Parkinson Lane Community Primary School

PARKINSON LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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PARKINSON LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, Infant and Junior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Parkinson Lane Halifax West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 June 1999 Parkinson Lane Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Robin Wonnacott Registered inspector History What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? Shirley Elomari Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Rod Bristow Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Information and communication technology Physical education Beryl Thomas Team inspector Art and design

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Music Design and Technology Foundation Stage Debbie Townsend Team Inspector English

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Geography Religious education Special educational needs Parkinson Lane Primary School - 5 Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Maggie Sanger Team Inspector Science How well is the school led and managed? Equal Opportunities Jeanie Hedge Team Inspector English as an additional language

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr I H Jones Kingston Centre Fairway Stafford ST16 3TW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Parkinson Lane Primary School - 6

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REPORT CONTENTS

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

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REPORT CONTENTS

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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REPORT CONTENTS

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 24 - 27

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REPORT CONTENTS

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 27 - 29

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REPORT CONTENTS

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS 29 - 30

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REPORT CONTENTS

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 30 - 34

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REPORT CONTENTS

PROVISION FOR PUPILS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE 34 - 35

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REPORT CONTENTS

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 36

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REPORT CONTENTS

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 37 - 41

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REPORT CONTENTS

PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 42 - 63 Parkinson Lane Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Parkinson Lane Primary School is in the ‘Town Ward’ of Halifax, close to the town centre. There are just over 489 pupils on roll, between the age of three and eleven years. This makes it a large primary school compared with primary schools nationally. Three hundred and ninety pupils have English as an additional language; this is a very high proportion compared with schools nationally. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is well above the national average. These factors have a significant impact on the school’s results in national tests. The pupils come from homes in the immediate area of the school. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs (21%) is in line with the national average; this includes those with statements of special educational needs. However, the percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs (2.6%) is above the national average; these

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

include pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties. In the last five years there has been a significant number of staff changes, including the appointment of a new headteacher who joined the school at the start of the summer term 2001. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is very low when compared with that found nationally for the age group.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. The staff are working very hard to further improve the quality of education provided for the pupils. In the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception classes) children make very good progress in their learning. Children are provided with a range of high quality experiences that helps them develop their use of English. In Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and 2 classes) pupils make good and at times very good progress to attain standards that are often close to those typically found for seven-year-olds. This good rate of progress is not being maintained, in all classes, as pupils move through Key Stage 2 (Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 classes), so that standards attained by eleven-year-olds are generally lower than those typically found for this age group. All pupils are included in all aspects of the school’s work. Pupils who have special educational needs, and those who have English as an additional language, are provided

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

with very good support. Overall, the teaching observed in the inspection was good. The school meets the needs of all pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Under the excellent leadership of the newly appointed headteacher, management in the school is good. The school receives a number of different grants that it uses to make teaching groups smaller, however, no clear processes have been established to evaluate the impact of this approach. The school provides good value for money. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 8

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What the school does well

• Overall the quality of teaching observed was good; much of the teaching was very good and in five lessons teaching was excellent. • New national strategies for developing the pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy have been effectively established. • Pupils show very good attitudes to their learning; they are interested and involved in their work. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good. In lessons the very good behaviour has a positive impact on learning. • Educational provision in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is very good. As a result, pupils’ standards in the important skills of reading, writing and number work are steadily improving. • Relationships in the school are very good. Pupils generally work well together and show respect for each other’s feelings. • Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. • Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are excellent. • The leadership and direction provided by the headteacher are excellent.

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What the school does well

• Support for pupils who have English as an additional language is very good.

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What could be improved

• The time in morning sessions is not always used efficiently to provide pupils with the maximum opportunities to learn. Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to take responsibly for their own learning. • Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment, and then using this information to plan new learning, are not well developed. • Systems that would enable the school to evaluate its success are underdeveloped.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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What could be improved

The school has identified many of the weaknesses identified during the inspection and has already produced outline plans to overcome them.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was placed in the special measures category following an inspection in 1997. In June 1999 the school was inspected again, it was found to be providing pupils with a satisfactory standard of education, and was no longer in need of special measures. The evidence gathered during this inspection indicates that since June 1999 significant further improvements have been made in the quality of education provided for pupils. Three issues were identified as needing improvement:

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

i. Standards needed to be improved; ii. The quality of teaching needed to improve; iii. Assessment procedures needed to be developed.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The standards attained by pupils are improving. Although results in the 2000 tests for eleven- Parkinson Lane Primary School - 9 year-olds show the school’s performance to be below or well below the national average, when compared with similar schools Parkinson Lane’s results are above average for English and mathematics. These results indicate that pupils have made very good progress in their learning as they have moved thorough the school. This is impressive, as the vast majority of pupils enter the school speaking Punjabi; they make rapid progress in their understanding of English.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In the last five years the number of changes in headteachers has had a negative impact on the morale of the staff. The appointment of the new headteacher has provided the school with a new sense of direction. There is already clear evidence that this appointment has had an immediate and positive impact on aspects of the school’s management. Staff morale is now very high and there is a good team spirit throughout the school. Overall, the quality of teaching is now very good.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Assessment procedures are still underdeveloped and remain an issue for the school to address. Under the excellent leadership of the new headteacher the school has the capacity to improve even further.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by eleven-year-olds based on National Curriculum test results.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

1998 1999 2000 2000 English E E* D A well above average above average A B Mathematics E E E B average below average C D Science E* E* E D well below average very low, in the lowest 5%. E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

As well as being compared with national results, the school’s results are compared with schools with a similar percentage of free school meals; in the table above these are referred to as similar schools.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

The year 2000 test results for English were below the national average. In mathematics and science the results were well below the national average. When compared with similar schools, the results were well above the average. In mathematics, the results were above the average for this group of schools. In science, they were below the average results for this group of schools. Pupils who were in Year 6 in 2000 made very good progress in English as they moved through their Key Stage 2 education. Progress in mathematics was good. In science, progress was slower than that typically found nationally. Given the very high number of pupils who have English as an additional language, the results for 2000 indicate that the school is providing pupils with very good levels of support to develop their understanding of the English language. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 10 Standards in all other subjects, although on the low side, are broadly in line with those

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

currently seen in similar schools; this is largely due to the emphasis the school is placing on raising standards in English and mathematics. In Year 6, the higher attaining pupils generally reach a level of attainment typical of that expected for eleven-year-olds. Many of the seven- year-olds attain standards typical seen nationally for the age group. The school has set targets for improving its overall results, these are ambitious and if achieved will constitute a further raising of standards.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Children enter the Nursery with skills that are very much lower than those typical for the age group; language skills are very low. Mirpuri Punjabi is the spoken language in most children’s homes. Teaching that is generally of a good quality and frequently of a very good quality, enables the majority of pupils to make at least good progress in their learning as they move through the Foundation Stage of education. This progress is used to good effect in the Key Stage 1 classes so that the school’s results in the national assessments for seven-year-olds show steady improvement. This good progress is not maintained in a consistent way in all the Key Stage 2 classes. There is too much variation in the standards that are being attained by pupils in the two Year 6 classes.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to work are very good. In most lessons pupils are keen to be involved in activities and they want to succeed. In the majority of lessons teachers use praise to good effect. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Overall, behaviour in the school is very good. In the majority of lessons behaviour is very good. When pupils’ behaviour is unsatisfactory it is not always well managed by teachers; this hinders pupils’ learning. Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is good. Relationships in the school are very good. Attendance Attendance levels are poor. Too many pupils arrive late in the mornings; this has a negative impact on their learning.

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Aspect Comment

In lessons where there is a positive relationship between the teacher and pupils, the pupils show very good attitudes to their work and they make steady progress in their learning. In a small number of lessons where relationships are not so well developed, noise levels are often too high and as a result pupils make little progress. Opportunities for pupils to take responsibly are too limited; when given the opportunity pupils show good levels of maturity.

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

Lessons seen overall Very Good Very good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Overall, the quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good. During the inspection 68 lessons were observed. In 99% of the lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory or better. In 74% of lessons teaching was judged to be very good or better. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 11 Evidence collected from the teachers’ planning records and from the pupils’ books indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality than that usually found in the school. For example, a scrutiny of the pupils’ books indicated that work was often unmarked and pupils’ progress in learning was slower than that observed during the

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

Teaching in both the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 classes was judged to be very good. In the Key Stage 2 classes the overall quality of teaching was good. Examples of very good teaching were observed in all key stages. Excellent teaching was observed in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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

Where the teaching was at its best the lessons were well planned and teachers used very good questioning techniques to help pupils think carefully about answers. In lessons where teaching was satisfactory, teachers’ expectations of what pupils could achieve were often low, lessons did not go with a swing and teachers were not always secure in their subject knowledge. As a result the pupils were not always clear about the purpose of the lesson and this adversely affected the progress of the majority.

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

Overall, very good teaching was observed in English lessons where pupils were developing skills in reading and writing (literacy skills). In over half of the lessons teaching was judged to be very good or excellent. In mathematics lessons, where pupils were developing their skills in number (numeracy skills) the teaching was very good overall. In half of the lessons teaching was judged to be very good or excellent.

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

In all other subjects of the curriculum the teaching observed was of a good quality, overall. The school makes satisfactory provision for all the pupils. Very good support is provided for the large number of pupils who have English as a second language.

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

As pupils move through the school the progress they make in their learning shows too much variation. In the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 classes pupils make very good progress. In the Key Stage 2 classes the progress is variable but satisfactory overall. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 12

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school gives appropriate emphasis to developing the pupils’ skills in reading, writing and number work. The curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory overall but does not provide pupils with enough opportunities to develop skills in all subjects. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Overall, the management and provision is very good. In lessons, pupils are well supported and they make good progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall provision is good. Opportunities for moral development are very good. Opportunities for spiritual, moral and cultural development are good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The arrangements for monitoring aspects of pupils’ well-being and academic development are good overall. Procedures for monitoring aspects of the pupils’ academic performance are unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Because the school has rightly spent the majority of time developing the pupils’ skills in English and mathematics, skills in other subjects are underdeveloped. Although records are kept of pupils’ attainment they are not always accurate. In some classes, work in the pupils’ books is not consistently marked in a way that would help pupils understand how they could improve their performance. The school is beginning to develop good relationships with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership and management are good overall. The newly appointed headteacher is an excellent leader. The newly formed senior management team has made a good start in its work. The role of the subject co-ordinators is underdeveloped. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are totally supportive of the school. They have a sensible committee structure that enables them to carry out their duties in an efficient way. They have started to develop systems that will help them hold the school to account for its performance. The school’s evaluation of its performance Test results in English and mathematics are analysed and targets then set for groups of pupils. However, procedures to evaluate all aspects of the school’s work are underdeveloped. The strategic use of resources Overall, the school uses the different grants provided to very good

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Aspect Comment

effect. The support provided for pupils with English as an additional language, and that provided for pupils with special educational needs, is very effective.

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Aspect Comment

The recent appointment of the new headteacher has had a dramatic impact on the work of the senior management team. The level of staffing in the school is high and it is having a major positive impact on the way pupils are developing as they move through the school. The school has a satisfactory range of suitable accommodation. Resources are generally Parkinson Lane Primary School - 13 satisfactory. The headteacher and governors have a good working relationship. The governors understand and apply the principles of best value when making decisions about expenditure.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils are keen to come to school and learn; they like school. • Teachers are approachable and always make time for parents. • The school encourages pupils to understand the difference between right and wrong. • Parents judge that the school is helping their children to mature. • A small number of parents at the meeting expressed concerns about the lack of challenge in the work given to their children in Year 6. • Parents are not clear about the school’s policy for homework

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents returned 212 questionnaires. Twenty-eight parents attended the meeting with the registered inspector. In general, the evidence gathered during the inspection supports the positive views identified by the parents. The inspection team agrees that the school needs to be more consistent with homework provision. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that parents are right to have some concerns about the quality of provision in one Year 6 class. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 14

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Evidence from the year 2000 assessments for seven-year-olds indicates that the

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

2. The national arrangement for assessing pupils’ attainment is based on a scale with eight levels. The target for seven-year-olds is Level 2 of the scale; higher attaining pupils should reach Level 3. The target for eleven-year-olds is Level 4; higher attaining pupils should reach Level 5. As well as comparing the school’s results with the national picture it is possible to make comparisons with schools that are ‘in a similar context’, that is, schools which have a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

3. When the school’s results in the year 2000 tests for seven-year-olds are compared with this group of schools, the results for reading show that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected standard for seven-year-olds (Level 2) was below the average. The percentage of pupils attaining at a higher level (Level 3) was below the average. The results for writing show the percentage of pupils attaining the expected standard for seven-year-olds was above the average; the percentage that attained the higher level was also above the average. In mathematics, the percentage of pupils who attained the expected level was close to the average the percentage that attained at the higher level was above the average. With so many pupils entering the school with no spoken English these results indicate that pupils make at least good and often very good progress during their early years in the school.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

4. There are no national tests for science at age seven. In this subject the class teachers make an assessment of the pupils’ attainment as they reach the end of Year 2. The year 2000 assessments indicate that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level was very low when compared with the national average; the school’s results were in the lowest 5% compared with all schools. The percentage attaining at the higher level was well below the national average. When compared with similar schools, the school’s results show that the percentage of pupils attaining at the expected level was well below the average. 5. At the time of the inspection the school had completed the national tests for 2001. The Parkinson Lane Primary School - 15 indications are that the results will be at least as good as those attained in 2000.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

6. In both the English and mathematics assessments for eleven-year-olds, the school’s results for 2000 show that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 was well above those for similar schools. In English, the percentage attaining the higher Level 5 was above the average for this group of schools. In mathematics the percentage attaining the higher Level 5 was close to the average for this group of schools. In science, the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level for eleven- year-olds was well below the average for the group of schools, the percentage attaining the higher level was close to the average. Over the last five years the school’s results have improved at a greater rate than the national trend. At the time of the inspection the school had completed the 2001 tests, the indications are that the results will not be as high as those attained in the tests for 2000.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

