Bywell Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 15 th January 2002

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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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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. Bywell CofE Junior School - 3 - January 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bendigo Road Dewsbury West Yorkshire

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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 S Connor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1997 Bywell CofE Junior School - 4 - January 2002

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Team members

20704 Terry Elston Registered inspector 9843 Sarah Drake Lay inspector 22482 Bruce Potter Team inspector 21666 Andy Margerison Team inspector

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Team members

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services 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 Bywell CofE Junior School - 5 - January 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

Bywell CofE Junior School - 6 - January 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bywell is larger than most junior schools with 415 pupils on roll, 220 boys and 195 girls. It is mostly in Year 6 where the greater proportion of boys is found, with 60 boys and only 41 girls. The school is situated to the east of the former textile town of Dewsbury. This is now an area with pockets of high unemployment and social deprivation that qualify for support from Single Regeneration Budgets. There are 17 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is roughly in line with the national average. Around 23 per cent of the pupils are on the register for special educational needs, mostly with moderate learning difficulties, which is about average. Almost four per cent have statements, which is more than normally found. Around eight per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds, mostly Indian, and over four per cent have English as an additional language, with Gujarati the most common native

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

language apart from English. These figures are higher than in most schools. When pupils enter the school, their skills are broadly in line with the levels found nationally. During the last school year, 11 pupils entered the school other than at the usual time of first admission and five left it at times which were not those of the normal leaving or transfer for most pupils. This degree of mobility is not unusual.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. The very good leadership and management by the headteacher and key staff result in a clear focus on how to move the school forward. By Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above average in English and well above average in mathematics and science. Pupils achieve very well overall because the quality of teaching is very good, and all teachers have high expectations of them. These qualities, combined with the very good systems to monitor its performance, mean that the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ standards in mathematics and science are well above the national average. • The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear focus on the raising of pupils’ standards. • The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good progress. • The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good, and has a very positive impact on pupils’ personal development. • Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that they get the most out of lessons.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology (ICT), which are below those expected by Year 6. • Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to involve them more. 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 September 1997, and has made good progress in addressing the main issues from the last report. Standards in ICT have been raised by the school investing in more computers and providing a computer suite, but are still below those expected by Year 6. Assessment procedures are now well developed, and are an important factor in the raising of standards. The role of subject co-ordinators is now clearly defined, and they provide good support to teachers. The leadership has strengthened significantly, with the headteacher leading the way in the rigorous monitoring of standards of teaching and learning. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is significantly better than before, and is having a big impact on pupils’ personal development. The Bywell CofE Junior School - 7 - January 2002 school’s development plan has a clearer focus on the raising of standards, and its targets are now

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

appropriately detailed. The school does not, however, involve parents sufficiently in the school and progress here has been slow. Notable among other improvements, are pupils’ standards in mathematics and science, which are significantly higher than before, and standards in design and technology where the school has made good improvements in the way pupils are taught the design process. In view of the strengths in the leadership and teaching, the school is well placed to improve further.

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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

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high well above A* A English C C C A above average average B C mathematics C B A A below average well below D E science A B A A* average very low E*

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Key

Pupils’ results in mathematics and science last year were especially good, and boosted by the significant proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in the tests. In English, however, fewer pupils attained these levels compared with other schools, and this explains why their scores are lower than in mathematics and science, and only average. The overall results over the last three years show a rate of improvement in line with that found nationally, although the scores in mathematics have improved very significantly, from average in 1999 to well above in 2001. The school comfortably exceeded its challenging targets in 2001 in both English and mathematics and looks set to do so again this year. Compared with pupils from similar schools, the results are impressive, and in the top five per cent of these schools in science. This inspection confirms these high standards in mathematics and science,

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Key

but finds standards in English have improved and are above average; this is because teachers are stretching higher attaining pupils better, and they are now achieving the high standards of which they are capable. Standards in ICT are below average, but improving as the impact of the new computer suite is felt. The school still has too few computers, but more are due to arrive soon. In physical education, pupils’ games skills are very good, and boosted by expert teaching from qualified coaches. This gives pupils the skills to compete very successfully against other schools in football, netball and cricket.

