Idle CofE Primary School

IDLE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 25 th January 2001

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IDLE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 192022 Full 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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IDLE C of E 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. Idle CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Boothroyd Drive Idle Bradford West Yorkshire

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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: Dr D Johnson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th February 1997 Idle CE Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

7230 Rob Crompton Registered inspector Mathematics Art and design Music What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9079 Ann Moss Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 21171 Sally Handford Team inspector The Foundation Stage English History Geography Equal opportunities English as an additional language 14509 Phillip Mann Team inspector Science Design and technology Information and communication technology Physical education Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA

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Aspect responsibilities

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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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Idle CE Primary School - 5

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a medium sized voluntary aided Church of England primary school for boys and girls from four to eleven years old. It has 218 pupils. The school roll has grown following a change of status from a first to a primary school. This year is the first time there has been a Year 6 class. Pupils are mainly drawn from the adjacent communities of Idle & Thackley. Their attainment on entry is broadly typical of that found nationally. Almost a third of all pupils have special educational needs and seven have statements of special educational need; both figures are higher than the national average. Most pupils are white. Thirteen pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, five having English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, where pupils benefit from a broad and rich curriculum. They enjoy school and most do well. The reception class provides a very good start to children’s learning. Good quality teaching leads to the above average attainment by seven year olds. Standards achieved by the oldest pupils are broadly typical of this age group. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has managed the recent re-organisation well. Governors and staff work well together to improve the school and maintain good standards. Parents hold the school in high regard, and links with the parish and the local community are very good. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The teaching is effective in enabling most pupils to achieve well; • Systematic assessment procedures enable staff to track pupils’ progress closely and to decide what to teach next; • High quality information provides very good opportunities for parents to find out how their children are doing and to support their learning; • The school rigorously monitors its performance in order to decide priorities for development; • Every pupil is valued and the school’s Christian ethos permeates its everyday life.

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What could be improved

• The good teaching could be better, particularly for higher attaining pupils, if groups of pupils had more focused attention in lessons; • Pupils’ learning could be improved if they had more opportunities to work independently and were involved more frequently in deciding their individual targets; • Pupils in the reception class would benefit from a dedicated outdoor learning space. 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

When the school was inspected in February 1997, it was found to be a good school with a caring ethos. Since then it has maintained its effectiveness. Good standards have been maintained and teaching has improved significantly. All the action points from the last inspection have been tackled well. Great headway has been made in Information and communication technology (ICT) so that attainment is now above average. The good overall improvement is commendable in view of the recent re-organisation. Idle CE Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

Reading A A A C well above average above average A B Writing A C B C average below average C D Mathematics B C C C well below average E

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Key

The majority of children in the Foundation Stage 1 achieve well in personal, social and emotional development, creative development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. In communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development, almost all children are likely to exceed the targets for this age group.

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Key

Seven year olds achieve high standards in reading and most are very secure in writing. Current standards in mathematics are above average, indicating an improvement on the above test results. Attainment in science is also above average. Overall, good standards have been sustained over recent years. The school is in the highest category for comparison purposes and does well to achieve standards that are in line with similar 2 schools. However, the proportion of seven year olds achieving higher levels in writing and science was below average last year.

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Key

The first class of Year 6 pupils has not yet undertaken national tests. Ambitious targets have been set, aiming for national averages to be achieved by the end of the year. Current work in this class shows that about two-thirds are achieving standards that are broadly typical of the age group. A programme of support is underway which reflects the school’s determination to enable the other pupils, who have special educational needs, to achieve as much as they can.

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Key

Pupils make good all-round progress through the school. They do particularly well at both key stages in ICT, art, physical education (PE), geography and history. Standards in design and technology and in music are at least satisfactory.

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Key

1 The Foundation Stage is from a child’s third birthday to the end of the reception year; all children in reception class are at this stage. 2 This is based on the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. Idle CE Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and have good attitudes; they are keen and enthusiastic.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally good. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, and are very sensible when on educational visits.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are good. The school is a harmonious community where the atmosphere is relaxed but purposeful.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is in line with the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes and values exert a positive influence on their learning; classrooms have a purposeful atmosphere and teachers are able to concentrate on the learning objectives without dwelling on behaviour.

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

The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school, with strengths in all year groups and in most subjects. Over three quarters (81 per cent) of the teaching is good or better, with one in three lessons (35 per cent) being very good or excellent. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Consistently effective teaching means pupils’ learning is good and most progress well. Children benefit from the very effective teaching in the reception class. Working closely together, the teacher and learning assistant adopt a lively approach and have created an appealing classroom in which the young children thrive. The teachers in the older classes have good relationships with the pupils. Lessons are well organised and practical experiences are frequently used to sustain pupils’ interest and increase their understanding. As a result, pupils enjoy learning and make good progress.

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

The teaching of literacy and numeracy is generally effective and the development of these skills helps learning across different subjects. Teachers have adopted the National Strategies and they use questions well to encourage pupils to think aloud and to use their existing knowledge to learn new things. Teaching is less successful when challenging work for higher attaining pupils is introduced rather late in the lesson or when lessons are overlong and pupils’ concentration suffers. The fixed seating arrangement in some classrooms makes it difficult for teachers to give focused attention to small groups. In many lessons, although the teaching is effective overall, there are limited opportunities for pupils to exercise initiative or independence.

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

Highly effective teaching of ICT promotes learning very well. Pupils are confident and eager to make progress. Teaching in art, history, geography and PE is also strong. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils are well supported by teachers working in close co-operation with learning assistants. Idle CE Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum within a stimulating learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Well-organised and effective provision enables most pupils to make good progress. Teachers work closely with the co- ordinator and learning assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The small number of pupils whose first language is not English make good progress through the school and effective support means they have access to all activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development This remains a strength of the school. Provision for personal development has a good impact on attainment and progress.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school gives the welfare of pupils a high priority. Effective procedures for child protection are established.

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Aspect Comment

The school has developed a very good partnership with parents. They hold the school in high regard and appreciate the quality of information that it provides. Pupils benefit from the variety of work; there is a good balance between the teaching of basic skills and creative activities. The emphasis on practical experience is appropriate and effective.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. His vision and determination are major factors in the school’s continuing drive for improvement. Curriculum managers do a good job; they keep a close eye on their subjects and successfully move things forward. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors share the headteacher’s determination to ensure the highest standards and he has their confidence. They work hard on the school’s behalf. They manage developments well and are increasingly involved in setting challenging targets for further improvement. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school reviews performance very effectively through carefully analysing results and comparing these with those of previous years and with other similar schools. Any weaknesses are quickly spotted and addressed through consultation, decisive

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Aspect Comment

planning and – if necessary – further training.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Through very careful planning, the school has been able to support learning by providing a good range of resources. The school supports teachers and classroom assistants very well and ensures that staff are well trained, encouraged and appreciated. Idle CE Primary School - 10 The school benefits from effective leadership and management. The headteacher, staff and governors successfully promote the school’s aim to create a family community based on Christian values. The last inspection report has been used well to move the school further forward. The school is well staffed by teachers, learning assistants and support staff. Together, they have a wide range of expertise and experience. Following recent building work, the accommodation is adequate and used effectively. Plans are in hand for improvements to the outdoor areas, which are bleak and under-used as a learning resource.

