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Other · Ofsted report

Ormskirk West End School

Inspected — · published 19 Dec 2001 · URN 119282

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

BPS Business Centre

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  • Inspectorssingle source

    BPS Business Centre

  • URN verified

    119282

Page 1 of 19
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Praisevery highvery wellexcellentvery effectivepositivegood progressextremelyimproved
Criticismweaknesseslackpoornot alwaysconcernsmissednot sufficientlytoo slow

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  • Findings4259w+77
  • What needs to improve1332w+40

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Full report text

ORMSKIRK WEST END PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 9 th October 2001

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ORMSKIRK WEST END 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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ORMSKIRK WEST END 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. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grimshaw Lane Ormskirk Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1997 Ormskirk West End Primary School - 4

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Team members

21596 Andrew Clark Registered inspector 9952 Lillian Brock Lay inspector 22059 Neil Wales Team inspector

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Team members

Schoolhaus Ltd Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Walesby Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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 Ormskirk West End Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

West End Primary School is situated in the market town of Ormskirk. There are 164 pupils on roll, with a balance of boys and girls, aged between four and eleven. This is smaller than the average school of this type. A private nursery shares the school building. The pupils come from a variety of social and economic circumstances. Approximately 50 per cent of pupils are from owner occupied property, and a similar percentage from rented accommodation. About 15 per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for a free school meal, which is similar to the national average. There are no pupils who do not speak English as a first language and very few from minority ethnic backgrounds. Twenty-five per cent of pupils are on the register of special educational needs, which is close to the national average. This includes five pupils, an above average number, with a statement of special educational needs. The children’s achievement on entry

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

to the school is similar to that typically found for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. Standards are very high and pupils achieve very well. This is because of the good quality of teaching, particularly for the youngest and oldest pupils. Pupils’ attitudes and personal development are very good. The school is very well led and managed and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards of English and mathematics are very high by Year 6. • Lively and imaginative teaching motivates and involves pupils. • Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for personal development. • The school is very well led and managed and successfully promotes its aims.

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What could be improved

• A small number of lessons could expect more of the pupils. • Opportunities for Years 2 and 3 pupils to write accurately at greater length. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since it was last inspected in May 1997. The overall quality of teaching has improved. Standards are now very high indeed by the time pupils leave school. The learning opportunities for pupils are now good and meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and the needs of all pupils. However, there are not enough good opportunities for pupils to write at length in Years 2 and 3. The systems for observing and improving the work of teachers are very good and have a positive impact on learning. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A A* A A* well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A* A A average below average C D Science A B A A* well below average E Ormskirk West End Primary School - 7 Standards are very high indeed. Pupils of all abilities make very good progress during their time in school. The A* grades show that the test results are in the top five per cent in the country. The trend of improvement since the last inspection is above the national average. The school sets extremely high targets for pupils to achieve and is very successful in meeting them. Standards for the Year 2 pupils are slightly above average but, although they have improved significantly since the last inspection, they could still be higher. This is partly due to several staff changes that have limited further improvement.

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Key

Pupils become confident speakers who express their ideas well. They read with enjoyment and expression. Pupils’ writing skills are of a very high quality by the age of eleven. This is a direct result of lively and imaginative teaching. By the age of seven pupils do not always write at sufficient length to fully challenge the most able pupils. Pupils’ numeracy skills are good. They solve mathematical problems well. Good standards are evident in science and information and communication technology. Pupils’ computer skills are very well used in many other subjects. Both boys and girls achieve well.

