Bamford Primary School

BAMFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th - 12 th July 2001

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BAMFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BAMFORD 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. Bamford Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Fidlers Well Bamford Hope Valley Derbyshire Postcode: S33 OAR

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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: Keith Wilkinson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st April 1997 Bamford Primary School - 2

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Team members

18706 Janet Gill Registered inspector 8919 John Kerr Lay inspector 13754 Judy Morris Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bamford Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in Bamford, in the centre of the village in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. It has 130 pupils who attend full-time from Reception to Year 6, with almost equal numbers of boys and girls. There are 5 classes, with mixed year groups in four of them. Children are admitted at the start of the term of their fifth birthday. The school is popular and is larger than at the time of the previous inspection, although still smaller than other primary schools when compared nationally. The majority of the children live locally, with around 10 per cent from the outlying villages. The background of pupils is about average; three per cent claim free school meals, which is below average. Attainment on entry to Reception is generally just above average, as there are only a few with below average attainment when they start school. There are no pupils whose first language is not English. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is below average (14 per cent);

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

there is only one child with a statement. The school was granted Beacon status in 1998.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Bamford Primary School is an effective school. Improvements have been particularly rapid since the appointment of the present headteacher. He has already established a very clear educational direction for the school and is strongly supported by staff, governors and parents. The quality of teaching is consistently good and often very good. This helps pupils make good progress and achieve standards that are well above average by the end of Year 6. The school gives excellent attention to promoting pupils’ social and moral development, which it successfully achieves, as evident in the very good behaviour of the pupils and excellent relationships throughout the school. The school has slightly above average income, uses its resources well and provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good teaching. • The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of education. • The excellent provision for pupils’ social and moral development, coupled with the very effective care the school provides, help to ensure that children enjoy school, learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and other children. • The partnership with parents is very effective. Very well established links help to ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact on the standards pupils achieve, particularly in reading.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough and the full requirements of the National Curriculum are not currently being taught. • The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage. • Teachers’ planning so that the needs of all pupils are met. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When it was inspected in April 1997, Bamford Primary School was found to have many strengths but there were also areas for improvement. The school has made good progress since the last inspection. Progress has been particularly rapid since the appointment of the present headteacher. The school has successfully maintained the high standards pupils achieve in English, mathematics and science. Results since 1998 have been well above average or very high. In the last inspection, standards in ICT were around average throughout the school. There are now greater expectations in ICT and the school does not meet the full requirements of the National Curriculum. The school has identified ICT as a priority for development. The climate for learning remains very good, due to the excellent promotion of social and moral development and good quality teaching. The school development plan is a good document that now sets out clear and realistic targets for action over a longer period.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Curriculum co-ordinators now play an important management role, including monitoring standards, particularly in the core subjects. Some problems with accommodation are being resolved with the new building, but no plans have yet been made to provide outside facilities for children in the Foundation Bamford Primary School - 5 Stage. Learning resources have improved. The school has started to address curriculum planning and is due to implement schemes of work in some subjects, but teachers’ planning could be improved. The desire to succeed and ensure pupils achieve their very best means that the school is very well placed to maintain its current high standards and improve even further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

Science A* A* A* A very high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

Since 1997 the rate of improvement has continued to rise in line with the national trend. As a result, standards when children leave the school are usually well above average and sometimes very high, with results in the top five per cent nationally. The school again exceeded its targets in all three subjects in the National Curriculum tests in 2001, but pupils did not achieve as highly as previously. There were considerably fewer higher grades in English and science but around the same number in mathematics. This is due to differing abilities of the pupils in each cohort. Children enter the Reception class generally with attainment just above average, as there are only a few with below average attainment. They make good progress and achieve above average standards in literacy, mathematics and personal development. Pupils in Key Stage 1 continue to make good progress and attain standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science that are generally above or well above

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Key

average. Good progress is maintained throughout Key Stage 2 and, by the time pupils leave at eleven attainment is well above average. Standards are very high in reading and speaking and listening, which reflects the very strong emphasis the school places on these areas. However, standards are not as high in writing, particularly at Key Stage 2, where there is little higher attainment. Standards in handwriting are variable; a mixture of print and joined script is used at Key Stage 2. Also, pupils in Key Stage 1 may learn to write in a joined script, but this is not always transferred to other work. In ICT standards are below those expected. The curriculum for ICT is not yet developed sufficiently well and it is not used throughout the wider curriculum to support learning in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. They enjoy coming to school and work at a good pace. They are proud of their school and show a keen interest in all aspects of school life. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in and around the school is very good. Despite the overcrowding in some areas, pupils’ behaviour in school, in the playground and when going to lunch is of a high standard. Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is very good. They are very considerate of each other and respectful to their teachers. They are very co-operative and relationships throughout the school are excellent. Attendance Levels of attendance are excellent and consistently well above the national average. Pupils are keen to be at school and are punctual.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils’ very positive attitudes to school life are one of the main reasons why the pupils do so well. Bamford Primary School - 6

