Warley Primary School

WARLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WARLEY 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. Warley Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chindits Lane Brentwood Essex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 March 1997 Warley Primary School - 4

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Team members

8798 Dennis Maxwell Registered inspector 13828 Ron Ibbitson Lay inspector 21103 Val Ives Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Warley 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Warley Primary is an average sized community school for pupils aged 4 to 11 years. It is situated to the south side of Brentwood, Essex and provides education for children in the immediate area, as well as drawing a few pupils from further away. There are 207 pupils on roll, of whom very small numbers are from ethnic minority heritages. Five children were under the age of five years at the time of the inspection. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals, at ten per cent, is below the national average. Fifteen children receive support with English as an additional language. There is a wide range of ability amongst the pupils and pupils' attainment overall on entry to the school is average. Fifteen per cent of pupils are on the register of special educational needs and three pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. There are extensive grounds and additional playing fields adjacent to the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a successful school, which provides a challenging and varied education. Teaching is a notable strength of the school that promotes good progress, and the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. This has a positive impact on standards, which are good, overall. The good choice of stimulating activities helps pupils to be active learners. The staff provide a high level of consideration and care. The school ethos is good and reflects the hard-working commitment of all staff. The headteacher provides very good leadership and the governors take a close interest in school developments, fulfilling their responsibilities well. The school fosters personal development well so that children mature and become responsible. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The Foundation Stage has very good provision. Perceptively chosen activities lead to good learning. • Teaching is good, overall, and very good at Key Stage 1, so that children learn well. • The pupils are interested in their work. They have good attitudes, behaviour and relationships. • There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults provide good role models. • Parents have a good view of the school and communication is good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, enabling them to learn well. • The curriculum is good. It offers interesting activities that promote good learning and skills. • The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the school and supports the staff and governing body for planned improvements.

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What could be improved

• The routines to ensure that senior staff are fully effective need tightening up. • School developments should be set out clearly over a three-year period and linked to financial planning. • The school should finish adapting Curriculum 2000 guidance and use a sensible format for short- term lesson planning that includes aspects of the teaching strategies to be used. • The marking of pupils' work should be consistent and include comments on how pupils might improve. The work begun on the use of targets that give clear direction on aspects to improve should be extended. • Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator role needs development. • The school should ensure that details of statutory requirements are met. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in March 1997. Since that time standards have improved in line with the national trend. The school has tackled as expected the issues identified during the last inspection, and has made good improvements overall. Teachers have developed clear assessment procedures that support tracking pupils' progress. Marking requires further work to be fully consistent and useful in planning with children's needs in mind. The role of the subject co-ordinators is well established, with a strong emphasis on monitoring and evaluation in order to raise standards. The school Warley Primary School - 7 identified music and art last year as requiring development and chose to address music as a priority. Teachers have improved aspects of planning, although the weekly lesson planning is inconsistent. The school has improved ICT provision well, with an attractive suite and good support.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English E* C A A Well above average Above average A B

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Key

Mathematics E B B B Average Below average C D Science E A B A Well below average Poor E E*

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Key

Standards in English, mathematics and science in the work seen are broadly average by the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2 for the current cohorts. Standards are not as good in English at both key stages and in mathematics at Key Stage 1 as at the last inspection, although they are maintained in science and in mathematics at Key Stage 2. This matches the school's expectation for the pupils. In the national tests for summer 2000, standards were above or well above the national average and the average for similar schools in all three subjects. The school's internal assessments indicate that standards in the summer 2001 national tests for Year 6 will be rather lower than in 2000. The school has given a particular emphasis to the style and structure of writing since 1998 that has improved the quality and range of pupils' writing. Standards have improved significantly since 1998, although the trend over the past five years is broadly in line with the national trend. The category E* shows that

