Cawthorne Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

CAWTHORNE CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 25 th March 2003

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CAWTHORNE CE 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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CAWTHORNE CE 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. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Taylor Hill Cawthorne Barnsley Postcode: S75 4HB

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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: 24 th November 1997 Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Team members

19830 Mr G T Storer Registered inspector 9884 Mrs M Roscoe Lay inspector 20646 Mrs M A Palmer Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd. 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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 Cawthorne CE Primary School

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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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated at the centre of the village of Cawthorne, some five miles to the west of Barnsley. Pupils come from a wide range of home backgrounds. About a third of the pupils comes from the community, living in owner-occupied housing in the surrounding area, but the remaining two-thirds come from communities beyond the village. With 108 pupils on the roll, this school is smaller than many other primary schools. Pupil numbers have risen steadily in recent years and the school is presently fully subscribed. There is some unemployment in the area and a small number of families experience hardship. However, fewer than 3 per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, a low figure in comparison with schools nationally. Many children enter the school attaining standards above those normally expected of four-year-olds, although attainment on entry varies markedly from year to year. In

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

recent years, the proportion of pupils with special educational needs has risen and is now similar to that in most schools. The number of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need is also about average for a school of this size. No pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and none speaks English as an additional language. The turnover of pupils also varies but is generally quite low. Last year, one pupil joined the school and five left at times other than the start of reception and the end of Year 6.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Cawthorne Primary School provides a very good education for its pupils. They make very good progress up to the age of 11 years. By the time they leave the school, their results in the national tests in English, mathematics and science are very high in comparison with those in schools nationally and in similar schools. Teaching is consistently good and there are frequent examples of very good teaching. The headteacher provides very good leadership. She receives good support from senior staff and from the governing body. They have a clear view of the way ahead. Together with staff, they are striving for excellence in many aspects of the school’s work. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils of all abilities make very good progress, with the result that a high proportion attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of 11 years. • Teaching is consistently good and in a half of the lessons it was very good or excellent. • Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and rise to the challenge to do their best. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. • The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and gives added relevance and purpose to pupils’ work. • The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, extremely successfully. • The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good leadership that ensures high standards in many aspects of the school's work. • The school has a very successful partnership with parents and the local community.

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What could be improved

• The governing body’s procedures for identifying, evaluating and responding to potential hazards are not rigorous enough. 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

There have been many significant improvements since the last inspection over five years ago. Standards in English, mathematics and science have improved; more pupils achieve above average standards by the time that they leave the school. The quality of teaching is higher; there are more frequent examples of good, very good and excellent teaching throughout the school. The headteacher places greater emphasis on checking the quality of teaching and learning. She observes teaching more regularly and involves staff and governors in the monitoring process. Subject co-ordinators have received the training and the time that they need to move their subjects forward. As a result, the school’s development planning is more effective and levels of teamwork and commitment are higher than they were. Planning is better than it was; teachers use national guidelines to ensure that pupils gain knowledge, understanding and skills more

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

progressively and use assessment information more effectively to identify what pupils of different abilities need to learn next. Teachers’ planning also makes detailed reference to pupils’ personal development and as a result their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is better than it was, particularly their appreciation of cultures other than their own. Staff are more competent in the use of information and Cawthorne CE Primary School communication technology (ICT). Their added confidence and enthusiasm, along with the school’s improved resources, ensures that computers are used more effectively to improve pupils’ learning.

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 top 5% nationally A * English A E A* A* well above average above average A B Mathematics A* C A* A* average below average C D Science A* D A* A* well below average E

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Key

Many children enter the reception class attaining standards above those normally expected of four-year- olds. Most achieve well during their time in reception so that, by the end of the Foundation Stage 1 , they achieve the Early Learning Goals 2 for five-year-olds in all areas of learning. However, entry groups are small and the overall picture of attainment varies considerably from year to year. It is for this reason that standards, as represented by the results of the annual tests for pupils aged 7 and 11, appear to vary from year to year or between Years 2 and Year 6.

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Key

In 2002, for example, a statistical analysis indicates that the school’s results for 7-year-olds were below the national average in reading and writing, but above the national average in mathematics. In comparison with those in similar schools, the results in reading and writing were well below average, whilst results in mathematics were average. This analysis does not present the true picture because the school’s results were adversely affected by the performance of a very small number of pupils. In fact, all but two or three pupils achieved the nationally expected standard 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. In reading and mathematics over a quarter of all pupils exceeded national expectations. Furthermore, assessments made at the end of Foundation Stage show that this was a generally less able group, with around a half of the pupils achieving below average scores and more pupils than normal facing difficulties in aspects of their

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Key

learning. Therefore, most pupils had made very good progress during Years 1 and 2 to achieve the results that they did.

