Seven Hills Primary School

Seven Hills Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 18–19 April 2012 Inspection number Unique Reference Number 107824 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 377651 Inspection dates 18–19 April 2012 Lead inspector Roger Gill

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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 440 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Dewhirst Headteacher Maureen Webb Date of previous school inspection 9 January 2008 School address Appleby Way Morley Leeds LS27 8LA Telephone number 0113 2527194 Fax number 0113 3074683 Email address webbm02@leedslearning.net You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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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Introduction

Roger Gill Freda Jackson Additional inspector Additional inspector Mujahid Ali Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed teaching in nineteen lessons taught by fifteen teachers. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, a member of the governing body and staff. Inspectors observed the school's work and looked at a range of evidence, including the school's documents for self-evaluation and safeguarding. They also studied standards in reading, pupils’ workbooks and the tracking system used by the school to monitor pupils' progress. Inspectors considered the 109 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

Seven Hills is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have particular special educational needs is below average. The number of pupils from minority ethnic heritages is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils can attend a breakfast club and an after- school facility that are run by the school. The school has recently received the Eco-Award (Bronze) and is recognised as an Investor in Pupils. The school does not meet the current floor standards (these are minimum standards expected by the government).

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Information about the school

There is a Children’s Centre on site, which is managed by the school’s governors, but it did not form part of this inspection. Reports for this facility can be found on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the school

There have been many changes since the school was last inspected. Nearly three-quarters of the staff are new. Moreover, the entire senior leadership team is new and in acting roles. A newly appointed headteacher will start in September 2012. 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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Key Findings

 This is a satisfactory school. It is not yet good because teaching is not consistently good and pupils make satisfactory rather than good progress. Attainment has improved since being low in 2011. However, although broadly average it could be higher at the end of Year 6, particularly in reading. Attendance has been raised to above average. 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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Key Findings

 After a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where children achieve well, pupils’ progress slows to satisfactory and is uneven in Key Stages 1 and 2. By Year 6 pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is satisfactory overall. Some teaching is good. It ensures that pupils learn in a lively fashion and progress well. Inadequate teaching has not been eliminated entirely despite the effective methods used to guide and develop practice. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, progress at a similar rate to other pupils because of the effective support they receive in small groups.

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Key Findings

 Behaviour and safety in lessons and around school are satisfactory. Generally, pupils behave and attend well. They are proud that their school has come through a difficult period when behaviour, as they rightly say, ‘slipped because of the many changes taking place’. However, there is still some disruption in the playground or in lessons where pupils’ behaviour is not managed well enough.

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Key Findings

 Leadership, including that provided by governors, has effectively tackled some difficult issues arising from staffing turbulence that resulted in some slow progress and poor behaviour. Overall, the leadership of teaching and the management of performance are satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained at a good level. Some parents and carers agree that the school has experienced a great deal of change, but feel that senior leaders have managed it very well.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

  Raise attainment, by the of Year 6, to at least average by quickening progress, particularly in reading by: - improving the teaching of letters and their sounds, particularly in Key Stage 2 - planning more purposeful and effective activities for groups of readers when they are not working directly with an adult - providing a wider range of books for older pupils to read that match, more appropriately, their interests and abilities.   Ensure that the quality of all teaching is at least good throughout the school to raise achievement beyond satisfactory by: - ensuring that planning for lessons makes precise use of the assessments of pupils’ previous learning, particularly that of more-able pupils - enabling pupils to spend more time on practising skills and finding things out for themselves - ensuring through more effective marking and discussion that pupils know exactly how to reach their next level of attainment

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

- using the school’s behaviour policy to good effect in all classes - refining the monitoring, evaluation and management of teaching and learning to focus on the most important issues for improvement and ensure greater consistency in quality across the school.