7. When the performance of boys and girls in the national assessment for eleven-year-olds is compared over the period of the last two years, the boys’ results have been lower than the girls’ in all three subjects. The school has examined the data and recognises the need to take actions to improve the boys’ performance.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

8. An examination of the Year 6 pupils’ books indicates an overall decline in standards. There is a clear difference in the standard of work being attained in the two Year 6 classes. Much of the work in the set of pupils’ books from one class suggests that they will attain the expected national standard. However, the work in the set of books from the other class is below the expected standard and in too many subjects no written work is available. For example, work in the pupils’ science books for one class indicates that the higher attaining pupils are on course to attain the nationally expected standard by the end of this school year. The work shows that during the time in school the pupils have made good progress in developing scientific ideas, overcoming the difficulties that arise from having English as an additional language. No science books were available for the second Year 6 class and so no opportunities are being provided

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

for this group of pupils to record ideas gathered in their science lessons. Discussions with pupils from the second class indicate that these pupils are not making the same progress or attaining the same standard as pupils in the first class. Work in the books of the Year 2 pupils indicates that the majority is on course to reach the level of attainment expected of seven-year-olds. This represents a steady improvement in attainment.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

9. The standard of presentation of work in the books is generally satisfactory. Work in the books of the highest attaining Year 6 pupils in one class is of a good quality. However, in the majority of books in the second Year 6 class, not enough care is given to presenting work in a neat way. This deficiency is not pointed out to pupils; much of the work is unmarked.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

10. The school has undertaken some analysis of its recent test results. This information is beginning to be used to make predictions about the school’s future results. The data is being used to help teachers set targets for individual pupils. However, the target setting process is too broad and does not help staff in planning lessons to help pupils achieve their targets. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 16 11. An examination of the pupils’ books indicates that there is variation in standards between subjects. The evidence indicates that, in the majority of subjects, standards, although on the low side, are typical of pupils in this age range. The low standards are a result of the amount of time being given to teaching English and mathematics. Pupils are not developing the skills that will enable them to understand important aspects of music and geography, for example. Too little time is allocated to these aspects of the

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

pupils’ development. Although the school has begun the work of designing a plan that shows how all subjects will be taught, at the time of the inspection the impact of this plan was limited.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

12. The governors have set targets for the percentage of pupils who should attain the nationally expected level for eleven-year-olds, in the national assessments for 2001. The work in the books of the Year 6 pupils indicate that the targets set by governors are too ambitious. Not enough consideration has been given to the impact of the need for pupils to develop their skills in English. It is unlikely that the school’s result for 2001 will show any improvement over those for 2000.

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classes progress is less secure. Standards attained in the two Year 6 classes show

13. The majority of children enter the Nursery class with attainment that is very much

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

little improvement and many of the books show a fall in standards.

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

14. In reading and writing the majority of pupils make satisfactory progress. Although standards are lower than those typically expected for pupils age eleven, pupils have made steady progress from very low levels of attainment when they enter the school. A small number of higher attaining pupils are generally working at a level above that expected for eleven-year-olds; they have made very good progress. Progress in mathematics shows a similar picture. Many children enter the Nursery with no skills in number work. By the age of eleven the standards are still on the low side.

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

15. When pupils enter the school only a very small number have any pre-reading skills. As a result standards are much lower than that typically found in the age group. As they move through the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 classes they make good progress in reading, so that by the time they reach the age of seven standards are still on the low side, but have improved. A small number of higher attaining pupils have reached the standard expected for seven-year-olds. The steady improvement is sustained in the Key Stage 2 classes. Although the standards attained by eleven-year-olds are often below the national expected standard for the age group, they show steady improvement from a low base. The good progress is the result of well-structured teaching and good bilingual support. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 17 16. Pupils enter the school with little or no knowledge of the number system. However, in

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

number work (numeracy skills) pupils generally make satisfactory progress. Progress is often good in Key Stage 1. By the age of eleven a small number of pupils are attaining the expected standard. A minority of pupils can do quite complex calculations quickly and accurately. In most other aspects of mathematics, pupils’ attainment is close to the nationally expected standard. For example, they have a satisfactory understanding of the different properties of two-dimensional shapes. Good bilingual support helps pupils to overcome the difficulties of learning mathematical language. For example, in a Year 1 lesson pupils were given a great deal of support to help them pronounce the word ‘sphere’.

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

17. The staff are making good use of the national guidance for teaching reading, writing and number work. The approach is having a positive impact on the pupils’ standards of attainment. Progress in the Key Stage 1 classes is good, so that more pupils than last year are attaining the standard typically found nationally for seven-year-olds. Generally, the guidance is having a positive impact on standards in the Key Stage 2 classes.

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

18. Pupils with special educational needs achieve standards appropriate for their age and ability. They make good progress in developing skills in reading and number work. In their early years in the school these pupils are well supported in lessons by adults who are clear about pupils’ needs. Support staff provide opportunities for pupils to develop their self-confidence in their learning. Very good support is provided for the many pupils for whom English is an additional language. The use of technical language in subjects such as science and information and communication technology could slow the pupils’ progress in these subjects. However, the sensitive interventions of bilingual staff help pupils overcome this difficulty.

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steady improvement over the school year, books from the second class show very

19. These judgements represent a significant improvement on those recorded following the school’s last inspection. The appointment of the new headteacher, who has managed to motivate staff in his short period in the school, indicates that standards will continue to improve.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good throughout the school. Behaviour in

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

been a very significant improvement since Easter.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

21. Pupils are very keen to come to school. They enjoy the lessons and activities available. Almost all the parents who responded to the questionnaire stated that their child liked school. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and often show enthusiasm for it. They take a pride in having their work on display, both in the classroom and around the school. Pupils settle quickly to work in most lessons and concentrate well. They try hard to complete the work they are set. In the Nursery and Reception classes, children show very positive attitudes and their behaviour is very good, based Parkinson Lane Primary School - 18 on very good relationships with adults in the classroom. Pupils with special educational needs share the positive attitudes that pervade the school.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

22. Behaviour in lessons is very good overall. Pupils respond very positively to the generally high expectations of staff. In the Nursery and Reception classes, behaviour was very good in 11 of the 13 lessons observed and good in two. Twenty-two lessons were observed in the Key Stage 1 classes. Of these, behaviour was judged to be good in six lessons, very good in 12 and exemplary in three. In only one lesson was behaviour unsatisfactory. Of the 33 lessons observed in the Key Stage 2 classes, behaviour was good in 16 lessons, very good in five and excellent in two, with only one lesson where behaviour was unsatisfactory. This represents a very high proportion of good and very good behaviour throughout the school. The high quality of the behaviour in lessons makes a significant contribution to the good and very good progress pupils make.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

23. Behaviour at breaks and lunchtimes is consistently very good. In the dining hall and the playground pupils are almost always polite to one another and to adults. They play well and harmoniously together. They look after their own property well and show due respect for the school’s books and other resources. Parents state that behaviour in the school is good and see this as a strength of its work. There have been no exclusions in the last school year.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

24. Opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning are good. For example, in the literacy and numeracy lessons pupils concentrate very well and stay on task when the teacher does not directly supervise them. In some lessons, for example in science and information and communication technology, pupils are given opportunities to assess their own work and they undertake this responsibly. In a Year 5 science lesson where pupils were developing their knowledge of life cycles they were provided with opportunities to use reference books to investigate the topic. However, such opportunities are not uniformly well developed in all classes or in all subjects. Pupils are very keen to help their teachers by distributing books and other equipment and by tidying the classroom at the end of lessons. They return the registers to the office. However, the range of opportunities for pupils to take responsibility does not

p.18

the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

increase proportionately as they move through the school. Few opportunities are provided for pupils to show initiative.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

25. The school is successful in fostering good personal development of pupils. The youngest children in the Nursery and Reception classes settle quickly and are encouraged to grow in self-confidence. They learn to co-operate with others and become familiar with the daily routines of school life. Throughout the school, pupils have a good range of opportunities to discuss their feelings and responses. They learn to listen with respect to the views of others. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities they have to work together in pairs and small groups. They concentrate well and help one another. They share books and equipment sensibly. Pupils are given the opportunity to help others, for example, by raising money for charity.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

26. Relationships are generally very good. Pupils are well supported by staff, and teachers regularly use praise to good effect. Pupils generally co-operate well with each other. For their age, pupils have a very good understanding of the impact of what they do on Parkinson Lane Primary School - 19 others, and this helps them to show respect for the views and beliefs of others. Instances of bullying are infrequent. Pupils understand the importance of reporting bullying to staff and are confident that teachers and other staff take their concerns seriously.

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the encouragement and praise given to them. Attendance is poor, but there has

27. Attendance is poor. It is well below the national average, and unauthorised absence is well above the national average. However, since the beginning of the summer term the home school liaison officer and the attendance language support assistant has taken on the responsibility for monitoring attendance and for making telephone contact on the first day of any absence. This has resulted in a very significant improvement in attendance, so much so that attendance over this period is in line with the national average. Unauthorised absence remains higher than the national average, although it has reduced recently. The school is working hard and with some success to reduce the number of long-term absences abroad.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Overall, the teaching observed during the inspection was of a very good standard.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

29. There are 15 classes in the school. The Nursery and two Reception classes make up the Foundation Stage of education. Four classes make up Key Stage 1; there are two Year 1 classes and two Year 2 classes. Eight classes make up Key Stage 2; there are two classes in each of the year groups. Although teachers teach their own class for most subjects, a system of grouping by prior attainment is used in most years when English and mathematics are being taught.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

30. During the inspection, 68 lessons or part lessons were observed. In total this amounted to 62 hours of teaching and learning. Teaching was judged to be excellent in five lessons; very good in 28 lessons; good in 17 lessons; satisfactory in 17 lessons and unsatisfactory in one lesson. Teaching of at least very good quality was observed in some lessons in all three stages of education. Examples of excellent teaching were observed in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 classes. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 20 31. Common strengths that were identified in the lessons observed where teaching was judged to be at its best were:

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

• the way teachers used questions to help pupils develop their ideas; • the teachers’ expectations about the progress pupils would make in the lesson - the lesson went with a swing; • the excellent relationships between teachers and pupils; • the very good support provided for pupils with special educational needs; • the very good support for those pupils for whom English is an additional language; • the enthusiasm of the teachers, who provided pupils with high quality stimuli.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

32. These strengths played a major part in the good progress made by the pupils.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

33. In the one lesson where teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory, the relationship between the teacher and the pupils was not as well developed, this resulted in some behaviour problems, and this prevented all pupils making satisfactory progress.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

34. In the 17 lessons where teaching was judged to be satisfactory there were some common weaknesses:

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

• the work provided for pupils did not build on past learning and pupils were not sufficiently challenged; • not enough attention was paid to ensuring that all pupils were on task.

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indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality

35. The quality of teaching observed in the Foundation Stage was very good. In total,

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teaching was judged to be very good; in one lesson it was good and in the

remaining lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory.

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teaching was judged to be very good; in one lesson it was good and in the

36. Overall, the teaching observed in the Nursery class was of a very good quality. The teachers are well supported by qualified nursery nurses who are clear about their role and have a positive impact on the progress made by children. In a lesson where teaching was judged to be very good, the nursery teacher made very good use of the book ‘Peace at Last’ to help children develop their understanding of the English language. The support teacher was used to very good effect and helped children understand the story by translating into their first language. The children were interested in the work and made very good progress. In the two Reception classes the teaching observed was never less than satisfactory and often very good. Where teaching was judged to be only satisfactory the work provided for the children did not relate closely to the new national guidance of children in the Foundation Stage of

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teaching was judged to be very good; in one lesson it was good and in the

education. The lessons did not go with a swing and there was some time wasting .

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teaching was judged to be very good; in one lesson it was good and in the

37. Overall, the quality of teaching that was observed in the Key Stage 1 classes was

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teaching was judged to be very good; in five lessons it was good and in four lessons

teaching was judged to be satisfactory. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 21 38. Three of the four lessons where teaching was judged to be excellent occurred in a Year 2 class. In these lesson the work was very well planned and the teacher had very high expectations of what pupils would achieve. For example, in an English lesson where pupils were developing their understanding of the differences between fiction and non- fiction books. The teacher used the introduction to the lesson to remind pupils about the previous day’s work. The work given to pupils was well matched to their past learning and during the lesson they made very good progress. Pupils who had difficulty with understanding English were very well supported by a bilingual assistant. At the end of the lesson the teacher used pupils’ learning to reinforce ideas about fiction and non-fiction books. The lesson was stimulating and pupils were enthusiastic

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teaching was judged to be very good; in five lessons it was good and in four lessons

39. Very good teaching was observed in both Year 1 and Year 2 classes and in a number of subjects including English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT). In these lessons the materials provided for pupils were stimulating and the pupils were keen to be involved in the activities; they made steady progress in their learning. In a Year 1 ICT lesson, pupils were able to develop their use of a word processing program on the computer. The teaching was very clear; the teacher made very good use of his ability to help pupils in their first language when they had difficulties with English. Higher attaining pupils showed that they had a very good understanding of the program and were able to use a range of important ideas, for example, deleting text and replacing it. All the pupils were able to log-on to the computer.

