Wood Fold Primary School

Wood Fold Primary

Dates of inspection : 22 nd – 25 th November 1999

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Wood Fold Primary

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Wood Fold Primary

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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. Wood Fold Primary - 3 November

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address : Green Lane Standish Wigan WN6 0TS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors : Mr T Morris

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection : June 1995 Wood Fold Primary - 4 November

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs A Waters, RgI Science Under fives Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Mrs F Kennedy, Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Mr B Frost, Team Inspector Mathematics Art Curriculum and assessment

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr D Roberts, Team Inspector Information technology Design and technology Physical education The efficiency of the school

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr A Watson, Team Inspector Religious education Music Special educational needs Mrs S Williams, Team Inspector English Geography History Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Telephone number: 0161 282 2982 Wood Fold Primary - 5 November Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wood Fold Primary - 6 November

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 5 - 22

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school 65 - 87

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 88 - 97

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 98 - 129

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Other subjects or courses 130 - 179 Wood Fold Primary - 7 November

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 180 - 181

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Data and indicators pages 47 - 49 Wood Fold Primary - 8 November

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What the school does well

• . In English and mathematics pupils attain standards that are above the national average and better than those in similar schools. • . The quality of teaching is almost always good and is of very high quality in over a third of lessons enabling pupils to make good progress during their time in school. • . There is very good support for pupils with special educational needs enabling them to make very good progress. • . Pupils have very good attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. • . Pupils’ personal and social skills are very well developed. • . The school provides a very good curriculum that is rich, broad and balanced and there is an excellent range of extra curricular activities. • . Provision for the under fives is very good. • . Procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress are very good. • . Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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What the school does well

• . The school provides very well for the pupils' safety and well being and prepares them very well for the next stage of education. • . A very good partnership has been established with parents and the community. • . Leadership and management of the school are excellent. • . Financial planning, financial control and school administration are excellent.

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Where the school has weaknesses

This is a very good school with many outstanding features and there are no significant weaknesses.

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from the full report should be considered as a basis for the governors' action plan which will be sent to all

parents and guardians of pupils at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

Excellent leadership has ensured that the school has made very good improvement since the last inspection which took place in 1995. All of the key issues for development highlighted in the last report have been successfully addressed. These include the development of very good assessment procedures and analysis of data information which are regularly reviewed, thus informing continuous improvement in curricular planning. Significant improvements have been made in the way the school is governed and led through the establishment of very good systems which enable governors and teachers to review and evaluate standards and quality and to improve curriculum management. This rigorous and systematic approach to monitoring and evaluation provides for excellent planning for school improvement supported by careful financial monitoring. Planning at all levels is excellent and the school development plan is an effective management document. The teaching time at Key Stage 2 is now in line with

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

recommended levels and there are good procedures in place to promote attendance and encourage pupils to be punctual. The school mission statement inspires all aspects of its work and the success is reflected in the personal development of pupils and their growing independence as learners. The school has a clear view of its strengths and has identified targets for improvement and areas for future development. With the excellent leadership, level of commitment of both staff and governors and the excellent level of strategic planning and financial control the school is very well placed to continue improving. Wood Fold Primary - 9 November

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E English B B Mathematics B B Science C D

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similar schools

This table shows that in comparison with schools nationally and with school with pupils from a similar background pupils' attainment in English and mathematics is above average. In science attainment is broadly average when compared to all schools but is below that of pupils from schools of a similar type.

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similar schools

Evidence during the inspection shows that pupils make good progress throughout the school and that attainment is above average by the end of both key stages in English and mathematics and is broadly average in science. Pupils' competence in information technology is close to the national expectation at both key stages and pupils make satisfactory progress. In religious education pupils make good progress in religious education and achieve standards that are consistent with the expectations of the Agreed Syllabus by the end of Key Stage 1 and exceed them by the end of Key Stage 2. Progress in all other subjects is usually good leading to standards appropriate for pupils' age. In geography and physical education pupils attain high standards. Literacy and numeracy skills are well developed throughout the school.

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similar schools

Children under the age of five in the reception classes make good progress and almost all achieve and the majority exceed the expectations for their age in all areas of their learning by the time they reach statutory school age and have embarked on the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum programmes of study.

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

English Good Good Good Mathematics Good Good Good Science Good Good Information technology Satisfactory Satisfactory Religious education Good Good Other subjects Good Good Good

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Teaching was never less than satisfactory with a significant amount of good and very good teaching throughout the school. The school has improved the quality of teaching since the last inspection. In the lessons observed, it was good in 52 per cent of lessons, very good in 26 per cent and excellent in 7 per cent of lessons.

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. 'Satisfactory' means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses. Wood Fold Primary - 10 November

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good throughout the school in lessons and at all times. The school is an orderly community. Attendance Good and above the national average. Most pupils are punctual and lessons begin promptly. Ethos* Very good. The pupils have very positive attitudes to work and form good working relationships. The mission statement informs every aspect of the school's work. There is a strong sense of community with everyone working together to provide an exciting and stimulating learning environment. Leadership and management A strength of the school. The headteacher provides educational leadership and management of the highest quality. She is given very good support by the senior management team, staff and governors. Excellent long term planning closely linked to financial decisions. Curriculum A rich and stimulating curriculum for the children under five and for pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 which is effective in promoting pupils' intellectual,

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Aspect Comment

physical and personal development in all areas. Enriched by an excellent range of extra curricular activities. Very good assessment procedures are a very strong feature of the provision. Pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs receive very good provision which enables them to make very good progress. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development A strength of the school is in the very good provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Strong emphasis is placed on involving pupils in activities within the school and at local and national level, thus ensuring that pupils have a well developed sense of citizenship by the end of Key Stage 2. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good overall. The school is well staffed with suitably qualified and experienced teachers. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are very good. The accommodation is barely adequate but the school

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Aspect Comment

manages the difficulties very well. Resources are of good quality and accessible to staff and pupils. Value for money The school provides very good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Wood Fold Primary - 11 November

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happy about

I. The school helps the children to achieve good standards. II. Parents are pleased with the progress their children are making. III. They are kept well informed about their children's progress. IV. Parents are made to feel welcome and are encouraged to be involved in the school in a number of ways. V. Most parents think that the school is a friendly, caring place. VI. The teachers are easy to approach and receptive to any concerns raised. VII. Most parents think that the school handles complaints well. VIII. The children like coming to school. IX. The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children. X. The school achieves high standards of good behaviour. XI. The majority of parents think that the school gives them a clear understanding of what is taught, particularly good introduction to the National Literacy Project. XII. Most parent are happy with the work their children are expected to do at home.

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happy about

XIII. Some parents of pupils in Year 1 for some of the children.

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happy about

XIV. A few parents feel that the setting of

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happy about

The vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school and appreciate what it does for their children. Inspectors' judgements support the parents' positive views. The school is very welcoming and friendly and there is a strong mutual trust between adults and pupils in the school community. The staff have a very good knowledge of the pupils and offer them a very good level of support and guidance. Pupils are happy to be in school. In discussions with them they were very positive and talked confidently about their work. With regard to the accommodation issues the inspectors consider that the school is managing the difficulties very well to ensure that pupils' progress is not restricted. The school has a policy for the setting of homework which is currently under review and the intention is to discuss the arrangements with parents in the near future. Wood Fold Primary - 12 November

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

There are no key issues for the school to address but, in the context of its many strengths and its own aim to sustain and improve standards, the following minor points for improvement should be considered as the basis for an action plan.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

* Secure more consistent use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning in the subjects of the curriculum (as identified in the school development plan); (paragraph references: 117, 125 and 135)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

* In religious education, ensure that sufficient time is available for the pupils in Year 6 to study all the elements of the locally Agreed Syllabus in full. (paragraph references: 38 and 143) Wood Fold Primary - 13 November

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Characteristics of the school

1 Wood Fold Primary School provides full time education for 430 pupils aged 4 to 11. The school is bigger than most primary schools with 218 boys and 212 girls. This represents a 15 per cent increase in the school roll since the last inspection. The school has a standard admission number of 70 and clear criteria for admission. At the present time, all children who are under five begin school in the autumn term. Of the seventy children in the reception class fifty-five were four years of age at the time of the inspection. Fifty- seven pupils are included on the register for special educational needs. Fifteen pupils are at stages 3 to 5, with needs ranging from moderate learning difficulties and emotional and behavioural difficulties to more specific requirements. There are 4 pupils with a statement of special educational need. Approximately 7.4 per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals and this is below the national average. There

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Characteristics of the school

are 16 classes taught by 18 full time teachers including the headteacher and one part time teacher.

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Characteristics of the school

2 The school is situated in the historical village of Standish. This is a popular residential area which has grown considerably over the past few years. Most of the children come from professional and semi-professional backgrounds and are almost entirely of white ethnic origin. Most pupils have attended a nursery or playgroup and enter the school with levels of attainment that are broadly average especially in literacy and numeracy. Most children show above average attainment in social and personal skills and in knowledge of the world.

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Characteristics of the school

3 The aim of the school is to facilitate children's learning in a warm, encouraging and respectful community existing in a quality and stimulating learning environment. The school seeks to develop the skills of independent learning and self discipline and to help each child to find the self esteem and confidence to live a full and happy life.

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Characteristics of the school

4 Priorities identified in School development plan for school improvement and raising standards include monitoring and evaluation which focus upon:

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Characteristics of the school

* the successful implementation of the numeracy strategy;

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Characteristics of the school

* the achievement of the challenging targets set for science across both key stages;

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Characteristics of the school

* the further development of ICT across school in terms of skills development and the establishment of a computer suite Wood Fold Primary - 14 November 4 Key Indicators

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 29 (22) 28 (30) 29 (32) at NC Level 2 or Girls 29 (17) 32 (23) 33 (28) above Total 58 (39) 50 (53) 62 (60) Percentage at NC School 86 (87) 89 (82) 92 (92) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Results

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 28 (29) 29 (32) 28 (32) at NC Level 2 or Girls 30 (27) 33 (26) 32 (28) above Total 58 (56) 62 (58) 60 (60) Percentage at NC School 87 (86) 93 (90) 89 (92) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (80) 87 (86)

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Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Wood Fold Primary - 15 November

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for latest reporting year: 1999 31 29 60

National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 20 (22) 22 (22) 27 (24) at NC Level 4 or Girls 28 (26) 24 (22) 19 (22) above Total 48 (48) 46 (44) 46 (46) Percentage at NC School 80 (77) 77 (70) 77 (73) Level 4 or above National 72 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

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for latest reporting year: 1999 31 29 60

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 20 (20) 20 (23) 21 (25) at NC Level 4 or Girls 27 (27) 25 (27) 25 (28) above Total 47 (47) 45 (50) 46 (53) Percentage at NC School 81 (76) 78 (81) 79 (86) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) % missed through absence for the Authorised School 4.8 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.6 Unauthorised School 0.0 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is : % Very good or better 33 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0

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Quality of teaching

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Wood Fold Primary - 16 November

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Attainment and progress

1 On the basis of the National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2 tests, pupils' attainment in English and mathematics over the past three years 1996 to 1998 has been well above the national average. It has been more variable in science, but taken overall, attainment has been above the national average. The 1999 end of Key Stage 2 assessments show that in English and mathematics pupils' attainment is above average and in science their attainment is close to the national average. Pupils' results show a similar increase to that achieved nationally, in the percentage reaching or exceeding the expected standard (Level 4) in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ attainment is rising steadily in line with national trends. The school's results are above average compared with those of similar schools in English and mathematics, but they are below average in science.

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Attainment and progress

2 This lower than usual rise in attainment does not reflect a dip in progress, but does reflect the composition of the group and fact that several pupils joined the school during the year, some of them from overseas, and therefore had not enjoyed the same educational experiences. The inspection findings show that the overall attainment of the current Year 6 is above average in English and mathematics and is in line with national expectations in science. On the basis of the current attainment the typically high standards will be achieved next year and there is likely to be a marked improvement in the science results.

