Heybrook Primary School

HEYBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd - 6 th July 2000

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HEYBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 193413 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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HEYBROOK 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. Heybrook Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Park Road Rochdale 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: Mr. M. S. Baleem

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Mr. C. Kessell Registered inspector Physical education The characteristics and effectiveness of the school Design and technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Equality of opportunity Teaching and learning Leadership and management Key Issues for action Mrs. A. Taylor Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers Mrs. A. T. Bee Team inspector Mathematics Special educational needs Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Mr. J. E. Cox Team inspector Science Geography History Mr. B. Duckett Team inspector Information technology Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage Mrs. P. Richards Team inspector English Quality and range of opportunities for learning Religious education Mr. J. Stirrup Team inspector Art Music Heybrook Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Heybrook Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is much bigger than other primary schools and has 477 full-time pupils. The majority of pupils are from either Pakistani or Bangladeshi backgrounds. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language is very high. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is well above the national average and the percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is above the national average. Attainment of the four-year olds when they start school is very low.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a happy, caring and friendly school. The pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school. There is a determination amongst the staff of the school to raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The teachers are hardworking and a significant percentage of the teaching is good. The school is very well managed, operates effectively and provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school has a good understanding of its pupils’ needs and the community it serves. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. • Leadership and management are very good. • Care arrangements and pupils’ welfare are very good. • Teachers know the pupils well.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Attainment in English, mathematics, science and information technology through the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the previous inspection in March 1997. The quality of teaching has improved significantly and all curriculum subjects are now appropriately managed. The improvements in information technology have been good. There is a good repair and maintenance plan and the school’s staffing structure has been reorganised. Although standards are still well below average, they have improved since the previous inspection and pupils no longer make unsatisfactory progress in their writing. The school is continuing to work hard to improve standards, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Heybrook Primary School - 8

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

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STANDARDS

Results of the 1999 national tests showed that English and mathematics were well below average when compared with all schools. Results in science were in the bottom 5 per cent nationally and very low. When compared with schools of a similar nature, attainment in English and mathematics were below average and science well below average. Although standards are low, the school’s trend of improvement is in line with the national trend within these three subjects. Progress in English, mathematics and science is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Pupils make good progress in their reading through the school, but a number of factors have a negative impact on test results. Pupils have very poor language skills when they start school and many take extended holidays during their school careers. Some year groups, for example the current Year 6, have a large percentage of pupils with special educational needs. Standards are currently well below

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STANDARDS

average in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 and below average in science and information technology. The school has set challenging targets for the current academic year.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They are enthusiastic about school and interested in their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

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

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils enjoy being given responsibility. Relationships are very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is below the national average. The school is working very hard to improve attendance rates. Heybrook Primary School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Satisfactory 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 AND LEARNING

Teaching is judged to be satisfactory overall with forty-eight per cent of lessons being good or better. Four per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory, but this is a significant improvement on the previous inspection. Much of the good teaching observed was in literacy, numeracy and science. In many of these lessons pupils work at good pace and make good progress. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well overall, although in less well organised lessons, not all pupils make the progress of which they are capable, particularly higher attaining pupils. Where teaching is good, pupils’ learning is more effective.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a satisfactory curriculum that is balanced and meets statutory requirements.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is sound.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school provides a high standard of provision. There have been improvements since the previous inspection and all pupils have full access to the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good. Cultural development is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a very caring environment for its pupils. The school values its partnership with parents and is always looking to develop parents’ involvement in their children’s learning. Heybrook Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well managed by the headteacher and deputy head. There is a very positive ethos and a genuine commitment to raising standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very supportive of the school and now represents the ethnic groups from the local community more appropriately than it did at the time of the previous inspection. Experienced governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a good understanding of its work. Data and assessment information are used very effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Staff, time and resources are used well. The school accommodation is adequate but in a poor decorative state on the outside. There is no outside area specifically for children under five. Resources are satisfactory overall and there is a good number of appropriately qualified teachers who offer a range of expertise and experience. The headteacher and governors look to provide best value when considering the school’s use of resources.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The help given to slow learners. • Teachers in the school are very approachable. • The way in which the school is developing. • Homework. • Information about their child’s progress. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The above views are taken from the pre-inspection meeting that was attended by 42 parents and the 77 responses to the parents’ questionnaire. Evidence from inspection supports the parents’ positive views. Homework is used well by the school to support the curriculum and the school makes good provision for keeping parents well informed about their children’s progress and school events. The activities provided outside lessons are satisfactory. Heybrook Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils’ attainment when they enter the school is very low. This is confirmed by the school’s baseline assessment and inspection findings. For nearly all of the pupils in the school, English is a second language. When pupils join the reception classes they are at the lowest stages of English acquisition and although they communicate in their home language, their vocabulary can often be very limited. The pupils’ use of English is often limited to school. The children achieve good progress with their personal and social development. They settle quickly into the routines of school life and tackle new activities with interest and enthusiasm. Children greet visitors courteously and are very aware of what is right and wrong behaviour. Relationships between staff and children are good and they take turns and share equipment appropriately. In language and literacy, the children talk using a very limited vocabulary but most enjoy listening to stories and nursery rhymes.

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The school’s results and achievements

Books are handled sensibly although the children’s understanding of stories is very limited. They make at least satisfactory progress with their language and literacy and in many instances, progress is good. Children develop their mathematical skills satisfactorily, although their understanding of the language of mathematics is severely limited. They are able to count to ten and make some comparisons between the size of different objects and different quantities. Children make sound progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world, although they achieve levels that are well below those of most children of their age. Pupils talk about their families, the local environment and recent events but many are confused by these concepts and not all of the children participate in the discussions. Children use the computer confidently and are able to work the mouse, cursor and space bar. They explore sounds, rhythm and beat in music and experience a range of different art

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The school’s results and achievements

techniques such as painting, marbling and collage. The children do not have regular opportunities for outdoor play in a safe and secure area. However, they are provided with physical education lessons where they can develop an awareness of their bodies and working with one another. The children handle scissors, paint brushes, pencils and building bricks showing sound control.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. National test results for 1999 at the end of Key Stage 1 show that standards were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. When compared to similar schools, reading and mathematics were below average and writing was average. Evidence provided by the school indicates that the test results for 2000 will fall slightly in all of these areas of the curriculum, but this is against a steady improvement in standards over recent years. A similar picture occurs in Key Stage 2 where the national test results for 1999 showed that standards in English and mathematics were well below average and very low in science. When compared with similar schools, standards were below average in English and mathematics and well below average in science. However, the school’s performance in these subjects is broadly in line with the national trend. As in Key Stage 1, the national test results for 2000 in Key Stage 2 will be lower than the previous year, with the exception of

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The school’s results and achievements

science. Although standards are well below average in both key stages, the school is working in very difficult circumstances. The school serves a very deprived area of Rochdale and the pupils join the school with very limited language skills. A significant number of pupils are unable to speak any English when they join the school. The pupils’ limited language skills also impacts on their understanding of other subjects, for example, mathematics and science. It is no coincidence that the rise in the science national test results for the current year follows the first time that the school has read the test questions to the pupils. A majority of pupils visit either Pakistan or Bangladesh at some stage during Heybrook Primary School - 12 their primary education for an extended holiday. This limits the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. In some instances, pupils undertake two extended holidays.

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The school’s results and achievements

The majority of parents have limited English and are unable to support their children at home, for example in reading. All of these factors impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. Year groups are also different because of these factors and this has influenced the current results at both key stages. For example, in the current Year 6 the percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is significantly higher than the previous year. Evidence from inspection indicates that the school is not complacent about its standards and is working hard to improve them particularly in literacy and numeracy. Great use is made of assessment information and data to identify groups of pupils that may require additional support and the school operates twenty-four literacy and numeracy groups that are based on pupils’ attainment, with the intention of providing small groups that operate within a narrower range of ability. The school’s statutory targets for English

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The school’s results and achievements

and mathematics will not be achieved, but the school would acknowledge that they were too ambitious.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils’ work and displays and discussions with teachers and pupils confirm that attainment is currently well below average in English, mathematics at both key stages and science at Key Stage 1. Attainment in science is below average at Key Stage 2. Attainment in information technology is below average at both key stages. Religious education standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. By the time they are seven, pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well below average although many talk confidently to teachers, friends and visitors within informal situations. Their vocabulary is very limited. Although pupils often read fluently and use different strategies to help them with unfamiliar words, they do not always fully understand what they have read. Although pupils write for a range of different purposes, their limited vocabulary restricts progress. Most have developed a printed style of handwriting, but very few can produce a neat well-formed handwriting style. The pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding are well below average. Pupils have a sound knowledge of ‘tens’ and ‘units’ and are able to count to 100. The majority can identify two-dimensional shapes and the more able pupils name three-dimensional shapes such as cubes. They have a limited mathematical vocabulary. Pupils are provided with an appropriate range of scientific

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The school’s results and achievements

experiences, for example, looking at plants, but their scientific knowledge lacks depth. Much of their work is recorded at a very simple level because of the pupils limited literacy and numeracy skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. At the age of eleven a significant majority of the pupils still have a limited vocabulary but always listen carefully to each other and their teachers. Reading is well below average although most pupils read accurately and confidently, however, many read without expression. They have developed sound research skills and are able to use the index and contents page to seek information. Pupils’ writing is limited in its imagination and thought. Although the majority of pupils produce acceptable standards in their handwriting, the content of what they produce is restricted by their knowledge and understanding of the English language. In mathematics, pupils demonstrate a basic understanding of decimals and mentally add and subtract two-digit numbers. They work with simple fractions, plot and draw block graphs and develop an understanding of symmetry. Pupils’ recall of their scientific work is sound and pupils describe the idea of fair testing when measuring the flow

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The school’s results and achievements

