs, including those who have English as an additional language and those with hearing impairment also make good progress because the teaching and support they receive is good and sometimes, very good. Staff from the hearing resource base work closely with the staff in the Foundation Stage and successfully support several hearing impaired children.
Personal, social and emotional development
98. Nearly all children enter the nursery with very low attainment in personal, social and emotional skills. These have improved considerably by the end of the reception class and, although children do not yet meet the early learning goals, they make good progress. The progress in working and playing together is significant in the reception class. During the inspection, they learned to share equipment during outdoor play and to take turns. Whilst sitting in a circle they introduced themselves to each other and were polite and courteous in their responses. They are learning to persevere and concentrate on tasks. They displayed a keen interest when using play dough to form the initial letter of their name and were delighted with the results. Lapses of concentration sometimes occur when tasks lack sufficient challenge, but behaviour and attitudes to school are generally good.
99. During the inspection, nursery children were beginning to settle into school routines. Some newly admitted children were happy to play alongside their parent but others became involved in the varied opportunities provided by the staff. They expressed wonder and delight as they withdrew their hand from a tray of thick bright yellow paint and saw the impression it made on the paper. They enjoyed sharing picture books with an adult and pointing to the animals they could see on the page. Skilful support was provided by staff who were able to talk to the children in their own languages of Urdu, Bengali or Arabic. This helped children to feel comfortable, to settle in school and to develop the confidence to become absorbed in a task.
100. All adults who support children in the Foundation Stage provide good role models for the children, always treating each other and the children with courtesy and respect and providing a warm and caring atmosphere. Staff from the hearing resource base provide good support for hearing impaired children. They are particularly successful in reassuring and integrating these
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 31 children into the life and work of the Foundation Stage. The teaching is good. Teachers' planning ensures that there are appropriate activities and opportunities to reinforce this aspect of learning, whether it is planned or spontaneous. This helps children to develop self-assurance and the necessary skills. The planning is adapted to their needs as they progress through the year. Adults also promote personal development by ensuring that all materials and equipment used by the children are easily accessible to them and help them to become independent.
Communication, language and literacy
101. Children's communication and language skills are very low when they enter the nursery because English is not the home language for the majority. Most children will not meet the early learning goals in speaking, listening, reading and writing by the time they reach the end of the reception year. All children, including those with special educational needs, those who have English as a second language and hearing impaired children, make good progress by the end of the Foundation Stage. This is due to the support they receive and the specific tasks planned for them. All adults use speech to good effect and are good, active listeners. In both the nursery and reception classes, children enjoy sharing books with an adult and listening to stories. Towards the end of the nursery year, the tale of the 'Three Little Pigs' was used to help children understand the sequence of a story. In a 'concertina' book, the teacher recorded the children's ideas and words. Some children were able to organise their thinking to retell the story. They were becoming aware of the conventions of reading such as looking from left to right, the spacing of words, initial letters and full stops.
102. In the reception class a few children are making a start with reading. Some children know and use sounds and by the end of the reception year a few higher attaining children are able to write simple words and sentences. For example, they wrote a letter from the shoemaker to his elves as part of a project following a drama workshop about 'The Emerald Cave'. A listening centre is a popular facility and is used enthusiastically by the children to listen to music, stories and rhymes. As a result they are learning new words and are encouraged to discuss these so that they become a part of their developing vocabulary.
103. Teaching is high quality throughout the Foundation Stage in this area of development. Teachers provide very good opportunities for imaginative role-play to develop concentration and language skills. A wide range of resources including materials used at the florists, the hairdressers and the shoe shop extend children's vocabulary, as they become absorbed in purposeful play activities. During these activities children are usually assessed by all staff continuously, to ensure accurate planning for the next stage of their learning. Occasionally, unsupervised activities lack purpose and this affects the progress children make. There is a very good system for assessing and monitoring children’s progress. This includes a file card system for picture books which staff share with individual children. The children's responses are recorded and evaluated with suggestions for further developments to extend skills and understanding.
Mathematical development
104. Attainment in mathematics is poor for many children when they enter the nursery. The lack of understanding of the language of the school hinders achievement for some children. When ideas are explained by EAL support assistants in the child's home language, however, understanding develops and as confidence grows over time, children make good progress. By the end of the reception year, most children operate using English and make good progress. Although the early learning goal for this aspect will not be met, children are well placed to meet the requirements during Year 1.
105. During the inspection, nursery children were learning how to thread plastic bobbins on a cord sorting according to colour. Sensitivity and respect for children's home language was evident in the teaching, which was consistently good. For example, one higher attaining child who had very little knowledge of English was able to count the string of bobbins beyond 10 in Arabic with the help of the EAL teaching assistant. In the reception class, children sang the song 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' as an introduction to a counting and number formation activity. They took off their shoes and socks to count their toes and enjoyed playing 'fastest fingers', as they held up the number of fingers which corresponded to a numeral on the board. Some children
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 32 can recognise coins by the end of reception and can pick out the 10p coin from a collection of money.
106. The quality of teaching is consistently good with careful assessment and monitoring of progress during activities. Staff are aware of the importance of language development for this aspect and high quality teaching ensures that children, including those with special educational need, make good progress. Children acquired the vocabulary of positioning as they placed finger puppets in a wooden house. They learned how to place the puppets 'behind', 'next to', 'under' and 'in front of' using their home language as well as English. Teachers are thorough in ensuring that all children understand the concepts being taught.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
107. Most children enter the nursery with a very limited knowledge of the world in which they live. Children make good progress in this aspect and, by the end of the reception class, are developing a basic general knowledge. Most children, however, will not fully meet the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. During the nursery year, children learn more about the world around them. A variety of interesting activities and resources from the natural and man-made world are helping children to use their senses to check out their curiosity about objects and events and to identify some of the features of the things they observe. For example, children were fascinated by materials laid out on an investigation table. They enjoyed stroking the feather, feeling the soft fur and guessed the contents of small, closed bags of everyday objects using touch alone. Children had explored the strength of bricks, straw and sticks as part of their work about the 'Three Pigs' story to discover which materials best resisted their 'huffing' and 'puffing'. In the reception class, children discussed what a flying bird would see before compiling a map of places in the 'Jack and the Beanstalk' story. They each drew a location on a large sheet of paper. Children used directional language such as 'forwards', 'turn left/right', 'straight on', 'pass the---' and 'backwards', to help Jack find his way home.
108. The quality of teaching is good. All adults support, encourage and have high expectations of children in all ability groups so that they make good progress. Children are beginning to find out about the uses of everyday technology and some are developing computer keyboard and mouse skills, using a good range of software for number matching, memory and language games. Reception children used the 'Paint It' program to design a giant. They selected the tools they required and used the text function for any labels they required. With help from the teacher, they learned how to save their work, until the printer, which was out of action, was repaired. A file card system is used to monitor children's use of the computer. This helps to assess whether all children experience a range of relevant activities and develop appropriate skills.
Physical development
109. At the time children enter the nursery, their physical skills and co-ordination are poor. As a result of an effective programme of work, careful planning and good teaching, most children make good progress by the time they are ready to start Year 1, although most will not meet the early learning goals by the end of Reception. The safe and secure outdoor space has been well developed for use by all children in the Foundation Stage and has been a major factor in the progress made in the development of children's physical skills. Children in both the nursery and reception classes, enjoy physical activity out of doors. They learn to run, jump, climb and improve their co-ordination skills using a good range of large and small apparatus. They learn how to work on each piece of apparatus in turn in their groups and use apparatus safely. They were seen to take turns and make good use of the apparatus when they were not directly supervised.
