131. The standards of attainment of pupils in geography are below those expected nationally by the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards are below by the end of Year 2 because of the weak language skills of the pupils. They are below at the end of Year 6 because the scheme of work is new and pupils have not had the opportunity to build on their knowledge and skills as they move through the school. Learning is also inconsistent as there has not yet been regular monitoring of teaching while the school has been focusing on other areas of the curriculum in recent years.
132. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but pupils are not doing as well as they could in Years 3 to 6 as there not enough regular opportunities for them to build on what they already know and can do. This pattern is reflected in the attainment of pupils for whom English is an additional language, as it is in the achievements made by refugees and pupils with special educational needs.
133. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to see enough lessons to make a judgement on teaching. However, evidence gained by looking at pupils' books and interviewing some Year 6 pupils showed that learning over time is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. In Year 1 pupils relate the seasons to patterns and weather. They then connect the months of the year to seasons. They begin to maintain daily weather reports. In Year 2 pupils begin to explore the local area and begin to build their geographical vocabulary.
134. Pupils in Year 5 begin to recognise the countries of Europe and list their capitals. They compare features of Kenya with those of Britain. In Year 6 those pupils who join the residential fieldtrip to a field study centre use mapping skills and begin to recognise that soil composition creates different physical features in the landscape. The pupils' knowledge and understanding of locality, environment, and place is limited.
135. Leadership is good. The co-ordinator has recently been appointed to the post and in a short space of time has established a scheme of work, which meets the requirement of the National Curriculum. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and has a clear view of improvements, which need to be made, including arrangements for assessment. This has resulted in satisfactory improvement being made since the last inspection. The changes that have been introduced have made more impact in Years 1 and 2 but are too recent to have made an impact in Years 3 to 6.
136. The management of learning is satisfactory. Improved monitoring of provision would ensure that standards of attainment are set appropriate to the abilities of all pupils; that pupils develop skills by building upon what they already know; and by increasing pupils' knowledge of the world through developing the language of the subject. Standards and expectations need to be clearly stated to provide challenge for all pupils. The use of skills and knowledge gained in mathematics needs to be applied so that pupils can improve their use of co-ordinates in maps, and their analysis of collected data. The use of ICT also needs to be developed in geography.
HISTORY
137. The standards of attainment are below those expected of pupils by the end of Years 2 and 6. They are below at Year 2 because pupils enter the school with low levels of English, which do not support their knowledge and understanding. Standards are below by Year 6 because the development of pupils' skills and knowledge is not sufficiently based on what they already know. The school has concentrated on developing other priorities in the curriculum in recent years. However, there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.
138. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2, but do not do as well as they could in Years 3 to 6. This pattern of achievement is similar for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and refugees. In Year 2, pupils understand the significance of diaries as evidence in history when they study the account of the Great Fire of London written by Samuel Pepys. They develop their language skills by writing first person accounts of events. Pupils begin to develop a sense of time by placing events in a timeline, which shows the relationship of those to other events.
139. In Year 5 pupils visit the British Museum to support their learning about the Ancient Greeks. In Year 6, pupils copy Queen Victoria's family tree and understand that life was different for different groups of people in that reign. They know something about changes in transport and the campaign to end child labour. They compare the Victorian schoolroom with one of today. Research skills are limited, as are their skills in identifying and using historical evidence.
140. Timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to make a judgement on teaching. The judgement on learning is based on the scrutiny of pupils' books and discussions with some Year 6 pupils. Pupils' learning is good in Years 1 and 2 where they build upon their language skills and so increase their knowledge and understanding. In Years 3 to 6 pupils of all abilities do not build effectively upon their skills in the use of evidence, sequencing and dating events, knowledge and understanding and research.
141. Leadership of the subject is good. The co-ordinator is new in post and in a short space of time has demonstrated a vision, which provides a very good basis for improvement. A scheme of work, which meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, is now established and in Years 1 and 2 this is linked to the development of pupils’ literacy skills. Improved assessment arrangements are being developed. The provision of resources - texts and artefacts – has also improved and pupils’ learning is well supported through a good programme of visits. The use of information and communication technology is improving. A suitable list of websites for pupils to explore is being devised and in Year 6 pupils begin to use PowerPoint to present their work. In Years 3 to 6, however, topics are often covered superficially and standards expected of teachers and their pupils are not sufficiently clear.