pdf School inspection report - Ofsted

teaching of the subject through her own good practice. The subject is generously
resourced. This is a significant factor in the range of art activities available to pupils.
There is a policy for the subject, which needs to be up-dated. Whilst the school is
using an effective commercial scheme of work for the subject, it is looking towards the
introduction of the Qualification and Curriculum Authority’s scheme of work.
Opportunities are found for pupils to visit local art galleries, and the school regularly
hosts artists in residence. Pupils will in fact work with an artist in residence the week
after the inspection on a project on litter in the environment. The subject does much to
contribute to pupils’ cultural development, and the welcoming atmosphere in the
school.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
122. Standards of attainment, especially in design work, are a little below national
expectations at both key stages but some good work is done. For example, a Year 6
food technology lesson showed pupils thinking carefully about both the planning and
the making of pizzas. This was food technology work of high quality. In 1999 pupils
made a Millennium Tapestry that now hangs in the Millennium Dome and photographs
in the school show this to be a fine and colourful piece of work. Generally, however,
there is little evidence of pupils designing as opposed to drawing a picture of what
they are going to make and writing about what they are going to do and what they will
need. Books also show little evidence of designs being changed to improve them
either before or during the making process. One exception seen was in Year 2 where
pupils had experimented with wheels to see which would make their model car work
best. Year 4 posters about help for flood victims in Mozambique showed limited
design skills but careful work. A strong sense of social responsibility came through
this work. Pupils in a Year 3/4 class were less confident about cutting and sticking
together the boxes they were making than would be expected from the age group.
Few pupils were able to design a box shape for themselves. Year 3 pupils were well
aware that their pneumatic toys would work by using air but were less secure when
asked how.
123. Pupils' response to design technology is good. They share materials and equipment
sensibly. They work quietly and concentrate well. There is often an air of quiet
industry in design technology lessons.
124. Pupils' enthusiasm and good working practices are closely linked to the teaching,
which varies but overall is good and sometimes very good and occasionally excellent.
Teachers prepare well and organise lessons effectively. Good teaching both creates
and uses pupils' enthusiasm. It leads pupils to make satisfactory progress despite the
language difficulties that many of them have. In a Year 3/4 lesson for example, the
teacher introduced the idea of making boxes in such a way as to make it very
attractive. Pupils' were very excited about making the pizzas and the teacher
harnessed this enthusiasm very well. In another lesson a teacher was too eager to
show pupils how to do things where their own experimentation would have been more
valuable. Groups work well with classroom assistants who are well briefed and well
able to lead group sessions. A good example happened in the Year 6 lesson where
the class assistant worked with a group of special needs pupils. Sometimes a little
more teacher intervention and help would make a good session better. Time is well
used when teachers and assistants are able to work intensively with small groups of
pupils. It ensures that pupils of all abilities are well involved, and the girls participate
as actively as the boys.
Greenhill Community School - 41