Myrtle Park Primary

Myrtle Park Primary School Ash Terrace, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1HB

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.  Children enter the school with skills that are similar to those typically expected for their age. Since the last inspection, pupils have made good progress and leave at the end of Key Stage 2 with levels of attainment well above average in English and above average in mathematics.  The curriculum is good and provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The majority of teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teaching assistants give effective support, using resources and activities well to interest pupils and to ensure they meet objectives.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are confident and polite and have good social skills when speaking to adults and their peers. Pupils say they feel safe in school. Staff and the majority of parents agree.  Attendance is better than the national average. It has increased in each of the last three years and has done so again this year.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher and governors have ensured a clear focus on improving the rates of progress pupils make through better teaching, more accurate tracking of pupils’ progress and by holding staff to account. Achievement this year has improved as a result.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding in order to drive pupils’ progress even more rapidly.  Teachers’ do not always ensure pupils respond to marking so they are clear about what they need to do to improve their work.  Pupils do not have enough opportunity to develop their independence and to manage their own learning.  There are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematics skills in other subjects of the curriculum.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons, two of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils in lessons, at play, as they moved around the school and in assembly.  Discussions were held with staff, the Chair and three other members of the governing body; a representative of the local authority; the improvement adviser to the local improvement partnership; and the headteacher of a school in the local improvement partnership. Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.  Meetings were held with pupils from Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and with members of the school council. Opportunities were taken to speak to children in the Early Years Foundation Stage  Inspectors heard pupils read from Years 2 and 6.  A number of school documents were examined. These included information about pupils’ progress; the school’s view of its own performance; the school’s development plan; and pupils’

p.2

Information about this inspection

work in books. Inspectors scrutinised writing and mathematics work from Year 2 and Year 6 pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 64 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), 19 staff questionnaires, 3 telephone conversations with parents and 3 letters from parents.

p.2

Inspection team

Pamela Hemphill, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Allen Additional Inspector Sue Eland Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Myrtle Park is similar in size to an average-sized primary school.  A smaller than average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for children in local authority care, those from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the last inspection a new headteacher has joined the school. There are slightly more pupils on roll than at the last inspection.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure the proportion of outstanding teaching is increased so that the rate of pupils’ progress is accelerated further by:  ensuring pupils consistently respond to, and implement teachers’ feedback and next steps for learning and that all teachers check how this has moved learning forward as a result  giving pupils more opportunities to develop their independence  increasing the opportunities for pupils to develop, practise and apply their mathematics skills in subjects across the curriculum.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the effect school leaders and teachers have on improving pupils’ performance by ensuring the school’s tracking system and data is used systematically to compare the school’s performance to national averages and to pinpoint accurately where pupils’ progress can be improved further.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ progress is improving strongly and is now good. The majority of parents who responded to the online survey consider their child to be making good progress.  Most children start their education with the knowledge and skills typically expected for their age. Overall they make at least the progress expected in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  As pupils move through Key Stage 1, their progress improves and, over time, attainment at the end of the key stage is above average. The proportion of pupils who achieve higher levels than those expected for their age has improved very strongly, with the greatest improvement in mathematics.  Pupils’ progress in early reading skills is improving well. The proportion of pupils who meet the required standard in the letters and sounds national screening check at the end of Year 1 has risen from below average in 2012 to well above last year’s average in the current Year 1.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is consistently above average. In 2012, results in national tests were strongest in writing. In the current Year 6 pupils are doing well in the development of their reading skills with an improved proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5.The proportion of pupils in Key Stage 2 making more than expected progress from their individual starting points has increased and is now in-line with the proportion who do so nationally although weaker in mathematics than in English.  Pupils with disabilities and special educational needs achieve well. They make similar progress to other pupils because of the good support of teaching assistants.  In 2012, pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, did very well in their learning and they made the same rate of progress as other pupils in English and better progress in mathematics. Their attainment was the same as their

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

classmates in English and was above in mathematics for those attaining the expected Level 4. At the higher Level 5, their attainment was better in both English and mathematics. The school successfully promotes equality of opportunity.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is mostly good and occasionally outstanding and enables pupils to make good progress. As a result of training to improve teachers’ subject knowledge and understanding, the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning continues to improve. In the current year, this is having a particularly strong impact on the teaching of sounds and letters, mathematics in Key Stage 1 and writing throughout the school.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is mainly good and enables children to make choices and to engage in activities inside and outside. Children were excited at the prospect of a trip to find Pete the pirate and made a vehicle for him, practising their fine motor skills and developing their social skills by cooperating with others. Adults modelled good language to promote speaking and listening and children responded to questions as a result.  Lessons throughout the school are mainly well planned. Teachers have high expectations for

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

learning and behaviour, pace is brisk and pupils understand what they are learning and why.  Pupils say they know their targets. Teacher’s explanations are clear and pupils quickly set to work. In a Year 2 English lesson, good feedback on learning from the previous lesson was used to move learning on by engaging pupils in a writing task where they effectively learned how to accurately use inverted commas to show speech in their writing. Pupils listened attentively and understood what they needed to do. Some received good support from a teaching assistant and some worked independently on the interesting task. Because their individual needs were considered well in the teacher’s planning, pupils made very good progress in the development of their independent learning skills. Not enough lessons provide similarly good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.  In a Year 5 mathematics lesson where pupils calculated perimeter and area, they were

