|
INSPECTION REPORT ON |
|||
|
Crown House School |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Full
Name of the School |
Crown House School |
||
|
DFES Number |
825/6016 |
||
|
Address |
19 London
Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1BJ |
||
|
Telephone Number |
01494 529927 |
||
|
Fax Number |
01494 525693 |
||
|
E-mail Address |
|||
|
Name of Principal |
Laurence
Clark |
||
|
Proprietor |
Laurence
Clark |
||
|
Age Range |
4-11 |
Gender |
Mixed |
|
Number of Pupils |
135 |
Number of Boarders |
N/A |
|
Inspection Dates |
March 11th –
14th, 2002 |
||
|
This inspection report is based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and agreed with the DFES and OFSTED for the purposes of ensuring that standards are maintained and that the school complies with relevant legal requirements. Recommendations are included to help the school improve. The report will be lodged with the ISI, the Head of the School, the Proprietors, the DFES and OFSTED. A summary will be provided by the school for all parents free of charge and the full report on request. Other interested parties may have the summary or full report, subject to a charge for copying and postage. The report may not be selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional literature but may be used selectively within the school. The
inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or
investigate its accounting procedures.
The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and
comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an
exhaustive health and safety examination. |
|||
1.1 Crown House is a happy school in which pupils develop strong personal qualities, reach high standards in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and achieve well in both national assessments and those for local selective schools. Pupils with special educational needs do especially well in the national tests. Pupils also do well in art, French, music and physical education. The school cares well for all those in its charge and fosters positive values and behaviour. Because of weaknesses in the curriculum and in some teaching, pupils achieve less than they could in some aspects of mathematics and science and in a few other subjects. Aspects of management have not been effective in bringing about some improvements that were identified by the last inspection as being important.
1.2 The school’s main strengths are:
· the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and pupils achieve well in national assessments at the end of Years 2 and 6;
· the school is very successful in fostering pupils’ personal development. Pupils are very well behaved, courteous and value others;
· extra tuition provided for pupils with special educational needs enables them to achieve well;
· the school cares very well for all its pupils.
What the School Should Do Better
1.3 The most significant issues are:
· standards in some aspects of mathematics and science are not high enough;
· weaknesses in some teaching result in pupils making less progress than they should;
· too many subjects lack a detailed scheme of work to guide and support teachers’ planning and to provide clear criteria for effective assessment;
· despite recent improvements, the management of the curriculum and teaching is not yet sufficiently effective;
· statutory requirements are not being met in relation to the maintenance of daily attendance registers.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
1.4 In the national tests in 2001, attainment for Years 2 and 6 was well above national averages and better than in schools with similar socio-economic intakes. These results continue the school’s well-founded reputation for achieving overall success in national tests. The majority of pupils are successful in gaining places at senior schools that are appropriate for their particular talents and needs.
1.5 In the school as a whole, pupils reach standards that are broadly appropriate for their ages. Pupils’ progress varies between subjects and the ages of the pupils to an extent that is unsatisfactory overall, although it is good in some subjects and about two-thirds of lessons. In the work seen, attainment and progress were good in the reception year, and standards are especially strong in communication, language and literacy. In English, pupils of all abilities achieve good standards. In mathematics, most pupils reach standards that are good in relation to their abilities, but a significant minority achieve less than they could because the use and application of skills are underdeveloped. The school has recently started improving this aspect of the subject. Pupils have very good scientific knowledge but achieve less than they could because they carry out far too few investigations. Strengths were seen in art, French, music and physical education, in which pupils develop skills well. Some underachievement was seen in work for geography, history and religious education when, for example, pupils copy too much work.
1.6 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in Workshop (the specialist teaching provided by the school), but some are insufficiently supported on a day-to-day basis in class lessons. These pupils achieve well in national tests.
The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
1.7 The overall standard of pupils’ personal development, including their learning, attitudes and behaviour, is very good and a notable strength of the school. Pupils are keen to learn, inquisitive and enthusiastic. They are attentive during class discussions and concentrate very well when working independently or in small groups. Even the youngest children concentrate hard and try to follow routines. Pupils respond positively to their teachers and have very good relationships with them and each other. They have a strong sense of responsibility, which shows in the way that they look after resources, take care of others and make good decisions about how to behave.
1.8 Pupils often choose to behave well because they understand the effect that bad behaviour will have on others, rather than simply because the rules say so. They use their initiative appropriately. Pupils of all ages are extremely thoughtful of others. A strong feature of the school is the way in which pupils value each other and show respect for others. They are both proud of their own achievements and keen to tell visitors about the successes of their classmates and the school. They show interest in each other’s cultural and religious backgrounds and are respectful and sensitive during discussions.