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Key

the school's results in English 1998 were in the lowest five per cent nationally. The school has set challenging targets for pupils in Year 6 for English and mathematics in 2002 and is on course to meet them. Standards have improved at Key Stage 1 in line with the national trend. The quality of learning opportunities and teaching are good, overall, resulting in standards that meet the expectations in most subjects. Pupils' physical skills are of a good standard. Pupils are gaining a good range of skills across subjects, including literacy and numeracy, ICT and enquiry skills. Progress in art at Key Stage 2 is below the expectation.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are interested, and motivated well to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The great majority of children behave well, although occasionally a few displayed inappropriate behaviour when they were not managed well in class.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The school provides opportunities for initiative and responsibility, and expects pupils to make mature decisions.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Children come happily to school and attendance is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The teachers' good management helps pupils to settle down to work quickly, enjoy their tasks and work well together when given the opportunity. Pupils take on duties in class and around the school willingly and have a good sense of responsibility. The pupils' good attitudes and behaviour, and their positive response, contribute to the effectiveness of their learning and to standards. Pupils show consideration and thoughtful behaviour for each other at most times. Members of staff provide a high level of thoughtful support. Relationships amongst the children and with adults are good. For Warley Primary School - 8 example, children chat together about their work and settle happily with friends to have lunch at the outside picnic tables. The level of attendance is satisfactory but has dipped recently.

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Teaching of pupils: Foundation Stage Aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: Foundation Stage Aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching throughout the school is good, and very good in the infant years. Teaching of English and mathematics is good, following national guidance sensibly, for example in looking critically at texts such as 'The Ghost Teacher'. Teachers' lesson planning is clear, with learning objectives, but tends to be brief, with the same objectives for all children. Activities and methods are chosen well to help pupils learn new skills, such as finding the factors of 24 or 75, and the level of challenge is usually good. Basic skills are taught well in numeracy and literacy, and enquiry skills are extended through science and ICT, for example in recording how an elastic band stretches. Ninety- six per cent of teaching in the lessons seen was satisfactory or better; 24 per cent was very good. Eighty-four per cent of teaching was good or very good, demonstrating the strength of teaching. Four per cent was unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Teachers' good choice of task usually enables pupils to produce work of good quality and depth. The school is still adapting and improving schemes of work.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school provides very good, well-focused support that addresses the children's learning needs well. All procedures are fully in place.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school is alert to the pupils' needs and uses a good range of strategies to help them integrate with other children and learn, despite little external advice.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The emphasis on moral and social development is a strength and helps pupils to become mature. The school works hard to provide an interesting range of cultural experiences. Assemblies give suitable attention to spiritual understanding, although there are missed opportunities in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a good level of care and pastoral guidance, with high expectations of the pupils, so that they feel secure. Parents appreciate this.

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Aspect Comment

The quality of planning and the learning environment for children in the reception class are very good. Several tasks foster independent learning, for example in the use of ICT to search for information. Formal assessment procedures are in place and the analysis of strengths and weaknesses in tests is used well in planning. However, assessments and records of on-going classwork are not kept consistently and used to inform teaching with pupils' needs in mind. The school is beginning to set targets for individual pupils to help motivate them. Child protection procedures are very good. The co-ordinator for special needs is thorough and provides good management. The good range of extra-curricular activities enhances and extends the pupils' experiences well. Warley Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has excellent qualities of leadership. She is proactive with a positive management style and motivates staff to work towards shared objectives. Members of staff are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very effective, and gives good strategic direction for the development of the school. Members have very good arrangements for visiting.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has good monitoring procedures. The governing body monitors the work of the school well and writes reports on visits and observations.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses all resources effectively for the benefit of the pupils and provides good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher promotes a purposeful atmosphere and high standards. She has a thorough and perceptive understanding of all aspects of the school and has a clear vision of a high quality education for the children. The library and ICT suite offer very good facilities and the grounds are extensive. There is still noise intrusion from adjacent classrooms, which adversely affects learning. The classrooms are attractive but the hall is drab. A few parts of the school are not clean. There is a satisfactory selection of good quality resources, which teachers use well to support pupils' learning. The school development plan arises from thorough consultation and is focused on raising standards, but does not show projected priorities sufficiently over a two or three year period. The school applies the principles of obtaining best value in all major areas of spending. The secretaries provide good service for the smooth running of the school. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well and are