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Key

Given pupils’ average standards on entry to the school, they make very good progress to attain these levels. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards their targets because they are supported appropriately, and the ability sets provide them with work that is challenging, yet achievable. Pupils with English as an additional language do very well at this school; they profit from good support from all staff and soon gain a good use and understanding of English.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school These are very good. Pupils are very proud of their school, enjoy their work, and delight in their successes. Bywell CofE Junior School - 8 - January 2002 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good, both in class and outside in the playground. Pupils listen very carefully to their teacher, and this ensures a brisk pace to lessons and a very good rate of learning.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. They are keen to take responsibility, work independently when required and are quick to show initiative. Relationships are very good between all members of the school community, and have a significant impact on the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and the progress they make.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very high compared with other schools, and this has a very positive impact on the standards that pupils attain.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, high attendance rate and enthusiasm for school are key reasons for their good progress.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

Overall, the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning is very good. During this inspection, there was no unsatisfactory teaching. There are no weak links in teaching in this school and the standards attained by pupils in the national tests in Year 6 reflect the consistently high quality of teaching as they move through the school. The teaching of the basic skills of reading is good, and nearly all pupils read fluently. The teaching in numeracy lessons is very good, and this is why pupils’ number skills develop so well. A great strength in the quality of teaching is the challenging expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour which result in them acquiring new knowledge and skills quickly. It also motivates them to put considerable effort to their work and to strive for even higher standards. Other strengths are the high quality of planning, skilful questioning techniques and insistence on pupils being very precise in their

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

answers and providing evidence to support their views. Thorough assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress enables teachers to plan challenging work so that the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, pupils with English as an additional language and the gifted and talented, can be met.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

The strong features of pupils’ learning are their knowledge of their own learning, their initiative in problem solving, their willingness to take a risk when challenged and their keenness to learn from mistakes. As a result, they make significant headway in a short time.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is good. It is well organised, and gives pupils a rich variety of experiences, while focusing appropriately on the tasks necessary to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. There is a good range of activities after school to enrich the curriculum for older pupils but not so much for Years 3 and 4. Personal, social and health education gives pupils very good ideas on how to live healthily, express their feelings and value the opinions of others. Bywell CofE Junior School - 9 - January 2002 Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is good. Pupils have clear targets set for them, and their very good progress is monitored systematically.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The few pupils with English as an additional language are integrated very well into all school activities, make very good progress and soon gain a good use and understanding of English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, and contributes significantly to the school’s caring, friendly and inclusive ethos. Very good spiritual provision of times of prayer and reflection, and opportunities to appreciate the beauty of art, music and nature. The very good provision for social and moral development is reflected in the sense of community and respect for others in the school. There is a good range of opportunities for pupils to visit places of interest, attend residential courses and to take part in the creative arts. Very good provision for multicultural development enables pupils to appreciate the rich diversity of the world.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils well. Pupils’ progress and personal development are monitored carefully and this helps teachers provide good support for pupils’ academic and social development. Team building sessions and the ‘Befrienders’ group are important and effective ways that the school has to care for pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The well-balanced curriculum ensures that pupils develop a broad range of skills. All subjects meet the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. Very effective leadership from the headteacher inspires pupils and staff to aim for high standards in their work. Very good support from senior staff, Year Leaders and subject co-ordinators; all have a strong commitment to succeed and work very well as a team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities They do this well, and are led effectively by a knowledgeable Chair. Governors take a keen interest in the school, and have a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. They support the headteacher and staff well, and all statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Pupils’ results in the national tests are examined carefully to see where improvements can be made. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored systematically, and teachers benefit from very good guidance as to how they can improve.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The financial planning is good, and the school makes efficient use of all its resources to promote pupils’ progress and maintain a good balance between cost and effectiveness. The forward planning has appropriate targets that are helping to raise pupils’ standards. The new computer suite is used well, and is starting to improve pupils’ work in information and communication technology.