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Key

The results for 11-year-olds in 2002 were in the top 5 per cent nationally and very high in comparison with those in similar schools. This is because a very large proportion of pupils exceeded the nationally expected standard in English, mathematics and science. Even though the 2002 Year 6 was a high- attaining group, with no pupils with special educational needs, a comparison with their results at the age of 7 years shows that their progress during Years 3 to 6 has been extremely good. These results are consistent with inspection evidence.

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Key

Pupils currently in Year 2 and Year 6 are making very good progress in relation to their attainment on entry or, in the case of pupils with special educational needs, in relation to the targets in their individual education plans. However, as in previous years, the school’s results are likely to vary because of the low number in each intake. There is no significant difference between the performance of pupils of different age, gender or background. All do equally well.

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Key

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class year . . It is a distinct stage, preparing children for later schooling, and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal and social development, but also include knowledge and understanding of the world, and physical and creative development. 2 Early Learning Goals – These are the standards that children are expected to reach by the end of their reception year. 3 The nationally expected standard for pupils at the end of Year 2 is National Curriculum Level 2 and at the end of Year 6 it is Level 4. Pupils who achieve Level 3 in Year 2 or Level 5 in Year 6 are exceeding national expectations. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are extremely enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school. They work very hard and make a real effort to improve. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. There is no evidence of bullying or of any other unpleasant behaviour in the playground. Personal development and relationships Very good. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect, which contributes strongly to the very pleasant and harmonious atmosphere in and around school. Relationships at all levels are excellent. Attendance Good. In the last school year attendance was above the national average and unauthorised absence was lower than in many schools.

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

Quality of teaching Good 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: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is good. During the inspection, inspectors saw all teachers and teaching was good or better in all lessons. A half of all teaching was very good or excellent. There was very good teaching in almost all classes, though most frequently in Years 3 to 6. The teaching of the basic skills in English and mathematics is very good. Teachers plan very carefully and use assessment information effectively so that the tasks they set match the needs of pupils of different ages and abilities in the class. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, and of their capacity to cope with challenging work. This is a consistent strength of teaching throughout the school. As a result, pupils are attentive, join in well and rise to the challenges posed by demanding work. Teachers manage their pupils well. They plan very thoroughly and use methods that ensure that pupils are interested, concentrate well and become

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

increasingly independent. There is very effective teamwork between teachers and classroom assistants that improves the quality of pupils’ learning, especially where classes are large. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very effective. These pupils make very good progress and some achieve nationally expected standards in their work in both key stages despite the difficulties that they face. Work for higher-attaining pupils is set at a sufficiently challenging level to allow them to attain well above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the time that they leave the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school teaches all the subjects that it should and enriches pupils’ experience with a very good range of educational visits and special events. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The school complies with the Code of Practice and ensures that these pupils are fully included and benefit from everything that the school offers to all its pupils. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Excellent. Pupils are mature and sensible and contribute well to the school as a community. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is particularly successful. How well the school cares for its pupils This is a very caring school in which the support for and welfare of pupils are high priorities. The school provides very good educational and personal support and guidance for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has the overwhelming support of most parents and works in successful partnership with them. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher and senior staff provide very effective leadership that results in a strong sense of purpose and a very good level of teamwork amongst all staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors are conscientious in overseeing the school's curriculum, staffing and financial planning. They have a sound understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. However, the governing body’s procedures for identifying, evaluating and responding to potential hazards are not rigorous enough. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher is very rigorous in her monitoring of standards and quality. The senior management team and governors use the outcomes of monitoring very effectively in planning for school improvement. The strategic use of resources Very good. The governing body uses the school's budget and other grants very effectively, according to principles of best value and in the interests of the pupils.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teaching is good; teachers expect pupils to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible and behaviour is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The school works closely with parents and parents are comfortable in approaching staff with questions or problems. • Their children like school. • Their children are making good progress. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The information parents receive about how their children are getting on. • The work that their children are expected to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

