Caldershaw Primary School

CALDERSHAW PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 – 26 February 2002

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CALDERSHAW 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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CALDERSHAW 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. Caldershaw Primary School - 3 - February 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Edenfield Road Rochdale Lancashire

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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: Mr D McGowan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1997 Caldershaw Primary School - 4 - February 2002

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Team members

23698 R J Schaffer Registered inspector 9399 R Watts Lay inspector 27777 R Greenall Team inspector

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Team members

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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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 Caldershaw Primary School - 5 - February 2002

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 21

Caldershaw Primary School - 6 - February 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Caldershaw Primary School shares a pleasant site with the adjacent Catholic school on the north west side of Rochdale. The school’s 220 pupils come from either traditional terraced properties in the Cutgate area or the new houses that have been built on nearby estates since the time of the previous inspection. It is similar in size to the majority of schools of this type. It has no nursery. Children can start in the reception class in the September of the academic year in which they will be five. Twelve per cent of the pupils speak English as an additional language. The majority of these are of Asian heritage, and come from homes where Punjabi or Urdu is spoken as well as English. A few start with a limited knowledge of English. Thirteen per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is below the national average, whilst the percentage of those with statements of special needs is average. Since the previous

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

inspection, the number of pupils eligible for free school meals has decreased and is now below average. There is a wide spread of attainment on entry to the school, but overall, most children starting in reception know and understand what is generally expected of four year olds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school aims to develop pupils to their full potential and this aim is realized well. By the time pupils are in Year 6, they have become mature and confident, with a proper understanding of their responsibilities to society. The good teaching in the school and the many opportunities offered through the curriculum help pupils achieve good standards in their work. In 2001, the school’s results in the national tests for English for pupils at the end of Year 6 were well above the national average. The headteacher, supported well by the deputy headteacher and key members of staff, sets a high standard of commitment to the school. The whole staff team work well together, and with the governors, for the benefit of the pupils. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils become keen readers and writers so that by the time they are in Year 6, they achieve good standards, and use reading and writing effectively across the curriculum because the teaching from the reception class up is consistently good. • The headteacher and key members of staff provide very effective leadership and the management of the school’s finances is very good. • The pupils develop very good attitudes to their school, their teachers and each other. • Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics. • There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their progress over an academic year. • High quality displays of work contribute to pupils’ learning and self-esteem.

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What could be improved

• The use of information and communication technology to support learning for all groups of pupils in all subjects. • Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills. • Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have learnt, especially at the end of each lesson. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Caldershaw Primary School - 7 - February 2002

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvement since its previous inspection in 1997. Standards are now higher in English and mathematics. The school’s results in national tests have improved at a faster rate than nationally. At the time of the previous inspection the school was asked to improve the quality of teachers’ planning and assessment procedures. Teachers all plan effectively, checking that work ensures the good progression of skills, knowledge and understanding. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved. Very good assessment and record- keeping procedures have been established. Nationally recommended programmes of work have been adapted to suit the needs of the school and the pupils’ work in design and technology has improved so that it is now similar to national expectations.

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

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Key

The school focused on raising standards in the year prior to the national tests in 2000, and this resulted in a significant improvement in the performance of pupils for that year. It must be borne in mind that a relatively small number of pupils sit the tests each year, and so any increase in the number of pupils with special educational needs has a greater effect on results than in a larger school. Never the less, the improved results for 2000 and 2001 reflected a concerted effort to improve teaching and provision after the low results of 1999. Higher standards have been maintained, although the very high standard in English achieved in 2001 is unlikely to be repeated, because a greater number of pupils have special educational needs in the current Year 6. Despite this, the pupils are on track to achieve above average standards in English and mathematics, and also the school’s challenging targets for 2002. Their

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Key

achievements are good, as their national test results, at the end of Year 2, were no better than average.

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Key

In Year 2, the standard of pupils’ work is above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The standard of writing is not as high as it was in 2001 when results were well above average. Again, this is because more pupils than usual in this year group have significant special educational needs. In reading, however, the school has improved the teaching of letter sounds, and this has meant that standards in reading are better than in previous years, and more pupils are learning to read quickly. Children in the reception class learn to read and write quickly and they should exceed the goals set for their age in these areas of learning by the end of the reception year. In mathematical development, and in their spoken communications, they will achieve the goals set for them, but they do not move on quite as quickly in these areas as in reading and writing. The achievements of pupils with special