of a stream. They conduct experiments safely and sensibly but recording of their findings is limited.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Pupils make satisfactory progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and Heybrook Primary School - 13 science in Key Stage 1. Pupils’ progress in these subjects at Key Stage 2 is good. Progress in reading is good throughout the school. Pupils learn effectively in information technology and religious education and pupils’ progress over time and through both key stages is satisfactory in these subjects. Progress in art, design and technology, geography, history and music is satisfactory through the school. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about pupils’ progress in physical education, although pupils’ progress in swimming is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Although the school groups pupils by ability in literacy and numeracy, there is often still a wide range of ability in each group. This is not always sufficiently taken into account by all teachers, which impacts on the quality of learning in some lessons. Consequently, on some occasions, higher attaining pupils are not being sufficiently challenged, while in other situations, less able pupils find the work too hard. In good lessons where there is sufficient pace and challenge and time is used well, pupils learn effectively.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Teachers are very aware of the pupils with special educational needs in their classrooms and in literacy and numeracy lessons all pupils are placed in sets according to their differing abilities. However, in these classes work is not always accurately matched to individual pupils’ needs. This ultimately has an effect on progress during some lessons and over time. When work is well matched to pupils’ individual needs, progress is at least satisfactory and often good, particularly when pupils receive extra support from their teachers and the classroom assistants who work with them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils have good attitudes to their work, their behaviour is good and the quality of relationships is very good. These are important school strengths that are helping pupils to learn. Pupils’ attitudes to learning have improved since the last inspection. This can be attributed in part to the improvement in teaching.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils have a good level of enthusiasm and they enjoy being at school. Parents agree that this is the case. Whilst this enthusiasm is controlled and measured in many pupils, it is nevertheless, present in many lessons. For example, in a good mathematics lesson, the responsible way pupils marked their own work, called out their answers and strived to improve their skills of addition, ensured that they made some good gains in their learning. Pupils have good listening skills and sit patiently, even when they do not fully understand all that is being said.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Behaviour in the school, both in and out of lessons, is good. There have been no exclusions over the last academic year and this is the usual pattern for the school. The slopes that link the ground and first floors provide ample scope for pupils to misbehave, but generally they are very well restrained and behaviour remains good, despite the temptations. Pupils line up sensibly on the playground before entering the building in class order. At break times the playground is full of activity with boys and girls playing sociably.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The pupils work and play in harmony. Whilst bullying does sometimes happen, pupils are confident that teachers are the first they would turn to at school, if they have a problem and they cited examples when instances had been resolved to their satisfaction. The quality of relationships in the school, between pupils and each other and pupils and adults, is very good. The atmosphere in school is productive and friendly and pupils are polite and helpful to visitors. Heybrook Primary School - 14 13. Pupils have a very good respect for the values and beliefs of others. Most hold their own strong Islamic beliefs and attend mosque school at the end of the school day. The Islamic studies class, held as an extra curricular activity, is very popular. During assembly, pupils are developing their confidence to respond to the teacher’s greeting of “assalam akaikum” and show a good respect for the occasion.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Many accept responsibility well. For example, older pupils hold jobs such as slope monitors, they help organise lunchtimes in the dining hall, and they litter pick. Younger pupils have class responsibilities such as looking after books and equipment. In one class, all pupils have a penfriend in France and they are enjoying finding out about each other’s different ways of life. Pupils are often found caring for younger siblings or other family members during break and lunchtimes and are often called upon to act as translators for their parents. Sometimes, pupils who have been absent abroad for extended holidays will use the camera and film supplied by the school and bring their photographs in for others to see.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils are keen to support others who are less fortunate than themselves, for instance in raising money for the flood victims in Bangladesh and more recently for families in Kosovo. Year 5 pupils take responsibility for selling soft toys to raise money for a local hospital and money was recently raised through a sponsored silence- called “Zip It” - for Macmillan Cancer Care.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The school’s attendance rate is well below average when compared to primary schools nationally. However, they have made good progress since the last inspection in improving pupils’ attendance rates, which have risen at a steady pace, to the current figure of 90.6% for the year 1999/2000. The main reason for the unsatisfactory attendance is connected to pupils’ home backgrounds. Many parents are the first of their generation to live in Britain and ties with Pakistan or Bangladesh are strong. As a result, most pupils are taken abroad once or twice during their primary school career, to accompany parents and visit family members. These visits can last from between a month to a year. Often pupils are taken off roll after eight weeks of absence and re-admitted to school some months later. Current summer school holidays do not fit in well with the extremes of climate in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. These extended absences are having a severe effect upon pupils’ education. Pupils enter school with very limited English language skills and this is compounded by large gaps in their education, when no English is spoken and their skills in the language often regress. Parents, whilst valuing education, do not fully appreciate the importance of their child’s regular attendance in helping to counteract this. Often, pupils will be absent if relatives visit, or they will be called upon to translate for parents during the day. The school works very hard with parents to help them to understand the effect this is having, whilst being sensitive in acknowledging the traditions of families. The school has analysed attendance data closely and has calculated that absence through extended holidays accounts for approximately 2.5% of the authorised absence figure.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The school has been successful in improving punctuality and there are only a very few pupils who are sometimes a few minutes late in the mornings. They have made good progress since the previous inspection in improving pupils’ timekeeping. Heybrook Primary School - 15

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching is satisfactory in the school as a whole with 96 per cent of lessons being judged sound or better. Of these, 42 per cent are good and 6 per cent are very good. The percentage of lessons that are less than satisfactory has dropped from 17 per cent at the previous inspection to 4 per cent now. This is a significant improvement. The percentage of very good lessons has improved slightly. In the reception classes containing children who are under five nearly 25 per cent of lessons are good or better. Forty-four per cent of lessons are very good or better in Key Stage 1, whilst in Key Stage 2, teaching is good overall with 55 per cent of lessons being judged as good or better, of which 6 per cent are very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed in Key Stage 1. In the parents’ questionnaires, 92 per cent of parents feel that teaching is good in the school. The teaching enables all pupils to learn appropriately throughout the school and across the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

curriculum. In many instances pupils’ learning is good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Literacy and numeracy are generally taught well, although there are some inconsistencies across the school. For example, the teaching of numeracy is good at Key Stage 2 and satisfactory in Key Stage 1. In literacy teachers plan effectively against the national framework and lessons are conducted to the recommended structure and timing. In numeracy the school has introduced the Improving Primary Maths Scheme to Key Stage 1 and Year 3, the remaining year groups plan effectively to the framework recommended by the National Numeracy Strategy. In the best literacy and numeracy lessons particular reference is made to pupils of differing ability and pupils are presented with work that is appropriate to their needs. However, this practice is not always consistent. In some literacy and numeracy lessons pupils are not always given work that is appropriate to their knowledge and understanding. In these instances, some pupils, particularly the higher

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

attaining pupils, are not learning as effectively as they could be.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is sound and often good. Teachers write targets for pupils’ individual education plans but these are not sufficiently addressed in their planning which results in some teachers not accurately planning work to match the needs of all pupils. This has an impact on learning in some lessons. Learning support assistants are used well to support lower attaining pupils and give sound quality support. The pupils enthusiastically accept this extra support. Good relationships are developed with the pupils, which promotes sound and often good learning. Informative displays reinforce the teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills in all classroom areas.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. In the best lessons pupils have a very clear understanding about what they are learning, what is expected and on what to focus. This is either explained clearly in the teacher’s introduction to the class or by sharing the lesson objectives with the pupils. Good examples of this were seen in a Year 6 science lesson on testing for acids and alkalis and a Year 4 and 5 literacy lesson involving the book “Dear Greenpeace”. This approach benefits the pupils’ learning and pupils make good progress in these lessons. When pupils are not so clear about what they are doing, their learning is more limited.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Relationships in all classes are very good and the teachers are good at managing the pupils. The teachers know the pupils well and generally there is a good purposeful working atmosphere in most classrooms. The teachers and support staff provide good role models and all of the pupils listen carefully to lesson introductions provided by the teachers. However, in some instances these are too long and the pupils take on a passive role, listening but not contributing effectively to lessons. When teaching is good pupils are provided with regular opportunities to contribute to lessons and develop their speaking Heybrook Primary School - 16 skills. The best teachers direct questions to individual pupils to ensure that they are involved and have an opportunity to speak.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Other features of good teaching seen were good pace, good subject knowledge, detailed planning and an appropriate use of time. There are high expectations of what pupils can achieve. In some lessons, work is too hard for all of the pupils. Although the school is committed to raising standards and pupils’ achievement, particularly in English and mathematics, there is an occasional misguided attempt to achieve this by providing work that is so challenging, pupils of all ability levels struggle. Some teachers are better at providing an appropriate range of activities that challenge all pupils, even though they are at different levels of attainment. When teaching is unsatisfactory, pupils do not learn appropriately. In some instances this is because work is inappropriate and does not challenge the pupils or in other cases, work is too challenging and pupils do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject. Teachers’ subject knowledge is

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

satisfactory overall and some teachers have a good subject knowledge which enhances their lessons, for example, the Key Stage 2 information technology teacher or the deputy headteacher when teaching science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The teachers work well together particularly with their team planning. They also work well with the classroom assistants who contribute effectively to the pupils’ learning by offering learning support or help with language. Many of the teachers provide regular and useful feedback to pupils during lessons. This also allows them an opportunity to assess whether pupils have understood their work and how far they have developed. The information is then used to determine the next stage of learning. This was well illustrated in a Year 6 numeracy lesson on addition where the teacher supported two pupils who had difficulty with this concept during a previous lesson. Work is marked regularly and when it is appropriate comments are provided so that pupils know how they can improve further although the teachers are very conscious of the pupils limited understanding of written comments. Homework is used effectively to support work in the classroom, particularly in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. In all classes pupils are interested, keen to be involved and to complete tasks. There are a small minority of pupils who, because of limited language skills, do not always understand clearly what they are doing or why they are doing it. If these pupils are not given appropriate assistance, their learning is more limited. However, overall pupils acquire new knowledge and skills at a satisfactory rate. On many occasions, for example in literacy, pupils make good progress.

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PUPILS?

27. The curriculum is broad and relevant to the needs of the school. It meets statutory requirements for all subjects, including religious education, and takes into account the National Strategy for literacy. Appropriate provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The curriculum for children under five is relevant and planned to the areas of learning known as the ‘desirable learning outcomes’. This is an improvement on the previous inspection, when mixed age reception classes prevented teachers from fully implementing the planned curriculum for under fives and weaknesses in planning for Key Stages 1 and 2 led to unsatisfactory progress in some subjects, particularly in information technology.

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PUPILS?

28. For the vast majority of pupils, English is an additional language and very few speak English as the first language in the home. Literacy and numeracy receive high allocations Heybrook Primary School - 17 of teaching time and the heavy emphasis on these curriculum areas is justifiably regarded as essential to increase skills and raise low levels of attainment. This results in some imbalance in the timetable, with below average time available for other subjects such as religious education, physical education and art. The school’s strategies for literacy and numeracy have provided a much-needed structure to the teaching of English and mathematics. The National Literacy Strategy is generally well implemented and the school uses the Improving Primary Mathematics Scheme, rather than follow the National Numeracy Strategy. The school believes this scheme is more relevant to the particular needs of the school and has raised the quality of teaching.

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PUPILS?

29. The school makes provision for English and mathematics lessons outside the literacy and numeracy hours, where opportunities are made for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills, for extended writing and extra mathematics. In the English lessons, pupils are able to write at greater length for a range of purposes and audiences and to consolidate and extend their vocabulary. In addition, a period of time is allocated each morning to the development of reading skills. These periods of time are used well by some teachers and all work hard to develop pupils’ listening skills.

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PUPILS?

30. The quality of long and medium term planning has improved significantly and is now a strength of the school. Teachers plan together in their teams to enable pupils to make systematic year on year progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science, religious education and information technology. Although some strands of the curriculum for information technology have not been fully addressed, there have been good improvements in this subject since the previous inspection, when it was made a key issue for development. Where possible, the school makes best use of teachers’ subject strengths and expertise, for example all music lessons are taught by a music specialist.

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PUPILS?

31. Religious education does not enjoy the status normally expected for a core subject in terms of curriculum time. Subject co-ordinators do not have sufficient opportunity to bring their own expertise to the planning, but teachers manage the subject satisfactorily. Planning for the foundation subjects, with the exception of music, remains underdeveloped since the previous inspection but teachers are beginning to adopt recent government guidance to support such planning.

p.17

PUPILS?

32. Pupils are grouped by ability for literacy and numeracy and good quality long term planning provides a curriculum that is well suited to their needs. However, short term planning is more variable and, although groups of pupils of different ability are identified within the classes teachers do no always take sufficient care to ensure that the most able are sufficiently challenged. Planning for other subjects, such as religious education, often requires all pupils to complete the same work. In numeracy, planning often does not take into account that pupils who have been absent may have missed important steps to learning, as delivery of the scheme requires all pupils to be working from the same page in their workbooks.

p.17

PUPILS?

33. The school gives priority to keeping classes as small as possible but fluctuating numbers in different year groups have necessitated some mixed age classes in both key stages. Planning does not fully take into account the fact that some pupils in the mixed age classes will repeat work but the school believes that such repetition will be an advantage for the particular individuals it will affect.

p.17

PUPILS?

34. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is sound. Individual education plans are set out with targets, which address literacy, numeracy and behaviour. However, many targets are vague and make progress difficult to measure accurately. Heybrook Primary School - 18 Sound procedures for identification and assessment are in place. Reviews are completed regularly. The school is aware of the need to involve parents more and is addressing this issue.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. Links with the community, for example visits to the local library, shops and church, and visitors such as a local theatrical group, serve to enhance the curriculum. Extra curricular activities such as football, rugby, choir, and drama make an appropriate contribution to pupils’ social development.

p.18

PUPILS?

36. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development and satisfactory provision for their cultural development.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. Through their culture and Islamic faith the pupils possess a strong religious ethos and have an awareness of spirituality. The school has special dispensation to conduct assemblies which are not of Christian nature. Islamic assemblies are conducted and there are collective acts of worship, where a spiritual element is present in periods of reflection and prayer. In one assembly; conducted by a Muslim teacher, pupils were greeted on entry with “assalam alaikum” (peace be with you) followed by Muslim prayers which were chanted in Arabic and English. Songs, many with a spiritual theme, are also sung in various languages with Muslim teachers. This gives pupils the opportunity to reflect on values and beliefs relevant to their own lives. Many pupils attend mosque after school and the Islamic Club organised by the school to promote pupils’ religion, culture and faith through prayer and reflection, is over-subscribed.

p.18

PUPILS?

