Other · Ofsted report

Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School

Inspected — · published 20 Mar 2002 · URN 105352

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Wirral LEA (lead), Hamilton Building

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Inspectorssingle source
Hamilton Building, Wirral LEA
URN verified
105352

Page 1 of 29

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+72Very positivemore positive than 71% of reports of this type

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Praisevery wellvery highexcellentgood progresshigh expectationsstrongpositiveclear

Criticismnot alwaysweaknessesweaknessweakpoorinsufficientconcernsnot yet

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical

Findings3502w+59
Leadership1066w+63
What needs to improve4880w+85

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Pages: 29
Words of findings: 9,312; longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 46, typical 45
Average sentence: 17 words
Next steps: 8; typical 5
Hedged sentences: 5%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

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Findings 36%Leadership 11%What needs to improve 50%About the inspection 4%

Full report text

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 7 th November 2001

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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. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior (with nursery class)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Parr Lane Bury 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: Rabbi A Jaffe

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 1817 Paul Latham Registered inspector 11457 Jane Beattie Lay inspector 5072 Frances Cheetham Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Wirral LEA Department of Education & Cultural Services Hamilton Building Conway Street Birkenhead Wirral CH41 4FD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 23

Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School is a voluntary aided school established in 1987 to serve the needs of Jewish families in the area. The school is an Orthodox Jewish primary school with a strong religious ethos. Jewish Studies and Hebrew reading and writing are taught by separate staff funded independently from the National Curriculum activities of the school. The school promotes Judaism according to Halachic values and Jewish worship is also taught. There are 194 on roll (101 girls and 93 boys), aged between 3–11 years old, including 23 children in the newly established nursery class. The school is below average in size compared with most schools and is organised into single age classes. There are currently 41 pupils under six years of age. The school is located in a generally affluent area about three miles south of Bury, Greater Manchester. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The school’s intake has not changed significantly since the last

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

inspection. Just over one per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, significantly less than in most schools nationally. There are 12.4 per cent of pupils on the special educational needs register, which is below the national average. Nine pupils, one with a statement of special educational needs, are at stages 3–5 on this register with a range of difficulties, including mainly learning difficulties. The school is popular amongst parents. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is above the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school and is very effective in many aspects of its life and work. Pupils make very good progress throughout the school. By the time they leave, pupils attain standards that are very high in English, mathematics and science. Good teaching, effective lessons and pupils’ very good attitudes to their learning have a significant impact on their progress and attainment. The behaviour of pupils and their personal development are very good. Leadership and management are also very good and there is a shared commitment, with governors, to maintaining high standards. The many strengths of the school significantly outweigh the small number of areas that could be improved. The school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science, particularly by the end of Year 6. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work and the provision for their personal development is also very good. • The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in the classroom in order to support pupils’ learning. • The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in promoting high standards. • Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the assessment of pupils’ progress. • The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is reflected in the school’s values and the strong partnership that has developed. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• Whilst overall the teaching is good, there are some satisfactory lessons where teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon pupils’ own ideas and suggestions. • The clarity and cohesion in the vision for curriculum and practice throughout the Foundation Stage (3 to 5 year olds). • The provision for a policy and framework to enable pupils with particular gifts and talents to be developed as a specific group of pupils. 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

Overall the school has made very good progress since the last inspection which took place in November 1997. Standards in English and mathematics have remained consistently well above the national average since 1998 with year-on-year improvements. In science, there has been even more rapid progress since 1999 when standards were scarcely better than the national average. The overall quality of teaching has improved; there are now significantly more good or very good lessons. Informative schemes of work, helpful to teachers, have now been produced to cover all subjects of curriculum, supported by well thought out policies. Assessment arrangements for all subjects are now thorough, concentrating on monitoring what pupils have learned over time and supervised by each subject co-ordinator. The school is now placing considerable emphasis on the continuing professional development of all staff, with training in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). The

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

newly appointed deputy headteacher is currently engaged in a management development course. There has been some improvement in opportunities for pupils to show initiative and take responsibility for their own learning, especially in mathematical and science investigations and in design and technology. Some lessons, however, are still over-directed. Very good effort has been made to improve standards and progress in ICT and national expectations are now being met. It is now clear what needs to be taught in each year group and all National Curriculum requirements are being met. The school has purchased a good range of software to promote the use of ICT across the curriculum. The new ICT suite is timetabled for all pupils to use. Resources for ICT have improved. Design and technology now regularly features on the timetable – in accordance with national guidance. Standards are at least in line with national expectations. External funding to provide for support staff for

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

individual and groups of pupils is having a very positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. The school is now placing a greater emphasis on cultural development within the curriculum. Governors are more fully engaged in curriculum planning and monitoring and there is greater scrutiny by them of spending decisions to support school development planning. Training in child protection procedures has taken place. Older pupils have an annual opportunity to engage in more adventurous outdoor activities. All the issues raised in the last report have been addressed and the school is well placed to improve even further under the direction of the new headteacher. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 8

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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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STANDARDS

Compared with Performance in : All schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1999 2000 2001 2001 Very high A* English A* A A* A* Well above average above average A B

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STANDARDS

Mathematics A* A* A* A* Average Below average C D Science C A* A* A Well below average E

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STANDARDS

A* indicated that the school’s performance is in the highest 5% nationally;

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STANDARDS

The table shows that standards in English, mathematics and science are very high compared with all schools and are within the highest five per cent of schools nationally. Standards in English and mathematics are also very high compared with similar schools and in science they are well above the average for similar schools.

