Gleadless Primary School

GLEADLESS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th April 2002

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GLEADLESS 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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GLEADLESS 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. Gleadless Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hollinsend Road Sheffield

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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: 23 rd June 1997 Gleadless Primary School - 4

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Team members

21069 Mr P Edwards Registered inspector 9224 Mr M Vineall Lay inspector 22361 Mrs M Gough Team inspector 3586 Mrs B Camplin Team inspector 10068 Mrs A Wilkinson-Tilbrook Team inspector

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Team members

Lynrose Marketing Ltd Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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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 Gleadless 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

Gleadless Primary School is situated in the southern suburbs of Sheffield. The nursery accommodates 26 children in the morning and 26 in the afternoon. There are 604 pupils in the main school, 313 boys and 291 girls. This is much larger than the average primary school. Most pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds with a very small number from either black Caribbean, Indian or Chinese backgrounds. Three pupils are learning English as an additional language. This is below average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (9.6%) is below average. Seventeen per cent of the pupils are on the school’s register of special education needs and this is below average. Just under 1% of the pupils have statements of special educational need and this is below average. Attainment on entry to the school is average. At the time of the inspection, two teachers were new to the school, one of whom was temporary.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. The children come into school with attainment that is broadly average and leave having reached standards in English and science that are well above the national average and above the national average in mathematics. These achievements are due to the good standard of teaching in these subjects in Key Stage 2. Pupils could achieve higher standards in Key Stage 1 in reading, writing, mathematics and science. There is a lack of balance in the curriculum in both key stages, resulting in standards in some subjects not being as high as they should be. Leadership and management of the school is satisfactory overall. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The children are provided with a very good start to their education in the Nursery. • The pupils achieve very good standards in English and science and good standards in mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2 because of the quality of teaching. • The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well in both key stages. • The newly appointed headteacher is a strong leader with a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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What could be improved

• The standards and progress achieved by the pupils in reading, writing, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 could be better. • Insufficient time is spent on subjects such as history and geography in some classes in both key stages, which results in the pupils not attaining the standards of which they are capable. • The quality of the accommodation, which impairs the rate of progress made by the pupils. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Gleadless Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1997 and it was described as a ‘good school’. Since then, standards in National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 have risen and standards of teaching have been maintained. Generally, issues from the last inspection have been addressed satisfactorily. Procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning have been established and the curriculum for information and communication technology and design and technology have improved. However, no long-term curriculum plan has been established, with the result that some subjects are not taught systematically and in sufficient depth. The headteacher has a clear understanding of what needs to be improved and, together with senior staff, has the capacity to move the school forward.

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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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schools

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

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schools

Standards by the end of Year 6, when compared nationally and with similar schools are well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. There is little difference between the attainment of boys and girls. In both English and science the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level (Level 5) is well above average, and an above average proportion achieve this level in mathematics. The school has kept up with the national trend in standards since 1997 and the overall picture is one of improvement. The school has been set challenging targets in literacy and numeracy for 2001 and is on course to achieve them. Results in tests by the end of Year 2 are below average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level (Level 3) in reading and writing is below average and in mathematics it is well below average. Teacher assessments in science indicate the pupils’ performance is above the national average.

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schools

Standards seen during the inspection mirror the test results. The children enter school with a range of attainment but it is broadly average. The children in the Nursery class achieve well but the progress made by the pupils in the Reception classes and in Key Stage 1 is variable and, overall, some pupils, particularly the more able, do not achieve the standards of which they are capable. However, the good teaching in Key Stage 2, particularly in Years 5 and 6, enables the Key Stage 2 pupils to make good progress overall.

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schools

The recent purchase of portable computers, coupled with good teaching is enabling most pupils to achieve standards in information and communication technology that are broadly average. Standards in some other subjects, such as geography and history, are variable. The skills in these subjects have not been taught consistently throughout the school and some pupils do not achieve the standards of which they are capable. Historically, not enough time Gleadless Primary School - 8 has been given to subjects other than English, mathematics and science and the new headteacher recognises the need for establishing a broader and more varied curriculum for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language are provided with appropriate support and make progress in line with their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy coming to school and are very enthusiastic in their work

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Most pupils behave well in lessons. Playtimes and lunchtimes are enjoyable occasions with the pupils participating in the good range of activities that are provided for them.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. The pupils are willing and respond well to opportunities to take on responsibility. The relationships between staff and pupils are very good and help to develop the pupils’ confidence.

