Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School

Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School Wakefield Road, Flushdyke, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 9AN

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils of all abilities make good progress from their starting points, achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is good because adults create a very positive atmosphere for learning which often involve pupils extremely well in practical activities that they find meaningful and enjoyable. The result is good learning.  Pupils are polite, extremely friendly and generally behave well. They say they feel safe and that adults care well for them.  The school is well led and managed. Its priority is to improve teaching further so that learning is outstanding. Teaching that does not meet the highest standards is addressed successfully and so teaching, and the school as a whole, is improving.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are copious amounts of information about the progress of individuals in reading, writing and mathematics. However, this is not summarised in a way that gives leaders and managers, including governors, the clearest possible picture of where, in the school, the impact of teaching falls short of outstanding. This restricts leaders and managers in their efforts to raise the quality of teaching and learning from good to outstanding.  Despite significant teaching strengths, a few weaknesses in some lessons, sometimes related to pace, prevent teaching from being outstanding overall and pupils’ progress from being consistently rapid.  Very effective marking of pupils’ work is not yet consistently in place across the school.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with staff, pupils, a governor, and a representative of the local authority.  He looked at a range of evidence including, the school’s view of its performance , its development plan, information about current pupils’ progress, records of the checks made on teaching, the work pupils were doing in their books and the school’s documentation regarding safeguarding.  Teaching and learning were observed in five lessons or part lessons, across all year groups. Four teachers were observed teaching.  The inspector met parents informally at the start of the school day to gather their views of the school, and account taken of the 14 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspector analysed the 16 questionnaires completed by school staff.

p.2

Inspection team

David Matthews, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A below-average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from families in the armed forces and for those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs and supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Pupils identified with special educational needs account for approximately a quarter of all pupils. Some have specific needs and several travel some distance to the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

p.3

Information about this school

 The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club that were part of the inspection.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding and thereby further increase pupils’ achievement by:  carefully summarising the information about individual pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics, so that leaders and managers, including governors, have a clear overview of where the impact of teaching is less than outstanding on different age groups and subjects, and act accordingly  ensuring teachers’ instructions in lessons do not extend beyond the limits of pupils’ concentration or at the expense of delaying their involvement in practical activities  making sure lessons always move along at a brisk pace, so promoting pupils’ involvement and rapid learning  ensuring that the examples of high quality marking in writing and mathematics already practiced by some teachers, are shared in order for it to become consistent practice across the school so that pupils always know how to improve their next piece of work, and checking that

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children join the nursery with skills that are below those typical for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly in developing their independence and their social skills, and begin Year 1 with skills that are approaching average for their age.  Pupils’ work in books, their learning in lessons and the school’s information shows that they continue to make good progress from Year 1 to Year 6.  There is no significant variation between the progress of different groups, including those of different ability, or across subjects, because the school ensures equality of opportunity for all.  Progress in reading, writing and mathematics is generally good in most classes, and pupils achieve well. The school’s information shows that some pupils have made particularly good progress in these subjects since September 2012. Pupils learn to apply their writing skills

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

effectively across a range of subjects.  From the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make good gains in developing the skills of linking sounds and letters to help them with their reading.  Year 2 pupils enjoy reading, and confidently talk about fiction and non-fiction. One said she particularly enjoyed non-fiction because she loved making notes on the information she found.  Year 6 pupils generally read widely. One particularly fluent reader described in detail the type of books she preferred, proudly explaining that she did ‘try’ different genres from the local library.  Standards in English and mathematics at the end of the academic years 2011 and 2012 were broadly average for pupils in Year 6. This represented good progress from their starting points, given the proportion of pupils with specific learning needs.  Currently, standards in Year 6 are higher than last year, including the proportion of pupils

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

achieving at the higher Level 5.  Not enough pupils, however, make consistently rapid progress in these subjects in all year groups for progress to be outstanding overall. This is because teaching is not consistently outstanding.  Pupils with special educational needs do as well as other pupils because of the good support they receive.  Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, make equally good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Their attainment is similar to that of their peers. No pupil supported by the pupil premium took the national tests in 2012.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Adults create a very good atmosphere for learning so that pupils say ‘teachers are nice’ and ‘learning is fun’.  In the best lessons, teachers involve pupils in practical tasks that fully motivate them and promote high quality learning. Pupils say they appreciate these activities in different subjects, including science.  Adults give children in the Early Years Foundation Stage ample opportunities to make decisions and to try things out for themselves. One child was proud to show the ‘sparkle box’ that she had created and another how she had written her name.  Teachers use successful ways of deepening pupils’ mathematical understanding, for example, through problem-solving, where pupils need to think creatively to find solutions.  A feature of most teaching is the brisk pace at which teachers and teaching assistants move learning along, especially when questioning pupils about their work, and enabling them to share

