Paddock Junior Infant and Nursery School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd –6 th July 2000

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 188939 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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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. Paddock Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Junior, Infant and Nursery

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Heaton Road Huddersfield West Yorkshire Postcode: HD1 4JJ

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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: 17 th -20 th June 1996 Paddock Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

L A Furness Registered inspector Mathematics What sort of school is it?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Equal Opportunities How high are standards? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

J Farmer Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

How well does the school work in partnership with parents?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

C Davies Team inspector English How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Areas of learning for children aged under five

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

M Hemmings Team inspector Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Information and communication technology

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Religious Education Paddock Primary School - 6 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Court 8 Bar Meadow Dobcross Saddleworth Oldham

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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 Paddock Primary School - 7

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7-11

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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12-15

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Paddock Junior, Infant and Nursery School is situated in Huddersfield in the Local Education Authority of Kirklees. There are 279 full-time pupils on roll and 48 part-time nursery aged children. The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs is above the national average (27.2 per cent) and the percentage of pupils having a statement of special educational need is also above the national average. (2.1 per cent). There are a high percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language (25.4 per cent). There are an above average number of pupils eligible for school meals free of charge. Children enter the early years’ unit of the school with widely varying experiences and skills. The initial assessments of children indicate that the attainment of the majority is low. The school has had a change in leadership since the previous inspection and the present headteacher has only been in post from January 2000. The acting deputy headteacher has been seconded from another

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

school for one year and will return to her school in September 2000.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an improving school, with standards in mathematics and science moving much closer to the national average. The new headteacher in a short time has managed to develop a strong sense of teamwork and the majority of staff are working hard to the common goal of raising standards. The quality of teaching is mainly good and there is an appropriate emphasis made on improving pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children are provided with a very good start in the early years’ unit where the very good attention to the basic skills of literacy and numeracy helps to build children’s confidence in reading, writing and number. • An intensive programme of additional support (‘booster’ classes) in the spring term for Year 6 pupils has improved standards in mathematics and science. This is reflected in the latest set of national test results. • The new headteacher has successfully united all the staff into working together to improve standards of attainment. He is also well regarded by the governors and parents. • The school has a long tradition of excellence in the creative arts. This is particularly evident in music and drama. • The staff have successfully created a stimulating and interesting learning environment where pupils’ work and achievements are well presented and respected.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The unsatisfactory teaching in one of the Years 3 and 4 classes is preventing the school building on the good progress made by pupils earlier in the school. • Pupils’ attainment in writing is impeded by their lack of appropriate grammar and poor punctuation and spelling. Many older pupils read with little expression and show little enjoyment in reading for pleasure. • Information and communication technology (ICT) is not taught according to the National Curriculum’s requirements, which leads to standards being unsatisfactory in this subject. • The majority of subject co-ordinators are new to their roles and, although many have recognised the strengths and the areas for improvement in their subjects they have not had the opportunity or the time to make an impact on the areas requiring attention. • Although the attitudes and the behaviour of the majority of pupils are at least satisfactory, there

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

are a minority of pupils in most classes who display challenging behaviour and do not have positive Paddock Primary School - 9 attitudes towards school or their work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1996. All of the major issues identified in the previous inspection have been well addressed. The overall planning of the curriculum is now well-structured and there are agreed programmes of work for almost all subjects. There is an agreed assessment system in the school and the information obtained from assessment data is used effectively to inform future teaching and learning. All lessons now have clear objectives for learning, which are shared with the pupils. There are systems in place for checking and evaluating the performance of the school and the new headteacher has useful plans regarding how this aspect can be developed further. Teaching has also improved. In the last inspection 23 per cent of teaching was judged less than satisfactory and this figure has now declined to 6 per cent. The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E E E B well above average above average A B mathematics E E E* E average below average C D science E E E E well below average E

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STANDARDS

The 1999 average point scores in National Curriculum tests indicate that pupils’ performance at the age of 11 is well below the national average in English and science and in the lowest 5 per cent of schools nationally in mathematics. In relation to similar schools, pupils’ performance is above average in English but well below average in mathematics and science. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points score for English, mathematics and science since 1996 has been broadly in line with the national trend. The National Curriculum results in 2000 are much improved in science and mathematics. In English results have slightly declined. This improvement is particularly attributed to the programme of intensive support (‘booster classes’) provided for the first time for Year 6 pupils in the spring term. Pupils’ results at the age of 7 have also shown marked improvement this year in

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STANDARDS

reading, writing and mathematics. The standards of work of the majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are below the national expectation in English and mathematics but in line with that expected in science. In religious education pupils are working at levels expected by the programme of work. In information and communication technology standards are below the national expectation because pupils do not receive an appropriate amount of time working with computers. The school has set appropriate targets in English and mathematics for the next two years and has satisfactorily met the targets for the year 2000. Paddock Primary School - 10

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school The majority of pupils have at least satisfactory attitudes towards school with children in the early years having very good attitudes. However a significant minority of pupils develop negative attitudes, which not only has an adverse effect upon their learning but upon the learning of other class members.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour has improved over the last few months, with the majority of pupils knowing how to behave appropriately. However, when work is unchallenging and teachers do not have high enough expectations of how pupils should behave then behaviour is unsatisfactory.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Many of the pupils willingly take on responsibility. Relationships between pupils are satisfactory.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory and has steadily improved since the last inspection. Unauthorised absence is above the national average but the school is working closely with parents to ensure that pupils’ extended trips abroad are kept to a minimum.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good. Teaching is at least satisfactory in 94 per cent of lessons. It is good in 47 per cent per cent of these lessons and very good in a further 18 per cent. Teaching is less than satisfactory in 6 per cent of lessons with 1 per cent of lessons, poor. English and mathematics teaching is good overall. The teaching of children in the early years is very good and contributes greatly to the very good progress that these children make. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are appropriately taught throughout the school and through all relevant subjects. The school successfully meets the learning needs of all pupils enabling them to achieve well in relation to their prior learning. The very good teaching is characterised by detailed preparation and planning, very good subject knowledge and skilful questioning techniques, which all enable pupils to work at a productive pace and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

achieve well. In the lessons that are less than satisfactory, the teachers do not have high enough expectations of either work or behaviour. This results in pupils’ becoming restless and losing concentration. In these instances, the teachers are unable to manage the pupils’ behaviour appropriately. Paddock Primary School - 11

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum the school provides for pupils aged between 5 to 11 is unsatisfactory as it does not meet the statutory requirements in the teaching of information and communication technology. In contrast, the curricular opportunities offered to the children in the early years unit are very good and include all the areas of learning and experience expected for this age group.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good with effective procedures in place for the identification and assessment of their needs. The recommendations of the Code of Practice are met in full. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Teachers from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service effectively support pupils with English as an additional language and they make good progress as they pass through the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes satisfactory provision overall for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The majority of pupils are encouraged to develop good moral and social values through the behaviour policy and through the good examples set by the teachers.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are satisfactory. There are good systems in place for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Since the last inspection the school has improved its partnership with parents and it has now developed good links. Numerous successful initiatives have been introduced and these have had a positive impact on the parents’ perception of the school and on their involvement with their child’s learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The new headteacher has successfully established his position in the school and is well thought of by governors, staff and pupils. The acting deputy headteacher and other key members of staff very competently support him. Together they have developed a clear action plan for the future.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities apart from the provision made for information and communication technology. Paddock Primary School - 12 Statutory requirements are not met in this subject.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance There are satisfactory systems in place to help the school check on its performance. Good use has been made recently of assessment information to adjust the focus of pupils’ learning. However, checking systems are not secure in identifying specific weaknesses in teaching.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Spending is closely allied to the school’s stated priorities and careful consideration is given to all spending decisions to ensure that best value is obtained.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing is adequate and well deployed. The accommodation is adequate and the school makes the best use it can of all available space. Learning resources are satisfactory in all subjects apart from in information and communication technology where they are unsatisfactory. The recently developed information technology suite is a marked improvement in the school’s provision for this subject but currently there is still inadequate resource provision both in terms of hardware and software.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The school expects my child to work hard. • My child is making good progress. • My child likes school. • The school is approachable. • The school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside of lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team would agree overall with the positive views of the parents, although in one class pupils do not make good progress and in many classes throughout the school a minority of pupils do not display positive attitudes towards the school or their work. The inspection team would disagree with the statement that the school does not provide an interesting range of after-school activities. The school has improved its provision for extra curricular activities since the last inspection and there is a satisfactory range of activities including educational visits provided. Paddock Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and achievements

1 The 1999 average point scores in National Curriculum tests indicate that pupils’ performance at the age of 11 is well below the national average in English and science and in the lowest 5 per cent of schools nationally in mathematics. In relation to similar schools pupils’ performance is above average in English and well below average in mathematics and science. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points score for English, mathematics and science since 1996 has been broadly in line with the national trend. The National Curriculum test results in 2000 are much improved in science and mathematics. However, in English results have slightly declined. This improvement is particularly attributed to the programme of intensive support (‘booster’ classes) provided for the first time for Year 6 pupils in the spring term. The standards of work of the majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are below the

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The school’s results and achievements

national expectation in English and mathematics but in line with that expected in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

2 Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests at the age of 7 have also shown marked improvement this year in reading, writing and mathematics. In 1999 pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests were well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, the results were below average in reading but average in writing and mathematics. Over the last four years pupils’ results have been improving in both aspects of the English curriculum and in mathematics. The present Year 2 pupils are still attaining at below average standards for both reading and writing but are in line with the expected standard in mathematics. The 2000 teacher assessments in science show that the attainment of the majority of pupils currently in Year 2 is in line with the national expectation.

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The school’s results and achievements

3 Standards of attainment in the previous inspection were judged to be below average in English, mathematics and science. The picture is very much the same in English throughout the school and in mathematics by the age of 11. However, there are considerable improvements in science throughout the school and in mathematics by the age of 7.

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The school’s results and achievements

4 The initial assessments given to children at the beginning of their reception year gives a picture of low attainment in reading, writing and number. Personal development is better except that there is a considerable difference between boys’ and girls’ development, with boys’ skills being lower than that of girls. However, by the end of the reception year there is a considerable improvement in the attainment of children in each area of learning. This is due to the very good provision and the very good teaching that is available in the early years’ unit, which enables the young children to achieve very well.

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The school’s results and achievements

5 In English, although standards in speaking, reading and writing are below the national expectation pupils achieve well in relation to their abilities and to their prior attainment on entering the school. Pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 achieve well, particularly in the lower ability group. A large percentage of pupils are still struggling for fluency in their spoken communication. However, when considering that many start in the early years’ unit with very limited English they make good progress. Pupils aged 5-7 make good progress in their reading, particularly when it comes to working out the meaning of unknown words and by Year 2, the majority of pupils are able to skim and scan information books. Pupils also make good progress in writing although the achievement of more able pupils is less pronounced. Although the more Paddock Primary School - 14 able pupils write confidently they tend to be careless with punctuation and do not form

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The school’s results and achievements

complete sentences. There are inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation and grammar, which prevent the better writers attaining higher levels. The average attaining pupils have many of the same faults and their vocabulary is also more limited. Pupils aged 7 to 11 make satisfactory progress in their reading and writing and their achievement is satisfactory. The majority of older pupils are competent readers but there is a large percentage of pupils that do not read with expression or appropriate intonation. In writing the more able pupils, although using interesting and imaginative expressions lack the punctuation and grammar skills to set out their thoughts clearly. Average ability pupils are able to sustain a story line for prolonged periods but their work contains less description and spelling and punctuation remain a weakness. Less able pupils are still trying to write consistently using full sentences.

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The school’s results and achievements

6 Pupils use their literacy skills satisfactorily in other subjects. Teachers insist on the use of accurate subject vocabulary. In mathematics pupils carefully read the learning objective of the lesson and time is spent discussing unfamiliar words such as, ‘perpendicular and parallel’. Pupils label diagrams and write evaluations in design and technology and in science, writing frames are used to support pupils’ independent writing of investigations.