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Attainment and progress

3 On the basis of the end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests and assessments, pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been consistently higher than the national average for the past three years. The school's 1999 end of Key Stage 1 results are well above average and compared with similar schools pupils' attainment is well above average, with a much higher than average percentage of pupils reaching the higher level. The inspection findings confirm this. On the basis of teacher assessment, attainment in science has been slightly higher than the national average, but inspection findings are that attainment in science is in line with that expected nationally for pupils of this age.

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Attainment and progress

4 Pupils in both key stages make good progress in all aspects of their work in English and mathematics. Standards in oracy are good and pupils' literacy and numeracy skills are well developed throughout the school. Pupils listen attentively to others and make evaluative comments during discussions. They are able to speak confidently in a variety of situations. The majority of pupils are able to express their thoughts and opinions in a clear and precise way. Pupils read aloud fluently, accurately and with expression. Very few pupils have difficulty in reading instructions in text books and their reference skills are well developed. They write well in all subjects, using a variety of styles and pay attention to grammar and spelling. Their work is neatly presented. Standards in numeracy are good. Pupils are competent in making written and mental calculations and their knowledge of place value is very secure. They have a good knowledge and

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Attainment and progress

understanding of the four rules of number. They are able to use a variety of strategies to solve mathematical problems. By the end of Key Stage 2 the majority of pupils are competent mathematicians. Pupils in both key stages successfully apply their knowledge and understanding of number across other subjects of the curriculum.

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Attainment and progress

5 In science, pupils at Key Stage 1 make good progress in their knowledge and understanding across all strands of the subject and become more aware of the need for "fair testing". Across Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress and develop their knowledge and understanding through some good practical work. They use their literacy and numeracy skills well in science lessons, for example when recording their findings or tabulating the results of experiments. Pupils are currently making more consistent progress and acquiring a more secure understanding and knowledge of scientific concepts than in previous years. Wood Fold Primary - 17 November 6 In their work in information technology, pupils are making satisfactory progress and by the end of both key stages attainment is in line with the national expectation. Pupils in Key Stage 1 develop satisfactory keyboard skills and learn to control the mouse. In Key Stage 2, pupils work at appropriate levels in all strand

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Attainment and progress

of the subject. Some use is made of information technology to support pupils' learning across the curriculum. There is, however, a lack of emphasis on data handling and graph work which would link subjects such as mathematics, science, geography and information technology more effectively.

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Attainment and progress

7 In religious education, across both key stages, pupils make good progress towards achieving the targets set in the Locally Agreed Syllabus. The attainment of the pupils meets the expectations of the syllabus by the end of Key Stage 1 and exceeds it by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

8 In Key Stage 1 pupils make good progress in art, geography, and physical education. During the course of the inspection insufficient lessons in design and technology, history and music were seen to make a secure judgement about pupils' progress at Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in art, design and technology, geography, history and physical education. They make satisfactory progress in music. There are significant strengths in physical education where pupils demonstrate good levels of co-ordination and imagination and in geography where pupils benefit from good quality fieldwork and first hand practical experiences.

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Attainment and progress

9 In the early years, children make good progress and by the age of five, most pupils are attaining the desirable learning outcomes in all areas of their learning. Their attainment in the key areas of learning, which are language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical, creative and personal and social development is above that expected for their age.

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Attainment and progress

10 The school's support for pupils with special educational needs reflects the Code of Practice. The individual education plans are detailed and fully cover the range of needs. Pupils make very good progress towards the targets set in their individual education plans and attain standards which are good for their abilities.

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Attainment and progress

11 The evidence drawn from observations in the classroom shows that boys and girls achieve equally well and that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

12 The school has successfully maintained the high standards of behaviour which were apparent during the last inspection. A warm and welcoming atmosphere pervades the school and relationships at all levels are very good. In classrooms, in the playground and in their movements around the school the pupils show consideration for one another and respect for school property. During the inspection, when heavy rain prevented them from playing out of doors, their behaviour inside school was exemplary. No incidents of bullying or any other form of aggressive behaviour were observed during the inspection week. The school has not excluded any pupil during the past twelve months.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

13 Children under five, in the reception classes, are making good progress in the personal and social area of their learning. They behave well in class and demonstrate a high level of interest in the tasks they undertake, They move around the school sensibly and confidently and, during lessons, they willingly share the toys and resources with one another. During the inspection one of the reception classes was observed changing for a physical education lesson. They undressed with a good degree of independence and a minimum of fuss. Wood Fold Primary - 18 November 14 The pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 enjoy their lessons. They work with sustained concentration and approach the challenges which are set for them with real enthusiasm. Since the last inspection the school has succeeded in further developing the pupils' levels of self-discipline and their skills as independent learners, for example, when working without close supervision in the resource areas outside the classroom. When faced with minor

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

difficulties they persevere, readily helping each other to succeed. During class discussion the pupils are eager to put forward their ideas, confident that others will respect their views. Their general behaviour, coupled with their very positive attitudes to learning, is contributing significantly to their attainment and progress and the overall quality of school life.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

15 Through the curriculum and the daily life of the school the pupils learn to respect one another and to value friendship. They are quick to applaud when others succeed, for example in physical education lessons when individuals or groups of pupils are asked to demonstrate a given technique.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

16 The pupils' personal and social development is very good. Pupils in all year groups respond positively to the many opportunities they are given to show initiative and assist with the smooth running of classroom routines. For example they return the registers to the school office and help to tidy away equipment at the end of the lesson. The Year 6 pupils contribute a great deal to the school community. They carry out a wide range of duties including helping in the office at lunch time, setting out resources for practical work, caring for the school garden and assisting with the supervision of younger pupils in the playground. Pupils from Year 2 upwards serve on the school council and respond sensibly and positively to the good opportunities to put forward suggestions and express opinions about school life. All these activities are helping to extend the pupils' understanding of the principles of good citizenship.

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Attendance

17 The pupils' record of attendance is good, and broadly in line with the national average of 94.4 per cent. Consistently good levels of attendance have been maintained since the last inspection.

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Attendance

18 The vast majority of the pupils arrive punctually in the mornings and lessons begin on time. Illness and holidays account for almost all absence and there is no unauthorised absence.

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Teaching

19 The quality of teaching is good overall. It is a strength of the school and has a significant and beneficial impact on attainment and progress. In the lessons observed, all teaching was satisfactory over half was good and in one in three lessons it was very good, with some that was excellent. Teachers and classroom assistants are hard working, committed and enthusiastic. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection which is directly attributable to the good planning and the very good levels of monitoring, review and development. Wood Fold Primary - 19 November 20 Most teaching of the under-fives in the reception classes is good, with a third of it being very good and excellent. Children are given a good start to their education. There is detailed planning based on the six areas of learning and careful consideration has been given to planning for the transition into National Curriculum.

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Teaching

The teachers and classroom assistants have very good relationships with the children and are calm in their approach. They are well organised, encourage independence and initiative and children are often given responsibility for selecting their own activity. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of key skills through the provision of a wide range of good quality activities and learning experiences.

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Teaching

21 The high quality of teaching continues into Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The proportion of very good and excellent teaching being slightly higher in Key Stage 2 where it is in line with that for the under fives.

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Teaching

22 Across the school staff work well together and this has a positive effect on the children's learning. In both key stages, teaching in English, mathematics, science, art, geography, and physical education is good with examples of very good and excellent teaching particularly in English and mathematics. Teaching is good in design and technology, very good in history and satisfactory in music at Key Stage 2. It was not possible to make a secure judgement about teaching in these subjects at Key Stage 1 as insufficient evidence was available. Teaching of information technology is satisfactory at both key stages and religious education is well taught throughout the school.

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Teaching

23 There are many strengths in the teaching at both key stages. Teachers' subject knowledge is secure and they show a good understanding of what they have to teach and how best their pupils will learn. In all subjects the teachers use subject specific vocabulary very well, pose thought provoking questions and give accurate information. Teachers' subject knowledge in English and their understanding of the National Literacy Strategy is very good and this brings pace and interest to the lessons. In the most effective lessons teachers successfully communicate to pupils an enthusiasm for the imaginative use of language. Subject knowledge is good in mathematics and teachers are following the guidelines of the Numeracy Strategy well and this effectively promotes the pupils' progress.

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Teaching

24 Teachers' expectations of pupils are good at both key stages. Where expectations are highest the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs are well met. The work set is well matched to pupils' prior attainment levels. The activities and tasks within lessons have a clear structure so that challenge is constantly added to what pupils are doing to keep them well motivated. Teachers make skilful use of questioning to establish understanding and extend pupils' learning. They make perceptive comments to pupils about their progress and how they might improve further.

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Teaching

25 Good lesson planning is a strong feature of the teaching. Teachers successfully plan their work together in year groups, taking account of the National Curriculum programmes of study and the school schemes of work. The most effective teaching is seen where the lesson planning is based on a very clear view of what the pupils are expected to learn, what they have to do to learn it, and what will be assessed. Teacher are conscientious in the preparation of their work and choose resources carefully to support the activities. The good planning enables teachers to organise a sequence of progressive activities that have a sharp focus on the development of pupils' skills. There is an appropriate balance between the use of whole class, group and individual teaching in most lessons.

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Teaching

26 Lessons are interesting and teachers select imaginative starting points for pupils to apply their knowledge and skills. A good example of this was in an English lesson when pupils were considering the features of journalistic writing. They watched a video recording of an interview with Sir Alex Ferguson and compared it to the written report in the newspaper. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to work collaboratively in small groups or to co-operate with others. This is very beneficial to their personal development and their progress in using and applying their research skills using information technology and reference books. Wood Fold Primary - 20 November 27 Classroom organisation is very good across the school. Routines are well established and there are clear expectations of good behaviour. Teachers show warmth and friendliness and handle any difficulties firmly but fairly. The very good relationships teachers have with their pupils ensures a calm working environment

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Teaching

with a shared sense of purpose which is an important factor in promoting the good progress.

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Teaching

28 The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good and helps to promote very good progress. The content of the lessons is the same for all pupils, with appropriate tasks designed for the various levels of attainment. Individual education plans are of a good quality. They set realistic targets, state how they should be achieved and record the outcomes. Plans are revised and adjusted to ensure that pupils achieve success and make appropriate progress.

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Teaching

29 The quality and use of assessment to inform planning is very well developed. Teachers know their pupils well and record progress and achievements carefully and use the information to adapt and modify what they plan to do next. The frequent interactions between teachers and their pupils provide support and encouragement whilst enabling teachers to assess the pupils' level of understanding and identify any misunderstandings. The careful marking of work, particularly in Key Stage 2, effectively shows pupils how to improve. Teachers have a very positive style, valuing pupils' efforts and encouraging them even when correcting mistakes.

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Teaching

30 Classroom support assistants make a strong contribution to the quality of teaching. There is very good deployment of classroom assistants in the implementation of the new initiative entitled "Additional Literacy Support". The staff who use it have been very well trained and use it as an effective means for raising standards in literacy. Parents visit the school and work alongside staff in the classrooms where they make a useful contribution to teaching and to standards. Homework is given to pupils in all classes. This is effective in helping them with their reading and in consolidating work done in class, as well as setting them challenges in preparation for new work.

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Teaching

31 This is a school where pupils benefit from good quality teaching which reflects the mission statement and which contributes significantly to the aims of the school in developing pupils' independence in learning.

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The curriculum and assessment

32 Throughout the school the quality of planning and assessment is of a high calibre and reflects the school’s desire to provide its pupils with high standards of education. The school provides a rich and stimulating curriculum which is broad, balanced and relevant. It is effective in promoting successfully the pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development. Health education includes appropriate attention to drug misuse, and the programme of sex education is taught effectively in accordance with the governors’ agreed policy.

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The curriculum and assessment

33 The school provides a good quality curriculum for the children under five. The content of the work is based appropriately on the nationally agreed desirable outcomes for their learning prior to compulsory education. The quality of planning is of a high order and assessment strategies are effectively used to guide the planning of future work.

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The curriculum and assessment

34 Appropriate emphasis is placed on English, mathematics and science and the content of the work in these subjects meets fully the requirements of the National Curriculum. Religious education is taught in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus and meets statutory requirements. However, the present arrangements for the Year 6 pupils do not provide enough time for all elements of the syllabus to be covered thoroughly. Apart from this aspect of provision, the school has improved the balance of time allocated to subjects of the curriculum since the last inspection. For example, sufficient time is now devoted at Key Stage 2 to the teaching of physical education. In addition, the school has adjusted the time allocated for teaching at Key Stage 2, so that the school now exceeds the minimum recommended length of the school day for the older pupils. The school is at an early stage in using information technology to support the work in other subjects.

