Crossley Fields Junior and Infant School

Crossley Fields Infant and Junior School

Dates of inspection: 12 th - 13 th March 2002

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Crossley Fields Infant and Junior 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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Crossley Fields Infant and Junior 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. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wellhouse Lane Mirfield West Yorkshire Postcode: WF14 0BE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs J. Clarke

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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Team members

21217 Mr S. G. Evans Registered inspector 9428 Mrs J. Butler Lay inspector 16038 Mrs J. Bavin Team inspector 10228 Mrs S. Russam Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Crossley Fields is a primary school with a total of 507 pupils on roll aged 4 to 11 years. The school is much larger than other primary schools nationally. Attainment on entry to the reception class at the age of four is in line with that expected for children of this age. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs - 25 per cent - is broadly in line with the national average. Five pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need, proportionately less than in most primary schools in the country. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. Thirteen per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and speak English as an additional language. None of these pupils is at early stage of English language acquisition.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school that gives very good value for money. Pupils attain high standards by the time they leave the school. This means pupils make very good progress during their time at the school. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils' personal development is excellent. The school provides a rich and broad curriculum. There is a very calm, caring and supportive ethos in the school and pupils feel very valued. The headteacher provides very high calibre leadership.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave the school. • Throughout the school there is a significant amount of good, very good and excellent teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the quality of pupils' learning. • The pupils like school and they behave very well. Their attitudes to school, personal development and relationships with one another are excellent. This very positively affects the pupils' good quality of learning. • Teachers provide a wide and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with special educational needs. This promotes the high achievement of all pupils. • There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The experiences that the staff provide for pupils' moral and social development are excellent. Experiences for pupils' spiritual and cultural development are good. • The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She, very ably supported by the senior management

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What the school does well

team, staff and parents evaluates the work of the school very effectively. This self- evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's success. The governors also contribute substantially to this success.

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What could be improved - this area for improvement is set in the context of a very successful

school in which there are no key issues.

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What could be improved - this area for improvement is set in the context of a very successful

• Although pupils' cultural development is good, even more planned opportunities to draw on pupils' cultural, family and religious backgrounds would improve curriculum provision. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1997. The improvement the school has made since then is very good. The school is very well placed to maintain this improvement and build on it further. Standards of pupils' attainment are higher now than at the time of the last inspection. The quality of teaching is better. For example, the amount of very good or excellent teaching is over twice as high at 26 per cent. There is now no unsatisfactory teaching - there was 7 per cent at the time of the last inspection. Teachers plan and prepare work for the pupils more effectively - a key issue from the last inspection. The procedures for assessing pupils' work and the use that teachers make of the results of the assessments are very much more effective than at the time of the last inspection - another key issue last time the school was inspected. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and pupils' work were unsatisfactory at the time of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

the last inspection. Both are now very good. This means the school has addressed successfully another key issue from the last inspection. The school has reduced the class sizes as recommended in the previous report. There has also been an increase in the amount of non-teaching support. This was identified as another weakness in 1997. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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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 C C A A well above average above average A B Mathematics C B B B average below average C D Science C B B B well below average E

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Key

Taking account of the results in English, mathematics and science together, the school attains well above average in comparison with similar schools. Thus, by the time pupils leave the school they have made very good progress. There is a definite trend of improving standards within the school. For example, inspection evidence indicates that pupils attain well above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. This is higher than the above average attainment they achieved in the national tests of 2001. The school analyses thoroughly the comparative attainment of different groups of pupils. This indicates that there is no underachievement by any group of pupils. Inspection evidence confirms this. For example, many top ability groups have a proportionately good representation of ethnic minority pupils. There is no significant difference in the attainment of girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs

