Windhill Primary School

Windhill Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 08–09 September 2011 Inspection number 377451 Unique Reference Number 106726 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 377451 Inspection dates 08–09 September 2011 Reporting inspector Jane Hughes

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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 215 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Newey Headteacher Jenette Guy Date of previous school inspection 30 June 2009 School address Hollingworth Close Mexborough S64 0PQ Telephone number 01709 586949 Fax number 01709 584514 Email address admin@windhill-primary.doncaster.sch.uk 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 rates council children's services, and inspects services for looked after

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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.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors visited 12 lessons and observed eight teachers. Inspectors held meetings with representatives of the governing body and staff, and talked with pupils and parents and carers. They observed the school's work, and looked at the school’s self- evaluation, improvement plans, policies, assessment and tracking systems, safeguarding procedures and pupils’ work. Inspectors examined questionnaires from 76 parents and carers, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 Whether pupils’ attainment is improving rapidly enough.  Whether good teaching consistently supports the needs of higher-attaining pupils.  How well the school promotes regular attendance.  The impact of reported improvements to the curriculum on pupils’ outcomes.  Whether leaders and managers are securing rapid and sustainable improvement.

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Information about the school

This school is of average size when compared to other primary schools. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is more than double the average. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A smaller-than-average proportion of children have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school has achieved several awards including Healthy School status, Activemark and Investors in People.

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Information about the school

The school has undergone significant staff changes, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage, over the past three years.

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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

Windhill Primary is a good school. The successful leadership of the headteacher and senior leaders has developed further since the last inspection and its impact is visible in most areas of the school. Ambitious improvement targets are moving the school forward well and are underpinning sustainable improvement in most aspects of the school’s work. Pupils are proud of their school community and describe it as ‘comfortable, fun and safe’. Improvements to the quality of teaching and the curriculum assure pupils’ accelerating achievement due to good learning and progress. Self-evaluation is accurate and links clearly to detailed improvement plans and well-founded priorities. As a result, the school demonstrates good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Main findings

Children make a satisfactory start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, repeated staff changes in this phase have reduced its overall effectiveness. Although satisfactory, the continuity of improvement planning, the impact of monitoring and evaluation, and the accuracy of the assessments of children’s skills are not as strong as previously reported. Other elements of early years’ provision also lack impact. These are the quality of the outdoor learning environment used by children in the Reception class and the involvement of parents and carers in their children’s learning.

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Main findings

From starting points that are well below those expected, pupils’ attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The progress of almost all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is improving, although too few higher-attaining pupils reached above average levels of attainment in English and mathematics last year. Good teaching, coupled with an exciting curriculum, support pupils’ positive outcomes. However, some marking in pupils’ books lacks sufficient points for development and there is insufficient attention to the presentation of pupils’ work.

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Main findings

Good levels of care, guidance and support help an increasingly large number of vulnerable pupils and their families to overcome some significant barriers to learning. There are satisfactory procedures in place to safeguard pupils’ well-being.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics by: - ensuring all teachers provide effective levels of challenge, particularly for higher-attaining pupils - providing pupils with effective improvement points through more consistent marking - encouraging pupils to present their work neatly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage by: - strengthening the impact of the new Early Years Foundation Stage leader through more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of early years’ provision and practice - improving the quality of the outdoor learning environment in the Reception class - reviewing systems for assessing children’s skills at the end of Reception to ensure accuracy of data - developing new opportunities for parents and carers to be more fully engaged in children’s learning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils achieve well and enjoy their learning. They show good attitudes, behave well and make the most of their time in lessons. They are responsive to frequent questioning by teachers and work well in pairs and groups. They are particularly engaged by work on local culture and history such as mining. Topic work relating to the Second World War, in preparation for a trip to Eden Camp, thoroughly absorbed pupils as they responded to role-play opportunities in the classroom. Pupils know the levels at which they are working and understand their targets. They complete a good volume of work in lessons but do not always take enough time to present their work as neatly as possible. Pupils describe how much they enjoy the stimulating curriculum and boys participate well in activities, including writing. Pupils’ attainment is improving throughout Years 1 to 6 at an increasingly rapid rate. Pupils with special