110. During the inspection, the reception classes were observed during a physical education lesson in the hall. A few children from the HRB joined in, accompanied by a special support teacher. These children made good progress and participated fully in the lesson as a result of the caring and sensitive support of all the staff present. The children's behaviour and the progress made by all children were good. Children listened and responded well to instructions; for example to curl up their bodies like a 'baked bean' and jump like a 'jumping bean'. The teacher used an effective system of 'traffic lights' to remind children when to stop and start.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 33 111. Teaching in this area is good overall. Higher attaining children use tools including paintbrushes, pencils and construction materials with confidence. Children who have special educational needs need some help to use scissors and other small tools in the nursery. The help and encouragement provided by competent and able teaching support assistants contribute much to children's progress.
Creative development
112. Children start from a very low level of skill when they enter the nursery and make good progress although they will not meet the early learning goals by the time they are ready to start in Year 1. Nursery children enjoy exploring colour using a range of resources including hand printing, and collage materials. Resources are easily accessible to children and are well stored and labelled. In the reception class children used different textures and colours of paper and fabric to decorate their paper kites. They use different colours and textures as part of a mathematics activity to show partitioning of sets using collage pictures. A recent drama workshop event, 'The Emerald Cave' had an impact on children's art and role-play as they created their own collage pictures of the cave and explored the theme of 'shelters'.
113. Children sing with enthusiasm in the reception class and are encouraged to make music using untuned percussion instruments. Children in the nursery enjoy using tambourines, drums and triangles to explore sounds. Those children who were new to the nursery forgot their shyness as they were encouraged by the nursery assistants to make loud and soft and slow and fast rhythms using drums, triangles and beaters. The children who had no English responded similarly to other children because they could understand the instructions and the guidance given by the EAL support assistant in their own language.
114. The quality of teaching, as in all the areas of learning, is good. The strong contribution made by all the support staff enables good progress to be made across a wide-ranging and relevant curriculum. Many colourful examples of children's artwork are shown and celebrated in the classrooms. The work is carefully displayed and reflects the high value placed by all adults on children's work. The vibrant atmosphere created has a good impact on children's learning.
115. Nearly every pupil in the school has English as an additional language. There is a wide range of home languages as outlined in Part A of this report, with Yemeni Arabic being the largest. Pupils with no English receive specialist support but the majority do not because they have sufficient English to understand their class teacher. The reader should consider that comments about all pupils also refer to EAL pupils. Comments specifically about English as an additional language refer particularly to pupils who are at a very early stage of learning English and only where there is a clear difference in attainment or progress will they be specifically referred to.
ENGLISH
116. The school has made very significant improvements to standards, especially by Year 6, since the last inspection. However, overall standards remain low at both age seven and eleven compared to other schools nationally. Teaching is consistently good through the whole school. The coordinator has used the high quality assessment and monitoring procedures well to raise standards.
117. From a very low starting point, with many pupils initially starting school with no English, pupils make good progress through the school. Standards have improved dramatically in recent years, especially in the national tests for eleven year olds. Pupils achieve commendable standards in the circumstances because teaching is consistently good across the whole school. In Year 6 they receive an additional boost from the very high quality teaching they receive which prepares them well for national tests and secondary school. Despite recent improvements, standards compared with all schools remain low at the end of Years 2 and 6 and well below average when compared to similar schools.
118. The school faces significant problems because so many pupils have no English when they join the school and others join the school between Year 1 and Year 6 also with no English. This means that the profile of each class is very weighted towards the lower attaining pupils. In Year
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 34 1, 28 of the pupils are in this group whilst the higher attaining group is only six pupils. The same is true in Year 6 where the whole of the second set are lower attaining pupils. These two factors contribute significantly to the low standards in the school.
119. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress through the school. Their individual targets are appropriate and made clear to pupils, parents and teachers and thus appropriate work and support is provided.
120. Pupils receiving additional support make good progress, especially in the nursery and reception classes. Bilingual learning assistants use their skills well to enable children to settle quickly into school and comprehend some of what is going on around them. The teachers follow this up with appropriate English language so that children gradually gain some fluency. In these two classes pupils make very good progress. As these pupils enter Year 1 they continue to get some daily support to enable them to access the lesson and to continue to improve their English. Their learning assistants plan well, in conjunction with the class teacher, and encourage them to use English at all stages whilst always being ready to support them in their home language to aid understanding. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 receive very little support from specialist staff.
121. The national tests for pupils at the end of Year 2 broadly show an improvement over the last four years. The results in 2002 are not representative of the school because of the arrival into Year 2 of eight pupils who had minimal English and thus scored badly. If their results were not included the school’s results would have continued to show an upward trend. However whilst pupils make progress over the two years and achieve well, standards remain well below those found nationally. This judgement was confirmed when reviewing the pupils’ work. However, it is very positive to note that higher attaining pupils are achieving their potential both in the tests and in class work. Primarily this is because the teachers in Years 1 and 2 are very good at setting all pupils work at the appropriate level. This has allowed everyone to fulfil their potential. The school makes very good use of additional funding to support pupils prior to the national tests.
122. By the time they reach Year 2, higher attaining pupils can listen with concentration and speak using good sentence construction. During mathematics in Year 2 a pupil gave a thoughtful and honest answer to the question ‘How did you know the number?’ They are beginning to take account of whom they are talking to when they think of their answer. Their reading is good. They have many strategies which they use well to understand the text. Their writing is neat with well- formed letters and sound spelling. They write imaginatively but do not have a wide range of vocabulary yet. Average and lower attaining pupils sometimes struggle. Many speak in short phrases and individual words rather than sentences and find it difficult to listen to others. Their reading skills are improving and they can decode text quite well but reading for understanding is limited, for instance a pupil could not understand the significance of the lost sheep in his story book. Reading shared text sometimes proves difficult for them but this is masked because teachers always read it aloud and allow pupils to ‘chorus’ the words with them.
123. Through Years 1 and 2 pupils make good progress and develop their speaking and listening skills steadily. They listen and answer questions well and improve their skills during discussion and drama activities, which are used to good effect. Reading skills are limited initially but good teaching and home support allow pupils to make good progress. In both Years 1 and 2 they are taught how to use clues in the text or picture. Using familiar texts higher attaining pupils quickly pick up on how to read the text around a covered word in Year 2 and offer an answer. In Year 1 reading ‘This is the Bear’ lower attaining pupils are well supported by the teacher and assistants and prompt them to remember the delightful rhymes. Pupils’ writing skills begin at a very basic level with some lower and average attaining pupils unable to correctly form all the letters of the alphabet. They quickly move forward. Letter formation and presentation improve through Years 1 and 2. Use of basic punctuation like full stops and capital letters is encouraged but remains poor amongst lower attaining pupils despite good teaching. Higher attaining pupils use them correctly in Year 1 and also incorporate speech and question marks in their stories by the end of Year 2. The understanding of spelling is developed and is closely linked to the pupils’ grasp of letter sounds, which they learn in the ‘word level’ work often using rhymes. Higher and average attaining pupils quickly learn to spell a good range of simple words accurately and make good attempts at harder words. They use these skills to good effect in other subjects when recording on worksheets for history and religious education.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 35 124. In 2002 and for the second year in succession the school has easily exceeded its target for the national tests for eleven year olds. Fifty per cent of pupils achieving the national standard is a good achievement for both the pupils and their teachers. Higher attaining pupils also fulfilled their promise by gaining the higher grade. However, standards at eleven remain well below those found nationally and when they are compared to similar schools6. Pupils’ class work reflected the standards of the test results. Effective and efficient use is made of additional funding to help prepare pupils for the national tests.