38. Teachers give pupils experiences that offer an element of awe and wonder and promote a reflective response. Reception children watched popcorn being made which they thought was ‘magic’. In a mixed Year 1 and 2 class during the telling of the story “Carry Me Away” the teacher suddenly produced a model of the boat described in the story to the delight of the pupils. In a Year 2 wax-resist art lesson, pupils were astounded that black paint did not obliterate their wax designs.

p.18

PUPILS?

39. There is a good framework for the promotion of pupils’ moral development which is used very effectively. All the staff provide good role models for the pupils by promoting the schools’ values and standards and treating the pupils with care and respect. Pupils’ self- esteem and confidence is enhanced in lessons with constant praise and encouragement. The school fosters values of honesty, fairness and respect for good behaviour. The school’s behaviour policy and code of conduct which emphasises responsibility and positive relationships, is understood by all pupils who respond to it well and behave accordingly. From reception onwards, pupils are taught to distinguish right from wrong and what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. In addition pupils are polite and courteous, always ready to greet visitors with a cheerful “good morning”.

p.18

PUPILS?

40. Pupils’ social awareness is well provided for. Teachers set collaborative tasks in lessons. This was especially evident in a reception mathematics lesson on counting, where a number of groups were involved in activities designed to aid counting. Good personal relationships and a spirit of co-operation were fostered. In other lessons, pupils were observed showing clear respect for each other’s contributions and helping each other with their activities. In information technology lessons several pupils were assisted by their peers in operating a new filing system. Care and respect for school resources and equipment is apparent and the range and quality of displays throughout the school reflect the care and pride which pupils take over their work. Pupils’ self-esteem is also promoted. Photographic displays in the school’s entrance area are designed to illustrate pupils’ achievements. Older pupils are given a variety of responsibilities such as ringing the playtime bell.

p.18

PUPILS?

Heybrook Primary School - 19 41. The pupils’ displays on ‘We like to share’, ‘We like to help each other’ and ‘Our Helpful Tree’ are designed to generate positive social attitudes. The school supports some socially deprived groups and charities both locally and nationally. They also offer good support to world disasters such as the recent flooding in Bangladesh. A range of extra curricular activities has been made available to pupils on a voluntary basis. The nature of some activities limits the number of children participating, for example, the Islamic Club is over-subscribed.

p.19

PUPILS?

42. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Educational visits have a sound impact on pupils’ learning. These have included trips to Chester, Blackpool and York, whilst the youngest children explore the local environment with ‘Our Geography Walk’. All Key Stage 2 pupils are given the opportunity to use the facilities of the local library. A Year 6 visit to the National Museum of Film and Photography at Bradford is planned to link with their science and history project. Religions such as Christianity and Judaism provide for pupils’ greater awareness of cultural diversity, but these are not widely explored and resources and artefacts are very limited. Other cultural activities have been promoted such as Zulu dancers, puppeteers, drama performances and workshops with local artists. The school recognises the importance of links with other schools, particularly those that reflect different ethnic backgrounds. This is achieved through sports competitions and events such as choir

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school is very good in responding to the specific needs of the individual pupil, whilst showing sensitivity and a good appreciation of pupils’ cultural and home backgrounds. This is an important school strength that is helping to create good conditions where teaching and learning can flourish.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The positive standards of welfare shown by the school in the previous inspection have been successfully maintained. There is now a good balance between the procedures for both academic and pastoral provision; the previous inspection noted that academic monitoring did not have the same high priority as pastoral care but this has been successfully resolved.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Child Protection procedures are very good and the person with responsibility is well trained and experienced. The school responds well to the needs of individual families and uses home visits and personal contact to support pupils and their families. Health and safety procedures are satisfactory and the issues raised in the previous report have been resolved.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The monitoring and promotion of behaviour is good; parents are pleased with the good standard of behaviour in the school. The behaviour policy provides clear concise guidance that is helpful for staff, who are generally experienced in encouraging good behaviour. Rules that pupils decide themselves as a class, such as “Don’t push friends when they are in the line” and “Do the things the teacher tells you” work well in encouraging pupils to have self-discipline. For the younger classes, a chart showing awards for the best class to line up in the playground is helping to encourage pupils in the correct way to behave.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The established management structure is used well to provide staff with support for those pupils, mostly boys, who find good behaviour difficult. Individual pupils with challenging behaviour are kept a close eye on through a behaviour book system, overseen Heybrook Primary School - 20 by the deputy headteacher who manages efficiently and sensitively, all pastoral matters. In those cases where pupils are struggling to conform, individual staff act as mentors to help pupils cope on a day by day basis. There is a good level of contact with parents who are always informed if there are problems.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Any incidents of bullying are taken seriously and working on the principles of ‘no blame’ and ‘the person being bullied comes first’, the deputy headteacher counsels pupils and encourages them to reflect and write about what happened using a special logbook.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school has established very good procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance. A testimony to this is the good progress made in improving attendance, which has steadily risen each year since the previous inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The school is sympathetic with parental wishes to visit families abroad, but work hard to try and convey the message that regular attendance at school is very important to children’s education. For example, a helpful attendance booklet, written in partnership with the Educational Welfare Service, and given to all parents, clearly explains the school’s position. The Governors’ Annual Report and subsequent meeting with parents is also used as an opportunity to convey the governors’ message about ‘not wishing to discourage parents from maintaining cultural and family links with Pakistan and Bangladesh, whilst pointing out that long absences can cause children to fall behind’.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. In an attempt to counterbalance the negative effects these absences are having upon pupils’ education, the school gives pupils useful ‘extended holiday’ packs to take with them. These include booklets for pupils to write about their experiences and a camera to record what they have seen. This is an example of good provision and the school is working well to combine, as best it can, education with cultural tradition.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Pupils with unsatisfactory attendance patterns are given special booklets with smiley faces awarded for each day present, culminating in an attendance pencil given for sustained improvement. The school works closely with the Educational Welfare Officer to make home visits and communicate with parents. A new ‘first day call’ system is to be introduced next term, where parents are contacted on the first day their child is absent in order to try and reduce the incidence of casual non attendance. Attendance recording and analysis is carried out manually.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The school is well supported by the special educational needs team. The school has maintained this high standard since the last inspection. The school has good links with external agents and uses them when necessary to support individual pupils. The specialist teacher from the local Learning Support Service visits the school weekly. She monitors the progress of a number of pupils, assesses pupils and gives advice to teachers.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. Staff take time to get to know their pupils. Monitoring of personal development, based upon close knowledge of pupils, plus recording in pupils individual files, is good. Heybrook Primary School - 21 55. The school has good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in English and science. In mathematics and information technology, assessment procedures are satisfactory. Assessment procedures are at an early stage of development in religious education. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection in improving the quality and use of assessment.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The school’s new assessment policy gives a clear termly picture of what assessments are taking place in all areas of the curriculum and across all year groups. The headteacher takes overall responsibility for this area of the school’s work, with staff who are responsible for the implementation of assessment procedures in their areas. The use of a computerised system of individual pupils’ records using assessment results in English, mathematics and science gives an accurate picture of how pupils are progressing. Assessment results are used well to form ability groupings within specific groups of pupils and specific ‘catch up’ programmes, such as ‘Better Reading’ and phonics, are implemented according to pupils’ specific learning needs.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. The school makes good use of use of assessment data, including National Curriculum test results, to consider trends in pupil performance. Test data from the end of each key stage, has been analysed for gender and ethnicity differences and a specific group of female pupils have recently been highlighted as under achieving. The school is still discussing the exact measures they intend to put in place to counter this. Pupils’ attendance rate at school are not used as a criterion for analysing pupil performance.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The school is successful in continuing to support initiatives that help to develop and strengthen the relationship between parents and school. The work the school undertakes in providing information for parents and in forging links is a strength of the school and the positive approach described in the previous inspection report is still very much in evidence.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. There was a limited return to the pre-inspection parents’ questionnaire. The parents’ meeting was well attended. Parents are supportive of the school and value the work it is doing. They are positive about most aspects of school life and the school is a popular choice for parents. Parents at the meeting said they would like to see a nursery established and some parents feel the amounts of homework pupils receive could be improved. A very small number of parents who replied to the questionnaire do not feel they are well informed about how their child is getting on and the same number of parents do not feel that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Inspection evidence shows that the school’s provision for homework is good and better than that seen in many primary schools. Parents are well informed about how their child is getting on; those parents who want to know more are welcomed in to speak to teachers and this is expanded upon in the next paragraph. The school provides a satisfactory range of activities outside lessons; they are sensitive to the fact that many children attend daily mosque school at the end of the school day.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The school’s links with parents are very effective although response from parents, for a variety of social and cultural reasons, is often limited. Nevertheless, there are signs that the partnership between home and school is developing well. The school is seeking various ways to establish contact with parents and the overall quality of information from the school is very good. This includes appointing administrative staff who are able to speak Bengali and Urdu, making a positive attempt to appoint staff and governors who reflect the ethnic makeup of the school population, and providing all school documentation in Heybrook Primary School - 22 translation.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. Pupils’ end of year reports are of a satisfactory quality and contain an appropriate amount of information about how pupils are progressing. Reports are the only items of information not available in translation as the sheer logistics of translating almost five hundred individual reports make this task very difficult to achieve. However, the presence of translators at parents’ evenings does go some way towards compensating for this.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. The Family Literacy Worker provides a very valuable link. As the key member of the Partnership Education Project, she is involved in several initiatives that are helping to bridge the gap between home and school. These include organising adult education classes which help to improve parents’ English language skills, in helping to establish a Parents and Friends Association and in organising a play library where reception parents can borrow kits which encourage them to spend time with their children using learning activities at home. A recent assembly, entitled ‘The Hunter’ produced by parents as part of their course work for a classroom assistants qualification, and delivered in three languages, was well received by pupils and staff.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. The school is careful to make sure there are no barriers to parents either coming in to school to attend meetings, or in their understanding. All school documentation such as the prospectus, the Governors’ Annual Report and attendance booklet are produced in three languages- English, Urdu and Bengali. Translators are available at parents meetings, often held as separate occasions, conducted in Bengali and Urdu. The school has found that separate meetings make for communication that is more productive with parents. There is always someone who can translate for parents if they want to talk to teachers and the school has a friendly open door approach.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

65. Both formal and informal opportunities are seized upon to ask parents into school, for example, Year 6 parents were invited in to break their fast, with pupils, at a school Iftaar after Ramadan. Home visits, often undertaken by the Deputy Headteacher and the Family Literacy Worker, are used well to establish contact with those parents who find it difficult to approach the school. Governors are keen to find out parental opinions and to respond to parental wishes. They have surveyed parents about various aspects of school life, with a second survey planned.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

66. Parental involvement in school life is satisfactory. The newly established Parents and Friends Association has organised an Eid Mela where parents supplied food, and a summer Mela is planned. These events offer a good way for parents to come together in an informal setting, with the ultimate aim of raising money for the school. The group is also helping to run a Mother and Toddlers group, which they hope will provide a valuable community service as well as another means of attracting parents into school. Parental attendance at meetings organised by the school is usually good; the autumn term parents evening attracted almost three quarters of all parents; there is a correlation here between lower attendance and inclement weather. Growing numbers of parents are attending adult education classes, which provides hope for the development of more long-term relationships. The numbers of reception parents who are using the ‘Play Kit’ library are also

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. Most parents, whilst supporting the principle of their child completing homework after school, and of valuing education, find it very difficult to offer practical support and advice as a result of their limited English language skills. Heybrook Primary School - 23

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the deputy head. They work very well together and are an effective team. There is very clear direction and the main focus of trying to raise pupils’ achievement in literacy and numeracy is a major feature of the school. Because the school is much bigger than other primary schools it is important to have an effective management structure in place that allows the school to operate effectively. The previous inspection identified weaknesses in the school’s team structure and the way in which some subjects were co-ordinated. These issues have been effectively addressed, with the re-organisation of the teaching teams and with all teachers taking a key stage subject responsibility. The headteacher believes in delegation and tries to encourage those with responsibility to make decisions. In such a large school this ensures decision making is at a level where it is effective. The head and deputy recognise