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The school’s results and achievements

7 Although in mathematics pupils attain standards that are below the national average they achieve well and make good progress overall when considering their low attainment upon entering the school. The National Numeracy Strategy has ensured that greater emphasis has been placed on mental mathematics and the range of mental strategies used by pupils has increased, as have the standards the pupils attain. The setting of pupils for mathematics has a positive effect in meeting the individual needs of pupils and the majority of pupils achieve well in this subject. By the age of 11, the majority of average and more able pupils are able to solve simple number problems involving two or three different operations. Less able pupils are able to add two digit numbers to three digit numbers using a variety of different mental strategies. They demonstrate a secure understanding of symmetry and are able to use and explain the

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The school’s results and achievements

8 Pupils have opportunity to use and apply their numeracy skills well in a variety of subjects. For example, in science, by using bar charts and graphs to record their findings about measurements of different parts of the body and by carrying out measuring activities in design and technology.

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The school’s results and achievements

9 In science pupils make appropriate progress in their learning as they pass through the school. Their achievements are satisfactory when considering their low attainment on entry to the school. The teachers of pupils aged 5 to 7 ensure that pupils are involved in practical activities to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to make predictions and carry out simple tests. They learn how to handle simple scientific equipment carefully to help identify the similarities and differences between living things. However, there are blocks of time when little science is carried out which hinders curriculum coverage and the development of pupils’ investigative skills. Older pupils build on their prior knowledge of handling appropriate equipment and are able to make sensible predictions about what might happen in an experiment. There is, however, a minority of pupils in most classrooms who misbehave and

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The school’s results and achievements

cause difficulties for teachers. This misbehaviour adversely affects pupils’ achievement and by the time that they are 11, most pupils do not show an appropriate ability to identify the need for a fair test and are not able to plan and carry an investigation independently of the teacher.

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The school’s results and achievements

10 In religious education pupils are working at levels expected through the programme of work outlined by the Local Education Authority and they achieve satisfactorily in relation to their Paddock Primary School - 15 prior attainment. At the end of Year 2, pupils have developed a satisfactory understanding of what makes holy places ‘special’ and have knowledge of different places of worship. They produce their own prayers and understand why we pray. They have a satisfactory understanding of Allah and God. By the age of 11 pupils have an appropriately detailed understanding of major world faiths and are beginning to develop appropriate respect for the religious beliefs and practices of others and are developing an awareness of the spiritual nature of faith.

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The school’s results and achievements

11 In information and communication technology (ICT) standards are below the national expectation and pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory. The statutory requirements in the teaching of this subject are not met, as aspects of data handling, control and solving problems are underdeveloped throughout the school and pupils do not receive an appropriate amount of time working with computers.

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The school’s results and achievements

12 In art and music standards are above that expected for the pupils’ ages. In art activities pupils achieve well as they are regularly presented with a broad range of good quality activities in all aspects of the subject and develop good skills in their use of different media. In music pupils have well developed composition skills. They are skilled in choral chanting and singing and by the age of 11 pupils are very confident when performing in front of an audience and a number sing solo performances with accomplished skill. Teachers provide very confident demonstrations of singing activities, which enables pupils to achieve well. In design and technology standards are in line with that expected for their age and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. In geography, history and physical education there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards or pupils’ achievements at the age of 11.

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The school’s results and achievements

13 Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and achieve well. This is due to good provision and the specially targeted support available for these pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

14 The school sets targets for 11 year olds in English and mathematics. Both sets of targets are judged to be suitably challenging and the school has successfully met its targets for the year 2000 .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15 In the main pupils have satisfactory attitudes towards their work. There are many occasions when pupils show good attitudes to work, they concentrate well, participate in the lesson with enthusiasm and are keen to learn. Very good examples are regularly seen in the early years. For example, when involved in number activities, children are really keen to share their achievements with each other and with staff. They concentrate well on the activities and persevere with their tasks. Another good example seen again in the early years, is when the children join in a band, which is led by a visiting saxophonist. He plays a variety of nursery rhymes and popular tunes, which capture the imagination of the children. They are totally absorbed in the whole session and clearly enjoy it. As pupils progress through the school some negative attitudes develop in a significant minority of pupils. This not only has an adverse

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

effect on their learning but on the learning of other class members, with much of the teachers’ time being taken up dealing with disruptions and incidents of inappropriate behaviour. Although many members of staff deal with disruptive pupils very well and minimise the effect of their disruption on the learning of others there are staff who are not as effective. In these classes attitudes are often unsatisfactory. The last inspection also reported disruptive Paddock Primary School - 16 behaviour in classes having an adverse effect on the quality of learning. Parents and staff acknowledge that behaviour has improved over the last few months, with the majority of pupils knowing how to behave appropriately. At the time of the previous inspection there had been eight instances of fixed term exclusion for problems related to bad behaviour. This has improved considerably with no exclusions having taken place in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16 In the early years, children show respect for property and resources and are able to take turns and share equipment fairly. As pupils progress through the school most pupils are able to co- operate in groups, help with the routines of the school and comply with school rules and regulations. In most lessons they respond quickly to staff requests and requirements. A good example is seen in a Year 1 class during circle-time. However, in certain classes and in places such as the dining hall, behaviour is often less than satisfactory. Where lessons are not sufficiently interesting or challenging for pupils, behaviour and relationships within the classroom deteriorate. This is also true when sufficiently high expectations of behaviour are not maintained, making it harder for the class teacher who takes these pupils during the next academic year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17 Effective additional support for pupils with special educational needs ensures they respond well in class. They are well motivated and generally persevere well with their work. The behaviour of the majority of pupils with special educational needs is good but a minority of pupils are less well behaved and teachers have to work hard to motivate these pupils and develop their social skills. Pupils with English as an additional language also have positive attitudes towards their learning. They concentrate well and are eager to be involved in their lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18 Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Many of the pupils willingly take on responsibility such as taking part in the ‘Befriending Scheme’, helping in assemblies and carrying out routine monitoring jobs around the school. Others make announcements in assembly. This occasionally causes an argument amongst the class as to whose turn it is to do this. Some pupils have the confidence to perform in front of a larger audience as demonstrated during the very good performance of the school opera. Most pupils show respect for other people’s feelings, values and beliefs. Pupils come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures and the majority show respect for each other’s traditions. This is well demonstrated when Year 3 pupils study the traditions of the Muslim Eid festival. Muslim pupils are able to talk about the traditions and show the artefacts to their fellow classmates, who listen and ask questions with sensitivity and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

interest. Relationships between pupils are satisfactory. Unfortunately there are incidences where pupils do not show the maturity they should. For example, when a pupil in the playground upset all his lunch box on the floor several older boys stood back and mocked. One classmate did, however, go to his aid. Not all pupils demonstrate good manners. When pupils move around the school it is only a minority of pupils who will open doors for others or who will stand back and let adults go first.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19 Attendance is satisfactory and has steadily improved since the last inspection with the attendance rate now being broadly in line with the national average. Unauthorised absence is above the national average but the school is working closely with parents to ensure that pupils’ extended trips abroad are kept to a minimum. The majority of pupils enjoy attending school and do so regularly, however there is a significant minority of pupils who arrive after the official starting time in the morning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Paddock Primary School - 17 20 The quality of teaching is good and is having a positive impact on improving pupils’ learning, achievements and standards of attainment. Teaching is at least satisfactory in 94 per cent of lessons. It is good in 47 per cent per cent of these lessons and very good in a further 18 per cent. Teaching is less than satisfactory in 6 per cent of lessons with 1 per cent of lessons being poor. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection with more very good teaching now evident. The percentage of less than satisfactory teaching has fallen from 23 per cent to 6 per cent.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21 English and mathematics teaching is good overall but it is better for pupils aged 5 to 7 than for pupils aged 7 to 11. Teaching is also good in art and design and technology and music throughout the school and in science in the 5 to 7 age group and religious education in the 7 to 11 age group. Teaching is satisfactory in physical education throughout the school and in religious education in the 5 to 7 age group and in science in the 7 to 11 age group. It is unsatisfactory in information and communication technology throughout the school. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the teaching of history and geography throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22 The teaching of children in the early years is very good and contributes greatly to the very good progress that these children make. Teachers and adults plan a range of stimulating and interesting activities, which motivate the children well. These activities are challenging and promote very good learning. Resources are very well set out so that children have easy access to them and this encourages the children to become independent learners. Similarly, the way areas have been organised to promote different areas of learning is helping to make a positive impact on children’s learning. Children work hard and concentrate well. They try hard to do their best and are eager to join in any planned activities. Initial assessments of children are used very well to inform teachers’ of the children’s needs and what experiences are necessary to help them progress in their development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23 The teaching of pupils with special educational needs in relation to learning is good overall. Teachers are responsible for drawing up individual educational plans and specific targets are identified, which supports the planning of activities related to the pupils’ needs. Support staff make a valuable contribution to the progress of special educational needs pupils and teachers use the additional support well. Appropriate activities are planned for more able pupils. However, the support available for pupils with challenging behaviour is less successful. There are some pupils who have particular difficulties and who cause considerable disruption to the learning of other pupils and make it difficult for teachers to teach. The strategies in place for dealing with these pupils are ineffective and this means that considerable learning time is frequently wasted. The teaching of younger pupils (5-7 years) with English as an additional

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

language is good with the class teacher and the teachers with responsibility for the ethnic minorities working effectively together to support these pupils. In the 7 to 11 age group of pupils with English as an additional language, teaching is satisfactory. Good consideration is given to these pupils particularly during introductions to ensure that all pupils are clear about what they are suppose to be learning and doing.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24 The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully implemented and the three-part lesson structure is being used to good effect in many other subjects. In English, teachers are using the Literacy Framework to plan satisfactorily but there are some weaknesses in being specific enough about identifying what pupils are to learn in each lesson. In mathematics, teachers’ expectations of what pupils are able to achieve have been improved through the use of the Numeracy Framework. The setting by ability of pupils aged 7 to 11 is having a positive effect in meeting the individual needs of pupils. The 'booster' classes in Year Paddock Primary School - 18 6 have also made a positive impact on pupils’ achievements not only in mathematics but also in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25 Most teachers plan their work thoroughly with good attention to the small steps required for pupils to make progress and to achieve well. In all classes, the practice of having the pupil’s learning targets on the board is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and achievement because it focuses pupils clearly on what is expected of them in the lesson. Teachers always read the learning target to the pupils and ensure that pupils are familiar with the vocabulary that is to be used. This is seen in a mathematics lesson when time is spent discussing unfamiliar vocabulary, for example ‘perpendicular and parallel’.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26 The very good teaching is characterised by detailed preparation and planning, which enable pupils to work at a productive pace and achieve well. Teachers place great value on pupils’ efforts, praising and encouraging them and spurring them on to even greater effort. In most subjects, teachers demonstrate their secure subject knowledge through well-targeted questioning. A very good example of this is seen in a Years 3 and 4 lesson about the Muslim celebration at the end of Eid. In this lesson there are very good examples of very good subject knowledge high work rate and mature thought. Pupils apply a great deal of effort to this lesson and acquire a good knowledge and understanding of the Muslim faith. Another very good example is seen in a Years 3 and 4 English lesson when pupils are learning about persuasive language. The very good rapport between the teacher and the pupils creates a hard working

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and interested environment. The teacher clearly has prepared well for the lesson and engages the interest of all pupils very effectively. At the end of the lesson learning targets are reviewed and pupils have made good strides in their learning and in their achievements. In most classrooms, at the end of lessons relevant homework is set that either consolidates class work or extends this in preparation for what pupils are to do next.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27 In the great majority of lessons, teachers manage their classes satisfactorily, although in all classes there are a small minority of pupils who display inappropriate behaviour. These pupils do not have positive attitudes to school or their work and do not adhere to classroom routines. In Years 5 and 6 pupils often call out answers even though they have been specifically requested by their teachers not to do so. The majority of teachers do manage to deal satisfactorily with these pupils but in two classes in particular, the teachers find it difficult to control the inappropriate behaviour. In one class in Years 3 and 4, where teaching is less than satisfactory, the teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour is inappropriate and considerable learning time is wasted. Activities set are unchallenging or confusing to pupils and consequently pupils become inattentive, restless and are involved in off-task discussions.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28 Lessons start promptly because resources are well prepared and readily available. Another very good feature is the use of other adults in the classroom, including specialist teachers and classroom assistants. All adults are involved in the planning and preparation of lessons and all have clearly defined roles knowing what they want pupils to achieve.

p.18

PUPILS?