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Aspect Comment

These strengths in the leadership and management of the school are the reasons why teachers teach well, pupils learn quickly and the school keeps improving. The school has good procedures for securing the best value from its spending and monitoring the effect this has on pupils’ standards. Bywell CofE Junior School - 10 - January 2002

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The good progress that their children make. • The consistently good teaching. • The headteacher’s very strong leadership. • The very good standard of behaviour. • The consistency with which homework is set. • The quality of information about how well their child is getting on. • The school’s links with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views, but finds that the level of homework set is appropriate, and builds suitably as pupils get older. The formal ways the school has to communicate with parents and inform them about their child’s progress are good, but the inspectors agree that there are too few casual opportunities for parents and teachers to talk to each other. Very few parents help in school. Bywell CofE Junior School - 11 - January 2002

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils’ standards in mathematics and science are well above the national average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. In mathematics, pupils’ attainment in the 2001 national tests was well above average, and this inspection shows that the school has maintained these high standards. The school has done very well to improve pupils’ scores in the tests over recent years, particularly since 1999, when they were in line with national expectations. Crucial to this improvement has been the very strong and effective leadership provided by the mathematics co-ordinator, who has led the staff skilfully through the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. The school had done much of the ground work before the national strategy was introduced, with the co-ordinator and three teachers working closely with a local teacher-training institution to develop effective ways of teaching mental mathematics, in particular. This proved very successful at improving pupils’ quick recall of number skills, and meant that the school was very well set to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

implement the three-part lesson in line with the National Numeracy Strategy. At the same time, the school’s rigorous analysis of pupils’ scores in the national tests proved fruitful, and helped the school pick out weaknesses in, for example, pupils’ solving of mathematical problems. These were addressed successfully by providing an extra focus on developing these skills, and they are now a very strong element of pupils’ work.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The grouping of pupils by ability works very well in mathematics, with teachers in all groups providing work at just the right level to get the best out of pupils. This policy ensures that, while pupils with special educational needs have the benefit of working in small groups at tasks matched closely to their abilities, higher attaining pupils are set appropriately challenging work. As a result, most pupils with special educational needs attain national standards by Year 6, and around one third of all pupils attain higher levels.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Pupils’ use and application of their mathematical skills are particularly good. They solve problems quickly, and have the skills to check the accuracy of their results. Pupils have been taught very well the importance of trying different methods to solve problems, and this accounts for their confidence when a new challenge is set for them; as soon as the problem is set, pupils rush to their groups and work feverishly, testing out ideas and showing great delight when they are successful.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Pupils’ number skills are well above average. They multiply and divide three digits with two digits easily, and have a very good understanding of fractions and decimals. Pupils are comfortable drawing shapes using co-ordinates in four quadrants, and translating and rotating these shapes accurately when required. They have a very good grasp of length and capacity, and make good estimates of a wide range of measures. Pupils have a very good knowledge of the properties of triangles and polygons, and solve problems by using their knowledge of angles in intersecting and parallel lines. They collect and use data very well, using frequency tables to organise their findings, and representing these on accurate graphs, sometimes using computers. Their knowledge of probability is well developed, and all pupils are clear about the probability scale from zero to one. Bywell CofE Junior School - 12 - January 2002

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Pupils make very good use of their mathematical skills in other subjects, and this helps consolidate their understanding. In design and technology, for example, the teachers insist on accurate measurement, and in information and communication technology the work on spreadsheets does much to reinforce work on calculation. In science, pupils’ line graphs, to show how quickly sugar dissolves, give them excellent practical experience of using skills learned in mathematics lessons.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In science, the school has maintained the high standards shown in the latest national tests. Nearly all Year 6 pupils are working at levels at least in line with those found nationally and over one third are attaining higher levels. As in mathematics, the high quality of the subject’s leadership has been an important factor in the steadily improving standards over the last four years. The co-ordinator has the advantage of previous experience teaching science at secondary school level, and this helps to explain the high standards of pupils’ work that are often at levels normally attained by Year 9 pupils. The co-ordinator has made very effective use of the local education authority’s expertise to analyse pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and develop the curriculum to raise standards. This work, for example, illustrated shortcomings in pupils’ understanding of the solar system, and more focused teaching of this area

