Vernon Park Primary School

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE UNIT

Dates of inspection: 16 th to 17 th June, 2003.

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SPEECH AND LANGUAGE UNIT

Inspection number: 246553 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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SPEECH AND LANGUAGE UNIT

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. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs L Bernola

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November, 1997 Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 5

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Team members

21292 Stuart Russell Registered inspector 13746 David Russell Lay inspector 21563 Graham Martin Team inspector 25509 Judith Clarke Team inspector

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Team members

Winnington Hall Winnington Northwich Cheshire CW8 4DU

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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 Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 6

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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 16

Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is one of the biggest primary schools in the country. Altogether 301 children attend the school. It has its own nursery and a speech and language unit. The premises were opened in 1909. The school serves a wide area of central Stockport including some of the most deprived areas in England. Nearly 80 per cent of the children live in recognised deprived areas. Attainment on entry is below average. Social development, language development and the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are well below average. The school prides itself on welcoming all groups of children. It has an above average percentage of children with statements of special educational needs (SEN). These include children with severe and more profound learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties and speech, communication and multi-sensory impairment. Most of the children at the school are from White-British

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

backgrounds. Its roll also includes a few children from other ethnic backgrounds such as Asian and Caribbean and the children of refugees. Two children are at an early stage of learning English. Home- languages spoken by the children in addition to English include Punjabi, Cantonese and Russian. There is a high turnover of pupils. On average, there is a change of about 50 pupils each year. In addition, the school deals with one of the highest number of Child Protection issues in the area. It has an excellent reputation and some parents from outside the immediate area choose this school for their children. Other parents choose to let their children stay here when they move out of the area, travelling a good distance to bring them back each day.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school has a massive impact upon its pupils even when they are here for a very short time. It is crystal clear about what it wants to do for its pupils and how it is going to go about doing this. Staff themselves put this down to a cohesive group of teachers, purposeful leadership and management, high expectations and a creative curriculum. Teaching is consistently very effective. The pupils learn rapidly and achieve above average standards. This is a very effective school that gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• It welcomes all children. • High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the next. • Standards are going up faster here than generally across the country. • The pupils are very well cared for, especially those needing protection. • This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and managed with precision. • There is an outstandingly high level of parental satisfaction with the school.

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What could be improved

The school undertakes most rigorous self-evaluation. It is well aware of what it should do next and the inspection endorses and does not add to the areas for development that it has already identified in its development plan.

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What could be improved

The school’s priorities include: § As part of a school network to pursue a bid with the National College for School Leadership to develop creativity in the curriculum, and § To develop its partnership with Manchester Victoria University.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When asked about improvement since the last inspection, parents described this as ‘massive’. The

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school has improved very much since its previous inspection in 1997 and has the will to go on

Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 8 doing so. Teaching and learning are more effective and standards are higher. The school has successfully addressed areas for improvement identified by the last inspection. In both 2002 and 2003 the school’s very good work was recognised by the Department for Education and Skills and it was awarded ‘School Achievement Awards’. Notable among improvements since the last inspection include an information and communication technology (ICT) suite, an acre of woodland for environmental study that has been created out of former wasteland and partnerships with other educational establishments. In the opinion of the school, keeping paperwork to a minimum and trying to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy enables it to put its efforts into what it sees as its priorities. The school is selective about the changes that it makes. It trials improvement initiatives and implements them only if they can

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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In 2002, the Year 6 pupils achieved standards in English that were well above average and in

mathematics and science their results were in line with all other children in the country.

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average in mathematics and far ahead in English. Their results in English were among the top

five per cent. The results of the Year 2 pupils that year were similarly high, reflecting the consistency of teaching, learning and achievement that characterises this school with its varied intake from class-to- class and its high pupil turnover. Over the past few years, standards have risen faster at this school than generally across the country.