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teaching was judged to be very good; in five lessons it was good and in four lessons

40. Overall, the quality of teaching that was observed in the Key Stage 2 classes was

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

41. The excellent teaching occurred in a Year 3 English lesson where pupils were using their knowledge of the Second World War to write letters to their parents, pretending that they had been evacuated to the country. The teacher used a range of skills to help pupils produce letters of a high quality. Pupils were able to express their feeling about the journey to the country; many wrote about feeling homesick. The work of the majority of pupils was of a high quality and showed that they had developed a good understanding of English in their short time in school. Very good teaching was observed in all year groups, and in a number of subjects including mathematics and English. In these lessons the work given to the pupils took account of their past learning and enabled them to make further progress. For example, in a Year 4 English lesson where pupils were developing their understanding of the way advertisements are

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

constructed, the teacher used very good questioning techniques to help pupils understand the way jingles, puns and slogans are used in advertising. As a result of this approach the pupils worked well together in groups and were able to produce good ideas for their own adverts. 42. The one unsatisfactory lesson that was observed during the inspection occurred in a Year 6 lesson where a supply teacher, who was new to the school, did not have enough knowledge of the pupils’ past learning to be able to plan to help them move Parkinson Lane Primary School - 22 forward with their learning. No records were available to help plan work and many of the pupils were unclear about what was expected of them. During the lesson they did not make sufficient progress.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

43. The teaching observed in English was very good.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

44. Twenty-one lessons were observed where pupils were developing their language skills. Teaching was judged to be excellent in three lessons; very good in eight lessons; good in six lessons; satisfactory in three lessons and unsatisfactory in one lesson. The school is making very good use of the new strategy for raising standards in reading and writing. The best lessons are well planned by teachers and the pupils find the materials provided stimulating. Teachers make particularly good use of bilingual support teachers to help pupils for whom English is an additional language. The length of some of the English lessons observed was too long; as a result pupils started to lose interest in the work and progress slowed towards the end of the lesson. The school is aware of this situation and has already started to consider ways of re-organising the morning teaching time.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

45. The teaching observed in mathematics was good.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

46. Sixteen lessons or part lessons were observed in mathematics. Teaching was judged to be excellent in one lesson; very good in six lessons; good in three lessons and satisfactory in the remaining six lessons. In many of the lessons where teaching was judged to be very good or excellent, the teachers used questions that made pupils think about their answers. For example, in a lesson where lower attaining Year 5 and 6 pupils were developing ideas about percentages the teacher used questions to help pupils understand the idea that percentages were to do with parts of a hundred. As a result of the approach the majority of pupils were able to work out 50% and 25% of simple numbers; they had made very good progress. The length of some of the mathematics lesson observed was too long; as a result pupils started to lose interest in the work and progress slowed towards the end of the lesson. The school is aware of

p.22

teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

this situation and has already started to consider ways of re-organising the morning teaching time.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

47. Overall, in all the other subjects of the curriculum, the teaching observed was judged to be good; much was judged to be very good.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

48. Excellent teaching was observed in a lesson where Year 2 pupils were developing their computer skills. Very good teaching was observed in eight lessons. These occurred in a number of subjects including science, physical education and ICT. One teacher carries out the teaching of ICT. He has a very clear understanding of the subject and his very good knowledge helps pupils make rapid progress in their learning.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

49. Over the longer period of time teaching in the school is generally good. 50. An examination of the pupils’ past work indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection was of a higher quality than that usually found in the school. Work in the majority of the books shows that pupils have made at least satisfactory and often good progress. However, the work in the books of the Year 6 pupils shows too much variation. The books from one class show good coverage of the nationally prescribed Parkinson Lane Primary School - 23 programmes of work. The work is marked and pupils are provided with comments that would help them develop their ideas. On the other hand, the work from the other class does not indicate coverage of the nationally prescribed programmes of work. Much of the work has not been marked for a long period of time. As a result pupils are not clear about what they have done well or how work could be improved.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

51. The recent appointment of a new headteacher has had a significant positive impact on the morale of the staff. Teachers feel motivated and involved in the development of the school; these factors had a positive impact on the quality of teaching observed during the inspection week.

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teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be

52. Overall, pupils make good progress as they move through the school. However,

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move through the Key Stage 2 classes. Overall, progress in the Key Stage 2 classes

53. Overall, the progress made by pupils is a reflection of the quality of teaching. Work in the pupils’ books shows that over a period of time, they are developing their knowledge, skills and their understanding in English and mathematics. The school has rightly concentrated on developing skills in reading, writing and number work and progress in these areas is good. Pupils are provided with very good bilingual support and this enables them to understand the need to develop their skills in English. The school’s results in the national tests for eleven-year-olds were higher than in previous years. An examination of the books of the present Year 6 pupils indicates that the results for 2001 will be lower. There is too much variation in the quality of work between the two classes. The work in the books of one class indicate standards similar to those of last year, however, the work in the books of the second class is much lower

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move through the Key Stage 2 classes. Overall, progress in the Key Stage 2 classes

and this may well lower the school’s overall results.

p.23

move through the Key Stage 2 classes. Overall, progress in the Key Stage 2 classes

54. In just under a half of the lessons observed during the inspection, the pupils were judged to have made very good or good progress in their learning. Very good progress was observed in the Nursery class and in English lessons in the Year 2 classes. Good progress was observed in a range of subjects including English, mathematics and science lessons. In English lessons, pupils were observed to make very good progress. This was often due to the way the lesson was structured, enabling different groups of pupils to get on with their work.

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move through the Key Stage 2 classes. Overall, progress in the Key Stage 2 classes

55. Pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs generally make good progress as they move through the school. In the best lessons, pupils are provided with structured opportunities that enables them to build on their past learning. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make very good progress in lessons. In particular, the pupils who have just arrived from Pakistan and have no English make very good progress, they are very well supported by bilingual assistants who intervene at the appropriate level translating into the pupils’ first language. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 24 56. The evidence gathered in this inspection indicates that there has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching over that reported after the last inspection. This improvement is reflected in the higher standards that are being attained by pupils.

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TO PUPILS?

57. The curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory overall. The school gives

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

58. This allocation of time to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills during morning sessions means that subjects such as history and geography are under- represented in the school’s provision. The way the curriculum is planned over a longer period of time means that pupils have large gaps before they use and develop their skills in some subjects, particularly history and geography. Some pupils can wait for over a term before they have another opportunity to practise these skills. The recent discussion with parents and governors to reconsider the length of the school day should address the need for pupils to have more frequent and regular teaching in a range of subjects.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

59. The school provides teaching of religious education for all pupils in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus. Parents have been informed about their right to withdraw their children. The school complies with statutory requirements by providing a daily act of collective worship, with Faith Assemblies on two days of the week.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

60. Since the last inspection the time made available for pupils to develop and practise their skills in the use of computers in the computer room has made a significant contribution to the raising of standards in this aspect of pupils’ learning. Although there are no computers in the classrooms, morning activities are planned so that all pupils use computers to support their learning in literacy, numeracy and science. Many more opportunities, such as an improvement in research skills, will be made possible when the planned additional resources are in place.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

61. In the Foundation Stage, the curriculum is stimulating and provides children with very good opportunities to develop their skills in spoken English. The Nursery and two Reception classrooms are attractive and make for a stimulating set of experiences. At the time of the inspection the new national guidance for this stage of education had not been fully implemented. The staff concerned are aware of the documentation and discussions are in hand to adapt the school’s curriculum to meet the new demands.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

62. Overall, satisfactory links are made between subjects and the development of the pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy; some good links occur. When this is the case it Parkinson Lane Primary School - 25 helps to reinforce the pupils’ understanding, strengthening their English language and numeracy skills. In history lessons pupils use different styles of writing to express their ideas. For example, in a Year 3 lesson on World War 2, pupils used their literacy skills to recount ‘their’ experiences as evacuees in ‘letters home’. However, the links between subjects are not yet fully developed as the overall school curriculum plan is new.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

63. The staff are fully aware of the need to develop the pupils’ skills in speaking and writing English. There is a whole school commitment to the development of speaking and listening skills during lessons other than literacy lessons. This has resulted in good strategies being used for pupils to develop their skills in spoken English. For example, in mathematics lessons where pupils are encouraged to explain the methods they used for solving problems.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

64. The school has started to make use of new national guidance for teaching all subjects. However, not enough attention has yet been given to the way the school can use the guidance to provide learning experiences tailored to the need of pupils in Parkinson Lane Community Primary School. Arrangements for sex education, and the raising of awareness about the use and misuse of drugs are satisfactory, linking as they do to the programmes of study for science and personal, social and health education.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

65. Teachers’ planning takes very good account of the individual educational plans of pupils with special educational needs. The plans clearly provide for gains in skills, understanding and knowledge in a range of subjects including mathematics. In the best lessons observed the work provided for this group was well structured and classroom assistants effectively supported pupils. The use of teaching in their first language, for those at an early stage in the acquisition of English is most effective, and raises pupils’ confidence and self-esteem immeasurably. This enabled pupils who have recently arrived in the community to make good progress and contribute purposefully to their group and class activities.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

66. Displays around the school are of a very good quality and add to the pupils’ learning by giving information and asking questions in both the pupils’ first language and English. Displays also encourage pupils to reflect on their achievements and those of others, such as paintings inspired by the lives of artists such as Van Gogh and Monet’s picture of a garden.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

67. Provision for out-of-school activities, depends on the season of the year. On the whole, provision is satisfactory for pupils in Years 5 and 6, with staff giving generously of their time and enthusiasm. The school has recognised that the present range of educational visits is limited and more restricted than that typically found for a large primary school. Consequently, a high priority is given to introducing an exciting programme of curriculum experiences for all pupils from the ages of three to eleven. These plans, which include an exciting range of musical, artistic and sporting opportunities, are at an advanced stage of planning and resourcing. Discussions with the parents, staff and governors have paved the way for changes in school hours, which will provide time for this enrichment to the pupils’ curriculum experiences.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

68. The school has developed positive and constructive relationships with other schools Parkinson Lane Primary School - 26 and they share expertise. The school is proud of its success in the recent sponsored poetry competition. Links with the wider community have provided extended sporting opportunities by bringing in skilled coaching for tag-rugby and cricket. The school continues to provide ‘teachers for the future’ through links with Huddersfield University. The use of parents to assist in the teaching of Punjabi is a good strategy.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

69. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at least good, and has improved since the last inspection.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

70. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. This is enhanced by lively story telling in assemblies, and by providing time for reflection in Faith Assemblies. The use of devotional music creates a good atmosphere for assemblies, such as ‘Madinah-tun- Nabi’ , in the Faith Assembly to prepare for the Mohammed’s Birthday. Acts of collective worship are well planned and reflect either a phase or class organisation with themes chosen appropriately to match the links with the celebrations of a multi-faith calendar. Parents and others within the community contribute significantly by joining pupils for their celebrations, as during the Millennium Concert and by extending religious instruction. Religious education lessons play a sensitive part in raising the pupils’ understanding and awareness of their place in a multi-faith society.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

71. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The commitment to developing very good consistent strategies for behaviour management has been effective. This approach encourages classes to set their own class rules and to involve individuals in negotiating their own sanctions and rewards. During the inspection behaviour within the classroom was consistently good and often very good, as was behaviour outside the classroom and in the playground. Isolated incidents of inappropriate behaviour were responded to positively and were often as a result of parts of lessons being too long, with some pupils finding it more difficult to concentrate over periods of inactivity. The whole school approach to high expectations of behaviour results in pupils being constantly reminded of what is acceptable. Families play an important role in supporting these high standards. Pupils are reminded regularly of the need to show

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

respect, be well mannered, helpful, caring and polite. The programme of personal, social and health education, school assemblies and time for pupils to be involved in reflecting on their own lives all reinforce the values of teamwork. A range of appropriate opportunities is provided for pupils to reflect on their own and others’ behaviour and attitudes.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

72. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. The school works hard to encourage pupils to take responsibility and develop an understanding of living in a community. In lessons, pupils generally work well together and are prepared to help each other. During the inspection visit, and throughout the school, pupils worked together in groups usually without fuss. Relationships are very good and are a strength of the school and contribute significantly to the very good behaviour.

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

73. Provision for pupils’ cultural development has been improved since the last inspection and is now good. Parents and others in the community work well together to promote a wider understanding of different cultures. The wearing of Salwar Kameez by some teaching and non-teaching staff plays an important part in promoting their own culture and raising self-esteem. There is an appropriate balance in the awareness of their own Parkinson Lane Primary School - 27 and other cultures, as when studying events in world history such as Independence in Pakistan; the influence of artists such as Monet and Van Gogh; and the lives of Ghandi and Mohammed Ali. In history and geography pupils learn about different cultures and civilisations, from past and present times. Music contributes to the devotional and cultural life of the school and themes in religious education give sufficient opportunities to consider attitudes to ethnic groups different from their own. An

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time is given to covering the nationally prescribed programmes of work in other

appreciation of the strong links between Arabic and Algebra are explored by older pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

74. Overall, the school provides a very good level of care for its pupils. Teachers and

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

75. The arrangements for ensuring the welfare of pupils are very good. The very good quality of relationships throughout the school helps to ensure that adults in school know the pupils well and care for them consistently well. Younger pupils are well supervised throughout the day and at going home time.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

76. Procedures for Child Protection are in place and take full account of the locally agreed procedures. In the absence of the deputy headteacher, the head teacher and special educational needs co-ordinator have taken on the responsibility for child protection. Appropriate training is provided. There is a good level of awareness amongst all staff. Good attention is paid to issues of health, safety and hygiene in lessons, for example, when children in the Nursery were mixing cakes they had to wash their hands. However, formal procedures to ensure the recording of the regular health and safety checks that are carried out are not fully in place. Procedures for first aid are good.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

77. Throughout the school there is very good support for pupils with special educational needs. Their needs are identified at an early stage. Individual education plans are clear and well focused, enabling pupils to make good progress. Support staff are deployed very effectively and provide sensitive help in the classroom. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English also receive very good levels of support and their first language is used effectively to enable them to extend their understanding and use of English. The school ensures that dietary requirements are met. In an effort to promote healthy eating, pupils sell apples at break; these are popular.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

78. The school is aware of the continuing need to improve levels of attendance. Since Easter, new monitoring procedures have been introduced, including a telephone call home on the first day of absence, a high profile of attendance issues in the newsletter and a drive to improve punctuality. These procedures are rigorously used and have resulted in a very significant improvement in attendance and punctuality over the last half term. The school is working with parents, with some success, to limit the extended holidays abroad taken by many families. The home school liaison officer and Parkinson Lane Primary School - 28 attendance language support assistant are central to the improved attendance; they work hard with families to ensure that all appreciate the importance of regular, punctual attendance.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

79. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress were a key issue at the time of the previous inspection. Although there have been improvements in the way the school collects and analyses information about attainment and progress, overall this aspect of the school’s work is still unsatisfactory. Monitoring of pupils’ academic performance is carried out in some subjects but the information is not used systematically to set individual targets in all subjects and year groups. The school is not yet using the information it has effectively in order to raise achievement for all pupils. Assessment of pupils with special educational needs is carried out effectively and is limited to the nationally set out Code of Practice.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

80. Where assessments are made of pupils’ attainment, teachers do not use this information in a consistent way to plan the next lesson. As a result pupils’ progress is not always fast enough over time. Although the learning observed in individual lessons during the inspection was good and sometimes very good, this is not sustained. This is particularly true in those classes affected by staffing difficulties. For example, at the time of the inspection one Year 6 teacher was absent on extended sickness leave, and the work of the pupils in the class was affected. Marking of pupils’ work is too varied. At its best it is very good and teachers’ comments help pupils understand what they need to do to improve their work. However, too often the marking is just a tick and this does not help pupils understand what they need to do to improve. An examination of the pupils’ books showed that marking in some classes was not being carried out on

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

81. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good overall. However, there has been no recent review of the behaviour policy and not all staff use it consistently well. Almost all teachers use praise very well to motivate and encourage pupils. The very good relationships and the mutual respect shown by teachers, staff and pupils help to ensure that behaviour is very good. Parents are appropriately involved in cases of poor or persistent unacceptable behaviour.

