|
INSPECTION REPORT ON |
|
|
The Highlands School |
|
|
|
|
|
Full Name of the School |
The |
|
DfES Number |
870/6006 |
|
Registered Charity Number |
309147 |
|
Address |
Wardle
Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire RG31 6JR. |
|
Telephone Number |
0118
942 7186 |
|
Fax Number |
0118
945 4953 |
|
Email Address |
enquiries@highlandsschool.co.uk |
|
Head |
Mrs
Chris Bennett |
|
Chairman of Governors |
Mrs
Sally Pellow |
|
|
Boys
2 – 7 years; girls 2 - 11 years |
|
Gender |
Mixed |
|
Inspection Dates |
21st
– 24th May 2007 |
This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
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. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1
The
1.2
The number of pupils on the
roll at the time of the inspection was 132, 39 of these in the Pre-Nursery and
Nursery. There were 46 pupils in the
1.3
The
1.4 Pupils enter the school at all ages; most begin their education at The Highlands, with a few older pupils entering from maintained and independent schools. Most pupils move at age 11 to independent senior schools; about a third go to maintained schools, with half of these going to the local grammar school.
1.5
Pupils come from a wide variety
of backgrounds; most live in
1.6
The school is situated on both
sides of a quiet residential road on the outskirts of
1.7
The
· combine the best of traditional and contemporary teaching methods to enable staff and pupils to work enthusiastically together in a caring environment which caters for the children’s social and academic needs whilst fostering and rewarding excellence and effort;
· inspire good citizenship through example and discussion and to prepare all pupils to transfer to and thrive at their next place of education;
· provide a learning environment which is stimulating, safe and secure, and one in which pupils and staff feel respected, valued and supported, and encouraged to make the best of their talents and opportunities.
1.8 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 The educational experience provided by the school is generally good, with one area of weakness in learning support for older pupils. Since the last inspection the curriculum has been expanded in a number of ways and is now broad and well balanced, and consistent with the school’s aim of providing an all-round education.
2.2 Pupils are taught in non-streamed classes with those in Years 1 to 6 placed in sets for English and mathematics when desirable. French is taught from Year 2, as well as the standard National Curriculum subjects with the exception of design and technology (DT). This deficiency is, however, well covered by devoting a week to DT during which the facilities of a local school and their teaching expertise are utilised beneficially. Swimming is taught to Years 3 to 6 in the town pool. Many sports are taught and matches for netball, rounders, cricket, swimming, and athletics are arranged against other local independent and maintained schools. Pupils also have the chance to try sports such as sailing or rock climbing.
2.3
The range of extra-curricular
activities is generally appropriate to the size of the school and the age range
of the pupils. After-school activities
for pupils in the
2.4
Pupils of all ages are well
prepared for the next stage of their education, whether they are in a Reception
class moving to Year 1, or in Year 2 moving on to the
2.5 The curriculum is effectively planned and provides equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. Subject handbooks and schemes of work are comprehensive and informative. The mathematics scheme, for instance, gives examples of methods to be taught. Pupils’ progress is screened effectively through a wide range of tests and an efficient record is kept for each pupil.
2.6
The curriculum requirements of
those pupils with learning difficulties are well met in the
2.7 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.8 Pupils are well educated in relation to their ages and abilities. At all ages, they are achieving good standards in most subjects. Pupils’ approach to work is nearly always good, with some outstanding qualities evident. The standards noted at the previous inspection have been maintained, and marked improvements have been made in writing in Years 1 and 2, and in ICT.