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

meant that pupils’ work on the earth in space is now of high quality. Pupils have a clear understanding of how the sun affects climate, explain why leap years are necessary and talk knowledgeably about solar and lunar eclipses. They use very good, accurate line graphs produced by a computer program to show the different rates that water evaporates from two sponges.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Pupils’ experimental work is of a very high quality, in the way they identify key factors to be investigated, plan their own experiments taking all factors into consideration and draw informed conclusions. In one excellent example of this, Year 6 pupils were set the task of separating salt from sand when the teacher’s toy lorry full of ‘salt for the chip shop’ overturned and spilled over a heap of sand. As soon as the challenge was set pupils rushed to their tables and excitedly went over their recent work on evaporation, condensation and dissolving to decide which processes would do the job. They tested their hypotheses with considerable skill, and were soon adding water to dissolve the salt, filtering the sand and using condensation to collect pure water. It was a lesson of breathless pace which showed why these pupils are young scientists, just as the teacher called them at the beginning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Pupils have a very good understanding of the life cycles of plants and animals, and their work on micro-organisms is excellent as they explore the growth of bacteria and track the research into this process from the time of Louis Pasteur. Their knowledge of light and forces is very well developed. Pupils investigate skilfully how light travels in straight lines, and the effect an object’s colour has on the way light travels through it.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. In both mathematics and science, pupils’ level of achievement, given their average standards on entry to the school, is very good. Pupils grow in confidence quickly in Years 3 and 4 because they are given a very good range of basic mathematical and scientific skills, and this means that when teachers in Years 5 and 6 require pupils to use them in independent work, they can. This explains why, in both subjects, pupils’ attainment in the national tests compares very well with those from similar types of school. Bywell CofE Junior School - 13 - January 2002

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

focus on the raising of pupils’ standards of work.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

10. The high quality of leadership and management is central to the school’s success. The headteacher has a very clear vision of what sort of school this should be, and communicates this effectively to the staff. This ensures that teachers have high expectations of pupils, who, in turn, always strive to produce their best work. These important foundations account for the continued improvement of the school, and ensure that pupils make very good progress. The headteacher is a very good communicator. He works hard to develop very good relationships in the school, and this has created an excellent team spirit so that pupils and staff work effectively together with a common purpose.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

11. The headteacher and senior staff are very good at looking critically at different aspects of the school to see how things could be done better, and this is one reason why pupils’ standards are so high. In particular, rigorous monitoring of pupils’ performance in the national tests has led to significant improvement in their performance. As an example, when the school identified weaknesses in pupils’ problem-solving in mathematics and their understanding of the solar system in science, teachers worked on these areas and pupils’ results in the following year’s national tests were much better.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

12. The headteacher and subject co-ordinators monitor teaching effectively. Teachers are observed regularly, and are given useful feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers value this process because it is done constructively, and the help they get helps them teach better. The headteacher sees teachers’ planning each week, and makes helpful comments when necessary. As a result, the quality of planning is very thorough, and provides a good structure to lessons.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

13. The headteacher works well in partnership with the deputy headteacher, and they share a common vision for the school’s development. The deputy is fairly new to the school, but is already contributing to the raising of standards, not least by the example shown by her own teaching.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

14. Year group leaders, important parts of the leadership structure, work effectively with teachers. They lead in the planning of the curriculum and of individual lessons, and play an important role in the evaluation of lessons. This is very good leadership; it sets high standards and has a powerful impact on the way lessons are taught, and pupils learn.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

15. A significant strength of the leadership is the way expertise from outside the school is used to raise pupils’ standards. The headteacher uses data from the local education authority to track pupils’ progress and look for trends over time. This works well, and helps to identify groups of pupils or individuals who are not performing as well as they should. In particular, this monitoring illustrated that few minority ethnic pupils were attaining the higher levels in the national tests, and the greater focus resulting from this ensured that these pupils achieved well in subsequent teats. The school has very good links with the local initial teacher training college that have done much to raise the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics. Three of the school’s staff and the mathematics co-ordinator joined a training course focusing on developing pupils’ mental mathematics skills before the

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

Bywell CofE Junior School - 14 - January 2002 National Numeracy Strategy was introduced; this gave the school a flying start when the strategy started in earnest, and these skills are now, particularly, well developed as a result.