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Key

educational needs are good, and many attain the standards expected nationally by the end of Year 6. The pupils who speak English as an additional language and start their schooling with limited knowledge of spoken English make good progress in learning to speak English. Their achievements, and those of other pupils from different ethnic groups, are similar to the achievements of all pupils.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Caldershaw Primary School - 8 - February 2002

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are proud of their school and keen to participate in all the opportunities offered to them. They are keen to work hard at their lessons and have the same good attitude to the work they are expected to do at home. Children in the reception class enjoy school and start in the mornings with confidence.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The majority of the children in the reception class listen to their teachers and behave well. A few, however, are a little reluctant to follow the established routines of the class. Behaviour improves as the pupils gain in maturity, and in the older classes, pupils behave very well, even at times when they are not directly supervised by adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school provides pupils with many opportunities to show initiative and to develop good relationships with each other, to which pupils respond extremely well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good, pupils are rarely absent without good reason and they arrive punctually in the mornings.

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

STRENGTHS Teachers assess what pupils know and understand very well, and so provide activities that are at the right level to move pupils on to the next stage in their learning. All groups of pupils benefit from the good assessment of their knowledge and learn at a good rate. There is a very good depth of knowledge in the best methods to teach literacy and numeracy, and teaching in both is skilful. Good methods are used to teach letter sounds for spelling and reading. Teachers and support staff plan together very well, particularly in the reception class and for those pupils who learn more slowly than others. When pupils are withdrawn from class for extra help in learning basic skills, careful planning ensures that their work is dovetailed into the work that they do in class. Teachers set a good tone for working, and there are warm friendly relationships that encourage pupils to feel valued and to work hard. Teachers use

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

display of pupils’ past work well, not only to celebrate pupils’ achievements and so raise their self esteem, but also to stimulate ideas and their understanding of presentation. Homework is used effectively to support learning in class.

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

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Lessons in Years 1 to 6, sometimes lack variety of method because teachers do not make enough use of interesting ways to develop pupils’ skills in speaking, and computers are not used enough as a resource for teaching and learning. Teachers do not always help pupils understand how well they have achieved the objectives of lessons. In the reception class, some activities are not given enough structure to help children work and play together, for instance, to find a practical solution to a problem, so as to practice their skills in speaking and listening. Caldershaw Primary School - 9 - February 2002

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum A stimulating range of opportunities for using skills in literacy and numeracy in other subjects is a strength of the school’s curriculum, which is good overall. Opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in information and communication technology in all subjects are missed in Years 1 to 6, and in all classes there is not enough planning to develop pupils’ skills in speaking.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Teachers plan very well with learning support assistants to meet the needs of these pupils. The quality of their individual plans is generally good but on a few occasions their targets are too broad and are not set out in small achievable steps.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Teachers have a good understanding of how to build on the knowledge and skills pupils have in their home language, to develop their understanding of English. Careful assessments are used to monitor their progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. There is very good provision for pupils to learn to work and play together, particularly in the older classes. There is good provision for them to think about and respond to moral issues, and to the many cultural influences of our society. Spiritual provision is satisfactory but opportunities for development of this area are sometimes missed.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils All staff know the pupils very well and have their care and welfare at heart. Attendance is carefully monitored. Assessment of pupils’ academic achievements is very good, and careful records are kept of their personal development.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher sets a high standard of commitment to the aims and values of the school. He is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and an effective team of subject leaders.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are keenly interested in the school and willingly support its efforts. They fulfil their legal responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has good systems in place to check on its own performance. It carries out careful analysis of data from national tests and its own assessments.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The headteacher makes the best use of the expertise of staff and learning support assistants and the maximum use is made of accommodation and learning resources, except for computers. These could be better used to support learning across the curriculum and to streamline administration.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a good understanding of how it compares with schools nationally and with those locally in order to improve provision. It consults with parents and with pupils to judge its success. It correctly Caldershaw Primary School - 10 - February 2002 identified that the addition of a nursery class would benefit the pupils’ learning and the stability of the school’s admissions. A great deal of time was spent in bidding for a nursery class but the bid was not successful.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children make good progress and are expected to work hard. • The school encourages good behaviour and attitudes and so pupils gain in maturity. • The teaching is good. • Parents feel comfortable approaching the school and are well informed about their children’s progress. • The good leadership of the headteacher. • Some parents would like to see a wider range of activities outside lessons. • A few parents felt that their child was not give the right amount of homework. • A few felt that they were not well informed about their child’s progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection confirms parents’ positive views of the school. For its size, the school provides a good range of activities outside the school day, and pupils advertise these on their own display board to encourage others to attend. The quality of the pupils’ annual reports is good and the headteacher and staff are willing to talk to parents at any time if they wish to make arrangements to do so. The amount and range of homework activities are good. Caldershaw Primary School - 11 - February 2002

