/ Providing Inspection Services for
Department of Education
Department for Employment and Learning
Department of Culture, Arts and LeisureEducation and Training Inspectorate
Report of a Focused Inspection
St Brigid’s Primary School
Cranagh, Gortin
Inspected: April 2005
CONTENTS
SectionPage
STATISTICAL INFORMATION
1.INTRODUCTION1
2.THE QUALITY OF THE CHILDREN’S WORK1
3.CONCLUSION4
BASIC INFORMATION SHEET (BIS) - PRIMARY SCHOOLS
A. i. School: St Brigid’s Primary iii. Date of Inspection: W/B 25.04.05
Cranagh,Gortin
ii.School Reference Number: 203-2685 iv. Nature of Inspection: Focused/
Mathematics/ICT
B.
School Year / 2000/01 / 2001/02 / 2002/03 / 2003/04 / 2004/05Year 1 Intake / 6 / 1 / 6 / 6 / 4
Enrolments
Primary / 44 / 41 / 43 / 40 / 37
Reception / 0 / 1 / 0 / 3 / 2
Nursery Class/Classes / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Special Unit / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
The enrolment for the current year is the figure on the day of notification of inspection.
For previous years it is the figure in the annual return to the Department of Education.
The calculations at C and D should be based on the total of the primary and reception enrolments only.
C.Average Attendance for the Previous School Year
(expressed as a percentage):97.5%
Primary &NurserySpecial Reception Unit Unit
D. i.Number of Teachers
(including the principal and part-time teachers):3--
(Full-time equivalent = 25 teaching hours)
ii.PTR (Pupil/Teacher Ratio):13 NI PTR: 20.0
iii.Average Class Size:5
iv.Class Size (Range):1 to 9
v.Ancillary Support:
Number of Hours Per Week: i.Clerical support:8
ii. Official Making A Good10
Start Support:
iii. Making A Good Start funding5
additional hours and other
classroom assistant support:
vi.Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs:0
vii. Number of children who are not of statutory school age:2
viii. Percentage of children entitled to free school meals:9.75%
1.INTRODUCTION
1.1St Brigid’s Primary School is situated in the village of Cranagh, in the Glenelly valley, approximately seven miles from Plumbridge in County Tyrone. The children come from the surrounding rural area, within a radius of approximately four miles. The enrolment figure is 39 and has been stable in recent years. Approximately one-tenth of the children are entitled to receive free school meals.
1.2The inspection focused on the work in mathematics, information and communication technology (ICT) and pastoral care, including the arrangements for child protection.
1.3The arrangements for the inspection of pastoral care and child protection included the completion of questionnaires by the parents as well as meetings with the governors and a group of the children. Prior to the inspection, all of the parents were asked to complete a confidential questionnaire on the work of the school. Seventy-sixper cent of the parents responded to the questionnaire, with about one-half of these taking the opportunity to write additional comments. The responses from the questionnaire and comments from the governors indicated that the parents and governors regard highly the caring ethos of the school and the quality of many of the experiences provided for the children. The governors reported that they were informed well about school issues and were involved in the drawing-up of policies relating to the welfare of the children. The children indicated that they feel safe and happy in school.
2.THE QUALITY OF THE CHILDREN’S WORK
2.1A strong family ethos permeates the life of the school. Relationships at all levels are very good. The behaviour of the children is exemplary; they co-operate willingly and respectfully with their teachers and are welcoming and courteous to visitors. The children are caring of one another in class and in the playground.
2.2The teachers have created a bright and stimulating learning environment. Displays in the corridors and the library area record important events in the life of the school, celebrate the children’s achievements and provide useful information for parents. Displays and samples of the children’s work in classrooms are used effectively to improve their understanding and learning.
2.3The school has developed strong links with its parents; they are encouraged to become involved in many aspects of school life through, for example, their attendance at parent-teacher information evenings and their involvement in social and educational events. The children’s experiences and involvement in the wider community are promoted through educational trips, visitors to the school, participation in parish events and sporting and non-sporting extra-curricular activities. The school plays a valued central role in the life of the local community; for example, school equipment, purchased by the Cranagh Community Association, is used to produce the local community newspaper.
2.4The Principal and staff make good provision for the pastoral care of the children. The school has developed appropriate policies for pastoral care, child protection, anti-bullying and other matters relating to the children’s well-being. The school has procedures in place which implement the guidance outlined in the Department of Education Circular 1999/10, ‘Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection’, and in Circular 2003/13, ‘Welfare and Protection of Pupils Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order’.
2.5All of the teachers plan for their lessons. Their four-weekly planning outlines the intended learning and appropriate classroom activities; on occasions, it is detailed and thorough. The teachers evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching and, in the best practice, use the information to inform their future planning. In the composite classes there is a range of both ages and abilities; there is a need to ensure that the planning takes account of this in English, mathematics and, where appropriate, the other areas of the curriculum.
2.6The teachers are hard-working and committed to the children’s learning and development. In the lessons observed, the quality of teaching was consistently sound and, at times, excellent. In the best practice, the learning outcomes were shared with the children, there was a clear sense of purpose and organisation, the activities challenged the children’s thinking, the children had opportunities to discuss their learning and, at the end of the lesson, there was appropriate review and consolidation of the learning. On the few occasions when the teaching was less effective the learning was over-directed and the questioning did not allow the children to develop their understanding.
2.7The children are keen and interested learners; they settle readily and take pride in their work. They interact effectively with one another in whole-class and group activities and share resources and respect one another’s contributions.
2.8There are currently two children under statutory school age in the composite year 1 and 2 class. The children are well-settled and engage fully in the planned experiences; they relate well to the class teacher, the classroom assistant and the other children. There is a need to develop the planning further to ensure that the children’s experiences over the year provide progression in their learning.
