Otley the Whartons Primary School

Otley The Whartons Primary School

Dates of inspection: 22 - 25 November 1999

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Otley The Whartons Primary School

Under OFSTED contract number: 706886 Inspection Number: 185768

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Otley The Whartons 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Otley The Whartons Primary School

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. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Whartons Otley West Yorkshire LS21 2BS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr D Tempest

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 – 19 October 1995 Otley The Whartons Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Richard Perkin, Registered inspector English Attainment and progress Religious education Teaching Art Leadership and management Music The efficiency of the school Susan Wood, Lay inspector Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community George Mitchell, Team inspector Science The curriculum and assessment History Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Geography Under fives Pat Mitchell, Team inspector Maths Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Information technology Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs Equal opportunities

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Schools Inspection Service Fairfax Hall Beckett Park Campus Headingley Leeds LS6 3QS

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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 Otley The Whartons Primary School - 5

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What the school does well

Pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is very good; they make very good progress in art and music and good progress in design & technology, geography, history and physical education. • . Pupils’ behaviour, attitudes to learning, relationships, personal development and attendance are all very good. • . The quality of teaching is very good. • . There is a very good curriculum, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and there is a very strong partnership with parents. • . Provision for extra-curricular activities and links with the community are excellent. • . The school is very effectively led and managed and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

· Where the school has weaknesses The school has no significant weaknesses but the following areas for improvement have been identified:

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What the school does well

I. The formal monitoring of teaching, though it has started, is not sufficiently developed. II. Assessment procedures, though generally good, are not sufficiently consistent throughout the school. III. There is limited working space in all classrooms and there is no provision for separate outside play for children under the age of five, although the latter is in the school development plan. IV. Some statutory requirements are not met in pupils’ reports, in the prospectus and in the governors’ annual report to parents.

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mentioned above will be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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mentioned above will be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at

The school has very much improved since the last inspection. All the key issues have been addressed, most of them completely. Provision for children under the age of five has significantly improved and the needs of higher attainers are more systematically attended to in all classes. Teachers’ planning is now very good and, together with the use of effective schemes of work for all subjects, ensures that pupils make good, systematic progress. Teaching time for pupils at Key Stage 2 has been appropriately increased. Requirements of the National Curriculum are now fully met and religious education is consistent with the demands of the locally Agreed Syllabus. An effective policy has been developed for sex education and there is now a homework policy. Assessment procedures are generally good, though not sufficiently consistent across all subjects, and, for children under five, very good. Improvements have taken place in the use of assessment data to inform planning and a whole

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mentioned above will be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at

school marking policy has been effectively implemented. Good systems have been put in place to monitor pupils’ attainment and a beginning has been made in monitoring the quality of teaching. In addition, important improvements have been made in significantly upgrading the library and its stock; in building a school pond and integrating its use into the curriculum; and in beginning the development of a new computer suite, with up-to-date computers replacing old stock. A very effective literacy strategy has been implemented and supported by the appointment of two literacy assistants. A good start has been made in putting into practice the school’s numeracy strategy. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 8 The school is very well placed to maintain its high standards and to make further improvements.

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Standards in subjects

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

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similar schools

The table above shows that, in the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 1999, pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science was well above the national average. Inspection judgements confirm these results; by the time pupils leave the school, their attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above the national average. In information technology and religious education, pupils attain at the levels expected for their age. They make good progress in most of the foundation subjects and very good progress in art and music.

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similar schools

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

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similar schools

English Very good Very good Very good Mathematics Good Good Very good Science Good Good Information technology None directly observed None directly observed Religious education Good Good Other subjects Good Good Very good The quality of teaching is very good. Over half the teaching observed was very good or excellent, with the teaching in a tenth of lessons being excellent. The teaching in a further two fifths of lessons was good. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Excellent teaching was seen in English, religious education, art and music and very good teaching in most other subjects.

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similar schools

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

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good in classrooms and throughout the school. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 9 Attendance Very good. Ethos* There is an excellent ethos; an excellent climate for learning is supported by a very strong commitment to high achievement and very good relationships and attitudes to work. Leadership and management Very good: the school has a very clear educational direction; implements its aims, values and policies very well; plans very effectively for the future; and supports and monitors teaching and the curriculum well. Curriculum The curriculum is very good, planning is very effective and there is very good equality of opportunity for all pupils. The provision for extra-curricular activities is excellent. Pupils with special educational needs There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and they make good progress. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Very good.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory overall: learning resources are good but aspects of the accommodation are unsatisfactory. Value for money Good. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 10

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

V. They feel that the school encourages them to play an active part in the life of the school. VI. They feel that the school is very approachable. VII.Their children like school. VIII. The school encourages children to get involved in more than their daily lessons. IX. There was some concern about the size of the d.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Inspection findings support the positive views of the parents. Classrooms are small and the teachers manage the problems presented very effectively. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 11 · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

There are very good systems in place to maintain the quality of education provided and there are no key issues for action by this school. However, in the context of the school’s many strengths, the following points for improvement should be considered in the action plan:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Monitor the quality of teaching more formally, further developing the systems already in place; [paragraph 61 - 67]

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Ensure that the effective assessment practices that operate in some subjects and areas of the school are extended to ensure consistency across the school; [paragraph 53-43; 101 - 115]

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Speedily implement the existing plans to provide a separate outside play area for children under the age of five; [paragraph 68 - 72; 78 - 91]

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Amend pupils’ reports, the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents to meet statutory requirements and ensure that fire notices are displayed as required. [paragraph 56 - 60; 61 -67]

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

The Whartons Primary School is situated on the outskirts of the town of Otley, north of the River Wharfe on the border with North Yorkshire. There are 197 pupils on roll, which is slightly smaller than average. Two or three trainee teaching students from Leeds Metropolitan University have placements each year, under the supervision of the deputy headteacher, who is a trained mentor. Children under the age of five are accommodated in the reception class; at the time of inspection, there were 14 under-fives in the reception class. Eight pupils qualify for free school meals, which is four per cent, lower than the national average. Ninety-nine per cent of the pupils are white and all have English as their first language. There are 32 pupils on the register of special educational needs, equivalent to 16 per cent, and two pupils have statements of special educational need, equivalent to one per cent; both these figures are broadly average. The school’s catchment area is mixed, including

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

private housing and council property; in addition, some pupils come from more central areas of Otley. Overall, the social background of the pupils is above average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is also above expectation.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

The aims of the school are to: • maintain a stimulating learning environment; • encourage pupils’ independent and autonomous learning; • help pupils to develop lively enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills; • help pupils to acquire understanding, knowledge and skills relevant to adult life and employment in a changing world; • help pupils to use language and number effectively; • help pupils to develop personal moral values and an understanding of all races, religions and ways of life; • help pupils understand and protect the environment in which they live and to recognise the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations; • help pupils to appreciate human achievements and aspirations.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

The school’s immediate targets include the implementation of the revised National Curriculum; entry onto the National Grid for Learning and the development of the school’s computer suite; and continuing to develop the strategies for literacy and numeracy. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 12 ·

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 19 9 28

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 18 17 18 at NC Level 2 or Girls 9 9 9 above Total 27 26 27 Percentage at NC School 97 (93) 93 (93) 97 (100) Level 2 or above National 85 (80) 86 (81) 90 (84)

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Results

· Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 18 18 18 at NC Level 2 or Girls 9 9 9 above Total 27 27 27 Percentage at NC School 97 (93) 97 (100) 97 (93) Level 2 or above National N/a (81) N/a (85) N/a (86)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 13 11 24

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

· National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 10 13 12 at NC Level 4 or Girls 7 7 8 above Total 17 20 20 Percentage at NC School 83 (59) 88 (78) 88 (67) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

· Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 9 10 9 at NC Level 4 or Girls 5 7 7 above Total 14 17 16 Percentage at NC School 71 (67) 83 (78) 79 (89) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Otley The Whartons Primary School - 13 · Attendance

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 3.8 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.08 Absence National comparative data 0.5 ·

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 53 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

· Otley The Whartons Primary School - 14

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

· EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

1The last inspection judged that standards in English, mathematics and science were broadly in line with the national average, though sometimes higher in mathematics. Standards in religious education were generally in line with expectation but sometimes lower. Standards in history, music and physical education were high and in design and technology, standards were low. The national tests and assessments in 1999 at the end of Key Stage 2 show that standards in English, mathematics and science have greatly improved. This is confirmed by the present inspection, which shows well above average attainment in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the school. Standards in mathematics and science have been well above average over the past four years; in English, standards have been close to the national average, making a significant improvement in 1999. The attainment of boys and girls fluctuates both over time and between subjects within each

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

year; however, there are no significant patterns.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2In English tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999, 83 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 or better, well above the national average, with 29 per cent achieving Level 5, which is above the national average. When compared to similar schools, attainment was average both for those attaining Level 4 and for those attaining Level 5. In the tests in mathematics for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, the percentage reaching Level 4 or above (88 per cent) in 1999 was well above the national average. Twenty-nine per cent achieved Level 5; this is above the national average. The pupils’ performance in the mathematics tests in 1999 was above the average for pupils from similar backgrounds for those achieving Level 4 and average for those achieving Level 5. In science, the results of national tests in 1999 indicate that pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 was above the national average for those attaining Level 4 (88 per cent) and well above average for those reaching Level 5 (58 per cent).

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils’ performance in the science tests in 1999 was in line with that of pupils from similar backgrounds for those reaching Level 4 but with a well above average number reaching Level 5.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

3In national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, 97 per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 or better in reading, well above the national average. Thirty-nine per cent of pupils reached Level 3 in reading, which is well above the national average. In writing, 93 per cent achieved Level 2 or better, well above average. Four per cent of pupils achieved Level 3 in writing, about the median nationally. Boys attained significantly better than girls at the higher level in both reading and writing. When compared to similar schools, the percentage achieving Level 2 in reading is above average; for those attaining Level 3, the percentage is average. In writing, the percentage attaining Level 2 or better is above average, while an average percentage attained at Level 3. In national assessment tests and teacher assessments for seven-year-olds in 1999 in mathematics, 97 per cent achieved Level 2 or above, well above the national average, and 25 per cent reached Level 3, above the national average.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The pupils’ performance in the mathematics tests is above the average for pupils from similar backgrounds. Boys attained significantly better than girls at the higher level in mathematics in 1999. In teacher assessments in science at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, 97 per cent of pupils attained Level 2, well above the national average. Twenty-five per cent attained Level 3; this is above the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the level of attainment in science is average.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4Standards of literacy are very high throughout the school. Standards of reading, writing, speaking and listening are well above average by the end of Key Stage 1. By the time pupils reach the end of Key Stage 2, those high standards in reading, writing and speaking and listening have been effectively maintained and many pupils are attaining standards well above those expected in all three areas of English. By the time they leave the school, pupils read a wide range of texts fluently with accuracy and understanding, often with appropriate expression. Writing, often of very good quality, is produced across the curriculum for a range of purposes and audiences; much of it is extended and independent. For example, some excellent poems written by Year 6 pupils show a sophisticated sense of form and audience. The overall standard of handwriting, spelling and punctuation is very good. The standard of numeracy in Key Stage 1 is well above average and these standards are effectively

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Otley The Whartons Primary School - 15 maintained so that pupils by the end of Key Stage 2 have well above average skills in numeracy. Many pupils at both key stages have secure recall and use of number facts and multiplication tables and use these skills effectively in mental arithmetic sessions and in problem solving. Numeracy skills are used appropriately in other subjects such as science, design and technology and geography. Valuable opportunities to consolidate practical mathematical skills are used; for example, in a Year 5 class charts were constructed using data from geography, measuring temperature and rainfall.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

5Children’s attainment on entry to the reception class is overall above that expected for their age. By the time they reach the age of five, children are attaining above the standards expected for their age in personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world; in creative and physical development, their attainment is in line with expectations. Attainment by the end of both key stages in all aspects of English and of mathematics is well above the national average. In science, attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 is above the national average. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are attaining well above the average.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

6In English, by the age of seven, pupils listen well and explain clearly the characteristics of an effective set of instructions. Most pupils read with good accuracy and higher attainers are fluent and can correct their own mistakes. Pupils use pictures and their knowledge of letter sounds to help them to read the text and many are beginning to use the context of the word to discover its meaning. Most pupils produce legible, well-formed script and show a good grasp of spelling patterns and punctuation. Pupils write for a variety of purposes and produce clear and effective stories and reports, as in, for example, a lively account of a visit to another school. By the age of eleven, pupils listen well to teachers and to each other and many express themselves clearly and confidently; they cogently explain, for example, how the plague came to Eyam. They read with fluency, accuracy and understanding from a wide range of texts and many pupils use expression well. They use the context

