Heaton Primary School

107209 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 309342 Inspection number 28 °29 January 2008 Inspection dates Keith Bardon 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 635 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr D Carver Chair Mrs B Ledra Headteacher 17 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Haworth Road School address Bradford West Yorkshire BD9 6LL 01274 775514 Telephone number 01274 546491 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 28 °29 January 2008 Inspection dates 309342 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 four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This very large primary school serves a socially and economically disadvantaged area just outside the city. Most pupils are from minority ethnic heritages, predominantly Pakistani. A very large proportion of pupils are at an early stage in learning English. The number of pupils who enter or leave the school part way through their primary education is higher than normal. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average, although relatively few of these pupils have a statement of special educational need. A broad range of facilities for the local community are provided on the school site, including adult learning. The school incorporates a children's centre with facilities for children up to the age of five. This inspection will report on provision in Nursery and Reception. The provision made by the children's centre for younger children is subject to a different inspection. The 'Acorn' inclusion unit has

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Description of the school

10 places for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties who need a short time away from their home school. The school has achieved the Healthy School and Artsmark Silver awards.

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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: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with several outstanding features, in which pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well. The dynamic leadership of the headteacher and the dedication of staff and governors focused on a relentless drive to raise standards generate a rapid pace of improvement and development. Something that strikes visitors immediately is the sheer enjoyment pupils gain from school. 'We love to learn' is typical of the comments pupils make and cheerful faces are everywhere. The school's contribution to the local community is extensive and it is alive with activity throughout the day and beyond. Parents are appreciative; 'The school is going from strength to strength and our children and the community are benefiting.' Many children enter with school with low levels of attainment. They make consistently good progress because the teaching is good and the curriculum is well matched to their needs. By

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Grade: 2

the end of Year 6 standards are similar to the national average. The upward trend in standards is continuing. Literacy is taught skilfully using a carefully chosen and stimulating programme which pupils enjoy. As a result, pupils read competently and write well. Some teachers are not as clear about how best to promote pupils' learning in mathematics. Action to tackle this has yet to have full impact on raising standards. Relationships throughout the school are excellent and pupils approach all lessons with enthusiasm. They pay close attention in class and try hard with the work they are set. Behaviour is good overall. Pupils' understanding of how to stay healthy is excellent and they appreciate the need for regular exercise. They feel safe and secure in school, happy in the knowledge that if they have a problem there is always a member of staff to turn to for help. As they told inspectors 'Teachers are not only here for learning, they are interested in us.' Pupils take on

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Grade: 2

responsibilities with enthusiasm and develop a very strong sense of community. A good range of academic and personal skills prepares pupils well for the future. As a result of the school's determined and rigorous efforts, pupils' attendance has risen to a satisfactory level. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, enhanced by the many additional activities the school provides. Teachers plan interesting activities which engage pupils and encourage them to think hard. Lessons are organised very well and progress smoothly with teachers and teaching assistants working closely as a team to ensure that all pupils are fully involved. This is a significant factor in the good progress pupils make, particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and pupils who are at an early stage in learning English. Teachers' subject knowledge is good, particularly in English, but the teaching of handwriting is inconsistent and does not enable all

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Grade: 2

pupils to develop a fluent and consistent style. Pupils are provided with an outstanding quality of care and guidance. Meticulous attention to detail ensures that pupils' pastoral needs are met and that they receive the support and guidance they need to achieve well. Links with other organisations are excellent and support pupils' development very well. The Acorn inclusion unit provides well for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Through skilled teaching and very good support and guidance, pupils learn to manage their behaviour effectively. Following a carefully planned programme, the majority return to their home school within one or two terms. Staff are strongly committed to the well-being of all pupils and to ensuring that every individual is included fully in the life of the school. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008 The school is extremely well led and managed. The infectiously enthusiastic headteacher sets

