Gilded Hollins Community School

INSPECTION REPORT

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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INSPECTION REPORT

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. [School name] - 3 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St Helen’s Road Leigh Lancashire

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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: Mrs P. Martin

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 th May1996 [School name] - 4 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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Team members

M. R. Shepherd Registered inspector C. Herbert Lay inspector S. Gatehouse Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ 01733 570753

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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 Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE [School name] - 5 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School REPORT CONTENTS

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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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

• Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is very high in speaking and listening. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are well above the national average. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations. Attainment in religious education is above the expected level of the locally agreed syllabus. Overall pupils achieve very well • Pupils' personal development, relationships and attitudes to school are excellent. Pupils' behaviour is very good • Attendance is well above average • Teaching is very good • Leadership and management of the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior teacher and governors are very good • The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good • Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good and provision for cultural development is good • Procedures for child protection and pupils' welfare are very good • The school has a very good partnership with parents

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15

• Planning for computer skills in the classroom • Skills in using non-fiction in Key Stage 1 • Organisation, progression and presentation of written work • The design and layout of the accommodation

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

[School name] - 6 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Gilded Hollins Community Primary School is of an average size with 242 pupils. There are 107 boys and 135 girls between the ages of four and eleven. There is a separate class for each age group. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities. There are 18 pupils on the special educational needs register which is below average and no pupils with statements, which is also lower than average. Attainment on entry is above average and there is a wide range of ability.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school with some outstanding features. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in speaking and listening are very high. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are well above the national average. In music and art standards are above national expectations and religious education is above expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Teaching is very good overall. Leadership and management are very good. Value for money is very good.

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What the school does well

• Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is very high in speaking and listening. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are well above the national average. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations. Attainment in religious education is above the expected level of the locally agreed syllabus. Overall pupils achieve very well. • Pupils' personal development, relationships and attitudes to school are excellent. Pupils' behaviour is very good. • Attendance is well above average. • Teaching is very good. • Leadership and management by the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior teacher and governors are very good. • The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good. • Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good and provision for cultural development is good. • Procedures for child protection and pupils' welfare are very good. • The school has a very good partnership with parents.

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What could be improved

• Planning for computer skills in the classroom. • Skills in using non-fiction in Key Stage 1. • Organisation, progression and presentation of written work. • The design and layout of the accommodation.

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What could be improved

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 May 1996. The school has made a very good rate of improvement since that inspection. Standards in writing and science have significantly improved. Standards in speaking and listening, reading, music, physical education and religious education have all improved. Standards of children under five are significantly better. Personal development, relationships and attitudes are significantly better; behaviour is better. The quality of teaching has greatly improved with the proportion of very good teaching doubled. Thirteen per cent of teaching is now excellent. There was no teaching in this category in the previous inspection. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen in this inspection whereas there was 15 per cent of unsatisfactory teaching in the previous inspection. Provision for spiritual, moral and social development has improved further. Procedures for pupils' welfare are better. The new

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

[School name] - 7 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School headteacher has built on the previous strengths of the school very effectively. The management structure of the school has improved.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The inspection findings judge standards by the end of Key Stage 2 in speaking and listening and poetry writing as very high and in the top five per cent nationally. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are well above average. Standards in religious education are above the expected level of the locally agreed syllabus. Standards in art and music are above national expectations. These standards are higher than expected. Pupils make very good progress through the school.

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STANDARDS

By the end of Key Stage 1 standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics and above in science.

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STANDARDS

Standards for children under five are above national expectations in all areas of learning except for physical development which is in line with national expectations.

