Dalton Foljambe Primary School

Dalton Foljambe Primary School Inspection report

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106889 Unique Reference Number Rotherham Local Authority 324480 Inspection number 24–25 June 2009 Inspection dates Joan McKenna Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 0–3 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 116 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 57 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr P Lakin Chair Ms Lisa Andrews Headteacher 8 February 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Foljambe Drive School address Dalton Rotherham South Yorkshire S65 4HQ 01709 850569 Telephone number 01709 855686 Fax number

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0–3 Age group 24–25 June 2009 Inspection dates 324480 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a very small school. It serves an area that has much higher levels of disadvantage than typical and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is also well above average. Virtually all pupils are of White British heritage. The Dalton Willow Tree Children's centre is situated on the school's site and is managed by the school. It provides early education and childcare for children from birth to three years and a range of children's and adult services for the community. It is open all year round. During term time, the school runs a breakfast club and an out-of-school club. The early education and childcare in the Children's Centre and the breakfast and out-of-school club were inspected along with the school and the findings form part of this report. The school has gained a Healthy Schools Award and an Excellence in Enterprise Education

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Description of the school

Award. It is a member of a local community learning partnership.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It recognises that many of its pupils face considerable challenges and have a diverse range of needs. Leadership is very committed to helping counter these factors and ensure that pupils feel secure and happy enough to be able to learn effectively. It is successful in this and, as a result, pupils achieve well both personally and academically. The pastoral care and support provided for pupils is strong. From the youngest children attending the Children's Centre right through to the oldest pupils in the school, pupils are well known by staff and are welcomed and valued as individuals. Great efforts are made to work in partnership with parents and to involve them in their children's learning. A considerable emphasis is on developing pupils' self-confidence and self-esteem, with much praise and encouragement given. As a result, pupils thrive and become increasingly assured. Excellent relationships with

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Grade: 2

adults mean that they feel able to raise any worries and express their views. Those with additional needs receive specific and targeted support which helps them cope with the demands of school and benefit from what it offers them. Pupils feel safe. Most get on well with each other, behave well and enjoy school. Children enter school with exceptionally low levels of knowledge and skills. The small number of pupils in each year group and the often significant proportion who find learning particularly difficult lead to a fluctuating picture of attainment. Standards reached by the end of Year 6 are currently well below average. However, pupils' achievement is good despite the potential for standards to be higher. They build well on their very weak starting points. There are recent signs of improvement, such as a rise in standards in mathematics by the end of Year 6. This is because improved provision enables pupils to learn faster. The proportion of pupils with learning

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Grade: 2

difficulties and/or disabilities, while invariably higher than typical, varies across year groups and can constitute the majority. These pupils also make good progress overall. The curriculum gives appropriate emphasis to promoting the basic skills of literacy and numeracy but, at the same time, effort is made to ensuring that pupils' own interests are built upon so they are engaged and motivated to study. Many extra activities are provided outside of lessons to help develop pupils' interests and to broaden their experiences. Teaching is also good. Teachers use a wide range of strategies to make activities fun and most lessons are well structured and fast paced. Pupils' progress is monitored closely and leaders make good use of the information to decide which pupils need extra support to help them keep up. However, while planning for lessons usually takes general account of the range of abilities in the class,

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Grade: 2

assessment information about each pupil is not used to ensure that teaching is geared precisely enough to meeting their individual needs. The school is well led. The headteacher provides strong direction, which is unequivocal in its aim of promoting the best for pupils and to ensuring continual improvement. Raising standards is, rightly, identified as the main priority. Other leaders work closely with the headteacher to help bring this about. The school's strengths and areas requiring development are well known and the latter are assiduously tackled. There is some excellent cooperation with the local community learning partnership, which provides many sources of support for teachers and for pupils and their families. However, efforts to involve parents in their children's learning have not yet met with full success. Only a very small number of parents made their opinions about the school known to inspectors but the views they expressed were extremely positive. The

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009 progress being made by the school in improving provision and outcomes for pupils, demonstrates a good capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 2