29 The curricular and other opportunities offered to the children aged under five in the early years unit are very good and include all the areas of learning and experience expected for this age group. There is strong emphasis placed on literacy and numeracy and also on children’s personal, social and emotional development. This emphasis and the significant amount of very Paddock Primary School - 19 good teaching that children receive results in them making very good progress in their academic skills and allows them to show increased confidence as they settle into school routines. Children are very well prepared for the programmes of study of the National Curriculum as they enter Year 1.

p.18

PUPILS?

30 The curriculum that the school provides for pupils aged 5 to 11 is unsatisfactory. It does not meet the statutory requirements in the teaching of information and communication technology, which leads to standards being unsatisfactory in this subject. There are aspects of data handling, control and problem solving that are underdeveloped throughout the school and pupils have a limited amount of time working at computers. The school is implementing the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies successfully and these are beginning to help to raise pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics. Additional support (‘booster’ classes) in the spring term for pupils in Year 6 has improved standards in mathematics and science. Additional time devoted to literacy and numeracy has meant there is less time available for other subjects. However, the school has worked hard and has been successful in maintaining pupils’ access to

p.19

PUPILS?

most areas of the curriculum, with pupils having access to a wide range of rich experiences in the arts, especially in music and drama. This is seen to good effect in the pupils’ performance of the opera ‘Chalkface’. However, there is an imbalance in the time allocated to different subjects and the school is to review this to improve provision. The recommendations of the Local Education Authority agreed syllabus for religious education are met in full. The school effectively supports the pupils’ physical and personal development. There is good provision for pupils to experience personal and social education, including health education and appropriate attention is given to drug misuse. Currently, the school is effectively collaborating with the community police officer on a drugs education programme. The school provides for sex education in a sensitive and supportive manner that emphasises family values within a caring

p.19

PUPILS?

31 The school is successful in ensuring that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good with effective procedures in place for the identification and assessment of these pupils. The recommendations of the Code of Practice are met in full. All pupils have individual education plans that give clear targets, which are broken down into small steps to enable pupils to make good progress in their learning and achieve well. The recording of pupils’ progress and arrangements to review their needs are thorough and regular. Teachers from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service effectively support pupils with English as an additional language and these pupils also make good progress as they pass through the school.

p.19

PUPILS?

32 The last inspection report indicated that the school’s curriculum planning procedures were an area of weakness and a key issue for action was to develop whole school planning and to produce schemes of work for each subject. The school has been successful in addressing this key issue and now has a satisfactory structure of long, medium and short term planning in place to ensure continuity and progression of learning in most subjects. The long-term planning provides a broad overview of the aspects of the National Curriculum programmes of study delivered by each year group over the year. The medium-term plan consists of schemes of work, which outline the learning objectives to be taught. Short-term planning is taken from these schemes and details the key learning objectives and skills to be taught in the lesson. The quality of this planning is having a positive effect on standards attained by pupils.

p.19

PUPILS?

33 The school has improved its provision for extra curricular activities since the last inspection and this is now satisfactory. It includes choir, recorders, rounders, cross-country, cricket, rugby and drama. The school gives pupils the opportunity to take part in a variety of educational visits Paddock Primary School - 20 that enrich the curriculum by providing further learning experiences for pupils. These visits have included a trip by children in the early years’ unit to the Tolson Museum during a historical project. The school also makes suitable use of the local environment to enhance the pupils’ work in history, geography and religious education. This is seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 1 when they use photographs of a local church and mosque, taken on a recent visit, to discuss how and why they are different. There has been a visit from the Laurence Batley Theatre to provide ‘Jungle Book’ workshops for pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6 and a sculptor in

p.19

PUPILS?

residence has been working with pupils on pieces for the school operatic performance.

p.20

PUPILS?

34 The school has links with the community that make a good contribution to the pupils’ learning. Reading tutors from the local community read with the pupils on a weekly basis. The pupils go around the community at Christmas time to sing carols and in so doing gain an understanding of the needs of others. There are good links with Royds Hall high school that involves pupils from that school doing paired reading with pupils in Year 2 and staff from both schools working together to effectively prepare pupils for transfer to their next school. Links with a higher educational institution has resulted in the school being donated 15 computers that will significantly enhance the provision for information and communication technology. There are satisfactory links with local businesses that has involved sponsorship to improve provision in design and technology and a new football kit. Coaches from Huddersfield Town Football Club

p.20

PUPILS?

and Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Club have worked with pupils to develop their physical education skills.

p.20

PUPILS?

35 The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Moral and social development are good and spiritual and cultural development are satisfactory. In the previous inspection, moral and social development were identified as strengths and this picture remains this same. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language are fully incorporated into the school’s approach in these areas.

p.20

PUPILS?

36 The provision for pupils’ spiritual development through the curriculum and acts of collective worship is satisfactory. Opportunities for reflection are given in assemblies and at other times of the day in classrooms. This is seen in an assembly, on a modern theme of the ‘Good Samaritan’ in which pupils have the time to quietly think how they could look after each other in times of difficulty. The quality of the collective act of worship is satisfactory. The rich experience that all pupils have access to in music, is a major part of the school’s provision for spiritual development. All teachers value pupils’ ideas and efforts and this is shown by the range of attractive displays of work around the school and in the classrooms.

p.20

PUPILS?

37 The school’s provision for moral development is good. The school is an orderly community in which most pupils clearly know right from wrong. There is, however, a minority of pupils in most classrooms who misbehave and cause difficulties for teachers and disrupt the learning of others. Moral themes feature in many aspects of the curriculum and are an integral part of the school ethos. Pupils are encouraged to develop good moral values through the behaviour policy and through the good examples set by teachers. The staff effectively promotes a sense of fairness among pupils and is successful in teaching them to be tolerant of each other.

p.20

PUPILS?

38 The provision for the social development of pupils is good. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to work and play together with respect and tolerance. From the start of their time in school pupils are provided with good opportunities for social development. There is a ‘buddy scheme’ in which pupils take others to lunch and a ‘Befrienders Scheme’ in which pupils in Year 6 are trained to listen and take care of others. Paddock Primary School - 21 Both of these schemes are an innovation since the last inspection. Pupils listen to and respect the opinions of others, as is seen when pupils in Year 6 take part in an activity for personal and social education that effectively develops their own self-esteem and their appreciation of the talents of others. The suitable range of extra-curricular activities also effectively supports pupils’ social development.

p.20

PUPILS?

39 The provision for the cultural development of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils learn to appreciate aspects of their own culture through visitors that include poets, authors, theatre groups and musicians. In their art lessons pupils are able to learn about famous artists and the styles in which they paint. The last inspection report indicated a weakness in celebrating the different religious values, beliefs and cultural traditions of all its pupils. The school has gone some way in addressing this by celebrating such festivals as Eid, Chinese New Year and Christmas. However, pupils are still not given enough opportunities to effectively develop their knowledge and understanding of the diversity of cultures within our own society.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40 The school cares appropriately for its pupils. There have been many new procedures introduced since the recently appointed headteacher took up his position in January of this year. These have not had time to make a full impact on the way the school cares for its pupils but the early indication is that checking and recording academic achievement is likely to improve. Relationships are satisfactory overall but very good in the early years' unit where the staff know the children well and give a high priority to caring for their needs.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 The tracking of the academic progress made by pupils is satisfactory. There are good systems in place to pass on information from one class teacher to another. There are however, new procedures being introduced that will build on this satisfactory position. These new procedures are detailed and very comprehensive. They have been tested with one group and will provide staff with the depth and quality of information required in helping them to acknowledge previous attainment and to plan effectively for the future. When compared to the position identified in the previous inspection there has been improvement in this area. However, the tracking of individual pupils’ progress has still some way to go to be effective.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 The school uses a full range of national and standardised tests to determine the progress made by pupils on an annual basis. They are beginning to use the results of these tests to set targets for the future. This is still at an early stage of development and its effect has yet to make a full impact on the progress made by pupils.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43 There are detailed procedures in place to check on pupils’ behaviour and personal development. However, the present system only tracks negative behaviour and it does not give full credit for those who behave well. There is also inconsistency in the way this system is applied with some staff using additional sanctions and rewards to discipline pupils. Although the additional aspects used by staff have merit in their own right the lack of consistency is a concern.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44 Pupils identified as having special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are well cared for and their progress is regularly reviewed. The special educational needs co-ordinator liases effectively with staff from external support agencies and with support staff to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met. Documentation is good and teachers regularly review pupils’ progress and ensure that the provision specified in the individual Paddock Primary School - 22 educational plans is implemented. Effective links exist with the staff at the feeder high school to ensure a smooth transition. The teachers from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service meet regularly with the Local Education Authority adviser to review progress and to write developmental action plans for the school aiming at improving provision for these pupils.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45 There are satisfactory procedures in place for tracking pupils’ attendance. The present system of awarding full attendance certificates is likely to be supplemented by half-termly awards in the near future. There are only a few pupils giving concern and the school is satisfactorily tracking their attendance.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46 Child protection procedures are satisfactory. The headteacher is the named officer for the school and has appropriate experience to carry out the role. There is no identified first-aid person identified on the staff and this is something that the school is planning to address in the near future.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47 Parents express a good level of satisfaction with the school, its aims and its ethos. They are particularly positive about the statement that they would be happy to approach the school with any concerns and that the school expects their child to work hard. They also believe that their children make good progress and that they enjoy coming to school. The inspection team would agree overall with the positive views of the parents, although in one class pupils do not make good progress and in many classes throughout the school a minority of pupils do not display positive attitudes towards the school or their work. Parents do express concerns regarding the lack of extra-curricular activities. The inspection team would disagree with this as the school has improved its provision for extra curricular activities since the last inspection and there is a satisfactory range of activities including educational visits provided for pupils.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48 Since the last inspection the school has improved its partnership with parents and has now developed good links. A parent partnership co-ordinator has been appointed, a formal parent, teacher association (PTA) has been established, there are regular Friday meetings for parents to discuss school issues with the headteacher and several parents now help out in classrooms. Parents are also supportive of concerts, class assemblies, and the parent/teacher evenings. The school works closely with the ‘Fast Lane’ worker who organises language and skills activity courses, which are well supported by parents.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49 Information to parents is good. There are regular newsletters and letters which are timely and informative. However, some letters are rather curt in tone. The staff are willing to talk to parents at any mutually convenient time. In addition to the three parent / teacher evenings held throughout the year, the school organises curriculum workshops on many topics that relate to school issues as well as personal interest. Pupils’ annual reports are good. They provide parents with information regarding what their child knows, understands and can do and realistic targets for improvement for the coming year are also identified. Pupils are given the opportunity to comment on the report and parents also encouraged to make comments on the annual report, with regards to their child’s progress.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50 The majority of parents make a good contribution to their child’s education by helping with homework such as listening to them read, and helping them with spellings and learning tables. Parents support pupils with special educational needs well. They willingly attend review meetings which may be held three or four times a year. However, a minority of parents do not Paddock Primary School - 23 support the school or their children’s education by not ensuring they arrive at school promptly for the start of lessons and by ensuring their children are not absent from school for extended periods of time. At the present time the school is looking to developing holiday packs for pupils who do have extended absences, in an attempt to minimise this disruption to their education.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51 Leadership and management are satisfactory. The present headteacher has only been in post from January 2000. The acting deputy headteacher has been seconded from another school for one year and is to return to her school in September 2000. However in this short time the headteacher has been successful in developing a strong sense of teamwork and the majority of staff are working hard to the common goal of raising standards. He is already well thought of by governors, staff, parents and pupils and together with the senior management team has clearly identified appropriate priorities for the future.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52 The governing body fulfils all of its statutory duties apart from the provision for information and communication technology. Statutory requirements are not met in this subject and standards of attainment of the majority of pupils by the age of 11 are below the national expectation. Aspects of data handling, control and solving problems are underdeveloped throughout the school and pupils do not have sufficient time working with computers. The role of the governing body has improved over recent months with the new headteacher keeping them well informed of strengths and areas needing improvement by detailed and thorough reports.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 The main issues arising from the previous inspection have been well addressed. The overall planning of the curriculum is now well-structured and there are agreed programmes of work for almost all subjects. There is an agreed assessment system in the school and the information obtained from assessment data is used effectively to inform future teaching and learning. All lessons now have clear objectives for learning, which are shared with the pupils. There are systems in place for checking and evaluating the performance of the school and the new headteacher has useful plans regarding how this aspect can be developed further. Teaching has also improved. In the last inspection 23 per cent of teaching was judged less than satisfactory and this figure has declined to 6 per cent. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully implemented and both are having a positive impact on the