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

their accomplishments with others. An example of how this skilled questioning motivates pupils extremely well was observed by the inspector when pupils read the Kennings (poems) that they had composed.  On the rare occasion when the pace of teaching temporarily slows pupils’ usual good concentration falters for a while and progress is not maintained at its otherwise rapid rate. Pupils’ start on tasks is then delayed.  Teachers give pupils clear explanations about what they will learn in each lesson so that they can focus their attention appropriately and this helps pupils to learn well.  Teachers’ marking is typically thorough and detailed and often of high quality. The best examples not only praise the pupils for their efforts and successes, but tell them what to do next to improve their work. When teachers miss opportunities to inform pupils about the next step in learning, or fail to ensure they respond to written comments, progress is not as good as it could

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and extremely friendly.  Attitudes to learning are very good. One pupil proudly said ‘I’m getting to be a better writer’. Where attitudes to learning temporarily fall below this high standard, it is usually linked to teaching that does not fully interest pupils.  Pupils’ good behaviour is strongly supported by the school’s very well established rules, routines and friendly atmosphere.  Parents, staff and pupils are generally pleased with the standard of behaviour and safety in the school.  Pupils say they feel safe at school and they know how to keep themselves safe elsewhere.  They have a good awareness of the different forms of bullying, including internet bullying.  Pupils say that on the rare occasion that bullying occurs in school it is soon ‘sorted out’ by staff. ‘Staff really care about you’ one said.  Pupils behave well at the breakfast club and the after-school club. They enjoy the social aspects

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

of being able to play together. They are proud to explain that they clean their teeth after eating breakfast and they show great care for pupils with special educational needs.  Attendance is average.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The school is held in high regard by most parents.  Committed teamwork is reflected in the pride that staff have in Ossett Flushdyke, in their fulsome support of the headteacher, and in the drive, shared with governors, to make the school as good as possible.  The headteacher has not been afraid to take the necessary action when teaching has fallen short of the expected high standard, so that teaching is good and improving.  Performance management procedures ensure a close match between the needs of individual staff and their training, so that most staff feel well supported by the process.  The school’s procedures for gaining a view of its performance are accurate. As a result, the school has rightly identified, as a priority, the need to improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding.  An extremely rich curriculum includes exciting opportunities for outdoor learning, sport and music. Links with another school effectively broaden pupils’ appreciation of the richness of other

p.5

The leadership and management are good

lifestyles and cultures. Pupils appreciate the visits to places of educational interest.  There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils learn to be sensitive towards one another through supervised massage. In Years 1 and 2, pupils described extremely well how they would feel if they were un-hatched chicks in the class incubator.  Staff know pupils exceptionally well. Ample information about the progress of individual pupils in reading, writing and mathematics adds to this knowledge and ensures the right help is given to pupils who need it, including and especially those identified with special educational needs.  The school is less successful in summarising this data in a way that helps leaders and managers, including governors, to identify precisely where teaching is having a less than outstanding impact, and acting accordingly. This prevents the effectiveness of leaders and managers from

p.5

The leadership and management are good

being of the highest order.  A representative of the local authority provides suitable guidance to the school in its self- evaluation.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors hold the school to account and they are supportive. They ask questions regarding the effectiveness of teaching, and about how the headteacher deals with teaching that falls short of what the school expects. They visit the school to observe pupils’ learning. They have a clear understanding of how pupil premium funding is allocated, and the impact on the achievement of pupils who receive it. They ensure that there is a link between teachers’ salaries and their responsibilities and that performance management is used to reward good performance and tackle underperformance.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 108152 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 412023

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 112 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Jane Lawton Headteacher Mrs Tracey Palk Date of previous school inspection 30 September 2008 Telephone number 01924 302825 Fax number 01924 302852 Email address headteacher@flushdyke.wakefield.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

School details

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9