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Key

and those who speak English as an additional language make very good progress. By the end of the Foundation Stage children make good progress and attain nationally expected standards. Teachers set individual and group targets for pupils that are appropriate and sufficiently challenging. They take good account of pupils' prior attainment. The school exceeded its Year 6 targets for 2001. The targets for 2002 are significantly higher and very challenging. This is indicative of the high expectations of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have excellent attitudes to their work. They are very interested in school and enthusiastically involve themselves in the wide range of activities the school provides.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils' behaviour in and around the school is very good. They are courteous to each other and to adults. There is an absence of oppressive behaviour, including bullying, sexism and racism.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils' personal development is excellent. They have excellent relationships with one another and with adults in the school. Pupils respect and value other pupils' beliefs, cultures and backgrounds.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The attendance rate is very high in comparison with other schools nationally. Pupils are punctual and want to come to school. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is one of the reasons for the success of the school. High quality teaching enables pupils with a wide range of needs to learn effectively. Throughout the school, the teaching has many strengths and few weaknesses. The strengths include: the teaching of basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, the very good management of pupils' behaviour and very effective use of pupils' prior attainment in planning lessons. Support staff make a positive contribution to pupils' learning. The teaching of English and mathematics is good. The teaching and learning of pupils with English as an additional language and the support of ethnic minority pupils are good. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school meets effectively the needs of the higher attaining pupils. In a very small minority of lessons, time is not always used effectively and expectations of what is expected of

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

pupils in the lesson are not high enough.

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

The quality of pupils' learning is good. They are keen to learn and clear about what is expected of them. They understand what is good about their work and how it can be improved. They work very well co- operatively and collaboratively. They work very hard.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is planned satisfactorily to cover all the national early learning goals. The school provides a broad range of work that is stimulating and relevant to pupils in Years 1 to 6. The very good provision for extra-curricular activities enriches the quality of pupils' learning further.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school's programme of support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is effectively organised to identify pupils who need additional help, ensuring they make at least similar progress to their classmates. Support for pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no pupils who require specialist support. However, teachers ensure that pupils have equality of opportunity to take full advantage of the learning experiences that they give them. This means that these pupils achieve at least as well as their classmates, and often better.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This provision is very good and is one of the strengths of the school on which its success is built. The school ensures pupils have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong, and to show a high degree of respect for all people.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for its pupils. Members of staff treat the pupils with understanding and respect. Procedures for child protection are in place. Teachers and support staff know the pupils very well and have precise information to tell them what pupils have done well and where they need help. Therefore, the school directs support effectively to the pupils who need it most. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff One of the main reasons for the success of the school is the excellent leadership of the headteacher. She has a very clear vision of what sort of school it should be. She puts pupils and their achievements first. The senior management team and subject co-ordinators make a very good contribution to the effective and efficient way the school is led and managed. There is a very good sense of team spirit among the staff and a definite shared commitment to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities extremely well and takes a very active role in helping to shape the direction of the school through strategic planning. They are fully committed to and supportive of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Monitoring and evaluation of performance are excellent. There is a rigorous analysis of standards, frequent checking of the progress towards targets in the school development plan and regular observations of teaching. Any weaknesses are identified early and the school responds immediately and efficiently in dealing with them.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. There is a clear link between development planning and finance. Priorities are entirely relevant to school. It clearly understands the principles of best value principles and these are at the hub of the financial planning process.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

One hundred and twenty eight questionnaires were returned. This was 25 per cent of those sent out. Eleven parents attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school enables their children to make good progress. • The teaching is good. • Their children behave well at school. • The school is very easy to approach with concerns. • Staff have high expectations for their children. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The provision for their children's personal development is good. • Some parents feel their children do not receive the right amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parents think highly of the school and provide very good support for the school, and with regard to their children's learning. Inspectors support the parents' positive views. Inspectors judged that homework provision enhances pupils' learning. Also, the school strives to attain the right balance in the amount of homework set, and succeeds in the view of the vast majority of parents. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. This is an improvement when compared with the standards pupils achieved in the 2001 national tests. By the end of Year 6 standards in English are well above average and above average in mathematics. The inspection findings reflect the results of the 2001 national tests for pupils in Year 6. The school achieves well above average in comparison with schools similar to Crossley Fields. Standards are significantly higher than at the time of the last inspection.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Standards have risen since the last inspection for a number of reasons. Pupils have maintained their very good attitudes to learning. The leadership provided by subject co- ordinators is very good now compared with satisfactory at the time of the last inspection. Importantly, parental involvement in their children's learning is very much more effective.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Another significant factor that contributes to the rise in standards of attainment is the improvement in the quality of teaching and learning. Work matches more accurately the varying needs of pupils, teachers have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve and pupils work harder. The school now effectively uses the results of the assessment of pupils' work to plan appropriate work for them. Teachers analyse pupils' test papers in detail to identify areas of weakness. Then teachers identify accurately strategies for improvement. For example, teachers identified that there was a weakness in how pupils organised their stories. This has been a priority in the teaching of writing this year. Also, teachers are clear about what they want to teach in a lesson and what pupils are to learn. All these factors positively affect learning and ensure pupils achieve very well. All this is the result of a system of rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning and effective