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Aspect Comment

frequently in the school, which helps inform their decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Children make good progress and are helped to become responsible. • The teaching is good and children work hard. • It is an approachable staff. • The school is managed well. It is a caring environment, with good welfare and information. • Several parents do not think the children get the right amount of homework. • Several parents do not feel the school works closely with them. • A few parents had concerns over the limited range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the many positive views of the parents. These include the view that the school has a spirit of care and understanding in relationships with the pupils and parents, and that the quality of management is good. The inspectors do not agree with the concerns expressed through the questionnaire. The school has good relationships with parents and works hard to meet their interests. A suitable quantity and type of homework are usually given to children, with more time and effort expected of the older ones. There is a good range of activities outside lessons, and considerably more than in most primary schools. Warley Primary School - 10

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The Foundation Stage has very good provision. Perceptively chosen activities

1. The planning for children in the Foundation Stage of their education is very good. Well-chosen activities, with a good balance of experiences, provide good opportunities to learn and enable the majority of children to meet the expectations of their curriculum before they enter Year 1. The teacher creates a good ethos and sense of care for the children, which help them to gain confidence and quickly become ready to learn. Those children that need more individual attention receive sensitive support and direction. The quality of teaching and learning is good and well structured, with a clear purpose to the tasks, showing the teacher's very good knowledge and understanding of young children.

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The Foundation Stage has very good provision. Perceptively chosen activities

2. The teaching provides a stimulating environment so that the children make good progress. Activities take good account of the children's needs. Clear routines have been established so that the children are secure and know what is expected. Basic skills are taught well in literacy and numeracy, with good use of subject terminology, and children are beginning to recognise rhyming words such as 'lip/zip' and 'top/mop'. The teacher gives good attention to early skills in all subjects, for example using songs to introduce the days of the week and promoting enquiry skills through structured play. Most children take part well in their tasks and have very positive attitudes to their work and the school. The children achieve appropriate levels in their learning. The classroom is stimulating and safe, with learning resources that are appropriate and used well.

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The Foundation Stage has very good provision. Perceptively chosen activities

3. The curriculum is planned very well to provide pupils with interesting and worthwhile tasks. Activities are planned carefully to support children's broad experience and development. The daily timetable is managed very well to allow time for activities to be taught in depth. Practical enquiry work is central to the teaching approach, and in knowledge and understanding of the world, for example, this enables pupils to observe and reason. All pupils have good access to the planned tasks since the differing attainments and needs are taken carefully into account. The school encourages good attitudes to learning through the close attention given to individual children. The very good relationships between staff and pupils are significant factors in the children's balanced development.

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Teaching is good, overall, and very good at Key Stage 1, so that children learn

4. The quality of teaching through the school is good. Teaching has several strengths, broadly maintaining the standards of the last inspection. The teachers plan activities for the pupils carefully, creating good interest and motivation through lively presentations. The good focus on basic skills was brought out well by the teacher in one lesson, for example, when children focused on words that begin with 'kn' or end with 'k' or 'ke'. They understood the change in sound for 'lack' and 'lake' and the spellings. Teachers adapt the demands of tasks through their questions or the standard of work expected, although differentiated tasks and learning objectives are seldom set out in the planning other than for English and mathematics. Ninety- six per cent of teaching was satisfactory or better and 24 per cent was very good in the lessons seen. This good teaching encourages pupils to become interested and engaged in the tasks

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Teaching is good, overall, and very good at Key Stage 1, so that children learn

and has a direct positive impact on standards. Most teachers set high expectations that promote good motivation and standards.