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

1 The strong leadership of the staff responsible for managing the teaching of literacy, has enabled the school to promote reading and writing to all its pupils so that they are keen to learn and achieve good standards. Teachers ensure that the tasks involved in learning key skills do not overshadow pupils’ enjoyment and interest in books, stories and writing. As a result, pupils read at home and at school, both for pleasure and on work related tasks in order to gather information. In every class there are a examples of lively well-presented pieces of writing in may different styles produced by pupils of all levels of attainment, including those with special educational needs. Those pupils from different ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language read and write as well as others in their class. Pupils use reading and writing confidently when they work in other subjects.

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

2 The school’s results in national tests for eleven year olds in English were well above average in 2001, as they were in the previous year. They were exceptionally high when compared to similar schools. All pupils achieved the nationally expected level. In this school, a relatively small number of pupils take the test each year and, consequently, if there is a significant number of pupils with special educational needs in a year group, the effect on results is greater than in a larger school. Currently, there is a higher proportion of pupils in Year 6 with significant special educational needs, and so the results in the tests for this year are likely to be lower than in 2001. Never the less, the pupils in Year 6 are on track to achieve a standard above the national average and with continued hard work, pupils should achieve the challenging target set by the school. This will represent good achievement for the majority of

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

pupils when compared against their performance in the national tests at the end of Year 2 which was average.

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

3 In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2001, the pupils achieved well above average in writing, with a much greater number achieving the higher level than nationally. In reading, pupils did not do so well. The results were similar to the national average. The school looked at the reasons why this might be so. A weakness in the teaching of letter sounds was identified. New methods were implemented and improvements to the school’s resources were made. Pupils now use letter sounds well to work out the meaning of an unknown word. This has helped all groups of pupils learn to read more quickly than before. Currently, the standard of pupils’ work in Year 2 is above average in reading and writing. When the children start in the reception class, their knowledge of reading and writing is average. Teaching is good so that they learn at a good rate. The majority are on track to exceed the goals set for their age by the end of the reception year.

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

4 In the reception class, the teacher and nursery nurse provide good quality activities to teach children the skills of reading and writing. Children are encouraged to think of themselves as readers and writers and this lays a firm foundation for their success in the older classes. Stories are promoted very well. For instance, in a good lesson in the reception class, children settled quickly to listen to and participate in the shared reading of the big book story for that week. By linking other activities to the subject of Caldershaw Primary School - 12 - February 2002 the story the teacher had developed a high level of interest and children’s concentration was very good, especially for those who generally found listening difficult. As the story was about animals in the jungle, it enabled pupils to tune into the sounds and shape of different letters; for example, as they all made the ‘grr’ sound of

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

the lion’s growl while the teacher pointed to the enlarged text and focused their attention on the letter shapes. The teacher and nursery nurse work very well together to encourage pupils to write independently, for instance in the stimulating planned play area, children imagined that they were on a space flight and were keen to make their entry in the ship’s ‘log’. They write letters corresponding to the sounds, they know and many use the few words they know how to spell with confidence.

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

5 The methods recommended in the literacy strategy are used very well throughout the school. As a result, pupils’ skill in different aspects of writing and reading develop at a good rate. For instance, in Year 4 pupils are further on than expected in planning and drafting a story, using punctuation and grammar and their understanding of the different styles of authors and the purpose of different texts. Teachers plan well and assess pupils’ achievements very carefully to ensure that their skills develop consistently as readers and writers. Classroom fiction collections are used effectively to recommend stories and authors and pupils are taught well how to choose what to read. Their reviews of the books they read are of good quality indicating that they have pronounced preferences and can explain their reasons for them. The school library contributes well to their knowledge of books in general, particularly with regard to seeking out information and pupils have transferred this

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

interest to their use of public libraries. Teachers provide a good variety of texts to stimulate pupils’ imagination and interest. For instance, in Year 6 pupils wrote their own version of Treasure Island, choosing vocabulary and sentence structures to capture the character and speech of the pirates. Challenging texts are provided such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This has resulted in pupils’ gaining a good depth of understanding of how language has changed and continues to change, and many have gained a good feel for the quality of poetic writing as shown in this example of a pupils’ interpretation of a witches’ incantation:

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

“Thrice the brindled snakes hiss Thrice and once the dog barked. Witches cry ‘tis time ‘tis time, Round and round the cauldron go.”