There were 69 questionnaires (64 per cent) returned and 20 parents attended the meeting for parents. Parents’ responses overwhelmingly supported the school and the quality of education provided for their children. A small number of parents expressed concerns. The inspection strongly endorses the positive views but finds no evidence to support their concerns. Staff offer a range of sporting, cultural and social activities outside of normal lessons that effectively complement aspects of pupils’ academic and personal development. This is greater than the provision in other schools of this size. There are no serious shortcomings in the information that parents receive about how their children are getting on. The pupils’ annual progress reports contain a good evaluation of their learning in English, mathematics and science and information about other subjects gives a clear picture of what pupils know, understand and can do.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Reports also contain information for parents about what their children need to do in order to improve. Teachers use homework well. It is carefully planned so that it is purposeful and complements pupils’ on- going work effectively. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

1. In the 2002 national tests for 11-year-olds, the school’s results were in the top 5 per cent nationally and very high in comparison with those in similar schools. This is because a very high proportion of pupils exceeded the nationally expected standard in English, mathematics and science. Even though the 2002 Year 6 was a high-attaining group, with no pupils with special educational needs, a comparison with their attainment on entry and with their results at the age of 7 years shows that their progress has been extremely good. These results are consistent with inspection evidence. Pupils currently in Year 6 are making very good progress in relation to their attainment on entry or, in the case of pupils with special educational needs, in relation to the targets in their individual education plans. There is no significant difference between the performance of pupils of different age, gender or background. All do equally well.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

2. By the time that they leave the school, pupils achieve very good levels of literacy. Almost all are very attentive listeners and are fluent, confident speakers. They use a wide and interesting range of vocabulary. For example, in a very effective mathematics lesson in the Years 5 and 6 class, many pupils had an impressive command of ‘technical’ terms and used them confidently and accurately when describing their work. Most enjoy books and are fluent, accurate and expressive readers, with the necessary skills to use reference books very effectively to support their work across the curriculum. Pupils’ writing is also of a very good standard. Most write neatly and legibly, spell accurately and structure their writing well. They are aware of the need to match the style of their writing to its intended audience and most do so effectively. Levels of numeracy are similarly high. Pupils develop confidence, competence, speed and accuracy in their work with numbers that

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

allow them to solve complex problems efficiently. Their levels of scientific knowledge and understanding are good but are not yet matched by their investigative skills, which, though satisfactory, are relatively underdeveloped.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

3. Key factors that contribute to pupils’ very good progress and to the high standards that most achieve include: • teachers’ very high expectations; • very good provision for pupils of differing ages and abilities within the class; • teachers’ very effective use of assessment information as a basis for their planning; • activities and tasks that challenge, interest and inspire pupils to give of their best. All of the above and other contributory factors are addressed in more detail in the commentary below.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

Teaching is consistently good and in a half of the lessons it was very good or excellent.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

4. The overall quality of teaching is good. It was good or better in all of the lessons inspected and in half of all lessons, teaching was very good. The proportion of good, very good and excellent teaching was higher than at the time of the previous inspection. There was high- quality teaching throughout the school, though most frequently in Years 3 to 6, where almost three-quarters of the lessons seen were either very good or excellent.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

5. Teachers throughout the school have sufficient knowledge and understanding to teach most subjects of the National Curriculum well. The school also employs part-time staff, who offer particular expertise. For example, much of the teaching of music is organised on a ‘specialist’ basis and, as a result, standards in the subject are rising rapidly. On-going initiatives relating Cawthorne CE Primary School to the content and organisation of the curriculum and also to the ways in which teachers plan and assess pupils’ work are having a very beneficial effect (see below). Whole-school developments in the teaching of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) have led to greater consistency and a general improvement in the teaching of basic skills. There is evidence of greater collaboration of the sharing of expertise and of the staff working effectively together as a mutually supportive team.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

6. Teachers' planning is particularly thorough. They know exactly what they expect their pupils to learn and how this is to be achieved. There is extremely good provision for pupils of different ages and abilities because teachers regularly assess their attainment and evaluate the progress that they are making. They record these assessments conscientiously and use them as the basis for individual and group targets that give a clear focus to teaching and learning. For example, in a very effective numeracy lesson in the Years 1/2 class, the teacher had carefully planned questions to challenge and extend pupils in the different ability groups. This quality of planning allowed the mental agility session to proceed at a good pace and also enabled pupils of all abilities to participate, succeed and make progress. Teachers’ use of assessment information in their planning is much more effective than it was at the time