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STANDARDS

The trend in attainment over the past four years is broadly in line with the national picture. Standards compare very favourably with similar schools despite being in the top band of attainment. Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics is well above average and in science attainment is above average when compared with schools in this band. The school's targets are appropriate.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have excellent attitudes towards school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in lessons, around the school and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are excellent. Pupils have a very good understanding of feelings, values and beliefs. Pupils have great respect for each other and for adults, which is the main school rule.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is well above the national average. There have been no exclusions in the previous year. Year 6 pupils develop excellent skills of citizenship through the weekly Listening Council. There is very good personal development across the key stages in assemblies. [School name] - 8 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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

Lessons seen overall: 22 Very good Good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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

Thirteen per cent of teaching is excellent and forty six per cent is very good. Thirty six per cent of teaching is good and five per cent is satisfactory. The excellent teaching is all Key Stage 2. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. The very high quality of relationships between teachers and pupils underpins all the teaching. This leads to a high sense of self-esteem in pupils and a very confident approach to their learning. Teachers create an industrious ethos in classrooms which ensures a high rate of productivity by pupils. The quality of teaching in English and mathematics is very good. Teachers all manage pupils very effectively. They all teach basic skills very effectively except for non-fiction reading skills in Key Stage 1. There are some very high expectations in Key Stage 2 in speaking and listening, poetry writing and mathematics, which lead to high levels of intellectual and creative effort. Most teachers set a fast pace to lessons.

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

Teachers plan carefully to meet all pupils' needs. They plan interesting and challenging tasks that produce a very high level of interest and concentration from pupils. Overall planning is good but information technology planning is insufficient within other subjects. All teachers use classroom assistants, parents and other adults very effectively, including the caretaker. The headteacher plays a valuable role in teaching. He sets very high standards in his own teaching and often joins in lessons as he moves around the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Overall the quality and range of the curriculum is very good. Provision for personal education is excellent. Provision for equal opportunities is very good. Provision for poetry, art and music is very good. Pupils are given very good opportunities to play musical instruments.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Partnership with parents is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Provision for cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for pupils' welfare are very good. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' personal development are very good.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well in partnership with its parents across many aspects of school life. Strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy skills are very good. The school uses the community very effectively to enrich the curriculum. There are very constructive relationships with partner institutions, particularly the high school where there are some extremely effective joint projects. [School name] - 9 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher is a very effective leader. The deputy headteacher and senior teacher support him very well. Together they set a very clear educational direction. Management is very efficient.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very effective. The chair of governors is a very good leader. All governors have a very good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Responsibilities are carefully delegated.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its performance well. It has set up effective systems to track pupils' progress.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used efficiently, particularly the use of support staff, secretary and caretaker. Financial resources are used efficiently.

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Aspect Comment

Aspects of the accommodation are unsatisfactory. The original layout and design was poorly planned. It is very inconvenient with inappropriately shaped and sized classrooms and very poor access between classrooms which occasionally causes disruption. Cloakroom spaces are inadequate for the number of pupils. There are no outdoor play facilities for the under fives. The school manages these very difficult conditions very well, particularly during the current alterations to buildings. The school is kept very clean with good quality displays.

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Aspect Comment

The school fulfils its aims extremely well. There is a very clear, shared commitment to improvement and a very good capacity to succeed. The school applies the principles of best value well. [School name] - 10 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

One hundred and forty two questionnaires were returned. This was 74 per cent of those sent out. Fifty parents attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They are kept well informed about their children's progress. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The school works closely with them. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children are making good progress. • The school expects their children to work hard and do their best. • Their children like school. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The range of activities outside lessons. • Monitoring of behaviour at lunch time. • Provision in the reception class. • Timing of parents' meetings to discuss progress. • Supervision of pupils at home time. • The use of space in the school. • The provision of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the points that please parents most. The school makes excellent provision for children to become mature and responsible. The school is very well led and managed. Behaviour in the school is very good. The overall range of activities outside lessons is satisfactory. The provision of a writing weekend in Year 5 is particularly effective in raising standards in English. Behaviour is monitored well at lunchtimes as the midday supervisors are well trained. The provision in the reception class is very good. The timing of parents' meetings is appropriate with very good opportunities to discuss progress throughout the year. Supervision at home time is good. The school makes the best possible use of space under very difficult circumstances. There is some very effective homework. [School name] - 11 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School PART B: COMMENTARY

