West Kirby Primary School

WEST KIRBY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 – 24 September 2002

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WEST KIRBY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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WEST KIRBY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. West Kirby Primary School - 3 - September 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Anglesey Road West Kirby Wirral Merseyside Postcode: CH48 5EQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 West Kirby Primary School - 4 - September 2002

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Team members

1743 D S Roberts Registered inspector 19669 F Kennedy Lay inspector 17913 B Frost Team inspector 7222 A Watson Team inspector

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Team members

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE West Kirby Primary School - 5 - September 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 17

West Kirby Primary School - 6 - September 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the town of West Kirby, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, and is larger than the average sized primary school. It currently provides education for 251 full-time pupils, and part- time education for a further 62 children at the Foundation Stage in the Nursery and Reception classes. The proportion of pupils entitled to receive free school meals is similar to the national average. On entry to the school at the Foundation Stage, the intake of children represents a wide range of ability, but attainment levels are generally similar to those found nationally. Currently, just over 13 per cent of the pupils are on the school's register of special educational needs, which is below the national average. Six pupils have specific learning requirements, which require external as well as additional school support. Just under five per cent of pupils are from families belonging to minority ethnic groups, and less than two

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

per cent speak English as an additional language, which is a similar proportion to that found in most other schools.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a highly effective school which has many outstanding features. It provides its pupils with a high level of care, and makes very good provision for their personal and social development. The teaching is predominantly of a very good, and often excellent, quality. This enables pupils to achieve high standards in literacy, numeracy and science, and produce work which is often of a high quality in other subjects. The headteacher and staff work extremely hard, and co-operate very successfully with the governing body, to create a welcoming and supportive community. The quality of leadership and management is outstanding, and the school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• It enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science, and produce work in other subjects which is often of a high quality.

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What the school does well

• The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes significantly towards their excellent attitudes to learning.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is predominantly very good, and often excellent.

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What the school does well

• The school provides a high quality curriculum, with a rich variety of learning opportunities.

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What the school does well

• The quality of leadership provided by the headteacher and those at different levels of responsibility is excellent.

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What could be improved

There are no significant weaknesses. 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

During the last five years, the school's rate of improvement in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, was similar to the national picture.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good progress in addressing the key issues identified by the last inspection in 1997. The provision for pupils' cultural development is now of very good quality. Planned opportunities throughout the curriculum and extra-curricular activities enable the pupils to make significant progress in extending their knowledge and understanding of their own culture and increase their awareness and appreciation of other cultures. In art, more effective procedures for monitoring provision have contributed towards better quality work by the pupils. West Kirby Primary School - 7 - September 2002 Throughout the curriculum, the school has built very effectively on the generally good picture apparent at the time of the last inspection. Standards of teaching have continued to improve. The proportion of teaching judged to be very good or better has increased from 11 per cent in the 1997 inspection to 69

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

per cent. Considerable attention is given to meeting the needs of pupils at different levels of attainment, and this care is particularly reflected in the growing proportion of pupils now exceeding the national expectation in the core subjects. The school's very good progress in recent years has been recognised by various awards, including the School Achievement Award for Excellence and the Basic Skills Quality Mark. The high level of commitment shown by the staff, and the strong emphasis placed by the school on monitoring and evaluation in order to identify areas for improvements, mean that the school is very well placed to maintain and build on the current high standards.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

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

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Key

The table shows that in the 2001 National Curriculum tests, at the end of Year 6, the pupils' performance in English, mathematics and science was well above the average for pupils in all and similar schools.

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Key

Inspection evidence indicates that children at the Foundation Stage, in the Nursery and Reception classes, achieve the early learning goals in all areas of the curriculum by the time they enter Year 1. Standards achieved by pupils aged seven and 11 are well above average in English, mathematics and science, reflecting the National Curriculum test results. Throughout the school, pupils produce work which is often of high quality in ICT, history, geography, art and music. In physical education, nearly all of the pupils swim at least 25 metres unaided, and many achieve higher standards, before leaving the school at the end of Year 6.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils demonstrate excellent attitudes towards their work. They show considerable interest and enthusiasm, high levels of concentration, and a capacity to work very productively.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is excellent throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships are excellent. Older pupils show great maturity and a well-developed capacity to take initiative and accept responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Well above the national average. West Kirby Primary School - 8 - September 2002