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sufficient detail, nor does it use the information it has to best effect to guide pupils’

82. Opportunities for pupils to share in each other’s success are good. The school puts a strong emphasis on celebrating pupils’ achievements, either through the high quality displays around the school or at the weekly assembly where pupils are praised for their good work and effort. Procedures for monitoring aspects of the pupils’ personal development are unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

83. Parents are, in the main, satisfied with the standards achieved and the

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some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

with children in Year 6 were concerned at the lack of challenging work. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 29 84. The replies to the parents’ questionnaires, attendance at the parents’ meeting and discussions with parents during the inspection week indicate that a significant majority of parents are very supportive of the school. Parents particularly appreciate that teachers are approachable and willing to make time to talk with them. They also value the strong moral code that is promoted within the school and the way that pupils are helped to become mature and responsible individuals. Inspection evidence supports the parents’ positive views of the school. Some parents are concerned that the school does not provide a range of interesting activities outside lessons. At present the range of extracurricular activities is limited, partly because the overwhelming majority of pupils attend the Mosque every day after school. However, the planned changes in the

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some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

school day will enable clubs to run after school hours. Inspection evidence supports those parents who are unclear about the homework provision. Homework is inconsistent but, when it is set, makes an effective contribution to children’s learning. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that parents are right to have some concerns about the quality of the work offered in one Year 6 class.

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some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

85. The school has established a number of good links with parents, greatly aided by the conscientious home school liaison officer who works hard to ensure that parents support the school over homework, attendance and other issues. An appropriate home school agreement is in place. All the written information provided by the school is in both English and Urdu. At consultation meetings and other events for parents there is always someone available to translate. The recently appointed headteacher has introduced a regular newsletter, and parents also receive regular correspondence keeping them informed about school life. A small number of parents help in school on a regular basis.

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some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

86. Satisfactory arrangements are in place to keep parents informed about their children’s progress. The annual report gives a satisfactory range of information about pupils’ progress. The report format is in the process of being revised in order to provide information in a style that will help parents understand the work that pupils have completed and the levels that their children have attained. Attendance at parents’ consultation meetings is good and parents are encouraged to come into school to discuss their child’s progress, or any concerns they may have, with staff.

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some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

87. Good arrangements are in place for parents of children who are new to the school. The induction of Nursery and Reception children is effective and enables them to settle quickly into school routines. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are well informed about their child’s progress and appropriately involved in annual reviews. Plans are well advanced to introduce a planner that will provide parents with a wide range of information about the curriculum as well as acting as a homework diary. However, this academic year no meetings have been held to inform parents about aspects of the curriculum, for example the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school’s history of considerable changes of staff over recent years has had a negative effect on the school’s relationships with some parents. However, the newly appointed headteacher has already gained the trust and support of parents and

p.29

some are not clear about the school’s homework policy. A small number of parents

improved communication with them. The Parent Teachers Association has been out of action for the past year but plans are in hand to re-launch it.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Parkinson Lane Primary School - 30 88. Overall, the leadership and management of the school are good. The newly

p.30

staff are developing into a motivated and cohesive team. As a team they have

overcome earlier difficulties when the school had a series of acting headteachers.

p.30

and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

89. Under the leadership of the headteacher, the school has recently developed a clear statement of aims. This gives priority to further raising standards through monitoring the impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement, developing a more cohesive curriculum to better meet the needs of the pupils in the school and having a system of assessment that tracks pupils’ achievement as they move through the school. Through his involvement with pupils and staff in classrooms and on the playground, with parents as they come into school and with governors on a regular basis the headteacher is projecting the aims though the everyday life of the school. There is a growing sense of pride within the school. The morale of staff is high. For example, there has been a dramatic fall in the rate of staff absences this term. The attendance rates for pupils have also risen, with each class eager to have ‘Parky Bear’ in their class, a reward for

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

90. Over the last five years the school has had a series of acting headteachers. This has hindered the work of the senior management team. The new headteacher has quickly reviewed and re-defined the roles and responsibilities of the team. The shared commitment of this team to school improvement is articulated through their work and shows a very strong capacity to succeed. Already the team has developed a cohesive long-term overview of the school curriculum. They have identified the need to improve aspects of the pupils’ writing, and are currently planning more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in factual writing. The assistant headteachers effectively manage their key stage teams, guiding and supporting staff and pupils and ensuring balance within the curriculum. The special educational needs co-ordinator effectively manages the support for pupils with special educational needs and the

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

language support for pupils who have English as an additional language. The responsibilities of the deputy headteacher are ill-defined, and lack impact on school improvement. This needs revision. Similarly, the role of subject co-ordinators continues to be under-developed. There is very little analysis of test data, analysis of pupils’ books, scrutiny of teachers’ planning or lesson observations. Consequently there is little detailed knowledge about strengths or priorities for raising standards within subjects. The headteacher and senior management team are aware of these weaknesses.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

91. Overall, the work of the school governors is good. The inclusion of a good representation of people from the local community, including a number of parents, strengthens the work of the governing body. Together they form a confident team, having benefited from training and guidance over recent years. They are very aware of the need to continue to raise standards and also to promote the school and its aspirations as integral part of the local community. However, they are not monitoring Parkinson Lane Primary School - 31 and evaluating of the performance of the school through the impact of their decisions.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

92. The governing body is organised into a sensible and effective structure of committees, each with clear terms of reference. Individual governors have taken responsibility for particular aspects of the school’s work, such as literacy, numeracy and special educational needs. The chairman has regular and frequent formal and informal contact with the school. Other individual members have a range of involvement, including a parent governor who is teaching the staff to speak Punjabi. The curriculum committee has been involved in policy and curriculum development and has reviewed progress with the school development plan. The finance committee has a clear understanding of the use of funding within the school. It does not yet monitor the effect of decisions about spending on pupils’ achievement, in a rigorous way. For example, there is well defined planning for funding for pupils who have English as a second language, but no

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

policy or practice for monitoring the impact of the spending on these pupils’ achievement. The staffing committee oversees its responsibilities effectively, carrying out their role of accountability through such policies as one for monitoring leave of absence. The home/school working party is playing a strong role in developing links and involvement between the school and the community.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

93. Satisfactory procedures have been established to produce a plan for the school’s further development. Governors work with the senior management team to identify priorities in the school development plan. The current plan is nearing the end of its time-scale. The governors recognise that before the new headteacher’s appointment there was less rigour in its implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A current review of this plan, together with key priorities, is forming the basis for a new plan. Arising from this, staff are forming individual action plans linked to their performance management review. Support and monitoring by team leaders and subject co- ordinators will inform staff and governors on the impact on pupils’ achievements. This process is already being linked to the assessment and target setting for individual pupils, and to staff development needs.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

94. The governors have used reports from the headteacher and senior managers, as well as end-of-year statutory assessment results, to inform their decision-making. Wider strategies for monitoring the school’s performance have not been fully developed. There are not enough opportunities for governors to evaluate in a rigorous way how the school development plan and the organisation of the school affect pupils’ attainment.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

95. The governing body complies with all statutory requirements. For example, the school is implementing the required processes for performance management and team leaders are already supporting staff with their individual targets. There is a record of the pecuniary interests of governors, but this needs updating annually.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

96. The headteacher has a cohesive view of the use of the various sources of funding including specific grants and bids. For example, money from a fund known as ‘Halifax Learning Zone’ will support the provision of an outdoor play area for Reception children.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

97. Good use is made of the funding provided to help pupils with special educational Parkinson Lane Primary School - 32 needs. The money is used to provide teacher assistants for individual or groups of children with special educational needs. This support is given to pupils in literacy and numeracy lessons, sometimes as part of the main lesson and sometimes as separate small group teaching; this approach works well. Similarly the funding for bilingual support staff is used to good effect. The support given to pupils who do not have English as their first language is very good. In many Key Stage 1 classes the bilingual support staff translate into the pupils’ first language so that pupils can be involved in the lesson; this works well. An analysis of last year’s expenditure showed comparatively high expenditure on teaching support staff. During the week of the inspection the skills of this group of staff were recognised as being a strength of the

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

school and an effective use of this section of the school’s budget. The school provides good value for money.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

98. Effective use is being made of money to support teaching and learning in ICT. The £16,000 spent on increasing the number of computers in school has led to the formation of a computer room. This has a strong impact on the achievement of pupils in this area of learning. However, less money was spent on other learning resources and some subjects, for example music, have resource needs.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

99. Systems for the day-to-day administration of the school’s financial affairs are efficient and effective. A Local Education Authority’s accounting technician provides support in setting up and monitoring the school’s budget. The school administrator and secretary have access to an appropriate range of technology to support their work. The finance committee meets at least termly and maintains a good overview of the school’s financial situation. However, processes for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of budgetary decisions have not been developed sufficiently.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

100. Overall, the school governors are applying the principles of best value satisfactorily. However, governors need to evaluate more rigorously some aspects of the school’s provision, in particular the effect that small teaching groups have on raising pupils’ standards.

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and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the quality of education provided

101. The school employs more support staff than would normally be expected for a school of its size. This group of staff provides pupils with very good support. Overall, teaching staff have very good teaching skills and good subject knowledge.

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

satisfactory in terms of their range and quality.

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

102. Staff are very hard working, have very good teaching skills, especially in the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and have good subject knowledge. The very effective work of teaching assistants who support children with special educational needs, English language needs and ICT make a strong contribution and support pupils’ learning very well. Newly qualified teachers benefit from a good induction programme including mentoring, support, in-service training and developmental training. Although funding for further developing teachers’ skills is used efficiently, the training provided is not yet focussed clearly on the school’s priorities.

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

103. The school is accommodated in two buildings. One building is a purpose built Parkinson Lane Primary School - 33 Nursery. It has a large room with learning areas and bays allowing for flexibility. Outside there is a secure play area with hard and grassy surfaces. This accommodation is of very good quality and effectively supports the education of the youngest pupils. The main, older traditional building comprises fourteen classrooms, two halls, a library, a computer network room and four smaller group teaching areas on the ground floor. On the lower floor are the bright and airy single purpose dining room and kitchen, and the home school partnership room. This older building is in need of some structural repair and decoration. A capital fund of £480,000 is providing structural improvement and some improvements to the learning environment. The site also includes hard play areas and a limited grassy area for physical education. Reception children have no

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

secure outdoor play area, but the school has some funding to begin to provide one during this financial year. Staff have displayed pupils’ work carefully and attractively in the corridors and classrooms. This has created a colourful and interesting learning environment and diverts attention from the need for decoration. Classrooms are adequately furnished and provide sufficient space generally for teaching and learning. Some group learning areas are too small for larger groups of pupils. During the week of the inspection the caretaker and cleaning staff kept the buildings very clean and the sites free from litter. The governors’ premises committee has been active in trying to ensure that the buildings are secure and monitoring health and safety issues.

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

104. Overall, the school makes satisfactory use of its buildings. For example, the new computer network room was in almost constant use during the inspection, and the home school partnership room was used well.

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quality and size of the accommodation are satisfactory. Learning resources are

105. Resources for learning are generally adequate across the curriculum. Although resources for music are limited and somewhat out of date. Subject co-ordinators have small specific budgets but are not yet able to use this money effectively to raise standards across a range of subjects. The school has clearly invested in appropriate resources in order to implement the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The computer network room is a good resource for developing knowledge and skills in ICT and literacy and numeracy through the Open Integrated Learning System. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 34

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LANGUAGE

106. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Pupils

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

most have very little experience of English.

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

107. Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is very good. The Home School Liaison Officer (HSLO) who is a bilingual member of the Asian community visits parents. She is able to talk with parents and address their concerns. Staff from the Nursery also visit children at home and make an initial assessment of their needs. Children and their parents feel very welcome in the Nursery and children quickly build confidence. The presence of bilingual support assistants helps parents feel more relaxed about their contact with the school and a number of parents, mainly mothers, now participate in activities in the Nursery, such as the making and sharing of samosas and pakoras. Children near the end of the first year of nursery education have made very good progress in learning English as a result of very good teaching with a strong emphasis on speaking and listening. They were able to join in counting to twenty and to repeat

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

phrases from a story. They understood instructions and were able to communicate what they wanted to do. Children making chocolate cake were able to list its ingredients. The bilingual teaching assistants make very effective interventions to help children’s language learning by translating when necessary or explaining the meanings of words. Pupils are encouraged to develop their knowledge, understanding and skill in both languages.