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

of the story in tackling unfamiliar words. In writing, the standard of spelling, punctuation and handwriting is very good for most pupils. They write for a range of purposes, showing a good awareness of the audience, in, for instance, their very clear labelled diagrams. They improve their writing through drafting and are able to select language appropriately for various styles. Their information retrieval skills are well developed and they are comfortable in undertaking their own research tasks.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

7In mathematics, seven-year-olds can add and subtract numbers within twenty confidently and can use mental recall to solve simple problems. They can arrange numbers to a hundred in order and are beginning to understand place value, although lower attaining pupils need some help. Higher attaining pupils are extended with more challenging work and are able to work out multiplication sums up to 20 and divide numbers by sharing, order numbers to 1000 and add and subtract mentally in 100s. Pupils use appropriate mathematical language to describe two and three-dimensional shapes and can identify and use simple fractions. They are able to estimate length and check this by measuring. They are able to apply their knowledge of mathematics in, for example, checking their estimates by measuring accurately. By the age of eleven, most pupils are able to multiply and divide whole numbers with ease, add and subtract numbers with up to two places of decimals and convert

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

decimals to fractions. They are able to use strategies for working with these computations in practical and problem solving situations, such as working out duration of time using a timetable. They demonstrate increasing competence in handling and interpreting data, and are able to construct and interpret simple line graphs. They are able to measure the areas and perimeters of simple shapes, many being able to measure and draw angles to the nearest degree. They understand and use the probability scale of 0 to 1, lower attaining pupils using words to describe probability.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

8In science, by the age of seven, pupils have a wide vocabulary and use a range of words to describe the characteristics of the various materials they study. They observe effectively, relate what they are seeing to their previous experiences and record their findings in a variety of ways. They understand that some changes can be reversed and that some changes are irreversible. Pupils have a developing understanding of what constitutes a fair test and can find appropriate ways of classifying creatures. Most pupils can construct an electrical circuit to make a bulb light up. By the age of eleven, pupils have well-developed knowledge and skills in all aspects of science. They know that science involves asking questions and investigating the answers. They can discuss a range of practical activities; for Otley The Whartons Primary School - 16 example, how they would test the growth of plants under different conditions. They have a good,

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

detailed knowledge of the life cycles of frogs, butterflies and humans. In their study of the human body, they know about the major organs and their functions and can describe the harmful effects of smoking. Pupils are aware of the ways in which electrical circuits operate and can explain how conductors and insulators are important in everyday life. They can explain how they would solve the problem of separating a mixture of sand, salt and water. 9Pupils’ attainment in information technology is in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages. Seven-year-olds can use word-processing skills to refine their written work. They make good use of a variety of programs, often working independently though they need some help in saving and printing the text. Pupils control a programmable toy by entering directional instructions clearly and accurately. They understand that, when they enter information on a database, it can be used to

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

provide a range of information. By the age of eleven, most pupils can use computers independently to save and retrieve their work and access appropriate programmes. They have confidence and skill in word processing and design lively title pages for their topic books, using a range of fonts, sizes and colours and at times incorporating pictures into their designs. They create a program to control lights, a siren and a voice in a predetermined way. They can input data into a spreadsheet, question this data, amend it, retrieve information, and present this as a graph. They are able to use an interactive CD- ROM in science to investigate options and a simulation to explore Victorian times.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

10Pupils’ attainment in religious education by the end of both key stages is in line with the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. By the time they are seven, pupils respond to stories, relating them to moral issues and to their own lives. Pupils know a range of stories from the Old and New Testaments and are familiar with religious festivals such as harvest. They understand how festivals such as Sukkoth are based upon particular events. They are able to relate stories from Islam and Christianity to their own lives when they reflect upon how a friend should behave. By the time they are eleven, pupils have developed a deeper and more extensive knowledge and understanding of other faith communities such as Islam. They know about the life of Jesus and about key events in the Christian year such as Christmas and Easter. They are able to make simple comparisons between religions that they know and to relate their knowledge and understanding to present-day life.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

11By the time the pupils leave the school, they attain standards in art and music that are well above those expected for their age. Standards in design and technology, geography, history and most aspects of physical education are in line with those expected for pupils of their age, though in swimming pupils’ attainment is above that expected.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

12Progress is sound in the nationally agreed areas of learning for children under the age of five. Their language and literacy skills are systematically developed and their teachers provide good opportunities to develop independence. Children are offered stimulating opportunities to practise their skills in all areas of learning and thus make progress. Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 make good progress in English, mathematics, science, design and technology, geography, history and physical education. They make very good progress in art and music. In religious education and information technology, their progress is satisfactory. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is good across all subjects. Progress is enhanced by early identification and intervention when pupils experience difficulties and detailed individual education plans that are used by the teachers to plan adapted work. Pupils with statements of special need make very good progress due to the

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

excellent quality of the sensitive and caring support provided for them. Support assistants and voluntary helpers provide high quality support and there are good communications between all adults working with the pupils. Pupils who have behavioural difficulties also make good progress. They follow individual behavioural programmes and increase their confidence and learn to improve their behaviour, concentration and independence. Higher attaining pupils make good progress and achieve high levels in national attainment tests. This is an improvement from the last inspection where the needs of the higher attaining pupils were identified as a key issue for the school to address. There are no significant differences in the rates of progress of boys and girls.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

13Pupils make good progress in English, benefiting from the systematic teaching of skills and the effectiveness of the school’s literacy strategy. The effective intensive work with targeted groups of pupils in Key Stage 2 is having a strong impact on progress in English. Pupils make good progress in Otley The Whartons Primary School - 17 mathematics, because of the effectiveness of the school’s numeracy strategy and the high quality of teaching in the subject. In science, pupils make good progress because teachers plan well so that pupils build systematically on their previous learning.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

14Progress in information technology is satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils are encouraged systematically to build on previous knowledge and skills and to develop independence in using the computers. In religious education, where progress is satisfactory throughout the school, the school's use of the locally Agreed Syllabus enables pupils to build on existing knowledge in a sequential way and revisit different aspects of religion in greater depth. 15Standards in English, mathematics and science have significantly improved from the level reported at the last inspection; standards in art and design and technology have also improved. The high standards in music have been maintained, as have standards in all other subjects. The school is very well placed to maintain the present high standards and to move forward in areas such as information technology.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

15 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

16 Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. These very positive attitudes make a significant contribution to their attainment and progress. Children under the age of five are attentive, responsive, enthusiastic and interested. They talk confidently about their activities and are able to continue with these independently of direct adult supervision. Pupils in both key stages, including those with special educational needs, show an interest in their work, are enthusiastic and keen to participate in lessons. They join in discussions with confidence, answer questions readily and listen well to the teacher. Pupils are alert, lively and curious. They are able to concentrate and persevere with a task in order to complete it, working independently and collaboratively. Pupils settle down to work quickly, thus maximising teaching time.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

17 As pupils get older, they appreciate and respond well to a greater freedom of choice given in some lessons, such as, for example, art and design and technology. They select and use their own resources very well and demonstrate good levels of original and imaginative thinking, finding their own solutions to problems encountered. The pride they take in their work is fostered by the very good quality of the displays around school. Pupils are happy in school and enjoy their work. Pupils with special educational needs are very well integrated into classes and are able to work collaboratively with other pupils and produce work they can be proud of.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

16Behaviour is very good in the classrooms, which, in spite of being cramped, are pleasant working environments conducive to learning. The behaviour of children under the age of five is very good. Pupils are courteous both to each other and to adults, trustworthy, and polite. They offer to help readily. The effective behaviour policy, the consistently applied reward systems and teachers’ very good behaviour management skills all have a very positive effect on pupils’ behaviour. Within lessons and assemblies, pupils listen well to each other and to adults, and are able to work together and support and help each other. Parents are well pleased with the behaviour in the school.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

17Pupils behave very well around school and in the playgrounds; they know the behaviour that is expected of them. No evidence was found during the inspection of bullying or racist behaviour, mixed race and gender groups playing harmoniously together. The school keeps a log of incidents, which occur rarely. Problems are always followed up promptly and dealt with effectively. There are no exclusions.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

18There are very good relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils, which contribute to the very positive and supportive ethos within school. These relationships and the valuing of their achievements motivate pupils, but particularly those with special needs, to achieve. Pupils are prepared to listen to others’ views and show respect for one another’s feelings and beliefs. This tolerance and sensitivity is fostered throughout the curriculum, in religious education lessons and in assemblies. They are seen, for example, in the empathy shown in pupils’ work on Victorian conditions and in the willingness of pupils to discuss times when they felt in need of a friend. Pupils look after property and the environment carefully. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 18 19As pupils get older, they are able to take more responsibility for their own learning and, within general guidelines, will undertake independent research in, for example, history, science and English.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Responsibilities increase with pupils’ age, with pupils in Key Stage 2 taking responsibility for a variety of duties such as setting out and putting away equipment and furniture and helping younger pupils at lunch-time. During out-of-school activities, such as the residential visits, pupils show self- reliance and responsibility. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, take part in these and they contribute to the very good personal development of the pupils.

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Attendance

20The school’s attendance figures are very good and are above the national averages. Unauthorised absence is below the national average. Registers are completed quickly at the start of sessions while pupils carry out short tasks. The majority of pupils arrive at school on time and look forward to the school day. Lessons start punctually throughout the school.

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Attendance

21The overall quality of teaching throughout the school is very good and makes a strongly positive contribution to pupils’ attainment and progress. This is an improvement from the time of the last inspection, when teaching was reported as being usually sound and often good or very good but with a fifth of lessons less than sound, nearly all with younger pupils. In this inspection, in nine out of ten lessons observed, the quality of teaching was at least good and in over a half of lessons it was very good or better; in one lesson in ten, the teaching was excellent. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. The teaching of children under the age of five is very good overall and never less than good. In Key Stage 1, teaching is good overall and often very good or excellent. In Key Stage 2, teaching is very good overall and sometimes excellent. The teaching of English and mathematics is very good. Science teaching is good and often very good. Some excellent teaching was observed in English,

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Attendance

22Pupils of all levels of attainment benefit from the high quality of teaching, including pupils with special educational needs. The support offered to these pupils is very good and sometimes excellent. This marks an improvement from the previous inspection, when provision for pupils with special educational needs was reported as being good. Teachers know the pupils in their class who have special educational needs and plan appropriately for them in all subjects; they use a variety of strategies effectively. There is good liaison between teachers and support assistants, and very good relationships between adults and pupils that help to motivate the pupils with special educational needs to achieve. Good use is made of adapted work and extension activities to provide challenging work for higher attaining pupils. This is an improvement from the last inspection. Effective individual arrangements are made for gifted pupils.

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23In the reception class, the teacher of children under five has good knowledge and understanding of the needs of these children and has very high expectations. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, teachers have a good and sometimes a very good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach and have very high levels of expectation that enable them to match work effectively to the needs of individual pupils. The teaching of literacy is often very good; teachers use the school’s literacy strategy very effectively to provide stimulating and sometimes exciting teaching and learning. Teachers plan appropriately for the full range of attainment in English, with challenging work for the higher attainers, thus making a good contribution to pupils’ progress. The teaching of numeracy is good and sometimes very good at both key stages. Opportunities are taken to enable pupils to use their numeracy skills in other subjects.

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Attendance

Otley The Whartons Primary School - 19 24Teachers provide challenging activities that make pupils think and extend their skills. In the early years, pupils are encouraged to be independent and, as they progress through the school, they are provided with good skills and opportunities to enable them to investigate and research for themselves in history, for example. The very attractive library, the very good collections of books in classrooms and the very stimulating displays throughout the school all encourage independent reference and research. A strong feature of art lessons, particularly in Key Stage 2, is the strong encouragement for pupils to be independent and to rely on their own judgement; ‘It’s your work of art, you decide,’ says the teacher.

