Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

BECKWITHSHAW PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 15 th March 2002

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BECKWITHSHAW 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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BECKWITHSHAW 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. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 3 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Row Beckwithshaw Harrogate North Yorkshire Postcode: HG3 1QW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 4 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Team members

11328 Mrs M. R. Shepherd Registered inspector 16472 Mrs C. Stormonth Lay inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ

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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 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 5 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16

Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 6 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Beckwithshaw Community Primary School serves a wide geographical area. Only 14 per cent of pupils come from the village itself. All other pupils come from surrounding villages or from Harrogate, with parents opting not to use their local school, preferring the qualities of this small school. This results in a high level of pupil mobility, with a high proportion of them entering the school after the beginning of reception. In the current Year 6 class, only a third of pupils joined the school in the reception class. The school is organised in three classes. The first class has reception and Years 1 and 2. The other two classes contain Years 3 and 4 or Years 5 and 6. Six per cent of pupils are on the special educational needs register, which is well below average. One point six per cent of pupils have full Statements of Special Educational Needs, which is average. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities. The attainment

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

of children who start school in reception varies from year to year. Overall it is average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. Pupils who begin their schooling at the beginning of reception, and the many pupils who join the school after this point, all make very good progress. Pupils care for each other and are proud of their school. Teaching has excellent features. There are excellent features in the management and leadership of the headteacher, which produces a high level of shared commitment for improvement. Value for money is good.

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What the school does well

• Standards of Year 6 pupils in science and speaking and listening are well above average; standards in reading, writing, mathematics and history are above average. • Attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are very good. • Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. • Teaching is very good; the quality of the support of teaching assistants is very high. • Leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. • The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum for social development is very good. • Partnership with parents is excellent. • Every individual is valued as part of the school family.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1997. There has been good improvement since then. Standards in science have improved considerably. Standards in English, mathematics and history have improved. However, standards in information and communication technology have fallen. Pupils’ attitudes are now more positive. Teaching is of better quality and links with parents and care for pupils have improved further. There has been significant improvement in the curriculum for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There are very effective systems in place to tackle future initiatives for improvement.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

STANDARDS Statistics for how well the pupils perform in the Year 2 and Year 6 national tests have to be looked at with caution because of the small numbers in each year group. Each pupil represents 10 per cent of the final total and each year group has a different balance of attainment.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In last year’s national tests for Year 6, attainment was very high in English and science, in the highest 5 per cent nationally. The school has received an Achievement Award from the government to celebrate these high standards. Attainment was well above average in mathematics. The trend over the past four years is above average. The school sets itself challenging targets. Inspectors found standards in Year 6 to be well above average in science and in speaking and listening and above average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Attainment in the national tests last year in Year 2 was very high in reading, in the highest 5 per cent nationally. Attainment was well above average in writing and mathematics. The inspection found Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 7 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School standards in Year 2 to be well above average in mathematics and above average in reading, writing and science.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Standards are above expectations in history in Year 6 and above expectations in geography in Year 2. Standards in Year 6 are below expectations in information and communication technology.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. Gifted and talented pupils make very good progress, reaching Level 6 in some subjects. Pupils who enter the school after the beginning of reception are supported well, and make very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very positive about their school. They settle to work quickly and try their best to complete their tasks. They are proud to be part of the school community. They co-operate very well with each other and celebrate when other pupils succeed. Pupils greatly appreciate what the school has to offer.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in lessons. Pupils expect to behave well and listen politely to each other and to adults. They move around the school sensibly and play harmoniously together in the playground. They expect to carry out the school and the classroom rules.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. They enjoy taking responsibility for different tasks around the school. Relationships are very good within classes and across age groups. Older pupils thoroughly enjoy looking after younger pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is well above average. Pupils arrive punctually at school, despite the distances many of them travel.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils use the School Council very effectively. They expect their suggestions to be discussed and decisions carried out. School Councillors take their roles seriously.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

There are excellent features in the teaching of mathematics and reading between Years 3 and 6. Teachers work very effectively with the teaching assistants, whose support is of high quality. The needs of the different year groups in each class are well met through careful organisation and the use of varying tasks. Teachers have very good subject knowledge in English, mathematics, science, history and geography. Teachers’ subject knowledge in information and communication is not secure across all aspects of this subject. Homework is very good, with long term projects used well to prepare for work in class. Visits out of school and visitors to the school are used very effectively to extend pupils’ learning. Teaching in English and mathematics is very good. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well across the curriculum. Teachers and teaching assistants support pupils with special educational