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

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

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

All teaching is at least satisfactory and 29 per cent of lessons are very good. Teaching of both English and mathematics is good, particularly teaching of basic skills and reading, and much is very good. It is evident from the limited work in ICT that teachers do not have the appropriate skills and expertise to teach ICT to the required standard. Successful teaching, which results in good learning, is based on the good pace and enthusiasm of the teacher, excellent relationships and high quality behaviour management. Skilful questioning, that is well directed, challenges pupils to think carefully about their work. Teachers successfully stimulate pupils’ interest. The good quality teaching helps to promote children’s learning. Pupils work hard, showing interest and concentration; they enjoy being in school and try their best. In most respects, the teachers meet the needs of all pupils. Occasional weaknesses

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

include not always challenging the most able sufficiently. This is often as a result of insufficient detail in planning to address the needs of all pupils, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The strategies are not followed for group and independent work and usually the same work is set for all pupils. This limits the amount of direct teaching taking place, as teachers tend to circulate, checking and discussing work with individuals. It also restricts pupils’ independence, as they do not tend to work without direct supervision, either individually or in small groups.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with weaknesses in planning and match of work to pupils’ abilities. Information and communication technology is not fully in place throughout the school and does not meet National Curriculum requirements. The Foundation Stage is planned to the National Curriculum and not to Early Learning Goals and insufficient emphasis is given to activities in an outside area.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The few pupils with special educational needs are well supported in class. They make good progress and many reach average standards.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good overall. There is a very strong focus on social and moral development. This has a significant impact on the very good behaviour in and around the school and the excellent relationships. Not enough attention is given to raising pupils’ awareness of the life styles of other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a very caring and supportive community in which pupils are happy and secure. Staff know pupils very well and provision for Child Protection and pupils’ safety and welfare is very good. The school is well aware of health and safety issues and they are receiving prompt attention. Early assessment information is not used specifically well to group children for their learning in the Reception.

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Aspect Comment

The very good links with parents, their involvement and support have a significant impact on pupils’ positive attitudes to school and learning. Bamford Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very effectively led and managed. The recently appointed headteacher sets a very clear educational direction and is well aware of what the school needs to do next to improve. This is shared well with the staff and governors. They are all very determined to maintain the school’s significant strengths and have a strong commitment towards improvement. The role of the subject co-ordinators has been enhanced and they are beginning to carry out their management role effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their roles satisfactorily. They are very supportive of the headteacher. They are rapidly becoming aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses through recently introduced procedures.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is developing effective systems to evaluate its performance. It has analysed what works and why and is using this information to plan the curriculum and to set future school and individual targets.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school’s financial resources are well targeted to meet the needs of pupils and staff and to raise standards. The new strategic plan has been shared effectively with staff and governors and is linked well to the school’s educational priorities, based securely on principles of best value. The school provides good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The school is managed effectively and resources are used to ensure pupils achieve high standards. The quality of the school’s administrative and financial arrangements is very good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children really like coming to school and make good progress. • The children behave very well and become mature and responsible individuals. • The school is well led and managed. • Teaching is good and teachers have high expectations of the children. • The headteacher and staff are approachable. • The school promotes positive attitudes and values and creates a caring environment. • The school works closely with parents. • The information about their child’s progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are very supportive of the school and have a high regard for what it does for their children. They think that it is a very good school. Inspection evidence supports parents’ positive views. Parents have a right to be concerned about the lack of formal information during the year about their children’s progress. Although the school has an ‘open door’ policy for parents to ask and receive information about their children’s progress informally, insufficient formal opportunities exist to meet with teachers. Bamford Primary School - 8

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

1. The determination of the headteacher, governors, staff and parents to promote an excellent ethos for learning in a caring, friendly environment and a shared commitment to high standards has made a significant contribution to the particularly high standards reached by the pupils when they leave the school at eleven. Teaching throughout the school is never less than good and, at times, very good. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and this rate of progress is maintained in each class as pupils move through the school. A key strength of the school is that there are no classes in which the pace of learning slackens compared with the previous year. As a result, by the time they leave the school, the majority of children, including those with special educational needs, have made good progress and achieve very well in English, mathematics and science. The school places a very strong emphasis on reading and speaking and listening;

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

consequently all pupils achieve particularly well in these areas.