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

evaluation of what was observed in lessons. As follow-up to the monitoring, teachers are provided with very good support where it is required.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Pupils write with flair and imagination in response to different texts. In parody work based on Humpty Dumpty, a Year 6 pupil wrote; ' Once upon a time, in the quiet town of Speckville lived a bossy, big-headed egg called Humpty'. A Year 6 pupil created great suspense in her writing by using, at a key point in the story, the words: 'Grace started to panic. The tide was coming in, fast. It had already blocked the exit of the beach'. Narrative writing is also a strength. A Year 2 pupil wrote: 'Georgina swam nervously and cautiously up to the silver thing'. Pupils are very good at setting the scene by using many interesting opening sentences. For example, a Year 5 pupil wrote: 'I found my visit to Bagshaw museum interesting for several reasons'. A Year 2 pupil opened his story with: 'Meanwhile Bromwell Brown and the toys…'.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Pupils write extremely well for a range of purposes. Year 2 pupils complete book reviews, Year 5 pupils produce a very good standard of work about myths and fables and Year 6 pupils write scripts, including a modern day version of Macbeth. Poetry work is prominent in their literacy work. Pupils wrote very good quality poems about Vikings as part of their history topic. Year 2 pupils produce character profiles of a very high standard. One pupil wrote: 'He is brave because he flew around the wolf's head'.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. The quality of work is so good because teachers have high expectations of the work they expect from the pupils. Pupils respond by doing their best. Teachers usually mark pupils' work constructively with comments that pupils use to improve their work. They choose texts that interest the pupils and motivate them to write. Teachers' knowledge and understanding of how to teach the subject are secure. Therefore, they teach the subject Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School confidently and this ensures pupils acquire the necessary basic skills to produce good quality work. Teachers display attractively very good examples of pupils' writing. Therefore, pupils feel that teachers value their efforts, thus they try even harder.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Pupils' high standards of writing are reflected in their use of literacy skills in other subjects. Year 2 pupils wrote very high quality accounts in religious education. One pupil wrote: ' At last they reached Bethlehem. Joseph was worried'. Year 6 pupils in geography wrote detailed accounts about water, including very good work entitled 'The stream'. One pupil started his account with the words: 'The source of the stream…' Pupils’ records of their science experiments are very well written. Of particular note is the writing about circuits with the use of words such as: 'changing the brightness of Bob the Bulb'. Year 3 pupils produced extended accounts about the Victorians as part of their history work. Year 2 pupils wrote reports about their puppet designs in their design and technology work. For example, one pupil began her report with the words 'First I designed my puppet on a sheet of paper...'. Pupils use extensively their information and

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

communication technology skills to present their written work.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Teachers develop pupils' reading skills very well. Pupils show a clear understanding of what they have read. They are confident readers; for example, Year 6 pupils read very confidently the pros and cons of a ban on marbles in school. They show very good intonation and expression.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. In whole-class introductions to lessons, teachers expect high standards of listening and speaking. In discussions, pupils listen attentively to others, ask questions to develop ideas and take account of others' views. They develop ideas thoughtfully. This was evident in a Year 6 lesson about the banning of marbles in school. Through thoughtful suggestions and relating to playground incidents, pupils examined reasons why marbles should be kept. They listened respectfully to one another and in their comments and ideas exhibited a high level of maturity.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Mathematics is taught well. This has a positive affect on pupils' learning and the high standards they attain. By the end of Year 6, pupils are very proficient in arithmetical calculations. They work quickly and accurately both mentally and in written form. They have a very good recall of number facts and manipulate number competently. For example, they calculate accurately number problems involving ratio. They work quickly and accurately involving negative numbers, area, mean, median, mode and range. Importantly, teachers ensure that pupils have a good grounding in basic mathematical skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Through skilled questioning teachers ensure that pupils look for patterns in number sequences and seek to establish a rule they can apply in all situations. Teachers have high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve in mathematics. Pupils are taught work that is consistently above that expected for their age in Year 2. For example, pupils use mental recall of addition and subtraction facts up to 20 in problems with larger numbers. These high expectations are evident almost throughout the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. An important factor contributing to the school's success in mathematics and English is the setting of pupils in Year 6 into groups by ability. It helps pupils' learning because the class sizes are smaller and it enables teachers to plan work more efficiently to meet the needs of similarly attaining pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Teachers ensure that pupils use and extend their numeracy skills in other subjects. For example, Year 2 pupils represent their information in a variety of graphs. These graphs include bar charts and pictograms that pupils complete very accurately. Year 5 pupils produce very good quality graph work to illustrate their scientific results. For example, their graphs entitled 'How much air is in soil' are of particularly good quality. There are Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School many examples throughout the school of measuring in design and technology lessons. For example, Year 5 pupils weigh accurately when they make bread and Year 6 pupils measure accurately when they design their shelters. Teachers place a strong emphasis on the development of the correct mathematical language. For example, in Year 1 as part of a high quality display, the teacher posed the question, 'There are 14 children in