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Aspect Comment

Overall, resources are good, particularly in the creative and practical subjects. The school successfully applies the principles of best value in order to get the most out of existing resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The standard of work and behaviour in the school. • The quality of the teaching. • The expectation that their children will work hard and do their best. • The way the school is led and managed by a very approachable headteacher. A quarter of the parents who completed questionnaires were concerned about • The amount of work given for children to do at home • The information the school provides. A third were concerned about • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the strengths identified by the substantial majority of parents whose positive comments summarise the essential qualities of the school. The team investigated the issues that concerned a number of parents. The opportunities for learning outside lessons was found to be a strength; in addition to extra-curricular clubs, the school organises many educational visits and residential trips. These contribute much to pupils’ academic and personal development. The information provided for parents is good: regular newsletters are sent home; consultation evenings, plus extra time if needed, enable parents to receive timely information; and the end-of-year reports provide a comprehensive review of children’s efforts, attainment and progress. The homework policy outlines what is expected as children move through the school; although there are occasional inconsistencies, homework makes a good contribution to their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 The overall picture is one of good standards. The achievements of seven year olds are much better than the national average in reading and above average in writing and mathematics. The school is in the highest category for comparison purposes and does well to achieve standards that are in line with similar schools. Results of national tests over the last four years indicate that good standards have been largely sustained since the previous inspection. Although attainment in mathematics was below that in English in the last two years, pupils’ current work indicates that test results will move towards the former above- average levels.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Following re-organisation, the school now has pupils in Year 6 but they have not yet undertaken national tests. Current work in this class shows that about two-thirds are achieving standards that are broadly typical of the age group. The school has carefully monitored pupils’ progress and has set a target to match the national averages in English, mathematics and science in the end-of-year tests. As about a third of the pupils concerned have special educational needs, this is a challenging goal. However, given the school’s commitment to enabling all pupils to achieve well, and the range of support both in the classroom and through booster lessons, the target is realistic.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 There are no significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls, and the small number of pupils who have English as an additional language make similar progress to other pupils. Most pupils make good progress, but the school has rightly identified the need to ensure that more able pupils reach their full potential, particularly in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Most children have attended a nursery or playgroup before starting school and their attainment on entry is broadly average. They make good progress in the reception classes and are on course to meet or exceed the early learning goals recommended for pupils in the Foundation Stage. They have a very good grounding in literacy and numeracy and are well prepared for subsequent work in all subjects of the National Curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 In science, attainment is broadly average at each key stage, but fewer than expected seven year olds achieved the higher levels in the teacher assessments last year. The inspection reflected these results. Standards in ICT are above average. Pupils at both key stages have good general computer skills and progress is increasing rapidly since new computers and software have been acquired.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Good standards are evident in art, geography, history and physical education. Although few lessons were observed in music, and design and technology, there was sufficient evidence of work in these subjects to judge that standards are at least satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the early identification of individual needs, and the quality of the subsequent teaching, assessment and monitoring. Pupils’ individual strengths and aptitudes are developed whenever possible; for example, several pupils who do not do so well in other subjects achieve very well in art, and instrumental tuition enables several pupils to do well in music.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 The school has worked hard to enable pupils in the newly established older classes to build on their previous attainment. This has been largely successful due to the rigorous monitoring of progress, careful planning and teaching especially targeted on particular individuals and groups. Although standards do not yet match those in Key Stage 1, the problems caused by re-organisation have generally been overcome and, given the school’s positive characteristics and shared determination, it is well placed to raise attainment further.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Idle CE Primary School - 12 8 Standards of behaviour are good and have improved overall since the previous inspection. There remains a strong Christian ethos that promotes good behaviour and relationships; the children have positive attitudes to their work and are keen and eager to learn. They take part enthusiastically in all the activities provided for them and work and play well together.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9 Children settle happily and enjoy school. They establish good relationships with other children and adults. They are encouraged to think of other people and to be polite. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are also good but they have limited opportunities to exercise initiative and take more responsibility to further their personal development. This could be done, for example, by allowing the children to contribute their own ideas for class rules more frequently. Pupils make a positive response to the values and standards set by the school. They develop good habits of working and settle down quickly to tasks, and sustained levels of concentration were observed in nearly every lesson. Given these positive attitudes, the quality of learning could be improved further by allowing more opportunities for pupils to share their knowledge and skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is good. The school is an orderly and happy community providing a calm and secure place in which to learn. Children clearly understand what is expected and respect the rules and conventions that exist to safeguard them. The rewards and sanctions systems are well established and there is a noticeable absence of oppressive behaviour, including bullying and racism. If there is an incident of such behaviour, pupils and parents are confident that the school will react quickly. The quality of inter-personal relationships is good. Children treat each other and adults with courtesy and respect. Pupils already have a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others, and respect each other’s feeling, values and beliefs.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Attendance levels are satisfactory. Children arrive promptly at school, but a few parents are rightly concerned that some classes occasionally come out of school late, which can disrupt their after-school arrangements. Registration procedures are properly documented and effectively implemented, meeting statutory requirements. There have been no exclusions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12 The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school. There are strengths in all year groups and in most subjects. Four-fifths of the teaching is good or better, with one in three lessons being very good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. This represents a notable improvement since the previous inspection when no very good lessons were observed and about five per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory. The consistently effective teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and progress. This is much appreciated by parents.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13 The quality of teaching is good across all the areas of learning in the Foundation Stage and the range of well-planned activities results in the children making good progress. The reception class teacher has a good understanding of how young children learn; she has established a stimulating classroom and adopts a lively approach. The learning assistant makes a valuable contribution to the work of the reception class. As a result of effective teamwork, the children soon adapt to the routine of school life, developing an appropriate degree of independence and very positive attitudes to learning. 14 The teachers in both key stages have good relationships with the pupils. A good working atmosphere is maintained and teachers explain things very clearly. They use their voices effectively to generate enthusiasm. Children feel able to contribute without worrying about getting something wrong and this means that teachers can identify the gaps in their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15 Teachers are well organised and most use questioning skilfully to move children's learning forward. The best lessons move at a brisk pace and teachers achieve a good Idle CE Primary School - 13 balance between whole-class, small group and individual teaching. There is a purposeful atmosphere, which means that teachers do not have to spend time on managing behaviour. Resources are used effectively and much learning is promoted through first-hand experiences, such as measuring, sorting, cooking and educational visits. Homework is set according to the school’s policy and makes a good contribution to pupils’ progress, especially when parents write brief comments about how their children coped with it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 The teachers’ choice of seating arrangement in some classrooms makes it difficult for them and for learning assistants to focus their attention on specific groups of pupils, for example, during literacy and numeracy lessons. This means that most interaction is one-to- one and children have fewer opportunities to learn from overhearing the dialogue between the teacher and other pupils. Higher attaining pupils are usually given more challenging work, but they often have to complete an unnecessarily large number of less demanding tasks first. In the brief time left before the end of the lesson, pupils have limited opportunities to think through ideas, develop individual strategies or discuss open-ended problems with their peers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17 Overall, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is effective. It is more successful when lessons are not too long. This can be counter-productive as pupils lose concentration and their attention wanders. Lessons also work best when they are structured in line with the recommended strategies. Most introductory sessions are handled well and pupils are keen to learn but, good as they are, introductions sometimes go on too long so there is less time for pupils to practise, consolidate or extend their learning, and the final summary has to be rushed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18 The quality of teaching support for pupils with special educational needs is good in both key stages. Teachers frequently set work at different levels which identifies small steps in learning and enables pupils to make good progress. Classroom assistants have a sympathetic but firm approach and are sensitive to the needs of individual pupils. They provide good support but they sometimes play only a minor part in the introductions to lessons and this time could be used more effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19 Teachers are gaining expertise through in-service training. This is especially evident in the teaching of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Science teaching is sound. Teachers use vocabulary and scientific terms appropriately and opportunities for investigation have increased since the previous inspection, but some tasks are not demanding enough for more capable pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20 Highly effective teaching of ICT leads to rapid progress across the school. History and geography teaching is strong; teachers bring the subjects to life by incorporating visits which promote pupils’ learning through first-hand experiences. Pupils’ displayed work and the contents of portfolios indicate very competent teaching in art. The teaching of PE is consistently good. Too few lessons in music and design and technology were seen to make an overall judgement.

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PUPILS?

21 The school has made good progress since the previous inspection in the development of a broad and generally balanced curriculum. Where previously much of the curriculum was based on two-yearly topic cycles, the curriculum is now based on national guidelines in each subject. This has led to greater continuity across the year groups and means that teachers plan their lessons with increased confidence. Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage has also improved. They now enjoy a rich variety of experiences, securely based on the recommended curriculum for this age group.

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PUPILS?

