North Lakes School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 19–20 September 2011 Inspection number 378428 Unique Reference Number 112118 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 378428 Inspection dates 19–20 September 2011 Reporting inspector Sue Sharkey

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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 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 151 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lynne Reside Headteacher Mike Pincombe Date of previous school inspection 19 May 2009 School address Huntley Avenue Penrith CA11 8NU Telephone number 01768 242150 Fax number 01768 242151 Email address admin@northlakes.cumbria.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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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in six lessons and the work of five teachers. Meetings were held with the headteacher, pupils, representatives of the governing body and staff. The inspectors observed pupils’ work and looked at the school’s system for tracking their progress, safeguarding documents and key policies. Inspection questionnaires from 52 parents and carers, 10 school staff and 99 pupils were also taken into account.

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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

 What the impact is of the school’s monitoring carried out to raise attainment and improve progress in English and mathematics.  What the school is doing to accelerate achievement, particularly in English.  Whether teaching is challenging enough for all groups of pupils.  Whether the curriculum motivates pupils in English and mathematics.

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Information about the school

This is a below average-sized school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible to free school meals is lower than the national average. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. There are a few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average. The school has a ‘strategic provision unit’ for a very small minority of pupils in the school with physical/medical, or profound, severe or complex learning difficulties. The school has the Artsmark Gold and Platinum Sing Up awards for its work in the arts and the Inclusion Charter Mark. 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

North Lakes School provides a satisfactory education. Care, guidance and support are good, resulting in a safe, caring and happy atmosphere in which pupils grow into mature young people. The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and this is reflected in the good behaviour and politeness shown by pupils. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong, how to behave and how to get on well with others. Parents and carers make positive comments about the school's work, a typical comment being, ‘North Lakes School cares a lot for pupils and the opportunity for them to perform singing gives children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’

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Main findings

Pupils start school in Year 3 where they settle quickly due to the good induction programme which helps to ease pupils into school from a neighbouring infant school. Attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6, reflecting satisfactory achievement and progress across the school from pupils’ starting points. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress because activities planned are matched to their individual needs well.

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Main findings

The school has an engaging curriculum providing a wide range of interesting activities for pupils, which contribute to their enjoyment of school and their development of different skills and interests. Teaching is monitored regularly, but not all teaching is consistently better than satisfactory. Lessons are well planned, with a range of interesting activities. However, expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough in Years 3 and 4, nor is there always sufficient challenge to stimulate pupils so that they learn at a good pace. Teachers assess pupils' learning well in lessons through good questioning and clear explanations of how to take the next steps in their learning. The marking of pupils’ books, though, is not always consistent to ensure that pupils are clear about how to improve their work. Teachers use a range of teaching styles to reach out to the different needs of pupils, but not

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Main findings

all teaching is at a brisk pace in order to ensure that pupils are always motivated and engaged in their learning.

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Main findings

The headteacher's drive to improve the school is articulated clearly and embraced by staff. The school’s evaluation of its own performance is accurate and actions taken already to improve pupils' achievement and provision are having a positive impact. Since the last inspection, the school has made significant improvements in key areas, for example, aspects of leadership and management, progress for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, curriculum and attendance, indicating a good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Main findings