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STANDARDS

Trends between 1998 and 2001 show year-on-year improvements in English and mathematics. In 2000, there was a significant improvement in science, which dropped very slightly in 2001. All pupils leaving the school in July 2001, at the age of eleven, achieved the national expectation of Level 4 in English and science. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 or above is very high compared with similar schools in English and mathematics and well above average in science. Standards of work seen in class confirm these levels of achievement in all three subjects.

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STANDARDS

Statutory targets set by governors are appropriate and challenging and the school is well placed to meet them again this year.

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STANDARDS

Pupils enter the school with standards that are generally better than those expected for pupils of this age. Good teaching in the school helps to maintain this standard as pupils pass from Year 1 to Year 6. Pupils under five make good progress particularly in the nursery and they enter Year 1 with above average standards. Very good provision in the nursery ensures that children make an excellent start. By the end of Year 2, attainment has consistently been above average in reading and writing. Although there has been fluctuation since the last inspection in standards in mathematics in Key Stage 1, test results show that for the past two years standards are above average.

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STANDARDS

Evidence from lessons observed confirm this picture. Pupils are able to listen very well and speak clearly when answering questions in class. In mathematics, pupils demonstrate an excellent understanding of the number system and work with precision and accuracy. In English, very good examples of well-punctuated writing can be seen and this reflects the skills taught as part of their literacy programme. Science work is enhanced by pupils’ ability to conduct high quality investigations.

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STANDARDS

Standards in ICT and design and technology now meet the expected standard throughout the school. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good and a strength of the school. Pupils apply themselves well to their work, settle down quickly to tasks and work hard with high degrees of conscientiousness. Pupils are very courteous, they form constructive relationships with adults and each other. Pupils take pride in their work and in their school in general. When given the opportunity, they show initiative and a willingness to accept responsibility. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good – both in lessons and around the school. The school treats pupils with respect and they respond in a mature and sensible way. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. They show maturity for their age and a capacity to take initiative and accept responsibility by becoming involved in school routines on a daily basis. Attendance Very good and well above the national average. Both authorised and

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Aspect Comment

unauthorised absence are below the national average. The vast majority of pupils are punctual in arriving at school.

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Aspect Comment

These are all areas of considerable strength in the school. Personal relationships at all levels are good and pupils show respect for one another and for adults. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, apply themselves well to their studies, they work very hard and produce very well presented written work. Overall the provision for pupils’ personal development is very good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Good Very good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers’ planning and record keeping are invariably good and are based on very good assessment practice. Planning indicates clearly what pupils are expected to learn and teachers have consistently high expectations of their pupils. They explain new ideas very well, especially in literacy and numeracy lessons, where pupils are encouraged to listen carefully. Teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise are generally good and they have a clear view of progression. Class management of pupils and their behaviour is very good and they are kept on task throughout the lessons. Lessons are

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

invariably challenging to pupils, with good pace, particularly in lessons in Year 2 and Year 6. The needs of all pupils are addressed well. Special educational needs provision is well co- ordinated by the headteacher and good use is made of the support assistants. The needs of the higher attaining pupils are also well catered for. However, the school does not yet have formal arrangements to identify those pupils who bring to school special gifts and talents. The ICT teaching suite is used well and contributes significantly to the progress of most pupils. Some lessons, however, show features that do not always provide enough opportunity to enable pupils to actively contribute to the lesson and their learning. Pupils are sometimes over-directed. This limits the occasions for pupils to bring into the lesson what they already know and inhibits opportunities for them to learn from their mistakes and this restricts some

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

of the progress they make. Homework supports and enhances pupils’ learning well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 10 Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good, overall. The school has successfully integrated parts of the National Curriculum with the Jewish Studies programme and statutory requirements are met. There is a good range of interesting activities beyond the school day. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Support for pupils in lessons is very good. Provision is well organised, with good learning plans and supporting records for identified pupils. In lessons, pupils are given additional time and special tasks to enable them to learn at their own pace. The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice is fully implemented. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, overall. The school makes excellent provision to promote pupils’ moral development. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development is very good. Pupils’