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

108. The good start made in the Foundation Stage enables pupils to improve their access to the full range of the curriculum in English as they move through the school. They continue to be well supported in class and the emphasis on helping them to improve their English is successful. Most classes have access to bilingual support. By the end of Year 2 high attaining pupils in the literacy hour were reaching standards broadly in line with the national average. They are able to use a thesaurus to identify synonyms and by discussing in pairs to decide which would be appropriate in the text. They can identify and provide examples of alliterative adjectives. Although the rate of progress pupils make in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is good, it not always maintained in Key Stage 2 classes. In the best lessons teachers put a strong emphasis on oral activities, use questioning skilfully and give time for pupils to work quietly and

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

independently to consider what they have learned. They know individual pupils well and target support carefully. Teachers and support assistants work well together. Some teaching materials have been adapted or specially constructed to take account of pupils’ cultural experience.

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

109. The school presents a generally very welcoming environment. The HSLO has a desk in the reception area where parents can find her easily and she can deal with problems. The school has a community room that is used by parents, mainly mothers, attending a range of courses. There is a bilingual notice board for parents. Wall displays in the school are attractive and stimulating there is good use of bilingual signs. Year 5 pupils writing about what is important to them chose to write about going to the Mosque and Parkinson Lane Primary School - 35 learning Urdu. Year 5 pupils had also written about how people from other cultures might communicate, but overall there is too little evidence that the school values pupils’ own cultural heritage. The school is making good use of the national curriculum guidance provided for teaching the subjects of the national curriculum. The planning, however, does not yet take enough account of the pupils’ background and as

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

a result the experiences provided for pupils do not sufficiently represent their heritage. The school has started to address this issue but still has a significant amount of work to do.

p.35

Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

110. The school has a new and enthusiastic headteacher who has a grasp of Punjabi/Urdu. During the inspection the headteacher maintained a high profile in the school providing support and encouragement for teachers and pupils alike. Pupils respond very well to his efforts in their language. In the very short time he has been in the school he has already made changes which will impact directly on the learning of pupils. Initial assessment and deployment of staff in the Nursery has already been reviewed, there are new strategies for improving attendance and on providing work for pupils to do while on extended visits to Pakistan. At present, however, there are no written policies to support the teaching of English as an additional language, nor are there clear targets for or monitoring of the use of ethnic minority funding.

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Pakistan where the first language is Punjabi-Urdu. When children start Nursery

111. The school is fortunate in the support given by its HSLO who is well known in the community and plays a very important role as intermediary, representing the views and values of the school’s community, between the pupils’ families and the school. As well as acting as interpreter she translates all correspondence for parents into Urdu, parents have recently received a dual language newsletter. She provides a rapid and effective response to a range of issues, including attendance, which is much improved. The high proportion of parents who came to the evening held at the school, indicates that parents are becoming much more confident about contact with the school and are increasingly involved in the education of their children. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 36

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

113. The school governors, in conjunction with the headteacher and staff, should take the following actions to raise standards further in the school. (Further reference to these issues can be found in the numbered paragraphs of the full report).

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

114. Improve the quality of learning by (paragraph references: 24, 34, 42, 45, 58, 80, 183, 193, 198):

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing the way the morning sessions are structured to ensure that time is used effectively to develop more aspects of pupils’ learning; • evaluating the length of numeracy and literacy sessions making sure that sessions do not go on too long, so that pupils lose interest. (This is particular so in the Key Stage 1 classes;) • developing the process of lesson planning so that the skills being developed in numeracy and literacy are used to support pupils’ learning in other subjects; • providing more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning through using a range of skills, for example research skills; • evaluating the impact of the long sessions on the learning of the lower attaining pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

115. Improve the way the school uses assessments to plan new work for pupils by (paragraph references: 24, 42, 50, 80,110, 120, 151, 158, 160, 191, 209):

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• making accurate assessments of what pupils can do so that the work provided builds on past learning; • linking these assessments to the nationally expected standards, for all subjects; • ensuring that all work is marked regularly and that marking includes comments that help pupils understand how they can improve their work.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

116. Improve the way in which the school evaluates its success by (paragraph references: 10, 44, 45, 58, 79, 88, 94, 110, 167, 186, 200, 210, 222, 225, 239):

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing a clear role for subject co-ordinators; • providing opportunities for co-ordinators to acquire the skills needed to evaluate classroom practice; • setting aside time when co-ordinators can observe the teaching of their subject throughout the school; • developing a systematic approach to the way information gathered by co- ordinators is made available to school governors.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

117. In addition the school governors need to consider the following minor issues (paragraph references: 96, 123):

p.36

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing children in the Reception classes with a safe and secure outside play- area.

p.36

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 68 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

p.37

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 5 27 17 18 1 0 0

p.37

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.37

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 49 394 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 159

p.37

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 12 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 13 83

p.37

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 388

p.37

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 28 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23 Parkinson Lane Primary School - 38

p.37

Attendance

Authorised absence % Unauthorised absence % School data 12 School data 1.9 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.38

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.38

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 35 30 65

p.38

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at Girls 18 25 25 NC level 2 and above Total 40 50 53

p.38

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 62 (81) 77 (81) 82 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.38

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Girls 23 26 20 NC level 2 and above Total 47 52 40

p.38

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 72 (83) 80 (90) 65 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.38

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 39

p.38

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 17 24 41

p.39

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Girls 21 17 14 NC level 4 and above Total 31 28 23

p.39

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 76 (40) 68 (44) 56 (49) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.39

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at Girls 19 20 18 NC level 4 and above Total 30 33 30

p.39

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 73 (55) 80 (58) 73 (36) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

No of pupils Fixed period Permanent Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 390 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 3 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.39

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 40

p.39

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 23 Financial year 1999/2000 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.7 Average class size 28 £ Total income 840781

p.40

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 818670 Total number of education support staff 21 Expenditure per pupil 1772 Total aggregate hours worked per week 593 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year

p.40

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.5

p.40

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 4 Total aggregate hours worked per week 65

p.40

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10.4 FTE means full-time equivalent. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 41

p.40

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 121 74 12 1 4

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 128 63 8 5 8

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 104 58 21 6 23

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 130 57 20 1 4

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 134 53 10 1 14

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 154 47 4 0 7

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 123 56 22 2 9

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 106 75 7 4 20

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 118 68 13 1 12

p.41

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 91 67 13 12 29 Parkinson Lane Primary School - 42

p.41

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

118. Overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. The children

p.42

are fully included into all aspects of the day-to-day life in both the Nursery and

Reception classes. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is rich and exciting.

p.42

development over the period in the Foundation Stage represents a high level of

119. The Nursery class provides education for 100 children on a part-time basis, either in the morning or afternoon session. Two Reception classes provide full-time education for 55 children.

p.42

development over the period in the Foundation Stage represents a high level of

120. Very good provision is made for children when they start school. Home visits have taken place and there are good opportunities provided for children and their parents to visit the Nursery before they start school. In September, the children are admitted in four groups. After two weeks, all the children are in school. During the first weeks, teachers informally assess the children and group them according to ability in English and mathematics. There is now a more formal assessment in place linked to the steps in the national guidance known as early learning goals. The Nursery completes a record of the achievements of each child covering aspects of the curriculum, on a daily basis. Individual booklets are produced for each child, which contain examples of their work. The arrangements for assessing children against the new Foundation steps are less secure in the Reception classes than they are in the Nursery.

p.42

development over the period in the Foundation Stage represents a high level of

121. Calderdale baseline assessment, carried out during the first half term of Reception year, provides a baseline against which the Reception age children are reassessed in June to measure progression.

p.42

development over the period in the Foundation Stage represents a high level of

122. The accommodation, particularly for the Nursery, is very good. Rooms are colourful and bright and divided into areas where the children can learn quickly. The outdoor area available for the Nursery is safe, secure and stimulating and effective learning takes place. Facilities for outdoor play and wheeled vehicles in Reception classes are not as yet in place and are unsatisfactory. Learning resources for all areas of experience in the Foundation Stage are good; they are well organised and accessible to all children. . Parkinson Lane Primary School - 43

p.42

Personal, social and emotional development

123. Children’s personal, social and emotional development in both Nursery and Reception classes is given high priority, to very good effect. Many children enter the school with immature skills in this area. By the time they leave the Reception classes, most are achieving the nationally expected goals. This is the result of very good teaching. Children make very good progress.

p.43

Personal, social and emotional development

124. The progress reflects the skilful teaching in both the Nursery and Reception classes where children are constantly encouraged to feel confident about what they can achieve. The teachers’ relationship with the children and care for them is very good. Children quickly learn the teachers’ structured routines and gain in confidence. They quickly learn to work together and have respect for each other.

p.43

Personal, social and emotional development

125. Children concentrate and persevere with their learning and seek help when required. All staff have very high expectations of children’s behaviour. Most respond well, learn to know what is right and wrong quickly and why they should behave in the correct way.

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Personal, social and emotional development

126. On entry to the Nursery class, children’s communication, language and literacy skills are well below those seen in children of a similar age. The quality of teaching and learning in this area is very good. This helps the children to make very good progress, and although a significant number are still below the standard typically found nationally when they move from the Foundation Stage, some of the children are likely to be close to the nationally expected standard. Teachers and support staff plan their main activities well, taking into account the needs of the children, particularly those with special educational needs. This is having a good impact on learning. Very good opportunities are taken to increase all children’s knowledge and use of a wider vocabulary in both years.

p.43

Personal, social and emotional development

127. Good clear dual language notices, labels and instructions relating to the themes in the classrooms help children to recognise and appreciate the need for writing words and reading them. Very good use is made of name cards to help children recognise and write their names independently. In the Nursery there are good examples of marks on paper as the children attempt to write using chalks, felt pens, thick and thin pencils and crayons. These efforts are built on in a clear systematic way in the Reception classes. The higher attaining children are now able to write simple sentences in fiction and non- fiction. Children are encouraged to write about a topic, their favourite book, and of their favourite characters, for instance, Kipper and Spot.

p.43

Personal, social and emotional development

128. Books have a very high profile in all work. Children have been introduced to many books in English, and then the bilingual support teachers reinforce the stories in Punjabi so all children gain understanding and begin to relate the pictures to the text. Children in Reception classes are able to explain the difference between fiction and non-fiction relating to the work they have done on elephants. For example, ‘The Elmer book is fiction because you could not really have an elephant who has lots of coloured squares. African elephant book is non-fiction because they are real.’ In Parkinson Lane Primary School - 44 small-group-time in the Nursery, children were read, ‘Peace at Last’, ‘The Toys’ Party,’ ‘Titch,’ and ‘The Hungry Giant’ . They learn about the cover, title and how to read and handle a book. As a result children in Reception classes handle books well. There is a library and book corner in both classrooms with a very good selection of

p.43

Personal, social and emotional development

books. A few children are beginning to read the first books in the Oxford Reading Scheme and Sunshine Spirals books. These children are beginning to recognise commonly used punctuation marks.

p.44

Personal, social and emotional development

129. Speaking and listening skills are developed in all aspects of work. Children in the Nursery learn and use words in the Office and House areas and learn nursery rhymes and poems, for example, ‘I had a little Teddy Bear, His name was Tim’ . In Reception, children are able to find the sounds in their names and say initial and final sounds in words and link sounds to letters. They can recognise rhyming words and find sounds in words well, like ph sounding ‘ f ’ in elephant. In the listening areas, children get many opportunities to listen to the tapes of the books they have heard.

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Mathematical development

130. When children enter the Nursery class their attainment in mathematics is well below that of children of a similar age. Teaching for the development and awareness of mathematical language is very good; this helps children learn and make good progress. By the end of the Foundation Stage a few children will be on course to achieve standards expected for children at this stage in their education. A significant number will still be working within the steps of the early learning goals because of the difficulty in understanding mathematical vocabulary and concepts. The highest attaining children in the Nursery can count to at least ten, recognise the numerals from one to five, sort and match objects and have knowledge of shapes and colours; others count to ten but have no idea about the value of numbers. This knowledge is built on and extended in Reception classes. Here the higher attaining children know how to count in twos, and

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Mathematical development

can recognise odd and even numbers up to 20.