125. By the time they are eleven pupils have a very wide range of capabilities. Lower attaining pupils, of whom there are many, find speaking in complete sentences difficult. Answers are brief and show limited vocabulary. Their reading skills are weak, especially when trying to understand the story. Their writing has improved, because a good range of styles has been taught well, and they now write a few sentences neatly in a good hand and using mostly appropriate spelling. Higher and average attaining pupils are reaching sound standards, except in reading. Their use of speaking skills in the Year 6 radio programme were good. They listen attentively and take account of and understand the views of others. When listening to Year 6 pupils read they asked each other quite probing questions about the stories. Writing is neat, joined and fluent. Ideas are plentiful and the recent autobiographies show an improving vocabulary. Reading in the literal sense is of the correct standard but pupils do not fully understand the texts they read whether it be a phrase like ‘saved the day’ or a larger chunk of the story. In Year 6 work on the life of Shakespeare pupils could read the shared text but found it very difficult to understand what it was about or the meaning of some of the key words. This is a major weakness because it impacts on most other curriculum areas as well as in English.
126. During Years 3 to 6 pupils make good progress from a low starting point. They build well on what they have learned earlier. Speaking and listening activities such as the ‘talking pairs’ sessions enable pupils of all capabilities to learn to express themselves and consider the views of others. Vocabulary is generally explained well, such as in a Year 3 lesson when they learned ‘happy-go- lucky’ and ‘calm’, but this isn’t a strong enough feature of the teaching observed. Pupils explore a good range of writing styles, like letters and postcards home, narrative and directions to find treasure. They start to write in a neat joined hand and presentation improves considerably for all abilities over time. Pupils gain the mechanical skills of reading and higher and average attaining pupils learn to read most texts quite well. However, they do not always understand what they have read, nor can they interpret the information.
127. The school makes good provision for higher attaining pupils and those who are gifted. In Years 1 and 2 the teachers provide carefully structured work that challenges them. In Years 3 to 6 pupils are in sets for English based on their prior attainment and in this way teachers are better able to give work of the appropriate standard. Finally, some gifted pupils have been moved to a year higher than their peers to provide them with sufficient intellectual challenge.
128. The quality of teaching through the school is good and is especially strong in Year 6 classes. Teachers understand the National Literacy Strategy and use it well to support the learning of their classes. Teachers are enthusiastic and many have that inspirational quality about their teaching. They expect and get orderly classrooms and high standards of work. They are united in their belief that their pupils will succeed and they do! In the majority of classes the pupils have a great respect for their teachers, want to work, are inquisitive and behave well. However, in some classes it was noted that teachers did not always use grammatically correct English when teaching. This can cause confusion to pupils who are just learning the language. In one class relationships are a little abrasive and this is principally because the teacher does not use the school’s behaviour policy effectively. Teachers’ planning is very detailed and has been appropriately influenced by their assessment of pupils’ attainment levels. Pupils’ work is marked very well. Pupils know if they achieve the learning objective and what their next target should be. They receive praise when it is due. The use of homework to support good study habits and extend lessons is good in Years 3 to 6.
129. The use of information technology in English is unsatisfactory mainly because it is in its early stages of development and further software needs to be purchased. Teachers need to assess
6 Similar schools are those with a similar proportion of pupils taking free school meals.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 36 where the technology will enhance literacy skills further over and above its current use for presentation of finished written work and the Year 6 radio programme.
130. The English coordinator, with the help of the senior managers and the whole-hearted support of the teachers, has improved standards immensely since the last inspection. High quality monitoring and assessment of pupils’ work and test papers dovetails with the school’s targets for improvement and evaluation of results and then funnels back into teachers’ plans to improve the quality of teaching further. Teachers’ planning is closely monitored, pupils’ work is carefully and accurately moderated and lessons are observed. Feedback to teachers is provided at all stages and the coordinator regularly offers ideas and suggestions to colleagues. To raise standards further the coordinator is aware that the school needs to focus on reading for understanding in future. One aspect of this could be to make more appealing the presentation of books, both fiction and non-fiction, in many classrooms.
131. The coordinator for English as an additional language is leading and managing her aspect in a satisfactory manner. She deploys herself and her colleagues well, given budgetary constraints and monitors the effectiveness of their work quite well. However, class teachers who have very limited experience of working with pupils with English as an additional language do not always receive enough background information about the pupils they are teaching. She has had good training and now needs to feed these ideas back into the provision in the school and purchase the more up to date resources she has recently identified. Whilst assessment of pupils when they first join the school is good, ongoing assessment and decisions about when pupils should no longer receive specialist support are less well developed.
MATHEMATICS
132. By the time the pupils reach the end of Year 2 they are achieving standards that are well below those expected of all schools nationally, but the trends in results of national tests over recent years have shown a steady improvement. The standards achieved in the most recent national tests indicate some improvement, including the higher attainers. When compared with schools in a similar context the standards are above average.
133. At the end of Year 6 the pupils are achieving standards well below those expected nationally and when compared with standards in similar schools there is some improvement, although the results again indicate standards which are still below average. The standards achieved in the most recent national tests indicate some improvement, including those of the higher attaining pupils. Trends in results over recent years have shown some improvement. Boys have generally performed less well than the girls although during the inspection no noticeable differences were observed.
134. The results indicated above must be viewed within the context of a school where up to half the pupils have special educational needs and over 90 per cent speak English as an additional language. The school has analysed these results and other data with great care and has clearly confirmed this adverse impact. In order to try and minimise this, the school is trying to ensure that pupils become familiar with the language necessary for them to carry out the calculations they need.
135. After the previous inspection in 2000, the school was asked to improve levels of achievement at the end of Key Stage 2. Particular care has been taken to ensure that the teachers are aware of what the pupils know , understand and can do when they transfer from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2. There are now very effective systems of planning and monitoring the teaching and learning by the co-ordinator and the focus group of senior teachers. Other teachers have been given positive opportunities to observe the most successful teaching in the school. Additionally, most staff have successfully undertaken substantial training and more is planned this year.
136. The quality of teaching is good overall. None is unsatisfactory. The good quality of the teaching is well supported by the very effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and the good quality of the teachers’ planning. There are effective strategies for monitoring and assessing pupils’ work. The detailed, analytical and practical use of an extremely wide range of information, to inform the teachers’ planning, is a major strength of the school. This very professional approach enables the teachers to be clear about and to focus upon the learning
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 37 objectives for the pupils and to assess the levels of the pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Homework is used positively throughout the school to support the pupils’ learning, particularly for the older pupils at Key Stage 2.