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Teaching of pupils in: Under fives 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

Quality of teaching Very good Very good 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: Under fives 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

The quality of teaching is predominantly very good and often excellent. The teaching of English and mathematics is often outstanding, enabling pupils to make very good progress in extending their literacy and numeracy skills during their time in the school. Science is also taught very effectively, contributing towards the high standards achieved by the pupils. Although only a small sample of lessons were observed in other subjects, some high quality teaching was observed in ICT, religious education, geography, history, art and music. Throughout the school, teachers and support staff make very good provision for pupils at different levels of ability, including those with special educational needs. They work hard to ensure that all pupils are appropriately included and challenged by the work in all aspects of the curriculum, taking particular account of the differing needs of pupils in terms of gender, race and

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a high quality curriculum for pupils throughout the school. The development of literacy and numeracy skills is strongly emphasised, and the consistent and thoughtful use of ICT to support work across the curriculum is a strong feature in pupils' learning. The curriculum is enhanced by a very good programme of extra-curricular activities and educational visits.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision throughout the school. Work is guided effectively by individual education plans. Lessons are organised very effectively to meet the needs of pupils at different levels of attainment.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good provision, helping pupils to make significant progress. The school draws effectively on external support from the local education authority when necessary.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes very good provision for all aspects

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a high level of care for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Communication with parents is exceptionally well developed, resulting in a strong partnership between home and school. West Kirby Primary School - 9 - September 2002

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The quality of leadership and management is of an excellent calibre. The headteacher and senior management team provide outstanding leadership. Subjects and aspects of the curriculum are co-ordinated very effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body and headteacher provide clear direction for the work of the school. Governors work hard and very effectively to meet all statutory requirements.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Highly effective use is made of national results and comparative information to analyse and evaluate performance and set targets for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very effective school development planning enables money to be spent wisely on educational priorities. All resources are managed efficiently. Best value principles are applied effectively when making major spending decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The children like school and make good progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The teaching is good and the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents are well informed about their children's progress and feel comfortable in approaching the school with questions and problems.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • A significant minority of parents are of the opinion that there are insufficient learning activities outside the classrooms.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with parents' positive views about the school. They find that very good provision is made for extra-curricular activities. West Kirby Primary School - 10 - September 2002

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

science, and produce work in other subjects which is often of high quality.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

1 In English, mathematics and science, the high standards achieved by pupils are reflected in national test results. Comparative information, based on the results of recent national tests for pupils aged seven and eleven, indicate that the pupils' performance in English, mathematics and science is well above the national average and, more significantly, well above the average for pupils in schools with similar characteristics.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

2 In speaking and listening, the pupils' very good skills are particularly apparent during the whole-class introduction to lessons, when pupils listen carefully to what others have to say and express their own opinions clearly and confidently. Their progress is helped by the fact that teachers ask challenging questions, encourage pupils to think about what they have to say, and create many opportunities for them to express their opinions. The use of role play activities in the Nursery and Reception classes makes a significant contribution to the development of younger children’s speaking and listening skills, and helps them to acquire confidence in sharing their thoughts and ideas with the whole class. As pupils progress through the age-range, teachers provide a variety of planned opportunities for them to develop their speaking and listening skills. In some classes, particularly good use is made of homework tasks,

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

which involve finding information about a particular topic and sharing it with the whole class. The annual whole-school verse speaking competition creates opportunities for pupils to learn and recite their chosen poem to a whole-class or whole-school audience. As pupils grow older, increasing opportunities are created for them to discuss and debate topical issues. The skills of many are further enhanced through their involvement in School Council meetings and participation in school productions. Formal and extra-curricular opportunities contribute towards the pupils very good progress and, by the age of 11, many are able to vary expression and vocabulary effectively to engage the listener, and to use these skills confidently to ask questions and express their views.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

3 In reading, standards throughout the school are high. Teachers at the Foundation Stage in the Nursery and Reception classes, foster early reading skills skilfully. These skills are built on very successfully in Years 1 and 2, when pupils begin to benefit from the wide range of reading materials available to them. Exceptionally skilful teaching in Years 1 and 2, during the word-level element of literacy lessons, enables pupils to acquire an excellent grasp of phonic skills, and contributes significantly towards pupils' very good progress. Throughout the school, well pitched and challenging tasks during English lessons are resulting in a consistent increase in pupils' reading and writing skills. Opportunities for enhancing these skills are taken very effectively during work in other subjects, such as history and geography. Older pupils read fluently, with excellent expression, and talk enthusiastically about the books they have read. They

