Harewood Primary School

Harewood Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 10–11 May 2012 Inspection number 381751 Unique Reference Number 134853 Local authority Stockton-on-Tees Inspection number 381751 Inspection dates 10–11 May 2012 Lead inspector Gordon Potter

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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 431 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Denis Robinson Headteacher Jacqueline Conway Date of previous school inspection 16 January 2007 School address Eric Avenue Thornaby Stockton-on-Tees TS17 7JJ Telephone number 01642 355425 Fax number 01642 678568 Email address harewoodpri@stockton.gov.uk 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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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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Gordon Potter Janet Greaves Additional inspector Additional inspector Zoe Westley Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed 35 lessons taught by 20 teachers, including observations made jointly with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. The inspectors held meetings with representatives of the governing body, staff, pupils, parents and carers. The inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of school policies and documentation relating to safeguarding and strategic planning, examples of pupils’ work, assessment data and monitoring records. They also scrutinised the 187 questionnaires returned by parents and carers as well as questionnaires from pupils.

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Information about the school

This school is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is average and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportion of disabled pupils, those with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and those with special educational needs who are supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected by the government for attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school includes a designated support base for 10 pupils in Key Stage 2 with moderate learning difficulties from across the local authority. 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 an outstanding school. The excellent leadership of the headteacher ensures that pupils from all cultural and social backgrounds achieve highly as a result of a stimulating curriculum, exceptional teaching and outstanding care.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. From starting points that are generally well below age-related expectations, pupils make outstanding progress to attain above average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who are disabled or have special educational needs make outstanding progress. There are excellent outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is outstanding. Teachers allow pupils to apply their skills in exciting, investigative activities that are well-matched to the learning needs of individual pupils and offer appropriate challenge. While teachers model learning clearly so that pupils know what they are to do and to learn, occasionally teachers offer too much help. They do not always give pupils clear advice about how to improve their work or allow them time to act upon that advice.

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Key Findings

 Behaviour is outstanding. ‘Nurture groups’ help pupils from different cultural backgrounds to play and learn extremely well together and feel exceptionally safe. They enjoy school greatly and say that misbehaviour is extremely uncommon, although when it does occur it is effectively dealt with by their teachers.   Leaders and managers accurately evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses and use the outcomes to target improvements through exceptionally well-focused continuing professional development. Data analysis effectively measures attainment and pupils’ progress. Occasionally, leaders monitor what teachers do in lessons at the expense of the quality of the learning experience for pupils and the progress they make. The governing body supports and challenges the school extremely well.  

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen even further the quality of teaching, by:  providing pupils with even more opportunities in lessons to apply their highly-developed skills in a range of open-ended, investigative, problem- solving activities, particularly in a real-life context in mathematics  ensuring that the school’s policy on marking pupils’ work is consistently applied so that teachers give pupils clear advice about how to improve their work and opportunities to act upon that advice  improving the rigour of lesson observations so that leaders at all levels monitor the quality of the learning that takes place and the progress pupils make.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils enjoy lessons immensely, particularly in those many lessons when they are actively engaged in challenging activities and are discovering things for themselves. In these lessons, they make outstanding progress. For example, in an English lesson in Year 4 pupils enjoyed debating, planning, writing, revising and developing their play scripts before performing them to their class and answering questions in role.

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Achievement of pupils

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are excellent and they make outstanding progress from their starting points. Progress in Key Stages 1 and 2 is outstanding overall with the most rapid progress being made in Years 5 and 6, where teachers are highly skilled at building upon the firm foundation of basic skills that has been achieved in earlier years. Attainment at the end of Year 2 is average and pupils have made excellent progress from their starting points. In Key Stage 2, pupils make outstanding progress to attain above average standards by the end of Year 6. Attainment in writing has been average but work seen during the inspection indicates that pupils’ attainment in writing is now above average. Attainment in reading by the end of Years 1 and 2 is typically below average and by the time pupils leave school in Year 6 it is above average. Disabled pupils, those who have special

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Achievement of pupils

educational needs, including pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and those who speak English as an additional language make outstanding progress. This is a result of exceptionally well-targeted provision, including highly effective teaching by teachers and teaching assistants, across school and in the unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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Achievement of pupils

Almost all parents and carers believe their children are making good progress. Inspection findings are that pupils make outstanding progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and are extremely skilful at modelling learning so that pupils know exactly how to make a success of their tasks. Work is well-matched to the learning needs of individual pupils and pupils are clear about the level of their work. Teachers use excellent questioning strategies to encourage pupils to develop their understanding. For example, pupils in Year 2 were enthralled by their visit from the witch in Room on the Broom and they keenly answered questions about why she was different from other witches. Teachers in Year 6 were extremely skilful in helping pupils to write evocative descriptions and to understand probability through the permutations of a roulette wheel. However, teachers occasionally rely overmuch on their expertise, offering too much help and providing too few opportunities for pupils to explore together in open-ended investigative activities,

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Quality of teaching

particularly in real-life contexts in mathematics. Teachers help pupils to see the links between subjects. This is particularly the case in English, where pupils have many opportunities to engage with text, research ideas and develop their writing skills in extended tasks. In marking, teachers do not always tell pupils how to improve their work or give them time to act upon any advice given. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, are taught exceptionally well, as work is clearly focused on their needs and they have the opportunity to engage with tasks under the guidance of highly skilled teaching assistants.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers skilfully plan work which is well- matched to children’s individual learning needs and ensures activities help children to develop rapidly in all areas of learning. For example, children enjoyed the activities relating to the story Whatever next which allowed them to design space-craft, discuss aliens and countdown to take-off in their rockets. There are many opportunities for children to write, and these are helping them to make excellent progress. There is highly skilful teaching of the links between sounds and letters and of reading across the school. As a result children make outstanding progress in reading and writing.