137. The teaching of the younger pupils builds effectively on the sound start they have received during the Foundation Stage. Throughout the school individual targets are set for the pupils and these are reviewed on a half-termly basis, or more frequently as necessary. The thorough teaching of mental mathematics at the start of each lesson helps to reinforce the learning of number skills and the teachers’ skilful use of questioning effectively probes the levels of the pupils’ understanding. The school policy is for the teachers to ensure that all pupils become familiar with, understand and use, mathematical language correctly. They are constantly reminded of this vocabulary and the associated mathematical operations necessary before they begin problem solving. The pupils are encouraged to understand in class that the tasks set are not just about getting the right answer, but also about understanding the problem, being able to explain what they did and the mathematical operations they used in order to get the answer.
138. Tests on tables and number bonds are frequent and often linked successfully to homework. Throughout the school, lessons are suitably paced, helping pupils to focus on the task set, which has a positive impact on their learning. In all areas of mathematics, number, algebra, space, shape and measures and data handling, good progress in terms of individual ability is being made by the majority of pupils. The very well planned mathematics curriculum is carefully linked to pupils’ teaching and learning needs, the requirements of the National Curriculum and the National Numeracy Strategy. The pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and those with hearing impairments make good progress. For the last group mentioned this is so when they work in the hearing resource base and also when they return to work in their class groups.
139. The pupils generally have good attitudes to learning, work well co-operatively and are well behaved during lessons. They are enthusiastic and at times show the ability to work independently. Their confidence and self-esteem is frequently evident, for example, following their teachers’ effective use of praise. The pupils enjoy their lessons and usually settle quickly to the tasks set in order to complete their work. The teachers and support staff know the pupils very well. The relationships between the pupils and adults are very good.
140. The use of mathematics is successfully incorporated into other curriculum areas such as science, design and technology and geography. ICT is used satisfactorily to support the teaching and learning, where pupils use programs supporting operations in number, databases and graphical programs with increasing confidence as they progress through the school.
141. The use of carefully considered groupings at Key Stage 1, and the setting of the pupils by ability at Key Stage 2, ensures that the tasks set provide suitably challenging work, throughout the School. During the school year, the use of booster groups at the end of Key Stage 2 is a positive feature helping pupils to consolidate their learning. All pupils have appropriate access to the curriculum and, where necessary, are well supported in class by learning support assistants, especially at Key Stage 1.
142. In Year 1 the pupils are able to count forwards and backwards to 20 and can count and add using numbers to 10 and many can use numbers to 20. They use plus and minus signs with accuracy. Others can measure and order objects using non standard units of measure correctly, using the words long, longer, short, and shorter, when comparing and making choices. Year 2 pupils are beginning to understand place value in numbers, by reading, writing and arranging numbers in order. Some can build on this previous knowledge to order numbers correctly up to 100, using a 100 square grid. However, many pupils can only attain the above with considerable support and help.
143. In Year 3 some less able pupils can add numbers up to 20 to add accurately. They use their mental recall of addition and subtraction facts to solve money problems involving sums up to three digits. Year 4 pupils understand subtraction and addition using three digits and those in Year 5 are able to use the four rules to solve simple problems in real life situations. They understand and respond positively to oral and written instructions to break the problem down into manageable steps. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 show a clear understanding of place value
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 38 up to six digits, using flip card apparatus. They then progress to use decimal notation using six digits including a decimal point. These pupils understand that the answer to the sum 120 divided by 12, can be checked by completing the inverse operation, 10 multiplied by 12. The reason why attainment, overall, is still below average is because there is only a very small percentage of higher attaining pupils compared to those who are not quite reaching the required standards or can only do so with considerable help and support.
144. The leadership, management and co-ordination of mathematics are good and contribute to the improving standards being achieved. The effective work done by the co-ordinator, for example, in organising the teachers’ professional development, planning and assessment, ensures that the teachers are confident in their teaching and subject knowledge. There is a clear cycle of assessment, planning and target setting which supports the teaching of mathematics and structures the pupils’ learning well, in addition to giving the co-ordinator information which is used well to improve provision. She effectively ensures that the quality and range of the resources provided to support the teaching and learning are good. To ensure that the curriculum continues to move forward, teaching is appropriately monitored throughout the year by the focus group of senior staff.
SCIENCE
145. The results of teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 have risen significantly since the last inspection in November 2000. In 2001 they were well below the national average and well below those of similar schools having previously been very low in both national and similar schools’ comparisons. In 2002 results fell slightly, due to an influx of pupils into the Year 2 group during the year – amounting to one quarter of the total – who had very little or no English language skills, some of whom also had little previous experience of schooling. Inspection evidence indicates that much of the work carried out by the core group of 24 pupils was in line with requirements, although that of the newcomers and of pupils with particular learning difficulties was of a low standard.
146. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have improved since the last inspection. In 2001 they were very low and in the lowest five per cent when compared to schools nationally but only well below average when compared to those of similar schools. The rate of improvement in science is generally similar to that in the other core subjects of English and mathematics. Over time, the rate of improvement exceeds national trends. Overall, pupils did better in science than in English and mathematics. Girls outperformed boys by a wider margin than is the case nationally. In 2002 the results in science fell slightly although the percentage of pupils attaining higher levels than the national average increased. This is because a number of pupils had difficulty in interpreting the science paper and were hampered by their lack of English – reading and comprehension skills - rather than their lack of scientific knowledge. For example, to the question ‘what can an adult do that a child can’t?’ several pupils wrote answers such as ‘drive a car’, a perfectly logical reply, but not the scientifically correct one that was ‘have a baby’. Although boys performed slightly less well than girls in the tests, there were no discernible differences in their performance in lessons or in pupils’ work over time.
147. Inspection evidence showed that the standard of work attained at the end of Year 2 is below national expectations. Pupils work hard and the progress made by them is good. However, many are still hampered by their lack of understanding in English which means that recording and understanding are restricted. In addition, there is a comparatively high percentage of pupils with special educational needs, both with learning difficulties and from the hearing resource base. These pupils are strongest when learning orally. Pupils in Year 2 discussing healthy foods, showed a good understanding of why some party food should not be eaten all the time. A non- English speaking pupil, who had recently joined the school was able to participate fully and showed good knowledge and understanding with the help of his bilingual support assistant. Pupils are less successful when it comes to recording their work as their lack of writing skills hinders them considerably.
148. Standards are below the national expectation at the end of Year 6. This represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The inspection evidence shows that standards are above those indicated in the tests with a good percentage of pupils attaining the required
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 39 standards in their written work and some attaining above average standards. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 show a good knowledge of scientific terminology and are able to discuss processes such as ‘soluble’ and ‘insoluble’ clearly. However, this is not true of all pupils and many still have difficulty in differentiating between terms such as evaporation and condensation and concepts such as dissolving – still using the term ‘disappearing’. All pupils are helped by the greater emphasis on scientific experimentation and investigative work. Pupils with special educational needs are helped significantly in their recording by the use of a writing framework which enables them to record all that is required through a series of appropriate questions. This allows them to demonstrate what they have learned, rather than them having to spend time on writing skills which they find particularly difficult. Significant improvements are being made because pupils are helped by the use of scientific vocabulary packs and books. These have been introduced from Year 1 upwards in response to the weaknesses identified in the last test results. They include all relevant vocabulary for each half termly topic on a series of fluorescent cards which are displayed on the science boards in each class. They form a basis for science word games which take place as part of each lesson, providing useful reinforcement of vocabulary and the means by which meanings and spellings are learned on a long term basis. There is no significant difference in the attainment of any one group of pupils; because of the relevance of the support provided, all can make good progress and achieve well.