22 Pupils of all abilities now have access to a good curriculum covering all subjects of the National Curriculum, religious education, sex education and drugs awareness and including personal health and social education. Good and well-focused attention is given to English and mathematics, which is having a positive impact on standards. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 also benefit from an introduction to conversational French. The school’s implementation of Idle CE Primary School - 14 the literacy and numeracy strategies is satisfactory but the timing of these sessions is sometimes too long. In Key Stage 1 especially, children may sit for too long before being involved in more practical work. Unduly long lessons in literacy and numeracy leave less time for other subjects and the pattern of the school day – especially the mornings – lacks variety. 23 Progress has been made in the adoption of policies and schemes of work for all

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PUPILS?

subjects and teachers use them effectively when planning. The phasing in of Years 5 and 6 as the school became fully primary has been challenging. The school has managed this change efficiently and had only been using the new Year 5 and Year 6 classrooms for two weeks at the time of the inspection. Due to the hard work of teachers and the pupils’ eagerness to move into their new rooms, the curriculum did not suffer during the changeover. 24 The curriculum is inclusive and all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those pupils with English as an additional language, have full access to it. There is an effective equal opportunities policy and the school’s commitment to equal opportunities is reflected in its aims, especially the provision for lower achieving pupils. They are consistently well supported by classroom assistants, who are kept closely informed of the pupils’ needs. Individual education plans help ensure that classwork is appropriate to the

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PUPILS?

pupils’ attainment levels. The co-ordinator for special educational needs also supports particular pupils in Year 5, through Springboard sessions, to help raise standards in literacy and numeracy. Additional booster classes provide further support for Year 6 pupils.

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PUPILS?

25 There are plans to develop initiatives to meet the needs of the higher achieving pupils, who are not always sufficiently challenged in lessons. Teachers are very aware of the needs of pupils with English as an additional language and ensure that they have the optimum learning opportunities. A teacher provided through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service gives part-time support to pupils in Year 2, and is effective in helping them develop their language and literacy skills and their mathematical skills. Teachers’ relationships with pupils ensure that they maintain their self-esteem, although there is some reluctance to allow the pupils the independence of working in groups so that they develop their self-confidence. Pupils’ achievements are carefully monitored by attainment, gender and background and appropriate steps taken, for example, to employ a ‘Reading Recovery’ teacher to work with pupils in Key Stage 1.

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PUPILS?

26 Pupils benefit from a good range of extra-curricular activities. The weekly clubs are mostly sporting activities and the school is active in the inter-schools sports tournament and has been successful in the Watmough Trophy for two years. The choir meets once a week and there is a computer club for the Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. Links with outside institutions are very effective in the local and wider community, offering pupils’ opportunities to extend their spiritual, social and cultural experience. There are very strong links with Holy Trinity Church and the vicar is often in school and accompanies educational visits. Pupils visit the church regularly and services are held in the school. There are good links with Thackley Methodist Church, the Salvation Army and Shipley Baptist Church. Pupils raise money for a number of charities including the Christian African Relief Trust and, through Friends in the

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PUPILS?

West , sponsor an African boy. The school offers financial and practical support for the African Children’s Choir, which was hosted by the school in 1998 and 1999. In contrast with parents’ questionnaire returns, which indicated some concern about opportunities for learning outside the classroom, the inspection found them to be a strength of the school. Some parents suggested that this apparent dichotomy was the result of the interpretation of the question on the form as some thought ‘activities outside lessons’ referred only to extra- curricular clubs rather than the whole range of additional activities. 27 The school has maintained its good provision for the pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. Religious education lessons and assemblies make a very good contribution, providing opportunities for pupils to pray and to reflect on their own experiences. Opportunities to develop the spiritual dimension are more limited within curriculum subjects

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PUPILS?

however. English, geography and art provide satisfactory or good opportunities for pupils to respond imaginatively and to reflect on their feelings and the feelings of others but teachers could exploit the spiritual dimension within other subjects further. Overall, there is Idle CE Primary School - 15 satisfactory provision for pupils' spiritual development. The statutory requirements for a daily collective act of worship are met.

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PUPILS?

28 Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. The school has a strong moral code and promotes high moral standards, which enable pupils to develop a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and the effect of one’s behaviour on others. All classrooms have the school rules displayed; however, pupils have had little input so far into drawing up the rules. The establishment of a school council is addressing this. There is a consistent approach to sanctions and all who work at the school have high expectations of behaviour and, in turn, the pupils’ behaviour in and around school is good. Pupils’ quality of work, their positive attitudes and effort are rewarded through a system of smiley faces, stickers and a special gold certificate given out at the celebration assembly each week.

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PUPILS?

29 Pupils' personal and social development is fostered well. There is a range of opportunities for pupils to take responsibility. In all classes, pupils are encouraged to co- operate with each other and to perform jobs in the classroom and around the school. As pupils move up the school, they take on more responsibility. For example, older pupils set out the hall for assemblies and operate the overhead projector. Year 6 pupils also act as monitors for the ICT suite and help out with the younger pupils in ICT lessons. All classes have visits out of school. Year 4 visits Ingleborough Hall, Saltaire and the Hockney Gallery, and Year 1 visits St Ives Country Park and Keighley Museum, all of which help to make a good contribution to pupils’ social development. The class of Year 6 pupils has not yet been in the school for a complete year and the school still needs to build up an accepted tradition

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PUPILS?

of responsibilities to give these older pupils more involvement in the daily running of the school. A positive development is the planned school council, which will enable pupils to take an appropriate part in decision making. A further area for development is in giving pupils of all ages greater responsibility for decision making in the choice of task and of methods of tackling them.

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PUPILS?

30 Good provision extends pupils’ knowledge of their own and other cultures. They learn about their own immediate culture, especially through the visits to places of local and historical interest such as Year 5’s visit to the Bradford Industrial Museum and Year 2’s visit to Bolling Hall. Pupils learn about different cultures, and their beliefs and traditions, in religious education. Work in history, such as work on the Romans and the Vikings, supports pupils' cultural development and in art they study the work of different artists such as Paul Klee, Turner and Monet. Pupils have an excellent opportunity to learn about African culture through the connection with the African Children’s Choir. Further links with Africa include pupils’ email correspondence with the adopted African boy, sharing information about the types of houses they live in.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31 The school continues to have good procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare and has high standards of pastoral care. The monitoring of attendance is effective and has led to improvements. The school follows up any unexplained absence or lateness rigorously, and – although not always successful − actively discourages parents from taking their children out of school for extended holidays.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32 Staff have high expectations for good behaviour, and effective methods are in place for promoting discipline and eliminating oppressive behaviour. Teachers and support staff all make a significant contribution to providing a caring atmosphere and a safe and calm environment for learning for all pupils. They know the children well and respond sympathetically to individual children; however, because individual records of personal development are not kept, opportunities for focusing on common needs, such as the development of independence, are sometimes missed. There are very good procedures in place for child protection, and the personal, social and health education programme is being developed to help the children to understand themselves and others. Idle CE Primary School - 16 33 There is a strong emphasis on raising all pupils’ self-esteem, and pupils are becoming confident in their dealings with each other and with all members of staff. Visits to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