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average in mathematics and far ahead in English. Their results in English were among the top

All groups of children are achieving very well from start to finish. This includes the children in the speech and language unit whose parents often opt for them to stay at the school when their time in the unit has come to an end. When children start at the school their attainments are low but by the time that they leave the Foundation Stage, most children are reaching the same standards as most other reception class children across the country. At the end of Year 2 the vast majority are reaching national expectations with a significant number achieving the standard of nine-year-olds in reading, writing and mathematics. There is a similar picture at the end of Year 6 with a good number of pupils reaching level 5 in English, mathematics and science. The school is well exceeding its targets. The school’s target for English this year was for 83 per cent of its pupils to reach nationally expected standards and

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average in mathematics and far ahead in English. Their results in English were among the top

teacher-assessment suggests that 91 per cent will do so. In mathematics, it was anticipated that 79 per cent might reach the desired standard, and teacher-assessment suggests that 86 per cent will. Ninety-five per cent of the Year 6 pupils have reached at least national expectations in science. During the inspection, other subjects were seen being taught. These included ICT, music, history and art. Standards were always at least average and at times they are above average. Pupils with SEN are achieving very well, as are the able and children whose mother-tongue is not English. This is because the teaching that they are receiving is, in all cases, appropriately pitched to their needs.

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average in mathematics and far ahead in English. Their results in English were among the top

Standards of reading are outstanding throughout the school. The pupils’ competency in literacy and numeracy enables them to succeed in all other subjects. In science, Year 1 and 2 pupils were seen writing confidently about the forces that they had been investigating and Year 3 pupils got a great deal of enjoyment during their topic on the Ancient Greeks out of searching for English words that had ancient Greek roots, words like telegraph, telephone and television. This was possible because of their Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 9 excellent reading abilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils are enthusiastic, confident and happy.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. They are respectful and very well behaved because of very good behaviour management and parental support.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The children get on very well with one another both in school and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance This was 0.1 per cent below average in 2001/02. Attendance was virtually average. It was unauthorised absence that let the school down by 0.1 per cent. The school encourages good attendance and punctuality, rewarding good attendance.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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. Teaching is consistently very good from class-to-class and from day-to-day. This is evident in the pupils’ exercise books. These are outstandingly neat. Marking is consistently thorough with encouragingly helpful comments for the pupils about how they can improve. The older pupils are especially helped by being accurately informed as to the standard of their work against national expectations and what they can do to reach higher levels. The children’s books include comments from the headteacher. He knows first hand how well his pupils are doing. There are no ‘weak-links’ in the teaching. Children are taught to read, write and do mathematics very successfully and this gives them a

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

flying start. All the staff, including the teaching support staff, has high expectations and challenge all their pupils appropriately. Behaviour management is very good. Criticism in the last report about provision for able pupils is no longer valid. The school is a highly rated partner with Manchester Victoria University in the training of teachers. Members of staff work with the university as tutors to trainees. When student-teachers were asked about the contribution of the school to their teacher-training, they counted it as a major contributor. The school sees partnership with the university as an important contribution to staff development and to the improvement of teaching and learning in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school is on a mission to make its curriculum ever richer and more creative. This makes the school an exciting place for a child to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. This is very successful because of the aptness of the teaching provided for the wide range of pupils with SEN in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. Pupils whose mother tongue is not English make rapid progress. This is very clear in their exercise books and in their personal and social development. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 10 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Children are highly enriched by attending this school. Links, for example, with Chethams School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music enable the pupils to take part in prestigious musical events, performing with other schools locally and further afield.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. ‘Care’ for its pupils characterises this school. The work that it does on behalf of children who need protection is exceptional. The school genuinely prepares the pupils for life in our modern society. Learning about other people is woven seamlessly into the curriculum. This is a very harmonious school. Parents notice this. The children get on together because they want to. Some, for instance, learn sign language off their own initiative to communicate with children who use it.

