Main points for action
1. Arrangements should be put in place to enable the school to monitor the amount of time pupils spend working in different areas of the curriculum. The information from this monitoring should be used to make adjustments to the balance of the curriculum.
The school had met this recommendation.
The school had used recently published national guidance as a basis for reviewing advice to teachers on the balance of the curriculum. Teachers allocated time to each area of the curriculum appropriately in line with this advice. The headteacher, along with staff, regularly monitored the balance of pupils’ experience over time.
2. In implementing the new programme for teaching writing care should be taken to ensure that pupils’ skills are developed progressively.
The school had made very good progress with this recommendation.
The school had continued to develop its approach to the teaching of writing. A programme had been devised which ensured that teachers gave attention to the development of pupils’ skills in writing for different audiences and purposes. Careful attention was paid to matching the programme to pupils’ prior attainments.
3. The programme in mathematics should be adjusted to ensure that problem-solving and enquiry receive sufficient attention.
The school had made very good progress with this recommendation.
Teachers had worked together to review the place of problem-solving and enquiry in the school’s mathematics programme. They had benefited from staff development in this area. They now used a numeracy hour very effectively to develop pupils’ problem-solving skills and gave regular attention to building pupils’ skills using a variety of approaches and resources.