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Teaching is good, overall, and very good at Key Stage 1, so that children learn

5. The school has good procedures in place to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning, demonstrating good improvement since the last inspection. This has helped to consolidate strengths through the open and constructive discussions that follow lesson observations, about the management of pupils or use of resources, for example. The school has applied national guidance on the teaching of literacy and numeracy well, so that basic skills receive a thorough grounding. Pupils' enquiry skills are developed in several subjects, including ICT and science. For example, pupils in Year 6 were encouraged to experiment with building a procedure using 'Logo' that would draw a petal then a flower, and pupils responded well to the challenge. In a Warley Primary School - 11 few lessons the consolidation of pupils' skills is underemphasised, although plenary sessions in many lessons are used well to recap what has been learnt and what needs to be done next.

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Teaching is good, overall, and very good at Key Stage 1, so that children learn

6. Most teachers use their skills of questioning to good effect in helping pupils to think about their work. There is a tendency in mathematics lessons to ask for correct answers and not to follow this up by discussion on the methods used. Overall, teachers’ informative and well-structured explanations, based on good subject knowledge, contribute well to good quality learning. They make good day-to-day assessments of the pupils as they work.

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The pupils are interested in their work. They have good attitudes, behaviour and

7. Pupils have good attitudes to school life and usually get involved well in their work. The majority of children are motivated well to learn since the good teaching establishes interest and gives positive recognition to what they do. Most children settle quickly to their tasks and try to do well, keeping a good level of concentration, which promotes their attainment. Pupils were given good opportunities to imagine and discuss what was in a suitcase taken on holiday in the past, for example, so that they are responsible and learn from first-hand experience. A taped interview created good interest and was used well to support their ideas and learning. Most children work hard and want to do well. Pupils are learning to co-operate in many ways, shown, for example, by pupils in Year 6 working together to prepare games for younger children during physical education. The good relationships amongst staff and pupils are strengths of the

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The pupils are interested in their work. They have good attitudes, behaviour and

8. Many pupils listen well to their friends and share what they are doing, as shown for example when children measured out 5 ml of water to soak their seeds or had lunch together at the outside picnic tables. They are mostly sensitive to new friends or those who find the work more difficult and are glad to help when they can. Most pupils continue to concentrate well even when not directly supervised, although several are rather chatty. The pupils with special needs receive very thoughtful support that helps focus their attention well and to make appropriate progress. There is often a good sense of pupils talking about their work and ideas within a busy atmosphere. Many pupils are genuinely pleased for the success of their friends.

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The pupils are interested in their work. They have good attitudes, behaviour and

9. The pupils' behaviour is good. Pupils respond well to the considerate and well-managed ethos as they enter school and become well-adjusted as they adopt the expectations of the school. They understand what is right and wrong and are learning to negotiate over difficulties so that they remain good friends with others. The school has introduced class discussion times to promote thoughtful responses as part of a positive behaviour programme and these are developing well. Pupils are friendly and polite and give help willingly when needed. Most pupils meet the teachers’ high expectations for behaviour, so that lessons maintain a good working atmosphere. The occasional exceptions to this were when the teacher's management of the pupils in the classroom and relationships was not effective. The pupils' behaviour in the playground is also good. Lunchtimes are quiet, civilised occasions where children talk easily

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The pupils are interested in their work. They have good attitudes, behaviour and

together. Pupils take good care of the school and its environment. No incidents of aggressive behaviour were seen during the inspection and bullying is said to be very rare. There have been no exclusions during the last year.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

10. The school provides a high level of care for the pupils and all procedures are in place to ensure pupils' safety and well-being. All members of staff provide a good level of thoughtful pastoral support and pupils feel able to talk to them about any worries or problems. The provision for their welfare and personal development is very effective. It makes a positive contribution to educational standards and to helping pupils feel happy and secure. The provision for the pupils’ personal development is good. The school has a warm, caring yet busy atmosphere in which pupils are happy and secure. This was emphasised by the parents at the pre-inspection meeting, in the questionnaires and during discussions with pupils. The pupils develop a strong moral and social sense through the school’s good emphasis on pupils’ social and moral education. Nearly all teachers establish good relationships with the children and

