Cononley Community Primary School

CONONLEY COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th April – 1 st May 2001

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CONONLEY COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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CONONLEY COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Meadow Lane Cononley Keighley West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th December 1996 Cononley Community Primary School

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Team members

19830 Mr G T Storer Registered inspector 13706 Mrs G Marsland Lay inspector 20646 Mrs M Palmer Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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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 Cononley Community Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cononley Primary School is situated in a rural setting, some distance from the towns of Keighley and Skipton. The school serves the local community and takes some pupils from other nearby villages. With 109 pupils on the school roll, this school is smaller than other primary schools nationally. There is little unemployment in the area but some families experience a degree of hardship. Less than 3 per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. This is well below the national average. Pupils' attainments on entry to the reception class are about average, although a number of them face difficulties in their learning. There are 16 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs and two pupils have statements of special educational need. This is about average for a school of this size. None of the pupils speak English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school. Pupils make good progress up to the age of 11; many pupils’ attainments in English, mathematics and science are above the nationally expected standard. The quality of teaching is good. There are examples of good and very good teaching throughout the school. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She receives very good support from the governing body and together they have improved aspects of leadership and management. They have a very clear view of the way ahead and are committed to school improvement. The school manages its budget very effectively and provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Children in the Foundation Stage 1 get a very good start in school and most achieve standards above those normally expected of children at the end of the reception year. • Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the ages of 7 and 11. • Teaching is consistently good, with almost a half of lessons observed being very good. • The school makes very good arrangements for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils have very good attitudes. They enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and rise to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-curricular activities bring learning to life for them. • Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent. Pupils are mature and confident and contribute responsibly to school life. • The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

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What the school does well

ensures high standards in many aspects of the school's work. • The school works in very successful partnership with parents and the local community.

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What could be improved

• Pupils do not learn enough about aspects of their own culture or about the richness and diversity of other cultures. • Pupils’ annual progress reports do not give parents enough information about what their children know, understand and can do or about how they can improve their performance. 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

There have been many significant improvements since the time of the last inspection. Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage and by the time pupils are seven years old are higher. The headteacher places greater emphasis on checking the quality of teaching and learning. She observes teaching more regularly and involves senior staff and governors in the monitoring process. Staff have clearer roles and responsibilities that result in more effective delegation and teamwork. Staff responsible for the different subjects are more involved in monitoring standards and quality, sharing expertise and providing in-house training for colleagues. Planning is better than it was; teachers use national guidelines to ensure that

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class year. It is a distinct stage, preparing children for later schooling, and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal and social development, but also include knowledge and understanding of the world, and physical and creative development. Cononley Community Primary School pupils gain knowledge, understanding and skills more progressively. They use assessment information more effectively to identify what pupils of differing abilities need to learn next. The school has better resources for information and communication technology that are helping to raise standards in this subject rapidly. Staff training ensures that computers are used effectively to improve pupils’ learning and to make administration procedures more efficient. Improved resources for reading and literacy are helping staff to

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

address variations in standards in English, especially in junior classes. Pupils’ personal, social and health education receives greater emphasis; teachers plan more thoroughly and there are timetabled lessons throughout the school. As a result, aspects of pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development have improved. Procedures for pupils with special educational needs have been updated and include more regular reviews and consultations. Much of the school’s buildings and grounds have been re-equipped and refurbished. This, along with very effective internal reorganisation of the use of the accommodation, provides pupils and staff with a better environment for work and play.

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STANDARDS 2

When children enter the reception class, their attainments are about average. During their reception year they make good progress so that, by the end of the Foundation Stage, most attain standards above those normally expected of five-year-olds. In comparison with other schools, the 2000 test results for seven- year-olds were very high in reading, writing and mathematics. Considerably more pupils attained above average levels than in schools nationally or in similar schools. Standards in the current Year 2 are also above average. Almost all pupils are on course to attain the nationally expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. However, standards are unlikely to be as high as in recent years because this year fewer pupils are on course to exceed the nationally expected level. This does not indicate a lowering of pupils’ achievement. More pupils in the current Year 2 have special educational needs and others

