High Lane Primary School

HIGH LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr D Twist OIN 1492

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HIGH LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st – 23 rd May 2001

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HIGH LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 190052 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 High Lane Primary School - iii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Andrew Lane High Lane Stockport Postcode: SK6 8JQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Robert Taylor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. High Lane Primary School - iv

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Team members

David Twist 1492 Registered inspector Jane Hughes 11084 Lay inspector Brian Ashcroft 30954 Team inspector

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Team members

Primary Associates Limited West Lancs Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale WN8 9TN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

High Lane Primary School serves boys and girls between 4 and 11 years old. It is of average size with 220 pupils on roll. Almost all pupils are of white ethnic background and none are learning English as an additional language. The school draws the majority of its pupils from the local area, which has good social and economic circumstances, About a third of pupils come from areas further afield, some of which are not as advantaged. Including those with statements, 13 per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is below the average figure. The number entitled to free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Pupils enter the reception class with a broad range of ability but recent assessments show that overall attainment is average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has grown in size over the last few years. This has been partly due to an influx of pupils following the closure of a nearby primary school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

High Lane is an effective school. It achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science, and has developed a very good climate for learning. Most of the teaching is good or better. The school is well led and the headteacher, staff and governors are always looking for ways to make it better. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science. • The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and their mature attitude to school helps them to make good progress • A high proportion of the teaching is good or better, with that in the nursery, Year 4 and Year 6 particularly effective and stimulating. • The headteacher and senior staff provide effective leadership and along with contributions from staff and governors, have created a climate in which the school constantly evaluates its work and seeks to improve. • The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so that they can be active partners in their children’s learning.

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What could be improved

• The school needs to put more strategies into place to fully stretch the highest attaining pupils, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress in addressing the very few points for development in its previous inspection of October 1996. Schemes of work and documents outlining the school’s approach have been developed for all subjects including religious education as well as for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This has helped teachers to plan activities which demand steadily more of the pupils as they progress through the school. As well as dealing with these issues, the school has successfully put into place a wide range of High Lane Primary School - 2 other initiatives, which have improved its effectiveness. For example, it has adopted and adapted the national arrangements for literacy and numeracy teaching and these are helping to improve standards. The school’s systems for checking pupils’ progress have improved and it now has a clearer view of strengths and weaknesses in standards of work. This

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

enables it to take well-directed action to target any instances of under-achievement, particularly in English and mathematics. Leadership and management have been further strengthened. This is particularly so in the way in which information is gathered on the school’s performance and used by all those responsible to set out a clear long term plan for improvement.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The school’s results show an overall improvement over the last three years when compared to the national picture and show that pupils aged 11 are now achieving beyond what is expected of them, particularly in English and science, where over half exceeded the expected level in the 2000 tests. In English, writing is particularly strong. The school’s trend of improvement in results over the past five years has not been as steep as the national average. This is because they began at a high level in 1996 and dipped to in line with the national average in 1998. The main reason for this was the number of pupils taking the tests that year who had joined the school from another school that was closing, and who had not experienced their full time in High Lane. Work seen during the inspection in Year 6 confirms that the school has now firmly consolidated the good standards of last year, and pupils in Years 4 and 5

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Key

are also well on the way to good attainment at 11. Mathematics results for 7 year olds were well below average in 2000 even taking into account the fact that this cohort was below average on entering reception. Standards are now much better and 7 year olds are in line to meet national expectations. The school has set realistically challenging targets for 2001 based on pupils’ previous levels of work, and these are likely to be achieved. Whilst pupils achieve well across the school, the highest attainers could do even better, if stretched more in areas other than literacy and numeracy.