places of interest play an important part in strengthening pupils’ personal and social development because they encourage self-reliance and mature behaviour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34 Members of staff all receive appropriate training to enable them to keep up to date with aspects of care and welfare, and the governors carry out regular risk assessments on the property. The school cares equally for all its pupils and makes sure that they have an appropriate and well-balanced education.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35 Assessment and recording procedures are very thorough, particularly in English, mathematics, science and ICT, for which comprehensive ongoing records are kept. Teachers are very well informed about formal test results and this helps them to identify clearly where improvement in learning is needed, so that they can plan their lessons accordingly. Portfolios are started for each child in the reception class and added to every year as children progress through the school. They help the school to keep track of how pupils are improving over time and to recognise when individuals and groups of pupils need extra support. Teachers know their pupils very well and use both formal and informal assessment information to help them plan their lessons to match their pupils’ needs. Targets for improvement are noted on pupils’ annual reports to parents. Pupils could be more involved in setting their own targets.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36 Parents hold the school in high regard and the partnership between parents and school remains strong. About a third of parents who completed the questionnaire felt that there were not enough activities outside the classroom, but the inspectors found that the opportunities offered to the children to join clubs or for visits (residential and local) were good. The inspection found that the partnership is working effectively although some parents are reluctant to become involved despite the school’s best efforts. Several parents come into the school to help with, for example, reading, and make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning. The very active and enthusiastic Association of Parents, Teachers and Friends of Idle (PTFA), arranges highly successful fundraising and social events in order to provide extra equipment for the school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37 Many parents attend assemblies, and are keen to participate in any training evenings offered by the school to enable them to help their children at home. For example, meetings have been held about ICT and helping with reading.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38 Parents also speak highly of the informal links with the headteacher and staff and feel welcome in the school. They appreciate the curricular information and the regular, informative newsletters. The school brochure contains clear advice on, for example, behaviour and attendance, and the governors’ annual report to parents gives information on links with the local community and visits made by the children.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39 Written reports to parents are very good and contain information on the progress of the children. About a quarter of parents who completed the questionnaire felt unhappy about the amount of homework given to their children. Some said that it was too much, and others said it was not enough. The inspectors found that generally the homework policy was being successfully implemented across the school. Parents are pleased with the way their children settle into and enjoy school, and are expected to work hard. They appreciate the procedures for induction, and the processes for transfer to secondary school. The close links with the secondary school will help to ensure curricular continuity and promote easy transition from one stage of schooling to the next.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Idle CE Primary School - 17 40 The headteacher provides very good leadership. He has a clear view about the educational direction of the school and leads developments through drive and determination, together with a very supportive approach. With the support of the deputy and a fully committed staff, he ensures a continuing focus on promoting high standards of teaching and learning. Following classroom observations, the headteacher provides helpful feedback to teachers, ensuring that they have regular opportunities to discuss their work and to identify strengths and areas for improvement and further training. Teachers value this process and continuously strive to develop more effective ways of working. Subject managers look at planning and review pupils’ work to keep an eye on standards, but so far they have had limited opportunities to monitor teaching directly. This has led to some inconsistencies in the

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41 Membership of the senior management team has fluctuated during the period of reorganisation. Currently, there is no permanent member from the Foundation Stage or Key Stage 1. Whilst the school is small enough to allow good informal communication across the key stages, consideration should be given to making the senior management team more representative to improve continuity across year groups and subjects.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42 The school management and governors work well together. This was exemplified during the recent re-organisation when the school changed from a first school to a primary school. Governors’ minutes show how much time and effort was involved in this process; nevertheless, governors continued to monitor and evaluate performance, using the considerable amount of detailed assessment data provided by the headteacher. The painstaking process of target setting ensures that pupils’ performance is constantly reviewed so that appropriately challenging goals can be set for individual pupils and the school as a whole.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43 The balance of experience and expertise of governors means they can offer good advice and ask probing questions. Their increasing role as ‘critical friends’ helps to ensure that clear educational priorities are established and that funds are allocated appropriately. In addition to immediate concerns identified in the annual improvement plan, longer-term goals are agreed and outlined in an improvement plan covering three years. Governors fulfil their statutory duties very well and contribute to a sense of common purpose. They ensure that the principles of best value are applied when making decisions and their behind-the-scenes work means that teachers have ample resources and can focus on raising attainment.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44 Staffing levels are good. There is a good range of expertise among the teachers and support staff. Three teachers have a middle school background and use their specialist knowledge to good effect, for example, in art and design, design and technology and French. The pupil/teacher ratio allows the deputy to provide specialist teaching in ICT and to support colleagues in developing their own skills. A comprehensive programme of in-service training helps teachers to improve their effectiveness. Support staff are deployed effectively. They are well briefed and take part in school-based training. The school is exploring ways of using their time even more efficiently, for example, at the beginning of literacy and numeracy lessons when the whole class is being taught together.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45 Following the recent building work, the school’s accommodation is adequate. Most classrooms are now of a reasonable size to allow teachers to modify the seating arrangements according to pupils’ needs. The area shared by the infant classes provides a valuable space for practical work, but the Year 2 classroom is too small for the number of pupils. The original accommodation has been imaginatively modified to provide a dedicated room for ICT, but because the original allocation of funds for the building work was cut, the school had to abandon its other plans to improve the teaching spaces. In particular, the full range of activities for children in the Foundation Stage cannot be provided, as there is no dedicated outdoor area for them. The parish has donated funds to extend the playground to cater for the increased number of pupils. Currently, the playground is very bleak, with no areas where pupils can sit and chat without being caught up in more energetic activities.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

This difficulty has been identified in the long-term improvement plan. Rather than simply increasing the area of tarmac, the school now has a good opportunity to bring forward these Idle CE Primary School - 18 plans and to think carefully about the use to which the parish funds are put. As the building contractors have left the site, there is also potential for other small areas outside the school to be developed to provide opportunities for pupils to investigate living things in the natural environment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46 The ample resources are put to good use. This is particularly evident in subjects which are heavily dependent on practical work, such as ICT, art and design, and design and technology. Effective teaching in other subjects, such as mathematics and geography, owes much to the range and accessibility of printed material and small apparatus. The hall is a little small for older pupils in PE and the range of apparatus needs to be extended for Years 5 and 6. Idle CE Primary School - 19

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

47 In order to improve the already good standards further, the school should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1 improve teaching further, particularly for higher attaining pupils (paragraphs 3,16,26,69,73,75 and 79), by:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I. ensuring that seating arrangements enable teachers and support staff to provide focused attention to groups of pupils and not simply to individuals; II. setting more challenging work earlier in lessons, especially for the higher attaining pupils; III. including more tasks which fully extend pupils’ learning and enable them to develop their own ideas through discussion;

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2 enable pupils to develop independent working skills and more responsibility for aspects of their own learning (paragraphs 9,73,79 and 86) by:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I. encouraging them to identify their own targets for learning and personal development in consultation with teachers; II. developing pupils’ investigational skills and providing opportunities for them to pose their own questions; III. extending opportunities for pupils to manage their own learning in the classroom;

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3 provide a secure outside space so that children in reception can move spontaneously between indoors and outdoors to develop their physical and social skills, and explore the natural environment (paragraphs 45 and 61), as identified in the school improvement plan. Idle CE Primary School - 20

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 40 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 2 33 46 19 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 218 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 12 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR-Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 71

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

p.20

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.4 School data 0.0 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. Idle CE Primary School - 21

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 3

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 15 16 31

p.21

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

p.21

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (91) 94 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 16

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94 (91) 94 (71) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Any other minority ethnic group 8 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

3 Following reorganisation, the school now has pupils in Year 6. As they will take National Curriculum tests for the first time in 2001, results are not yet available for Key Stage 2 Idle CE Primary School - 22 Teachers and classes Financial information

p.21

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.5 Financial year 1999-

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Education support staff: YR-Y6 Total expenditure 320205

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 1651

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Total aggregate hours worked per week 185 Balance brought forward from previous year

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Balance carried forward to next year 34091

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Results of the survey of parents and carers Questionnaire return rate

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of responses in each category

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

My child is making good progress in school. 52 42 6 0 0

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 42 2 0 8

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 50 20 5 0

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 21 52 24 0 3

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 29 6 0 2

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 35 2 0 2

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

The school works closely with parents. 38 47 12 2 2

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

The school is well led and managed. 62 30 5 0 3

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 36 2 2 8 Idle CE Primary School - 23 The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 8 42 21 14 15

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48 There has been a good improvement in the provision for children in the Foundation Stage since the previous inspection, so that the majority of children are now achieving well and are likely to attain the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, creative development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. This is due to good teaching in these areas of learning. In communication, language and literacy and mathematical development the teaching is very good and almost all children are likely to exceed the goals. The quality of teaching and the very effective support from the classroom assistant are having a very positive impact on children’s learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49 As they enter the school, children’s attainment is slightly above that found in the local authority, but as would be expected for children of this age nationally. All children enter the school in September in the year in which they will be five. Currently there are 30 children in the reception class. The majority of children have attended local nursery schools, so that they are prepared for the routine and learning experiences to be encountered in the reception class.

