Penwortham Primary School

PENWORTHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 10 th May 2000

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PENWORTHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

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.

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PENWORTHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, 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. Penwortham Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Crookings Lane Penwortham Preston

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr C Woolley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 st July 1996 Penwortham Primary School - 4

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Team members

Rob Crompton Registered inspector Jane Chesterfield Lay inspector Andrew Matthews Team inspector

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Team members

WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Penwortham Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 12

The quality of teaching is very good and leads to high standards of attainment, particularly in English and mathematics Pupils are very well behaved, work hard and have very good relationships with one another and adults The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education The co-ordination of literacy and numeracy is excellent and has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects Pupils experience a rich curriculum, through both subject teaching and the variety of activities that the school provides The school is very well led; the governors and the headteacher have a shared vision and continuously seek ways to move the school forward

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 16

The quality of teaching could be raised still further if teachers were able to more frequently learn from colleagues’ special strengths. More of the oldest pupils could have opportunities to take responsibilities in the daily life of the school There is potential for assemblies to contribute more to pupils’ spiritual development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is average in size with 267 pupils on roll aged between four and eleven. There has been a decrease in numbers of around ten per cent during the last four years. The majority of pupils are white, with a very small number from ethnic minorities. As they start school, most children have well-developed social skills and are a little above average in language development and mathematical understanding. Twenty-eight pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs. Four pupils receive support from outside school, one of whom has a statement of educational need. The school serves a residential area of Preston and parental support is high. A below-average proportion of pupils is eligible for free school meals.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. High quality teaching enables pupils to make very good progress and to achieve high standards. Pupils respond well to the positive and caring ethos of the school; they are well behaved and enthusiastic. The school is very well led and this enables pupils and staff to achieve high standards. It gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is very good and leads to high standards of attainment, particularly in English and mathematics. • Pupils are very well behaved, work hard and have very good relationships with one another and adults. • The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education. • The co-ordination of literacy and numeracy is excellent and has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects. • Pupils experience a rich curriculum, both through subject teaching and the variety of activities that the school provides. • The school is very well led; the governors and the headteacher have a shared vision, know their school well and continuously seek ways to move the school forward.

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What could be improved

There are no major areas for improvement, but in the context of its many strengths the following could be improved: • The quality of teaching could be raised still further if teachers were able to more frequently learn from colleagues’ special strengths. • More of the oldest pupils could have opportunities to take responsibilities in the daily life of the school. • There is potential for assemblies to contribute more to pupils’ spiritual development. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the previous inspection. As a result of a continued drive to improve, above average standards have been maintained in English and mathematics, and good work is still evident in science, information technology, religious education, and design and technology. Standards in art, geography and history are better than before, and attainment in music has improved. The action plan that was drawn up following the previous inspection has been Penwortham Primary School - 7 successfully implemented; assessment procedures are more effective, infant classes have a broad range of books and the modified mathematics scheme has led to improved standards. Penwortham Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11-year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A B A A well above average above average A

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Key

B mathematics B A A A average below average C D science C A B B well below average E

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Key

As they start school, children’s attainment is a little above average. They make good progress in the infant classes so that, by the time they are seven, standards of pupils’ reading and writing are usually well above those found in most schools and mathematics is above average. Building on this good start, pupils sustain their rate of progress through the juniors and achieve well above average results in English and mathematics.

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Key

The use of literacy in other subjects has a positive impact on the development of writing and presentation, spelling, punctuation and the use of paragraphs. Pupils’ depth of understanding in mathematics is shown by their recall of facts, their confidence in suggesting strategies for solving problems and their use of mathematical terminology. Attainment in science is above average and good work was seen in art, geography and history.

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Key

Results in the National Curriculum tests for 11-year-olds over the past four years indicate that pupils have been ahead by about two terms in relation to the national picture. Individual progress is carefully tracked and the targets being set for each year group are appropriate, containing an element of challenge. Penwortham Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and have excellent attitudes; they are keen and enthusiastic.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally very good and often excellent in lessons. A very small number of younger pupils have behavioural difficulties and this occasionally has an adverse effect on others in the class.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are very good. The school is a harmonious community where the atmosphere is relaxed but purposeful.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is in line with the national average. Pupils’ attitudes and values exert a positive influence on their learning; classrooms have a purposeful atmosphere and teachers are able to concentrate on the learning objectives without dwelling on behaviour.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Good Good Very good

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Overall, the teaching in the school is very good. In 87 per cent of lessons, the teaching ranged between good (27 per cent) and very good or excellent (60 per cent). No teaching was unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching in the juniors is particularly strong with seven of the eight lessons observed being very good (four) or excellent (three).