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

class 1CD and 18 in 1AW. What is the difference between the two classes?' Teachers make good use of computers to support pupils' learning in mathematics.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

14. Throughout the school, teachers plan and prepare interesting lessons. Teachers' lesson plans show what is to be taught and learnt. This is shared with pupils at the start of lessons. This helps the teacher and pupils to remain focused on the purpose of the lesson and that they cover sufficient ground in the lesson. Teachers give priority to securing for all pupils the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Teachers give good opportunities to develop literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills in different subjects. This report refers in paragraphs 7 and 13 to pupils' good use of literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

15. Teachers use computers in many subjects to enhance pupils' learning. Year 4 pupils developed their computer skills and scientific knowledge by investigating branching databases. Teachers have high expectations for what pupils can achieve and, therefore plan work to extend pupils' learning. For example, Year 6 pupils put together a multimedia presentation about the 'The Blitz' by using a specialist program. Year 5 pupils draft, edit and write accounts about the 'Big Bang' theory. Pupils produce excellent quality graph work in science to record the times of sunrise in June 2000. They use computer programs to help with their mathematics investigative work. For example, they record how many times each number on a dice appeared each time it was thrown. Year 1 pupils enter information about their favourite colours into a computer program and produce graphs to represent the information.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

16. Teachers use a range of appropriate teaching methods. These include whole class teaching, group and individual work and involve practical, investigative and problem solving activities. They mainly use time and resources very efficiently. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. A great strength of the teaching is the excellent relationships between staff and pupils. This is the main reason why they manage pupils' behaviour so effectively. Another reason is the high expectations of good behaviour that is ever- present in the school. This emanates from clear expectations of how pupils are to behave generated by the headteacher and supported by all the staff.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

17. Teachers use the results of the assessment of pupils very effectively to match work to pupils' varying needs. This is very evident in the work set for pupils with special educational needs. The marking of pupils' work is good. The feedback to pupils, spoken and written, enables them to improve their performance. In a Year 6 numeracy lesson the teacher made very good use of pupils' previous learning to develop successfully their understanding of how to record the median number correctly. He identified, whilst marking pupils' work, that a significant number of pupils had incorrectly recorded the median number in the previous day's work.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

18. Pupils' learning is good because of the good quality of teaching. They respond readily to the challenge of the work set, show a willingness to concentrate, and make good progress in most lessons. Pupils apply their basic skills of literacy and numeracy to great effect in all subjects. Pupils adjust well to the demands of working in different situations, selecting appropriate methods for doing something and organising effectively the Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School resources they need. They have a good knowledge of their own learning. Pupils are confident and alert to ask questions and to persevere with their work when answers are not readily available. Where appropriate, pupils readily help one another.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

19. Members of support staff assist pupils' learning very effectively and contribute very positively to pupils' progress. For example, in a reception class numeracy lesson the support staff enhanced pupils' learning by supporting the lower attaining pupils. During the introduction she provided supplementary questions for these pupils so that they were involved fully in this part of the lesson. In the group work she was clear what the pupils had to learn and had excellent relationships with them. As a result, pupils' progress was good and by the end of the lesson they made and recognised a repeating pattern. At the start of the lesson they had no understanding of this work.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

20. There is early identification of special educational need, which enables teachers to address any possible issues. There are good quality individual education plans. Targets are clear and measurable. Teachers are aware of the needs of all their pupils. In lessons, pupils with special educational needs have good support both from teachers and support assistants. The careful planning of programmes of work by teachers and special educational needs support staff ensures that pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need achieve very well.