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

needs very effectively. The school works carefully with gifted and talented pupils to challenge their learning. The quality of learning is very good. Pupils put considerable efforts into their work and work well independently. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 8 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is stimulating and based on pupils’ personal experiences. Interesting projects are carried out that develop learning across different subjects. The curriculum meets the needs of gifted and talented pupils well. There are missed opportunities to develop all aspects of information and communication technology.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is very good. These pupils cover the same programmes of work as other pupils and are given careful guidance to allow them to work at their own level of attainment. Teaching assistants give very high quality support to individuals.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development The curriculum for spiritual development is excellent. Assemblies are very high quality and give many opportunities for reflection. Teachers plan carefully across lessons to provide pupils with a stimulating range of experiences for awe and wonder. The curriculum for moral development is excellent. Teachers ensure that pupils consider moral issues in religious education and transfer this knowledge to everyday contexts. The curriculum for cultural development is excellent. Teachers provide many opportunities for understanding both the pupils’ own culture and that of other faiths and beliefs. The curriculum for social development is very good. The school ensures pupils develop these skills in lessons, across different age groups and in visits outside of school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection are very good. There are outstanding procedures for monitoring pupils’ behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Partnership with parents Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents greatly value the work of the school. Staff work very effectively to involve parents in the work of the school and to keep them informed.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum for reception pupils is skilfully combined with the curriculum of the older pupils. Teachers throughout the school plan very carefully to match the needs of the older and younger year groups in each class. Teachers are organised very effectively to teach subjects across the Years 3/4 and the Years 5/6 classes. The annual planning is very thorough and ensures that pupils do not repeat the same content in the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. Her teaching is excellent. Her assemblies are very high quality. She establishes a high level of commitment for school improvement from all staff. She ensures that the aim to value every member of the school is carried out very effectively. Co-ordinators play a valuable role in raising standards in their subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors have a high level of commitment to the school. Several governors play a valuable role in developing the practical work of the school. Governors have clear plans to extend their monitoring of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its performance carefully. Clear targets are set for improving the quality of teaching. Performance management procedures are well established.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are deployed skilfully to match the specific needs of the school. Teaching assistants’ time is organised very effectively. The school makes very good use of the available accommodation. Expertise from outside the school is used very efficiently to extend pupils’ learning. The school spends its money wisely. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 9 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Eighty seven per cent of parents returned the questionnaire. Eighteen parents attended the parents’ meeting.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The teaching is good. • Their children become mature and responsible. • They are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school is well managed and led. • Their children like school. • Their children make good progress. • The school has high expectations of pupils to fulfil their potential. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the features that please the parents most. They find teaching and management and leadership of the headteacher to be very good with excellent features. All staff have high expectations of every pupil to fulfil their potential and ensure that they make good progress. The school is very effective in offering opportunities for personal development. The school works hard to ensure effective communication with parents. The range of activities outside lessons is satisfactory. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 10 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Science

1. Standards are well above average by the end of Year 6 because teaching throughout the school has the following very good features:

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Science

• teachers have very good subject knowledge; • lessons are all based on investigations and the scientific process; • teachers use technical language and insist on pupils using the correct scientific terms; • pupils are required to record their findings in a scientific style; • teachers regularly expect pupils to predict outcomes and then analyse the differences if the outcome was different from the prediction; • pupils are expected to measure accurately and teachers plan for a range of different ways of recording these measurements, from bar charts to graphs; • lessons are carried out at a brisk pace, with a very good balance between discussion and practical activities; • teachers have high expectations of all pupils and challenge the gifted and talented; • teaching assistants work very effectively to support pupils in different age groups or pupils with special educational needs; • teachers use visits very effectively as a stimulus for learning

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Science

• teachers extend literacy and numeracy skills very effectively in; scientific recording.

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Science

2. Reception children develop a good understanding of investigations through the organisation of interesting tasks and the expert support of a teaching assistant. This understanding is developed in Years 1 and 2 because the curriculum is covered thoroughly and each year group is given tasks that are carefully matched to their needs. For example, the reception children investigated forces using large apparatus in the playground. Year 1 pupils compared the distance that two different vehicles moved across the carpet and Year 2 pupils carried out investigations to identify the relationship between the size of balls of plasticine and the distance they travelled down a ramp.