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Quality of teaching

Almost all parents and carers are justifiably positive about the quality of teaching.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils enjoy school very much. They are highly respectful of each other and extremely polite to adults, being enthusiastic to talk about their work and their school. Pupils from a range of cultural and social backgrounds play and learn exceptionally well together and are extremely tolerant of, and understand, the importance of their different faiths. It is testimony to their excellent behaviour that they play extremely sensibly together in the limited space available to them at break times and lunch-time. Almost all parents and carers are highly positive about behaviour and safety. However, a few express some concerns about behaviour in lessons. Excellent behaviour was evident in lessons observed during the inspection and around the school. The inspectors analysed the school’s records of behaviour over time and talked to many pupils during lessons, at break times and more formally in group discussions. All the evidence points to outstanding behaviour.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are exceptionally aware of different forms of bullying and say that cyber- bullying or racism, in particular, are extremely uncommon. They say that behaviour is excellent in their lessons and that behaviour strategies are used effectively, so that the few pupils who find managing their own behaviour difficult respond well to a consistent approach and clear guidance. They feel exceptionally safe and know that other pupils in their ‘nurture group’, as well as the teachers and other adults in school, will help with any problems if they arise. They are extremely proud of the actions they have initiated to improve aspects of school life, including their input into improvements to the playground, the development of the school news report, and the money they raise for charities, especially in Kenya. Attendance is average and improving rapidly.

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Leadership and management

The excellent leadership of the headteacher is the dominant factor in the school’s success. She is involved in teaching and marking, modelling excellent practice and epitomising her uncompromising belief that all pupils can achieve highly. With the leadership team, she has focussed on improving the curriculum and the quality of teaching. This has created and maintained high attainment in Year 6 and raised it in Key Stage 1. Leaders have a very clear picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and identify the correct priorities. They employ their own considerable expertise to share excellent practice and to develop programmes of continuing professional development. Accordingly, the school has exceptional capacity for further improvement. Leaders at all levels are fully accountable for progress in their areas. The consistent application of the school’s procedures to create, monitor and evaluate the impact of appropriate interventions is fully embedded, although lesson

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Leadership and management

observations occasionally concentrate on teacher input at the expense of the learning experience for pupils and the progress they make. Data are used well to measure pupils’ attainment and their progress and to enable the swift identification of groups and individuals who need additional support. This has been highly effective in closing any gaps in their learning.

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Leadership and management

The school is exceptionally successful in developing an inclusive ethos and has effective systems for promoting equality of opportunities for all pupils to be successful. It tackles discrimination firmly. Pupils in the support base are extremely well taught and enjoy all the opportunities that the school offers. Safeguarding procedures meet the current government requirements. The school has a range of effective partnerships, for example to provide opportunities in music and sport, and to support pupils who have a range of learning, emotional and behavioural needs and their families. Members of the governing body are highly supportive of the school and play a large part in providing activities in music and gymnastics, as well as offering their expertise in child protection issues. They have excellent procedures to monitor school effectiveness and offer significant challenge.

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Leadership and management

There is a strong emphasis on developing basic skills in English, mathematics and the use of technology, including procedures to develop writing skills in other areas of the curriculum. The curriculum concentrates on a different subject each week so that pupils develop an in-depth understanding of history, geography, science and religious education, as well as their weekly enjoyment of singing and music. This approach promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development alongside well-planned enrichment activities, including visits to museums, and visits from artists, faith leaders and teachers from Kenya. These help to develop pupils’ exceptionally clear understanding of other faiths and cultures. There are many popular extra-curricular clubs which promote learning and enjoyment in sporting, music, artistic and environmental activities.

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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

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

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Harewood Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JJ

Thank you for making us so welcome when we inspected your school. We particularly enjoyed talking to you about your school and your work and reading your views in the questionnaires some of you filled in. We were impressed with your excellent behaviour and by your politeness and the excellent care you show for one another. We also enjoyed your impressive singing and artwork and your success in music and table tennis competitions. Your school takes outstanding care of you so that you feel exceptionally safe in school. Most of you attend school very regularly – well done!

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Inspection of Harewood Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JJ

You go to an outstanding school and your headteacher and the governing body know how to make it even better. You told me that you look forward to coming to school because you like your teachers, lessons where you are actively engaged, lunch-time and after-school clubs and visits. Your parents and carers like the school very much.

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Inspection of Harewood Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JJ

In order to help you enjoy even more excellent lessons, we are asking your teachers to make sure that:   you always have enough opportunities to find things out for yourselves and to apply your skills in real life situations, particularly in mathematics  you have clear advice about how to improve your work and time to act upon that advice.

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Inspection of Harewood Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JJ

You can help by continuing to do your best and continuing to attend regularly. We wish you every success in the future.

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Inspection of Harewood Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JJ

Gordon Potter 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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