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Aspect Comment

The quality of relationships is a significant strength of the school and pupils of all ages are provided with good opportunities to become mature and responsible individuals. Pupils relate very positively to their teachers and to one another.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

At the last inspection, teaching was judged to be mostly good. This is still the case but there are variations within the quality of teaching, ranging from very good to unsatisfactory. The children in the Nursery are taught very well and make very good progress. However, in the Reception classes, teaching is not as strong and the children make satisfactory progress overall. In Key Stage 1, whilst there is some very good teaching, there is also evidence of teaching that is unsatisfactory. In these lessons there is a lack of challenge, particularly for the more able pupils, the pace is too slow and the management of the pupils’ behaviour is ineffective. In Key Stage 2 the teaching is good overall, with evidence of consistently very good teaching towards the end of the key stage. In these lessons, there are high expectations of what the pupils can achieve in English, mathematics and science and the pupils respond

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

by producing work that is of a good quality. The key skills of literacy and numeracy are generally taught effectively throughout the school. Gleadless Primary School - 9 Throughout the school, too little time and attention is given to the teaching of skills in other subjects, such as history and geography, and, as a result, the pupils do not always achieve the standards of which they are capable.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The children in the Nursery are provided with a rich and interesting curriculum. It is satisfactory overall in the Reception classes. The curriculum meets statutory requirements in Key Stages 1 and 2 but some subjects are not taught in sufficient depth, resulting in underachievement by the pupils. A good number of pupils participate in the good range of additional musical and physical activities that are provided. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The pupils are well supported. Learning targets are specific to their individual needs and this allows them to make good progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The small number of pupils who are learning English as an additional language are provided with adequate support and this allows them to make progress that is in line with their classmates. Provision for pupils’ personal, including

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Aspect Comment

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Good provision is made for the pupils’ moral and social development and this results in the school being a happy and harmonious place. Satisfactory provision is made for the pupils to develop an insight into their own culture and for their spiritual development. How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides good support, guidance and welfare for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory overall. The new headteacher provides strong leadership and has been instrumental, together with senior staff, in raising morale amongst the staff and has a good awareness of where the strengths and weaknesses lie. The team spirit is very good. The absence of a permanent headteacher for some months resulted in a lack of focus on some subject areas. This is now being addressed but still not enough attention is given to monitoring teaching and learning in all subjects . How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory overall. The governors work closely with the headteacher and provided good support to the school during the extended absence of the previous headteacher. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. There is effective analysis of the data about the school’s performance in English, mathematics and science at

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Aspect Comment

the end of Key Stage 2. The school has only recently utilised the data to determine the effectiveness of teaching and learning in Key Stage 1. The strategic use of Good. Resources are used effectively so that the school gets the Gleadless Primary School - 10 resources best value for the money it spends. The school gives good value for money. The governors successfully implement the principles of best value when deciding how they can achieve high standards and the best possible quality of education. The accommodation impairs the progress made by the pupils. The split site reduces opportunities for the staff to observe good teaching practice. The Key Stage 2 classrooms are overcrowded and thoroughfares, which pass through classrooms, result in frequent, but unavoidable disruptions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school, they make good progress and work hard. • The pupils’ behaviour is good. • Teaching is good and parents are happy to approach the school about any matters. • The school is well led and managed. • The information about how pupils are progressing. • How closely the school works with parents. • The number and range of out of school activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team findings support the parents’ positive comments about the school. The information provided to parents about their children’s progress is satisfactory although some reports contain insufficient detail about what the pupils need to do to improve their work. A number of parents assist in classes and the school welcomes parental help. There is a good range of musical and sporting activities at lunchtimes and after school. A number of parents expressed concern over the school occupying a split site. Gleadless Primary School - 11