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

21. The following are examples of how the excellent quality of teaching positively affected pupils' learning. • In a Year 1 literacy lesson based on the text 'Wheels, wings and other things', the excellent teaching ensured that pupils made very good gains in their reading skills. For example, the higher attainers worked independently to write captions, with correct spellings, to accompany the text they were reading. The teacher had very high expectations of what she expected pupils to achieve. She asked for a more detailed explanation of what a glossary is despite previous adequate answers. Pupils responded with confidence and gave increasingly accurate descriptions of what a glossary is. The teacher questioned pupils skilfully throughout the lesson. She phrased the questions so all pupils could at their own level be involved in answering them. • In an excellent Year 2 numeracy lesson, the teachers infectious enthusiasm rubbed off

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

onto the pupils, who responded with great keenness to work. All explanations were clear and mathematically sound; indicative of very good teaching of basic skills in order to develop pupils' understanding. The excellent relationships were the basis of the teacher's management of pupils' behaviour. There was a real mutual respect. The behaviour was very good so no time was wasted and pupils completed a lot of work. There was a very good balance between whole class and individual work. • A Year 3 numeracy lesson on equivalence of fractions saw most pupils, 80 per cent - working successfully at a level higher than expected for pupils of this age. This reflected the teacher's high expectations of what she wanted pupils to attain. There was excellent use of computers to support lower attaining pupils' learning, including pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need. They received excellent support from the

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teaching. This ensures that pupils achieve well in lessons. Support staff enhance the

learning support staff. Throughout the lesson pupils were very keen to work and be successful. They worked very co-operatively when appropriate.

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development and relationships with one another are excellent. This very positively affects

22. The very high standards reported on in the last inspection have been maintained. Ninety- nine per cent of parents who responded to the questionnaire stated that their children liked school. Most pupils' attitudes to their learning are very good. By the age of 11 they are excellent. Pupils in all year groups listen to their teachers carefully. They carry out teachers' instructions immediately and settle to their work without fuss. They are skilful in Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School debate and listen to teachers and their classmates patiently while waiting for an opportunity to contribute to lessons. Most pupils complete their homework tasks diligently. The organisation of homework means pupils are clear about when they will receive work to do at home, and when it is due back in school.

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development and relationships with one another are excellent. This very positively affects

23. Pupils maintain concentration for long periods. They persevere with difficult or complex tasks, working independently or co-operatively as the task demands. In a Year 2 lesson involving mental calculations they worked together well to increase significantly the speed at which they answered questions accurately. In this lesson, progress was very good and attainment very high. Pupils throughout the school are well motivated and interested in all that is going on and keen to learn. In a numeracy lesson in Year 3, pupils were completely focused on their work. The outcome was work of a very high standard.

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development and relationships with one another are excellent. This very positively affects

24. Pupils are aware of the school's expectations of good behaviour and, with very few exceptions, live up to those expectations. Behaviour in classrooms is always good, often very good and sometimes excellent. The flow of the lesson is therefore not disrupted, and so pupils complete a lot of work. In the playground, pupils play together well with no evidence that there are any major disagreements or instances of bullying or racist behaviour. Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and each other.

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development and relationships with one another are excellent. This very positively affects

25. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Pupils are aware of the views and feelings of others and take care of each other whenever there is need to do so. In a physical education lesson, pupils applauded spontaneously when a pupil performed a roll of very good quality. The pupils are mature and have a very high regard for their teachers. Pupils are trustworthy and respect school property and personal belongings. They show initiative and are keen to take responsibility. This is exemplified by the great success of the peer counselling service called ' Befrienders'. Pupils take full advantage of the many opportunities the school provides for extra-curricular clubs.

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Teachers provide a wide and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with

special educational needs. This promotes the high achievement of all pupils.

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Teachers provide a wide and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with

26. The quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils are very good. This is a very significant improvement since the last inspection. The school fully meets statutory requirements. Teachers draw on the schemes of work to produce good medium and short term planning that is clearly linked to the National Curriculum. As a result teachers provide pupils with work in an appropriate sequence that builds on their previous learning. This positively affects the quality of pupils' learning and the progress they make. Teachers' planning provides information about what pupils should know, understand and do. It clearly identifies the resources required to support the teaching and learning. There are effective links between different subjects.