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Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is very high in speaking and listening. Standards in

reading, writing, mathematics and science are well above the national average.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

1. Progress is good in mathematics, reading and writing throughout the school and very good in speaking and listening, writing poetry, drama, science, religious education, art and music. Parents identified these strengths at the parents' meeting. Children enter the school with attainment above average in reading, mathematics and personal and social development. The school provides a broad and rich curriculum with very good teaching that builds steadily on previous learning.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

2. Pupils all receive regular opportunities to speak and listen across a wide range of different contexts. At some point during the year pupils speak in the formal context of school assemblies. There is a very supportive ethos created in these assemblies to give pupils confidence to develop these skills. In Year 6 all pupils develop a very high level of expertise in debate in the "Listening Council." They take it in turns to be the chair of this council and control the discussion very skilfully. Pupils respond to each other's views and ideas to a very high level, extending, refuting, amending and challenging the contributions. The level of concentration by every pupil is extremely high as the council acts on the issues under discussion and this practical outcome affects them directly. For example, pupils debate the merits of having a class animal and agree on the most appropriate one for the school environment. Standards in drama are high as pupils have

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

regular opportunities to develop these skills in the whole school productions.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

3. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in writing are well above average and in poetry they are very high. Pupils handle the structure of poetry with great confidence as they have regular opportunities to develop these skills across a range of different contexts. They use language most imaginatively and create rich images across a myriad of responses from the original subject. For example, pupils produce vastly different poems from the title "The Big Idea" as the teacher gives them a challenging introduction to stimulate their imaginations. Pupils have a very good understanding of grammar as they have regular work to develop their knowledge. This allows them to use language with confidence in their independent writing. For example, pupils moved confidently between different parts of speech to improve the draft of a whole class poem. The Year 5 residential writing weekend with a resident poet has a strong impact on the standards in poetry writing.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

Pupils all have the confidence to respond at a personal level to their experiences. For example, on a project about a local wildlife area they produce phrases such as "The rippling lake, misted, like a sheet of grey silk" and " Sky is swamped by clouds and birds." Standards in handwriting are in line with national expectations.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

4. Standards in reading are well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils have regular opportunities to read throughout the school. Skills are developed thoroughly from the reception class where children are taught a variety of different strategies to tackle texts. Teachers keep thorough records of individuals’ progress and weaknesses are carefully identified and supported by the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs teachers and classroom assistants. Provision is particularly good in Years 5 and 6. Pupils read twice a week with an adult to support each group. This includes parents who have a very good understanding of their role as they have received high quality training from the school with clear written instructions of expectations. These groups ensure that pupils gain confidence in reading aloud and develop skills of analysing and responding to texts. This reading includes both fiction and non-fiction texts. The older

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

[School name] - 12 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School pupils have benefited from the use of the school library that was sited in the Year 6 teaching area. However, the Key Stage 1 pupils have not had the opportunity to develop library skills as this was too disruptive to the older pupils. The Year 2 pupils have a good standard of reading fiction but their understanding of non-fiction is of a lower standard. They do not use the language or skills of non-fiction with confidence. The improvements to the building have been designed to improve this deficiency and there are plans for all pupils to visit the library regularly in future.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

5. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in mathematics and science are well above the national average. Pupils have a good understanding of mathematics across all aspects of the subject. They use mathematical language confidently and use numbers and measurements with accuracy. They solve mathematical problems with confidence and use their skills well across other subjects. For example, in science in Year 6 pupils produce accurate and well-presented graphs to show the thermal properties of different materials. In science pupils carry out experiments with confidence as they have regular opportunities to develop these skills throughout the school. For example, during the inspection reception pupils investigated the properties of mirrors in a range of carefully organised experiences; in Year 3 pupils developed understanding of fair tests by carrying out experiments with magnets and in Year 5 pupils learnt about sound in six different

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

investigations. Pupils have a thorough knowledge across the science curriculum as the schemes of work ensure consistent coverage of each aspect. There is little difference between attainment in girls and boys as the school is very effective in ensuring equal opportunities. They are an active part of a working group of local primary and secondary schools, which has produced some very effective guidelines to tackle equality across gender. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress.