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STANDARDS 2

started from a lower baseline on entry to the school. In relation to their attainment on entry, most are achieving well and have made good progress. At age 11, the 2000 results were in line with the national average in English, well above average in mathematics and above average in science. Taken together, the 2000 results were well above the national average and above the average for similar schools. In the current Year 6, almost half the pupils experience difficulties with aspects of their learning and this affects overall standards in the year group. Nevertheless, pupils of all levels of attainment continue to make good progress and standards in English and mathematics are above average overall. Improvements to the teaching and learning of English mean that more pupils are on course to exceed the nationally expected standard in English than in the previous year. Whilst a small number of pupils may not achieve the

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STANDARDS 2

nationally expected standard, arrangements to support the learning of more able pupils in mathematics mean that some pupils are on course to attain standards that are well above national expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school; most work hard and make a real effort to improve. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good; pupils behave well in lessons and there is little evidence of bullying or of any other unpleasant behaviour in the playground. Personal development and relationships Excellent; staff and pupils treat each other with respect and this contributes strongly to the very pleasant and harmonious atmosphere in and around school. Attendance Very good; pupils' attendance is well above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

2 The table showing the standards achieved by 11 - year - olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests has been omitted. This is because the very low number of pupils taking the tests each year makes comparisons with national averages and averages in similar schools statistically unreliable. Cononley Community Primary School

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is good. During the inspection, inspectors observed all teachers and teaching was good or better in all lessons. Almost half of the teaching was very good. There was very good teaching throughout the school, though most frequently in the reception and upper junior classes. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The teaching of the basic skills in English and mathematics is good. Teachers plan very carefully and use assessment information effectively so that the tasks they set match the needs of pupils of differing age and ability in the class. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour and of their capacity to cope with challenging work. As a result, pupils are attentive, join in well and persevere with their work. A consistent strength of teaching is teachers’ effective management of their pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils are interested, concentrate well and become increasingly

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

independent. There is effective teamwork between teachers and classroom assistants. This improves the quality of pupils’ learning, especially where classes are large. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very effective. These pupils make very good progress and many achieve nationally expected standards in their work in both key stages despite the difficulties that they face. Work for higher attaining pupils is set at a sufficiently challenging level to allow them to attain above average standards in English and well above average standards in mathematics by the time that they leave the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum. Good; educational visits, visitors, special events and an excellent range of activities outside school time significantly extend the basic curriculum and add to the quality of pupils' learning, particularly in junior classes. Provision for pupils with special educational needs. Very good; the organisation of the school's work with pupils with special educational needs has improved and most make very good progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Good overall; provision for moral development is a particular strength, although pupils' learning about aspects of national culture and about people from different cultures is an area of relative weakness.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils. This is a caring school in which pupils’ well-being is a priority.

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Aspect Comment

The school's arrangements for promoting regular attendance and for ensuring good behaviour work very well. Procedures for child protection are secure. The school provides good information for parents. In return, the school receives very good support from parents, many of whom make a very worthwhile contribution to their children's learning at home and at school. Cononley Community Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff. Very good; the headteacher’s excellent leadership, combined with effective support from senior staff, results in a strong sense of purpose and a very good level of teamwork amongst the staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities. Very well; governors are conscientious in overseeing the school's curriculum, staffing, financial planning and matters relating to health and safety. They have an excellent understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The school’s evaluation of its performance. Very good; the school improvement plan is very effective in its evaluation of the school’s performance and in identifying areas for further development. The strategic use of resources. Very good; the governing body uses the school's budget and other grants very effectively, according to the principles of best value and in the interests of the pupils. As a result, staffing, accommodation and learning resources are maintained at good levels.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school expects pupils to work hard and achieve their best. • Pupils’ behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • The work that their children are expected to do at home. • Parents are comfortable in approaching staff with questions or problems. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • Their children are making good progress. • The school is working more closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children like school. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The information that parents receive about how their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

There were 48 questionnaires (44 per cent) returned and 20 parents attended the meeting for parents. Parents’ responses overwhelmingly supported the school and the quality of education provided for their children. A small number of parents expressed concerns. The inspection strongly endorses the positive views but finds little evidence to support their concerns. There are, however, some shortcomings in the information that parents receive about how their children are getting on. The pupils’ annual progress reports contain a satisfactory evaluation of their learning in English, mathematics and science but information and communication technology is missed out. Information on other subjects is often too brief, giving no clear picture of what pupils know, understand and can do. In all subjects, there is too little information for parents about what their children need to do in order to improve. The range and quality of

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

activities that take place outside lessons are excellent. Staff and voluntary helpers offer a wide range of sporting, cultural and social activities for pupils that effectively complements aspects of pupils’ academic and personal development. This is far greater than the provision in other schools of this size. Cononley Community Primary School

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

standards above those normally expected of children at the end of the reception year.