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The teaching of literacy and numeracy is highly effective, with excellent teaching in the two oldest classes; teachers explain things clearly, generate enthusiasm and create a purposeful working atmosphere where pupils feel confident and do their best. Teachers know the subjects very well and are able to build on pupils’ existing knowledge through skilful questioning. They meet the needs of all pupils very well.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Pupils are very enthusiastic and try hard. As they move through the school, they develop increasing independence. The oldest pupils have a remarkable degree of maturity; their outstanding level of commitment means they get the most out lessons and take full advantage of the high quality teaching. Penwortham Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is well balanced, providing pupils with a rich variety of experiences. There are very strong links between the curriculum and the world outside school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils who need extra support are identified early and their progress is carefully tracked. Teachers provide work at different levels in the classroom and are ably assisted by the learning support staff.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Lessons provide opportunities for pupils to think about meaning and purpose in the natural world and in human achievement. There is potential for assemblies to contribute more to pupils’ spiritual development. Moral and social development is promoted very well through the day-to-day life of the school and more formally through the school council, the support of charities and visits. Pupils have good opportunities to take on responsibilities and do so willingly and efficiently. Art, drama, and literature are used to promote cultural development and multi-cultural awareness is developed through religious education. How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Child protection procedures are very well established and the school has due regard for pupils’ health and safety.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and provides very good leadership. The literacy and numeracy co-ordinators are highly effective. They have a very good grasp of what needs to be done to maintain and improve standards and successfully lead developments. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are well informed and committed, and have a good level of day-to-day contact with the school. The headteacher and governors work well together to promote the school’s aims.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Governors have a strong monitoring role and use a range of data to track performance. They are aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used well and the principles of best value are applied effectively. Penwortham Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school, behave well and make good progress. • Teachers are very effective and expect pupils to work hard. • The school keeps parents well informed about how their children are doing. • The school is open and welcoming and works in close partnership with parents. • Older pupils are very supportive of younger ones. • Individual parents raised minor issues but there are no common concerns.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection supported parents’ positive views. Penwortham Primary School - 12

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particularly in English and mathematics

1 Teachers in the Reception classes provide a broad range of activities which appeal to young children. They build successfully on children’s existing knowledge and understanding though practical tasks. For example, children were taken on a walk around the school to investigate sources of light. The teacher successfully stimulated their curiosity and extended their early scientific vocabulary. Lessons in the mixed Reception/Year 1 class are taken at a good pace. The teacher has high expectations for behaviour and achievement; the atmosphere is encouraging and supportive but demanding. This was illustrated in a very good literacy lesson where the class was reading a book on kangaroos. The teacher built on the pupils’ prior knowledge of initial sounds to move their learning forward quickly. Pupils sustained their interest and were eager to respond - one pupil glowed with pride as he predicted the next

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particularly in English and mathematics

word. In an equally successful mathematics lesson on time in the Year 1/2 class, the use of humour made learning fun. Questioning was used very effectively to challenge pupils and they were keen to answer and to explain their reasoning. All pupils were well motivated and made good progress in telling the time and applying this skill to everyday situations. Work in the Year 2 class is carefully planned and the teacher adopts a very positive and encouraging approach. During a numeracy lesson, action rhymes were used to reinforce pupils’ instant recall of the 5 and 2 multiplication tables and this was followed by work on money at four different levels. During the first part of the lesson, a small minority of pupils with behavioural difficulties was supported by the special needs co-ordinator but when she left their restlessness had an adverse effect on the rest of the class. To enable all pupils to take full advantage of the

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particularly in English and mathematics

learning opportunities available, the school should consider providing more regular support in this class and a sharing of available expertise in dealing with such problems.

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particularly in English and mathematics

2 The quality of teaching in the junior classes is consistently very good and means pupils maintain their rate of progress and achieve high standards, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Pupils in Year 3 were highly motivated by the teacher’s reading of a passage from The Iron Man . She used her voice very effectively and led the class in a choral reading of the piece. Individual pupils then read parts of the text with remarkably good expression, using the punctuation to interpret the meaning accurately. During a Year 4 lesson on the same theme, the teacher was equally successful in motivating pupils to read aloud with expression. Her very positive interaction with the pupils sustained their rapt attention and the level of challenge promoted high standards which many pupils achieved. Their speaking and listening skills were well above average and they used appropriate technical terms. One pupil explained, “I scan