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Key

Pupils in the Foundation Stage make good progress and almost all are on line to achieve, and in many cases exceed, what is expected by the end of reception. Progress is especially strong in the nursery.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The vast majority of pupils work hard and are keen to get involved in the tasks they are set. Their enthusiasm for learning makes a big contribution to the progress they make. High Lane Primary School - 4 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons, at playtimes and when moving around the school. They are exceptionally courteous and show consideration for others.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are always ready to support each other in their work and they co-operate very well. They respond extremely well to the many opportunities to take responsibility and to show initiative. Older pupils show great maturity in the way they relate to adults and younger children.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Better than in most schools. Pupils arrive in good time and lessons start promptly.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Overall, teaching in the school is good. In 70 per cent of lessons seen, the teaching ranged between good, very good and excellent (9 per cent excellent, 26 per cent very good and 35 per cent good). The rest was satisfactory. Teaching is consistently good for children in the Foundation Stage and in the nursery it is very good. In Year 6, teaching is excellent and it is also very good in Year 4. At the time of the inspection, Years 3 and 5 were being taught by supply teachers who were new to the school and still getting to know their classes. Teaching here was more ordinary as expectations of what pupils can do are still being established and are not yet challenging enough for higher attaining pupils. Their good attitudes to work however, enable most pupils to make good progress. Both literacy and numeracy are being well taught with good attention being given to developing fluent reading, well structured writing and sound mental arithmetic skills. There is more good and better

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

teaching than at the time of the last inspection.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teachers plan lively and interesting activities which capture most pupils’ interests. They are good at setting out clearly for pupils the main ideas to be learned. This helps them to understand what they are trying to achieve and helps them to know how well they are getting on. A particularly good feature of much of the teaching is the way staff create a working atmosphere which is both purposeful and enjoyable for pupils. This has the effect of encouraging pupils to try hard and to have a go at challenging tasks, often in co-operation with others. Most pupils are very responsible learners and work well both individually and in groups. Teachers have high expectations in most classes and encourage pupils to think for themselves. Support staff are mostly well deployed and well briefed in their roles. They use their initiative in offering the right amount of help at the right time to the pupils who need it. The

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

newly established computer suite is used well by teachers to extend pupils’ information technology skills and help them develop knowledge in other subjects.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Most of the time, teaching is equally good for all groups of pupils. Those with special needs are well supported both in class and when withdrawn for small group High Lane Primary School - 5 teaching, because suitable work is presented in a form that all can fully understand. Occasionally the highest attaining pupils are given the same tasks as the majority in lessons other than mathematics and English. Whilst they complete these to a high standard they could go even further with more challenging work. This is also true of some homework, which is mostly well used by teachers to reinforce pupils’ key skills.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, but the school takes care to ensure that other subjects are not neglected The school is good at taking opportunities to develop learning in different subjects through the same activity.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision is made for these pupils. Whilst some individual education plans are too wide-ranging and not specific enough in their targets, the strategies used in lessons are better and help these pupils to make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ personal development is very good. They are given opportunities to take responsibility and show initiative. Great emphasis is put on the pupils’ all round development. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on spiritual, social and moral issues and to raise their awareness of other cultures as well as their own.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes good care of its pupils and staff are sensitive to their needs. Procedures for ensuring their welfare, health and safety, including child protection, are good.

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Aspect Comment

The school meets all statutory requirements for the curriculum. There is an average range of extra curricular activity and visits and visitors are well used to enrich the pupils’ learning experiences. A residential visit for the oldest pupils further enhances their personal and social development. The information technology curriculum is better resourced than at the last inspection and the newly opened computer suite is being well used to help pupils to achieve good standards.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and key staff provide effective leadership in the way they set clear direction for the work of the school. All staff contribute to development planning and the school is successful at identifying what needs to be improved and taking action to achieve it.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil all their statutory responsibilities. They have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and are very supportive of its development, involving themselves fully in key policy decisions and new initiatives.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is very good at checking on its performance. Procedures for tracking pupils’ progress are strong and the information is acted upon. The quality of teaching and learning are regularly checked and any issues dealt with. All staff audit their areas of responsibility and know what needs to be developed to make further improvements. The school development plan highlights clear criteria by which the effectiveness of High Lane Primary School - 6 actions will be measured.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources efficiently and it spends its money in line with identified priorities. The headteacher and governors plan ahead carefully to ensure that the school is well resourced.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher, staff and governors work well together to promote a strong culture of self- evaluation and improvement. This helps to maintain the pace of change and development. The school applies the principles of best value when allocating resources. There is wide consultation before making financial decisions and careful measurement of the effectiveness of expenditure.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The school expects their children to work hard. • Children like school, behave well and make good progress. • The teaching is good and the school is well led. • The school helps children to become mature. • The ease with which they can approach the school with questions or problems. • Some parents think there are not enough after school clubs and activities. • Some do not think the school works closely enough with parents. • Some would like to be better informed about how well their children are getting on.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team fully agrees with the parents’ positive comments but does not endorse the views of some on the three areas for improvement. The range of activities offered outside lessons is similar to that found in most schools of this type and size. The school has comprehensive arrangements for communicating with parents and seeks to work in partnership with them in promoting their children’s learning. High Lane Primary School - 7