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

2. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests for seven-year olds, the results were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics, with a significant number of pupils gaining the higher Level 3 in all subjects. There are relatively fewer pupils performing at below average levels in reading and mathematics, although more in writing. Generally, results over the past four years have been above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Early indications of the 2001 National Curriculum tests show an improvement in the number of pupils gaining a higher level in writing, but fewer in reading and mathematics. This reflects the small numbers in each cohort and slightly lower ability of the pupils.

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

3. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests for eleven-year olds, the results were well above average in mathematics and very high in English and science, these results being in the highest five per cent nationally. Compared with similar schools, results were very high in English and well above average in mathematics and science. In recent years, results have generally been well above the national average and those of similar schools. The achievement in 2000 National Curriculum tests was exceptional, as all pupils gained at least Level 4 in all three subjects. Around 70 per cent of pupils achieved Level 5 in English and science; this was very high in comparison with the national average. In mathematics just over a third achieved the higher Level 5, which was also above the national average.

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

4. Early analysis of the National Curriculum data for the 2001 tests indicates that the school has exceeded its targets again, but only just exceeded them in English. Results are not as high as the National Curriculum tests taken in 2000. This reflects the lower ability in the present Year 6. The majority of pupils reached the average grade in English and mathematics and all in science. The very high reading scores in English led to an overall Level 5 being awarded, with all pupils achieving at least the average grade. This reflects the very strong commitment the school and the parents have to reading. There was a good example of a successful Year 6 lesson, based on reading. Pupils of all abilities read quite complex texts, such as the Hobbit, with very good understanding, fluency and expression.

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Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are well above average due to good

5. The school already had good assessment procedures, which tracked pupils’ progress in standardised tests; these are being further refined to incorporate class and individual targets. The school has already analysed pupils’ results in 2001 National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science to determine the areas where pupils were failing to reach the higher levels. As a result of this analysis, the school has identified the need to concentrate on writing, including handwriting and mental mathematics. This year there were differences in the performance of girls and boys. Boys achieved more highly in both mathematics and science and girls in English, although usually there is little significant difference. The teachers know their pupils’ capabilities well and teacher assessment is accurate. They work hard to meet their academic needs. Bamford Primary School - 9

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

6. The leadership and management of the school are very good and are having a positive impact on maintaining the many strengths of the school and addressing the issues from the previous report. The recently appointed headteacher has a very clear vision for the school. He has quickly identified the areas for development and is very aware of the educational direction of the school and what it needs to do next to improve still further. This has been shared effectively with staff, governors and parents. They already recognise that many improvements have been implemented recently. The appropriateness of the school’s priorities and action taken to address them has been particularly rapid since January 2001 and the shared commitment to succeed is very good.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

7. The management role of the curriculum co-ordinators is improving, particularly for the core subjects, English, mathematics and science. They now monitor standards more rigorously and teaching has been observed in English and mathematics with feedback given to teachers. The science curriculum has been revised and is ready to be implemented throughout the school in September. Co-ordinators now hold budgets in all subjects and are aware of the need to review the curriculum and implement schemes of work based on national guidance. The ICT co- ordinator has worked with the headteacher to set up the action plan to start to address unsatisfactory standards, curriculum provision and lack of teachers’ expertise and confidence. Plans are in hand to commence training in September 2001. The headteacher is aware of the need to ensure that co-ordinators have management times to maintain and develop their subject

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

areas and teaches their classes in order for this to happen. At present, however, most co- ordinators other than in English and mathematics have limited opportunities to observe teaching and learning.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

8. Governors are now very well informed by the headteacher about all aspects of school life and they make a significant contribution to the overall effectiveness of the school. They recognise the strengths of the school and have an extremely strong commitment to maintain the very positive ethos and high standards in their popular successful school. Governors are now far more aware of areas for further development and very supportive of the recently appointed headteacher. Procedures have improved on the governing body. For instance, a group of governors and the headteacher have carried out a complete risk assessment and identified areas that require urgent attention, for example, fencing the pond.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