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

explain their preferences clearly, giving convincing reasons for their choice of favourite characters in particular books.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

4 Although standards in writing are well above the national average and those achieved by pupils in similar schools, the school continues to strive for further improvements. Teachers create a variety of opportunities for pupils to write for different purposes and use correctly the new language skills acquired during literacy lessons. For example, West Kirby Primary School - 11 - September 2002 pupils in Year 6 studied the style adopted by the author Berlie Doherty in her novel, "How Green You Are ", before adopting some of the author's techniques to produce some high quality writing of their own on a similar theme. Throughout the school, great emphasis is placed on showing pupils how to adjust the style of their writing to suit a particular purpose. In a literacy lesson in Years 1/2, for example, pupils examined a text which provided a set of instructions about how to grow a plant from seed, which introduced them to some of the basic features of instructional writing.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

Throughout the school, pupils engage in a rich variety of writing tasks including diary work, report writing, descriptive writing and poetry. The quality of their story writing is helped considerably by advice given by their teachers about ways of improving different aspects of their writing, such as setting the scene, introducing and describing characters, developing the story, reaching a climax, and explaining how things are finally resolved. This results in writing which is often lively and thoughtful, and contributes significantly towards the high standards which pupils achieve. By the age of 11, most produce writing which is well organised with accurate spelling and correct punctuation. They take a pride in the presentation of their work and demonstrate good standards of handwriting.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

5 In mathematics, pupils make consistent progress and achieve high standards. Children at the Foundation Stage make very good progress in extending their mathematical vocabulary and acquire a good understanding of early mathematical concepts through valuable practical activities. Highly effective teaching of the basic skills enables pupils in Years 1 and 2 to make rapid progress in their ability to read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond, and by the age of seven they show a good understanding of the relationships between numbers. Most pupils work with a high level of accuracy and show a good grasp of number bonds and tables. Older pupils make very good progress, and by the end of Year 6, their numeracy skills are very well developed. They show a high level of accuracy in computational work, and are competent in working with fractions, decimals and percentages. They demonstrate a good grasp of the extension of the number system, and this is

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

reflected in their understanding of negative numbers and the relationships between fractions, decimals and percentages. They achieve good standards in their work on shape and space. Pupils' work indicates good levels of accuracy in measuring acute, obtuse and reflex angles, and in identifying the features of congruent shapes. The very good use of ICT enables pupils to extend their mathematical learning considerably. They use programs such as Logo to investigate mathematical patterns, use a range of graphs to represent findings of various surveys, and use spreadsheets very effectively to support problem solving activities.

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

6 In science, pupils throughout the school make very good progress and achieve high standards. The strong emphasis placed on practical work means that pupils develop particularly good skills in investigative and experimental work. This was evident, for example, when pupils in Year 3 engaged in work to investigate magnets. They made very perceptive predictions before carrying out their investigations, and showed a good understanding of the need to ensure fair testing. Well designed recording sheets enabled pupils to record their findings by categorising the strengths of various magnets. When interpreting their findings, pupils were particularly interested to note that the largest magnet might not always be the strongest. Pupils’ work in different year groups indicates that they benefit from a very well planned curriculum in science, which is a significant factor in their very good rate of progress. By the end of Year 6,

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The school enables its pupils to achieve high standards in English, mathematics and

pupils are able to carry out disciplined scientific enquiry with increasing precision. They draw effectively on their rapidly expanding scientific knowledge to make predictions, select appropriate apparatus to help them carry out a fair test, and record their findings systematically in the most appropriate way. West Kirby Primary School - 12 - September 2002 7 Inspection evidence indicates that pupils often produce work of high quality in other subjects. This was evident in lessons observed in ICT, history, geography, art and music. Records of pupils’ progress and achievement in physical education indicate that almost all pupils learn to swim at least 25 metres unaided before leaving the school at the end of Year 6, and many achieve standards which are considerably higher.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

significantly towards their excellent attitudes to learning.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

8 In lessons observed during the inspection, the pupils' attitudes towards their work were never less than very good, and in 60 per cent of lessons their attitudes and behaviour were excellent.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