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Key

Children make a very good start in the reception class. By the end of their first year they reach higher standards than are normally expected in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social development. They achieve much better than normal because of the quality of teaching. The school is aware of the need to raise standards by Year 2 and has begun a dynamic programme to support pupils and raise expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to learning are very good. Pupils take great pride in their work and are eager to share in the achievement of others.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other and are kind to others. Very occasionally, when pupils are expected to sit and listen for too long, some fidget and lose concentration.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships This is very good. Pupils are given many worthwhile opportunities to take additional responsibility. These opportunities are carefully planned for. Pupils are taught to be independent from the reception class and to take some responsibility for their own learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils are punctual and rarely absent. They enjoy being at school.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is good overall. Much of the teaching and learning in reception and Years 5 and 6 is of a very high quality. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well, although pupils’ ability to write accurately at length by Year 2 is not well developed. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and teaching assistants provide good support. A significant strength is the imaginative nature of many lessons and the lively pace that keeps pupils motivated and involved. As a result pupils retain information well and work hard. The pupils are almost always kept on their toes except when the introduction is too long or they are not expected to work fast enough. Throughout the spring and summer the school offers additional lessons over the weekends to all older pupils that are very well attended and contribute to achievement. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is good. Good opportunities are created for pupils to develop literacy and numeracy skills through other subjects. Teachers choose interesting fiction and non-fiction books to excite and interest pupils. There is a good range of activities out of school time for pupils of all ages and abilities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is good. Teachers plan carefully to meet the pupils’ individual needs and track progress well. Parents are well informed and supportive.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are currently no pupils for whom English is an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development This is very good. Opportunities to develop all these aspects are very effectively planned for and pupils benefit from good opportunities in lessons, assemblies and other activities.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Care and support for pupils is very good. Pupils are very aware of their own achievement and are fully involved in setting new targets for learning. All staff know pupils well and procedures for child protection and health and safety contribute to the friendly, family environment.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher sets high standards through his teaching and leadership. The deputy headteacher and other senior staff give very good support.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very efficiently organised and individual members bring a good range of professional skills to support the school. The commitment and vigorous support of the chair of the governing body is a particular strength.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. There are rigorous procedures to evaluate and improve the quality of teaching and to support teachers’ professional development. The school makes good use of detailed analysis of information from test results.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Financial planning and administration are good. The school improvement plan is central to development and is accurately costed. The governors are very involved in ensuring that the school gives best value through its staff and resources. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 9

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils’ attainment, particularly in English, mathematics and music. • The teachers are approachable and know pupils very well. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good. • The school teaches pupils to become very self-confident. Teachers expect pupils to work hard. • The range of out-of-school activities and the Saturday and Sunday booster classes. • Lack of advance notice for some school events and difficulties in contacting the school in the afternoon. • The level of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the parents. The administrative assistant, who is very effective, is only employed in the mornings and the headteacher is teaching or working in classrooms. The school has already taken steps to address this. Although the range and quality of information for parents are good, the headteacher agrees that some information for events does not go out soon enough. Homework makes a good contribution to learning. Parents have very positive views of the school. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards of English and mathematics are very high by Year 6.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Standards in English and mathematics are very high and pupils of all abilities achieve well. In 1999 and 2000 the results of national tests have been in the top five per cent of the country. The results are also in the top five per cent when compared to similar schools. The rise in standards over the last four years is above the national increase.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. A very high percentage of 11 year olds attain higher levels in national tests than that expected for their age. For example, in 2000, 89 per cent of pupils attained the higher level 5 in English compared with the national average of 29 per cent of pupils. A similar picture is evident in mathematics. The majority of the remaining pupils attain the level expected for their age. In 2001, one child reached level 6 in English, which is the language normally expected for 14 year olds. Standards are also above average for science, although not as high as they are for other subjects. The attainment of both boys and girls is good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Pupils of all abilities achieve well. The majority of pupils enter school with achievements that are similar to those normally expected for their age. By the time they leave school their attainment is well above normally expected levels. The school’s first aim is that every child should achieve their intellectual potential and teachers are very focused upon ensuring this. Pupils make particularly good progress in the reception year and much of Key Stage 2 because of the very high quality of teaching. The progress pupils make from Year 2 to Year 6 is in the top five per cent of the country. This progress includes pupils with special educational needs as they are identified at an early stage and useful targets are established for their achievement.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. In English, the pupils’ writing skills are particularly well developed. Pupils are very confident to write independently at length by Years 5 and 6. This is a direct result of the teachers’ high expectations and well-planned opportunities to do so. The pupils use their own thoughts and feelings to create witty and realistic dialogue when writing their own introduction to the book ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. They bring sparse sentences to life through interesting and mature use of language. For example, ‘She said… .’ in the book becomes ‘She paused, took a deep breath, and said… ’. They write with a very good understanding of character and motivation. They write for many different purposes and use the appropriate style of language. For example, they write formal letters protesting about environmental issues such as ivory hunting using strong, persuasive language. They respond to current atrocities in the news through