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particularly in English and mathematics

ahead so I know how to read the words properly”. All pupils worked productively on the later writing tasks, taking great care with handwriting and presentation. During a geography lesson in the same class, the teaching was of equally high quality, enabling pupils to develop subject specific vocabulary, to generate their own ideas and to reach their own conclusions. The level of understanding and the standard of work were well above that usually found in this year group. Penwortham Primary School - 13 3 The three teachers who work in the older junior area make a powerful team. The quality of their work is consistently high and often outstanding. Planning is meticulous. Teachers identify specific learning objectives for each lesson and share them with the pupils. This was illustrated during a numeracy lesson in the Year 4/5 class when the teacher’s very clear explanations meant that the pupils could evaluate their own progress towards the lesson

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particularly in English and mathematics

objectives. The teacher’s daily evaluations enabled her to identify specific problems and to provide individual support. As a result of this attention to detail and the warm and purposeful relationships, most pupils made very good progress in rounding up , using this strategy to quickly solve calculations such as 53 + 49 and 995 + 990; higher attaining pupils used rounding to estimate the answer to 853x23 and similar calculations.

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particularly in English and mathematics

4 During an excellent lesson in numeracy in the Year 5/6 class, pupils also achieved well above average standards. The teacher’s highly effective questioning meant pupils quickly consolidated their understanding of the relationships between decimals, fractions and percentages. This was further extended through converting pie-chart information into percentages. The level of pupils’ concentration and their confidence in applying their existing skills to new problems led to very good progress and attainment in this lesson. The exceptionally high quality teaching in the Year 6 class produces an equally positive response from the pupils. In both literacy and numeracy lessons, the teacher’s dynamic approach, brisk pace and positive reinforcement mean that all pupils are enthusiastic. For example, drawing on her substantial expertise, the teacher successfully extended pupils’ strategies for calculation; she taught them how to use their knowledge of the eight times table to solve 14 x

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particularly in English and mathematics

8, 17 x 8 and so on, in their heads. They also learned how to use doubling to find 23 x 8 and 46 x 8. All pupils were suitably challenged when asked to work out discounted prices using percentages. The higher attaining pupils were given less information to start with and had to draw on their existing skills in order to complete the new task. The infectious enthusiasm and vigour which characterise this teacher’s work were also evident in a literacy lesson. The pupils were thoroughly absorbed when the teacher used her excellent questioning skills to deepen their understanding. Questions such as, “What makes you think that?” and “Which part of the text tells you that?” encouraged pupils to think carefully and produced some insightful comments. Underlying all the work in the upper junior area are the excellent relationships between teachers and pupils. Teachers treat their pupils as mature individuals;

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particularly in English and mathematics

praise is fulsome when appropriate but equally pupils know when they are going wrong and why.

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another and adults

5 Relationships throughout the school are very good. The school is a harmonious community where the atmosphere is relaxed but purposeful. In lessons, the vast majority of pupils are attentive, eager, willing and co-operative. Behaviour in some lessons is excellent. These positive attitudes are a significant factor in the good progress pupils make through the school. Classrooms have a purposeful atmosphere and teachers are able to concentrate on the learning objectives without dwelling on behaviour.

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another and adults

6 At break times, very good relationships are evident; all year groups play together and get on well. Older pupils are helpful and encouraging towards younger ones, which means the younger pupils feel secure and confident in the playground. In the dining hall, pupils are polite, take turns and eat sensibly; they treat the supervisors with respect. Penwortham Primary School - 14 7 Pupils take responsibilities very well. A good example of this is the school council. During the meeting observed, pupils were very confident and eager to express their views. They listened well to others and came up with realistic ideas. Good liaison was evident in the notes the council members had taken when discussing issues in their respective classes. Although the meeting was led and directed sensitively by a teacher, there is potential for the pupils themselves to take on even more responsibility by leading the meeting, the teacher’s

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another and adults

role becoming one of advice and liaison with other staff.

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The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education

8 The school begins to develop a partnership with parents before their children start school. Where possible, visits are arranged during the school day so that there is an opportunity for the headteacher to show them round and explain things personally. Prospective parents are invited to attend functions of the parent/teacher association during the year before admission. An informal meeting is held for new parents, where they are invited to ask questions and to express any concerns. Following this, parents are invited into school with their children to borrow books from the pre-school library. Shortly before they are due to start, children come into school on five occasions for sample lessons. Sports day provides a further opportunity for children to become familiar with the school.