p.23

Personal, social and emotional development

50 The majority of children are likely to achieve the early learning goals in this area. This is because the reception teacher and the learning support assistant provide very good role models and have high and consistent expectations of the children’s conduct. A calm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere is created in which children are respected and feel secure. The children respond well to adults, and are confident to engage with them. The majority behave well. 51 The provision of the freely chosen activities is well thought out, so that children are encouraged to work and play together well. There are suitable quiet moments when children can share their feelings, such as when the teacher gathered them in a circle and read the story of Why I’m Special . The children used the mirror page of the book to look at themselves and took turns to say what was special about them. 52 The adults encourage children to become independent and to take responsibility.

p.23

Personal, social and emotional development

Children work very well independently in the numeracy and literacy sessions, and help each other, taking turns in games. They take the register to the office, and are expected to help tidy up and put away equipment.

p.23

Communication, language and literacy

53 The teacher in the reception class provides many very good formal and informal opportunities to encourage the skills of communicating effectively. By the time the children reach the end of the reception year, it is likely that they will have gained confidence in articulating their ideas, and that a significant number will exceed the early learning goals. All adults effectively help develop speaking and listening skills by interacting with the children in their different activities. The learning support assistant worked with the children to create clay bricks to construct the third ‘Little Pig’s’ house, and encouraged them to talk about what they were doing and how they wanted the house to look. Children listen well in lessons and the majority are careful to follow instructions. Particular care is taken to ensure that the pupil in the early stages of learning English is clear on what is expected of him, and to encourage him to join in.

p.23

Communication, language and literacy

Idle CE Primary School - 24 54 During the daily literacy session, children listen to stories and begin to build up a sense of narrative. The early development of phonic knowledge is made fun and enjoyable and most children are already confident in identifying a good number of initial sounds. The majority of children use drawings and can copy captions or make marks to communicate their ideas. They recognise their names, and most can write them. 55 Children enjoy stories, and delighted in hearing the story of Ten in the Bed . They remembered the sequence of the story and sang the words together, especially emphasising the last word of each section when the toys fell out of the bed with a ‘bump’ or an ‘ouch’. Children were observed looking at books in the class library and ‘filling in’ the card to borrow a book. Parents are encouraged to be partners in their children’s learning through supporting the development of their children’s knowledge of letter sounds.

p.24

Mathematical development

56 This area of learning is well provided for in the choice of activities and in the daily numeracy session. It is likely that the majority of children will exceed the early learning goals. Many children can already count to well beyond ten, they can recognise two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, and through sequencing the daily events in their lives, they are learning about the days of the week and time. 57 There are many opportunities for children to develop mathematical awareness. Children were learning to measure and count when making biscuits with the support assistant. This linked with the overall topic for the session which was on shapes. The children were asked to think about how they could make a triangular-shaped biscuit without a triangular cutter, and one child suggested that they could cut a square biscuit shape diagonally. The presence of an initial teacher training student ensured that there was a good

p.24

Mathematical development

level of adult support and interaction when children were working on group tasks, so that mathematical language was constantly developed and reinforced. Children are encouraged to think and solve problems, such as when trying to return tangrams 4 to their original square shape. There are ample puzzles and construction materials for children to experiment with shapes and patterns.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

58 Children enter the reception class with a basic understanding of their world. The planned provision indicates that they will develop this knowledge to enable the majority to achieve the early learning goals. Children learn about themselves and their families and where they live. They learn about their immediate environment and gain a sense of the past by, for example, observing how they have changed since they were babies. They are introduced to different cultures and beliefs through stories and assemblies. 59 Adults support children well in investigations, such as exploring different materials, and encourage them to question and work things out for themselves. For example, when making the different houses lived in by The Three Little Pigs, they considered if clay was a better material than Lego, and whether the shape of brick they were making was the most effective. Children use the computer with confidence and can

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

use the mouse and icons to find their way around a game program. They have allocated time in the computer suite, and are becoming familiar with the screen layout and learning how to click and drag . They produce artwork using a painting program, such as the very effective black and white Escher patterns displayed in the school hall.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

4 Tangrams consist of seven shapes, including triangles, squares and parallelograms that only fit together to make larger square in one way. Idle CE Primary School - 25 60 Opportunities to explore the world outside are limited by the lack of opportunities to move freely out of the classroom. However, the teacher provides for the children to grow seeds and to observe tadpoles changing to frogs. They learn about their immediate environment and its history in walking around the local village, and visiting the church and the local industrial museum.

p.24

Physical development

61 The majority of children in the reception have had satisfactory opportunities to develop their physical skills in timetabled lessons in the school hall, in which they develop the skills of moving in different ways, learn to throw and catch balls, and have the opportunity to balance and climb on equipment. During a music and movement session, children showed that they could use space creatively and respond imaginatively to music. The teacher and support staff interact well with the children and encourage them to develop and refine their skills. Children use recycled material to cut, stick and join materials. However, there is no provision for children to move around in a safe and secure outdoor play area where they can run and climb and balance, or ride wheeled vehicles.

p.25

Creative development

62 There is a good emphasis on creative development in the reception so that it is likely that children will achieve the early learning goals. There are good opportunities for them to extend their imagination through role-play. 63 Children experiment with colour and texture to create paintings. They are given the opportunity to experience a wide range of media and are introduced to the work of major artists. They work together with the teacher to make a rag rug, and use the ideas in a resource book to create their own designs, selecting colours carefully. They enjoy their singing lessons with the music specialist, and sing enthusiastically and join in with the singing in the assemblies. 64 They enjoy role-play in the home corner, which is well equipped with bright and attractive props to create a home for The Three Little Pigs . They cook, clean and tidy away and care for the ‘babies’ (dolls). Play in the area is varied during the year, with the addition of

p.25

Creative development

different props and dressing-up clothes. Children use construction material imaginatively to set up play situations, alone and with friends.

p.25

ENGLISH

65 Standards in English in the tests for seven year olds in 2000 were close to those of schools in similar areas. In reading, they were well above the national average and in writing they were above. This maintains the improving trend for the school over the past three years. As this is the first year in which eleven year olds will take tests, there are no comparable scores.

p.25

ENGLISH

66 Pupils enter the school with standards in language and literacy which would be expected for this age of pupil. They receive a very good grounding in literacy skills in the Foundation Stage. Effective and well-planned literacy sessions ensure that they make good progress, so that by the time they reach the end of Key Stage 1, they do well in the standard assessment tests for seven year olds. There is a slightly different picture for eleven year olds, who are likely not to achieve such relatively high results as those achieved by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. While progress within this key stage is satisfactory, there are greater variations in ability in the current Year 6 class where a significant number of pupils have special educational needs.

p.25

ENGLISH

67 The stories and texts that are the focus of the literacy hour are well selected to interest pupils. Stories with good repetitive patterns, such as Rosie’s Walk and Going for a Walk allow children in Year 1 to retell and order the events, and to tell their own stories using their imagination and senses. Idle CE Primary School - 26 Pupils in Year 5 discuss the fables they have heard, and then share their ideas about what moral the stories contain. They provide interesting suggestions for animals who can feature in their own fables and what characteristics they might have, such as being cunning and devious. They can explain their ideas and the possible outcomes.

p.25

ENGLISH

68 Pupils achieve good standards in reading in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory standards at Key Stage 2. Younger pupils use a variety of strategies to help them read unfamiliar words and have a good grasp of letter sounds. Higher attaining readers enjoy reading and read with good expression. Pupils read with improving fluency and accuracy, and begin to extend their range of reading. However, their interests are mainly centred on fiction books, and none of those heard to read expressed any interest in non-fiction, although some research school projects at home using the Internet. The reading skills of the higher attaining pupils are sufficiently well developed to enable them to cope with most texts. In a lesson in Year 6 looking at a highly formal business letter, most pupils had a good try at guessing the meaning from the context of the words and expressions. Older pupils know how to research information in books and through the Internet and CD-ROM. The reading skills of some lower

p.26

ENGLISH

attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are weak and prevent them learning as well as they might where the subject is dependent on reading.

