Luddenden CofE School

Age group 3-11 Inspection date(s) 11-12 July 2012 Inspection number 377596 Luddenden Dene CE (VC) Junior Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 107541 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 377596 Inspection dates 11-12 July 2012 Lead inspector John Young HMI

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tony Hillyard Headteacher Lisa Hoyle Date of previous school inspection 15-16 April 2010 School address Dene View Luddendenfoot Halifax HX2 6PB Telephone number 01422 886353 Fax number 01422 886354 Email address admin@luddendendene.calderdale.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.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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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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Introduction

John Young Her Majesty’s Inspector Pamela Hemphill Additional Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Most of the inspectors’ time was spent in classrooms judging the impact of teaching, assessing pupils’ work, talking to pupils about their learning, and to staff, about pupils’ progress. Inspectors visited every class and every teacher in the school at least twice which amounted to 21 lesson observations. Inspectors observed assemblies and listened to pupils read. Inspectors also conducted several joint lesson observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Inspectors also scrutinised pupils’ behaviour at social times and evaluated incident records. Inspectors held meetings and discussions with a range of staff, groups of pupils and representatives of the governing body. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of other evidence, such as development plans, safeguarding arrangements and self-evaluation documents. They

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Introduction

evaluated questionnaire responses from 50 parents and carers, 100 pupils and 13 staff.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller in size than most primary schools nationally. Most pupils are White British and live locally. The remaining small numbers of pupils originate from a range of minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is similar to the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at School Action Plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is lower than national averages. These needs range from moderate learning difficulties to speech language and communication needs and behaviour, emotional and social difficulties. The school also provides a range of extended services, such as family learning courses. The school meets the current floor standards which set the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

When the school was inspected in April 2010, it was judged to require special measures. Since then one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and additional inspectors have visited the school five times to monitor its progress. 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

 Inspection evidence confirms the school’s self-evaluation that it provides pupils with a satisfactory and improving quality of education. The school is not yet good because outcomes and the quality of provision are not yet consistently good. In accordance with section 13 (5) of the education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. 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

 Leaders’ good direction of teaching, effective management of performance and a raft of successful improvement measures have enabled the school to tackle the deep-rooted weaknesses that have afflicted it. The influence of governance is good and local authority support has been effective. Leaders know they must sustain this momentum of progress if the school is to improve further.

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Key findings

 Achievement is satisfactory and improving. This is reflected in children’s suitable progress during the Early Years Foundation Stage, and the satisfactory rate of progress pupils make between Key Stages 1 and 2. It is also shown by pupils’ average and rising attainments in English and mathematics. However, pupils’ achievement in writing lags behind their prowess in reading and mathematics.

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Key findings

 The impact of teaching is satisfactory and improving. Although there is currently much good teaching, it is satisfactory in quality overall because it has led to pupils’ satisfactory rather than good achievement. The school accepts that refinements can be made to increase the effectiveness of teaching.

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Key findings

 A minority of parents and carers and pupils expresses concerns about standards of behaviour. However, inspection evidence indicates that pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour and safety are good overall. Nevertheless, inspectors have asked the school to improve the behaviour of the handful of pupils who cause occasional disruption.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Building on the improvements already secured raise pupils’ achievement so that it is consistently good throughout the school by: - increasing the effectiveness of strategies to raise attainment in writing during the Early Years Foundation and Key Stages 1 and 2 - ensuring that pupils meet challenging targets that will enable them to make better progress than all pupils nationally when set against their starting points, in all subjects by the end of Key Stage 2 - raising pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the quality of teaching so that it has a consistently good impact on pupils’ learning and progress over time by: - increasing the consistency with which teaching systematically develops all pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key concepts and skills securely and quickly in all lessons and subjects - refining approaches to stretching and challenging all pupils so that they make more rapid progress - sharing and embedding the most effective teaching practices in the school so that they become the norm.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Address the negative perceptions that a minority of parents and carers and pupils holds about the extent of bad behaviour that exists in the school by: - communicating more effectively how well the school promotes good standards of behaviour among the very large majority of pupils - improving the behaviour of the very small minority of pupils who occasionally cause disruptive incidents.