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

of the last inspection. They routinely present tasks at four or five levels of difficulty in order to ensure that all pupils can cope well enough to work independently and that the tasks that they set are challenging enough to move pupils on in their learning. There is planning of this quality throughout the school and, as a result, teaching very effectively meets the needs of all pupils.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

7. The school uses additional teachers and classroom assistants very effectively. Where two teachers share the teaching of the same class, levels of teamwork and communication are high. Teachers are consistent in their expectations and the standards they require so that the transition from one to the other is almost ‘seamless’ and causes no discontinuity to pupils’ learning. There is also very effective teamwork between teachers and classroom assistants. This quality of teamwork ensures that pupils in large mixed-age classes receive the support and individual attention that they need in order to thrive and allows class teachers to focus on, for example, higher-attaining pupils or pupils with special educational needs. The school makes very good arrangements for the teaching of pupils with special educational needs. The support that they receive from class teachers and the support assistants secures their very good progress in most aspects of their work. Teachers

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all activities and that their efforts and achievements are valued. This improves their self-esteem and adds to the progress that they make.

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pupils attains above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the age of

8. All teachers manage their pupils effectively. They have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and response and, as a result, pupils behave well in class and apply themselves conscientiously to their work. Teachers have similarly high expectations of pupils’ capacity to cope with challenging work. This is a consistent strength of teaching throughout the school. They set tasks at an appropriately demanding level and this makes a strong contribution to pupils’ attainments, but is particularly apparent in Years 3 to 6. Teachers form extremely constructive relationships with their pupils and this, along with the pupils’ predominantly positive attitudes and response, helps to create a very positive atmosphere in which effective learning takes place. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and

rise to the challenge to do their best. Relationships throughout the school are excellent.

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Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and

9. Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to school and to their work. They have maintained and, in some respects, improved upon the high standards reported at the time of the last inspection. The vast majority very much enjoys coming to school and this is reflected in attendance rates that are above the national average and in the very low incidence of unauthorised absence, which is having a very good effect on standards.

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Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and

10. Pupils respond very well to what the school offers them because teachers work hard to ensure that their learning is challenging, stimulating and enjoyable. Tasks are pitched at a level that makes intellectual demands on all pupils and are very well planned to make pupils think and to move them forward in their learning. There is a good emphasis on practical and investigative methods of learning. For example, in a Years 3/4 geography lesson, pupils use photographs and begin to draw conclusions based on their geographical understanding. Similarly, pupils in Years 5 and 6 use the Internet very effectively as a source of information for their geography topics. They really enjoy finding things out for themselves and, in doing so, come to a deeper understanding of underlying ideas and principles.

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Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and

11. Pupils' positive response also results in part from the excellent relationships that exist between all members of the school’s community and from the high expectations of the staff. Pupils feel secure and this gives them the confidence to take on demanding activities and to rise to the challenge to do their best. A pattern of careful thought and hard work is developed from entry to the school and maintained throughout. Most pupils show an enthusiasm for learning and high self-esteem. They are keen to share their ideas with teachers, other adults and each other. They think for themselves, work diligently and persevere to solve problems. This approach improves the quality of pupils’ learning and adds significantly to the progress that they make.

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Pupils have excellent attitudes. They really enjoy school, behave very well, work hard and

12. The quality of learning opportunities that the school offers (see below) contributes strongly to pupils’ very positive attitudes and enjoyment of learning. Pupils' learning is 'brought to life' by the very good range of educational visits, visitors and special events that inspire them and help create a very effective climate for learning.

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

gives added relevance and purpose to pupils’ work.

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

13. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. The teachers plan a very good range of activities in accordance with the government’s guidance for children of this age and include an appropriate emphasis on learning through play. Although children do not have ready access to a secure outdoor area, teachers plan a satisfactory range of activities to provide them with valuable opportunities to learn outside their classroom and additional time allocated for physical activities supports children’s physical development effectively. Links between different areas of learning bring added meaning and purpose to children’s work.