1.9 In the lessons seen, the quality of teaching was very good or better in over one third, good or better in two thirds and at least satisfactory in just over eight out of ten. Scrutiny of previously completed work shows that the quality of teaching seen in lessons was fairly typical. The benefits of the mainly successful teaching are reduced significantly by the proportion of lessons in which teaching is less than satisfactory, and by the cumulative effect of a few weaknesses that were evident even in lessons that were judged overall to be satisfactory. The result is that, over time, pupils make less progress than they could.
1.10 The quality of teaching is good in English, but unsatisfactory in mathematics and science. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. Pupils are strongly encouraged to use literacy skills in other subjects, but numeracy skills are used less widely and teaching of the use and application of mathematics and of scientific enquiry is less effective than it could be. The most important factor in this is most teachers’ knowledge and understanding of these aspects of the subjects. The marking of work across the curriculum often focuses heavily on literacy and insufficiently on the needs of the subject.
1.11 Teachers have very positive relationships with pupils, expect high standards of behaviour and foster social skills very effectively. Teachers are enthusiastic, speak to pupils with respect and set a good example to pupils of how to get on well with others. A considerable strength in teaching is the consistent approach to discipline and the high expectations set for behaviour throughout the school.
1.12 In some lessons, the teacher’s planning was based on a detailed knowledge of pupils’ prior attainment and a clear understanding of what was the most appropriate next step in learning. On more than one occasion this contributed strongly to pupils making excellent progress. In lessons when work was not matched to the needs of the pupils, progress was markedly slower. This was especially pronounced when lesson plans were based on a text book or worksheet, rather than using these resources as a means to achieve clearly defined learning objectives.
1.13 The level of attendance is very good. Pupils are punctual arriving at school and to lessons. The school’s admissions register is maintained appropriately, but, during the inspection, the completion of daily attendance registers did not meet statutory requirements.
1.14 The systems for assessment are ineffective in some subjects because they are not based on clear criteria. Baseline assessment tests are completed by pupils on entry to the school and these form a useful basis for planning in Reception. The information gathered through assessment is not always used effectively. Marking is generally encouraging and is always completed. However, marking does not always focus on the relevant strands of the subject being studied. School reports are issued at appropriate intervals and teachers’ comments are informative and useful.
1.15 Overall, the curriculum contributes satisfactorily to the intellectual, physical and personal attainment and development of pupils. It is appropriate for their age, gender and ethnicity and prepares them for the next stage of learning. The curriculum provides a sufficiently broad experience, but the time spent by pupils on each subject is not planned methodically and varies considerably between classes. Some teachers do not adhere to the timetables they have prepared, and so the balance of the curriculum is lost.
1.16 Planning is sound in English, French, music, physical education and Reception, but in other subjects, the systematic development of knowledge and skills from year to year is unsatisfactory. The school has started reviewing and improving schemes of work, but too many subjects did not have an appropriate one at the time of the inspection. The curriculum is appropriately enriched with a range of extra-curricular activities including some sport, swimming, computing, art and textiles.
1.17 The school recognises that the provision it makes to meet the curricular needs of the very able pupils is in need of improvement, whereas the provision it makes to withdraw pupils who need extra support in English and mathematics is very good.
Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
1.18
Overall,
the school has sufficient teaching and non-teaching staff to implement the
curriculum effectively and to maintain the day-to-day care of its pupils. The
small classes help to promote effective learning. Administrative and
cleaning staff are efficient and effective. The established appraisal system has not been fully effective in
identifying where improvements in teaching and other aspects are needed. The
consequence is that continuing professional development is not as useful as it
could be, although there have been recent improvements.
Resources for Learning, Libraries, Premises and Accommodation
1.19 Overall, the school has sufficient resources of suitable quality to enable pupils to learn effectively. Resources for Reception, English, mathematic, science and information and communication technology are good. The new information technology suite is helping to raise standards. Provision for regular use of the computers allocated to each classroom is not as effective as it could be. The library facility is good and it contributes significantly to standards in English. Accommodation is somewhat cramped, but the school uses it very well.
Links with Parents and the Community
1.20
The
school has developed a sound partnership with parents and some good links with
the community. A significant proportion of parents feel that they have
insufficient information about the curriculum, and inspectors agree that this
could be improved. Parents make a significant contribution to school life
through helping in school and the active parents and teachers association. The
school has a good working relationship with the church. Work experience
students provide valuable assistance in some lessons.