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Science

3. Pupils make very good progress from Years 3 to 6 because the same teacher takes this subject in the two classes for these year groups. This ensures a very good level of understanding of pupils’ progress each year and provides continuity of learning when they move between classes. The curriculum is organised very effectively in long blocks of time devoted to each aspect of the science curriculum. For example, pupils have been working for over a term on changes in materials. This ensures that pupils reach a deep level of understanding because they build on a range of different learning experiences. They develop very good observational skills because the teacher provides stimulating tasks that capture pupils’ attention and provide excellent opportunities for awe and wonder. For example, pupils predicted the amount of time it would take to burn wood, paper, wool or fabric. With great care for health and safety, the teacher then burnt two

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Science

pieces of each material. Pupils were fascinated by the differences and developed very good subject knowledge by identifying the gases that were emitted. Pupils are encouraged to make personal responses to their science work and this maintains a high level of interest in their work. For example, a pupil wrote ‘Forget paint drying, watching ice melt is the most boring thing ever!’ Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 11 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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English

4. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average by Year 6 because pupils receive a high level of interaction with adults and each other, which extends their skills very effectively. Every opportunity is taken across the school day for pupils to talk. For example, pupils come straight into school in the morning and carry out tasks such as choosing a library book with their parent. Teachers organise pupils very effectively to work in pairs or groups for tasks and encourage every individual to contribute to whole class discussions.

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English

5. Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading because they are given very good support for developing basic skills. This is combined with a very high quality programme in Years 3 to 6 for developing personal responses to texts. The school is part of a scheme that reads books when they are first published and their pupils’ views then contribute to the award of national prizes to authors. This places a high value on pupils’ personal opinions, which they take very seriously. Pupils meet top quality authors, such as Jacqueline Wilson, and have good levels of confidence in explaining why they prefer particular authors. The current Year 6 pupils have not all benefited from this whole programme because they joined the school partway through their schooling. Standards in the younger classes are well above those expected for their ages.

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English

6. Standards in writing are above average by Year 2 and Year 6. In the infant class, pupils use the framework of traditional stories very confidently to write their own stories, using imaginative interpretations. For example, in a letter from the Little Bear to Goldilocks, the pupil wrote, ‘Thank you for your letter of apology. We have got a lock on the door now’. Standards between Years 3 and 5 are well above expected levels. Homework is used very effectively to provide a basis for the writing in school. For example, in Years 3 and 4, pupils researched information about their favourite pets at home and then produced high quality writing because they had a good understanding of what they wanted to communicate. Higher attaining Year 6 pupils use perceptive phrases in their writing because they are supported in using their imaginations. For example, when writing an additional scene for Macbeth a pupil wrote lines for Lady Macbeth. ‘Fine; then you throw

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English

money, power, control and luxury all down the drain. It’s your one chance to kill him.’

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Mathematics

7. Teaching is very good in the infant class. Pupils gain confidence in handling numbers and carrying out mathematical investigations because the work is challenging and builds carefully on previous learning. Pupils gain a very good understanding of using mathematical skills in practical contexts because they have regular opportunities to carry them out. For example, pupils had to work out whether a piece of material was large enough to make a bag for their Big Books. They thoroughly enjoyed carrying out this task because the mathematics helped them to solve the problem accurately. The headteacher teaches this subject extremely well throughout in both the Years 3/4 and the Years 5/6 classes. Pupils thoroughly enjoy her lessons and have very high levels of concentration because there is a wide variety of tasks that keep pupils alert, wondering what is coming next. Lessons proceed at a brisk pace and pupils thoroughly enjoy the challenge of

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Mathematics

keeping up with the headteacher’s demands. She mixes whole class discussion very skilfully with practical tasks and insists on pupils explaining their mathematical thinking. Pupils have great confidence in tackling new work because they know that they will get support at their own level in order to complete the task. Standards are well above expectations for pupils in Years 3 to 5.

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History and geography

8. Standards in Year 6 are above expectations because the school has worked very hard since the previous inspection to raise standards. The co-ordinator teaches in both the Years 3/4 and the Years 5/6 classes and bases the teaching on experiences relevant to pupils. For example, pupils produced detailed, imaginative and accurate accounts of Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 12 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School working conditions in Victorian coal mines because they were fascinated in comparing these children’s lives with their own. Pupils develop good skills of historical research because they are given original historical evidence to analyse. For example, they compared real quotes from the Victorians and studied wood block prints representing children working in the mines.

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History and geography

9. Standards in geography are above the expected level in Year 2 because the teacher has very good subject knowledge and uses resources very well to bring to life conditions in different localities. For example, when learning about the Cayman Islands pupils used a genuine Ordinance Survey map, huge conch shells, a real turtle shell and genuine storybooks from the island.

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History and geography

Attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are very good.