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

14. The school provides a rich and stimulating curriculum for its pupils in Years 1 to 6, which complies fully with the requirements of the National Curriculum and for the teaching of religious education. The school’s approach is innovative and there are exciting initiatives, such as its focus on the expressive arts, which is already making a huge contribution to the standards that pupils attain in aspects of English, music, art and physical education. For example, many pupils become very fluent and articulate speakers because they have the opportunity to practise and to perform publicly. Curriculum planning is more thorough than it was at the time of the last inspection. The curriculum takes account of the most recent national guidelines and, as a result, schemes of work provide effective guidance for Cawthorne CE Primary School teachers’ planning; coverage of most subjects is thorough and skills develop as an orderly

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

sequence of steps through the six years. The care in drawing up the long-term planning means that the school gives its pupils a broadly based and well-balanced curriculum that effectively meets the pupils’ needs and interests. To strengthen learning, teachers plan very effective links between many subjects. For example, in Years 5 and 6, pupils’ interest is immediately aroused when their work in ICT is derived from their current geography topic and links well with on-going work in literacy. Pupils respond really well because they can see the relevance and purpose of what they are doing.

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

15. The school has successfully adopted the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. As a result, teachers plan more systematically for their teaching of basic skills and are doing more to provide different activities that match the range of ability groups in each class. There are also frequent opportunities for pupils to reinforce their developing literacy and numeracy skills through work in other subjects, such as science, history, geography, religious education and ICT. For example, when pupils in Years 5 and 6 retell the miracles of Jesus, they think very carefully about their vocabulary and about the style of their writing because they know that they are writing for a younger ‘audience’. Because the task has clearly-defined objectives relating to pupils’ literary development as well as to their religious education, the benefits to the pupils are multiplied. These developments are bringing greater consistency to the teaching of English and mathematics and have made a

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

valuable contribution to the drive to maintain high standards of attainment in these subjects. Standards in science are high because of the rigorous development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Current planning for science includes a greater emphasis on the development of investigative skills. This is appropriate because, until recently, this has been an area of relative weakness in the science curriculum

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

16. The school provides a curriculum in which pupils enjoy a high degree of equality of access and opportunity. Consequently, boys and girls, pupils from different home backgrounds and pupils of differing abilities all do equally well. The inclusion of all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, has a high priority in the school and contributes significantly to their learning and social development. The school provides a very good curriculum for pupils with special educational needs. Work is almost always matched to pupils’ needs to enable them to make substantial gains in learning. Pupils are given every chance to succeed, whether they are supported in their classes or by being withdrawn for individual or small group activity. Where pupils are withdrawn from classes, their entitlement to the statutory curriculum is not compromised.

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

17. The school is doing a tremendous amount to provide pupils with experiences that enrich and extend the basic curriculum and make learning more stimulating. This is a major strength. Pupils’ curricular and cultural experiences are enhanced by visits to museums, galleries and other places of interest locally and further afield. There have also been visits to school by artists, actors and musicians who have worked with the pupils. Opportunities to experience a Victorian day, sports coaching, Indian dancing, Chinese cooking, visitors from within the local community and educational visits in support of particular topics bring an additional richness and quality to the school's curriculum. Older pupils enjoy their rehearsals for the concerts and productions and regularly perform in public. All pupils are given the opportunity to experience a residential visit, which not only contributes to aspects

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The school provides a very rich and stimulating curriculum that brings learning to life and

of the curriculum, but also promotes pupils’ personal development effectively.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

cultural development, extremely successfully.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

18. The school’s success in promoting pupils’ personal development is firmly rooted in teachers’ shared appreciation of the importance of this aspect of their work and in the detailed and thorough planning that goes into it. The school has a detailed scheme of work for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and all classes have either circle Cawthorne CE Primary School time 4 or PSHE lessons every week. However, in their planning for all subjects, teachers are extremely aware of personal development opportunities and are careful to build them into the projects that they prepare. For example, Years 3 and 4 are currently studying India during their geography lessons. In addition to the ‘mainstream’ geographical aspects, the teacher has planned to cover topics such as the quality of people’s life and experience in a rural Indian village, Indian religious beliefs and practices, child labour, children’s rights, environmental issues and Indian artistic traditions. Some of these

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

matters will take the form of a passing reference, others will be the subject of an entire PSHE lesson or art lesson. However, by planning in such detail, nothing is left to chance. Teachers promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely effectively because they ensure that pupils’ learning has a clear context and that the range and variety of content that they cover form a coherent whole. This approach gives added depth to pupils’ understanding and improves the quality of their learning.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

19. The school’s strong focus on the expressive arts also makes a major contribution to pupils’ cultural development. In addition to their on-going lessons in art, music and dance, pupils have opportunities to perform, either in school productions such as the recent Alice in Wonderland.com, in community productions such as Cider with Rosie or by singing with the local Choral Society. They also make regular visits to the village museum and so gain a strong sense of local culture and heritage.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