1.21 The school offers a good range of opportunities to foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This contributes significantly to their personal development, which is a strength of the school. Pupils are not only taught that some rules are essential for community well-being, but also to make their own decisions about how to behave towards others. Teachers set high expectations of courtesy, and systems for encouraging pupils to take personal responsibility and responsibility for others are very effective. Adults set a good example of how to treat others with respect and to value people’s achievements and talents. A feature of the school is that pupils are encouraged to develop their individuality at the same time as to fit in with the needs of the community.
Pastoral Care, Support and Guidance
1.22 The support and guidance provided by the school to promote pupils’ personal development are very good and a notable strength of the school. Pupils feel they can ask staff for help and are confident they will be listened to and that action will be appropriate. Disciplinary systems are clear and understood by pupils, and lead to very good behaviour.
Pupils’ Welfare, including Health and Safety
1.23
The
school has effective measures to safeguard pupils’ health and safety. Much care
is taken to ensure that the school is a clean and attractive environment for
pupils and staff, and to ensure their well being. Health and safety and child
protection policies are established and effective.
1.24
The head teacher has a caring approach to pupils and
staff and ensures that the school’s aims are broadly met and that the quality
of education is adequate overall. With the exception of daily attendance
registers, all statutory requirements are met. Staff share a common vision and
purpose for pupils’ personal development and pastoral care and this leads to
notable strengths. They also have shared expectations for what pupils should
achieve in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and this too is an area of
strength. However, the school lacks a commonly agreed approach to curriculum
planning and teaching methods. These aspects are less successful and the result
is that standards are not as high as they could be across the curriculum.
1.25 The management roles introduced a year ago are not yet sufficiently well defined to enable staff to fulfil them effectively, and subject co-ordinators have not been given enough leadership and guidance. Curriculum development and overall school development are not based sufficiently on an analytical approach and so the priorities decided upon are not always placed in the most effective order.
Achievement and Quality in Activities
1.26 The range of activities offered is satisfactory for pupils’ age and aptitudes. Pupil participation is good and a waiting list is used if a club is oversubscribed.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
1.27 Since the last inspection in 1996 the school has made a number of improvements, including dealing with some of the important recommendations from the report. Progress has been relatively slow because, although the whole staff has discussed how to improve the school, they do not have a shared perception of what was agreed. This has hindered the effective management of change. Key improvements have been the development of the library, which is now a major strength in the school, and the appointment of subject co-ordinators. The latter improvement is recent and has not yet been effective in some crucial aspects such as the development of schemes of work for all subjects.
2.1 Among the several issues discussed with the school, the following recommendations are of major importance. The school should:
R1 Raise standards in mathematics by continuing to improve pupils’ use and application of knowledge and skills.
R2 Raise standards in science by improving the teaching of scientific enquiry.
R3 Improve the quality of teaching by:
· developing teachers’ expertise where there are weaknesses in subject knowledge;
· ensuring that lesson planning includes clear learning objectives, and sets work at appropriate levels for different pupils;
· giving lessons clear structure, and using time more rigorously;
· ensuring that questioning and the marking of pupils’ work guides them constructively.
R4 Construct detailed schemes of work for all subjects.
R5 Continue to increase the effectiveness of management by:
· evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the school;
· setting priorities for improvement in whole-school aspects and in subjects;
· formulating precise plans for whole-school and subject development;
· providing staff with appropriate guidance, support and training;
· continuing to monitor and evaluate the school-improvement cycle
R6 Ensure that statutory requirements are met in relation to the maintenance of daily attendance registers.
3.1 Founded in 1924, the school occupied several sites in the town before moving to its present one in the early 1950s. It has always been a day school catering mainly for pupils who move on to maintained grammar schools, although some progress to independent senior schools or non-selective maintained schools. Transfer was at the age of 12+ until four years ago, when it became 11+, and the school consequently reduced by one class. The school believes strongly in the principles that ‘the individual matters’ and ‘happiness and enjoyment at school is the foundation of successful learning’. Pupils are drawn mainly from the culturally diverse population in the area and the school seeks to establish an ethos of respect, understanding and a sense of belonging to one family.
3.2 At the time of the inspection, there were 135 pupils on the school roll, aged between four and eleven years: 19 in Reception, 38 in Years 1 and 2, and 78 in Years 3 to 6. Although it varies from year to year, there is a reasonable balance between girls and boys. Entry to the school is by interview with the parents and is non-selective.
3.3 Recent improvements to the school include extension of the library and considerable expenditure on resources for English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. The school introduced a new management role a little over one year before the inspection – that of subject co-ordinator.
3.4 National Curriculum Assessments at Age 7 (Key Stage 1) 2001
The table shows the percentage of pupils reaching different levels. Due to rounding, figures may not add up to 100.