9 The school's main aims include a commitment to develop in pupils a capacity to be independent and self motivated, and to help them acquire the skills necessary to play a worthwhile part in society, both now and in the future. These aims are consistently reflected in all of the school's work.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

10 Through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities, numerous opportunities are created for pupils to make decisions and take responsibility for their own learning. Learning activities often require pupils to co-operate in pairs or groups and work together to solve problems or complete tasks. Class discussions and drama enable pupils to explore meaningful issues and to consider and express their views on important matters. The high profile given to the school council and the systematic way in which meetings are organised, with agendas and minutes, make it a very valuable means of extending pupils' sense of responsibility and contributes towards their development as good citizens.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

11 Pupils enjoy coming to school. They work hard, show a healthy pride in their achievements and relate happily to one another in all areas of the school. Children at the Foundation Stage demonstrate positive attitudes towards their work and are extremely well behaved. They benefit greatly from the close attention given by the teaching and support staff to their personal, social and emotional development. As pupils progress through the age range, their excellent response in lessons contributes significantly toward the very good progress which they make during their time in the school.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

12 Throughout the school, particular features and strengths become noticeable in various subjects. In English, pupils' ability to concentrate is a strong feature in their learning. They listen very attentively during the whole-class or group introduction to lessons and show enthusiasm when responding to their teachers' questions. They also take care to listen carefully to the contributions of others, and value and respect their opinions. In mathematics, the pupils' ability to recall prior learning is a strong feature, reflecting their conscientious attitudes to their work. Most show a good capacity to persevere when difficulties arise, and respond well to challenging tasks. They take careful note of their teachers' advice and guidance to help them improve their performance. In science, pupils co-operate very sensibly during investigative and experimental work, and share resources and equipment sensibly. In ICT, their ability

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

to work sensibly in pairs, and their capacity to overcome difficulties through trial and error, contribute greatly towards their good progress and attainment. In all lessons, the pupils' behaviour is of an excellent standard. This means that little time is lost dealing with unnecessary disruption, and contributes positively towards pupils’ West Kirby Primary School - 13 - September 2002 academic progress and their all-round development.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

The quality of teaching is predominantly very good, and at times excellent.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

13 During this short inspection, all of the lessons observed were at least good, 69 per cent very good or better, and 30 per cent excellent.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

14 At the Foundation Stage, in the Nursery and Reception Classes, teachers and support staff work very effectively to help children to settle quickly and make very good progress in all areas of learning. The Nursery staff successfully overcome the difficulties imposed by the restricted accommodation to make good provision for the children. This is built on very effectively by the teachers in the Reception classes, ensuring that children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

15 The overall standard of lesson planning is excellent and, throughout the school, conscientious preparation enables teachers to be secure in their subject knowledge and expertise. These are important factors in enabling teachers to meet the needs of pupils in mixed-aged classes. High expectations of pupils and excellent classroom management are consistent features in the teaching, which extends pupils intellectually, sustains a good pace of learning and promotes excellent behaviour. The practice of sharing the main objectives for lessons with pupils at the beginning of lessons gives them a good understanding of their own learning. All pupils are aware of the targets set for them in key areas of learning. Knowing the targets increases their sense of purpose and contributes towards a feeling of satisfaction when targets are achieved. Precise individual targets for learning are identified for pupils with special

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

educational needs. These targets are realistic and measurable and help the pupils to make good progress. Teachers and support staff provide very good support for pupils for whom English is an additional language. When necessary, the school draws effectively on external support provided by the local education authority.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

16 English is taught very effectively, and the quality of teaching in Years 1/2 and Year 6 is consistently excellent. This contributes very significantly towards the high standards achieved by pupils at the end of both key stages. Throughout the school, clear explanation and very good questioning skills promote interest in the topics being studied. Perceptive introduction of new concepts, which become increasingly complex as pupils progress, enables pupils to retain confidence as they learn. In the early stages, this helps pupils to make rapid progress in acquiring reading and writing skills. In literacy lessons observed in Years 1/2, for example, teachers set out to further the pupils' knowledge and understanding of particular sounds and spelling rules. Highly efficient planning ensured that the work was suitably challenging to meet the needs of pupils at different levels of ability. Excellent strategies to enable pupils to