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The leadership and management of the school are very good, and provide a clear

16. The governors, well led by the knowledgeable Chair, are enthusiastic, and provide good support to the staff. Many are new to the school, but they are aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and most visit the school often to monitor their areas of responsibility. They are keen to raise pupils’ standards, and have just started to monitor the school’s provision more systematically by adopting a subject, and meeting with co-ordinators to oversee the provision. Governors take a keen interest in the progress of the school’s good improvement plan, but are not sufficiently involved in the setting of its targets.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

17. Parents feel strongly, and with justification, that the key to pupils’ success at this school is the high quality of the teaching. The planning of lessons is thorough. It profits from the useful joint planning meetings in each year group, and the part played in these meetings by subject co-ordinators and Year Group Leaders. These factors result in well-informed plans, which are clear about what the lesson will teach specific groups of pupils, and how their progress will be measured. Teachers show a very good knowledge of the subjects they teach, and this gives pupils the confidence to ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. This represents a very good improvement since the school’s previous inspection when teachers’ knowledge was patchy, and shows the value of the rigorous in-service training teachers have had since then.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

18. Teachers are very good at introducing new work. Their explanations are clear, and they make sure that all pupils have understood the concept. Importantly, teachers tell pupils clearly what they should have learned by the end of the lesson; this is very good practice because it helps pupils focus on specific skills and enables teachers to assess their learning accurately at the end. Teachers use these regular assessments very well to put greater emphasis on areas of need, and revisit topics that pupils find difficult. In this way, pupils’ strengths are built upon, and their weaknesses addressed in a systematic manner.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

19. All teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attainment. They teach lessons which are always challenging but, because their assessments gained through testing are accurate, all pupils succeed at their own level. The groups set by ability work very well in this respect, because the highest attaining pupils are taught to focus on applying their advanced skills, whilst teachers of the lower attaining groups make sure that they understand the more fundamental ideas without expecting too little of them. Teachers’ insistence on pupils being very precise in their answers, and providing evidence to support their views, is very effective in raising pupils’ attainment; it makes them think very carefully when responding to a question, and encourages them to make the best use of their previous learning. All lessons move at a fast pace, with teachers keeping pupils focused by reminding them of the time limits. This works

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

well, and explains why, by Year 6, so many higher attaining pupils exceed nationally expected levels. Bywell CofE Junior School - 15 - January 2002 20. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour are just as high. In all classes, teachers make it absolutely clear what pupils are expected to do, or not to do, and they are consistent in their approach. This means that pupils learn at an early stage that they do not call out, for example, and that they should always respect the views of others. As a result, lessons are calm, no time is wasted getting pupils to behave and progress is swift.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

21. Teachers maintain pupils’ enthusiasm and concentration by providing interesting lessons that make the best use of stimulating resources, and give opportunities for pupils to be creative in their work. In science and mathematics in particular, teachers put great emphasis on setting pupils challenges and giving them responsibility for the way they explore a topic; this results in very good progress and high attainment because pupils remember what they have learned.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

22. Teachers use questions carefully to ensure that all pupils are thinking hard about the topic. To make this even more effective, teachers pitch questions at appropriate levels to different groups of pupils; this is excellent practice because it stretches gifted pupils and enables those with special educational needs to make equally valid contributions to lesson as others in the class.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

23. The teaching of literacy is good, and develops pupils’ reading skills effectively. In Years 3 and 4, literacy lessons have a very clear focus on teaching pupils how to attack new words, and this gives them confidence and fluency when reading. In Years 5 and 6, teachers ask pupils to use these skills to gain facts from a text by skimming and scanning, for example, or research a topic in books or on the Internet. In this way, pupils enjoy reading, develop good skills and begin to understand the value of being able to read well.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

24. The teaching of numeracy is very good, and ensures that pupils are very confident with number. The school has worked on developing the teaching of mathematics, and pupils’ rapidly improving national test scores show how effective this training has been. Teachers are especially skilled at developing the speed of pupils’ calculations. They use the mental mathematics session at the start of lessons very effectively to build up pupils’ basic skills, and then give them different strategies to work sums out quickly. This works very well, and enables pupils to approach new challenges with confidence.