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Level 2 |
Level 3 or higher |
||
|
Subject |
|
Externally marked |
Teacher assessed |
Externally marked |
Teacher assessed |
|
Reading |
Boys |
55 |
55 |
45 |
45 |
|
Girls |
50 |
38 |
50 |
50 |
|
|
Writing |
Boys |
82 |
82 |
18 |
18 |
|
Girls |
50 |
50 |
38 |
38 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Boys |
36 |
36 |
64 |
64 |
|
Girls |
63 |
63 |
25 |
25 |
|
|
Science |
Boys |
- |
45 |
- |
55 |
|
Girls |
- |
75 |
- |
13 |
|
3.5 National Curriculum Assessments at Age 11 (Key Stage 2) 2001
The table shows the percentage of pupils reaching different levels. Due to rounding, figures may not add up to 100.
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Level 4 |
Level 5 or higher |
||
|
Subject |
|
Externally marked |
Teacher assessed |
Externally marked |
Teacher assessed |
|
English |
Boys |
30 |
30 |
70 |
70 |
|
Girls |
20 |
20 |
80 |
80 |
|
|
Mathematics |
Boys |
70 |
30 |
30 |
70 |
|
Girls |
70 |
40 |
30 |
60 |
|
|
Science |
Boys |
30 |
30 |
70 |
70 |
|
Girls |
10 |
10 |
90 |
90 |
|
3.6 Attendance for First Half of Autumn Term 2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
Authorised |
Unauthorised |
|
Percentage
absence |
1.6 |
0 |
3.7 Exclusions Over the Previous 12 Months
|
|
|
|
Temporary
exclusions |
Permanent
exclusion |
|
3 |
0 |
4. Educational Standards Achieved by Pupils at the School
4.1 In the school as a whole, pupils reach standards that are broadly appropriate for their ages. In English, pupils of all abilities achieve good standards. In mathematics, most pupils reach standards that are good in relation to their abilities, but a significant minority achieve less than they could. Most pupils achieve less than they could in science. Although overall judgements were not made about standards in the following subjects, strengths were seen in art, French, music and physical education, and some underachievement in geography, history and religious education. Pupils’ progress varies between subjects and the ages of the pupils to an extent that is unsatisfactory overall, although it is good in some subjects and classes.
4.2 In the national tests in 2001, attainment for Years 2 and 6 was well above national averages and better than in schools with similar socio-economic intakes. In English and science, many pupils reached levels higher than those expected for their ages, while, in mathematics, an average proportion reached the higher Level 5 in the Year 6 tests. These results continue the school’s well-founded reputation for achieving overall success in national tests. The majority of pupils are successful in gaining places at senior schools that are appropriate for their particular abilities and needs.
4.3 In the work seen, attainment and progress were good in the Reception year. By the end of reception, almost all children have achieved the early learning goals and are working on the early stages of the National Curriculum. Children make good progress in acquiring and consolidating the appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding for pupils of this age. Standards are especially strong in communication, language and literacy. In English, good progress continues throughout the school so that, by Year 6, standards are well above national expectations. Pupils’ skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing are all used well in other subjects, and this contributes strongly to their success in English. In mathematics, the standard of knowledge and basic skills is well above national expectations, but the use and application of these is underdeveloped. This weakness prevents a significant number of more able pupils from achieving higher levels and so progress is unsatisfactory overall. Pupils have very good scientific knowledge but make slow progress over time in developing understanding and the skills of scientific enquiry, which results in standards that are well below national expectations. This is because of the nature and relative infrequency of the investigative work that they are given.
4.4 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in Workshop (the specialist teaching provided by the school), but some are insufficiently supported on a day-to-day basis in class lessons. These pupils achieve well in national tests.
Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and Behaviour
4.5 In the lessons seen, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were never less than satisfactory and were frequently strengths that significantly aided learning. Overall, the standard of pupils’ personal development is very good and a notable strength of the school.
4.6 Pupils are keen to learn, inquisitive and enthusiastic. They are attentive during class discussions and concentrate very well when working independently or in small groups. Even the youngest children concentrate hard and try to follow routines such as putting up their hands to answer questions. In some lessons, pupils got quite excited by the discussions or activities, but showed good self-control and so behaviour remained positive and learning was enhanced. In a Year 4 history lesson, for example, the teacher and pupils entered into some light-hearted banter that was very enjoyable but never detracted from the learning. Pupils respond positively to their teachers and have very good relationships with them and each other. This enables them to work well together, for instance in the computer suite and physical education lessons, which helps them to make good progress.
4.7 Pupils’ personal development is very good and this contributes strongly to their learning. Pupils have a strong sense of responsibility, which shows in the way that they look after resources, take care of others and make good decisions about how to behave. In the playgroun