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Nursery

1. The teaching in the Nursery class is very good and the children make very good progress. This is so for children across the ability range. The learning activities are very well planned and taught, so the children’s skills are developed effectively according to their stage of maturity. Learning is fun and the staff have created an exciting learning environment that makes the children want to take part and to be involved. The ‘Gleadless Office’ has a constant flow of visitors who practise taking messages and telephone calls, independent of adult help. Activities to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are very well planned. For example, they quickly learn how magnets ‘attract’ some materials but not others. The children are similarly independent when they go outside. This environment is as well- prepared and stimulating as the classroom with a wide range of activities to stimulate

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Nursery

the children’s learning. Wheeled vehicles, a zebra crossing, traffic lights and a garage are the starting point for interesting conversations. The teacher is skilled in developing the dialogue by asking questions such as, ‘Where are we going?’ resulting in good development of the children’s speaking and listening skills. The staff encourage the children to make choices, take turns and to share things with their friends and this helps to develop their confidence, and has a significant impact on their learning. Parents are encouraged to start the day with their children and they work together on activities chosen by the children.

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Nursery

2. Early writing skills in the Nursery are developed well and many children can write their name as well as a number of letters and words. Wherever possible, the staff provide the children with opportunities to develop their speaking skills. For example, when the children take part washing the toy animals, they are encouraged to use repetitive phrases, such as ‘Into the tub you go’, developing their confidence in speaking. There are good opportunities for role-play and the children draw on their own feelings when taking part, demonstrating good development of their social skills. The children enjoy mathematical activities and most are at the expected level for their age. More able children successfully add single digit numbers together and they demonstrate a secure understanding of counting larger numbers up to 20. All children are provided with good opportunities to explore shape, for example, when they squeeze and roll

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Nursery

dough cutting it out into different sized triangular shapes. The children are curious about the world around them and older ones are competent in using the computer. They use the mouse accurately to move the cursor around the screen and parents support them effectively in this activity.

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Nursery

3. The staff work together very effectively and provide the children with a lively and stimulating curriculum. A particular strength of the staff is their understanding of how young children learn. They know when to allow the children to find things out for themselves and when to intervene and give support so that the children’s learning moves on at a good pace. All of the boys and girls, including those with special educational needs, make very good gains in their learning because of the high quality teaching and support, the positive relationships between staff and children, the very good planning and the pleasant learning environment. Gleadless Primary School - 12

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teaching

4. The 2001 National Curriculum test results for Key Stage 2 show that the proportion of pupils achieving at least the expected level (Level 4) is generally above average and that the proportion achieving the higher level (Level 5) is well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. This is due to the quality of teaching in the key stage.

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teaching

5. Standards in reading are above average and the pupils make good progress. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 respond to literature of increasing complexity drawn from a wide range of texts. A good feature of their advanced reading skills is their ability to support their opinions with reasons and evidence drawn from the text. Most pupils are developing as independent and reflective readers, recognising the variety of language used in different forms of literature, including that in prose and poetry. All pupils make good progress because of the challenging activities. For example, during the inspection less able pupils achieved standards that were broadly average in an activity to determine how words and expressions in classical narrative poetry have changed over time. The teacher ensured the pupils achieved well by providing them with a good range of interesting activities and by presenting them with good

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teaching

opportunities to create their own ideas. Speaking skills are developed well throughout the key stage and the pupils are provided with good opportunities to develop these skills. For example, Year 3 pupils spoke confidently during their class assembly which was performed for the rest of the Key Stage 2 pupils. Overall, speaking and listening skills are above average.

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teaching

6. Writing skills are systematically developed alongside the pupils’ increasing skills in reading and spoken English and the pupils make good progress throughout the key stage. The pupils organise and structure their writing well, drawing on their experience of reading and studying a wide range of fiction, poetry and reference materials. For example, in a good Year 6 geography lesson seen during the inspection, the pupils demonstrated good speaking skills when describing locations on maps using six- figure co-ordinates. An analysis of work shows they use paragraphs effectively to organise their ideas. They plan and re-draft their text, the more able pupils frequently producing work of a high quality. The handwriting of most pupils is fluent, joined and legible.