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Achievement of pupils

Inspectors observed pupils acquiring, developing and applying their knowledge and understanding increasingly well across a range of subjects and in different contexts. Most pupils read fluently, have sound comprehension skills, and write accurately and expressively. They are curious about the world around them. They know how well they are doing and what they must do to improve further, aided by individual target sheets in their books, regular self-, peer-, and staff-assessment and feedback and evaluative marking. As a result, they are being suitably prepared for the next stage of their education. A sea change in expectations and approaches to teaching, the curriculum, pupils’ support and guidance and the use of data have all contributed to pupils’ improving achievement and enjoyment of learning. Pupils can sustain their concentration for long periods and discuss their thoughts and ideas with confidence.

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Achievement of pupils

They show resilience when problem-solving and working as a team. But the school knows that it must increase the impact of strategies to raise standards in writing across the school, boost attainment in English and mathematics at Key Stage 1, which was below average in 2012, and promote good achievement at Key Stage 2.

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Achievement of pupils

Most parents and carers who returned the questionnaire believe that their children make good progress. To test this out, inspectors examined several performance indicators, such as pupils’ progress in lessons, the school’s tracking data and the 2012 national test results for Year 6 and Year 2 pupils, alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. This analysis indicates that pupils’ achievement, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and those known to be eligible for free school meals is satisfactory and improving in each phase of learning in the school, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is reflected in all Year 6 pupils making the expected two levels of progress in English and mathematics during Key Stage 2, and pupils joining and leaving the school with average attainment. Pupils’ attainment in reading by the end of Key Stage 1 is average, improving to

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Achievement of pupils

higher than average by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils were underachieving but the school has accelerated their progress in all subjects over the past 20 months and closed the deficits that had opened between their attainments and national age- related expectations.

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Quality of teaching

Most parents and carers believe that teaching is good and inspectors found teaching was good during the inspection. However, performance indicators confirm the cumulative effect of the teaching pupils have received over time is only satisfactory. Staff accept that for teaching to improve further they must ensure that all pupils, including the most- and least-able, are suitably challenged, and that the best practices, including rapid development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key concepts and skills are the norm. Even so, teaching has developed significantly since the previous inspection and staff have responded well to the support, challenge and guidance they have had to increase their effectiveness. They are knowledgeable, confident and competent in their planning and delivery and this had enabled pupils to recover lost ground in their learning caused by their previous underachievement.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils respond well to the acquisition of key skills and the more active learning approach staff are adopting, which allows them to improvise, collaborate, and lead their own learning. Reading is taught well and pupils blend, segment and sound out letters when attempting unfamiliar words. Staff promote a challenging, focused and supportive climate for learning. Lessons are punctuated by chances for pupils to be creative, independent and apply their understanding in a practical way. This happened when pupils assumed the persona of a Second World War evacuee and recounted their experiences. It was also evident when Year 1 pupils immersed themselves in their Great Fire of London topic, where they constructed fire engines and provided eye-witness accounts of the fire. Similarly, Year 2 pupils raced to solve the puzzle of how to build an electric circuit that would light a bulb. Teaching assistants supported pupils well during the inspection. Less effective practice

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Quality of teaching

included an absence of the aspects identified above. Assessment procedures are sound.

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Quality of teaching

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage benefit from a range of engaging and teacher-led and independent learning activities which build on and extend their skills and dispositions. Work to: sharpen assessment and planning; mirror the quality of indoor learning outdoors; strengthen links with parents and carers; integrate new staff; and build on strengths in teaching and learning has been effective.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspectors found the school to be a welcoming place with a caring and inclusive atmosphere. Pupils say they are happy and feel safe, a view endorsed by their parents and carers in their questionnaire responses. Inspectors believe pupils’ sense of security is aided by the good support and guidance they receive, including those deemed more vulnerable. Pupils are aware of potential dangers and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils’ satisfaction with the school is reflected in their above average attendance and the fact that very few of them are persistently absent. Inspectors found that almost all pupils have good attitudes to learning and regulate their own conduct during lessons and at social times. They respond positively to the school’s behaviour management procedures and generally relate and interact well with each other. Effective measures have been taken to tackle all forms of bullying and an examination of detention and exclusion records indicate that instances of

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

racist, homophobic and cyber-bullying are rare and falling. Inspectors found pupils to be well-mannered, polite and respectful of staff and the school environment.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents, carers and pupils who responded to the questionnaire hold mixed views about the quality of behaviour. Inspectors conclude that while behaviour is not yet consistently exemplary, the key indicators illustrate that the strength of these concerns are not well founded and that pupils’ behaviour and safety are typically good overall. However, staff recognise that the challenging behaviour of a small number of pupils can present a different perception. Staff understand that they must become more effective in moderating and eradicating these pupils’ occasional disruptive outbursts.