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

25. A very good mathematics lesson which exemplified some of the strengths of teaching and learning saw pupils delighted when the teacher told them he would start with ‘Number Ninja’. This game, involving pupils in counting with increasing speed in multiples of four and eight, had pupils desperate to count faster and faster, and they were learning very good number skills almost without realising they were working. At just the right moment, the teacher moved on to the main part of the lesson which focused upon finding quick ways to add and subtract large numbers. He immediately captured pupils’ interest as he asked, “ You know how I like finding sneaky ways to do sums quicker ?” and they could hardly wait to share the teacher’s secret. Once he had explained about using the closest multiple of ten to make the sum easier, pupils worked excitedly to put the theory to the test. By the end of the lesson, pupils had

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The quality of teaching is very good, and ensures that pupils make very good

mastered the technique, and made very good progress in their mental mathematics. Bywell CofE Junior School - 16 - January 2002

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

good, and has a very positive impact on pupils’ personal development.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

26. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. It gives pupils many opportunities to explore a range of values and beliefs, and teaches them how these have an impact on people’s lives. In religious education, pupils learn about world religions, and, for example, develop a good understanding of how Muslims perform Salah and the festival of Id-ul-Fitr. This is important for pupils’ personal development, and helps them see people’s differences in a positive way, and that these differences enrich the whole of society. It is not just religious education, though, that enhances pupils’ spiritual development, but it pervades the whole of the curriculum. In English, for example, pupils are encouraged to appreciate the beauty of nature, and express their feelings in an animated way, as Year 5 pupils illustrated when they wrote:

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

On Thursday, the sun shone like a beautiful sunflower That had just been born;

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

and, when responding to the topic ‘The Sound of Silence’:

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

Might you hear a snail Leaving all its silver trail behind?

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

27. The very good provision for pupils’ moral development is founded on the very high expectations that staff have of them. All adults provide very good role models for the pupils and are very consistent in the way they show respect for both pupils and other adults. The school has a very positive approach to the management of behaviour; this begins as soon as pupils enter the school, and all adults take care to work in similar ways. This is very good practice, and teaches pupils how to distinguish between right and wrong, and how their actions have an impact on others. An excellent example of this is pupils’ work on ‘Difficult Choices’, when they were asked to consider something they had done that had set them a moral dilemma. One pupil wrote of finding some money on the floor, and taking it home rather than spending it. Another wrote animatedly about riding on the back of someone’s bicycle and, when

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

this was going to cause it to crash, made the decision to jump off, even though it would hurt. The high level of racial harmony at the school is the result of very good teaching about other races, and how people are the same underneath. One boy, for example, when trying to describe an Asian pupil to a teacher, talked about his height, make of shoes, hair style, type of jacket and virtually everything apart from his colour.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

28. Pupils discuss and decide on their own class rules, which are displayed in the classrooms and which they adhere to very well. Through their sporting activities, pupils are developing a healthy sense of competition, an awareness of rules and great pride in their team’s achievements. In class, there is a great emphasis on developing pupils’ self confidence, and this does much to enhance pupils’ personal development. One teacher, for example, when faced with pupils’ uncertainty about whether their answer would be considered ‘silly’, said, “ Don’t worry if your answer’s different from someone else’s – believe in yourself” and they did.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

29. The ‘Team Building’ sessions for Year 6 pupils are an excellent way of developing their social skills. The teacher who runs this session does it very well. He works on building pupils’ confidence and trust, using techniques such as pupils walking towards a wall, and trusting others in the group to stop them just before they bump into it. One highly effective session ended with pupils sitting in a circle and making a positive Bywell CofE Junior School - 17 - January 2002 statement about the person next to them, and was an example of how adults are committed to developing the best relationships possible.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

30. The ‘Befrienders’ group was created to provide pupils with opportunities to care for others. This very good initiative began with pupils and staff being trained by an Educational Social Worker to develop their counselling skills. Now, Year 6 pupils invite others to share problems, and have to make the decision whether to handle things themselves or refer the issue to an adult. This works very well, and helps not only troubled pupils, but also those who are developing the maturity and skills to support others.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

31. There is very good provision for pupils’ cultural development, which has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Western culture is promoted very well through work on famous scientists, artists and musicians, and, in geography, pupils learn much about their own culture in Kirklees. The teaching about other cultures is very good. Religious festivals from around the world are celebrated in class and assemblies, and pupils are encouraged to wear Eid clothes to show how people dress at this important time. In religious education, pupils’ work on the Jewish Passover shows a good understanding of the importance of this festival. Around the school, there are many displays and artefacts relating to different religions and cultures that give pupils daily reminders of the rich diversity of the people of the world.