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

cultural, family and religious background makes a very positive contribution to the curriculum. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. There are procedures for child protection and health and safety matters, which are fully implemented. Results of tests and on-going assessment are used well to target areas of learning with particular pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Assessment procedures are very good. The school tracks the achievement of all pupils and this ensures they are given appropriate tasks in class. Older pupils show care and consideration in helping to look after younger ones. Provision for personal development is a clear strength of the school and makes a very positive contribution to teaching and learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher offers strong and efficient leadership. She articulates a clear direction for the school and promotes high standards. There are coherent procedures and expectations of teachers to plan and evaluate academic progress of pupils. The role of other key staff in improving further the quality of teaching is being developed. There are very good management information systems to help analyse data on pupil performance. The impact on standards is very positive. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors are fully involved in the work of the school; they are highly committed and work in partnership with the headteacher to provide clear direction for the work of the school. They are mindful of their responsibilities to maintain standards in the school and promote the aspirations of the community they

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

serve. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has good systems to assess its own performance in relation to other similar schools, including reporting to governors. Much has been done to help teachers analyse the outcomes of their teaching and their pupils’ performance. The strategic use of resources Very good, in particular the way the school now deploys learning assistants in the classroom. Spending decisions are duly considered and evaluated well. The governing body understands the principles of Best Value well and is beginning to apply them when considering the purchasing of services.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is very well led and managed. The new headteacher has introduced a number of Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 11 significant developments including a programme for the professional development of staff and the management of their performance. The school has a good understanding of the principles of Best Value and is beginning to implement them in practice.

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improved

• Expectations made by the school that their children work hard and achieve their best. • The school helps their child to become mature and responsible. • The teaching is good • The school is well led and managed. • The school is approachable. • Children like coming to school. • Children make good progress. • Behaviour of pupils in school. . • The information about the progress of pupils. • The activities for pupils outside lessons.

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improved

The inspectors endorse all the positive views of parents. The majority of parents at the Parents’ Meeting confirmed the positive relationships they have with the school. Inspectors are satisfied that the information available to parents about the progress of their children has improved and is sufficient. The school offers a range of activities beyond the curriculum, which is comparable with other schools of a similar size. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 12

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

1. In the most recent National Curriculum tests for the year 2001, taken by eleven-year- olds, standards were very high in English and mathematics compared with all schools nationally and with schools in similar contexts. In English, all pupils gained the expected Level 4 and the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 in both English and mathematics was very high compared with all schools nationally. In science, standards were very high compared with the picture nationally, with all pupils gaining the expected Level 4. Standards in science were well above average compared with similar schools including the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5. Trends between 1998 and 2001 have shown year-on-year improvements in English and mathematics. In 2000 there was a significant improvement in science, which dropped very slightly in 2001. Work seen in lessons reflect these high standards.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

2. In the year 2001 tests for seven-year-olds, pupils achieved standards that were very high compared with all schools nationally and with schools in similar contexts in reading, writing and mathematics and in the teacher assessment in science. Over the past five years standards have remained above average in reading and writing although there has been more fluctuation in mathematics. As in Key Stage 2, work seen in lessons reflects these results.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

3. The school is successfully building on pupils’ achievements year-on-year. Pupils make very good progress in Key Stages 1 and 2. Teachers know their pupils very well and assess their academic progress rigorously so that they can plan precisely to take their pupils onto the next stage in their learning. The progress made by those pupils with special educational needs is very good. This is because of the very good support they receive, the specifically targeted work planned for them and a clear philosophy on educational inclusion articulated by the headteacher.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

4. In English, the great majority of pupils at all levels of ability make very good progress. Their excellent listening skills are demonstrated in lessons particularly when their teachers are introducing a topic or giving directions for the planned activities. They speak clearly when answering questions and are willing to discuss their work and their particular targets for improvement.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

5. Skills in reading are taught thoroughly so that standards in reading are good. Children from an early stage develop confidence in sounding and naming letters of the alphabet. They use phonic knowledge well to attack new vocabulary. In Year 2 pupils are developing a good knowledge of language structure and the characteristics of different types of texts such as fairy stories, poetry and information texts. From Year 3, pupils read aloud confidently from enlarged texts, recognising the differences between character, narrator and author. They can extrapolate from a text the personal characteristics of the people in the story. During the literacy sessions in Key Stage 2 pupils use information from a range of sources. Older pupils engage very effectively with the demanding reading matter when researching information on the Internet.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

6. The standard of writing seen at the end of Key Stage 1 is very good. These pupils produce a wide range of writing, communicating effectively key events, facts and lively Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 13 ideas with appropriate vocabulary. One such example, was the display of poetry in the style of Mathilda by Hilaire Belloch, which had been a topic of particular interest during poetry week. In literacy sessions pupils use informational texts to craft stories well. Higher attaining pupils demonstrate high standards, by selecting from a very interesting range of vocabulary, which enhances the content, creating good effects and adding precision to their stories. Many pupils of this age write in sentences that are correctly punctuated by full stops and capital letters.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

7. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to make good progress in writing. Teachers have been particularly successful in improving pupils’ writing so that by the time they are eleven, more pupils now reach the higher Level 5. Examples of writing include a good range of forms, including poetry, reports, diary keeping, writing instructions, chronological writing, pen pictures and note taking. Pupils use appropriate language to recount events and pay attention to tense in their diary extracts. Personal accounts demonstrate a good understanding of purpose and audience. Pupils’ imaginative writing often demonstrates interesting vocabulary and good use of dialogue.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

8. Opportunities for Year 6 pupils to access information from the Internet occur during literacy sessions. This adds to their understanding of historical figures and develops their skills of developing biographical writing. Their first drafts are of very good quality. They use their notes effectively to communicate key facts and events and presentation is of a high standard. Pupils use a range of punctuation in their writing and towards the end of the key stage many use paragraphs well to organise and structure their work.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

9. Older pupils, and particularly the high attainers, check the accuracy of their spellings using word banks and dictionaries. Pupils of all ages are aware of the importance of clear and neat presentation in their workbooks. By Year 6, pupils’ books are well presented with fluent and legible handwriting.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

10. In mathematics, reception aged children are beginning to recognise and name regular shapes such as circle, square, or rectangle. They show confidence in their use of mathematical vocabulary such as ‘bigger than’ or ‘smaller than’ in order to make comparisons. They use this knowledge to cut out shapes with accuracy and care and use them to create pattern or pictures. Song is used successfully to help children memorise properties of shapes. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of mathematical skills and concepts expected of pupils by the age of seven, for example in using and applying the concept of ‘clockwise’ and ‘anti-clockwise’ through movement using quarter and half turns.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

11. In Year 3, pupils have a growing understanding of the number system and can use it to quickly multiply numbers by ten and hundred. By Year 5 their understanding of the values of interior angles of regular shapes is very good. Pupils can use protractors to measure angles accurately and look for pattern in their recordings to help them calculate the sum of the interior angles of shapes with a larger number of sides. In number work they are able to estimate their answers well when engaged in long division calculations.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

12. By the end of Year 6, the majority of pupils can quickly respond to demanding mental calculations involving the four rules of number with at least four digits, number pattern and square numbers. They show a very good understanding of the metric system, shape and co-ordinates. They can measure extremely accurately the perimeter of shapes and calculate, using the most appropriate unit of measure, the area of a variety of shapes and spaces. Pupils understand fractions well and their knowledge of decimals is very good for their age. The majority of pupils can multiply on paper decimals with very good levels of speed and accuracy. Pupils use skills and knowledge to good effect in Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 14 other subjects especially science and design and technology.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

13. Overall standards in science by the end of Year 6 in 2000 and 2001 show a significant improvement on results in earlier years. The standard of work seen in lessons in the current Year 6 indicates that the trend of high standards in science is likely to be maintained. For example, pupils demonstrate well their organising abilities to sequence an investigation, in collaboration with others. In one lesson they carefully considered what might happen when trying to separate mixtures of materials and what equipment to use for best effect. Pupils make predictions, record them and, when asked, are able to justify them. Pupils explain with confidence and understanding scientific processes such as sieving and filtration and the appropriateness of using these different methods.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

14. By the end of Year 2, pupils are introduced to life processes and living things. In a lesson involving a toddler brought into school by a parent, pupils studied what the baby can and can’t do. Pupils were able to identify similarities and differences between themselves and the baby. Most pupils could understand the idea of the young growing into an adult over time. Work in Year 3 demonstrates the good progress pupils make in Key Stage 1. Pupils, through the use of a CD-ROM, find out about the sun, earth and moon. They display very good ability to work together and share information. They use reference material provided for them well, including a class display and books. The majority of pupils have a very good understanding of how the sun’s position changes during the day and how day and night are linked to the earth’s movements. Many pupils enjoy recalling the names and characteristics of planets in the solar system.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science particularly

15. The school provides good opportunity for high attaining pupils to excel and many achieve high academic standards in National Curriculum tests. However, pupils who are particularly gifted and talented are not given sufficient opportunity to excel even further or to use their particular qualities to inspire others and add new dimensions to the curriculum available.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

and the provision for their personal development is also very good.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

16. Pupils of all ages and abilities enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes to learning. They behave well in class and respond positively to their teachers who have high expectations. Throughout the school behaviour is well controlled and respectful. Pupils are considerate and courteous to each other and to adults. They listen carefully in class and respond appropriately to their teachers. Pupils’ response in lessons throughout the school is very good. They are keen to get on with their work and concentrate for progressively longer periods of time. Many pupils in all classes answer questions confidently and become involved in their work as soon as their teacher sets them tasks to do. Pupils work hard and complete a good range of activities to a good standard in the time available.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