149. When pupils start school in the nursery the standards they attain in knowledge and understanding of the world are very low, because of the paucity of their pre-school experiences and lack of English language skills. In relation to these prior levels of attainment, Key Stage 1 pupils’ achievement is good. For example, in another Year 2 lesson, also about healthy eating, all were able to join in the discussion because of the support provided, where necessary, the resources used - pictorial as well as written - and constant reinforcement of simple, but appropriate terminology. In Year 1 much of the work covered is oral, with constant reinforcement of scientific terms and careful explanations. Recording is often by worksheets or simple pictorial means. In Year 2 the pupils move on to simple recording of their findings. This is appropriately matched to their needs, so that pupils who have difficulties with writing record pictorially, adding labels to demonstrate understanding, whilst higher attaining pupils record in more detail – listing items for a healthy diet and showing understanding of why some foods should be eaten sparsely. Pupils at a comparatively early stage of learning English receive very good classroom support, often from a bilingual assistant who is able to reinforce the language used thus developing their scientific understanding as well as their English language acquisition.
150. When pupils join Year 3, the standards they attain are below average. In relation to these prior levels of attainment, Key Stage 2 pupils’ achievement is good. For example, in Year 4 pupils’ learn about plants, their parts and some functions. Pupils can draw an accurate diagram and correctly label the main parts of the plant, demonstrating, for example, that they know the roots anchor the plant to the ground, and that leaves are involved in making food for the plant. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they draw detailed diagrams and write detailed descriptions of the functions of the plant including the reproductive organs. Higher attaining pupils and some of the average pupils can describe the process of photosynthesis in detail in their own words. In each year group there is appropriate emphasis on learning how to conduct a scientific investigation and learning the principles of fair testing. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they are able, with the aid of a suitable prompt sheet, to plan and carry out their own experiments. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and their achievement is good.
151. Overall, the teaching observed was good and has improved since the last inspection, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Teaching was most effective in Year 6. Here the teachers plan very carefully for lessons and ensure that work is well matched to pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils worked confidently on their tasks and made good progress. For example, in a lesson on separating a mixture of solids the teacher rehearsed each stage of the investigation with pupils after they had discussed in their groups how they would organise their work. This was the first investigation of the year and a good strategy to ensure that all understood the requirements of the task, without reducing their level of independence in the initial stages of planning. Teachers have very good subject knowledge. They gave clear explanations and questioned pupils skilfully to check and extend their understanding. For example, in Year 4, pupils investigating bone growth were constantly asked to check with their graphs to see if they could detect any pattern developing as they recorded their results and asked to explain their results. The teacher ensured that all pupils
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 40 had a chance to participate in these question and answer sessions and because of the small groups involved it was possible to do this effectively. It provided a good opportunity to reinforce appropriate language and terminology which further helped pupils’ knowledge and understanding. There were very few weaknesses. The lessons for the younger pupils are quite long – lasting an hour in may cases – and although most pupils remain focused on the lesson, the youngest pupils in Year 1 became a little fidgety and lost some concentration. As a result of the consistently good science teaching, pupils’ learning is also good. They concentrate well and show a genuine enthusiasm for the subject, particularly pupils in Year 6. They were sensible and mature in their approach showing particular responsibility when evaporating the water from the salt solution using a nightlight burner. Pupils in all year groups take pride in their work, recording it carefully and neatly.
152. There is a good and appropriate emphasis on the development of scientific terminology. Pupils use their mathematics skills appropriately when recording work in graph form and interpreting the data. At present there is limited use of ICT and this is an area for development in this subject.
153. Management of the subject is excellent overall and significant improvements have been made since the previous inspection. The co-ordinator now monitors the quality of teaching and learning systematically and has a very clear view of where improvements in teaching and learning still need to be made. The subject action plan reflects this monitoring and sets challenging targets to raise standards. As a result, the school is well placed to continue to improve. The curriculum is particularly rich, with many opportunities for pupils to work independently and collaborate in groups to plan their own investigations and experiments particularly in Year 6. This has had a significant impact on pupils’ knowledge and understanding and they can say how they will approach an investigation and why. For example, a lower attaining pupil in Year 6 explained clearly how he would separate out the salt and sand by filtering off the sand and evaporating the salt solution by heating it. A very good system for assessing pupils’ attainment each term and setting targets, particularly in the acquisition and understanding of terminology, ensures that pupils are challenged, and helps them to make progress.
ART AND DESIGN
154. Inspection evidence showed that the standard of work attained at the end of Year 2 is above national expectations. This broadly reflects the position at the time of the last inspection. Teachers continue to teach pupils’ skills to develop in a logical and structured way. Standards are above the national expectation at the end of Year 6. This represents significant improvement since the last inspection and reflects the improvement in teachers’ subject knowledge and skills gained in the last two years. This has enabled to them to teach more effectively, with the results that pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills have improved considerably.
155. The curriculum is developed systematically. For example, the pupils in Year 1 learn how to draw a portrait. The teacher encourages them to study each other, noting the position and comparative sizes of the features of the face. They learn how to observe carefully and then draw each other using a reasonable size paper and are encouraged to be bold using the whole space. In nearly all cases the learning objective was achieved and pupils had correctly positioned not only the eyes, nose and mouth but also the ears. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they are exploring the finer proportions of the whole human body and exploring ways in which to represent lines of movement in their sketches. Pupils are not afraid to experiment and work hard to self-correct their own weaknesses. They critically analyse their own work and identify for themselves where improvement needs to be made. They are not afraid to ask for help which is freely given – in terms of guidance and open questioning – but not by doing.
156. A wide range of skills and techniques is taught as pupils go through the school, from designing and making Chinese masks in Year 4 to how to use watercolours and exploring different techniques and effects in Year 6. Higher attaining pupils show a fineness of touch which enables them to achieve subtle effects of tone and shading. However, the use of ICT is not sufficiently well developed. There are several ideas for its use in the co-ordinators own planning, but these have yet to be put into general use. Sketch books are used appropriately for note taking, experimenting with different techniques before applying them to a larger project and for learning
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 41 new skills. For example, Year 6 pupils were using them to record their early attempts at sketching lines of movement.
157. When pupils start school in nursery, the standards they attain in art are very low. In relation to these prior levels of attainment, Key Stage 1 pupils’ achievement is very good. When pupils join Year 3, the standards they attain are above average and this is sustained through until the end of Year 6. In relation to these prior levels of attainment, pupils’ overall achievement is very good.
158. It is not possible to make an overall judgement on teaching because too few lessons were observed. However, during the inspection the lessons seen were good and teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. This is because a range of training activities has enabled teachers’ confidence to increase considerably. In addition the school makes very good use of the expertise of its co-ordinators and they teach lessons with the class teacher alongside. This benefits the pupils in that they gain from expertise in teaching techniques, but it is also a useful exercise in staff development enabling teachers to note the techniques used in order to be able to use them at a future date. The outstanding feature in the art work in the school is the coverage of the curriculum. The pupils study the work of a range of artists and use their knowledge well to create their own works of art. The range of skills taught is very good and a good deal of expertise is shown. It is evident from the work seen that pupils work hard and gain great enjoyment from creating their own art works. They pay good attention to detail and show sensitivity when working. The expertise they are gaining has carried over with benefit into other subjects so that in history, for example, illustrations are carefully executed.
