Cliffe Hill Community Primary School

School report Cliffe Hill Community Primary School Stoney Lane, Lightcliffe, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8TW

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Inspection dates 28 February–1 March 2013

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching is not yet consistently good enough to secure good progress across the school. While pupils make good progress in some groups, it is slower in others where teaching is less strong.   Standards by the end of Year 6 vary because of the inconsistent quality of teaching. Not enough pupils reach the higher levels in national tests because not enough staff make good use of information on pupils’ progress to set work at a level that challenges them to do their best.   Opportunities for pupils to respond to the teachers’ marking of their work are inconsistent across the school.  Teachers’ lesson introductions and explanations are sometimes too long and there is not enough time for pupils to learn and find out things for themselves in lessons.  Sometimes pupils are not given clear enough guidance to improve their reading and this slows the pace of their learning.  Not all leaders have enough involvement in

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

monitoring provision so that they can play a bigger part in driving improvement, especially in teaching. Teachers have not always been set sharp enough targets to help them improve.  In the past, the governing body has not held the leadership team enough to account.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is tackling its shortcomings.  Standards in writing have risen steadily and are predicted to improve further.  Pupils from all backgrounds are warmly welcomed and the school makes sure that those who need the most help get it, so that they make at least expected progress.  The behaviour of the pupils is good and at times exemplary. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school and that they feel safe.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons or part lessons of which two were joint observations with the headteacher and heard a sample of pupils read from most year groups.  Inspectors had discussions with pupils, looked at a wide range of their work and examined the school’s data on pupils’ attainment and progress.  Meetings were held with representatives of the governing body, senior and middle leaders and with a local authority representative.  Inspectors took account of the 12 responses to the online Parent View survey, discussions with parents, the few parents’ letters to inspectors and 24 staff responses to inspectors.  They observed the school’s work and looked at a broad selection of documents, including plans for improvement, safeguarding arrangements, records relating to behaviour and attendance and the minutes of the governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Mark Colley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sheila Kaye Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Cliffe Hill Community School is a smaller-than-average primary school. Pupil numbers have been increasing significantly in the past year and the proportion of pupils joining the school part way through key stages is well above average  Most pupils are White British. A lower-than-average proportion of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and this is also the case for pupils that speak English as an additional language.  A well above-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding to the school. The funding is based on the number of children looked after by the local authority, from forces’ families and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The percentage of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported by school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils who require extra help and are supported by school action plus or with

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Information about this school

a statement of special educational needs is well above average.  The school hosts a specially resourced provision for Key Stage 2 pupils who are diagnosed as having autistic spectrum disorder. There are currently five pupils on roll in this provision.  Since the last inspection, the school has moved into a new purpose-built building. There have been significant changes to leadership and teaching staff. With the exception of the headteacher, the majority of teachers and middle leaders are new to their positions since the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching is consistently good and increase the percentage of outstanding lessons by:  increasing opportunities for pupils to respond to teachers’ marking of their work so that they can practise and improve their skills  reducing the time teachers spend introducing lessons so that learning starts more promptly and pupils can apply skills and knowledge sooner.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards so that a greater proportion of pupils reach higher levels by:  using information on pupils’ progress to make sure that pupils, particularly the most able, are given work that is at the right level to stretch them  improving pupils’ phonics skills (the knowledge of letters and the sounds they make) and ensuring that reading materials are set at the right level, and that progress is increased by opportunities for pupils to read aloud in school to adults or their peers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the management of the school by leaders and members of the governing body by:  ensuring that responsibility for monitoring provision is shared more widely so that leaders at all levels can play a greater part in securing improvement in attainment and teaching, and by sharpening teachers’ performance targets  further increasing the level of challenge from the governing body in order to have a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes more quickly.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of pupils is inconsistent. While most make the expected progress, not enough make consistently good gains in their learning in lessons and over time.  While some pupils achieve well those of higher ability do not always make the progress that they are capable of in English and mathematics.  Nursery and Reception children enter school with basic skills that are lower than those expected for their age. Children get off to a good start and make good progress in all areas of learning. Although development in writing is lower than in other areas, most meet the expected level at the end of the Reception Year. Standards in reading and writing in Year 2 are broadly in line with the national average. In 2012, Year 2 pupils made good progress to reach above the national average in mathematics.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been inconsistent and this is reflected in the significant drop in Year 6 mathematics attainment in 2012. Recent assessment information and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

pupils’ work in Year 6 and across Key Stage 2 shows that pupils’ progress is beginning to quicken in all subjects and particularly in writing. Currently, there are no consistent differences in the pupils’ achievement at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing or mathematics. The large numbers of pupils who have joined the school recently across all year groups make expected progress but those who have been with the school since Reception or Nursery make the strongest progress.  Most pupils are fluent readers by Year 6 but lower-attaining pupils sometimes have gaps in their phonics knowledge. Some pupils lack the strategies to read and understand more complex new words. Pupils can name their favourite author but are not able to explain why they like that author’s style of writing or why they prefer one author to another. Pupils have good opportunities to read independently but opportunities to read with adults or peers in school are