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

In acknowledging this fact, the school development plan sets out clearly how developments will be tackled. Wood Fold Primary - 21 November 35 There are policies in place for all subjects and these are reviewed periodically. Good schemes of work provide an outline of the knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are to learn as they move through the school and enable teachers to take them progressively from one stage of learning to the next. Planning effectively builds on prior learning and identifies clearly what pupils are expected to learn in relation to their different ages and abilities. The staff work in year group teams to produce medium term and weekly plans that relate appropriately to the long term planning. The headteacher, supported by the senior and middle management teams and the subject co-ordinators, monitor the medium and short term planning on a regular basis. The school has adopted the National Literacy Strategy to support its own effective strategy for

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

literacy and has made a good start in implementing the Numeracy Strategy. The development of the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills is emphasised strongly throughout the school. For example, in a science lesson for the youngest Key Stage 1 pupils, they were introduced to precise scientific vocabulary related to magnetism. By the end of the lesson they were able to sort magnetic and non-magnetic objects into sets and to explain their reasons using accurate vocabulary such as attract, repel and pole. Most subjects are taught specifically but teachers are skilful in making cross-curricular links wherever possible.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

36 The curriculum is well supported by visits, visitors to school and by the use of the environment. Equality of opportunity is emphasised strongly throughout the school and each pupil has full access to the whole curriculum including opportunities to take part in visits locally and further afield.

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The curriculum and assessment

37 The school makes outstanding provision for the pupils to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities which extend and enhance the statutory curriculum. Staff give freely of their time to provide a range of after school clubs. These include, sporting, cultural, musical, aesthetic and intellectual activities. Many pupils take part in these activities which help to develop their personal and social skills. In addition, the school enables the older pupils to participate in sporting events against other schools. During the last two years, the Year 6 boys were overall winners in the local inter-school swimming gala in 1998 and the Year 5 girls were similarly successful in the same gala. In 1999 the school were runners-up out of all Wigan schools. In 1999, the school won the Standish and Shevington District Association football cup.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

38 The school makes very good provision for the pupils with special educational needs. Effective use is made of baseline assessment of children, on entry to the reception classes, to support early identification procedures. Individual education plans are completed for pupils who are at stages two to five of the Code of Practice. These plans are very well written containing realistic and measurable targets. They cover an appropriate time scale and focus effectively on aspects of English or mathematics.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

39 The arrangements for assessing and recording pupils' attainment and progress are a strength of the school. A highly effective system to analyse test results and to track individual pupils' attainment and progress in their English, mathematics and science work has been introduced. The detail and accuracy of these assessments means that the school is successful in setting targets which effectively challenge the pupils and assist their progress. These strategies are used to identify targets for raising the achievements of individual pupils and for improving the performance of groups of pupils where evidence indicates they are not performing in line with their abilities. Pupils are also involved in evaluating their own work and in target setting. Great attention is given to the marking of the pupils’ work which is completed to a high standard throughout the school. The marking is sensitive and diagnostic. It gives the pupils a clear understanding of their strengths

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

and areas for improvement and acknowledges the effort which the pupils put into their work.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

40 Since the last inspection report, the school has greatly strengthened its planning procedures. Medium and short-term planning is monitored on a regular basis by the middle and senior management teams and also by the curriculum co-ordinators. In addition, the assessment procedures show a significant improvement since the last inspection. Wood Fold Primary - 22 November

p.21

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

41 The school is highly successful in promoting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42 There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual development. Through their work in religious education, and the well planned acts of collective worship, the school provides a secure basis for the pupils’ spiritual development. These are reverent occasions, for example, during an assembly on the theme of ‘light and dark’ the hall was in semi-darkness to begin with and then lit by a number of candles held by teachers and other adults. Pupils were invited to comment on their feelings about light and dark and this was linked with the Creation story and Jesus as the Light of the World. Pupils’ spiritual development is also engendered by their growing understanding of the structure and order of the natural world which fosters a sense of awe and wonder, for example, during their lessons in science and art.

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

43 Pupils’ moral development is supported by the excellent ethos of the school which encourages good standards of behaviour through high expectations and self-discipline. All pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and are helped to develop their own personal values. They are encouraged to consider how their actions affect others and contribute to the well being of all people in the school community.

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

44 The quality of the relationships within the school contribute to pupils’ social development. They learn to take responsibility for their own actions, Pupils work co-operatively in lessons and in games which involve competition, discipline and fair play. The School Council gives pupils the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of aspects of the school’s life and environment. The council comprises elected pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 who meet regularly. In these ways pupils are encouraged to be responsible and self-reliant and such activities contribute to their developing understanding of responsible citizenship.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

45 Since the last report planned opportunities have been provided across the curriculum for the development of pupils’ cultural awareness. These are linked to a whole school policy which is implemented in a consistent and coherent way. The wide range of varied extra-curricular activities, educational visits and visitors to the school make an important contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Aspects of the curriculum such as religious education, history, geography, art, music, drama and literature make positive contributions to their understanding of their own and other traditions and cultures.

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

46 Overall, the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is a major strength of the school. The commitment and good example set by all adults within the school community is fully appreciated by parents who overwhelmingly consider that the school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

47 The school makes very good provision for the pupils' support and guidance and for ensuring their welfare, health and safety. It has improved on the high standards apparent during the last inspection.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

48 Considerable emphasis is given to encouraging regular attendance and punctuality. Procedures for registering and monitoring attendance are now implemented more rigorously and incidents of unexplained absence are followed up without delay. The educational welfare officer provides effective support in helping to monitor attendance and in following up concerns about absence.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

49 Procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour are very good. Staff are consistent in the implementation of the whole school behaviour policy, giving pupils a clear understanding of what is expected of them. The pupils appreciate the rewards which are given for good work and behaviour and they understand the whole school system of sanctions. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good and behaviour throughout the school is of a high standard. Consultation with parents, prior to the inspection, revealed satisfaction with standards of behaviour achieved by the school. Wood Fold Primary - 23 November 50 The school's policy on citizenship plays an important part in promoting positive attitudes to learning and a strong moral code. Frequent opportunities are provided to enable pupils to take responsibility for a range of duties in the classroom and around the school. The school council provides good opportunities for pupils to

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

understand and appreciate the roles and responsibilities of leadership.

p.23

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

51 A very good induction programme helps the youngest children to settle quickly and happily into school routines. The pupils' academic progress and personal development are monitored very carefully as they move through the school. Staff have a thorough knowledge of each individual's needs and this helps them to plan for good continuity and progression for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs receive appropriate additional help from their class teachers and support staff and, as a result, they make very good progress. Equality of access and opportunity is a strong feature of the school and all the pupils have equal access to the whole curriculum. Arrangements for transfer to secondary education are very good.

p.23

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

52 Child protection procedures are effective and observe guidelines provided by the local education authority. The school has a responsible attitude to health and safety. Staff, governors, parents, members of the community and the police are represented on the school's risk management committee.

p.23

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

53 Parents expressed high levels of satisfaction for this aspect of the school's provision and their views are supported by the findings of the inspection.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

54 Very good links with parents and the community are a notable feature of the school. The school has successfully built upon the strengths identified in the last inspection report. Parents are made welcome in the school. The consultation exercise, prior to the inspection, revealed confidence on the part of the parents in approaching the school with problems or questions concerning their children. Almost all parents are of the view that their children like school.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

55 The quality of the information provided for parents is very good. The school prospectus contains extensive information relating to the school's aims and values, school policies and procedures and the very wide range of extra curricular activities available to the pupils. Formal and informal meetings and regular correspondence help to keep parents well informed of school events. Pupils' annual reports are of the highest quality, providing parents with detailed information about their children's attainment and progress and giving due attention to identifying weaknesses as well as strengths. They also target areas for development and make provision for parents and pupils to add their comments. The reception children's annual reports are equally good, providing parents with extremely helpful information about their children's progress in all the areas of learning for children under five.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

56 A number of the parents give generously of their time to help in classrooms and to accompany the pupils on visits to places of interest outside of school. Many of the parents are helping to support their children's reading development through effective use of the home- school reading scheme. The parents' views on homework were canvassed recently by the school and, as a result, the school is planning to review its policy on homework and adopt a more structured and consistent approach in the future.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

57 Parents of pupils on the register of special educational needs are appropriately involved in setting and reviewing targets and are given good advice as to how they can help their children to make progress.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

58 Links with the community are very good. The curriculum is extended and enriched by a carefully planned programme of educational visits and by the many visitors who are invited into school to talk to the pupils about their life and work. For example, this term's topic for reception children is "People who help us" and a different person has come into school each week to talk to the children about their role in the community. Wood Fold Primary - 24 November 59 At Christmas the pupils sing carols in a neighbouring residential home for the elderly and the residents are invited to concerts and other special events inside school. Since the last inspection all areas of the school have been ramped to accommodate wheelchairs. Local shop keepers make generous donations in support of the many fund raising activities organised by the Parents, Teachers and Friends Association. Very strong links with the pre-school group which is based in the school grounds contribute to the school's very good

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

60 The school has worked in conjunction with Wigan's People and Places scheme and other organisations such as The Prince's Trust to improve the internal and external learning environments. Volunteers from The Prince's Trust have developed a lovely play area inside school and the reception children themselves raised money, through sponsorship, for some very colourful soft play equipment which is used effectively for work on shape in the mathematical area of their learning. An artist in residence worked with some of the older pupils to produce a beautiful mural made out of ceramic tiles. By sharing their skills and expertise, artists in residence and other visitors are helping to develop the pupils' awareness of the wider community. Wood Fold Primary - 25 November

p.24

Leadership and management

61 The school is very well led and managed. The mission statement and aims are successful in promoting pupils' personal and academic development, are reflected in all its work and widely promoted. The headteacher and governors demonstrate a strong and professional commitment to the school and its pupils and there is a high level of commitment towards continuous improvement. This has a positive effect on the provision made for all pupils, as well as the standards achieved and the quality of the education provided. The headteacher and the senior management team combine effectively with the governing body to give clear educational direction to the work of the school and ensure that all statutory requirements are fully met.

p.25

Leadership and management

62 The head teacher provides excellent leadership. She has a very clear vision for the school and has approached the task of school improvement with determination, energy and considerable competence. Her plan for improvement is characterised by careful prioritising and her hard work is complemented by notable personal qualities. Her style of leadership is caring and supportive and her manner is calm and assured. She has been in post for three years and has created a very good ethos for learning which reflects the school's mission statement and its commitment to high standards, good relationships and equality of opportunity for all pupils. The headteacher is an excellent team leader, well supported by an effective deputy headteacher and committed teaching and non-teaching staff. She enjoys the full support of governors and parents. There are very good working relationships at all levels within the school.

p.25

Leadership and management

63 The governing body gives very good support to the school. It meets regularly and keeps detailed minutes of its proceedings. It has an appropriate structure of committees which carry out their statutory responsibilities efficiently and in full. Governors are well informed and have a good level of knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities and of the school's work. They are very successful in fulfilling their duty to act as a critical friend to the school. They have very effective systems for financial planning, financial management, priority setting and monitoring. They use the school development plan to provide a strategic overview of the school. Governors have regular contact with the school and there are link governors for literacy, numeracy, special educational needs, child protection and target setting.

p.25

Leadership and management

64 Development planning is a real strength within the school. The school development plan is clear, detailed yet concise and is an effective management tool. Monitoring and evaluation play a crucial part in planning for school improvement and the headteacher, staff and governors monitor the plan and evaluate the progress made on a regular basis. There has been a significant improvement since the last inspection when it was reported that staff and governors had limited involvement in school development planning and that there was a lack of clarity in the school development plan.