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

that they cannot manage a school of this size without effective delegation. Against this background the headteacher also looks to develop a positive atmosphere, where people enjoy coming to work and are happy in what they are doing. Evidence from inspection, would indicate that the school provides a happy working environment and a positive, caring ethos. It is of no surprise that the school’s ‘Investors in People’ charter mark was re- affirmed earlier this year. The school’s mission statement, “happy, confident, successful learners’ is well reflected in the good attitudes and behaviour of the pupils.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. However, none of this distracts the school from doing their best to raise standards that are well below average. With the continual drive to improve standards the school and governors have developed a number of effective initiatives since the previous inspection. For example, with the focus on literacy and numeracy, pupils are placed in ability groups for English and mathematics. The school now operates twenty-four literacy and numeracy groups. The numbers of non-teaching support staff has increased with Bengali and Urdu speaking staff appointed to support the many pupils who have language difficulties and with support staff for pupils with special educational needs. There is also a good culture of monitoring and evaluation in the school which enables the school to reflect on its practice and review the way forward. The subject co-ordinators for English, mathematics, science and information technology are provided with time to monitor their subjects and teaching.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

These co-ordinators also monitor teachers’ short, medium and long term planning, whilst the headteacher regularly visits classrooms. Assessment and data information is effectively analysed and consequently the school has a good understanding of what it does well and those areas that require further development. Because of the school’s priorities in literacy, numeracy, science and information technology, some of the other subjects appear less important and the school acknowledges that implementing the new National Curriculum in September 2000 will be very challenging. The statutory targets agreed with the local education authority for English and mathematics were very ambitious. It is unlikely that the school will achieve these. The school is in the process of developing half-termly numeracy targets in Year 3 which, if successful, will develop through the school in literacy and numeracy.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The governing body is extremely supportive of the school and staff. Although some governors are relatively inexperienced, there are a significant number who know the school well and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The ethnic background of the governing body is far more representative of the local community and this is an improvement on the previous inspection. There is now a programme for developing and maintaining the school accommodation that was a key issue after the previous inspection. The governors feel that they are provided with more information about the school and are now more involved in the management of the school. The initial budget is put together by the headteacher and school finance officer and then presented to the Heybrook Primary School - 24 governors’ finance committee. The very clear priority for the school is too maintain the high levels of staffing that allow for small literacy and numeracy groups. Much of this is achieved

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

through the use of the Ethnic Minority and Travellers Achievement Grant which is now the responsibility of the school and enables the school to focus on literacy and numeracy along with science and information technology. It has also allowed for the appointment of bi- lingual assistants. The school provides sound provision for pupils with special educational needs. Funding for pupils with special educational needs is used well. The two newly appointed co-ordinators have inherited special educational needs procedures which have had a number of managers since the last inspection. They have enthusiastically developed a good action plan and have identified ways to move forward. Resources are easily accessible for teachers and the co-ordinators are developing them effectively.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The school has a good development plan that has been driven by the headteacher and deputy head. Its principal aim is to raise standards of achievement in literacy and numeracy but there are other important areas for development such as the role of governors, links with the community and the development of other subjects in the curriculum. The plan also provides relevant and useful information about developments into 2001 and 2002.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. Overall, there is a good match of teachers and support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. There is a good pupil to teacher ratio. An effective and supportive system is in place for newly qualified teachers. Support staff are well briefed and suitably deployed across the key stages to give pupils help where it is most needed, mainly in the area of language development. There is no daily support for all children under five.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. The school has a good staffing structure. Part-time staff are fully briefed about what is required of them and they make a full and valuable contribution to the school. The organisation of classes is carefully considered to ensure the most efficient and effective use of available space. However, the library is also used as a full-time classroom, which has a negative impact on its availability and use.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. Good procedures are in place to ensure adequate cover for staff absences, which are few, and to minimise any disruption to the provision of quality education. The school employs one full-time and three part-time administrative staff who together ensure the smooth running of the school and who contribute towards the effective management of educational and financial systems. In addition, there is a cheerful team of cleaning staff who, along with the caretaker, maintain the building to a good standard.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. Accommodation is in a large Victorian building and provides large classroom areas for the effective education of the pupils. Internally it is carefully maintained and provides attractive and stimulating areas for learning. There are two large halls for each key stage, a library, community room, music area, resource areas and two designated information technology rooms. The library has limited space when used as a teaching area. There is a high quality of display in communal areas and in classrooms, which has considerable impact on pupils’ motivation and further learning.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. Externally the fabric of the building is in a poor state of repair and is prone to vandalism. This is a drain on finances, which could be more usefully deployed. Heybrook Primary School - 25 77. There is good outside accommodation comprising of a playing field and a large L- shaped playground. Whilst there is plenty of space afforded for reception and Key Stage 1 pupils, who are adequately supervised, there is no provision for external play for children under five. However, the accommodation is safe, inviting and sufficient for the needs of the school. The external appearance of the school does not give a true reflection of the good work inside. Throughout the school the range and quality of resources are satisfactory and contribute positively to the quality of learning. This is especially so in numeracy, literacy, science and information technology. In the latter, however, resources to promote the

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

control and modelling aspect of the subject and to support special educational needs pupils require further development. Resources in the humanities and design and technology are adequate whilst those for music and religious education, however, do not contribute fully to the enrichment of pupils’ knowledge. Resources for art are satisfactory but there are insufficient materials to promote an awareness of cultural art throughout the world. Generally, resources are easily accessible and well used to support the curriculum.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. Although attainment is well below average, given the very low starting point of the pupils, the good progress many of the pupils make, their good attitudes to school and learning and the very good management, the school provides good value for money. Heybrook Primary School - 26

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

79. The inspection team recognise the school’s continued drive to raise standards, but to improve further the standards achieved and the quality of education the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise attainment in English, mathematics, science and information technology by:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing planned opportunities for speaking and listening, including drama, across the curriculum; (Paragraphs: 23, 82, 103, 104, 109)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that work is planned for the range of different ability groups within classes; (Paragraphs: 7, 20, 24, 32, 112, 152)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improving the quality of pupils’ individual education plans so targets are more focused and linked to curriculum planning; (Paragraphs: 8, 34, 119)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Developing the use of subject specific vocabulary in mathematics and its consistent use; (Paragraphs: 112, 116, 117)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that the time provided for extra English is used effectively; (Paragraphs: 29, 108)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improving the resources for the control and modelling element of information technology. (Paragraphs: 30, 153, 156)

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the above issues, the following less important matters should also be considered for inclusion in the action plan: • Improve the provision for external activities for the children under five. (Paragraphs: 77, 86, 94) Heybrook Primary School - 27

p.26

language

80. Nearly all of the pupils are considered to have English as an additional language and this is a contributory factor to the low attainment in English in the school. The pupils’ speaking skills are very low on entry to the reception classes, which results in the level of attainment of the majority being well below those expected for children by the age of five. Results show that although pupils make at least sound progress and often good progress as they move through the school, standards in English, mathematics, science are still well below the national average by the age of eleven when they leave the school.

p.27

language

81. The school has maintained the high standard of provision since the last inspection. The minor criticism about the support for older pupils being inconsistent is no longer an issue as classroom assistants now target the Year 6 classes. All of the children with English as an additional language are assessed to determine their level of language acquisition. Teachers and non-teaching staff give sound quality support. A number of staff are competent speakers in Urdu and Bengali and they give good quality support when they translate for the children.

p.27

language

82. Teachers know the pupils well in particular, in relation to their lack of language skills. They usually give clear instructions to the pupils and demonstrate very well what they expect their pupils to learn. However there are insufficient planned opportunities to develop clear and confident speaking skills and some teachers do not put enough emphasis on this in lessons.

p.27

language

83. The last report stated that some pupils did not have full access to the curriculum because they had limited language skills. This is no longer an issue because all pupils are now placed in ability groups for literacy and numeracy lessons. Basic English language and literacy skills are soundly promoted across the curriculum and bi-lingual staff use their linguistic expertise well to enable pupils to develop a clear understanding in lessons. However, staff do not always reinforce subject specific vocabulary sufficiently for pupils who have limited language and speaking skills are not consistently well promoted.

p.27

language

84. Support services are used well to support pupils who have English as an additional language. The advisory teacher for minority languages is used well and supports the pupils by working with the teachers and developing good quality bi-lingual resources, which allow them to understand better in classes. Assessments are completed yearly and show the progress the pupils are making in the acquisition of basic language skills.

p.27

language

85. The local education authority funds pupils with English as an additional language after the school has annually assessed them. The Ethnic Minority and Travellers Achievement Grant is well spent. It is used to allow the pupils to be taught in smaller literacy, numeracy, science and information technology groups. The school employs extra teaching staff to do this. Classroom assistants are employed to support in literacy, numeracy and reading groups. They have sensitively appointed bi-lingual staff in all areas of the school. All classrooms are suitably resourced to teach pupils with English as an additional language. The school brochure is sensitively translated and notices in classrooms and around the school are often written in Urdu and Bengali. All pupils with English as an additional language are well supported throughout their time in school to enable them to develop a sound understanding in all areas of the curriculum. A bi-lingual

p.27

language

family worker is based at the school and organises adult education activities. Heybrook Primary School - 28

p.27

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 28

p.28

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.28

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 6 42 48 4 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 477

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 167 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 172

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 474

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 38

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 56

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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. Heybrook Primary School - 29

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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 1999 31 27 58

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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 24 24 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 20 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 (54) 76 (55) 78 (57) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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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 26 24 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 18 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 79 (61) 72 (63) 74 (70) 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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 32 38 70

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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 14 15 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 17 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 47 (19) 46 (26) 40 (9) 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 15 19 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 17 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 47 (33) 46 (22) 40 (43) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Heybrook Primary School - 30

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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) 22.6 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 931 645

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1 917

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 259 Balance brought forward from previous year 30 810

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 14 030 Heybrook Primary School - 31

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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. 52 42 1 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 34 1 1 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 56 31 5 4 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 31 10 3 3

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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. 56 34 3 3 5

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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. 70 21 3 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 49 34 6 4 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 62 25 8 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 66 21 5 0 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 55 23 8 5 9 Heybrook Primary School - 32

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

86. The children enter one of three reception classes at the beginning of the academic year. At the time of the inspection there were 17 children under five on roll. All attend full- time. The teachers’ planning is satisfactory and appropriate reference is made to the ‘desirable learning outcomes’ for children of this age. The staff work well as a team. The teachers have regular meetings to review planning, teaching and pupils’ progress. These reviews are used well to inform future planning and teaching. Learning resources are satisfactory overall but there is no designated play area for the children under five.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

87. What the children know, understand and can do on entry to school is very poor. There are a significant number of children under five who are identified as having special educational needs. All under fives are assessed on entry to the reception classes and the majority of children register little or no score in the target areas of literacy, numeracy and social education. However, the children make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in their language and literacy and personal and social development.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

88. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with a significant number of good lessons. Good teaching is characterised by secure subject knowledge, a good understanding of the needs of children under five and well planned tasks that are appropriate for a wide range of attainment. Resources are used well in good lessons and activities are well organised. The children’s work is regularly assessed and this information is used to inform future planning. When teaching is less effective, pupils are expected to listen to the teacher for too long. This limits pupils’ learning and does not provide sufficient opportunities for all pupils to develop their speaking skills. Classroom assistants are used well but their use of questioning to provide children with an opportunity to respond is variable. Relationships between adults and the children are good.

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Personal and social development

89. The children settle well into school. They tackle experiences and activities with interest and enthusiasm. Behaviour is generally good and children are courteous and well mannered. They have a good understanding of right and wrong behaviour and have begun to develop appropriate relationships with each other. Most are able to work in pairs and small groups and are developing the necessary skills to start working independently. Resources and equipment are used sensibly. For example, children work well together at the computer using the keyboard and mouse in the correct manner. This area of learning is very well promoted and the teaching is often good although there are rare examples of anti- social behaviour not being adequately or firmly addressed. Progress is good, however, by the age of five, children do not reach the expected levels.