159. Management of the subject is very good. The co-ordinators manage the subject enthusiastically and effectively. They have very good subject knowledge. The co-ordinators now monitor the quality of teaching and learning systematically and have a very clear view of where improvements in teaching and learning still need to be made. The displays around the school are also monitored and are invariably vibrant, interesting and often reflecting art from a range of cultures. The subject action plan reflects this monitoring and sets challenging targets to raise standards. As a result, the school is well placed to continue to improve.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
160. Standards are above those expected by the ages of seven and eleven. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection when standards were reported to be in line with those found nationally. ICT is now used to generate some designs. Monitoring and evaluation of the subject are much improved. An enthusiastic co-ordinator has been responsible for markedly improving the provision and had a significant impact on the raising of standards.
161. Design and technology is taught in alternate school terms in rotation with art. At the time of the inspection, no lessons were taking place. Judgements are based on the scrutiny of photographic evidence, portfolios of pupils' work, teachers' plans and other documentation and discussion with teachers and Year 6 pupils.
162. All pupils make good progress in both key stages. There was insufficient evidence to judge the progress of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language.
163. Pupils in Year 1 build on the good work started in the Foundation Stage when children have begun to generate designs using the 'Paint It' computer program. The effective use of the Internet for ideas continues through the school. At the end of Year 2, pupils are designing their work and evaluating the finished product. In a topic on homes, they used various materials to make a house. They investigated the effectiveness of the materials used looking at style, design and function. Pupils were able to say what could be improved. For example, the use of plastic would ensure that windows were both waterproof and transparent.
164. By the age of eleven, pupils generate alternative ideas using labelled sketches and models to show they are aware of constraints. Pupils in Year 3 had investigated moving monsters. They made careful designs and plans and produced flow charts for stages of completion. Balloons were used to open the monster's mouth when inflated. Photographic evidence showed how Year 4 pupils had designed alarms which needed codes to be cracked for a buzzer to sound.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 42 Pupils in Year 5 made musical instruments. Researching the task thoroughly, they investigated actual instruments, looked at what they were made of and how they made their sound. Pupils drew detailed sketches and wrote notes about type, sound, shape, colour and material before drawing their designs. Working from their own detailed plans and modifying them as appropriate, they produced stringed instruments. They learned to use tools correctly with suitable attention to safety. Year 6 designed and made controllable vehicles with battery powered circuits to make the cars move. In other tasks, Year 6 pupils designed and made slippers, using first paper and then appropriate, soft, fluffy materials. The slippers could be worn and were attractively decorated using sequins, ribbon etc. The whole range of the subject is covered well. In food technology, pupils tested and evaluated their products. They investigated different types of bread, for example ciabatta, rye, wholemeal and German black bread, forming opinions about taste. They then baked their own bread, evaluating it, identifying problems and saying how they would improve on the results.
165. No teaching was observed during the inspection, but the evidence indicates that teaching and learning are at least good. This is the result of a well-structured programme of learning, which ensures that pupils experience progressively more complex tasks and activities to support the development of skills. The impact of the co-ordinator has been considerable. Her leadership and management of the subject are excellent and have resulted in the good standards achieved. She displays an excellent knowledge and understanding of the subject and has produced a very helpful policy and scheme of work. She monitors lesson plans, analyses the skills to be developed and provides feedback and suggestions for improvement. She has stimulated children's interest in the subject. A lunchtime Fun Food Club, which she has initiated, is so popular with pupils that it is oversubscribed.
GEOGRAPHY
166. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection, but using evidence from this, from pupils' work from the last school year, planning and policy documents and from discussions with staff, judgements can be made on most aspects of the subject.
167. The oldest pupils in both key stages reach the standards expected nationally. In Key Stage 1, the youngest pupils can distinguish different types of houses and can discern the contrasting characteristics of the United Kingdom and Yemen. They are able to describe in simple terms their route to school, recording it by means of drawings of features seen. Most of the oldest pupils can identify street features, giving correct names with help and are able to identify different modes of transport and record these on a simple table. They comment on features of their own locality they like or dislike. They can place major cities on a map of the British Isles with reasonable accuracy, given help and specify simple grid references of items on a plan.
168. From the evidence seen, it is not possible to discern whether there are differences in the levels of achievement of pupils with special educational needs, pupils who speak English as an additional language, or boys and girls, but gifted and talented pupils achieve appropriately.
169. In Key Stage 2, younger pupils can identify different climate areas of the world, understand different forms of land use and can describe how goods get from producer to consumer. Older pupils have a reasonable grasp of the water cycle and can suggest reasons for other weather phenomena. They know some key geographical words and are beginning to recognise and describe geographical patterns.
170. Most of the oldest pupils understand river systems and can compare rivers. They are able to give a sound explanation for the existence and nature of rain forests, including identification of some of the fauna and flora typically found. They can make intelligent inferences from photos, and understand how indigenous tribes have adapted to living in rain forests. Their knowledge of correct terminology, however, is less satisfactory.
171. There has been a good improvement in geography since the last inspection. Pupils are no longer withdrawn for work in booster groups and the amount of time allocated to the subject is now sufficient. Monitoring of teaching is planned to begin later this autumn. Assessment procedures,
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 43 however, are still not in place, due to the school's proper concentration on literacy and numeracy, but the subject co-ordinator has plans for developing procedures shortly.
172. Teaching takes careful account of pupils' knowledge of English and provides a satisfactory range of appropriate activities that demand an adequate level of challenge. There is too much use of prepared worksheets, particularly in Key Stage 1, and as a result the quality of presentation is not as good as it could be and the subject does not sufficiently encourage the use of pupils’ developing literacy skills. In addition, tasks are not always tailored enough to match the needs of differing levels of attainment. The subject makes a contribution to pupils' mathematical development, for example through the use of tables to present survey data. There is little use of ICT at present.
173. The subject co-ordinator is new to the post and is working to increase her knowledge of practice in the school and of pupils' capabilities. She has identified appropriate targets for the development of the subject.
HISTORY
174. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are below national expectations. The gaps in the general knowledge of the pupils and their difficulties in understanding more than the literal meaning of language limit their understanding of the subject and make it difficult for them to respond to the subject in any depth. Pupils are enthusiastic about the subject but even those in Year 6 show very little understanding about the sources of historical evidence beyond Internet sites and videos.
175. In Years 1 and 2 pupils learn to represent the different generations in their families using simple templates in the shape of a tree. They also use time lines to show when different family members were born and to chart the growth of babies into toddlers and then reception children. Work on the changes in fashion since Victorian times and a comparison of buildings from different periods both depend on pupils’ ability to draw accurately and it is often very hard to see what the differences are that they are trying to record. Greater use of annotation to capture pupils’ verbal contributions in lessons would provide a more secure basis on which to assess progress. However pupils do write at greater length by the end of Year 2 and there is evidence of good progress against the very low baseline at the start of Year 1.