17. Pupils show very good attitudes to their involvement in the termly revision of personal learning targets. These are shared with parents and pupils alike and serve as a focus for personal progress. Likewise, pupils show sensible attitudes to homework, in particular, Year 6 pupils are keen to accept the need for nightly homework in preparation for secondary school.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

18. In lessons, pupils show very good attitudes to their work. In the nursery, children are attentive and eager to participate in lessons, particularly in assemblies. Pupils throughout the school listen carefully to their teacher and settle down to work quickly working Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 15 diligently, frequently with care and precision. They face challenge eagerly and when given opportunities contribute to discussion in an enthusiastic and mature way. Pupils take a justifiable pride in their personal achievements and make a special effort to ensure that their recorded work is meticulously presented, particularly in Key Stage 2.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

19. Pupils respond well to science investigations. They display a keen interest in their work and show responsible behaviour when handling equipment and conducting experiments. Older pupils work together purposefully, applying intellectual effort and can explain reasons for the choices they make. Year 2 pupils, in their design and technology lesson, worked hard, mainly independently, and handled a range of equipment very sensibly and persevered until their tasks were completed. In mathematics pupils take responsibility for their learning seriously and that is evident when their tasks allow them the freedom to work independently or in small groups.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

20. Pupils demonstrate a pride in their work by presenting their written work well. They enjoy contributing to the displays around school. They take pride in identifying their own pieces of work, for example, pointing out their contributions to poetry week. They respond positively to the constructive feedback given by their teachers, which encourages them to work hard. They discuss their curriculum targets sensibly with adults and regularly remind themselves of their personal focus to help them achieve better results and high standards.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

21. The pupils’ very positive attitudes contribute significantly to the very high standards they attain and to the very good progress they make as they move through the school. The good range of extra-curricular activities available reinforce these very positive attitudes amongst pupils.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

22. Pupils’ cultural, family and religious background makes a very positive contribution to the curriculum. Values of honesty, fairness, respect and justice are actively fostered. From the nursery class onwards children learn to understand the results of their actions and become aware of the consequences.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

23. Pupils’ relationships with their teachers and support assistants are very good. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, feel comfortable and confident with all staff. Children in nursery and reception classes are confident and feel secure in class, when in the hall and on the playground. For example, they show enjoyment and display a high degree of confidence and control as seen during the ‘Tumbletots’ activity period.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

24. Pupils are encouraged to accept responsibility. For example, older pupils help care for and play with younger pupils on the infant playground and help out with structured circle games in the nursery playground. Accomplished readers are willing to help those who need support, while competent Internet users work alongside those who are not so confident.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

25. The school provides a very good range of activities to help promote pupils’ personal development and commitment to society through citizenship. For example, there is an effective school council with class representatives from Year 2 onwards. They meet every fortnight to discuss a range of matters including gathering the ideas of others and how people feel about life in school. The school council also fosters responsible attitudes and independent thinking amongst pupils and promotes the social development of pupils. The school also encourages a range of outside speakers from police, the health service, charity workers and others from the community who contribute to developing awareness of social responsibility. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to take part in a residential visit aimed at developing pupils’ team building skills. Pupils invite local senior citizens to Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 16

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they apply themselves well to their work

assemblies, serve them tea and talk to them. Competitions and projects for religious artefacts are enjoyed and pupils are encouraged to be ingenious and inventive with their choice of materials. Through the ‘healthy schools’ programme pupils are able to develop an understanding of health issues and gain awareness, which helps them make choices.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

the classroom in order to support pupils’ learning.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

26. The overall quality of teaching is good for all pupils. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and 66 per cent of lessons seen were good or better. Overall there has been an improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. Teaching is particularly good, especially at the end of the key stages and there is some excellent teaching in Year 2. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is also good with the specialist teacher and support staff deployed well. Provision is co-ordinated well by the headteacher and due regard is paid to pupils’ individual education plans.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

27. Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils and provide work that is demanding, often stimulating and very well matched to their different needs. Teachers’ planning is well thought through. They are clear about what they want pupils to learn and this is based on very good assessment practices, including the individual pupil targets set at regular intervals. This is a significant factor in helping all pupils to make very good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

28. Subject knowledge is generally very secure with a clear view on progression. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is good. Writing is taught very well, particularly at the end of both key stages, where lessons flow smoothly from direct teacher input, whole class interactive debate, individual work, to the summary of what has been learned.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

30. Teachers in nursery and reception classes give due importance to developing communication, literacy and numeracy skills. For example, in the nursery children are given a very broad range of stimulus to promote interest and early skill development. In reception there is a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. All teachers in Key Stage 1 teach basic skills very well, including the alphabet, the use of dictionaries and word banks in literacy. Knowledge of shapes and angles, skills in estimation and tallying numbers in mathematics are also taught well. The result is that many children can work independently by Year 2 and achieve very good standards in all aspects of their work.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