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Language and literacy

90. Some of the children under five are reluctant speakers and many have a very basic vocabulary. These children talk using limited language as they recall information about themselves, their experiences or about their work. The children demonstrate sound listening skills as they listen to stories and nursery rhymes that they enjoy. They attempt to join in although some prefer to sit and listen and play a passive role. The children handle books well and understand their purpose but many are unable to explain simple story lines and only recognise occasional key words such as ‘the’. They begin to learn the names and sounds of some letters and record their experiences through drawings and attempting very basic writing. Only the higher attaining pupils can write their names. Although attainment is Heybrook Primary School - 33 well below average, many of the children make good progress in this area of learning given

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Language and literacy

that many of them start school without any understanding of English. The quality of teaching of language and literacy is often good.

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Mathematics

91. The children work enthusiastically on practical mathematical activities. Most children count different objects up to ten. However, they can become easily confused when asked questions about numbers that do not involve ordering or counting. They have difficulty with terms such as ‘taller than’ and ‘bigger than’ and their knowledge of common two- dimensional shapes is limited. The children demonstrate a very restricted number vocabulary. Teaching aids in the classroom reinforce mathematical concepts. Children have access to the class shop. They recognise money but are unable to pay bills or work out change. The children make sound progress and teaching is satisfactory overall. On some occasions, work is provided for children which is too difficult. By the age of five most children will not achieve standards which are expected nationally.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

92. The children begin to develop a basic knowledge and understanding of the world. They are provided with opportunities to talk about their families, the local environment and recent events but not all of the children participate. Limited understanding of basic language hinders progress in this area. Children have planted seeds and watched them grow alongside other plants. They observe ice cubes and butter melting, look at the life cycles of tadpoles and caterpillars and take walks into the local community. Many are not able to articulate about what they have observed or what they have done. Their understanding of the local area is limited. The children use simple computer programs to match words or count numbers. They develop a sound understanding of the computer keyboard and are able to use the mouse, cursor and space bar. Teaching is sound overall in this area of learning and the pupils make satisfactory progress. By the age of five

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

children achieve standards below those expected nationally in this area.

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Creative development

93. Children are provided with opportunities to explore sound, rhythm and beat. They enjoy singing songs. Untuned percussion instruments are available for the pupils to explore long and short sounds. Children develop their skills in cutting, joining, pasting and building by creating models from recycled materials. They use the computer to create black and white patterns that are put on display and artwork is also created through painting and drawing. All children have opportunities to express their own ideas and communicate their feelings through role-play sessions in the classrooms. They show obvious enjoyment when working in the ‘Home corner’, the ‘Heybrook Shop’ and ‘Corner Café’ but demonstrate limited speaking skills. The children make satisfactory progress and teaching is sound. The children will not reach the required standards by the age of five.

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Physical development

94. The children under five do not have regular opportunities for outdoor play in a safe and secure area. However, they are provided with weekly sessions in the school hall and take part in physical activities, that enables them to begin to develop body awareness and work in groups. The children move confidently and imaginatively, stepping in slow motion and walking and skipping. They learn to use balls, skittles, beanbags and hoops. When the pupils sing or chant they often use body movements to emphasis the rhyme or song. They enjoy these activities. Most children under five handle scissors, paint brushes and pencils appropriately. They play well together using construction toys and cut and paste materials together. Teaching is satisfactory but most pupils do not reach expected levels by the age of five. Heybrook Primary School - 34

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ENGLISH

95. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1, show that the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard of level 2 or above in reading and writing was well below the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level 3 in reading was very low and below average in writing when compared to schools nationally. Trends over time show a similar picture but there is evidence of an upward trend in writing during the past three years, which exceeds the national trend. Boys perform better than girls in both reading and writing. When compared with similar schools, the pupils’ performance in reading tests was below average but their performance in writing tests was close to the average for similar schools. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

96. Test results at the end of Key Stage 2, show that pupils’ performance was well below average when compared nationally and below that of schools drawing pupils from similar backgrounds. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard of level 4 or above was well below the national average, as was the percentage reaching the higher level 5. Trends over time show fluctuating standards that reflect differences in year groups. For example, standards fell in 1998 but rose again dramatically in 1999, when the percentage of pupils with special educational needs was lower. Evidence from the inspection shows that the pupils’ attainment remains well below expectations for the current Year 6 pupils. However, the percentage of pupils in the school with special educational needs has doubled. Although boys continue to perform better than girls in Key Stage 2, the difference is far less significant by the age of eleven. Inspection evidence indicates that,

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ENGLISH

although standards remain too low, the systems in place for improvement are beginning to prove successful. For example, despite the much higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs this year, the fall in the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level 4 and above is not of the same proportion.

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ENGLISH

97. For most of the schools’ pupils, English is an additional language and in very few homes is English spoken as the first language. It is not surprising therefore that these pupils find English tests difficult. The vast majority of pupils visit their home country at some time during their school career for one, and sometimes two, extended holidays and this too impacts on their progress in the acquisition of language. The quality of writing, reading and vocabulary continues to cause concern in every subject and over every year group. This was the case at the time of the previous inspection, when ‘the structure of pupils’ English language was not sufficiently complex to cope with the range of technical language required for some of the Key Stage 2 curriculum’. Nevertheless, a significant number of pupils progress from a very low attainment level on entry to school and achieve the expected level 4 or above by the age of eleven.

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ENGLISH

98. Pupils’ records and workbooks show that they make sound and, in many instances, good progress over time in Key Stage 1 and generally good progress in Key Stage 2. Starting from a very low level in reception, often with no spoken English, their written work progresses from very immature drawings with poor pencil control, to cohesive pieces of writing that have a clear beginning, middle and end by Year 3. With the good teaching they receive, they continue to refine their communication skills throughout Key Stage 2. Heybrook Primary School - 35 99. Standards in speaking and listening are well below national expectations throughout the school. Children enter the reception classes with little or no experience of the spoken English language. Although the school places a great deal of emphasis on the acquisition of language skills, most pupils do not reach the expected levels of attainment by the time

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ENGLISH

they are seven and eleven. They do not have a wide enough vocabulary to be able to express themselves effectively when talking about their work or articulating ideas and opinions. For example, progress is slowed in a Year 5 science lesson because words such as ‘wrist’ and ‘thigh’ have to be carefully explained to them before they can go on to consider the functions and movements of the bones. Sentences are often grammatically incorrect and pupils have not mastered the complexities of the language to be able to communicate finer meaning. Only a tiny minority gives detailed answers to questions. Above average pupils are aware of the power of language to persuade and influence observers but most are unable to demonstrate this skill. Some pupils, particularly girls, are very reticent and would prefer not to talk about their work. However, many are keen to try and sometimes they use language imaginatively to communicate meaning, for example

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ENGLISH

when Year 6 pupils describe a bad tempered story character as ‘over-tempered’. Pupils in both key stages listen appropriately for long periods of time.

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ENGLISH

100. Standards in reading are well below average at both key stages. Pupils demonstrate enjoyment of literature and visits to the local library are a popular event. Pupils at Key Stage 1 know about the main characters in stories and locate title, author and illustrator. Most have attained a good sight vocabulary and have good strategies for decoding unfamiliar words, such as the use of phonics and picture cues. Despite this fluency, limited vocabulary and lack of background knowledge prevents most pupils from fully understanding what they read. Year 6 pupils all know the difference between fiction and non-fiction. They talk about their developing strategies for reading unfamiliar words but there is little evidence of pupils using contextual cues. Most read accurately and confidently but many, including above average readers, read without expression. The very few above average ability readers read silently, with understanding and at speed. This group, when

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ENGLISH

seeking information, skims for information quickly and recalls what has been read. They understand the main ideas but have difficulty using evidence to justify a viewpoint. Pupils of average ability pay little regard to punctuation but most have a sound understanding of what they have read. All have great difficulty in predicting what happens next. They have developed sound research skills when using the index and contents pages to seek information. The weakest readers all know the difference between fiction and non-fiction. They read mechanically and successfully split unfamiliar words into syllables but often do not understand what they read.

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ENGLISH

101. Pupils make good progress in reading throughout the school. The school gives a high priority to pupils taking books home to read and systems within the school provide maximum opportunities for pupils to experience good quality literature. Classroom displays that are rich in language contribute well to this provision.

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ENGLISH

102. Pupils in Year 2 are attaining standards that are well below national averages in writing. They write for a range of audiences and purposes, and their writing includes stories, poems and factual accounts. They make lists and write instructions. Most have developed a printed style of handwriting, with increasing accuracy and consistency in size but the majority has not yet developed a neat, well-formed handwriting style. Average and above average pupils spell many common words correctly and use their knowledge of letter sounds and blends to help in spelling new words. However, many perform well below this level. Sentences are often joined with the conjunction ‘and’ throughout, rather than demarcated with capital letters and full stops. Capital letters are often used inappropriately within sentences. A limited basic vocabulary hampers pupils’ progress in writing. At the end Heybrook Primary School - 36

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ENGLISH

of Key Stage 2, standards are well below average. Most average and above average pupils attain acceptable standards in handwriting and the more able pupils produce a fluent, legible joined style. Punctuation is used accurately but most do not extend this to include such conventions as speech marks or commas and few use paragraphs intuitively. Sentences are not always well structured and many contain grammatical errors that might be expected of pupils’ striving to communicate in a language other than their own. Pupils generally do not have sufficient command of the complexities of the English language to be able to write in an imaginative and thoughtful way and they lack a rich vocabulary to embellish their work.

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ENGLISH

103. The quality of teaching and learning in English is good overall but best in Key Stage 2. There are inconsistencies in both key stages but consistently good teaching was observed in Years 3 and 6. The best lessons are conducted at a brisk pace, work is well matched to pupils’ ability and many opportunities are provided for pupils to practise their speaking and listening skills. In these lessons, pupils are constantly challenged, lessons are interesting, pupils know what they are to learn and there is a shared commitment to improvement. Such teachers make good use of ongoing assessment to determine lesson development. Throughout the school, teachers provide many opportunities for the development of listening skills and for pupils to extend their vocabulary through teachers’ careful explanations, but there is less emphasis on planned opportunities for speaking, through for example drama or debates.

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ENGLISH

104. Many teachers make good use of oral sessions at the beginning and end of lessons. In the best lessons, teachers target pupils carefully when asking questions, adapting the questions skilfully and attempting to involve as many pupils as possible. Instructions and explanations are clear and questions are open-ended and encourage the pupils to think imaginatively. However, in many lessons, the teachers do most of the talking, with inadequate opportunities for pupils to practice speaking. In the best lessons, teachers encourage pupils to speak clearly and in sentences, but in others, teachers accept one or two word answers that lack clarity from pupils who could manage more. In the best lessons, work is well matched to the range of ability within the sets and teachers set time limits to ensure that all pupils are working to their potential but in some lessons, teachers’ expectations are too low, with not enough challenge for the most able. Teachers manage

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ENGLISH

the pupils well, with high expectations of behaviour. Pupils’ work is marked regularly, with good oral feedback. Marking in more able pupils’ books sometimes gives useful guidance on what they need to do to improve, but this good practice is not consistent throughout the school. The headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject co-ordinator and local authority literacy consultants conduct regular monitoring exercises involving classroom observations which have contributed to improvements in teaching since the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

105. A range of systems and procedures support pupils in their learning and there is a shared commitment to improvement. Setting by ability for literacy is having a beneficial effect on the progress that all pupils, including those with special educational needs make. Pupils in the early stages of the acquisition of English as an additional language are well supported by bilingual staff. After school classes, homework and well-organised additional language support in school all make a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

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ENGLISH

106. The pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive. They are keen to learn and generally behave well in lessons. They work independently when the teacher is engaged with another group, but in some lessons, where their progress is not closely monitored or the work is not well matched to their ability, they lose concentration and engage in pleasant off-task conversation. Heybrook Primary School - 37 107. The school’s literacy strategy has been implemented well overall. Good leadership has led to a whole school approach, which enables pupils to make year on year progress throughout the key stages. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when there was no co-ordinator for the subject and the scheme of work did not make provision for systematic progress through the key stages. Assessment procedures are good and the outcomes of these are used well to plan the curriculum and refine teaching

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ENGLISH

strategies. For example, the school has analysed test results in terms of ethnicity and gender and has taken steps to identify and provide extra support for pupils who may be in danger of not making sufficient progress. A whole school writing scheme offers support to teachers in planning for pupils to write at greater length outside the daily literacy hour. Consequently, pupils are offered a much greater range of opportunities for writing than at the time of the previous inspection when progress was unsatisfactory.

