New Road Primary School

New Road Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 107518 Local Authority Calderdale Inspection number 356170 Inspection dates 5–6 October 2010 Reporting inspector Jim Kidd

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 62 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs W Donnellan Headteacher Mr C Rowland Date of previous school inspection 6 February 2008 School address Sowerby New Road Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1DY Telephone number 01422 831351 Fax number 01422 831862 Email address admin@newroad.calderdale.sch.uk

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 5–6 October 2010 Inspection number 356170 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They observed seven lessons and the three teachers were visited at least twice in their classrooms. Meetings were held with pupils, staff, parents and carers, a member of the governing body and the School Improvement Partner. They observed the school's work and looked at a range of documentation, including school improvement planning, pupils' progress monitoring data, safeguarding and child protection policies and pupils' work. Inspectors also analysed 11 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, 11 completed by staff and 27 returned by pupils in Key Stage 2. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  Whether the decline in Key Stage 2 attainment, suggested by data, has been arrested and whether the improvement in Key Stage 1 standards has been maintained.  Whether the school's view that learning and progress are satisfactory is justified.

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Introduction

 Whether leadership and management are effective enough to sustain improvement in a falling rolls situation.  Whether teaching is challenging and exciting enough to motivate all groups of pupils.  Whether pupils' behaviour has a positive effect on learning.

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Information about the school

This is a much smaller than average sized primary school. The percentage of pupils known to eligible for free school meals is more than three times the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above that usually found. Most pupils are of White British heritage and there are few pupils who speak English as an additional language. There is a high percentage of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times. New Road has Healthy School status and holds the local authority bronze award for activities related to extended schools and community cohesion. It also holds the Financial Management Standard in Schools award. Since the previous inspection, pupil numbers have fallen further and the school has lost several staff, including a deputy headteacher and a learning mentor. There is a Children's Centre on the school site, which is not managed by the governing

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Information about the school

body. It receives a separate inspection and the report is available on the Ofsted website.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

This satisfactory school is improving. It provides good care, guidance and support for its pupils and engages well with parents and carers to enable them to become more involved in the learning of their children. Indeed, parents and carers believe the school focuses on their children's individual needs and enables them to have more confidence in what they can achieve. Children enter the Reception class with low age-related skills, especially in their personal, social and emotional development and in communication, language and literacy. Pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress overall across the school, but some individuals, including a minority with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make more rapid progress. Although attainment by the end of Year 6 remains well below average, particularly in literacy, it is now beginning to rise and pupils' achievement is securely satisfactory.

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Main findings

Behaviour in lessons and around school is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. Pupils have a sound understanding of what makes a balanced diet and they enjoy the opportunities they have for sport and games. They make a good contribution to supporting each other, through the school council, as trained play leaders and snack time monitors. However, pupils are not given sufficient opportunities for personal research or to work collaboratively with their classmates. As a result, they do not take enough responsibility for their own learning and are sometimes either passive or easily distracted in lessons, hindering the learning of others. The school recognises that the curriculum does not always meet the needs, interests and aspirations of all pupils closely enough. For example, it does not always provide activities that excite or motivate pupils to go further in their learning. In addition, there are missed

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Main findings

opportunities to reinforce pupils' learning by encouraging them to see the links between the different subjects they are studying and to apply their new skills in all their lessons. The school knows itself well. Accurate self-evaluation as a firm foundation for action planning continues to enable it to meet the challenges posed by a declining intake, high levels of pupil mobility and the loss of experienced staff since the previous inspection. It is particularly successful in supporting pupils' emotional development and in raising their self-esteem. New Road is moving forward, has a satisfactory capacity to sustain its improvement and provides satisfactory value for money.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils' progress and attainment, especially in literacy, by; giving pupils more opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