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

6. Standards in religious education are above average as the headteacher teaches this subject very effectively throughout Key Stage 2. The school combines developing knowledge of other faiths with a personal response to religious and moral issues very skilfully. For example, in Year 5 pupils learnt about the meaning of the story of the widow's mite and identified the root of their own selfishness. Attainment in art is above national expectations as the school raises the profile of this subject in the annual art week where very successful whole school projects are carried out. Pupils carry out regular major arts schemes within the community. For example, Year 6 pupils produced detailed plans to paint a wall in a local park and then transferred the plans to the wall by means of a grid. Standards in music are above average as pupils have very good opportunities to develop specialist instrument expertise. Over 45 pupils have specialist instrument tuition

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syllabus. Attainment in art and music is above national expectations

including piano, violin, cornet, guitar and flute. Pupils have good standards of singing both in the regular context of assemblies and in very good quality annual musical productions. Teachers have good subject knowledge in music, which they use effectively. For example, the deputy headteacher developed skills in using percussion instruments very well in Year 1. Every pupil played one throughout the lesson to develop slow and quick, loud and soft techniques.

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behaviour is very good

7. The school highly values these aspects of pupils' education. Parents appreciate this provision. Excellent opportunities are provided to develop these skills and the pupils all respond very well. For example, pupils from Years 5 and 6 pair up with pupils from reception and Year 1. They go into assembly together holding hands, remain with their partners and return to class. This gives the younger pupils confidence and develops excellent social skills in the older pupils. A very well structured programme of personal development is implemented. For example, in Year 6 pupils consider issues such as taking risks and the effect of drugs. There is a very high level of team teaching in these [School name] - 13 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School sessions with the class teacher working with teachers from the Life Education Team and the community policeman. This ensures a very good ratio of adults to pupils to allow high

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behaviour is very good

quality debate to be carried out. Pupils respond very well to the main school rule of Respect Everyone. They speak very courteously to each other and to adults. They are equally at ease speaking with girls or boys as the school works hard to provide equal opportunities. Teachers provide a relevant and exciting curriculum, which produces very positive attitudes to work. For example, in the reception class the provision of bears' ears and Goldilocks’ plaits ensures very good quality role-play. Teachers ensure pupils develop their own opinions alongside acquiring knowledge. For example, in Year 1 pupils have a very good knowledge of the life of Van Gogh including the role of his brother in his personal life. They also identify their favourite painting and justify their choice in aesthetic terms. Pupils concentrate extremely well despite the considerable movement through classrooms and only seldom are they distracted. Relationships are excellent as adults

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behaviour is very good

set excellent role models, speaking to pupils patiently and showing a real concern for the individual. Pupils are very keen to take the initiative. For example, they identify issues for discussion in the "Listening Council". Behaviour is very good in lessons, around the school, in the dining hall and in the playgrounds. This is particularly commendable as the school building severely restricts access throughout the school. Pupils wait sensibly when they enter and leave the building, despite the high volume of traffic through the exits. The "Listening Council" considered this problem and was instrumental in improving the provision at the end of the school day.

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Attendance is well above average

8. The school celebrates good attendance and the great majority of pupils are keen to come to school. Parents recognise the school's emphasis on encouraging their children to attend school. Punctuality is very good and lessons begin promptly.

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are used very effectively

9. Thirteen per cent of teaching is excellent and 46 per cent is very good. Thirty six per cent of teaching is good and five per cent is satisfactory. The excellent teaching is all in Key Stage 2. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Teaching in the under fives and Key Stage 2 is very good. Teaching in Key Stage 1 is good.