2.9 Pupils acquire good knowledge and understanding of their subjects and show good powers of thinking and acting critically and creatively in most of their work. Literacy levels are particularly high in Reception and Year 1 where they receive an excellent introduction to the mechanics of the English language. Older pupils are able to write well-planned stories of some length and structured poems. They can use terms such as alliteration, personification, and active and passive voice to appreciate literary works and to hone their own creative writing. Handwriting is a particular strength throughout the school; pupils write in a tidy, unfussy style that is a pleasure to read. Practical mathematics and investigations are well covered in Years 1 and 2; these are continued to a lesser extent with older pupils. Mathematical skills are well advanced by the end of Year 6. Valuable links are formed between mathematics and ICT, such as creating databases about makes and colours of cars and reading spreadsheets. The pupils are enthusiastic about diverse topics such as space travel, World War 2 and the Aztecs, and they especially enjoy history. Individual experimentation is encouraged in art, and lively artwork is displayed in all the classrooms, with new co-operative artwork mounted in the main hall each year.
2.10 No marked discrepancies in achievement exist between different groups of pupils, and English and mathematics standards are particularly good. National test scores of pupils at age seven are well above the national average in reading, and also in mathematics and writing but less consistently so. The pupils at age eleven have achieved grades far above the national average in English and mathematics, and well above average in science. These English and mathematics results are especially creditable relative to the pupils’ abilities. The science results are in line with pupils’ abilities. These results are achieved without requiring the pupils to do excessive practice. A quarter of the pupils in Year 6 gain academic scholarships to independent secondary schools.
2.11 The singing in assemblies is tuneful and whole hearted, and pupils successfully take national examinations in music, and in speech and drama. A small number of pupils are county swimmers and participate in the national gymnastics squad. Pupils have had sporting successes against local schools especially in cross-country.
2.12 The pupils are confident and articulate. At all ages they can reason, debate and act with maturity. They are able to express their own ideas and represent the views of others. Pupils listen well to their teachers, following subtle lines of logic or even anticipating their next point; they ask relevant questions and arrive at their own opinions. The pupils’ listening skills are especially evident in French lessons; they can recognise French nouns when spoken by a teacher and attempt with fair success to copy the French accent when they repeat them. The older pupils apply their mathematical skills well relative to their abilities; they are able to identify illogical or obviously wrong answers.
2.13 In designated ICT lessons pupils show good computing skills, often using these to progress work being done in other subjects. For example, Year 6 pupils enhance their digital photographs on computers, and extend their history projects through private study, using the internet at home, concluding these projects with a computerised presentation at school. In a minority of subjects, ICT is rarely used but plans exist to improve this by further in-service training of staff.
2.14 Pupils work well on their own and with others. They collaborate well, take turns and are accustomed to working productively in pairs and in small groups. For example, Reception children worked well together in some role play about being in a hospital, enjoying each other’s company and taking responsibility for clearing up the equipment afterwards.
2.15 The pupils are well trained to study diligently both at school and in their own time; they settle down to individual written work quickly and quietly. They understand that a high standard of discipline is expected from them. Pupils exhibit good working habits and consideration for others, and they often use their own initiative successfully. Even when challenging tasks are set, such as developing the individual elements of story in Year 3, lower ability pupils try hard and work with obvious enthusiasm.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.16 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, fulfilling the school’s aims in this respect very well. The school has not only maintained this strong feature mentioned in the last inspection report but has built on it by giving pupils more responsibility as monitors and helpers, as well as introducing a school council.
2.17 Pupils’ spiritual awareness and development are extremely good. Pupils say prayers with purpose, not reciting the words mindlessly. Similarly, they say grace at lunchtime with conviction. In the Foundation Stage (Reception and Nursery), children study topics such as, ‘me, my friends and my family’, and in religious education (RE) lessons, pupils of all ages are helped to understand themselves and their emotions. In these ways, pupils realise that every one is unique and can have different values and beliefs, which they should respect. Pupils know about the main beliefs and celebrations of the other great world religions. Pupils’ self-esteem is helped in a number of ways, such as by the praise they are given by their teachers, the public recognition they enjoy when they receive awards in assembly and through seeing their work displayed around the school. In the Foundation Stage, children’s appreciation of the world around them was obvious from the enjoyment they derived from looking after African snails and measuring the length of their shells.