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Leadership and management

Senior leaders, with effective support and challenge from the local authority and governors, have unequivocally proven their good impact and capacity to improve the school further by masterminding the school’s emergence from special measures. Their single-mindedness, vision and strategic direction has increased the quality of teaching, raised achievement and created a broader and more balanced curriculum. It has also tackled previously identified weaknesses. Leaders have instilled ambition and raised expectations by holding staff rigorously to account for the quality of their work and offering suitable professional development which has developed a shared commitment to improving the school. Leaders’ self-evaluation is accurate and they appreciate the need to continue monitoring and reviewing all aspects of their work in order to refine their practice and enhance the quality of education they offer pupils.

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Leadership and management

The school’s work to enrich, integrate and better match the curriculum to pupils’ needs and interests has improved their enjoyment and engagement in learning. Whilst the focus is on English and mathematics, several other subjects are explored through a series of themes. For example, the Year 5 and Year 6 study of advertising resulted in them building a film studio and making an advert to promote a product. In the process they utilised their art, script-writing and design skills, amongst others. Activities like this help to bring learning to life for pupils. A range of visits and visitors adds an extra dimension and broadens pupils’ outlooks and perspectives. These, together with themed assemblies, circle time and leadership opportunities help to ensure pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is promoted well. The school has forged a partnership with a consortium of local schools to extend the

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Leadership and management

range of opportunities available to pupils.

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Leadership and management

The strategic influence of governance has grown significantly and is now good. Governors discharge their duties effectively and through their standards and effectiveness committee robustly monitor and critically evaluate the school’s performance, aided by first-hand knowledge from visits, training, and external advice and guidance. They also fulfil a ‘gate keeper’ role by checking the school’s compliance with safeguarding regulations. Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements with sound procedures for the safer recruitment of staff, child protection, risk assessment and site security.

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Leadership and management

The suitable steps taken to promote equality and tackle discrimination are evident in the positive relationships between pupils from different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds and the school’s efforts to challenge any form of discrimination. Most parents and carers who completed the questionnaire were positive about the school’s work, appreciate the family learning opportunities available and would recommend it to others. Inspectors examined the concerns of those that were unhappy, but found little evidence to corroborate the extent of their fears. Nevertheless, they have asked staff to improve the behaviour of the small minority of pupils who occasionally cause disruption and prove these incidents are not rife.

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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. Inspection report: Luddenden Dene CE (VC) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 11-12 July 2012 10 of 12

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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. Inspection report: Luddenden Dene CE (VC) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 11-12 July 2012 11 of 12

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

Thank you for being polite and helpful to the inspectors when we visited recently. We learned a lot from observing your lessons and talking with you. We read with interest the views you, and your parents and carers expressed in the questionnaires.

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

After studying all the evidence, we found that your school has improved in lots of ways since it was last inspected and now offers you a satisfactory and improving education. As a result, we have taken the school out of special measures. I’m sure this news will delight you, because you told us how much you enjoy school. The signs that your school has got better include your higher attainment and the faster progress you are making in your subjects, and the improved teaching you receive. It also includes the curriculum changes which have enabled you to study a range of interesting topics, be more creative and independent, go on exciting trips, have more visitors come into school and take part in various out of school activities.

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

Your attendance is above average and you feel safe, but some of you are frustrated by the poor behaviour of some of your classmates. We believe that almost all pupils’ behaviour is good, but agree that a few of you can let yourselves down occasionally. The school’s efforts to develop your social, moral, spiritual and cultural awareness are good. You should be proud of the positions of responsibility you hold and your fundraising for charity. The youngest children in your school make satisfactory progress during their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage unit because of the diverse curriculum, suitable teaching and helpful support and guidance they receive.

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

The school’s leadership and governance are good and have masterminded the school’s improvement to date. In order for the school to improve further, we have asked them to improve the quality of teaching so that your achievement is higher. We also want them to resolve the concerns you and your parents and carers have about behaviour.

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

You can play your part by continuing to work hard and attending school regularly. I am a little sad I will not be visiting you again, but I hope all your dreams come true!

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

John Young Her Majesty's Inspector Inspection report: Luddenden Dene CE (VC) Junior Infant and Nursery School, 11-12 July 2012 12 of 12

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Luddendenfoot, HX2 6PB

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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