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History and geography

10. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school because they are welcomed sensitively when they begin school, whether this be at the beginning of reception or at any other time through the school year. Teachers match work carefully to individual needs and pupils have high levels of confidence when they tackle new learning. Pupils greatly appreciate the range of opportunities they have in the school, particularly if they have moved from another school. Behaviour is very good because rules are clear and there are high expectations for pupils to carry them out. Older pupils expect to set a good example for younger pupils to follow. There are very good quality relationships across the school because adults set very good role models for pupils. The buddy system 1 works very effectively with older pupils, who thoroughly enjoy looking after younger children. Younger children gain confidence through the care of the older pupils. Personal

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History and geography

development is very good. Pupils often use their initiative to support each other or adults. For example, a pupil in assembly noticed that the guitar player needed help. He sensitively carried out the task and then sat down quietly. The pupils on the School Council take their responsibilities very seriously. Pupils expect their suggestions to be discussed and then implemented where appropriate. For example, a pupil suggested that the dining arrangements could be improved and this was carried out straight after the council meeting.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

11. Gifted and talented pupils make very good progress because the school adopts a range of strategies to meet their needs. These include:

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

• organising individuals to work with older pupils in group work; • using teaching assistants to support groups or individuals; • moving pupils to work in the next class for some lessons; • liasing with parents to devise an individual homework programme; • providing specialist teachers such as guitar teachers; • challenging these pupils in whole class discussions to extend their thinking.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

12. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. They have confidence in their abilities to work on the same content as the rest of the class. For example, a pupil wrote ‘Hearing the sound of my mum’s voice is the sweetest of sounds’ because he was able to take part in all the preparations for writing this poem. Progress is very good for the following reasons:

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

• the school works very hard to raise pupils’ self-esteem and to extend their confidence through celebrating their successes;

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

1 The buddy system involves older pupils pairing with younger pupils to help them in practical tasks through the school day. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 13 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School • providing very high quality support from teaching assistants, who work in harmony with the teachers to explain the work and help pupils to contribute to whole class discussion; • allowing pupils to extend their imaginative and literacy skills by writing out the words that they have composed through speaking; • ensuring pupils follow the same curriculum as the rest of the class, working at their own levels of attainment; • having high expectations of pupils’ written work; • working closely with parents.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

Teaching is very good; the quality of teaching assistants is very high.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

13. Teaching is very good for the following reasons:-

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

• teachers work very closely with teaching assistants; • the teaching assistants are well trained and work extremely effectively with groups and individuals; • teachers organise lessons to match the needs of the different age groups; • teachers have very good subject knowledge in science, English, mathematics, history and geography; • teachers use homework very effectively to support learning in lessons and to produce long term projects; • teachers stimulate pupils’ interest very well through visits out to interesting places and bring high quality visitors into school; • teachers know each pupil very well and understand what they need to do next to improve further.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

14. Features of the excellent teaching include:

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

• skilful combination of practical work and whole class discussion; • high expectations of every pupil; • a contrasting range of tasks in each lesson; • a very fast pace, which captures pupils’ full attention throughout the lesson.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

15. The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. She sets a very clear educational direction for the work of the school and ensures that priorities are followed through carefully. She organises staff very carefully to make the best use of their expertise. Her sensitivity in handling individuals and celebrating successes ensures a high level of shared commitment for improvement. She leads very high quality assemblies, which emphasise key qualities of the school and provide excellent opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. She provides an excellent role model in the quality of her teaching. For example, at the end of an art lesson pupils set out their preliminary sketches, their final prints and suggestions for their use as textiles. Pupils were then expected to walk around the work as if they were exhibits in an art gallery, to the accompaniment of gentle music. Pupils responded

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

extremely well to these requirements and evaluated each other’s work sensitively. Co- ordinators work hard and despite the difficulties of some teachers working part time, they play an important part in raising standards in their subjects.

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Gifted and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs make very good

16. The headteacher works in partnership with the governors, who are fully committed to the school. Many play a very useful part in supporting the daily life of the school. For example, a governor produced a booklet for parents to support them in working with their Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 14 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School children in mathematics homework. The governing body has several new members who are very keen to extend their roles and to continue their training.

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

17. The school places high value on this aspect of pupils’ learning and works very hard to provide high quality opportunities to extend these skills. Assemblies provide a high level of challenge for pupils to respond to spiritual, moral and cultural issues. Both fellow pupils and adults respect pupils’ contributions. For example, a group of pupils played recorders in three parts, followed by a duet on guitars. Pupils listened spellbound to these performances. There are regular opportunities for awe and wonder in lessons. These range from pupils gasping at the beauty of a huge conch shell as the teacher brought it out from under a cover, to amazement at how quickly a piece of paper burnt in science. Teachers plan carefully for the development of moral understanding. This is particularly good in religious education when pupils consider different moral issues and then relate them to their own lives. Excellent opportunities are provided for pupils to

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

produce their own class rules at the beginning of each new year and then apply them as the year goes by.

