St Augustine's CofE VA Junior and Infant School

St Augustine's CofE VA Junior and Infant School Hanson Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 5PG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  St Augustine’s is a very harmonious community where pupils are very keen to learn. Their behaviour is exemplary and has a very positive impact upon their learning. Pupils say that they feel safe at school and that there is no bullying.  The way in which the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional.  Provision for physical education and pupils’ well-being is excellent.  All groups of pupils achieve well. They make good progress from their very low starting points and reach standards that are broadly in line with national averages.  Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils show high levels of enjoyment and willingly participate in all activities.  Teaching assistants provide good quality support.  The headteacher and senior leaders lead the school effectively. There are clear systems in place to check how well the school is doing.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

These have brought about improvements since the previous inspection especially in the quality of teaching and pupil achievement. The school is improving further.  The governing body provides a good level of support and challenge for the school. Governors are fully involved in the successful drive for improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not yet outstanding. Sometimes teachers interrupt pupils unnecessarily when they are engaged in tasks.  The important words needed in a lesson and reminders about what to include in work are not always visible to pupils.  Children in the Reception class and Year 1 do not always have constant access to a wide range of equipment to help them learn through outdoor and indoor activities.  Parents of children in the Reception class have limited opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 13 lessons or parts of lessons, one of which was with the headteacher, looked at a range of pupils’ work and heard a number of Year 1 and Year 6 pupils read.  Meetings took place with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff, groups of pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress, and records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors took into account 14 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and met informally with a number of parents. Inspectors also took into account responses to the school’s own survey of parents’ views. The views of staff and pupils were also considered.

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Inspection team

Christine Millett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Baljinder Khela Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Augustine’s is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of Pakistani heritage. The overwhelming majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is broadly average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above average.  An increasing number of pupils join and leave the school at times other than the normal starting points, some of whom are at the early stages of English language acquisition.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by:  ensuring teachers do not interrupt pupils unnecessarily when they are engrossed in completing the work set  developing language skills further by ensuring key words are displayed throughout lessons  making sure pupils are clear about what teachers expect them to include in their work and ensure that reminders are visible throughout the lesson  ensuring that a wide range of resources are constantly available to children in the Reception class and Year 1 in order to broaden learning opportunities outdoors as well as indoors  increasing the number of opportunities for parents of children in the Reception class to be involved in their children’s learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From their individual starting points, pupils make good progress during their time in school.  Children start in the Reception class with skills and knowledge that are much lower than those typically expected for their age. Almost all children are at the early stages of learning English. Children make good progress. However, they are still below national expectations in reading, writing and number when they start Year 1.  The results of the 2013 Year 1 national reading check on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) were below national averages but were considerably better than the previous year. As a result of good teaching, almost all the pupils who did not reach the required standard in 2012 did so when repeating the check this year.  Pupils continue to achieve well in Key Stage 1. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is improving year-on-year. In 2013, the proportion of pupils reaching expected standards in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading and mathematics was broadly in line with national averages. Writing was a little lower.  In recent years, pupils have achieved well in Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 6 pupils have reached broadly average standards in English and mathematics with the proportion of pupils making, and exceeding, expected levels of progress being much higher than that found nationally.  In 2013 the results of national tests were not as strong. This was, in part, due to a number of pupils who joined the school partway through the school with lower levels of attainment and due to a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Current school data and inspection evidence show that current Year 6 pupils are making good progress and are on track to reach national standards in English and mathematics. Pupils in all other year groups are achieving equally well. Work seen in pupils’ books supports this and shows that teaching

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The achievement of pupils is good

overtime is good. The achievement of the most able is good and is improving in all classes.  Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language make the same good progress and there is no difference in the rates of progress between them and their classmates in English and mathematics.  Pupils eligible for pupil premium funding achieve well, particularly in English. This reflected in the attainment of those eligible for free school meals. In 2013 this group of pupils reached standards that were in line with their class mates and, in English, better than similar groups of pupils nationally.  Teaching assistants are used successfully to provide support in small groups or for individual pupils. This means specific needs are met and equality of opportunity is ensured.  The school has introduced new ways of teaching reading which are proving to be very

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The achievement of pupils is good

successful. Pupils are given many opportunities for reading throughout the school day and have access to a good range of books. Those pupils heard to read did so confidently and with good expression. They are able to work out new words using a range of skills. Older pupils speak enthusiastically of the books they have read and their favourite authors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across the school, and in all subjects, is good and sometimes outstanding. It has improved since the previous inspection.  Pupils enjoy their learning and describe lessons as ‘well organised’ and say teachers provide them with a ‘good education’. They take pride in their work.  Teachers make use of good information about pupil achievement and use this to ensure support is in place for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, those supported by pupil premium funding and the most able.  Those who speak English as an additional language are also well supported. However, they do not always have constant access to the most important words needed in the lesson to help develop their language skills even further.  There is a strong sense of teamwork throughout the school. Teaching assistants are highly skilled and well trained. They play an important part in lessons either leading the starter to a

