Kingsland Primary School

Kingsland Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 2–11 Inspection date(s) 24–25 November

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Inspection number Unique Reference Number 133718 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 381539 Inspection dates 24–25 November 2011 Reporting inspector Marian Thomas

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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 Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 66 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ray Spencer Headteacher Paula Trow Date of previous school inspection 16 September 2008 School address Aberford Road Stanley Wakefield WF3 4BA Telephone number 01924 303100 Fax number 01924 303103 Email address headteacher@kingsland.wakefield.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 two additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 17 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 12 teachers. They held meetings with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, teaching staff, and the school leadership team. The inspection team observed the school's work, and looked at teachers’ planning for lessons, leaders’ development plans and samples of pupils’ work. They also took into account the views of 36 parents and carers who returned questionnaires to the inspection team.

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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. ■ The progress made by all groups of pupils. ■ The attendance of different groups of pupils. ■ The health, safety and welfare documents produced by school.

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Information about the school

Kingsland Primary is a special school to meet the needs of pupils with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs. Two children are in the care of the local authority. Most pupils are White British and there are more boys than girls. Approximately one third of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is above the average. Kingsland provides an outreach service for the local authority, supporting pupils with learning difficulties in mainstream primary schools. It has gained the Investors in Pupils award, Healthy School status and the Activemark.

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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

Kingsland Primary is an outstanding school. Pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in the main school make outstanding progress personally and academically and grow in confidence as they move through the school. This is the result of the excellent care, guidance and support provided by staff which minimise pupils’ barriers to learning. The school well deserves its excellent reputation with parents, carers and the community, whose views are reflected well in the comment, ‘Staff do fantastic work with my little boy and I would be lost without them’.

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Main findings

The headteacher and senior leaders have exceptionally high expectations of what pupils can achieve and deliver the quality of provision necessary for them to do so. Overall, self-evaluation of the school's effectiveness is accurate and rigorous and the findings are acted upon to very good effect. Since the previous inspection, the school has made exceptional progress in many areas. For example, the school has introduced an innovative system for tracking pupils’ progress against national data and the newly-built extension now offers pupils and their families space to learn together. It has demonstrated through its improvements that it has an excellent capacity to improve further.

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Main findings

Pupils thoroughly enjoy school, as evidenced by their positive attitudes, smiling faces and excellent behaviour. They are exceptionally aware of how to stay safe and of the importance of healthy lifestyles. As a result of highly effective transition arrangements, pupils are very well prepared for the next phase in their education. Attendance is above average overall and is exceptionally good for many pupils, despite the complexity of their medical needs. However, holidays taken in term time reduce the overall attendance for a small group of pupils and impact negatively on their progress. Pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding can be seen in their exceptionally caring attitude to each other and to the environment. Excellent teaching is based on the thorough use of detailed assessment, which ensures learning matches the needs of all pupils exceptionally well and, as a result,

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Main findings

all groups make equal progress. Teaching assistants provide excellent support in lessons. The outstanding curriculum has continued to improve since the previous inspection, with new opportunities to enrich learning.

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Main findings

Senior managers are highly effective in moving the school forward on a tightly- controlled budget. Partnerships with a wide range of organisations contribute to the excellent outcomes for all pupils. The exceptionally committed and supportive governing body visits the school regularly. It is highly effective in monitoring the work of senior leaders and holding them to account. Through its work with schools in the local community and abroad, the school has ensured pupils have a very clear understanding of life in a multi-ethnic society.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve the attendance of a small minority of pupils by adhering more rigorously to the school policy on approving holidays in term time.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