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Attendance

25The quality of planning is very good for children under five and good throughout the rest of the school. It is, in nearly all cases, detailed, identifies clear learning objectives, includes a range of tasks well matched to the needs of all pupils and identifies assessment opportunities. Planning is based on regular assessments and observations. Pupils with special educational needs have well thought out individual education plans that are used to provide suitably adapted work. Behavioural targets are set which are realistic and include strategies to be followed to improve behaviour and self-esteem. 26Classroom organisation is good for the under-fives. Well-briefed adults work closely with the teacher to interest and motivate the children and to guide their learning effectively. Strategies are used which provide a good balance of directed learning and opportunities for children to make independent choices. In both key stages, classroom organisation is good; at the top end of Key Stage

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Attendance

1, it is very good. Pupils are often grouped by attainment, particularly in Key Stage 2, and this enables the teacher to target activities well. The groups who are withdrawn to work with a literacy assistant are making good progress. In whole class sessions, such as parts of literacy lessons and art and music lessons, pupils of all stages of attainment are asked to perform at levels that challenge them without damaging their confidence. Teachers use a variety of strategies well to support pupils with special educational needs. Adapted work is used effectively, especially in English and mathematics. Questions are adapted so that all pupils are able to play a full part in the lesson. Sometimes pupils work collaboratively in mixed ability pairs or groups, sometimes they work in similar ability groups, with extra help given to the lower achieving pupils. Pupils with statements of special educational need

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Attendance

are given often excellent support by their special needs assistant, who works sensitively and knowledgeably with them. The special needs assistants are fully aware of the targets set for the pupils, allowing them to provide high quality support across the curriculum and contribute significantly to the progress made.

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Attendance

27Teachers’ management of pupils and the standards of classroom discipline are very good and often excellent throughout the school and are based on very good relationships between teachers and pupils. For children under five, very good relationships are the foundation for excellent control and very effective management of activities. In most classes in both key stages, the behaviour policy is implemented consistently and with skill and teachers establish very good relationships and employ humour very effectively. Lessons have a good pace and very little time is wasted. Teachers use equipment, books and artefacts effectively as, for example, in the range of activities provided for a year 5 art lesson. Teachers have well-developed skills in reading aloud and giving instructions and their skills in questioning are particularly effectively deployed and targeted to challenge pupils of all ranges of ability.

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Attendance

28Teachers across the school assess their pupils very effectively as lessons progress and are able to adjust their teaching as a result. Teachers mark pupils’ work consistently and often incorporate constructively critical comments to enable pupils to learn from them. The use of homework is good and enhances attainment and progress.

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Attendance

29In the most successful lessons, the teacher encourages pupils’ independence and initiative and makes them think for themselves, challenging them to consider alternatives. Learning becomes fun but extremely productive fun, as when the pupils selected ‘grey’ words to avoid and ‘buzz’ words to use in their advertising copy. Stories and poems are particularly well chosen to challenge pupils’ thinking and their feeling but to relate closely to their experience as well; for example, the three cat poems selected for an English lesson provided a stimulating range of styles and provoked a wide range of interesting and sensitive responses from the pupils. Pupils’ attention is engaged through very effective questioning and there is a high pace of learning for all pupils; in a music lesson, for Otley The Whartons Primary School - 20 example, the teacher’s enthusiasm, humour and excellent use of time meant that all the pupils

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Attendance

completed a variety of musical activities to a high level of quality. Teaching ensures that pupils with special educational needs are fully engaged in meaningful activities and that support assistants and parents are effectively organised. In an art lesson with Year 6, the teacher’s very high expectation of pupils with special educational needs led to one pupil producing a very pleasing three dimensional effect for a space-ship rising from the sea.

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Attendance

30Because of the quality of the present teaching staff and the present arrangements for the monitoring of teachers’ planning and the quality of teaching by the headteacher and the co-ordinators, the school’s capacity for further improvement is good; if the monitoring systems are made more systematic, then that capacity will be very good.

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Attendance

31The school has made very good progress in this area since the previous inspection. All subjects including design technology and information technology meet the statutory requirements and teaching times now meet the recommended levels in both key stages. A policy and scheme of work for sex education has been devised and implemented, as have schemes of work for all subjects. The early years’ curriculum has been improved so that it now provides pupils with access to most elements of the appropriate areas of experience. The school has given considerable thought to the ways in which assessments of pupils’ progress are made and teachers are in the process of establishing sensible and informative procedures.

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Attendance

32The curriculum provided by the school for pupils who are under five in the reception class is sound in most areas. The classroom is well organised so that the current class of pupils can be involved in work related to the recommended areas of experience. Two visits per week to the school hall provide the pupils with opportunities for gymnastics and dance and the children use the field for games with small play equipment; however, there is no provision for the pupils to be involved in outdoor play with large apparatus and this restricts their physical development. The pupils’ progress is systematically monitored and recorded. A good baseline assessment system is used as pupils enter the school, followed by day-to-day systematic assessments resulting in clear targets, which are then used to make sure that work is planned to meet pupils’ needs. There is good liaison between reception and Key Stage 1, so that the transfer from the early years’ curriculum to the National Curriculum is made

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smoothly and to the benefit of the pupils.

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Attendance

33In Key Stages 1 and 2, the curriculum includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The breadth and balance of provision is enhanced by the school’s decision to retain as much as possible of the content of the foundation subjects. Religious education is taught according to the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The school has made very good progress in establishing the literacy hour. Teachers’ planning for this is detailed, with clear and appropriate objectives for different groups of pupils. The system is having a positive impact on pupils’ standards of attainment. There has been good progress also in the adoption of the daily lesson in mathematics, which is helping pupils to improve their knowledge of mathematics.

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Attendance

34Planning systems are thorough, based upon a comprehensive whole school plan which details subject content to be taught to each year group. Teachers’ medium term planning is based upon clear and appropriate learning objectives. Lesson plans, particularly for literacy and numeracy, indicate clearly the work planned for pupils who are at different levels. Consequently, pupils’ tasks are usually pitched at the correct level to reinforce or extend their knowledge and skills. The school’s planning systems ensure that pupils have access to the full content of the National Curriculum and religious education.

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Attendance

35The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to work in groups for different purposes, so that they are able to develop skills in working together. Pupils’ questions are valued and sometimes used to prompt research; this is particularly evident in history lessons. Lessons in science and geography include investigations and present pupils with the challenge of finding information from a range of sources. Pupils’ physical development is prompted by lessons in gymnastics, dance, games, outdoor Otley The Whartons Primary School - 21 activities and swimming.

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Attendance

36The physical education programme is enhanced by out-of-school activities, including sport and competitive team games. Other subjects are similarly supported by the extra curriculum. The school’s provision in this aspect is excellent and is a testimony to the dedication of the teachers. Parents are well pleased with the breadth of the curriculum and the range of activities provided for the pupils.

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Attendance

37The governing body has taken the decision to include sex education in the curriculum and, with the staff, has devised an appropriate policy and scheme of work. Drugs awareness is also a planned feature of pupils’ experiences. The personal, social and health education of the pupils is integrated effectively into the curriculum; for example, in science lessons which focus on healthy eating and hygiene. Homework is used effectively, sometimes offering pupils the opportunity to extend their ideas through extra research.

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Attendance

38The school ensures that all pupils have access to all elements of the curriculum and has a very effective approach to equality of opportunity. Boys and girls integrate and work well together. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. They participate equally in all aspects of the curriculum, the majority of needs being very effectively met by the class teacher in the classroom. The requirements of the Code of Practice are met and provision specified in statements of special educational need is implemented very well. There are clear criteria for placing pupils on the special educational needs register following baseline assessment in the reception class. Detailed individual programmes are written by the teachers and the progress of pupils towards their targets is formally reviewed twice a year by the class teacher and the parents. New targets are set appropriately. Information provided for the annual reviews of pupils with statements is very thorough. The planning

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Attendance

of lessons for pupils who have special educational needs is very good, closely related to individual education plans and statements where these are in place. Consequently, these pupils make good progress.

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Attendance

39The planned curriculum is very effective in promoting the intellectual, physical and personal development of the pupils. There are good links with the local high school so that, in total, the pupils are well prepared for the next phase of their education.

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Attendance

40The school has done considerable work on improving its procedures for the assessment and recording of pupils’ progress in Key Stages 1 and 2. In English, systematic records are made of pupils’ attainment in reading and writing and targets are devised to ensure that work planned is linked to pupils’ developing skills. There is a portfolio of assessed work, devised by the teachers, which is helping to ensure that standards are applied consistently.

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Attendance

41The school makes good use of information from national test results in addressing issues that emerge about standards and the quality of the curriculum. Marking of pupils’ work is performed consistently because of a new marking scheme and the school’s intention to focus on following-up the marking to help pupils address their weaknesses is appropriate. There is a simple but effective whole school record system and information and pupils’ work are passed from class to class at the end of each year. The decision to focus attention on pupils who need extra support or greater challenge is appropriate. The construction of a new assessment calendar for each year is a positive feature. Good work in being done in particular subjects; for example, in history and geography, the co-ordinator is collecting samples of work which demonstrate good practice in teaching as well as illustrating pupils’ attainment. The school has a good foundation for assessment, particularly in its approach to English,

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Attendance

but does not yet have similar systems in place for other subjects to ensure the consistency of practice across the curriculum, which enables the comprehensive monitoring of pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Attendance

43 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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42The schools’ provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall and the positive qualities reported from the last inspection have been maintained. This provision has a very positive impact on pupils’ standards. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 22 43Provision for spiritual development is very good. There has been an improvement since the last inspection and assemblies now reflect the needs of all the pupils, including the youngest. Assemblies are well planned with appropriate themes and make a positive contribution to the spiritual development of the pupils. Although essentially Christian in character, they also enable pupils to understand and respect the beliefs of other countries and cultures. Pupils participate well in the assemblies, joining in the hymns and prayers with enthusiasm. The messages are of value, and opportunities are taken to relate these directly to the lives of the pupils, as when they think about the

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Attendance

people they care for and how they can show this care. Opportunities are provided in the classrooms for pupils to talk and write about their feelings, to listen to and respect the views of others and to experience moments of quiet reflection. For example, in a Year 2 lesson about friendship, pupils learned about acts of friendship from Islam and Christianity, related this to their own experiences of when they needed a friend to help them and reflected on how to be a friend to someone. Pupils make sensitive responses to music as they are given opportunities to listen and reflect upon it. Opportunities are provided for pupils to experience the beauty of nature and the joy of discovery in the school’s own wild life and pond area.

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Attendance

44The school is a very caring environment where pupils’ ideas and contributions are valued by the staff across all curricular areas. Religious education is taught throughout the school, contributes positively to spiritual development and gives pupils a good insight into their own and other religions. Pupils are taught to respect other’s feelings and beliefs. There are good opportunities in all subjects for pupils to appreciate their own and other people’s lives and show empathy, as when pupils write thoughtfully and with concern about the conditions for some children in Victorian times.

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Attendance

45The provision for moral development is very good. The school is very successful in ensuring that pupils understand the principles that distinguish right and wrong. The school has a behaviour policy with appropriate rewards and sanctions that is implemented consistently throughout school. Praise is used appropriately and sanctions are rarely needed. Moral issues such as considering others are promoted throughout the curriculum and through assemblies. Pupils learn to care for animals during pets’ week. They learn in Year 6 to consider issues from different perspectives and are able to write persuasively, putting both sides of an argument. The excellent ethos of the school and the very good relationships between adults and pupils make a positive contribution, as do the teachers and other staff as role models. Pupils are encouraged to have a caring and responsible attitude to others and to property. Parents feel very strongly that the school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on

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Attendance

46The provision for social development is very good. There has been an improvement since the last inspection and there are now many opportunities provided for pupils to develop social responsibility. The youngest pupils are taught to share, take turns, play together and look after property. Pupils learn to help each other, work collaboratively and support pupils with special educational needs. There are many opportunities for pupils to take responsibilities as they get older, such as, for example, helping younger pupils at lunch time and setting up the hall for assembly. There are opportunities within the lessons for them to demonstrate initiative, work collaboratively and take responsibility for their own work, notably in art lessons in Key Stage 2.

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Attendance

47The school has a range of very effective mechanisms for supporting the social development of pupils. There is an excellent range of extra-curricular activities such as the sports teams, the story club, a variety of musical activities and the computer club. Playtimes and lunch times are organised to provide pleasant social occasions and a wide range of visits and residential holidays play a significant role. There are excellent links with the community and pupils learn to help others less fortunate than themselves, both locally, where they support the local hospital and old people, and in the wider world, where they collect for children in Kosovo. Pupils use their initiative to devise ways to raise money for charities. There are a wide range of social events organised by friends of the school such as discos, barbecues and quiz nights. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into the life of

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Attendance

school. They take part in all school activities and are treated with respect and consideration.

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Attendance

48The provision for cultural development is very good. There has been an improvement since the last inspection and there is now a good range of cultural diversity across the curriculum. Pupils’ knowledge and experience of their own and other cultures is enriched throughout the curriculum. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 23 Literacy lessons make good use of a wide variety of literature and there is a good selection of books from other cultures. Art and music both make a very positive contribution. Pupils study the work of a wide variety of artists and other art including Roman mosaics and Aztec art. They learn to play the recorder and appreciate a variety of music, including world music. They have an opportunity to play hand-bells with a local group. They gain a good knowledge of other religions and cultures through religious education lessons and they handle various artefacts. In design and technology, pupils make

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Attendance

pottery Diwali lamps and know why Diwali is celebrated.

