Woodside Primary School and Children's Centre

Woodside Primary School Inspection report

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107236 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 287754 Inspection number 4 °5 February 2008 Inspection dates Clive Petts Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 211 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Marie Donaldson Chair Mrs Jane Browne Headteacher 24 September 2001 Date of previous school inspection Fenwick Drive School address Bradford West Yorkshire BD6 2PG 01274 414350 Telephone number 01274 414354 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 4 °5 February 2008 Inspection dates 287754 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized community primary school situated south west of Bradford city centre. Most pupils live in the surrounding estate, an area of social deprivation. Almost all children are from a White British heritage and no pupil who has English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and rising year on year. Over half of the pupils are entitled to free school meals. The recently opened on-site Children's Centre enables the school to play a key role in the local Extended Schools initiative.

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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: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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Grade: 2

Woodside Primary is a good school with significant strengths, which enable it to provide good value for money. At the heart of the school's success is the clear vision promoted by the headteacher to establish a sense of belonging, raise expectations, and provide high quality care and support to drive up achievement and standards. Every child really does matter and this is reflected in the outstanding personal development of its pupils. The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for responsibilities and experiences in later life. An overwhelming majority of parents are delighted with their children's progress, that they enjoy school and feel safe. 'I know children are well looked after and safe', and, 'I shall be very disappointed when my child has to leave', are comments that reveal the strong sense of parental trust in the work of the school. Pupils achieve well because the school expects them to work hard and do their best. The good

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Grade: 2

progress from low starting points results in rising standards year on year. Average standards are now reached in English, mathematics and science before pupils leave school. Significant improvements in reading and writing, particularly for boys, are providing the pupils with the essential skills to reach higher levels. These gains are faster where lively and vibrant teaching challenges the pupils. This is not yet the case in every classroom and as a result, the progress of a small but significant number of pupils slows slightly. A strength of all teaching is in the preparation which identifies approaches that both make learning more fun and pupils think for themselves. At the start of lessons teachers make certain pupils know exactly what they are expected to learn. The good and developing curriculum is effectively enriched through close collaboration with partners, for example, providing opportunities to learn business, enterprise

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Grade: 2

and foreign language skills, using the expertise from the local secondary school. This all adds to pupils' life experiences. There is a total commitment to the inclusion of both pupils and families. Pupil happiness, enjoyment and confidence are evident in all activities. This is demonstrated by their good attendance. Pupils flourish in the many opportunities to take responsibility and are keen to participate in all activities the school organises. Clubs, sport fixtures and after-school activities are all well attended. This also contributes to the development of their independent learning skills. Pupils are shown how to judge their own performance accurately and to assess the quality of their work. Leadership and management are good. Parents, carers and the local community value the headteacher's fervent pursuit of a vision in which all pupils achieve well regardless of their starting point. Staff find this motivating and challenging and they do not waver in their support.

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Grade: 2

Senior leadership has been recently strengthened, is growing in confidence and, as a consequence, is adding to the momentum of school improvement. Governors play their part bringing strong support and expertise to the development of the school. All are aware of exactly what needs to be done to sustain the very successful strategies in order to add to the gains made so that the school can continue to improve.

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Grade: 2

Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. On arrival many children are ill prepared for school routines and find difficulty settling and forging relationships. A significant number have poor 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008 listening and speaking skills. Personal development is a priority and staff work extremely hard to build children's confidence and independence. Families benefit from the excellent care and support children receive which makes sure that they settle quickly on arrival. Parents and carers are encouraged to stay or pop in, as the child needs. In calm, well managed and interesting learning environments children become very engaged in their learning. Activities are well planned in outdoor areas, though uneven hard surfaces restrict learning opportunities. Children make good progress developing oral skills, preparing for writing, acquiring knowledge about

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Grade: 2

their world and becoming physically confident and skilled. At the end of Reception most are still working towards early learning goals, although the proportion exceeding what is expected for their age is rising.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure all teachers inspire and motivate pupils to achieve their best.

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Grade: 2

Pupil achievement is good. The school's thorough checking of performance shows that from low skill levels on entry to Nursery, standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 are average. This continues the rising trend of the past two years. Increasing numbers of pupils are reaching higher levels. Following the good progress in the Foundation Stage, pupils sustain their rate of progress in Years 1 to 6. Imaginative and inspiring approaches to teaching reading and writing in Years 1 and 2 are providing pupils now with the skills and confidence to tackle challenging work. Although in the early stages, standards at the end of Year 2 are showing signs of rising. The school's successful push using lively, vibrant approaches to raise achievement in English and mathematics is now being exploited to the full in science; for example, pupils' conclusions from their investigations are more coherent in write-ups. Pupils