fostering more paired and group work, thus allowing pupils to act as resources for each other's learning providing pupils with more opportunities to use computers as a tool for personal research ensuring that assessment is used consistently well in all classes so that teachers can plan work which challenges all pupils, particularly the more able, to reach the standards of which they are capable.  Continue to develop the curriculum so that it meets the needs and interests of all pupils more closely, by: providing them with more exciting activities which motivate them to want to learn introducing even more activities which are relevant to mixed-age classes giving pupils opportunities to see links between subjects and to reinforce their skills in literacy and numeracy across all areas of the curriculum, and for real-life situations.  About 40% of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils often enjoy their lessons, but are sometimes less than enthused when the activities are not matched to their interests and when there is little fun in learning. However, when they recognise that they can succeed, they are very keen to learn: pupils in the Years 5 and 6 group, for example, were quite desperate to present their poems to their peers and were so proud of their work when they realised what they had been able to do. Small cohort numbers and high levels of mobility among the pupil population make the recognition of trends in progress and attainment difficult. Nonetheless, a close study of the performance of individual pupils confirms that the improvement in attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 has been maintained but also that pupils' progress in writing and also in oral English lags behind their progress in reading and mathematics. Similarly, the decline in attainment by the end of Year 6 has now been addressed effectively and

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

standards are rising apace, particularly in mathematics. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, therefore, make satisfactory progress overall. Moreover, as a result of the impressive work of the committed team of teaching assistants, there are now examples of pupils in both key stages making good progress in their studies. Most pupils conduct themselves well in class and around school at breaks and lunchtimes. However, behaviour is satisfactory overall because a minority of pupils lose concentration in lessons and this sometimes hinders their learning and the learning of their peers. Pupils are aware of how to eat healthily and they take part in a range of sports and physical activities, both during and after the school day. They enjoy looking after each other and play leaders are trained to support younger pupils at lunchtime. As a result of the school's

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

sterling attempts to promote attendance, it has improved markedly since the previous inspection and is now broadly average. In addition, most pupils are punctual to school. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory and the school

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

ukulele band has earned a good reputation in the local community. Pupils enjoy art and are only too keen to show visitors their designs which they have printed on T-shirts.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is satisfactory overall but there are examples of good practice in both key stages. In the best lessons, activities are fun, linked to real-life situations and provide realistic challenge for all. For example, in a good Years 3 and 4 numeracy session, pupils produced a variety of designs on the computer using basic graph drawing techniques. Not only were they proud of the work they produced, they were also very surprised at the subject-specific vocabulary, 'co-ordinates' and 'brackets' for example, which they could use accurately and with confidence by the end of the lesson. The school recognises, however, that in too many lessons pupils are not required to find things out for themselves, nor are there sufficient opportunities for them to take responsibility for their own progress and act as learning resources for each other, through paired and group work, for example. Assessment has improved since the previous inspection, but is not used consistently in all

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How effective is the provision?

classes to plan work which challenges all pupils, more-able pupils in particular, to reach the National Curriculum levels their ability warrants. Marking is good and pupils receive accurate and often detailed advice on how to improve their work. A wide variety of well-supported enrichment activities, pupils' attendance at which is closely monitored by the school, is the strength of the otherwise satisfactory curriculum.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Pupils speak positively of the residential experience and of the visit to Drax power station. They enjoy the breakfast club, the photography sessions and also the weekly timetabled swimming hours for Key Stage 2. The school recognises that, in some areas of the curriculum, fun and excitement are lacking, the use of computers for personal research is underdeveloped and that levels of pupils' motivation suffer as a result. Although improving, pupils do not experience sufficient activities that enable them to see links between subjects and they sometimes find it difficult to apply their new skills in all areas of the curriculum. They make good progress when they are able to reinforce their basic skills in literacy and numeracy in all subjects, and when their assignments are based on real-life situations; too often, such opportunities are limited and activities are not always entirely relevant to mixed-age classes.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Parents and carers speak warmly of the care, guidance and support their children receive. Pupils are of the same opinion and comment, 'The adults look after us, keep us safe and help us when we have problems.' Indeed, pastoral care is good and is a major strength of the school. Although falling rolls has led to the loss of some support staff, the school continues to work hard to provide focused care for those pupils, often with emotional difficulties, who need it. Teaching assistants know their pupils well and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those identified as vulnerable receive good support in small groups and often on an individual basis. Pupils are grateful, too, for the one-to-one support they receive as part of the 'Making Good Progress' initiative.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The talented headteacher, ably supported by an experienced and committed senior member of staff, leads by example and spends considerable time in the classroom. Leaders have been able to maintain school morale in the light of increasingly more challenging circumstances and have ensured that the decline in attainment and progress has now been arrested. They know that more remains to be done if the curriculum is to meet the needs and interests of all and if it is to be fully relevant to mixed-age classes. Members of the governing body support the school in all it tries to do, meet their statutory responsibilities and are now beginning to challenge the leadership with more rigour. The school's good relationships with parents and carers have ensured that attendance has improved since the previous inspection. The school's strong support for families is a byword in the local community and the variety of activities organised to help them become

