INSPECTION REPORT ILCHESTER PRIMARY SCHOOL Ilchester LEA area: Somerset Unique reference number: 123735 Headteacher: Mr D M Jay Reporting inspector: Mrs P C Cox 19178 Dates of inspection: 30th September – 3rd October 2002 Inspection number: 248498 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: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed School address: Illustrious Crescent Ilchester Somerset Postcode: BA22 8JX Telephone number: 01935 840568 Fax number: 01935 840249 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Whittaker Date of previous inspection: 19th – 22nd January 1998 Ilchester Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Subject Aspect responsibilities Team members responsibilities 19178 Mrs P C Cox Registered History The school’s results and the inspector pupils’ achievements How well pupils are taught How well the school is led and managed What the school should do to improve further 13874 Mrs J Chesterfield Lay inspector How well the school cares for its pupils How well the school works in partnership with parents 21904 Mrs D Gale Team Areas of learning for inspector children in The Foundation Stage Art and design Physical education 22805 Mrs J Greer Team Science Pupils’ attitudes, values and inspector Religious education personal development 20846 Mr A Wilson Team Mathematics The quality of the curricular and inspector Geography other opportunities offered to pupils 22352 Mrs F Gaywood Team Information and Educational inclusion inspector communication Special educational needs technology Design and technology 27240 Mr W Hooper Team English English as an additional inspector Music language The inspection contractor was: Criterion School Inspections Juniper House 23 Abbots View Abbotswood Cinderford Gloucestershire GL14 3EG 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 Ilchester Primary School - 4 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-10 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? 11-13 The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT? 14-16 HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 16-18 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 18-20 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS 20-21 HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 21-24 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 24 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 25-28 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29-47 Ilchester Primary School - 5 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Ilchester Primary School is situated on the northeast outskirts of the village of Ilchester and is on two sites, one housing the infant department and the other the juniors. The sites are separated by about a quarter of a mile. There are 426 pupils on roll, between the ages of 4 and 11 and the numbers in the school are around a third higher than at the time of the previous inspection. The proportion of boys and girls is similar. Most pupils live in Ilchester and almost all pupils are of white ethnic heritage and few have English as an additional language. As the school serves a significant proportion of pupils from service families, well over half of the school population, there is very high mobility. During 2001-02, mobility affected about a quarter of the pupils, but mobility was much higher amongst the infants. During the last school year, there was a turnover of almost 50 per cent in Year 2. Three per cent of pupils are registered as being entitled to free school meals, a percentage that is lower than the national average. However, the local education authority does not provide cooked dinners, and, consequently, the statistics are not representative of the pupils’ backgrounds, which are broadly average. Seventeen per cent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, a proportion that is similar to that in other schools. The majority of these needs are in the areas of specific learning difficulties, and speech and communication difficulties. Three pupils have a Statement of special educational needs. The children’s attainment on entry to the school is below average overall, particularly in communication, language and literacy and personal and social development, and has fallen since the time of the last inspection. The proximity of the naval air station leads to significant noise disruption by air traffic, particularly for the infant department. The school has been awarded the Basic Skills Quality Mark and a DfES School Improvement Award in 2001. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS The school provides its pupils with a sound education and has many strengths. Pupils do well in English and mathematics at both key stages and in mathematics their attainment is above average. At Key Stage 21, pupils also achieve well in science, music and physical education. The quality of teaching is good for the children in the reception classes and for pupils at Key Stage 2, but is unsatisfactory at Key Stage 12. Overall, the pupils behave well and have good attitudes to school. The leadership and management of the headteacher and senior management team are good. The school has effective procedures for ensuring that it gives all pupils equal opportunity to succeed. Given these factors, and its average income, the school provides satisfactory value for money. What the school does well · Children achieve well in the reception classes. The pupils do well in English and mathematics at the end of both key stages, and in science, music and physical education at the end of Year 6. · The quality of teaching is good in the reception classes and at Key Stage 2. · The headteacher and senior management team lead and manage the school well, particularly in coping with the challenges of a split site. · Because the provision for the pupils’ moral and social development is very good, they behave well and have good attitudes to school. · The school provides well for the pupils with special educational needs and for those who join partway through their school career. · In spite of the level of mobility, the school forms very close links with the parents. · There is very good provision for extra-curricular activities. What could be improved · Standards in speaking and listening, and history. · The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1. · The provision for the pupils’ cultural development. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents and carers of children in the school. 1 Key Stage 2, also known as the ‘juniors’ caters for pupils aged 7 to 11 and refers to pupils who are in Years 3 to 6. 2 Key Stage 1, also know as the ‘infants’ caters for pupils aged 5 to 7 and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Ilchester Primary School - 6 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The school was previously inspected in January 1998 and the report identified many strengths, including the progress the pupils made; their attitudes to learning; the quality of the teaching; the links with the parents; the assessment systems and the leadership and management. The school has made sound progress in maintaining these positive features, although the teaching at Key Stage 1 has deteriorated. There were three issues for the school to address in 1998. Standards in science were not as high as in English and mathematics; provision for the pupils’ spiritual development was not effective and some pupils at Key Stage 1 missed important lessons when they were withdrawn from class for individual support. These issues have been addressed and standards in science are now high; provision for spiritual development is satisfactory and the arrangements for the withdrawal of pupils has been revised to ensure that they have equal access to all activities. The school is soundly placed 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 schools3 2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* well above average A English A C B A above average B average C Mathematics A A B A below average D well below average E Science B C A A very low E* The results of the national tests have varied from year to year at the end of both key stages, as is common in schools where there is a high rate of mobility.