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curriculum, because the teaching of key skills from the youngest class up is

6 From the youngest classes up pupils can use reading and writing to help them learn in other subjects. For example, the youngest pupils write accounts of life in a hospital at the time of Florence Nightingale whilst older pupils use their reading skills to research the difficulties and dangers for working class children in Victorian times. Pupils have no difficulty recording their science experiments and in reading questions posed on the screen or in text books.

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

management of the schools finances are very good.

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

7 At the time of the previous inspection, the leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher was found to be effective. This has been maintained and further developed to include subject leaders. The headteacher communicates the school’s aims very well to staff, parents and pupils. It is clear to all that there is an expectation of high achievement and a commitment to include all pupils in the opportunities provided by the school. Caldershaw Primary School - 13 - February 2002 8 The staff work very well together as a team. They are made to feel valued and their opinions sought. For example, there are good systems in place to ensure that all staff contribute to the process of school development planning. The school has responded well to the pressures brought about by the many national and local initiatives because the headteacher has kept a careful eye on the number of improvements taken on board at any one time. Consequently, teachers are able to concentrate

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

effectively on those areas that are currently being developed. For example, a good allocation of time was made to introduce and prepare them for the procedures of performance management. They are confident that the process is useful and supports both their own professional development and school improvement. Another good example, has been the school’s response to ensure that all pupils are included in its provision and that all are made aware of life in a multi-ethnic society. Resources and adequate time was identified in the school’s system of improvement planning. The staff worked together with governors to understand their new responsibilities. A questionnaire was drawn up to find out how pupils felt about the issues and their responses were analysed. From this, and other sources, the school was able to produce good guidance to inform classroom practice and a document that would allow this aspect to be monitored effectively. This was high quality work in response

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

9 In the current year, the school has had to face some difficult decisions with regard to its finances. There has been a cut in the amount of release time from class responsibilities for staff to monitor the teaching and provision in their subject. Never the less, monitoring of pupils’ progress, the standard of their work and curriculum planning is carried out very effectively. In general, subject leaders are well informed about the strengths and weaknesses in their subject area. Despite the fact that this is a small school, and teachers have to oversee more than one subject, nearly every subject is led by a teacher with special expertise or experience. The contribution of subject leaders to the promotion of good standards stems from the solid base of their own good knowledge and classroom practice. The co-ordinator for special educational needs provides good leadership, but has barely adequate release time to

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

oversee the many tasks related to this responsibility. The good provision for pupils has been maintained because teachers and learning assistants have contributed much of their own time. These difficulties have arisen from the financial constraints, some of which are directly related to decisions taken by the local education authority.

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The headteacher and key members of provide very effective leadership and the

10 The school has a good long term view of its capability to maintain and develop the good standards it has already achieved. However, its present level of admissions and its consequent financial position are threatened. The headteacher has correctly identified that the provision of a nursery class would sustain the current level of admissions and, that without it, admissions may decline. A considerable amount of time has been spent on bidding for a nursery class. The bid has been unsuccessful, thereby not only creating an aspect of concern for the future but also taking up valuable time. The school manages its funds very well and so resources are targeted at priorities. However, at the present time, it is not in a position to ensure that staff, with areas of responsibility have enough release time to carry these out as effectively as they would like.

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The pupils develop very good attitudes to their school, to their teachers and to each

11 Pupils are proud of their school and appreciate the opportunities provided for them both in lessons and in activities out of lesson times. A large number of pupils in Years 3 to 6 take advantage of extra lessons to learn to play a musical instrument and clubs Caldershaw Primary School - 14 - February 2002 such as the chess club and those for sporting activities are well attended. During lessons pupils support each other with helpful suggestions and are generous in their appreciation of each other’s efforts. During an assembly celebrating the musical achievements of those who go to special tuition, all the pupils responded exceptionally well even when the occasional wrong note slipped in to the performance.

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The pupils develop very good attitudes to their school, to their teachers and to each

12 Pupils settle to work quickly and respond well to teachers’ expectations that they will work hard. They come to school in the mornings ready to begin work, and when they start back to lessons at different times during the school day, they settle quickly to tasks, even on the day when a brief respite from rain allowed them a short time for outdoor play. Children in the reception class are confident and happy to separate from their parent or carer when they arrive at school in the morning and at the end of the afternoon, are keen to tell them of the day’s events.