p.25

Leadership and management

65 The quality of the school's management structure is highly effective. The headteacher has established a senior management team which is enthusiastic, energetic and active. A middle management team is now being developed. Together they work in partnership with the headteacher who involves them in all aspects of school life. They make a strong and effective contribution to monitoring, review and development. The curriculum and standards are effectively monitored through scrutinising teachers' planning, visiting classrooms, reviewing pupils' work and analysing test results. The roles of teachers who have responsibility for the development of subjects of the National Curriculum, assessment and special educational needs are clearly defined and their responsibilities are linked securely to the school’s decision making structure. For example teachers with responsibilities for English, mathematics and science are actively involved in

p.25

Leadership and management

monitoring planning, teaching and pupils' learning. Guidance from co-ordinators about the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning and standards of attainment ensures that crucial information for strategic planning is available to governors and senior managers.

p.25

Leadership and management

66 The management of special educational needs is very good. The co-ordinator for special educational needs provides very good leadership and plays an important role in ensuring that the standards of school based provision are of the highest calibre. The governor with responsibility for Special Educational Needs offers a very high level of support. The arrangements in place are comprehensive and there is strong liaison between Wood Fold Primary - 26 November all the parties responsible. This is an aspect of management that is much improved since the last inspection. Wood Fold Primary - 27 November 67 The provision for pupils under five is also well managed. Children are sensitively introduced into school and settle quickly into the routines. The staff work together as an effective team, ensuring a good start to children’s education through an appropriate and relevant curriculum.

p.25

Leadership and management

68 The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully introduced and is providing a good framework for the development of pupils’ reading and writing skills. The Numeracy Strategy is in the early stages of implementation and is being effectively managed. Teaching in both of these areas is closely aligned to the agreed aims and is well supported by carefully selected resources.

p.27

Leadership and management

69 The improvement since the last inspection is very good. The school has produced a clear action plan in response to the last report and successfully addressed all the issues raised, particularly in improving the quality of planning which has had a direct impact on the quality of teaching and raising standards. It has monitored progress in these areas and is continuing to develop some aspects such as the use of pupil assessment to inform curricular planning. The school has maintained and further improved the high quality of its ethos, with a strong emphasis upon social responsibility and good citizenship, good behaviour and supportive relationships. The school has set targets for its future performance. These are based on extensive analysis of the prior attainment of pupils and are set at an appropriate yet challenging level. Given the school’s clear view of its strengths and areas for future development, the level of commitment and driving

p.27

Leadership and management

force of the headteacher and senior staff and the support of the governing body, it is very well placed to continue to move forward and has a very good capacity for future improvements.

p.27

Leadership and management

70 The school ethos promotes high expectations, hard work, good behaviour and very good relationships. It provides an environment conducive to learning and results in a very good school with many strengths and no identified significant weaknesses.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

71 The school is well staffed with appropriately qualified and experienced teachers and support staff to meet the requirements of the curriculum and the needs of children under five and pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. Teaching and support staff work as a highly effective team. Teachers' specialisms cover the full range of subjects and aspects and curriculum responsibilities are equitably distributed. The school has a number of support staff and they have a range of skills, including those of nursery nurse, special educational needs and classroom assistants who are sufficiently experienced and qualified for their roles.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

72 The school makes very good arrangements for the professional development of teaching and support staff. Appraisal, self evaluation and the school development planning process helps to identify individuals' strengths and development needs. The very good arrangements for staff training have had a positive effect on the standard of teaching throughout the school and the successful implementation of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. There are good arrangements for the induction of new staff and newly qualified teachers.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

73 The accommodation is adequate for the effective delivery of the curriculum although space is limited due to the growing pupil numbers. The school is managing to overcome difficulties resulting from shortage of space and works hard and successfully to ensure that they do not have a negative effect on pupils' learning or the standards achieved. A new classroom is to be built in the new year. This will accommodate one of the Year 1 classes. In the meantime the three Year 1 classes are sharing the two Year 1 classrooms and making effective use of the library and the resource areas outside the main teaching bays. The arrangements are working well, chiefly on account of careful planning by the teachers, the sensible behaviour of the pupils involved and highly efficient management of the accommodation.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

74 Library provision, although restricted in the short term on account of the Year 1 teaching arrangements, is satisfactory. Use of the library is carefully timetabled to allow all the pupils to benefit from using it. The school has sufficient good quality books to support reading throughout the school. Wood Fold Primary - 28 November 75 Hall space is very limited and it is impossible to bring the whole school together for assembly. The two mobile classrooms are of good quality and both have good access to toilet facilities. Outdoor provision is satisfactory, with two hard play areas and a large playing field which is used in Spring and Summer. The field was not used during the inspection week. All areas of the school are well maintained, clean and tidy. Display throughout the school is of a very high quality, helping to create a bright and stimulating learning environment and a colourful celebration of the pupils' achievements.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

76 Resource levels are good overall but only satisfactory for the teaching of religious education. There are sufficient, good quality resources to support learning in all areas of the curriculum. The resources are stored carefully and staff and pupils have appropriate access to them. Often the resources are displayed imaginatively, making for effective use of storage space and at the same time enhancing the quality of the learning environment.

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The efficiency of the school

77 This is an efficient school where the management of all resources is of an extremely high standard. The school operates effectively within its budget. Very good use is made of grants for specific purposes including the element within the school’s funding for making provision for pupils with special educational needs. Good use is also made of funds raised by the Parents Association. A sum of around £2,000 is raised annually, and this is used effectively to extend opportunities for pupils.

p.28

The efficiency of the school

78 Excellent procedures have been developed to identify educational priorities. A very well conceived school development planning process is in place. Careful auditing in order to identify priorities involves all relevant groups, and possible targets for development are assessed against their potential impact on pupils' progress and attainment, before being confirmed as priorities and allocated funding.

p.28

The efficiency of the school

79 The arrangements for ensuring financial control are excellent. The governors' finance committee meets regularly and combines effectively with senior management to monitor spending and review priorities. The tight relationship between school development planning and finance means that any money which becomes available can be earmarked for a worthwhile purpose without wasting time. The report prepared following external monitoring of the school's financial control procedures by the Local Education Authority confirms the efficiency of the school in these matters. Day-to-day procedures are efficient, providing good support to the school.

p.28

The efficiency of the school

80 The Local Education Authority's financial services offer good support when external advice is required. On a daily basis, the highly efficient school administration section monitors the budget situation to ensure that an up-to-date picture is available at all times. Administrative procedures work well and provide good support to the teachers enabling them to concentrate on their work in the classroom.

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The efficiency of the school

81 Skilful management enables the school to overcome the difficulties presented by a growing school population and limited floor space. Teaching and non-teaching staff are well matched to curriculum needs and deployed sensibly. Learning resources are effectively managed, and any gaps quickly identified and addressed. Financial control and the daily administration of the school are excellent.

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The efficiency of the school

82 Since the last inspection, the school has made considerable progress in improving the arrangements for school development planning as a means of guiding spending. Strong emphasis is now placed on setting targets to bring about improvements in pupils' attainment. The success of this strategy is reflected in the high attainment of pupils in English and mathematics.

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The efficiency of the school

83 In relation to context and income, the school provides very good value for money in terms of the standards achieved and quality of education provided. Wood Fold Primary - 29 November

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

84 The provision made for children under the age of five in the Early Years Unit is very good and is one of the school's strengths. Children are admitted in the September of the academic year in which they reach five. At the time of the inspection there were 70 children in the reception year, 55 of whom were still under five years old. Although the school does not have its own nursery, most children have had some pre-school experience when they start at the school. A good induction programme ensures that they feel safe and secure and that they settle quickly into school routines.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

85 On entry to the reception classes the children show a wide range of attainment but the overall level of attainment is average for their ages. Although many children show above average attainment in social and personal skills, physical development and in knowledge of the world, the levels of attainment in language and literacy and numeracy are only just in line with what is expected for children of this age. They make good progress, so that by the time they are five, the majority of children achieve the desired objectives in all areas of learning and are well prepared to embark on the National Curriculum. Standards remain high in personal and social development, physical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Standards in language and literacy, mathematics and the creative area of learning are good. At the last inspection the education of children under five did not form part of the inspection report.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

89 Teaching 86 The quality of teaching for the under fives is never less than satisfactory. 14 per cent of the teaching is satisfactory, 43 per cent good and a further 28 per cent is very good and 14 per cent is excellent. The curriculum is based on the "Six Areas of Learning" and provides the children with very broad and balanced curricular experiences appropriate to their age, capability and aptitude. A wide range of exciting, imaginative and focused opportunities promote pupils' learning in language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world whilst helping them to develop their physical and creative skills. Personal and social development is given a high priority. Children with special educational needs are well supported to enable them to make a good start at school. Information gained from the baseline assessment is effectively used to plan an appropriate curriculum for the under fives. Planning is firmly based on the

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

required areas of learning recommended for this age group and having regard to the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. This planning is flexible enough to allow teachers to introduce the National Curriculum programmes of study as appropriate. Teachers and classroom support assistants are enthusiastic and have high expectations of the children. They have a secure understanding of how young children learn and of the importance of first hand experiences. They work very well together which has a positive effect on the quality of learning. Experiences and activities are imaginative, interesting and challenging and are focused very closely on what the children need to learn. Activities are well organised and appropriate to promote language and literacy and mathematical development. There is a very good balance between teacher initiated and child initiated activities. Independent learning is given a high priority. Lesson plans are very

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

clear and detailed. The environment is well organised to support learning and relationships are good. Time and resources are used to best advantage. Staff provide effective support for all activities , interacting well to extend children's thinking and helping them to make progress in their learning. They use questions and comments well to assess children's progress and to plan for the next stage of learning. Parents are encouraged to take an active part in their children's learning. Wood Fold Primary - 30 November Personal and social education 87 Children's personal and social development is given a high priority. The children are well behaved and play well together, sharing equipment and taking turns. They have developed very good relationships with the teachers and classroom assistants and are keen to please them. They enjoy coming to school and have a good capacity for learning. They are interested in the activities provided and are eager to talk about what they are

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

doing. They listen attentively and respond positively to encouragement and to reminders about what is acceptable behaviour. They have a good understanding of classroom routines, readily accepting class rules to share, try hard to be friendly, happy and kind. They make good progress and are increasingly developing independence, for example, when getting changed for physical education and seeing to their own personal needs. They choose their own activities, work independently for sustained periods of time and take great pride in their accomplishments. Teachers take all opportunities to develop pupils' personal and social skills throughout the many activities during the day. They achieve just the right balance between providing the children with help where needed and allowing them to try for themselves. They provide very good role models and children are keen to respond to their high expectations.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

91 Language and literacy 88 The children make very good progress and by the time they are five, they achieve the expected standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing and many children achieve standards that are above those expected. Most children use language confidently. They learn to listen and to carry out simple instructions. In both small and large groups they listen attentively and are able to ask and answer questions. They enjoy conversations with adults, including visitors, and happily include them in their games. They increase their attention span when listening to stories and develop skills in speaking and listening during group play activities for example when engaged in role-play. Children make a very good start with their early reading and writing skills. Clearly labelled displays, alphabet and sound friezes and name cards help children to recognise their names, the sounds of letters and simple words and phrases. The children love books and retell

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

stories with great enthusiasm. All understand that print conveys meaning and higher attaining children accurately read simple books and have learned to make effective use of the pictures, predictable patterns in texts, as well as instantly recognising some key words by sight. Lower attaining children are enthusiastic about books and make effective use of the picture to retell a story. They have also learned to recognise some common words and happily talk about the characters in the story. The higher attaining children write simple sentences using familiar sounds and words. In this, and in their attempts at writing independently, the children are showing developing skill in forming letters correctly. Through well planned activities children come to realise the importance and purpose of writing and make independent marks on paper. A good example of this was seen when a group of children made a "Get Well" card for Miss Polly's dolly. The

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

teaching in this area is very good. Throughout the day and across all areas of learning, the teachers provide extensive and imaginative opportunities to develop the children's language and literacy skills.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

92 Mathematics 89 The children make good progress and by the time they are five, most achieve the standards expected and many achieve above this. Children are good at counting. Most children recognise and name the numbers to 20 and make successful efforts at putting these in order on a number line. The lower attaining pupils can order numbers to 12. Higher attaining pupils are making good progress in learning the language of ordinal numbers whilst lower attaining pupils can say that one object is first because it is in front of all the others. All children are developing skill in reading simple bar graphs. The children are developing good mathematical knowledge and vocabulary associated with the measurement of size and length. Good skills of estimation are also being established as children guess how far water poured from one container will reach up another empty container. Many children can identify and name common two and three dimensional