176. In Years 3 to 6 pupils cover a full range of more formal topics. There are good links to tasks in English where pupils write up biographies of Sir Winston Churchill and art, where they paint their own versions of Elizabethan knot gardens. Some of the extended project work on the Ancient Greeks and the Romans that allows for Internet research is extremely detailed and comprehensive. Copied work does not always edit out howlers however so that there are references to a picture shown in the original source but not transferred into the pupil’s work. In their work on the Anglo Saxons and the Vikings pupils compile lists of facts and present their work in different ways. They also write good empathetic accounts of people sitting in an air raid shelter waiting for an air raid to finish. Only one pupil in Year 6 had known anything about the Blitz when that topic started again this term but by the second lesson the pupils had a range of ideas that they were organising by means of mind maps.
177. No judgement can be made about the teaching of history throughout the school because only four lessons were observed. However the analysis of work, the scrutiny of planning and access to the subject co-ordinator’s file as well as discussions with staff and pupils provide evidence to show that teaching is closely based on detailed planning and that pupils achieve well against the low base from which they start.
178. Since the last inspection standards appear to have declined but, despite the emphasis within the school on the core subjects, at least sound progress has been made that further consolidates the curriculum development noted in the last report. The use of information and communication technology, for example, is now a part of every lesson plan and the latest revision to the subject policy includes a section about the use of databases and spreadsheets in history. Monitoring of the subject is now securely established and procedures are well developed to analyse planning and exercise books to assess not only the coverage of topics but also the use of the school’s marking and presentation policies.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 44 179. The new co-ordinator for the subject has a clear sense of where the teaching needs to develop and produces an annual action plan that is well thought through and based on evidence collected as well as the school’s overall priorities. The planning of lessons is comprehensive and detailed, although differentiation for pupils with special educational needs and for those who are gifted and talented is largely by outcome. Plans to develop the subject to build upon pupils’ different cultural backgrounds and some of their movements across continents will increase the relevance of the subject for many more pupils and will enhance their inclusion because they will become witnesses to living history. At present there is no effective assessment system for history; without it the school has no firm data against which to analyse the progress of boys and girls and to see whether any particular group is outperforming any other in the school.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
180. At the time of the last inspection, standards attained at the end of both key stages were well below average. They still remain below national expectations, but the very significant improvements in the provision of equipment and the expertise of the staff, now ensure that the full range of the National Curriculum is taught. As a consequence the pupils throughout the school are making good progress as ICT skills and use are taught in a systematic manner.
181. Pupils throughout the school make good progress given their low starting points and there is no difference in the progress made by girls and boys. In the classrooms the provision of ICT to support work in other subjects is unsatisfactory and has been identified as an area for further development in the school improvement plan. All the pupils are taught in the computer suite each week and this reinforces their progress in the skills of ICT. At the same time they can also use some of the programs taught to support curricular work in other subjects. The work in the suite is well supported by extra staff at Key Stage 1. However this help is not available for older pupils in Key Stage 2 and this slows their progress. The contribution made throughout the school by the staff supporting those pupils with hearing impairment, English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, is very effective in ensuring the pupils’ individual progress.
182. There is some very effective work, particularly at Key Stage 2, in the use of e-mind mapping. The school has received very good support from the Educational Action Zone ICT co-ordinator in this area. In Year 1 pupils plan writing effectively on the theme of Home, using the e-mind software to construct a flow chart containing text and images, to brainstorm the theme. They use the flow chart to remind them of the various rooms, the other parts of their homes, the range of equipment within them, and the structures which combine to make the houses or flats, in which they live. In Years 5 and 6 the pupils plan and produce e-mind maps to sequence and develop fairy stories, such as Red Riding Hood and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. This work contributes considerably to the pupils’ abilities to organise and structure their writing, and to extend their vocabulary. In the entrance foyer of the school, a computer monitor scrolls through a program, showing photographs of a whole range of School activities, with accompanying text, introducing and welcoming visitors to the school. Significantly, this very impressive program was produced by a group of Year 5 and 6 pupils, working with the EAZ, ICT co-ordinator.
183. A wide range of equipment has been purchased and the whole staff have received extensive training to ensure their confidence and competence in teaching. The National Curriculum guidance is now fully implemented and is reflected in the teachers’ effective planning, assessment and recording arrangements. Appropriate plans are in hand to extend the work beyond the immediate boundaries of the school, to share and to co-operate with other schools, by a special hyperlink facility. Significant support has been given by the Education Action Zone ICT co-ordinator and a Beacon School to help bring about these very positive improvements.
184. Much of the work observed took place in the computer suite. Here, Year 2 pupils show that they are familiar with some of the language of ICT. For example, many pupils understand and use words such as, mouse, delete, cursor and insert. They work positively on an art program to create an abstract picture, using appropriate tools to create a wide range of coloured shapes and then using a flood fill. They can log on and off, find and use the appropriate icons, to progress the program and create a pictogram to illustrate the range of ways in which they travel to school.
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 45 185. At Key Stage 2 the computer language is developed and reinforced further. This is evident when the pupils in Year 6 use a program to create a multimedia presentation, which enables them to combine graphics and a range of images with text, leading up to the importing of sound into the finished presentation. Pupils in Year 5 understand that databases are useful, but that on occasions they can be flawed and contain errors. They check a database to correct information which they observe as being incorrect. In Year 4 the pupils are able to use part of a publishing package to create repeated patterns, such as those seen on gift wrapping paper. In Year 3 the pupils create a poster for a disco, importing images and they show that they can manipulate various fonts, in terms of size, style and colour.
186. There are good examples of work in the classroom, where the pupils in Key Stage 1 use mathematical programs to reinforce their work in basic number and shape. The impact of the good teaching and learning in the computer suite is also evident in the classroom, where a Year 6 pupil is involved in writing a biographical work about Sir Winston Churchill, which involves research work using the Internet, to prepare for a multimedia presentation. Good co-operative work takes place in a class lesson where two pupils with hearing impairments work in a word processing package to complete a comprehension exercise successfully, linking with their work in Literacy. Generally, although there are some good examples, cross-curricular work is less evident in the classrooms. However, the work in the computer suite does have a positive impact, through the range and type of programs used, upon the wider curriculum.
187. The pupils have good attitudes and usually work well in pairs, taking turns and supporting each other as they take mutually agreed decisions. The pupils enjoy their work, listen attentively to instructions, are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They show developing levels of confidence, and are generally focused and attentive in lessons, even in the afternoons when the time devoted to lessons appears overlong and some of the younger pupils become very tired.
188. The overall quality of teaching is good. It takes account of the need for regular reinforcement of the spoken and written language necessary to make progress in this school. All of the teachers observed took great care to explain carefully any new language used. The teachers have very effective subject knowledge and are confident in their teaching. Their lessons are carefully planned so that the pupils systematically build up their knowledge, skills and understanding in structured ways. This enables the pupils to approach their work confidently. There is a sound balance between teacher demonstration and the pupils’ activity, so that lessons usually proceed at a suitable pace. The teachers plan challenging lessons with effective opportunities given to consolidate the pupils’ previous learning and to build on it to promote new learning. The management of any support provided staff is good and this usually means that the pupils are kept well on task during lessons.
189. The quantity, quality and range of the resources to support the teaching and learning are very good overall and are beginning to have a positive effect on standards. The excellently equipped computer suite is very well used and enables teachers to work with whole classes effectively.
190. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable, well organised and extremely enthusiastic. She has developed very effective planning and assessment systems, and she ensures the teachers receive effective support through school based and other training. As a consequence of their training the teachers show high levels of competence and confidence in their teaching, for example, when they demonstrate the skills required to progress programs, using the interactive whiteboard in the computer suite.