2.18 Pupils’ moral awareness is outstanding. A different moral value is promoted each half term through assemblies and class discussions. In an assembly, pupils reflected on the meaning of honesty together with the feelings that were evoked in themselves when they had told a lie. Key moral issues are also explored in personal, social and health education (PSHE), circle time and in other areas of the curriculum. From an early age, children know the difference between right and wrong. They appreciate very well that if people are to live together in peace and harmony, rules are essential. Each class writes and displays its own ‘golden rules’ and pupils understand what is required of them in terms of behaviour. Staff are fine role models in the way they trust and respect their pupils. As part of the lifestyle assemblies, guests speak on topics such as drugs and peer pressure; these are followed by role play, which provides pupils with useful strategies to deal with these situations.
2.19 Pupils’ social development is excellent. In the Pre-Nursery class they learn to share toys and equipment and are taught to wait for their turn to speak in class discussions. Older pupils enjoy and benefit from working in pairs and small groups. They play in musical ensembles, take part in school productions and give presentations. Lunchtimes are regarded as particularly important occasions for social interaction; very good table manners were seen in a Reception class as children collected their cutlery, laid it out correctly and then engaged in conversation with each other and with an inspector. Pupils realise that good manners and politeness are always important. The ‘tree’ in the Nursery is a colourful, thought-provoking display to remind children of the need to be kind. Pupils show initiative in a number of ways; for example, they clear up after activities and help to give out snacks. They accept responsibility as register monitors and, from Year 2, they serve on the school council, thus becoming involved in discussions with the head and the PSHE coordinator about what improvements their year would like to see in the school; currently, they want to make the friendship bench more attractive by painting it. Year 5 pupils enjoy acting as playground helpers to the youngest children. Year 6 pupils are given the opportunity to become conflict resolution monitors in the playground, though some of them feel that this takes up too much of their own free time. This is a valuable experience for older pupils, some of whom perform this duty admirably. As part of their responsibility to the local community, Year 6 pupils hold a very successful coffee morning for senior citizens from a day-care centre.
2.20 Pupils’ cultural awareness is well developed. The curriculum provides good opportunities to study their own culture and the diversity of others. This is particularly true in French, art, music and history. For example, Year 6 pupils experience an Aztec day, those in Year 2 paint pictures in the style of Matisse, and the name and composer of the music played before assembly are made known to the pupils. In the Foundation Stage, pupils learn traditional nursery rhymes. Pupils enjoyed watching demonstrations of Indian, Turkish, French and Irish dancing by pupils in their national costumes. A classroom assistant has also talked about Hindu festivals and pupils have visited churches, synagogues, mosques and temples in their RE studies.
2.21 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.22 The quality of teaching is good, and the overall standard of teaching has improved since the last inspection. The teaching in some lessons in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 3 is outstanding. Weak areas identified in the previous report are now much stronger.
2.23 The teaching enables pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties, to make good progress. Pupils relish the opportunities they are given for intellectual, physical and creative development. Imaginative and colourful classroom displays complement the teaching. The teaching of mathematics and English is consistently strong. Science teaching is always at least sound but sometimes undemanding; in better lessons, pupils are encouraged to think for themselves. When questioned, older pupils had a good knowledge of the science they had been taught, but found it less easy to apply it to new situations.
2.24 Teachers expect their pupils to work hard and productively, and pupils respond by behaving very well. An atmosphere of concentration and diligence enables pupils to establish firm foundations of knowledge, understanding and skills for their subjects. Independent working is actively encouraged in the Lower School and older pupils benefit from the opportunities to research information in books and on the internet to expand their knowledge and to complete their projects. Pupils in Year 3, for example, researched facts for their study of the Egyptians gods on the internet and used a drawing-programme to illustrate their work.