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

shapes and are able to match solid shapes to drawings, justify their decisions. They can correctly name cylinder, cube and cuboid, cone, sphere and triangular prism and talk about the properties of each.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

90 The overall quality of teaching is good both in specific mathematics lessons and as a result of the emphasis placed on developing pupils' numeracy skills within the many activities which are planned throughout the day. Wood Fold Primary - 31 November Knowledge and understanding of the world 91 On entry to the school children's attainment is good and above expectations for their age. They make good progress and by the age of five are still maintaining levels of attainment above those expected for their age. They are articulate, have good levels of observation and are developing a good understanding of the world around them. They talk happily about their homes, where they live, and identify distinctive features within the locality. During the inspection, following a walk around the school, they demonstrated their ability to use directional language such as straight on, turn right or left. The higher attaining children produced a map to

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

show how to get from the school to the shops and included details such as the clinic on the map. They learn about the passage of time through the celebration of birthdays and festivals and talking about the days of the week and changing seasons. They can observe changes in the state of materials, for example the way food changes when it is cooked. When using materials such as water, dry or wet sand and clay, the children make observations about their properties. All children can use small construction kits to make models. They further develop their technology skills through activities such as designing and making a book with lift up flaps. Children are becoming familiar with keyboard skills on the computer and enjoy using the games available. Most are able to use the space bar effectively and control the mouse to move objects around the screen. Some higher attaining children understand the relevance of icons displayed on the screen. The quality

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

of teaching in this area is good overall. The activities are planned in considerable detail and the rotation of the groups is well organised. Staff have good subject knowledge of the subjects contained within this area of learning and of how to teach the key subject specific principles in ways that are appropriate to the young children's stages of development.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

95 Creative development 92 Children make good progress and, by the age of five, most achieve the standards expected for their age and many achieve above this level. They enjoy a range of experiences in art, music, dance, story and imaginative play. Dance and role play are very effective in supporting creative development. In art, the elements of colour, texture, shape and form are explored and an impressive array of children's work is on display in classrooms and around the school. They have many opportunities to sing and to explore the sounds made by musical instruments. They learn the words and tunes of many songs and sing them enthusiastically. All children enjoy imaginative role play in the hairdresser's, the health centre, or the post office and most children have sufficient experience to pretend and act out different roles. The quality of teaching is generally good. Teachers plan and organise a wide range of stimulating activities that show their sound understanding

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

96 Physical development 93 Children make good progress and, by the time they are five most achieve the standards expected for their age and the majority achieve above this level. Children's hand and eye co-ordination skills are well developed. They manipulate tools and equipment such as crayons, scissors, paintbrushes, jigsaws and small construction toys with good control. Their attempts at handwriting are clear examples of the good control they have gained over fine movements. Children have developed good co-ordination and skill in controlling large movements. In physical education lessons, they show good awareness of the space available and use this well, taking care not to bump into each other. They can think of many different ways of moving along mats, the floor and small apparatus. In dance lessons they respond confidently and imaginatively to the different moods in music. They are provided with good opportunities to use large apparatus to balance and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

climb. The quality of teaching is usually good and sometimes very good. The teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations of the children. The physical education lessons are conducted at a brisk pace but with adequate time allowed for the children to practise skills and refine movements. A warm up and cool down activity is included in lessons and teachers wear appropriate clothes for physical education which sets a good example to the children. Wood Fold Primary - 32 November

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English

94 In the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests in reading, 86 per cent of pupils reached or exceeded the national standard compared with 82 per cent nationally. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher level, 48 per cent was well above the national figure of 29 per cent. In writing, 89 per cent of pupils reached or exceeded the national standard compared with 83 per cent nationally and again the proportion attaining the higher level 15 per cent was well above the national figure of 8 per cent. When compared to schools with pupils from a similar background, pupils' performance is well above average. Taking the test results for the three years 1996 to 1998 together, the figures show the performance of pupils at Key Stage 1 to be above the national average in reading and writing. 1999 figures reveal a similar picture.

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English

95 In the 1999 tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, the number of pupils (80 per cent) reaching or exceeding the expected standard Level 4 in English was above average compared with a national figure of 70 per cent. The proportion of pupils exceeding the national standard ( 15 per cent ) was below average. In comparison with schools in similar contexts the pupils’ overall results in English were above average. Taking the test results for the three years 1996 to 1998 together pupils' performance has been well above the national average. Taking the test results for the three years 1996 to 1998 together, the figures show the performance of Key Stage 2 pupils to be well above the national average in English. The most recent comparative figures for 1999 show pupils' attainment to be rising at a similar rate to that of pupils nationally.

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English

96 The inspection findings are generally consistent with the national test results. At Key Stage 1 the large majority of pupils attain the national standard in reading and writing. A substantial number exceed this level in both reading and writing. At Key Stage 2 a large majority achieve the national standard and a significant proportion are working above this level. Throughout the school pupils of all levels of attainment are making good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets identified for them.

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English

97 In speaking and listening pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities within many areas of the curriculum. The younger pupils listen with increasing attention and concentration, speaking clearly, reflecting on what they hear, and responding confidently. Pupils are able to choose words with precision and make themselves clear to an audience. Older pupils are helped to use vocabulary and syntax which enable them to convey more complex meanings, to discriminate between fact and opinion, and to respect other people’s views. For example, older Key Stage 1 pupils, during their work in geography, were able to compare and contrast their knowledge of physical and human features of the fictional ‘Isle of Struay’, based on their reading of the Kate Morag stories. They were keen to explore similarities and differences and discuss where they would choose to live. The pupils displayed their perception of ‘real’ issues by raising

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English

questions such as what jobs were available and how they would earn a living. There were able to express their opinions clearly and respond to one another’s views. During a history lesson about Boudicca, younger Key Stage 2 pupils were able to participate in whole class and group discussions considering various sources of information and displaying the ability to be impartial in discussing different points of view and the difficulties of interpreting historical evidence. Wood Fold Primary - 33 November 98 Standards in reading are high at both key stages and pupils sustain good progress throughout the school. In the early stages pupils follow a carefully designed programme which enables them to understand the relationship between symbols and sounds and the blending of sounds into words. They develop a range of appropriate strategies to recognise unfamiliar words and extend their phonic and graphic knowledge to

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English

include more complex patterns and irregularities. The pupils read aloud fluently, accurately and with expression and enjoy talking about the events and characters in the books they are reading. Older pupils at Key Stage 2 respond to literature of increasing complexity drawn from a wide range of texts including those from different cultures and traditions. The pupils respond imaginatively to the plots, characters and ideas in the literature they read, are eager to express their preferences and can support their opinions with reasons and evidence drawn from the texts. The pupils are able to find and use information from books and computer based sources and employ these skills effectively across many areas of the curriculum. They can consider an argument critically and identify precise information they need, using appropriate strategies for the task. Pupils read for a range of different purposes, turning readily to dictionaries and thesauruses for the

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English

meaning of unfamiliar words. The pupils are developing as independent and reflective readers, appreciating the characteristics and organisation of language used in different forms of literature, including the use of figurative language in poetry and prose. For example, by the end of Key Stage 2 pupils were able to read quite complex and challenging texts by authors such as Ted Hughes and Penelope Lively with accuracy and fluency, using very good expression. Some were able to discuss the choice of language used and how particular aspects were achieved. In a younger Key Stage 2 class, pupils were reading playscripts aloud in whole class and group situations using appropriate expression to reflect the characters. They responded imaginatively to the plot, characters and ideas at the same time developing their understanding of the structure and grammar of standard English.

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English

99 Writing skills are systematically developed alongside pupils’ growing facility in reading and spoken English. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are able to form letters correctly and use word books and simple dictionaries confidently to check the accuracy of their spelling. They are beginning to organise and present their writing in different ways according to the purpose and audience. For example, in a Key Stage 1 class pupils focused on the style of language used in giving and following instructions. They appreciated the initial use of the verb and the importance of establishing the correct sequence. This was subsequently tested by the making of jam sandwiches. At Key Stage 2 pupils write for a wide range of purposes and are able to select an appropriate style and format. They are able to organise and structure their writing, drawing on their experience of reading and studying a range of fiction, poetry and reference material. They recognise

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English

differences between spoken and written English and are increasingly aware of the vocabulary and grammar of standard English. This was illustrated by a lesson with the older Key Stage 2 pupils where the teacher had made a video recording of a football manager commenting on a game televised the previous evening. This generated a high level of interest among the pupils who were alert and responsive throughout. They were able to analyse and compare how written and spoken forms of language differ, including the use of dialect, and the use of formal and informal styles as appropriate. They noted repetitions, colloquialisms and grammar, comparing this with written accounts of the same match. By the end of the key stage many pupils can convey meaning clearly in a range of forms and vary the tone, style and their choice of vocabulary as appropriate for the purpose or audience. They are able to use paragraphs to organise their ideas and to plan

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English

and redraft their text on paper and sometimes on screen; this often results in work of high quality. The pupils use spelling, punctuation and grammar with an appropriate level of accuracy and their handwriting is fluent, joined and legible.

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English

100 At both key stages the pupils display good attitudes to their work in English. Pupils are eager and interested; they sustain concentration on what they are doing and take pride in their work. They are keen to make progress in reading and writing and enjoy contributing in discussion. Books are neat and work is well presented. The pupils listen attentively to one another’s opinions and show respect for other children’s feelings and views. Wood Fold Primary - 34 November 101 The quality of teaching in English is always good and sometimes outstanding at Key Stage 2. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and a good understanding of how pupils learn and make progress in acquiring literacy skills. The lessons follow the structure set out in the National Literacy Strategy. The teachers’ planning is excellent. It is detailed and thorough and sets high expectations to challenge the pupils

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English

who are provided with opportunities to write for a variety of purposes across the curriculum and to use the characteristics of different forms of writing, for example, narrative, poetry, dialogue, scripts, instructions, reports, letters and commentary. They are introduced to the conventions of writing for different purposes, for example layout and presentation, the degree of formality required, the format and choice of vocabulary. The assessment of pupils’ progress is thorough and consistent and the results are used effectively to inform planning and teaching. Homework is regularly used to reinforce and extend the pupils’ learning. The marking of pupils’ work is constructive and encouraging. The teaching during the literacy hour proceeds at a good pace which maintains pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. The rapport between the pupils and their teachers is excellent. The management of pupils is firm and sensitive and pupils respond positively,

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English

displaying mature attitudes to their work.

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English

102 The outstanding work of the co-ordinator for English is an important factor in the successful implementation of the literacy hour. Since the last inspection, the introduction of a well thought out scheme of work guides the teachers’ planning within each year group and ensures the programme of work meets fully the requirements of the National Curriculum. Teachers have a clear understanding of what is expected and work is carefully monitored across the school. The central library is a valuable resource but access is temporarily limited by the need to use the area as a class base. The school has purchased a good variety of appropriate texts to support the work in the literacy hour. When funds allow, there is a need to extend further the availability of good quality literature for the many competent and enthusiastic readers among the older pupils.

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Mathematics

103 In the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of both key stages, the proportion of the pupils reaching the national standard was above average in relation to all schools and in comparison with similar schools. At both key stages a significant minority of the pupils attained standards which were above those expected nationally.

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Mathematics

104 Taking pupils' results overall for the period 1996 to 1998, the performance of the pupils in mathematics was above the national average at Key Stage 1 and well above the national average at Key Stage 2. Comparative figures, which include trends to 1999, show that pupils' attainment in mathematics to be rising steadily in line with national trends. During the same period there was no significant gender difference in the pupils’ results.