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

sensitive poetry. The work is meaningful to pupils and as a result they take a pride and pleasure in their work. The standards of spelling, punctuation and handwriting are high as a result.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. In mathematics, pupils not only develop a very good range of basic skills, but also a logical and creative approach to investigating problems. Pupils use a good vocabulary and define more complex ideas well. For example, eleven year olds understand square roots and square numbers well and perform complex calculations involving these. They use simple algebraic formulae accurately. The pupils use a wide range of strategies for multiplication and division in involving two and three-digit numbers. Work is presented neatly to a high standard and pupils move quickly to constantly more challenging problems.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Overall, pupils achieve very high standards, whatever their abilities, and are very well placed for continuing success at their next school. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 11 Lively and imaginative teaching motivates and involves pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Pupils make a very good start to their education through very effective teaching in the reception class. The teacher establishes clear, but unobtrusive, routines, so that children quickly settle in and feel part of the classroom. From the beginning, children are expected to ‘have a go’ themselves and try to work independently. For example, when they get changed for physical work in the hall, the teacher and support staff encourage children to change and fold clothes by themselves and only step in as a last resort. The teacher makes excellent use of simple songs and rhymes to build up routines and jog memories. For example, children sang a song to remind them to use space well in the hall, which they did very successfully. The lesson in the hall is conducted at a very lively pace, balanced by a calm manner of teaching and use of humour. The content is very exciting as children play a series of games

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

using a full size, brightly coloured parachute. The activities are structured well to develop their listening skills as well as physical stamina and control of their movement. The children’s pleasure and excitement is evident, but the pace and control by the teacher means behaviour is very good. Well planned routines, exciting content and very good relationships in all the work with the youngest children means progress is good in all areas of learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Teachers often inspire pupils throughout the school through exciting and challenging ideas and meaningful links between different subjects. In the best lessons, work is carefully structured so that the challenge for all pupils is high and stimulating. For instance, in a Year 6 English lesson on newspapers, pupils with special educational needs cut and pasted coloured photocopied sections from newspapers to produce their own front page which they scanned into the computer. They had to make important decisions in acting as newspaper sub editors. In the same lesson, the more able pupils wrote their own interviews from stories from the newspaper based on their understanding of the characters and incidents reported. The quality of work was very good as pupils fell into their roles well and drew on a very good vocabulary. The articles were carefully chosen to interest all pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. The teachers’ enthusiasm for the subjects is often inspirational to the pupils and is reinforced by effective planning. In Year 5, the teacher linked a poem she had written to music to create an excellent atmosphere for pupils to want to listen and write. The pupils were involved in the drama of the story. Discussion on the structure of the story, the use of capitals and alliteration arose from this introduction. This is a key to the strengths of the best teaching; the learning of basic skills is linked closely to work that is meaningful to the pupils and activities have a clear purpose. For example, spelling and vocabulary work are linked to historical studies of World War 2, and science work on body parts inspires challenging poetry and drama. In mathematics, the teacher links work on measure to geography and science. In all these lessons the work is well planned so that the pace is challenging to pupils but they are able to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

finish the task and take a pride in its successful conclusion. Teachers use a good range of resources, particularly information and communication technology, well. They mark work in a supportive, but unobtrusive way that encourages rather than deflates pupils. For example, they use soft pastel coloured pens to mark work so that the comments stand out but do not detract from work as the traditional red pens can. This contributes to the high standards of presentation.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Many aspects of teaching are quietly understated, which allows the teachers’ enthusiasm to shine through. The teachers are calm, quiet and treat pupils with respect. They thank them for their answers and listen carefully to them. They successfully encourage pupils to do the same for each other. They create a bright and stimulating environment to learn in through high quality displays of pupils’ work and areas of interest and information. For example, in Year 6 pupils’ work on angles is linked to questions and problems for pupils to solve. As a result, pupils are curious and eager to find out more. Very good use is made of additional, optional classes, which take place on Saturdays and Sundays for Years 5 and 6 pupils. They are taken by the headteacher and well attended. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 12 11. Overall, the careful balance between imaginative and inspiring teaching within a calm and

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

supportive atmosphere leads to very good learning.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

12. The strongest impression left after a visit to the school is the maturity and confidence of the pupils. Parents and visitors comment very positively on this. The majority of pupils enter school with typical personal and social achievement for their age yet by the time they leave it is well above this. The many well-planned opportunities to develop all aspects of spiritual, social, moral and cultural development make a significant contribution to this. As has already been discussed, the style of teaching generally leads to a calm and reflective attitude to learning. There is an excellent policy for developing personal development which identifies opportunities and emphasises the aims of the school in this respect.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