2.25 The best lessons are taken at a brisk pace with a varied range of activities that help pupils remain interested and well motivated. The enthusiasm with which the teachers approach their subject is transferred to the pupils who become absorbed in their lessons because they are expected and encouraged to play an active part; questioning challenges pupils to think for themselves rather than rely on the teacher to provide the answer. Pupils are sometimes genuinely sad when lessons end. One such occasion was the Year 1 lesson in which pupils were totally absorbed in helping the teacher write a story on the board, with the pupils producing ideas and advice, and delighting in correcting the deliberate mistakes of the teacher. In lessons that were less successful, the pace was slow or the teaching lacked sufficient challenge.
2.26 Teaching shows a good understanding of the aptitudes and needs of the pupils. Lessons are well planned to help all pupils feel they have succeeded. Explanations and instructions are almost always clear and helpful. Most teachers use the available resources well. Sometimes, pupils are given different worksheets according to their ability; this practice enabled pupils to make especially rapid progress in a lesson on price reduction in shop sales. Teachers have adequate knowledge of their subjects. On a few occasions, teachers exchange classes to make the best use of their expertise. This beneficial practice is limited by the lack of specialist knowledge among the teachers.
2.27 Assessment procedures are comprehensive. Standardised tests of ability and general progress are administered annually for all pupils, as are tests of reading ages and mathematical and English progress. The use of these standardised tests enables comparisons to be made with national norms as well as providing evidence of a pupil’s progress. The results of all tests are efficiently recorded and monitored by the head, subject coordinators and form teachers. The tracking of Foundation Stage pupils is carried out most conscientiously. Assessment results are also utilised by teachers in planning their lessons. Pupils of all ages are set targets that are regularly reviewed and revised. The marking of pupils’ work is frequent and efficient; plenty of praise is given and constructive comments are made as to how the work might be improved in the future.
2.28 The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 The quality of pastoral care is outstanding and the quality of welfare, health and safety of pupils is good. The school has maintained and continued to build on the good standards outlined in the previous inspection report. The school has adopted the United Nations’ rights and responsibilities of the child and also has a national healthy schools award. The high quality of the provision meets the school’s aims very well.
3.2 The staff know their pupils very well and provide them with excellent support and guidance. The pupil and parental responses to pre-inspection questionnaires support this view. Staff are assisted by effective pastoral arrangements. Form teachers, who take their duties very seriously, are responsible for pastoral care. They track pupils’ academic and social progress conscientiously. The comprehensive pupil profiles, which are started in the Foundation Stage and contain all academic assessments and samples of work, are passed on from class to class. The observation board in the staff room is used to draw attention to pupils who may be experiencing difficulties so that they can be especially monitored by all staff. Pupils know who to go to if they have problems or are unhappy.
3.3 A caring atmosphere pervades the whole school. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and friendly, whilst those among the pupils themselves are usually good. A friendship bench is provided in the playground for those who have nobody to play with, in which case some pupils will seek to befriend them, or it may simply be used as a place to sit if a pupil wishes to be alone. The friendship bench is a worthy idea but it is not fully utilised by pupils at present.
3.4 Measures to promote good discipline and behaviour and to guard against harassment and bullying are effective. The anti-bullying policy is an informative working document. It reinforces the mission statement that every child has the right to be educated in a safe, secure environment; parents stated that any incidents are quickly and effectively dealt with, and pupils agree with this view. Good behaviour is expected at all times and the staff are exemplary role models. Pupils gain house points for their work and behaviour but these may also be deducted for breaches of discipline or poor effort. Overall, the system of rewards and sanctions is a positive one liked by the pupils. In the Foundation Stage, pupils are rewarded with stars and stickers, and throughout the school pupils are reminded in a firm but kindly manner that bad behaviour is unacceptable.
3.5 Child protection measures are in place and are successful. The child protection policy is an informative document indicating the procedure to be followed should any concerns arise. The child protection officer has undergone multi-agency training. The staff and the governor responsible for child protection have also received training from the area child protection officer.