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are used very effectively

10. The headteacher sets a very high standard of teaching. He regularly teaches in Key Stage 2 and often contributes to lessons as he moves through the school. For example, in the whole class session of a Year 5 science lesson he joined in the explanation of concepts and worked with a group of pupils to extend their investigative skills. The deputy headteacher also sets high standards in teaching. She works effectively, regularly team teaching to raise standards in basic skills in literacy and numeracy lessons.

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are used very effectively

11. The very high quality of relationships between teachers and pupils underpins all the teaching. This leads to a high sense of self-esteem in pupils and a very confident approach to their learning. Teachers create an industrious ethos in classrooms, which ensures a high rate of productivity by pupils. They give clear directions for carrying out tasks. For example, in Year 4 the teacher explained the work to be carried out on the computer very effectively which ensured a confident approach by pupils to the new work. In the excellent lessons they set a very fast pace with several changes of activity, which ensures a high rate of progress in learning by pupils. For example, in religious education in Year 5 the whole class session covered direct teaching of some New Testament stories, personal challenges to identify acts of selfishness and discussion of common human traits. The group work included discussion of individual selfish behaviour and an

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are used very effectively

identification of why human beings behave in this way. [School name] - 14 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School 12. Teachers all manage pupils very effectively. They work consistently within a clear structure of expectations from the school and are firm but fair. Teachers give the pupils well-organised opportunities for them to work independently and they respond very well. For example, when investigating the scientific characteristics of the school piano the pupils organised themselves and their work very efficiently. All teachers use additional adult help very well. The classroom assistants are well qualified and have a clear understanding of their role. In some cases they have a high level of responsibility and a very positive impact on raising standards. For example, a classroom assistant works with the programmable robots throughout the school and has a very good understanding of this aspect of the curriculum. This provides very good continuity throughout the school.

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are used very effectively

She uses the equipment very efficiently despite the small number of robots. Parents, governors and volunteers all have a very good understanding of the content of the work as teachers brief them very well. Some parents have been working regularly with teachers for several years and provide valuable support to individuals. For example, they work very well with the Years 5 and 6 pupils in developing extended reading skills. Teachers welcome any additional adult support. For example, the caretaker makes a valuable contribution to the netball through her regular work in the club after school.

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are used very effectively

13. Teachers all teach basic skills very effectively. They give pupils regular opportunities to develop phonic skills, spelling, grammatical understanding and proficiency in handling numbers. This is supplemented well by consistent provision of homework. This has a positive impact in pupils' standards in English and mathematics. However, pupils do not receive sufficient direct teaching to develop skills of handling non-fiction reading skills in Key Stage 1 to the same high level as reading fiction. There are some very high expectations in Key Stage 2 in speaking and listening, poetry writing and mathematics, which lead to high levels of intellectual and creative effort in the pupils. Teachers plan carefully to meet all pupils' needs. They plan interesting and challenging tasks that produce a very high level of interest and concentration from pupils. Overall planning is good but information technology planning is insufficient within other subjects.

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governors are very good

14. The headteacher sets a very clear educational direction for the work of the school. He creates a strong family atmosphere combined with high expectations for raising standards. He works very effectively with the deputy headteacher and senior teacher. They are all very good teachers and complement each other's strengths well. They make a high quality team which works hard and is determined to improve the provision of the school. The senior management team has set up clear tracking systems to monitor pupils' progress as they move through the school. There are now regular tests and predictions for individual pupils, which are about to be computerised to increase efficiency. These systems are used very effectively to identify both individual and year group trends. Very effective action is taken to address weaknesses. For example, writing was analysed as needing improvement and the residential weekend for Year 5

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governors are very good

pupils has supported the raising of standards in writing very well. The governing body is very effective and fulfils its responsibilities very well. The chair of governors is a very good leader. She ensures a very good level of communication within the governing body as she serves on all the committees. Responsibilities are very efficiently delegated to governors and they all have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They work very well in partnership with the teachers to improve the provision of the school. 15. The school fulfils its aims extremely well as the whole school team works together with consistency. There is clear and shared commitment for improvement and a very good capacity to succeed. Monitoring is good with both the senior management and governors [School name] - 15 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School involved in monitoring teaching. The school uses its strategic resources well. It

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governors are very good

considers the principles of best value carefully before making spending decisions and links them carefully to their educational priorities. Members of staff are deployed efficiently, including the secretary and caretaker who both make valuable contributions to the smooth running of the school.