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

standards attained in English and mathematics. However, although standards are improving in these two subjects, the school is very aware that they need to continue to work hard to raise standards and improve pupils’ achievements.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54 At the present time there are newly introduced systems in place to check and evaluate teaching and the curriculum. However, as yet they are having a very limited impact on improving the unsatisfactory teaching that is occurring. Subject co-ordinators are also very new to their roles and although all have clear action plans for their subjects they have had very little time or opportunity to influence provision or teaching in their subjects. A few co- ordinators, for example the literacy and numeracy co-ordinators, have worked in classrooms but again there has not been sufficient time to effectively influence practice. There are informal discussions between all staff about strengths and areas for development in each subject area. Although checking and evaluating systems are satisfactory they are not stringent enough to effectively measure the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress and to identify where

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

teaching needs to be refined or where the curriculum needs to be adjusted. The feedback that the staff receive from the monitoring activities that do occur, is not sufficiently detailed to identify their strengths and key areas for improvement. The headteacher is aware of the need Paddock Primary School - 24 to develop a more formalised system of checking teaching and the curriculum. The school has suspended teacher appraisal because of teacher action but has clear plans to re-introduce teacher interviews and reviews when performance management becomes statutory in September 2000.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55 The headteacher has detailed plans of how to use assessment data to support the raising of standards and to set targets for English and mathematics. Already a detailed analysis has taken place of current assessment results and there are plans to modify and adapt the curriculum in September 2000. The acting deputy headteacher has carried out a great deal of work in analysing assessment results in order to identify trends and to target groups and individual pupils. This has been particularly useful this year in targeting pupils in Year 6 for the ‘booster’ classes in mathematics and science.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56 There is a satisfactory level of staffing and they are effectively deployed. All staff have received training in literacy and numeracy and the special educational needs co-ordinator has attended a variety of in-service courses. The school benefits from skilled specialist teachers who make a positive contribution to the quality of education being provided particularly for those pupils who have English as an additional language. The management of special educational needs is good and all statutory requirements are met. The co-ordinator meets with all class teachers and support staff every half-term to review the progress made by these pupils. There is a clear policy for special educational needs and appropriate guidelines for staff regarding the criteria for placement of pupils on the appropriate stage of the register of special educational needs. Governors are appropriately involved in special educational needs provision.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57 The accommodation is satisfactory and all areas of the school are used well. Throughout the school there are attractive displays, which encourage pupils to present their work carefully and celebrates their successes. Standards of tidiness and cleanliness are consistently good both inside and outside of school. Outdoor facilities are unsatisfactory. Although there are large playground areas, the sloping nature of the schoolyard hinders the effective development of pupils’ physical educational skills. The school library is satisfactory and resources for special educational needs are also satisfactory. Resources are satisfactory for all subjects, apart from information and communication technology where resources are limited. All resources are satisfactorily maintained and accessible to staff and pupils.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58 The newly written school development plan is a useful working document and is clearly focused on relevant educational priorities. Targets are set and costed and procedures are in place for checking and evaluating the extent to which these priorities are achieved. The schools’ financial planning is good and it manages its budget well. The school is careful that ‘earmarked’ funds are used appropriately. It makes efficient and effective use of funding for special educational needs. The specialist teachers employed for the pupils who have English as an additional language are deployed well and used effectively. Routine financial and administrative procedures are good and the school administrator can readily provide accurate financial information to guide the headteacher and governors. The governors ensure that the principles of best value are applied satisfactorily to the school’s work and to its purchasing of

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

59 In order to raise standards and to improve further, the governors, headteacher and staff should: Paddock Primary School - 25

p.24

Improve the quality of teaching in one of the Years 3 and 4 classes by:

• Raising expectations of what pupils are able to achieve both in terms of work and in behaviour; • Providing further support in behaviour management strategies; • Planning activities that build on pupils’ prior attainment; • Regularly supporting, checking and evaluating the quality of teaching and providing useful feedback to inform the teacher of strengths and areas for improvement. (Paragraphs:16, 27, 83, 89, 93, 99 & 105 )

p.25

Raise attainment in English by:

• Continuing to broaden and extend pupils’ vocabulary; • Encouraging pupils to read with expression and to consider the use of punctuation in reading to make sense of texts; • Improving pupils’ punctuation skills and use of grammar; • Improving pupils’ spelling ability. (Paragraphs: 15, 76, 77, 78, 79 & 80 )

p.25

requirements by:

• Implementing a scheme of work that addresses all strands of the ICT curriculum ; • Ensuring that pupils receive an appropriate amount of time to work with computers in order to develop their ICT skills in a progressive way; • Improving teacher subject knowledge and confidence in teaching ICT; • Planning for the use of ICT in each appropriate subject area; • Improving hardware and software provision; • Developing assessment and recording procedures. (Paragraphs: 11, 30, 52, 81, 94, 99, 110, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123 & 137 )

p.25

Enable subject co-ordinators to improve provision in their subject by:

• Providing the necessary training so that all with a monitoring responsibility are able to understand the extent of their roles and provides them with skills to monitor and evaluate effectively; • Ensuring that all co-ordinators have an appropriate amount of time in order to carry out their roles and responsibilities.; • Allocating time for co-ordinators to feedback to staff about strengths and areas for improvement in their subjects. (Paragraphs: 54, 85, 106, 110, 112, 117, 123, 129, 132 & 137 )

p.25

Improve the behaviour and attitudes of the minority of pupils by:

• Providing teachers with effective support and strategies to manage the pupils that have particularly challenging behaviour; • Ensuring that the behaviour policy is consistently implemented by all members of staff; • Adapting the existing behaviour procedures to include rewarding those pupils who behave well instead of merely tracking negative behaviour. (Paragraphs: 9, 15, 16, 27, 47, 93 &115 )

p.25

Improve the behaviour and attitudes of the minority of pupils by:

In addition to these main key issues there are other areas, which require attention. These are: Paddock Primary School - 26 Developing a more formalised system of checking upon teaching (Paragraphs: 54 & 95 ) Improving the imbalance of time allocated to different subjects (Paragraphs: 9, 30, 98 & 101 ) Developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the diversity of cultures within the British society (Paragraph: 39 ) Naming a person with responsibility for first-aid (Paragraph: 46 ) Paddock Primary School - 27

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.27

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.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 279

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 98

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 7

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 85

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 83

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 40

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 31

p.27

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Paddock Primary School - 28

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 23 43

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 12 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 18 19

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 70 77 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 15 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 19 18

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 77 79 74 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 26 18 44

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 10 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 7 8

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 61 39 55 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 15 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 9 9

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 61 55 61 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Paddock Primary School - 29

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 3 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 7 Other minority ethnic groups

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.7 Financial year 1999

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 529465

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8.2 Expenditure per pupil 1697

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 184 Balance brought forward from previous year 8172

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 4009

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 48

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 64

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Paddock Primary School - 30

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 55 42 0 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 39 48 8 0 5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 39 15 8 9

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 41 6 0 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 21 2 0 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 74 23 2 0 1

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 64 29 3 2 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 55 39 0 0 6

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 42 3 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 44 15 6 2 Paddock Primary School - 31

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60 The nursery and reception classes work as one large group in a large open area known as the early years' unit. There are discrete areas established in the large area to support different aspects of learning for children, for example, a music area. One of the key strengths of the early years’ unit is the creation of a stimulating and interesting area where resources are accessible to children and work is presented to a very high standard.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61 The quality of the work carried out in this area is one of the school’s strengths. The very well- organised curriculum combined with very good teaching is responsible for children achieving very well. The children are provided with a very effective start to their school life. The establishment of the early years' base in the past two years has provided the school with a solid foundation for other classes to build on at a later stage. The initial assessment given to children at the beginning of their reception year gives a picture of low attainment in reading, writing and number. Personal development is better except that there is a considerable difference between boys and girls, with boys’ skills being low. However, by the end of the reception year there is a considerable improvement in the attainment of children in each area of learning. The setting of challenging yet achievable targets from early on is one of the main

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

reasons why children improve particularly in reading.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62 There are 36 children of reception age in the unit. The majority attended the unit as part-time nursery children before moving to full-time attendance either in September or January, depending on their age. There are 48 nursery aged children attending the unit on a part-time basis.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63 The previous inspection indicated that children aged under five were provided with a good quality education. The school has built on this position and the establishment of the early years' base has further improved the provision for young children and it is now very good.

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Personal and Social Development

64 When children first start in the nursery their personal and social skills are not well developed. However, significant improvements are made during their time in the nursery leading to improved skills by the time they start in the reception class. However, most boys are still finding it difficult to settle into the nursery routines and their levels of maturity are not as advanced as those of girls. By the time they are ready to start Year 1 approximately 90 per cent of the children achieve the learning goals for personal and social development set for children of their age. This represents very good progress and indicates that most children achieve very well. The staff focus on providing children with a range of experiences that help them to co-operate and take on responsibilities. Each day starts with children grouped into ‘care’ groups. This time is used effectively to help children establish routines and to learn to

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Personal and Social Development

take turns and answer to their name. At this time the same adult works with each group so that the children’s progress is carefully checked. During snack time children are quick to say ‘please and thank you’. Individuals take turns to hand out snacks and take on this role with pride. Children show that they can sustain interest in one activity and have a will to succeed. The behaviour of children is very good and they show good levels of co-operation. The ‘buddy’ system, which links these young children with older pupils in the school, provides another opportunity for children to respond to a different situation. Careful and sensitive Paddock Primary School - 32 direction by adults allows opportunity for children to make decisions and choices. The very good teaching makes a positive impact on the children’s attitudes and is responsible for the improvement they make in their personal and social development. There is noticeable

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Personal and Social Development

difference between the attitudes of pupils in the 5 to 7 age group who have benefited from the early years' unit compared to those older pupils in the school who did not have this experience.

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Literacy and Language

65 The early years' unit puts much emphasis on improving children’s communication skills and on improving literacy skills, such as reading and writing. This helps to improve children’s skill levels from being well below those expected for their age when they start in the nursery to being just below average by the time they start Year 1. Nursery aged children are introduced from early on to stories that provide opportunities for them to dramatise. For example, the book, ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ is used to good effect to get children to recognise that print carries meaning. Children repeat phrases and carry out actions to simulate the journey in search of the bear. The use of the book by the teacher evokes an early sense of love for literature. Most reception aged children are able to recognise a number of common words such as ‘the’, ‘mummy’, ‘daddy’ and ‘said’. They are able to use their fingers to follow the

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Literacy and Language

words in a book that is read to them. A significant number are able to recognise the letters in the alphabet by words and sounds. These children are able to write unaided and show enough consistency with their phonics to enable the reader to understand what has been written. For example, in response to the story’ ‘Oi!, get off our train.’ by John Burmingham children have written words like ‘wif’ for ‘with’; ‘thrivin’ for ‘driving’; and ‘toD’ for ‘told’. There are many examples of less able children writing letter strings and beginning to behave like writers. The emphasis given to speaking and listening is very evident. The adults are very aware of the need to get children to clarify what they have said and what they mean. This helps children to explain themselves clearly and it also aids their listening skills. Teaching for this area of learning is also very good.