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Grade: 2

the tone for a leadership team which has skill, tenacity and vision. Along with the very effective governing body, leaders check the work of the school constantly and make detailed evaluations of how well it is performing. Priorities for development stem directly from this analysis and reflect the school's current needs accurately and precisely. This is a highly inclusive school with a very strong sense of purpose and direction.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the Nursery with attainment well below that expected of the age group. Through good teaching and a stimulating curriculum they make at least good progress in all areas of learning, though attainment is below that expected by the time they leave the Reception class. Achievement is very good in communication, language and literacy and in personal development. Outstanding progress is made in letter and sound recognition because of the well structured programme used to teach this. Considerable improvement has been made to the outdoor provision following the last inspection and the high quality outdoor classroom is used very effectively to support all areas of learning. Leadership and management are good. Managers have aspirational plans for maximising the benefit from being part the children's centre. Though in its early days, this is already having a positive effect on the children's well-being and

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Grade: 2

achievement, particularly in regard to their confidence, understanding of routines and language development. Staff work hard keeping a check on children's achievements both daily and long term. They are planning further adaptations to the recently adopted computer-based systems to get the best from them. Links with parents and the support for vulnerable children are excellent and have significant effect on the progress children make.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in mathematics by Year 6.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve opportunities for pupils to develop a fluent and consistent style of handwriting.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 is good. By the end of Year 2 standards are similar to the national average and above average in writing. Standards at the end of Year 6 have risen substantially since the last inspection. They are average overall, although higher in English than in mathematics. Challenging targets are set and achieved, helping to sustain the momentum of improvement. The school makes effective arrangements for the higher than usual number of pupils who join the school late and they achieve well, although the standards they reach are, at times, below those of other pupils. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds often attain better than White British pupils. The school has put well conceived initiatives in place to eliminate the difference, but it is still too early to assess their impact. Pupils who enter the school speaking little or no English, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities,

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Grade: 2

including those in the inclusion unit, receive very well judged support and make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are extremely happy and polite. They talk with pride about their school. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem and 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008 are sociable individuals with a very strong sense of right and wrong. Their understanding of local community and cultural issues is excellent. Despite a little anti-social behaviour and the occasional falling out, pupils feel safe in school and have confidence in staff to deal with any problems quickly. Most pupils are very well behaved although a small minority need regular support from staff to behave well all of the time. Pupils readily take on responsibilities. They welcome the opportunity to contribute to decisions through the school council and in 2007 achieved a Young Citizens Award for their contribution to the community. Rising standards,

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Grade: 2

particularly in the basic skills, are preparing pupils well for life beyond school. Attendance is satisfactory in the context of the school but is at times below average, due largely to the number of pupils who are taken on extended holidays in term time.

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Grade: 2

Relationships are extremely positive and the atmosphere in classrooms is pleasant and productive. Teacher's carefully planning and good organisation is the bedrock of successful lessons. Pupils' behaviour is managed very well and the pace of lessons is generally good. Pupils acquire a range of very useful skills that help them learn effectively, such as sharing ideas and information sensibly and giving thoughtful answers to questions put to them. They concentrate hard and work conscientiously towards the clear targets teachers set. Very occasionally, the content and pace of lessons are rather mundane and pupils are unable to retain as much interest. In contrast, there are also lessons in which outstanding teaching, based on excellent subject knowledge and high expectations of what pupils will achieve, generates rapid progress. The teaching of mathematics varies in quality in Key Stage 2 because some teachers are not as clear as others

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Grade: 2

about how to promote the learning of individual pupils. Pupils' work is marked thoroughly and they are given detailed information about what they have done well and how to make further improvements.