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Achievement of pupils

Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are generally below age- related expectations. They make good progress and achieve well because teaching gets them to think for themselves right from the start. For example, children in Nursery were sticking spots on ladybirds while the teacher was asking such questions as, ‘what would happen if we added one more spot?’ In Reception, some children were sitting around a cereal monsters’ tea-party table sorting and taking away pieces of cereal while adults were skilfully prompting their learning about subtraction. By the time they join Year 1, most children have reached the level expected for their age. Pupils in Year 2 are forging ahead in lessons when learning about letters and their sounds (phonics) and numbers in the times tables, because they have daily practice in these skills. Generally, pupils in Year 2 are making faster progress than those in Year 1. This is often related to a less rigorous

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Achievement of pupils

approach to phonics, a relative lack of ambition for higher attaining pupils and occasional weaknesses in the management of behaviour in Year 1 classes.

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Achievement of pupils

In Key Stage 2, pupils’ progress speeds up in some year groups and slows down in others, but is satisfactory overall. Pupils in Year 6, for example, raced ahead when practising mathematics on computers. Some enjoyed the challenge of very hard work on Pythagoras’ theorem while staff provided other pupils with well-tailored one-to-one tuition. However, elsewhere in Key Stage 2 more able pupils are not progressing fast enough. Pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall, but some who receive the most help from teaching assistants progress well. Those who speak English as an additional language make good progress, as does the very small number of pupils looked after in public care. Boys who in previous years have fallen behind in reading, are progressing satisfactorily now in closing the gap with all pupils nationally. The standard of reading at the end of Key Stage 1 is average, but below it by the end of Year 6. The

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Achievement of pupils

school knows about this and has introduced some measures to tackle it, which result in satisfactory progress currently by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers believe that learning and progress are good but pupils, although positive, have a slightly less optimistic view, citing issues about reading and their knowledge of targets as being barriers to faster progress. Inspectors agree that some progress is wholly good, but also judge that progress is only satisfactory across the school.

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Quality of teaching

The vast majority of parents and carers are pleased with the way that their children are taught. Pupils have similar opinions, except fewer believe that they know how well they are doing and some do not feel that they use reading, writing and mathematics well enough across the curriculum. Inspectors judge that, while there are some good aspects, the quality of teaching is inconsistent; there are some inadequacies and too much that is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching

In The Early Years Foundation Stage teaching is good, owing to the precise use of assessment to plan new and effective lessons that advance children’s learning well. Moreover, the curriculum is a good blend of imaginative play, in the Travel Agents for example, and more direct teaching such as that for letters and their sounds to develop early reading and writing skills.

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Quality of teaching

In the rest of the school teaching is satisfactory because assessments are not always used well enough to plan new work. This means that in some lessons more able pupils are expected to do the same work as the other pupils and are not sufficiently challenged. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs progress satisfactorily because the extra help they receive is effective. The marking of pupils’ work is very helpful in some classes, but vague and too brief in others. Consequently, not all pupils have a precise understanding of what they need to do to reach the next level. In some lessons teachers talk for too long, leaving pupils too little time to actually write a letter or complete a mathematical exercise. Other teachers allow more time to tackle absorbing activities such as tallying the different colours of sweets in a packet or writing an eye-witness account of an episode from the story of the Three Little Pigs.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching of reading has improved as a result of a systematic approach throughout the school to teaching about letters and the sounds they make. However, in Key Stage 2 lessons devoted to vocabulary, the meaning of words and spelling are not yet effective enough in all cases. Moreover, when pupils are reading in groups those not being directly taught by teachers are often given tasks that are too easy. The purchase of more books that appeal to boys, in particular, has been beneficial, but many competent readers are not able to choose books that match fully their capabilities and interests.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching and the planned curriculum are satisfactory in their effect on academic performance and they provide some good opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the work on eco-awareness and sustainability helps pupils to gain a global perspective and collaborate on valuable projects. Equally, well- planned religious education, meeting published authors and playing musical instruments ensures a good cultural dimension to learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents and carers say that behaviour in the school is good, but pupils and staff and inspection evidence indicate that it is satisfactory. Pupils and their parents and carers rightly praise the recent measures to improve behaviour, the benefits of the before- and after- school clubs and the Children’s Centre. Older pupils enjoy being school councillors because they can help raise funds for others less fortunate than themselves. Attendance is above average, which is an indication of how much pupils enjoy the school. Behaviour is often good in class, with lapses when work is not demanding enough or the school’s behaviour policy is not applied well. Pupils know rightly that, over time, there are still some who find it hard to control their behaviour. Pupils act safely but there can be problems when pupils are expected to show self-discipline such as at playtimes or in the hall at lunchtime, when they