3.6 All necessary measures to reduce risk from fire and other hazards have been taken. Fire risk assessments for all areas of the school have been carried out, and carefully logged fire drills take place each half term. The school’s health and safety officer has attended an approved course and the staff have had fire extinguisher training.
3.7 The school has due regard for health and safety, and arrangements to ensure the health and safety of staff and pupils are good, including a very good food safety award. Comprehensive risk assessments have been produced for all areas of the school and for off-site visits. Electrical equipment is tested by a professional company each year. Drivers of minibuses have had relevant training; booster seats are available for young children. All staff have had basic first-aid training, and the health and safety officer has had training at a higher level. Detailed medical forms, completed by parents, are taken on all trips. School lunches are healthy and nutritious, and the cook produces food the pupils like; those interviewed said how much they enjoyed the lunches.
3.8 The registration of pupils is conducted satisfactorily twice a day by form teachers, and the school immediately makes contact with parents for any unexplained absences. The school admission register is maintained appropriately. The school has a satisfactory disability policy.
3.9 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.10 The good links with parents and the local community noted at the time of the last inspection have been further improved, especially regarding the help given to parents of new pupils. The parents’ association is very active in organising many social events.
3.11 The parents of half the pupils responded to the questionnaire before the inspection and nearly all of these gave a positive response regarding the teaching, the curriculum, the help and guidance received by pupils, the pupils’ behaviour and the attitudes and values of school. However, a significant minority of Upper School parents registered concerns about the help given to pupils with learning difficulties. A number of pupils in this section of the school received individual specialist help for learning difficulties when they were younger but this has now been replaced by small group help in phonics and other subjects. Some parents of Upper School pupils were critical of the homework set, some believing this to be too much, and others too little. The lack of activities for Lower School pupils also attracted criticism. The inspectors agree with the parents’ positive views and also with their reservations.
3.12 In addition to grade cards for older pupils at the end of the autumn and spring terms, parents receive a written report at the end of the school year. The reports are of good quality regarding what pupils can do and often detail the work covered. However, they lack any statistical information except for results in national tests; this deficiency was the basis of critical comments by some parents of Upper School pupils.
3.13 The school provides a generous number of meetings to keep parents fully informed about the school, about national tests and about the progress of their children. Parents meet teachers before their children enter the school, and form teachers write to parents at the beginning of each year. The effectiveness of the consultations with teachers regarding pupils’ progress is helped by an appointments system. The termly targets set for children are also discussed with parents. In addition, workshop evenings on topics such as handwriting, mathematics, PSHE and phonics help to keep parents aware of the school’s teaching methods. Welcome advice about possible senior schools is provided for parents of older pupils.
3.14 A comprehensive handbook is provided for new parents, including details of the curriculum, rewards and sanctions, school rules, the parental complaints procedure and the responsibilities of pupils, parents and staff, and refers to child protection and anti-bullying policies; a list of staff is included, but not of governors. Parents are appreciative of the weekly newsletter that keeps them very well informed about school achievements and forthcoming events. A notice board outside the school also helps parents to be thoroughly aware of developments, parents’ association matters and any changes to routine. Homework diaries, signed by form teachers and parents, are used for communication purposes, as are message books in the Foundation Stage.
3.15 Parents have very good opportunities to be involved in activities in the school; they are invited to matches, concerts and drama productions, and end-of-term and form assemblies. Parents make costumes for plays, and some are involved in school trips, or speak to pupils about their professional lives. The parents’ association raises significant amounts of money each year, recently allowing the purchase of climbing frames, library books, seats, computers and percussion instruments. Each year group has a parent representative who is in regular contact with the head.
3.16 Any parental concerns are dealt with promptly and professionally by the head and her staff. Parents appreciate the head’s ready availability and her willingness to listen to their concerns. They welcome her obvious presence at the beginning of each school day. Appropriate records are kept of matters of a serious nature. The school has a properly constituted complaints procedure, but parents have not felt the need to use it.