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

Warley Primary School - 12 provide good role models, although an abrasive and confrontational manner was also observed. By the end of Key Stage 2 teachers expect pupils to work responsibly and independently, helping them to develop well in confidence and maturity.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

11. Child protection procedures are very good. Members of staff have regular updates to their training. The school has suitable liaison arrangements with external agencies for the majority of pupils' needs, although teachers have to be relatively self-sufficient in relation to pupils learning English as an additional language. Class teachers are well aware of pupils’ needs and give very good support to them all in class, particularly those with special educational needs. Appropriate teaching of sex education and drugs awareness takes place. The school has good procedures to promote and monitor attendance. The importance of regular and punctual attendance is emphasised by the headteacher and registers are properly completed.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

12. The school has good procedures to administer tests and to analyse and use the results in further planning. There are good examples within English and mathematics in the use of assessment information to guide curricular planning. Information to track pupils' progress is recorded clearly and is used effectively. Clear targets are identified to focus pupils on making appropriate progress. Information from national tests is analysed carefully and applied well to monitor aspects where the school is doing well or targets to improve. The school is aware of the need to focus on pupils' higher level skills in English, mathematics and the other subjects to help raise standards. The teachers use their daily observations of children's understanding well to respond in lessons, although records of on-going classwork are less well developed and consistent to be useful for further teaching. Assessment procedures for pupils with special

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

educational needs are good. The pupils' progress is monitored closely, regular reviews take place as required and information on assessments is used to inform future targets.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

13. The school has a good health and safety policy, which the governors oversee closely. Regular tests are carried out on all types of equipment and risks are assessed as they arise. Provision for medical care and first aid are good. The support staff provide a good level of care and supervision during breaks and lunchtime.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

Parents have a good view of the school and communication is good.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

14. The previous inspection found that the school enjoyed an effective partnership with parents. Over the intervening four years this has continued and the school has good relationships with parents. Parents have a good view of the school and regard it well. Most parents find that members of staff are very approachable and that their children enjoy school. They like the fact that their children are expected to work hard and to achieve their best. The parents recognise that members of staff provide a good level of pastoral support and pupils approach them confidently to mention personal things or problems. They think the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. Parents recognise that the school promotes good behaviour so that pupils are attentive and work hard. They are confident in the good quality of teaching that helps their children to make progress. They have formed a clear and accurate

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

view that the school is managed well. They think that the governors and headteacher are making good improvements. The parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire or attended the pre-inspection meeting feel that the school is led well.

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

15. A few of the parents feel that the school provides too narrow a range of activities outside lessons. The inspection team does not agree with this concern. The range of activities provided is good and is more than in most schools. The quality of information is also good. Pupils’ annual reports contain much detailed information about what they can do as well as comment about aspects to improve. The school helps pupils to reflect on their own performance through careful self-review procedures. Parents also receive regular newsletters and the school prospectus provides a very good insight into the day-to-day life of the school. The consultation evenings for parents, which are held during the autumn and summer terms, are well attended and teachers are always willing to speak with parents at the end of the school day. An example of good practice is that teachers send a topic map home each term about the

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There is a good level of pastoral care and welfare for the children. Most adults

16. At the start of the school day, many of the parents of the youngest children stay for a short time in order to make sure that their children are settled. This makes a good contribution to the quality of the children's work and the progress they make. Warley Primary School - 13 17. The parents' association is active and organises several fund-raising and social events. These are well attended and the funds raised have been used to provide specific worthwhile items for the school. In addition, several parents offer to help during the school day, listening to pupils read and helping during practical lessons.

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Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, enabling them

18. The school takes great care to make an early identification of children who may have any form of special need. This is done through a good mixture of observations while the children are working and analysis of assessment information. The results of early baseline assessments are used well to consider children with particular patterns of attainment. The co-ordinator also uses test results carefully to identify or monitor pupils further up the school. Overall, procedures established by the co-ordinator for monitoring the attainment and progress of pupils with special needs are good and thorough. Reviews of the good individual education plans take place regularly, as required, and pupils are placed at the appropriate stage on the special needs register. Parents of children with special needs are kept fully informed about their child's progress and are fully included in the reviews.