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Attendance

49There is a wide range of visits within the community to such places as theatres, museums, the local environment, a sculpture park, a medical museum and places of worship. The school has benefited from visits from an artist in residence, an African story-teller during book week, visiting musicians and theatre groups. Pupils join in local cultural events such as the Otley carnival and celebrate traditions such as Easter egg decorating and rolling and harvest. There are many very effective displays throughout the school that provide a rich environment and demonstrate the value placed on every pupil’s contribution.

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Attendance

51 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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Attendance

50The school provides a caring environment that helps support pupils in their learning. The good provision recorded in the last inspection has been maintained and improved in some areas. The teachers carefully monitor the pupils’ academic progress through analysis of standard assessment test results and regular work sampling. The teachers know all their pupils well and recognise any change in attitude or behaviour. There is very good individual support for pupils with special educational needs and appropriate liaison with other professionals involved with the pupils. Behaviour is well monitored through the consistent use of rewards and sanctions throughout the school and pupils clearly know what is expected of them and understand the need for action to be taken if they do not abide by the rules. The registers are checked daily and any irregular attendance is quickly detected and acted upon. The educational welfare officer regularly visits the school to check attendance.

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Attendance

51The school successfully promotes very good behaviour through clear rules that the pupils are involved in producing. Rewards are consistently given and pupils appreciate them when they are received. The Friday review assembly gives opportunity to share pupils’ success and achievement in all areas of their school life. Procedures are carefully followed when behaviour is inappropriate and often a first warning is sufficient to overcome the problem. The school has a clear policy in place to deal with bullying and this is understood by pupils; bullying is rare in the school. The school employs a suitable range of outside agencies as required.

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Attendance

52The school supports pupils very sensitively as they enter the school and sufficient guidance is provided as they prepare for their next stage in education. The ethos of the school is supportive of the individual needs of pupils and the parents appreciate this.

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Attendance

53The school has all relevant documentation and procedures in place to promote health and safety. These are supplemented by an effective sex education and drugs awareness programme, which is delivered through subjects of the curriculum and contributes to pupils’ learning and personal development. The school has effective child protection procedures in place and named staff to take responsibility for this.. The health and safety policy is in line with local authority guidance with all accidents correctly recorded and reported. The school records and reports on any accidents appropriately. There are insufficient signs to identify fire escape routes clearly in some areas of the school. The school is waiting for the uneven Key Stage 2 playground surface to be replaced and the cobbled stoned pavements are also uneven.

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55 Partnership with parents and the community

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54The strong links with parents and the community noted in the last inspection have been further developed. Parents are very supportive of the school and are made to feel very welcome by the staff. Regular newsletters keep them informed about daily routines, events and the visits that the children have made with the school. The newsletters also contain amusing reports written by individual pupils Otley The Whartons Primary School - 24 on their class trips or people who have visited the school. Parents are invited to special functions and school productions. Each half-term, information is sent home about the topics and curriculum coverage throughout the school. The prospectus is a well-presented document, although it fails to meet the statutory requirements for providing information to parents as it does not include the rates of authorised and unauthorised absence or the provision made for pupils who are withdrawn from

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Attendance

religious education or collective worship. Also it does not contain the school address and telephone number.

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Attendance

55Pupils regularly take home reading, spellings and multiplication tables although other tasks vary in different year groups. The school holds curriculum evenings to enable parents to become more involved in their children's learning. A significant number of parents regularly help in classes and in the library and this is much appreciated and valued by the school; some also support extra-curricular activities. All parents have opportunity to attend two consultation evenings during the school year and all receive the written report in the summer term. Opportunity is given to parents to discuss this report in more detail. The written reports fail to meet the requirements in reporting to parents; the school does not include separate information on information technology and often teachers do not include separate comments on design technology as it is linked into the art comment. Parents are informed at the earliest stage of the procedures for the assessment of pupils with special educational

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Attendance

needs. They are welcomed into school, encouraged to contribute to reviews and are often involved in helping the pupils at home. There is very good individual support for pupils with special educational needs and appropriate liaison with other professionals involved with the pupils.

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Attendance

56The annual governors’ report to parents does not meet the statutory reporting requirements as it fails to include authorised and unauthorised absence or the address for the clerk of the governors.

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Attendance

57The school makes excellent use of the local environment and community for local studies to build pupils’ awareness of the area where they live. The school has developed links with local businesses and industry to support pupils in their learning and experiences of the wider world. These include a visit to the local hospital’s minor injuries unit, the local postal sorting office and a visit to a local supermarket to study European foods. A very wide and varied range of visits and visitors helps to raise pupils’ awareness of times past and the world in which they live.

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Attendance

58The school has also developed very strong links with Whitecote Primary School in Bramley, which pupils visit to make comparisons of areas of the city. Children regularly write to pupils of another primary school as pen pals. The school has close links with Prince Henry’s Grammar School, whose pupils take part in school activities as part of their community projects and whose facilities are used for after-school activities.

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60 THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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59The last inspection report judged this to be a soundly managed school, with the governors making an effective contribution to the management of the school but with co-ordinators unable to make a contribution to the monitoring of teaching. A key issue was to establish systematic and effective ways of monitoring and evaluating the standards of achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching and learning. There have been significant improvements in the quality of leadership and management since the last inspection. Leadership and management are now very good and make a very positive impact on pupils’ attainment and on the quality of education provided by the school. The additional responsibility given to subject co-ordinators since the last inspection has also improved the quality of subject leadership. The allocation of some time for the special educational needs co-ordinator to fulfil his role has also served to improve provision for pupils with special educational needs; it was praised

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in the last inspection report and is now very good.

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Attendance

60Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. The governors, headteacher and staff have worked effectively to deal with the major concerns identified by the last inspection and to move on, as evidenced in the effective implementation of action plan. The school has taken not only the key Otley The Whartons Primary School - 25 issues from the report as their agenda for improvement but also noted and responded to other criticisms. All the key issues have been addressed, most of them completely. Provision for children under the age of five has significantly improved and the needs of higher attainers are more systematically attended to in all classes. Teachers’ planning is now very good and, together with the use of effective schemes of work for all subjects, ensures that pupils make good, systematic progress. Teaching time for pupils at Key Stage 2 has been appropriately increased. Requirements of the

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Attendance

National Curriculum are now fully met for all subjects and religious education is consistent with the demands of the locally agreed syllabus. An effective policy has been developed for sex education and there is now a homework policy. Assessment procedures are generally good and, for children under five, very good. Improvements have taken place in the use of assessment data to inform planning and a whole school marking policy has been effectively implemented. Good systems have been put in place to monitor pupils’ attainment and a beginning has been made in monitoring the quality of teaching, though this is not yet systematic enough. In addition, important improvements have been made in significantly upgrading the library and its stock; in building a school pond and integrating its use into the curriculum; and in beginning the development of a new computer suite, with up-to-date computers replacing old stock. A very effective literacy strategy has been implemented and supported

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Attendance

by the appointment of two literacy assistants. A good start has been made in putting into practice the school’s numeracy strategy. Standards in the core subjects have not merely been maintained but have been significantly improved, as indicated by the improving results in national tests. Improvements have been made in pupils’ progress in other subjects. Challenging targets have been agreed with the local education authority.

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Attendance

61The school’s capacity to maintain its strengths and to make further improvements is very good. The headteacher, staff and governors work together very effectively as a team to provide a very clear educational direction for the school. The headteacher has a clearly understood and expressed approach to education, which is shared with governors and staff; this is based on a strong commitment to high achievement and is most effectively modelled in the headteacher’s own teaching. The headteacher is very highly thought of by the parents and the school has a high profile in the community. The governing body is very effective, is well led and operates through a very efficient committee structure that ensures that all decisions are carefully considered. Committees meet regularly and are appropriately timed to enable their discussions to inform meetings of the full governing body. The governors responsible for literacy, numeracy and special educational needs meet

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Attendance

the relevant co-ordinators regularly. The chair of governors meets the headteacher and visits the school regularly and individual governors play an active part in the life of the school, attending functions and making generous use of their expertise for the benefit of the pupils. Most governors work at the school or live nearby and many are parents or former parents of pupils at the school.

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Attendance

62The headteacher works closely with the deputy headteacher, who is also a very effective co- ordinator for special educational needs, and involves all staff in decision-making, operating an open and consultative management style very effectively, to the benefit of all aspects of school life. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have clearly defined roles and responsibilities that they implement flexibly and effectively. Subject and key stage co-ordinators have a clear view of their role and most fulfil their roles very effectively.

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Attendance

63The monitoring of and support for teaching and curriculum development are good. Effective policy documents and schemes of work support all subjects and many of the school’s other activities. Teachers are observed as part of their appraisal and initiatives such as the literacy hour have been thoroughly monitored but arrangements for more systematic monitoring of teaching as indicated in the school’s monitoring policy are yet to be fully developed. The monitoring of the literacy hour was well supported by local education authority staff as well as by the literacy co-ordinator. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs are very good. There is a policy for special educational needs in place, based on the Code of Practice and fulfilling all legal requirements. It is consistently implemented throughout the school. The special needs co-ordinator manages the department very well, monitoring the progress of pupils and ensuring

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Attendance

staff knowledge and expertise. There is a very positive ethos within school that provides good support for pupils with special educational needs within a caring environment. Information relating to pupils’ attainment is regularly presented at governors’ meetings and staff meetings. This is discussed fully, Otley The Whartons Primary School - 26 effectively informing the thorough target setting that takes place in relation to pupils’ attainment. The school makes good use of the shared review undertaken in partnership with the local education authority and extensive use is made of local education authority personnel to provide training and support. There is also productive involvement with the regional family of schools in a number of areas.

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Attendance

64A very effective school development plan identifies driving factors for improvement and adopts a five-stage cycle: evaluating the present situation; comparing standards with other schools; identifying aims; development planning to meet those aims; and reviewing the action taken as a result. It relates closely to the school’s aims and budget and sets priorities for the next three to five years. It also relates to OFSTED inspection, shared review and the Family of Schools Development Plan. Priorities are clearly identified, with clear, practical and measurable success criteria, resource implications and costings, a time scale and the allocation of responsibility.

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Attendance

65The implementation of the school’s aims, values and policies is very good. The school’s aims are reflected clearly in the very strong relationships between the adults working in the school; relationships between adults and pupils and between the pupils themselves are similarly very positive. The excellent ethos of the school reflects a very strong commitment to high achievement in its aims, policies and practice. The very high quality teaching and the very stimulating use of display create an excellent climate for learning. There are very good equal opportunities for all pupils. Most statutory requirements are met; however, pupils’ annual reports, the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are missing some required information and some fire signs are missing.

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67 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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66The school has made good progress in this aspect since the previous inspection. The reception teacher has good expertise in early years education and has made a very positive contribution to the development of the early years’ curriculum and to the standards achieved by the children. Resources for learning in Key Stage 1 are at least adequate in all subjects. The school now has a very good library with writing surfaces. It is well stocked with a good range of new books. The whole school is well supplied with good quality books that effectively support the English curriculum. The space available for under fives, however, despite being one of the biggest spaces, is only just adequate and there is no immediately available area for outside play.

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Attendance

67The school has an adequate number of teaching staff, although the head teacher has to share a class with a part-time teacher in order that the school can employ two literacy assistants to support the establishment of the National Literacy Strategy. Provision of non-teaching support is good. The school is very well supplied with valuable help from parents and other adults.

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Attendance

68The staff development co-ordinator is well organised and has arrangements in place for any newly qualified teachers who might be appointed. Teachers are fully involved in appraisal, which is seen as developmental and has a positive impact on their expertise. Arrangements for staff development are good and are used to support both school and individual improvement.

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Attendance

69In total, the accommodation is adequate for the education of the pupils. Outside areas are spacious and contain good facilities for play, games and environmental studies. Plans to resurface the hard areas are appropriate. Inside, shared areas are a good size and are well used to supplement classroom space. The classrooms themselves are small and inhibit the movement of pupils and staff, particularly during practical lessons. The hall is small but adequate for school meals, physical education, assemblies and other activities, including lettings. The establishment of a computer suite is a positive innovation.