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Mathematics

66 As with literacy and language there is much emphasis given to developing children’s mathematical skills. It is in this area that the progress made by children is at its best. Children who start the nursery with well below average skill levels improve to a point of being just below the levels expected by the time they leave the reception class. This represents very good progress. This is mainly due to the very challenging activities that are organised for the children. Reception aged children are able to thread a number of beads onto a string to match a written number up to ten. Another group use a 100 number square and place a 2-digit number accurately onto it. A third group uses a range of bears of various sizes and colours and can carry out many different mathematical operations with them. For example, placing them in order according size. Children have acquired a wide mathematical vocabulary and are able to

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Mathematics

record simple computations accurately although they do still reverse some of the numbers. There is evidence that children have collected data on information related to the local environment, for example, how many children live along streets that have names finishing with: avenue; road or street. They have helped to represent the data in a block graph and can talk satisfactorily about their findings. The teaching is effective because of the high level of organisation and the effective use of resources to support the activities. This enables the adults to spend time with one group knowing that another group do not always need adult support. Teaching is therefore of a very good quality for this area of learning.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Paddock Primary School - 33 67 Children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Very effective use is made of the local environment to support work in this area. Photographs of the outside area of the school also help children to focus on specific aspects of buildings and good links are made with mathematics when considering the shapes of grids and walls. Visits are made to the local shops and woods. The impact on the children’s learning is positive because of the quality of the questioning of the adults who go with them. For example, children are able to discuss what is sold in which shop because it is something that they were asked during the visit and this helps them to learn about the different products sold by each shop. Effective use is made of information and communication technology. Children learn to familiarise themselves with the keyboard and can operate a ‘mouse’ effectively. They can move the ‘cursor’ and

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

‘click on’ to a given part of the screen. They also use the computer to create pictures. They do so to link with work about buses. A visit by a person from the museum helps to focus attention on history. The children learn to handle a range of artefacts and can explain what they would have been used for in the past. The teaching is again effective because of the way the planning gives careful consideration of how to introduce new knowledge to children through direct experience. In addition to this the use of resources to stimulate discussion is very effective. The quality of teaching is good for this area of learning and is helping children to learn about their immediate environment and the way things used to be in the past.

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Physical Development

68 Children make good progress in their physical development. This is mainly due to the care given to the range of activities in which they participate. The outdoor play area is safe and enclosed. Children use a range of wheeled vehicles with precision and follow a roadway. The introduction of roadworks along the road provides children with new and interesting challenges to overcome. The traffic is reorganised to take account of the obstruction and the group of children digging play out a scenario that helps to link the physical and creative aspects of their learning. In a similar way the traffic lights used by the children helps them to know more about how a road system is used. Good teacher intervention, encouraging children to move in different directions, ensures that the challenge is heightened. Children are able to use a range of equipment effectively to join and cut paper and trace over pictures. They make good

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Physical Development

progress in the finer physical skills associated with desktop activities. The teaching is good for this area of learning due mainly to the care given to the learning that adults want children to achieve.

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Creative Development

69 Children in this area of learning make Very good progress because many of the activities undertaken by the children have an association with creativity. One of the strengths of the early years' unit is the ability to link the skill development in other areas with creative tasks. A music area has been established where children use a range of instruments and can perform for others. A group of children used instruments to accompany the singing of favourite rhymes such as ‘Humpty Dumpty’ and ‘The Animals went in Two by Two’. During this session all children are able to keep a rhythmical beat. They sing with much enthusiasm. The organisation of the music area is a particularly strong feature as is the management of children. A travel agent’s has been set up with a very good range of resources to help children play different roles involved in the selling or buying of a holiday. The use of road works and traffic lights in

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Creative Development

the outside environment also add to the opportunities provided for children to be creative. In these situations it is easy for children to slip from the real to a make-believe world. The quality of teaching is very good for this area of learning. This is mainly because the adults’ knowledge Paddock Primary School - 34 of the needs of children of this age is so well developed it is easy for them to ‘move on’ the learning of the children.

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Teaching and the Curriculum

70 The teaching is very good for children aged under five. There are particular strengths in the way adults are able to plan stimulating and interesting activities to motivate children. The activities are challenging and promote very good learning. Children work hard and concentrate well. The quality of the environment established in the early years unit is outstanding. Resources are very well set out so that children have access to them. Similarly, the way areas have been organised to promote different areas of learning is helping to make a positive impact on children’s learning.

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Teaching and the Curriculum

71 The curriculum is very good. There is very good evidence of progression through the way the activities have been planned so as to build on previous learning. The provision for children with learning difficulties and for those children with English as an additional language is also very good. There is good recognition of their problems as well as good support being provided for them.

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Teaching and the Curriculum

72 The early years' unit is a strength of the school’s because it gives good attention to moving on children’s learning and is having a positive impact on standards. There is very good liaison with parents and photographic evidence is used effectively to give parents a good understanding about what happens in the unit.

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ENGLISH

73 The school’s national test results have improved since the previous inspection but there are still concerns about aspects of reading, writing and speaking. The 1999 test results for both 7 and 11-year-olds show that standards are well below the national average. This has been the case for the past four years. The 2000 results for 7-year-olds have improved from a point of view of the lower ability. However, there is little improvement when considering the percentage of pupils who are attaining at or above the expected level for their age. The 2000 results for 11- year-olds are also broadly the same as in the previous year.

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ENGLISH

74 Reading results for 7-year-olds have shown a steady improvement since 1996 but standards were extremely low four years ago. The 2000 results show that there are fewer pupils than in previous years whose attainment is well behind the standard expected for their age. However, the percentage of pupils moving beyond the expected level for their age is still well below the national average. A similar picture is seen for writing with fewer pupils attaining at very low levels but the percentage attaining at or above the level expected for their age being well below the national average. When compared to similar schools the results are below average for reading but close to the average for writing. The present Year 2 pupils are attaining below average standards for both reading and writing. Girls are performing better than boys in both reading and writing by margins that are far greater than that noted nationally.

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ENGLISH

75 The test results for 11-year-olds have been steadily improving since 1996 but from a very low base four years ago. The 1999 results were well below the national average but above average compared to similar schools. The 2000 test results are similar to the 1999 results. This means that the present Year 6 group is attaining at below average standards. Despite greater attention being given to reading and writing and focused attention being given to aspects of Paddock Primary School - 35 writing in particular, the results have not improved. Although girls are marginally performing better than boys, it is by an amount that is far smaller than is noted nationally.

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ENGLISH

76 Pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 achieve well, particularly the lower ability group. A large percentage of pupils are still struggling for fluency in their spoken communication. However, when considering that many start in the nursery or reception with very limited English they make good progress to be able to communicate to the levels that they do. One of the main problems relates to the level of confidence they have in their speaking and the limited range of the vocabulary they possess. Teachers work hard to improve the range of pupils' vocabulary and to increase their confidence in speaking. On the whole, pupils are finding it difficult to come up with alternative words for familiar words such as ‘woods’. There is good deployment of adults supporting pupils with English as an additional language. They provide much needed support for individuals and unobtrusively provide explanations when pupils are unsure of what

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ENGLISH

is said. Pupils in this age group (5 to 7 years) make good progress in their reading, particularly when it comes to working out the meaning of unknown words. However, they lack fluency and therefore expression in their reading. Good teaching generates much interest in reading amongst all pupils. Teachers help pupils to make predictions and to use phonics appropriately to read unknown words. Year 2 pupils are able to skim and scan information books and are taught how to focus on particular features of information books without needing to read the whole book. One of the most noticeable features of all teaching for this age group is the way teachers are continually seizing on opportunities to suggest alternative words or phrases when pupils are reading.

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ENGLISH

77 Pupils aged between 5 and 7 make good progress in writing although the achievement of more able pupils is less pronounced. The more able pupils write prolifically but tend to be too careless, especially in relation to forming full sentences and in aspects of their punctuation. The pupils find it difficult to follow through an idea and therefore end up moving from one idea to the next in a fragmented style. There are inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation and grammar, which prevent the better writers attaining higher levels. The average attaining pupils have many of the same faults and their vocabulary is also more limited. There is evidence of good progress when taking into account their starting points when they first start in Year 1.

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ENGLISH

78 Older pupils (aged 7 to 11 years) have many of the same problems as younger pupils when it comes to speaking fluently. Older pupils still struggle for fluency and frequently punctuate their thoughts with the word ‘like’. This is often to enable them to think about what they want to say next. The same pupils continually use the word ‘me’ for ‘my’ and there are other grammatical irregularities in common use. The lack of fluency in speaking gradually erodes pupils’ confidence in offering views and opinions. This, together with a lack of a wide vocabulary, results in pupils tending to find it difficult to express themselves as clearly as they would like. Listening skills are much better. Pupils are able to listen to what is asked of them and to listen to each other, especially during occasions like ‘circle time’ when the focus is on respecting each others’ point of view.

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ENGLISH

79 Pupils aged 7 to 11 make satisfactory progress in their reading. Although most older pupils are competent readers, there is a large percentage that does not read with much expression. Even during whole class reading there is a lack of intonation in their reading. Pupils are able to use a full range of skills to work out unknown words and apply comprehension skills appropriately. The majority of pupils are able to skim appropriately when looking for words in a dictionary or when carrying out research. Paddock Primary School - 36 80 Pupils aged between 7 and 11 make satisfactory progress in their writing. The main feature is that the more able, in particular, learn to use interesting and imaginative expressions but lack the punctuation and grammar to set out their thoughts appropriately. For example, a bright pupil uses the phrase, ‘he blended into the crowd like a chameleon’, but his writing still contain

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ENGLISH

simple errors like the use of the word ‘are’ for ‘our’. There are also examples of the good use of descriptive words, for example, ‘chilling cave’, or ‘cold, dull Saturday’. However, work is peppered with spelling mistakes of longer words like, ‘determined’ or ‘situation’. Average ability pupils are able to sustain a story line for prolonged periods and there is good sequence and clarity in their writing. However, their work contains less description and spelling and punctuation remain a weakness. Less able pupils are still at the stage of looking for consistency in using full sentences. Overall, pupils are attaining at levels that are below average, due mainly to their inconsistent use of grammar and punctuation.

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ENGLISH

81 Literacy is used appropriately to support work in other subjects, including mathematics. In one Year 5 mathematics lesson pupils are asked to read the objectives and discuss at some length words with which they are not familiar, such as, ‘perpendicular and parallel’. However, information and communication technology is not used as effectively with missed opportunities to link writing with word processing.

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ENGLISH

82 Teaching is good overall but is better with the pupils aged 5-7 than with the pupils aged 7-11. It is having a positive impact on younger pupils’ learning where the teachers are effective in teaching the basic skills of reading and writing and improving pupils’ achievement. In Year 2 the teacher is effective in helping pupils to understand about the way to use the contents page and to skim for information. The teachers of pupils aged 5 to 7 are particularly effective in drawing pupils’ attention to new words and therefore extending their vocabulary. They also manage pupils effectively. There are a few pupils in each group that are difficult to manage. However the teachers have a good range of strategies to control the class and they set high expectations in terms of behaviour. The good use of classroom support assistants is having a positive influence on the learning of pupils with English as an additional language and for those

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ENGLISH

83 Pupils aged 7 to 11 are taught well in most classes but there is some inconsistency in practice, which makes teaching satisfactory overall. In lessons where there is good teaching very effective explanations are provided for pupils. For example, in a Years 5 and 6 lesson on ‘haiku’ the teacher imaginatively describes the form of poetry as, ‘capturing a moment in time – taking a picture of it in words.’ In the same lesson there is good use of a range of strategies to keep pupils busy and working hard. In another lesson with less able pupils of the same age the teacher successfully uses replies to pupils’ letters as a stimulus for additional work. She is also most effective in helping pupils with special educational needs. She does this by introducing new learning in small steps so that they can cope and feel positive about their ability to cope. In contrast, to the good teaching there is poor teaching in one class of Years 3

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ENGLISH

and 4 pupils. The teacher’s manner is inappropriate leading to bright pupils having to border on rudeness to get their point of view across. There are serious concerns about this teacher’s expectations in terms of behaviour. Although all other teaching is of a far better quality there are concerns that in this one class the quality of teaching is negatively affecting pupils’ progress and achievements.