9. The school provides good value for money. Good financial management and planning ensure that the budget is spent wisely. The headteacher and secretary, and increasingly the governors, have a good awareness of financial commitments, special funds and the Local Education Authority’s systems. Financial resources are linked particularly well to the school development plan and educational priorities, including raising standards of attainment even further. This is an improvement since the previous report. The school is becoming effective at monitoring its performance and is planning effective action where possible weaknesses are evident. This is well illustrated by the desire to improve standards in writing and mental mathematics, weaknesses identified in the latest National Curriculum tests and the wish to improve standards in ICT throughout the school.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership, directed at improving the quality of

10. The commitment to high standards both academically and personally, valuing the individual within a caring community, are very much the key factors to the school’s success. Parents are extremely positive about the school and recognise the very strong commitment to all round achievement by the headteacher and all the staff.

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

11. The school provides excellent support for pupils’ social and moral development and is effective in providing a safe and caring environment. The high standards have been maintained since the last inspection. These factors make a very effective contribution to the personal development of pupils and have a significant impact on the excellent relationships. The school recognises the Bamford Primary School - 10 fundamental link between successful learning and good personal relationships. Excellent role models are provided for the children. The school has a very positive ethos of encouraging pupils to think about and care for others. Everybody shows great respect for each other, their values and beliefs. Successful teaching is based on very high expectations and relationships and high quality behaviour management. The pupils behave very well in lessons, around the school and in the playgrounds. They show very good consideration for others, as in the playground, when

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

playing. They are aware of other people’s safety and will stop playing football if someone needs to cross the playground.

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

12. All staff have a very positive rapport with the pupils and this results in a very good ethos for learning across the school. All pupils work and play harmoniously together. New children are quickly integrated into the life of the school and quickly live up to the high expectations that all adults hold. Many parents at the pre-inspection meeting, and in letters, expressed how pleased they were about the excellent ethos and that Bamford Primary is such a caring school where individuals are valued.

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

13. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to undertake responsibility for themselves and others. This is reflected in the positive attitudes, self-discipline and keen interest shown by pupils in school life. Attendance rates are excellent, as is punctuality, another indicator of pupils’ keen desire to be at school. Pupils show great enthusiasm for their work and their school, of which they are immensely proud, which was evident when inspectors were speaking to them. They are keen to share their work and experiences, as in the weekly achievement assembly. Pupils, from the very youngest, work with enthusiasm and concentration in lessons. They listen well to instructions, understand the tasks they are doing and complete them enthusiastically. Pupils respond very well to the encouragement given by teachers. They are very keen to answer questions and contribute to discussion.

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

14. Pupils clearly demonstrate their enjoyment of all aspects of school life, including extra-curricular activities and visits. They show a high level of maturity from an early age. Reception children organise their own work effectively on the computer and in the role-play area, while the teacher works with small groups. Given the high motivation and very good behaviour, other pupils are not always given the same responsibility, particularly in literacy and numeracy lessons, to work independently or in groups with the minimum of, or no direct, supervision, while the teacher concentrates on teaching a small group. The constraints of the buildings also make it very difficult for pupils to undertake individual research in the small library.

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learn effectively, behave very well and form excellent relationships with adults and

15. Older pupils develop into self-assured and mature individuals, who are more than ready for their next phase in education. Pupils are encouraged to look after younger children, for example at lunchtimes, when older pupils very naturally help younger children. They carry out jobs around the school and are very willing to help other pupils and staff.

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ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact

on the standards pupils achieve, particularly in reading.

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ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact

16. Parental involvement in the children’s learning is very good and has a significant impact on their attainment and progress. The school has maintained a very effective partnership with parents. It was reported previously as excellent. However, a significant group of parents now do not consider that they have sufficient formal information about their children’s progress, as previous parents thought. The school recognises the importance of effective liaison between home and school and the active role parents can play in their children’s education. The quality of information, including the governors’ annual report, to parents is very good; parents appreciate the regular newsletters and feel they are very well informed. Meetings at the school regarding the curriculum are well attended.

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ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact

17. Parents are very supportive and have a high regard for the school. They consider their children are making good progress and are very happy with the education and opportunities provided by the school. The school offers every opportunity for parents to become involved in their child’s learning. Where adults are able to respond and work in the classroom, for instance by hearing children read, this is having a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. This is evident in the Bamford Primary School - 11 particularly high standards achieved by the children in the National Curriculum reading tests at seven and eleven. A very good number of dedicated adults are regularly volunteering to help in the classroom in many aspects of the curriculum, outings, clubs and the day-to-day activities in the school. Parents are valued by the school and are well briefed and trained for these activities. They appreciate being involved in supporting their children’s learning and in school life.