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Attendance

70Resources for learning are good across the curriculum and suitable for the ages and attainment of the pupils, including those with special educational needs. The school makes good use of the local environment, particularly for geography and history studies. Visitors to school and educational visits also play important parts in helping to enhance pupils’ learning. Residential visits are particularly productive in promoting environmental studies and the personal and social development of the pupils. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 27 72 The efficiency of the school

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Attendance

71The last inspection found financial and administrative systems to be generally sound but that planning was not matched to the budget. It judged that the school was giving satisfactory and in some areas good value for money.

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Attendance

72The efficiency of the school is now good and has a positive impact on standards and the quality of education. Financial planning is good. The financial situation is regularly reviewed and spending decisions are discussed thoroughly by the finance and staffing committee before issues are taken to the full governing body. The governing body has prioritised available funding in relation to the school development plan. Decisions are always informed by up-to-date and detailed budget statements. The school explores alternative sources of funding. The money spent on providing support for pupils with special educational needs is used well and contributes to the good progress they make; this support also benefits other pupils.

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Attendance

73The school makes good use of its staff and this makes a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Support staff are used effectively and work very well as part of the classroom team. In particular, the use of the two well-qualified literacy assistants is helping the progress of the targeted pupils with whom they work. The use of the accommodation and learning resources is very good. Teachers and pupils cope extremely well with the cramped conditions in the classrooms and make very good use of areas adjoining them. The hall is used for a variety of activities and the extensive outdoor facilities are very well used for games and other outdoor activities. Attractive and stimulating displays in corridors and classrooms are effective in promoting learning and are sometimes used well in lessons. Teachers use books and other learning resources very effectively in their teaching.

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Attendance

74Financial control and administration are very good. The school responded fully to the last local education authority audit and very good financial systems are now in place. The capable school administrator carefully monitors spending and effectively facilitates the very efficient day-to-day running of the school.

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Attendance

75Income is above the national average and attainment on entry to the school is above average. Pupils make good progress so that their attainment when they leave school is overall well above average. Pupils’ attitudes, relationships, behaviour and personal development are very good. The quality of education, including teaching, is very good, and there is very good leadership and management. In the light of these factors, the school provides good value for money. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 28 77 PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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77 AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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Attendance

76When children enter school in the reception class, they have a wide range of attainment; for example, some have well developed social and language skills whilst in others, these skills are less evident. Overall, their attainment is above that found in most schools. During their time in reception, the children make satisfactory progress in all their areas of learning and by the time they are five, their attainment is above what would be expected in language, literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, and personal and social development. In creative and physical development, their attainment is typical for their age. Their progress is promoted by the good quality of teaching, which marks a very good improvement since the last inspection.

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Attendance

77By the time they are five, children are well advanced in their personal and social development. They make sound progress. They relate well with one another and confidently form good relationships with adults. They frequently share resources and work well in groups. Many are capable of initiating conversations and they readily make contributions to class discussions. Their behaviour in and around school is always very good. The children are polite and take turns sensibly. When given the opportunity, most of the children can make decisions to start, sustain and sometimes return to activities, making sensible use of the equipment and materials available, as when two of them decided to work in the ‘office’ to do their writing, choosing writing materials and concentrating well on their activity.

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Attendance

78Children’s development in this area is prompted by very good teaching and the high quality of relationships that are developed and sustained by the staff who work in the reception class. The ethos of respect for one another is very evident, children’s ideas and work are valued and care is taken to ensure that they feel safe and confident. The classroom is well organised to provide children with opportunities to select activities which encourage the practising of social skills. Staff also make use of a range of visitors to the classroom who are well briefed to ensure that the desired approach and relationships are maintained.

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Attendance

79On entry to the reception class, some children have oral skills which are above average and most are familiar with books. This experience provides a sound foundation upon which their progress is built. By the time they are five, children’s attainment in this aspect is above what would be expected. Some children read a range of words and can write using well formed and correct letters. They also have good knowledge of the sounds made by different letters, which helps them to begin reading unfamiliar words. Lower attainers know the difference between pictures and print and they copy writing neatly. Children listen well, particularly in class discussions, and they speak clearly when explaining their ideas or asking questions, demonstrating good oral skills. They have a good knowledge of songs and rhymes, appreciating and repeating words with similar sounds. Children of all abilities make sound progress.

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Attendance

80The teaching of literacy is very good. Staff present good models for the children to follow, speaking clearly and correctly and listening carefully and responding appropriately to children’s contributions to the discussions. Activities are well planned, ensuring that the tasks reinforce and develop children's existing skills. The classroom organisation provides the children with readily accessible books, an area set up as an office for their writing, a role play area to develop oral skills and sentence captions to prompt reading.

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Attendance

81At an early stage in the school year, many children already reach standards expected at the age of five. They can count and recognise numbers up to ten and beyond, they understand ‘more than’ and Otley The Whartons Primary School - 29 ‘less than’ and count on and back confidently. Children can sort and match objects according to size and use mathematical language accurately. They make sound progress and, by the time they are five, reach standards above those expected

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Attendance

82The quality of teaching is very good. Well planned and motivating work around the story of the three bears provides a suitable context in which children can develop their awareness of number and size. All staff are aware of children’s levels of knowledge and use good questioning techniques whilst working with them on appropriate practical activities. A small but well organised area for number attracts children and helps to prompt their learning in an informal way. Effective individual arrangements are made for gifted pupils, who sometimes, when it is appropriate, work with older pupils.

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Attendance

Knowledge and understanding of the world

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Attendance

83Children’s above expected attainment in this area is clearly demonstrated during informal discussions and play activities; for example, children in role play take their cues from one another in accurately copying adult roles. In class discussions, they talk readily about everyday life. In a ‘telephone’ conversation, a child tells an adult about the new baby, using coherent sentences. Children have good skills in cutting and joining card and paper to create models. In a science activity, children identify unseen objects such as apples by touch alone. Children often choose to use a computer, controlling the mouse accurately in developing their knowledge of letter shapes.

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Attendance

84A good range of activities, allied to staff awareness, promotes children’s learning in this aspect of their development. The small classroom space is well organised into different areas where children can play-out their ideas with other children under the watchful eyes of informed adults whose interventions encourage children to learn about the world and to make sense of their experiences.

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Attendance

85Children’s sound progress is evident in their control of small equipment and construction apparatus. When using threads and webbing, they work accurately to produce regular patterns and they can control small construction blocks to make well proportioned model buildings. In a physical education lesson, children moved with good control and awareness of others to create imaginative movements based upon poems. By the time they are five, their attainment is in line with expectations.

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Attendance

86The teaching is of good quality. Lessons are well planned in gymnastics and dance. Time is used effectively and the lessons have a good pace. Through clear feedback and the use of children to model good practice, they are helped to develop the co-ordination of their movements. Similarly, suitable activities are planned in the classroom to ensure the development of children’s control of smaller movements. However, although early plans are in place, the school does not provide a regular opportunity for children to be involved in outdoor play with large apparatus. This restricts their physical development.

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Attendance

87By the time they are five, children’s attainment is in line with what would be expected. They can interpret sounds through movement, sing a wide variety of songs and become involved in imaginative play. They use clay, dough and cardboard boxes to create three-dimensional models. Their portrait paintings are of good quality, showing careful control and close observation. Hand and cotton reel prints show their experiences in this medium.

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Attendance

88A suitable range of media is available to the pupils and they are encouraged to choose to become involved in creative activities. The similarity of outcomes of the activities, however, indicates a degree of over control by adults and results in a lack of opportunities for individual expression.

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Attendance

89The provision for children under the age of five in the reception class is good, bearing in mind the constraints of a small classroom. The staff work imaginatively to create appropriate areas for the necessary range of experiences. Particular strengths are in the quality of relationships and in the depth Otley The Whartons Primary School - 30 of knowledge that the staff have about each child. This is enhanced by the systematic assessments that are made of each child’s progress, starting with the sensitive use of assessment on entry to the reception class and ending with the transfer of detailed information to the teachers in Key Stage 1. The close liaison between teachers in the lower end of the school helps to ensure the individual progress of each child. The important role of parents is recognised and they are made to feel welcome in the classroom as either visitors or helpers. When helping, parents, like support staff, are well

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Attendance

briefed to ensure that they operate within the clear and appropriate philosophy of the unit.

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Attendance

91 ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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90Standards in all aspects of the subject have significantly improved since the last inspection and, by the time pupils leave the school, their attainment in English is well above average.

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91In the 1999 English tests at the end of Key Stage 2, 83 per cent of pupils achieved the level expected for their age or better, well above the national average, with 29 per cent achieving the higher Level 5, which is above the national average. When compared to similar schools, attainment was average both for those attaining Level 4 and for those attaining Level 5. There was no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls over the past three years.

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92In national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, 97 per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 or better in reading, well above the national average. Thirty-nine per cent of pupils reached Level 3 in reading, which is also well above the national average. In writing, 93 per cent achieved Level 2 or better, well above average. Four per cent of pupils achieved Level 3 in writing, around the national average. Boys attained significantly better than girls at the higher level in both reading and writing; this has not been a consistent pattern over the years and probably relates to the possibly inhibiting effect of the large number of boys in that particular class. When compared to similar schools, the percentage achieving Level 2 in reading is above average; for those attaining Level 3, the percentage is average. In writing, the percentage attaining Level 2 or better is above average, while an average percentage

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93In the light of inspection judgement, standards of reading, writing, speaking and listening are well above average by the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The effect of the school’s very good implementation of the literacy hour is beginning to have a marked effect on pupils’ attainment and this and the improved teaching that has resulted from recent staff development explains the disparity between inspection judgements and test results. By the time they leave the school, pupils’ standards of literacy are very high. They read a wide range of texts fluently with accuracy and understanding, often with appropriate expression. Writing, often of very good quality, is produced across the curriculum for a range of purposes and audiences; much of it is extended and independent. The overall standard of handwriting, spelling and punctuation is very good. Most subjects make good contributions to the

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development of literacy skills; for example, pupils list the good and bad points about tourism in a geography lesson and write an account of what might attract a foreign visitor in Otley; and they produce clear and concise accounts of their investigations in science.

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94By the age of seven, pupils listen well and explain clearly the characteristics of an effective set of instructions. Most are very articulate in answering the teachers’ questions and in describing what they are doing in class. Most pupils read with good accuracy and higher attainers are fluent and can correct their own mistakes. Pupils use pictures and their knowledge of letter sounds to help them to read the text and many are beginning to use the context of the word to discover its meaning. Most pupils produce legible, well-formed script and show a good grasp of spelling patterns and punctuation. Pupils write for a variety of purposes and produce clear and effective stories, reports and lists, as in, for example, an imaginative menu for a lighthouse keeper’s lunch. By the age of eleven, pupils listen well to teachers and to each other and many express themselves clearly and confidently; they tell their

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‘knock, knock’ jokes with panache and give clear explanations of the scientific terms they are using. They read with fluency, accuracy and understanding from a wide range of texts and many pupils use Otley The Whartons Primary School - 31 expression well. They use the context of the story in tackling unfamiliar words. They discuss aspects of the book with insight. In writing, the standard of spelling, punctuation and handwriting is very good for most pupils. They write for a range of purposes, showing a good awareness of the audience, in, for instance, their sometimes excellent poems, which also show a mature sense of form. They improve their writing through drafting and are able to select language appropriately for various styles. They use the computer to edit and improve their writing and present it attractively, often combining text and graphics to good effect. Their information retrieval skills are well developed and they are

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well able to undertake research tasks independently. 95Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and maintain that progress steadily through Key Stage 2, effectively building on the systematic teaching of literacy skills begun in the early years, to a large extent through the very effective implementation of the school’s literacy strategy. Pupils with special educational needs make often very good progress because of the adapted work set for them and the very effective support they receive. Higher attainers make good progress because of the stimulating and challenging work set for them. Pupils of all levels of attainment made at least good progress in all the lessons observed and, in some lessons, their progress was very good because of the stimulating and exceptionally well-organised teaching. Pupils learn to listen not only to the teacher but also to one another as they move through the school so that, by the time they are in Year 6, they appreciate,

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for example, other pupils’ telling of the story so far. They progress from being able to tell the rest of the class their predictions of the story in Year 1 to speaking with insight about characters in the books they read as they become older. They are able to tackle increasingly difficult words as their confidence and knowledge of appropriate reading strategies develop so that, by Year 6, most read relatively sophisticated novels with expression and understanding. Their skills in retrieving information also systematically develop, from knowing what an index is in Year 2 to readily finding information from reference books and CD-ROMs by the time they leave school. Writing skills develop well because of the methodical teaching of skills and the good balance obtained between the effective teaching of technical aspects of writing and the provision of stimulating opportunities for the pupils to write freely and at length in a wide variety of forms for a range of purposes. In particular,

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pupils make good progress in their appreciation and composition of poetry, developing from the sensitive appreciation of the poems about cats that they experience in Year 4 to the polished poems in the style of Michael Rosen that they compose in Year 6.