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Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, enabling them

19. The pupils are given sensitive and well-structured support that focuses their attention well and helps them to achieve. The quality of individual or group support is good, being focused very carefully on the children's learning needs and the targets in their education plans. The support assistants help create a good learning atmosphere that encourages pupils to try hard. The pupils are monitored closely and sensible decisions are made to move them off the register if they make good progress. The support for the pupils with a statement is effective, taking good account of their need to develop social skills and further independence.

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The curriculum is good. It offers interesting activities that promote good learning

20. The curriculum for the children is planned well to provide interesting and worthwhile tasks. Since the last inspection the school has continued to prepare clear subject policies and schemes of work in line with national guidance to support planning and progression, and this is a current identified priority for the subject co-ordinators. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is very well planned and structured so that the children learn well. The long-term subject planning provides for good subject coverage and attention to all aspects of the work. Teachers plan worthwhile tasks from this planning, sometimes with a good focus on first-hand experience, such as experimenting with stretching a rubber band. The allocation of time to subjects is appropriate, although a review of the times and focus of morning sessions might help in achieving the best balance now that literacy and numeracy are well established. The

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The curriculum is good. It offers interesting activities that promote good learning

good focus on literacy and numeracy skills is often extended into other subjects, for example measuring in science with 5 ml of water and written accounts of historical characters and events. There is also a good programme of personal, social and health education issues, which supports pupils' personal development well.

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The curriculum is good. It offers interesting activities that promote good learning

21. The overall provision for pupils' personal development, and for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school makes good provision for pupils' moral and social development, encouraging pupils' good attitudes to learning. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is considered to be satisfactory, however, since there is less evidence of promoting this awareness within lessons and opportunities are missed. The school's assemblies offer good opportunities for spiritual understanding. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory, with several worthwhile activities which work towards an understanding of today's multicultural society. Within lessons, notably religious education, there is a good emphasis on the background and customs of world religions.

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The curriculum is good. It offers interesting activities that promote good learning

22. All children have good, equal access to the tasks, and good opportunities to learn and make progress. There are times when boys tend to sit at the back during class discussions on the carpet, or single-sex groups are formed, and the school should keep an eye on this. Warley Primary School - 14 23. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good, particularly for pupils in Key Stage 2. Pupils take part in many local activities, including events with their local group of schools, enhancing the experiences well. Representatives from local churches take school assemblies. The school has good relationships with partner institutions, including local nurseries and playgroups and the local secondary schools.

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

school and supports the staff and governing body for planned improvements.

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

24. The headteacher brings excellent qualities of leadership to the management of the school, which she uses to good effect in promoting a busy atmosphere and high standards. The aims and values of the school are evident through its work. The school has addressed the issues of the previous inspection thoroughly, making good improvements since then. The headteacher has a detailed understanding of all aspects of the school, which she gains through her regular monitoring as well as a nose for any matter requiring attention. The governing body has very good links with the school. All members of the governing body are linked to a subject to help give insights about the curriculum, and they also have a class link, which gives a broader understanding of school life. The school is currently working towards the Investors in People assessment to take place in the autumn as well as Governor Development, demonstrating a

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

high level of shared commitment and drive.

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

25. The curriculum is managed and developed well by the co-ordinators and their role has been strengthened well since this was identified as an area for development at the last inspection. The headteacher has good procedures for the support and monitoring of teaching whereby she and the subject co-ordinators make classroom observations of all teachers. There are also good procedures to monitor medium- and short-term curriculum plans and to analyse pupils' work. Staff professional development is carefully planned, and matched to school priorities. The head-teacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the school so that members of staff are prepared and developments are supported properly.

