Queensway Primary School

Queensway Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 26–27 June 2012 Inspection number 377656 Unique Reference Number 107858 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 377656 Inspection dates 26–27 June 2012 Lead inspector Derek Pattinson

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Educati on 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 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrew Mottram Acting Headteacher Alun Davies Date of previous school inspection 24 November 2008 School address Coppice Wood Avenue Yeadon Leeds LS19 7LF Telephone number 01943 874925 Fax number 01943 874925 Email address info@queensway.leeds.sch.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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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

Derek Pattinson Tony Price Additional Inspector Additional Inspector

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors visited 15 lessons taught by nine teachers. In addition, they held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and pupils. Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents including: the school development plan; a recent local authority school evaluation; safeguarding policies and records; assessment information; attendance information, and pupils’ work in all classes. The 77 questionnaires responses from parents and carers were analysed, as were those from staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average and the number of children who speak English as an additional language is very small. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is average, as is the proportion who are supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. The school meets the current floor standard, which sets the governments’ minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The school has Artsmark and Active School award and has gained the Stephen Lawrence Standard. The current headteacher has been seconded to work for the local authority. As a result, the deputy headteacher is currently the acting headteacher. 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 good school. It is not yet outstanding because, although most teaching is good and leads to pupils’ overall good performance, some satisfactory teaching remains and, where this occurs, progress slows.

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Key Findings

 Most pupils make good progress from starting points that are below those expected for their age. Progress in reading, writing and mathematics is mostly good as pupils move through Years 1 to 6. As a result, attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is average.   Teaching is good overall. In almost all lessons, teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge, often through lively and enthusiastic presentations which provide a successful platform for effective learning. In a small number of satisfactory lessons, there are shortcomings. For example, time for pupils’ independent work is restricted and work is not always at the right level of challenge, which slows progress. The layout of the outdoor area limits the development of physical skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. Most pupils show great interest in their work and undertake assigned tasks with enthusiasm, especially when lessons are fun. Their enjoyment of school is shown by their above average attendance. Pupils feel secure in school and know how to keep themselves safe.

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Key Findings

 The effectiveness of leadership and management is good . A ‘quest for quality’ and the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are at the heart of the school’s work. Morale is high and teamwork strong. Priorities for development are the right ones and are rigorously pursued. Systems for tracking pupils’ progress are fully established. The management of performance is good overall. However, the leadership of teaching is not focused enough on how well pupils learn in lessons. Although communication with parents and carers is good, a minority hold negative views.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eliminate the small amount of satisfactory teaching and ensure that the mostly good teaching becomes outstanding in order to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise standards further by: - restricting the time spent on lesson introductions and explanations so pupils have enough time to practise their skills and apply their knowledge - ensuring that work given to pupils is always at the right level of challenge - ensuring that pupils know their targets, have clear steps to success linked to their learning and that marking and feedback clearly show pupils what they need to do to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the good leadership and management further by: - building on the good work already started to ensure that observations of teaching focus more on how pupils learn rather than on how teachers teach - improving communication with a minority of parents and carers who hold negative views.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the outdoor area for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to more effectively meet their needs.

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Achievement of pupils

Most groups of pupils make better progress than similar groups nationally in English and mathematics. As a result, achievement is good because of the predominantly good teaching and provision. This view is endorsed by most parents and cares who returned the questionnaires.

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Achievement of pupils

Progress is mostly good across all phases but is occasionally satisfactory. It is best where teaching is consistently good, for example, in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where activities stimulate children’s imagination and interest. For instance, children made sandwiches for their journey to the moon and built volcanoes with play dough. However, the outdoor area does not fully meet the needs of the children and there are limited opportunities for children to develop physical skills because of the layout. In Year 5, pupils make very good progress in writing impressive poems using similes and metaphors, while Year 3 pupils compile high quality verses using alliteration. As a result, standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 are in line with national levels and progress is accelerating.

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Achievement of pupils

Language skills are often low when children start school. However, the Early Years Foundation Stage gives priority to their acquisition. Pupils read increasingly for pleasure and information. For example, Year 1 pupils read confidently to the whole class, while Year 5 pupils research information from the internet about the history of the Olympic Games. As a result of the high profile given to reading, with regular support to help pupils understand the stories they read, standards are approaching national expectations by the end of Year 2. Pupils comfortably reach national levels by the end of Year 6 with most becoming independent readers who read increasingly expressively, fluently, accurately and with understanding.

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Achievement of pupils

Although few pupils reach the higher levels in writing, progress is accelerating because of a recent focus. As a result, pupils increasingly write for a range of purposes, such as biographies, play scripts, advertisements and instructions, and achievement is good.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching, including the teaching of reading and writing, is good. This judgement is in accord with most parents' and carers’ views. It is best where lively and enthusiastic presentations, supported by carefully chosen resources and based on planning which meets the needs of all abilities, inspire pupils to learn well. These strong features were seen in a mathematics lesson in Year 3, where there was a buzz of excitement as pupils used a range of practical resources to help them identify and measure angles and in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where a group of children were making a video discussing Olympic values.