2.9Within key stage (KS) 1, the children receive regular sessions of structured play. In the play observed, the children made choices from a wide range of activities linked appropriately to a theme related to a recent visit to a garden centre. The activities and the interaction with the teacher and classroom assistant promoted important aspects of the children’s learning. There is a need to develop further the planning and assessment of the play programme to ensure continuity and progression in the children’s learning.
2.10There are many positive features of the work in mathematics. The school has participated in the Western Education and Library Board’s (WELB’s) Numeracy Strategy programme and through this the staff have received appropriate training. The numeracy policy has been updated and the staff are currently working hard to review the scheme of work for the four content-based attainment targets. The work undertaken so far indicates that this scheme will provide a good basis from which the teachers will plan effectively for a broad and balanced coverage of the mathematics curriculum. There is a need to have clearer guidance on when and where mathematical processes will be a part of the work of the children.
2.11During the inspection, there was evidence of appropriate teaching strategies being developed and of the children becoming increasingly skilful and flexible in their thinking. Sessions of mental mathematics were a feature at the start of lessons and practical equipment was used to good effect to enhance the children’s understanding. In the best practice, skilful questioning by the teacher encouraged the children to explain their thinking. On occasions, extra material, including mathematics-based computer programs, was available to consolidate further the children’s understanding of important concepts and to extend their skill at problem-solving.
2.12Throughout KS1, the children’s learning is developed through practical work and basic recording activities; there is good progression in their mathematical understanding from, for example, basic number bonds in the early years to a sound appreciation of place value in year 4. In addition, by the end of KS1, they can recognise common shapes and gather information and present it graphically, using ICT where appropriate. The children’s learning across a broad range of mathematical work is further developed in KS2 and is often related to everyday experiences in the local environment. The children have a positive attitude to mathematics; they work well in groups and co-operate freely during practical sessions. By the end of KS2, the children achieve standards in line with their abilities and for almost all the standards are high.
2.13Information and communication technology is used effectively in all classes to support learning and teaching. The children’s computer skills and knowledge are developed progressively; they are given frequent opportunities to use ICT across most areas of the curriculum to consolidate and extend their competence and confidence. In the early years’ class, the children’s keyboard and mouse control is developed through the use of suitable numeracy, literacy and art programs and by carrying out simple word-processing tasks. As they progress, the children engage in extended writing activities and, by the end of KS2, are able to write and edit on screen, import graphics to illustrate or decorate their work and use appropriate software to make multi-media presentations. Data-handling packages are used appropriately in all classes to present information in a variety of forms. In the year 6 and 7 class, for example, as part of a geography topic, the children gathered, presented and interpreted information on the amount of rainfall in various countries of the world. The older children make good use of the Internet to carry out research for class project work and for topics of personal interest; this work is developed further in the after-school ICT club. Some of the children have enrolled in a national schools-based network, through which informal electronic mail links have been made with other children.
2.14Information and communication technology is managed well within the school; a comprehensive policy guides the provision and detailed action plans set out an appropriate programme of development, including the drawing up of ICT record sheets for each child and participation in the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) ICT accreditation scheme. Resources are used effectively; computers are readily available to the children, there is a good range of programs to support learning and the digital camera is used extensively for a variety of appropriate purposes. Overall, the provision is good; the children demonstrate a good level of skill within ICT.
2.15A small number of the children have been identified as needing additional support with their learning. The teachers cater well within class for these children; work is appropriately matched to the children’s needs and individual support is provided regularly. Individual education plans are maintained for each child and reviewed termly as appropriate. In some instances, the targets identified within the plans are insufficiently detailed to allow individual short-term progress to be assessed and built upon.
2.16The teachers have a good knowledge of the children and they assess their progress regularly through a variety of suitable ways. The outcomes of standardised tests are recorded and the data is used effectively to monitor the progress of each child. A folder containing examples of work and copies of reports is maintained for each child. An annual report is issued to the parents and opportunities are provided for them to meet with the teachers to discuss the progress made by their children.
2.17The teachers mark the children’s work regularly and conscientiously. Much of the marking is completed in the company of the child to allow for discussion on any errors and difficulties.
2.18The Principal has been in post for 12 years. She is caring, conscientious and committed to the development of the life and work of the school. She has a good working relationship with the other members of staff and they, in turn, have loyalty to her, the children and the community. She knows the work of the school well through the monitoring of the teachers’ planning, the analysis of the standardised scores and the close collaboration with her staff.
2.19The school has in place a comprehensive range of suitable policies addressing important areas of the work of the school. The process of development planning is well-established and the current School Development Plan identifies relevant areas for development over a three-year period; suitable action plans have been prepared and are being implemented. Given the demands on time for teaching and managing in a small school, there is a need to prioritise further these areas in order that the number of action plans becomes more manageable.
2.20The teachers have participated in a variety of in-service training (INSET) courses that have been organised by the WELB Curriculum Advisory and Support Services and the Regional Training Unit; this is having a beneficial effect on the teaching and learning.
2.21The school and grounds are kept well; the standards of caretaking, ground maintenance and cleaning are very good. The classroom assistant provides helpful support for the class teacher; she contributes significantly to the children’s learning.
3.CONCLUSION
3.1The strengths of the school include:
- the strong family ethos;
- the high standard of pastoral care;
- the enthusiasm, motivation and behaviour of the children;
- the hard-working and conscientious teachers;
- the commitment and support of the Board of Governors, non-teaching staff, parents and the wider community;
- the consistently sound quality of the teaching;
- the standards achieved by the children in mathematics;
- the children’s competence in ICT; and
- the commitment and dedication of the Principal.
3.2In mathematics and ICT, the quality of education provided in this school is good. The educational and pastoral needs of the children are being well met.
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CROWN COPYRIGHT 2005
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