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

18. The school provides outstanding opportunities to develop understanding of other cultures. For example, they invited a Sikh into school for a day after the September 11th disaster. Pupils gained an excellent understanding about the characteristics of some men who wear turbans. Pupils own faiths are used extremely effectively to extend knowledge of different religious traditions. For example, pupils brought in artefacts relating to Jewish celebrations and the rest of the school were fascinated by their explanations. Teachers also provide high quality opportunities for pupils to understand their own culture. For example, pupils on the residential trip go by boat to the Farne Islands and then go on to their base on Holy Island in the same boat, tracing the journeys of St Cuthbert. Opportunities for social development are very good because they are regularly provided across a range of activities. For example, in the residential trip, the school joins with

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

another small school to extend pupils’ skills of forging relationships with strangers. The headteacher makes very good use of external projects to extend pupils’ social development. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are involved in a high quality survey of their travel needs, together with consideration of traffic conditions in the village. The travel awareness assistant has supported learning very effectively in carrying out investigations into social contexts, while developing literacy, numeracy and geographical and computer skills.

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

19. All staff place great value on the importance of working in partnership with parents, which parents greatly appreciate. Teachers expect to discuss pupils’ progress at the beginning and end of the school day, which ensures high levels of communication. The quality of written information that goes home is high and keeps parents well informed.

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

Every individual is valued as part of the school family.

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The curriculum for spiritual, moral and cultural development is excellent; the curriculum

20. The focus of the school’s work is on extending each individual within the context of the whole school family. Pupils from any geographical area are welcomed and the school celebrates the diversity that this brings. Pupils who are having difficulty in any aspect of their educational needs are seen as a challenge that the school can meet. Adults work sensitively together to provide a high quality context for learning. For example, lunchtime is considered as a time for the whole school community to share experiences and to support each other. From the cook to the supervisors, from teachers to pupils, the daily event is an opportunity to share the positive context of a huge family meal. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 15 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in information and communication technology.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. The school has encountered difficulties in installing a computer-based scheme of work. This scheme of work has not yet been in place for a complete year. The school plans to evaluate its effectiveness after this first year of work. Standards by Year 6 are below the expected level because pupils have not had enough opportunities to develop their skills. Teachers have carried out a series of training courses, but they are not yet confident across the full curriculum. They have not yet identified how skills in information and communication technology can be used across the rest of the curriculum. In some lessons the explanation of how to use particular programs is too long and pupils’ concentration levels drop. The school has not yet set up systems to identify the length of time each pupil spends working on computers each week. They do not have clear enough records of the skills pupils are developing across all the aspects of this subject.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Governors have not yet implemented their plans to monitor the curriculum.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. There are several new governors on the governing body who feel that they are not yet fully carrying out their full roles. The governing body has produced a good quality action plan for extending their responsibilities. They plan to monitor the development of the curriculum more closely.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to improve teaching and the curriculum further the governors, headteacher and staff should:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

raise standards in information and communication technology by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• extending teachers’ knowledge and expertise in this subject; • evaluating the effectiveness of the new schemes of work and software, and modifying them to meet the pupils’ needs more closely; • identifying opportunities for extending pupils’ information and communication technology skills across the curriculum; • evaluating the length of whole class demonstrations and discussions and matching them more closely to pupils’ concentration levels; • setting up systems to monitor the amount of time each pupil spends on the computer; • carrying out an audit of pupils’ current level of skills across all the aspects of this subject and extending assessment systems to provide more details of pupils’ progress. (paragraph 21)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The following minor issue should be included in governors’ action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• governors have not yet implemented their plans to monitor the curriculum. (paragraph 22)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school has already identified both these issues in their school development plan. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 16 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 17 66 17 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than eight percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 62

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 17 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 4 7 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys * 2 * * Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (85) 100 (92) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (92) 100 (100) at NC Level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 4 5 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 89 (88) 100 (100) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 100 (75) 100 (75) 100 (75) at NC Level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) 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 6)

2 When there are less fewer than 10 pupils in a year group the results are not published. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 18 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 31

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 186,051

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 171,847

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 Expenditure per pupil 2,604

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 6,283

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 20,487 3 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

3 The school keeps a reserve each year to balance the effects of the high proportion of movement of pupils in and out of the school. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School - 19 Beckwithshaw Community Primary School

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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. 74 26 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 78 20 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. 57 39 2 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 67 27 6 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. 91 9 0 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. 92 4 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 69 25 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 89 11 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 94 6 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 42 19 0 0

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