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

can be too noisy. They show a reasonable understanding of the different types of bullying. For example, older pupils know about cyber-bullying and staying safe on the Internet, but younger pupils are not so sure. There is a small amount of racist language used and bullying, by way of name calling mostly, happens occasionally. These transgressions are managed well by staff when they occur. As a result, pupils feel safe because they know to whom they can turn if being bullied or upset.

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Leadership and management

The acting headteacher, her team of senior staff and the governors have managed the high turnover in staff well, improved attendance and made sure that pupils’ progress is now satisfactory, after it slowed to an inadequate pace in some cases. These advances demonstrate the school’s satisfactory capacity to improve even further. Pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exemplified by their ability to reflect thoughtfully on their learning and personal qualities. They collaborate purposefully and possess a growing understanding of the diverse world in which they live.

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Leadership and management

The planned curriculum has many good features because it makes learning in science, history and geography an investigation, rather than facts to acquire. It is broad and balanced. Moreover, it provides a wealth of enrichment activities that play an important role in supporting pupils’ personal development. However, it is satisfactory overall because pupils’ progress in English, particularly reading, and in mathematics is not quick enough yet or consistent across the classes.

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Leadership and management

The management of teaching and learning has effectively introduced, through well-devised professional development, some useful systems of assessment and planning. However, there is still more work to do in eliminating the small proportion of inadequate teaching and ensuring that good teaching predominates. The monitoring of teaching and tracking pupils’ progress is regular but lacks a precise focus on ways to drive improvement. For example, advice to teachers after an observation does not provide clear enough guidance about what needs to be done to make teaching more effective.

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Leadership and management

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective and meet the statutory requirements. Leaders and managers are successful in including all pupils equally into the life of the school. Discrimination is not tolerated and the promotion of equality of opportunity is satisfactory.

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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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school 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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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

Floor Standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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Inspection of Seven Hills Primary School, Leeds LS27 8LA

My fellow inspectors and I enjoyed visiting your school recently. Thank you for being so pleasant, especially those of you that showed us round, came for a discussion or read to us.

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Inspection of Seven Hills Primary School, Leeds LS27 8LA

You go to a satisfactory school, which has some good features that make you feel proud. For example, your spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. You rightly feel pleased with the way that the school has improved in the last few terms in aspects like behaviour, attendance and teaching. You were most complimentary about the system of ‘spotting you being good,’ the way adults care for you and events like the diners’ club for pupils who always behave well. All this makes you feel valued for what you can offer. We were intrigued, for example, with the system of seven jobs in each class like: ventilation technicians and sharpening engineers. We agree with you that behaviour and safety are satisfactory. You are wise to realise that alongside all the good aspects of behaviour there are some that still need to be improved. You make satisfactory progress overall. Learning is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage, but it levels out from Year 1 to Year 6 with peaks

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Inspection of Seven Hills Primary School, Leeds LS27 8LA

and troughs along the way. We judge that you could do even better by the time you leave school if your progress was more consistently good in every class.

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Inspection of Seven Hills Primary School, Leeds LS27 8LA

In your questionnaires you are very positive about feeling safe and being happy in school. There is a mixed picture about how you feel about teaching and learning. We agree with you in these respects, which is why we have asked the school to raise standards at the end of Year 6, especially in reading and improve teaching to at least a good level across the school. You can all help by trying hard at all times, especially with any extra challenges in lessons for those of you who can manage them.

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Inspection of Seven Hills Primary School, Leeds LS27 8LA

Roger Gill Lead inspector 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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