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96Pupils throughout the school have very good attitudes to their work; they show interest and often enthusiasm and they concentrate very well and work hard. They respond very positively to the imaginative approaches used by some of the teachers and enjoy their humour. They listen well to their teachers and to each other in discussions; they work well together collaboratively and support each other well in group tasks. They settle to independent work quickly and without fuss and take care of books and materials. The attitudes of pupils with special educational needs are very good; they respond with interest to the stimulating tasks they are set and they have very good relationships with their teachers and support workers. Pupils behave very well in English lessons.

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97The quality of teaching is very good overall and sometimes excellent; no lesson was observed where the teaching was less than good. Excellent teaching was observed in both key stages. Teachers have a very secure knowledge of the subject and the confidence to use imaginative and stimulating approaches to which the pupils respond very well. A very good command of the structure and process of the school’s literacy strategy in both key stages enables teachers to provide clearly focused and continuously challenging learning experiences for the full range of pupils. Expectations are consistently very high but appropriate, questions and tasks being skilfully matched to different levels of attainment; in particular, some of the targeting of questions to lower attainers was most productive. Some of the work related to literature was particularly effective; for example, three very well chosen poems about cats led to very perceptive and sensitive responses from the pupils, whose appreciation of

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poetry was considerably enhanced by the experience. Planning and preparation are thorough. Support staff play a full and effective part in the lesson, enabling targeted pupils to make good progress and enabling pupils with special educational needs to gain in self-esteem as well as in their knowledge and skills in English. Teachers deploy well-focused questions, praise, humour, expressive reading and clear instructions to good effect, promoting very positive relationships and providing strong motivation for learning. Often excellent management skills motivate and keep pupils purposefully involved in their learning and lessons are well paced, with very little time wasted. Standards of Otley The Whartons Primary School - 32 discipline are very good. Pupils are encouraged to be independent and, sometimes, original. Teachers make skilful use of literary and non-literary texts to develop language understanding and skills

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through shared and guided reading. Group activities are well organised, resourced and supported and there are usually extension activities to engage higher attainers and adapted work for lower attainers. Throughout the school, day-to-day assessment is used very well to set individual targets and to inform planning and teaching. Marking of written work is constructive and provides realistic targets for the pupils to improve. Homework is used well to extend work done in class and to promote habits of independent study and enquiry.

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98A well-organised and very capable co-ordinator has overseen the very successful implementation of the school’s literacy strategy. The co-ordinator, with the headteacher, the literacy governor and an adviser from the local education authority, has monitored it thoroughly. An effective programme of professional development for all staff has enhanced its success. Pupils’ literacy skills clearly benefit from the changed style of working and progress in lessons is good and often better. The school’s appointment of two literacy support assistants to enable targeted small group work for some pupils is having a positive effect on their progress. Assessment procedures are very good. The results of national tests and other standardised assessments are carefully analysed to identify priorities for development and to set targets. Assessment processes are useful, consistent and carefully recorded to track pupils’ progress. The subject makes a very strong contribution to the spiritual, moral, social

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and cultural development of the pupils; opportunities for pupils to reflect, to consider the plight of others and to enjoy good literature form an important part of the curriculum and strongly contribute to pupils’ very good personal development, attitudes and behaviour. The school is very well placed to maintain its very high standards.

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99At the end of both key stages, pupils’ attainment is well above the national average. In the 1999 tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, the percentage reaching Level 4 was well above the national average and the percentage reaching the higher Level 5 was above the national average. In the national tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1, the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 was well above the national average and the percentage reaching Level 3 was above the national average. For pupils in both key stages, compared with similar schools, attainment is above average. Pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in all aspects of the mathematics curriculum. Lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs achieve well. Higher attaining pupils are given challenging work to do and also achieve well. These results show an improvement in standards at both key stages since the last inspection. There has been an improvement in the levels achieved, in

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the challenge provided, in investigative work and in mental mathematical skills.

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100At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can add and subtract numbers within twenty confidently and can use mental recall to solve simple problems. They can arrange numbers to a hundred in order and are beginning to understand place value, although lower attaining pupils need some help. Higher attaining pupils are able to work out multiplication sums up to 20 and divide numbers by sharing, order numbers to 1000 and add and subtract mentally in 100s. Pupils use appropriate mathematical language to describe two and three-dimensional shapes and can identify and use simple fractions. They are able to estimate length and check this by measuring. All pupils are starting to discuss their work using appropriate mathematical language; higher attaining pupils are able to try different approaches to solving problems. Lower attaining pupils are provided with suitably adapted tasks and work on the same concepts as the rest of the class at an easier level. Their work is sometimes

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inaccurate and they need more adult help.

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101At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to multiply and divide whole numbers with ease, add and subtract numbers with up to two places of decimals and convert decimals to fractions. They are able to apply a range of strategies in practical and problem solving situations. They demonstrate increasing competence in handling and interpreting data, and are able to construct and interpret simple line graphs, lower attaining pupils constructing basic charts. Pupils are able to measure the areas and perimeters of simple shapes, the higher attaining pupils being able to measure and draw angles to the nearest degree. They understand and use the probability scale of 0 to 1, lower attaining Otley The Whartons Primary School - 33 pupils using words to describe probability. Pupils are able to devise strategies for solving problems and to explain their working.

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102Pupils make good progress in both key stages. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set in individual programmes. Pupils of all abilities gain in confidence and improve their skills in manipulating numbers both mentally and in written form. The mental mathematics session now incorporated at the beginning of every mathematics lesson is supporting progress well. Pupils develop a suitable specialised vocabulary. They apply previous learnt skills to new situations and develop their own strategies for solving problems. Suitably challenging work is provided for higher attaining pupils, while adapted work is planned for pupils of lower attainment and pupils with special educational needs. This contributes to the good progress made. Numeracy skills are used appropriately in other subjects such as science, design and technology and geography. Valuable opportunities to consolidate practical mathematical skills are exploited well, as, for example,

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in a Year 5 class, when charts were constructed using data from geography, measuring temperature and rainfall.

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103Pupils’ attitude to their work is very good. Pupils are able to sustain interest and concentration well and can persevere with a task to complete it. They are keen to answer questions and are polite both to each other and to adults. They are able to organise themselves with books and equipment, which they look after very well. They are able to collaborate well in pairs or groups. Behaviour is very good and there are very good relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils. Pupils are able to confidently explain their reasoning to the rest of the class. They take a pride in their work and present it well. As they get older, they use their initiative to try different ways of working out problems.

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104The quality of teaching is very good overall. This compares well with the last inspection when teaching was found to lack pace and challenge, especially in Key Stage 1. Medium and short term planning is thorough, based on the National Numeracy Strategy; it identifies clear learning objectives and caters for pupils of differing abilities. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils and a good knowledge of the subject. They are able to give clear instructions and explanations, using appropriate mathematical vocabulary. Where the teaching is very good, questioning is very well used to extend understanding and make pupils think, often targeted for individuals. Lessons progress at a good pace and there are a variety of activities to challenge all pupils and keep motivation high. Class management is very good, resulting in very high standards of behaviour. Lessons are well organised with very good deployment of the support assistant working with pupils with a statement of special

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need. Day to day assessment is very good; teachers circulate to support and challenge pupils, observations made in one lesson are used to structure the next, the whole class teaching at the end of the lesson is often used to clarify any common mistakes and marking is consistent with useful comments for the pupils. Appropriate homework is set weekly.

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105The school has adopted the National Numeracy Strategy and pupils are following the recommended framework. This has been managed competently. All classes have a daily numeracy lesson and teachers are implementing the strategy well. Information technology is used satisfactorily to support pupils’ work.

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106The results of the standard assessment tests are analysed and provide information for the staff on problem areas encountered. This has contributed to the progress made by pupils. Assessment is satisfactory and includes a teacher assessment of investigative mathematics; however, there is no assessed portfolio of pupils’ work. Assessment results are used well to plan or modify future work. There is a good selection of books and practical equipment, which are well organised, accessible and well used. These contribute to the good quality of education provided. The school is well placed to maintain its very high standards.

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107Since the last inspection, pupils’ attainment has improved at the end of both key stages. Key Stage 1 teacher assessments in 1999 indicate pupils’ attainment to be above average and national test scores at the end of Key Stage 2 show attainment to be well above average when compared with all other Otley The Whartons Primary School - 34 schools. This situation is mirrored by the inspection judgement, where, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is above what would be expected and it is well above expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ attainment in national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 has been well above average for the past four years. There have been variations in the attainment of boys and girls but no significant pattern.

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108By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good knowledge of science. For example, in relation to materials, they have a wide vocabulary and use a range of words to describe the characteristics of the various materials they study. They are skilled observers and can relate what they are seeing to their previous experiences. In a lesson in Year 2, pupils observed the changes taking place as a range of materials were heated. They discussed their observations in detail and recorded their findings on charts. The pupils showed that they had developed an appreciation that some changes can be reversed, as when chocolate is melted, and that some changes are irreversible, as when paper is burned. Pupils have a developing understanding of what constitutes a fair test in finding out, for example, what food snails like to eat.

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109By the end of Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and skills have developed in all aspects of science. They know that science involves asking questions and investigating the answers. They can discuss a range of practical activities; for example, how they would test the growth of plants under different conditions. They have a good, detailed knowledge of the life cycles of frogs, butterflies and humans. In their study of the human body, they know about the major organs and their functions and can describe the harmful effects of smoking. Pupils are aware of the ways in which electrical circuits operate and can explain how conductors and insulators are important in everyday life. They can explain how they would solve the problem of separating a mixture of sand, salt and water. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to devise investigations from questions that they themselves have chosen to ask.

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110Pupils make good progress through both key stages. This is exemplified by their growing knowledge of the physical processes of science. In Key Stage 1, pupils know about forces as pushes and pulls. By the time they are in Year 4, they know about opposing forces and the forces involved when something floats, whilst Year 6 pupils can intelligently discuss the effects of gravity and friction. Pupils also make progress in appreciating the importance of language in science. They have a developing ability to use appropriate vocabulary in their discussions and in their writing. There is some use of number skills when pupils present their findings through graphs and charts and this is also evident in the work they do using computers to handle collected data but skills in these areas are less well developed. The progress made by pupils who have special educational needs is good.

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111Pupils’ response to science lessons is very good. They are clearly interested in the subject and join in discussions and practical activities with enthusiasm. They handle equipment and materials sensibly, as when a Year 4 class was involved in an activity to determine what affects the sound of a plucked string. They work very well in pairs, sharing ideas and equipment and moving carefully round a small classroom in order to work with the different materials. Most importantly, all pupils are keen to make progress and to work independently. Their behaviour is consistently very good. The mature attitudes demonstrated by the pupils have a significant positive impact on their progress and attainment.

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112The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have a good knowledge of the requirements of the National Curriculum and of how pupils learn. They place an appropriate emphasis on providing the pupils with first hand experiences. Expectations are usually high; pupils are expected to behave well, to concentrate and to produce good quality work. There are a few occasions, however, when the same work is planned for all pupils and the higher attainers are not fully challenged. The quality of relationships between staff and pupils is very good; pupils prosper in the caring and positive atmosphere. Lessons begin promptly and have a good pace, so that pupils’ attention is not allowed to lapse and progress is maintained. Lessons are marked by challenging questions, which teachers use both to find out what pupils know and to develop their understanding. The quality of support for pupils with special educational needs is good. In a lesson for Year 3 on the human digestive system,

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the unobtrusive support helped the lower attaining pupils to play a full part and to extend their knowledge. This lesson also provided an example of the way in which a video recording, a range of Otley The Whartons Primary School - 35 reference books and interesting models could be used to enhance the quality of pupils’ learning.

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113The co-ordinator has devised a comprehensive whole school plan that provides the basis to ensure that pupils experience the full range of knowledge and skills. Analyses of the outcomes of national test scores are used to identify where improvements need to be made but there is as yet no comprehensive approach to the assessment and recording of pupils’ progress; the school’s new assessment calendar is expected to address this issue. The classrooms are small and present a degree of difficulty for pupils and teachers when they are involved in practical activities. Nevertheless, teachers work hard and thoughtfully to overcome this problem so that it does not impinge too much on pupils’ learning. The subject makes a positive contribution to the school’s literacy provision but numeracy and information technology are less represented in the science curriculum. The school is well placed to maintain the

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very high standards and to make further improvements.