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ENGLISH

69 Writing is sound and developing well for the majority of pupils. The most able seven year olds write well, producing well-planned, imaginative stories and effective poetry. Pupils in Year 2 learn to plan a story with two settings and begin to fill in a framework describing their settings based on the story of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt . Younger pupils are beginning to use full stops and capitals consistently in their writing and, by the time they are eleven, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of punctuation; their presentation of work is good. Older pupils mainly write well-constructed stories, but there is a tendency, except for the higher attaining pupils, to be unadventurous with ideas and vocabulary. There are examples of poetry in Year 5 and Year 3 that show a good sense of rhythm and an ability to choose good descriptive language. Less able pupils and those with special educational

p.26

ENGLISH

needs find these tasks more difficult, but are benefiting from the use of a framework for planning. Pupils use different forms of writing appropriately in other curriculum areas, for example, to record scientific experiments or to write historical accounts. There are some very good examples of work that has been word-processed on the computer, such as the individual diary accounts pupils produced of their residential visit to Ingleborough Hall.

p.26

ENGLISH

70 The quality of teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. This is enhanced by the good quality support given to pupils with special educational needs. Teachers are sensitive to the needs of the small number of pupils in the school with English as an additional language and use appropriate strategies to enable them to learn well, such as ensuring they sit in the front of the class where they can hear and see well.

p.26

ENGLISH

71 Overall, teaching of the subject throughout the school is good with no unsatisfactory teaching. Almost three quarters of the teaching is good or better, although there are some variations in teachers’ skills across the key stages. Teachers across the school have a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy. There is a strong emphasis on developing younger pupils’ phonic skills to help them with their reading and spelling. The chosen texts link well with the structure and writing objectives. The poem chosen for Year 3 pupils provided a good example of speech marks and commas, and the teacher moved smoothly from encouraging the pupils to perform the poem to guiding them to identify the punctuation. The tasks set for practising these skills are sometimes unchallenging, particularly for higher attaining pupils. This weakness is reflected in writing tasks. Frequently pupils are all given

p.26

ENGLISH

the same outline to complete and those of higher ability are not given work that allows them to move on and develop their skills, so that when they finish there is nothing for them to go on to. There is good support from teaching assistants for pupils with special educational needs. Idle CE Primary School - 27 72 In the best lessons, learning objectives are shared with the pupils and there is a clearly stepped build-up of knowledge and skills. Most teachers have good questioning skills and use probing questions that encourage pupils to respond. For example, the Year 6 teacher wisely used very open questions when inviting pupils to guess at the meaning of a very complex parody of a business letter. Attention is paid to providing clear examples of what is required and modelling new vocabulary and structures. The use of frameworks to plan, drafting and edit pupils’ work is contributing to an improvement in writing. Good

p.26

ENGLISH

standards of handwriting and presentation are encouraged, and marking is mostly good and effective in helping pupils improve.

p.27

ENGLISH

73 A common weakness in lessons is the limited opportunities pupils have to work together in groups so that they can collaborate on tasks and learn from each other. At times, the organisation of the class during group work makes it difficult for the teacher to focus attention on one particular group because other pupils are seeking adult help rather than sparking off each other and developing their independent study skills.

p.27

ENGLISH

74 Management of the subject is sound. Priorities for improving standards in English have been clearly identified in the literacy action plan. Support for lower achieving pupils has been a priority and additional teachers and assistants are involved in strategies to help raise their attainment (Reading Recovery at Key Stage 1; Additional Literacy Support and Booster classes at Key Stage 2). New fiction and non-fiction books have been purchased to supplement what is in classrooms and for the new library.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

75 The great majority of seven year olds achieve standards at or above those expected for their age, both in national tests and in their work in school. The school has prioritised raising standards in mathematics because results have not kept pace with improvements in reading and writing. This has been largely successful, as the number of pupils who are very securely attaining the expected standards has increased significantly and is above average. The level of work in lessons and in pupils’ books is generally above average; however, some more able pupils could do better.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

76 The first group of eleven year old pupils will take national tests at the end of the year, so there are no previous results available. The level of work observed in lessons and evidence from pupils’ books indicate that the oldest pupils’ achievement is generally satisfactory. About one third of pupils in the current Year 6 class have special educational needs. The school nevertheless expects results to be broadly in line with national averages. Given the care with which individual progress is tracked and the quality of teaching and support, this ambitious target is realistic.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

77 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use all four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with increasing confidence. They develop good mental strategies, for example, adding 9 by adding 10 and subtracting 1. Their learning is helped by the imaginative use of resources such as counting sticks and number ‘clothes lines’ which help pupils to visualise number relationships. Workbooks and displays in classrooms indicate a good understanding of three-dimensional shapes; for example, pupils in Year 1 identify the number of faces, edges and corners of various shapes and record them in a table. Pupils use analogue and digital clock faces to tell the time and understand the relationship between grams and kilograms. Idle CE Primary School - 28 78 Eleven year old pupils explain the strategies they use in their mental work well. Workbooks contain examples of their ability to explore mathematical ideas such as prime

p.27

MATHEMATICS

factors. Most can convert percentages to fractions or decimals. They draw and measure angles accurately and have a very good knowledge of shapes. For example, during a discussion about different types of triangles, they used mathematical terms including scalene, acute, obtuse, degrees of turn and parallel . Higher attaining pupils use their existing skills confidently, for example, to try out different ways of multiplying, such as partitioning, using Napier’s Bones and conventional methods. Pupils with special educational needs and other less confident pupils are well supported through additional classroom help and booster classes, which enable them to make good progress.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

79 Although good overall, teaching is more consistent at Key Stage 2. The most successful lessons adhere closely to the national numeracy guidelines. Introductory warm- up periods move at a brisk pace and extend pupils’ skills. For example, during this part of a Year 5 lesson, the teacher covered a lot of ground − including the inverse relationship between multiplication and division – providing immediate feedback and urging pupils to think for themselves. Where teachers interpret the numeracy strategy too loosely, opportunities are missed to give groups of pupils focused attention or to develop ideas by tackling open- ended tasks through co-operation and discussion. The permanent arrangement of tables in some classrooms means that, following introductions, most interaction between pupils and teachers or support staff is one-to-one and pupils miss out on learning through ‘eavesdropping’ on conversations between staff and nearby pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

80 Teachers suggest various strategies for pupils to use in mental work, and tasks are generally matched to pupils’ stage of learning. Sometimes they do not focus sufficiently on a particular group or groups in an activity, diluting their attention; occasionally sessions are too long for pupils to maintain their concentration. Additional tasks are set for higher attaining pupils, but their learning would be better if they could proceed to these tasks without having to go through all the simpler ones first. In an understandable attempt to cover all aspects of the curriculum, there is often little time for tasks which develop pupils’ own ideas and problem- solving strategies.

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MATHEMATICS

81 Teachers relate work well to real-life experience, such as counting change in a shop, and this has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. ICT is being used increasingly to enhance pupils’ learning about shape and handling of information. The interactive mathematics areas in each classroom help to maintain the profile of the subject and are frequently used by teachers to illustrate points during lessons. Pupils use and develop their numeracy skills in history, geography, and design and technology, but work in science does not always fully exploit such opportunities.

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MATHEMATICS

82 The co-ordinator has led implementation of the strategy well, leading school-based training and monitoring teachers’ plans and pupils’ books. She has had limited opportunities to observe colleagues teaching because of the need to ensure that children in the reception class have the same teacher as they are settling in. This means that other members of staff have not benefited as much as they might from her considerable expertise in structuring lessons and providing a good balance between focused group teaching and independent work. As an alternative, the school should consider enabling staff to observe her lessons.

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SCIENCE

83 Overall standards in Key Stage 1 are good and have been maintained since the previous inspection. An above average proportion of pupils − nine out of ten − reached the nationally expected standard in the 2000 National Curriculum teachers’ assessment. A below average number − one out of ten − reached a higher level. This suggests that some pupils did not reach their potential.