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The pupils develop very good attitudes to their school, to their teachers and to each

13 Throughout the school, pupils share with their parents the interest they have in their lessons. This results in good support from home, when pupils undertake unusual tasks such as those in design and technology, and parents are happy for items to be brought into school to support learning in class. For example, in the reception class children, excited by the class play activity based on space travel, brought from home numerous pictures and books about space travel, including a wallpaper frieze. Year 5 pupils have a particular interest in history and have brought many items from home to support learning in their different history topics.

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The pupils develop very good attitudes to their school, to their teachers and to each

14 Relationships throughout the school are good. At play time, pupils mix well across the age range and boys and girls often choose to play together. Older pupils respond well to the appropriate opportunities provided for them to care for younger pupils. Pupils are confident that their teachers and other adults have their best interests at heart. This pays dividends on the few occasions when upsets occur as pupils feel that adults will deal with them fairly. The headteacher is always on hand to listen to any problem a pupil may have and they are clearly happy to go to him with their difficulties. The pupils responded very positively to the school’s wide ranging questionnaire, distributed in the previous academic year, in order to ascertain pupils’ opinions on school provision.

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Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics

15 A very effective plan of action was established to address the school’s current focus on raising standards in mathematics. The implementation of the plan is a good example of the school working well together as a team. The subject leader for mathematics, who is a leading mathematics teacher for the local education authority, leads the initiative supported by the headteacher. All staff is involved through discussions and their assessment of the achievements of the pupils in their class.

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Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics

16 The standards achieved by the pupils in Year 6 in 2001 were in line with the national average but above average in comparison to similar schools. The results represented satisfactory achievement for the pupils in comparison to their test results at the end of Year 2. However, their performance in mathematics compared badly to their performance in English which was well above average. The school looked very closely at the test papers and realized that a few pupils had missed gaining the higher level (Level 5) by a very few marks. This was not taken as a reason to explain away the results in mathematics but as a starting point for the school’s action plan. Caldershaw Primary School - 15 - February 2002 17 At the end of the summer term, the subject leader carried out a very thorough audit of the school’s provision in mathematics and pupils’ achievements in each year group. The results of half termly assessments and tests at the end of the year were

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Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics

analysed. This led to a clear picture emerging as to where the weaknesses lay. After discussion with teachers, planning and some methods of teaching were altered so as to give more prominence to these areas of weakness. A further analysis, this time of year group tests, was undertaken at the end of the autumn term in order to check if the improvements had been effective.

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Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics

18 The school has successfully raised the standard of teaching and pupils’ learning by looking at ways to match work closely to pupils’ individual learning needs and by sharpening up the quality of mental sessions and the questions and problems posed to pupils. The methods recommended in the numeracy strategy are used effectively. Teachers’ high expectations are communicated to pupils so that there is a buzz of purposeful and co-operative activity whilst pupils work on mathematical tasks.

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Well-managed action is effectively raising standards in mathematics

19 It was decided to target pupils in Year 6 to provide as much support as possible for the different levels of attainment. Once a week, the subject leader is released by the headteacher to take a group of pupils from Year 6 who could reach the higher level (Level 5) if given an extra push. After school there is a special class, for those who learn more slowly than others; and on Friday a club provides revision for all levels of attainment. Unlike the previous year, the school has now identified those pupils of very highest attainment and these are given work that extends into the programme of study beyond Year 7. All groups of pupils look forward to their extra tuition eagerly. The standard of mathematics has gone up because the effective plan of action has improved planning and teaching. Enthusiasm for mathematics has spread throughout the school.

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There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their

progress and teachers use this information well to plan for future learning.

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There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their

20 The school has worked hard to improve the quality of its assessment procedures and the manner in which they are used. At the time of the previous inspection, assessment in English, mathematics and science was in need of improvement. The deputy headteacher, as assessment co-ordinator, set up a clear action plan to address this. There are now very good quality procedures to assess pupils’ understanding at the end of each half term. There are also a range of useful assessments to check the progress of the pupils, in Years 1 to 3, in key skills such as their knowledge of letter sounds. The introduction of new nationally recommended guidance for children up to the end of the reception year has meant that procedures for assessment at this age needs changing. The school is in the process of doing this, working within the guidelines of the local education authority advisory service.