MUSIC
191. It was only possible to observe two lessons during the inspection. However, those lessons, observation of tapes, talking to pupils together with teachers’ planning, indicate that all pupils, including those with special educational needs are provided with a range of experiences that enable them to make at least satisfactory progress and achieve standards expected for their age. Thus, standards achieved at the last inspection have been maintained.
192. No music lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2. The quality of teaching in those seen was good. Pupils in Years 3 and 4, in a lesson exploring rhythm were seen first clapping and then using instruments to follow musical notation. They showed a good understanding of the use of
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 46 symbols to represent sound and displayed obvious enjoyment as they performed for each other. Teachers showed good subject knowledge and planned their lessons carefully with progressive steps which enabled their pupils to learn effectively.
193. Pupils in Year 6 talked enthusiastically about their music lessons and of how they performed at the Jubilee Concert. They could explain how important it is to stand up straight when singing, how they had to do warm up exercises, breathe correctly and open their mouths wide so that people can hear their words. The videotape of the Jubilee Concert showed pupils performing confidently, both individually and in groups. They also talked enthusiastically of their visit to the Symphony Hall in Birmingham and of visiting musicians and could identify many musical instruments. However, knowledge of a wide range of composers and different styles of music is limited. The use of ICT is satisfactory and pupils have had the chance to record their own programmes and take part in producing their own productions using appropriate technical equipment.
194. There is no co-ordinator due to long standing illness, but the acting co-ordinator arranges visits and opportunities for the pupils to be involved in musical workshops as well as choirs for special performances. There are also opportunities for the older pupils to learn to play Indian drums. Although progress recently has slowed a little, the performing arts are recognised as playing a vibrant and essential part in the life of the school.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
195. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. Standards attained in physical education are similar to those achieved by pupils nationally. Younger pupils in Key Stage 1 can move confidently and safely using changes of speed, level and direction. The oldest can use different parts of their bodies to balance with increasing control and exercise good control over their speed of running, but there is a considerable variation in levels of ability. Pupils work with enthusiasm, but some are less able to use their imagination or develop independent ideas.
196. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are able to choose skills, actions and ideas to meet a given task, for example moving with feet high. They can get out and erect apparatus safely and sensibly. They move with satisfactory co-ordination and control and a few can perform very well. Some younger pupils are not able to land well after a jump from a trestle, or to climb ropes. The oldest pupils can apply key skills of eye contact, hockey stick handling and foot movement to stop and hit a ball accurately and with good control, in safety. They can take part in a game with good ball control, passing appropriately and showing observation of safety rules most of the time. Most understand the effects of exercise on the body and the need for a warm up and warm down, which are normal components of their lessons.
197. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teaching is enthusiastic and by good planning and appropriately high expectations of pupils' achievement and behaviour, teachers enable pupils to develop skills well and improve their performance. Time is rarely wasted, with the result that pupils enjoy their lessons and have the greatest opportunity to benefit from them. Teachers are careful to ensure that pupils with special educational needs, disabled pupils and those who have limited English are not excluded in any way from the lesson, although occasionally some pupils do not understand some of the vocabulary used. All these groups make good progress and there is no difference in the progress of boys as compared with girls. Similarly, gifted and talented pupils have opportunities to develop their skills. At present teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop skills of critical appraisal of their own and others' performances.
198. Unsatisfactory leadership and management of the subject in the past has been overcome well by the very enthusiastic and hard-working co-ordinator. She is rapidly achieving substantial improvements in curriculum guidelines for physical education (PE), along with staff training and children are no longer withdrawn from PE lessons for booster classes. The management of the subject is now good. The subject co-ordinator monitors teachers' planning and is shortly to begin observing lessons to help teachers to improve their teaching. PE makes a satisfactory
Percy Shurmer Primary School - 47 contribution to literacy through teachers' use of language and discussions with pupils. The range of extra-curricular activities in Key Stage 2 are very good.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
199. The standards achieved by pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6 are broadly in line with those expected by the locally agreed syllabus. This is a judgement which balances the pupils’ sound ability to express their knowledge and understanding orally with their less well developed ability to record their knowledge and understanding in written form. Starting from a very low standard pupils make consistently good progress in each and every year group because of consistently good teaching. Standards at age 11 represent good long-term progress. However, pupils would reach higher standards if their English skills, particularly in reading for information and understanding, were better developed. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teachers, assistants and classmates. None have targets related to religious education. They join in with the class lesson, learn as much as they can and generally make good progress.
200. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a sound understanding of families and their importance. They know some of the stories from the New Testament and also the places of worship of the major faiths. This knowledge has been built up across both Years 1 and 2 and consistently good and enthusiastic teaching makes a major contribution to pupils’ progress. They are keen to know more about the world and set to work with determination and enthusiasm. Time is allowed for reflection, for instance in a Year 2 lesson on their own ‘special thing’. Pupils respond positively to this and provide the teacher with a good list of things they consider special.
201. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a sound knowledge of the major world religions, their principles, symbols, important texts and key individuals. They have visited many of the churches, mosques and temples in the local community. Some time, but not enough, has been spent on reflection on questions like ‘Who is God?’ and ‘Why are we quiet in the church/mosque/temple?’ In written form, pupils have mainly formed superficial answers to these questions. Pupils enjoy RE. They appreciate the acknowledgement by teachers of the importance of their own faith and respect the faiths of others. Learning is a gradual process through all age groups. Pupils are asked to write the questions they would ask their God in Year 3 and produce some very thoughtful responses like ‘Who do you have faith in?’ and ‘Have you ever been tempted to do the wrong thing?’ They build their knowledge of faiths year on year, for instance by studying Christianity in Year 5 and again in Year 6 but in a more complex way.
202. The quality of teaching is good through the school and has very strong features in Years 3 and 6. Teachers acknowledge their own faith and value the different faiths of their pupils sensibly using the pupils’ knowledge to inform others. They provide them with interesting and stimulating information, like Hindu artefacts in Year 4, photographs from home in Years 1 and 2 and access to the Internet in Year 6. Their lesson planning is good and has clear lesson objectives, which are communicated to and generally understood by the pupils. Teachers provide clear and interesting explanations, in language which everyone can understand, and maintain pupils’ interest and excitement through probing questions and giving them limited, but sufficient, time to finish tasks. Teachers use a good range of strategies like drama, pair work and writing to help pupils express their knowledge and views although other methods such as video, digital camera and audio tape, have not yet been used. Lessons in Years 1 and 2 can sometimes be too long for pupils to maintain concentration.
203. The coordinator has improved teachers’ confidence in the teaching of RE and made available to them a good range of artefacts, posters and other support materials, though these are not well stored. This has improved the quality of teaching and in those lessons seen teachers displayed an outward enthusiasm for the subjects, which transmitted itself very positively to the class. Overall her management of the subject is good. Lesson time is now appropriate for the subject in all classes and pupils are no longer withdrawn from the subject to attend ‘booster classes’ as at the time of the previous inspection. The subject is still not promoting the use of ICT sufficiently well, though pupils did use the Internet to research mosques in a Year 6 class. Also the subject does not yet provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to use their improving literacy skills in a meaningful context. This is especially true for extended writing in Years 5 and 6.
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