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SCIENCE

84 By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils draw labelled diagrams clearly and set out their observations, and are beginning to make predictions about what might happen in an investigation. Pupils in Year 2 were investigating forces by pushing two toy cars across the Idle CE Primary School - 29 hall floor and comparing how far they travelled. Predictions varied but they were all able to provide reasons for their choice. One pupil talked about the difference in size of the cars and how the air would push more against the larger one, so slowing it down. They were able to talk about fair testing and that the push should be the same for both cars. Pupils measured the distance travelled and gave a range of reasons why one car travelled further. There is no evidence of pupils working independently and devising their own investigations, however. 85 Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils make satisfactory progress in their knowledge and

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SCIENCE

understanding of science and the attainment of pupils in Year 6 is broadly typical of their age. The presentation of investigative work shows an increased use of scientific vocabulary, more detailed description of their methods and clear understanding of a fair test. Pupils use tables to lay out their data and are beginning to make conclusions from graphs. For example, an investigation on stretching an elastic band with increasing weights, carried out in Year 6, illustrated how they could draw conclusions from their line graphs. The scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that there has been an over-reliance on copying from the board. As a result, the relative progress of different ability groups has been slowed and pupils have not been able to use their own initiative in applying scientific skills. They make satisfactory progress in drawing diagrams but there are inconsistencies in labelling and wide variation in the standard

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SCIENCE

of presentation. This is sometimes the result of exercise books being rather small and unsuitable for the task. 86 The overall quality of teaching in science is good. There is some variation in subject knowledge, however, and expectations for the higher achievers are not always appropriate. Where their knowledge and understanding are good, teachers give clear descriptions and explanations of scientific ideas. They take care in explaining scientific terms and extend pupils’ understanding through effective questioning. Year 6 were predicting whether clear liquids had materials dissolved in them. Through their knowledge of the water cycle, the teacher was able to illustrate the mechanism of the investigation and this helped pupils to understand the physical processes taking place and to interpret their findings. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory but there is not enough emphasis on independent working in order to

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SCIENCE

extend the higher achieving pupils. Teachers enhance their lessons through the imaginative use of resources and several of the classrooms have excellent science displays to allow pupils to read scientific labels and so increase their knowledge and understanding. Very good use is made of learning support assistants, particularly in helping pupils with special educational needs, who make good progress

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SCIENCE

87 Recently, there has been a change in the way science is taught. National guidelines are now followed and these help to ensure that the curriculum is fully covered from year to year. A new commercial scheme has been introduced. Plans are in hand for the impact of the new approaches to be evaluated towards the end of this first year of their implementation.

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ART AND DESIGN

88 Pupils progress well and achieve good standards at both key stages. Portfolios and displays around the school indicate a good level of graphical skill, composition and use of colour. The previous inspection report was very positive about art, and standards have been maintained since then. Building on the good foundation in reception, teachers throughout the school introduce pupils to a wide range of media. They have opportunities to work in pencil (using a range of grades), paint, oil pastels, charcoal and clay, and to use a painting program on the computer. Subjects are varied and stimulating. For example, Year 1 pupils were provided with paper, cellophane, tissue and fabric, and used these to very good effect to produce collages with the same colour theme. Creative writing in Year 2, about seeing the Earth from space for the first time, led to some well-executed paintings.

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ART AND DESIGN

89 Much work is vibrant and bold, indicating a good level of confidence, well-established artistic techniques and a creative flair. For example, a display in Year 5 contains pictures in the styles of Giorgio Morandi, Aurone de la Morriene and David Hockney. The pupils’ attempts to replicate these artists’ techniques indicate a good level of skill; original works had Idle CE Primary School - 30 been closely observed and the pupils’ efforts captured the essence of the various styles. The use of original works as a stimulus was exemplified during the inspection, when Year 4 pupils visited the Hockney Gallery at Saltaire. They were fascinated by Hockney’s original work, especially the almost full-size opera sets. Teachers, very well supported by learning assistants, helped the pupils to focus on various aspects of his techniques, and pupils had the opportunity to experiment with colour, line and shape both during the visit and back in the

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ART AND DESIGN

classroom. Some produced line drawings, while others made model opera sets. These tasks were approached with enthusiasm and the value of this first-hand experience was clearly evident. 90 Due to timetabling arrangements, only a little direct teaching of art and design was observed. Discussion with pupils and the quality of recent work suggest that the good standards in these subjects owe much to effective teaching. The headteacher manages the subject effectively and has successfully maintained the profile of art during a period of major innovations in other subject areas. For example, later this year, pupils in Year 3 are to take part in an art/literacy/ICT project and Year 4 will be working with an artist-in-residence at the nearby Cartwright Hall gallery. 91 Art and design contributes to personal development in a variety of ways and adds to the richness of pupils’ school experience. They develop social skills during visits and the

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ART AND DESIGN

study of artists from around the world adds to their cultural awareness. They particularly benefit from the association of the local area with David Hockney, whose work arouses considerable interest and inspires individual personal responses.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92 The timetable for the inspection week made it possible to observe only one lesson of design and technology. Evidence from teachers’ planning, the scrutiny of a small amount of work, photographic evidence and discussion with the co-ordinator indicate that the attainment of seven year olds is broadly in line with national expectations and that pupils in Year 6 are moving towards the expected standard for their age.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93 As part of their work in food technology, pupils in Year 2 produced designs for making a fruit salad for a favourite person and illustrated how to use kitchen utensils safely. Year 3 pupils were involved in the testing of bread and were able to compare their findings to the specifications they had generated for making their own bread. Pupils in Year 5, in connection with their work in science, were making musical instruments from a variety of materials. They worked from a design brief and evaluated their results. A recent activity carried out in Year 6 was the design of a pet shelter. These were of good quality and included clear detail of construction and materials needed and ideas for improvement, but model shelters were not actually constructed. 94 It is not possible to make any overall judgement on the quality of teaching but from the evidence seen, teachers’ knowledge and understanding are satisfactory to ensure learning

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

throughout the key stages. Teachers have begun to use the nationally recommended scheme of work to plan their lessons to help ensure continuity and progression from year to year but this has not been in use long enough to have had a significant impact on standards. The temporary co-ordinator provides good leadership in Years 5 and 6, but monitoring is weakened by the lack of a permanent co-ordinator for the whole school.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

95 The school has maintained the good standards in geography seen in the previous inspection and standards are now better in history. By the end of each key stage, pupils reach levels better than expected for their age. This is because teachers are enthusiastic about the subjects and there are good schemes of work. Pupils’ understanding of history and geography is enhanced by the many opportunities they have to visit local places of interest and for older pupils to participate in residential visits. Idle CE Primary School - 31 96 Younger pupils learn about changes in their lives, for example how schools and transport have changed. In preparation for a visit to a local Tudor house, they discussed the differences in domestic appliances between then and now. This was effectively linked to science so that they could understand how electricity makes things work. During the visit they dressed up in clothes of the period and recorded that they were heavy and difficult to

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

move in. They study their local environment and learn to make maps and plans of the area. They discuss the impact of pollution on the area and record, for example, that ”they like it clean and do not like rubbish”. No lessons were seen in history at Key Stage 1. In the one geography lesson observed, pupils were learning how to instruct a programmable robot and chose a sequence commands which moved the robot round an island, linking their work on directions with the study of angles in mathematics.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

97 Older pupils learn about different periods in history such as World War II and the Ancient Greeks. They learn to research using books, CD-ROM and the Internet. One pupil was observed downloading information on the Greeks and effectively selecting information about the Athenians and Spartans. During the inspection, pupils in Year 4 visited a local mill village as part of their study of the Victorians. In preparation for the visit, there was a very good discussion in which pupils used their knowledge of local history and geography to built up a picture of what they would see. They understood very well how the countryside is changed by human development; for example, the mill needed to be built by water, and the area was changed by the needs of the workers, so that eventually the village of Saltaire developed with housing, church and school. In the one geography lesson seen in Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 moved from an earlier lesson in which they learnt about India to focusing

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

on the village of Chembekoli. Pupils brought their previous learning to the task so that they could draw conclusions from what they knew, and began to make connections between facts. In group discussion, they suggested that, as the villagers were farmers and the village was near a town, the people would sell their crops there. They further deduced that, as the vegetation was palm trees, then the houses would be made from wood and palm leaves.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