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Aspect Comment

Child Protection issues take a lot of the headteacher and deputy head’s time and energy.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent at all levels in the school. The headteacher gives outstanding leadership to the school and is exceptionally well supported by the deputy head.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governing body makes a most valuable contribution to the leadership of the school. It manages its work very effectively by clearly identifying its priorities for school-improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. This is most accurate. The school is in partnership with other first rate schools and with Manchester Victoria University. This enables the school to compare itself with exemplary schools.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Excellent. Resources are targeted towards long-term projects rather than the ‘quick fix’. Finances are carefully managed by efficient and friendly administrative staff. Large projects are planned, budgeted for and developed over a number of years. They are projects that will have a real, long-term beneficial effect upon teaching and learning and school-improvement. An ideal example, is the provision that the school has made for ICT.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• My child is making good progress in school. • The teaching is good. • The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. • My child likes school. • The school is helping my child to become mature and responsible. • One or two parents said that the school did not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

It is the overwhelming view of parents and carers that this an excellent school. The inspectors agree with the parents’ high regard for the school. Parents like the traditional feel of the school, its diverse character and the warm welcome that it gives to parents and pupils. One hundred per cent of parents said that their children were taught well and made good progress. As regards the reservation of one or two parents about activities outside lessons, the school provides a range similar to that which is normally found. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school is bigger than most primary schools. It has a nursery and a speech and language unit. The unit serves Foundation Stage children who come from a wide area. The unit is highly successful in reintegrating children into mainstream schools usually before the end of their reception year. Although the percentage of pupils in the school with special educational needs (SEN) is broadly average, the percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need is above average and very varied. The nature of the pupils’ SEN includes, § Severe learning difficulties, § Profound and multiple learning difficulties § Emotional and behavioural difficulties, § Speech or communication difficulties and § Multi-sensory impairment.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The pupils’ socio-economic circumstances vary but nearly 80 per cent live in recognised deprived areas with about 25 per cent of these living in some of the most deprived areas in England. This information is up-to-date. It was recently collated by the local authority and issued to schools entitled ‘Analysis of Pupils Living in Deprived Areas’. The measures of deprivation used by the local authority include unemployment, children in low-income households, overcrowded housing, houses lacking basic amenities and household without cars. Data from the 1991 census shows that 2.3 per cent of adults in the ward that the school is part of had higher education. This contrasts with the national average of 13.5 per cent. Children’s attainment on entry to the nursery is below average and well below average in terms of their personal, social and emotional development, their communication, language and literacy skills and their knowledge and understanding

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

of the world. On entering the school, the children are well below the local education authority (LEA) average and well below the average for schools with a similar free-school- meals entitlement in the LEA.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. The ethnic background of most of the pupils is White-British. A very small percentage is from other ethnic backgrounds and two pupils are the children of refugees. Minority ethnic groups include, § Other White background, § Mixed-White and Black Caribbean, § Mixed-White and Black African § Mixed-White and Asian § Asian or Asian-British Pakistani, § Black or Black-British African, § Other Black background and § Chinese. The mother-tongue of 16 pupils is other than English and two pupils are at an early stage of learning English.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The local Health Authority and Social Services recognise that the school has one of the highest number of Child Protection issues in the area. In 2002 the school had 17 of its pupils on the Social Services Child Protection Register and 32 on its own. The difference being due to the school’s reluctance to de-register children or families who it feels still to be at risk. Four children are on the ‘Young People in Public Care’ roll. The deputy head is the Child protection Officer in charge of this work. One parent who as a carer, has had Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 12 personal experience of this aspect of the school’s work, wrote, ‘…I have found the teaching staff to be particular supportive…The deputy headteacher has been particularly helpful and willing to go the extra mile.’

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. There are high levels of pupil mobility. Of the current 42 Year 6 pupils, few started at the school in the reception class. On average mobility is about 20 per cent with an exchange of over 50 pupils every year. The turnover does not raise the baseline and this year it has had an adverse effect on the end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum test results. The high level of mobility adds to the record-keeping demands of the school. Pupil-progress is tracked on an individual basis. The pupils’ work shows that even pupils who have been in the school for a very short time have made very good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. At their meeting with the Registered Inspector, parents were pleased with how well their children are accepted and made part of the school. They emphasised that the school knows all its pupils well and treats them as individuals. They remarked that the teachers know all the children and not just those in their own classes. This is despite the fact that this is a big school. The staff makes a determined effort to know all the children in school. At staff meetings teachers discuss groups of pupils such as the able and talented and on these occasions take the opportunity to agree their concepts of higher ability and talent. This promotes staff cohesion and continuity of teaching and learning. Parents value the diversity of the school. Parents feel that the ethos of the school fosters friendship between children from different backgrounds and that there is social harmony in this diverse school.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