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

1. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ English work is impressive, particularly in the range and quality of their writing. There are several key reasons for this. Teachers give plenty of attention through the school to the basic skills of grammar, spelling and handwriting. They concentrate particularly upon the importance of building text so that it has variety in sentence structure and well- chosen vocabulary. Individual and group targets set for pupils help them to focus upon what they need to do to make their writing better. This approach results in well-presented and accurately written work, in which pupils take great pride as they reach the top of the school. The curriculum for English puts a lot of emphasis on reading a wide range of good quality literature and poetry. This provides a role model to encourage pupils to produce a substantial amount of writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences. Whether pupils are writing

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

reports on their science investigations, letters of complaint to a newspaper, play scripts or accounts of their favourite fiction, they concentrate hard on finding the most appropriate way to express themselves. The quality of poetic and imaginative writing is especially high with pupils in Year 6 using excellent description such as ‘The wind shrieks violently like a ghost in agony’ in a piece entitled ‘The Storm’. Much of the pupils’ achievement in writing is based upon a strong foundation in reading. Pupils have become fluent and expressive readers who are confident in the skills of accessing both depth of meaning in fiction, and information in non-fiction material. Also underpinning English attainment is the emphasis put upon giving pupils opportunities to speak at reasonable length. This gives them the chance to practise expressing themselves, and teaches others to listen carefully.

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

2. For the majority of the current Year 6, attainment in mathematics is well above average. Much of this is due to the way the curriculum puts a strong emphasis upon numeracy, for example in regular mental arithmetic work. Here, pupils are made to think hard and respond quickly as teachers ask for explanations of how pupils arrived at their answers and also ask for alternative ways of working through to a solution. Pupils are keen to explain the different ways they reach their answers and this helps to consolidate their understanding of the skills being taught. The best teaching involves all pupils in these sessions, as for example when Year 6 write their individual answers on small whiteboards as they calculate percentages. Teachers have high expectations of pupils in most lessons and they are expected to work at a good pace. The curriculum is well organised to offer work at an increasingly challenging level

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

which builds well on what pupils have already achieved.

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

3. Pupils show a good level of knowledge and understanding in science. In the 2000 tests they performed very well after a dip over the previous two years, and over half exceeded the expected level. Current work shows this higher level to have been maintained and the range of work covered over the year shows a good balance across the different strands of the subject. One of the key reasons behind pupils’ achievement in science is the level of practical High Lane Primary School - 8 investigation which they undertake. This gives them a strong grasp of the scientific method as they learn to observe the conventions of fair testing, predict the outcomes of experiments, and take careful observations and measurements in carrying them out. Pupils show that they can record the results of their work in a variety of ways, including the use of graphs, tables and charts. Their familiarity with practical investigation is supported by well-

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The school achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science

planned activities across the whole age range. From observing butterflies hatching in nursery, through experimenting with electrical circuitry in Year 2, to studying insulating properties of materials in Year 4, pupils back up their knowledge with valuable first hand experience.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

their mature attitude to school helps them to make good progress.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

4. Pupils’ high levels of personal development enable them to become very effective learners; they become valued members of the community, and are socially and morally aware of the impact of their actions on others.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

5. There is a very strong focus on pupils’ personal development across the school. As a result of the consistently effective opportunities they experience, the oldest pupils are mature and spirited learners, high in self-confidence. The headteacher and staff set challenging expectations for pupils and this leads them to strive for excellence in their work and to shoulder school-wide responsibilities with conscientious care and pride.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