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

challenged to solve a problem by calculating the amount of paint required to cover a wall. Application of mathematics however, is not seen often enough in other subjects and is one of the reasons why progress in mathematics is not yet as strong as that in English.  Scrutiny of work in pupils’ books shows teachers high expectations in the quality of presentation, quantity and variety of tasks. Work is well matched to pupils’ needs. A good proportion of pupils are taught at higher levels. Work is often accurately marked and gives good feedback though it is not always clear how pupils have acted on the guidance given and have improved their learning as a result.  The majority of parents who responded to the online survey consider homework to be appropriate. Pupils say they enjoy extended tasks and the use of the school’s learning platform to access interesting work at home.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say behaviour is good and they are safe at their school. Inspectors, the overwhelming majority of parents and all those who completed the staff questionnaire agree. Inspectors saw consistently good behaviour around the school and in the playground. In a few lessons they saw outstanding behaviour when pupils had the opportunity to work with greater independence.  Pupils say bullying is rare in their school. Pupils told inspectors that staff act quickly to stop any poor behaviour. Staff have received anti-bullying training and effectively use a school strategy to improve pupils’ social skills to prevent bullying, name calling and falling out.  Attendance has improved since the last inspection. Pupils come to school ready to learn, they are punctual and have positive attitudes to learning which are reflected in attendance rates that have been above average over time and have risen again this year.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school ensures children are safeguarded and keeps any pupils with behavioural issues fully included in lessons. There have been no exclusions in the last three years.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are kept safe inside and outside. They play well with others and use the equipment safely to enjoy themselves, they say playtime is fantastic.  Pupils willingly accept responsibility in the school. They manage the school council and some older pupils act as play leaders in the playground to support pupils to play together.  Teachers, teaching assistants and other adults are good role models for pupils because they ensure they follow rules and show respect for others. There is good expectation for pupils’ learning, for good behaviour and attendance.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 All those who responded to the staff survey are proud to work at this school.  The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, leaders and governors, have effectively evaluated the school’s strengths and identified areas for improvement, particularly in response to slow progress in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2011. As a result, the school now gives the highest priority and closer attention to the quality of teaching and, the progress pupils make particularly to increase the proportion who make more than expected progress. The school’s planning has clear actions and timescales which are carefully monitored and evaluated.  Teaching is monitored rigorously and accurately through observations by the headteacher and through ‘learning walks’. Teachers have used the Teachers’ Standards to evaluate themselves and are set targets based on their performance. Data from tracking information is used in half-

p.5

The leadership and management are good

termly meetings in which teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their classes. These actions, together with training and work with teachers in other schools in the local improvement partnership, have contributed strongly to the quality of teaching that is now good overall but have not yet ensured that enough teaching is outstanding.  The curriculum has breadth and is enriched by the engaging activities teachers’ plan, their use of good contexts for learning such as a trail for Year 3 pupils to look at the Vikings in local culture, the nursery children’s visit to sail a canal for an adventure to find ‘Pete the pirate’ and a whole school Titanic themed week. There is an effective range of intervention activities that have supported pupils to receive the right kind of support for their reading in particular.  Pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is promoted very well through the

p.5

The leadership and management are good

curriculum. The school ensures pupils have a wide range of opportunities to experience other cultures and faiths through activities such as ‘Blessed Life’ a Muslim group during world religion days and the Linking Project between Islam and Christianity. There is a wide and rich range of sports, arts, including a school production, visitors, and visits to galleries. Pupils can make pen friends with children from four other European countries through the ‘Comenius’ partnership. The Year 6 residential helps to prepare pupils for transition into Year 7 in their next schools.  The headteacher and other staff work collaboratively with the local partnership of schools to support leadership, to improve teaching and pupils’ progress. This has had a good effect, with progress increasing over the last year because of a focus on mathematics. Headteachers in the partnership share expertise, such as outstanding teaching, and routinely support and challenge

p.6

The leadership and management are good

each other, for instance through sharing data to look at the performance of each other’s schools. The school does not compare its performance sufficiently to national averages to pinpoint accurately where it needs to rapidly increase the progress of pupils.  The majority of parents in the school express positive views about the performance of the school and their children’s progress. One parent summed-up her experience in a letter to inspectors as ‘being overwhelmed by the support, ethos and effort that this gem of a school gives’. However, not all parents share this view. Responses from Parent View and other communication suggests a small number parents feel they are not always informed enough by the school about its policy for behaviour and safety, and how parental concerns are handled.  The school receives light-touch support from the local authority. It has high confidence in the ability of the school’s leadership team and governors to raise standards further.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are supporting and challenging the school to improve the progress of pupils and are clear about the school’s strengths and areas for development. This has supported the increased proportion of pupils who have made more than expected progress at the end of Key Stage 2 this year. They are vigilant in checking performance of those eligible for pupil premium. The governing body has recognised it needs more training in the use of data to enable it to support and challenge the school with regard to performance management and the progress of pupils. Governors have supported the headteacher to take the necessary steps to strengthen teaching. The governing body ensures safeguarding meets the statutory requirements and that the school budget is managed efficiently.

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 107437 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 412388

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 268 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jenny Cheung Crossley Headteacher Sarah Crowther Date of previous school inspection 22 May 2007 Telephone number 01274 564681 Fax number 01274 564687 Email address sarah.crowther@myrtlepark.com 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