3.17 The school promotes positive links with the local community, and is used for meetings of the police liaison group and of the neighbourhood watch committee, as wells as for yoga and keep-fit classes. Senior citizens are invited to coffee mornings and school concerts. Local primary schools attend music workshops. The school choir sings in the carol service of the local church, and Year 6 pupils provide Christmas decorations for another church. Harvest produce goes to a local church support group. Experience and appreciation of the wider community is enhanced by financially supporting the education of a child in Botswana, and by sending unwanted schoolbooks to a primary school in Malawi. The school supports local and national charities, and money was raised by staff and pupils to help rebuild a Sri Lankan school after its destruction by a tsunami.
3.18 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7].
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The governance is satisfactory, and governors help to provide appropriate aims and values for the school. Their involvement with the school has increased since the previous inspection with the formation of some sub-committees; however, some governors’ knowledge of, and support for, the school and its staff remains insufficient.
4.2 The structure and management arrangements are well defined. The governing body and its sub-committees, on finance and human resources, meet each term, and governors are represented on the school’s health and safety and child protection committees, attending from time to time; a buildings sub-committee meets when necessary. These meetings help governors to understand many general school concerns and they consider the finances of the school carefully; however, the lack of a forum such as an education committee means that academic issues are only referred to in passing, and are not considered in detail. The governing body has expertise in a number of relevant specialist areas, such as law and finance. The recent appointment of a senior school headteacher has strengthened the board and the chairman is aware of the need to appoint others, especially with knowledge of medicine and primary education. The majority of the board’s current members are parents of former pupils. While this gives them a genuine interest in the schools, it does not provide a sufficiently independent view, which can ensure that the future development takes full account of the challenges of society.
4.3 Governors are aware of their roles and responsibilities, but they have not been involved in the production of the school’s development plans, although they have considered any financial implications. The plans do not therefore incorporate the governors’ ideas for the future development of the school. The governors have a list of nine targets they wish to achieve in the next five years, but this is largely one of maintaining or reviewing the present standards and pupil numbers. It is the intention to develop this list into a strategic plan, with details of the improvements envisaged and their timings and costs. The governors’ decision in 2000 to admit pupils aged four to seven at the boys’ school, of which they are also governors, has meant a conflict has arisen in the recruitment of boys to the two schools, and has had a significant impact on The Highlands. The governors are aware of this situation and wish to encourage greater cooperation between the two schools.
4.4 The governing body has a limited insight into the working of the school. The head provides detailed and informative reports for the full board. The chairman is very well informed about the school, maintains regular and frequent contact with the head, and sets a splendid example in visiting the school and being aware of staff issues. Another governor has been greatly involved in improving the school’s computer facilities and, with the chairman, spoke to parents about this provision. Recently, the teacher responsible for coordinating ICT has talked to the governing board and it is intended that this new venture should become a regular feature of governors’ meetings. This increased involvement of governors in the school is helpful; however, most rarely see the school in action and rely heavily on the head’s reports for their knowledge of the school. They do not meet staff and are thus unable to provide them with appropriate support and guidance; they have insufficient information to enable them to make judgements on whether the school’s aims are being met.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.5 The management of the school is good with some outstanding features. Lively and dynamic leadership is giving the school a clear educational direction. A considerable number of improvements have taken place since the previous inspection, including the clarification of the role of subject coordinators, with each academic department’s progress being regularly reviewed. The school continues to be a warm, caring environment characterised by good relationships and high academic standards. As a result of the quality of leadership, the school fulfils its aims very well.