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There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their

21 The pupils’ own assessment folders, that provide a valuable record of pupils’ progress term by term, are used by co-ordinators to check that teachers are all assessing pupils in the same way. This has helped teachers to become skilful at assessing what level pupils have achieved in relation to the levels identified in the National Curriculum. Teachers know their pupils well. They ask perceptive questions as lessons proceed to check their understanding. Work is marked very well to reflect the objectives set for the tasks so that teachers are in a good position to plan the next step in pupils’ learning, based on what pupils know and understand. The level of difficulty provided for tasks is therefore generally well matched to pupils’ needs and is a principal factor in the good teaching in the school. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs assesses the achievements of this group of pupils

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There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their

Caldershaw Primary School - 16 - February 2002 well, as do the learning support assistants who work on special intervention programmes with those who have fallen behind in literacy. Occasionally, though, targets are set for them that are too broad and, as a consequence, they are not useful as assessment tools. This mainly arises because the co-ordinator does not have enough time to check the quality of the targets set by class teachers for those pupils at an early stage of intervention.

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There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and tracking their

22 Parents are involved well in the assessment of pupils’ reading through the home school reading diaries as many write perceptive comments on how well their child has read at home. Group targets for mathematics and writing are set at the beginning of each half term and these are shared with pupils and parents. Teachers refer to them in their marking of pupils’ work.

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High quality displays of work by both staff and pupils contribute to pupils’ learning

23 The school pays special attention to the quality and purpose of displays. In classrooms and in the communal areas of the school high quality displays reflect pupils’ work from every subject. Particularly noticeable is the fact that there are many displays of written work. Pupils show an interest in the work displayed and are often to be seen reading the work of others. It is not just because it is eye-catching, but teachers have encouraged pupils to pay good attention to what is displayed, to read the stories, rhymes and informative accounts, and to learn from the work of others.

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High quality displays of work by both staff and pupils contribute to pupils’ learning

24 In the entrance hall, a wealth of photographs and apt captions commemorate events in the life of the school. It is an effective way of providing a history of the school and it helps establish a strong feeling of belonging to a community. Art work, both three and two dimensional, adds to the decorative nature of the displays and special pieces are framed in a school ‘art gallery’ section of the corridor. The dining hall is a celebration of art from different parts of the world, with good accompanying explanations of what it symbolizes in the cultures of that country. Here there are fabric prints from Africa, Aboriginal patterns, pictures from Japan, China and North America, Khamzas hands, representing friendship from Morocco and Islamic patterns, all providing pupils with an understanding of the vibrancy of art from the world’s many different peoples.

p.16

High quality displays of work by both staff and pupils contribute to pupils’ learning

25 Two central displays show the progression of work in English and mathematics from the youngest pupil to the oldest. Visitors, parents and pupils can judge the school’s expectations of standards from this collection of work and it serves as a useful reminder of how pupils develop. Another board is allocated to the pupils for them to show what they do in different out of school activities. Here amongst other work, some lower attaining pupils who attend the after school mathematics booster club tell others how much they have enjoyed it. Some teachers allow pupils to select work and assemble a display board in their own way. For instance, Year 5 displayed their own work from a history topic on the Ancient Greeks. Pupils explained how interesting they found this activity and others had been equally interested in viewing the results. The work displayed is from pupils of all levels of attainment and its value

p.16

High quality displays of work by both staff and pupils contribute to pupils’ learning

lies in the importance teachers place upon it, thereby helping pupils gain a good view of the relevance of their efforts.

p.16

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

Caldershaw Primary School - 17 - February 2002 26 The school has identified the need to improve provision for information and communication technology by planning for its use in all subjects and improving the resources it has to provide more opportunities for varied activities. These plans have been delayed by the long-term absence of the co-ordinator. Pupils in Year 6 have enough knowledge and skills to use computers to the standard expected for their age but they have had few opportunities to explore its use in a wide range of contexts. As a result, they do not think of the many possibilities for benefiting their work, for instance, in using a program to help them design different types of temporary structures in design and technology lessons, or using a graphics program to repeat a pattern they have created in art.

p.17

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

27 In the reception class, planning provides well for children to use computers and to learn about information and communication technology. Children are given good opportunities to use computers and to understand their place in the modern world. For instance, a particularly good feature of the planned play activity based around a space craft was the imaginary computer controls for the rocket and the radio system for communication to earth. However, in Years 1 to 6, teachers’ planning does not include enough use of information technology in its various forms. Pupils are taught well to draft their written work and to proof read their final pieces, but links with word processing have not been fully established so that pupils can compare the different methods of working. Programs have been used to try out various art techniques, for instance Year 4 pupils worked on a program simulating the style of a well-known

p.17

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

French impressionist, but opportunities to link computers with work in music, particularly in notation and composition are few. The many possibilities to develop and improve presentation have not been sufficiently exploited.