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Mathematical development

131. Children’s understanding of simple shapes is good. This particular aspect of learning is built into all activities that children experience in the Nursery and Reception classes, such as creating shape pictures, finding shapes in water play, making triangles and squares from rectangles and squares. They have used shapes well to create a house picture and use flat and solid shapes to construct with. Children soon learn to recognise a circle, square, triangle and rectangle. The shape table in the mathematics area is used to good effect. Children can play and choose shapes and decide for themselves which ones they are going to use to make models. In the Reception classes children use simple mathematical language when singing familiar number songs and are able to recognise and recreate simple patterns. Displays encourage understanding of number and reflect the work done by the pupils. Areas are set aside to provide a

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Mathematical development

wealth of experiences for learning during children’s free time; from sequencing numbers, counting on to number charts; and using weighing facilities, first number books, number jigsaws and boxes of shapes . Parkinson Lane Primary School - 45

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

132. Provision and teaching for children to develop knowledge and understanding of the world around them is good. This helps children’s learning and they make good progress. By the time they enter Key Stage 1 many will be on course to achieve the nationally expected level. The majority of children enter school with very little general knowledge. Teachers build on children’s natural curiosity and help them to understand the world in which they live very well indeed. The Nursery children visit the park, walk in the immediate area, visit the local shop for fruit and visit Tesco to buy the baking ingredients they will use to make their chocolate cake. Good use is made of maps in Reception to give children an understanding and sense of place. Reception children can point out where elephants live, and other areas including Pakistan, France, Italy and Australia.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

133. Visitors to the Nursery enhance the curriculum and help children to understand the different jobs people do, for instance, the police, fire brigade, and ambulance.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

134. Scientific ideas are developed through the good opportunities provided in both the Nursery and Reception classes. Nursery children make very good progress in this area. They have planted seeds, which they have watched grow into plants. A very good hands-on lesson takes place when the children go outside to plant these in soil. The need for water is discussed and understood fully, as well as the need to wash hands after being outside. Children enjoy experimenting with water to find out how to make bubbles; they take this learning further as they bathe the dolls in the big bath of water. They have investigated things made from wood and have rubbed the bark and trunk of the tree. During the inspection, children in Reception were carrying out experiments to see which materials would float or sink. They soon began to identify which could and those that could not.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

135. Children are given opportunities to develop their skills in information and communication technology. Nursery children use a cassette independently to listen to stories. Skills are extended in the Reception classes, where children are beginning to confidently use the mouse and keyboard. Children in the nursery have developed an understanding about other cultures and beliefs through listening to stories, doing multicultural jigsaws, using equipment in the play areas and celebrating Christmas, Eid and Easter, including visits to the Mosque and church.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

136. Before entering the Nursery class some of the children have had the opportunity to develop their climbing and balancing skills from visits to the local park. However, the children have had less opportunity to use small objects and tools for practical tasks. Teaching in this aspect of the children’s development is very good and children of all abilities make very good progress. Opportunities for the Nursery children are carefully planned to develop their skills. The large, well maintained and secure outside play area is a good feature and helps children to become aware of their limitations in climbing and moving. Nursery children can ride the very good selection of wheeled vehicles well, trying to follow each other around the areas on the playground. They are beginning to show awareness of space and play safely, avoiding crashes. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 46 137. During the inspection a physical education lesson was observed. The teacher made

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

good use of demonstration to help children improve their movements. Children learnt to move in different ways and respond to the music. They concentrated well and improved their performance through evaluating theirs and others’ work. Health and body awareness is explored and time is given for reflection. The enjoyable activity using the parachute helps children’s awareness of direction and co-operation as well as co-ordination.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

138. The children’s dexterity is developed well through the handling of colanders, sieves, jugs, buckets, spades and rakes as well as small objects such as threading beads and rolling and cutting playdough. Here they learn to twist, press, prod, squash, cut, stretch and squeeze. The children in the Nursery class learn to work things out for themselves as they piece together jigsaws from the very good selection provided. Good progress is made as the children move through the Reception classes; they develop skills they need to play and work with construction kits. The many activities provided increase confidence and develop the children’s use of a range of materials including paint brushes, pencils and crayons, scissors, and wax crayons. In most aspects of this area of the children’s development, the majority will attain the standard expected for children at the end of the Foundation Stage.

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Creative development

139. This area of learning is well taught and the majority of children will have achieved the standard expected at the end of Foundation Stage of education. Children enter school with poor brush control and some of the pictures of themselves show their immaturity when using paint. Staff provide children with a rich environment for creative development. The attractive displays in the Nursery, and displays in the corridor and hall reflect the broader range of their work showing how far children have progressed since starting school. The ‘Rainbow’ display shows a variety of painting techniques and other displays show how children have experimented with colour and a variety of materials to add models and texture.

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Creative development

140. The very good teaching seen in the Nursery encourages children to develop a love of music. All the children enjoy singing nursery rhymes and a range of other songs, joining in enthusiastically and responding to actions. The music display reinforces learning about the sounds the tuned and untuned instruments make. Calming music is played and children know that this is time to clear away.

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Creative development

141. Staff create good role-play opportunities for children in the Nursery, where the children act out the role of being in the home and at the office. In the Reception classes, there are too few opportunities for children to develop their speaking and listening skills as well as use their imagination in this way.

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Creative development

142. Children have many opportunities to create their own work and make models from junk materials. This they do very well and many reach levels of attainment that are expected for children in the Foundation Stage. The more able children can explain what they have created and why they have made a particular object. As part of their study of elephants, children in Reception classes create very sophisticated houses for Parkinson Lane Primary School - 47 them using wooden blocks, vehicles for them to ride on using Lego and elephants with trunks using Duplo construction materials.

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Creative development

143. During the inspection week all the children in the Nursery had the opportunity to make a chocolate cake, ice it and eat it. The children all agreed that their cake was much better than the one prepared for Kipper in the story, ‘The Toys’ Party’. This very good activity developed learning in all aspects of the new curriculum.

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Creative development

144. These judgements indicate a steady development of the provision for children in the Foundation Stage of education from that reported at the time of the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

145. In the year 2000 national tests for eleven-year-olds, the school’s results in English

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

variable. In one Year 6 class it is good whilst in the other it is unsatisfactory.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

146. In the year 2000 national tests for seven-year-olds, the school’s results in reading and writing were well below the national average. There has been some improvement in writing since the 1999 national assessments, but standards are still lower than those typically found. Compared to similar schools, results in reading for seven-year-olds were broadly in line with the average for this group of schools, while results in writing were above average for the group. Evidence gathered through lesson observations, discussions with pupils and a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ written work indicate that standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with that expected of pupils of this age.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

147. The previous inspection report identified the need for the school to raise the pupils’ standards of attainment in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Some progress has been made in raising standards in all three aspects. However, the school recognises the need to do even better and staff are working hard to improve the pupils’ levels of attainment. The results of the Year 6 English assessments for 2000 showed that this particular group of pupils had made very good progress in the four years following their Key Stage 1 assessments.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

148. The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully established throughout the school. The strategy has improved teachers’ subject knowledge and improved their teaching skills. Evidence gathered during the inspection shows that the strategy is having a positive impact on standards in English. Teachers are making good use of the guidance regarding the teaching of reading, in particular. As a result pupils show that they enjoy books and want to learn to read. The school has started to develop the pupils’ literacy skills through other subjects. For example, during the inspection Year 3 pupils discussed and wrote about their ideas in a history lesson. This approach is not yet fully developed. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 48 149. By the age of seven pupils show levels of attainment in speaking and listening that are lower than those found nationally. This represents very good progress as the majority

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

of children enter the Nursery with no spoken English. Good progress is made in lessons where pupils are encouraged to work together, talk about the work they are planning to do and discuss their completed work. For example, in a Year 2 extended writing lesson about The Great Fire of London, the pupils imagined that they were at the scene of the fire and were planning to write an account in the first person. The teacher asked the pupils; ‘What would you feel like? What would you do? What would you hear and see? What might you shout?’ One child said; ‘ It would make me cough and I would shout fire.’ Another said ‘The wind is blowing all around me, I am running to the river.’ The pupils were confident to share their sentences with each other and discuss emotions. Many pupils in Year 2 are able to talk about the differences between fiction and non-fiction books. In one lesson pupils were also able

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

to talk about the life cycle of a frog. In another lesson pupils made up their own questions about the life cycle of a butterfly, for example , How do caterpillars grow? Where do caterpillars live? Where do caterpillars lay their eggs? When do butterflies hatch?

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

150. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in speaking and listening are below those expected by eleven-year-olds. However, the majority of pupils listen well. Attainment in speaking is variable across the two Year 6 classes. In one Year 6 class, pupils were given opportunities to question, give opinions and discuss the information read in the text about Captain Cook, the European settlers in Australia and the effect this had on the Aborigines and their culture. The pupils’ speaking and listening skills were further developed when working together in groups, discussing the facts and questioning the text. The pupils spoke about, for example, land ownership, diseases, conflict, deprivation, population and behaviour of the European settlers. In the other Year 6 class, pupils’ speaking skills are underdeveloped. In the one lesson observed in English there were few opportunities for the pupils to discuss and share their knowledge of the

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

text they had read. The difference in provision will have an impact on the school’s results in the 2001 assessments.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

151. By the age of seven standards of attainment in reading are in line with national expectations, similarly by the age of eleven standards are in line with those expected of pupils of this age. This is an improvement since the last inspection report. Pupils make good progress through Key Stage 1 as they work through a good selection of reading material. The pupils enjoy books. They try hard with their reading. When having difficulty they look at the picture or sound the word out. However, their independence in selecting books in not fully established. Given the limitations of the pupils’ skills on entry to the school they do well to attain satisfactory standards in reading. On entry into Year 1, pupils’ reading skills are poorly developed. Despite the pupils’ initial lack of confidence they achieve very well. The school has benefited from a national programme that offers help to individual pupils so that their development

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

and understanding of reading moves at a faster pace. This has had a good impact on learning.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

152. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading in Key Stage 2. All pupils demonstrate enjoyment and interest in reading. At the start of Key Stage 2, pupils are gaining Parkinson Lane Primary School - 49 confidence in tackling more difficult books, they read clearly and with expression. The reading of simple texts is generally accurate with appropriate understanding.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

153. For the average and above average pupils in Year 5 the reading books lack maturity and challenge. These pupils read fluently and with plenty of expression. Pupils in Year 6 read with confidence, interest and expression. However, pupils have a limited knowledge of authors and find it difficult to talk about favourite books.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

154. The resources for reading are good and easily accessible. There is a school library where books are organised using the Dewey Classification System. Higher attaining pupils understand the system and know how to find books for a given topic.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

155. Pupils enjoy and are confident when using computers to help the development of their literacy skills. Pupils understanding of letters and the sounds they represent, and comprehension skills are being developed through the use of the Open Integrated Literacy System (OILS). The computer tracks the pupils’ progress and the teachers use the information to plan the next stage of learning.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

156. Pupils age seven years attain standards in writing that are typical of those found nationally. In Key Stage 1, the younger pupils starting with low levels of attainment make satisfactory progress in developing their writing skills. Year 1 pupils write simple sentences making good use of non-fiction books such as, ‘All about Toys’ . Year 2 pupils are able to write about the facts taken from a non-fiction book. They are able to write detailed accounts in the first person about historical events. They know about the fundamentals in correct punctuation and can apply them. There are some very good examples of extended writing in Year 2. Pupils understand the use of adjectives to describe their thoughts and use words such as when, where, who, what, why and how to help organise their writing. At the end of Key Stage 1, there are examples of pupils’ work where the presentation is of a high standard. Pupils are

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

knowledgeable about language and know many of the correct terms in grammar.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

157. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in writing are below the average for pupils aged eleven years. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 show a good understanding of punctuation and are able to use it correctly. They have a good sense of paragraphing, and use interesting openings and endings to their stories. They use dialogue to gain the interest of the reader, for example ‘I answered telling a lie!’ Pupils are developing their use of non-fiction writing, for example, recounting of historical events. In Year 3, pupils understand the use of time connectives, for example, ‘meanwhile’ , ‘before’ , and ‘after’ . They are able to write letters using paragraphs. Pupils in Year 4 can evaluate and design adverts using language for effect. They are able to share ideas and write in draft form. In Year 5, pupils understand the need for structure in story writing and some are able to write in the first person. Work in the books of the Year 6 pupils

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

is too variable in standard. The books in one class generally contain work of a satisfactory standard; the work is marked and in the whole neat. Work in the books of pupils in the second class is generally of a lower standard. Much of the work is untidy and much is not marked by the teacher.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

158. Pupils have regular lessons to practise and develop their handwriting. In Year 1 the pupils are taught to write in joined handwriting. Wall displays showed evidence of Parkinson Lane Primary School - 50 good progress through the school in handwriting skills. The writing was neat, legible and correctly formed. The displays were of a good standard. The work in some books shows that teachers at times accept unsatisfactory handwriting.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

159. Marking varies across the school and within classes. The good marking in a Year 2 class clearly states the focus of the pupils’ learning and includes advice on how to improve in the future. Some less satisfactory marking consists of ticks and brief comments that do not give an indication to pupils as to how they should improve.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

160. Overall, the quality of teaching in English lessons was very good .

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

161. In total 21 lessons were observed where pupils were developing their skills in aspects of English (literacy skills). In three lessons teaching was judged to be excellent. In eight lessons teaching was judged to be very good. In six lessons teaching was judged to be good. In three lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory. In one lesson the teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

162. Overall, the quality of teaching observed in Key Stage 1 classes was very good. In total ten lessons were observed in this key stage. In two lessons teaching was judged to be excellent. In four lessons teaching was judged to be very good. In three lessons teaching was judged to be good and in one lesson the teaching was satisfactory.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

163. Overall the teaching observed in Key Stage 2 classes was good. In total eleven lessons were observed in this key stage. Teaching was judged to be excellent in one lesson. In four lessons teaching was judged to be very good. In three lessons teaching was judged to be good. In two lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory and in one lesson teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

164. In the lessons where teaching was judged to be excellent or very good the teachers had clearly identified the learning involved and shared this with their pupils. Pupils had positive attitudes towards English. They worked with enthusiasm and concentration. They listened and responded well to the teaching they received and made effective use of resources. The lessons were exciting and went with a swing. For example, in a Year 3 lesson pupils were provided with excellent guidance that enabled them to write a letter home, pretending that they were an evacuee in World War 2. During the lesson pupils produced work of a high quality. One pupil wrote, ‘I am on the train. Tears are in my eyes.’ A second pupil showed that she had a good understanding of how to use speech marks. She successfully punctuated a discussion between herself and her teacher. The quality of work produced in the lesson was of a high standard,

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

reflecting the high level of expectation of the teacher and the resulting enthusiasm of the pupils. In the one lesson where teaching was unsatisfactory, a supply teacher who was new to the school did not have enough information about the pupils’ past learning to be able to plan a lesson that would develop their thinking. As a result, pupils were not challenged and they made little progress.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

165. Pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs are well supported and make good progress overall. In the Key Stage 1 classes the progress is very good. In the Key Stage 2 classes the progress is good. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 51 166. The English co-ordinator is a skilled and knowledgeable practitioner. The school has rigorous systems in place for the collection and analysis of data, comparing pupils’ attainment in English with national standards, as well as the outcomes of optional tests. At the time of the inspection the data gathered through assessments was not being used in a consistent way to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator has provided guidance and support for the staff in various aspects of teaching English. The co-ordinators’ monitoring role is underdeveloped. She has a good vision for the further development of this subject.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

167. Resources for English are good. The school has a good range of ‘Big Books’; these books are good quality and well displayed. Many of the books are about literacy and help pupils understand how to write in a more skilled way. There are also a good range of ‘Big Books’ that are non-fiction in nature.