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

1. The school has successfully adopted recent national guidelines and all elements of the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage are fully in place. Planning is meticulous. It is detailed and thorough; it ensures that all the required areas of learning 3 receive regular, balanced coverage and that children achieve most of the early learning goals 4 . As a result, children make good progress and most achieve standards above those normally expected of children at the end of the reception year.

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

2. The teaching of children in the Foundation Stage is of a consistently very good standard in all areas of learning. The teacher successfully creates a calm and very purposeful atmosphere. She encourages the children to participate in a very good range of well-conceived activities covering all the required areas of learning. She has a consistent approach that places considerable emphasis on children’s personal and social development and on the early skills of language and literacy. A further important feature is the extent to which the teacher uses regular, well-focused assessments to inform the planning that takes place for all activities. The teacher has high expectations of the children’s capacity to cope with demanding tasks, whilst also being sensitive to the developmental needs of younger and lower attaining children. Tasks are challenging and the transition to National Curriculum related work is made

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

on the basis of ‘readiness’ rather than age. For example, joint planning and effective teamwork between teachers in the reception and infant classes allow higher attaining reception children to work alongside pupils in Year 1 for some literacy activities or less mature Year 1 pupils to join in personal development activities with children in reception. This is appropriate as it ensures the best progress for children of all ages and levels of attainment.

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

3. There is a consistent approach by all staff working in the Foundation Stage. As a result, children are secure, confident and respond very well to all the adults who help them. They are settled and calm and take pleasure in their work. A very good example of this was the child proudly showing his father’s London Marathon medal and explaining what dad had done to win it. Similarly, there were gasps of delight as another child produced the first tadpoles of the year. This enthusiasm and joy adds to the quality of children’s learning and to the progress that they make.

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

4. The reception teaching area has recently been reorganised, redecorated and re-equipped. It is a bright and stimulating place for children to work and promotes imaginative play activities very effectively. The only shortcoming in facilities for children in the Foundation Stage is the lack of a secure, outdoor play area. However, the school compensates by giving the children additional access to the school hall in order to foster their physical development satisfactorily.

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Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start in school and most achieve

3 Areas of learning – these are: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development – the components of the Foundation Stage curriculum. 4 Early learning goals – these are expected standards for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to the achievements children make in connection with the six areas of learning. Cononley Community Primary School

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

5. Pupils’ standards by the age of seven have improved steadily over the past four years. In the 2000 tests for seven-year-olds, results were very high. Considerably more pupils attained or exceeded the nationally expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics than in schools nationally or in similar schools. Indeed, in last year’s tests all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieved the nationally expected standard. In reading and mathematics, over half the pupils achieved above average levels. This was a further improvement on the preceding year, when results had been well above the national average.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

6. Standards in the current Year 2 are also above average. Almost all pupils are on course to attain or exceed the nationally expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. However, standards are unlikely to be as high as in recent years, because this year, fewer pupils are on course to exceed the nationally expected level. This does not indicate a lowering of achievement. More pupils in the current Year 2 have special educational needs and others started from a lower baseline on entry to the school. In relation to their attainment on entry, most are achieving well and have made good progress.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

7. The results achieved by 11-year-olds have also been consistently above average and often well above or better for the past four years. Apparent year-on-year variations do not indicate fluctuating standards, but result from the very small year groups in recent years. Statistical variations of 10 per cent or more result from the performance of one pupil and should not be viewed as significant. At age 11, the 2000 results were in line with the national average in English, well above average in mathematics and above average in science. Taken together, the 2000 results were well above the national average and above the average for similar schools.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

8. In the current Year 6, almost half the pupils experience difficulties with aspects of their learning and this affects overall standards in the year group. Nevertheless, pupils of all levels of attainment continue to make good progress and standards in English and mathematics are above average overall. Improvements to the teaching and learning of English mean that more pupils are on course to exceed the nationally expected standard in English than in the previous year. Whilst a small number of pupils may not achieve the nationally expected standard, arrangements to support the learning of more able pupils in mathematics mean that some pupils are on course to attain standards that are well above national expectations.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