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governors are very good

16. The school makes good use of the accommodation, which is kept very clean. Recent changes have improved the provision. The quality of displays is good and they celebrate pupils' achievements effectively. There is an attractive wildlife garden that pupils appreciate and enjoy.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good

17. Teachers work hard to provide a rich and varied curriculum for all the pupils which meets statutory requirements. They plan carefully to increase opportunities for learning across the curriculum. For example, in Year 2 design and technology pupils make models of butterflies emerging from a chrysalis, which reinforces scientific understanding of this life process. This is further emphasised by the use of non-fiction texts in literacy. Teachers provide a very good variety of tasks. For example, in writing tasks range from formal persuasive letters to lyrical and imaginative poetry. There is a very constructive relationship with partner institutions to improve the curricular provision of the school. Regular meetings between local primary and secondary schools ensure very good continuity between Years 6 and 7. For example, the publication of the healthy living materials ensures very good use of teachers' time and very good progression in the

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good

continuity of this work. The school works very well with the local secondary school. For example, teachers use the secondary school's science and computer facilities to supplement their own.

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cultural development is good

18. The school provides very good opportunities to develop spiritual understanding. Assemblies are of a high standard. They allow pupils time to reflect on their own responses and to increase their self-knowledge. Pupils are encouraged to write prayers for assembly which are based upon a shared theme and emphasise the content of the assembly. Stories are told very skilfully with very good opportunities for awe and wonder. For example, the headteacher recounted a story of an elephant mother and her stillborn baby that pupils listened to in rapt attention. Religious education contributes well to spiritual development as pupils are offered regular time to address their own beliefs and to learn about other religions.

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cultural development is good

19. Opportunities for moral development are very good. All members of staff provide very good role models and use incidences in school to consistently reinforce moral issues. There is a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop social skills within their own classrooms, across the school and in the wider community. The high value the school places on this aspect of pupils' development is evident in the school family tree where pupils gain a leaf that records their contributions to the school. These leaves often celebrate social or moral developments of individuals. Cultural provision is good. Pupils sponsor an African child and follow his progress through the year. Pupils gain understanding of different cultures through a range of visitors. For example, a touring Zulu group spent a day with pupils in workshops based on their dance customs. Pupils are involved in high quality dance drama productions regularly that develop their

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Procedures for child protection and pupils' welfare are very good

[School name] - 16 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School 20. The school has very good systems for promoting pupils' welfare. There are very good systems for promoting good behaviour, which results in the high standards of behaviour throughout the school. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' personal development are very good. Parents of pupils who have transferred from other schools are particularly appreciative of the care taken to ensure their children settle into school quickly. Provision for pupils' welfare, health and safety and child protection is very good.

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The school has a very good partnership with parents

21. The school values its partnership with parents. Parents play a valuable role in supporting pupils in lessons, which has a positive impact in raising standards. There is an active Parents’ and Teachers’ Association that raises funds for the school. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress, particularly parents of pupils with special educational needs. The great majority of parents appreciate the school's provision, both the high standards attained and the personal development of their children.

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Planning for computer skills in the classroom

22. During many lessons teachers organise their pupils effectively to work on computers. The computer is seen as a tool and supplements other subjects well. For example, in a literacy lesson pupils drafted their poem using a word processing program. However, the planning for such work does not always take into account the information technology skills to be developed. Opportunities to use computing techniques are sometimes missed because the teachers’ lesson planning does not include this aspect of the work. Teachers do not all systematically consider the coverage of all aspects of information technology skill development. The exception to this is the work with programmable robots where there is systematic, ongoing work to develop the skills. There are clear plans to extend pupils’ information technology skills when the new computer suite comes into use.

