Welford and Wickham School
1996 OFSTED INSPECTION
17th - 19th June
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Some of our children reported their views of the inspection:
Read an extract from the 1936 School Inspection Report
PRESS RELEASE - August 1996
EAGER AND HARD WORKING PUPILS AT WELFORD AND WICKHAM
Pupils at Welford and Wickham CE Primary School make good progress and receive a very sound standard of education, says a new report.
Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) visited the 46 pupil school for three days in June and found strong leadership and effective management.
Their report says: "Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour are good. This is a strong feature of the school and contributes to the generally high standards of attainment and good progress."
"Pupils apply themselves well, are motivated and sustain concentration in their lessons. They are eager to learn and work hard. They work well individually, in groups and as a class."
"The quality of teaching is good overall, with very good features in some lessons; it has a positive impact on pupils’ attainments and progress throughout the school. Teaching quality varies from sound to very good. Teachers’ suitably high expectations promote learning and standards."
"Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good and this is a strength."
The inspectors say attainment varies from in line with national expectations to very high, and is average overall. It is average in English, maths, science and DT and above average in all other subjects.
Pupil’s attainments in IT are high throughout the school and are above national expectations in both key stages. The school’s Internet facility is used to good effect for gaining access to information across the curriculum.
In English, attainment is above average in speaking and listening, with many pupils demonstrating advanced skills in evaluating each others’ work and making good use of descriptive language. In reading, all pupils attain the national expected level by the end of Key Stage 2 (age 11), and many beyond it.
The report also notes that the school makes good use of other subjects to promote and reinforce mathematical skills, and that good mathematical attainment is characterised by pupils working on challenging and interesting tasks. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress and reach suitable levels of achievement.
There is praise for the Headteacher Mrs. Sonia Crisp who "provides a strong lead in the work of the school", making a positive impact on standards of attainment.
The inspectors add: "Much has been done in the two years in which she has been at the school to build on previous developments. The school is beginning to benefit from the many initiatives established during this period. The school’s positive ethos is reflected in a general commitment to high achievement and a successful learning environment".
The inspectors say the school is developing well, and list a series of key issues to improve standards further, including developing and implementing an overall whole school curriculum framework.
They recommend undertaking the planned development of a policy and guidelines on school assessment and marking, as well as establishing monitoring and evaluation procedures to determine the effectiveness and value for money of budgetary and other policy decisions. They also suggest making better use of the school development plan as an instrument for improving educational standards.
Mrs Crisp said: "I am delighted with this report, as it recognises the commitment of all the staff, governors, parents and pupils to achieving a high standard of education for all. I am not surprised by the favourable comments on IT, since the school has received international recognition for its work on the Internet".
Press release written by Andrew Boyd - Berkshire News and Information Service
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