When pupils join the school the levels at which they are working are generally much lower than those expected for their age. This is because of their high degree of medical, social, and academic needs. However, once they settle into the nurturing and supportive environment of the school, barriers to learning are minimised and all groups engage with learning exceptionally well. As a result, the vast majority make excellent progress towards the challenging targets set for them. This represents excellent progress and achievement overall.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Behaviour is excellent in and out of lessons. This is because pupils not only respond positively to their personal learning programmes and the high expectations of staff, but they also thoroughly enjoy the myriad of learning opportunities offered. Many learn for the first time how to engage and cooperate with each other, as well as the tools important to learning, such as how to listen and concentrate. These important skills enable pupils to work consistently and achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum. This was demonstrated well in an English lesson in which pupils discussed how to make soup as the focus for phonics practice (the system of learning letters and the sounds they make in early reading) and for developing literacy skills. The wide ability range of pupils was exceptionally well planned for and teaching assistants’ skills were used to excellent effect. Each group completed the task set and the end of lesson discussion clearly showed that each group had made

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

significant progress. Pupils’ great willingness to work and love of learning could clearly be seen in their very willing approach and happy smiles.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Through the work of the school, coupled with highly effective partnerships with health care professionals, pupils learn to feel exceptionally safe. They know that staff are always there to support and guide them. Many say how much they enjoy school. A comment by one pupil sums up the feelings of many, ‘I would give school ten out of ten. It’s so brilliant.’ Through participating in the wide range of sporting and outdoor opportunities and by choosing healthy eating options offered, pupils develop an excellent understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the community in and out of school by listening to and appreciating the needs of others. For example, pupils visit residents in a local sheltered housing complex. Pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is seen in the exceptional way in which they react to each other and take care of the school and the local environment. Through outside visits and links

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

with other schools, pupils develop a strong understanding of communities beyond those represented in the immediate locality.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 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 are highly effective at using assessment information successfully to set achievable targets for pupils. Classwork and homework are regularly reviewed and appropriate feedback is given on how improvements can be made. As a result, pupils are very clear about how to improve their work, which helps to ensure they make excellent progress. Lessons are all planned conscientiously and excellent attention is given to ensuring work is modified to meet the different needs of pupils within the class. Assessment information is used exceptionally well, and planning is focused on the needs of all learners. Support staff are very well deployed, ensuring excellent support, particularly for those pupils in circumstances that make them more vulnerable. All teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and this, coupled with strong relationships, ensure pupils engage with learning very well.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum is exceptionally well organised and imaginatively enhanced by many visits and activities away from the classroom, which develop pupils’ independence and self-esteem. Curricular opportunities are securely focused on the needs of individual pupils and staff are creative in ensuring that pupils have access to as many different opportunities as possible in order to expand their horizons. For example, pupils, many with an exceptionally high level of need, have recently undertaken a residential visit to an outdoor pursuits camp. This was described by one pupil as, ‘The best time I have ever had’.

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How effective is the provision?

As a result of excellent care, guidance and support, pupils clearly feel there is always someone who will listen and help. A thorough assessment is undertaken when pupils

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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 a verage; and 4 is low. * In some special schools inspectors do not make a judgement about attainment in relation to expectations of the pupils’ age. transfer to the school and this is used very effectively to target support. Staff work exceptionally well ensuring pupils’ needs are met, always going the ‘extra mile’ to ensure all are included. Because pupils enjoy coming to school so much attendance is excellent for the majority, despite their complex medical needs. Senior leaders have been highly successful in improving facilities so that pupils now return to school very quickly after leaving hospital. However, attendance is less good for a small number of pupils who take holidays in term time. This has an impact on their progress overall as they often find settling into school routines on their return difficult. Senior leaders and the governing body are aware of this but do not always

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How effective is the provision?

follow school policy as rigorously as they could.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The visionary leadership of the headteacher and senior leaders continues to move the school forward and to ensure excellent outcomes for pupils on a very well- controlled budget. This, coupled with the high quality of partnerships developed with outside agencies, is driving improvement further. Members of the governing body have excellent skills, knowledge and understanding and offer an exceptional level of support and challenge to senior leaders. Evidence of this can clearly be seen by the exceptionally high numbers of visits to the school by members of the governing body, who visited over one hundred times last year. Policies and procedures ensure all requirements in the safeguarding of pupils are met and that practice is of an excellent quality. As a result, all safeguarding issues are dealt with very effectively by school leaders. The senior leadership team and staff have ensured that the school is

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How effective are leadership and management?