31. Teachers in Key Stage 2 build on this by enriching pupils’ experiences further. As pupils develop and mature more demands are made of them. For example, in mathematics, pupils are carefully taught the concepts to enable them to calculate mentally, including multiplication and division, and undertake practical activities such as measuring with accuracy, using time effectively to complete tasks. Teachers’ explanations at this stage are thorough and precise. There is an expectation that all pupils listen and respond to tasks in a responsible and mature way.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

32. Well-organised ICT resources assist older pupils to undertake research-based activities. Due consideration is given to the grouping of pupils, as witnessed in a lesson involving the use of the Internet for a research task. Better readers help those not so strong, while competent Internet users work alongside those who are not so confident. The well- planned support from additional teachers and adults help pupils with special educational needs and others to keep on task and thus prevent them from becoming discouraged when faced with challenging reading material such as that found on the Internet sites. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 17 33. The effectiveness of lesson planning is a key feature of good teaching. This was demonstrated in two science lessons in Years 2 and 6. Objectives were shared with the pupils and reinforced on a number of occasions throughout the lessons. This ensured

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

that pupils were clear about what was expected of them and, in the case of the Year 6 lesson, to evaluate their work. Group composition is carefully organised and this leads to good discussion and collaborative efforts. In both lessons, one involving a toddler brought in to enable pupils to observe similarities and differences between themselves and the youngster, and the other, a Year 6 lesson involving a filtering experiment, teachers were able to highly motivate pupils with real opportunities for learning.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

34. Most lessons proceed at a good and steady pace, helping to maintain momentum. Teachers continually assess pupils’ understanding by circulating quietly and intervening effectively, challenging pupils to explain their work and the methods used. As in most lessons, well planned adult support is used very productively, often accompanied by helpful and relevant work sheets, enabling teachers to use their time well, concentrating on those pupils needing most attention.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

35. Teachers encourage very good presentation of all recorded work. By the time pupils leave the school, their work is set out well and presented in a legible style. Constructive feedback from teachers encourages pupils of all abilities to work hard. Effective use is made of the marking code sometimes printed in pupils’ workbooks. This helps to give pupils direction for their efforts and enables feedback to have precise meaning. Whole class review of progress helps pupils identify their own strengths and weaknesses.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

36. All teachers express high expectations for behaviour and concentration; they manage pupils very well and keep children on task throughout the lessons. Teachers praise good achievement and effort and use the school reward system appropriately.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

37. Teachers’ classroom organisation is very good, with the necessary materials, tools and equipment readily available. Once again, the supporting adults available are well directed and their assistance contributes to the success of busy, challenging, and very successful lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make good use of other adults in

38. It is clear that the good teaching contributes significantly to the well above average standards achieved by the pupils in the National Curriculum tests and assessments. This occurs because the momentum of teaching and learning is maintained at a rigorous pace, particularly at the end of each key stage, so that regardless of their prior attainment all pupils build their knowledge, skills and understanding at a good rate. The quality of teaching ensures that all pupils, including both higher and lower attaining pupils, make very good progress.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in

39. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management. As a relatively new headteacher, she has managed to establish herself quickly as a strong and efficient leader. The headteacher demonstrates a very good knowledge of the day-to-day working of the school. She is well organised and holds strong views on the way the school is developing. The evidence shows that most parents and the community are confident in the leadership provided by the headteacher, who is able to articulate a clear direction for the school, including the promotion of very high standards. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 18 40. The headteacher has been successful in achieving a number of personal objectives. Planning systems and assessment procedures, two areas of weakness in the last report, are now considerable strengths. There are clear procedures to follow and high expectations of teachers to plan and evaluate academic progress of all pupils. Good use

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in

is made of data on pupil performance and this translates itself into targets for improvement both at class and at individual pupil level. As a result, the school is successfully developing education inclusion opportunities. However, insufficient emphasis is placed on specific experiences for the gifted and talented pupils. Increased opportunities have been created for the professional development of individual members of staff, such as further management training for the deputy headteacher. At school level, meetings take place to discuss the progress of personal and school targets with both individuals and groups of teachers. For example, in the Foundation Stage, teachers are currently examining progression from nursery to reception and on to Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in

41. A personal priority of the headteacher has been to further develop the roles of other key members of staff. This is now impacting positively on the quality of teaching in the school. Co-ordinators, for example, are now more pro-active in supporting their areas of the curriculum and in improving planning and monitoring standards. Although some lessons still show some weak features, the majority of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection due to the broader role now given to co-ordinators. Plans are in hand for co-ordinators to be involved in more classroom observations. The increasing number of support assistants, now employed in classrooms, feel valued and are clear about what is expected of them, especially in their role in supporting specific groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in

42. In addition to the very high standards achieved in English, mathematics and science, the headteacher has also encouraged a broader range of other curricular activities to promote high standards in pupils’ personal development. For example, extra-curricular activities are provided using both staff and parental expertise. Environmental and social issues are taught through the school’s personal, social and health education programme, Citizenship is being addressed through class and school council meetings and adventurous activities are included in the school’s residential visit in Year 6.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are very effective in

43. As a Jewish aided school, the Jewish Studies and Hebrew teaching programmes run separately from the rest of the National Curriculum. The management of both aspects of the school’s work is carefully organised to ensure consistency of approach by all teachers in the school and integration of common curriculum content wherever practicable.