7. Within each class there is wide diversity among the pupils, including their socio- economic circumstances and emotional dispositions. Many pupils join the school during their primary education and some come-and-go quickly. Yet, because of the very good teaching that these different groups of pupils receive, all groups are making very good progress. For those pupils who are fortunate enough to stay at this school for all their primary education, there is a cumulative effect. Their progress gets increasingly rapid as they benefit year-after-year form the very good provision. The last report criticised provision for the more able pupils. This is no longer the case as shown by the percentages of pupils who are reaching level 3 at seven and level 5 at 11. Pupils with SEN, those whose mother-tongue is not English and the able, all do very well because the teachers know their pupils very well and challenge them appropriately. Sometimes

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

differentiation is planned for and sometimes the teachers take an opportunity that arises to reinforce learning or to extend it.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

8. One hundred per cent of parents who returned questionnaires think that their children are taught well. The inspection confirms this positive picture. All classes and a wide range of subjects including literacy and numeracy, were seen being taught. Teaching was never less than good, often very good and one English lesson was excellent. The overall picture is of pupils being taught very well and consistently from class-to-class. There are no weak links in the teaching or weak subjects. The last inspection criticised provision for the able. This is no longer the case. All groups of pupils are very well taught appropriate to their need. This includes pupils with special educational needs who benefit from both specialist teaching and from working with a mixed-ability class. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 13 9. Despite the diverse nature of the school with its challenging socio-economic

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

circumstances and high turnover of pupils, there is a great feeling of calm and orderliness in the school. This is because it is excellently managed with well-established routines. Parents feel the quiet industry of the school when they first visit the school. When explaining why they wanted to bring their children to this school, they couple the ethos and culture of the school with its friendliness among their main reasons. They describe the ethos as ‘old fashioned’ and talk a lot about the security that the school gives to its pupils and parents. There is a steady turnover of staff but this is only one or two each year. This gives stability to the school and continuity. At the same time new members of staff refresh the pool of staff expertise.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

10. There are high levels of expertise among the staff, not only in subject knowledge but also in pupil-management and understanding of the pupils’ home circumstances. The result of this is very good behaviour in lessons and around school. This contributes to the calmness of the school and its purposefulness. The children are proud of their school and intensely loyal to it. During a conversation, one boy made a point of telling the Registered Inspector that he was ‘getting a good education at this school’.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

11. The teachers do not make the circumstances of the school an excuse for low achievement, quite the opposite. They have very high expectations for their pupils, expecting the best from them and providing the best for them. This is exemplified by the outstanding information and technology (ICT) suite that the school has recently opened. Leadership and management go hand-in-hand in the process of school improvement. Management does not leave anything to chance. There is attention to detail. Once the school had invested in a first class ICT suite, it ensured that it was used effectively. This included staff training and timetabling of the suite for all age-groups to use often.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

12. The pupils’ exercise books confirm that they are taught and learn very well throughout the year. Work is very well marked and gives the pupils a lot of guidance on how to improve. Marking includes much encouragement and light-hearted as well as serious comments. Parents say that their children like coming to school. There is a lot of fun here and the children have freedom to organise for themselves fun activities like charity-markets for the animals of Chester Zoo. This can be done because the pupils are very well disciplined and very well motivated. The teachers promote learning very skilfully through lessons and also through purposeful activities outside lessons. The charity- market for instance involves the pupils in planning together, organising the event, dealing in cash and agreeing which animal should be supported. The school enjoys high levels of parental support. Events like the charity-market and cultural occasions such as an Easter Bonnet

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

parade bring the whole community into school. The benefit for the school is parental- backing that the school can draw upon to support its work.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

Standards are going up faster here than generally across the country.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