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How effective are leadership and management?

more involved in their children's learning are well attended.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school has close links with a range of partners and multi-agency meetings are held regularly. Strong links with a local high school have improved the provision for sport and games. In addition, administrative staff from New Road support several other schools and provide advice on financial management. Child protection and safeguarding procedures meet current requirements. Leaders and governors are now working to ensure that all relevant policies are updated regularly. The school promotes equality of opportunity for all well by removing barriers to learning for vulnerable pupils. In addition, the personal, health and social educational programme teaches pupils to reject discrimination in all its forms. The promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory. There are close relationships with a range of community groups, including homes for the elderly, and the school is beginning to establish links with 'The Happy Children's Home' in India.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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3

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children enter the Reception class with low age-related skills, particularly in communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. Satisfactory teaching ensures they make sound progress during the year and learn to work and play happily with each other. They enjoy greeting visitors and showing them the work they are doing, but they often lack confidence when choosing activities with which they can cooperate with their peers. Nonetheless, they are beginning to become more independent in their learning and a minority build wooden objects, take part in role-play and explain their learning to visitors. Their behaviour is good overall and they get on well with each other.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Accommodation is satisfactory and there is an increasing range of learning areas in the classroom and a large outdoor area, which the school is developing further each year. They are insufficient opportunities for children to climb safely, but there is a range of areas in which children can develop physically. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Leaders recognise that there are advantages in the mixed-age provision and that reception children are often well prepared for entry into Key Stage 1, as a result. However, they also recognise that the curriculum does not always fully meet the needs of these younger learners. Assessment is improving and the progress of the Early Years Foundation Stage children is now being monitored with increasing accuracy. There are good relationships with parents and carers and induction procedures ensure that children settle down quickly into their new surroundings.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The children's welfare is a strength of the setting and teachers and teaching assistants treat their charges with the utmost dignity.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

All parents and carers who returned the questionnaires believe their children enjoy school and most are entirely satisfied with their children's experiences at New Road. A very large majority is of the opinion that the school keeps children safe and that it encourages them to lead a healthy lifestyle. A small minority expresses the opinion that the school does not prepare their children well for the future. Inspectors found no evidence to endorse this view during the inspection and judge, for example, that the school has good links with the local secondary school and that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at New Road Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 11 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 62 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 5 45 6 55 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 4 36 6 55 1 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 4 36 5 45 2 18 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 4 36 6 55 1 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 4 36 5 45 1 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 4 36 6 55 0 0 1 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 5 45 4 36 0 0 1 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 4 36 4 36 2 18 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 4 36 6 55 1 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 3 27 7 64 0 0 1 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 3 27 7 64 0 0 1 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 3 27 6 55 1 9 1 9

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 3 27 7 64 1 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of New Road Primary School, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 1DY

I am writing to tell you what we found when the inspection team visited your school recently. I would also like to thank you for the warm welcome you gave us and also for the kindness and courtesy you displayed during the two days. I am particularly grateful to those of you who gave up your time to talk to me on Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes. I enjoyed the discussion we had and you gave me some valuable information about your school. New Road gives you a satisfactory education but the school is improving all the time. You make satisfactory progress with your work but when your lessons are really interesting you do well, such as when those of you in the Years 5 and 6 class wrote your own poems! Many of you behave well but sometimes you lose concentration. Your attendance is getting better and most of you arrive on time. You enjoy being members of the school council and play leaders like to look after younger pupils.

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Inspection of New Road Primary School, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 1DY

Your headteacher and all your other teachers are always trying hard to make New Road a better school. I have asked them, therefore, to help you make more progress, especially in literacy, by giving you more chances to use computers and to work in pairs and groups so that you can find things out for yourselves and also help each other to learn. I have also mentioned that teachers could plan their lessons so that all of you, especially those of you who find the work easy, are challenged to do your very best! I think it would be a good idea, too, if you had more exciting and fun activities, if your teachers helped you to see the links between your different subjects and if you could practise your skills in literacy and numeracy in almost every lesson. Thank you again for your help with the inspection. Please keep working hard and make sure you behave well all the time.

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