13. The maturity and confidence of pupils is evident when they show visitors around the school. The high level of speaking skills is also apparent. These pupils, who are not especially chosen and represent all abilities, have an extremely good knowledge of their own school and happy recollections of the different classes. They discuss the work on display in knowledgeable and thoughtful ways and are very pleasant company. In the different classes the care pupils have for each other is evident. They take a pride in each other’s achievements when they share work at the end of many lessons. Pupils work well in co-operation with each other. For example, in a Year 5 physical education lesson pupils support each other with constructive criticism and cheer on a pupil who has chosen to attempt a particularly difficult movement. These positive attitudes to work and play are evident throughout the school. Only in a very

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

small minority of lessons where the pace of teaching is less challenging than normal within the school, do pupils show any signs of fidgeting or lack of concentration.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

14. Spiritual development is very good. Acts of collective worship make a good contribution to this. They encourage pupils to reflect upon being and valuing themselves. Pupils write poems and prayers for every assembly which are spiritual and moving. Dramatic storytelling by the teacher and pupils’ full involvement deepen this feeling. The day ends with classroom prayers and periods of reflection. This encourages a sense of calmness and a quiet end to often very active afternoons.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

15. Pupils develop very good moral and social awareness. They are involved in discussion of many issues during the course of their work. For example, pupils in Years 3 to 6 wrote about their experience and feelings on racial and sexual discrimination. Their comments show a growing awareness of the issues involved and views are considered rather than emotional. These are important issues for the pupils to face and are part of a deliberate policy to broaden their cultural awareness. The pupils set themselves targets for personal and academic development and these are shared with the teacher. There are good systems of support and care, with older pupils acting as ‘buddies’ to younger ones. There are good systems for rewarding positive attitudes and personal achievements, and pupils take an obvious pride in this. Pupils are involved in environmental issues within the school through creating and developing their own inner courtyard garden. The teachers’ high expectations for behaviour

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

16. Pupils’ cultural awareness is very good. Art, music and poetry are an integral part of school life. Visitors to the school include artists, musicians and children’s authors who work with pupils. There are regular visits to plays and pantomimes and all pupils participate in school productions. The pupils’ poetry has been published and the school has won several writing competitions. The school makes good use of the facilities offered by a parent who has created a Viking homestead in his garden. The school is aware that the majority of pupils are of white European origin and, as has already been mentioned, takes steps to promote Ormskirk West End Primary School - 13 awareness of greater cultural diversity. Literature is well chosen, particularly poetry, to reflect different cultures. Diverse religions are studied in depth through religious education, and the school discusses relevant issues.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

17. The very good relationships and often inspired provision ensure pupils grow in confidence and maturity.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

The school is very well led and managed and successfully promotes its aims.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

18. The school is very successful in achieving very high standards of work and pupils’ personal development. This is a direct result of very good leadership by the headteacher and deputy headteacher and the support of staff and the governing body. There are very good links with parents which strengthen the school’s success. The weaknesses at the time of the last inspection have been fully resolved. At that time the headteacher was teaching almost all week, which did not allow time for them to assess the quality of work throughout the school and there was no deputy headteacher. The school development plan was not sufficiently matched to available funding. The headteacher, whilst still retaining a significant teaching commitment, has more time for managing the school. The deputy headteacher is very effective and the school development plan is now an altogether more manageable and useful plan.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

19. The headteacher sets a very good example to all by the quality of his work and commitment to the pupils. He is an enthusiastic teacher and provides a good role model to all staff through assemblies. He is very direct and deals with concerns promptly. He is extremely well supported by the deputy headteacher who is equally passionate about teaching and conveys that enthusiasm very well to pupils.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

20. The school has very clear aims which are kept to the fore in all the school’s policies and plans. For example, the special needs, personal development, homework and marking policies specifically state which of the school’s aims they are directed towards. The aims and purposes are also very evident in the governors’ documentation.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

21. The senior staff carefully monitor the quality of teachers’ work. This is a very rigorous process and closely linked to staff training needs. Teachers respect the feedback they are given and this has led to significant improvements, particularly in the teaching of literacy. The relative weaknesses in teaching and learning identified by the inspection are known to the school and actually represent significant improvement since the last inspection. The school receives good support in monitoring its work from the local education authority. The professional development of all staff, including support staff, is good.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

