Grange Moor Primary School

Grange Moor Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 03–04 July 2012 Inspection number 395584 Unique Reference Number 107664 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 395584 Inspection dates 3–4 July 2012 Lead inspector Rosemary Eaton

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 96 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tim Lyles Headteacher Mark Rodgers Date of previous school inspection 5 March 2009 School address Liley Lane Grange Moor Wakefield WF4 4EW Telephone number 01924 326804 Fax number 01924 326804 Email address office.grangemoor@edukirklees.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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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 with two days' notice. The inspector observed seven lessons involving four teachers. Meetings were held with members of the governing body, groups of pupils and staff. The inspector took account of the responses to the online Parent View survey in planning the inspection. She observed the school's work, and looked at a range of documents including samples of pupils’ literacy and numeracy books, the school’s assessment information, records of incidents of poor behaviour, and reports of external evaluations of the school’s performance. The 57 questionnaires returned by parents and carers were read and analysed as were those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is smaller than average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average but is well above average in particular classes. A much smaller than average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The school meets the current floor standards which are the minimum standards expected by the government. At the time of the previous inspection the number on roll stood at 56. Since then another class has been created so Reception- aged children are now taught separately from those in Key Stage 1. The school shares its site with a children’s centre which offers childcare provision. Both are inspected separately by Ofsted and their inspection reports may be found on its website. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

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 there is not enough outstanding teaching for pupils to make consistently rapid progress. Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. By the end of Year 6, pupils are confident and articulate young people. They and their parents and carers think very highly of the school.

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Key Findings

 All groups of pupils achieve well and make good progress in English and mathematics. Pupils use their literacy skills extensively to help them learn in other subjects but have fewer opportunities to apply the numeracy skills they have learned. In the Reception class, progress is faster now than at the time of the previous inspection.

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Key Findings

 Because the headteacher manages performance and leads teaching so effectively, pupils are taught consistently well. Occasionally, teaching is outstanding. Teachers always take great care to plan activities that interest pupils. From time to time, work is not demanding enough for particular pupils or the pace of learning slows during part of the lesson. Although books are marked well, teachers do not always check that pupils have followed their helpful advice.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. Their extremely thoughtful behaviour means that they are all able to concentrate during lessons and need no prompting to work hard. Pupils develop an acute awareness of how to keep safe and encourage others to act responsibly. Bullying is extremely rare.

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Key Findings

 The headteacher ensures that staff and the governing body share his high expectations and ambition for the school and for every pupil. Plans for future developments are based firmly on an accurate overview of the school’s performance. There are excellent enhancements to the curriculum through clubs, visits and visitors to the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

  Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and accelerate progress further by: - developing ways to share outstanding practice among all teachers - ensuring that all groups of pupils are consistently set work that challenges them to work at the highest possible levels - maintaining a rapid pace of learning throughout lessons - making sure that pupils respond to the advice teachers give when books are marked - providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematics skills in lessons across the curriculum. 

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Achievement of pupils

When they join the Reception class, children’s skills vary considerably but are broadly in line with the expectations for children of this age. By the end of Year 6, attainment overall also fluctuates because classes are often very small, just six pupils in Year 6 in 2011. However, attainment in 2011 was broadly average. The small numbers concerned make it difficult to identify trends but it is clear that the proportion of pupils reaching Level 5 is increasing. This year, teachers’ assessments indicate that several pupils have reached the higher Level 6 in English and mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ broadly average attainment does not reflect the gains made by individuals because cohorts are so small. Inspection evidence, which includes the school’s assessment and tracking data, scrutiny of pupils’ books and observations of lessons, leaves no doubt that progress is good. Parents’ and carers’ views provide further endorsement. Developments in the provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have increased rates of progress. Personal, social and emotional development and children’s use of language are particularly strong areas because adults promote these so well throughout all activities.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make good progress in reading to attain broadly average levels in Year 2 and Year 6. The younger pupils, including those attaining lower levels, make good use of letter sounds to tackle unknown words and recognise an increasing number of ‘tricky’ words that do not conform to the usual spelling rules. They enjoy reading and start to develop preferences, for example for non-fiction. By Year 6, pupils’ skills enable them to carry out independent research and to gain pleasure from books.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. Their needs are assessed accurately and provision, such as speech and language therapy or involvement in programmes to develop particular skills, is matched well to individual needs.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. Those in Year 5 and 6 often reflect on their own learning and learn best when working together during practical and investigative work. They say that this is because they get to share ideas and learn from others and although they could get information from books or the internet, ‘it’s more meaningful when you do it yourself’. Pupils take pride in their work and present it most carefully.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers are right to consider that teaching is good. Staff training promotes and achieves a good level of consistency between approaches in different classes. For example, a recent focus on making sure pupils are clear about what they are to learn has led to teachers explaining carefully the criteria by which pupils can judge their own success. In most instances, these expectations are matched accurately to what different groups of pupils need to learn next. Occasionally, they are too general which results in particular groups, such as higher-attaining pupils, not being challenged enough. Marking is consistently good but is not always followed up to make sure pupils act on teachers’ comments.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching assistants make a particularly strong contribution to the good teaching provided for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. For example, during a literacy lesson with Years 3 and 4, the teaching assistant moved on the learning by using questions to check pupils’ understanding and to encourage them to apply their knowledge of letters and sounds and to spell words independently. Importantly, teachers keep a close eye on how well all groups are learning and involve all pupils in whole-class discussions.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils have vivid memories of learning activities they have taken part in, such as recreating how a dam works or dipping for aquatic life in a stream. This is because although teachers’ planning is rooted in what pupils need to learn, topics and lessons take full account of their interests. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were amazed when a teaching assistant interrupted their literacy lesson to declare that she had just seen a dinosaur. Her deliberately vague description of the beast was the starting point for discussions that led to written work rich in exciting vocabulary and similes. In this lesson, the fast pace of learning was maintained throughout. On a few other occasions, particular activities run on for longer than necessary or there is a lack of real urgency so progress is not as rapid as it could be. There are plenty of planned opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy skills across the curriculum but