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

participate during the whole-class elements of the lessons resulted in high levels of motivation by the pupils, and highly effective co-operation between teaching and support staff provided excellent support for pupils during the group activities. All of these factors contributed towards rapid progress by pupils at all levels of ability during the lessons.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

17 At a later stage, older pupils are helped to look closely at more specific aspects of their written work in order to improve its quality. Outstanding teaching during a literacy lesson observed in Year 6, for example, challenged pupils to improve the quality of their writing by analysing initial drafts carefully, using specific criteria. The teacher took care to value and praise the writing which individual pupils had produced, before exploring sensitively ways in which improvements could be made. West Kirby Primary School - 14 - September 2002 18 Throughout the school, the imaginative use of resources to support pupils’ learning in English is a consistently good feature. In Years 1/2, for example, very good use is made of individual writing boards, allowing pupils to participate and contribute during the whole-class elements of the literacy lesson. In classes for older pupils, effective use is made of the overhead projector to display the text for literacy lessons.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

Throughout the school very good use is made of ICT to search for information in CD- Rom or Internet sources. The central library is a valuable resource, which is used effectively to support the development of pupils’ literacy skills. It is very well organised and contains a good variety of books.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

19 In mathematics, highly effective teaching throughout the school enables pupils to make rapid progress and achieve high standards. The way in which the degree of challenge presented to the pupils is adjusted to meet the needs of pupils at different levels of ability is a strong feature in the teaching. Throughout the school, teachers and support staff work hard and successfully to provide a good level of support in classrooms. This means that lower, average and higher attaining pupils make the progress of which they are capable. This was evident, for example, when pupils in a Year 1/2 class engaged in work on number and money. Care was taken to ensure that all pupils were challenged appropriately and extended by the tasks given to them. The whole-class mental work at the beginning of the lesson was conducted very effectively, capturing the interest of pupils and resulting in high levels of motivation. As

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

the lesson developed, the teacher and support staff worked successfully as a team to support a high level of productivity by the pupils. In a numeracy lesson for older pupils, which focused on the use of estimation to check accuracy when multiplying, the teacher’s high expectations of the pupils was evident. The introductory mental work was conducted in a very brisk, interesting and challenging manner, and excellent classroom organisation ensured that the needs of pupils at different levels of ability were met very effectively.

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The very good provision made for pupils’ all-round development contributes

20 In science, high quality planning with precise learning objectives helps pupils to make very good progress during lessons. Very good lesson organisation achieves an appropriate balance between teacher explanation and creating opportunities for pupils to learn through investigation. In ICT, excellent use is made of the computer suite, and valuable opportunities are created for pupils to use the computers in their own classroom to enhance their learning in other subjects. Due to the nature of a short inspection, it was only possible to observe a limited sample of teaching in other subjects. However, some high quality teaching was observed in religious education, geography, history, art and music. In all lessons, the care taken by teaching and support staff to include and involve all pupils in all aspects of learning, taking into account their differing needs in terms of gender, race, background and ability, is a

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

21 The curriculum for children at the Foundation Stage, in the Nursery and Reception classes, makes good provision for all areas of learning. Throughout the school, the requirements of the National Curriculum and Wirral Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education are met fully, and the school offers a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities in sport, music and drama. All of these activities contribute significantly towards the personal and social as well as academic development of pupils.

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

22 Strong emphasis is placed on the development of literacy and numeracy skills. This is achieved through the excellent implementation of the programmes of work set out in West Kirby Primary School - 15 - September 2002 the national strategies for literacy and numeracy and through work in other subjects. The quality of curriculum planning is outstanding. Opportunities are carefully identified for pupils to apply new skills, acquired during literacy and numeracy lessons, in work across the curriculum. For example, in Years 1/2, work in the literacy lesson was linked to science, as pupils used their early skills in instructional writing to produce a set of instructions for growing a plant from seed. Older pupils demonstrated well developed skills in instructional writing during work in design and technology, when they described the steps taken to make a model with moving parts. Across the curriculum, pupils enhance their English skills by talking and writing about various

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

topics and issues arising from their studies. Valuable opportunities are created for them to apply and consolidate mathematical skills during work in science, where the use of appropriately selected graphs to record findings of some investigations is a strong feature in the pupils' learning.

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

23 Strong emphasis is placed on extending pupils' capability in the use of ICT through work in other subjects. For example, during work linked to their studies in art, pupils in Year 1/2 showed very good skills in building up a composition of shapes on screen, achieving an impressive balance of colours. In doing so, they extended their skills in using the mouse to access the various tools required to complete the task.