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted Inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and improve achievement by: - ensuring that the expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high enough in Years 3 and 4 - providing activities that consistently challenge and stimulate pupils so they learn at a fast enough pace.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that all is good or better by: - ensuring that marking always helps pupils to know how to improve their work - ensuring that all lessons move at a brisk pace so that pupils are motivated consistently.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils say they enjoy lessons; they feel safe and value the support and guidance that the school gives them greatly. During a Years 5 and 6 lesson, when pupils were discussing the play Romeo and Juliet, they were asked to think about and write words to describe the two characters’ feelings and thoughts when they first met. Pupils responded quickly with some extending words to make phrases which included alliteration and similes. Good questioning extended pupils’ learning as well as their language skills. In another Years 5 and 6 lesson, pupils enjoyed singing about the Tudors very much. Good use was made of the interactive white board to help pupils to retain a good singing posture while learning new words and how to accentuate some of them.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils’ attainment when they enter Year 3 can vary from year to year, but, over time, is broadly average and often lower in English. The pupils make satisfactory progress so that, when they leave in Year 6, their attainment is average. The school has a wide range of strategies in place to improve pupils' achievement. It is too early to see the full impact of the strategies, but inspection evidence indicates that some of these are proving to be successful in English and mathematics and that there is an increasing number of pupils whose progress is accelerating. Pupils who access the strategic provision unit have individual learning programmes which are matched well to their interests and needs, helping them to make good progress.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils say they feel safe and secure and report that adults care for them and will always help them. They say that the playtime buddy scheme is good and the volunteers from Years 4, 5 and 6 make sure that pupils who need help or someone to play with are cared for. Pupils are proud of their school and gain confidence quickly and an ability to take responsibility, which sets them up well for their future lives. They are pleased with their contribution to the local community and the school council talks excitedly about working with other schools to redesign a local garden. When there was proposed closure of the town’s cinema, pupils made posters to display as well as raised funds to help ensure that it stayed open. Pupils are keen to organise fund-raising activities for local, national as well as international causes. Pupils try to keep themselves fit through regular exercise in school and through healthy eating. The school has raised attendance over the last year so that it is now

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 3 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils' behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance 1 3 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

Lessons are characterised by teachers sharing effectively with pupils the objective of the lesson and setting out ways in which pupils can be successful. Teaching is enhanced by well-resourced classrooms which are supportive to learning. Teachers and teaching assistants work together closely ensuring that everyone, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who learn English as an additional language, takes a full part in lessons. Those pupils benefit from well- planned programmes of additional support, which run smoothly due to the skilled and sensitive help from teachers and teaching assistants.

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How effective is the provision?

In Years 5 and 6, the expectations of what pupils can achieve is high and, through activities that consistently challenge and stimulate them, pupils learn at a fast rate. That is not always the case in Years 3 and 4. The marking of pupils’ work is, generally, good, but not all marking explains to pupils how they can improve their work. Teachers plan activities to match pupils’ individual needs, but delivery of the activities is not always at a sufficiently brisk pace to enable pupils to be motivated consistently.

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low The good curriculum is matched well to the wide variety of pupils’ needs. The school implemented changes last year to ensure that the basic skills of English and mathematics are included in a wider context and this is beginning to have an impact on improving achievement. Adaptations ensured that the curriculum is adapted to pupils’ needs and interests closely. A good emphasis is placed on developing performing arts and sports and the school choir has enjoyed performing not only locally, but also accepted an invitation to perform at the Round House in London. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are taught well and pupils use computers and other resources with confidence. Visits complement classroom work and pupils take part in residential visits. Such activities help to raise pupils’

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How effective is the provision?

awareness of different people's needs and life experiences, helping to ensure that they are equipped satisfactorily for their future life.

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How effective is the provision?

Children’s welfare is a priority. The good care that pupils receive is reflected in the way that adults respond to pupils’ worries and needs. Good links with other agencies and schools ensure that there are skilful interventions to support pupils with particular learning needs. The provision in the strategic provision unit is good. The teaching is lively, pupils are happy and learning programmes are matched to each pupil’s needs and interests well. The effective guidance and strategies used to encourage regular attendance has improved attendance well.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning 3 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher has a clear focus for improvement. He is supported well by the leadership team and this is having a successful impact on the school. There is a strong ethos for improvement. Subject leaders show a good level of responsibility for checking standards in their areas and ensuring that they are improving. They have good action plans for their subjects, which are being implemented effectively. Pupils’ progress is tracked well and underachievement identified so that additional support is put in place quickly. The support, as well as good links with parents and carers ensuring that they are strong partners in their children’s learning, is raising the progress for individual pupils so that, gradually, pupils are making better progress. Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning is carried out regularly and with increasing rigour. While there are some improvements, the system for checking the