4.6 Those with management responsibilities are effective in analysing the school’s needs, setting priorities and planning to meet them. A small senior management team (SMT) meets each week, with each member playing a full role in decision-making and in analysing the school’s needs. In addition, the head holds individual meetings with her deputy each day and with the Lower School head twice a week. Staff meetings are usually held each week, sometimes for all teachers, and sometimes for those with responsibilities in a particular area of the school. The small size of the school enables the head to fulfil effectively the role of director of studies and to be very involved in the day-to-day running of the school. Each year a development plan for every department and all aspects of the school is produced by senior and middle management, reviewing the progress achieved in the previous year and including fresh ideas for improvements.
4.7 The many well-written policies are continuously reviewed and updated. Subject coordinators perform their roles of monitoring colleagues’ teaching and marking conscientiously, as part of a rolling three-year programme of reviewing every aspect of their department’s performance. The responsibilities of subject coordinators cover the whole age range except the Foundation Stage, which follows the National Curriculum’s six areas of learning.
4.8 Teacher training and appraisal is a strong feature of the school, reaching the Investors in People standard. Whole-staff in-service training occurs at the start of each term and most teachers have attended a number of individual training courses in recent years, usually related to school needs. After attending these courses, staff provide colleagues with a resume. The formal appraisal system, including self-evaluation and target setting, is regarded favourably by staff. New members of the teaching staff are well briefed and observed by an SMT member who acts as their mentor. Although the staff do not currently include a newly qualified teacher (NQT), the policy in the staff handbook for the induction of NQTs is appropriate.
4.9 Resources throughout the school are of suitable quality and quantity, and they are effectively managed and easily accessible. The ICT suite has recently been upgraded to a high standard, with new computers and printers networked to each other and an interactive whiteboard. The school makes the best use it can of a small site. Although good results are achieved, the teaching of science is impeded by the lack of a room with water, gas and electrical outlets for pupil use.
4.10 The required staffing checks have been carried out, and all teachers have contracts and job descriptions. Many of the staff are experienced teachers and help set high standards and instil traditional values. They are very committed to the school and give willingly of their time. A part-time ICT technician has recently been appointed and is greatly valued.
4.11 The two nursery nurses and five classroom assistants make an important contribution to the progress of the younger pupils. The work of the non-teaching staff is very supportive and well directed. The school secretary supports the school very well and makes a major contribution towards its smooth day-to-day running. Pupils, parents and visitors appreciate the friendly and very efficient response they receive.
4.12 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff and for premises and accommodation [Standards 4 and 5].
4.13 The school participates in the national scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers and meets its requirements.
5.1 The school meets its aims and aspirations to a high degree. The staff show dedication and commitment to the welfare of the pupils with whom they enjoy very good relationships in a calm, kindly atmosphere. The pupils are confident, articulate and hard working, and they often do what is expected of them without being reminded. Their spiritual, moral and social development is a strong feature of the school. Much of the teaching is of a good quality, and some is outstanding, resulting in pupils achieving above expectations relative to their abilities in most subjects. The head provides considerable drive and leadership, and the school and its subject departments are very well organised. The school has weaknesses in learning support in the Upper School and in some aspects of governance.
5.2 The school has improved significantly in recent years and has responded very well to the recommendations made in the previous inspection report regarding the curriculum, assessment procedures and the monitoring of teaching. The teaching in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 is much improved, as is the standard of writing.
5.3 The school meets all the regulatory requirements.
5.4 The following areas are suggested for particular consideration in order for the school to improve still further.
1. Pupils of all ages who have learning difficulties should be provided with individual, specialist support.
2. Governors of the school need to devise a strategic plan for its future, and provide more support, advice and challenge for the staff.
5.5 No action in respect of regulatory requirements is required.
6. summary of inspection evidence
6.1 The inspection was carried out from 21st to 24th May 2007. The inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with the chairman of governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined a range of documentation made available by the school.
|
Mr David Defoe |
Reporting Inspector |
|
Miss Mary Burridge |
Former head, GSA junior school |
|
Mrs Valerie Goode |
Former head, |