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Grade: 2

with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress as well and sometimes better than other pupils as a result of highly effective intervention and support. More able and talented pupils benefit from successful booster strategies. Boys and girls achieve equally well.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils are friendly, happy and their mature attitudes are revealed in their impeccable manners and considerate feelings towards one another. Pupils thrive on the praise they receive and the displays of their work, including many photographs, make them feel special. Their enthusiasm for work is reflected in the good attendance from the vast majority of pupils. Pupils feel safe and they know how to stay safe. Their awareness of the benefits of healthy living is first-rate. Pupil contributions to school life are exceptional. They are comfortable with responsibility, help others and they relish their decision making role on the school council. This includes work with homeless charities, links with local community groups and their member of parliament. Wide experiences of other cultures and beliefs prepare

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Grade: 1

them extremely well for life in a diverse society. Skills gained working with others, sound basic skills and their commitment to being a good citizen prepare them exceptionally well for future life. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are of good quality with some outstanding teaching observed. The good teaching stems from the positive climate for learning which spreads throughout the school. In the very best lessons teachers display great skill setting the expectations for learning and successfully deploying imaginative and thought-provoking methods to excite and inspire pupils. On occasion, although teaching is still effective, it is less imaginative and more methodical which impacts slightly on the progress pupils make. Staff know their pupils well and provide activities that closely match their ability and interests. First-hand experiences add to their learning enjoyment, engage their interest and firm up their understanding. Pupils are taught to work independently in order to accelerate their learning. They are taught to assess their own work and that of classmates to develop a grasp of how they can improve the quality of their

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Grade: 2

work. Support staff are a valuable resource helping both pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with talents.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and improving. It provides a wide range of learning experiences that enable pupils to achieve well and extend their personal skills. Strategies are being systematically embedded across the curriculum to push up achievement, for example, using superhero themes to develop writing, particularly for boys. Increasing use of topics is establishing productive links across subjects to help make learning even more meaningful for pupils. Personal, social and health education, with an emphasis on the social and emotional aspects of learning, supports personal development really well. Effective use is made of contributions from visitors, for example, from St Pio's Friary. Every opportunity is taken to enrich learning through visits to places of interest in the local and wider community, for example, Westminster, the Alhambra theatre and a partner city primary school with mostly Muslim intake. Excellent provision is made

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Grade: 2

for literacy with good provision for numeracy, and information and communication technology.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding range of care, guidance and support for pupils and their families. Vulnerable children are swiftly identified and supported. Highly successful work with agencies and the resources of the Children's Centre add to the quality of care and support. The Children's Centre also provides opportunities for families to extend their parenting skills so they can actively help with their children's learning. Procedures to safeguard children with routines for child protection and health and safety are in place. Parents who express much trust in what the school does appreciate the high quality of care and support. Every effort is made to sustain good attendance with a rewards system and breakfast and after-school club provision. Individuals' academic progress is checked very carefully and intervention is prompt if progress slips. Pupils are successfully taught how to use targets to guide and improve the quality of

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Grade: 1

their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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Grade: 2

It is because of the dedicated and passionate leadership of the headteacher that no stone is left unturned when it comes to raising achievement. Recent restructuring is strengthening leadership. As a result, staff are developing more imaginative teaching methods and incorporating more themes and experiences in the curriculum to push up achievement and standards. However, this is not yet consistent practice throughout the school. The school's self-evaluation is exceptional. Although a little modest in its judgement of personal development and care, guidance and support, it is thorough, accurate and identifies the correct priorities. The headteacher sums up the current position well, 'the suitcase is properly packed ready for take off!' The thorough checking of pupil progress shows that achievement and standards are rising steadily. Not only does this reflect the success of strategies implemented but also the

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Grade: 2

very close match between staff skill and the learning needs of pupils. It also demonstrates the sensitive and effective nurturing of staff talent and skill by the headteacher. Governors know the school well and are active contributors to school improvement checking what is happening. The school has made good progress since the last inspection. Its capacity to continue to move forward is also good. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008 .

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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: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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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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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the 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 effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 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 disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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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and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

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: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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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 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can 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: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the extremely friendly welcome to your school and for being so well mannered and helpful when the inspection team met with you. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to you about your work, speaking with your headteacher, staff, governors and parents and joining you in your lessons. You go to a good and improving school in which there are many things you should be proud of. When we spoke to you, you told us that you really do enjoy coming to school and joining in the many fun activities. Your keenness to learn in lessons and excellent behaviour show how much you enjoy school life. We were very pleased to see you getting on really well with each other and staff. Your parents and carers also told us how pleased they were with the way the school cares for you and makes sure that any concerns or worries you have are dealt with promptly by staff. The most recent checks on progress show that pupils in Woodside are doing well. In particular,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

we were pleased with the improvements in all your subjects, particularly your English. Boys are doing much better than in the past, especially in their writing. This is good news and of course, everyone at school is really pleased. You know exactly how you can improve the quality of your work. Your attendance is good, although a few pupils do miss opportunities to learn and improve their skills. To make the school even better and help raise standards further, we have asked the leadership to make sure that all teachers use lively approaches to make even more learning fun. You have a very important part to play in improving your school. You can help by continuing to listen carefully to the advice of your teachers and support staff and by trying extra hard to produce the best work that you possibly can. We hope the school will continue to build on its many successes and we wish you well for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 of 11 Inspection Report: Woodside Primary School, 4 °5 February 2008

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