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The quality of teaching is good

lesson or supporting a group, so making a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.  Pupils show a willingness to join in lessons as they are confident that their views and opinions are valued by adults and classmates. Discussion in small groups and pairs is well established.  The marking of pupils’ work is informative, accurate and gives opportunities for pupils to follow up teachers’ comments and make corrections. Pupils also have opportunities to judge their own work and that of their neighbours.  Pupils are made aware of what they are going to learn in the lessons and are given reminders as to what teachers would like them to include in their work. However, these reminders are not prominently displayed in the classroom and verbal references are not always timely as they sometimes interrupt pupils when they are concentrating on the task.  Teaching in the Reception class is good. Adults work hard to meet the needs of all these young

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The quality of teaching is good

learners, some of whom have had no previous experience of school. They settle quickly in this very caring setting. However, carefully chosen, quality resources are not constantly available to these children or to those pupils from Year 1 who have not yet reached levels typical for their age. This sometimes limits their opportunities for learning both inside and out.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are extremely proud of their school and take great delight in talking about their work and their achievements. Older pupils are excellent role models for the younger ones.  Behaviour in and out of lessons is outstanding. Pupils are extremely attentive in lessons and respond immediately to instructions from adults.  All staff actively encourage high levels of cooperation, care and respect for others.  Pupils say they feel safe and this is supported by the views of parents and staff. Pupils trust adults to listen to their worries and help them resolve any concerns they may have.  Events such as anti-bullying week help pupils understand the different forms of bullying. However, they are emphatic that bullying does not take place. They have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  The youngest children play well together indoors or out. They are developing well their skills in

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

sharing, taking turns and helping each other.  Older pupils have many opportunities to work cooperatively and collaboratively around school and in the local community. For example, junior inspectors have played a leading role in revitalising the local park and securing funding for new play equipment. Other responsibilities are willingly taken on by groups such as the school council, sports council, RE council, buddies and junior leadership team.  Attendance is in line with the national average. It is monitored rigorously and does not reflect accurately pupils’ high levels of enthusiasm for school.  The school’s outstanding provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through such initiatives as playtime games, led by the sports coordinator, is a positive factor in pupils’ excellent behaviour.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides the school with a clear view of how successful the school can be and has created a strong leadership team.  Subject leadership is shared appropriately and staff work closely together to check the quality of teaching and the progress being made by pupils.  The school’s view of its work is accurate. This has helped staff to recognise areas of weakness and led to improvements since the previous inspection, particularly in the quality of teaching.  The school uses a detailed tracking system that helps staff see clearly how well pupils are progressing. Underachievement or gaps in learning are recognised swiftly and extra support is then put in place. This has been particularly successful in meeting the needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and new arrivals who are new to English. This ensures equality of opportunity for all pupils.  Pupil premium funding has been used wisely to provide individual support for pupils as well as

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The leadership and management are good

bi-lingual support and access to school trips.  Pupils have a range of rich and varied learning experiences including visits, visitors, themed weeks, theatre visits and sport. Information and communication technology is used extensively across the school. As a result, pupils describe lessons as ‘fun’.  The new primary school sports funding is being used extremely well to enable the school to continue to employ specialist sports coaches who work alongside staff in lessons to increase their subject knowledge and confidence as well as training staff to lead off-site adventure activities. Playtime games, after-school and Saturday clubs are very popular with pupils.  The school has strong links with other schools in the area. These have been beneficial in checking the accuracy of assessment and sharing expertise and have helped improve teaching.  The school has a good relationship with parents and provides many opportunities for them to

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The leadership and management are good

come into school either formally to a parents’ evening or more informally to coffee afternoons. However, there are too few opportunities for the parents of children in the Reception class to be involved in their children’s learning. Parents who respond to questionnaires express very positive views about the school.  The local authority has recently assigned a new school effectiveness officer to the school who has already established a good working relationship with senior leaders.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a good understanding of the school and provides both support and challenge for leaders. Governors are clear about the progress pupils are making and the results they attain in national tests. They monitor the quality of teaching to check its effectiveness and hold all staff to account through the performance management procedures. This is linked closely to pay progression. Governors understand the areas that the school

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The leadership and management are good

needs to develop. Governors are aware of how pupil premium is allocated and measure the impact on improving pupils’ achievement. They have also been involved in discussions on how sports funding is being spent and have seen first-hand the popularity of sports related activities in school. The governing body make sure that the school meets its statutory safeguarding 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 107543 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 425759

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 177 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Mansfield Headteacher Leona Binner Date of previous school inspection 20 September 2011 Telephone number 01422 360615 Fax number 01422 356323 Email address head@st-augustines.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

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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School details

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

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