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Teachers provide a wide and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with

27. Teachers provide pupils with first-hand learning experiences. For example, they make very good use of the school grounds, including the pond, to enhance pupils' learning in science. The school provides a very good range of clubs and activities after school. These include football, rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming, and gymnastics, choir, orchestra, French and computers clubs. There is also a homework club. Teachers take the pupils on visits to places that will enhance their learning. For example, Year 6 visit a camp as part of their Second World War studies and Year 4 visit York as part of their studies about Vikings.

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Teachers provide a wide and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with

28. The school has very effective strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. It implements the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies successfully and plans very well for them. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School 29. Equality of access and opportunity for all pupils is evident throughout all planning. The school's provision for special educational needs is very good and meets the requirements of the Code of Practice 1 for special educational needs. There are thorough arrangements for identifying and assessing pupils. Individual education plans are detailed, set specific learning targets and are closely monitored. This ensures pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. In a Year 3 mathematics lesson a pupil identified with special educational needs played a fully inclusive part in the lesson because there was appropriate support provided by skilled staff.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

experiences that the staff provide for pupils' moral and social development are excellent. They are good for their spiritual and cultural development.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

30. The high standards of provision for pupils’ personal development praised by the previous report have been successfully built on. The school’s aims to provide high quality educational experiences enabling pupils to be happy, successful and keen to learn are very well promoted in all aspects of school life. The excellent relationships between all members of the school community, and the respect that each has for others, promote an excellent ethos in the school. This leads to an atmosphere in the school that is secure, supportive and conducive to learning, and in which all members feel valued.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

31. Pupils’ spiritual development is fostered in school assemblies. In addition to fulfilling statutory requirements for collective worship, the well-planned assemblies provide a daily opportunity to strengthen the school’s sense of community. Praise for individual and group effort, achievement and behaviour gives pupils a sense of worth and of belonging. Assemblies conclude with prayers or reflection on some aspect of its theme. The local religious education syllabus gives pupils good insights into the beliefs and traditions of other faiths.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

32. Pupils’ very good behaviour in class and around the school demonstrates that the school teaches them to distinguish clearly between right and wrong. Staff consistently promote the school's moral code and pupils recognise and respect it. The pupils' clear understanding of the school's 'Golden Rules' exemplifies this. Personal and social education lessons, including Circle Time 2 , are timetabled for all classes. This gives pupils the opportunity to speak about issues and problems they may have in an atmosphere of fairness and sympathy. All staff have high expectations of the pupils behaviour both in and out of the classroom. This fosters high standards of relationships and consideration for others. Staff encourage pupils to develop an understanding of their moral responsibilities and the consequences of the actions that they take. The 'Befrienders' scheme provides excellent support for these principles.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

33. The school is an inclusive community where every individual is made to feel valued. The school council is a forum of elected pupils who represent pupils’ views and aspirations to the headteacher. This helps all pupils to feel that their opinions count. It promotes pupils' understanding of citizenship. The school’s aim is to provide opportunities for as many pupils as possible to take responsibility. Older pupils have been trained to support pupils at play in reception and Years 1 and 2 at lunchtime. Participation in a very wide range of extra-curricular activities plays a positive role in developing pupils' social skills. Through these activities pupils have the opportunity to work as a team and to mix with pupils from other schools. Residential visits also enhance pupils' social development. In lessons, teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to work co-operatively and collaboratively.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

1 Code of Practice - this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive appropriate help and support to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. 2 During C c ircle t T ime pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School This was much in evidence during the inspection in physical education and information and communication technology. The school actively encourages pupils to support and care for others. Pupils raise funds for national and overseas' charities. They distribute harvest gifts to local residents.

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There is a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' personal development. The

34. The curriculum contributes well to the pupils' understanding of their own culture and the culture of others. Pupils examine the cultural heritage of the area during educational visits. The school celebrates special events in the Christian calendar and festivals from other major faiths. Pupils are provided with opportunities to learn about art and music from many different parts of the world.

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The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She, very ably supported by the senior

management team, staff and parents, evaluates the work of the school very effectively.