13. Year-groups vary but the overall trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points for all core subjects at Year 6 is above the national trend. There is slight variation in results at Year 6 from year-to-year that reflect the composition of the groups, but overall since 1998, the trend in the school’s standards has been steadily upwards and more sharply than the national picture. In 1998 the school’s results were below the national average, in 2000 they matched it and in 2002 exceeded it.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

14. There has been a sharp upward trend in all of English, mathematics and science. Since 1998, the English average National Curriculum points have risen by four points. Mathematics and science points have risen by about four and a half points. A point can be said to represent about one term. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 14 15. The picture that this data is suggesting is that standards at the end of Year 6 have improved by up to a year and a half’s progress since 1998. This equates with improvements in teaching and learning since the last inspection and the very effective teaching that the pupils are receiving, their consequent rapid rate of learning and very good progress.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

The pupils are very well cared for, especially those needing protection.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

16. This is a very caring school with pupils’ safety uppermost in teachers’ minds. The school has a vast amount of experience and expertise in Child Protection, including ‘Looked After Children’.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

17. The Health Authority and Social Services recognise this school as having one of the highest number of Child Protection issues in the area. In 2002 the school had 17 children on the Social Services’ Child Protection Register and 32 on the school’s Child Protection Register. The difference is indicative of the caring character of the school that it is reluctant to de-register pupils or families that it thinks might still be at risk. At the moment the school has five ‘Looked After Children’ who have personal Education Programmes (PEPs). The school deals with about 40 child protection related meetings a year besides internal staff meetings to manage child protection issues. This is an immense workload. During the two-day inspection, the headteacher and deputy were earnestly involved in crisis meetings with social services on behalf of a pupil whose circumstances had suddenly altered. This involved the headteacher and deputy in a wide range of different

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

types of meetings, some emotionally charged, at no prior notice.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

18. The management of this aspect of the school’s work by the headteacher and deputy is painstakingly thorough with most careful attention to correct procedure. Confidentiality is assured. The deputy head is the Child Protection Officer and carries out the role in collaboration with the headteacher. This is done excellently.

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High quality teaching and learning are consistently provided from one class to the

19. The school has the necessary policies for Child Protection and gives training to its staff. Child Protection is at the forefront of the minds of all members of staff because it is such an issue for the school. Teachers have a clear remit and concerns are immediately referred to the deputy head who takes action. This can involve dealing with emergencies. Because of the high rate of pupil mobility, Child Protection issues are an important aspect of record-keeping and tracking, both for pupils coming into the school and those leaving. The implications of high pupil mobility for record keeping go much further than academic records at this school. The school works in close collaboration with social services, psychological services and the education welfare officer. Bearing in mind the context of the school, the school’s attendance figures are a commendable achievement and reflect parental opinion that the children want to come to school whenever they can.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

20. The school has taken ownership of its curriculum as far as it is able and is shaping it and making it its own. It is creative and innovative in the way it teaches and runs the school. It is not afraid to hold on to methods that have proved successful but at the same time puts itself in a position where it can be at the forefront of educational debate. From this, it only selects what will improve teaching and learning, trialing initiatives before adopting them. The result of this is prudent use of resources. Finance is targeted towards long- term projects rather than ‘knee jerk reactions’ and large projects are researched, planned and developed over a number of years. Change is evolutionary rather than revolutionary Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 15 with the result that the very good provision that the school makes is enhanced rather than diminished.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

21. The school particularly values its partnerships with other educational establishments. It has a long tradition of training students for teaching and was chosen by Manchester Victoria University as one of its partnership schools. Partnership schools were carefully chosen, mainly on the grounds of exemplary practice. A school co-ordinator liaises between school, students and the university and within school teacher-tutor mentors undertake a daily training programme for the students. Members of staff are involved in the selection and interviewing of students applying to train and two senior members of staff work on a part-time basis with the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) team at Manchester Victoria University, tutoring trainees. This is in collaboration with only two other schools in the partnership. The arrangement is reciprocal. The partnership plays a major part in the improvement of teaching and learning at the school and is a tool

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

for staff-development. On the other hand, there are benefits for the teacher-training. Students in the school during the inspection felt that the partnership with the school made a very valuable contribution to their training. They valued the constructive dialogue established in the school and the valuable feedback that they receive from teachers about their lessons.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