The Early Years Foundation Stage provision in the school comprises one class with Foundation Stage 1 (Nursery) and Foundation Stage 2 (Reception) taught together. Children are happy, settled and very well cared for in both the Children's Centre and the Early Years Foundation Stage class. The system of each child having a designated adult attached to them is effective in developing close relationships with the children and their parents and promotes the meeting of their individual needs well. Many children have particular difficulties with communication and language and show a marked lack of independence and social skills when they start school. They make good progress in their learning because leadership is well focused and teaching is good. A high priority is given to developing children's personal and social skills. Staff encourage children to make choices and develop independence as, for example, when they check themselves

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Grade: 2

in at the start of a session or choose their own snack time. From the toddlers in the Children's Centre upwards, children learn to work and play happily together, sharing resources and taking turns, and so to behave well. Well-planned activities, effectively enriched by a range of visits and visitors, provide good stimulation and interest. For example, Foundation Stage 2 children enjoyed making lists of food to take on a picnic, while others happily explored the sounds made by a variety of musical instruments. The outdoor areas are used throughout the day, although the school recognises that these need to be developed further to provide a wider range of learning experiences, especially for the babies. They also recognise the need to provide more opportunities around the classroom to develop children's awareness of the use of writing. Staff work well together as a team and provide good support to parents to help their children's

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Grade: 2

learning at home. They track children's progress carefully. Standards reached by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage have risen recently, but most children are still working well below the expected goals as they move into Year 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise the standards pupils reach across the school, especially in English and mathematics.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that assessment information about individual pupils is used more when planning lessons to make sure teaching fully meets their different needs. ■ Take more action to ensure that parents become actively involved in helping their children to learn.

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Grade: 2

Standards across Years 1 to 6 are well below the national average, but there are some recent signs of improvement. The positive impact of action to improve writing is seen in pupils' work, for example. Standards in mathematics in Year 6 are considerably higher than last year. Data from the tracking of pupils' progress and from their work indicate that pupils achieve well overall during their time in school. There is some variation, but the reasons for this are understood and are being tackled. Few pupils reach above average standards, but evidence indicates that the very small number of higher attaining pupils usually make at least as good progress as the majority, and often better. The progress of the much larger group of pupils 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009 with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is more varied. However, overall, as a group, they

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Grade: 2

achieve well. Challenging targets are set for pupils and they are increasingly being met.

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Grade: 2

From a low starting point, children and pupils of all ages develop good personal skills during their time in school. This includes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, with social and moral the stronger aspects. Pupils are becoming increasingly independent, work and play cooperatively with others and converse confidently with adults as they move through the school. Pupils respond positively to the praise stickers and awards given for good attitudes and effort. Most conduct themselves well, but a minority find it difficult to meet the school's expectations of behaviour. Pupils understand well the importance of a good diet and exercise. They enjoy the healthy lunchtime choices and participate eagerly in the varied range of physical and sporting activities. They make a sound contribution to life in school. School councillors contribute appropriately to decision-making and older pupils act as monitors in the day-to-day

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Grade: 2

running of the school. Pupils develop a range of skills likely to help in their future economic well-being, such as enterprise skills, but overall, this aspect is satisfactory. Attendance is improving because of the strong focus on promoting it, although it is still below the national average. Fewer children are persistently absent than is typical in most primary schools.

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Grade: 2

Good relationships are established between children and adults in the Children's Centre and Early Years Foundation Stage, and this continues into the main school where a supportive climate for learning exists in all classes. Pupils are encouraged to participate in activities, answer questions and express their views. A strong feature of teaching is the effective promotion of pupils' confidence and learning through opportunities to talk and develop their ideas with a partner before having to speak in front of the whole class. Teachers have clear aims for lessons which they share with pupils, so pupils know what they are expected to learn. They set practical tasks which actively involve pupils and promote enjoyment. Lessons are organised efficiently and behaviour is usually well managed. Teachers use detailed questioning to check on and promote understanding and they summarise learning at the end of lessons. Pupils respond well,

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Grade: 2

do as they are asked and often demonstrate a keenness to learn. However, although teachers are aware of the range of levels of ability within their class and take this into account to some extent when planning lessons, they do not use their knowledge of individuals' progress to give rigorous attention to ensuring the right level of challenge, support and encouragement at all times.