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Mathematics

105 Inspection evidence reflects a similar position. At both key stages, the substantial majority of the pupils are on course to attain the national standard by the end of both key stages. A significant minority of the Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are on course to attain standards above this level by the end of their respective key stages. At both key stages, the great majority of the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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Mathematics

106 At both key stages, the pupils attain good standards in numeracy. They are confident and accurate when working with numbers and measures. The youngest pupils have a good understanding of the order of numbers to 10 and beyond. They can accurately read and write these numbers and can count reliably when solving basic problems. At Key Stage 1, the pupils make increasing progress in recalling quickly basic number facts. They make good progress in understanding that the position of a digit signifies its value when ordering numbers to 100 and beyond. By the end of the key stage the pupils have a well developed sense of the size of a number and where it fits into the number system. By Year 2, the pupils make good progress during oral mental work and answer questions quickly and generally accurately using correct mathematical vocabulary. Wood Fold Primary - 35 November 107 By the end of Key Stage 2, the older pupils build successfully on their experiences gained at Key Stage 1.

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Mathematics

The pupils demonstrate increasing skills in successive year groups during the time allocated to mental work at the beginning of each lesson. The ability of the oldest pupils to use a range of effective mental strategies is a significant factor in helping them to achieve good standards in mathematics. By Year 6, the pupils effectively increase their knowledge and understanding of the place value in a range of different applications, including compilation, using accurately the four rules of number. They demonstrate confidence and accuracy when solving a range of problems, including those involving the extension of the number system, including negative numbers and the relationship of fractions, decimals and percentages. For example, the higher and average attaining pupils, in Year 6, completed accurate calculations when using current holiday brochures to find the actual cost of holidays which were subject to a percentage discount. They know how

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Mathematics

to approximate by converting decimals to fractions before making their final calculations.

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Mathematics

108 The pupils demonstrate their growing numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. For example, in a Year 6 class taking part in a science survey, the pupils were successful in collecting information about various types of creatures found in the garden. They were able to present their findings in graphical form including pie graphs which showed the percentage of creatures in various categories. Their calculations were accurate and they were able to interpret clearly their findings.

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Mathematics

109 At both key stages, the pupils make good progress in their work related to shape, space and measures. The youngest pupils demonstrate increasing confidence when describing the properties of three and two dimensional shapes. By Year 6, the oldest pupils can identify congruent shapes and orders of rotations of symmetry. The younger pupils make good progress in measurement work. They progress quickly from using non-standard units prior to solving tasks which involve accurate measurement in metres and centimetres. The older pupils are able to measure angles in degrees with reasonable accuracy. They understand how to distinguish different types of triangles and can use their knowledge of the properties of these triangles when solving related problems.

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Mathematics

110 Throughout the school the pupils make good progress in handling data. They build systematically on the good start made at Key Stage 1 where they can collect, record and interpret information using charts, diagrams, tables and graphs to good effect. The older pupils make good progress in interpreting data from a range of charts, graphs and diagrams of increasing complexity. The higher attaining pupils and many of the average attaining pupils understand and use measures of average, leading towards the mode, median and the mean in relevant contexts, and the range as a measure of spread.

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Mathematics

111 The pupils, at Key Stage 1, demonstrate good attitudes towards their work in mathematics. They are interested in the content of the lessons and in the activities provided. They listen attentively, work co- operatively when required and are always willing to explain their thinking. At Key Stage 2, the pupils’ response reflects the high quality of the teaching overall. They participate eagerly in mental work and make effective contributions during question and answer sessions, during which they often reveal their increasing knowledge and understanding of the subject by the depth and quality of their responses. Throughout the school the pupils’ behaviour is of a very good standard and they clearly enjoy the challenge of the work provided.

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Mathematics

112 Throughout the school, the quality of the teaching is usually good and often of a very good standard. Lessons are planned carefully and generally organised effectively, although in some classes the timing of the various elements of the numeracy hour sometimes results in the pupils having too little time to engage in practical activities or independent work. As a result the final plenary is too short to be productive. However, in most classes there is a good balance between direct teaching and time for the pupils to engage in relevant tasks. The teaching reflects a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject through appropriately selected content and in the very good quality of the questioning. This is used effectively to establish the pupils’ understanding, to consolidate their learning and to extend their thinking. A strong feature of the teaching is the quality of assessment. Highly effective strategies are in place. These enable the

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Mathematics

teachers to use the results to set pupils individual targets. They also assist the staff in tracking groups of pupils over each term. Wood Fold Primary - 36 November 113 Although the content of the work in mathematics meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, the use of information technology to support the subject is under emphasised in many classes. The school has made a very good start in implementing the National Numeracy Strategy. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge, is most enthusiastic and gives strong subject leadership and guidance. She monitors the subject comprehensively and has made a detailed analysis of assessment information to identify target areas for improvement for individuals and for groups of pupils. She keeps up to date with new initiatives in the subject thus ensuring that teachers are well prepared.

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Mathematics

114 Since the last inspection, the school has made considerable progress in a number of areas. Much improved documentation now assists the teachers to plan greater continuity and progression in the work and to set challenges which meet the needs of pupils at all levels of attainment. In addition, much more attention is now given to the development of the pupils’ vocabulary in mathematics. Standards of attainment have improved.

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Science

115 In the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests 77 per cent of pupils reached or exceeded the nationally expected standard (Level 4). This was broadly similar to the national average (78 per cent) although the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was below average. When compared to schools with pupils from a similar background, pupils' performance was below average. Whilst the results over the three years from 1996 to 1998 taken together have been above average, they show great variation. From being close to the national average in 1996 they showed a significant rise in 1997 followed by a sharp drop in 1998. There has been some improvement in 1999. Inspection findings confirm this pattern which shows an improvement in line with the national rising picture at Key Stage 2. Since the last inspection, when standards at Key Stage 2 were found to be good overall although inconsistent, there has been considerable variation in

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Science

pupils' attainment. This was identified as an area of concern by the school and appropriate measures were taken to secure an improvement. These are already making a difference and indications are that more pupils are set to reach the higher levels by the end of the key stage.

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Science

116 There are no tests in science for pupils at Key Stage 1 but in 1999 teacher assessment indicated that pupils' performance was close to the national average with 89 per cent of pupils reaching Level 2 or above compared with the national figure of 87 per cent. Inspection findings confirm that pupil' attainment in science is in line with the national average. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection which reported that standards were sound with some examples of good achievement.

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Science

117 By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils' attainment is generally satisfactory. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with good knowledge of science and an understanding of some scientific principles for example floating, sinking and melting. Pupils continue to build on their initial strengths and the majority have a sound knowledge and understanding by the end of the key stage. Pupils are beginning to understand a fair test and can conduct an investigation. They are beginning to make predictions about what they think might happen, carry out an investigation and match their findings against their original idea. Their understanding of simple scientific concepts is increasing appropriately. In one lesson in Year 1, for example, pupils came to realise that some materials are attracted to a magnet and some are not. Higher attaining pupils began to understand how like poles repel and unlike poles attract. They also came to realise by experimentation which was the strongest

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Science

part of the their magnets. Pupils show a good knowledge about materials and their properties. Many understand that some materials such as slate are more suitable for use outdoors. They extend their use of vocabulary well and can use such words as durable, waterproof and maintenance accurately. Year 2 pupils have a good basic understanding of electric circuits and what is needed to light a bulb or activate a buzzer. They note changes in plants as they grow and through their work on life processes come to understand the conditions necessary for healthy growth.

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Science

118 Pupils at Key Stage 1 are making good progress overall, particularly in the development of investigative skills. They display an increasing ability to make predictions. As they progress, they increase their understanding of scientific methods as they write up their work and make good progress in developing their observational skills. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support which helps them to Wood Fold Primary - 37 November make good progress and achieve in line with their peers. Wood Fold Primary - 38 November 119 By the end of Key Stage 2, overall attainment is close to the national averages. Most pupils understand a fair test and can plan and devise investigations to demonstrate their predictions and confirm their judgements. They can discuss their findings using appropriate technical vocabulary. They make modifications to their investigations to greater accuracy to their results. A good example of this was seen in a Year 6 class when

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Science

pupils planned an investigation to ascertain whether different solids dissolve equally in the same amount of water. They were prepared to change their original ideas to refine the investigation. They demonstrate a developing ability to draw conclusions that are consistent with the evidence. Most pupils can write a detailed scientific report and choose an appropriate format to present their findings making good use of graphs and diagrams. Pupils in Year 6 understand that some solids dissolve when mixed with water and realise that the rate at which this happens varies under different circumstances. They are secure in using such terms as evaporation and condensation and can describe methods of separating mixtures, such as filtration. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of some physical phenomena and can explain how sound can travel through various materials. Some very good work has been undertaken on life processes, particularly on food chains

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Science

and how bacteria can enter the body and the protection methods that are needed.

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Science

120 Throughout the key stage they make good progress and build on their previous learning and progressively develop the skills of systematic investigation. They draw effectively on growing scientific knowledge to make predictions and become increasingly aware of the need to check their predictions. They show a growing appreciation of the importance of carrying out fair tests and taking accurate measurements. As they improve their knowledge and skills they become increasingly more able to select appropriate equipment and materials when setting up an investigation. This was apparent when pupils in Year 4 demonstrated their ability to choose from a range of sieves, funnels and magnets to rise to the challenge "to separate a mixture of sand, rice, marble and paper clips without using their fingers." Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs receive very good quality additional support and this promotes very good progress.

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Science

121 Pupils make good use of their literacy skills to write detailed and precise accounts of the investigations. They progressively extend their numeracy skills when taking precise measurements when gathering and presenting information. They draw clear and annotated diagrams to illustrate their work. However, they make insufficient use of information technology for plotting graphs, writing reports or producing spreadsheets, nor as yet is there any use of control technology.

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Science

122 Pupils at both key stages enjoy their work in science. They respond well to challenges in their lessons. They are eager to learn and demonstrate a natural curiosity to discover more information about their science topics. All pupils co-operate well together and happily share equipment. Pupils listen attentively and show a positive approach to discussions. Scientific enquiries are open and honest and pupils strive hard to improve and show a real pride in their work. Wood Fold Primary - 39 November 123 The quality of teaching overall is good. At Key Stage 1, teaching in half of the lessons observed was good and half very good. At Key Stage 2, 60 per cent of the teaching was satisfactory or good and 40 per cent was of high quality. Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of the requirements of the National Curriculum for science. Lessons are well planned and resources and equipment are selected with care. The

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Science

tasks provided are challenging and encourage pupils to think about what they are observing and develop real understanding and not just knowledge through some good experimental and investigative work. At Key Stage 1, teachers gave pupils the opportunity to learn about electrical circuits by setting up some experiments which captured pupils' interest. At Key Stage 2, teachers based pupils' science on the realistic investigation of some eccentric professors and their habits to promote understanding of evaporation and condensation and of dissolving and melting solids. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to develop their own ways of gathering and recording information. Most teachers achieve a good balance between providing a good teaching input with clear information and group activities or independent work and a final plenary session to consolidate learning. Where the teaching is most effective teachers have very secure subject knowledge and

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Science

use questioning very effectively to challenge and extend pupils' knowledge and understanding. Teachers carry out assessments systematically during lessons and have a clear understanding of each pupils' attainment and progress. The gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding caused by omissions in previous work have been identified and are being systematically addressed through the provision of extra work in those areas. This is an evident improvement since the last inspection when it was reported that the practice of teaching of science within a non- science topic was not always successful and there was some unsatisfactory teaching in both key stages.

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Science

124 The school identified concerns about the standards in science which are relatively lower than in the other core subjects. Teachers also felt a general dissatisfaction with the scheme of work which had been introduced after the last inspection. After monitoring that scheme for two years it was decided that it lacked sufficient content and did not effectively promote the development of skills. A detailed analysis of assessment information and data has helped to school to form a clear picture of the where the weaknesses occur and areas of strengths in the subject. Good use has been made of this information. The school has taken sensible steps to remedy the problems by producing very clear and realistic plans to raise attainment. These include the introduction of a new scheme of work based on the QCA document, close monitoring of pupils' progress through assessment and the tracking of pupil progress, and the setting of some challenging but realistic

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Science

targets for some lower attaining groups of pupils. The impact of these actions are already evident in the consistently good quality teaching which is promoting the much improved rate of progress that pupils are currently making.