p.17

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

28 Pupils understand that computers are a very good tool for accessing information and many pupils use their computers at home to research subjects they are studying in school, including history, geography and science. They frequently bring information or pictures from home that they have obtained from the internet or from CD-ROMs. The school library records are kept on computer and this is a useful way of helping pupils understand how systems benefit from computerization. Pupils working in Year 5 were introduced to a program to store and interpret the information gathered from the field trip to a local village they had undertaken in geography. They made good gains in their knowledge of the care needed to in-put information and the technical vocabulary of data handling. However, all pupils worked on the same task and the organization of the lesson meant that there was no opportunity to extend the learning of the higher

p.17

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

attaining pupils or support those who learnt more slowly. As well as the computers in the suite, a computer for each class is sited in the bays outside the classrooms. With only one machine, pupils are restricted in how much work they are able to undertake. Although computers are used to access information, and for word processing, in the main these class computers are not used enough.

p.17

learning for all groups of pupils in all subject

29 The development of the subject has been unavoidably delayed. Staff are due to attend training in the coming months and there is an eagerness to tackle this area with the same commitment as has been shown for previous developments. There is not a wide enough range of software and the variety of equipment is limited. There is now some urgency to improve resources, staff skills and planning for the benefit of the pupils.

p.17

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

30 Teachers’ planning both for half a term ahead and for a week ahead does not provide enough focus on developing pupils’ skills as speakers. The language policy Caldershaw Primary School - 18 - February 2002 document devotes a full and thoughtful section to the importance of this aspect in order to deliver the National Curriculum, and the school had identified this as an area for development. It is not yet, however, transferring into consistent practice in lessons. Teachers have not drawn on effective strategies to develop pupils’ skills in speaking to underpin their learning in reading and writing.

p.17

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

31 In the reception class some activities provided good opportunities for children to practice their skills in speaking, but a few activities were less fruitful, mainly because the organization of the classroom meant that an adult could not intervene. The area structured for imaginative play allowed children to pretend to take a journey into space. It was exciting to them; they could imagine setting off in a rocket or exploring the surface of the moon using the excellent resources provided, all of which developed vocabulary and encouraged talk. Children using this area were supported effectively by the nursery nurse who frequently joined in with the play, to help encourage ideas and interactions. However, some activities were not so successful. For instance, children were provided with water play, bubbles having been added to the tray to increase their interest. Four children played reasonably well pouring from

p.18

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

containers such as teapots and pans. They did not talk to each other very much, although one child pointed out that when he poured, instead of more bubbles coming, as he expected, a bubble free circle of water was created. This could have been developed into a group discussion with suggestions for further exploration if an adult had intervened at this point. This activity, as with a few others was not structured sufficiently well to encourage conversations with others or to help children to talk and plan together about how they would solve a problem or complete a task.

p.18

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

32 In Years 1 to 6 teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in speaking, and to use well-planned talk to underpin learning in reading, writing and other subjects. Class reading sessions are done well, and pupils join in enthusiastically when asked to do so. However, planning indicates too few occasions when these sessions are enlivened by staff or pupils taking on the roles of story characters so that new vocabulary can be tried and a range of situations explored through drama and interaction, thereby underpinning pupils’ learning about reading, plot and character while extending their skills in speaking. The popular method of ‘hot seating’ to develop pupils’ confidence and their knowledge and understanding of context in language, through different topics is not widely used. In a lesson in Year 3, lower attaining pupils wrote the endings of several well-known fairy stories in a

p.18

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

session on extended writing. They worked mainly in silence when an opportunity to share ideas, perhaps by being briefly partnered to read to each other their endings, would have resulted in more talk, and sentence structures being practiced through speech as well as in writing. Another example of a lesson where good learning took place, but it could have been very good or excellent if pencil and paper had been used less, was in a lesson using dictionaries in Year 2. Here listing words alphabetically by writing them down was a slow way for many to record what they were working on, when using a variety of methods such as tape recorders, computers and simple ordering of cards would have increased the interest, the amount of purposeful talk and the speed with which the pupils could have worked. Teachers ask well targeted questions so as to ascertain pupils’ understanding of the concepts being taught but

p.18

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

questions to help pupils develop their skills in explanation and description are less evident and so pupils’ oral contributions to lessons are often quite brief.