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ENGLISH

84 The staff have implemented the National Literacy Strategy well. They enjoy this way of working and feel secure about dealing with the required framework for teaching. Planning is satisfactory although there are some weaknesses in specifying clearly what pupils are to learn in each lesson. There is good support provided for pupils with special educational needs. There Paddock Primary School - 37 are regular reviews organised for them and their needs are addressed in their individual plans which are set out in such a way as to help them identify what they need to do to improve. There are good procedures in place to help keep track of pupils’ progress. This has enabled the school to identify areas of common concern, such as punctuation, grammar and expression in reading. There has been a visit from the Laurence Batley Theatre to provide ‘Jungle Book’ workshops for pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6 and this has had a positive impact on pupils motivation

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ENGLISH

85 The subject co-ordinator has only been leading this subject for a short period of time. She has accurately identified many of the weaknesses but has not had time to develop a plan to address them. However, in the short time she has had responsibility for English she has been able to support the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy effectively. She has also been able to analyse test results and begin the process of raising standards. Resources are adequate and all statutory requirements are met.

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MATHEMATICS

86 The 1999 average point scores in the National Curriculum tests indicate that pupils’ performance at the age of 11 is very low in comparison with the national average and in the lowest 5 per cent of schools nationally. In relation to similar schools pupils’ performance is well below average. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points score for mathematics since 1996 has been broadly in line with the national trend with the exception of 1999 when the school’s results did not match the upward trend seen nationally. Although the standards of work of the majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are below the national expectation in mathematics the National Curriculum test results in 2000 are much improved. This improvement is particularly attributed to the programme of intensive support (booster classes) provided for Year 6 pupils in the spring term. There are no noticeable differences

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MATHEMATICS

between the performance of boys and girls at the age of 11.

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MATHEMATICS

87 Pupils’ results at the age of 7 have also shown marked improvement this year. This improvement is attributed to the good teaching that is occurring in mathematics particularly in Year 2. This teacher has high expectations of what pupils are able to achieve and pupils respond well. In 1999, pupils’ attainment in the national tests is well below the national average but is average in comparison with similar schools. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points score for mathematics since 1996 has been one of improvement and in line with that seen nationally. Girls are performing better than boys in mathematics in this age group. The majority of pupils currently in Year 2 are performing at the expected level for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

88 Since the last inspection the school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and this is having a positive impact on the standards attained in mathematics. Low expectations were an identified weakness of the previous inspection and the National Numeracy Strategy has had a positive effect on raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils should be able to do. All teachers have received training and the daily three-part lesson is used effectively in most classes. The setting by ability of pupils aged 7 to 11 has a positive effect in meeting the individual needs of pupils, particularly where work is appropriately matched to the pupils' abilities. The pupils in 'booster' classes in Year 6 make good progress in these classes Paddock Primary School - 38 and, although some pupils still have difficulties, the teaching in these groups is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievements. The school set an appropriate target for the year 2000, which

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MATHEMATICS

89 All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, make good overall progress, as they move through the school and they achieve well in relation to their prior attainment upon starting school. The progress of younger pupils is better than that of older pupils and in one class of Years 3 and 4 pupils their progress is unsatisfactory due to the unsatisfactory teaching that they receive. The more able pupils are taught in this class and pupils become very frustrated with the lack of challenge that is offered to them by the teacher and low expectations of acceptable behaviour means that a significant majority of pupils are frequently engaged in off-task discussions. This was a weakness identified in the previous inspection, which has not been satisfactorily addressed.

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MATHEMATICS

90 By the age of 7, the majority of pupils are able to use different strategies to add 9 to a given number. They use a 100 square to identify number patterns. They are able to use this information to then add 11. A minority of pupils are able to do this mentally but the majority rely on the 100 square to support their thinking. More able pupils are able to extend their knowledge and confidently add 21 to a given number. The majority of pupils have a good knowledge of simple multiplication facts including the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. They use clock faces to tell the time and confidently use their knowledge of the 5 times table to solve problems involving time.

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MATHEMATICS

91 By the age of 11, the majority of average and more able pupils are able to solve simple number problems involving two or three different operations. They are able to identify factors of numbers up to 200. They show a good understanding of mean, mode and average. Less confident mathematicians are able to add two digit numbers to three digit numbers using a variety of different mental strategies. They demonstrate a secure understanding of symmetry and are able to use a mirror to help them find vertical and horizontal lies of symmetry. The majority of pupils use and explain competently the vocabulary of shape including: angle, perimeter, two-dimensional, obtuse and acute angles and regular and irregular shapes. Pupils know that the angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees.

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MATHEMATICS

92 The quality of teaching is variable but good overall. It is better with the pupils aged 5 to 7 than with the pupils aged 7 to 11. In all but one lesson teaching is at least satisfactory with one half of lessons good and a further third of lessons very good. Teachers plan their lessons well and share the lesson objectives with pupils. This helps pupils understand what is expected of them. The introductory part of the lesson focuses on mental and oral work. In some classes these introduction are particularly effective. For example, in Years 3 and 4 the teacher working with the lower set of pupils quickly engages the interest of the pupils through lively counting activities. Very good use of praise gives the pupils the confidence to try and develop their mental calculation skills. However, in other classes particularly in classes of pupils aged 7 to 11, the introduction is too short or does not involve all of the pupils This means that in some

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MATHEMATICS

lessons pupils are not yet learning sufficiently well how to solve number problems both quickly and accurately. Pupils enjoy mathematics lessons and respond with a high degree of participation as the majority of teachers successfully use a range of stimulating resources such as number fans and counting sticks. Marking and oral feedback are used effectively in most classes to motivate pupils and to acknowledge achievement and this helps to create an atmosphere where pupils have the confidence to answer questions and ask for help. Time is used well and the majority of lessons have a brisk pace. The end of lessons are used Paddock Primary School - 39 effectively to consolidate the work covered in the lesson, and the regular setting of appropriate homework extends the pupils' learning.

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MATHEMATICS

93 Where teaching is most effective, teachers have a good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy and provide challenging work for all groups of pupils. Relationships between teacher and pupils are very good and this gives pupils the confidence to try challenging tasks. During group activities or independent work, pupils are kept on task by the teachers' regular intervention and challenging questions. In one lesson for Year 2 pupils the teacher intervenes quickly when concentration wanders and praises contributions. A thorough assessment of the previous day’s work ensures that the teacher uses appropriate questioning very effectively to check on and consolidate understanding. Consequently the pupils are well motivated and achieve well. There is, however, a minority of pupils in most classrooms who misbehave and cause difficulties for teachers. In the majority of classrooms teachers manage

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MATHEMATICS

this misbehaviour satisfactorily. Groups or individuals are often well supported by another teacher, classroom assistant or another adult helper who are all well briefed. The less effective teaching in one class of Years 3 and 4 pupils is characterised by inadequate management of pupils' behaviour, which means that pupils are not engaged in the lesson, and the activities planned do not address the individual needs of the pupils in the group. Although it is the more able group of mathematicians, many of the pupils are unable to use a calendar appropriately and are unable to carry out the task set. Very little learning takes place in this lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

94 Opportunities are taken to develop numeracy skills in other subjects. For example in measuring activities in design and technology and in using bar charts and graphs to record their findings about measurements of different parts of the body in science. Literacy skills are used appropriately, with teachers encouraging pupils to read the learning target of the lesson carefully and time is spent on clarifying the meaning of unfamiliar words, for example, ‘perpendicular and parallel.’. There is very limited use of information and communication technology in mathematics apart from basic data handling work.

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MATHEMATICS

95 A weakness identified by the previous inspection was that there was no subject co-ordinator in post and there was a lack of systematic monitoring. This is now much improved and the management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has worked hard to successfully implement the National Numeracy Strategy. She has a clear overview of the subject and has observed lessons in classrooms and viewed teachers' planning. Information from classroom observations is fed back to teachers and used to identify common issues for future whole school development. The outcomes, however, are not formally recorded which would add to the longer-term usefulness of the information. Test and assessment information is analysed satisfactorily and action is taken to address weaknesses through target setting, for example, in grouping by ability and providing individual support for pupils where necessary. All staff are

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MATHEMATICS

clearly committed to raising standards. Resources are satisfactory and used well by staff. All statutory requirements are met.

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SCIENCE

96 When compared to all schools, the 1999 National Curriculum test results for 11-year-olds are well below the national average. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher grades in the tests is also well below the national average. In comparison with schools with pupils from a similar background pupils’ performance is well below average. Since 1996 there have been some fluctuations from year to year with the trend being one of steady improvement, although Paddock Primary School - 40 results are consistently well below the national average. The results of the tests for 2000 show that a significant majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are attaining the level expected for 11 year olds. The main reason for this dramatic improvement, is the newly introduced intensive 10-week programme of additional support (booster classes) given to pupils in Year 6, during the spring term.

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SCIENCE

97 The results of the 1999 teacher assessment for 7-year-olds indicate that attainment in science is well below the national average. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher grades is broadly in line with the national average. The 2000 teacher assessments show that the attainment of the majority of pupils currently in Year 2 is in line with the national expectation. The main reasons for this significant improvement are the introduction and consistent use of writing frameworks that more effectively develop pupils’ scientific thinking and this positively impacts on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science.

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SCIENCE

98 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and as a result pupils make appropriate progress in their learning as they pass through the school. Teaching is better with the pupils aged 5 to 7 than with the pupils aged 7 to 11. In Year 1, teachers ensure that pupils are involved in practical activities to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to make predictions and carry out simple tests. This is evident in a lesson in which pupils are finding out about the different ways that objects can be moved. As pupils pass through Year 2 they learn how to handle carefully simple scientific equipment to help identify the similarities and differences between living things. This is seen in a good quality lesson in which pupils are taught how to use magnifying glasses to observe four different kinds of plants. Within these practical activities the pupils show enjoyment and interest and are keen to take an active part in the

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SCIENCE

lessons. The teachers show secure subject knowledge, prepare their lessons well and stress the importance of the correct use of scientific vocabulary. This enables the pupils to develop their skills of being able to talk about their work confidently. However, there are blocks of time when little science is carried out, which hinders curriculum coverage and the development of pupils’ investigative skills. There is limited use of marking by teachers to suggest to pupils areas for improvement within their work. The introduction and consistent use of writing frameworks during investigations has helped to focus pupils thinking about their work in a more scientific manner.

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SCIENCE

99 A strength of teaching throughout the school is the way that the learning objectives are shared with the pupils so that they have a good understanding of what they are to learn. There are also effective questioning skills, as is seen in a lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4, given by the co-ordinator, in which her expertise enables the pupils to made effective progress and achieve well in their understanding of the types of animals that do not have backbones. Older pupils are given the opportunity to learn how to handle a wider variety of scientific equipment and to make observations over time to support their learning. This is seen in the work of pupils in Years 5 and 6 when using thermometers to take temperature readings during an investigation into how materials dissolve. The attitudes of most pupils to learning are positive, being eager to answer questions and showing enjoyment in their work, especially practical activities. There is,

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SCIENCE

however, a minority of pupils in most classrooms who misbehave and cause difficulties for teachers. There are inconsistencies in the teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work, which results in some teachers accepting work of an unsatisfactory standard. There is limited use of marking to set manageable targets for them to improve specific areas of their work. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to be involved in activities that develop the investigative skills of making evaluations and conclusions based on prior scientific knowledge. Consequently, by the time that they are 11, most pupils do not show an appropriate ability to identify the need for a fair test or to be able to plan and carry out a fair test Paddock Primary School - 41 independently of the teacher. Throughout the school there is very little use of pupils’ skills of using information and communication technology to enhance their work in science and this is

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SCIENCE

100 The progress of pupils with special educational needs, including those with English as an additional language, is good as a result of the well-structured support that they are given. Pupils are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills and as a result pupils are able to make effective contributions to class discussions during science lessons. Pupils satisfactorily use their literacy skills in their report writing in science and this has been helped by the introduction of the recording framework. Pupils also show that they are able to make satisfactory use of their numeracy skills, as is seen when Year 4 pupils are using bar charts and graphs to record their findings about the measurements of different parts of the body. The use of these literacy and numeracy skills is having a positive effect on the standards attained by pupils.