22. The governing body gives very good support to the school towards achieving its aims. It is efficiently organised through its committees, which are usefully minuted. Meetings are very regular. For example, the ‘Fabric’ committee, which discusses building-related issues, meets weekly. The governors are well informed. The outcomes of the monitoring of teaching are shared with governors so they can ensure appropriate resources are put in place. There is detailed analysis of national test results and other data. The school also seeks parents’ views through a questionnaire. Finances are closely monitored and administration is very good.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

23. The chair of the governing body gives very strong support to the school. He holds weekly meetings with the headteacher and regularly visits the school. Through these meetings and the committees it is evident that support is critical and thoughtful and influences school success.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

24. The school encourages parents to be involved in the school by offering several training opportunities. These include workshops on literacy and other subjects as well as accredited training in special educational needs. Parents have high opinions of the school, although they Ormskirk West End Primary School - 14 would like to receive information earlier and to be able to contact the school more easily in the afternoons. The school has already extended the hours of administrative staff in response to these concerns.

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Pupils are mature, responsible and well behaved as a result of the very good provision for

25. Overall, leadership and management make a significant contribution to standards and achievement.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

A small number of lessons could expect more of the pupils.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Although the overall quality of teaching is good, a few lessons lack the pace and challenge that the very best offer. There are two main weaknesses evident in the satisfactory lessons, which relate largely to pupils in Year 2 and Year 3. First of all, the pace of the lesson is too slow. For example, in literacy the pupils spent over 25 minutes on introductory activities seated on the carpet. Although the content was appropriate, it was too long to retain the interest of several pupils who began to fidget and did not make all the progress they could. In another lesson, the teacher did not make it clear to the pupils how much she expected them to achieve in the time they had, nor did she chivvy them along to work faster. As a result a group of pupils did not finish the task set and could have written more.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. Another problem is that the teacher misjudges how much pupils can be expected to achieve in the lesson and has not prepared further work to challenge them. This was very evident with a group of Year 2 pupils learning about shape. Following a very good introductory session, they had to draw a range of two-dimensional shapes and describe some basic properties such as how many sides and angles they have. The time allowed was too long and the follow- up activity did not offer any real challenge. The teacher did not ask any questions to make the pupils think more deeply about their work.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

28. The challenge provided to pupils in other elements of these lessons indicates that there is sound capacity to improve the quality of teaching closer to that of the best in the school.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Opportunities for Year 2 and 3 pupils to write accurately at greater length.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

29. A strength of the school is the way in which most pupils’ writing skills are developed through meaningful and interesting activities, often at length, in many classes. However, with pupils in Years 2 and 3 a lot of the writing activities are based on exercises and activities from worksheets. For example, pupils look for ‘th’ words and write simple one-word answers. Even the more able pupils do this and do not put them into sentences, which they are capable of. The range of exercises is appropriate for developing the pupils’ literacy skills; they largely develop neat handwriting and spelling is accurate. However, they do not often write independently other than in a simple diary form. In other subjects, such as science and history, opportunities for pupils to write independently are missed. The teachers do not always expect the pupils to write with enough depth. For example, when Year 3 pupils wrote their

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

own sentences using a verb, they wrote very simple sentences with little imagination such as, “I like school.” Ormskirk West End Primary School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to maintain and improve standards further the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Ensure that all lessons are taught at a crisp and appropriate pace;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

make certain that pupils work hard enough during the lesson;

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

set work which challenges pupils fully in the time available.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the planning for teaching English to make sure that all pupils regularly write independently to a high standard. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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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 18 27 27 27 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 9 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) 164

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 25

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 46

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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 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 17

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 7 17 24

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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 5 5 4 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (84) 88 (84) 88 (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 6 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (84) 92 (92) 100(92) 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)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 16 13 29

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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 14 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 12 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 90 (100) 93 (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 11 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 12 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (89) 90 (85) 90 (81) 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. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 18

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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 1 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) 6.8 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 344728

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 324 562

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 7.9 Expenditure per pupil 2003

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 12411

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 32577 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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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. Ormskirk West End Primary School - 19

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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. 52 43 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 59 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 35 13 2 15

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 43 15 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 33 0 7 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. 67 33 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 41 46 13 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 46 41 9 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 39 0 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 41 7 9 2

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