a highly-inclusive community. Systems to promote equality of opportunity and to tackle discrimination within the school are excellent and, as a result, successfully eliminate any gaps in the performance of different groups of pupils.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders have built highly successful partnerships with a range of organisations which benefit pupils and the local community. For example, pupils work regularly with dance and music groups developing their drama and independence skills. Links with other schools and communities both locally and abroad, including a school in Wakefield and another in Kenya, have promoted community cohesion very well and helped to develop pupils’ excellent understanding of life in a multi-ethnic society. The school is particularly successful in engaging parents and carers. The work of school staff ensures they are kept well informed about their children’s successes. Parent and carer education programmes and daily diary links with home are in place and, as a result, parents and carers are highly appreciative of the ongoing work of the school. The school ensures excellent outcomes for pupils, all of whom have significant

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How effective are leadership and management?

needs. It provides excellent value for money. These are the grades for the leadership and management

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driving improvement

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage develop excellent links with the parents of very young children before they start school. As a result, all children get off to an outstanding start. They settle into their routines quickly because of the exceptionally high quality of care, guidance and support for their personal and social development. They clearly feel very safe and secure in the setting. Excellent partnerships with the on-site children’s therapy team ensure that children’s welfare needs are exceptionally well supported. A wide range of highly relevant and enjoyable learning experiences in a stimulating environment ensures children’s progress is excellent. Staff are highly committed to ensuring they have opportunities to experience outdoor play and ensure they have access to high-quality outdoor learning experiences.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage coordinator provides excellent leadership and does everything in her power to ensure children access a high-quality learning environment, irrespective of their physical and medical needs. As a result of the excellent teaching and highly effective support from staff, children make outstanding progress. Tasks are exceptionally well adapted to children's ages and abilities, because all staff use assessment information effectively to plan learning experiences. Children’s progress is charted well through excellent records of each child’s learning journey, which is shared with parents and carers. Planning of activities is very effective and informed by pupils’ progress. Evaluation is unerringly accurate and identifies clearly what the setting needs to do to improve.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation stage

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Responses were received by the inspection team from 35 parents and carers. This represented just over 50% of the school’s population. The vast majority of parents and carers feel that their children enjoy school, make very good progress and are well looked after. Inspectors' observations endorse these views.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Kingsland 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 36 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 66 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 31 86 5 14 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 29 81 5 14 1 3 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 27 75 9 25 0 0 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 25 69 11 31 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 30 83 6 17 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 24 67 11 31 1 3 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 22 61 14 39 0 0 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) 24 67 9 25 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 29 81 7 19 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 26 72 7 19 2 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 28 78 7 19 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 27 75 9 25 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 30 83 6 17 0 0 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. 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 Kingsland Primary School, Wakefield – WF3 4BA

Thank you very much for making the team feel so welcome when we inspected your school. It was lovely to meet you all. It was good to hear how much you enjoy coming to school and how much fun you have in lessons. We want to send a special ‘thank you’ to those of you who gave up your time to talk to us at lunch- time, and told us how impressed you are with school. We agree with those of you who told us that you think your school is brilliant. These are just some of the things we judged to be excellent:

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Inspection of Kingsland Primary School, Wakefield – WF3 4BA

■ the really friendly and polite welcome you all give to visitors ■ the excellent way in which staff care for you and help you to make future choices ■ the way in which you are all so caring and helpful towards each other and enjoy playing together, particularly outside ■ the way in which you all enjoy lessons and work so hard.

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Inspection of Kingsland Primary School, Wakefield – WF3 4BA

Because your school is outstanding we are only asking your headteacher and teachers to do one small thing to make it even better. We think you might be able to help too. You told us how much you love coming to school, and we know that even when some of you have been in hospital you often come back to school very quickly so you don’t miss anything. Sometimes, though, some of you go on holiday in school time, which means you miss important lessons when you are away. We have asked your school to try and make sure you only miss school when it is really necessary.

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Inspection of Kingsland Primary School, Wakefield – WF3 4BA

We wish you lots of happiness and fun in 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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