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Grade: 2

Strategies to make the English and mathematics curriculum more effective, such as those for improving writing, are beginning to have some positive impact. A range of helpful, additional short-term curriculum programmes are provided for those pupils who are identified as falling behind. A broad curriculum is provided to motivate pupils to learn and pupils' participation in the wide range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities enhances their enjoyment of school. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009 The teaching of French, for example, is given more relevance because of an annual trip to France for the oldest pupils. This is organised in conjunction with other schools in the local community learning partnership and so also aids their transition to secondary school. A specific programme has been adopted to promote pupils' social and emotional aspects of learning to

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very well cared for and the school works closely with external agencies and organisations to provide extra support for the high proportion of pupils with additional needs and, in some cases, their parents. The Children's Centre and breakfast and after-school clubs enhance both the amount and range of care provided, to the significant benefit of the children and pupils concerned. A wide range of strategies are adopted to promote good behaviour and attendance, resulting in improvements in both areas. Arrangements for safeguarding and protecting pupils' safety are thorough and meet current government requirements. Thorough systems are in place for tracking pupils' progress. Some good use is made of the information, but it is not used fully, for example, to inform lesson planning. Some helpful guidance is given to pupils when their work is marked, but they do not always receive enough information on

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Grade: 2

how to improve their work. Pupils have targets, which they are familiar with, but insufficient reference is made to them by teachers.

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Grade: 2

Following the clear leadership of the headteacher, staff have a strong commitment to all pupils and promote equality of opportunity for them well. Because the school is small, leaders hold multiple responsibilities but they carry them out effectively. Arrangements for monitoring the effectiveness of the school are thorough and rightly focus on evaluating the impact of action taken. As a result, leaders have a good understanding of what needs to be improved further, with well-judged plans in place to promote this. Action being taken is having a demonstrable impact. Governance is satisfactory. Some governors visit the school and understand the questions they need to ask of it, but not all are involved or knowledgeable enough to hold it strongly to account. Action to promote community cohesion is also satisfactory. Considerable effort has been targeted at developing relationships with the school's local community, but less attention

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Grade: 2

has been given to promoting relationships with, and pupils' understanding of, the wider world. Action to ensure parents are involved in supporting their children's learning, while positive, has not resulted in all doing so. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Dalton Foljambe Primary School, Rotherham, S65 4HQ Thank you for being so welcoming and friendly when we inspected your school recently. I am writing to let you know the findings of the inspection. You go to a good school. The Children's Centre takes good care of you too. Staff make sure that you are very well cared for and looked after. Those of you who need help to feel settled and happy in school or additional help with your learning receive extra, positive support. You are kept safe, and the good relationships you have with teachers mean you can talk to them about any worries. The good range of clubs and activities helps you to enjoy school. Most of you get on well with each other and behave well. It was good to see that you grow in confidence as you move through school, because staff try especially hard to help you do this. We think you are well taught and that teachers work hard to make lessons interesting for you so you will

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

be keen to learn. You work hard and you make good progress in your learning. Your leaders are doing a good job of improving the school for you. We have asked them to focus on three things to help you make even better progress. You achieve well but we have asked them to help you to reach higher standards, especially in English and mathematics. Leaders check carefully on how well you are progressing. We have asked teachers to make more use of the information when planning lessons to help make sure that all of you get exactly the right help and support that you need to do your very best. Finally, the school tries hard to make sure your parents know about what you do in school, and we have asked that they do even more on this so that all of your parents can help you learn too. You can help by continuing to work hard, behave well and attend school regularly. I wish you and your teachers well for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 of 11 Inspection Report: Dalton Foljambe Primary School, 24–25 June 2009

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