20. The school’s very effective links with the local community, and in particular with the church, add significantly to pupils’ spiritual and social development. Vicar John is a regular visitor, conducting acts of worship or contributing to religious education and other aspects of the school’s work. Similarly, all pupils attend special services and celebrations held in church, but many attend more regularly because they or their families are part of the faith community. Because of the approach to planning described above, the curriculum also contributes effectively to pupils’ spiritual and social development. As a result, most pupils have a strong sense of their own worth and show respect for others. They experience excitement in learning and pride when they succeed. In an assembly during the inspection, pupils of all ages showed sensitivity to the natural beauty of the world and of the need to protect the fragile environment.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

21. The school has very effective procedures for monitoring aspects of pupils’ personal development. Teachers keep detailed records that enable them to track pupils’ personal development, to respond effectively to problems when they arise and to keep parents informed about this important aspect of their children’s progress.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and

22. The last inspection found shortcomings in pupils’ awareness of cultures other than their own. This is no longer the case. Curriculum topics such as the Romans, the Ancient Greeks, the Egyptians and, of course, India have a strong cultural emphasis. Consequently, non-western cultural traditions often feature as starting points for pupils’ work in art and music. Assemblies often feature celebrations from other cultures, such as Diwali or Chinese New Year, and experiences, such as the visit by Indian dancers or the demonstration of Chinese cooking, effectively reinforce pupils’ understanding.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

leadership that ensures high standards in many aspects of the school's work.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

23. The headteacher knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has a clear view of the way ahead. She leads by example and sets high professional standards for the staff. The processes of monitoring and evaluating the school's work are very rigorous and have improved since the last inspection. They involve the governing body and all staff and form a very good basis for performance management, staff development and school improvement

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

4 Circle time – when younger pupils sit together and share thoughts and feelings or talk about things that are important to or concern them. Cawthorne CE Primary School planning. Roles and responsibilities have been redefined since the last inspection and the headteacher ensures that staff fulfil them properly. She provides staff with management responsibilities with the necessary opportunities, through the allocation of training, time and resources, to make a real contribution to school improvement. This approach builds a very strong team spirit and a sense of shared purpose that motivates staff to give their best efforts to the school. These are areas of significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

24. The headteacher has very clear educational aims, values and principles. These lie at the heart of all of the school’s work and give rise to a very positive atmosphere and an effective climate for learning, within which pupils feel secure and gain significantly in confidence. The headteacher, governors and staff are striving for excellence in many aspects of the school’s work. The atmosphere within the school fully reflects its motto, which states, ‘They come this way only once and so we should litter their pathway with quality experiences’.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

25. Through the work of the full governing body and its committees and the regular involvement of individuals, members of the governing body are conscientious in overseeing most aspects of the work of the school. Governors are fully involved in all aspects of policy, planning and the monitoring of standards and quality. They have undertaken training, for example in data analysis, which gives them a better understanding of the school’s performance relative to that in schools nationally and in similar schools. They bring a wide range of community, business, commercial and professional expertise to the governing body and use their experience very effectively to support the school. For example, their discussions of options relating to the proposed new school buildings have been searching and protracted. They ensured that competing priorities were considered, that decisions were well founded on principles of best

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

value and that this significant investment of funds was in the best interests of the pupils and the community.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

26. Administrative systems work very well. The headteacher and administrative officer make very good use of computer technology to improve the efficiency of the school. The administrative officer maintains pupils’ records, attendance and assessment data and the school’s budget on the office computer. She has a high level of administrative and ICT skills and uses them very effectively to analyse data, identify trends, track the school’s budget and prepare reports for the headteacher, the governing body and the local authority. This enables the headteacher and governors to make decisions on the basis of accurate and up-to-date information and so adds significantly to the overall efficiency of school management and administration. The governors' finance committee is rigorous in its monitoring of the school's budget. As a result, specific grants are spent for their designated purpose and the school operates within its budget. Last year, the budget

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

carry-forward was higher than usual, but this was satisfactory, given that the governing body was planning to ‘cushion’ the school from the worst effects of changes to its funding. Budget setting takes full account of the long-term plans of the school and different priorities are carefully matched to the funds available. As a result, the school is very successful in meeting its targets in the school improvement plan. Even though the cost of educating each pupil is quite high, the school’s results indicate that it nevertheless provides good value for money.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