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Quality of teaching

markedly fewer for the application of numeracy.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers take advantage of opportunities to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are encouraged to empathise with Victorian children or the victims of flooding. The excellent relationships between adults and pupils mean that pupils are ready to share their feelings.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Understandably, pupils, their parents and carers, staff and the governing body have highly positive views about behaviour in the school. In lessons, pupils help each other by listening to differing opinions and sharing resources and ideas. Their ability to work without close supervision and direction is striking. During a mathematics lesson, Year 5 pupils organised a discus competition, using paper plates, to develop their ability to estimate and measure. They worked collaboratively, had great fun and behaved in an exemplary manner. Pupils rise to meet the school’s high expectations of their behaviour and records confirm that lessons proceed without interruption. The school takes active steps to promote caring attitudes. Year 6 pupils created a dinosaur role-play area in the Key Stage 1 classroom, and Reception children were kind and thoughtful when pre-school children were introduced to the class.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils describe some of their friends occasionally ‘getting giddy’ on the playground but in fact they control their natural exuberance extremely well within the very limited space available. ‘Play leaders’ organise games and make sure that no one feels left out. When, most unusually, the school has to take actions to modify the behaviour of an individual these are invariably effective.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are very clear about what constitutes bullying of different types. They are adamant that they are not aware of any, just ‘the odd argument’. Year 5 and 6 pupils created a presentation informing younger ones about bullying and what to do if they have any concerns. Pupils say that because teachers know them so well it makes it easy to talk to them about any troubles. Parents and carers confirm that pupils feel safe. In the Reception class, children begin to learn how to stay safe. The teacher organised a visit by police community support officers to make sure children know exactly how to act if they become separated from their parents when out and about. In other year groups, pupils’ awareness becomes deeper so those in Year 6 are very well informed, for example about internet safety. Attendance is typically above average, because pupils are so happy to come to school.

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Leadership and management

A range of systems provide the headteacher with accurate information about the school’s strengths and areas of relative weakness. Currently, most of the monitoring of teaching and analysis of assessment data is undertaken by the headteacher. However, the governing body has appointed two of the teachers to temporary leadership roles in order to involve more staff in monitoring the school’s work and driving improvement. Information about its performance feeds into plans for the school’s future development, performance management arrangements and training opportunities. Their effectiveness can be seen, for example in improvements to provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in the overall quality of teaching. These in turn provide clear evidence of the school’s good capacity to continue to improve. The leadership is aware of the outstanding practice in some lessons and is seeking ways to share this in order to move good teaching to outstanding.

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Leadership and management

The governing body helps to ensure that safeguarding meets current requirements and gives high priority to staff training. Providing equality of opportunity is central to the school’s work and any form of discrimination or stereotyping is tackled strenuously. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils were at first surprised and then impressed when they noticed that an exciting football match screened during their literacy lesson was between teams of women. The curriculum supports this work being broad and balanced and meeting pupils’ differing needs well. Pupils’ particular gifts or talents are identified and nurtured through events such as opportunities for able writers to work with an author. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is an integral part of the curriculum. Termly ‘arts’ weeks, focused on particular cultures, lead pupils to remark that ‘We’re all the same, even if we have different beliefs’.

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Leadership and management

Other excellent enhancements include residential visits that expose pupils to new experiences such as rock climbing.

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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 Grange Moor Primary School, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

Thank you for being so polite and helpful when I inspected your school. I very much enjoyed my short time with you and have many happy memories, such as hearing your excellent singing during assembly. Yours is a good school. Here are some of the reasons why I made this decision.

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Inspection of Grange Moor Primary School, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

 Your learning and progress are good because you are taught well. Teachers plan interesting lessons that make you want to learn.  Behaviour is outstanding at your school. This means that you are able to get on with your work without interruption. Even though you told me that some of you occasionally get rather ‘giddy’ at playtime, you all have fun, feel safe and enjoy lessons and play.  You learn all the subjects you should but have lots of extra activities such as clubs, visits and visitors to school. You told me how much you enjoyed these.  Your headteacher, the staff and the governors make sure that the school keeps improving. They want the school to be outstanding. To help I have asked them to make sure that the work set for you is always hard enough and that you have plenty of opportunities to practice numeracy skills in other subjects.  Teachers mark your books carefully. I would like them to make sure that you

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Inspection of Grange Moor Primary School, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

follow the advice they give you. You can help by reading and taking notice of their comments.

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Inspection of Grange Moor Primary School, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

The Year 6 pupils said that they feel excited but sad to be leaving. I send them and all the other pupils my very best wishes for the future.

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Inspection of Grange Moor Primary School, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

Rosemary Eaton 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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