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teaching

7. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above national expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are not only good at written calculations but their mental skills are equally good. Numeracy lessons start with a rapid question and answer activity and pupils are called upon to recall number facts quickly and to justify their responses and consider alternative strategies for arriving at the answers, resulting in good mental arithmetic skills. Pupils have a very secure understanding of place value, most solving accurately multiplication and division problems to three decimal places. They have a good knowledge of shape, space and measure and most pupils make good use of their mathematical understanding to solve problems. The higher and average attaining pupils have a firm grasp of negative numbers and they name a range of two- dimensional shapes in different orientations on grids. The area and perimeter of

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teaching

shapes are calculated accurately and pupils express different formulae in words. Less able pupils frequently achieve better than expected because of the quality of teaching. Gleadless Primary School - 13 8. The pupils’ attainment in science at the end of Key Stage 2 is well above average. There are particular strengths in the pupils’ ability to carry out investigations and experiments, and in their knowledge of living things and materials. Pupils make good progress during the key stage and, by the age of eleven, pupils make sensible predictions and have a very good appreciation of the notion of a fair-test. For example, when Year 4 pupils investigated how to make the shadow of an object bigger, they understood the need to change only one variable to ensure the reliability of their results. Pupils’ knowledge of living things is particularly impressive at the end of the key stage. They have a very good knowledge of the main systems of the human body

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teaching

and they use this knowledge effectively when considering other living things, such as plants. A good example of this was seen when Year 6 pupils used their knowledge of human reproduction to help them identify the male and female reproductive organs of flowering plants. By the end of the key stage the pupils have a very secure knowledge and understanding of materials and their properties and there are regular opportunities for them to investigate materials, resulting in good gains in their learning in this aspect of science.

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teaching

9. The pupils achieve the very good standards in English and science and good standards in mathematics because of the teaching, which is frequently good or very good. The pupils are taught in classes based on their prior attainment in English and mathematics and this ensures the teachers match the work closely to the needs of the pupils. For all groups of pupils, the more able and the less able, the teachers have high expectations of what they can achieve and the pupils respond accordingly. The teachers expect the pupils to write neatly and legibly and the overwhelming majority do so. In science, the teachers require the pupils to write comprehensive conclusions to their investigations and this good practice ensures the pupils reflect carefully on what they have found out. The teachers are particularly good at involving all pupils in the lesson and they question them effectively to determine what they have learned.

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teaching

They encourage the pupils to respond with answers beyond simple ‘yes’ and ‘no’ and thus develop their communication skills well. Lessons are brisk and efficient but they are underpinned by a sense of humour that creates a pleasant learning environment where pupils can do their best without fear of embarrassment. The teachers make good use of homework to support work taught in classes.

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The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well

10. Nursery children come into school confidently and settle down quickly to the activities with parents and staff. They try hard with tasks when working with staff and cheerfully go to other activities by themselves. They enthusiastically become involved with activities such as digging in sand, making shapes out of dough and discovering through water activities. Children work together well and sensibly tidy away at the end of sessions. In the better lessons in the Reception classes the children demonstrate these same positive attitudes but responses are more variable because of the quality of teaching. In the rest of the school, almost all pupils are well behaved in lessons. They are polite and naturally helpful to one another and to staff and visitors. Frequent instances of this took place during the inspection when pupils held open doors, stood back to allow others to pass and willingly offered directions to various parts of the

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The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well

school. The school has effective methods for promoting good behaviour, mostly using praise and encouragement. Pupils are helped to learn moral concepts such as right and wrong, truthfulness, fairness and kindness, both in assemblies and in specific lessons to develop their personal and moral understanding. Gleadless Primary School - 14 11. Teachers create a relaxed, though purposeful atmosphere in classes and pupils respond well to the firm expectation that they will behave well and work hard. In lessons, the pupils concentrate on the tasks given to them and become absorbed by them. For example, in a Year 2 literacy lesson, the pupils paid very close attention to the text and listened carefully to the questions being asked. Throughout the school, the overwhelming majority of pupils enjoy the work they are given and they talk enthusiastically about topics they have covered. Pupils co-operate sensibly and

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The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well

effectively when working in pairs or small groups. This is particularly important in Key Stage 2 where the close proximity of classes necessitates pupils being on their best behaviour to avoid disrupting others. The relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils are very good. This was noted regularly in lessons and also during out of school activities. The orchestra was a good example of the strength of relationships and mutual respect was obvious in an impressive performance by the large group of talented musicians.