9. The school has been successful in its introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There are many strong features in the planning, teaching and assessment of work in English and mathematics (see Teaching below). Importantly, these features are evident in classes throughout the school and this degree of consistency makes a powerful contribution to the achievement of high standards.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

10. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy and numeracy skills throughout the curriculum. Teachers develop pupils' speaking and listening skills particularly well. Question and answer work, pupils explaining their thinking and discussions feature prominently in many lessons. Pupils talk to each other about the work that they are doing and the quality of this talk is high. For example, when pupils in Year 6 investigated census data, they clarified and extended their thinking and constructively supported each other's learning. Similarly there are good opportunities for pupils to apply and develop writing skills in subjects such as science, history, geography and religious education. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use their numeracy skills in real situations. Mathematical examples in a Years 3/4 lesson are drawn from pupils' Cononley Community Primary School

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

shared experiences of shopping. Pupils in their science lessons take accurate measurements of time and use newton meters to determine the force required to move various objects.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

11. The management of both these subjects contributes to the achievement of high standards. Senior staff are becoming increasingly effective in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. They use the observation of teaching and analysis of assessment data very constructively to identify areas of strength and weakness and to plan for further improvements.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

Teaching is consistently good, with almost a half of lessons observed being very good.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

12. The overall quality of teaching is good. Teaching was good or better in all the lessons inspected. In 43 per cent it was very good. There was no unsatisfactory teaching during the inspection. There was high quality teaching throughout the school, though most frequently in the reception and upper junior classes. Ongoing initiatives relating to the content and organisation of the curriculum and also to the ways in which teachers plan and assess pupils’ work are having a very beneficial effect. Whole-school developments in the teaching of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) have led to greater consistency and a general improvement in the teaching of basic skills. There is evidence of greater collaboration and the sharing of expertise and of the staff working effectively together as a mutually supportive team.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

13. The teachers in both key stages have sufficient knowledge to teach most subjects of the National Curriculum well. The school also employs part-time staff who offer particular expertise. For example, much of the teaching of ICT is organised on a ‘specialist’ basis and, as a result, standards in the subject are rising rapidly.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

14. All teachers manage their pupils very effectively. This is a consistent strength of teaching throughout the school and results in a majority of lessons being organised well. Teachers make good use of time and resources so that teaching and learning proceed at a brisk pace. This motivates pupils and sustains their interest and so improves their attainment and progress. Teachers have high expectations related to pupils’ behaviour and response. They treat all pupils equally and apply the school’s discipline policies consistently. As a result, pupils behave well in class and apply themselves conscientiously to their work. Teachers have similarly high expectations of pupils’ capacity to cope with challenging work. They set tasks at an appropriately demanding level and this makes a strong contribution to pupils’ attainment by the end of each key stage, which is particularly apparent in the upper juniors.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

Teachers form extremely constructive relationships with their pupils and this, along with the pupils’ predominantly positive attitudes and response, helps to create a very positive atmosphere in which effective learning takes place.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

15. Teachers' planning is particularly thorough. Teachers know exactly what they expect their pupils to learn and how this is to be achieved. There is good provision for pupils of different ability within the group. For example, in a numeracy hour in the Years 1/2 class, the teacher had carefully planned questions to challenge and extend pupils in the different ability groups. This allowed the mental agility session to proceed at a good pace. It also enabled all pupils of all abilities to participate, succeed and make progress. There is planning of this quality throughout the school. Teaching effectively meets the needs of all pupils. The school uses additional teachers and classroom assistants very effectively. This ensures that pupils in large or mixed age classes receive the support and individual attention that they need in order to thrive and allows class teachers to focus on, for example, higher attaining pupils or

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

pupils with special educational needs. Teachers record and use these assessments as the basis for matching work to the different attainments of pupils in the class. This enables all pupils to make good progress. Cononley Community Primary School The school makes very good arrangements for pupils with special educational needs.