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The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education

9 Regular newsletters address parents as equals and keep them well informed. Reports provide comprehensive information; they contain details of the work covered and the standards reached, and tell parents about the subject-specific skills their children have developed. A good feature is the space for parents and pupils to add their comments. Reports could be further improved by including a comparison of pupils’ attainment with what is typical of the age group nationally and advice on what pupils could do next to improve and make further progress.

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The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education

10 The school reaches out to the local community in a variety of ways. The parent/teacher association is very active, organising many social events and raising substantial funds. In addition to social events such as a dinner dance and poetry evening, the school has organised activities such as road safety training, cartridge re-cycling and a puppet workshop. Parents are encouraged to help in school and volunteers are well briefed and provide valuable support for teachers and pupils.

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The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education

11 An important development in the partnership the school has with parents is the recently introduced Parents as Educators scheme. Enthusiastically led by a senior teacher, eight parents have been involved in a course designed to provide insights into primary education and to support parents who regularly help in school. The quality of the parents’ files which record their work indicates the outstanding success of this initiative.

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The school works in partnership with parents as equals in their children’s education

12 In summary, the school’s commitment to working in equal partnership with parents is evident in the day-to-day life of the school. Pupils benefit from this in numerous ways; any anxiety about starting school is much reduced, support in lessons helps academic progress, involvement in out-of-school activities enhances pupils’ social development and the funds raised add to the quality of education. The school fulfils its aim expressed in its motto – When we welcome the child we welcome the family. Penwortham Primary School - 15

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quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects

13 The implementation of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy has been very successful. The respective co-ordinators worked extremely hard to ensure that the school was fully prepared for the introduction of new material and new teaching strategies. Following periods of intensive training provided by the local education authority, in-school training was organised to plan the integration of new methods into the school’s existing schemes.

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quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects

14 The teaching of both subjects is closely monitored. The co-ordinators have observed colleagues and have provided feedback. This has led to more effective teaching; for example, the introductory part of numeracy lessons has improved with more emphasis being given to helping pupils explain their thinking in mathematical terms. Also, the fact that pupils’ good progress in spelling was not reflected in their written work led to a sharper focus on the application of English skills to writing. Senior staff regularly take in pupils’ books to check progress and to advise colleagues on the range of work set and marking. A thorough analysis of National Curriculum test results is used to identify any common difficulties pupils might have. Modifications are then made to the curriculum or to teaching methods in order to address any emerging issues. Other evidence from outside the school, such as national reports

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quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects

and OFSTED findings, is used for comparison purposes.

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quality of teaching and the standards attained in these subjects

15 In addition to their effective management of the subjects, including the acquisition of a wealth of resources, the literacy and numeracy co-ordinators provide excellent role-models for colleagues. Their own lessons demonstrate their expertise and flair, and could usefully be more widely observed by colleagues.

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activities that the school provides

16 The school achieves a very good balance across the subjects of the National Curriculum. Links between subjects feature strongly, particularly in the younger classes. The skills learned in literacy and numeracy are used regularly in other lessons. For example, junior pupils produced well-written accounts of their visit to a Tudor house as part of a history topic. Older pupils write interesting evaluative comments about each other’s pictures in art; their topic books incorporate a range of presentation techniques, including the use of information technology. When studying sound in science, pupils accurately measured the length of panpipes to investigate the relationship between pitch and length. Pupils’ understanding of large numbers was enhanced in the Year 1 class when counting the number of bones in a human skeleton and in the oldest class when pupils were finding out the distances between

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activities that the school provides

17 The way the school links many aspects of the curriculum to the world outside pupils’ immediate experience was exemplified by the approach taken by the Year 3 teacher. Work was centred on two African countries and, in addition to the geographical aspects of the topic, pupils used their scientific understanding of insulation to design outfits suitable for people living in Lwamba and created bold and lively pictures in the style adopted by artists in the rain forests. Pupils were fully absorbed in all aspects of the topic and demonstrated a high level of understanding because of this imaginative approach. Penwortham Primary School - 16 18 Art features strongly in the curriculum and skills in information technology are mostly learned through activities directly related to current work, for example in producing ‘Wanted’ posters about Henry VIII.

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activities that the school provides

19 In addition to the formal curriculum, pupils enjoy a wide range of extra activities. Sports clubs include netball, football, cricket, rounders and athletics. Music is playing an increasing part in the life of the school. Various day trips and residential visits contribute to pupils’ depth of understanding of the environment, geography and history, and contribute to their social development.