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SCIENCE

101 The science curriculum is satisfactory, being broad but in need of better balance so that there are more opportunities for older pupils to be involved in practical investigations. There is satisfactory subject leadership with the co-ordinator having an effective overview of the quality of education in the subject through the school. This has enabled her to identify weaknesses and set general targets for improvement, such as improving the quality of pupils’ investigative skills. The scheme of work has been improved since the last inspection and is successful in ensuring continuity and progression of pupils’ knowledge of the subject. It is not yet as effective in developing pupils’ investigative skills. The school is beginning to collect assessment information about the progress made by pupils as they pass through the school. However, this data is not yet being used in an effective manner to set specific targets for

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SCIENCE

individuals or groups of pupils to improve their performance. The school is to develop a collection of pupils' work to serve as examples of the required standards in science. Resources are adequate, well-managed and readily accessible to staff and pupils. All statutory requirements are met.

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ART

102 Only four lessons of art were seen during the inspection, but there was sufficient evidence of pupils’ work both in folders of work and on display around the school to show that pupils achieve well and attain good standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language also make good progress and achieve well. Pupils are presented with a broad range of activities in all areas of the subject and develop good skills in the use of different media. The presentation of art around the school incorporates the use of 3-dimensional objects and models, is very attractively displayed and successfully creates an aesthetically pleasing and stimulating learning environment. This maintains the position in the previous inspection. Art contributes effectively to pupils’ cultural development, with pupils having experience of a wide range of artists and sculptors. The local environment is used well

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ART

to enhance the pupils’ work in art and a sculptor in residence has been working with pupils on pieces for the school operatic performance.

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ART

103 Pupils aged 5 to 7, develop good skills in using a range of media. They learn to control drawing tools such as pencils, crayons and pastels and develop skills using line, shading and tone when creating their pictures. Their paintings of dolls, owls and bears reflect good Paddock Primary School - 42 observational skills. Younger pupils learn to blend colours and use observational skills in their paintings of clay faces. Pupils in Year 2 successfully learn to weave using a range of materials. There are useful links with information and communication technology as demonstrated through the creating of pictures using a variety of computer programs. Pupils learn to print using string patterns and create carefully crafted designs in a range of colours.

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ART

104 Pupils aged 7 to 11, work with a wider range of materials and work is often linked to other subjects. In Years 3 and 4, pupils paint posters linked to work on safety in science activities. Their observational drawings of faces and paintings of hyacinths indicate good pencil and brush control and attention to detail. Water-colour paintings successfully reflect sensitive interpretations of the work of O’Keefe. Pupils work in friendship groups to design and make flowers using clay and textiles. Years 5 and 6 pupils produce attractively crafted pictures of African masks using chalk, pastel and paint. They create very attractive designs of flowers using batik. Pupils give good attention to colour and shape when painting landscapes, using photographs as a stimulus. They develop this work by making effective use of the work of Cezanne for ideas on the use of colour. Good attention is given to tone and texture and the

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ART

105 The quality of teaching is good overall. It is good in Year 2, the only lesson it was possible to see in the 5 to 7 age range. Three lessons were observed in the 7 to 11 age group, one good, one satisfactory and one lesson was unsatisfactory. The unsatisfactory teaching resulted from the lesson not being well planned and pupils not being given an indication of the skills and knowledge they were to learn. Pupils were asked to create a flower using clay or textiles but the teacher gave no demonstration of the techniques or methods to be used by pupils and as a result they were unaware how to refine or improve their work. In the good lessons teachers demonstrate a secure understanding of the subject. Lessons are planned very carefully with clear learning objectives that are well matched to the previous learning of pupils. Teachers make clear the targets for pupils’ learning in their introduction to lessons and review progress

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ART

in a short plenary session at the end. Teachers demonstrate a confidence and interest in the subject, which enables them to make interesting and informative demonstrations, thereby assisting the pupils to perform well. They use direct instruction and skilful questioning to help pupils. Effective use is made of feedback and questioning to challenge pupils and develop their learning. As a result pupils’ are enthusiastic and interested in the subject and make good progress in their learning.

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ART

106 Co-ordination of art is not well developed. The co-ordinator for art has only held the post for three months and has only recently completed her first year of teaching. She has drawn up an action plan and has appropriate priorities for action including reviewing the policy document and scheme of work, which were drawn up in 1997. The co-ordinator is starting to compile a file containing examples of work reflecting all the skills and aspects covered in the National Curriculum programmes of study. Monitoring of standards and progress in the subject, however, is at an early stage of development but the school is aware of the need for this to take place. Resources are adequate and used satisfactorily by all staff.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107 During the inspection three lessons were seen in the 5 to 7 age range and two lessons in the 7 to 11 age range. Together with the work seen around the school and evidence of work in books this indicates that standards in design technology are satisfactory in throughout the school and pupils’ achievements are also satisfactory. Paddock Primary School - 43 108 From Year 1, appropriate emphasis is given to developing pupils’ skills in designing, making and evaluating. Year 1 pupils are able to think of their own ideas when designing moving pictures or models of a bus, a man or a cat. They work well together and share their ideas with each other. After completing their design the majority of pupils are able to draw their ideas on card and cut out the parts in preparation for their moving picture model. They use scissors well, taking account of safety and join moving parts to produce effective models.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Pupils in Year 2 develop these skills through designing and making appliqué patterns. They design and cut out paper patterns and pin fabric to their pattern accurately when making clothing for their dolls. Their use of scissors is good, giving due attention to safety. Pupils co- operate well, share equipment and help each other and as a result the majority produce effective patterns ready for sewing. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 design and make interesting working models of pneumatic pumps. They acquire a good vocabulary and can relate their knowledge of science to their work when talking of the way a model will move another object through inflating and deflating an attached balloon. Older pupils in Years 5 and 6 link their work in design and technology to a visit to a nearby playground. They have photographed the play equipment and discussed its suitability prior to making their own designs for playground

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

equipment. They make models using a range of materials and evaluate the end product effectively to explore ways in which it might be improved. Their work demonstrates an awareness of the strength obtained from triangular shapes and the development of a range of cutting and joining techniques. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are fully involved in technological activities and make good progress. All pupils make satisfactory use of their literacy and numeracy skills in this subject as they label diagrams, write evaluations, prepare designs and learn to measure their work accurately.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109 In all lessons seen, teaching was good. Teachers plan their lessons well and make clear to pupils the learning targets at the start of the lesson. Teachers have good subject knowledge and confidence when explaining and demonstrating to pupils. The tasks set for pupils are appropriate and the degree of challenge matches the ability of the pupils, which results in pupils being enthusiastic and eager to get on with the activities. Teachers make good use of questions and direct instruction to develop pupils learning and use positive feedback effectively. Teachers clearly identify what resources pupils will need to do their work. This helps pupils to be well organised and to think for themselves as they select from the range available to them. As a result lessons progress at a good pace. Pupils enjoy the subject and have good attitudes to the subject and work hard. They learn to co-operate together and work effectively in teams

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110 The co-ordinator has only recently been given responsibility for the management of the subject but has already drawn up an action plan based on appropriate priorities. She has drawn up a draft policy, which is to be presented to staff for consultation prior to ratification by the governors. The co-ordinator has carried out some monitoring of the subject through the examination of teachers planning and pupils’ work but has not been given time to observe teachers in their classrooms. Monitoring and evaluating of the subject is under developed and as yet the co-ordinator is not fully aware of strengths and areas for improvement in this subject. She does however, manages the budget allocation effectively, using it for the purchase of equipment and resources. Recording and assessment of design technology is not well developed and remains an area requiring attention. There is limited use of information and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

communication technology in this subject. Resources are satisfactory. There has been an improvement in pupils’ attainment since the last inspection and teachers are now more confident in teaching this subject. Paddock Primary School - 44

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

111 During the inspection the timetable arrangements gave limited opportunity for observing lessons. The amount of work available for scrutiny was also very limited and therefore made it difficult to make overall judgements about standards of work in these two subjects.

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

112 From the limited amount of work seen pupils are working at levels below that expected for their age in both subjects. This was also the situation at the time of the previous inspection, which indicates that there has been little improvement since that time. This is mainly because literacy skills are not as well developed as they could be and the co-ordinators for both subjects have only just started to look at issues related to progression and continuity in pupils’ learning.

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

113 In geography, pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 are able to use photographic evidence appropriately to help them understand more about different environments. The work related to a seaside environment helps them to explain why people take holidays and they can describe features of this environment which is different to the one that is familiar to them. There are examples of pupils using a good range of describing words to emphasise the differences in the environments. The lessons also provide opportunities for pupils to be curious as is seen when one pupils asks, How does wet sand dry out?’

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

114 In history, good links are made with the seaside resort theme. Pupils aged between 5 and 7 are able to use different photographs well to appreciate the differences between seaside resorts today and in the past. Year 2 pupils are able to look at a range of photographs and place them in order of time taking account of clues like transport, clothes and buildings.

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

115 In the lessons seen the teaching of the 5 to 7 age group the is satisfactory overall for both subjects but there is good teaching in Year 2, where the teacher is particularly effective in managing a group of potentially difficult pupils. Good use is made of resources for both subjects and the teachers are good at allowing discussions to develop and placing appropriate emphasis on pupils developing their thinking by following clues presented in the evidence, for example, from photographs. Pupils are keen to learn and work hard despite some wanting to distract others during introductions to lessons.

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

116 The standards of work for older pupils in both subjects are below that expected for their age. The limited amount of work available for scrutiny shows that too much colouring in of worksheets occurs. The opportunities for pupils to find out information through checking on evidence, which is prominent in Years 1and 2, is not being developed with older pupils. The one geography lesson observed reveals that Years 5 and 6 pupils appreciate that temperature varies from one location to another. When provided with a set of weather data the more able pupils are able to make sensible guesses as to where they may be, based on evidence that they have about world climates. During this lesson the teaching is good due to the good use of resources and the good links established with numeracy. The teacher has to work hard to keep a group of pupils engaged and is successful in doing so. However, this group is not very well

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

motivated and do not work as productively as they could. The school also makes suitable use of the local environment to enhance the pupils’ work in history, geography. This is seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 1 when they use photographs of a local church and mosque, taken on a recent visit, to discuss how and why they are different. Paddock Primary School - 45 117 The school finds itself at an interesting stage with regard to the provision for these two subjects. The co-ordinators are both very enthusiastic and dedicated but have not been leading the subject for long enough to influence the quality of the work carried out. This results in there being a lack of progression in pupils’ learning with recently adopted schemes of work not yet impacting on pupils’ attainment and progress. There is little monitoring of the work and teachers are not able to build on work done in previous years. The adoption of the recent

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

national guidance should help the school achieve a better level of continuity in these two subjects and to make greater use of the rich resources available in the local community.