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The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very

32. The school has worked hard to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and the effectiveness of this commitment can be seen every day as pupils work hard, play together happily and grow into responsible citizens.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

33. Parents feel, with justification, that the very good attitudes and behaviour of pupils are great strengths of the school and they are important reasons for them sending their children here. Pupils are courteous, interested in what others have to say and proud to show visitors around their school. In class, they show great respect when teachers and other pupils are speaking, and delight in other pupils’ successes. When speaking to adults, they are confident and self-assured. Parents, in their responses to the questionnaire and in discussions with inspectors speak very highly of the way their children grow in maturity at this school.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

34. Pupils have a great thirst for learning, and their enjoyment of school is shown by the high rate of attendance and punctuality. In class, they hurry to prepare themselves for work, and sit eagerly as the teacher begins the lesson. When the teacher starts speaking, all pupils listen carefully, and respond appropriately. In group work, the teacher just has to tell pupils what is required, and they rush to start the task. The teacher rarely has to remind pupils to concentrate, because they are quickly engrossed in their work. When set challenges, pupils work at a feverish pace, asking each other questions, and listening intently to the answers. These qualities were seen to very good effect when Year 6 pupils were set a task to find out how they know facts about the Ancient Egyptians. Working in pairs, pupils discussed the problem with great maturity, listening to each other’s views and valuing them even though they

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

may be in conflict with theirs. These differences were resolved easily, with pupils negotiating a common viewpoint which they then shared with the class.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

35. Pupils’ behaviour is very good, and significantly better than that reported in the school’s previous inspection, mainly because the quality of teaching has improved Bywell CofE Junior School - 18 - January 2002 and teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour are higher. Pupils learn the rules for good behaviour quickly in Year 3, and know what is expected of them. They learn to walk around the school sensibly, speak quietly, not to call out and listen carefully to the teacher. They soon realise that only their best behaviour will be good enough. Consequently, teachers can trust pupils to work independently, hold discussions in the knowledge that pupils will respect each other’s views and have fun with them without fear of losing control. This makes lessons enjoyable and very productive. Their behaviour is equally good in the playground, where small groups stand chatting, or play games sensibly.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

36. Pupils take responsibilities very seriously. At break times, for example, pupils can be seen running the tuck shop and taking charge of the reception area, answering the telephone and welcoming visitors. Year 6 pupils who apply to belong to the ‘Befrienders’ group make very mature written applications that show an excellent perception of what the role requires, speaking of a ‘willingness to listen’ and having an ‘understanding nature’.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

37. Pupils have a keen awareness of the environment, and the need to do their part to improve their surroundings. At lunchtimes, for example, groups can be seen picking up litter to keep the school tidy, and in geography they write perceptively about the effects of global warming. These feelings were expressed particularly well in their poems, that included:

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

Global warming brings sadness to children, No more snow, warmth always, Never seeing snow, I hope it snows this Christmas .

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, and their very good behaviour ensure that

38. These attitudes are central to the ethos of the school and, coupled with their very good behaviour, have a very significant effect on pupils’ attainment and progress. Bywell CofE Junior School - 19 - January 2002

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Standards in information and communication technology, which are below those

39. Pupils’ limited achievement and slow progress in ICT was also an issue at the last inspection, and improvements were initially slow as the school struggled with too few computers. The decision was made to develop a computer suite, and this good initiative was completed by March 2001. Alongside this development was the updating of classroom computers. The school still lacks sufficient computers, but there are 14 new machines due to arrive in February 2002, and these will ensure that the school has a better ratio of computers to pupils than is found nationally.