22. The school is also part of a wider school network to support leadership, innovation and improvement. This is through the National College for School Leadership/Networked Learning Community. The network group is made up of partner-schools of different characters with a shared vision for raising attainment through creative teaching and learning. The school has bid with its partners to develop creativity in the curriculum and will undertake a four-year project from September 2003.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

23. The school gives its pupils the security that they need. Parents are reassured by the continuity that its traditions give. However it is at the same time a most up-to-date school and at the forefront of educational thinking. Much that is in the current DfES document ‘EXCELLENCE AND ENJOYMENT: A STRATEGY FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ is already to be found in this school.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

There is an outstandingly high level of parental satisfaction with the school.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

24. Parents endorse and support the work of the school. One hundred and thirty-three families returned the parental questionnaire. One hundred per cent of these agreed that their children were making good progress and that the teaching was good. Virtually 100 per cent said that their children like school and that the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. This was confirmed at the parents’ meeting though the point was strongly made that when the school challenges its pupils, it does not have a blanket expectation for all pupils but it has the highest expectations for individuals. Parents were keen that the inspectors appreciated that the school knew all its pupils very well and fitted the challenge to the pupil to bring out the best in him or her.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

25. Nearly 100 per cent of parents said that their children liked school and that it is helping their children to become mature and responsible. Parents put this down to the way the school handles its diversity. All children are accepted and part of the school. The school has a very positive ethos and promotes kindness and friendship. Parents like the diversity of the school because it helps the children to see what variety there is in society. Friendship between different children at the school is genuine and not forced.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

26. Over 90 per cent of parents responded positively to all the other questions on the Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 16 questionnaire apart from ‘The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons.’ Nine point eight of respondents disagreed and 8.3 did not know. The school provides study, sport and arts activities outside school hours and the opportunity for the pupils to take part in musical and theatrical occasions locally and further a field. This is at least as much as is generally found.

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This is a very creative and innovative school because it is led with vision and

27. At the parents meeting, parents praised the school highly. They praised the whole spectrum of its work including, § The warm and welcoming atmosphere in the school; § Its good reputation in the community and further afield; § The teaching of reading; § Standards of reading, writing and mathematics; § How well social skills are developed; § Communication between home and school; § Access to the staff and school; § The way in which they feel included in their children’s education; § The diversity of the school; § The very good attitudes and values that it promotes and the behaviour of the pupils; § The interesting curriculum and § How well the school had improved in recent years.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

28. The school undertakes the most rigorous self-evaluation. It is well aware of what it should do next and the inspection endorses and does not add to the areas for development that it has already identified in its development planning.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

29. The school’s priorities include: § As part of a school network to pursue a bid with the National College for School Leadership to develop creativity in the curriculum, and § To develop its partnership with Manchester Victoria University.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

30. The school’s priorities for improvement are laid out already in its school development plan. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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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 five 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) 18 283

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 59

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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 1 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 65

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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 16

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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 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 18 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 19

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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 2002 15 21 36

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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 13 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 19 20

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (80) 89 (85) 94 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 11 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 17 20

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 78 (80) 92 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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 2002 19 14 33

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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 17 15 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 11 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (72) 79 (79) 100 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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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 17 15 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 85 (77) 76 (79) 97 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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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. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 20

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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

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1

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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. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12 Financial year 2002/03

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 884 860.19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 827 572.44

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 276 Expenditure per pupil 2594.27

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 66 486.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 57 287.75

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Vernon Park Primary School, Nursery and Speech and Language Unit - 22

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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 likes school. 71.4 27.8 0.3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 69.9 30.1 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 51.9 42.9 2.3 1.5 1.5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51.1 39.8 6 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 59.4 33.1 3 2.3 2.3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66.2 28.6 1.5 2.3 1.5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69.9 29.3 0 0 0.8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49.6 42.1 3.8 2.3 2.3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 66.9 27.1 2.3 0.8 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 63.9 34.6 1.5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52.6 29.3 9 0.8 8.3

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