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Grade: 2

A wealth of high quality displays throughout the school confirms that the curriculum is lively and engaging. Effective matching of activities to the needs of pupils ensures that all learners are able to access the curriculum successfully. Links between subjects are explored at every opportunity, for example when pupils are studying the Victorians, they make houses with moveable chimney sweeps, effectively linking history and design technology. The curriculum for English promotes pupils' reading and writing skills very effectively. The programme for teaching handwriting is not as well structured and does not provide all pupils with sufficient opportunities to develop a fluent and consistent style. Personal, social, health and citizenship education is given a high profile throughout the school and pupils have many well planned opportunities to learn. The wide range of extra-curricular activities and educational visits enrich

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Grade: 2

pupils' experiences, particularly those who need to improve their self-esteem. Additional facilities, such as the woodland walk the school has developed, add much to pupils' enjoyment of school. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008

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Grade: 1

Pastoral care is outstanding and appropriate procedures to protect and safeguard pupils are in place. All adults show considerable concern for the well-being of their pupils. Sensitive care is shown to pupils who need extra support such as those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, those new to learning English, those in the 'Acorn' unit and those in the care of the local authority. With the opening of the children's centre, links with health and other professionals have strengthened, significantly contributing to pupils' well-being. Learning mentors play key roles in supporting individual pupils and their families, especially in endeavouring to promote good attendance. However, despite the school's concerted efforts too many families take extended holidays in term time or do not do enough to ensure that their children attend whenever they can. The progress of all pupils is checked carefully so extra help

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Grade: 1

can be provided when needed. All pupils have challenging targets that contribute to their improved achievement and raised standards. Pupils are very well prepared for secondary education.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding leadership and management at every level has enabled the school to make extensive improvement since it was last inspected and put it in an extremely strong position to continue to improve. The exceptionally clear management structure ensures that senior and middle leaders regularly monitor the quality of lessons and scrutinise work, checking that all colleagues are consistently applying agreed routines. All senior and middle leaders are supported in their role through a programme of extensive training and development. This has led to a confident team who display a passion for school improvement and it ensures that everyone is working towards the same outcomes. The self-evaluation process is highly effective and clear outcomes feed directly into the school improvement plan, which is seen by all as a tool to raise standards. Priorities are identified as those which will have the greatest impact on pupils' progress and

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Grade: 1

attainment. Systems for monitoring progress against each action are rigorous. The strong and effective governing body knows the school well, challenges the leadership and holds the school to account. Governors are fully involved in all aspects of the school, including the very rigorous analysis of data, and constantly seeking opportunities to improve the experiences for pupils. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 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 1 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 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 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: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 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 1 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: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Heaton Primary School, Bradford, BD9 6LL Thank you very much for the very friendly greeting you gave the inspectors when we visited your school recently. Lots of you smiled and chatted to us which made us feel comfortable and welcome. We thoroughly enjoyed finding out about the work you do, and a special thanks to those who talked with us about the school. Heaton is a good school and you have every right to be proud of it. You obviously get on well with your teachers and with each other and the school has a lovely atmosphere. Wherever we looked there were happy faces. Your behaviour is good. When we came into lessons everyone was working hard and trying their best. You feel safe and well cared for in school and you know how important it is to eat healthily and to take regular exercise. We were pleased to hear how much you enjoy the many clubs and extra opportunities the school provides. We think that you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

are growing into mature and sensible young people with a strong sense of responsibility. Your achievements are good because you receive good teaching and lessons are interesting and fun. We were impressed by the good progress you make, particularly in English, and thoroughly enjoyed looking at your workbooks and the colourful wall displays. One thing we did notice is while some of you use a neat style of joined-up writing all of the time, other pupils jump from printing to joined-up writing and back again or do not write fluently. We have asked the school to look into this. You can help by always trying to do your best writing, whatever the subject, and using the same smooth and easy to read style all of the time. While you make clear progress in mathematics, the school agrees that you could learn even more. We have asked teachers to make changes to help you do this and you can play your part by always

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

approaching mathematics lessons with the same enthusiasm and confidence you do literacy lessons. Thank you once again for a very enjoyable two days and I wish you lots of luck in the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Heaton Primary School, 28 °29 January 2008

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