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

26. The process of development planning is good, overall, although the documentation requires review. The staff and governing body evaluate the progress through the previous year thoroughly and agree new priorities. The headteacher has very good personal arrangements to support the management of planned developments. The headteacher and governing body work together very well and have a clear view for the strategic management of the school and how to evaluate decisions. The governing body is very effective in its work, is strongly committed to the school and bases its decisions clearly on raising standards. They fulfil their statutory duties very well and are effective in providing strategic direction. They ensure that there is a daily act of collective worship, which provides a good focus for the pupils to reflect on the wider dimensions of life. The school secretary and finance officer give good service in

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The headteacher applies excellent qualities of management to the work of the

the handling of school business and preparing alternative budgets so that the governing body may consider the effects of spending decisions carefully and obtain best value. The school meets statutory requirements in all respects, other than in minor details.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The routines to ensure that senior staff are fully effective need tightening up.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. There is a senior management team, but it does not have regular meetings to review progress, discuss identified needs or support the management of developments. Its nominal role is to help give the school direction and purpose and to support agreed decisions on developments, although it is not fully effective in promoting and supporting change. The role is more about routine administration than leadership since its experience and work is not built into the forward planning of the school. Insufficient attention is given to arranging for planned discussion times, in the course of regular self-review cycles, to review progress on initiatives and to plan the management of change.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

28. While there is useful informal discussion about such initiatives as the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, there is no formal opportunity for senior staff to evaluate initiatives or existing policies and provision. There is also the need to share views and come to a consensus on the effectiveness of actual practice and issues to help give direction and purpose to the Warley Primary School - 15 work of the school. At present, members of the senior management team do not have a suitable forum for, or means of, fulfilling aspects of the role. The job descriptions do not set out the responsibilities of the posts sufficiently clearly to ensure accountability.

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School developments should be set out clearly over a three-year period and

29. The school development plan has a list of items, mostly related to curriculum subjects, that set out current priorities and action to be taken. One list relates to subjects where monitoring is completed and the other to where monitoring is on-going. Together they provide a simple outline of tasks receiving attention but the list is not a sufficient management tool that brings together considerations such as staff commitments, in-service needs, planned budget costs, or methods of evaluation. The objectives and action to be taken for their achievement are clear and realistic. The headteacher updates the plan regularly to take account of additional items and influences. The governing body has appropriate opportunities to contribute when the plan is in draft form.

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School developments should be set out clearly over a three-year period and

30. An overall structure to the plan is missing, however, to bring together all the significant school developments being considered. Moreover, the development plan with its timeline deals mainly with the current year and does not give sufficient attention to likely longer-term commitments over a two or three-year period with the projected financial implications.

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format for short-term lesson planning that includes aspects of the teaching

31. The school has worked hard to introduce national guidance for the different subjects of the curriculum. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented well. The school has tackled the task of adapting national guidance to the needs of the pupils in the school and some subjects now have good guidance, for example science. The school should set out a clear programme to complete the exercise, as part of the school's development plan, so that staff commitments are clear. Suitable procedures have been introduced for subject co- ordinators to monitor medium-term curriculum plans for their subjects and to check that they are consistent with the schemes of work. This good practice should be continued in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the school's schemes.

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format for short-term lesson planning that includes aspects of the teaching

32. The usual layout for weekly lesson planning sets out learning intentions and the tasks for the pupils but is essentially content focused. Planning seldom gives sufficient emphasis to the teaching strategies to be used that are intended to support effective learning. In order to help raise standards and to share good practice the school should introduce selected lesson planning that gives greater attention to the teaching methods and strategies to be used. For example, in several mathematics lessons insufficient use was made of appropriate practical apparatus, such as having measures to hand in both imperial and metric scales in Year 5. In some lessons teachers use good questioning skills but at times questions are closed and do not encourage pupils to reason. A more open discussion would allow pupils opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills more than was observed in a few lessons. Relatively

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format for short-term lesson planning that includes aspects of the teaching

few planned opportunities for pupils to collaborate in their work were seen, with a chance to share their findings with a larger group, although an impromptu physical education lesson provided a good example of this.