98 Teaching is effective throughout the school; in the lessons seen, all teaching was good or better. Teachers motivate pupils through the selection of materials and resources and their good questioning skills encourage pupils to apply their own general knowledge to the new learning. Particularly effective is the way in which teachers provide opportunities for pupils to think through their ideas, such as in Year 3, where pupils studied statements made by the villagers and decided whether these were positive or negative. This led them into considering moral dilemmas, such as, “If all the villagers joined together, it would stop outsiders picking on them”. The use of visits to enhance pupils’ understanding is particularly effective, especially as the preparation is so good. Teachers encourage pupils to record their findings and there are some good examples of written and word-processed accounts of trips

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

out, such as the individual diaries accompanying the photographic record of the residential visit to Ingleborough Hall.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

99 Different teachers manage the two subjects and they are both well led. The newly revised schemes of work ensure that the curriculum is broad and balanced, and resources have been extended to support this development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

100 There has been much improvement since the previous inspection. The computer suite opened in September 2000 and the recent additional networked computers in the library area and the adoption of national guidelines have helped to move ICT on and to raise standards throughout the school. 101 Seven year olds achieve good standards − an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils work with an appropriate range of software and are developing their ICT skills from access to computers in their classrooms and during regular lessons in the computer suite. They mix text and pictures, use graphics software to produce illustrations, create sequences of instructions to direct a floor robot through a maze and use the Internet Idle CE Primary School - 32 to search for particular sites. In science, Year 1 pupils sorted and categorised materials using the drag and drop technique. This helped the development of both their ICT skills and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

their understanding of the physical properties of materials. However, the use of information handling software is under-represented in this key stage 102 Standards of attainment in Year 6 are better than national expectations. Pupils develop confidence in their use of a range of software and also in logging on and using the computer network. This means that lessons get off to a brisk start. Pupils routinely save and retrieve work to and from their personal directories. Progress is good as pupils build on previously learned knowledge and general ICT skills. They set out work well in desktop- published documents and use these skills to explore the possibilities of designs for school web pages. Pupils scan photographs or obtain images independently from web sites and insert them into their trial web pages. The Year 6 class were using a spreadsheet to familiarise themselves with its basic functions. Progress was very good and the pupils were

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

able to find the sum of columns, to insert formulae and to choose which style of graph was best to illustrate a particular feature of the data.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103 The quality of teaching within the computer suite is very good, where the ICT co- ordinator is timetabled to take all classes on a rota system. Key Stage 1 classes are taught in year groups, whereas Key Stage 2 classes are split half-and-half. The projection resources are excellent, enabling whole classes to work in pairs at a computer and to see on the projector screen what the teacher is demonstrating. Classroom assistants sit with particular pupils to support their learning effectively. The older pupils have responsibilities as ICT monitors and, while the Year 2 class was working with Logo software, pupils from Year 6 were also available as helpers. The school is aware that there are gaps in its curriculum provision for control and monitoring activities, such as recording changes in temperature and light.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

104 The school has made very good use of the computing facilities to train teachers, support staff and parents. A group of learning support assistants were being introduced to Internet search engines and related activities that they could immediately use with pupils. These regular short sessions are an effective way of increasing their ability to support pupils and help to raise standards. The school involves parents in a six-session training scheme, which enables them to build up basic ICT skills and forms a productive link with school and community. The school is about to start centrally funded training, where the computer suite will afford very good access to training facilities.

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MUSIC

105 Standards are broadly in line with those expected of seven and eleven year olds. Pupils sing with enthusiasm. In assemblies, they sing expressively, interpreting the meaning of hymns sensitively. Under the very good direction of the visiting teacher, pupils in all year groups learn well, building up their skills as they progressively sing more challenging songs. For example, as pupils in Years 1 and 2 sang One Potato, Two Potato , the teacher spotted mistakes in pitch and rhythm and pupils quickly improved, coping well with the large intervals in pitch in the verse section. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 sang Heal the World and From a Distance very well, capturing the mood of the songs in their use of dynamics. The highly skilled accompaniment added to pupils’ enjoyment and supported their control of pitch and interpretation of the lyrics. Older pupils in Years 5 and 6 sang a rock and roll song with gusto and coped well when asked to

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MUSIC

sing in three parts. Over-enthusiasm led to some shouting, but the teacher quickly reminded them about this, encouraging them to listen to each other. 106 Due to timetable arrangements, little music other than singing was observed. Pupils listened to music in assemblies, but it was not possible to judge their skills in listening, or whether they could make a personal response using expressive language and musical vocabulary. Pupils in Year 1 showed a good sense of rhythm in a classroom lesson when learning a new song, Postman’s Knocking . They knew the names of percussion instruments and identified which produced long and short sounds. In the only other class lesson Idle CE Primary School - 33 observed, Year 6 pupils joined in rhythm activities well; they had a reasonable grasp of rhythm but were less confident than most pupils of this age. 107 Although there were no opportunities to observe pupils improvising or developing their

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MUSIC

own ideas through composition, this aspect of the curriculum is included in teachers’ planning. Records show that pupils in Year 2 composed a piece of music, which was used later in a Year 1 movement lesson. Pupils in the younger classes are introduced to writing down musical sounds and sequences using their own graphic symbols and squiggles; this leads to simplified forms of standard notation − for example, Year 5 pupils use minim, crochet and quaver symbols to play rhythm patterns on percussion instruments. 108 The teaching of singing is strong, but an overall judgement on the quality of teaching cannot be made because too few lessons were observed. 109 Pupils have opportunities to perform for parents in assemblies and seasonal productions. The choir performs for audiences outside the school, such as local senior citizens. Visiting performers – such as an African choir and a string quartet − add to pupils’

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MUSIC

experience of different types of music. Instrumental lessons on guitar, flute or keyboard enhance the provision for older pupils. These activities add to pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development and contribute to the school’s broad curriculum. 110 The music co-ordinator has worked hard to draw up guidelines for teaching that cover all aspects of the subject and has introduced colleagues to the nationally recommended schemes of work. She has devised a straightforward and manageable assessment system and is currently evaluating this with her own class. The profile of music has been maintained during a period of change. The school is aware of the need to ensure a better balance between singing and other activities, in line with recent revisions to the National Curriculum.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111 Standards are good; this represents an improvement on the previous inspection when they were broadly average. Pupils in Key Stage 1 develop good levels of control in running, jumping, twisting and turning and in their use of the large apparatus. They are able to move around the hall with good spatial awareness in a controlled way, avoiding collision, and can perform varied sequences of movements on the large apparatus at high, medium and low levels. The majority successfully improve by building on previous practice and performance. They enjoy demonstrating and evaluating their efforts in order to progress and refine sequences. Year 2 pupils were very careful in their deployment of the large apparatus and moved from activity to activity quietly and responsibly.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112 Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have made good progress; they control a bat and ball well, work in a small team co-operatively and perform a sequence of rolls, hand and headstands in a controlled and refined manner. In Year 5, a number of pupils worked hard to develop a very controlled sequence, which was to be set to Handel’s Water Music : they worked in pairs, reflecting and refining their actions.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113 The quality of teaching is good. Pupils are managed well and are expected to handle the equipment responsibly and safely and these expectations are usually met. There are high expectations with respect to safety and self-control and teachers frequently draw the pupils’ attention to the possible dangers of neglecting rules of safety. Lessons move at a good pace and teachers draw attention to specific points for improvement. They use examples of good practice for evaluation, extension and possible performance. Good use is made of the field for team games.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114 Teachers have begun to use the national exemplar scheme of work for their planning of physical education activities and there is a comprehensive long-term plan for physical education. This includes dance, games, gymnastics and team games. In the spring term Year 5 are taken swimming and in the summer term physical education lessons include athletics and outdoor and adventurous activities. Pupils regularly take part in local swimming galas. There is also a detailed action plan for 2000/1 to address particular aspects of physical education and the co-ordinator is keen to extend activities to include rugby, cross- country and short tennis. The school is highly involved in local fixtures and pupils take part in Idle CE Primary School - 34 a number of local competitions. The boys’ football team has been successful in winning the local Watmough Cup in each of the last two years.

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