6. An example of how the school engenders social responsibility and a sense of community in its pupils is through the School Council. Realistic “election campaigns” are held and each year group votes in the ballot, giving even the youngest pupils experience of the democratic process. Elected class representatives are keen to publicise their role, giving personal reasons for wanting to stand for the Council. For example ‘ I want to help to make decisions that will make the school better’. Members have participated in a local meeting of Schools’ Councils with the Mayor of Stockport where, through public presentations, they compared what each Council did and learned from one another. Pupils are keen to make a difference to the school. Already, following requests from pupils, the lunchtime environment has been improved through the purchase of floral displays for the tables. Playtime equipment has also been purchased for all classes to use and enjoy.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

7. Class-led collective worship is another area where teachers encourage pupils to take a central role. Pupils decide on a topic, research it independently and produce props and accompanying music. The Year 6 pupils, who led an assembly on the theme of ‘Temptation’ during the inspection, were supremely confident and communicated the central message really well that we are all tempted in life– it’s how we deal with the temptation that counts. Not only were the pupils confident about delivering their prepared script but they were comfortable enough to lead a question and answer session and to enlist the help of other pupils from all classes with skill and humour. The assembly provided an excellent opportunity for pupils to demonstrate their individual High Lane Primary School - 9 competencies as well as providing their audience with a good example of how they might themselves approach a similar task in the future.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

8. A first class foundation for such strong personal development is laid down in the nursery class. Here, very young children work with great enthusiasm and vigour. They too demonstrate great confidence in their own abilities due, in great part, to the emphasis put on developing this by the nursery staff. They are very supportive of children’s ideas and constantly encourage them to complete tasks for themselves. Children are quick to ask for help and are confident to approach visitors and chat to them. One boy asked “Could you hold this ribbon tight for me so that I can cut it please?” He waited until the ribbon was taut and then successfully used his scissors to cut the length required. Children relate very easily to each other and to adults, automatically use common courtesies and hold substantial conversations about what they are doing.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

9. There is a purposeful working atmosphere in the school, with all members of the community busily engaged in meaningful activity. Pupils carry out a large number of monitorial roles without direct adult supervision. Some undertake office duty at lunchtimes and others take care of the younger members of the school, guiding them around the building and helping them with their lunches. Road safety representatives liaise with outside bodies and co-ordinate the road safety work of the school and many pupils are eager to represent the school at sporting and other community activities. These opportunities help to raise pupils’ self-confidence and skill levels.

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The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ personal development and

10. While all this is happening, pupils also give time to those less fortunate and run a series of fundraising events during the year to benefit charities, both national and international. Pupils demonstrate strong moral awareness and show a willingness to spend time producing ideas and articles to raise money; for example in a school 'fayre'. The extent of this work is to be commended.

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Year 4 and Year 6 particularly effective and stimulating

11. There are some significant strengths in much of the teaching seen during the inspection. At each end of the school (in nursery and Year 6), teaching is exceptionally strong. It is also very good in Year 4. Many of the good lessons share common features. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons thoroughly and take care to make it clear to pupils exactly what they are expected to learn. For example, Year 6 pupils were told that they would be learning how to find their way around an Internet site to locate information on the Peak District. Most teachers show enthusiasm for the tasks in hand and this motivates pupils to want to learn. They have high expectations of what most pupils can manage. For example, even in the nursery, the teacher is not afraid to use challenging vocabulary to stretch children’s understanding. When observing butterflies, for example, she asked ‘What does liberate them into their natural

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Year 4 and Year 6 particularly effective and stimulating

environment mean?’ The children offered sensible interpretations such as, ‘It means let them go’ or ‘It means don’t keep them in a building.’ Teachers often begin lessons by recapping on what pupils should already know from previous High Lane Primary School - 10 work. This sets the context for new learning and enables the teacher to pitch the lesson at the right level, or see if there is a need to reinforce a key point before moving on. In some lessons, teachers are very good at setting activities that require pupils to collaborate on tasks. This was seen in information and communication technology lessons in the new computer suite. Year 1 pupils were grouped to allow more confident ones to support peers as they mastered a new program. The benefit was mutual, with some gaining personal confidence to share their understanding and others enabled to work at a faster pace with the support of their peers. In a Year 6 session, pupils were paired up

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Year 4 and Year 6 particularly effective and stimulating

to enable them to co-operate in undertaking Internet research on a geography topic in preparation for a forthcoming residential visit. The teacher gave a very measured amount of support which enabled pupils to get underway, but left sufficient challenge to stretch their knowledge of navigating the various menus on screen in order to locate key information. Another strong feature of the teaching is the effective marking of work. This helps pupils to know how they might improve next time. A Year 6 pupil’s first draft of a story, for example was annotated with advice such as ‘The first part of the story is really strong, but the ending is too abrupt and needs developing.’ This gave the pupil some direction to follow in redrafting his ideas.