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The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well

12. The school works hard to promote a sense of responsibility and gives the pupils more responsibility for themselves, for others and for their work as they grow older. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously, as was seen during the inspection. Young children confidently took the class registers to the office and older pupils take seriously their responsibility for looking after playtime playground equipment. Pupils in Key Stage 2 in particular, are encouraged to be responsible when they move around the school. The crowded classrooms and the necessity of pupils having to walk through other classrooms to access toilets make this imperative. The pupils are very good at respecting the rights of others to work without undue disruption. Opportunities for the personal development of the pupils are inhibited because of the school occupying two sites, separated by a main road. This restricts opportunities for older

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The pupils’ attitudes towards work are very good and they behave well

pupils to work with younger pupils although the staff try to create such occasions.

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strengths and weaknesses of the school

13. The headteacher has only recently been appointed to the school. However, the parents already have a lot of confidence in the headteacher’s leadership skills. None of the parents responding to the parent questionnaire expressed concerns regarding the leadership by the headteacher and the inspection findings support the notion that he is a strong leader with a clear vision for the school. The headteacher has been in post a very short time. Prior to this, senior members of staff managed the school effectively and indeed began to address issues that were outstanding from the previous inspection. Since his arrival, the headteacher has gained a very clear understanding of what is working well and what needs to be improved. He has monitored the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school, knows where the teaching is particularly strong and where it is not as good as it should be. Model numeracy lessons have been taught in order to raise expectations of what the pupils

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strengths and weaknesses of the school

can achieve and discussions have been held with teachers to determine their strengths.

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strengths and weaknesses of the school

14. The headteacher has made changes to the senior management team to make it more effective. He was aware that the split-site nature of the school had resulted in it operating as two schools and that Key Stage 1 had not received effective guidance from the senior management team. New appointments have already resulted in the school becoming a more cohesive unit and teachers indicate that they feel that the leadership is giving them a clear direction. The inspection findings support this view. A Gleadless Primary School - 15 good working relationship has been quickly established with the Governing Body and there is a determination from all that the quality of education will improve further.

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strengths and weaknesses of the school

15. The school makes careful and detailed checks on the progress pupils make in English, mathematics and science using both the assessments the teachers make and the results of national tests. These are used effectively in Key Stage 2 as a key tool in helping the pupils to achieve as well as they can. Together with assessment information when children enter the school, data is now being used to ensure pupils in Key Stage 1 improve their performance but there is still work to be done is some classes to ensure all pupils achieve the standards of which they are capable. The headteacher, together with senior staff, is leading the school very effectively in developing and using assessment information.

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strengths and weaknesses of the school

16. The headteacher has a strong commitment, shared by the governors, to seeing the school occupying a single site. In the meantime, resources are being used effectively to ensure pupils on both sites are provided with the best possible provision. Plans are well advanced to create improved Early Years provision. A computer suite has been created on one site and portable lap-tops have been made available on the other, providing an effective solution to the inadequate computer provision.

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mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 could be better

17. The results of the 2001 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 show that the pupils’ attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics is below the national average. When compared with similar schools, attainment in reading and mathematics is well below average and in writing it is below average

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mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 could be better

18. The inspection findings confirm the results of the tests. There are examples in some classes of the pupils making good progress and achieving well but progress is too variable overall and the pupils do not achieve as well as they should by the end of Year 2. Some teachers underestimate what the pupils are capable of achieving and they are given work that is far too easy. This makes it difficult for teachers later on to ‘catch up’. Part of the problem has been a misreading of what the assessment data of pupils’ skills on entry to the school were indicating. This led to an incorrect assumption that the pupils were ‘doing well’ to reach the standards they achieved, although they were below average. Whilst this misconception has been rectified, some teachers are still not challenging the pupils sufficiently. There is a tendency to accept work that is below the standard of which the pupils are capable. In some

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mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 could be better

classes, there is an overuse of mundane, unchallenging worksheets that do little to develop the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. The quality of marking is variable. In the best examples, work is marked regularly and indicates how the pupils might improve their work. Where it is not as good, the marking is superficial and work that is unsatisfactory is praised inappropriately.