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Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the

44. A major influence on the high standards achieved in the school is the curriculum planning. Identified as a weakness in the last report, it is now a strength. Schemes of work now exist for all curriculum areas and are complemented by helpful and informative policy documents. These allow teachers to develop their longer term planning effectively in order to provide a good broad and balanced approach to pupils’ learning. The quality of planning is carefully monitored by the headteacher, supported by subject co-ordinators. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy, although used selectively, have contributed to raising standards in English and mathematics.

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Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the

45. The school’s approach to planning has helped to bring about improvements in ICT and Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 19 design and technology, subjects identified as weaknesses in the last inspection report. Curriculum planning reflects the school’s commitment to the full implementation of the National Curriculum and follows national advice on how it should be organised. The school has successfully integrated parts of the National Curriculum within the Jewish Studies programme in order to provide continuity and encourage liaison between the two distinct aspects of school life. As a result, the curriculum taught is able to embody the clear values expressed through the school’s aims and is supported by governors and the Jewish community.

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Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the

46. Individual teachers’ lesson planning throughout the school is consistent, thorough, and well focused, resulting in well-paced lessons and targeted learning objectives. One of the strengths of the school’s approach to planning is that it is based on good assessment practice. For example, the school maintains very comprehensive records on individual pupil performance based on formal test data and is able to accurately predict future outcomes as well as identifying those pupils who require additional support. Good use is made of assessment to inform teachers’ planning. The school is very well aware of any pupils who are under-performing through its clear and rigorous monitoring and assessment practices. In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, teacher assessments are carried out on a regular basis, often under the overall supervision of the subject co-ordinator. The assessment co-ordinator has a very clear

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Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the

view of the quality of each teacher’s records and reports regularly to the headteacher. Information on pupils with special educational needs is thorough and very well organised. Individual education plans and annual reviews for these pupils are particularly well managed.

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Secure systems are in place to enable effective curriculum planning and the

47. Assessment information at all levels is used effectively by teachers in planning further work for pupils. In addition, teachers know their pupils well and are quickly able to adjust their lessons to how pupils are responding. A particular feature of the school’s assessment procedures is the half-termly individual targets that are set for each pupil and shared with parents. This enables and encourages self-assessment by the pupils themselves. This is complemented by a pupil reward system that effectively promotes their progress in knowledge, learning and personal development.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

reflected in the school’s values and the strong partnership that has developed.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

48. A distinctive feature of the school is the way it responds to the aspirations of parents and the Jewish community it serves. Evidence from the meeting with parents and through interviews with individual parents and governors indicates a very strong partnership with parents. A current and very relevant example of this is the way the school responded to concerns over security arising after world-wide terrorist attacks, resulting in electronic school gates being installed within weeks, financed by donations to the school. Safety is a main priority and playgrounds are secure and well supervised. There are security locks on all main entrances to the school.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

49. The life-styles of many parents are such that before and after school and holiday childcare facilities are demanded; the school has responded positively and successfully to this. The school pays due regard to the need to prepare pupils for the entrance examinations of certain secondary schools preferred by parents and responds accordingly. Every child leaving the school last summer was allocated the school of their parents’ preference. Virtually all parents who attended the meeting with inspectors felt that the school prepared pupils very well for secondary school, particularly the way they fit into multi-cultural dimensions of some of the schools to which their children transfer. Parents prefer the school because they say it promotes and provides a strong family Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 20 atmosphere, in line with Jewish traditions; inspectors would concur with this judgement.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

50. Partnership extends to the willingness by most parents to make voluntary contributions to support their pupils’ education. For example, they contribute towards the cost of teaching of Jewish Studies, including the teaching of Hebrew for which additional staff are employed and subject to inspection organised through the Jewish authorities. Parents also contribute to funding additional curricular activities such as ‘Tumble Tots’ for nursery and reception aged children and two football teams.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

51. Parents’ high expectations also shape the culture of the school. They actively support the ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative, including increased physical activities and fitness and the plans for improving the play areas. The school encourages parents to help in class and this contributes to the secure family atmosphere. During the meeting with inspectors parents emphasised their expectation that each pupil should be encouraged to develop at their own pace and that competition, whilst necessary, should not be aggressive. They expressed support for the school’s policy not to set or stream pupils by ability.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

52. The majority of parents felt the termly parents’ evenings are helpful, as is the opportunity for them to meet their child’s teacher for the year ahead to discuss the curriculum. They appreciate the curriculum workshop evenings that have been held for numeracy and literacy and feel that the new headteacher has improved communications. There is now very good information contained on pupils’ annual reports, which fully meet national requirements.