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HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

118 There is no policy in place for history and the policy for geography needs to be updated. The overall picture is of two subjects that need much attention to guarantee progression in pupils’ learning, two enthusiastic co-ordinators ready to lead staff but little time allocated in the immediate future to achieve better provision. Resourcing in both subjects is adequate but there is limited use of information and communication technology in either subject. The fragmented picture seen in this inspection was also evident at the time of the previous inspection and confirms that the provision has not improved since that time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119 The attainment of the majority of pupils by the time that they are eleven is below the national expectation and pupils make unsatisfactory progress throughout the school. The statutory requirements in the teaching of this subject are not met, as the aspects of data handling, control and solving problems are underdeveloped throughout the school. Pupils throughout the school have a limited amount of time working at computers and consequently limited learning opportunities impair pupils’ achievement in this subject. The school has been unable to suitably improve provision since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120 The quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. There is a lack of subject knowledge and expertise among teachers and, as a result, pupils do not receive enough direct teaching to improve their skills. There is limited teacher demonstration to explain new skills or the use of questioning to reinforce learning. There are also times when, although pupils are learning to present information, they are not learning information and communication technology (ICT) skills. This was evident in lessons for pupils in Years 5 and 6 on developing a database of mountain ranges in which, the content was more of a geographical nature. When pupils are given direct teaching to develop their skills they make satisfactory progress. This is seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 2 about learning how to use the icons in the programme ‘Granny’s Garden’. However, as in other lessons in the newly developed ICT suite the lack of a sufficient numbers

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

of computers means that only a few pupils are able to benefit from this teaching during each week. This lack of suitable hardware and software means that teachers are unable to give pupils enough opportunities to use a range of ICT equipment and software to perform different tasks in a variety of situations. As a result younger pupils do not show suitable confidence when using computers and are limited in their ability to generate their own ideas through tables or pictures, or retrieve, process and display information. They do not show a satisfactory ability to use ICT to control devices or to be able to talk about what they have done using appropriate language.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121 Older pupils’ skills are insufficiently developed and they do not effectively learn how to use ICT to explore and solve problems in a range of subjects. By the time that they are eleven most pupils can use computers for word processing and some information gathering but are limited in their ability to use information and communication technology to organise and present Paddock Primary School - 46 their ideas. Throughout the school the pupils are not given enough time on computers to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills within the subject. The attitudes of most pupils are positive and they treat equipment with respect, are well behaved and are able to sustain their concentration. When working in pairs on the computer they collaborate well and show enjoyment in what they are doing. There are times, however, when a minority of pupils misbehave and cause difficulties for teachers.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122 Pupils can use word processing to support their work in other subjects, but this is only at a basic level and pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to be involved in more challenging activities such as desk top publishing to improve their literacy skills. Similarly, there is some use of numeracy skills in basic data handling to support work in mathematics, but these skills are not well developed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123 Leadership of the subject is unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and committed to raising standards but her role is not sufficiently developed to enable her to effectively monitor and support an improvement in the quality of the subject throughout the school. Information technology is used to support only limited areas of the curriculum and is underdeveloped in English, mathematics, science, art, history, geography, music and religious education. Assessment procedures are underdeveloped and teachers do not have a clear view of pupils’ attainment in the subject. The recently developed information technology suite is a marked improvement in the school’s provision for this subject but currently there is still inadequate resource provision both in terms of hardware and software. There is planned intention and the necessary funding to significantly improve the number of computers and associated software

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

in the very near future, and to provide training for teachers to develop their expertise in order to raise standards in the subject.

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MUSIC

124 Standards attained by pupils aged 7 and 11 are good. At the time of the previous inspection attainment in music was good, this remains the case and the subject is a strength of the school. Pupils of all levels of attainment make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make similar progress to others of similar ability in their year groups. Music contributes positively to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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MUSIC

125 By the age of 7, pupils sing clearly and in tune. They perform well together in class and when all classes are brought together for singing sessions. By Year 2, pupils are able to sing simple songs with changes in pitch and tempo. They sing rounds confidently and enjoy the choice of music presented to them in singing sessions. For example in a singing session for pupils aged 7 to 11 they learnt “Miss Polly” with avid attention and enthusiasm and then followed by singing “Yesterday” with feeling and obvious enjoyment. Pupils in Year 1 learn to associate the sounds of instruments with particular animals and play the instruments as an accompaniment to their singing.

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MUSIC

126 Pupils aged 7-11 years listen to and respond to music from different times and places. Years 3 and 4 pupils express their feelings in relation to the music of Grieg. They develop rhythmic skills and learn to create their own small compositions using a range of percussion instruments. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have written a musical (“Chalkface”) involving music and lyrics. They have developed this over the last few weeks and will present it to an audience of parents in the evening. The dress rehearsal indicates that pupils have well developed composition skills. Paddock Primary School - 47 Music is well written, melodious and very effective in creating moods related to the scenes in the performance. Pupils are skilled in choral chanting and singing. The singing is tuneful, words are clearly enunciated and pupils are confident in using pitch. They obviously enjoy the subject and as a result work hard to improve their performance. Pupils’ skills in composing and

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MUSIC

performing are very good. Pupils are very confident when performing in front of an audience and a number sing solo performances with accomplished skill. The quality of pupils’ singing across the whole key stage is good. In singing sessions pupils’ singing is tuneful and diction is clear. They are enthusiastic, well behaved, attentive, interested and react with obvious pleasure when a particular song is announced as the next to be practised.

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MUSIC

127 A significant number of boys and girls learn brass, woodwind, string and keyboard instruments. Their attainment is good. There are recorder groups for pupils in Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The school choir rehearses regularly and performs for the school and also the local community. Each year the school takes part in the Local Education Authority Arts Week.

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MUSIC

128 The teaching of music is good in lessons. Teachers plan their lessons well and present appropriately challenging activities to pupils. The strength in the teaching is found in the sessions for whole year groups or key stages where an individual teacher with specialist skill leads the session. For example a singing session for pupils aged 5 to 7 was well led by a teacher who demonstrated confidence in the subject. She joined in the singing, demonstrated songs to pupils and conducted their singing sympathetically and clearly. This resulted in pupils rapidly learning the words of new songs and singing them with enthusiasm and skill. The session went very well and pupils performed to a high standard. Similarly sessions for pupils aged 7 to 11, led by two teachers, went very well. Both teachers have good subject knowledge and are confident. One teacher has particular skills and her singing of songs as

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MUSIC

demonstration prior to pupils performing them, is a strength. The clear instruction and demonstration led to attention to detail in the singing. Pupils’ singing is tuneful and pays good attention to time, rhythm, dynamics and tempo. They perform rounds with skill and enjoyment and respond in a lively manner when asked to select a song they wish to repeat.

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MUSIC

129 Subject management is satisfactory. There is a clear policy document and scheme of work. Although the co-ordinator is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of staff with regard to music there is no co-ordinated approach to monitoring the subject. The co-ordinator looks at teachers’ short-term plans but does not observe teachers in their lessons. There is no whole school approach to monitoring pupils’ progress through a record keeping system. However, the present co-ordinator has only been in post for eighteen months. She is a skilled musician and plays an important role in developing the subject. Her singing and piano playing skills provide the stimulus for good standards of singing throughout the school. She has drawn up an action plan with appropriate priorities including a review of the policy and scheme of work, which, she realises, will require reviewing to fit into the revised National Curriculum from

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MUSIC

September. Resources for this subject are satisfactory. However, the use of information and communication technology in this subject is limited.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130 Due to timetabling arrangements no lessons were observed for pupils in Years 5 and 6 and as a result there is not enough evidence on which to make a secure judgement on the standards attained by pupils by the time they are 11. However, at the age of 7, pupils’ attain standards in line with that expected for their age. Paddock Primary School - 48 131 The quality of teaching for pupils aged 5 to 7 is satisfactory. The teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and there are appropriate expectations of pupils’ behaviour and of what they can achieve. The planning of lessons is satisfactory with clear learning objectives linked to suitably challenging activities. Teachers set good examples by dressing appropriately for physical education lessons and as a result are able to demonstrate techniques in an effective way, as was seen in dance lessons for pupils in Years 1 and 2. In these lessons the pupils are able to

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

demonstrate the ability to move in a variety of ways with a satisfactory awareness of space. There is appropriate emphasis placed on the teaching of basic skills, as was seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 1 on developing their bat and ball skills. In a good quality lesson for pupils in Year 2, the pupils make good progress in their throwing and catching skills because of the teacher’s emphasis on the use of correct technique. By the time they are 7, the majority of pupils can plan and perform simple skills safely, and can improve their performance by practice. In general, however, there are limited opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own and others performance. The pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive, showing enjoyment and enthusiasm in their activities. They co-operate well in small team games and show due regard to the need for safety when using equipment. As they pass through the school the boys and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

girls benefit from a wide range of activities, which gives them confidence and many opportunities to learn from each other. In a very good lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4 they make very good progress in their ability to bounce and pass balls with control. This is a direct result of the teacher’s high expectations of pupils’ performance and her high quality demonstration of techniques to be used. The pupils in Years 5 and 6 are able to attend swimming lessons and a good proportion of the pupils are able to swim 25 metres on leaving the school. Pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language are fully involved in physical educational activities and they also make satisfactory progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132 There is satisfactory subject leadership by a co-ordinator with secure subject knowledge who is currently developing the scheme of work to better promote progression in skills through the school. Assessment procedures are underdeveloped and are not used effectively by teachers to plan future activities. Monitoring and evaluating procedures are also under developed and the co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to identify strengths and areas for improvement in this subject. The accommodation is restricted and the sloping nature of the schoolyard hinders the effective development of pupils’ physical skills. Resources are adequate, in satisfactory condition and well managed. These resources have been enhanced by the school’s involvement in the ‘Tops’ scheme. There is a satisfactory programme of extra-curricular activities, including competitive team games, that enriches the subject curriculum and this

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

shows improvement since the last inspection. The provision is enhanced by the use of outside agencies such as coaches from Huddersfield Town Football Club and Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Club who have worked with pupils to develop their physical education skills.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133 As at the time of the previous inspection standards of attainment at the age of 7 and 11 match the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. All pupils including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make satisfactory progress and their achievements are also satisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134 Pupils aged 5 to7 develop their understanding of similarities and differences between the stories in Muslim and Christian holy books. They explore similarities and differences between 'ourselves and others' and learn to work together and care for each other. They know that Muhammad is the leader of the Islamic faith and that Jesus is the leader of the Christian faith. Paddock Primary School - 49 By the end of Year 2, pupils have developed a satisfactory understanding of what makes holy places ‘special’ and the different places of worship. They produce their own prayers and understand why we pray. They have a satisfactory understanding of Allah and God.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135 Pupils aged 7 to11 continue to make satisfactory progress in developing their religious knowledge and understanding. Pupils with special needs and those with English as an additional language also make satisfactory progress. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn the ways of life of Islam and Christianity in more detail. They discuss the favourite celebrations of each faith and learn the particular features of both through discussion and the use of artefacts. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn about the birth of Buddha and write interesting newspaper articles, developing good links with work in literacy. They use stories and role-play to explore moral issues and develop a sensitive awareness of the similarities between themselves and others. Effective use is made of ‘circle time’ to explore experiences and feelings and develop a sense of self worth and of valuing of others. By the age of 11 pupils have an appropriately

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

detailed understanding of the events and people of major world faiths. They are beginning to develop appropriate respect for the religious beliefs and practices of others and are developing a sense of awareness of the spiritual nature of faith.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136 The teaching of pupils aged 5 to 7 is satisfactory and it is good for the pupils aged 7 to 11. Teachers have a good knowledge of the major world religions and plan their lessons conscientiously. As a result teaching is effective in helping pupils to develop their religious knowledge and understanding and in supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers of the younger pupils make use of the locality and artefacts to make their lessons more interesting to pupils. All teachers make effective use of direct teaching and discussion to develop pupils’ understanding of the use of prayer and the importance of particular buildings. The teachers of the older pupils are confident when using artefacts. They make the subject more exciting for pupils and present interesting activities to them. They respond positively to questions from pupils and develop pupils’ understanding of other faiths

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

through discussion. Teachers’ class control is good and behaviour in lessons is generally good, although some pupils occasionally display a lack of response and a negative attitude to the work, which teachers do well to control. Teachers also make suitable use of the local environment to enhance the pupils’ work in religious education. This is seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 1 when they use photographs of a local church and a mosque, taken on a recent visit, to discuss how and why the buildings are different.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137 The subject co-ordinator has held the post for a total of three years although she only returned from secondment last September. There is a policy, which was drawn up in 1997, and a school scheme of work written in accord with the locally agreed syllabus. These provide teachers with clear guidance of what to cover in each year. There is no whole school approach to recording pupil progress and monitoring of the subject is underdeveloped. The co- ordinator does monitor work in the subject through half-termly discussions with teachers to check what they have taught but monitoring of pupils’ work and classroom observation are not carried out. The co-ordinator has drawn up an action plan, which includes appropriate priorities including review of the policy document, development of the curriculum throughout the school and development of short term planning procedures. However, there is no plan to

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

start monitoring teaching in the subject and this is an area for further development. Resources for religious education are satisfactory but there is limited use of information and communication technology in this subject.

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