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How effective are leadership and management?

effectiveness of actions taken to improve pupils’ learning is not yet impacting fully on teaching to ensure consistency across the school. The governing body knows the school well, including its strengths and weaknesses, and sees the benefits of its challenge through improvements in school since the last inspection. It is very supportive of the school and ensures that safeguarding is good, which is reflected in the good management of the school environment, providing a safe site for pupils. The school’s promotion of equal opportunities is satisfactory as not all groups of pupils are yet making good progress. Appropriate measures are in place to tackle any form of discrimination. The school’s strong involvement in the local community, its good links with other schools and the wider community and its success in extending pupils’ awareness of other beliefs and ways of life, show that community cohesion is

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How effective are leadership and management?

promoted well. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning 3 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Views of parents and carers

The very large majority of parents and carers who returned the questionnaire is very happy with the way the school cares for and educates their children. Parents and carers feel that their children enjoy school, are kept safe, and are pleased with their children’s progress. Some took time to add comments to the questionnaire they returned, many to reinforce the strength of their positive views, which inspection findings support. There was also a very small minority of parents and carers who raised concerns and these were looked into by the inspection team. A few parents and carers were concerned about how the school deals with unacceptable behaviour. Inspectors found that behaviour in school is good; the school does have a system in place that includes working with both pupils and parents and carers and has a range of sanctions for the very small number of pupils who do not always behave well. A few parents and carers were concerned that the school does not meet the particular

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Views of parents and carers

needs of their children. Over the last year, the school has made changes to the curriculum and, in consultation with pupils, the themes taught are often based on pupils’ interests. The school also tracks pupils’ progress to ensure that if pupils are in need of support, they receive it, either individually or in small groups.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at North Lakes 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 52 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 151 pupils registered at the school.

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questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 33 63 16 31 1 2 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 28 54 22 42 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 23 44 25 48 3 6 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 19 37 26 50 4 8 1 2 The teaching is good at this school 26 50 23 44 2 4 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 21 40 27 52 1 2 1 2 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 27 52 23 44 1 2 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) 28 54 22 42 0 0 0 0

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 19 37 26 50 3 6 2 4 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 20 38 26 50 4 8 1 2

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 18 35 28 54 3 6 1 2

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 24 46 25 48 1 2 1 2 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 30 58 19 37 1 2 0 0

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questionnaire

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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Inspection of North Lakes School, Penrith, CA11 8NU

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking with you and watching you learn in lessons. We found that you have a good understanding of the importance of keeping healthy and were very impressed with your healthy snacks at break time. Your behaviour is good and raising money for various charities is just one way in which you make a good contribution to the community. Overall, we found that your school provides you with a satisfactory education, so that you are able to make satisfactory progress in your work and some of you make good progress.

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Inspection of North Lakes School, Penrith, CA11 8NU

There are some things that we have asked the school to do to help to make it better. First, for teachers in Years 3 and 4 to ensure that they always challenge you well in lessons so that you will learn much more and secondly, to make sure that the work they expect you to achieve is of a high quality. We are sure you can manage that. Thirdly, we have asked teachers to mark your work differently so that always you know how to improve your work and, lastly, that teachers help you work more quickly in lessons so that you get more work done.

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Inspection of North Lakes School, Penrith, CA11 8NU

Congratulations on everything you do with the community and with other schools. We were amazed at how well you performed and sang in assembly; it is obvious you enjoy singing. I know your school is very proud of you and I’m sure your parents and carers are too when they hear you performing. The headteacher, staff and the governing body care for you well. They support you in all the work you do, helping you to attend school, where you can enjoy being with your friends learning new things every day. Remember always to do your best and help your teachers. Thank you for helping us and for being so polite.

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Inspection of North Lakes School, Penrith, CA11 8NU

Sue Sharkey Lead inspector (on behalf of the inspection team) procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available 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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