p.18

Opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills

33 Teachers rarely identify specific objectives for the talk in their class for the week. As a result, they are not in a position to assess how well pupils are achieving. In the main, by the time pupils are in Year 6, they have acquired a good vocabulary and they can express themselves articulately. They listen to others very well and pick up on the Caldershaw Primary School - 19 - February 2002 main points of a discussion. However, their ability to reason out and amplify their ideas is more limited, and some pupils, even those of higher attainment are content to give simple answers. This is noticeable when pupils are interrogating a complex text to unravel the different strands of meaning.

p.18

Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have

learnt over a period of time and at the end of a lesson.

p.19

Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have

34 A good start has been made to helping pupils understand how well they are learning. For instance, at the start of each half term, group targets are set for pupils in mathematics and writing. The targets are shared with parents at parents’ evenings, and displayed in classrooms so that teachers and pupils can refer to them. Whilst all pupils know their targets, not all understand how well they are doing in relation to them. This reflects the fact that the school has not fully developed this aspect of its work.

p.19

Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have

35 At the start of most lessons, teachers share the objectives for learning with pupils. However, in some lessons, opportunities are missed to help pupils assess how they are doing, both as the lesson proceeds and at the end. Teachers plan a session at the end of each lesson to draw together the learning that has taken place in the main body of the lesson. In these sessions, a sharp focus is sometimes missing, and the session relies too much on valuing pupils’ efforts rather than clarifying learning. In some lessons, pupils are very well motivated because teachers have set a well- understood challenge at the start. In a Year 5 lesson for instance, a session on learning to spell words with the ‘ough’ string of letters was very effective because the teacher made it clear what it was she wanted pupils to achieve and challenged them to do their best. As they worked she let them know how well they were doing.

p.19

Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have

However, in a mathematics lesson in Year 2, requiring pupils to use the strategy of partitioning a number to calculate their answer, a number of pupils did not work successfully because the teacher had not clearly set the objective at the start of the lesson and told the pupils what was going to be checked in the closing session.

p.19

Greater consistency in the way teachers help pupils understand how well they have

36 In the reception class, staff are very good at letting children know how well they have achieved. For instance, after a word recognition session, the children and teacher talked about how many of the words they now knew and how they had improved from the previous week. In the older classes, informal reading assessments are undertaken regularly, but the outcomes are not always shared with pupils to help them understand how to improve. In the sessions organized with learning support assistants for pupils who have fallen behind with literacy work, pupils are not given a clear idea of how well they have achieved. For instance, those learning spellings know how well they have done that day because incorrect spellings are tackled immediately, but they are not given a view of how well they have achieved over a longer period of time. A few pupils with special educational needs have targets that are too broad and so they are not able to judge whether they have met their targets.

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37 The headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) improve the use of information and communication technology to support the learning for all groups of pupils in Years 1 to 6 by developing: *

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) resources and staff’s skills through training; Caldershaw Primary School - 20 - February 2002 (b) planning so that information and communication is used in all subjects; and (c) teaching methods so that computers can support the learning of all groups of pupils; (Paragraph references: 26, 27, 28 and 29)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve planning and teaching to include more opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in speaking; (Paragraph references: 30, 31, 32, 33) *

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) ensure that teachers are more consistent in the way that they help pupils check how well they have done at the end of lessons and after assessment activities;(Paragraph references: 34, 35, 36)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* These areas had already been identified in school development planning Caldershaw Primary School - 21 - February 2002

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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 five percentage points.

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) - 220

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals - 17

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 29

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 27

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

School data 4.8 School data 0.4 Caldershaw Primary School - 22 - February 2002 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Caldershaw Primary School - 23 - February 2002

p.22

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 13 17 30

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

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

Boys 13 12 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 16

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (87) 93 (94) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 12 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 16

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (90) 93 (100) 97 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.23

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

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

p.23

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 12 22 34

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 12 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 19 21

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (91) 88 (76) 97 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 10 10 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 18 20

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 82 (74) 82 (76) 94 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.23

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Caldershaw Primary School - 24 - February 2002 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.23

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

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.24

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

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage

p.24

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

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

p.24

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

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.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.4 Financial year 2000/01

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 432,175

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 422,364

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 128 Expenditure per pupil 1,911

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 16,905

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) - Balance carried forward to next year 26,716

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher -

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff -

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Caldershaw Primary School - 25 - February 2002 Caldershaw Primary School - 26 - February 2002

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 70 27 3 0 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 42 1 0 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 51 11 0 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 37 9 1 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 18 1 0 1

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 30 0 0 1

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 58 36 7 0 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 64 33 1 0 2

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 36 1 0 1

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 38 20 3 12

p.26