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Science

125 The co-ordinator, who is a science specialist, has good subject knowledge and offers support and ideas to colleagues. She has developed a clear picture of the progress made in science by monitoring teachers' planning and reviewing pupils' work across the school. An action plan with clear aims is drawn up each half term and the subject is identified as an area of priority on the School Development Plan this year. The provision for science is developing well. Wood Fold Primary - 40 November

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Information technology

126 The pupils' attainment at the end of both key stages is broadly in line with the national expectations. Taking into account the delay in providing appropriate up to date equipment, the majority of pupils at all levels of ability, including those with special educational needs, make generally satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment. The programme of work meets the requirements of the National Curriculum but there is scope for a more systematic use of information technology to support learning in other subjects.

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Information technology

127 Younger pupils build effectively on the good start provided in the reception classes. They develop confidence in using the mouse and the keyboard to control events on the screen. As they progress, they begin to use the computer for more specific purposes, such as classifying information. For example, pupils in Year 1 produced simple graphs to show the proportion of the class who came to school by car compared with those who walked. They showed a good understanding of their work and were able to explain clearly what the graph represented. By the end of the key stage, pupils are able to amend texts, using appropriate keys, and to print out their work. During the course of the academic year, pupils also extend their skills in the control element of technology by learning how to programme the roamer robotic toy to travel various distances and change directions. In addition, the majority of them are confident in using various commercial programmes

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Information technology

to explore imaginary situations. Such activities extend pupils' reading skills as well as increasing their confidence in working with computers.

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Information technology

128 Older pupils continue to extend their skills in communicating and handling information. They are able to use the relevant computer facilities to produce word processed texts, often incorporating graphic images to complement their work. This was apparent when a group of Year 6 pupils worked to produce an illustration before using copy and paste techniques appropriately to insert it into their prepared texts. In handling information, they produce increasingly sophisticated tables to display the findings of class surveys. An example of this was provided when older pupils investigated garden creatures. Having categorised them correctly, they explored a variety of means for displaying their findings, including block and line graphs and pie charts, before selecting the most appropriate for the purpose. Pupils also understand the need to frame questions correctly when accessing information, using the CD ROM. During the course of the year, older

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Information technology

pupils also extend their skills in control technology by using the "Logo" programme to enter a series of commands in order to control a screen image.

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Information technology

129 At both key stages, the pupils show a keen interest in the subject. Many have computers at home and this is often reflected in their confidence and speed in using the keyboard and mouse. The pupils' ability to work sensibly at computer work-stations is a good feature in most classes.

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Information technology

130 The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory at both key stages. Tasks are generally set at an appropriate level to challenge pupils, and intervention to support learning is generally appropriate although, in some instances, pupils experiencing difficulty are left for too long before help is provided. Opportunities for pupils to use the computer are recorded, in order to ensure equality of access to the machines. In general, however, insufficient emphasis is placed on recording the specific learning experiences provided in the various elements of the subject, and this leads to some under-emphasis on control technology in some classes.

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Information technology

131 Although the use of information technology to support learning in other subjects is increasing, it is insufficiently systematic. The school recognises this and has identified the issue as a priority in the current school development plan.

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Information technology

132 Current standards are consistent with those which were apparent during the last inspection and the quality of teaching is similar. Improving the expertise and confidence of some teachers, which was identified as a priority in the last inspection report has been addressed and all staff are now more skilful, making regular use of information technology in their own work. However, at the time of this inspection the school had only just taken delivery of some new computers and teachers have not yet had time to become fully conversant with the new software. Wood Fold Primary - 41 November

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Religious education

133 By the end of Key Stage 1, the attainment of the pupils meets the expectations of the Wigan Agreed Syllabus and often exceeds them by the end of Key Stage 2. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress as they move through the school.

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Religious education

134 At Key Stage 1, pupils have a good knowledge of Bible stories and can relate them to their own lives. They talk about the wonder of the natural world. They show appreciation of God’s creation and write their own thank you prayers. When learning about how the world began they are able to express their wonderment by matching and playing percussion instruments to the specific acts of creation. Pupils learn about significant events in the Old Testament, such as Noah and the flood. They have a growing knowledge of Christianity and can talk about religious festivals and traditions in the Christian calendar. Through their completion of a time line on the "living wall" display they become familiar with some of the events in the life of Jesus. They learn the meaning of religiously significant words such as epiphany, amazed, advent and magi. They discuss relationships and helping and caring for each other. Good opportunities are provided for them to reflect on

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Religious education

their feelings and to express their understanding of spiritual and religious issues for example when acting out the roles of the magi bringing their gifts to the baby Jesus.

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Religious education

135 At Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their understanding of Christianity and other major world faiths. They come to understand the meaning and significance of the resurrection and progress to appreciate the symbolism of bread and wine. They effectively extend their vocabulary to include such words as, crucifixion, chalice, communion and consecrated. Pupils in a Year 4 class were able to describe in detail the central themes of Christmas. A higher attaining pupil, who had participated in a nativity play, gave a detailed description of the character of Joseph and pupils of average attainment and the lower attaining pupils are able to describe the significance of the wise men and the three gifts they brought to Jesus. Year 5 pupils showed great interest in hearing about how Jewish people celebrate Passover. Older pupils have a good grasp of the main aspects of major world religions and are beginning to relate these to Christianity and their own lives. For example

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Religious education

they consider the values expressed in the Hindu story of Rama and Sita and discuss Biblical themes including love, forgiveness and prayer and appreciate that it sets standards for behaviour. They display respect for those who hold different views to themselves.

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Religious education

136 Pupils make good progress throughout the school, increasing their understanding of Christianity and other world faiths. They become more confident in the expression of feelings and more tolerant in their dealings with others. Pupils use their literacy skills well. They develop good speaking and listening skills during class and group discussions and many pupils are capable of expressing thoughtful, sensitive views on religious issues. They write about a range of topics. For example, younger pupils write their own thank you prayers and older pupils write extended pieces on such topics as a visit to Saint Wilfrid’s church.

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Religious education

137 The pupils are well motivated and enjoy religious education lessons. They work effectively as a class, in small groups, and individually. At both key stages they are keen to respond to the teacher's questioning. Relationships are mature and productive. The pupils are well behaved and handle resources and artefacts with care. They are interested in the subject and this is reflected in lessons.

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Religious education

138 The quality of teaching is good at both key stages. Classes are taught by a teacher who is a specialist in the subject. Lessons are well planned and effectively managed. Work is well structured to meet the range of pupils’ abilities and needs. Objectives and learning outcomes are clear and based upon the Wigan Agreed Syllabus. The homework set on the significance of gold, frankincense and myrrh effectively complemented class lessons. Resources are carefully chosen and well used to support the pupils’ learning but there are insufficient copies of the children’s bible. Assessment arrangements have yet to be formalised in this subject. Since the last inspection the quality of the teaching has improved, contributing significantly to the pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Religious education

139 The subject is well co-ordinated and makes an important contribution to the pupils’ spiritual and moral development. The time allocated to the subject is within the recommendations for most classes. An exception is in Year 6 where the present arrangement of providing a lesson on alternate weeks only, leaves too little Wood Fold Primary - 42 November time for the content of the Agreed Syllabus to be fully covered. Wood Fold Primary - 43 November 143 Art

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Religious education

140 At both key stages, the pupils work at levels which are appropriate for their age. The great majority, including those with special educational needs, make at least satisfactory and often good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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Religious education

141 The younger pupils at Key Stage 1, make good progress using a variety of media in two and three dimensions. For example, the youngest pupils used their developing sense of colour matching to select subtle blends of brown and yellow fabric. They used these to create skilfully and beautifully textured bark effect for a tree on an autumn collage design. Another group of Year 1 pupils demonstrated increasing skills in drawing what they see. For example, using hand lenses to help them observe detail in drawing twigs they had collected, the pupils sketched careful representations. They showed increasing skills using pencil to create effective light and dark areas, producing well proportioned drawings of a good standard.

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Religious education

142 At Key Stage 2, the pupils make good progress and build successfully on their earlier experiences. They demonstrate increasing awareness of pattern, texture, colour, line, tone and shape and make good progress in blending colours to match their intentions. For example, in a class of older Key Stage 2 pupils, they used their growing observational skills to produce sophisticated repeat patterns in the style of William Morris. They used pastels and incorporated a fabric section which blended unobtrusively into their overall designs.

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Religious education

143 Throughout the school, the pupils’ skills working in three dimensions are well developed through frequent work with artists in residence. For example, some of the younger together with some of the older pupils worked on making a Chinese dragon mosaic using clay. The younger pupils created a range of well formed and variously shaped tiles to represent the dragon’s body, legs and tail. The older pupils then painted the clay tiles in an attractive and bright colour scheme which had a high visual impact. This combined work was then effectively mounted on an outside wall in an inner courtyard area.

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Religious education

144 The pupils demonstrate good attitudes towards their work in art. They listen attentively to advice from their teachers and the adults who help them, often using evaluative comments to make changes and improvements to their work. Throughout the school, the pupils handle tools and equipment safely and co-operate sensibly when working with others. The pupils are well motivated in art lessons and take pleasure in the variety of experiences provided for them.

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Religious education

145 At both key stages the quality of teaching is generally good and often very good. The teachers demonstrate their subject knowledge through effective demonstrations of appropriate skills and techniques. They link this to the knowledge and understanding aspect of art. This part of the work is much improved since the last inspection report. The pupils now have more opportunity to appreciate and to be influenced by a range of artists from our own and other cultures. The teaching makes an important contribution to the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Frequent opportunities are taken to encourage the pupils to use appropriate and related vocabulary. In addition, the pupils are helped to appreciate size and scale when, for example, enlarging grids to demonstrate the complexity of repeat patterns. This was particularly effective in a Year 6 class where their design work was influenced by the work of William Morris.

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Religious education

146 The work in art makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is particularly so when the pupils are helped by artists in residence or when they visit the local art gallery or work in the environment.

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Religious education

147 Since the last inspection, the school has further improved the art curriculum. In most classes the pupils now have more choice in selecting from a wider range of materials to communicate their feelings and to express themselves imaginatively. In addition, the use of information technology to support the work in art is used with increasing effect. Wood Fold Primary - 44 November 151 Design and technology

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Religious education

148 Due to the school's timetabling arrangements and the timing of the inspection, it was not possible to observe any lessons at Key Stage 1 and only one lesson at Key Stage 2. As a result there is insufficient evidence to make a full evaluation of the work in design and technology. However, examination of long-term planning and of previous work on display, as well as discussion with pupils, indicate that pupils work at appropriate levels for their age and generally make good progress in the subject.

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Religious education

149 During the course of the year, pupils are given sufficient opportunities to develop their designing and making skills by working on a variety of projects. These include food technology, using levers to create moving pictures, designing toys with moving parts, making a musical instrument for a specific purpose, and designing and making a shelter to meet specific requirements. In completing the projects, pupils progressively become aware of the importance of considering consumer preferences before designing a product, and place appropriate emphasis on evaluation to find ways of improving their products.

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Religious education

150 Design and technology is co-ordinated very effectively, and the programme of work is well thought out to make appropriate provision for all pupils including those with special educational needs. The good standards apparent during the previous inspection have been maintained.

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Religious education

151 Due to the school’s timetabling arrangements it was not possible to observe lessons in history at Key Stage 1 and therefore a secure judgement cannot be made about the quality of teaching. Only one lesson was observed at Key Stage 2. Examination of pupils’ previous work, and scrutiny of teachers’ planning and limited observation of lessons at Key Stage 2, indicate that the pupils achieve at least appropriate levels for their age and make good progress. In a lesson with younger Key Stage 2 pupils, who were studying Roman Britain, pupils focused on sources of information about Boudicca recognising how different sources reflected differing opinions. The pupils made good progress in understanding the difficulties in interpreting historical evidence. They enjoyed contributing ideas and suggestions and displayed the ability to be impartial and discuss differing point of view.

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Religious education

152 In geography, the pupils’ work is of an appropriate level for their age, with many pupils achieving good standards at both key stages. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in acquiring geographical enquiry skills. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are able to describe physical and human features of places, making comparisons between different localities. For example, in one class pupils were able to compare and contrast the fictional island of Struay with their own locality, drawing information from their reading of the Kate Morray stories and direct experience of field work in Standish. They were able to discuss features which give localities their character, the effects of weather on people and their surroundings, and how land and buildings are used.