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Standards in information and communication technology, which are below those

40. The school’s assessments, and those provided by local education authority inspectors, show that standards are already showing a significant improvement. By Year 6, pupils have covered all of the required work in the ICT curriculum, albeit at a level that is about a year below their ages; the proportion attaining nationally expected levels has increased significantly from last year but still only around 60 per cent of pupils have average skills. Most pupils produce multimedia presentations to a reasonable standard, combining text, graphics and sound, and are good at considering audiences when designing their posters. They vary the font of their text, but many are slow on the keyboard, and make mistakes that affect the accuracy and appropriateness of their work. They make sound use of the digital camera, and download pictures on to the computer. Pupils use ICT adequately to support their learning in other subjects. In work related to mathematics, pupils use spreadsheets

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Standards in information and communication technology, which are below those

to calculate numerical problems, but their skills here are only at the level of Year 4/5 pupils, and few have the knowledge to check their formulae when things go wrong. Pupils have started to use the Internet at a basic level, and have a sound appreciation of how computers are used in everyday life.

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Standards in information and communication technology, which are below those

41. The quality of teaching in ICT, and pupils’ regular work in the computer suite is ensuring that they are learning at an appropriate rate. Teachers’ skills are improving with the training they have had, and this has resulted in more informed teaching and better learning than was seen at the last inspection.

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Standards in information and communication technology, which are below those

42. The co-ordinator for ICT has good skills, and is supporting teachers well in this period of change in the way the subject is taught.

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

43. The school’s previous inspection identified the need for more opportunities for all parents to discuss the work of the school. The links with parents are still unsatisfactory. The results of the pre-inspection parents’ questionnaire show that only 80 per cent of parents feel well-informed about their child’s progress, and 85 per cent believe that the school works closely with them. Formal procedures for parents to come to the school to talk about their child are satisfactory, with all teachers and the headteacher happy to see parents when they request a meeting. At these times, parents find school staff approachable and helpful. Parents’ meetings to discuss their child’s progress work reasonably well, although a few parents find the information too bland; as one parent put it, “ We didn’t know much more when we left than when we came ”. Pupils’ annual reports are satisfactory, and give some good comments on

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

their strengths and weakness. Very few parents, however, write anything on the section provided for their comments. Parents are expected to send the reports back Bywell CofE Junior School - 20 - January 2002 to the school, and this is unsatisfactory; few parents have access to a photocopier, and this means that they have no running record of their child’s progress or targets. Some parents find the computerised reports impersonal, and the school is to introduce a new package to make them fit individual pupils better.

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

44. Other information about the school sent to parents is of a good quality, and parents find this useful; it gives them a good understanding of new curriculum developments and keeps them informed about school events.

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

45. The school struggles to get parents to attend ‘curriculum evenings’, and the one concerning the implementation of the numeracy strategy attracted only 20 parents. Very few parents help in school, despite some encouragement from the headteacher.

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

46. Parents collect their children at the school’s gates rather than come to the school buildings. This is the result of some parents distracting their children at the end of the day when they were still working. While this system has resolved that problem, it means that the opportunity of informal exchange of views and information between parents and teachers is lost.

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Links with parents, which are not strong enough, despite efforts by the school to

47. The school recognises that their links with parents are not strong enough, but does not do enough to improve them, or find ways to involve parents more in the life of the school. The strengthening of these links does not appear on the school’s development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

48. To raise standards further and maintain the good rate of improvement, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) continue to raise standards in information and communication technology by ensuring that the school keeps pace with the ratio of computers to pupils that is found nationally, and (see paragraphs 39 – 42)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) forge more effective links with parents, and keep them better informed by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing the procedures at the end of the school day to enable parents to come into more regular contact with teachers;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing a copy of pupils’ annual reports for parents to keep;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• encouraging more parents to help in school. (see paragraphs 43 – 47) Bywell CofE Junior School - 21 - January 2002

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five 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) 415

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 70

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 95

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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 18

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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 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bywell CofE Junior School - 22 - January 2002

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 47 52 99

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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 35 39 46 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 43 48 51

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (82) 88 (82) 98 (89) 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 34 40 42 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 44 48 50

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (67) 89 (81) 93 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

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

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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 15 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Bywell CofE Junior School - 23 - January 2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.5 Financial year 2000-2001

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 738,220

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 750,115

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 205 Expenditure per pupil 1,799

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 22,000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 10,105

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bywell CofE Junior School - 24 - January 2002

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 49 46 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 56 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 50 14 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 46 15 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 39 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 33 1 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 29 56 12 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 49 44 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 39 2 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 38 10 2 15

p.24