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ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact

18. The school operates an ‘open door’ policy and parents can meet informally with the headteacher and teachers to discuss any matters of importance and concern. However, there are too few formal parents’ meetings during the year, so parents do not have the opportunity in some cases, particularly working parents and for those parents of children coming to and from school on the coach, to know how their children are progressing during the year. For Reception children starting school in January, parents do not have any formal feedback until July, when there is a consultation meeting between parents and the teacher. School’s reports on pupils’ progress are good and parents are pleased with their quality, although they come at the end of the year, as is usual for most schools.

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ensure they are fully involved in the work of the school. This has a significant impact

19. The level of parental support has a significant impact on facilities and resources offered by the school and education provided for pupils. Various fund-raising activities are very well supported, especially those that involve the children and raise a considerable amount to enhance the education of the children.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

and the full requirements of the National Curriculum are not currently being taught.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

20. The previous report indicated that the standard achieved by most pupils in ICT was similar to the expected levels and statutory requirements were met, although at Key Stage 2, control technology was not taught consistently throughout the school. This issue has not yet been addressed. There are, however, greater demands in the National Curriculum for ICT now and the full requirements of the National Curriculum are not currently being taught. Consequently, many pupils do not reach the required standards in ICT.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

21. The school has identified the weakness and realised that there are insufficient resources to teach the subject, staff did not have the required expertise and ICT was not used to support learning throughout the curriculum. The co-ordinator and the headteacher have drawn up a very detailed ICT action plan to cover the areas for development. At present, the staff do not have sufficient expertise and confidence in teaching ICT, but arrangements are in hand for staff to receive initial training next term. The co-ordinator has begun to devise a scheme of what is to be taught, based on national guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and is to rewrite the policy. However, no system for the assessment of pupils’ skills and knowledge has been included in the action plan. Teachers will need to know pupils’ abilities in order to plan the next steps in learning.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

22. The co-ordinator has expertise in ICT and is enthusiastic to develop the subject throughout the school. In her class, Reception, children are given good opportunities to work independently on the computers; their skills are already developing well and they are likely to achieve the early learning goals. They use early graphics programs effectively, creating pictures with shapes and printing out their work. Children work well together, helping and supporting one another. Older pupils have had very limited opportunities to use ICT in school and much of their knowledge they have acquired at home. Many are familiar with word processing but are quite slow on the keyboard. Some have had opportunities to use programs to support mathematics and science work, but provision is variable, particularly for older pupils. Many opportunities to support learning in other subjects, such as art, are missed. The limitations for older pupils to use the Internet and

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

electronic mail will be resolved shortly, as the new building will incorporate Internet access.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

23. The school has not yet reviewed its curriculum for children in the Reception class, in the light of the recent national guidance. It bases its work and reporting procedures under National Bamford Primary School - 12 Curriculum headings, rather than areas of learning for the Foundation Stage. Although the teachers promote communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development very well, planning does not include work that is matched to the ability of the child. Early assessment information is not used specifically to group children for their learning. Instead they are grouped by age and all complete the same work, as is the case throughout the school. The curriculum does not ensure all such planned activities, including those for the outside area, have a clear purpose and identified learning objectives.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

24. At the time of the last inspection, opportunities for outside play were restricted by the lack of an outside space and appropriate resources. This is still the case four years later. The recently appointed headteacher and reception class teachers are aware of the limited opportunities in the provision of outside activities, especially the promotion of physical development. While the school is considering how best to develop the outside area close to the classroom, it needs to consider providing some relevant outdoor activities for the children, so as to give them fuller access to the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

Teachers’ planning so that the needs of all pupils are met.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

25. All subject policies and schemes are being reviewed and are based on the relevant national guidance. However, the school has not yet adapted the guidance to suit the school’s needs in most subjects. A common format is lacking in the medium term to ensure coverage of units of work and continuity between and within year groups. This is particularly important in the mixed year groups, to ensure pupils in the same year group, but in different classes, have access to the same curriculum. The science co-ordinator has worked hard to develop the science curriculum that will be implemented in September. She has based the scheme of work on national guidance and adapted it to the school’s needs, ensuring that each year group covers the necessary work and in a progressive manner.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

26. English and mathematics receive substantial time each day to good effect but the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are not implemented for independent and group work. Guided reading or writing activities do not take place with the teacher while other pupils work independently. All pupils usually carry out the same work regardless of prior ability. The teacher circulates and offers support and encouragement and points out spelling and grammatical errors, but there is no direct teaching during this time. This limits pupils’ independence to be able to work while not directly supervised. Also, a group of pupils miss the direct teaching of the teacher, when she/he could match work more closely for the differing abilities and challenge the higher attaining pupils.