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ENGLISH

108. The school places a great deal of emphasis on literacy and justifiably allocates a large amount of curriculum time to the development of language skills. In addition to extra English, time is made daily for pupils to develop good reading habits. However, there are some inconsistencies in the use of both of these sessions. Sometimes pupils take a long time to open their books, unnoticed by the class teacher and much of many pupils’ writing time is taken up by more of the same listening to lengthy introductions. Parents value extra support with handwriting but guidance in lessons is variable and marking does not indicate high expectations with regard to presentation.

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ENGLISH

109. Reading books are of good quality and the ratio of books per pupil has doubled since the last inspection. The school has identified a need to develop structured support materials for pupils with special educational needs further and the school acknowledge that the school library, which doubles as a classroom contains insufficient non-fiction books and is underused as a resource for developing pupils’ capacity for personal study. More copies of class novels would better support reading. Links with other areas of the curriculum, such as history and information technology are used well to support pupils’ learning. Drama clubs support speaking and listening skills well but not all pupils benefit .

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MATHEMATICS

110. The results of the national tests in 1999 at the end of Key Stage 2 show pupils were attaining levels that well below the national average. The proportion of pupils who attained levels above those expected for eleven-year-olds was well below the national average. A similar picture emerges in Key Stage 1. In 1999 attainment was well below the national average. The proportion of pupils who reached standards above those expected for seven- year-olds was well below the national average. In comparison with similar schools, results in 1999 were below the national average at the end of both key stages. However there has been a steady improvement in results over the last four years. Teachers have a wealth of information derived from test results and they have begun to analyse this to develop strategies to improve provision. They have used this evidence to help put pupils into ability sets for most mathematics lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

111. Inspection evidence, which includes lesson observations, a scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils suggests that the proportion of pupils on course to attain the national standards by the end of both key stages is well below the national average. Recent test results confirm this. Heybrook Primary School - 38 112. The majority of pupils in all ability groups make sound progress as they move through Key Stage 1. A number of pupils make good progress in Year 1 as they fill in missing numbers on a number line and add and subtract numbers up to 10. In Year 2 an average ability class make good progress as they develop their understanding of working with two digit numbers by adding and subtracting ten. Mathematical vocabulary is not always well promoted although a good example of this was seen in Year 2 as pupils learnt about ‘greater than’ and ‘less than’ using the action of a crocodile’s mouth to remind them.

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MATHEMATICS

The teacher gave the pupils opportunities to describe their thinking. In Key Stage 2, progress is overall good. Progress was very good during a Year 5 class of average and below average pupils. In this instance, the pupils were completing mental tasks which involved fractions and decimals. They could see their own progress and were so eager to learn that they did not want to go out to play! However, the rate of progress in a few lessons in both key stages is hindered because tasks are not well matched to pupils attainment and the more able do not receive challenging tasks. In all parts of the school, pupils with special educational needs are generally sensitively supported and make sound progress.

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MATHEMATICS

113. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils count to 100 and begin to mentally add and subtract numbers to ten and beyond. Most are beginning to demonstrate a sound understanding of tens and units and begin to develop basic multiplication skills. A good example of this was observed in Year 2 where average ability pupils confidently add and subtract by counting in tens. Pupils discuss their work using limited mathematical vocabulary. The majority can identify common two-dimensional shapes and more able pupils name three-dimensional shapes such as a cube. More able pupils describe some of the features and properties. All pupils draw simple block graphs. Average and below average pupils in Year 2, have difficulty presenting a pictogram of their own work using symbols and simple diagrams. Pupils use non-standard units and begin to use standard measures of weight, capacity and length. As they work in mathematics lessons they begin

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MATHEMATICS

to articulate their thinking in a limited way.

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MATHEMATICS

114. By the end of Key Stage 2, the proportion of children who are able to add, subtract, multiply and divide with expected competence and accuracy is well below the national average. More able pupils have a sound understanding of decimals, fractions, and percentages. Most name a range of two and three-dimensional shapes and have an appreciation of their various features and properties. Pupils identify and learn about different sorts of angles such as acute and obtuse angles. They work out the areas and perimeters of shapes. These pupils give their answers in a clear and organised way. Average ability pupils add and subtract two digit numbers mentally using different strategies. They demonstrate a basic understanding of decimals as they order them. Pupils develop an idea of simple fractions, they plot block graphs and draw and name solid shapes. Pupils learn about area and begin to measure angles in shapes. Less able pupils

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MATHEMATICS

add two digit numbers together including numbers with decimals. They multiply and divide using single digits.

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MATHEMATICS

115. In both key stages, most pupils confidently work alone, in pairs and small groups, at mathematical investigations and problem solving tasks. A good example was seen in Year 5, where a group of average and less able pupils were given the task of presenting different ways of finding the area of a square. All pupils have the opportunity to develop their mental skills in lessons. Teachers are beginning to use information technology to support mathematical lessons but there was little recorded evidence during the inspection. Heybrook Primary School - 39 116. Pupils’ response to mathematics is good. The majority of pupils enjoy the subject and have a positive attitude. They work hard in most lessons and sustain concentration often becoming totally absorbed in their tasks. Most pupils are keen to discuss what they are doing but often do this using very limited vocabulary.

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MATHEMATICS

117. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is sound and sometimes good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. It is good and occasionally very good in Key Stage 2. Where teaching is good and very good, the teachers use assessment information from previous lessons well to plan and teach the next stage of learning. This results in tasks being well matched to the pupils’ abilities. Lessons run at a brisk pace and pupils sustain concentration well. Teaching focuses upon promoting mathematical understanding and teachers demonstrate good reinforcement of mathematical vocabulary. Teachers have very high expectations regarding behaviour and standards and the pupils are well aware of the skills they are learning. The tasks provided a stimulating challenge and the lessons are conducted at a purposeful pace. In less successful lessons, not all of the tasks that are provided for pupils are appropriate and learning is less effective.

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MATHEMATICS

118. Two years ago the school introduced the Improving Primary Maths Scheme at Key Stage 1. This has now started in Year 3. The National Numeracy Strategy is used in Years 4, 5 and 6 and the school is planning to transfer entirely to the Improving Primary Maths Scheme in the near future. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the school was criticised because it did not have clear guidelines for teachers to follow.

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MATHEMATICS

119. A sound range of assessments relating to mathematical knowledge and understanding is employed and these are beginning to be used effectively in ascertaining the mathematical needs of individual pupils. However although some pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans, containing numeracy targets, teachers do not systematically address these when they plan lessons. The school is aware of this and is beginning to address this issue. Planning caters for different abilities and assessment procedures through the school are sound. There is some good evidence to show that data is used to inform planning and future teaching but this varies from teacher to teacher. Resources for mathematics are adequate and suitably stored to support the curriculum. There are some class targets in place and these are displayed clearly on classroom walls. Classrooms and central areas contain attractive and informative displays

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MATHEMATICS

with a mathematical theme, which reinforce concept previously taught. Homework is given to all pupils regularly which supports learning in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

120. In the National Curriculum tests for 1999, results were well below the national average and those for similar schools. Teacher assessments for Key Stage 1 showed that attainment was below average in 1999. Inspection findings are that standards at Key Stage 1 are well below average but below average at Key Stage 2. In the National Curriculum tests for 2000, standards at Key Stage 2 have risen considerably but, although the tests have not yet been validated, are still well below the national average in comparison to previous years. These results reflect the situation at the last inspection. Pupils’ attainment is adversely affected by their poor grasp of English language skills and knowledge of scientific language, particularly at Key Stage 1. Teachers attribute the improvement in test results in 2000 to having read the questions to pupils, which enabled them to concentrate on the scientific content of questions without worrying about the English.

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SCIENCE

Heybrook Primary School - 40 121. By the age of seven, pupils’ attainment is well below average. Pupils’ knowledge of how plants grow from seeds is weak, some thinking that apple seeds, when planted, would turn into another apple. Other pupils failed to recognise that strawberry seeds are on the outside of the fruit. However, by the end of the lesson, most pupils understand that seeds are needed to produce plants. Younger pupils understand that animals change as they grow older and describe the stages in the life of butterflies. They record facts about animals on simple tables.

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SCIENCE

122. Inspection evidence shows that the proportion of pupils in Year 6 on course to attain the expected level and higher levels is below average. Pupils’ recall of previous work is sound and Year 6 pupils are able to describe work they did when studying a nearby stream and how they developed the idea of fair testing when measuring the rate of flow of the stream. Pupils undertake regular practical work. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils acquired knowledge about the differences between acids and alkalis using common substances such as lemon juice, cleaning powder and soft drinks. They conduct experiments safely and take notice of teachers’ instructions. However, although they complete a useful worksheet, pupils’ attainment is restricted by poor ability in recording their findings and unfamiliarity with some of the substances. More-able pupils in Year 6 have a sound understanding of the dangers to health of smoking. They use the Internet to

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SCIENCE

widen their research, connecting to the Action on Smoking and Health web site to gain information. Year 5 pupils learn about the skeleton, how it protects the major organs of the body and enables humans to walk upright. Year 3 and 4 pupils study the relationship between the sun, earth and moon and day and night.

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SCIENCE

123. Teaching at Key Stage 1 is sound and at Key Stage 2 teaching is good. Improving standards are evident in some classes in Key Stage 2 where teachers challenge pupils to do their best in well-planned lessons, taught by teachers with a good background in science. This good teaching is based on secure scientific knowledge and the use of good resources. Effective questioning ensures that pupils understand what they observe. Teachers who provide a good level of challenge in their lessons keep pupils’ interest and make them think carefully about what they are doing. Good preparations for investigations ensure that suitable equipment and objects are available to reinforce pupils’ scientific knowledge. For example, low attaining pupils in a Year 6 class were enthused when the teacher set up the classroom like a secondary science laboratory. Using test tubes, beakers and pipettes to test common acids and alkalis it showed pupils the sort of science

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SCIENCE

they might experience on their visit to a local secondary school the following day. When experiments went wrong, they learnt the importance of following the teacher’s instructions and keeping equipment clean. In some lessons, particularly at Key Stage 1, too often teachers tell pupils what will happen and pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their own ideas and language skills. However, in most lessons, teachers take care to use the correct scientific vocabulary. Teachers plan the use of information and communications technology in lessons when pupils find out more about the skeleton and the dangers to health caused by smoking. They use computers to enable pupils to measure temperature, light and sound levels in classrooms, to present the results as graphs and answer questions about their findings. Teachers make good use of the school’s very good resources for science. Full-sized models of skeletons help pupils develop knowledge of

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SCIENCE

parts of the body, and collections of information about drugs and smoking allow them to learn about the dangers to health caused by these substances.

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SCIENCE

124. Pupils are managed well and lessons are generally organised with care so that learning at Key Stage 2 is good; at Key Stage 1 it is sound. Pupils in Year 2 were given a variety of fruits so that they could look at the seeds and learn that plants come from seeds. Younger pupils make good progress in learning about the way bananas change in shape Heybrook Primary School - 41 and texture when they mash them, even though the taste stays the same. However, teachers miss opportunities to improve pupils’ learning when they complete tables of results instead of letting pupils do it, or when they make suggestions about things pupils have observed instead of asking pupils for their ideas. A well-planned lesson with Year 4 pupils, with good links to geography, enabled them to describe and explain the motion of the sun and how this creates day and night on earth. Careful planning and worksheets tailored to

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SCIENCE

different levels of understanding give pupils of all abilities the opportunity to make gains in their learning. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress at Key Stage 1 and good progress at Key Stage 2.