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Skills in using non-fiction in Key Stage 1

23. Pupils in Key Stage 1 do not have the expected technical language when discussing non- fiction. They are not confident about the differences between fiction and non-fiction and are unsure of the function of contents and index pages. Planning and implementation of the literacy hour in this key stage do not take sufficient account of these skills. Pupils are unsure of how to access books in a library as the building precludes the opportunity to develop these skills. However, the current building changes include the provision of a whole school library and there are plans to ensure that all pupils have regular access to this new facility.

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Organisation, progression and presentation of written work

24. The school does not provide a consistent framework for pupils to develop handwriting and presentations skills. Workbooks provided in reception and Year 1 are well chosen. They give appropriate support for pupils to develop skills of handwriting and offer a good combination of writing and drawing. The space allotted for each piece of work challenges pupils to extend their written work without the challenge being too high. However, several of the workbooks in Year 2 are inappropriate. The lines are too narrow for pupils’ writing and do not encourage careful handwriting. The expectations between the standard of presentation in pupils' workbooks between Years1 and 2 are too wide. [School name] - 17 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School 25. In the first half of Key Stage 2 pupils are provided with appropriate exercise books for their written work. There are separate books for different subjects and pupils take a pride

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Organisation, progression and presentation of written work

in their work. However the use of loose-leaf files for several subjects in the second half of Key Stage 2 does not engender a sense of pride as it is difficult for pupils to order the work effectively. The handwriting books provided for Years 5 and 6 are not appropriate as they restrict pupils' writing to working between lines rather than developing fluency and their own individual styles of presentation. Pupils produce good quality practice letters in these books but generally do not transfer this across to the writing in sentences. Presentation of mathematics work is good throughout the school as pupils have some separate books for this work.

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The design and layout of the accommodation

26. Aspects of the accommodation are unsatisfactory for the curriculum to be taught effectively. The original layout and design were poorly planned. It is very inconvenient with inappropriately shaped and sized classrooms. Cloakroom spaces are inadequate for the number of pupils. There are no outdoor play facilities for the under fives, which has a negative impact on their physical development. The school manages the very difficult conditions very well, particularly during the current alterations to buildings. The governors and senior management have worked hard to improve conditions. The recent alterations have improved the situation; there is now one well-proportioned classroom and space for a computer suite and whole school library. However, severe difficulties remain for pupils and staff to move across the school without going through classrooms. Pupils respond very sensibly to this restriction but there are occasions when it causes disruption. The

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The design and layout of the accommodation

school field has poor drainage, which restricts games lessons when the weather is wet.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

27. There are no issues for improvement for the school. The following weaknesses have been identified for the headteacher, staff and governors to improve:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the planning of computer skills in the classroom; • the level of skills in using non-fiction in Key Stage 1; • the organisation, progression and presentation of written work; • the deficiencies of the design and layout of the accommodation. [School name] - 18 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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

13 46 36 5 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 242

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. [School name] - 19 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 15 21 36

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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 21 21 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 97 (86) 97 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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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 21 20 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 97 (91) 100 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 16 18 34

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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 16 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 18 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (90) 94 (81) 97 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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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 13 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 18 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (91) 97 (88) 97 (69) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. [School name] - 20 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.8 Financial year 1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– 6 Total expenditure 357,507

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1,442

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 51 Balance brought forward from previous year 48,580

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 46,550

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. [School name] - 21 Gilded Hollins Community Primary School

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 62 34 2 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 31 3 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 61 30 5 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 65 33 1 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 49 41 7 2 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 21 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 77 21 1 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 68 29 2 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 34 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 36 16 3 4

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