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

not contributing enough to pupils’ progress and knowledge of texts and books.  Additional funding received by the school in the form of the pupil premium has been used effectively to provide extra support for pupils in lessons, in small group work and on a one-to- one basis. It has provided access to school trips and to a range of after-school enrichment clubs. Consequently, there are no consistent gaps in the attainment of pupils eligible for free school meals compared to other groups and they make progress similar to their peers.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers. Pupils with autistic spectrum disorder, in the specialist resourced provision, make good progress. Specialist staff are very knowledgeable about these pupils’ progress and ensure activities are well matched and adapted to their needs.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The majority of teaching is securing adequate progress for most pupils. However, the quality of teaching is not yet consistently good enough to ensure pupils make good progress or to raise standards in the school.  Teachers do not consistently encourage pupils to use their phonics when reading and teachers do not always ensure that reading materials used in class are appropriate for individual pupils’ ability. At times this slows their progress. Pupils enjoy reading with adults in school and opportunities to do this are too infrequent.  The marking of pupils’ work has been successfully improved by a recent focus on this aspect for the whole school. Staff carry this out diligently and make clear to pupils what they need to do to improve, although time is not always allocated to ensure pupils consistently make these improvements.  Support staff are used appropriately to help groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

those with special educational needs. This ensures that their personal development is well supported and they make at least expected progress.  In the most effective lessons, teachers have high expectations of learning and behaviour. They make good use of questioning to refine, extend and test pupils’ learning. Adults provide good support for pupils who need extra help by breaking down learning into smaller steps. They set more demanding tasks for those who are more-able and provide interesting opportunities for all pupils to practise new skills.  In the weakest lessons, teachers’ explanations are too long and this means that pupils, particularly the more-able pupils, do not have enough time to work on their own and to think for themselves. Information about pupils’ attainment and progress is not always used to plan lessons that are matched to pupils’ individual learning needs. As a result opportunities to

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

accelerate their progress are missed.  Specialist support staff for those pupils with the autistic spectrum disorder have a good impact on their learning. They have strong relationships with pupils and parents, ensuring that resources and learning activities are well adapted to pupils’ needs. This enables them to take a full part in all activities.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage there is a good balance between adult-led activities and those that children choose for themselves. Adults interact well with children’s play and interventions help to move learning on at a good pace. They use children’s interests effectively and plan activities that help to develop their speaking and listening skills at a good rate. Opportunities for children to develop their early literacy and numeracy skills outside are not as strong as those within the classroom.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most parents are pleased with behaviour at school. Inspectors found that pupils are friendly and polite and pupils of all ages and backgrounds work and play in harmony.  Behaviour is often good in lessons and around the school because staff continually praise, reward and reinforce good behaviour and attitudes. Although attendance is still below average it is improving and the school’s supportive work with some families is reducing the numbers of pupils persistently absent from school.  Pupils feel safe in school and are well informed around issues of safety. For example, they are fully aware of the potential dangers when using the internet and of the importance of not letting strangers into the building.  Pupils with behavioural difficulties are supported sensitively and improve their social skills so that disruption to learning is rare.  Pupils have a secure understanding of what bullying is and know about its different forms, such

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

as cyber-bullying and name-calling. School records indicate that bullying is rare, and there are clear procedures in the school to deal with issues should they arise.  Pupils take the responsibilities they are given very seriously. School councillors are very proud of the role they play in improving the school and they consult sensibly with their classmates.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because the pace of change since the previous inspection has been steady rather than rapid. Numerous changes to teaching and leadership staff have hindered the school’s impact in driving up standards and the quality of teaching.  The school currently has no deputy headteacher and the majority of middle leaders are relatively new to their roles. These new leaders have a limited involvement currently in monitoring provision so that they can increase their contribution to improving the progress of pupils in all classes and to school improvement.  School self-evaluation is accurate. Pupils’ progress is accelerating at a good rate in some year groups and this has been particularly the case for writing. The quality of marking is more consistent and effective and strategies to improve attendance have been successful. This demonstrates that the school has the capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The half-termly checks on pupils’ attainment and progress are recorded and analysed systematically by the headteacher. The headteacher observes lessons and discusses each pupil’s progress with their class teachers. Teachers are asked to explain if any pupil is underachieving. The headteacher uses this performance information to advise the governing body whether individual teachers should be paid more but needs to use it more consistently to set individual performance targets for teachers.  The local authority has provided effective support for the school in the past particularly linked to last year’s decline in Year 6 mathematics standards. The local authority has also arranged additional leadership support until the school can appoint a new deputy headteacher.  T he curriculum is interesting, engaging and effectively supports pupils’ creativity as well as their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils love their lessons and learn important

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The leadership and management requires improvement

values such as trust and respect. Strong partnerships enhance the activities pupils have access to and ensure pupils with the greatest need and vulnerability receive appropriate help and support.  The governance of the school:  Governors have strengthened their role in supporting and challenging the school since the previous inspection. Recent training has been beneficial in helping them to understand their responsibilities more clearly and they are now beginning to carry these out effectively. Consequently, they are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the quality of teaching and about the school’s performance in comparison with others. Governors visit the school regularly and challenge the school to improve its performance, though written records of their discussions in holding the school to account are not as thorough as they could be. They are becoming more sharply focused on teaching and its effectiveness on pupils’ learning but do

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The leadership and management requires improvement

not always use the information they have to challenge the school and to make decisions around teachers’ pay. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They provide good challenge around financial issues and are involved in deciding how the pupil premium should be spent and checking it has the desired impact. The governing body ensures that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 107525 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 400915

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 180 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Scott Headteacher Lindsay Lomas Date of previous school inspection 6 July 2010 Telephone number 01422 202086 Fax number 01422 205286 Email address admin@cliffehill.calderdale.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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

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School details

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School details

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

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