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and Key Stage 1 classes. The rate of progress in the Key Stage 2 classes is more

168. The evidence gathered from this inspection indicates that provision for English has improved since the last inspection. The implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and the addition of more resources are enabling pupils who enter the school with little or no English to make steady progress in this aspect of their learning.

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MATHEMATICS

169. Overall, standards in mathematics are lower than those found in primary schools

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school’s results were well below average when compared with all schools nationally

but when compared with similar schools standards were above the average.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

170. The results of statutory assessments for seven-year-olds in 2000 indicate that attainment was well below the national average and slightly below that of similar schools. The assessments show that, pupils’ attainment at the higher levels was well below those expected nationally but above those standards expected when compared with similar schools. Nevertheless, in recent years results have improved. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls in national assessments at the end of Key Stage 1. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that standards are still improving and that pupils are attaining standards in line with those expected for seven-year-old pupils.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

171. In the year 2000 statutory tests for eleven-year-olds in mathematics, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was below the national average, the proportion attaining the higher Level 5 was well below the national. When compared with similar schools the Parkinson Lane results show the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level being well above that for the group of schools, those reaching the higher Level 5 being above the proportion for similar schools. Although a significant proportion of pupils have special educational needs and the majority have English as an Parkinson Lane Primary School - 52 additional language, standards have shown improvement from 1999 to 2000. In both the 1999 and 2000 assessments, there were no significant differences between boys’ and girls’ performance.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

172. The school’s decision to make teaching of mathematics a priority and to allocate additional time to the subject, together with the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, has contributed to a significant improvement in assessment results since 1998. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standards by the age of eleven, has increased from 34% in 1998 to 68% in 2000, when the school exceeded its targets for mathematics by 17%.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

173. Year 2 pupils began the school year with a wide range of ability. The most able pupils could recognise the difference between numbers in the hundreds, tens and units. They presented their work accurately. Pupils are now able to solve problems, using multiplication facts relating to the two, five and ten-times multiplication tables. Less able pupils have practised simple addition and subtraction with numbers up to 20. Most Year 2 pupils can identify common two and three-dimensional shapes, and classify them according to the number of edges, faces and vertices. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to use standard units to measure; record time in hours and half hours; and to recognise odd and even numbers. Overall, pupils in this age group attain standards in the important skills of numeracy that are in line with those found nationally. A growing number of pupils work confidently at the higher level of work

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

(Level 3). Pupils are taught in three ability groups, with boys and girls doing as well as each other.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

174. In Year 6, higher attaining pupils have a good grasp of their tables, and show a good understanding of the way the number system works. They can explain how zeros are used to identify numbers up to 1000. They show a good understanding of fractions, and calculate percentages and decimals. They have also begun to explore the language of probability using terms such as ‘ certain ’, ‘ likely ’ and ‘ impossible ’. Less able pupils began the year recognising ‘ greater than ’ and ‘ less than ’ in numbers up to 1000. They also learned how to round numbers to the nearest ten. Recently, they have practised addition and subtraction of numbers up to and including thousands; and have measured time using hours and minutes. During the course of the year, pupils have learned about different types of angles and how to measure them. Pupils have also explored and calculated the area and perimeter of shapes; described three-dimensional shapes in

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

terms of ‘ edges ’, ‘ faces ’ and ‘ vertices ’, and used co-ordinates to locate points.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

175. Evidence from Year 6 pupils’ books indicates that there is a wide range of ability within the year. The decision to teach pupils in a number of different mathematics groups, according to their past attainment and needs, is enabling teachers to provide a sharper focus to teaching and learning. There is an increasing number of pupils working at the higher Level 5. Overall, standards in mathematics in Year 6 are broadly in line with those found nationally.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

176. An analysis of previous work showed varying standards of presentation which sometimes did not reflect pupils’ efforts nor teachers’ high expectations. Marking was also variable often with just ticks and no comments that would help pupils understand how they could improve their work. When marking is at its best as in Year 2 and 3 Parkinson Lane Primary School - 53 classes, pupils are informed when they have achieved their targets, such as ‘You can round to the nearest 10, 100’ ; and are then provided with challenges to improve. All work is dated, enabling teachers to track and record progress.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

177. The progress made by pupils in mathematics as they move through the school is generally good especially in mental calculations and number skills. Pupils in Key Stage 1 develop a good understanding of halves and quarters. In Year 3 most pupils are comparing fractions and can add and subtract decimals to two places. This is extended in Years 5 and 6 where pupils calculate percentages. Data handling skills are developed appropriately. Information is recorded pictorially in Year 1. By the age of seven pupils interpret their bar charts showing information about favourite foods and ways of journeying to school. By the age of eleven pupils have extended these skills to plot data such as the sweetness of sugar in a solution and then present their findings using a variety of line graphs and pie charts.

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steady improvement in the proportion of pupils working at a level which is typical

178. During the inspection the teaching of mathematics observed in Key Stage 1 was

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

opportunities for all to contribute and succeed.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

179. In the seven lessons observed in Key Stage 1, teaching was judged to be good or better in five lessons, and in one lesson in Year 2 teaching was excellent. In the nine lessons observed in Key Stage 2, teaching ranged from satisfactory to very good with four lessons being good or better.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

180. Every lesson included the effective use of support staff who were active during class teaching as well as group activities. The individual support for pupils with special educational needs was most effective. Provision for pupils at early stage of acquisition of English speaking skills was very good, resulting in these groups of pupils making at least good progress. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs have clear targets for mathematics, which are reviewed at least termly. The use of first language support for pupils recently joining the school was of the highest standard, enabling them to contribute fully to their class activities.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

181. The best teaching was characterised by teachers’ very good subject knowledge, high expectations and challenging activities. Questioning was of the highest quality and involved everyone, constantly probing and checking gains in skills, knowledge and understanding. For example, in a Year 2 lesson where pupils were developing their understanding of numbers up to 100, the work was set at different levels so that all pupils could make progress. The teacher gave pupils clear guidance about the length of time they had to complete tasks; ‘I will give you twenty minutes to do this work’ . This approach meant that pupils showed high levels of concentration and stayed on task. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 54 182. In lessons, the majority of pupils have a good attitude to their work and show increasing levels of concentration and perseverance. Confidence is high as a result of very good relationships. Pupils enjoy their mathematics, with attitudes being very

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

good in Key Stage 1, and generally good in Key Stage 2. Younger pupils in particular are challenged to work independently when teachers are busy teaching skills to a small group of pupils. They collaborate well and often help each other to solve problems. Generally pupils are well behaved and this contributes to the quality of learning. The few incidents of inappropriate behaviour were dealt with quickly using strategies identified in the school behaviour policy.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

183. Where teaching was less effective, the pace often dipped, with pupils sitting too long on the carpet during mental introductions. In both key stages the time allocated to mathematics resulted in some younger and lower attaining pupils beginning to lose interest. Often this affected the impact of the teaching and pupils’ learning was slow. Homework is used in a satisfactory way, to support teaching and learning in mathematics. During the week of the inspection evidence was seen of pupils being given mathematics homework and of work being handed in after completion.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

184. Pupils have made very good use of computers to support learning in mathematics since the last inspection. Pupils in Year 2 used computers to consolidate their work on solid shapes and older pupils recorded and presented data relating to work in science. Pupils in Year 4 compared limb sizes to age using bar charts to represent their results. Pupils in Year 6 responded well to the challenge of deciding whether a bar chart, line graph or pie chart best displayed their findings of the level of sweetness in a solution. This approach is adding to the pupils’ skills in using mathematical ideas in other subjects. Resources are managed well and the teaching assistant is contributing effectively to the raising of standards.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

185. The recently appointed co-ordinator has a clear vision for the development of mathematics although her action plan has yet to be implemented. She is aware of the need to adapt the policy to meet the rigours of the national guidelines and provide advice on curriculum planning. The co-ordinator has not yet been able to monitor the quality of provision in mathematics by observing lessons and examining teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. She does not have a budget for the subject but is planning to undertake an audit of resources that are generally appropriate and used well.

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use of the pupils’ first language was used exceptionally well to provide

186. These judgements indicate a clear development in the school’s provision for mathematics over that reported following the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

187. Standards in science, although below those typically found for the age group, are

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

confident in the teaching of aspects of the science curriculum. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 55 188. In Year 2, the class teacher makes assessments for seven-year-olds’ science attainment. The 2000 assessments show that the percentage of pupils reaching the standard expected for seven-year-olds (Level 2) was very low compared with the national average, it was in the lowest 5%. The number of pupils attaining the higher (Level 3) was well below the national average.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

189. In the year 2000 national tests for science for eleven-year-olds the school’s results were well below the national average. When compared with similar schools, the results were below the average for this group of schools. A similar picture occurs when the percentage of pupils who attained the higher Level 5 is examined. These results show a decline in standards from previous years. The school considers this was due to the large number of staff changes. Work in the books of the present Year 6 pupils indicates that more pupils than last year should attain the nationally expected standard.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

190. The range of work planned by teachers and undertaken by pupils covers the national programme for science in a balanced and progressive manner. The school has made good efforts to improve the practical aspect of pupils’ work in science. Pupils are now provided with more opportunities to gain skills and improve confidence in this aspect of their learning. All pupils enjoy investigative work, and this is especially beneficial to pupils with special educational needs, some of whom receive effective support from classroom assistants and other pupils in the class. Scrutiny of their workbooks and discussions with pupils show that they are making satisfactory progress in developing scientific skills and ideas. However, there are weaknesses in the way many pupils record their work and they do not use computers often enough to support the recording of evidence and the presentation of results.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

191. Work in the pupils’ books and discussions indicates that by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of living things. They enjoy their practical science lessons during which they make predictions, experiment, observe and draw conclusions. For example, Year 1 pupils were exploring growth in plants to understand that they need water and light to grow. Pupils’ understanding of materials and their properties and physical processes is improving. Teachers are becoming more confident in their subject knowledge and consequently give more opportunities to pupils to experience practical activities. Year 2 pupils understand how heating and cooling can change materials. They were able to predict how water would turn into ice when frozen and into steam when boiled. Higher attaining Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of simple electric circuits and how to make them.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

192. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of living things is satisfactory overall. In discussion, pupils could talk about plants and animals, and could identify things all animals have in common. Their knowledge of the importance of healthy life styles and diet is satisfactory. Pupils are able to talk about the way animals and plants adapt to different environments, and have a good knowledge of the importance of improving the quality of the environment. Generally there is consistency between the classes through Key Stage 2. However, there is too much variation in the standard of work seen in Year 6. The work from one class is generally satisfactory. Higher attaining pupils are producing work at a higher standard than that typically found for the group. For example, they are able to use graphs to record the widths of Parkinson Lane Primary School - 56 shadows made by a torch shone at differing angles and explain their results using their

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

current scientific understanding. Through discussion pupils showed their scientific knowledge and understanding to be satisfactory or better. They spoke of enjoying their work, especially experiments. No science books were available from the other class. Discussions with these pupils they showed that their knowledge and understanding was unsatisfactory. For example, pupils’ understanding of a fair test was undeveloped. They expressed attitudes to science, which were negative, speaking of not liking the subject and finding it hard.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

193. Pupils with special educational needs attain satisfactory standards overall. They make steady progress in science and generally enjoy their science lessons. The vast majority of pupils have English as an additional language and this makes science a challenging subject because of its terminology. The school understands this and ensures satisfactory progress through the provision of good bilingual support.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

194. Throughout the school pupils have a good attitude towards science. They are keen to be involved in practical work and when they are undertaking investigations they show that they can work together in a sensible way.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

195. Overall the quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

196. During the inspection, six lessons were observed. Teaching was judged to be very good in two lessons, good in three lessons and satisfactory in one. In the best lessons there was lively excitement and interest. Teachers’ questioning helped pupils to use language to explain what was happening and they had high expectations. These lessons had a good pace. For example, in a Year 1 lesson pupils were developing their knowledge of the parts of a plant through re-potting seedlings the pupils were able to identify the main parts of the plant and undertook the task with enthusiasm. The pupils in a Year 6 lesson were being taught to use the computers to record the data from an experiment on dissolving sugar. By the end of both lessons there were clear gains in the pupils’ knowledge and understanding, an increase in the use of correct scientific language, and an enjoyment of learning. In most lessons the quality of teaching was

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

enhanced when teachers used resources or activities, which provided first hand experience. For example, in a Year 5 lesson on the parts of a flower, the use of a lily enabled all pupils to directly observe the parts being explained by the teacher and they made good progress in labelling the parts of a flower. In a Year 4 lesson pupils were recording measurements of limbs made by themselves. At the same time, teaching assistants were able to increase the understanding of pupils through further bilingual explanation.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

197. Within lessons some elements of the teaching were judged to be less effective. Too often insufficient challenge was given to higher achieving pupils. For example, in a Year 4 and Year 5 lesson children who had completed the main task used time colouring in their diagrams. In a Year 2 lesson where children were being taught to use a tally chart time was spent going over the same thing. This slowed the pace of learning. When activities did not match the needs of pupils progress was slow, as in a Year 3 lesson when one group had an assessment task which asked them to record what they knew about plants. These pupils lacked the confidence to express their ideas without more structure. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 57 198. The school has a satisfactory and developing scheme of work for science based on national guidance for the subject. Although the scheme shows teachers how to plan lessons it does not provide enough guidance about the way past learning should be

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

used to develop new learning. Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievements are being developed. The school is planning to undertake a collection of pupils’ work that illustrates the different levels of the National Curriculum. This work is intended to provide teachers with a more detailed understanding of the different levels of the National Curriculum.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