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Year 4 and Year 6 particularly effective and stimulating

12. Not all of the teaching is at this high standard. Some is more ordinary, particularly in the case of two classes, which were being taught by supply teachers who were new to the school and in the process of adjusting to what might be expected of pupils. One class has unavoidably experienced some disruption because the school has had to use a number of temporary teachers. Whilst this does not appear to have significantly affected their standard of work, some pupils do not find it as easy to settle to work as others. The school is aware of the need to provide maximum stability for this group and plans are being drawn up to that end.

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

school constantly evaluates its work and seeks to improve.

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

13. The school is given strong direction by the leadership of the headteacher, who is well supported by the deputy and senior staff. The teaching of the deputy also provides an excellent role model for other staff to follow. The headteacher sets clear expectations, which are well communicated to the staff. One result of this is that initiatives such as the school’s systems for promoting good behaviour and personal development are consistently applied by all staff. A key feature of leadership is the attention given to issues that are central to the success of the school such as the quality of teaching and learning and the standards that pupils attain. The headteacher and deputy have established a system of monitoring lessons to check their quality and to highlight any aspects of an individual teacher’s work that need attention. This results in a culture of improvement as teachers make efforts to fine tune their work, developing for

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

example, their organisation of the plenary session in mathematics to better summarise what has been learned.

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

14. The school’s analysis of its own performance is another strength of the leadership. Staff are all expected to undertake a regular audit of what is going High Lane Primary School - 11 well and what needs development in the areas for which they have responsibility. This includes close scrutiny of test results to seek out areas of weakness, so that the next planning cycle can be used to remedy any gaps in the pupils’ knowledge or skills. For example, in last year’s tests for seven year olds, some clear shortcomings emerged in mathematics after the results had been analysed. Money and time were two areas where pupils’ understanding was weak. The programme of work both for the summer term and for the next set of pupils to take the tests was amended to put more emphasis upon these areas. As a result, knowledge and skills have improved. Pupils’ work is sampled regularly to check that it is meeting the expectations that have been

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

set for each year group and any issues emerging are shared with those who need to know. As pupils pass through the school, their progress is tracked so that any under achievement can be spotted and if necessary, action can be taken to support them. This also informs the school as to whether or not it is adding sufficient ‘value’ through better pupil achievement. Governors ensure that they are sufficiently informed to make useful contributions to deciding the school’s development priorities. They do this by spending time in school whenever possible, attending training to keep up with recent initiatives and meeting with staff to exchange views on what the school should be working towards next. This openness in development planning enables all key players to contribute views on forthcoming priorities and the result is a comprehensive improvement plan. This document sets out what the immediate and long-term

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

priorities are, how much they will cost to put into place and how the effectiveness of the school’s actions will be measured. The importance that the school places on getting good value for any expenditure is illustrated by its approach to staff training. All staff who attend a training event are required to produce an evaluation report to share with colleagues so that the benefits of the training can be maximised and any course which is of insufficient benefit can be avoided by others to prevent wasted time and money.

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contributions from the staff and governors have created a climate in which the

15. The administration of the school is very well organised. Systems run very smoothly and there is a very good level of communication so that all are clear about what is expected of them.

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The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so they can

be active partners in their children’s learning.