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

27. The school does not have a consistent way of planning lessons. There are weaknesses in the quality of some of the teachers’ weekly and daily planning which means that the needs of all pupils are not consistently met in class. Lesson plans do not always identify what pupils of differing prior attainment are expected to learn. The scrutiny of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science shows that pupils frequently do the same activity, whatever their prior attainment. Often on these occasions, there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils. This is evident by the lack of above average levels in writing, particularly at the end of Key Stage 2 and mathematics in Key Stage 1. In some lessons, however, pupils with special educational needs are given less difficult work, such as in a Year 3 numeracy lesson on place value, when lower attaining pupils were given a different exercise to complete to the rest of the class. In most

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Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough

lessons, specific learning objectives and opportunities for assessment are not identified sufficiently well. The school has recently introduced targets for the next stage in learning for the pupils, but the system is still relatively new. In discussion with pupils they are not particularly knowledgeable about their progress through targeting routines, as yet. Bamford Primary School - 13

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. The school has many notable strengths but there are areas of weaknesses. Standards of attainment are high in the core subjects but not as high as they should be in information and communication technology (ICT). The curriculum for ICT is not developed sufficiently well and is not used to support learning throughout the wider curriculum; as a result, standards of achievement are below those expected. This has been identified as an area for improvement in the school development plan. Curriculum planning is not based on national guidance for children in the Reception. There is inadequate planned provision for the outdoor environment for children in the Foundation Stage. Lesson planning does not always focus on work set for the pupils’ differing abilities, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) In order to improve standards in ICT, the headteacher, staff and governors should ensure the planned improvements in ICT are implemented by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that statutory requirements are fully met; • improving teachers’ subject knowledge, expertise and confidence; • devising a policy to be agreed by staff and governors; • implementing a clear scheme of work and assessment procedures to ensure that ICT skills are taught progressively and to the required level throughout the school; • purchasing further resources, both hardware and software as funds become available; and • identifying opportunities for the use of ICT to support learning in other subjects.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) Improve the curriculum for the children in the Reception class by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing planning, based on the national guidance under the areas of learning; • developing regular assessment procedures to ensure that work in activities, particularly in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, is well matched to children’s abilities; • reviewing the format for written reports to parents to incorporate the areas of learning; • developing the outdoor environment and providing suitable large equipment, when resources allow; • providing regular planned outdoor opportunities to promote all areas of learning, in particular physical development; and • ensuring that the planned outdoor activities have a clear purpose with clearly identified learning objectives.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(c) Ensure that teachers’ planning identifies how the needs of pupils of differing prior attainment are to be met by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing the format for medium term curriculum planning to ensure that pupils of the same age have access to similar activities; • reviewing the format of lesson planning, particularly in the core subjects, to incorporate what pupils of differing abilities are expected to learn; • ensuring that learning objectives are clearly set out and shared with pupils at the beginning of all lessons and reviewed at the end, as in the best lessons; • incorporating the learning needs of those with individual educational plans (IEP) into the teachers’ planning; • including opportunities to assess and evaluate learning, so teachers are clear about what skills and knowledge have been learnt; and • ensuring that planning shows how previous learning is to be developed next.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs: 25 – 27 Bamford Primary School - 14

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

0 29 71 0 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 130

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5. 2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bamford Primary School - 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 14 28

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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 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 93 (88) 89 (88) 96 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 12 13 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 93 (94) 96 (94) 93 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 9 11 20

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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 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (83) 100 (89) 100 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 7 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (67) 100 (78) 100 (94)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Bamford Primary School - 16

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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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6 Financial year 2000/2001

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.66

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 259,167

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1,949

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Balance brought forward from previous year 5,882

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 52,091 Bamford Primary School - 17

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 66 31 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 71 26 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 47 3 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 27 21 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 89 8 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 19 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 74 23 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 21 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 23 0 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 81 18 0 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Some totals may not add to 100 due to the effects of rounding.

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