199. Management of the subject is satisfactory. Although satisfactory planning of the curriculum occurs within the different year groups, not enough attention is paid to monitoring provision across the whole school. A satisfactory policy for science has been recently written by the co-ordinator, supported by a Year 3 teacher. With the support of the assessment co-ordinator, the school has begun satisfactory analysis of test data to identify the pupils’ strengths and weakness in the subject. The school plans to use this information to focus on gaps in the pupils’ knowledge and skills in science.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

200. Resources for science are satisfactory.

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build on pupils’ past learning and some teachers are not entirely secure or

201. These judgements indicate an improvement in science standards in the school, from those reported following the school’s last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

202. By the ages of seven and eleven pupils attain standards in ICT that are broadly

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

203. Strategies for responding to the issues raised following previous inspections have been effective in providing opportunities for pupils to develop and then build on ICT skills. The investment in the computer room using school and national provided funding (National Grid for Learning) has helped in raising standards. The deployment of the co-ordinator to concentrate in raising standards is being very effective; and the decision to provide a full-time teaching and technical assistant is clear evidence of the shared determination by governors and staff to raise standards.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

204. From an early age pupils have the opportunity to gain in confidence as computer users. All pupils know how to log on and have user-names, and passwords. Pupils in Year 1, know when to double click to open menus, as well as using the space bar and other important keys. In Year 3 pupils were able to use the information they had gathered from reading information about China to answer a number of questions. In Years 5 and 6, pupils were able to discuss ideas about the way that they would present data using a simple spreadsheet. They were able to label the axes of a graph a set out their information an appropriate way.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

205. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They make good progress in gaining ICT skills Parkinson Lane Primary School - 58 as they move through the school. Pupils respond well when they are asked to work on their own. They also show that they are able to work together when the need arises. Pupils are eager to contribute to lessons, especially those who have English as an additional language. This group of pupils is well supported in lessons.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

206. Overall, the quality of ICT teaching observed was good, and at times very good.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

207. In the two lessons observed at each key stage the teaching of skills was judged to be very good or better. The matching of work to support pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills was satisfactory, but often limited because the teacher was not sure what had been covered in other lessons. When teaching was most effective, pupils responded with enthusiasm to excellent relationships and the respect and value which teachers gave to their contributions. Teachers had high expectations and pupils were highly motivated and challenged to build on previous skills and understanding. There was a most effective balance between teacher direction and scope for pupils to make decisions, make choices and develop responsibility not only for their own learning but to share expertise with others. The pupils’ first language was used effectively to enable pupils at an early stage of English speaking to contribute fully to all lessons.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

Pupils were actively involved throughout and consequently behaviour was very good. Pupils with more advanced skills were used to demonstrate skills using the computer projector.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

208. A system for recording pupils’ gains in skills, knowledge and understanding in ICT is at an early stage of development, as is the use of this assessment to plan for the future steps in learning. The co-ordinator has developed a clear action plan for ICT, with an effective strategy for providing other teaching and non-teaching staff with the knowledge, and understanding to manage their own teaching and learning. The school has implemented a programme of staff training using nationally provided funding (New Opportunities’ Fund) and this will further increase teacher confidence and subject knowledge. The school is well placed to extend teaching and learning in ICT. 209. The co-ordinator has a very good knowledge of the subject and understands the need to improve the level of computer provision within classrooms. He is clear about the way in which the computer should be used to help raise standards in other subjects, for

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

example mathematics. At the time of the inspection not enough thought had been given to how pupils’ attainment in computer skills could be recorded.

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variable progress in developing their knowledge and skills, but good progress is

210. These judgements represent a significant improvement on those reported following earlier inspections of the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

211. By the age of seven and eleven pupils attain standards in religious education that

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religious ideas as they move through the school. Pupils with special education

needs make satisfactory progress overall . The school’s provision takes appropriate

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account of the fact that the vast majority of pupils are from the local Muslim

community. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 59 212. Discussion with pupils and scrutiny of their work indicates that pupils are developing a satisfactory factual basis in the topics they have studied. In Key Stage 1, pupils study celebrations such as Diwali, Christmas and Passover. In Key Stage 2, in addition to learning more about Christianity, pupils study several aspects of the major religions, Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism and Judaism. Pupils in Year 1 were able to talk confidently and knowledgeably about their visit to a local church. They remembered, for example, the cross, candles, altar, stained glass windows, priest and pews.

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account of the fact that the vast majority of pupils are from the local Muslim

213. Teachers make satisfactory use of the Local Education Authority’s agreed syllabus for religious education. The school has a new programme of study that is based on the locally agreed syllabus and the national guidelines.

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account of the fact that the vast majority of pupils are from the local Muslim

214. In the one lesson observed during the inspection teaching was judged to be satisfactory. Year 1 pupils were able to understand the task that was set them and during the lesson they made satisfactory progress in understanding the ideas given to them. Higher attaining pupils were keen to move their ideas forward and they were limited by the lack of resources provided.

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account of the fact that the vast majority of pupils are from the local Muslim

215. There are a number of good religious education displays around the school. For example, in a Year 5 classroom there is a display showing the importance of the Five Pillars of Islam. Collective worship makes an important contribution to the school’s work in religious education. The pupils enjoy ‘Faith Assembles’ when they are given opportunities to develop their understanding of the Muslim faith.

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account of the fact that the vast majority of pupils are from the local Muslim

216. The co-ordinator is new to the post and at the time of the inspection had not had enough opportunity to fully understand and develop the role. Parkinson Lane Primary School - 60

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MUSIC AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

217. The governors and headteacher have seen raising standards in English and

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mathematics as a priority. Largely as a result of the relatively limited teaching time

and priority given to other subjects, standards in a range of subjects are variable.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

218. The evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that in art and design standards are higher than those expected for pupils age seven and eleven years. Staff work hard to create a positive and attractive learning environment for pupils.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

219. There are many artwork displays of good quality around the school that show the range of work now being undertaken in art and design. For example, Year 1 pupils have captured the feeling of evening in their painted pictures of dusk. Year 2 pupils have produced some very good quality work based around the story of ‘The Rainbow Fish’ . Pupils in Year 6 have produced paintings of plants, of a high standard. Many of the paintings are in watercolour and show a good understanding of the use of this type of paint. The work shows a skilful blending of colour to produce the desired effects.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

220. In the one lesson observed where art and design was being taught, teaching was good. The pupils made good progress. The pupils visited a local park to observe and draw the surroundings. The lesson was well planned and a range of suitable resources was well organised. The teacher provided pupils with good guidance about ways to improve their sketching techniques and the work produced was of a good standard. Pupils observed items in the park and produced sketches of detail.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

221. A co-ordinator has recently been appointed for the subject. She has produced a draft policy in line with new national guidance. At the time of the inspection the impact of the document was not clear. As yet there have been no opportunities provided for the co-ordinator to monitor the work being undertaken in the school.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

222. Evidence of work in classrooms and on display indicates that pupils’ attainment in design and technology at the end of both key stages is broadly typical of that found nationally.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

223. Pupils in Year 1 have planned, designed and made moving pictures incorporating a slide mechanism. This is developed in Year 2 where pupils find out how to design and make a wind up spider. Pupils recognise the need to select suitable materials for the task; they were keen to talk about their work and point out their spiders displayed on a carefully constructed web in the classroom. Pupils’ learning in science and mathematics is reinforced when pupils in Year 3 study food. They use graphs to plot their favourite foods and work out how to make their sandwich snacks. Year 5 pupils have been successful in planning, designing, naming and making a wrapper for a delicious new chocolate bar. Before making a container they worked well deciding, what they would need, what they would have to do and what their containers would look like when complete. No Year 6 work was seen. Previous work had been taken

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

Parkinson Lane Primary School - 61 home and this half term no design and technology was taking place .

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

224. In general, pupils make sound progress in developing skills in designing and making. Sometimes they have too few opportunities to choose appropriate materials for themselves or to evaluate and improve the outcomes of their work.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

225. Design and technology has not been a priority for development for the school. A lower than average amount of time is allocated to the subject. The newly appointed co-ordinator has written a draft policy and medium-term plan using new curriculum guidance. She is aware of the need to plan with a clearer view to raising standards and change the practice of the planning being the responsibility of the individual teachers. No evaluation or monitoring takes place at the present time. There is no formal assessment in place, and no monitoring of work.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

226. Resources for the subjects are satisfactory. These judgements are similar to those reported after earlier inspections.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

227. The limited evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that overall standards in geography are in line with those found nationally. However, pupils aged eleven do not reach the nationally expected standard. Pupils in Year 2 spoke with enthusiasm about Pakistan and India. They were able to name cities and towns in England for example, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Huddersfield and London. They understand that people need passports to travel to foreign countries. They have an understanding of the different climates of countries and the need for different types of clothing in such conditions. The pupils talk with enthusiasm about the travels of Barnaby Bear ; their class bear who travels to different countries around the world. A Key Stage 1 display titled ‘Where in the world has Barnaby Bear been? ’ shows a map of the world labelling North, South, East and West and a map of the UK with labels showing,

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland and their capital cities. Postcards from different destinations indicate places that staff and pupils have visited. An examination of the pupils’ books indicated that standards in Year 6 were lower than those typically found for the age group.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

228. In discussion older pupils in Key Stage 2 demonstrated an unsatisfactory knowledge of geography. They were unable to accurately state where countries were, for example America and Australia. However, they were able to talk with confidence and enthusiasm about India and Pakistan.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

229. No geography lessons were observed during the inspection. At present the school follows a cycle of teaching history and geography in alternate half-terms. This approach limits the frequency with which pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills in geography

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

230. Resources for geography are limited, but satisfactory overall.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

231. The evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that by the age of seven and eleven pupils attain standards in history that are similar to those found nationally. An examination of the pupils’ books indicates that they are developing a sense of change over time. Work in the Year 6 pupils’ books is too variable in standard. The books Parkinson Lane Primary School - 62 from one class shows that pupils have a good understanding of the differences between life in Tudor times and life in the present day. The work also shows that pupils are starting to use a range of resources, including reference books, to explore ideas about past times. No history books were available from pupils of the second Year 6 class. In discussion Year 6 pupils were able to recall facts about different forms of Tudor dress explaining what a doublet looked like and how it would be worn. Pupils in Year 3 have a good understanding of the Second World War, they are able to explain what it

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

would have been like to have been an evacuee. In discussion, higher attaining pupils were able to describe some of the more important incidences in the war.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

232. Pupils’ knowledge of events, people and changes in the past are developing satisfactorily. Although high attaining Year 6 pupils are starting to use research skills, overall these skills are underdeveloped. The school’s overall plan for history does not provide clear a structured guidance to help teachers develop pupils’ skills in historical investigations.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

233. In the one lesson observed during the inspection teaching was judged to be satisfactory. The teacher made good use of a video to help pupils understand changes that occurred in the 1950s. The pupils were interested in the topic and the higher attaining pupils made useful notes of differences between aspects of life in 1950 and the present day.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

234. The co-ordinator for history works closely with the co-ordinator for geography. Together they have produced a satisfactory broad plan that shows how aspects of the subject will be covered as pupils move through the school. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

235. Standards in music are lower than those that are typically found in primary schools nationally for pupils age seven and eleven years, and provision for the subject is generally unsatisfactory.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

236. The school is in a mainly Muslim community and music has a ‘special’ place within the faith, this has an impact on the low standards. Consideration needs to be given to ways in which the national requirements and guidance for music can be integrated within the experiences given to pupils, without offending members of the local community.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

237. One lesson was observed where music was being taught. This lesson was planned using the new national guidance to develop listening skills. The pupils were asked to listen to ‘ Uranus-The Magician ’, by Gustav Holst. Evidence from this lesson showed that music listening skills have not been developed systematically throughout the school. There has been little opportunity for pupils to compose and perform.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

238. The recently appointed co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor or evaluate the work. The school does not have a music policy. There is no system for assessing or recording pupils’ progress from one year to the next. Resources for music are unsatisfactory. There is no opportunity to compose melodies because of the lack of tuned percussion instruments. Many untuned percussion instruments are old and of a poor quality Parkinson Lane Primary School - 63 239. Overall standards in physical education are typical of those found nationally. Swimming is given a high priority and in spite of the reduction in the time available, pupils by the age of eleven years have reached standards which are broadly in line with that found nationally.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

240. In the Year 1 gymnastics lesson observed pupils were enthusiastic and excited by their activities. The pupils were managed very well and developed sequences of ‘ wide , ‘narrow’ , and ‘curly’ shapes on the grass before being further challenged to extend their skills and apply them at different heights using apparatus in the hall. Year 3 pupils co-operated well as they built on individual ball handling skills and teamwork practised in previous lessons. In the Year 6 activity there was clear evidence of pupils being challenged to improve their movement. When practising a variety of ‘jumps’ , pupils showed greater control when extending their limbs.

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

241. Overall the teaching observed was satisfactory. Pupils were managed well and any inappropriate behaviour was dealt with consistently well using the school behaviour policy. Teachers are most aware of the need for safe practice and pupils are reminded regularly of the need to warm up and cool down for exercise. Support staff are used well, and are actively involved in contributing to the good quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs, or by ensuring that pupils for whom English is an additional language can contribute fully to all activities. Where teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence was high, in Years 1 and 6, the quality of teaching was good with periods of inactivity being reduced to a minimum. Teachers gave clear instructions and pupil demonstration added to the quality of the lessons. In most lessons pupils were very well behaved, capable of extended exercise and improvement

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standards, although on the low side, are typical of those found in similar primary

242. The recently appointed co-ordinator has adapted the long term planning to ensure that all the requirements of the National Curriculum are met. There is now a need to provide curriculum guidance matched to the needs of pupils. She is aware of the need to raise teacher awareness and subject knowledge in order to improve standards. There are no consistent systems to record gains in skills and knowledge nor planning which builds on pupils’ experiences. There are good indoor facilities and although no large grassed area is available there are good hard areas to develop games skills. Small equipment is well stored, accessible and handled safely.

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