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The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so they can

16. Much time is taken by the headteacher, class teachers and administrative staff to ensure that parents are provided with very clear information on all aspects of school life including what their children are learning. An informative prospectus and governors’ report, coupled with detailed newsletters and effective use of a parents’ notice board give a very rounded picture of what is happening in school. Additionally, each teacher produces a regular curriculum guidance sheet that sets out clearly for parents the work their children will be covering and the areas in which they could support them at home. This system offers valuable information and illustrates how hard the school tries to maintain a productive partnership with parents. Much effort is made to produce photographic evidence and explanatory books about specific aspects of school life and these are well displayed in the entrance hall for parents to look

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The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so they can

through. Parental help is welcomed in school and helpers are given guidance High Lane Primary School - 12 to make their support in the classroom more effective. A wide variety of leaflets is produced for parents of new entrants to the school and these give parents a really clear understanding of the school’s expectations and routines.

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The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so they can

17. Clear expectations of parental involvement are inherent in the school’s reporting systems. At parents’ evenings, for example, teachers discuss children’s targets with parents so that each party agrees on what the child should aim for next. Staff are very approachable and parents are able to meet informally with teachers whenever the need arises. The school also asks for parental opinions through occasional questionnaires and this helps to improve the exchange of views.

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The school puts a lot of effort into communicating with its parents, so they can

18. The school’s strong commitment to a worthwhile home-school partnership is a valuable aspect of its daily work and has a significant impact on children’s learning. Particularly useful is the level of support given by parents to the completion of homework, which becomes more demanding as pupils reach the top of the school, and prepares them for the rigours of secondary school.

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The school needs to put more strategies into place to fully stretch the highest

attaining pupils, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics.

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The school needs to put more strategies into place to fully stretch the highest

19. The school has already recognised the need to identify and provide for those pupils who show themselves to be capable of high levels of attainment. This priority is endorsed by the inspection. Whilst there is ample evidence that teachers set work that appropriately challenges a wide range of ability in their lessons, this is not always the case. The best practice is in English work where individuals are given targets to achieve, based upon what specific skills they have yet to achieve. Some for example, may be working on using better descriptive language whilst others might have to work on more basic punctuation. In mathematics too, pupils are set harder challenges in class when they have shown themselves capable of high-level work. In other subjects, the degree of challenge is often not as appropriate for the higher attaining pupils. Work sampling reveals, for example, that in history work, Year

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The school needs to put more strategies into place to fully stretch the highest

5 pupils of all abilities have answered questions on Victorian schools at the same limited level of difficulty. This represents good achievement for some, but for others the exercise offers little challenge when they restate simple facts as opposed to inferring or drawing their own conclusions. In Year 4 science work, there are examples of pupils at each end of the ability spectrum completing the same format of recording their investigations. Again, this work is not set at too low a level for most, who make good progress, but for the higher attainers, the work does not extend their scientific or linguistic skills to the full. On occasions, homework is also too easy for this group of pupils.

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The school needs to put more strategies into place to fully stretch the highest

20. The school has already taken the first step in remedying this problem but there is more to do. It has produced a very good guide to the identification of ‘ the more able child’ in all the subjects of the curriculum. An action plan has also High Lane Primary School - 13 been drawn up to raise attainment amongst this group. The strategies identified such as creating a register of pupils, introducing more challenging questioning, identifying resources to meet higher attainers’ needs, and providing staff training, are all appropriate. The tasks are challenging, but the school has accurately highlighted the areas to work on under the heading of ‘accelerated learning’. If it implements this action plan effectively, it will make a significant impact upon this development issue.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

21. Raise the level of challenge offered to those pupils who show themselves capable of high levels of achievement, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics by: • Implementing the school’s agreed criteria for identification of these pupils and completing a register.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Implementing the section of the school development plan devoted to accelerated learning strategies.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Producing clear guidance for staff to support their teaching of the highest attaining pupils. High Lane Primary School - 14

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

9 26 35 30 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 11 222

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 13 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. High Lane Primary School - 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 16 14 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 12 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 87 (91) 93 (91) 90 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 12 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 13 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 87 (91) 90 (100) 93 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 11 8 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 8

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 95 (75) 89 (91) 100 (81) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 8

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 89 (81) 89 (91) 100 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. High Lane Primary School - 16

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.2 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 430785

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1857

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 98 Balance brought forward from previous year -740

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2626

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 11 FTE means full-time equivalent. High Lane Primary School - 17

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 35 52 11 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 34 65 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 58 8 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 51 11 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 45 46 7 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 38 4 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32 45 14 4 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 37 52 7 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 28 66 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 45 17 13 3

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