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

educational needs and/or disabilities progress as well as their peers due to the effective support programmes and skilful staff who work with them.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils confirm that the school is safe and that they feel secure here. Pupils show respect for each other. They comment, ‘we are not a big school but we are big- hearted.’ Pupils willingly take on responsibilities such as playground leaders and junior wardens. Enterprise activities capture their imaginations well. They help tend the allotment with the local community and relish the satisfaction gained from growing, marketing and selling produce while learning more about healthy eating and sustainability. Pupils are generally punctual and attendance rates are average and rising. These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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2

Pupils' attainment 1 3 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to support pupils’ learning. Support programmes and booster sessions successfully target particular pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Good questioning encourages debate and ensures that adults have a clear understanding of what pupils know, understand and can do. Lessons move on at a good pace and engage pupils throughout. However, not all teachers place sufficient emphasis on challenging higher-attaining pupils to developing higher order skills. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly but do not consistently provide clear points for development.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum has developed well and there are creative links between subjects. These provide effective opportunities for learning. Effective links with other schools and organisations help to bring learning to life for pupils and also support teachers’ research. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of enrichment opportunities, take-up is good and the school competes successfully in a range of local competitions and events.

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How effective is the provision?

Staff ensure that pupils know who to turn to with any problems. Parents and carers confirm this. There is good quality pastoral care, guidance and support and all staff are highly responsive to individual need. Individual personal circumstances are sensitively addressed and the school ensures that pupils and their families have access to a range of outside agencies. There is a strongly nurturing approach by the school that builds pupils’ confidence and help them to develop into effective learners. Transition from class to class and then on to secondary school is well managed. Rising attendance rates reflect that the school promotes attendance and punctuality well.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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2

The use of assessment to support learning 2

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2

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

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher, along with other members of the senior leadership team, set clear expectations of best practice for staff to follow. Leadership at all levels is well developed with clear strengths within middle leaders. Senior and middle leaders contribute to whole-school improvement through the implementation and monitoring of well-focused action plans. Regular, continuous professional development, coupled with good-quality mentoring programmes, have improved the quality of teaching and raised outcomes for pupils. There is a keen sense of empowerment of all staff which emanates directly from the headteacher. As a result, teachers’ morale is high. Lunchtime assistants and kitchen staff help pupils to enjoy nutritious and sociable mealtimes. The business manager and administrative staff ensure that the school is financially secure and runs smoothly. The site and accommodation are well cared for.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The satisfactory governing body is supportive and visible in school. It has a secure understanding of the school’s stated priorities and strengths and regularly seeks parental opinion on the work of the school. The level of challenge it provides with regard to pupils’ academic outcomes, including those of children at the end of Reception, is developing. The school adopts satisfactory practices with regard to safeguarding and all requirements are met. Leaders and governors ensure that health, safety, child protection and safer recruitment are all monitored.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Good partnerships with other local schools enrich the quality of pupils’ learning experiences in terms of the arts, languages, sports and cultural links as well as classroom practice. The school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination well. The leadership does not tolerate discrimination. Accurate and regular tracking of the progress of different groups of pupils in both Key Stages ensure that the right level of support is provided for individuals and groups of pupils. Senior leaders analyse the school’s context well and promote community cohesion effectively with a well-targeted action plan. Parents and carers are generally complimentary about the school, the information it provides and the experiences it offers their children. The school deploys its resources well. It achieves good outcomes for pupils and provides good value for money.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management