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Religious education

153 At Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in their work in geography, building successfully on their earlier learning. They demonstrate a growing understanding of patterns and processes and how processes change the features of places and affect the lives of people. They are able to use and interpret globes, maps and plans at a variety of scales and use primary and secondary sources to inform their work. Pupils consider how people affect their environment and how they can sustain and manage it. For example, younger Key Stage 2 classes focused on change in their local town centre, where the building of a new Parish Hall had reduced available car parking space. Pupils considered the arguments for and against, studied local maps using grid references in locating private and public car parking space and evaluated arguments put forward in the local press. They considered the needs of the town in relation to its size and population and the value of the community

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Religious education

154 Pupils’ response in geography is lively and positive. They are keen to undertake their own investigations and to record and collect evidence in their field work. They use appropriate geographical terms, ask pertinent questions and participate sensibly in discussions. Wood Fold Primary - 45 November 155 The quality of teaching in geography is very good at both key stages and in the one history lesson observed at Key Stage 2. Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and expertise. The work is well planned and good use is made of quality resources including well produced visual aids and information technology. Field work is an important component of the programme of work in geography and emphasis is given to developing pupils’ skills in making and interpreting maps at a variety of scales, using appropriate symbols and keys. The work is guided by the excellent documentation provided by the co-ordinator for the subject

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Religious education

and an appropriate balance achieved between giving information and enabling pupils to become active enquirers.

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Religious education

156 Numeracy and literacy skills are appropriately applied and developed in the relevant areas of the work in geography, for example, the use of co-ordinates and scale in map work; temperature, wind speed and rainfall statistics or recording river flow. In their discussion and written work pupils are employing precise terminology and appropriate style and format. They are able to consider an argument critically and identify the precise information they need using a range of reference material. For example, older Key Stage 2 pupils were able to carry out their own research of mountain environments considering distribution and height, and typical features of a mountain environment including wildlife, climate, habitats, life styles and occupations. The pupils’ work displayed keen interest and imagination and confident use of globes, atlases and maps at a variety of scales.

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Religious education

157 Although it was not possible to observe the full range of work in music, examination of long and mid term planning and discussion with the co-ordinator and pupils indicate that the school delivers an appropriate programme of work. Group singing in both key stages and lessons observed at Key Stage 2 confirm that the pupils attain in line with that expected of pupils of a similar age. Pupils of all levels of attainment, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.

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Religious education

158 Pupils at Key Stage 1 develop their understanding and enjoyment of music. They sing tunefully, recall songs and hymns from memory and start to explore the way in which sounds are made. They can control their voices to sing quietly or loudly and are able to follow a leader and show good rhythmic body movements and clap in time. When using percussion instruments to accompany such songs as, "Love is Something if You Give it Away", they demonstrate well their ability to hold and control the instruments. They effectively memorise words, melody and actions when singing, "Who is the King?" and respond well to the use of props in "An Austrian Went Yodelling".

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Religious education

159 At Key Stage 2 they make satisfactory progress. Year 5 pupils effectively match a range of percussion instruments to represent the sounds of the sea. They listen well and progress in their ability to follow a conductor and play when they are directed. The higher attaining pupils have a good understanding of the elements of music and average and lower attaining pupils know the meanings of crescendo and diminuendo. Pupils are able to name and identify a number of percussion instruments and make appropriate choices when using them to express moods, feeling and ideas. A good example of this was seen in a Year 6 class where pupils were working on compositions to portray water scenes which they later entitled, Water Suite. They made very good progress in reading graphic scores and understanding of pace, timbre and dynamics. They rehearse and refine their compositions and effectively appraise their own and each others’ performances.

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Religious education

The pupils sing with good expression and keen sense of rhythm. They effectively sing, "By the Waters of Babylon", as a round and use rhythmic clapping and body movements effectively to "Milk Bottle Tops". They memorise the melody and words and sing tunefully with good attention to pitch and dynamics and are often accompanied on the piano by a pupil. They learn to appreciate the differences in music from various cultures. For example, in assembly they enjoyed listening to Hari Om by Ravi Shakar.

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Religious education

160 Pupils enjoy music and work with enthusiasm both as individuals and when required to work as a group. They listen attentively in music lessons. Behaviour is always good and this helps pupils to concentrate and persevere with the development of their listening and performing skills. They show respect for their own and each other’s performances and handle the expensive instruments with care. Wood Fold Primary - 46 November 161 Due to time-table arrangements it was not possible to observe any class music lessons in Key Stage 1 so it is not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of the teaching. However, an analysis of teachers' planning shows that good provision is made is made for pupils to take part in a range of activities, covering all the National Curriculum programmes of study. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall and one excellent lesson was observed. Lessons are well prepared with clear teaching objectives and

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Religious education

expected learning outcomes. The teachers' expertise and subject knowledge is reflected in the way they effectively demonstrate key skills and techniques. Lessons are well planned and resourced and organised. The most effective lessons are delivered at a good pace and with rigour and teacher enthusiasm is evident. Teaching is least effective when there is a lack of pace resulting in attention lapses from a small number of lower attaining pupils towards the end of the lesson.

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Religious education

162 The subject is well co-ordinated and a new music scheme has been introduced but has yet to be evaluated. At present, however, specialist musical skills of a number of teachers is not being maximised fully to improve the attainment of all pupils. Up to forty pupils benefit from instrumental tuition from visiting specialist musicians. Class lessons are effectively complemented by a range of extra curricular activities. These include, recorder choir and music ensemble which are attended by approximately fifty pupils. Carol services, participation in the Standish Festival and Music Millennium Live, school musicals such as Ali Baba and Jack, as well as visits to Strickland House for senior citizens, are making a significant contribution to the pupil’s wider musical experience.

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Religious education

163 Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained and the quality of singing has evidently improved with better expression now at Key Stage 2.

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Physical education

164 At both key stages, the large majority of pupils work at appropriate levels for their age and many achieve particularly good standards in swimming. Throughout both key stages, pupils at all levels of attainment including those with special educational needs make good progress during their time in the school. The programme of work makes good provision for all pupils and provides an appropriately balanced range of opportunities in all aspects of physical education.

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Physical education

165 In dance and gymnastics, younger pupils make good use of space to move in different directions, varying speed and height in response to teacher direction and music. They respond well to challenges presented to them. Teacher requests to create balances using three or four point of the body, for example, prompted some very good efforts by the pupils. As they progress, pupils link movements together effectively, and are able to transfer their work from floor to apparatus. Older pupils perform increasingly complex sequences and are able to explore moods and feelings through dance.

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Physical education

166 In games, pupils at both key stages develop good skills through practice, and are able to apply them in competitive situations. The majority of pupils benefit greatly from the excellent range of extra-curricular opportunities which are available to them; these include netball, football, rugby and swimming.

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Physical education

167 The programme of work also includes athletics and outdoor adventurous activities during the summer term. Pupils' skills in athletics are enhanced through extra curricular activities, and the outdoor and adventurous skills of older pupils are extended significantly during the annual residential visit.

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Physical education

168 At both key stages, pupils respond well in lessons and enjoy physical education. From an early stage, they change quickly and without fuss into appropriate dress and walk through the school quietly and sensibly. Throughout the school, they respond quickly to their teacher, and show appropriate concern for their own and other's safety. The quality of pupils' evaluation of their performance is often a strong feature in lessons and contributes positively towards the good progress which is generally apparent. Wood Fold Primary - 47 November 169 The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and often very good at the end of both key stages. Lessons are well planned, have a sense of purpose and generally move at a brisk pace. Class management is a strong feature which promotes high standards of behaviour. Tasks are pitched at an appropriate level to present a worthwhile challenge to pupils and lessons achieve a good balance in extending pupils physically

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Physical education

and intellectually. Careful preparation enables teachers to be secure in their work, and some show particularly good levels of expertise. This allows them to provide personal demonstrations for some movements, which contributes towards further improvements in the quality of pupils' work.

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Physical education

170 Since the last inspection, standards and quality of work in physical education have improved significantly and the pupils benefit from an increasingly rich programme of activities.

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Physical education

174 Swimming 171 By the end of Key Stage 2, the attainment of the great majority of pupils is in line with the national expectations, and most pupils at all levels of attainment make good progress during their time in the school. Swimming begins in Year 2 and continues for the majority of pupils until Year 5.

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Physical education

172 The youngest pupils make good progress in developing confidence in the water. With the help of buoyancy aids, the majority quickly learn to travel successfully across the pool. As they progress, they use an increasing variety of arm and leg actions. This was apparent in Year 4, for example, when pupils practised the backstroke. Most were able to travel confidently retaining good control. The good quality stroke techniques of some pupils is an impressive feature, even at this stage. By Year 5, the majority of pupils are able to swim at least 25 metres unaided. They make good progress using a range of front and back strokes and know how to breathe correctly. The small minority of pupils who are unable to swim are given the opportunity to continue to go swimming in Year 6.

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Physical education

173 The pupils demonstrate very good attitudes towards swimming. They derive considerable enjoyment from the activity and look forward to their swimming lessons. They walk sensibly to and from the baths and behave very well during lessons, responding immediately to teacher instructions.

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Physical education

174 The quality of teaching provided by class teachers and specialist instructors is good. Lessons are well planned and very well organised. Class control is a strong feature. The good organisation enables the teaching to overcome the restrictions imposed by the small size of the pool. Aspects of safety are given high priority despite the relatively large numbers of pupils being taught during some lessons. Pupils are generally well extended by tasks which present challenging but achievable targets. The minority of low attainers are given particularly close attention to ensure that they do not lose confidence.

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Physical education

175 The current arrangements are very suitable for learners, and are successful in bringing most pupils up to the national expectations. However, the small size of the pool presents difficulties in setting appropriate challenges as older pupils become increasingly proficient. This is why swimming provision for most pupils stops at the end of Year 5. However, opportunities are created for those who have yet to achieve the national expectation to continue with swimming lessons for a further period. Wood Fold Primary - 48 November

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

176 The school was inspected by a team of 6 inspectors over a period of 4 days. Over 82 hours were spent in observing classes, sampling pupils’ work and talking with pupils. A total of 91 lessons or parts of lessons were observed. Pupils in all year groups and across the full ability range were heard to read. Samples of pupils' written work across all age and ability groups were scrutinised. Classroom displays, models and photographic evidence were inspected. Informal discussions were held with pupils to determine their views about:- the school rules, behaviour, bullying, moral and spiritual issues, their work and their involvement in extra curricular activities. Pupils were questioned to determine their knowledge and understanding of their work. Assemblies were attended. Pre-inspection meetings were held with staff, parents and governors.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

177 The School Development Plan and policy documents were examined. The school budget was scrutinised. Teachers' planning documents were examined. The special educational needs register was examined and support groups observed. Interviews were held with curriculum co-ordinators, support staff and the clerical assistant. Interviews were held with the Chair of Governors and other members of the Governing Body. Regular discussions were held with the headteacher and deputyhead. The completed parents' questionnaires and letters were analysed and their views considered. Wood Fold Primary - 49 November

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y6 430 4 57 32

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Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 18.5 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.2

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Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 11 Total aggregate hours worked each week 129.2

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Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Average class size: 26.9 Wood Fold Primary - 50 November

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Financial data

£ Total Income 585,955.00 Total Expenditure 595,230.00 Expenditure per pupil 1,430.84 Balance brought forward from previous year 41,744.00 Balance carried forward to next year 32,469.00 Wood Fold Primary - 51 November

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 430 Number of questionnaires returned: 167

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 44 53 1 2 0 I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 56 37 3 4 0 The school handles complaints from parents well 21 58 17 3 1 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 26 61 7 6 0 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 31 57 5 7 0 The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 37 52 7 2 1 The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 37 49 11 2 0 I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 31 54 5 9 1 The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 35 59 5 1 0 The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 28 59 9 4 1 My child(ren) like(s) school 51 45 2 2 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Percentages of responses are rounded to the nearest integer, the sum many not = 100% Percentages given are in relation to total number of returns, excluding nil replies.

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