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Quality of teaching

Lessons are typified by strong relationships and much use of encouragement which underpin learning. Teachers know their pupils well and, as a result, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. Support staff are sensitively deployed, which helps to ensure that pupils with special educational needs make similarly good progress to their classmates.

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Quality of teaching

In a small number of lessons judged satisfactory, pupils have too little time for independent work because introductory sessions are too long and complex, work is not at the right level of challenge and pupils are not clear how to succeed to help them make best possible progress. These features, for instance, were seen in a Year 4 mathematics lesson on measuring angles using protractors.

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Quality of teaching

Feedback to pupils, such as, through the marking of their work, does not always help them to make the best possible progress, for example, through regular reference to their targets or to their steps to success, which are sometimes not linked to learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Typical comments about ‘the inclusive nature of the school’ and ‘the friendly approachable staff’ help to explain the strong relationships which underpin pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Most pupils clearly enjoy coming to school, which helps to explain their above average attendance and punctual arrival each day.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Leaders have worked hard to develop strategies for managing behaviour, which are applied consistently. As a result, the occasional inappropriate behaviour of a small number of pupils does not impinge on the learning of others. For example, the blue room is used as an effective sanction to help improve behaviour. Pupils understand why merits and sanctions are applied and agree that these are fair.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Assemblies and class discussions reinforce the importance of working together and contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As a result, pupils have a strong moral code, know right from wrong and are aware of the impact their actions have on others. They cooperate well in lessons, such as through the use of talk partners, a strategy used to promote discussion in lessons. Pupils develop independence and maturity, for example, through the recent residential visit to an adventure centre.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Serious incidents of bullying are rare as the school goes to great lengths to establish an anti- bullying culture. Nevertheless, a minority of parents and carers think that the standard of behaviour in school is not good enough, believing that lessons are sometimes disrupted and that inappropriate behaviour is not always dealt with effectively. However, inspectors found no evidence from behaviour records or from pupils’ views that disruption to learning is a significant issue. Pupils are confident that they know who to approach on the rare occasions that bullying occurs and are aware of the different forms of bullying. Most pupils feel safe in school, a view supported by parents and carers.

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Leadership and management

Key features of the acting headteacher’s effective leadership include the ability to enthuse others, to promote good team spirit, to sustain high morale and support professional development and performance management. Under his leadership, a quest for quality is being vigorously pursued and the school’s capacity to sustain improvement is good. He is well supported by senior leaders whose complementary skills ensure that priorities for development are the right ones to help the school move forward. Systems to track pupils’ progress are well understood so that targeted and timely support can be provided, as needed.

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Leadership and management

Subject leaders welcome the increase in responsibilities they are given and are becoming increasingly effective in the drive to accelerate progress. Issues from the last inspection have been tackled decisively. The governing body increasingly holds the school to account for what it achieves. Staff changes since the last inspection have been managed effectively. School self-evaluation by leaders is grounded in accurate analysis. These positive features are helping to bring about improvement.

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Leadership and management

The monitoring of most aspects of the school’s work is rigorous and regular. However, a current focus by senior leaders on how pupils learn rather than on how teachers teach when undertaking monitoring of teaching observations is at an early stage. Its impact is yet to be fully felt on teachers’ practice. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and is given strong emphasis through the school’s curriculum, which is well supported through numerous enrichment activities and after-school clubs. Topics start with a ‘wow’ experience to stimulate pupils’ imagination and promote much enjoyment and successful learning.

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Leadership and management

Safeguarding meets requirements. Policies and procedures are fully understood and implemented consistently. The school promotes equality of opportunity well. Discrimination in any form is not tolerated and this contributes to the largely harmonious community. Communication with parents and carers is regular and informative. Nevertheless, a minority hold negative views about the standard of behaviour, believing that lessons are sometimes disrupted and that they are not kept well informed.

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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 Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

Thank you for your friendly welcome and for sharing your views of the school by talking to the inspectors and returning the questionnaires. We really enjoyed our visit. Many of you told us that you go to a good school and we agree with you! Here are some of the positive things about your school.

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Inspection of Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

 You make good progress as you move through the school.  Most of you behave well, are keen to learn and work and play happily together.  The curriculum is good and you enjoy your lessons and after-school activities.  Teaching is good and you like your teachers and other adults.  All staff provide good care so that you are safe in school.  The leaders of the school do a good job.

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Inspection of Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

Here are the most important things we have asked your headteacher and teachers to do to make your school even better.

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Inspection of Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

 Ensure all lessons are at least good by making sure that teachers give you enough time to work on your own, that work always challenges you and that you know how to improve your work.  Ensure all leaders know as much as possible about how well you are learning so that you are making best possible progress.  Help children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to make even faster progress by improving the area they use for learning outside the classroom.

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Inspection of Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

We wish you all the best and hope you continue to try hard and enjoy your learning.

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Inspection of Queensway Primary School, Leeds, LS19 7LF

Derek Pattinson 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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