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2

The leadership and management of teaching and learning 2

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make a satisfactory start to school. They settle quickly due to the effective induction programme. Children engage happily in activities and behave well. They are familiar with routines and the expectations of adults. Adults encourage children to become increasingly independent and to choose for themselves where to learn and play. They make satisfactory progress from well below expected starting points. School data show that children’s levels of development fluctuate significantly from year to year. This is due to a lack of accuracy in the final assessments of children’s skills because of several staff changes in recent years.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Although the quality of the indoor learning environments is similar in both the Reception and Nursery classes children in the Reception class only have access to a relatively small and sparingly-resourced outdoor learning environment. Children in the Nursery access a large outdoor area with both grassed and hard surfaces as well as climbing equipment. These areas are not currently accessible to Reception children who have to wait for climbing opportunities in the school hall. Staff provide good and sometimes outstanding models for children, particularly in support of their language development.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed satisfactorily by the new leader. Practitioners have a secure understanding of the learning, development and welfare requirements for the early years. They share assessment information and the knowledge gained from careful observations so that all adults are aware of children’s individual needs and can provide appropriate levels of support to meet these. However, monitoring and evaluation of the impact of this work lacks sufficient rigour to bring about more rapid improvement in outcomes for children. Appropriate safeguarding procedures are in place. Parents and carers appreciate the work of the early years’ team. Parents and carers are welcome in the settings but children’s records are not readily at hand for parents, carers and children to share. Similarly, some of the displays do not readily engage parents’ and carers’ interest and there are too few opportunities for them to stay and play with their children. These

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Early Years Foundation Stage

shortcomings inhibit parents’ and carers’ involvement in children’s learning.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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3

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Just over one third of parents and carers returned the inspection questionnaire. Almost all who responded are very positive about how well the school cares for their children, meeting their particular needs and keeping them safe. They agree that teaching is good. They feel well-informed about their children’s progress and school life. They appreciate the text messaging in particular. Parents and carers typically comment, ‘staff are a committed team, working hard to provide the best learning experiences for our children.’ A few raised concerns about the way the school deals with unacceptable behaviour. Inspectors found clear procedures to address issues relating to behaviour. Pupils confirmed that they understand the procedures and that adults enforce these.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Windhill 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. The inspection team received 76 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 215 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 56 74 18 24 1 1 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 56 74 18 24 1 1 1 1 The school informs me about my child's progress 45 59 27 36 3 4 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 49 64 24 32 1 1 1 1 The teaching is good at this school 53 70 19 25 2 3 1 1 The school helps me to support my child's learning 41 54 32 42 3 4 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 39 51 34 45 2 3 0 0 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) 46 61 25 33 3 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 49 64 24 32 2 3 1 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 42 55 23 30 7 9 2 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 33 43 37 49 5 7 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 47 62 25 33 3 4 1 1 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 54 71 19 25 1 1 2 3

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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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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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.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Windhill Primary School, Mexborough, S64 0PQ

Thank you for your friendly welcome when we inspected your school. We enjoyed meeting you and listening to your views on school life at Windhill. You told us that you enjoy school and many of you particularly enjoy the history topic work. It was good to see the interesting displays around school that included some of this work. You described school as ‘like a second home’ and confirm that the adults take good care of you.

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Inspection of Windhill Primary School, Mexborough, S64 0PQ

We agree with much of what you say. We judge Windhill to be a good school. Your rising attainment in English and mathematics reflects the good progress you make. Your headteacher and all the adults ensure that you learn well and that lessons are interesting. You behave well and show respect for all. You leave the school with a strong set of personal qualities and are conscientious citizens, keen to work in the local community.

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Inspection of Windhill Primary School, Mexborough, S64 0PQ

We have asked your school to raise further the standards you reach in English and mathematics. You can help with this by always trying hard to take care with your handwriting and the presentation of your work. Also, please make sure you check the suggestions your teachers make on how you can improve your work. We also want your school to improve how well it provides for the children in the Nursery and Reception classes. This includes developing the outdoor area in Reception.

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Inspection of Windhill Primary School, Mexborough, S64 0PQ

Keep up the good work in the community allotment!

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Inspection of Windhill Primary School, Mexborough, S64 0PQ

We send you our very best wishes for the future.

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from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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