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SCIENCE

125. Pupils work very well together in science. Their enthusiastic attitude to experiments and investigations ensures that they keep at their tasks and work well in teams. An example of this came when pupils made ‘smoking machines’ to show that tobacco smoke contains tar and excitedly tried to keep smoke passing through the cotton wool filter. Pupils respect the ideas and contributions of others as they work. In the only example where pupils made fun of an incorrect answer, the teacher used the incident to point out how they had upset their friend and made them apologise.

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SCIENCE

126. Science is very well led and managed by the co-ordinator. She provides a very clear educational direction for the subject. The monitoring of teaching and learning is very good. Lesson observations have a focus, most recently the response of pupils in lessons. Children’s work is monitored. The co-ordinator sees teachers’ weekly planning and has helped teachers identify areas they needed to improve, particularly in using the end of lessons to review what pupils have learned. Very good use is made of resources and grants available. Extra staffing has been provided to allow groups to be taught in single year groups and pupils in Year 6 were given booster classes to prepare them for National Curriculum tests. Good use is made of visits to places such as the Earth Centre and Blackpool Sea Life Centre. Visitors to the school have included the astronaut, Helen Sharman. All teachers have been made aware of the requirements for the National

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SCIENCE

Curriculum tests so that Key Stage 1 teachers know the targets pupils in Key Stage 2 are aiming at, and Key Stage 2 teachers are conscious of the stages of development undertaken by younger pupils.

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SCIENCE

127. The attainment of pupils is carefully monitored and assessed. Recently introduced tests at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5 enable teachers to check on progress made by pupils. National Curriculum test results are analysed and past results have been analysed to check if some groups of pupils are not learning as well as they should. With the good strategies for assessing pupils’ work, the monitoring of teaching and learning and the very good leadership in the subject, the school is in a good position to raise standards.

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ART

128. Whilst it was only possible to observe three lessons during the period of the inspection, these lessons plus pupils’ work on display and teachers’ planning documents indicate that pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in the subject. The majority of areas identified for development in the previous report have now been addressed.

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ART

129. Pupils in Year 1 develop sound painting and craft skills as they create and paint butterflies in a symmetrical manner. This lesson provided opportunities for pupils to develop their fine motor skills, and use those skills often associated with design and technology. Pupils in Year 2 design repeat patterns in wax crayon and colour wash. They display a real sense of awe and wonder as they come to realise that the colour wash cannot penetrate Heybrook Primary School - 42 the area covered in wax. The good progress in this lesson and the imaginative learning process provided for the pupils owed much to the teacher’s good planning and organisation prior to the lesson beginning. Pupils in Year 3 consider a limited number of still life paintings of fruit by Paul Cézanne, and use these paintings as a stimulus for their own work. The good progress in this lesson was enhanced by a good demonstration by the teacher as she

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ART

focussed on the skills and techniques to be learned by the pupils.

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ART

130. Observation of a good range of well-displayed artwork around the school indicates that pupils have the opportunity to explore, experiment and refine a range of art skills. They work in pencil, pastels, crayon and paint, often using a combination of media within one piece of work. Pupils engage in collage work, paper sculpture and printing, ceramics and pottery. Pupils also undertake computer-generated art, and uses information technology skills to gather information on particular artists. Textiles is an area of artwork open to development. Opportunities have been provided for pupils to work with artists in residence. This has resulted in some good work on ‘stained glass’ windows, work with polystyrene materials and a very imaginative large-scale piece of work with ceramic tiles on the theme of ‘Past, Present and Future’ in the form of a prayer mat.

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ART

131. Whilst opportunities are found for pupils to consider the works of accepted great painters and to use this experience as a stimulus for their own work, this very important area of the art curriculum is somewhat inhibited by the poor stock of large prints of works of art. The provision of large scale prints would increase opportunities for teachers and pupils to talk about these works of art and thus help to develop oral skills. There are good links between art and other areas of the curriculum, with some good artwork linked to the Egyptians on display.

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ART

132. Pupils take a positive approach to their work in art, and are prepared to give it their complete attention. Pupils are able to work independently, yet give each other their support in their efforts. Whilst pupils enjoy showing their finished pieces of work, they often find it difficult to talk about it in any kind of informed or confident manner.

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ART

133. The quality of teaching in the limited number of lessons observed was always at least satisfactory, and often good. Lessons are well planned, resourced and organised. Good working relationships exist between teachers, classroom assistants and pupils. Lessons contain a good balance between teacher instruction and pupil activity. Teachers often provide opportunities to develop pupils’ oral skills and to incorporate other areas of the curriculum

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ART

134. The plenary session at the end of lessons is used in an effective manner to show and celebrate pupils’ work, and to help raise their self-esteem. A detailed policy and a useful scheme of work provide clear guidance and planning for all teachers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

135. It was only possible to observe one lesson in Key Stage 1, this lesson plus pupils’ work on display and teachers’ planning indicate that opportunities are provided for pupils to make satisfactory progress in the subject. Heybrook Primary School - 43 136. During the Year 2 lesson observed pupils were provided with the opportunity to make a sliding book, with different individual pictures being displayed in a viewing area. The project involved pupils in simple folding, scoring and cutting techniques. Examination of other design and technology work on display, principally in Key Stage 1, indicates that pupils are provided with the opportunity to engage in projects such as making puppets with moveable joints using split pins, cats with moveable tails, and owls with moveable wings. Many of these activities are linked to the characters in books that pupils are working with. In Year 2 pupils have produced some very attractive mini-gardens. This project covers a

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

number of curriculum areas including science and art.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

137. In Key Stage 2 the limited amount of work on display indicated that whilst pupils made satisfactory progress in the subject, there are limited opportunities for pupils to use, cut and assemble resistant and complex materials. Work involving electronic circuits is taught in science rather than design technology. Discussions with pupils indicated that they enjoy their design and technology lessons, and particularly the practical activities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

138. It is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching on the basis of one lesson observation. There is an effective policy for the subject. Resources are satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

139. It was possible to see only one lesson during the inspection. However, from scrutiny of work and talking to groups of pupils in Years 2 and 6, inspection evidence indicates that pupils make satisfactory progress. This includes pupils with special educational needs.

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GEOGRAPHY

140. Teachers’ medium term planning for geography shows progression for pupils’ learning through the year groups. During walks in the area around the school, pupils in Year 2 learn about the traffic conditions on local roads and make graphs to show the rate of traffic flow. They discover how to place traffic calming measures to make roads safer for pedestrians. By the time they are seven, teachers ensure that pupils have satisfactory awareness that the world extends beyond their own environment. Pupils compare the area around Rochdale with the Isle of Struay off the coast of Scotland. They interpret photographic evidence to learn how life differs in the two communities. This work builds on earlier work carried out by younger pupils who look at way people use the local community. Pupils compare methods of transport in Pakistan and Bangladesh with transport in England. However, although pupils comment that there are more motorbikes and horses in

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GEOGRAPHY

Pakistan and Bangladesh and know that they travel by air to get there, their recollection of facts learnt in geography lessons is weak.

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GEOGRAPHY

141. By the age of eleven, pupils learn the points of the compass and can say which compass point, for example, lies between north and north east. Pupils learn about maps, starting with plans of their kitchen, for which they invent symbols to represent cookers, washing machines and cupboards. Although they go on to use Ordnance Survey symbols to identify features on maps, such as railways and churches, there is insufficient challenge in this work when teachers do not follow the medium term planning. For example, pupils learn to use two-figure co-ordinates instead of the four- and six-figure co-ordinates shown in the school’s planning.

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GEOGRAPHY

142. Insufficient evidence was seen to make judgements about the standards of teaching in lessons. In the only lesson observed, good use was made of resources to enable pupils to describe their journey from home to school. Emphasis was placed on the use of correct language when pupils told each other how they got to school. Work was given that matched the needs of pupils of different abilities and evidence of suitably graded work was Heybrook Primary School - 44 seen in the scrutiny of pupils’ work. Teachers make good use of links with other subjects. Work on the Isle of Struay followed the reading of some of the Katie Morag story books. Pupils used skills learned in mathematics lessons when collecting information about places they visit on holiday and presenting their results as graphs.

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GEOGRAPHY

143. Sound co-ordination of the subject ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met. The school use nationally agreed guidelines as the basis for its scheme of work and the two co-ordinators meet to ensure that there is continuity in what is taught to both key stages. However, neither co-ordinator has the opportunity to monitor standards of teaching and learning in the classroom but they do monitor teachers’ termly plans. Pupils’ work is assessed at the end of each year. Both co-ordinators have secure knowledge of the subject. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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HISTORY

144. Pupils make sound progress in history throughout the school. In some lessons, progress is good. Teachers in Key Stage 1 make good use of artefacts such as smoothing irons and washing boards to show pupils how the Victorians washed clothes. This enables pupils to develop a good understanding of how washing practices have changed with the passage of time and enables them to draw comparisons between equipment used by Victorian housewives and in their own homes. They learn about the problems faced by injured soldiers in the Crimean War. However, when asked about Florence Nightingale and her role, only half the pupils spoken to knew that she was a nurse. Pupils learn about famous people from the past, such as Guy Fawkes, and momentous events such as the Great Fire of London. When comparing transport through the ages, pupils use worksheets and tick boxes to identify differences. This type of exercise is not sufficiently difficult for

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HISTORY

higher attaining pupils and does not help them to improve their writing skills by expressing their opinions in their own words.

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HISTORY

145. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils talk knowledgeably about the Ancient Egyptians. They describe in some detail the methods used by Ancient Egyptians when mummifying pharaohs and take delight in describing how the brain and other organs were kept in canopic jars. They have a good understanding of the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, including the names of the Europeans involved in its excavation. From this, pupils learn about the custom of burying treasure and servants to help the king in the after- life. This work builds on lessons in classes earlier in the key stage when pupils discover the names of the gods worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians and the importance of the gods in that society. Pupils develop sound investigative skills by the age of eleven. They describe how the books of Charles Dickens give an insight into the lives of Victorian people and use photographs to learn about Queen Victoria and her reign. They know the name of her

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HISTORY

husband, Prince Albert, and that she had nine children. Pupils understand that the term ‘Victorian’ refers to the reign of Queen Victoria and that she is the longest reigning English monarch.

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HISTORY

146. Pupils enjoy learning about other ages in history. This was obvious in the way Year 6 pupils described the lives of Ancient Egyptians. Pupils in a Year 2 class were fascinated by the old methods of washing and were bursting to tell their teacher how the way their mothers washed clothes was different. Heybrook Primary School - 45 147. In the lessons seen, teaching was never less than satisfactory and was good in 40% of the lessons. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject is generally good. They try hard to make lessons interesting. Teachers make good use of artefacts borrowed from local museums to bring lessons to life and allow pupils to handle the objects to feel how they would be used. The stages involved in turning papyrus reeds in to writing paper were particularly well shown. Some pupils have a poor grasp of vocabulary and teachers make great efforts to ensure that they learn the correct words. Teachers try very hard to

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HISTORY

make sure that pupils understand the passage of time. For instance, they relate important events in the pupils’ own life times to events that happened during the reign of Queen Victoria. Teachers try to provide work suited to the ability of pupils by asking them to put pictures of the process of washing into sequence. However, in trying to do this, teachers sometimes provide work, such as filling in missing words, that does not make higher attaining pupils think hard enough. Teachers’ planning is sound and they make good use of questions to assess pupils’ knowledge. They use classroom assistants well to support pupils’ learning and to give extra help to pupils with special educational needs. This helps these pupils to make sound progress.