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Information technology

114The attainment of pupils at the end of both key stages is in line with national expectations. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can use a program on the computer with reasonable confidence. They can use art programs to make pictures, using a range of colours, shapes and drawing tools. They can use a computer to word process and know the function of much of the keyboard such as the space bar and the return key. With some help, pupils can edit their work, for example, by using the spell checker correctly. They need some help with finding the letters on the keyboard and saving and printing the text. They can use the mouse competently, although some have difficulties when using it to ‘double click’ to open a program. They are able to control a programmable toy to make shapes and to go around objects. Higher attaining pupils are able to enter simple data on the computer and build a block graph competently, such as when they use data on eye colours.

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Information technology

115By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to use information technology with increased confidence in a variety of ways to support work in other subjects as they research information, word process their work and organise data. They have confidence and skill in word processing and in presenting their work in a range of fonts, sizes and colours, including title pages for topic work. They can incorporate pictures into their text, as when they design an Aztec calendar or research the planets in science. They are able to programme and control a series of lights, a siren and voice in a predetermined way. They can enter data into a spreadsheet, amend it, retrieve information and present it as a graph. They understand the need for the careful framing of questions to elicit the required statistics. Pupils in Year 5 enter pulse rates before and after exercise into a database and present the information in a variety of ways. They are able to use an interactive CD-ROM in science to investigate

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Information technology

options and a simulation to explore Victorian times. The majority of pupils can use computers independently and can save and retrieve their work and access the appropriate programs.

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Information technology

116Pupils’ progress, including that of pupils with special educational needs, is satisfactory in both key stages. They build up their skills and experience from term to term. For example, they start by learning to control the computerised robot in straight lines, then to manoeuvre it around obstacles, then to use it to produce shapes, manipulating it through turns and in different directions. As they get older, they learn to control a more complex series of actions to work lights and sounds, where there is a need for exact and accurate instructions. They develop increased facility in the use of word processing packages and use this growing expertise to improve the text and layout of their written work.

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Information technology

117Pupils have positive attitudes to learning in information technology and they use the resources with care and enjoyment. They concentrate well, are able to persevere with a task and show pride in their achievements. They collaborate well in sharing the computer, taking turns, sharing and helping one another with problems.

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Information technology

118No direct teaching was observed but in both key stages, teachers were seen intervening briefly to support and correct pupils when they were working at the computer. Teachers have sufficient knowledge of information technology to allow them to teach new skills competently. Their plans reflect a balanced programme of work used to develop information technology skills across other curriculum areas. They have high expectations of the pupils and set them challenging tasks. Good use Otley The Whartons Primary School - 36 is made of the computers and software available and pupils are encouraged to become independent in their use, for example, using them during wet playtimes and in the computer club.

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Information technology

119A cabled network, with Internet access, is being installed in an information technology suite but this is not yet operational. Teachers are beginning to be trained in its use. There is a good quantity and quality of software to cover the full requirements of the National Curriculum. A framework for the teaching of skills throughout the school provides effectively for skills to be acquired systematically. Assessment is satisfactory but is not yet consistent throughout the school. A portfolio of annotated work is being built up.

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Information technology

120In the last inspection attainment was judged to be in line with national expectations and the school has maintained this. It was judged to have insufficient resources to teach the whole National Curriculum. This has been rectified. With the development of the new computer suite, the school is very well placed to improve further.

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Religious education

121Pupils’ attainment in religious education by the end of both key stages is in line with the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. By the time they are seven, pupils respond to stories, relating them to moral issues and to their own lives. Pupils know a range of stories from the Old and New Testaments and are familiar with religious festivals such as harvest. They understand how festivals such as Sukkoth are based upon particular events. They are able to relate stories from Islam and Christianity to their own lives when they reflect upon how a friend should behave. By the time they are eleven, pupils have developed a deeper and more extensive knowledge and understanding of other faith communities such as Islam. They show interest in and respect for their beliefs and customs. They know of key festivals that relate to particular times of the year and understand something of their significance in different religions. They know about the life of Jesus and about key events in the

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Religious education

Christian year such as Christmas and Easter. They know and understand more stories from the Old and New Testaments and from other religious traditions. They are able, for example, to apply their understanding of the story of the prodigal son to the present day. They are able to make simple comparisons between religions that they know and to relate their knowledge and understanding to present-day life.

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Religious education

122Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in both key stages, developing their skills, knowledge and attitudes through stories, discussion and other appropriate activities. They apply their learning to their own experience in increasingly more complex ways and build on their learning about Jesus and the stories of the Old Testament. They develop their respect for the values and practices of others and learn to show empathy in more sensitive ways as they get older, showing, for example, in a Year 3 lesson, how difficult it must have been for children living on the streets in Dr Barnardo’s time.

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Religious education

123In both key stages, pupils are very positive in their responses to religious education lessons. They listen attentively to the teacher and to the contributions of other pupils. They offer their ideas and are eager to share their knowledge of different faiths. Behaviour is very good and pupils show sensitivity and respect in using times for quiet reflection appropriately.

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Religious education

124Teaching is good throughout the school and is occasionally excellent. Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations. Their classroom management is very good and sometimes excellent. Teachers value pupils’ answers and this encourages a willingness to offer opinions and to discuss issues openly. Very good relationships help to secure an ethos of interest in and respect for the beliefs, customs and ways of life of different faith communities. Pupils are given good opportunities to discuss issues and to consider their own responses and ideas. Stories, artefacts and other resources are used effectively. An example of the most successful teaching was in a lesson where pupils were to explore what makes a friend; very well chosen materials (an Islamic story, a Christian story and a poem) were very effectively presented, questions were very cleverly pitched to push pupils to broaden their thinking and difficult issues were handled with the greatest of sensitivity as the

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Religious education

teacher enabled the pupils to apply their learning to their own lives – very high quality social and Otley The Whartons Primary School - 37 personal development as well as effective religious education.

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Religious education

125The locally Agreed Syllabus forms the basis of teachers’ planning. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and also teaches most classes in Key Stage 2. The monitoring of pupils’ progress and achievement is informal. Resources are good. The standards indicated at the time of the last inspection have been maintained and the teaching has improved. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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Art

126By the time they leave the school, pupils have made very good progress and their work is well above what would be expected of pupils of their age, particularly in the range of art work that they achieve. By the age of seven, pupils can record ideas and feelings quite confidently. They are developing the ability to represent what they see, using paints, collage, pastels and pencils. They make pleasing prints using their hands or leaves, using colour well and achieving some delicate effects. They can use the computer to generate pictures and become more adept at arranging shapes and choosing colours to blend or contrast. They are able to make and decorate simple finger pots using clay and decorating them appropriately as Diwali pots as part of the religious education lesson. By the time they are eleven, they are familiar with a wide range of media including paint, pastels, pencils, collage, clay, wire and printing materials. They are able to make very convincing

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Art

observational drawings of natural objects, including some excellent life drawings from different angles, with good use of perspective and very effective use of light, shade and texture. They use computer programs to produce pictures and to combine text and graphics effectively. They produce surreal collages in the style of Magritte and model clay and wire to produce three-dimensional pieces in the style of Barbara Hepworth, Oldenburg and Shapiro after a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. When the opportunity arises, they make life-sized snow sculptures. They use a sketchbook to record ideas and use these to make preliminary sketches that they then polish and improve. They explore and evaluate the work of many other artists and use the work of, for example, Leger, Miro and Escher as a stimulus for their own work.

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Art

127Pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs, make very good progress through the school. They learn to add more detail to their portraits and mix their colours more confidently. They improve their observational drawings by using more detail and shading and they learn to assess their own work and suggest improvements. They develop their pencil skills and learn to use paint and other media more effectively. They show increasing sophistication in their use of line, tone and colour in, for example, work based on Leger’s distorted intertwining figures, and in their manipulation of modelling materials in, for example, their clay sculptures in the style of Hepworth. They learn to use computer drawing and paint programs with increasing skill. They become familiar with the work of an increasing range of artists and styles, including Aztec art and Roman mosaic, and learn to evaluate other artists’ works with reference to the techniques and

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Art

128Pupils enjoy art and work with great interest and enthusiasm. They concentrate hard and work at a very good rate, producing much good work in a relatively short time. They behave very well, there are very good relationships between pupils and they are able to share resources and equipment effectively. Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated into and an accepted part of the class group. Pupils are able to work independently or in small groups and are able to persevere with a piece of work, though finding it difficult. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, respond creatively to the teachers’ demands for originality. They take a pride in their own work and show a sensitive appreciation of the accomplishments of others. They show very good levels of independence in choosing the media they want to use for a piece of work. They take responsibility for getting out and putting away equipment.

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Art

129The quality of teaching is very good and sometimes excellent. Teachers’ knowledge is very good and allows them to provide a wide range of suitable visual stimuli to motivate the pupils. A very good Otley The Whartons Primary School - 38 balance is achieved between teaching skills and allowing opportunities to explore a range of techniques. Teachers have very high expectations of the pupils, use resources very well and maintain a brisk pace to the lessons so that no time is wasted. They plan effectively and match tasks appropriately to the needs of all the pupils, thus ensuring that all experience success. Class management and control are very good and generally, because the pupils are so well motivated by the tasks set, very unobtrusive. Lessons are very well organised and voluntary and other support, where it is available, is very well deployed. Teachers value the work of the pupils and pupils’ work, including

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Art

those with special educational needs, is very well presented and displayed throughout school. Teachers are very good at assessing pupils’ work in progress and challenging them to evaluate and improve it; at the same time, they provide very good encouragement and praise for a job well done.

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Art

130The subject is very well led by a co-ordinator who has a clear view of future requirements. There is a thorough and detailed scheme of work in place that helps to ensure that learning progresses systematically throughout the school. The co-ordinator maintains a photographic record of the range and quality of the work done and has established an effective assessment and recording system that enables the school to track pupils’ progress. The subject is very well resourced and makes effective use of visits and visitors; this has a positive effect on pupils’ attainment and progress. There has been a significant improvement in standards since the last inspection and the school is very well placed to maintain that improvement.

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Art

131By the time they leave school all pupils, including those with special educational needs, have made good progress in understanding the processes of designing and making in technology and their standards are typical for their age. Pupils in Year 2 look at examples of pots and design their own within constraints: it has to hold a night light and be able to be used as a Diwali light. They draw their design and label it simply. They are able to develop their own ideas for decoration from the initial stimulus. They make the pot out of clay very carefully and decorate it imaginatively. They are able to talk about problems that occur during the making and how they solve these. When they finish the pot they evaluate it with help from the teacher. They discuss if they like the pot, if it fulfils its purpose and ways in which they would do it differently if they made it again.

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Art

132Pupils in Year 6 research different types of models that move using gears. They work in small groups to design their own working model. They draw detailed, labelled diagrams of the materials they will use, describing how they will make it and how it will work. They evaluate the work as it progresses, making modifications if necessary. They make their models carefully and evaluate the finished products, suggesting improvements. They investigate using the cogs to make the models move faster and slower.

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Art

133Throughout both key stages, pupils learn to choose and work with a wider variety of materials and improve the ability to communicate their ideas verbally, in writing and in drawings. Pupils learn to use materials and tools more accurately. From the rather inaccurate cutting and messy sticking in Years 1 and 2, pupils develop good manipulative skills. In Year 6, they make constellation viewers using accurate measurements and with great care and attention to both the finish and the function. By the time they leave the school, pupils are able to research ideas from books and CD-ROMs, generate ideas and design their own models. They can draw a labelled diagram and list the materials needed before making the object. They evaluate and suggest improvements to the finished models. Health and safety rules are carefully followed.

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Art

134Pupils’ attitude to work is very good in both key stages. They work with interest, enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment. They listen well to the teacher and volunteer answers to questions readily. Their behaviour is very good and they work with materials and tools safely. They are able to take responsibility for choosing materials and use their initiative in the planning and execution of their work. They are able to work collaboratively, share equipment and help each other.

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Art

135Teaching is very good. The planning and preparation is thorough with good regard to safety considerations. There are high expectations both of the standard of work and of the behaviour of the Otley The Whartons Primary School - 39 pupils. Management of pupils is very skilful, with very good relationships between adults and pupils. Very effective use is made of questioning to help pupils plan, make and evaluate their work. There is very good use of day-to-day assessment, with teachers intervening effectively and giving appropriate advice and help while encouraging and motivating pupils.