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pupils might improve. The work begun on the use of targets that give clear

direction on aspects to improve should be extended.

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pupils might improve. The work begun on the use of targets that give clear

33. Pupils' work is usually marked conscientiously but seldom includes information on their attainments and aspects to work on. There are a few examples of extended periods where pupils work is not marked. On a few occasions the decision to mark an answer correct is dubious. Marking often focuses on specific skills or correct factual answers, for example of spellings or arithmetic. With the younger pupils a dialogue between the teacher and pupil Warley Primary School - 16 frequently serves to clarify attainments. However, much recorded marking is a tick or unqualified praise, without making clear what it is that is good, or where further effort is needed. At present there is inconsistency in the approach to marking and the recording procedures. The use of targets is just becoming established but these are not yet used to help pupils to understand how to improve.

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Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator

34. It is recognised that the school made a positive decision to focus on music last year but had both music and art in mind as possible alternatives for development. Standards in art in the work seen meet the expectation for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 but are below the expectation at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 but this is not maintained in Key Stage 2. This indicates a decline in standards at Key Stage 2.

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Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator

35. Pupils’ work does not show the development in use and expression in a variety of media expected by the time they are eleven. Some work is focused on the styles of specific artists. Pupils in Key Stage 2 do not experience as wide a variety of media as younger pupils. Consequently, they do not continually build upon early skills and techniques. A multicultural dimension is included in the curriculum.

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Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator

36. The co-ordinator has occasional non-contact time which enables her to monitor and evaluate the subject. She recognises some development needs but requires further support in order to be fully effective in giving a lead. Opportunities for work sampling to monitor the quality of pupils' work are provided but this is not a routine for setting expectations and informing discussions. The headteacher has helped prepare the teachers for subject management responsibilities so that subjects receive basic support and review. The role should now be extended to give more direct support at the times of lesson planning and in using a wider range of monitoring methods.

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Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator

The school should ensure that details of statutory requirements are met.

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Expectations for art by the end of Key Stage 2 are too low and the co-ordinator

37. The school brochure is attractively presented and is readable for parents. However, the information required on authorised absences is not shown, nor the required data on Key Stage 1 national tests. The governors' annual report to parents presents a clear picture of the school's work over the year. However, it should include a statement on the progress made on items in the Action Plan as well as setting out the results of the Key Stage 1 national tests.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

38. The headteacher, governing body and staff should give attention to the following issues:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• tighten up the routines for having meetings by the senior management team with a clear agenda that enables them to fulfil their responsibilities; and ensure that job descriptions are up to date; (Paragraphs 27, 28) • review and improve the structure of the school's development plan to give an overview of costed priorities and developments, as well as action plans for individual issues, over a three-year period; (Paragraphs 29, 30) • complete the process of adapting National Curriculum guidance in planning to meet the needs of the pupils and agree a sensible common format for short-term planning that gives careful attention to the teaching strategies to be used for effective learning; (Paragraphs 31, 32) • improve the marking of pupils' work so that it is broadly consistent through the school and makes appropriate use of learning targets; (Paragraph 33) • raise standards in art by the end of Key Stage 2 and give further support to the role of the

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

co-ordinator; (Paragraphs 34, 35, 36) • ensure that all statutory requirements are met, including the detail of information in the school brochure and annual governors' report. (Paragraph 37) Warley Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 24 60 12 4 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 207

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 20 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 31

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Warley Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 (88) 94 (88) 97 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 (88) 97 (100) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 13 14 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 12 12] Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 11 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 89 (73) 85 (81) 89 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 11 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 85 (77) 89 (81) 89 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Warley Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2000/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 462504

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 2246

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 157.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 14535

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 31358 Warley Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 44 7 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 57 4 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 14 44 29 7 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 47 13 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 32 7 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 43 50 6 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 25 50 15 7 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 34 54 8 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 48 4 2 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 49 11 6 4

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