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HISTORY

148. There are two history co-ordinators, who have a good background in the teaching of history. The co-ordinator for Key Stage 2 is relatively new to the post but is well supported by her colleague and they liaise with each to ensure that suitable work is studied in both key stages. The school’s resources are supplemented by loans from Rochdale Museum and good use is made of visits to places such as Jorvik in York when pupils study the Vikings. Annual assessments are made for all pupils but the co-ordinators do not have the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in lessons.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Pupils’ attainment in information technology is below national curriculum expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall, including those with special educational needs.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

150. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ keyboard skills are sufficiently developed to enable them to undertake a limited level of work using a variety of software. They are able to use the mouse, operate the space bar and shift keys. With assistance they can use a range of software to help with simple number and writing skills. Younger pupils learn to write their own names and simple sentences, whilst Year 2 pupils can use word processing skills to describe a picture of a clown, write out shopping lists, describe their impressions of famous artists such as Modigliani and Lowry and to re-write stories from their reading scheme. By using a graphics program they learn to illustrate stories and create interesting designs for numbers and letters and can label diagrams such as parts of the body, living things and food for energy. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to save a file and print and can use a series of programs to make graphics.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

151. There was much evidence in display work and in pupil portfolios of design and art work using information technology There was far less evidence of pupils’ computer skills in mathematics, science and literacy. Some good work was observed in Year 6 which included e-mail letters to the class teacher, word processed information about Ancient Egypt and the use of a website to retrieve information on the National Museum of Film and Photography to link in with their history work. Only limited use is made of the e-mail facility and Internet access to gather information. Insufficient use is made of data bases, spread sheets and graph works to record information to support science and mathematics. Better use is made Heybrook Primary School - 46 of CD-ROM facilities to retrieve information. A scanner is used to aid design work and to illustrate the “Heybrook News”, Year 5’s school newspaper.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

152. Although pupils’ progress is satisfactory there is variation in progress across the age and ability range. Whilst there is evidence of some continuity in the communication and handling information aspect of the subject, not all skills, processes and techniques are understood by all pupils. This is particularly evident with special educational needs pupils who were often confused by the range and complexity of instructions.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

153. The control and modelling aspect for information technology is not well developed. A limited amount of work with ‘Logo’ is undertaken to create more complex screen pictures together with some sensoring experiments with light, temperature and sound but there is no Roamer to build on pupils’ experiences of giving instructions to control equipment or to form simple computer instructions.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

154. Pupils are very enthusiastic about information technology and are keen to use computers. They exhibit very good attitudes and support each other when attempting new techniques. They are well behaved, keen to improve their skills and make effective use of the time available to them. The pupils’ respect for equipment and their co-operative work is good. They sustain concentration and perseverance and are not afraid to learn by trial and error. Confidence and self-esteem is well promoted. Pupils are also encouraged to assess and improve their own work.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

155. In the small number of lessons observed where information technology was specifically taught, teaching was at least satisfactory and occasionally good. Most teachers have undergone in-service training and possess their own computers. The improved teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence has had a positive impact on learning. All staff have integrated information technology into lessons although in some classrooms and on several occasions computers were not switched on. The use of computers is monitored so that all pupils are given access to the machines through classrooms and the two key stage computer areas. During lessons discipline is firm but unobtrusive. Relationships between teacher and pupils are good and contribute to the learning taking place. Some teaching activities are linked to themes that cover a range of subjects and teachers generally identify the use of information technology in their planning. This was clearly evident during a Year 5

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

literacy lesson on the power of language in advertising where pupils used a website to gain information on the Greenpeace organisation. On-going assessment is undertaken during lessons and pupils’ progress is monitored by half-termly reviews in Key Stage 1 and formal summative assessments at Key Stage 2, the results of which are used to inform future planning strategies. Resources to support learning are good although the range of software could be extended further. The computer to pupil ratio is very good and sessions outside lesson times have needed to be organised in order to give all pupils further access to the computers.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

156. There is a comprehensive policy document which gives clear guidance to staff to enable them to deliver the various aspects and tools of the subject although control and modelling is largely omitted. In addition, the information technology action plan identifies prioritised objectives to raise standards in the subject over the next three years. Manageable targets are set, entered into the school plan and reviewed annually. The co- ordinators work with staff to monitor the effectiveness of their teaching and future training needs. Specialist teaching from the co-ordinators ensures that new hardware and software applications are monitored for their effectiveness on subject development.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

157. Significant improvements have been made since the previous inspection in terms of Heybrook Primary School - 47 the range of hardware, a more effective teaching structure and the development of teachers’ skills and expertise. Together with new planning, monitoring and assessment procedures this has created a positive information technology ethos and had an encouraging impact on progress.

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MUSIC

158. It was only possible to observe a limited number of lessons. These lessons plus teachers’ planning documents indicate that pupils, including those with special education needs, make satisfactory progress in the subject.

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MUSIC

159. Pupils in the reception class know a number of simple songs and are able to clap to the beat of the music. During the lesson observed pupils displayed a simple understanding of long and short notes and were able to select and use a number of untuned percussion instruments to demonstrate this knowledge. In Year 3 pupils display simple listening and appraising skills identify the main instruments being played in the piece of music being heard. Pupils sing simple previously learned songs and select appropriate instruments to accompany themselves. Pupils in Year 4 have learned a number of rhythmic patterns that they are able to repeat through clapping activities and the playing of untuned percussion instruments. By organising these rhythmic patterns in a different order, and by overlaying them with different instruments pupils are able to produce some interesting original compositions.

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MUSIC

160. Whilst singing is well taught in the school, the overall quality of singing is variable. Although pupils learn lyrics by heart, because of their sometimes limited understanding of what they are singing they find it difficult to sing with any real flexibility in intonation and interpretation. Many pupils, in particular girls, also find it difficult to show expression and to display the broad gestures and actions, which so often accompany the songs they sing. Despite this limitation, most pupils approach their music lessons in a positive manner and particularly enjoy the opportunity to partake in practical activities. Pupils are willing to wait their turn in playing musical instruments, and treat them in a safe and sensible manner.

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MUSIC

161. The quality of teaching in all lessons observed, including those taken by classroom teachers and the specialist from the local education authority music service, is satisfactory. Lessons are well planned, resourced and organised. Teachers provide pupils with a good balance and range of musical activities within the time available.

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MUSIC

162. Examination of teachers’ planning indicated that regular opportunities are provided for all pupils to explore both aspects of the music curriculum, listening and appraising and composing and performing. Resources for the subject, including musical instruments, are somewhat limited, though the school is able to borrow extra instruments from the local music service.

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MUSIC

163. Although the school is not able to provide individual musical tuition or extra curricular musical activities it has an enthusiastic and well-attended choir who regularly sing both within school and the local community. All pupils also have the opportunity to make a musical contribution to the school’s regular productions. A sound policy for the subject and an effective scheme of work, combined with specialist teaching, ensures that all pupils in both key stages have full access to the National Curriculum for music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164. At the time of the previous inspection, pupils made satisfactory progress at both key Heybrook Primary School - 48 stages in physical education. A very limited number of physical education lessons were observed during the current inspection, so there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on pupils’ progress. Scrutiny of the teachers’ long and medium term planning indicates that pupils are provided with an appropriate balance of physical education activities such as games, gymnastics and dance. However, in Key Stage 2 pupils have limited experiences in athletics which is an aspect of the National Curriculum. Year 6 pupils undertake the local education authority three-week intensive swimming course during the summer term. Although many of the pupils are unable to swim 25 metres, which is the recommended distance for pupils of this age, discussions with teachers indicate that the majority of pupils make good progress in this activity. Most of the pupils start the course as

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

non-swimmers, many having not visited a swimming pool before, and are able to swim 10 metres by the end of three weeks.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165. During the previous inspection pupils’ response to physical education was unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1. In the one lesson observed at this key stage, the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were sound. Overall, pupils respond appropriately to their teachers’ instructions and listen carefully to the instructions they are given. They are enthusiastic about the subject and want to do well. In a Year 1 indoor games lesson on throwing and catching a large ball, pupils watched carefully and sensibly as one of the activity groups demonstrated their throwing and catching skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

166. With the limited number of lesson observations there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching. Of the three lessons observed, two were satisfactory and one was unsatisfactory. Where teaching was satisfactory, there was appropriate pace to the lessons and pupils took part in reasonably energetic activity over a period of time. An example of this was seen with a small group of Year 6 pupils who took part in a small-sided rounders match. The lesson began with an appropriate and active warm-up session led by the teacher. Pupils were then provided with an opportunity to quickly discuss the changes exercise brings to their bodies before participating in their rounders activity and developing their understanding of the demands of team work. Where teaching was unsatisfactory, pupils did not learn effectively, nor were they active.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

167. The subject is appropriately managed by two enthusiastic subject co-ordinators who represent both key stages in the school. They effectively monitor the school’s long and medium term planning and are available to teachers who require advice or support. There is a sound subject policy for physical education and the teachers use a range of different resources, both commercial and national initiatives, to plan their work. The school does not have any formal assessment procedures for the subject, although teachers do make an end of year judgement about individual pupils’ ability. Because of the school’s emphasis on literacy and numeracy, the time allocated to physical education has become more limited. The school offers a range of sporting extra curricular activities to compensate for this, including girls and boys football, tag rugby and cross country. The pupils have also competed against other schools in these sports. The school has also used outside coaches

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

for lacrosse and rugby and Rochdale Football Club have worked with the whole school. Heybrook Primary School - 49 168. Resources for the subject are satisfactory overall and are generally accessible for both pupils and teachers. The school has two appropriately sized halls that can be used for dance, gymnastics and indoor games. There is access to a good sized field for games and athletics, although this facility is sometimes used by members of the general public during lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

169. By the time they are seven and eleven, pupils’ attainment is generally line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and all pupils, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. This is a similar picture to that of the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

170. The great majority of pupils are Muslims and have a good knowledge of Islamic traditions and beliefs. They learn about other faiths such as Christianity through stories such as Noah’s Ark and the birth of Jesus. They talk about the creation, baptism, and festivals such as Eid, Christmas and Diwali. Pupils in Year 2 are beginning to understand the relevance of religion to their own lives, for example when they talk about the need for rules and the reasons for fasting during Ramadan. They understand the concepts of sharing and helping each other, the need to care for their world and the importance of belonging. More able pupils are beginning to understand the significance of symbolism in religious festivals such as the cross in Christianity. However, poor communication skills prevent pupils from expressing their thoughts and ideas and there is very little evidence of written work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

171. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a satisfactory awareness of world faiths such as Buddhism and Christianity as well as teachings in their own faith. They have a well developed sense of morality, for example when considering why it is important to have rules, although they find it difficult to articulate such ideas. Pupils in Year 4 work together to write their own rules for an imaginary club. Year 6 pupils know that belonging to a group carries with it certain responsibilities and that people’s religion influences the way they lead their daily lives. They have considered the similarities and differences between Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam; holy books such as the Bible and Q’uran; places of worship such as mosques, temples and churches and special places such as the Holy Land and the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem. They know the names of prophets such as Muhammad and Moses and relate some of the stories surrounding such religious leaders. Through such studies, they

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

are learning to respect the values and beliefs of others and are developing a deeper understanding of fundamental issues.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

172. As no lessons were observed in Key Stage 1, it is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching but from the few lessons observed in Key Stage 2, evidence indicates that teaching, within the constraints of a much reduced curriculum time, is satisfactory. Teachers are very sensitive to needs and feelings of the pupils and try hard to make lessons relevant and interesting. They prepare their lessons carefully, use skilful questioning and take care to ensure that as many pupils as possible are actively involved and understand the vocabulary. Appropriate use is made of resources and teachers draw on pupils’ own experiences where possible. For example, in a lesson about special journeys, a teacher encouraged a pupil to relate his experiences and to describe his emotions on seeing the Hajj for the first time. However, lessons are generally very teacher directed and offer limited opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

skills. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are satisfactory. Most listen carefully but many lose concentration during lengthy introductions. Heybrook Primary School - 50 173. Planning for progression is satisfactory but the co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved. Pupils’ work is not monitored and there are no effective procedures for assessment. The subject is not currently a priority in the school and does not feature in the school development plan. Resources are barely adequate, with an inadequate selection of artefacts.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

174. Religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education and to literacy and information technology supports the subject in some classes, for example when Year 4 pupils access the Internet to find information on their topic. More opportunities could be found to develop pupils’ oral skills and there is room for improvement in the use of written work as a tool for assessment. Homework makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ learning.

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