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mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1 could be better

19. Whilst most teachers manage the pupils effectively, there are some examples of unsatisfactory behaviour affecting the learning in classrooms. Where this happens, teachers do not have good strategies for ensuring that the pupils maintain their concentration. There is usually a link between a lack of challenge in the work the pupils have been given and the unsatisfactory behaviour. Gleadless Primary School - 16

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standards of which they are capable

20. The school has rightly concentrated on raising standards in English, mathematics and science and has been successful in this endeavour at the end of Key Stage 2. However, the teaching of other subjects, such as history and geography, lacks a systematic approach. A key issue from the previous report was to produce a long- term curriculum plan to maintain the breadth and balance of the curriculum. This issue has not been addressed effectively and, as a consequence, in some classes, insufficient emphasis is given to some subjects. Whilst some good teaching occurs in these subjects, the lack of systematic teaching makes it very difficult for teachers to develop key skills and the pupils in both key stages do not achieve the standards of which they are capable.

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standards of which they are capable

21. Some valuable teaching time is lost because of the way lessons are timetabled. Too much time is devoted to English and mathematics and additional reading activities and long story sessions are not always necessary.

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the pupils

22. The school occupies a split-site separated by a main road with Key Stage 1 pupils occupying an old building and Key Stage 2 pupils a newer site. The Key Stage 1 site is far from ideal with young children required to negotiate steep stairs to access classrooms. This limits the opportunities for pupils’ free movement outside of the classroom. Whilst the teachers work hard to make displays as attractive as possible, the classrooms are dark. There are equally significant problems in Key Stage 2. The school is open-plan with access to classrooms achieved by passing through other classrooms. Whilst the pupils and staff are very tolerant, disruption ensues every time a class goes to the hall for physical education, to the music room and even when individuals need to go to the toilets. There is no demarcation to show where one class ends and where another starts and it is very difficult for pupils not to be aware of what

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the pupils

is taking place in other classes. At the meeting with parents, complaints were made regarding the damage to clothing that happened when items were on pegs. Some 90 pupils are expected to use cloakroom facilities that would ideally accommodate 30 children and problems, whilst not acceptable, are inevitable. Gleadless Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. The governors, headteacher and staff should now:

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Key Stage 1 by:

• improving the quality of teaching where there are weaknesses; • raising teachers’ expectations of what the pupils can achieve, particularly the more able; • reducing the reliance on mundane and unchallenging worksheets; • ensuring co-ordinators regularly monitor the quality of teaching and learning in all areas; • ensuring the teachers make the most effective use of time for teaching in all areas.

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2) ensure appropriate time is devoted to all curriculum areas by:

• developing a curriculum plan that gives a clear indication of what should be taught in all areas of the curriculum, focusing on key skills and ensuring subject co-ordinators monitor teaching and learning in all areas.

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3) seek to improve the quality of the accommodation by:

• continuing with plans to bring the school together on a single site. Gleadless Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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 three percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – YN

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 604

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 53

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5 126

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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 3

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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 37

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23

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Attendance

School data 5.9 School data 0.0 Gleadless Primary School - 19 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Gleadless Primary School - 20

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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 38 43 81

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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 29 34 34 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 33 38 39

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (84) 89 (91) 90 (94 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 33 33 36 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 37 38 41

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (91) 88 (90) 95 (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)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 35 34 69

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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 27 27 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 32 31 32

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (84) 84 (85) 91 (93) 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 29 27 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 32 31 32

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (85) 84 (84) 91 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Gleadless Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 22.7 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1023,312

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Total expenditure 994,271

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 223 Expenditure per pupil 1,689

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 10,212

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 39,253

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4 Gleadless Primary School - 22 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) 4.1

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Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

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Questionnaire return rate

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

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Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 51 44 3 0 2

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Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 39 53 3 2 3

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Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 52 9 0 3

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Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 46 20 3 2

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Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 32 3 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 42 0 0 1

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Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 28 51 14 3 4

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 55 40 0 0 5

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 43 4 0 3

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Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 20 36 22 5 17 Gleadless Primary School - 23

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