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The school and governors are in tune with the aspirations of parents. This is

53. The school strives to keep in tune with parents’ aspirations, listens carefully to concerns and responds positively wherever possible. The atmosphere amongst those who attended the meeting with inspectors showed high levels of support for, and satisfaction with, the day-to-day work of the school.

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teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon

54. A weak feature of some lessons is the over-direction by some teachers of pupils’ learning. This does not always make best use of the pupils’ own contributions. Potentially good lessons are flawed by too much domination by teachers.

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teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon

55. Some early learning in literacy, particularly in the reception class, is hampered by inappropriate domination of formal phonics schemes at the expense of lively discussion with pupils about how words are constructed and a rich variety of texts they have read.

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teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon

56. Introductions, particularly for the younger Key Stage 1 pupils, are sometimes too long. Similarly in Key Stage 2, initial inputs in some lessons such as design and technology and mathematics tend to dominate the time available, leaving insufficient time for pupils to complete tasks. Investigations, particularly in mathematics, do not always give opportunities for pupils to discover things for themselves or learn from their mistakes. The extreme pace of the instruction in Year 4 does not always lead to clarity of ideas for pupils to progress in their learning.

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teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon

57. In the very small Year 3 class, the seating arrangements in some lessons do not lend themselves to pupils being engaged in discussion with their teacher. Elsewhere in Key Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 21 Stage 2 in literacy, when pupils are given the opportunity to share their reading with their teacher, the questions posed by some teachers are narrow and require limited answers. In Year 6, although pupils are invited to work with their writing partners in English, to engage in more open-ended debate, many pupils are reluctant to become involved in this style of learning.

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teaching is over-directed. More opportunities should be available to draw upon

58. In some ICT lessons in Key Stage 2, the structured programme of skills development has value in developing the confidence of both teachers and pupils. Whilst overall the pitch of lessons is suitably matched to the pupils’ abilities, the formal instruction in these lessons does not always allow for other knowledge pupils have acquired from other experiences, such as from home where computers may be in daily use. A feature of such lessons is the lack of extension work or opportunities for pupils to explore icons, key operations or alternative use of the software for themselves.

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The clarity and cohesion in the vision for practice throughout the Foundation Stage

59. The curriculum for the Under 5s is satisfactory overall. However, there are variations in practice and provision between the nursery and the reception class. Curriculum organisation in the reception class is not fully in tune with the aspirations expressed in the school’s policy document which aims to provide continuity and progression towards the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception. Currently, the planning and organisation of the curriculum and resources in the new nursery are very good. This provides continuous and enhanced provision for pupils which, as the year progresses, will help them make good progress in all the six areas of learning that are required nationally. In contrast, the focus of teaching and learning in the reception class shows an imbalance between directed teaching and pupils’ self-initiated learning. The curriculum for the reception class is too determined by the programmes of study for Key

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The clarity and cohesion in the vision for practice throughout the Foundation Stage

Stage 1, rather than the six areas for learning for pupils of this age. This presents difficulties in establishing clear progression from the early stages of children’s learning from the beginning of nursery to the end of reception.

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The clarity and cohesion in the vision for practice throughout the Foundation Stage

60. The school has made good progress since September in establishing an attractive and well-equipped nursery class. The very good vision and philosophy behind this nursery provision should now be carried through to the reception class so that the children there can enjoy a similar standard and range of equipment and books, to ensure they can build progressively on their earlier learning.

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The provision for a policy and framework to enable pupils with particular gifts and

talents to be developed as a specific group of pupils.

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The provision for a policy and framework to enable pupils with particular gifts and

61. Although teachers know their pupils well and many pupils achieve high academic standards, there are no formal procedures in place to identify pupils who are functioning at a much higher level in one or more areas of the curriculum than the vast majority of their peers. There is no policy to define the range of special gifts and talents or to indicate an adequate programme of special provision. The school has not yet discussed methods of identifying pupils with particular gifts or talents or procedures that are needed to provide extra challenging experiences, which will inspire them and others in their peer group.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governing body and the headteacher should: Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 22

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(1) Improve the teaching further in some lessons by;

• Encouraging teachers to be less directive. • Ensuring that planning of lessons contains more opportunities where pupils can contribute their own ideas and suggestions.

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(2) Clarify the vision for practice through the Foundation Stage by:

• Creating more cohesion and understanding about the practice and provision. • Ensure that the progression and continuity between nursery and reception is in line with the school aims for this part of the school.

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order that:

• Procedures for identification are explicit to teachers, pupils and parents. • The criteria for selection of pupils are clear and well defined. • Provision made for this group of pupils is aimed at extending their abilities even further. • The progress of these pupils is monitored and recorded. Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School - 23

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