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

success. The governors also contribute substantially to this success.

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

35. The headteacher ensures very clear direction for the work and the development of the school, which it accomplishes through very effective self-evaluation. She provides very influential and supportive leadership. This sets a first-rate climate for learning that includes excellent attitudes to work and harmonious relationships, and a strong commitment to high standards. She makes it a priority to value everyone within the school community and ensure they develop their full potential. This is reflected in the school's 'Investors in People' award.

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

36. The senior management team and staff very ably support the headteacher. For example, the teachers with responsibility for special educational needs, English and mathematics provide very good leadership. The co-ordinators with responsibility for the infants and juniors also provide very good leadership. There exists a very good team spirit among all the staff and there is a shared commitment and capacity to raise standards further. This creates a very positive ethos, which reflects the school's commitment to a very effective atmosphere for learning, excellent relationships and equality of opportunity for all. The headteacher and staff very actively encourage parental involvement in the pupils' learning and value highly their contribution. There is a strong school/home partnership. Parents make a significant contribution to the progress their children make in school.

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

37. The governors are very effective in fulfilling their responsibilities. They have high levels of expertise and are very well organised and thorough in their approach. They are open to new ideas and adapt quickly. This enables them to take opportunities when they arise; for example, whenever funds to improve the accommodation become available, they bid for them - usually successfully. The governors are active in the life of the school, and keep themselves very well informed about what is going on in school. They make regular visits and report back to meetings of the governing body. They have a very clear picture of how the school performs. They think very highly of the headteacher but expect her to be fully accountable to them.

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

38. The school's monitoring and evaluation of its performance is excellent. Staff know how high pupils' standards are and whether there are variations across groups of pupils. There is a clear picture of how well pupils are taught. Staff reflect critically on what they can do to improve learning and develop more effective ways of working. From this, appropriate priorities are set within a very good quality school development plan. There is a very close link between school development planning and performance management. The headteacher has built the review part of the performance management process into a programme of professional development to integrate the needs of individual staff and of the school. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School 39. The school budgets systematically for all expenditure and is clear about the cost of its developments. The school's spending decisions relate directly to priorities within the

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This self-evaluation and the follow-up action are the cornerstones of the school's

school development plan and for the benefit of the pupils. There is very effective financial control and administration. The governing body is very well aware of the principles of best value. They have incorporated the principles of best value into the school's financial arrangements to ensure that it seeks the most effective solutions to its spending. For example, the governors have renegotiated the school cleaning, grounds maintenance and waste removal contracts. In evaluating their spending decisions they make detailed comparisons with similar schools. The school seeks the views of parents through questionnaires and the parents' consultative committee.

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Although pupils' cultural development is good, even more planned opportunities to draw

on pupils' cultural, family and religious backgrounds would improve curriculum provision.

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Although pupils' cultural development is good, even more planned opportunities to draw

40. It is evident that consideration is given to the ethnic diversity of our society. There are close links with parents from ethnic minority groups and this contributes very significantly to the high achievement of ethnic minority pupils. They have representation on the governing body. There is evidence in some displays around the school of cultural diversity. For example, there is an Eid display and some posters promoting reading that show different ethnic backgrounds. However, there is little evidence in teachers' subject or lesson planning of preparing pupils for living in a culturally diverse society.

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There are no key issues but the school should:

• include in its curriculum planning an element specifically relating to developing pupils' awareness of the culturally diverse society in which they live. (paragraph 40) Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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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 13 13 44 30 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 four 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) 507

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 56

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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 124

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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 67

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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 26

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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 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 31 22 53

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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 27 28 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 89 (88) 92 (92) 98 (100) 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 28 30 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (92) 96 (98) 94 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 33 33 66

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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 22 25 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 31 27 30

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (81) 79 (79) 91 (86) 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 22 25 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 31 27 31

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (81) 79 (82) 92 (89) 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. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 14 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) 21 Financial year 2000-01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 829,858

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 835,095

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 200 Expenditure per pupil 1,766

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 14,134 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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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) 1 FTE means full-time equivalent. Crossley Fields Infant & Junior School

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 54 42 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 48 5 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 46 13 5 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 50 11 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 59 39 0 2 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. 65 33 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32 60 6 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 46 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 43 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 51 6 2 12

p.21