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

16. The school makes very good arrangements for the teaching of pupils with special educational needs. The support that they receive from class teachers, the special educational needs co- ordinator and the support assistants ensures.very good progress in most aspects of their work. Teachers ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all activities and that their efforts and achievements are valued. This improves their self-esteem and adds to the progress that they make. Individual education plans are prepared carefully, after appropriate consultation between teachers, parents and local education authority support staff. Teachers collaborate well with the special educational needs co-ordinator to match targets in individual education plans to the needs of each pupil. They reflect these targets carefully in planning for lessons, especially in literacy and numeracy, and this

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Pupils' attainments in English and mathematics are consistently above average at the

promotes steady improvement. The co-ordinator monitors the progress of pupils with special educational needs very effectively. This information is used well as a basis for future planning and for the review meetings that are held in accordance with the Code of Practice 5 for pupils with special educational needs.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

curricular activities bring learning to life for them.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

17. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to their work. The vast majority very much enjoy coming to school and this reflects in attendance rates that are well above the national average and in the very low incidence of unauthorised absence.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

18. Pupils respond very well to what the school offers them because teachers work hard to ensure that pupils' learning is challenging, stimulating and enjoyable. Tasks are pitched at a level that makes intellectual demands on all pupils and are very well planned to make pupils think and to move them forward in their learning. There is a good emphasis on practical and investigative methods of learning. For example, in a Years 3/4 science lesson, pupils make repeated observations and measurements, look for trends in the data and begin to draw conclusions based on scientific understanding. Pupils really enjoy finding things out for themselves and, in doing so, come to a deeper understanding of underlying ideas and principles.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

19. Pupils' positive response results in part from the excellent relationships that exist between all members of the school’s community and from the high expectations of the staff. Pupils feel secure and this gives them the confidence to take on demanding activities and rise to the challenge to do their best. A pattern of careful thought and hard work is developed from entry to the school and maintained throughout. Most pupils show an enthusiasm for learning and high self-esteem. Pupils are keen to share their ideas with teachers, other adults and each other. They think for themselves, work diligently and persevere to solve problems.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

20. The quality of learning opportunities that the school offers contributes strongly to pupils’ very positive attitudes and enjoyment of learning. Pupils' learning is 'brought to life' by the very good range of educational visits, visitors and special events and the excellent extra- curricular activities. Opportunities to experience a technology day, science workshops, sports coaching, musical ensembles, visitors from within the local community and educational visits in support of particular topics bring an additional richness and quality to the school's curriculum, inspire pupils and help create a very effective climate for learning.

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to the challenge to do their best. Very good educational visits and excellent extra-

5 Code of Practice – this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act . Cononley Community Primary School

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Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent, pupils are

mature, confident and contribute responsibly to school life.

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Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent, pupils are

21. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) forms an important part of the curriculum for all pupils. There is a consistent, whole-school approach to pupils’ learning and, as a result, the school is very successful in achieving its aims for the personal development of the pupils.

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Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent, pupils are

22. The pupils’ behaviour is very good. This has a positive effect on the quality of life in school, standards of achievement and the quality of pupils' learning. Pupils enjoy each other’s company and show high levels of mutual understanding and respect. In day-to-day interaction with each other and with adults, pupils are courteous, thoughtful and polite.

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Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent, pupils are

23. The quality of relationships is excellent. Pupils work and play very well together both in large and small groups. They fully understand how their actions affect others and so most are courteous and considerate. Relationships between staff and pupils are friendly and very constructive. Pupils listen well to their teachers and other adults and respond in a positive and confident manner. Teachers respect the individuality and achievements of pupils. As a result, pupils respond very well to positive feedback and discussion activities, such as circle time 6 and assemblies that are designed to enhance personal and social development.

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Pupils have very good social skills; relationships at all levels are excellent, pupils are

24. The pupils’ personal development is very good. They develop a strong a sense of self- esteem and self-worth, as well as an understanding and respect for other people’s feelings. They demonstrate good self-discipline and show respect for other people’s property. They gain confidence and social skills from participating in a range of educational visits and extra-curricular activities. They share resources without any fuss. When required, pupils take on responsibility for resources in class, the daily assemblies, helping in the dining hall, in the playground and around the school. Members of the school council and monitors willingly take on a number of responsibilities and carry them out efficiently. Older pupils enjoy taking care of younger ones during breaks. Pupils also contribute well to the life of the community through fund raising, contributing to charities and eagerly participating in local events such as the gala or village tidy-up.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

ensures high standards in many aspects of the school's work.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