The school has a very successful partnership with parents and the local community.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

27. Parents’ responses in questionnaires and at the pre-inspection meeting indicate that the vast majority hold the school in high regard. They are very happy with the quality of education that the school provides for their children and, as a result, most give the school their overwhelming support.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

28. The school keeps parents well informed. For example, the school brochure presents a thorough and informative account of most aspects of school life. Annual progress reports Cawthorne CE Primary School are thorough and informative and so give parents a clear picture of what their children know, understand and can do. Staff have held information evenings for parents in order to brief them on initiatives such as the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school also provides regular newsletters and curriculum information, so that parents know what is going to be taught and are in a position to contribute and support this during, for example, family outings or visits to the library. All staff value informal contact with parents and seek to develop constructive relationships with the parents of children in their class. The governing body is keen to seek the opinions of parents when considering new

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

developments and is currently holding consultations about the nature and content of the proposed sex-education programme. The school encourages parents to attend special events such as assemblies and performances and to contribute to pupils’ learning at home by supporting the school’s homework policy.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

29. As a result of the school’s efforts, parents feel very involved in their children’s education and many make a significant contribution either at home or in school. Most parents attend the open evenings and support their children further by hearing them read and contributing to homework assignments. The school receives regular support from a growing number of voluntary helpers. This group now represents more than 10 per cent of families and provides additional help for teachers in classrooms, on educational visits or with special events. An active parents’ association organises social functions and raises funds that have provided valuable additional resources and subsidised the cost of special events, such as theatre visits.

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The headteacher, with the support of governors and senior staff, provides very good

30. The school and its pupils also contribute actively to the life of the community. The school is at the heart of village life. It shares its site with the local pre-school playgroup and many other community groups use it for meetings and activities. Pupils and their parents attend celebrations and services in the local church. They participate in the activities of the local drama group and choral society. The school supports local charities by fundraising or by giving practical help. These activities add to aspects of pupils’ learning and make a very worthwhile contribution to their personal and social development.

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The governing body’s procedures for identifying, evaluating and responding to potential

31. Cawthorne Primary is a very caring school in which the support for and welfare of pupils are high priorities. The school’s procedures for child protection are good and many of the arrangements for pastoral care and for promoting aspects of pupils’ personal development are very effective.

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The governing body’s procedures for identifying, evaluating and responding to potential

32. However, the school occupies a complex site and, consequently, some aspects of the school environment and some of the school’s current procedures constitute a potential hazard to pupils, staff and other visitors to the school. Because standards of supervision and care are generally good, there is little real risk to pupils. However, the governing body has not been rigorous enough in identifying such potential hazards or in evaluating the risks to pupils and others. Neither has there been enough action to minimise such risks or to inform those who might be affected. Where procedures have been agreed, for example in respect of identifying and logging all visitors to the site, governors have not monitored rigorously enough to ensure full compliance and, as a result, current practice is too lax. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

33. In order to extend the school’s current achievements, the governors, headteacher and staff should jointly:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) take immediate action to minimise potential hazards to pupils, staff and visitors to the school by: i) initiating a thorough review of the school’s physical environment and of practices currently in place; ii) identifying any potential hazards or practices that are unsatisfactory; iii) taking all reasonable steps to minimise risks or improve procedures; iv) notifying all who may be affected; v) monitoring new arrangements regularly and rigorously to ensure that agreed procedures are followed more consistently. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 14 36 50 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 108

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3

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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 26

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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 0

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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 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.9 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 6 12 18

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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 5 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 89 (80) 89 (93) 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 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 89 (80) 89 (80) 89 (87) 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)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 10 5 15

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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 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 5 5 5

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (75) 100 (83) 100 (100) 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 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 5 5 5

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (67) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC Level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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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 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 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. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5 Financial year 2001 / 02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 288,589

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 275,317

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 124 Expenditure per pupil 2,549

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 15,184

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 28,456

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1.4

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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 FTE means full-time equivalent. Cawthorne CE Primary School

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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. 62 28 9 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 68 30 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 46 9 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 36 16 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 23 3 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 29 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 41 48 6 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 58 38 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 35 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 38 26 4 3

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Other issues raised by parents

A number of parents at the meeting expressed concerns about the security of the school’s grounds and premises and about aspects of pupils’ safety and well-being in school.

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