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know their school well and continuously seek ways to move the school forward

20 The leadership provided by the headteacher and key staff is very good. The success of the school owes much to the headteacher’s drive and resolve that there must be no complacency over the good standards achieved. All staff aim for high standards of work and behaviour from pupils. These are accomplished very well in a constant search for further improvement. Governors share the headteacher’s determination to ensure the highest standards and he has their confidence. They work hard on the school’s behalf, managing developments and setting challenging targets for further improvement. In addition to maintaining and improving the fabric of the building, recent plans include the introduction of the National Grid for Learning and improvements to provision for pupils in the early years and those with special educational needs

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know their school well and continuously seek ways to move the school forward

21 The school’s aims are reflected very well in practice. There is a strong partnership with parents which successfully ‘ develops each pupil’s moral values, confidence and potential in a warm, secure and challenging learning environment’ (School Mission Statement).

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The quality of teaching could be raised still further if teachers were able to more

frequently learn from colleagues’ special strengths.

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The quality of teaching could be raised still further if teachers were able to more

22 The observation of lessons, particularly in literacy and numeracy, has had a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. All the lessons observed during the inspection were at least sound, most were very good and some were outstanding. Even so, most teachers in the school have a particular expertise that could be usefully shared with colleagues. For example, the pace of some lessons is driven by the teachers’ dynamic and enthusiastic approach, which means a lot of ground is covered in the time available. Some teachers are extremely good at using questions to draw out what pupils know and take their learning forward. This positive approach raises pupils’ self-esteem and is highly motivating.

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The quality of teaching could be raised still further if teachers were able to more

23 The culture of openness and co-operation among the staff indicates that opportunities to observe each other as ‘critical friends’ would be professionally rewarding and could lead to further improvements to the already high-quality teaching. Where teachers face a common challenge, such as catering for one or two pupils with behavioural difficulties, mutual observation would provide opportunities to try out and evaluate a range of strategies. Information gained could then be used to refine policies and practice. Penwortham Primary School - 17

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life of the school

24 A strength of the school is the way personal and social development is promoted. Pupils have good opportunities to take on responsibilities and do so willingly and efficiently. In particular, older pupils are assigned jobs such as answering the telephone, setting up the hall for assemblies, and monitoring entrances at break times. Once established, the same pupils often do these jobs over a long period. More pupils could benefit if roles were changed more regularly or if other tasks with a similar level of responsibility were provided.

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There is potential for assemblies to contribute more to pupils’ spiritual development

25 Assemblies are held every day in accordance with statutory requirements. They contribute well to the sense of community that permeates the school. However, they could be used more consistently to promote pupils’ spiritual development. More opportunities are needed for pupils to think about and respond to things beyond their everyday experience, through the arts, music and the natural world. This could be achieved in part by improving the ambience of the hall during assemblies, perhaps by the use of lighting and the position of pupils so that the atmosphere is more conducive to reflection. The more successful assemblies vary in pace, including lively singing, dynamic story telling and moments for quiet thinking. An analysis of these positive elements would help the school to identify what works and what is less effective in order to achieve more consistently enriching experiences for pupils during

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

26 In the context of its many strengths, the school should now address the following minor issues:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. provide more opportunities for the very effective teaching strategies to be shared across the school by building on the successful monitoring programme to enable teachers to observe each other’s lessons;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. enable more of the oldest pupils to take responsibility in the daily life of the school by ensuring a more frequent rotation of tasks;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. realise the potential for assemblies to contribute further to pupils’ spiritual development by including more opportunities for them to think about and respond to things beyond their everyday experience, through the arts, music and the natural world. Penwortham Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 15 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Un- satisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

20 40 27 13 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 267 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 18 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 28

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 16 Penwortham Primary School - 19

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.1 School data 0.3 National comparative data 5.9 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 16 17 33

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (94) 100 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 16 17

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 97 (98) 100 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Penwortham Primary School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 34 21 55

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 30 25 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 19 18

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 89 (79) 80 (85) 84 (81) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 29 28 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 20 18

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 89 (85) 87 (85) 85 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 65 (63) 65 (62) 72 (69) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Penwortham Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permane nt Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 2 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 231 White 4 0 Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Penwortham Primary School - 22

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YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.5 Financial year 1998/99

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YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Average class size 30 £ Total income 415180 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 420071 Total number of education support staff Expenditure per pupil 1469

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YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year Penwortham Primary School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 61 37 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 51 2 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 53 11 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 42 5 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 31 6 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 28 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 40 53 5 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 37 49 6 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 47 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 41 8 1 12

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