25. The headteacher knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has a clear view of the way ahead. She sets high professional standards for the staff. Roles and responsibilities have been redefined since the last inspection and the headteacher ensures that they are properly fulfilled by placing greater emphasis on monitoring standards and quality. The processes of monitoring and evaluating the school's work are very rigorous. They involve the governing body and all staff and form a very good basis for performance management, staff development and school improvement planning. This is an area of significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

26. The headteacher has very clear educational aims, values and principles. These lie at the heart of all the school’s work and give rise to a very positive atmosphere and an effective climate for learning, within which pupils feel secure and gain in confidence significantly. The school effectively ensures equal opportunities and support for pupils with special educational needs and also for those who are more able. The atmosphere within the school fully reflects its mission statement, which is a commitment to high achievement, excellence and to teaching and learning being fun.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

6 c C ircle time: a time when pupils come together to share experiences and feelings that contribute towards their personal and social development . Cononley Community Primary School 27. Through the work of the full governing body and its committees and the regular involvement of individuals, members of the governing body are very conscientious in overseeing the work of the school. Governors are fully involved in all aspects of policy, planning and the monitoring of standards and quality. They bring a wide range of community, business, commercial and professional expertise to the governing body and use their experience very effectively to support the school. For example, their discussions of options relating to the building of the school's new computer suite and to the development of the quadrangle have been searching and protracted. They ensured that competing priorities were considered, decisions were well founded on the principle of best value and that this significant investment

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

of funds was in the best interests of the pupils and the community.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

28. Financial systems work well. They are unobtrusive and provide the headteacher and governors with accurate and up to date management information. The governors' finance committee is rigorous in its monitoring of the school's budget. As a result, specific grants are spent for their designated purpose and the school operates within its budget. There is currently a budget surplus of about 7 per cent. This is quite high, but governors have already allocated the additional funds to an initiative that will improve the school’s accommodation. Budget setting takes full account of the long-term plans of the school and different priorities are carefully matched against the funds available. As a result, the school is very successful in meeting its targets in the school improvement plan. The school provides good value for money.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

The school works in very successful partnership with parents and the local community.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

29. Following an unsettled period in the school’s development, the governing body, headteacher and staff have worked hard to re-establish a positive and productive partnership with parents and the community. The quality of the school’s partnership with parents and its place at the heart of the community are important contributory factors in the very good quality of education that pupils receive.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

30. The school keeps parents well informed. For example, the school brochure presents a thorough and informative account of most aspects of school life. Staff have held information evenings for parents in order to brief them on initiatives such as the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school also provides regular newsletters and curricular information, so that parents know what is going to be taught and are in a position to contribute and support this during, for example, family outings or visits to the library. All staff value informal contact with parents and seek to develop constructive relationships with the parents of children in their class. The governing body is keen to seek the opinions of parents when considering new developments and is currently holding consultations about the nature and content of the proposed sex education programme. The school encourages parents to attend special events such as assemblies and performances and to

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

contribute to pupils’ learning at home, by supporting the school’s homework policy. The only shortcomings in the school’s information to parents relate to the annual written report (see below) which lacks some important information about aspects of pupils’ progress.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

31. As a result of the school’s efforts, parents feel very involved in their children’s education and many make a significant contribution either at home or in school. Most parents attend the open evenings and support their children further by hearing them read and contributing to homework assignments. For many parents, the ‘reading diary’ provides a useful additional avenue of communication between home and school. The school receives regular support from a growing number of voluntary helpers. This group now represents more than 10 per cent of families and provides additional help for teachers in classrooms, on educational visits or with special events. There are also parents who offer their expertise to contribute to teaching or extra-curricular activities, for example Latin. An Cononley Community Primary School active Friends of Cononley School Association organises social functions and raises funds

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

that have provided valuable additional resources.

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The headteacher, with the strong support of governors, provides excellent leadership that

32. The school and its pupils also contribute actively to the life of the community. Pupils and their parents attend celebrations and services in the local church. They perform country dancing at the local gala and every year the school hosts a play for the community. Pupils take part in village ‘tidy-up’ campaigns and support the village bonfire. The school supports local charities by fundraising or by giving practical help, such as distributing mince pies to the ’Evergreens’ at Christmas time. These activities add to aspects of pupils’ learning and make a very worthwhile contribution to their personal and social development.