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Art

136The co-ordinator has put together an effective scheme of work that builds sequentially on skills and knowledge throughout school. There is a good level of resources of good quality, easily accessible and well used. Since the last inspection there have been big improvements in the progress made by pupils, in the quality of teaching and learning and in the breadth of the curriculum. The school is well placed to maintain these improvements.

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Geography

137Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress through both key stages and reach standards typical for their age by the time they leave the school. This marks an improvement since the previous inspection.

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Geography

138By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have an increasingly good knowledge of the geography of their local area. They draw detailed sketch maps and plans and become more aware of local environmental issues. They draw maps of a trip to the park and are beginning to understand how co-ordinates are used. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and skills have improved to the point where they can use complex maps and interpret their meaning; as, for example, when considering the importance of Rotterdam as a port. They make sensible comparisons between areas in different countries and are becoming aware of how a local area fits into a wider context. They get better at drawing upon evidence from detailed local maps in order to consider changes over time and the impact of human activity on the environment.

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Geography

139Pupils respond well to this subject. In the single lesson seen, behaviour was good and pupils paid close attention to their tasks. They were keen to learn and the higher attainers responded well to the teacher’s challenging questions.

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Geography

140The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory and in the one lesson seen, it was good. Teachers’ planning shows that they have good knowledge of the subject, identifying key learning objectives around which to build the lessons. Work is displayed effectively and pupils’ achievements are valued and celebrated, maintaining the school’s positive philosophy. The Year 6 lesson was marked by the teacher’s rigorous questioning and insistence on pupils’ use of fact and evidence rather than guess and opinion.

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Geography

141The co-ordinator has good knowledge of the subject and rightly emphasises the importance of developing pupils’ geographical skills as well as their knowledge. A portfolio of pupils’ work is being collected to exemplify effective teaching. Good use is made of the local environment and pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit from a residential visit which is designed to develop, amongst other things, their geographical knowledge and skills. During the recent curriculum review, the school decided to retain as much as possible of the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Consequently, pupils benefit from a wide geographical experience. The subject makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy skills through writing, the use of reference books and discussions. Numeracy skills are enhanced by work on scale, co-ordinates and graphs and information technology skills are evident in the use of programs to produce graphs and charts of variations in rainfall and

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History

142Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress through both key stages. The school has built upon the good standards noted in the previous inspection.

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History

143By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have increasing knowledge about some of the famous people in history such as Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole and they become more aware that, along with human memories, documents such as the school log book can be used to gather evidence about the Otley The Whartons Primary School - 40 past. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ knowledge and skills have progressed well, they know about a wider range of periods in history such as the Roman, Tudor and Victorian eras. They can name a greater number of important people and discuss the impact that their actions had on the life of the time. Pupils can suggest a wider range of sources from which evidence about past times can be obtained.

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History

144Pupils’ response to history lessons is very good. A typical example was seen in a Year 2 lesson about the history of the school. Pupils were interested in the lesson. They answered questions readily and volunteered ideas about how best to ask questions of a visitor in order to discover what the school was like when it was first opened. They received the visitor courteously with a welcoming attitude and waited patiently for their turn to ask a question. During the whole lesson, their behaviour was very good.

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History

145The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject, which helps to motivate the pupils. Lessons are marked by the skilful use of questions that both encourage pupils to explore their ideas and help them to focus on important historical facts which need to be remembered. A Year 3 lesson about the lives of children during Victorian times was enhanced by the teacher’s thoughtful use of toys from the period, which stimulated pupils’ interest and encouraged them to find out more. Relationships between teachers and pupils are typified by mutual respect and contribute significantly to the positive ethos for learning. Support for pupils with special educational needs is unobtrusive and effective and teachers usually ensure that higher attainers are challenged by their work.

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History

146The subject is co-ordinated by a knowledgeable teacher, whose focus, appropriately, is to emphasise the importance of developing pupils’ skills alongside their knowledge. During the recent review, the school made the decision to retain the full content of the history programmes of study, which ensures that pupils have a broad experience. There is very good use of the local area, which is a rich historical resource; visits to local and distant places enhance the curriculum and the school makes good use of museum loan services. Through writing and researching information from reference books, the subject makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy skills. The use of CD-ROMs helps to raise awareness about the power of information technology. Links to numeracy occur when the pupils are encouraged to sequence events and develop a sense of the chronology of historical periods. The quality of teaching and co-ordination indicate that the school will continue to

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Music

147The high standards indicated during the last inspection have been maintained and, for younger pupils, improved. Pupils make very good progress across the school. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. By the time they leave the school, pupils sing a variety of songs with enthusiasm, a very good tone, clear enunciation and a feeling for the meaning of what they are singing. They have a good sense of rhythm and can use a range of tuned and untuned instruments to accompany their singing. They sing a four-part round with good accuracy. All pupils can read a simple score and can play simple tunes on a recorder. Most play tuned percussion with accuracy. Some pupils play the hand-bells and others play brass or woodwind instruments or the violin. Groups of pupils compose effectively and create ‘sound pictures’. They write about their responses to the work of famous composers with insight and sensitivity.

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Music

148Pupils have very positive attitudes and obviously enjoy their music lessons. They work at a very good pace, sing and play with enthusiasm and respond very well to challenges such as singing a four- part round, which they find difficult. They persevere well. They are very disciplined with the instruments. They work well in groups, with a conductor taking responsibility for leading the group’s performance. Behaviour is often excellent.

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Music

149Teaching is very good and sometimes excellent. The co-ordinator, who teaches all classes in Key Stage 2, has excellent subject knowledge and the teacher responsible for teaching music in Key Stage 1 and the reception class is also knowledgeable. Lessons have a very lively pace and pupils are kept very well involved. The lessons are well organised and very thoroughly planned with very detailed and Otley The Whartons Primary School - 41 appropriate objectives. Learning resources are used very well. Expectations are appropriately very high and pupils respond very positively to the challenges presented. Relationships are very good, as are class management and control, with humour being used to very good effect. Very good day-to-day assessment ensures constant improvement and high productivity.

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Music

150The leadership of the subject is excellent. The co-ordinator monitors planning thoroughly and has developed an effective scheme of work that ensures that learning develops systematically. Assessment practices are very good. The curriculum is significantly enhanced by visiting instrumental teachers and by a group of hand-bell ringers, led by a parent, as well as by the regular performance of concerts and musicals, several of them written by the co-ordinator. The subject makes a very effective contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development.

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Physical education

151The progress of pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good at both key stages. By the time they leave school pupils can put together a sequence of movements, practise their skills and improve their performance showing increased control and stamina. They are starting to evaluate their own and others’ performances and can make sensible suggestions for improvements. They demonstrate good ball skills when they learn rugby and football, and are able to take part in small group games working as a team. Throughout the school they refine their movements and skills in gymnastics and dance and become increasingly confident in demonstrations. Skills in physical education are enhanced by the wide range of extra-curricular activities available, including country dancing, gymnastics, athletics, swimming, cricket, football, orienteering and hockey. These are well supported by the pupils. 152.

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Physical education

153Pupils’ attitudes are very good. They work hard, with energy and enthusiasm. They listen carefully and respond quickly to instructions. They watch carefully when others are demonstrating work and collaborate well in pairs and in small groups. They work together well in mixed gender teams. They take responsibility for setting up and clearing away equipment. These positive attitudes contribute to the good progress they make.

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Physical education

154The quality of teaching is good with some very good lessons. Activities are well planned, with clear aims which develop skills. A high level of activity is maintained throughout the lessons with suitable regard for safety. Teachers use a variety of organisational strategies to enhance learning. Clear instructions and demonstrations are given with good use of questioning to monitor pupils’ understanding. Skills are taught to individuals who are given opportunities to practise and improve these against individual targets. Maximum use is made of the time and resources available and a variety of activities, individual, in pairs and small groups, keeps motivation high. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into all activities. The management of pupils is very good with high expectations of performance and behaviour.

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Physical education

155Pupils receive a broad curriculum that includes outdoor and adventurous activities as well as athletics, cross-country, gymnastics, dance, swimming and games. They enter competitions and tournaments and perform well. The co-ordinator has devised a very good scheme of work that builds up skills as pupils get older. The school has subscribed to a national initiative that provides some expert tuition, such as, for example, rugby skills from the local rugby club, and extra equipment. This contributes to the good progress the pupils make. Accommodation is satisfactory and includes a playing field that helps develop pupils’ progress in games. Resources are good, well maintained and easily accessible.

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Physical education

156The good standards from the last inspection have been maintained.

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Swimming

157The inspection of this school included a focussed view of swimming, which is reported below.

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Swimming

158Pupils make very good progress in swimming and, by the time they leave the school, all pupils can swim at least 25 metres unaided, competently and safely. Many can swim a much greater distance; of Otley The Whartons Primary School - 42 the present Year 6, all but two pupils can already swim at least 60 metres. More than a third of the Year 5 class have silver or gold swimming medals and six are on life-saving programmes. All can rest, float and adopt support positions. All can perform a reasonable crawl or breast stroke and a back stroke. All have personal survival skills and good knowledge of water safety; all will have experienced swimming fully clothed in the pool by the time they have left the school.

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Swimming

159Pupils have very positive attitudes to swimming. Even the comparatively weaker swimmers appear to enjoy the sessions and persevere well. Most are very enthusiastic and work hard. Pupils listen well to the instructors and follow instructions very well. Concentration levels are good. Behaviour is very good.

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Swimming

160The quality of teaching is very good. The pool instructors are well qualified and effective, knowledgeable about their sport and confident in teaching appropriate techniques. They motivate pupils well and are good at encouraging the less confident pupils. They have appropriately high levels of expectation and plan the sessions to good effect. Sessions have a good pace and are productive. Pupils are managed very well and control and discipline are very good. The pool instructors work effectively with the class teachers to cover the full range of ability. Lesson-to-lesson assessment is very good. There is appropriately high attention to safety.

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Swimming

161Weaker swimmers work appropriately from the shallow end and are provided with good individual attention. In one session, the instructor made sure that the two weaker swimmers received ample advice and support; in the other session, with younger pupils, the instructor concentrated on the weaker swimmers while the class teacher worked with the more capable pupils. Floats were available for pupils whose confidence levels made them appropriate. In the unlikely event of any pupils leaving the primary school unable to swim, the secondary school has very good arrangements to provide an intensive swimming programme to enable them to do so.

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Swimming

162Swimming is seen as an integral part of the school’s physical education curriculum and all pupils in Years 4 and 5 swim for 30 minutes each week. In addition, there is very good extra-curricular provision for swimming at the same pool. There is an open-access club, with training and practice sessions. The school takes part in competitive galas and sees swimming as an important part of its provision for pupils’ social development. The quality of planning is good, the time allocation is appropriate and the sessions are well organised. Assessment and recording of pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Otley The Whartons Primary School - 43 164 PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Swimming

163A team of four inspectors, of whom one was a lay inspector, carried out the inspection. They were in school for the equivalent of 14 days. During the inspection, 60 hours were spent in observing 49 lessons or parts of lessons; in hearing 11 per cent of the pupils read; in discussing work with pupils; and in examining samples of pupils’ work in books, folders and displays. No direct teaching was observed in information technology but judgements are based on observation of teachers’ brief interventions in a number of lessons, on pupils’ work and on interviews with pupils. Only one geography lesson was observed and judgements are also based on the scrutiny of pupils’ work and interviews with pupils. Inspectors observed four acts of collective worship and four registration periods; they observed pupils in informal groups at break times and before and after school; they held a number of discussions with members of staff; they examined the school development plan, policies

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Swimming

and other documents; they scrutinised attendance registers, pupil records and teachers’ plans; they held discussions with parents and governors; and considered responses made by parents to a questionnaire and at a meeting.

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Swimming

166 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 197 2 32 8

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Swimming

166 Qualified teachers (YR - Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 7.6 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 27

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Swimming

166 Education support staff (YR - Y6) Total number of education support staff: 4 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 110.5

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Swimming

£ Total Income 351827.00 Total Expenditure 348027.00 Expenditure per pupil 1714.42 Balance brought forward from previous year 9940.00 Balance carried forward to next year 13740.00 Otley The Whartons Primary School - 44 166 PARENTAL SURVEY

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Swimming

Number of questionnaires sent out: 300 Number of questionnaires returned: 55

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Swimming

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Swimming

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 56 44

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Swimming

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 54 44 2

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Swimming

The school handles complaints from parents well 21 55 16 4 4

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Swimming

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 26 60 8 4 2

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Swimming

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 38 54 4 2 2

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Swimming

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 37 57 2 4

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Swimming

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 49 47 4

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Swimming

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 31 51 7 11

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Swimming

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 44 50 6

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Swimming

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 37 59 4

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