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

24 Very good provision is made for promoting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Topics covered during whole-school and class assemblies, and issues arising in lessons, create many opportunities for pupils to reflect on spiritual and moral questions relevant to their age. The school's work to support various charities, such as the National Children’s Homes, increases the pupils' awareness of the difficulties faced by other people. Very good provision for extra-curricular activities, in sport, music and drama and educational and residential visits contribute significantly towards the pupils’ social development. Since the last inspection in 1997, the school has been highly successful in improving provision for the pupils' cultural development, which is now of a high quality. They increase significantly their knowledge and understanding of their own culture as well as developing an

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The school provides a high quality curriculum with a rich variety of learning

awareness and appreciation of other cultures, through work across the curriculum, particularly in art, music, drama and literature, history and geography.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

all levels of responsibility is excellent.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

25 The outstanding leadership provided by the headteacher is a major factor in the very good progress made by this school in recent years. Her strong commitment to provide education of a high quality for the pupils, and her excellent strategies for moving the school forward, are significant factors in the high quality provision now made for the pupils.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

26 Highly effective leadership is provided by those at all levels of responsibility. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior management team co-operate effectively with the very knowledgeable governing body to provide clear vision and direction for the work of the school. Comprehensive strategies for improvement are clearly set out in the school improvement plan, which is excellent. Areas for educational development are accurately identified, enabling the school to make very good use of all funds.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

27 Excellent strategies for communication contribute positively towards the highly efficient management of the school. Clear guidance is provided for all staff, and very good provision made for their professional development. Governors are very well West Kirby Primary School - 16 - September 2002 informed and show an excellent appreciation of the school's strengths and areas of relative weakness. Some excellent strategies are employed for fostering parental interest and involvement. For example, questionnaires are used regularly to consult parents about proposed initiatives, and briefing meetings and training are offered to parents to help them keep up with new curricular developments.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

28 Co-ordinators for subjects and aspects of provision provide highly effective leadership, and make a vital contribution towards maintaining a high quality curriculum. Throughout the school, the success of those responsible for co-ordinating the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is reflected in the high standards achieved by the pupils in national tests. Very good work by the co-ordinator for ICT has contributed significantly towards the school's success in maintaining and building on the good picture apparent at the time of the last inspection. The very effective work of the special educational needs co-ordinator and her team successfully ensures high quality provision for pupils requiring additional support and attention. In other subjects, co-ordinators work hard and effectively, and make an important contribution towards a broad and balanced curriculum.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

29 Procedures for monitoring school performance are excellent. The headteacher and deputy headteacher combine very effectively to oversee all aspects of the monitoring process. Very good use is made of information from school and national tests to identify areas for attention and set targets for improvement.

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The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher and those at

30 A strong sense of purpose pervades the whole school. Full advantage is taken of the various skills and talents of teaching and support staff. This results in a well motivated staff, and contributes greatly towards the strong team spirit and happy atmosphere which exists in the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

31 There are no significant weaknesses and therefore no areas for improvement identified by the inspection. The school's programme of self-evaluation is well established and highly effective. The headteacher and governing body are fully aware of the school's strengths and areas of relative weakness, which are included in the school's improvement plan. West Kirby Primary School - 17 - September 2002

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 20 263

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals - 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 36

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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 5

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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 15

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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

School data 4.1 School data 0.0 West Kirby Primary School - 18 - September 2002 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. West Kirby Primary School - 19 - September 2002

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 23 15 38

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 23 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (93) 97 (95) 100 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 23 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (95) 100 (98) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 17 20 37

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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 15 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 17 19

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (91) 89 (85) 97 (97) 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 15 13 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 18 19

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (97) 84 (88) 95 (100)

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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. West Kirby Primary School - 20 - September 2002

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2001/02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 581, 741

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 583,199

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 122 Expenditure per pupil 2,047

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 15,891

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0 Balance carried forward to next year 14,433

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 33

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 9.8 West Kirby Primary School - 21 - September 2002 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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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) 1

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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. West Kirby Primary School - 22 - September 2002

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 76 22 1 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 31 1 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 47 5 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 59 30 10 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 13 4 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 29 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 60 30 7 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 82 17 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 72 26 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 29 15 3 10

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