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Pupils do not learn enough about aspects of their own culture or about the richness and

33. There are weaknesses in the school’s planning for some aspects of pupils’ social and cultural development. Whilst the content of the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum successfully promotes social development within the school and family context and the school’s involvement in the community gives pupils a strong sense of local culture, the content is narrow in its scope. The school is almost entirely mono-cultural and current teaching does not give enough emphasis to preparing pupils for life in a diverse and multicultural society. The religious education curriculum gives pupils brief insights into the beliefs of peoples from other faiths. However, at present, this tends to be superficial. The school’s resources for this area of pupils’ learning are inadequate and it is not reinforced through the school’s programme of educational visits and visitors. It does not feature sufficiently in other subjects or school assemblies and acts of worship.

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Pupils do not learn enough about aspects of their own culture or about the richness and

34. The school does not recognise and celebrate the richness and diversity of cultural influences that now form part of the greater national culture. Schemes of work for other subjects do not identify opportunities to strengthen this aspect of pupils’ learning. For example, when teachers use the work of famous artists and composers as starting points for pupils’ learning, they tend to ignore non-European influences. There is no whole- school awareness of the importance of this dimension of pupils’ learning. Examples that occur, such as brief insights into Egyptian life and culture tend to be ‘ad hoc’ and not part of a carefully planned programme. The school has few books or other resources that present factual information. Positive images of the everyday life of people from different ethnic backgrounds hardly feature in displays. As a result, pupils are not gaining the knowledge that they need in order to understand and value people of other ethnic origins

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Pupils do not learn enough about aspects of their own culture or about the richness and

or to appreciate the contribution that they make to our shared culture.

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Pupils’ annual progress reports do not give parents enough information about what their

children know, understand and can do or about how they can improve their performance.

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Pupils’ annual progress reports do not give parents enough information about what their

35. The annual progress reports contain a satisfactory evaluation of pupils’ learning in English, mathematics and science. They also make suitable reference to aspects of pupils’ personal development. However, there are shortcomings in other sections of the report. Information and communication technology is not currently reported and sections relating to other subjects are often too brief. In many instances they give little more than an indication of what has been covered during the year. They do not present parents with a clear account of what individual pupils know, understand and can do. In all subjects, there is too little information for parents about what their children need to do in order to improve. The current reports do not set targets to encourage pupils to improve, to focus their efforts, or against which parents can evaluate their children's ongoing progress. Cononley Community Primary School

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

36. In order to extend the school’s current achievements, the governors, headteacher and staff should jointly:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) improve pupils’ social and cultural development by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i) planning the content of teaching more carefully, so that multicultural aspects are covered more regularly and thoroughly in PSHE and other subjects; ii) ensuring that assemblies and acts of worship recognise and celebrate the beliefs and festivals of other faiths and cultures; iii) improving the school’s resources for aspects of religious education and ensuring that the multicultural dimension is better represented in resources for other subjects;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the quality of information in pupils’ annual progress reports by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i) including an account of all subjects of the curriculum; ii) ensuring that all subject sections give a clear account of what pupils know, understand and can do and indicate what pupils need to do in order to improve further; iii) introducing targets that indicate the most important areas in which pupils need to concentrate their efforts. Cononley Community Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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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

0 43 57 0 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

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 109

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 16

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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 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cononley Community Primary School

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 7 9 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Percentage of pupils School 100 (90) 100 (95) 100 (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 7

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Percentage of pupils School 100 (90) 100 (95) 100 (90) 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 7

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 8 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 7 3 10

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

7 Data about performance of boys and girls has been omitted because, in each case, the number of pupils concerned is less than ten. Any comparisons based on such low numbers could be statistically unreliable. 8 Key Stage 2 performance data is omitted entirely, because there were only ten pupils in the year group; the same statistical considerations outlined above again apply. Cononley Community Primary School

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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 1 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) 5.1 Financial year 1999/2000

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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

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 209,419.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1,995.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 57 Balance brought forward from previous year 14,883.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 35,082.00 Cononley Community Primary School

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 63 29 4 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 67 31 0 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 47 47 4 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 35 15 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 17 2 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 83 17 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 51 38 9 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 18 2 0 9

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 63 29 0 2 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 47 11 4 2

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